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Is there a 'feminine' response to terrorism? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Mona Krewel, Cornell University and Sabrina Karim, Cornell University (THE CONVERSATION) After a terrorist shot and killed 50 people in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responded differently than most leaders have after similar attacks. Usually, history shows, presidents and prime ministers try to appear rational after terrorism. They reassure people that the situation is under control, thank police and other first responders and offer updates on the investigations. Other world leaders, most of them male, have reacted by launching mass surveillance of the public, repressing civil liberties, strengthening law enforcement or calling for a war on terror. Ardern demonstrated a more compassionate and empathetic handling of the Christchurch shootings. She wore a headscarf when comforting Muslim victims and mourners. She cried. Her government offered to pay all funeral costs for the victims, regardless of immigration status. And Ardern responded forcefully on the legislative front, pushing new gun control measures through parliament, banning military-style assault weapons in New Zealand. Arden has been almost universally praised for her leadership through this crisis, which some have identified as a feminine management style. Her approval ratings are the highest since she took office. We wanted to understand how, exactly, Ardern acted differently than a man when facing down terrorism if in fact she did. Our study: Categorizing leadership style To assess Ardens feminine approach to terrorism, we have compared her rhetoric to that of other world leaders in the immediate aftermath of similar mass shootings that is, lone wolf attacks that resulted in two or more deaths and were motivated by right-wing ideology. Six shooting incidents over the past 50 years meet all these criteria. They are: Norways Utya shooting in 2011; the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting in 2012; the Charleston, South Carolina, United Methodist Church shooting in 2015; Canadas Quebec mosque attack in 2017; last years Pittsburgh synagogue shooting; and the Christchurch mosque shooting. Our analysis therefore covered five different leaders reactions to domestic terrorism: Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. President Barack Obama, U. S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern. For each leader, we analyzed every sentence of their immediate post-attack statements both spoken and written and noted whether it focused on the perpetrator, the victims, both parties or neither. In total, we coded 314 sentences in this manner. Men lament victims, too Arden made headlines after Christchurch for talking about the victims and refusing to say the attackers name, denying him notoriety. We found that all the male leaders in our sample also expressed empathy with the victims and, to a great extent, focused on the dead and injured rather than the perpetrator. Two actually focused their post-attack comments more strongly on the victims than Ardern, who devoted about 40% of her comment to the Christchurch victims. Nearly 44% of Prime Minister Stoltenbergs sentences centered on victims, and he did not mention the terrorist at all. Stoltenberg said he was unable to express with words the depth of his feelings about the 77 people killed on Utya island, many of whom were children at summer camp. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who mourned Quebecs slain Muslim worshippers as brothers, uncles, fathers and friends followed, focusing 41% of his statement on the victims. The two U.S. presidents in our analysis least emphasized the victims. Obama, who shared his deep sorrow over the senseless murders of black worshippers in South Carolina, spoke about shooting victims in just 18% of his post-attack statements. Trump dedicated less than 5% of his speech after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting to the dead. Both Obama and Trump spoke much more about the criminal investigations underway, the law enforcement response and how their government was handling the situation. This emphasis on power and, by implication, the strength of the nations leader appears to be something of a male response to mass shooting. All the men in our sample dedicated at least half of their post-attack reactions to such topics. Ardern, a woman, was the only leader in our sample who focused more than half of her comments on the human beings involved in the terrorist attack. When stereotypes work for women Arderns response to terrorism differed, too, in how openly she expressed her sadness. Crying in public can be a political liability for both male and female politicians, according to Dartmouth professor Deborah Jordan Brooks. When President Obama in 2016 struggled to hold back tears after the Sandy Hook school shooting, for example, Fox News mocked him. Research shows that women leaders are penalized particularly harshly for showing emotion. Ardern, however, has not been judged for crying in Christchurch. Traditional gender roles depict women as emotional. Perhaps, in this time of tragedy, social expectations actually worked in her favor. Another stereotypically female characteristic empathetic caring for the needs of others was also on display after the Christchurch attack. Arderns use of the Muslim headscarf when visiting the scene of the crime, for example, was more than cultural sensitivity. It visually conveyed that Muslims are welcome in New Zealand. Muslim leaders worldwide praised the prime minister for her compassionate gesture, and many non-Muslim women in New Zealand soon followed her lead. Even the Ardern governments policy responses were arguably driven by empathy. Her government offered to pay funeral costs and made tax-free survivor grants available for the partners, children and dependents of the victims. Research shows that women experience indirect but disproportionate harms when male heads of households die from violence. The survivor grants indicate that Ardern considered womens specific needs in planning government assistance. Worldwide, research shows, female leaders are most likely to champion these kinds of social welfare policies when in office. After armed conflicts, female leaders also tend to shift resources from military spending to social welfare, prolonging peace. Women being women There are, of course notable exceptions to the idea that female leaders are more compassionate, nurturing or nonviolent leaders. As U.S. secretary of state, Hillary Clinton advocated for a U.S. military involvement to conflicts in Libya and Syria. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher also started war while in office, and famously slashed government funding for Britains social welfare services. Arderns willingness to embrace an openly female leadership style is a relatively new phenomenon. In the past, many women have felt the need to adopt traditionally masculine traits to succeed in the male-dominated world of politics. In doing so, Ardern has showed the world that feminine leadership isnt just acceptable it is also, in times of trouble, a powerful force. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/is-there-a-feminine-response-to-terrorism-115873. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Is-there-a-feminine-response-to-terrorism-13803078.php |
Is an 'insect apocalypse' happening? How would we know? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Brian Lovett, University of Maryland (THE CONVERSATION) Insects scuttle, chew and fly through the world around us. Humans rely on them to pollinate plants, prey on insects that we dont get along with, and to be movers and shakers for Earths ecosystems. Its hard to imagine a world without insects. Thats why news reports in recent months warning of an insect apocalypse sparked widespread alarm. These articles, which were based on long-term insect collections and a review of past studies, suggested that people alive today will witness the indiscriminate extinction of insect-kind. I study fungi that can be used to control harmful insects, such as pests that damage crops and mosquitoes that transmit malaria. In my world, reports of mass insect die-offs are big news. But while there clearly is reason to be concerned about certain insects, such as the endangered rusty patched bumble bee or the American burying beetle, in my view it isnt yet possible to predict a looming insect apocalypse. More than 1 million insects have been discovered and named, but many millions have yet to be described. Its undeniable that Earth is becoming increasingly inhospitable to some insects but nightmarish conditions for one may be heaven to another. Put another way, there is no perfect environment for all insects. And human impacts on the environment, like climate change and land development, very well may hurt beneficial insects and help harmful ones. Insect declines Around the world, entomologists are looking wistfully into empty nets, and car owners are increasingly unsettled by their pristine windshields. It does not take decades of data collection and a degree to notice that in a human lifetime, our teeming world teems less. The first study to set off alarms was published in 2017 by entomologists in Germany, who reported that over 27 years the biomass of flying insects in their traps had declined by 75%. Another study from the Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research program site in the Puerto Rican rainforest reproduced an insect survey from the 1970s. It found that the biomass of arthropods a large group of organisms that includes insects had declined 10- to 60-fold in that time, and that lizards, frogs and birds that ate arthropods had also declined. Underscoring this theme, in April 2019 two scholars published a review that synthesized over 70 reports of insect decline from around the world, and predicted mass insect extinctions within a human lifetime. They took a alarmist tone, and have been widely criticized for exaggerating their conclusions and selecting studies to review with the word decline. Nonetheless, these researchers had no trouble finding studies to include in their review. Many scientists are currently analyzing the roles that climate change, land use, chemical pesticides and other factors have played in reported declines in many insect species. The end is not near These discussions are important, but they dont mean an insect apocalypse is under way. Predicting insect decline is hard to do without a lot of effort and data. To predict an apocalypse, entomologists worldwide will need to conduct careful large-scale studies that involve collecting, identifying and counting many different insects. There are very few insects for which scientists have enough data now to reliably predict how many individuals there will be from year to year, let alone confidently chart a decline in each species. Most of the insects for which this information exists are species that are important for agricultural or human health, such as managed honey bees or mosquitoes. And human actions are shifting balances between insect species. As an example, the mosquitoes that are best at spreading pathogens that cause disease have evolved to thrive near us. Entomologists call them anthropophilic, which means they love people. That love extends to human impacts on the land. Insects that flutter from flower to flower wont be happy when developers bulldoze a meadow and scatter tires around, but human-biting mosquitoes will be buzzing with excitement. Entomologists are uniformly concerned about the fate of insects in todays changing world. But I believe the responsible approach is to push back on fire-and-brimstone rhetoric until detailed, large-scale studies are completed. Until then, these same gaps in our knowledge also make it hard to rule out that significant declines in diverse insects are happening. These gaps must be filled to illuminate challenges that insects face, from the inconvenient to the apocalyptic. When the majority of insects remain to be described, its hard to value them. But heres one example: Insecticide use in pear groves in Chinas Sichuan Province has caused such a decline in native pollinators that beekeepers will not lend their bees to these orchards. These farmers are forced to pollinate their trees by hand an expensive and time-consuming process if you arent an insect. Similarly, native natural enemies played invisible roles in slowing the spread of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug when it was introduced into Pennsylvania in the 1990s. They included wasps that lay their eggs inside of stink bug eggs, and predatory insects and spiders that eat stink bugs eggs for breakfast. Pollination and predation are just the start. Some insects could be sources of new drugs or traditional dyes, while others inspire artists or just provide little moments of inimitable beauty. With so many unanswered questions, its clear that there is a need for more funding for biodiversity research. It is no coincidence that recent studies reporting massive insect declines came from a Long-Term Ecological Research center that is publicly funded through the National Science Foundation and from a carefully curated collection made and maintained by entomologists. This kind of work requires money, bold foresight and dedication to science over long periods of time. But it can produce insights into how our world is changing and that knowledge will help us prepare for the future. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/is-an-insect-apocalypse-happening-how-would-we-know-113170. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Is-an-insect-apocalypse-happening-How-would-we-13803080.php |
Is racial gap in infant mortality higher today than in 1850, as Beto ORourke says? | The claim: Its our system of health care, where you see disparities in infant mortality between white Americans and black Americans greater today, in 2019, than in the year 1850 15 years before the abolition of slavery. Democratic presidential candidate Beto ORourke, of El Paso, during a campaign event in Richmond, Va. On April 16, ORourke cited the statistic during a campaign stop in Virginia. He repeated it in a forum on April 24 in Houston. PolitiFact ruling: Academic studies lead to estimates that in 1850, live-born black babies were 1.6 times more likely to die in their first year than white ones. The latest racial infant mortality statistics are from 2016. They show blacks were 2.3 times more likely to die in infancy than whites. Mostly true. More Information About PolitiFact PolitiFact is a fact-checking project to help you sort out fact from fiction in politics. Truth-O-Meter ratings are determined by a panel of three editors. The burden of proof is on the speaker, and PolitiFact rates statements based on the information known at the time the statement is made. Read More Discussion: Lets start with a definition the infant mortality rate is the number of deaths before age 1 per 1,000 live births. Chris Evans, communications director for ORourkes campaign, said candidate got his information from an April 11, 2018, article in The New York Times Magazine headlined, Why Americas Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis. The article cites estimates of child mortality in 1850 that were made by economists Michael Haines of Colgate University and Richard Steckel of The Ohio State University. Haines concluded that in 1850, the infant mortality rate for blacks was about 340 per 1,000; Steckel estimated the white rate was 217 per 1,000. The Times compared those estimates to modern rates computed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2016, the latest year available, the infant mortality rate for blacks was 11.4 per 1,000. For whites, it was 4.9 per 1,000. In other words, in 1850, blacks were 1.6 times more likely to die in infancy than whites. In 2016, blacks were 2.3 times more likely to die in infancy than whites. That shows a racial disparity that is actually wider than in 1850, 15 years before the end of slavery, The Times article said. Haines, who developed the 1850 black estimate, said ORourkes statement is right, but tells an incomplete story about infant mortality since the decade before the Civil War. There has been remarkable improvement for both races; really quite dramatic, he said. Haines has attributed that improvement largely to better public health and sanitation, especially better water supplies and sewage disposal. Theres debate among researchers. Black mothers are more likely than white mothers to be impoverished, very young and unmarried factors associated with with higher infant deaths. They are twice as likely as whites to have received late or no prenatal care. But a growing body of research points to racial discrimination as a cause of infant death disparity. It was pioneered by Arline Geronimus, a professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan. The theory is that repeated exposure to discrimination and insult can have a stress-related weathering effect on a black mothers body, producing poor pregnancy results and infant death. For more on the research and the conclusion, visit Politifact Texas, www.politifact.com/texas/. | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/texas/article/Is-racial-gap-in-infant-mortality-higher-today-13799647.php |
What became of the great Beatnik hangouts in San Francisco? | 1 / 24 Back to Gallery We hear a lot about the old Beat hangouts in San Francisco the cluster of low-lit bars and bitter-coffee-serving cafes grouped around North Beach. ALSO: Follow in the footsteps of the Beat Generation in North Beach SFGATE dug around to find out. We discovered some of the famous spots are still standing, City Lights Bookstore and Vesuvio Cafe being obvious examples, while others burned, burned, burned like fabulous yellow roman candles (sorry, we had to). Among the latter is the Co-Existence Bagel Shop, a deli/bar/performance space that may or may not have actually sold bagels. It closed in 1960 after its owner, Jay Hoppe, became fed up with constantly getting pestered by anti-Beat cops. Hoppe even ended up in the slammer himself. ALSO: Muse Carolyn Cassady beckoned the Beats to S.F. In recent years, the Bagel Shop building has housed a Henry's Hunan North restaurant, which closed last year. The building's original black exterior tile remains. You can read more about the histories and eventual fates of some of the Beat hangouts in the above gallery. 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/chronicle-history/article/What-became-of-the-Beatnik-hangouts-in-S-F-13799218.php |
Why Is Last Night's Thrilling, Frustrating 'Game Of Thrones' Proving So Divisive? | Game of Thrones HBO The Battle of Winterfell, last nights Game of Thrones episode was less of an episode and more of a mini blockbuster film, the largest battle scene ever put to film and one that represented the culmination of nearly a decade of plotlines woven around Westeros, all centered on taking down the series central big bad, the Night King. Spoilers follow. Taken down, he was, with a last minute switch-hand slam dunk from Arya Stark, of all people. I have been watching the reaction to the episode since it aired, and Ive seen thoughts ranging from the idea that its one of the best episodes of any TV show ever, to that it was actually kind of disappointing for many fans, despite the spectacle. Game of Thrones fans dont usually split like this, as most people agree that good episodes are good and bad episodes are bad, but the Battle of Winterfell is divisive in a way I havent really seen before. Why Its Fantastic It is hard not to be impressed with the sheer scale of what was accomplished last night. The army of the deads invasion of Winterfell was jaw-dropping, especially in the latter half of the battle when they breached the walls and starting just pouring over the barricades and crashing through roofs as everyone scrambled not really to win, but simply not to die. There were some incredible moments during this battle. I loved the snuffing out of the fiery Dothraki blades as a horrifying intro to the fight. The Unsullieds organized stand in an otherwise crazy chaotic fight was a shining moment for the best army in the world. The best death of the evening goes to little Lyanna Mormont, who with her last breath stabbed a zombie giant in the eye, making her have the most badass moment of the episode, and thats even including Aryas acrobatics. The Night King raising all the fresh dead as a new army was just as horrifying as it was during Hardhome, if not more so, and the dragon dogfight in the sky was strangely beautiful, in addition to being thrilling. The decision to have Arya be the one to end it all by killing the Night King with the Valyrian dagger that nearly killed Bran all those years ago was a solid call, and one that has been set up for a while now. The obvious choices were Dany burning him to death with dragonfire (which she tried), or Jon hacking him down with Longclaw (but he was otherwise occupied screaming at undead dragons), and so it fell to Arya to literally kill a physical manifestation of the God of Death (not today), possibly fulfilling the Azor Ahai prophecy in the process. Incredible. A few things. One primary issue is that many viewers said they had trouble actually seeing what the hell was going on during the frantic battle because of how dark it all was. I have a super crisp HDR TV, but even I had to turn off every light in my house to make sure I could see what was going on, and I can imagine that depending on your viewing experience, it would have made a lot of segments, particularly the initial outdoor battles, hard to watch. Those expecting big, heroic character deaths last night didnt really get them. Sure, there was a decently high bodycount of named characters, but in the final battle against the Night King, I think some people expected more. The final named death list was Ed, the Nights Watch guy, Beric Dondarrion, saving Arya, Lyanna Mormont, with the aforementioned giant scene, Jorah Mormont, wordlessly dying while protecting his Khaleesi, and Theon, killed in a futile charge by the Night King himself, after being awkwardly told he was a good dude by Bran. Theon is probably the biggest loss, alongside Jorah, but both of those deaths felt a bit predictable. Then theres the Night King stuff, which some fans felt was a bit of an anti-climax. One stab from one knife and not only does the Night King die, but it sets off a chain reaction that kills every White Walker and all the hundreds of thousands of dead they control. Its not like this came out of nowhere, the show has established that killing Walkers also kills those theyve created. And since the Night King created all the other Walkers, thats why they went poof when he did. But the Night King stuff felt a bitflat. Many have been crafting elaborate theories about the Night Kings true identity and purpose and secrets that are supposed to be revealed, but in the end hesjust a very angry ice zombie trying to wipe out humanity. In a show where its villains are defined by political intrigue and intricate character development over a period of years, its kind of weird to have a fight like this against a pure monster with no personality or drive past paving over the entire continent. Game of Thrones HBO I understand both sides of this, why people loved it, why some aspects were a bit disappointing or frustrating. I will say I preferred last weeks episode, as all the epic battles on earth cant replace solid character moments, and in the heat of combat, there sure were not many of those. And yet I cannot help but be blown away by what went into making an episode like that, rivaling the action of any blockbuster film and being one of the most harrowing, tense episodes of television Ive ever seen. I think the show was right to not make the Night King the final boss of the show, as now we move on to Cersei, and also have to reckon with Dany being at odds with Jons claim to the throne and Sansas resistance to be ruled. To me, thats a more interesting conflict with which to close the show down. It was a historic episode, but a divisive one. And I suspect it wont be the last out of the final three to go. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Read my new sci-fi thriller novel Herokiller, available now in print and online. I also wrote The Earthborn Trilogy. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2019/04/29/why-is-last-nights-thrilling-frustrating-game-of-thrones-proving-so-divisive/ |
Did heading a ball claim the lives of two Lisbon Lions? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Celtic line-up that faced Inter Milan in the 1967 European Cup final A player from Celtic's famous Lisbon Lions team wants new tests carried out to see if there is a link between heading a football and dementia. Jim Craig's comments came in light of the death of Stevie Chalmers, the man who scored the winning goal in the 1967 European Cup final. Chalmers died from the brain condition a week after it claimed the life of Lisbon Lion captain Billy McNeill. Craig said more research was needed into the impact of heading a ball. The former right-back also expressed concern about the risks of head contact between players. Chalmers, who has died at the age of 83, was part of the Celtic team that defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon to become the first British club to lift the famous European trophy. The Scotland forward spent 12 seasons at the Glasgow club, scoring 236 goals. Image copyright SNS Image caption Stevie Chalmers scored the most important goal in Celtic's history The debate around head injuries in sport has been gathering pace over the last few years. Ex-professionals who have been diagnosed with dementia include ex-England international Jeff Astle and Dundee United great Frank Kopel. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's John Beattie programme, Craig said: "It's another case of dementia among football players and really there should be some sort of detailed study into whether a player heading a ball and contact has got something to do with it. "When you go up for a high ball not only do you head the ball you make contact with the opponent's head a lot of the time. "There have been a few players who have had problems with dementia and they really have to do an extended series of tests and investigations. "You do wonder over a period of time that it causes some sort of damage that eventually leads to what we have seen this week." Image copyright SNS Image caption Lisbon Lion Jim Craig worked as a dentist after a hugely successful playing career Craig also highlighted the risks faced by rugby players during his interview with former Scotland international Beattie. He said: "I picked up a programme in a souvenir shop recently and it was West of Scotland v Hawick and it actually listed the weights of the players. "All the backs were 10, 11 stone and all the forwards were 12, 13, 14 stone. "Now they are 17, 18 stone and the collisions are tremendously hard. "You are bound to get some sort of damage if that goes on." Image copyright SNS Image caption Lisbon Lion Tommy Gemmell died in March 2017 Craig is now one of five surviving members of the Celtic team who defeated Inter Milan. Since the death of Bobby Murdoch in 2001, the club has mourned the loss of goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson, winger Jimmy "Jinky" Johnstone and Tommy Gemmell, who scored the equaliser. Tributes were paid to Billy McNeill during Celtic's match against Kilmarnock on Saturday. The former Scotland's international's funeral will take place in Glasgow on Friday. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Nicknamed "the King" by the club's fans, Jeff Astle played 361 games for West Bromich Albion and scored 174 goals The potential link between football and dementia gained widespread coverage after the the death of ex-West Bromwich Albion striker Astle, at the age of 59, in 2002. The inquest into his death found repeatedly heading heavy leather footballs had contributed to trauma to his brain. Dr Willie Stewart, who reached the conclusion, is currently leading a Football Association study into the links between heading a football and brain damage. He is expected to publish his findings later this year. The tests Craig is calling for would examine the potential consequences of physical head contact between players during a match as well as heading a ball. Image copyright SNS Image caption Frank Kopel and his wife Amanda during a visit to Tannadice in 2014 Until last week the most high profile case of dementia in Scottish football was Dundee United legend Frank Kopel. He died, aged 65, in April 2014. Kopel's widow Amanda believes his dementia was the direct result of heading footballs. After his death she started campaigning for the introduction of "Frank's Law", which would provide free personal care for those in need under the age of 65. Earlier this month new legislation that extends free personal care in Scotland to under-65s came into effect. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-48093381 |
Is that chic toothpaste worth the price? | It was bound to happen. Toothpaste, perhaps the last part of your daily grooming regimen that had not been gussied up, has now been rethought. Chic dental care has arrived. It wasnt so long ago that toothpaste, floss and mouthwashes were perfunctory products meant to clean but also to instill a certain amount of fear (ack, cavities! lose all your friends!). That was the epiphany Craig Dubitsky, the founder of Hello oral care, experienced a few years ago when standing in his local drugstore in Manhattan. Everything was a big swath of blue and a big swath of red, like the cola wars, said Dubitsky, who formerly worked at Eos, a company he helped found that makes lip balms and other skin-care products. Or a staff wrapped with snakes. Then I started reading the ingredients, and it was things like triclosan and saccharin. The FDA banned triclosan for hand soap, but you could still put it in your mouth. I thought it was insane. Dubitsky set out to rethink the whole category. He ditched what he called the emotional scare tactics and branded his line with the friendliest word he could think of: Hello. Then he hired a formulator to work with him on products like charcoal toothpaste and mouthwashes with aloe vera. Though Dubitsky took marketing cues from the beauty world, he knew he had to marry fun and functionality, he said. If your shampoo didnt work, its just a bad hair day. Youre in a lot of trouble. He also pointed out how much our culture has changed in recent years. Everyone deserves and expects design across all price points, he said. Dubitsky is far from alone. Already there is a wide variety of products new and old on the market. Old-school Marvis toothpaste, which was founded in the 1950s and was a pioneer of offbeat flavors like licorice, ginger and jasmine, is experiencing a resurgence and is available at retailers like the millennial friendly Revolve.com. It has company in Buly 1803, the French apothecary and fragrance line, which has $29 tubes of toothpaste that come in packaging worthy of Gucci and flavors like orange-clove-cinnamon (recently sold out on Net-a-Porter). Coconut oil features prominently in new formulations like Cocofloss ($8), a coconut oil dental floss sold at Sephora. The beauty brand Lush introduced a toothpaste exuberantly called Boom! Dental Dynamite ($10.95), which is essentially a charcoal, kaolin clay and gunpowder tea tablet that you chew before brushing. Chic dental care wasnt an obvious extension of Lenny Kravitzs brand, but he has a new line called Twice (named for the act of brushing twice a day). For several years, Kravitz has been providing free dental care to communities in the Bahamas, where he has a residence, but he came to realize that once-a-year clinics werent enough; the communities lacked basic dental hygiene products. With the brothers Julian and Cody Levine, he dreamed up two toothpastes: one for the morning (a zingy wintergreen and peppermint) and one for the evening (a calming peppermint-vanilla-lavender). A portion of the proceeds ($17 for the pair) goes to the Bahamas communities. Advertising The aesthetic of it was important because people like that upgraded toothpaste experience, Kravitz said. When it sits next to the rest of your products, it looks beautiful and sleek. Its definitely about dental health, but also youre giving people confidence, he said, adding that he saw the effects firsthand in the Bahamas. If the high prices elicit more of a grimace than a grin, you may want to study the ingredient listings. Michael Apa, a dentist in Manhattan who has built a name for himself among models, celebrities and Middle Eastern royalty, insists that not all are created equal. His Apa Beauty line, packaged in minimalist white and gold, is sold by beauty retailers like Violet Grey in Los Angeles. It includes products like Blue Lip Shine (the subtle blue crystals in the $25 gloss are said to make teeth look whiter); $25 Pink Gum Gel with extracts of lemon, cucumber and Irish moss to rejuvenate gums; and $25 fluoride-free White Toothpaste containing the hydroxyapatite that Apa believes is superior to fluoride at remineralizing teeth. Fluoride is meant to strengthen teeth, but it produces more of a calcifying effect, he said. Hydroxyapatite actually mineralizes teeth and it permeates better your teeth have pores, and micro-hydroxyapatite can get in those pores and strengthen them from the inside out. But, its superexpensive. Steven Butensky, who has a practice in Manhattan, said that a lot of healthy dental care is based less on product than on regular acts of brushing, flossing and visits to the dentist. Still, he said he has seen promising research on hydroxyapatite but wants to see longer-term studies. And he is not averse to some of the newer ingredients. Coconut oil and aloe vera have anti-inflammatory properties, while charcoal can help remove stains, though it may be abrasive if used daily, he said. Butensky is also encouraged that newer brands are bringing excitement to dental care and changing the perception of it as a chore. Dubitsky, of Hello, is on board. Of course oral care is about health products, he said. But I want to bring some joy to this daily act. Its really that simple. | https://www.seattletimes.com/explore/shop-northwest/is-that-chic-toothpaste-worth-the-price/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Can the Bucks take solace in recent basketball history after their Game 1 loss? | Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving turns the corner past Bucks guard George Hill. Irving had 26 points and 11 assists. It's barely happened, to be honest, with only eight examples (and only five in a best-of-7 series) reaching that point disparity. RELATED: Celtics dominate Bucks in Game 1 of Eastern Conference semifinals RELATED: Bucks left searching for answers after Game 1 loss The good news (let's be optimistic!) Fans enjoy watching the game on the plaza outside Fiserv Forum as the Bucks played Boston. April 28, 2019 (Photo: Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) We have a pretty good recent example. In the 2017 Western Conference semifinals, Houston defeated San Antonio in Game 1 by 27 points, 126-99, but the favored Spurs went on to win the series in six games. However, in the other four examples where a home team lost by 22 points or more featuring best-of-7 formats, the road team ended up prevailing. The same could be said in the two best-of-5 series, as well. If we throw in a 1979 series in which the Spurs beat the Washington Bullets by 21 points, 118-97, we can point out that Washington won the series in seven. But then we also have to acknowledge our own 1983 Bucks, which won the first game over Boston by 21, 116-95, and swept. But here's more optimism from recent examples. Last year, Boston got drubbed in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden by 25, 108-83, and though the Cavaliers ultimately won the series, the series went the distance and Cleveland needed to win again in Boston in Game 7. The Cavaliers also had LeBron, and LeBron data is frequently hard to compare to anything else. Houston lost at home by 13 points in the first round of the 2018 Western Conference Finals and then forced Game 7 against the Warriors, only to fall again in Houston. And then there's this: Road teams to win Game 1 by 15+ in the last decade: BOS over MIL in 2019 IND* over CLE in 2018 HOU* over SAS in 2017 LAC* over HOU in 2015 LAC* over OKC in 2014 *Lost series Dan Feldman (@DanFeldmanNBA) April 28, 2019 In other words, Boston would be the first lower-seeded team in the past decade to win Game 1 by 15 or more points and also prevail in the series. Heck, while we're at it, make note of the Bucks first-round series against Toronto in 2017 when Milwaukee won by 14 points in Toronto but lost the series in six games. Not only that, but there are even examples this year of favored teams dropping the first game of the series and still winning, with Denver, Philadelphia and Toronto all pulling off the first-round feat. The bad news (let's panic!) A dejected Giannis Antetokounmpo sits on the bench next to Bucks teammate Malcolm Brogdon in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter Sunday. (Photo: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) As stated above, in the nine previous instances when a road team has won Game 1 of a playoff series by 20 points or more, the winning team has prevailed in the series seven times. Sunday's loss was also the worst by a No. 1-seed playing at home since the format adjusted in 1984. The Bucks lost Game 1 by 22 points to the Celtics. Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1984, that's the 3rd-largest Game 1 loss by a No. 1 seed. It's the largest since the Trail Blazers lost to the Bulls in the 1992 NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/rQEDwjkmqd ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 28, 2019 Both the 1992 Blazers and 1985 Lakers were playing against another No. 1 seed in the NBA Finals, and their larger losses were both on the road. Then there's the basic number that tells you Game 1 winners win the series 79 percent of the time, though there are also several recent examples of Game 1 losers prevailing, including four champions since 2011 that dropped Game 1 of the NBA Finals. From a simple eye-test perspective, you could tell yourself that no team has made the Bucks look that bad (particularly at home) this season (well, Orlando did once, but let's forget about that Feb. 9 game); then again, the Bucks had their second-worst shooting performance of the season (behind that Orlando game) and aren't likely to replicate it. They shot just better than 35 percent; the Bucks shot less than 40 percent just six times this season (and lost all six games). NEWSLETTERS Get the Packers Update newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Daily updates on the Packers during the season Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-844-900-7103. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Packers Update Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Watch Game 2 between your fingers if you must, but there's still plenty of reason for hope. JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2019/04/29/what-does-history-say-teams-lose-game-1-like-bucks/3615375002/ |
Why won't 'Game of Thrones' kill off its major characters anymore? | CLOSE "Game of Thrones" fans have endured jaw-dropping twists and turns season after season. Apparently, so have the show's stars. USA TODAY Spoiler alert! The following contains plot details from Season 8, Episode 3 of "Game of Thrones," "The Long Night." "Game of Thrones" has lost its nerve. When the battle was said and done and Arya had saved the day, the death count wasn't particularly high: Theon (Alfie Allen), Melisandre (Carice van Houten), Lyanna (Bella Ramsey), Beric (Richard Dormer), Dolorous Edd (Ben Crompton) and Jorah (Iain Glen) all perished. That's it. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), right, can't do anything to save Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer) in 'The Long Night' episode of 'Game of Thrones.' (Photo: Helen Sloan, HBO) Sure, in nearly any other series, the deaths of six characters in one episode would be a massacre. But "Thrones" isn't any other show. Over seven seasons of blood and heartbreak, it has developed a reputation for killing relentlessly. And not only were these deaths few, they were also relatively minor. As adorable as Lyanna was, and as long as Theon and Jorah had been on the show, it's impossible to call any of these deaths major or shocking. Theon and Jorah's arcs naturally ended here. Dolorous Edd and Beric were side characters who never got enough screen time to create any emotional investment. Lyanna was endlessly fun, but she has only been around for so long. "Thrones" built its reputation and its status as a phenomenon on the idea that anyone could die, anywhere, anytime. We all know the stats: The series killed off its protagonist and biggest star, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), in its first season, stabbed a contender for the Iron Throne in Season 2, ruined weddings for everyone in Season 3, crushed a new hero in Season 4, burned a little girl at the stake in Season 5 and blew up a church in Season 6. More: 'Game of Thrones' recap: Battle of Winterfell is deadly, beautiful and disappointing But since then, "Thrones" has kept deaths especially of headlining characters with fan followings to a minimum. And even when characters die, it doesn't feel like a "Thrones" demise. Last season's most notable casualty was Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen), a comically staged moment that amounted to fan service. That continued Sunday. The series that killed off Ned Stark after he gave up his honor would never have let Lyanna Mormont get in that last blow against the giant before she fell. Her death would have been cold, unfair and instantaneous. Richard Madden and Michael McElhatton in the infamous "Red Wedding" scene from "Game of Thrones." (Photo: Helen Sloan, HBO) The slim body count from "The Long Night" presents problems for "Thrones" as it heads into its final three episodes. On one hand, it's almost laughable that all the good guys we care about survived while a horde of Dothraki was nearly wiped out (a poor decision in regards to the racial politics of the show). Despite its fantasy genre, "Thrones" has strived for some kind of realism in its world building: There's magic, but rules still apply. Battles usually yield casualties. And now they don't. Don't walk alone with winter coming:All the news, recaps, thoughts and plot analysis right to your inbox The bigger problem is the writers' hesitance to unleash a bloodbath makes "Thrones" a worse show. It's not just that viewers expect death on "Thrones." Part of the reason the series employed this narrative device so many times was that it made better stories, created tension and anticipation, rewrote the rules and put characters on paths the audience didn't expect. Death didn't just make "Thrones" popular; all those murders made it good. It's easy to see how Sunday's episode suffered because writers were unwilling to let anyone important go. The battle lacked emotional stakes, because it never seemed like anyone was really in danger. Had Jon (Kit Harington), Dany (Emilia Clarke), Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) or any other marquee name fallen early on, the rest of the 85 minutes would have been all the better for it. Even if someone big had died at the end, it would have set up the final three episodes for greater success. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), right, mourns over her fallen protector, Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) in 'The Long Night' episode of 'Game of Thrones.' (Photo: Helen Sloan, HBO) "Thrones" is a huge and sprawling series known for its leisurely pace, but as it sprints toward the May 19 finale, the writers have let loose a host of contradictions. Traveling across Westeros once took seasons of storytelling, but now it's a quick jaunt offscreen between episodes. Dany spent six seasons in Essos, but now that entire continent is forgotten. Anyone can die, but so close to the end, the writers don't want to give up their best characters. "Thrones" may be done killing its faves, but it might just kill its legacy in the process. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2019/04/29/game-of-thrones-character-deaths-battle-of-winterfell-the-long-night/3614312002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2019/04/29/game-of-thrones-character-deaths-battle-of-winterfell-the-long-night/3614312002/ |
Where are the best happy hours in Brickell and downtown Miami? | Bartenders Rozano Johnson and Juana Pineda serve up cocktails at the Aperitivo Bar located on the second level of Brickell City Centres La Centrale. [email protected] After a long days work, you deserve a little sip of something. If you are in Brickell or downtown Miami and you are in need of some adult beverages, these are some spots that offer up happy hour deals that will make you smile. American Social MIAMI, FL - March 7, 2015 - People enjoying themselves at American Social a sports bar and restaurant near Brickell Ave and the Miami River. Gaston De Cardenas Gaston De Cardenas Pretty waterfront views come with big deals during AMSOs happy hour, which runs weekdays from 4-8 p.m. Were talking 50 percent off select liquors, beers and wines, discounted handcrafted cocktails, and $6 select apps like pretzel bites and goat cheese croquettes. 690 SW 1st Ct., Miami; www.americansocialbar.com/brickell Komodo This pan-Asian hot spot in Brickell offers $9 cocktails and apps during its Lucky 9 happy hour weekdays from 4-7 p.m. If you visit on a Friday, youll also enjoy beats by a DJ all night on the outdoor terrace. 801 Brickell Ave., Miami; www.komodomiami.com Boulud Sud Miami At Boulud Sud, find wines from all over the world, even some unexpected places. Head to Boulud Sud for $8 wines by the glass off a head-spinning wine list, $9 signature cocktails, $6 Frose and more. You can also snack on $5 bar bites by Chef Clark Bowen think stuffed dates, tortilla Espaola, smoked mozzarella and more. It all goes down Monday-Friday from 5-8 p.m. 255 Biscayne Blvd. Way, Miami; www.bouludsud.com Wolfgangs Steakhouse Lobster dinner at Wolfgangs Steakhouse in Miami. Wolfgang Zwieners upscale meatery serves up $8 bar bites and cocktails weekdays from 4-7 p.m. and weekends from 5-7 p.m. 315 S Biscayne Blvd., Miami; www.wolfgangsteakhouse.net/miami Toro Toro The Toro Toro Ahumado Ricardo Mejia This go-to in the InterContinental Hotel offers a half price happy hour from 4-7 p.m. every day. Drink specials include $5 draft beers, $6 house wines and $7 well liquors. And on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. until close youll enjoy $5 margaritas, $5 beers and two-for-$5 tacos. 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami; www.torotoromiami.com La Centrale Emily Michot [email protected] Every Brickellites favorite food hall hosts an unbeatable $5 happy hour menu from 5-8 p.m. every day. It includes sips like mojitos and Aperol spritz, a daily rotating focaccia, and more. Heres a pro-tip: you can also order from any of La Centrales restaurants if youre sitting at the Aperitivo Bar. 601 S Miami Ave., Miami; www.lacentralemiami.com Grazianos Brickell One of Miamis most popular Argentine steakhouses, this local legend treats guests to 50 percent off bottles of wine and $2 off small bar bites, plus 2-for-1 draft beers and house liquor during a weekday happy hour from 5-9 p.m. 177 SW 7th St. Miami; www.grazianosgroup.com Quinto la Huella The dining room at EAST, Miamis Quinto La Huella restaurant Every weekday from 5-8 p.m. is happy hour at Quinto La Huella. Enjoy $10 cocktails, $8 wines and $5 beers at this Uruguayan-inspired restaurant. And on Mondays from 5-8 p.m., ladies get to sip on complimentary rose all night long. 788 Brickell Plaza, Miami; www.quintolahuella.com | https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/nightlife/article229386174.html |
Should Heat take best player available approach in draft? | Spoelstra: This season without question would be the growth of our young players Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talks to the media during the season-ending press conference at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Friday April 12, 2019 in Miami. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talks to the media during the season-ending press conference at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Friday April 12, 2019 in Miami. The Miami Herald Heat mailbag is here to answer your questions. If you werent able to ask one this time, send your questions for future mailbags via Twitter (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email me at [email protected]. Anthony Chiang: Because of the uncertainty surrounding the Heats roster, I think the best player available approach is still the way to go in this years draft. There are so many contracts coming off the books in the next few years that Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow are the only two Heat players currently under contract for the 2021-22 season. The Heat can make the other member of its young core, Bam Adebayo, a restricted free agent for 2021-22 with a qualifying offer. But the one position I would be surprised to see the Heat draft this year is center. Its already challenging enough for Erik Spoelstra to find enough minutes at the center position for Hassan Whiteside, Kelly Olynyk and Adebayo. The Heat has Olynyk and Adebayo under contract for the next two seasons, and Whiteside (if he chooses to opt in to his $27.1 million player option for next season) is under contract for one more season before becoming a free agent in 2020. The Heat will learn its position in the draft in the May 14 NBA Draft lottery. Miami is more than likely to pick 13th, but could move down to 14th in the unlikely event Sacramento breaks into the top four in the lottery. The Heat also has a 1 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in the lottery and a 4.7 percent chance of securing a top-four pick. William: They got to find a home for Justise Winslow in terms of a position. He has talent and played well filling in for Goran Dragic. Perhaps thats the spot for him. I got to believe its a real challenge to be productive when youre not sure where youre going play on a given night. When hes had a consistent role he blossomed. Anthony: When it comes to Winslow, I dont think its about the position. Its more about the role. Winslow wants to play with the ball in his hands and hes proven he can thrive in that role. Whether its as a point guard, shooting guard or point forward, its about playing with the ball in his hands. Its clear Winslow is much more effective when hes helping to facilitate the offense rather than just standing in the corner as a spot-up shooter. And the Heat knows that, too. Sports Pass for $30 per year Get unlimited access to all Miami Herald sports stories and videos for $30 Subscribe now #READLOCAL | https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article229799344.html |
Should the House Impeach Trump? | Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Far from the complete and total exoneration claimed by Donald Trump, the 448-page report by special counsel Robert Mueller paints a scathing portrait of a lawless president. The report finds substantial evidence that Trump obstructed the investigation and invites Congress to consider how to hold him accountable. The question now is how Congress should respond. Ad Policy The report details much of what we already knew, including that the Russians did interfere in the 2016 election. But contrary to many liberals expectations, the Mueller probe did not find that Trump or his campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. Even so, when the investigation into Russian interference began, the president clearly sought to discredit, impede, and obstruct it. In the words of the report, Trump launched public attacks on the investigation, nonpublic efforts to control it, and efforts in both public and private to encourage witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation. The presidents efforts were limited only by his incompetence and the common sense of those aides who refused to follow Trumps orders to trample the law, choosing instead to ignore his crazy shit, as thenWhite House counsel Donald McGahn phrased it. Muellers report is widely being viewed as an impeachment referral. Indeed, some of the best and brightest progressive leaders in Congress have called for initiating impeachment hearings. Senator Elizabeth Warren was the first of the presidential contenders to do so. Insurgent new congressional stars like Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are pushing an impeachment resolution introduced by Tlaib. Grassroots groups like Indivisible and powerful donors like billionaire Tom Steyer are demanding impeachment hearings as well. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others in the Democratic leadership are more circumspect. They have not ruled out impeachment but rather argue that the House should take that step only if Trumps misdeeds are, as Pelosi has put it, compelling and overwhelming. She has also noted that the facts regarding holding the president accountable can be gained outside of impeachment hearings and that Republican support would be essential for impeachment to have any chance of resulting in a conviction in the Senate. Jon Wiener Elizabeth Warrens Constitutional Read of the Mueller Report Led Her to Call for Impeachment John Nichols The question of whether or not to impeach is hotly debated in the broader progressive community, including at this magazine. Democrats face political risks in either direction. Failing to impeach Trump could demoralize the very activists and base voters that the Democrats need for a large turnout in 2020. But impeachment on the basis of Trumps unsuccessful efforts to obstruct an investigation into a conspiracy that never happened could run agroundand generate a backlash that would hurt Democrats next year. It might be wiser for the party to move on from what has come to be known as Russiagate. For over two years, too many liberal voices and Democratic politicians have been focused almost monomaniacally on the 2016 election and Russias involvement in it. Pumped up by the media, many Democrats inflated Russiagate into an attack on our country akin to 9/11 or Pearl Harbor, often overshadowing the reality of Trumps misrule: his turnover of the government to entrenched interests who are rigging the rules against working people, even as he fans racist and nativist fears to distract from their plunder. Democrats clearly have a responsibility to take up Muellers invitation to investigate, particularly given the disgraceful performance of Attorney General William Barr, whose efforts to cover for Trump may win him applause in the White House but will surely earn him disrepute in the history books. The House Judiciary Committee is right to demand access to Muellers full, unredacted report and underlying evidence and to hear testimony directly from Mueller himself on the conclusions that his investigation reached. Congressional committees may need to subpoena other witnesses as well. The key question is whether Trumps various crimeshis failed obstruction efforts, his conspiracy to violate campaign-finance laws with payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, his grifters use of the White House for personal profitamount to the high crimes and misdemeanors required by the extreme constitutional remedy of impeachment. Trump must be held accountable, but it may turn out that Pelosis earlier conclusion about impeachmentthat he is just not worth itmakes the most sense in the limited time left before next years election. If thats the case, then Democrats would be wiser to focus on how Trump is abusing the presidency and bring his lawless administration to an end by sweeping him out of office in 2020. | https://www.thenation.com/article/impeachment-trump-house-democrats/ |
Why does female armpit hair provoke such outrage and disgust? | Julia Roberts: Americas sweetheart, Hollywood royalty and an early pioneer of armpit-hair acceptance. Her look at the 1999 premiere of Notting Hill, beaming in a red sequined Vivienne Tam dress, arm raised to reveal a dark tuft, was immediately celebrated as a subversive feminist bird-flip against female beauty standards. Except it wasnt: 20 years later, she confessed that the look hadnt been a statement at all, rather that she had forgotten to shave and miscalculated the sleeve length of the dress. Armpit hair remains a bizarre sticking point for anti-feminists. A few days ago, Nike uploaded a picture on Instagram showing the model and musician Annahstasia Enuke with a small amount of underarm hair visible; in response, thousands of commenters expressed outrage and disgust. Just a day later, the deodorant brand Nuud responded to a backlash against its own online advert that had featured underarm hair. The cynic in me has no doubt that the engagement all the hate-clicks and outrage drum up on social media is the main driver for brands recent love affair with body hair (two years ago Adidas featured a model with hairy legs to much ire and press reaction). But it is also an important reminder of just how upset people become when women are not scraping and cutting off bits of themselves in order to be pleasing to the publics eye. The amount of vitriol, anger and hate that can be garnered by something that does not affect anyone apart from the individual woman is incredible even more so when you compare it with the non-reaction to men doing the exact same thing. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Julia Roberts at the Notting Hill premiere in 1999. Photograph: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images Despite dissenters, hairy armpits are undeniably en vogue. Alongside adverts, social media has reignited a trend for unicorn armpit hair a look popularised by bloggers who have dyed their pits in rainbow colours. And unlike Roberts, hairy pits are a very much intentional fashion statement: Amandla Stenberg ensured fans knew the armpit stubble the actor sported at a film premiere was no faux pas, captioning an image: #drama #armpit. Glamour magazine reported that the actor had pulled off pairing underarm hair with Valentino. Gigi Hadids furry underarms made a memorable appearance in a video for Love magazine and Jemima Kirke, Willow Smith, Madonna, Bella Thorne and Miley Cyrus are among others who have rocked what appears to be the glitteratis hottest accessory. But even the so-called beautiful people have not been able to make body hair universally acceptable. To legitimise their bile, commentators turn to the same tactics deployed when opining on other things about womens bodies that do not concern them, such as fat: thinly veiled attempts to shroud disgust in concern. | https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/apr/29/female-armpit-hair-outrage-disgust-nike-ad |
What's happening to rape prosecutions? | Image copyright Getty Images Recorded rape offences have been rising in England and Wales, but the proportion of offences making it to court has fallen significantly over the past few years. Police and prosecutors are asking complainants in rape cases to agree to hand their phones over or face the prospect of prosecutions being dropped - something victims' commissioner Baroness Helen Newlove has said is "unlikely to do anything to help reverse the fall in prosecutions for rape and sexual violence". The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decides whether cases investigated by the police go to trial. In September 2018, it said the proportion of reported rapes being prosecuted had reached their lowest level in a decade. In the year to December 2015, 14% of rapes recorded by police in England and Wales led to a criminal charge. That's compared with 17% for all crimes, according to Home Office figures. By December 2018, the proportion of rapes leading to a charge had fallen to under 2%, compared with 8% for all crimes. During the same period, the number of rapes recorded by police rose from 29,385 to 41,186 - a 40% increase. In 2007, there were 13,774 recorded offences of rape, so there has been a tripling in numbers in a decade. There was a particularly significant fall in cases making it to court between 2016 and 2017, from 8.1% to 3.3% in a single year. This coincided with amendments to the Policing and Crime Act, meaning the law in England and Wales now presumes in favour of releasing people suspected of crimes without bail - when there isn't enough evidence to arrest or charge them for a crime. Previously, they might have been released on bail with various conditions attached. Their case would have been regularly reviewed. But the 2017 amendments meant more people being released under investigation, which, according to Ian Kelcey, who co-chairs the Law Society criminal law committee, has led to cases being left to drift, with no oversight. The 2011 introduction of the right for complainants to review the handling of their cases, and the aftermath of the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree investigation, set up following revelations about paedophile Jimmy Savile, had led to a large increase in reports, he said. And this had been linked to a fall in the proportion of prosecutions leading to a successful conviction - because the CPS had become more "risk averse", preferring to progress the case and leave it to a jury to decide even if it was not "evidentially there". The success rate from prosecution to conviction fell slightly from 2011. But now the CPS has become more reluctant to allow cases to proceed without strong enough evidence, according to Mr Kelcey, sending cases back to police if they are not trial-ready. If they do not receive a reply within three months, the CPS will "administratively" end the file. "It's an easy way to fob off a case," Mr Kelcey said. Katie Russell, of charity Rape Crisis, said gathering strong evidence for rape cases was particularly difficult as there was usually no-third party witness and forensic evidence became irrelevant if the alleged perpetrator said they had had consensual sex with the complainant. Resourcing was also an issue, Ms Russell says, with both the police and prosecutors needing more funding to pursue these complex cases. A CPS official said: "Rape has a devastating impact on victims but can be one of the most challenging offences to prosecute. "We have worked hard in recent years to improve how we deal with sexual offences and are working across the criminal justice system to make improvements. "We will always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so and all our specialist prosecutors receive ongoing training so they are fully equipped to manage these complex cases." Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48095118 |
Is the UK economy at a new moment of sea-change? | Image copyright PA Image caption Mrs Thatcher outside Downing Street in May 1979 Forty years ago this week Margaret Thatcher came to power. At that time there was a sense of broken economy, broken politics, over-powerful trade unions and politicians who seemed only capable of managing decline. Fast forward to now and we again see chaotic politics and widespread sense of economic disaffection. During the 1984 miners' strike the colliers of Shirebrook in Derbyshire were divided over the industrial dispute with Mrs Thatcher's government. The colliery's long gone and it's now the site of a Sport Direct warehouse. Of course, Sports Direct has brought thousands of jobs to the town but the testimony from one warehouse employee, Sam - it's not his real name - shows just how little power some UK workers have. Image caption The old colliery site in Shirebrook is now the site of Sports Direct's warehouse He describes toiling alongside colleagues who don't have a permanent contract despite 10 years of continuous service: "We're asking to be treated like humans, like good workers, with respect." Sports Direct did not respond to BBC requests to comment. Sixty miles across the Peak District is Oldham, named by the Office for National Statistics not long ago as the most deprived town in England. Its textile industry fell into decline in the mid-20th Century with the last mill closing in 1998. The end of textile processing has seriously depressed the local economy. Gillian Holt, who has run a beauty parlour in Oldham since 1980, tells me how things have changed: "When I first came here it was thriving - we had a florist, baker, jeweller, lovely clothes shops. "We have none of those now. We have a lot more charity and bargain shops. It really has changed quite dramatically," she says. Image caption When I first came to Oldham "it was thriving" says Gillian Holt Some say that change is now coming for Sam, Gillian - and for millions of workers, students, families and pensioners across the UK coming. "No one is advocating the neoliberal economic policies that they were nine years ago. Even this government has gone quiet on it," says Labour's shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. "Tax cuts for corporations and the rich, trickle-down economics, privatisation, outsourcing, the market will always know best - all of those elements are now being questioned. Because people know the system hasn't worked for them." Opposition politicians always say it's time for a change, but a surprising number of people across the political spectrum agree. "It looks to me the message from the British public is: enough," says Jim O'Neill, who was a Conservative Treasury minister between 2015 and 2016. Image caption "Now as in 1979 the conditions are ripe for quite significant change," says Diane Coyle "The ideas are changing," says the economist Diane Coyle of Cambridge University. "That Thatcherite sense of people making choices as individuals, the private sector being dominant - the character of the economy has changed making that much less valid an assumption." Even some government ministers agree radical change is in the air. "I do think there something is happening, something big," says the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss. "We went through a few years - the Blair years, the Cameron years - where it was all about managerial politics. "Now we are having a more fundamental debate about our economy." Perhaps you could call it the 40-year itch, as it is now four decades since Margaret Thatcher led the Conservatives to that general election victory in May 1979.. At the time, the defeated Labour leader James Callaghan summed it up thus: "There are times... when there is a sea-change in politics. It then does not matter what you say or what you do. There is a shift in what the public wants and what it approves of. There was a popular yearning for a radical break and even Mrs Thatcher's opponents felt it. Image copyright Reuters Image caption "We've got to transform society", says Labour's John McDonnell "I was a young trade union official. On the doorstep you knew that people wanted some form of change," recalls Mr McDonnell. That election victory has gone down in history as a fundamental rupture of the post-war consensus. Out went "incomes policies" for workers, central planning and full employment goals. In came deregulation, free markets, tax cuts and privatisation. Fast forward to the present days and we again find chaotic politics and a widespread sense of economic disaffection. "People have got used to the idea that wages rise year by year but for a 10-year period following the crash of 2008 they saw no increase in their living standards," says Lord Heseltine, a minister in Mrs Thatcher's government in 1979. "That created a deep sense of frustration, particularly outside the honey pot of London and the South East." Image copyright PA Image caption For 10 years after the 2008 crash, people saw "no increase in their living standards," says Lord Heseltine That frustration has driven support for an array of radical policy ideas, from a Universal Basic Income, a four-day week, to a jobs guarantee. Some see the future as major expansion of the co-operative movement, where an enterprise is owned not by shareholders but its workers. "The conventional workplace, it's not very fulfilling," says Kayleigh Walsh, part of the Outlandish tech co-operative in London. Frances O'Grady of the Trade Union Congress advocates a restoration of trade unions' power and influence to deal with the exploitation of the rapidly expanding gig economy: "Young workers are telling us that they want the right to guaranteed hours. It's a basic right that you should be able to build a life on a decent steady job." But Liz Truss sees a danger in over-regulation of businesses and insists rising self-employment and the gig economy should be regarded as a liberation, not a prison. "We've never had a more capable, more informed, group of citizens in this country. What people want is to make the decisions themselves - they don't want someone in Whitehall telling them what to do." Image copyright Reuters Image caption "What people want is to make the decisions themselves", says Liz Truss What all seem to agree on is that the future of work in the 21st Century could and should involve much more autonomy for individual workers. "The flexible nature of work is a big plus and we should embrace it," says former governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King, who adds that he now regards himself as part of the gig economy. If there's a new consensus on regional policy it's that there should be a radical devolution of power to help "left behind" cities and towns across the UK catch up - places like Oldham, where Gillian Holt lives and works. "Whatever the qualities and talents of people making decisions at the centre, very often what motivates them is political considerations, or their own career, which have nothing to do with the local areas about which they are making decisions," says Lord King. "I do think we are a overly centralised country. I think the ultimate devolution is to people themselves. I always believe that people make the best decisions about their own lives," agrees Liz Truss. Image caption The UK needs to devolve power to help "left behind" towns like Oldham, argue many If this comes to pass, it will mean more decisions on education, skills training and transport being taken by local politicians rather than those in Westminster. Tax and spend After almost a decade of public sector austerity, it's widely felt that our public services need more funding. "It's got to be the first time in 20 years we've seen more than one opinion poll showing the British appetite to pay taxes seems to be changing," says Lord O'Neill. "It looks to me than sensible governments should consider higher taxes, especially to prioritise public service investment." And it's not just taxation but the broader role of the state where attitudes seem to have shifted. Extensive polling for the Legatum Institute in 2017 found strong UK public support for statements such as "the pay of execs should be capped" and "government needs to do more to regulate how businesses behave". Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Will the UK embrace free-market fundamentalism or a much more equal society, wonders Frances O'Grady It found strongly negative connotations in the public mind with "capitalism" and a more positive impression of "socialism". At a crossroads But though Frances O'Grady of the TUC thinks the right way forward for the country is clear, she admits she is not sure which way the country will actually break. Or is it going to be a positive vision, where we're looking for a much more equal Britain?" "It will be a revolution," says a confident Mr McDonnell. "We've got to transform society. What we're talking about is a new economy that we want to create - much more democratic at every level". Labour promises higher taxes on the wealthy, an expansion of public investment, the re-nationalisation of certain utilities and moves to give workers a stake in their firms. For some that remains the missing piece of the jigsaw. "Now as in 1979 the conditions are ripe for quite significant change," says Diane Coyle. "The difference is that at that time there was a coalescing of certain ideas which gave Thatcher and her government a clear idea of what they wanted to do. "No one in politics now has the vision of what that 'post post-industrial', very unequal, economy does now to deliver lasting prosperity for everyone around the country." BBC Newsnight is broadcast at 22:30 on BBC Two, and you can find out more on this story here | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48069016 |
Why Is China Placing A Global Bet On Coal? | Enlarge this image toggle caption Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images China, known as the world's biggest polluter, has been taking dramatic steps to clean up and fight climate change. President Xi Jinping hosted the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing over the weekend, promoting his signature foreign policy of building massive infrastructure and trade links across several continents. The forum, attended by leaders and delegates of nearly 40 countries, came amid growing criticism of China's projects, including their effect on the environment. Xi took the highly unusual step, for him, of meeting with international journalists, during which he repeated the slogan that he is committed to "open, clean and green development." Enlarge this image toggle caption Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images Yet China's overseas ventures include hundreds of electric power plants that burn coal, which is a significant emitter of the carbon scientifically linked to climate change. Edward Cunningham, a specialist on China and its energy markets at Harvard University, tells NPR that China is building or planning more than 300 coal plants in places as widely spread as Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt and the Philippines. Days before the forum with its "clean and green" theme, the latest Chinese-built coal plant opened in Pakistan. Asia A Look Inside China's Belt And Road Forum For International Cooperation A Look Inside China's Belt And Road Forum For International Cooperation Listen 4:10 4:10 The plants are significant investments at a time when most nations of the world, including China, have committed to fight climate change. "When you put money down and put steel into the ground for a coal-fired power plant," says Cunningham, "it's a 40- or 50-year commitment." In one sense, China's push for coal is not surprising: China knows how to build coal plants. It is the world's largest coal consumer, drawing more than 70 percent of its electricity from coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Enlarge this image toggle caption Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images But facing overwhelming pollution levels, China has restrained the growth of its coal industry at home. For many years, four huge electric power plants burned coal within the capital city, Beijing, contributing to the city's choking smog. But within the last four years, all four stopped burning coal. A visit by NPR on Saturday to one of the plants, the Huaneng Beijing thermal power station, showed that it now burns natural gas still a contributor to climate change but overall considered cleaner. "The air quality is much better than before," said Ma Fei, who owns Kelaicai restaurant near the power plant. "[It's] much better for my health," she says. Asia China Hosts World Leaders To Promote Its Belt And Road Initiative China Hosts World Leaders To Promote Its Belt And Road Initiative Listen 7:48 7:48 While closing old plants, China's leaders have limited the building of new ones. The government has promoted wind and solar energy it has produced so many solar panels that it has reduced prices for them worldwide, which analysts contend has contributed to the spread of solar energy in the United States. But the Chinese engineers, metalworkers and laborers who built coal-fired power plants must be kept employed. And, Cunningham says, "many are going abroad." They are building energy projects for developing nations, largely as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. China has made more than $244 billion in energy investments abroad since 2000, much of it in recent years, according to a Boston University database. The bulk is in oil and gas, but more than $50 billion has gone toward coal. A report in January found that more than one-quarter of coal plants under development outside China have some commitment or offer of funds from Chinese financial institutions. "China has done a very good job of emphasizing the target of greening the Belt and Road," said Courtney Weatherby, a Southeast Asia analyst at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. "But it's not clear when you look at the actual projects that China is funding that they are truly green." Enlarge this image toggle caption Ashley Westerman/NPR Ashley Westerman/NPR "I think that is where many of us are concerned," said Harvard's Cunningham, who attended the recent forum and has been invited back by Chinese officials to speak to academic panels in the country. "For every large solar farm that is being built or wind farm this being built [by China], there are also significant investments going into the fossil [fuel] side. ... There's only one climate ... and we're obviously all carbon constrained." And there are concerns beyond climate. The coal projects in developing nations are built with Chinese loans, which the developing states must repay. There is a widespread view among investors that as the coal industry declines in much of the world, coal is a bad investment. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a Chinese-founded international institution based in Beijing, told NPR that it applies rigorous standards to its investments, and has yet to support a coal-fired power plant anywhere. "In most countries today, it doesn't really make financial economic sense anymore to invest in coal-fired power plants," said bank Vice President Joachim von Amsberg. Renewable energy offers a cleaner alternative. Enlarge this image toggle caption Ashley Westerman/NPR Ashley Westerman/NPR Chinese officials were ready to answer such concerns at their Belt and Road Forum. "We're not intending to transfer pollution to other countries," said Chen Wenling, chief economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing. "We're trying to create development opportunities." In neighboring Vietnam a country highly dependent on coal China is a major investor in the energy sector. China is involved in 15 coal power plants in operation, six under construction and at least two in the planning stages, according to Nguyen Thi Hang with Hanoi-based environmental group Green Innovation and Development Centre. "China's investments in Vietnam is both good and bad but it is also coupled with negative impacts on people's health and livelihoods," Nguyen said. There is still a question of how to supply energy sustainably. If China falls short, Chinese officials at least know they can expect scant criticism on coal investments from the U.S. government. President Trump's administration has also been promoting coal. Morning Edition's Reena Advani and journalist Guo Fengqing contributed reporting. | https://www.npr.org/2019/04/29/716347646/why-is-china-placing-a-global-bet-on-coal?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr |
Can Democrats' Calls for Bipartisan Unity Be Authentic in the Trump Era? | Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar started her presidential campaign amid February snow showers a mile up the Mississippi River from a rebuilt bridge. The I-35W Mississippi River Bridge collapsed in 2007 and reopened a year later, after federal politicians reached across the aisle to hasten construction. For anyone who didnt pick up on the symbolism of announcing a presidential run in this location, Klobuchar made sure to explain near the end of her speech: Let us cross the river of our divides and walk across our sturdy bridge to higher ground. This type of call for a unified, rosy America has been a hallmark for Democratic politicians in recent elections. The messages go beyond Obama. Bill Clinton had a Klobuchar feel in 1996 with a slogan, Building a bridge to the 21st century, and when George H.W. Bush died earlier this year, he was eulogized as a unifier. Obama, though, may have taken the unity messaging to a peak. He used Yes We Can throughout the 2008 Democratic primary and turned it into a phenomenon by the general election. It fit the circumstances: He was running to be Americas first black president and at a time when Americans were struggling together with a recession and the financial crisis. Then Obamas vision quickly dissipated. He failed to get bipartisan support for the Affordable Care Act. The government shut down because of partisan squabbles. Then Donald Trump came along. Though Trump preached the need for unity on election night after he wonand for this years State of the Unionhe spent his campaign aiming to please a base, while singling out enemies. The numerous Democratic candidates20 and risingare now split between messages of building a resistance or building unity to achieve their goal of defeating Trump. Few candidates have emphasized the togetherness vision with as much repetition and enthusiasm as Beto ORourke, who made his first speech in El Paso after officially declaring his candidacy in March. In a fiery but playful tone, ORourke quoted Martin Luther King Jr., saying El Pasoans understand that living in America is to be caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny, and proclaimed his campaign a campaign for America. Everyone in America. Since then, ORourke has traveled the country, espousing the same messages. Well do everything within our power for one another, for this great country and for every generation that follows, ORourke said in Keokuk, Iowa. The opening page of his campaign website includes a photo of a sweating ORourke and the motto, Were all in this together. Some critics have questioned these messages. ORourke has been called the candidate for vapid morons. Longtime progressive columnist Paul Waldman wrote for The American Prospect that, while he thought ORourke has been sincere, Anyone who thinks the next Democratic president will get any support from congressional Republicans for any important legislative agenda item is either not being honest, or theyre simply a fool. Klobuchar has not dealt with as much brush-back over her messaging, despite clinging to the same themes of unity. She ranked as the fifth-most bipartisan Democrat in the Senate from 2017 to 2019 and similarly high in other sessions, according to a bipartisan index compiled by the Lugar Center and the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, illustrating a substantial record of performing for both sides. She is a centrist person and she switches both ways, said Rita Kirk, a public affairs professor at Southern Methodist University and a consultant to CNN for recent presidential elections. This is a contrast move more than anything else to show there is another way, and a lot of Americans are tired of the rancor. ORourkes and Klobuchars campaign teams did not respond to a request for comment. Big-picture calls for unity for a candidate like Warren, said Lynn Vavreck, UCLAs Marvin Hoffenberg professor of American politics and author of several books on political campaigns, would have the opposite effect on promoting authenticity. She noted Warrens nature is to argue and have big ideas and fight to convince people that they are feasible. Warrens rallies have been peppered with the word fight, and she has singled out rich guys for waging class warfare against hard-working people for decades. The same applies for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (by far the least bipartisan senator from 2017 to 2019, according to the Lugar Centers index). Earlier this year at an MLK Day rally in Columbia, S.C., in front of the same crowd New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker told, Theres not a right or left way to move forward, the tone switched dramatically with Sanders. He talked about the need to take on the political and the economic establishment. The central theme of his campaign has been political revolution, as it was in 2016. So far, Sanders has paced the field in donations and is second to Joe Biden in polling. Vavreck said a campaign built on unity doesnt help distinguish candidates at a time when they need to use any type of messaging to stand out. Its an easy message to go to because it is the opposite of Trump, she said. But I think the problem with that is theyre not running against Donald Trump right now. Running the next election isnt the way to win this election. Still, Vavreck wouldnt expect someone like Sanders or Warren to back away from their fight-driven approaches if one of them wins the primary. Should one of them take the nomination, the resulting general election against Trump may lack the rhetoric of promised compromise America has routinely seen: an election where no one tries to bridge the divide. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/29/bipartisan-unity-democrats-2020/ |
Why might rape victims refuse to give their phones to police? | What was intended as a public discussion to reassure victims about how evidence on their mobile phones might be used in investigations has inadvertently triggered suspicions about police access to personal digital records. National consent forms, brought in to develop a common approach across all forces, are not solely for sexual assault cases but used in any investigation where digital devices may be examined. The new emphasis on disclosing evidence, after the collapse of a series of rape trials, appears to have resulted in victims facing demands for relevant material earlier than in previous investigations. The ubiquity of mobiles and the way in which our private and often intimate lives create years of digital records has meant even routine criminal investigations can potentially involve vast quantities of data. To gain access to relevant material, police may have to download the contents of a mobile so they can work out what relates to the complaint that has been made. My sexual assault case was dropped when I refused to give police my phone | Anonymous Read more Handing over such details requires trust in the criminal justice system. Victims groups, however, fear explicit warnings on police forms that evidence of any separate criminal offence might also be investigated by officers is likely to deter complainants from coming forward rather than reassuring them. The digital kiosks used by police extract more data than is required. Prosecutors insist that does not mean it should all be examined. The director of public prosecutions, Max Hill QC, emphasised there had been no policy change and that legal safeguards restricting use of private information would be upheld. Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, for example, places limits on the admissibility of questions at court relating to a complainants sexual history, including material gathered from digital devices. In a court of appeal judgment last November, Hill explained that seizing a complainants phone was not automatically a reasonable line of inquiry in every case. In practice, disputes about what information and material can be divulged in a public courtroom, or to the defence, are likely to be resolved as they are now during pre-trial hearings between lawyers. Critics warn that by focusing attention on what will be asked of the complainant, an impression has been created that victims are under investigation rather than suspects. Because of the under-reporting of rape, there have been repeated calls for victims to be more readily believed. There is a fear now that the impact of the disclosure crisis will result in the pendulum swinging back sharply to a far more sceptical assessment of complainants. Nazir Afzal, a former Crown Prosection Service chief prosecutor who specialises in the law around violence against women, said: This new requirement creates the perception that its the victim who should be investigated rather than the suspect. We need to be reassured that suspects will be subjected to the same levels of investigation. Katie Russell, the spokesperson for Rape Crisis England and Wales, questioned the relevance of much of the material documenting personal relationships likely to be found on mobile phones. Since the law requires freely given consent as the pivotal concept, she said, even if someone has expressed desire [for a suspect in the past] it comes down to whether consent was given for a specific act. The flow of so much digital content into the criminal justice system is placing severe strains on police, prosecutors and defence lawyers. Evidence that was never previously available is surfacing in vast volumes in many cases. Police forces are trialling a number of artificial intelligence systems to help them manage the evidence. Defence lawyers complain that they are often not paid for reading large quantities of digital evidence deemed unused but which might contain helpful detail for their clients. Chris Henley QC, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said: There is a serious crisis in relation to the whole criminal justice system caused by chronic underfunding, which is exemplified in sex offence cases. The problem with the blanket digital extraction consent form is that risks undermining complainants faith in the system from the outset and is almost never necessary. There will of course be cases where there is relevant and extensive contact between the people involved which can be retrieved from the phones and needs to be preserved at an early stage. The lazy thing to do is to have a blanket form, rather than examine each case on its particular merits. And the reaction to this is very unsurprising. | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/29/why-might-rape-victims-refuse-to-give-phones-to-police |
Is the GOP anti-socialism pitch actually working? | In this scruffy, high-desert town encircled by prairies and potato farms, Sen. Cory Gardner drew shouts of approval last week for his message that Democrats are shoving the country toward socialism. "That's not what government is or what it should be," he told about 200 Alamosa County Republicans at a barbecue fundraiser in a National Guard armory. "We have to stand up and fight. Are you going to join me in this fight?" For Mr. Gardner and other Republicans making the same pitch, including President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the key question is whether it will attract moderate voters, not just their conservative stalwarts. Based on interviews with over three dozen Coloradans last week from Denver's suburbs south to this town in the flat San Luis Valley, the argument has yet to take root, though the GOP has 18 months to sell it before Election Day 2020. Few volunteered a drift toward socialism as a major worry, with health care and living costs cited far more frequently. Several said capitalism was too embedded in the U.S. to be truly threatened and Republicans were using socialism to stir unease with Democrats by raising the specter of the old, repressive Soviet Union and today's chaotic Venezuela. "They're preying on fear," said David Kraemer, a financial adviser who's not registered with a political party and lives in the Denver suburb of Westminster. Yet when asked directly whether socialism was a concern, many expressed a wariness of injecting more government into people's lives. Rather than naming policies that troubled them, many mentioned two self-proclaimed democratic socialists: Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who's seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, and freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. The comments suggested that Republicans might be tapping into unease over letting either party go too far. "Checks and balances are what make this country so great," said Steve Lajoie, a self-employed carpenter from Denver and independent voter. Mr. Gardner, who's expected to face a tough re-election fight next year, has been repeating his argument for months. He cites liberal Democrats' "Medicare for All" bills for government-provided health care, and a Green New Deal proposal for aggressively cutting carbon emissions. Mr. Sanders has sponsored Medicare for All legislation that's been embraced by many of his Democratic presidential rivals. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is an architect of the Green New Deal, which remains a concept, not proposed legislation. Many Democrats, especially moderates, have kept their distance from both plans, divisions Republicans are happy to exploit. Democrats reject the socialism assertion as a distraction from Mr. Trump's unpopularity and the issues they will emphasize, especially improving health care and protecting jobs and income. They say efforts to make health care more available and combat global warming have nothing to do with limiting individuals' rights. Democrats note that voters gave them total control of Colorado government in November despite GOP attempts to pin the socialism label on former U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, who was elected governor. They say growing numbers of younger, urban and, Hispanic residents are steadily making the state more liberal. GOP cries of socialism are "Cold War stuff" that's irrelevant to most voters, said Morgan Carroll, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party. "I think that probably does fire up their base, but you cannot win an election in Colorado with the Republican base alone," Ms. Carroll said. Republicans see a powerful argument in telling voters they need a GOP-controlled Senate for protection against Democrats who are coming after their current health insurance, their energy sector jobs, and more. "I think we're running to be the firewall that saves the country from socialism," Senator McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters recently. Republicans say the anti-socialism message will prove powerful in a state that overwhelmingly rejected a ballot initiative creating single-payer health care and where registered unaffiliated voters, often with libertarian leanings, outnumber both Democrats and Republicans. The GOP hopes the appeal will win over suburbanites whose distaste for Mr. Trump helped Democrats capture the House in the fall. They note that public opinion polls find socialism is especially unpopular among older voters, Republicans, and moderates. Avery Jones, of Westminster, is one potential target. "Taxes kill," said Ms. Jones. While she's eager to improve her family's health coverage, she sees "some merit" to checking Democrats from pushing toward universal health care because "it would just drive up taxes." But for every Ms. Jones, there's a Rhett Lucero. Mr. Lucero, eating lunch at the Riverwalk park that winds through the city of Pueblo, says Democrats' efforts to expand health coverage and curb global warming make sense. "It's helping each other out," said the auto body mechanic, who, like Ms. Jones, is an unaffiliated voter. "It's putting our taxes to a real good use." Not all Democrats are dismissive of the socialism strategy. Eva Henry, a commissioner of Adams County outside Denver, says her community's blue-collar families might buy the GOP argument if they believe Democrats' proposals would drive up taxes. "Our Democrats can vote Republican because they vote their pocketbooks," the Democrat said. Pueblo Mayor Nicholas Gradisar said he doubts the argument will sway many Democrats but warned, "Democrats have to be wary of it and they have to respond" by telling voters the party "will give you a fair shake." Pueblo County, south of the economically surging corridor that runs from Boulder to Colorado Springs, leans Democratic but backed Trump in 2016. Republicans, who've already cast Democrats as socialists this year with digital videos and roadside billboards, tried the theme in several states in November to little effect. It wasn't new: Actor Ronald Reagan and GOP presidential candidate Barry Goldwater castigated Medicare as socialist in the 1960s, yet it's now a cherished medical lifeline for millions of older Americans. Republicans say this time will be different. But one Coloradan's comments suggest that past GOP warnings about Democrats may haunt Republicans. Politics with respect Get political stories with respectful analysis By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy "Every time a Democrat gets elected, they say, 'We're going to lose our guns,'" said Marc O'Leary, of Westminster. "It never happens." This story was reported by The Associated Press. | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2019/0429/Is-the-GOP-anti-socialism-pitch-actually-working |
Is Game of Thrones Saying Goodbye to Magic? | Part of the genius of George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire universe is that it pushes that mundaneand truly mysteriousconception of magic just one or two degrees further into the realm of fantasy. Westeros, at the beginning of the saga, was an unenchanted land. Stories of dragons and witches were, as in our own world, just stories. As monsters encroached over the course of the series, so too did spell-casting, shape-shifting, and fortune-telling. But such magic still was janky, dangerous, and rare. Melisandre, the red-haired priestess of the Lord of Light, embodied this theme. She birthed smoke monsters and raised the dead, but she also sacrificed children to no apparent gain and saw visions of dubious utility. Backing Stannis Baratheon as the savior of the realm, she realized too late, was a misreading. Restoring Jon Snow to life, she said before she attempted it, was almost surely impossible. Hers was magic that often had to apologize for itself. So it was that in the latest episode, The Long Night, Melisandre arrived from exile seeming more embarrassed than omnipotent. Theres no need to execute me, Ser Davos, she announced. Ill be dead before the dawn. Though the episode amounted to an hour-and-a-half rotation between near-defeat and improbable victories for humankind, the Lord of Light continued to play a sketchy, unreliable role. Melisandre made dramatic contributions, but she did not clearly turn the fight. As the first form to emerge from the dark woods north of Winterfell, Melisandre entered with style, riding up to the army and then reciting a prayer that sent the Dothraki swords ablaze. After so much ominous buildup about the odds they faced, it finally looked like Daeneryss forces might have the weaponry to defeat the dead. But then the Dothraki charged into the dark night and quickly, quietly, had their flamesand livesextinguished by the wights, who were still invisible to viewers. So much for deus ex Melisandre. Later, when Grey Worms plans to ignite the moat of flame outside the fortress walls met a hiccup in the form of an evil blizzard, Melisandre again stepped in with her mystic kerosene. But as with someone trying to strike tinder on a windy day, ignition proved difficult. Melisandre repeated her incantation with greater and greater dismay and desperation, and it looked like her god had forsaken her. Then, almost too late, poof. The firewall slowed down the dead, but it did not stop them. Melisandres final intervention was subtler. Inside the Winterfell keep, Arya encountered the Red Woman for the first time since Season 3, when the young girl confronted the hundreds-year-old woman about kidnapping Gendry. Back then, Melisandre made a prophecy: Arya would eventually shut eyes of brown, blue, and green forever. If that prediction seems to have been coming true, it also has the air of a daytime-TV medium giving a cold reading. Melisandre met a vengeful little girl traveling with a band of warriors and guessed that shed go on to kill many people; not that far-fetched, really. | https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/04/game-thrones-melisandre-and-end-magic/588292/?utm_source=feed |
What Does Joe Biden Stand For, Exactly? | The Democrats were still plenty harsh, though. Biden played a key role in the passage of the 1994 crime bill, which threw the full weight of Congress behind mass incarceration. The law expanded mandatory minimum sentences, provided billions of dollars in funding for new prisons, and opened federal spigots for local police departments to hire thousands of new officers. Most of the law built on earlier measures Biden championed throughout the 1980s. For a generation, Jamelle Bouie wrote for Slate in 2015, Biden was at the front of a national push for tough drug laws and police militarization. Until recently, Biden took pride in this legislative work. He described the 1994 law as the Biden Crime Bill as recently as 2015, even while policymakers across the ideological spectrum began to agree that decades of tough-on-crime policies had gone too far. Only recently has Biden begun to step back from parts of the law, like the draconian three-strikes rule and the racist crack-cocaine sentencing disparity. Even then, hes fallen far short of apologizing for it. I havent always been right, he told an audience on Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year. I know we havent always gotten things right, but Ive always tried. Other caveats in Bidens record abound. His deep foreign-policy experience is marred by the Iraq war: First by his 2002 vote to authorize the George W. Bush administrations mission to topple Saddam Hussein, which Biden renounced soon after the war began, and then by his 2006 proposal to impose a federal system on Iraq along ethnic sectarian lines. The plan received criticism for resembling the partitions of European colonial rule, though it did not actually propose dividing Iraq into three independent countries. In theory, Bidens long tenure as the top Democrat in the Senate Judiciary Committee should also make him the perfect candidate to make the federal courts a central issue in 2020. He helped defeat Robert Borks Supreme Court nomination in 1986; the seat eventually went to Anthony Kennedy. But that record cant be invoked without calling to mind the committees insensitive treatment of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings in 1991. Though Biden led the hearings, he refused to take any blame. Im sorry for the way she got treated, he said on ABCs The View last week. If you go back to what I said, and didnt say, I dont think I treated her badly. Biden does have genuine policy accomplishments, such as the Violence Against Women Act. He also has perhaps the most relevant experience of any Democratic candidate, after serving eight years as Barack Obamas heir apparent. (Obama, playing the role of party unifier, is abstaining for now from endorsing anyone in the primaries.) So far, Bidens campaign seems tailored to appeal to Democrats and any other voters who are nostalgic for an America before Donald Trump. Policy comes second. | https://newrepublic.com/article/153710/joe-biden-run-away-political-record |
Which Arizona high schools have produced the most college football players? | Last week, in an email, I asked Arizona high school football coaches to tabulate the number of players who signed with four-year colleges out of high school in the last seven seasons. It's no surprise that the three schools that have won the most state championships in the last six years Chandler, Saguaro, Centennial have had the most. Here is a look at the results from those coaches who responded: Chandler The Wolves have been the most dominant 6A team in the last five years, winning four state titles, including the last three. They've produced 11 NFL players in their history, more than any other Arizona high school, although Scottsdale Saguaro is starting to make a run with D.J. Foster, Christian Kirk and Byron Murphy now all part of the Cardinals. The Wolves' program ramped up from the Jim Ewan to Shaun Aguano and now Rick Garretson era. In the last seven years, they've produced more Division I college talent (43) than any other school. This includes FCS schools. 2012 team: 5 signed Division-I, 2 Division II or III. 2013: 6 signed D-I, 3 signed D-II/III/or NAIA. 2014: 3 signed D-I, 9 signed D-II/III or NAIA. 2015: 7 signed D-I, 3 signed D-II/III or NAIA. 2016: 6 signed D-I, 1 signed D-II. 2017: 6 signed D-I, 4 signed D-II/III/or NAIA. 2018: 10 signed D-I, 7 signed D-II/III/or NAIA. Saguaro During coach Jason Mohns' seven years as head coach, capturing a record six consecutive state championships, he had 36 players sign with Division I colleges. His 2020 class currently has 10 players holding D-I offers. 2012 team: 3 went JUCO, before going D-I. 2013: 3 signed with D-I schools. 2014: 4 signed D-I, 4 signed with either D-II or III. 2015: 4 signed D-I. 2016: 9 signed D-I. 2017: 7 signed D-I, 6 D-II or III. 2018: 9 signed D-I, 6 D-II or III. High school football (Photo: David Kadlubowski /The Republic) Peoria Centennial The Coyotes are another among the big-school dynasty programs, winning three of the last four state titles, including the past two. Coach Richard Taylor built this program from scratch. Since the 2012 season, he's seen 75 players go on to play anywhere from junior college to Division I. Thirty of those signed with Division I schools out of high school. 2012 season: 5 signed D-I, 3 signed D-II, 1 NAIA. 2013: 2 signed D-I, 2 D-II, 4 D-III, 2 NAIA. 2014: 3 signed D-I, 1 D-II, 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. 2015: 7 signed D-I, 1 D-II, 3 NAIA. 2016: 3 signed D-I, 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. 2017: 7 signed D-I, 2 D-II, 1 NAIA. 2018: 3 signed D-I, 1 D-II, 1 D-III, 3 NAIA. Gilbert Higley Eddy Zubey has made huge headway into getting college coaches on campus in the last four years. Last season, more schools than ever hit up Higley, thanks to All-American defensive lineman Ty Robinson, who signed with Nebraska. The up-and-coming Knights have had 20 players sign with D-I schools since the 2012 season. Get crucial breaking sports news alerts to your inbox. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Sports Breaking News Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters 2012 season: 3 signed with D-II schools. 2013: 3 signed D-I, 6 signed D-II. 2014: 1 signed D-I, 1 NAIA. 2015: 3 signed D-II, 2 NAIA. 2016: 3 signed D-I, 4 D-II, 2 NAIA. 2017: 4 signed D-I, 2 D-II, 2 NAIA. 2018: 3 signed D-I, 2 D-II, 3 NAIA. Phoenix Pinnacle Since 2012 season, the Pioneers have had 20 players sign D-I, including FCS. They've had nine sign D-II, four sign D-III and three with NAIA. Mesa Red Mountain 2012 season: 5 D-I, 1 D-II. 2013: 1 D-I, 2 D-II. 2014: 1 D-I. 2015: 2 D-I, 1 NAIA. 2016: 2 D-I. 2017: 4 D-I, 7 D-II/III/NAIA. 2018: 4 D.I, 7 D-II/III/NAIA. Gilbert Campo Verde 2012: 1 D-I, 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. 2013: 6 D-II, 2 D-III. 2014: 2 D-I, 2 D-II, 1 NAIA. 2015: 3 D-II, 1 D-III. 2016: 2 NAIA. 2017: 2 D-I, 1 D-III. 2018: 1 D-I, 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. Glendale Apollo 2012: 1 D-I, 1 D-II, 3 D-III. 2013: 1 D-I, 1 D-III. 2015: 1 D-I, 2 D-II. 2016: 1 D-II, 1 D-III. 2017: 1 D-I, 1 D-II. 2018: 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. Glendale Raymond S Kellis 2012: 1 D-I. 2016: 4 NAIA. 2018: 1 NAIA. Surprise Valley Vista Since 2012 season, the Monsoon has produced five Division I (FBS/FCS), 11 D-II, two D-III, and five NAIA. Prescott 2012: 1 D-I, 1 D-II. 2014: 1 D-I, 1 D-III, 1 NAIA. 2015: 1 D-III, 1 NAIA. 2016: 2 NAIA. 2017: 1 D-I. 2018: 2 D-III, 1 NAIA. Florence 2012: 2 D-I. 2014: 1 D-III. 2015: 1 D-I, 1 D-III. 2017: 1 D-I, 2 D-II, 1 D-III, 2 NAIA. Tucson 2013: 2 D-I. 2015: 1 D-I. 2016: 1 D-II. 2017: 1 D-I, 1 NAIA. 2018: 1 D-III. 2019: 1 D-II, 2 NAIA. Peoria Liberty Provided only total number of college-produced players. 2012: 3. 2013: 6. 2014: 5. 2015: 6. 2016: 8. 2017: 8. 2018: 4. 2019: 7. Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Salpointe Catholic Coach Dennis Bene provided these numbers since the 2012 season: 9 Division I-A, 7 Division I-AA, 4 Division II, 5 Division III, 1 NAIA. Laveen Cesar Chavez 2013: 2 D-III. 2016: 1 D-III. 2018: 5 NAIA. 2019: 1 D-I, 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. San Tan Valley Combs Nine total over last seven seasons: 1 D-II, 6 D-III, 2 NAIA. Sahuarita Walden Grove Its first graduation class was 2014. 2015: 1 D-II. 2017: 1 D-II. 2018: 1 NAIA. 2019: 1 D- I, 1 D-III, 1 NAIA. Gilbert Perry 2012: 3 D-I, 1 D-II, 1 NAIA. 2013: 4 D-I, 2 NAIA. 2014: 4 D-III. 2015: 1 D-I, 2 D-II. 2016: 2 D-I, 1 D-II, 2 NAIA. 2017: 3 D-I, 1 D-II, 3 NAIA. 2018: 3 D-I, 5 D-II, 1 D-III, 1 NAIA. Poston Butte 2014: 1 D-I. 2017: 2 D-II. 2018: 3 D-III, 1 NAIA. Winslow Since 2012 season, 1 D-I, 1 D-III, 3 NAIA. Phoenix Central 2012: 1 D-I, 1 D-III. 2016: 2 D-II. 2017: 2 D-I. 2018: 3 D-I. 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/2019/04/29/which-arizona-high-schools-have-produced-most-college-players/3619982002/ |
Did Trudeau help or hinder flood-relief efforts in an Ottawa neighbourhood? | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was reminded of the perils of such visits Saturday when he visited an Ottawa neighbourhood hit by record floodwaters and got berated by one volunteer who accused him of tying up relief efforts. Trudeau replied that he understood his frustrations with security, but said he was happy to speak with those on site and hopefully encourage others to volunteer. The prime minister had been briefed on emergency efforts to help homeowners and had spent time helping fill sandbags himself. While youre here, no one can pick up sand. You held people up. All your RCMP and security held people up, he said. You know how long youve held up people picking up bags? the volunteer said to the prime minister. Conservative politicians added their criticism. Everything is a photo op with this buffoon. He provided no value and just wanted the shot, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel said on Twitter. The incident underscores how such events are a balancing act. When a natural disaster occurs, a visit by a prime minister or premier can show support to the victims, highlight the efforts of those who have come to their aid and get a firsthand look at the crisis in a way that helps guide the governments responses. He knew his security detail and entourage would gum up the line, but he did it anyway. The guy who yelled at him was dead right, said the MP for Calgary Nose Hill. Such visits are no small thing. Theres the security detail, an entourage of aides and journalists, all of which can detract from ongoing relief efforts. But staying away can be equally perilous, giving rise to charges that a political leader is insensitive or ignoring the human toll of such events. When youre the prime minister, criticism comes with the territory would I rather be criticized for doing something to help people or not doing something? said Scott Reid, who served as director of communications for former prime minister Paul Martin. I think wise people and decent people will always come down on the side of Id like to be criticized for doing something, he said. Reid said that such visits signal to Canadians that an event has risen to this level of crisis and requires national attention and national focus. Conversely, staying away can send the reverse signal and downplay the scale of an event in the eyes of the country. You have to avoid the mistake of not doing something because youre afraid of how it looks, Reid said. Such visits are part of a politicians job description. Just days earlier, Trudeau had visited a flood relief centre across the river in Gatineau, where parts of the city have also been inundated with floodwaters. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Ottawa-area MPs Andrew Leslie, Steven MacKinnon have made visits to the flood zones since the crisis began. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer helped out with sand bags on Saturday. Former prime minister Jean Chrtien took flak for his visit to flood-ravaged Winnipeg in 1997 and tossing a sandbag in a photo op. It wasnt the visit so much that angered local residents but the fact he called an election the next day, at a time when thousands of Manitoba residents had been forced from their homes. But that anger didnt stand in the way of his re-election. Former prime minister Stephen Harper was in Calgary in June 2013 the day after heavy rains flooded southern regions of Alberta. In 2016, Trudeau delayed a visit to Fort McMurray in the wake of devastating wild fires. That stirred some questions but Trudeau defended his timing. I think were all aware that a prime minister showing up in Fort McMurray when firefighters are busy trying to contain a massive, raging wildfire is not a particularly helpful thing, he said at the time. Reid said a political leader will be sure to clear a potential visit with local officials to ensure they are not hindering ongoing operations. You do not want to be in a position where you intervene until you can satisfy yourself that it wont substantively impact the relief effort, Reid said. Beyond the public signal such visits send, Reid said dont underestimate the impact on a politician of seeing first-hand the devastation and human toll of such events. Once the prime minister has been on site and seen the dislocation its a lot different than reading about it in the news and being briefed about it, he said. That first-hand experience can help galvanize government relief and sweep aside bureaucratic impediments. It creates a personal dynamic where the prime minister will say I saw those people, I looked in their eyes, I say what theyre going through and were going to help them, he said. He also said that criticisms that such events are only a photo op are unfair and diminish the significance of such visits. The prime minister cannot go somewhere without there being photographers. When youre the leader of a G8 country, you dont get to move around invisibly, he said. In the case of Trudeaus Saturday visit to Constance Bay in west-end Ottawa, a spokesperson for the prime minister said the office first checked with local officials to make sure a visit would not interfere. Its our first consideration before any of these visits to make sure we dont impede any operation on the ground, the spokesperson said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a later statement that the security for the prime minister did not cause any delays. Bruce Campion-Smith is an Ottawa-based reporter covering national politics. Follow him on Twitter: @yowflier | https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2019/04/29/did-trudeau-help-or-hinder-flood-relief-efforts-in-an-ottawa-neighbourhood.html |
Do 'mechanical trees' offer the cure for climate change? | NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A Dublin-based company plans to erect mechanical trees in the United States that will suck carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, it said on Monday, in what may be prove to be biggest effort to remove the gas blamed for climate change from the atmosphere. The company, Silicon Kingdom Holdings (SKH), will build 1,200 carbon-cleansing metal columns within a year with which it hopes to capture CO2 more cheaply than other methods, following a successful test in Arizona over a two-year period, it said. That is enough to suck up nearly 8,000 cars worth of emissions per year of CO2. We have to figure out how to act to get to a climate that is safe, said the technologys inventor, Klaus Lackner, a professor at Arizona State University. SKHs pilot would be the worlds largest direct air capture operation to date, said Jennifer Wilcox, a professor of chemical engineering at the U.S.-based Worcester Polytechnic Institute, who is not involved in the project. Carbon capture is gradually gaining momentum, with the United Nations saying in a report last year that the technology is likely needed to keep the rise in global temperatures below catastrophic levels. SKH expects its two-year pilot, possibly in California, to capture about 36,500 metric tons of CO2 a year, it said - the equivalent of nearly 7,750 vehicles driven for a year. Full-scale farms would be 100 times bigger. The companys mechanical trees, as the firm has dubbed them because they are tall and slender and absorb CO2 just like trees, are fitted with filter-like components to absorb the CO2, a photo of a prototype showed. The device uses wind to blow air through its system rather than an energy-intensive mechanism, it said. While capturing CO2 from industrial facilities and power plants has a decades-long commercial history, direct air capture, which pulls the gas directly from the atmosphere is a burgeoning field with only a handful of players, said Wilcox. Swiss firm Climeworks has so far led the market, alongside Canada-based Carbon Engineering and U.S.-based Global Thermostat, she said. The companies compress the high-concentration CO2 they capture and then can sell it for use in industrial applications, including making drinks fizzy, creating fuel and extracting oil. While the high price of direct air capture has long been viewed as an impediment to scaling up the technologies, SKHs costs is less than $100 per metric ton for pure CO2, it said. The $100 a ton is important because I think thats the point where things start to get economically interesting, Lackner told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. You can buy liquid CO2 which is delivered by truck in order to fill fire extinguishers and myriad other things for prices between $100 and $200 a ton. SKH would not provide information about how much building the pilot would cost. It said it was in discussions with a range of potential funders and strategic partners from the aviation, energy and food and beverage industries. | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climatechange-carboncapture/do-mechanical-trees-offer-the-cure-for-climate-change-idUSKCN1S52CG |
Why the #$@! is the West so angry? | Mark Kingwell is the author of 17 books, including Wish I Were Here: Boredom and the Interface. One of the best-ever Simpsons episodes concerns Homers attempt to build a backyard barbecue pit. He mangles this so comprehensively that the result is a tortured mess of brick, metal, mortar and umbrella. When a pretentious local art dealer, voiced by Isabella Rossellini, sees this craziness, she decides to champion Homer as an outsider artist. Art isnt just pretty pictures, she tells the yellow man. Its an expression of raw human emotion. In your case: rage. Homers aesthetic fame is brief but brilliant. Story continues below advertisement Homer, regularly given to throttling his vexing son Bart, endures a basic condition: Hes a rageaholic. The term actually has a Wikipedia entry, so it must be valid, even though I doubt its entered in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual; Homer just enjoys a taste for rageahol. Well, according to a just-released Gallup poll, 22 per cent of surveyed people worldwide reported regular feelings of anger, up from 20 per cent in 2016, setting a new benchmark since this poll began in 2006. The same poll reported elevated worry levels but, oddly, slightly lower stress levels. Gallup might want to do some refining there, since I am now extremely angry about the conceptual slippage between worry and stress. Come on, man! There were some strange results in the survey. Estonia, for example, had very low anger numbers. This makes sense: Tallinn, the historic Estonian capital, is a gem of art, culture, food and architecture. It also offers a regular drunken ferry service to Helsinki, which is fun. And yet, nearby Lithuania reported extremely high anger numbers, close to those of Yemen and Afghanistan. Im willing to bet that life in Vilnius is far, far better than in Yemen, where war and disease will, according to United Nations figures, claim more than 200,000 lives by the end of the year. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, the death toll among soldiers and police alone in the past two years is approximately 45,000, with twice as many casualties. Emotions are obviously very subjective. But rage, especially the political variety, has become a species of Western luxury good, an envy-driven indulgence of the birth-based lucky. When a middle-aged white man declares that his hate-speech newspaper is based on the needs of angry men, thats luxury. When a spluttering white, male U.S. Supreme Court nominee whines that hes been targeted for criticism, thats luxury. When people complain that universities dont respect what they personally consider free speech, thats luxury. Consider the radical idea that sharing public goods and losing high office, secure employment, social status or personal wealth is not the same thing as being actually oppressed. Anger about these potential deficits is, like privilege more generally, invisible to those who enjoy it. For what its worth, angry white male has a Wikipedia entry, too though that, too, is not yet in the DSM. Challenges to status provoke anger and envy, sure and then sometimes hate, and then sometimes hate crime. That is a slippery slope, one made worse by isolation and political division. But the universe is indifferent to our narcissism and special interests. If we want to be decent global citizens, we need to acknowledge our cosmic insignificance and engage in some focused anger management. A.A. Gill, a Scottish foreigner, wrote a very funny 2005 book, The Angry Island, about England and its undeniable rage-ramp since the new century dawned. More soberly, the sociologist Michael Kimmel published a prophetic 2013 book called Angry White Men. If anyone imagines that this dumb-bot, white-guy anger is not part of the so-called Trump base, they have not been keeping score. Manufactured rage is the fuel of the MAGA mob, happily heedless of the lies spewed from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Story continues below advertisement Heres my slice of amateur psychology, based upon walking my citys cellphone-zombified streets (I wont cycle any more, too enraging), plus a lot of time watching angry people yelling at each other on television: In the land where everybodys somebody, nobodys anybody. There are 7.7 billion of us now. People who post things online, consider themselves social-media influencers or appear as small-time hoods in the Mueller report just want to be seen and cherished. Mostly, alas, they wont be. Thats the deal, here on planet Earth. You can rage against the machine, but the machine is just the world. Psychologists understand that anger, unresolved, turns to depression, an even more toxic drug. Dont drink the rageahol, friends. Just live. Turn off your phone or screen. Go outside. In most cases, as my mother used to say, worse things happen at sea. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-why-the-is-the-west-so-angry/ |
Can 'Aquaman' ride the wave of positive buzz and be the next 'Wonder Woman' for DC? | Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment debuted the trailer to "Aquaman," their 2018 San Diego Comic-Con crown jewel, at Hall H this past weekend to high praise. Getting even more buzz was the exclusive footage "Aquaman" director James Wan brought along to show fans - it reportedly revealed more action than the trailer. WB/DC needs "Aquaman" to be a winner in a "Justice League" era in which only its "Wonder Woman" franchise is a sure-thing crowd pleaser. "Shazam!" looks to have some super-potential to change the attitudes toward WB/DC's superhero offerings, but it doesn't arrive until next spring. Come this December, all eyes will be on "Aquaman" to see if the Jason Momoa-starring film can help us forget about the failure that was the buildup to "Justice League." Therein lies perhaps "Aquaman's" biggest hindrance: his superhero team affiliation. You can't help but listen to Momoa scream as he jumps out of a plane during the "Aquaman" trailer and think back to a similar scene when he was air-surfing bad guys in "Justice League," a movie that was rushed and didn't deliver the iconic superhero-gathering moment it should have, especially given the roster of heroes involved. At first glance "Aquaman" looks nothing like another "Justice League" and instead seems to show WB/DC learning from the success of "Wonder Woman." "Aquaman" will attempt to tell a solid origin story not weighed down by universe-building and instead focusing on a singular heroic tale, enhanced by a top-notch cast featuring Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard and Willem Dafoe. WB/DC rarely has a bad Comic-Con. Similar buzz followed the SDCC footage of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Suicide Squad," and we all know how those films turned out in the eyes of many. Winning Comic-Con isn't enough to guarantee success. Marvel Studios hardly attends SDCC anymore so that should tell you how important succeeding in July is. It's like winning the offseason in sports. What matters come this winter is the story. If "Aquaman" leans enough on the comic book tales of Geoff Johns's stellar run writing Aquaman comics (which appears to be the case based on what we've seen so far) it should be in good shape to surprise those whose hopes aren't high. The Comic-Con footage gets a lot right. The underwater scenes look great, and Atlantis and all the life it hosts are a sight. Those worried they'd be treated to more air bubbles for conversations like we saw when Heard (who plays Aquaman love interest Mera) chatted with Aquaman in "Justice League" should be happy. We don't see too much of Aquman's half brother, Orm/Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson), who wishes for Atlantis to rise and rule the surface world, but we've seen enough of Wilson as Nite Owl in "Watchmen" to know he's good at playing complicated comic book characters. Perhaps the two most geek-tastic moments from the trailer were Aquaman lifting an entire submarine over his shoulder while flying/swimming through the sea and the highly anticipated first look at Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as fan-favorite Aquaman villain Black Manta, who looks like he jumped right out of a comic-book panel. "Aquaman" arrives in theaters Dec. 21. David Betancourt, The Washington Post | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2018/07/can_aquaman_ride_the_wave_of_p.html |
Could the answer to menopausal hot flushes be all in the mind? | When Karen Pickering began experiencing signs of the menopause at 51, three years ago, she was an experienced, capable nurse working in medical assessments. But within months, she found her symptoms unbearable. "I had been highly functioning and confident," says Pickering, who lives in Hartlepool with her husband Martin, a 49-year-old electrician. "Suddenly I had all the classic physical and mental problems. Hot flushes, problems sleeping, I couldn't concentrate, I was forgetting things, had aching joints, plus chest pain and palpitations. "The worst thing was the mental health issues: I started to suffer lack of confidence, I felt like I wasn't me, I had brain fog, low mood and mood swings. I would catastrophise about everything and completely overthink things." Advertisement Pickering was supported by her GP who in 2017 prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But even so, says Pickering, who has two grown-up daughters Zoe and Eve, there were days where she found it hard to get out of bed. "I struggled through for two years," she says. "I had to take time off work as I doubted my ability to nurse." The turning point came in November 2018 when Pickering's symptoms were so severe, her GP increased her dose of HRT, prescribed anti-depressants and recommended cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a "talking cure". CBT works on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are connected; when those thoughts and feelings are negative, we can get trapped in a vicious cycle causing us to feel worse and worse. In CBT, patients are shown how to break that cycle by improving your state of mind in small ways and focusing on the present not the past. While much of the debate over solutions to the menopause has raged between whether to take HRT or manage the symptoms naturally (or even tough them out), CBT has been quietly growing in popularity as a real alternative. This is particularly true for those who cannot consider HRT, like breast cancer patients (as their tumours may be oestrogen sensitive). Scientists have confirmed that psychological treatments can reduce the impact of hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms such as irritability, forgetfulness, joint pain and vaginal dryness. A Dutch review of evidence published last March reported that women going through menopause benefit from psychological interventions such as CBT to help manage their symptoms. Meanwhile, in December, a US study conducted at the Thomas Roth Sleep Disorders & Research Center in Michigan found that CBT reduces symptoms of depression in menopause. The use of CBT was pioneered by Prof Myra Hunter of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, at Kings College London. Prof Hunter explains: "With CBT we are looking at beliefs and behaviours and emotions and how they work together." "We're also able to explore the whole context of the menopause for women: how stressful their life is overall and how to improve wellbeing in general. It's not just an answer to hot flushes but those factors which influence how a woman experiences those hot flushes." CBT is no placebo, she adds. "We've measured physical changes like skin conductance on the breastbone and shown that these can change with CBT; our research also shows that it is the changes in thoughts, beliefs and behaviours during CBT that lead to real, substantial improvement in experience of hot flushes." Psychotherapist Dr Jo Gee, founder of online women's health directory The Luna Hive, explains: "Often we find hot flushes are associated with anxiety. When women are experiencing them, they may be very self-aware and concerned that they will lose self-control which may make it worse. "So I might set up a distraction technique for when a woman is worried she is going to have a hot flush. I encourage women to challenge their thoughts about the symptoms so that they don't worry so much when it happens. "If you have a hot flush, it can pass by without you caring." Pickering says that during the first couple of weeks of CBT, she found it difficult to focus on what her therapist was saying and what she should be doing. "Initially it was looking at my thoughts and feelings and how to stop them. I had got to the point where a single thought could take over my day and cause anxiety and panic attacks." She was given simple tasks: "I had to get out of bed by a certain time and plan my day even down to what I would eat." Pickering was also recommended to use the Headspace app for daily meditations. To her surprise, she began to recover quite quickly within about five weeks. "Before the CBT," she says, "I had felt like the inside of my head had lots of electrical wires sparking constantly and never switching off. CBT combined with an increased dose of HRT and anti-depressants was like throwing a safety blanket over it." The therapy's popularity is no surprise to menopause counsellor Diane Danzebrink, who says many women need someone to talk to at this time in their lives. Danzebrink says: "They come to have somebody to talk to who understands what they are experiencing, who will firstly take the time to listen to them and secondly support them - whether that is to return to their doctor with evidence based information to discuss NICE treatment and/or to work through any emotional challenges they are experiencing." One problem she has noted is that GPs are much more likely to offer anti-depressants than CBT: "This can be confusing and upsetting if women know they are not depressed." She believes CBT techniques are useful as part of an integrated psychotherapeutic approach. "Teaching women to challenge negative automatic thoughts can be very helpful. "Just having it explained to them that hormones are responsible for the way that they feel creates huge relief as women feel believed and no longer like they are going mad - probably one of the most common things I hear." Not in Danzebrink's experience. "I am yet to meet a woman who thinks CBT is preferable to HRT on its own," she says. Prof Hunter is now working on how best CBT can be delivered: whether that's via a psychotherapist as part of the NHS's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme or an online programme. After carrying out the initial research in 2012, her team produced a workbook called Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats: A cognitive behavioural self-help guide to the menopause and Prof Hunter has seen patients combine using that with telephone support or with setting up their own small WhatsApp groups. Indeed, a recent study by the Kings College London team in Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society confirmed that working women experiencing problematic hot flushes and night sweats could benefit from using an unguided CBT booklet. "People get stuck on the idea that you can't have psychological intervention for physical symptoms," says Prof Hunter. "But that's not true. We've found that however you access CBT, you will benefit." Karen Pickering is a fan. "My symptoms have settled and now I am coping with everything again. And I know I can use the CBT skills for life." What to expect: The menopause When it happens: Typically menopause starts between the ages of 45 and 55 (in the UK the average age is 51), but many women experience hormonal disturbance before it arrives. The symptoms: A result of fluctuating hormone levels. They include hot flushes (three out of four women experience these), night sweats, low mood, anxiety, reduced sex drive, problems with concentration, vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex, a higher incidence of urinary-tract infections, bloating and weight gain. Symptoms can start months or years before periods stop. At a glance: HRT Before you see your GP, here's what you need to know: Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, a GP specialising in women's health, says most surgeries have a doctor specialising in menopause management, so always ask to see them when discussing HRT. If so, tell your GP when discussing your menopause. Similarly, if you have any of the risk factors for heart disease (being overweight, a smoker, having diabetes, a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure), flag them with your GP. Age is also a factor. Dr Helen Currie, chair of the British Menopause Society, says the key is to start HRT around the time your periods stop, and not wait more than 10 years, because up to the age of 60 the benefits of HRT can outweigh the risks. This article originally appeared on the Daily Telegraph. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12224819 |
Why Aren't Parents Getting Their Children Vaccinated? | The U.S. went from measles-free in 2000 to the largest outbreak in 25 years. NPR's David Greene talks to Jennifer Reich, author of Calling the Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines. DAVID GREENE, HOST: Doctors and disease experts are battling to contain the nation's largest measles outbreak since the virus was deemed eliminated in 2000. And one vital part of their work is education. In some communities, there is still resistance to vaccinations. And let's explore that a bit with Jennifer Reich. She's a sociology professor who wrote the book "Calling The Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines." Professor, thanks for being here. JENNIFER REICH: Thanks so much for having me. GREENE: So in this whole conversation, we've heard the term anti-vaxxers a lot. You use the term vaccine hesitancy. REICH: In all of the groups of parents that work to even oppose vaccine mandates, none of them would call themselves anti-vaccine. Rather, where parents are describing themselves is committed to informed consent and supportive of individual choice when it comes to their children's health. And I try to be true to the way parents describe themselves when it comes to this important topic. GREENE: So it's philosophical, in many cases. It's like, it is our right to decide. It's protecting that right, you're saying. REICH: Yeah. What I find is that parents see each and every vaccine as a different kind of choice and that they see each of their children as unique. And therefore, they want to be able to tailor what they see as what's most important to their own child, whether it's how they perceive the benefits of that vaccine or the risks to their child of that vaccine. I've talked to families that give different children in the family different vaccines or come up with different schedules for each child in their family because they don't accept a logic that there's sort of a one-size-fits-all schedule that's reflect - that they see reflected in how the CDC promotes vaccines. Now, it's worth reminding you that we do vaccines in a way that has been shown to be scientifically the most efficacious and the safest and also the easiest to distribute at a national level. But for parents who really prioritize each child in their family as an individual, they don't accept this kind of logic. GREENE: I want to play one voice we've heard in covering this. It's Dr. Joseph Kaplovitz. He's a pediatrician in New York's Orthodox Jewish community, which has been hit hard by this outbreak. And this is what he told reporters about why some people there have been avoiding vaccinations. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) JOSEPH KAPLOVITZ: Some of the misinformation is that it causes autism, that the vaccines contain mercury, that the disease itself will actually protect them from cancer, that the disease themself will protect them from eczema. REICH: You know, I think - what I - one of the things I try to point to in my work on this topic is that the vaccine decision does not live in isolation. We have spent the last 20 years convincing individuals that if they work hard and make informed decisions, they can avoid disease. If they breastfeed or if they manage their children's nutrition, if they eat organic food, if they choose good schools, that their children will be better off for each individual consumption choice. And if we start with this kind of larger logic, that you should always worry about your own children but you're not responsible for other children in your own community, then we get into the situation where parents really see themselves as the best able to evaluate risks and benefits. And it becomes harder and harder to have these kinds of community-wide discussions. I would say everything that Dr. Kaplovitz is saying is - are things that I've heard in secular communities, as well. There's lots of questions about both the importance of vaccines, the long-term safety - not just about autism, but about longer-term autoimmune disease, about the safety, about the fact that some vaccines wane, about what exposures in the body might do to children in the long run. And parents often see that less is more, that avoiding this is the safest course. And related to that, a lot of parents point out that if their children do become sick, they feel really confident in their ability to manage that illness because they have resources, because they have good nutrition and because they're committed to supporting their children in the best way possible. GREENE: Jennifer Reich is a sociology professor at the University of Colorado Denver. She's also author of the book "Calling The Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines." Professor, thanks so much. REICH: Thank you so much. Copyright 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. | https://www.npr.org/2019/04/29/718165015/why-arent-parents-getting-their-kids-vaccinated?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=morningedition |
Who Are Asia's Other Royals? | Japan is set to usher in a new imperial era come May 1: Crown Prince Naruhito will take the throne, ushering in the Reiwa Era and becoming the 126th emperor of Japan. The Japanese monarchy is said to be the worlds oldest, but Japan is just one of roughly a dozen countries in Asia with monarchs as their head of state. In some, the monarchs play a solely ceremonial role, while in others, such as Brunei, they possess considerable political power. Given all the attention over his succession, Naruhito is probably the best known scion of an Asian royal housealong with Thailands King Maha Vajiralongkorn, whose three-day coronation ceremony begins on May 4. Here are some other Asian royals you may be less familiar with. Prince Azim of Brunei Prince Azim, 36, is the second son of the tiny nations Sultan. Described by Forbes as a paparazzi favorite, the prince is well known for hosting A-list parties with celebrity guests the likes of Janet Jackson and Pamela Anderson. In 2007, he reportedly hired a private jet to fly an almost $4 million necklace to Mariah Carey. The prince is also involved in the film business, having produced a number of pictures under the name Azim Bolkiah. On IMDb, he is credited for his work in six movies including Youre Not You, a 2014 film that stars Hilary Swank and saw a sellout premier at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Mariah Carey and Prince Azim of Brunei, London, 2011. Phil DentRedferns Prince Mateen of Brunei The 27-year-old Prince Abdul Mateen is the fourth son of the Sultan of Brunei. Leading a less extravagant (though still opulent) life than his older half-brother, the prince graduated from the University of Londons School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2016, where his Facebook page states he studied international diplomacy. Prior to that, he served as a lieutenant in the Brunei armed services and graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the U.K., according to an interview he did with GQ Thailand in 2016. The Princes active lifestyle is evident on his Instagram page, where he has 1 .1 million followers. He plays water polo competitively, is an equestrian and also does martial arts. The moment I feel my fitness level dropping, it makes me feel funny, so being active and staying in shape is very important to me, he told GQ Thailand. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan Prince Jigme became king after his father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, abdicated the throne in 2006. The 39-year-old studied at boarding school Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts before obtaining a degree in political science from Oxford University. He and his wife hosted the U.K.s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they visited Bhutan in April 2016. His looks earned him the title Prince Charming before his ascension to the throne, and his affable personality has seen him referred to as the Peoples King. He is a fan of basketball, notably the Philadelphia 76ers, and enjoys impersonating singer Elvis Presley, according to the Washington Post. President Pranab Mukherjee with Chief Guest King of Bhutan, Jigme Kheser Namgyel Wangchuck, during At Home reception hosted by him on the occasion of 64th Republic Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday. Shekhar Yadav/India Today Group/Getty Images Tengku Amir Shah of Malaysias Selangor State The son of the current sultan of Malaysias Selangor state, located north of Kuala Lumpur, Tengku Amir Shah is known for his philanthropy work. The 28-year-old provides financial backing for a number of youth organizations in his community, according to local news outlet Malay Mail, and regularly participates in their events. He is said to have joined an expedition to the countrys Mount Kinabalu, the countrys tallest peak, with physically handicapped children some years ago. He is also the president of the Football Association of Selangor and has been photographed with kids supported by the organizations youth projects on his Instagram page. Football Association of Selangor (FAS) president Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah seen speaking during a press conference. Faris Hadziq/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana of Thailand Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, 31, is one of two daughters of King Vajiralongkorn, who will be formally crowned the monarch of Thailand next week. The princess is the founder and director of an eponymous fashion label, beginning her journey into fashion when, as a 20-year-old fashion student, was invited to present her collection at Paris Fashion Week. Fashion aside, the Princess is also an accomplished equestrian and regularly travels to Europe for practice. She is a former national badminton player and won a gold medal in the womens team event at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2005. Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana attends the Elie Saab show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019 on September 29, 2018 in Paris, France. Stephane CardinaleCorbis via Getty Images Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti of Thailand Fourteen-year-old Dipangkorn Rasmijoti is the seventh and youngest child of King Vajiralongkorn, and also the presumed heir to the throne after his father. He attends a private school in Germany, according to Reuters, and a letter he wrote in German to rescuers that freed 12 young footballers and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand last year suggests he is fluent in the language. This picture by Thailand's Dailynews shows Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (2nd R), 12, greeting well-wishers in Bangkok on October 25, 2017, near the site of where his grandfather, the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, will be cremated on October 26. AFP ContributorFP/Getty Images Write to Hillary Leung at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5579471/asian-royals-prince-princess-monarchy-asia-japan-emperor-thailand-king/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29 |
Why are taxpayers subsidising the oil and gas companies that jeopardise our future? | Last October, the worlds most renowned climate scientists warned governments that humanity has just 12 years to prevent climate catastrophe. The UK government faces three choices to deal with carbon-heavy fossil fuels: force people to stop using them immediately; facilitate a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy; or hope business-as-usual market forces solve our problem for us. Strip away the rhetoric, and the Tory government is still relying on the latter option. A few weeks ago, lost in the never-ending fog of Brexit, the cross-party public accounts committee released a damning report on the public cost of decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure. Their report vindicates every argument Labour has made against the governments massive tax breaks for oil and gas companies, under its Transferable Tax History (TTH) policy. TTH uniquely allows companies buying North Sea oil and gas fields to inherit the tax histories of the sellers. The aim is to boost further extraction of oil and gas, when existing companies no longer can. British taxpayers will now subsidise multi-billion-pound companies in accelerating the collapse of our natural world. Extinction Rebellion recognises this threat, and is protesting outside the Treasury today. It questions why we continue to subsidise the very companies that jeopardise our future. I stand in complete solidarity with it. We must have a green industrial revolution. And Labour will lead it | Rebecca Long-Bailey Read more These tax reliefs have not brought any tangible benefit in protecting and creating jobs. They simply subsidise big business and facilitate and encourage further North Sea exploitation. As John McDonnell outlined when speaking in Scotland recently, any government intervention must be to secure the creation of new, green, sustainable jobs. The public accounts committee asked the government whether its support for oil and gas may become incompatible with its long-term climate change objectives. No would be the honest answer. Our current economic system, and everything that goes with it, is the ultimate cause of global climate breakdown. Shockingly, the public accounts committee noted that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) told it that it expects, with a very high level of confidence, that the UK will need a lot more oil and gas for the next 25 years. So much for climate stability. Basically, this government department does not expect the government to meet its own emissions reduction targets and is planning accordingly. The Tories are admitting all their talk is just for show. As production declines and fields are decommissioned, annual tax reliefs will soon exceed oil and gas tax revenues This wont shock anybody who has been watching the governments pathetic record on all things climate its blatant disregard for the school strikers; its persistent support for fracking; its decimation of the wind and solar sectors; and an ignorance about the triggers Extinction Rebellion warn will tip us into climate breakdown. UK tax reliefs for decommissioning are forecast to exceed 1bn for 2018-2019. This will eat up half of our annual oil and gas tax receipts. Moreover, HMRC forecasts the sectors decommissioning bill will cost the taxpayer at least 24bn. The Office for Budget Responsibility reckons it may easily cost many billions more. Under the polluter pays principle, it is corporations, not citizens, that should pick up this bill. As production declines and fields are decommissioned, annual tax reliefs will soon exceed oil and gas tax revenues. The government is setting taxpayers up to subsidise one of the wealthiest industries in the world, while Tory austerity economics slashes public services and decimates communities countrywide. The UK could become a global leader in decommissioning skills and technology as we move to a net-zero-carbon economy. But beyond warm words, there is a paucity to this governments climate and energy policies. Clive Lewis is the Labour MP for Norwich South | https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/30/taxpayers-subsidising-oil-gas-companies-jeopardise-future |
Will the Canadian Premier League turn the country into a football power? | Just a few years ago, young Canadian soccer players like Ryan Telfer and Kadell Thomas had little shot at professional careers. Without a professional domestic league solely based in Canada players entered their 20s with a sense of uncertainty: despite having the talent to progress into academies, colleges and semi-pro leagues, they would either be forced to play abroad unless they made it to the handful of Canadian MLS teams or quit the game altogether. There are so few options, said Telfer in 2018. But this weekend, Telfer and Thomas entered the annals of Canadian soccer history. And more importantly, they now have a pathway to sustained success. On a windy Saturday afternoon in front of 17,611 spectators at Hamiltons Tim Hortons Field, Telfer and Thomas each scored in an entertaining 1-1 draw between York 9 FC and Hamiltons Forge FC in the first ever Canadian Premier League match. The seven-team league has been in the works for more than five years now and is sanctioned by Canadas governing soccer association as the countrys top-tier league. The league has hopes to expand and eventually develop a tiered system with promotion and relegation. New claims allege 'toxic and confusing' environment in Canadian soccer Read more Until this weekend, Canada was the largest economy in the world without its own domestic league. In 2014, the CSA expressed the need for a top-tier domestic league: Our National Team coaches do not have the benefit of selecting players who regularly compete in an elite level domestic league. The worlds top national teams draw from their domestic leagues. The development of a home-grown system in which our best players can compete is of paramount importance. While there are former national team players, such as Nik Ledgerwood and Kyle Bekker, returning to Canada from abroad, the league is light on star power. MLS offers the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney but the CPL is hoping that by forging connections with local youth soccer associations, Canadians will buy in to the idea of seeing players from their own backyard experience success. What the CPL will bring, is it will bring back the dream for that young kid and who is going to those games, watching the local professional team play and dreaming of pulling on that jersey and representing their community, said Canada Soccer Director of Development Jason deVos. Thats something that was missing when I was a kid. Just as the most progressive MLS teams scour local soccer associations in the United States for talent, the CPL sides aim to provide professional opportunities for young Canadians like Telfer and Thomas that did not exist previously. The pair are prototypical CPL players. Telfer was a late bloomer who developed at Torontos York University before moving to Toronto FCs reserve side. He was loaned to York 9 FC ahead of this season. And Thomas spent two seasons at Sigma FC, one of Canadas most notable youth academies and semi-pro sides, run by current Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. The league mandates opportunities for young Canadians: each team must field a minimum of six Canadian starters per game and more than half of the players on each roster must be Canadian. And three of those domestic players must be under the age of 21. Those three players must play at least 1,000 combined minutes per season. Because playing time will be readily available, the CPL could act as a feeder league: young Canadians could get their start in the CPL before being sold off to other leagues, including MLS. That influx of cash from player sales could then ensure the leagues sustainability. And if young Canadians have professional opportunities, the Canadian mens side could benefit. After years of soccer garnering better participation numbers than any team sport among Canadians under the age of 17, the mens program can now boast young players like Alphonso Davies playing for Bayern, Ballou Tabla developing in Barcelonas system and Liam Millar on loan at Kilmarnock from Liverpool. The CPL believes there are more players of that ilk in Canada. They just require an opportunity. Canada having its own professional league was the missing jigsaw piece. I think for our players, particularly our young players, if they hadnt made it in MLS or couldnt crack a European system, this was the gap, this was the black hole that players would disappear down, mens national team head coach John Herdman said. And a lot of young talented players have not reached their potential because of that. The mens national team program will be served with an expanded player pool. As much as they have improved, rising from 112th in the Fifa rankings in 2013 to 78th in 2019, the competition for places on the team is far from intense. The CPL immediately adds over 100 Canadians playing professionally into the mix. And with Canada serving as co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, the timing couldnt be better to build what CPL Commissioner David Clanachan has repeatedly called a new soccer economy in Canada. There will still be lingering concerns over the financial viability of the CPL. The professional Canadian Soccer League was created in 1986 but folded in 1992. The CPL believes financial sustainability lies in the (deep) pockets of its owners, the 10-year multi-million broadcast deal with Spanish media giants MediaPro and the heightened exposure soccer now enjoys in Canada. This is going to create a great player pool for our national team down the line, which is going to develop players, coaches, administrators, said York 9 FC coach and former Premier League defender Jimmy Brennan. Its an exciting time for Canadian football. What the mens national team has long lacked is an identity on the pitch. The best teams have over time developed a style of play that runs deep from the national side down through to the lower domestic leagues. Perhaps with the advent of more regular professional opportunities for Canadian players, a more cohesive identity among young mens players will develop. CPL Commissioner David Clanachan boasted about the style of play in the leagues first game. Im seeing a tough, hard-fought, let them play [style], said Clanachan. No diving, no rolling around, no embellishment, none of that stuff. This is the kind of game this country wants, and I think Canadians will respect that level of the game. And now that the CPL has its first game under its belt, there is a hope that more people will understand what many in Canadian soccer have long understood: the countrys players have talent, they just need the opportunity. Thats the most important thing. As coaches and players we always want the three points, we want the win, said Smyrniotis. But we want to make sure that its also an entertaining product for everyones thats coming out to show that Canadians can really play the game. | https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/apr/30/will-the-canadian-premier-league-turn-the-country-into-a-football-power |
Will affirmative action be back on Washington's November ballot? | Former Republican Governor Dan Evans: He backs Initiative 1000, while every Republican in the Legislature voted against it. . Former Republican Governor Dan Evans: He backs Initiative 1000, while every Republican in the Legislature voted against it. . 1 / 5 Back to Gallery The Washington Legislature used the waning hours of its 2019 session on Sunday night to pass Initiative 1000, which repeals a 20-year initiative that blocked state agencies from using preferential treatment based on color, sex, ethnicity, race or national origin. In the early hours after passage, on Monday, opponents filed with the Secretary of State for a referendum that would put I-1000 on the November ballot. If they make it -- 130,000 valid voters signatures must be gathered by July 27 -- Washington will again debate and vote on affirmative action, and what constitutes a level playing field in education and employment. Initiative 1000 does not bring back quotas or the state's former "plus three" system of preferential treatment, in which a less qualified candidate can leapfrog into a job. RELATED: Sweeping, transforming clean energy bill powers to Inslee for signature But it does allow state and local governments to promote equal opportunity, in contracting, education and employment for people of color, women, those with physical disabilities and honorably discharged veterans. The initiative would create a Governor's Commission on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion to monitor implementation of the law, and whether it is providing a path to opportunity. The campaign for I-1000 led by ex-State Rep. Jesse Wineberry collected 395,000 signatures, hiring some of the same signature mercenaries that put Tim Eyman's initiatives on the ballot. But signature firms have complained loudly that they were not paid. The Legislature had the options of adopting the initiative into law, amending it, or putting the measure to a vote. The vote to adopt was 26-22 in the Senate, and 56-42 in the House of Representatives. Not a single Republican voted for it, although former three-term Republican Gov. Dan Evans appeared at a Senate hearing to back the bill. Amazon, Vulcan, Microsoft and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce backed the measure. "I believe that I-1000 is a responsible measure that will help us throw the doors of opportunity wide open," Evans said. Opponents included serial initiative promoter Tim Eyman, radio talk show host John Carlson, and a vocal group called Washington Asians for Equality. Members of Asians for Equality chanted "Let people vote" as legislators took up I-1000. Arguing that I-1000 should be put for a vote, Carlson claimed the measure will establish "different rules for people of different colors," and added: "It's wrong. It's diversity by discrimination." RELATED: 'Anti-vaxxers' lose: State Senate removes exemption for vaccinations On the Senate floor Sunday night, Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle, argued: "We can't close our eyes and say there is no racism or there's no institutional racist or institutional barriers." State Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, added: "It's not enough to talk the talk. Walk the walk." Opposing adoption, State Rep. Brandon Vick, R-Vancouver, said: "With this change, we're saying that race matters more than merit. This is diversity through discrimination." What's undeniable is that minority enrollment at universities, and work secured by minority and women contractors, fell sharply after the 1998 initiative was passed, and has stayed low in the years since. The referendum filing goes to the Attorney General for ballot language, after which signature gathering can begin. | https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Will-affirmative-action-be-back-on-Washington-s-13805258.php |
Whens the right time to talk to mom and dad about their end-of-life plans? | Talking with your parents about their end-of-life plans isnt easy, but its important. (Photo: Halfpoint, Getty Images/iStockphoto) None of us like thinking about death, especially when it involves contemplating the death of a loved one. Most of us cant bear the thought of our parents demise, so we avoid having conversations about it but ignoring the topic wont do either party any good. Caring about your parents means treating them with respect, and that extends to how they want to be remembered after their death. Before you can honor your parents wishes for how they are memorialized, you have to know exactly what they have in mind. Maybe your parents have mentioned that they want to be buried or that they prefer to be cremated, but those questions are just the beginning. There are practical applications for speaking with your parents as well. Passwords to important accounts, financial or legal information and more must be accounted for after death. Creating a specific plan and making any pre-arrangements necessary can help both parties feel more prepared when the difficult time comes. Dont wait for the perfect opportunity to have a conversation about death with your parents, because it may never come. If you wait until an emergency arises to raise the issue, your parents may be too upset to make good decisions, or their mental faculties may be diminished. Talking about death is easier to do when everyone is healthy, relaxed and capable of clear communication. It may never feel like a good time to talk about death, but its best to keep the conversation small and private. If your family has gathered for the holidays or another joyful celebration, thats probably not the right time to ask mom and dad if theyd rather be buried or cremated, or what kind of music theyd like played at their memorial service. Instead, look for opportunities to raise the topic when it feels natural. For example, if mom or dad mentions attending a memorial service, you might ask how it went and then take the conversation in a more personal direction. Death is a sensitive topic, so bring it up carefully and in a positive way. You could start by asking your parents about their favorite family memories and what they remember about their own parents. Then, ask mom and dad what they hope others will remember about them in the future. A conversation about death doesnt have to be overwhelming. Keep it simple and straightforward. Even if it feels awkward, your parents probably want to have this talk with you. A 2015 study by the Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC), found that 89% of adults age 40 and over feel a discussion about their end-of-life wishes would be meaningful. If your parents seem to be avoiding the topic, explain that its important for you to know their feelings so that you can honor them when the time comes. If they offer only a vague response, try asking direct questions. No. This is just the first step in the process. Now that you know what mom and dad want, you can work together to make arrangements for their end-of-life plans, so you wont feel pressured to do it all while youre grieving. For example, if your parents want to be memorialized in a cemetery whether in a traditional burial plot, columbarium, or urn garden they may want to choose the location themselves. As time passes, continue to check in with your parents to find out if their plans have changed. For more detailed guidance, visit the pre-planning section of the Cincinnati Catholic Cemetery Societys website at cccsohio.org. Members of the editorial and news staff of the USA Today Network were not involved in the creation of this content. Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sponsor-story/catholic-cemeteries/2019/04/30/whens-right-time-talk-mom-and-dad-their-end-life-plans/3621367002/ | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sponsor-story/catholic-cemeteries/2019/04/30/whens-right-time-talk-mom-and-dad-their-end-life-plans/3621367002/ |
Is Canada right to tighten its border? | Brian Lee Crowley, managing director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, argues Yes, while Justin Mohammed, a human rights law and policy campaigner at Amnesty International, argues No. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer informs a migrant couple of the location of a legal border station, shortly before they crossed from Champlain, N.Y., to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., at an illegal crossing using Roxham Rd. in August 2017. ( Charles Krupa / AP ) Yes, Canada would be right to tighten its borders, particularly with respect to those who have been entering Canada illegally. Unfortunately, while the government is making noises that it wants to do so, there is little evidence that those measures will be effective. Lets begin with why it would make sense to toughen border controls. Canadas highly successful postwar immigration policy, supported by an all-party political consensus and public opinion, has never been laissez-faire about who gets in. On the contrary. That admirable policy has always been premised on the idea that Canada decides who gets into the country and the selection process be carried out in a disciplined and orderly way. Article Continued Below Since the election of the Trudeau government in 2015, however, that supportive public consensus has been seriously undermined. First was the discovery that would-be immigrants could exploit a flaw in the law regarding people wishing to claim refugee status in Canada. The law is premised on the sensible notion that refugees should make their claim for status in the first safe country they arrive in. Canada, like the rest of the civilized world, sees the priority with refugees being their safety, not their ability to shop around for the country they would most like to live in. Since the bulk of refugee claimants arriving in Canada did so via the United States, not directly from other countries, we had negotiated a Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) with Washington. It ensured that refugee claimants attempting to enter Canada from the U.S. would be turned back on the grounds that the U.S., a country with a sound process for assessing refugee claims, is where their claim should be made. Some clever person worked out that this rule could be avoided simply by crossing the border illegally, since there exists no mechanism under the STCA for returning refugee claimants who enter elsewhere than official border crossings. The second thing that put the reigning consensus under strain was that the illegal border crossers started to arrive at a time when the prime minister wanted to distinguish himself from the anti-immigrant rhetoric emanating from the Trump White House. Trudeau duly said, in a tweet reported around the world, To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith.. The predictable result was tens of thousands of people crossing the border illegally and presenting themselves as refugees when in fact a great many of them were simply queue-jumping economic migrants. The governments first response to criticism questioning the wisdom and propriety of this policy was to accuse its critics of racism and wanting Canada to abandon its commitment to fair treatment of refugees. This was questionable on several counts. First, many of the critics were themselves new Canadians, understandably upset at a weakening of the integrity of an immigration system, which many of them patiently navigated to come to Canada. Second, it implied that the current official government policy that turned refugee claimants back at official border crossings, was also racist and failed to uphold Canadas refugee commitments, which was clearly nonsense. Alarmed at the erosion in public confidence in the immigration system that their own complaisance and complacency helped engender, Ottawa is now trying to project an image of stern defender of the border, but so far it is image over substance. Article Continued Below The other step Ottawa has announced is an opening of talks with Washington aimed at changing the STCA so the U.S. must take back refugee claimants no matter where they enter Canada. This would be a real step in the direction of restoring the integrity of the immigration system but Washingtons motivation to help out is low, although that may change as the numbers of people entering the U.S. illegally from Canada is increasing. Projected talks are a handy election talking point, but we are still far from fixing the damage that has been done to the integrity of the border, especially since the various recent government plans to increase enforcement and other capacities at the border are largely gathering dust. Canada would be right to tighten its borders; so far it has failed to do so. Brian Lee Crowley is managing director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, an independent public policy think tank in Ottawa. Refugee claimants who cross the Canada-U.S. border irregularly do not reach that decision lightly. Upon doing so, they are arrested and temporarily detained until police establish their identity and ensure they arent a security threat. Possessions are restricted to those that they can carry. The route can be dangerous; frostbite has claimed fingers, and hypothermia has even claimed a life. After the refugee protection claim is launched, they remain in limbo for months or years without a guarantee they will be allowed to stay. This is what refugee claimants coming through the U.S. weigh when they decide to seek Canadas protection. In spite of this, the federal government has decided to tighten its borders, further targeting refugee claimants who seek Canadas protection by travelling through the U.S. First, Canada will deny access to the independent Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) the cornerstone of our refugee status determination system to people who have made prior claims for refugee protection in the U.S. (along with Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom). Second, Canada is seeking to amend the Safe Third Country Agreement so refugee claimants who cross the border between official ports of entry will be forced back to the U.S. To some, the idea of fleeing human rights violations in the U.S. is absurd. But that is the harsh reality for refugees and migrants in the U.S. Consider the discriminatory travel ban on Muslim-majority countries. Child and family separation. Harsh detention practices. Removal of gender-based violence as a ground for protection. Axing presumptive release for pregnant women in immigration detention. Recently, the Trump Administration released yet another cruel deterrence policy: denying bond hearings until refugee claims are finalized, which can take years. In patent evidence of its absurdity, the new rule was suspended for 90 days because detention facilities are already so stretched that they will not be able to manage the influx. While Canada cannot change these policies, it certainly should demonstrate opposition by setting a better example. The alternative is a race to the bottom, wherein each country would seek to adopt the harshest policies as a deterrent to those seeking protection. In the past two years, about 40,000 people have crossed the border irregularly. That is about 55 people per day. That influx does lead to an increased demand on resources, and the way we accommodate those needs is the subject of legitimate debate. At the same time, its important to view the number in context. There are almost 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, almost a quarter of the countrys total population. Bangladesh is hosting about 1 million Rohingya refugees, 700,000 of whom have fled Myanmar since August 2017. Uganda is home to more than 1 million South Sudanese. Those countries are hosting exponentially greater numbers with far fewer resources. By comparison, Canada is largely exempt from the so-called global refugee crisis. Its trite to suggest Canadians value fairness. Fairness entails treating like cases alike, and yet politicians and pundits continue comparing immigrants and refugees, saying the latter need to get in the right line or disparaging them as queue jumpers. In fact, there are different lines one for those who wish to immigrate to Canada, and another for those seeking protection as refugees. The IRB decides whether refugee claimants have met the legal definition, and those who do not are subject to removal. Canadas proposed changes will establish an unfair, two-tier system. Some refugee claimants will have access to the independent IRB and an oral hearing, while others will be relegated to a process in which a government official decides their fate, with no legal right to an oral hearing. This makes the system less, not more, fair. Tightening our borders is a knee-jerk reaction to a situation, largely caused by our neighbours to the south, at a time when the number of irregular crossings is in decline. Like all things that are not fully scrutinized and debated, it will do little to help and will cost the most to those asking Canada for nothing more than the right to be heard. Justin Mohammed is a human rights law and policy campaigner at Amnesty International Canada. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/thebigdebate/2019/04/30/is-canada-right-to-tighten-its-border.html |
Is Buying A House Overrated? | Enlarge this image Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Editor's note: This is an excerpt of Planet Money's newsletter. You can sign up here. The latest S&P/Case-Shiller Index numbers drop today, giving us a peek at the direction of home values. The index tracks national home prices. It's an important indicator, but it's only really finance nerds who talk about it, which is weird because Americans hold about $26 trillion of their wealth in their houses. That's about a quarter of their entire net worth. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which tracks stock prices, gets a lot of attention but for many families, their house is the most valuable thing they own. The history of the index is pretty fascinating. For a long time, we were mostly in the dark on how home prices change over time. That all changed thanks to Robert Shiller, a Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economist, who co-created this index with his colleague Karl "Chip" Case (as the name would suggest). So Shiller knows the housing market, and he's long been skeptical of whether buying a house is really a surefire investment. His index shows that home prices haven't really grown much over the long run. It's debatable. A Different Way To Track Home Prices Shiller and Case's research began in the 1980s, when they got their hands on "Univac tapes" basically the stone-age version of a thumb drive that had data from real estate appraisers on home sales. With these tapes, they constructed the beta version of their index, and they published a couple papers about it. "We didn't even submit them to the prestige journals because we thought it was not a cool topic," Shiller says. It's cooler now though; their index is the gold standard of assessing national home prices. And it can be a powerful tool to spot housing bubbles, as Case and Shiller proved back in the early 2000s. The Long-Run Growth Of Home Prices Is Pitiful In his classic book Irrational Exuberance, Shiller looked at the history of home prices going back as far as 1890. He found that they've gone up and down, but over the long haul, they've actually grown very little. Between 1890 and 2019, national housing prices grew by less than 0.6 percent per year (after accounting for inflation). That's pitiful! To put that number in perspective, the average real return of the S&P 500, the index of the stocks of the top 500 corporations in America, is about 7%. Shiller is not alone in finding home prices haven't climbed much over the long run. Mostly that's because we've built more. That said, there is some evidence that across advanced countries, home prices have been trending upward since WWII, and that could be because development has slowed. While the Case-Shiller index tracks national home prices, it does not track rents. A recent working paper by scar Jord and other economists tracks the prices of major forms of wealth in 16 countries from 1870-2015, finding that when you incorporate the value of rent, homes look like a much better investment. Homes have a similar return to stocks, and the housing market also shows less volatility. In the U.S., the authors estimate, the total net return from a typical house, including rent, is about 6% per year in real terms, which is one percent less than the average return from the stock market. The Case-Shiller index also doesn't measure other important things, like the pleasure you get from having your own little fiefdom, putting down roots in a neighborhood, building a community or being free from an awful landlord. Homes also come with tax benefits and force you to save, which can be helpful for the many of us who need motivation. That said, homeownership has headaches. It's harder to move. You have to pay to fix stuff and pay property taxes. And if your city's economy crumbles as did Shiller's native Detroit then your home's value goes down with it. Many people make the mistake of believing homeownership comes with a unique opportunity to build wealth. Renting, they believe, is "this idea that you're putting money down the drain," Shiller says. "I don't think that's the right way to think about renting a house." If you rent instead of buy, you can use what would have been your down payment to invest in potentially more profitable investments. Whether this is a better financial strategy depends on many factors, including how long you want to live in one area. Shiller warned the world about the two big bubbles that devastated our economy over the last 20 years: the dotcom crash in the late 1990s and housing crisis from 2007-2009. That and the fact that he's a Nobel Prize-winning economist at Yale means when he talks, people listen. A few months ago, Shiller warned the world again about a potential housing bubble. As the graph shows, since 2012 we've been seeing the the third biggest housing boom in U.S. history. Click here. "I think we should be concerned," Shiller says. "Home prices have been going up since 2012 at a good, strong clip." He says it could take a while, but booms like this come to an end. "With the housing market showing signs of slowing down, the turning point could be at hand already for us." Well, it looks even better in your inbox! You can sign up here. | https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/04/30/718348115/is-buying-a-house-overrated?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr |
Did the Indian Army find proof of the Abominable Snowman? | The Indian Army thinks so. Evidence of an honest-to-goodness Yeti, also known as the Abominable Snowman, has been found in Nepal, according to a Twitter post credited to a representative of Indias Army. For the first time, an #IndianArmy mountaineering expedition team has sited mysterious footprints of mythical beast Yeti, measuring 32x15 inches, close to Makalu Base Camp on 09 April 2019, the tweet says. The base camp for climbers is in Nepal, just east of Mount Everest. For the first time, an #IndianArmy Moutaineering Expedition Team has sited Mysterious Footprints of mythical beast 'Yeti' measuring 32x15 inches close to Makalu Base Camp on 09 April 2019. This elusive snowman has only been sighted at Makalu-Barun National Park in the past. pic.twitter.com/AMD4MYIgV7 ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) April 29, 2019 Scientists have so far not weighed in on whether the photos are of footprints or the impressions of something else in the snow. The tweet, posted Monday on the verified account of the Additional Directorate General of Public Information for the Indian Army, has more than 8,000 retweets and 17,000 reactions. Reuters, CNN and the BBC are all reporting the news, with ABC writing: Indian army tweets photo of Yeti footprints from deep in the Himalayas. SHARE COPY LINK Sasquatch enthusiast gather in Kennewick for the International Bigfoot Conference. Media outlets in India appear to be skeptical, however, with editor Praveen Swami of the nations Network 18 Media Group calling the tweet deeply, deeply embarrassing. And news columnist Sadanand Dhume humorously said he is looking forward to the Indian Navys official handle tweeting about having found the Loch Ness Monster. The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is the Tibetan version of Americas Bigfoot. It is described as a mythical monster resembling a large, hairy, apelike being (that is) supposed to inhabit the Himalayas at about the level of the snow line, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Certain mysterious markings in the snow have traditionally been attributed to it. Those not caused by lumps of snow or stones falling from higher regions and bouncing across the lower slopes have probably been produced by bears, the encyclopedia says. The Indian Army has yet to suggest its Twitter account was hacked, and it appears to be sticking by the post. SHARE COPY LINK How South Carolina's scaly guy stacks up against the hairy dude from the Pacific Northwest | https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article229838454.html |
What is the contaminated blood scandal? | In the 1970s and 80s, thousands of people with haemophilia became infected with hepatitis C and HIV the virus that leads to Aids after receiving contaminated blood products from the NHS. Patients, including those who suffered from the genetic disorder that affects the bloods ability to clot, were given products imported from commercial organisations in the US. Among the paid donors were high-risk groups including prison inmates and injecting drug users. In 2015, a parliamentary report found about 7,500 patients had been infected by blood products. While 4,800 haemophiliacs were infected with hepatitis C or HIV, nearly 3,000 people have died as a result of contamination. Patient support groups estimate victims continue to die at a rate of one every four days. Others are thought to have been exposed to the tainted blood through transfusions or after childbirth. Jenni Richards QC, counsel to the inquiry, has said the Hepatitis C Trust still receives calls from people who have only recently been diagnosed and thousands more people are potentially at risk but not aware they are infected. Among the victims was 62-year-old Steve Dymond, who died of organ failure in December. The main inquiry began on Tuesday at Fleetbank House, near Fleet Street in central London, and is expected to last up to three years. It will hear from people infected with HIV and hepatitis C through blood products and transfusions and from NHS and Department of Health officials. The public inquiry is making its way through files and electronic records in 341 separate depositories where documents relating to the scandal are held. An inquiry into the scandal was first announced in July 2017. Ahead of the hearings, led by Sir Brian Langstaff, the government announced extra financial support for those affected by the scandal taking the total to 75m from 46m. More than 1,200 witness statements have been submitted to the inquiry. Victims and their relatives want to know why potential safety warnings about the products were ignored and why plans to make the UK able to supply its own blood products were scrapped. They also want to know why patient records and documents seem to have been lost or destroyed. Victims have also called on the government to increase mass screening for hepatitis C to prevent further deaths. | https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/30/what-is-the-contaminated-blood-scandal |
What will it take for the media to focus on climate change in the 2020 elections? | The Guardian is partnering with Columbia Journalism Review and the Nation today on Covering Climate Change, a town hall event with media leaders about how to change the media narrative on climate change. Watch the event live here between 9am and 2pm. America elected Donald Trump at the end of the hottest year ever recorded, without debate moderators asking him a single question about global warming. But after three years of record temperatures, devastating wildfires and some of the most destructive hurricanes in US history, the media is facing new pressure often from the candidates themselves to give the subject more prominence during the 2020 election. Yesterday, MSNBC devoted more than five minutes to Beto ORourkes rollout of a $5tn climate plan, calling climate a kitchen table issue for 2020. Jay Inslee, the Washington governor who is seeking to make climate change the central thrust of his campaign, is calling on the Democratic National Committee to host a debate solely focused on climate. Bernie Sanders raised the issue during his town hall on Fox News earlier this month and even drew cheers from the audience when he talked about new jobs in the renewable energy sector. Rising temperatures and the crisis they pose for humans were part of every Democratic candidates pitch during CNNs marathon of hour-long town halls last week. In the run-up to 2020, as newsroom leaders grapple with their mistakes in the 2016 election from reliance on inaccurate polls to underestimating the impact of fake news the failure to press candidates on climate change is emerging as an area of self-examination. In 2016 there were almost no questions asked , which is insane, says Tony Bartelme, a senior reporter who covers climate change for the Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina. Its a good start that were starting to hear questions for 2020. The Guardian is joining forces with Columbia Journalism Review and the Nation to launch Covering Climate Change: A New Playbook for a 1.5-Degree World, a project aimed at dramatically improving US media coverage of the climate crisis. The project kicks off today with an event at Columbia Journalism School featuring CJRs editor-in-chief, Kyle Pope, the Nations environment correspondent, Mark Hertsgaard, and the Guardian climate columnist Bill McKibben. The Green New Deal progressives vision for slowing climate change without further burdening the poor has also helped catapult the subject into the 2020 conversation. In March, MSNBCs Chris Hayes took the highly unusual step of devoting an hour to the idea, in a show featuring the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But even as there are signs that airtime for climate is beginning to increase, questions remain about the depth and quality of the coverage. I dont see the media paying much attention to differentiating how serious each candidate is on the climate question, said David Gelber, the creator and executive producer for the Showtime series on climate change, Years Of Living Dangerously. More Americans than ever are worried about climate change. A poll of likely Democratic caucus-goers in Iowa ranked climate change about on par with healthcare as the top issues they want candidates to talk about. Research indicates that major national newspapers are beginning to pay more attention to climate but local publications and TV news havent kept up. The major broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX spent just 142 minutes on climate change last year, according to one calculation from the progressive group Media Matters. And about half of Americans hear about global warming in the media once a month or less, according to surveys by climate communications programs at Yale and George Mason universities. Meanwhile, five major national US newspapers the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times have, in aggregate, roughly tripled their coverage of climate change since four years ago, according to the Media and Climate Change Observatory at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The New York Times now has a desk of about a dozen covering climate. Climate editor Hannah Fairfield said the team is collaborating with the politics desk to report on the 2020 candidates climate positions. But climate coverage is not just a question of volume its also a question of approach. We spoke to experts in the field for their advice on how news outlets should cover climate in ways that make voters listen during the 2020 race. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez greets audiences following a televised town hall event on the Green New Deal in New York City on 29 March 2019. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters Quote conservatives Adam Berinsky, who studies why some people believe political rumors such as that climate change is a hoax said people who buy into political rumors are driven by a combination of conspiratorial dispositions and political motivations. They are more likely to change their minds if they hear from sources they identify with, often fellow conservatives. Aaron McCright, a sociology professor who studies public opinion at Michigan State University, said journalists should give the small but growing numbers of conservatives who care about climate change more of a mouthpiece so that their message could start competing with science denialism. Republicans who want to limit climate pollution for the sake of national security or as part of a plan for energy independence need to compete better with climate deniers, said McCright. Those could be effective messages if theyre promoted hour by hour, day by day, week by week, by dozens or hundreds of conservatives in everyday life, TV, papers, Congress. Bring up climate, even when the candidates dont Gelber says reporters should bring the campaign story back to climate change, even if the candidates arent discussing their proposed solutions. He said they should help audiences differentiate between the candidates, explaining to viewers and readers how specific they have gotten in their plans. Cover climate as a local news story Edward Maibach, a George Mason climate communications scientist, said most people are saying they rarely hear climate change news because most people pay attention to local news. Most climate news in America is not local news. Maibachs program, Climate Matters, trains weathercasters and local reporters to explain the local consequences of a warming world. Bartelme suggests trying to connect local catastrophes to the climate story and explain why the extreme weather is happening. What we can do is make those connections for people, Fairfield said. Reporters can seek out local stories that have climate fingerprints on them. Focus on solutions Elizabeth Arnold, a longtime reporter and professor at the University of Alaska, argues that doom and gloom coverage alone may force the public to disengage. Repetition of a narrow narrative that focuses exclusively on the impacts of climate change leaves the public with an overall sense of powerlessness, she said in an introduction to one paper. Choose words carefully Susan Hassol, director of the organization Climate Communication, said the phrase heat-trapping pollution is easier to understand than greenhouse gas, and global warming conveys more meaning than climate change. | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/30/what-will-it-take-for-the-media-to-focus-on-climate-change-in-the-2020-elections |
Which elections are taking place in May? | On Thursday 2 May there will be elections for 248 English councils, six mayors and all 11 councils in Northern Ireland. There are also elections to the European Parliament scheduled for Thursday 23 May, although these will not take place if Britain leaves the EU before that date. Enter your postcode or council name to find out Of the English councils up on 2 May, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool are among 33 metropolitan boroughs electing a third of their seats this year. Thirty unitary authorities are electing all of their councillors and a further 17 are electing in thirds. The newly combined Dorset Council is the joint biggest, electing all 82 seats, along with Cheshire East. The remaining 168 councils up for election are all district councils. 121 are electing all their councillors and 47 are electing in thirds. Individual by-elections to fill a vacant seat on a council can take place at any time throughout the year and the BBC results service does not include these. Check your local council website for details. The BBC also doesn't cover results of parish council elections or anything else below the level of local authority. Elections are scheduled for 23 May, but results will only be available from all 28 EU countries on the night of Sunday 26 May, after all the member states have voted. The BBC will have a special coverage on the BBC News channel focussing on the UK results as they come in, and a different programme on BBC World News looking at the results from across the whole EU. You will also be able to find results on the BBC News website. The UK currently provides 73 MEPs out of 751 in the European Parliament, the same number as Italy. France has 74 MEPs and Germany has 96. If Britain leaves the EU before the election starts, the total number of MEPs will be reduced to 705 and a few countries will gain some extra members. France will go up by five to 79, for example, but Germany will stay the same. If, as is the current schedule, a withdrawal agreement is agreed after the election and before 31 October, Britain's MEPs will return home and stop receiving a salary. The EU Parliament has no plans to then add the extra seats that would have otherwise been created at this election if the UK had left. The financial details to do with British contributions to the EU budget and what the EU spends in Britain should all be covered by the withdrawal agreement. Until Britain leaves the EU it will continue to pay into the EU budget, abide by EU rules and receive benefits in the same way as it does now. EU rules require all elections to the Parliament to be held using a form of proportional representation, meaning that the share of votes won by a party should be closely matched to the proportion of the seats they get. This isn't always the case with the first-past-the-post method used for UK general elections. There are different forms of proportional representation in play across Europe, and in fact Northern Ireland elects its MEPs using a different system to the rest of the UK. Northern Ireland uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) method which is explained below, while the rest of the UK elects using the closed-list party list system. In a closed-list system, voters each have one vote, for a party rather than a named individual. This is different from UK general elections when voters select a named candidate usually representing a party. The number of seats each party wins in each region is proportional to the number of votes for each party, allocated using a system called D'Hondt. In turn, seats are allocated to Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the nine English regions in relation to their population. The South East is the biggest with ten MEPs, Northern Ireland and the North East are the smallest with three. NOC: No overall control - no one party has a majority of seats on the council. Also referred to as a "Hung Council" BRX: Brexit Party, set up by Nigel Farage. CHUK: Change UK - The Independent Group, formed by former Labour and Tory MPs. There are six mayoral elections this year. The biggest is North of Tyne combined authority which encompasses Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside. Middlesbrough, Leicester, Mansfield, Bedford and Copeland are also electing mayors. Find out more about what mayors do below. If your council elects in thirds, it means that a third of councillors are up for election every year over a four-year cycle, with one year when there are no elections. The councillors elected this year will serve a term of four years. Some of the councils that elect in this way cannot possibly change overall control, because the existing majority for the controlling party is larger than the number of councillors they could lose. Other local authorities hold an election every four years for all of their councillors. All the council seats in Northern Ireland are up this year and the winners will sit a five-year term. Councils which have had boundary changes usually elect all of their new councillors at once. If a party has a majority of councillors on any particular council, it is deemed to be in control of that council. If no one group has a majority it is described as "No Overall Control" (NOC) or "Hung". So if there are 20 Labour councillors, 15 Conservatives and 10 Lib Dems in a council with 45 councillors, it is still NOC even though Labour has more councillors than any other party, because they can not out-vote the other parties. Council control prior to the election is defined by the BBC, the Press Association (PA) and others as which party, if any, has a majority on the eve of the poll. So if a council was won by the Conservatives in 2014, but then through defections and by-election losses became No Overall Control, in 2019 we would describe it as a Conservative gain should the party regain its majority. Seat change is based on how many seats each party won at the previous comparable election, not what the seats were on the eve of the election. For most of the seats up this year the previous election was in 2015, other than Northern Ireland which last elected in 2014. In some councils, boundary changes come into force this year where councils are reorganised and the number of seats on the council changes. More on boundary changes further down..... In cases like this, the BBC uses "notional results" to project what the previous result would have been if the new boundaries had been in place at the last election. The total number of seats per party will be slightly different 'at dissolution' - when the election campaign started - compared to those won at the last election, due to councillors defecting to other parties or losing seats in by-elections following resignations or deaths. You vote for councillors in the ward you live in, who come together with councillors elected in the other wards in your council area to run the services the council is responsible for. Depending on where you live, you may have to vote for more than one candidate to represent your ward. Wards are the smallest electoral division used in the UK. They vary in size substantially, but have an average electorate of around 5,500 people. For the councils up this year, there is an average of 50 councillors per council. The largest council up for election this year, Leeds, has 99 councillors across 33 wards, although just one councillor in each ward is up for election this year. Richmondshire in North Yorkshire is the smallest council up this year. They are electing all 24 of their councillors, reduced from 34 last time around. Every now and then councils review whether they have too many or not enough councillors. This can be instigated either by the councils or by the Local Government Boundary Commission. Councils also occasionally re-draw ward boundaries internally, without increasing or reducing the overall number of councillors. This could be to even up the populations in each ward in areas where new housing estates have popped up or where lots of people have left the area. There are no strict rules on how many people should live in each ward, but if they are too unbalanced it means some votes are effectively less powerful than some others. This year there have been a few merged councils. For example Bournemouth Council, Christchurch Council and Poole Council are now a single unitary authority called Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. If you wake up at 06:00 on Friday 3 May, you will be able to find results for about 108 English councils on the BBC website. The remaining 140 are scheduled to come in throughout the day, mostly between midday at 18:00. The Northern Irish ones will take a bit longer to come through because they have a more complicated voting system. More on that below. If you're planning to stay up all night and follow the television coverage, we expect the first full councils to be declared at about midnight. One of either Swindon Council, or Halton in Cheshire, is expected to be first to declare its results. The most active period is between 02:00 and 03:00 BST when more than 40 councils are expected to declare their results. This includes the big metropolitan councils of Liverpool and Leeds. The BBC does not report the results of council by-elections or parish council elections. Check your local council website for details. For the European elections, Britain will vote on Thursday 23 March, but votes won't start to be counted until polls have closed in the other 27 member states at 21:00 BST on Sunday 26 March. There are different types of councils across the UK and they hold elections at different times. All of London's councils held elections last year, and Wales and Scotland had their last elections in 2017. They will elect these seats again in 2022. Northern Ireland will elect all of their councillors this year. The previous election there was in 2014 and the following one will be in 2024. Everyone in the UK votes for their European Parliament representatives at the same time. In England and Wales councillors are elected using a first-past-the-post system, in which people have one vote for each seat and the candidate who receives the most in a given area is the winner. This is only different in European elections. The 'area' is a ward - more on wards above. In most cases where councils elect in thirds, residents will only be voting for one new councillor each year. If there is more than one councillor being elected per ward, voters can vote once for each position and the candidate with the second highest number of votes will also become a councillor, and so forth until all the positions are filled. Usually there are three councillors per ward. Northern Ireland and Scotland both use the Single Transferable Vote (STV). Instead of just picking their favourite candidate, voters in Northern Ireland can rank as many candidates as they like in order of preference. They can still choose to vote only once if they prefer. If any candidate receives enough total votes after a round of voting they are awarded a seat on the council. What 'enough total votes' means is calculated using something called the Droop Quota. Effectively this means you earn a seat if you earn at least one more vote than the total number of votes divided by the number of seats plus one. After the first round the second preference votes of removed candidates are added to the totals of other candidates. Candidates are removed either if they are above the quota or if they receive so few votes that it would impossible to catch the next lowest candidate even with all the surplus second preference votes. If the second preference candidate has already been eliminated or is eliminated later on, the third preference votes are taken into account and so forth. An example from 2014 might help. In Erne East ward, part of the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, there are six councillor seats. In 2014, 7,852 people cast valid ballots, so the Droop Quota number was 1,112, because that's 1+(7,852/(6+1)). Paul Robinson and Victor Warrington both scored more than that with first preference votes, so were elected in the first round. Fred Parkinson was eliminated because even if you added all the votes over the quota received by Paul Robinson and Victor Warrington to Mr Parkinson's 296 first preferences, he still wouldn't have caught up with the next lowest candidate, Kate Mulligan. Those three candidates are no longer in the contest, so the second preference votes for those candidates are added to the first preference votes for the others. Doing this took Richie McPhilips over the quota, so he secured the third seat and his second preference votes were passed on to other candidates. Despite adding all the other preference votes on over two further rounds, no other candidate was able to reach the quota. So the last three seats were filled by those three candidates left with the highest number of total votes. Non-metropolitan district councils, also known as shire districts, are usually also covered by a county council. The county council controls the most expensive services like education, public transport, policing and fire services. Most English county councils were up for election in 2017. The services devolved to the district councils include setting and collecting council tax, bin collections, local planning and council housing. Unitary authorities are responsible for providing all the services that the district and county councils would provide. Metropolitan district councils are more similar to unitary authorities in terms of the services they look after, but typically sit in built-up city areas. Unitary authorities are usually made up of smaller towns and the less urbanised areas surrounding them. Bath & North East Somerset is one example. Some councillors for the party which holds power within a council will have a specific brief, like the councillor responsible for health and social services. Some councillors representing parties who aren't in control will hold opposition briefs and put forward alternative policies at council meetings. Directly elected council mayors are the political leaders of the council with overall responsibility for the delivery of services. In councils without a mayor, a leader will be appointed from the elected councillors. Not all local authorities have a directly elected mayor. Whether or not they have one is decided by the authority itself, often after a local referendum. The 'metro mayors' - or combined authority mayors - are different. The North of Tyne mayor will be the ninth person elected to head up a combination of local authorities. London has had one since 2000 and six other areas, including Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, elected mayors for the first time in 2017. Their responsibilities differ, but the North of Tyne mayor will have control over a 600m investment fund intended to last 30 years. The stated aim of the fund is "to help grow the local economy so everyone can feel the benefit". Members of European Parliament are there to represent the interests of your region in Europe, by voting on laws and questioning and lobbying the European Commission and Council. They sit and vote in groups with like-minded MEPs from the other member states, not necessarily with people from the same country. For example, Labour MEPs sit with an Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, most Conservatives sit in a group called the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, and the one serving Liberal Democrat MEP sits with an Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. Members of national parties don't have to sit in the same European grouping as one another, but most do. Under EU rules these groups need to have at least 25 members, made up of MEPs from at least a quarter of EU member states (currently seven out of 28). This means that some groups might not be able to re-form after the election, if they lose members from certain countries or go below 25 overall. For our results, we'll be treating the groups as they are before the election and assuming that all MEPs from the same national party will sit in the same European groups until we know otherwise. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47940159 |
Is Arya from Game of Thrones the ultimate Mary Sue? | The baby-faced assassin made an important contribution to this weeks battle provoking a debate on social media about gender politics Game of Thrones has been accused of many things over the years (excessive nudity! Gratuitous violence! ), but never this. As the HBO show drew the curtain on its latest episode, The Long Night, fans of the show berated the showrunners, David Benioff and DB Weiss, for committing a cardinal sin of scriptwriting: the Mary Sue. Share your predictions Read more In fanfiction parlance, a Mary Sue is a female character so faultless that she strains credulity. As Vox put it: Every subsection of fanfiction has its own priorities and grievances, but the derision toward so-called Mary Sue characters is nearly universal. The term was coined in 1973 by a Star Trek fan, Paula Smith, who named a flawless parody character Mary Sue in a story for the fanzine she edited. She was tired of seeing so many young women who were too unrealistic to be interesting. For those who have yet to squint through the episodes 82 minutes of badly lit flying body parts and dragon fire, the teenage assassin Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has been criticised after pulling off an audacious last-minute manoeuvre that turned the tide in favour of the living during the climactic battle against an army of zombies. Mary Sue Stark to the rescue! Really? wrote one Reddit user. Its [sic] just a bunch of Disney/Marvel/etc feminist Mary Sue horseshit, opined another. At one point, the phrase began trending on Twitter, although it appeared to be fuelled by people outraged by the idea Arya could be considered a Mary Sue. Even Williams was nervous about the episode. I immediately thought that everybody would hate it, that Arya doesnt deserve it, she told Entertainment Weekly. However, eagle-eyed viewers of the show will note that Aryas torturous journey from orphaned stray to ultimate zombie-killer has been in the works since she picked up a wooden sword under her first tutor, Syrio Forel, in season one. Not if you take into consideration a meticulously plotted, eight-season-long character arc that turned her into the ultimate killing machine and left her with emotional baggage to rival Breaking Bads Walter White. In any case, the show excels at twists. Say what you like about Game of Thrones, but it still manages to surprise, 70 episodes in. | https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/apr/30/arya-game-of-thrones-ultimate-mary-sue |
Is plant burger firm Beyond Meat really worth $1.5bn? | Image copyright Beyond Meat Beyond Meat has lifted its share price range ahead of its US flotation on Wednesday, valuing the plant-based meat-maker at nearly $1.5bn (1.1bn). The US firm, which counts actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio among its investors, will now offer its shares at between $23 and $25. The decision to increase the price from the original range of $19 and $21 indicates strong demand for the shares. But Beyond Meat is loss-making and does not know when it will report a profit. For its most recent financial results for 2018, Beyond Meat said losses hit $29.9m, slightly below the previous year but above a $25.1m loss in 2016. Beyond Meat said it has reported losses since it was founded in 2009 due to its investment in "innovation and growth". In its flotation document filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it said: "We may be unable to achieve or sustain profitability. "We have experienced net losses in each year since our inception and we may therefore not be able to achieve or sustain profitability in the future." Beyond Meat is one of a number of so-called "unicorn" companies - which are privately-backed firms worth $1bn or more - to sell their shares to public investors this year. Despite attracting high valuations, the majority of unicorn companies that have floated this year, or intend to, have yet to make a profit. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio is backer of Beyond Meat This week, the We Company, owner of shared office provider WeWork, filed paperwork with the SEC to enable it to float. It has a private valuation of around $47bn but its most recent losses doubled to $1.9bn. Uber, the ride-sharing and food delivery business, is currently on a road show to visit potential investors and drum up support for its flotation in May. It has set its share price range at between $44 and $50 each, valuing it at as much as $90bn but it is also yet to make a profit. Beyond Meat, which makes burgers and plant-based minced meat like products, is counting on both meat eaters as well as vegetarians and vegans to grow its business. It estimates that the global meat industry is worth as much as $1.4 trillion. Sales rose to $87.9m last year from $32.6m in the previous 12 months and $16.2m in 2016. As well as Mr DiCaprio, Beyond Meat also counts Microsoft founder Bill Gates among its backers. The company will sell its shares on the New York Stock Exchange. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48110704 |
Can the Cardinals capitalize on Kyler Murrays rookie deal? | This story appears in the May 6, 2019, issue of Sports Illustrated. For more great storytelling and in-depth analysis, subscribe to the magazineand get up to 94% off the cover price. Click here for more. It was a moment destined for Instagram. Chevron-patterned neon lights coursed up a digital background last Thursday night while Kyler Murray, the former Oklahoma QB, held a red Cardinals hat to his chest. Two hours had passed since his name was the first called in the NFL draft, and now a photographer was yelling out which way to turn, how to pose, while Drakes Gods Plan blared from a speakerfitting, because the moment had seemed preordained. Finally being able to play for Coach Kingsbury, said Murray, is something weve been talking about for a long time. Their relationship began when Kliff Kingsbury was Texas A&Ms offensive coordinator and Murray was a promising Allen (Texas) High sophomore. While the QB did enroll at College Station, it was only after Kingsbury left to coach Texas Tech. So when Kingsbury said in October of Murray, Id take him with the first pick of the draft if I could, it meant nothinguntil Jan. 8, when Arizona, owner of the No. 1 pick, hired Kingsbury as its coach. When Cardinals general manager Steve Keim then made Murray his manusing his top pick on a quarterback for the second straight yearit represented sort of a jackpot for Kingsbury. He got the pilot he wanted for his Air Raid offense, and got him on a fresh rookie contract. While Murray is projected to sign a deal worth roughly $35 million over four years, the total value of his contract will equal only the average yearly salary of the NFLs highest-paid passer, Seattles Russell Wilson, who on April 16 signed a four-year, $140 million extension. Funny enough, it was Wilsons highly affordable rookie contract$4 million over three years, signed in 2012that inspired the roster-building strategies of so many NFL teams today, Arizona among them. When the Seahawks went to back-to-back Super Bowls, in 2013 and 14, their QB accounted for less than 1% of their salary cap. Even before Wilson (who, as a third-round pick, is an extreme example of rookie savings), the rookie wage scale that was established in the 11 CBA provided a road map to cap flexibility, allowing teams to spend money building out the rest of their rosters. One season after Sam Bradford, the No. 1 pick in 10, negotiated a six-year, $78 million deal with the Rams, the top 11 pick, Cam Newton, was automatically slotted into $22 million over four years with the Panthers. What we see todaythe Cardinals, for example, dipping twice in successive years into to the well of affordable QBsis all about trying to maximize the window provided by a rookie starter on relatively low wages. Combined, the salaries of Carson Wentz and Nick Foles accounted for less than 5% of the Eagles cap when they won Super Bowl LII. The Rams drafted Jared Goff, used the savings to make several big defensive splashes in free agency and reached Super Bowl LIII. Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes will account for 2.4% of the Chiefs salary cap this season; when they traded for and inked defensive end Frank Clark (from the Seahawks) to a contract extension in April, they loaded the guaranteed money into the first three years, allowing flexibility when they need to sign Mahomes to what could very well be a $200 million deal, in 2021. Kingsbury and Murray enter this same win-now window together, with an important caveat. Because the Cardinals first tried to solve their QB issues through free agency, they have a graveyard of dead cap charges: Bradford and Mike Glennon, along with Josh Rosen (the pick from 2018)none of whom are with the teamwill combine for more than $16 million in dead money this year. As is always true, though, when it comes to footballs most important position: If Murray truly elevates the Cardinals, none of those past failures will matter. As Murray walked across the draft stage in downtown Nashville last Thursday wearing a pink suit styled after a costume Leonardo DiCaprio wore in The Great Gatsby, he held up a red jersey and gazed out at the thousands of people lined up on Broadway. This wasnt so different from the moment Rosen experienced last year in Arlington, Texasexcept for the rain and the honky-tonk bars. Murray has vowed to change things up in Arizona. Dont doubt that the Cardinals will spend another first-rounder to find someone who will. Email us at [email protected]. | https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/04/30/nfl-draft-2019-kyler-murray-arizona-cardinals-kliff-kingsbury |
How have British universities grappled with links to the slave trade? | (Reuters) - The University of Cambridge will conduct a two-year academic study of how much it benefited from the Atlantic slave trade and whether its scholars reinforced race-based thinking during Britains colonial era. Following is what some major British universities have done so far. UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD In 2016, Britains oldest university decided not to remove the statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes, who bequeathed a large sum to Oriel College, despite a campaign by students who believe his legacy should not be celebrated. Rhodes, of De Beers diamond company, is considered one of the founders of South African racial segregation. He made his fortune from African mines where workers were forced to accept what are now recognized as exploitative forms of employment and locked in for the duration of contracts, according to Oriel College. He also endowed the Rhodes Scholarship which has allowed thousands of foreign students to study at Oxford in the last century. Oxford has since launched several projects aimed at tackling its relationship and links to colonialism. The Working Group on Oxford and Colonialism, one of these, aims to deal with historical legacies in an open, scholarly and creative way - while also acknowledging and honoring past initiatives undertaken at the university and activist groups herein. A spokeswoman for the university said: The only way to heal from the wounds of the past is to face them head on, and Oxford University is involved in a number of ongoing projects that will help us to achieve this over time. UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Last year the University of Glasgow said it had received up to the equivalent of 198 million pounds ($258 million) in todays money from people who derived their wealth from slavery. Glasgow said it deeply regretted this part of its past which clashed with its parallel history of support for the abolition of slavery, and had started a program of reparative justice. Glasgow professors John Millar, Patrick Wilson (1743-1799), and John Young (1747-1820) were all active participants in Glasgows abolitionist movement. Millar sent two anti-slave trade petitions to parliament in 1788 and 1792. UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL The University of Bristol rejected a petition to change the name of its Wills Memorial Building in 2017. The building honors its first chancellor whose family profited from tobacco farming using enslaved labor. In 2018 Bristol estimated that 85 percent of the wealth used to found the university depended on slave labor. The funding was linked to all three of the names on the university crest: slave-trader Edward Colston, Henry Overton Wills - who ran the company that merged to become Imperial Tobacco - and Joseph Fry, of Frys Chocolate. Bristol is in the process of making its links to slavery more explicit and is exploring its response with other universities studying slavery as part of a project led by the University of Virginia. That project includes the University of Liverpool. UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON The chair of the University of East Londons Board of Governors (UEL), Geoff Thompson, called in 2018 for universities to set up a 100-million-pound fund for Black Asian Minority Ethnic students from the money repatriated from the donations given to higher education institutions during the slave trade. (This story has been refiled to amend definition of mining worker conditions in paragraph four, gender of spokeswoman in paragraph nine.) | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-slavery-universities-factbox/how-have-british-universities-grappled-with-links-to-the-slave-trade-idUSKCN1S61TX?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 |
Is it time to panic over the Twins' unreliable bullpen? | The Twins entered the weekend No. 24 in MLB in bullpen ERA at 4.90. Those who clamored for more bullpen help before the season started are getting louder now. First take: Michael Rand In an early schedule filled with off days and a game postponed until next month, the Twins had some advantages. Jose Berrios started four of the Twins first 12 games. And their best bullpen pitchers could work almost whenever Rocco Baldelli wanted because they were sure to get rest. The pen has been exposed lately as pitchers other than Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hildenberger (to name two) have been thrust into higher-leverage situations. But its not time to panic or make a major move. Rogers and Hildenberger are still doing fine, ranking No. 13 and No. 26, respectively, in win probability added among MLB relievers, per FanGraphs. Blake Parker and Trevor May have been decent. The near-term return of Gabriel Moya and perhaps Addison Reed from injury should help. They should start there. Twins writer Phil Miller: Under Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, the Twins used 20 relief pitchers in 2017 and 23 last year (not counting a plethora of position-player volunteers), and with 11 pressed into service already this year, it appears thats going to be the case again. What must be so frustrating for the Twins is that they tried to address the problem with high draft picks since 2012, they have used valuable first- or second-round picks to choose J.T. Chargois, Mason Melotakis, Nick Burdi and Luke Bard with nothing to show for it. And their repeated attempts to create elite relievers out of starters has yet to work, too. Rogers is the only converted starter who has undeniably succeeded in the new role. May shows promise but has stumbled in high-leverage situations in the first three weeks. Meanwhile, Tyler Duffey, Adalberto Mejia and this years convert, Fernando Romero, have been slow, to put it mildly, in adapting to bullpen life. Well, neither had an ERA below 4.50 last year, and each got hurt in camp. Its hard to view them as solutions. Rand: Im going to continue to lean into a counterintuitive argument, though: Aside from high-leverage guys, the bullpen doesnt matter as much as we think. And the Twins have a pair of good ones, at least so far. May is the key the pitcher and the month. If the hard-throwing righty can be a better-than-average third wheel, the Twins can bridge the gap to the warmer months when teams that fall out of the race are more willing to trade relievers. Id say middle-inning guys mean more than ever. More games are decided by the bullpen than ever, and not just in the ninth inning. You might be right about acquiring help at the deadline, but to me, the Twins failure to do so over the winter is a reflection that the front office was always in wait-and-see mode about this year. They have a stockpile of prospects from their trade-deadline deals, yet made no trades for bullpen help. Rand: Bullpen ERA is an overblown stat because it gets bloated in meaningless games. I think the Twins will get the help when they need it. If they dont, then we can be more critical. Final word: Miller Four of the five worst offenses in the AL thus far belong to the Twins Central Division compadres. This problem might fix itself. | http://www.startribune.com/is-it-time-to-panic-over-the-twins-unreliable-bullpen/509166992/ |
When does a horrible mistake become a crime? | One mild winters evening three or four years ago, I stopped as I occasionally do at a lakeside park near my home. I found a seat out of the wind on a bench by the side of a small park building and watched some ice skaters swirling in the moonlit distance. After a minute or two, a sheriffs deputy pulled his squad car into the parking lot. The park is officially closed after dark, and I figured he planned to remind me. Not seeing anyone in my car as he pulled up, he quickly stepped out and started looking around with his flashlight. I wouldnt say it was a tense moment. But it was slightly awkward sitting there in the shadow of the building 30 feet from an armed cop searching the area, wondering what was up. I didnt puzzle about what to do for more than a moment, but I guess something told me not to just step out of the darkness and surprise him. So I spoke up from where I was: Officer, Im over here against the building or something like that. He turned his light in my direction, quickly checked me out, then walked over and pleasantly advised me that the park had closed at sunset. Ive been reminded of this otherwise forgettable encounter as Ive followed daily reports of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor. No doubt Ill be criticized for blaming the victim by unearthing the memory in connection with the heartbreaking shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. I regret any hint of that. But I cant help wishing Damond, a perfectly innocent victim, had felt the same unreflective instinct I did that evening at the park that startling a cop was something best avoided, even in a low-stress situation. There had been no report of violence in that lakeside parking lot that night, Im quite sure. But Damond, as anyone following the Noor case knows, had summoned police with a 911 call on July 15, 2017, reporting what sounded like a sexual assault in the alley behind her southwest Minneapolis home. When she approached the stationary squad car in which Noor and his behind-the-wheel partner had searched the length of the alley, the young Somali-American officer shot the pajama-clad Damond through the open driver side window, killing her. Whats emerged from several weeks of trial testimony, according to vivid and detailed reporting from the courtroom, especially from Star Tribune reporters Chao Xiong and Libor Jany, is a painful story of two young cops becoming frightened, and of one of them reacting catastrophically by hurriedly firing off a shot at the utterly harmless citizen who had sought their help. Prosecutors have argued that nothing about the circumstances justified the officers feeling so threatened as to make the shooting reasonable. A good deal of the trial has reportedly been consumed with disputed details about confusion and conflict among responders and investigators the night of the shooting and long afterward although what these controversies reveal about Noors guilt or innocence is often unclear. Tension over the case between prosecutors, police and investigators has been on display at least since December 2017, when Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman made and later apologized for secretly recorded criticisms of investigators in the case. More relevant to the charges against Noor has been disputed testimony about whether some kind of bang or slap on the vehicle alarmed the officers just before the shot was fired. Meanwhile, testimony has indicated that the scene was not particularly dark. It appears the puzzle of how to judge a panic that inspired a disastrous and deadly misjudgment will be the one Noors jury will have to solve. With Noors emotional testimony last week that his training taught him decisive action was the key to survival for oneself and ones partner, along with dueling expert testimony over standards for police use of force, it seems the decision may come down as it often does in a case involving police violence to determining when a horrible mistake becomes a crime. We send police officers in harms way, and of necessity authorize them to use reasonable force to protect themselves or others, knowing this inevitably runs the risk of blunders and of innocents sometimes being hurt. Noor is charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. These serious charges involve differing states of mind toward the death one caused different levels of intent; a depraved mind, without regard for human life; or culpable negligence. In a landmark 1989 case (Graham vs. Connor), the U.S. Supreme Court handed down often-cited guidelines for judging reasonable force by police. The court emphasized that the question is whether a given use of force was objectively reasonable in light of the facts and circumstances confronting [the officers] even if the force used may later seem unnecessary in the peace of a judges chambers. Allowance must be made, the court said, for the fact that police officers are often forced to make split-second judgments in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving . Reasonableness itself does not depend on a cops attitude, the court said: An officers evil intentions will not make a violation out of an objectively reasonable use of force; nor will an officers good intentions make an objectively unreasonable use of force constitutional. In the end all this may make only two things clear, heading into the climactic days of the Noor trial: First, the difficult standard of proof sheds light on why prosecutions of cops for line-of-duty killings are rare. Indeed, theyre rare enough to make the unusual racial configuration of this case hard to ignore. Lets hope we would; lets hope facts have been and will be what counts. Because the second thing that seems clear is that our community or rather, our communities may need to prepare themselves for almost any outcome. D.J. Tice is at [email protected]. | http://www.startribune.com/when-does-a-horrible-mistake-become-a-crime/509139702/ |
What Are Hollywood's Biggest Stars Making in 2019? | When it comes to massive paydays, Hollywood is still a boys club. Variety has run down the paydays of some of the biggest stars this year and all five of the top earners are men. (Emily Blunt is the highest paid woman, coming in at number seven.) Ryan Reynolds leads the pack, fresh off the success of his Deadpool franchise. Hell pocket $27 million for Six Underground, a Netflix-financed Michael Bay film about a billionaire vigilante squad. The fact that Netflix is willing to spend big is the one thing keeping salaries high, says Variety. Tom Cruise earned $20 million for playing Maverick in the original Top Gun, but hell only make $12-$14 million in the sequel due next year. Netflix paychecks, though, dont include a share of the profits. So while theyre higher from the outset, they can ultimately be lower than what big stars earn from studios. Dwayne Johnson and Robert Downey Jr. were tied for the second highest paid, pocketing $20 million for Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and the upcoming The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle (due in 2020). Theres no question that star power still factors into salary. Will Smith will earn $17 million for Bad Boys For Life, while co-star Martin Lawrence will earn just $6 million. Johnsons Hobbs & Shaw co-star Jason Statham pocketed $13 million. What everyone gets paid How the Endgame team turned social media and serialized stories into box-office heroes Heres what the CEO of Netflix made in 2018 (Hint: Its a lot) | http://fortune.com/2019/04/30/hollywood-star-salaries-2019/ |
What Would Impeachment Look Like in Trump's America? | A redacted version of special counsel Robert Muellers report has been released, but its contents have refueled a longstanding debate over whether or not the House should begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) introduced a resolution co-signed by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) in late March proposing an inquiry into whether Trump has committed impeachable offenses. Tlaib has long been an advocate of impeaching the presidentmost vocally for not separating himself from his businesses, a possible violation the Constitutions emoluments clause. The president of the United Statesafter he took the oath of office, after he said hes going to uphold the United States Constitutionstill to this day hasnt divested in his businesses and has made profits, Tlaib told MSNBC earlier this week. I dont care if youre a Republican or Democrat. You should be worried about this, because this sets a precedent. Muellers investigation, while focused on matters outside the emoluments clause, gives the House plenty of fodder for potential proceedings, specifically in regard to obstruction of justice. Since the reports publication, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) have voiced support for Tlaibs resolution. Others, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), have also come out in favor of impeachmentbut the House must make the first move. This is because the U.S. Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole Power of Impeachment, meaning only they can launch the proceedings. The Senate, meanwhile, has the sole Power to try all Impeachments, with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding over the matter. Only two presidents have ever been impeachedAndrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998but both were acquitted (Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before impeachment proceedings could get past the House). In all of U.S. history, the House has initiated impeachment proceedings against federal officials more than 60 times, with less than a third leading to full impeachments, and only eight (all against federal judges) actually leading to convictions and removal from office. In the case of Clinton, the House Judiciary Committee voted to pursue four articles of impeachment surrounding perjury and obstruction of justice. The full House voted to continue with just two of these: alleged perjury in a grand jury testimony and obstruction of justice, both occurring in relation to a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones. The Senate began trial less than a month later in January 1999. The constitution dictates that two-thirds of the members present must agree on a conviction; Clinton was acquitted by a vote of 55-45 on perjury and 50-50 on obstruction of justice. In Trumps case, the Mueller investigation looked into 10 possible instances in which the president could have obstructed of justice. Although the special counsel eventually determined that it could not conclude Trump committed any crime, the report does not exonerate him. Columbia University professor and political author Robert Shapiro noted that while the Clinton case is similar to Trumps in the amount of partisan polarization present, the current situation is of a slightly different caliber. Its one thing to obstruct the investigation of sexual misbehavior. Its another thing to obstruct justice in the context of Russian involvement in the election, he told Fortune. The more than 400-page document says no collusion between Trumps 2016 campaign and Russian election meddling could be established, but notes that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts. Moreover, Trump was worried about the effect Muellers investigation would have on his presidency and actively tried to stop it, according to the report. These instances have led even a former Trump transition team member to come out in favor of impeachment, tweeting: Its time, it really is. In the face of a Department of Justice policy that prohibited him from indicting a sitting president, Mueller drafted what any reasonable reader would see as a referral to Congress to commence impeachment hearings, wrote J. W. Verret in The Atlantic. Whether or not Democrats catch Muellers toss is another question. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has argued that the facts regarding holding the president accountable can be gained outside of impeachment hearings. We must show the American people we are proceeding free from passion or prejudice, strictly on the presentation of fact, she wrote in a letter to her colleagues. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has also spoken out against impeachment. At a recent CNN town hall, Sanders suggested that impeachment proceedings would ignite a media storm to overpower 2020 policy coverage in a way that actually works to Trumps advantage. Others feel thats beside the point. We cant focus around political strategy, Tlaib told MSNBC. Its around putting our country first. Warren, too, has said lawmakers need to set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. The political argument can sway in favor of or against impeachment, said Shapiro. On one had, impeachment proceedings are a way of keeping trumps misbehavior very visible ahead of the 2020 election. This serves both Democratic candidates and Republican primary contenders. They dont necessarily have to impeach, said Shapiro. They just have to keep investigating him. That could make the difference in the election. The counterargument is that it might mobilize Trumps base, Shapiro said. Impeachment could also dissuade voters fed up with the bickering in politics from turning out at the polls. In truth, impeachment has a history of backfiring. Clintons approval rating reached an all-time high during his own impeachment proceedings. According to Gallup, Clintons average job approval rating in 1998 was 63.8%, or 10 points higher than his overall administration to-date average. Trumps average approval rating rests around 43.5%, but a Politico/Morning Consult poll recently found it fell as low as 39% following the Mueller reports publicationequal to his lowest-ever rating on the poll in August 2017, just after the Charlottesville protests. Even so, just 34% of voters from this poll believe Congress should begin impeachment proceedings, meaning the majority of the U.S. doesnt want to see Trumps future tried in Congress. The indication of the lack of public support for the moment tells the Democrats they should not vote to impeach him immediately, but they should try to gather more information and evidence to make a stronger case, said Shapiro. The Democrats will know that they have enough evidence to impeach him if public opinion changes, and the evidence plus the change in public opinion is able to convince Republicans in the Senate to vote to convict him. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/30/donald-trump-impeachment-clinton/ |
Can Humanitarianism Address Inequality? | In an Israeli documentary titled Precious Life, a little boy in Gaza with a deadly autoimmune disease is offered a chance at treatment in a Tel Aviv hospital by an Israeli pediatrician, an Israeli journalist who raises funds for the operation, and an anonymous donor who agrees to provide the money. All that remains is to find an organ match for the transplant. While everyone is anxiously waiting, the journalist engages the childs mother in conversation. He tells her that he is troubled by the idea of Palestinian martyrdom, because all life is precious. The mother replies that she accepts the idea of martyrdom, because death is normal for her people. The mother says she would. The journalist is baffled and disturbed, but leaves the conversation there. Then Israel invades Gaza. The invasion delays the operation, which nearly costs the child his life, although he is eventually saved. Many other Palestinians are not as lucky. While in Gaza, the documentarys director finds himself in conversation with a surgeon, who asks him why he is making a film about the saving of one life while Israel is taking the lives of hundreds. We learn that three of the surgeons daughters have just been killed in the bombing of their home. BOOKS IN REVIEW Life, A Critical Users Manual By Didier Fassin Buy this book Anthropologist Didier Fassin uses these scenes in his new book, Life: A Critical Users Manual, to argue against the confident tendency among many in the Global North to treat an individual life as sacred while refusing to address the social structures that cause many lives to be treated as anything but. His targets are readers in places like Israel and the United States whose lives, despite the fearmongering on the right in both countries, are not particularly endangered; his hope is to get them to understand the political imperatives that determine the livesas well as the deathsof so many others both in the Global North and elsewhere, places where lifes flagrant riskiness and the inequality of its value must unfortunately be taken for granted. By making this argument, Fassin redirects his readers away from humanitarianisms self-congratulatory ethic of rescue and toward a structural politics that aims at the transformation of collective life. Trained as a medical doctor as well as an anthropologist, Fassin is especially sensitive to cases in which the saving of an individual life is presented as the definitive humanitarian gesture. In Palestine, to adopt a medical model of rescue and think in such terms is, in Fassins view, to be distracted from the larger and more pressing issue of justice for Palestine, however that justice might be defined. Distracting people from these longer-term questions of social change, he speculates, may even be what the medical model of rescue is intended to do. Fassin develops this argument further in his books discussion of refugees and asylum seekers, or sans-papiers, in France. In 1998, the country adopted a new and seemingly humanitarian policy, opening its doors to undocumented migrants whose life was endangered by a serious health issue for which treatment was not accessible in their home countries, at the same time that it was closing its doors to refugees in the strict sense. Seven years after the law changed, the chance of being regularized wasseven times higher when ones life was threatened by [physical] disease rather than by a risk of persecution. Disease, as Fassin observes, seems both objective and value-free: it resides in the cells and the organs. On the contrary, persecution implies taking the side of victims and delivering value judgments: it is about causes and ideologies. The institutions of the host countries feel more comfortable with the supposed neutrality of the former than with the suspected partiality of the latter. The moral Fassin draws from these cases is that, given the deep structures that underlie the sorry state of the world, humanitarianism is no substitute for political struggles against systemic oppression. This conclusion will hardly shock most progressive readers, but it seems especially apt these days because, as he takes pains to show, some of the most intellectually influential thinkers since the 1970s have focused on life in a way that discourages these kinds of struggles. His key example is Michel Foucault, whom Fassin seems to suspect and admire in almost equal measure, but he also takes aim at general modes of ethical thought. Life: A Critical Users Guide is divided into three sections: Forms of Life, Ethics of Life, and Politics of Life. In the first, Fassin explores those sets of shared assumptionsthe forms of life, as he calls them, borrowing an enigmatic phrase from Ludwig Wittgensteinabout what life is and how to value it. These forms are what make agreement possible and life meaningful, but as Wittgenstein noted, they do so without necessarily making any claims to being universally true. As a result, the question of what foundations (if any) these forms of life possess remains unanswered. Are they shared by the whole human species, Fassin asks, or is any particular form inscribed in a given space and time? Fassins answer to this question is that they can be both at once. While the forms of life are expressed through different cultures and languages, what is ultimately and decisively held in common by earths diverse peoples is the experience of what he calls planetary inequality. Nowhere are lives equally valued. Most anthropologists would say that these differences in valuation are themselves valuable. But Fassins concern is less to protect difference than to extend equality. Building on this argument, Fassin reports on interviews that he conducted in the Calais Jungle, a refugee encampment that existed on the outskirts of the city from 2015 to 2016, and in the dark buildings of Johannesburgluxury offices and apartments that have been abandoned by their owners and are now inhabited by asylum seekers. In both places, one can hear a common set of experiences being described, even if theyre conveyed through various tongues. The precarity of these peoples lives goes far beyond the vexed issue of their legal status or any quantitative measure of their poverty; it is a global problem as well as one specific to France or South Africa. All lives are precarious, Fassin tells us, but certain lives much more so than othersand above all, quite differently. In many ways, this sounds like an anthropologists plea for the recognition of difference, but Fassin also frames this statement in universalistic terms and around the desire for ethics to begin (again) to think more universally. While human beings experience risk and inequality differently, these conditions remain linked to a set of planetary problems that require planetary solutions. Humanitarianism, which has largely claimed this scale as its own, must be supplanted, or at least inflected, by politics. Christopher Lebron The section on the Ethics of Life, which tells the story of the Israeli journalist and the Palestinian mother, takes off from this point about the priority of politicsbut along the way, Fassin poses questions that he doesnt pretend he can answer. He queries the persistence in ethical discourse of religious concepts like the value of self-sacrifice, and he seems even more perplexed that our society cannot tolerate the martyrdom of hunger strikers (who, unlike suicide bombers, leave no victims) and will even take extreme precautions to prevent death-row inmates from ending their own lives. Fassin asks whether the government of South Africa was right to make antiretroviral drugs publicly available, thereby benefiting many, while taking scarce resources away from such basic needs as nutrition and housing. In making this choice, the South African government honored the medical professions principle that each life is sacred rather than the political principle that all people should be treated equally and have access to lifes basic necessities. Moreover, as Fassin points out, the steep increase in inequality that followed this reallocation of resources did not receive the same critical attention that the AIDS crisis in South Africa did. Here, as in all of his examples from around the world, Fassin wants his readers to better understand the ethical logic and political consequences of such choices. At the same time, and more ambitiously, he wants to show a certain universality that carries over from one set of choices to another. While he doesnt permit himself to declare authoritatively what is right or wrong in any of them, he wants to make a case that ethics and politics canand, in fact, mustapply across very different situations. Fassin credits Foucault with inspiring anthropologys recent interest in ethics, a disciplinary turn that helps explain the existence of his own book. But he also holds Foucault partly responsible for the reluctance of anthropologists to assert any ethical or political claims of their own. Perhaps he is a bit unfair here; after all, this reluctance is also a reaction to the trauma of anthropologys early complicity with colonialism and its subsequent desire to withhold judgment, especially regarding non-Western cultures. But he does make an important point: While Foucault and many anthropologists rightly insist that to properly study the practices that form ethical subjects, one needs to find a way to withhold ones normative commitments in order to understand others, this also limits our capacity to make moral judgments. Thats why Foucault left us, Fassin complains, with only an ethics of self-care: the idea of focusing on oneself, not on others. Its as if he were saying, I oppress, but I oppress no one but myself. In addition to Foucaults anti-normative bias, Fassin argues that the problem with his understanding of ethics is that it is self-contained, a form of individual self-mastery that is indifferent to the society around it and thus indifferent to politics. Foucault disconnects the reflexive exercise of creating a moral self from its social conditions of possibilityor, to put this another way, he is not interested in the social forces that limit the kinds of selves that can be formed. Fassin suggests that new anthropological approaches to ethics oriented around Foucaults care of the self have become too particularistic, and hence blind to the inescapable issue of planetary inequality that Fassin insists should be at the center of any politics or ethics of life. The word inequality,' he observes, does not belong to [Foucaults] vocabulary. Turning from ethics to the local and global structures that create and sustain life, the books final section, Politics of Life, discusses in a rapid but fascinating survey the way in which the monetary appreciation of lives developed over the last 2,000 years. Here, Fassin puts on his anthropologists hat to talk about dowry and bride price, considered as payment for a life given in marriage, as well as the widespread premodern traditions of compensation to the victims family in cases of murder. But in both sets of examples, he also comes to political conclusions, stressing again how some lives are assumed to have more value than others. The rise of modern law, which supposedly created a formal equality among individuals, marked an improvement on this situation. Yet, as Fassin argues, this formal equality masks other forms of inequalityand not just the chasm between the rich and the poor. Fassin doesnt talk much about capitalism in this discussion, but thats in part because capitalism alone, in his view, doesnt fully account for inequalities based on race, gender, sexuality, and (a special interest of his) citizenship status. Bringing this argument into the present, Fassin then takes up the value of lives lost as it was calculated by the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund. The funds payments to families, he notes, depended on estimates of what their loved ones would have earned in the future, among other factors, so that poorer families received dramatically less money than rich ones. As a result, great gulfs of inequality emerge even in the wake of someones death. The families of women killed in the attack were compensated, on average, at 63 percent of what the families of men received. Fassin also examines the 9/11 fund in the context of the much lower compensation for victims of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005: with the Oklahoma City bombing, the fact that the enemy was a young white middle-class war veteran who had served in Iraq rendered the building of a common affliction more difficult. Likewise, in Louisiana, the victims were mostly poor black people, which limited the possibility of a shared grief in a country where the contrasting reactions to the disaster revealed the scars of its long history of racism and discrimination. In the Iraq War, in which US forces killed many Iraqi civilians, intentionally or by mistake, compensation has rarely been awarded to the familiesand when it has been, it has averaged about $4,000. By contrast, the total benefits paid to the families of US troops killed in the war can exceed $800,000, Fassin notes. The ratio in terms of what life is worth is 1 to 200. These are facts that, to put it mildly, Foucault has not taught his followers to pick up on, but they are needed to capture the particular character of our eras planetary inequality. In his books concluding section, Fassin argues that Foucaults much-quoted term biopolitics is also partly to blame. The term is unhelpful, Fassin insists, because it is doubly misnamed. Biopolitics, as Foucault understands, is not really about the value or significance of life so much as it is about how life is regimented and governed, nor is it really about politics, which involves struggle against the scandalous inequality of human life and thus can never be reduced to mere governance. Foucault, Fassin continues, is interested in the way in which what today seems self-evident emergedbirth control, measurement of mortality, management of public hygiene, control of migration flowsrather than in the social forces at play in this process. These are all important issues. But for Fassin, politics is about biography as well as biology, about meanings and values as well as those technologies that organize (and often oppress us in) everyday life. One might argue, as I have, that there is more of an overlap between Foucault and Marx than Fassin recognizes here. But there is no doubt that Foucault is reluctant to incorporate social criticism in his genealogical critique. Yet this is precisely what Fassin wants anthropology to do. At the same time, Fassin is by no means a knee-jerk anti-Foucaultian. Like Foucault, he wants to jostle his readers loose from verities that, to them, seem self-evident. For Fassin as well, much of what is dangerously self-evident involves the uncritical invocation of the human and the humane. Wary of the invocation of the human on a global scale, as this strain of humanitarianism has so often provided an excuse for military intervention, Fassin is equally suspicious of the so-called post-human movementinspired by a certain version of environmentalism, as well as by Foucault and his followersthat values life itself over and above (and sometimes against) specifically human life, and thus is liable to wander away from human-centered ethical issues like societys responsibility to the refugee, or away from ethics as such. Rather than giving up on humanitarianism, Fassin asks us to keep at it while remembering that such humanitarianism will not help unless it seeks to have an impact on the deep structures that determine whose lives have the most value and who will suffer as a result. Moral economy, in short, must go hand in hand with political economy. In Fassins 2011 book, Humanitarian Reason: A Moral History of the Present, he accused his fellow French anthropologist and sociologist Pierre Bourdieu of failing to see that suffering is also a characteristic language of the contemporary world and that compassion has become a political force. Meanwhile, Fassin criticized Luc Boltanski, another sociologist and strong advocate of humanitarianism, of abandoning any perspective on the contemporary world. What Fassin advocates here under the heading of politicsa concept that is crucial enough to his argument to call for some additional elaboration on his partis forbidden from making either mistake. A reworking of the distinguished Adorno lectures at the Institute of Social Research at Goethe University, Frankfurt, Life: A Critical Users Manual offers a handy synthesis of the research that Fassin has been conducting for decades on three continents, much of it with migrants and people with AIDS. But the book also gestures toward a synthesis of French and German philosophical thought, the latter having long been much more comfortable in the domain of the universal. Fassins title alludes to Georges Perecs 1978 novel Life: A Users Manual, which proposes, in 99 chapters grouped around the inhabitants of one Paris apartment building, that each individual life might turn out to be a piece in a huge, invisible jigsaw puzzle. By invoking this humane but extraordinarily complicated novel, Fassin brings Perecs argument into the world of politics and worries that we are perhaps fed up enough with our puzzling differences to embrace what ties us together. As an anthropologist, he is trained to look for and respect differences, both between cultures and individuals. As a medical doctor, he knows what all human bodies have in common and the mortality that we ultimately face. And as a philosopher, he seems ready to ask whether our infinitely diverse particulars might be gathered upif not into something universal, then at least in a pattern, into something that might resemble the plot of a novel. The word critical, which Fassin adds to Perecs title, seems intended to suggest that Fassin has the beginning of an answer to the question Perec leaves more ambiguously unanswered about what holds us together. If so, its because the inequality of human lives is the overriding and unbearable condition that, today at least, all of us share. | https://www.thenation.com/article/didier-fassin-life-a-critical-user-manual-humanitarianism-aid-review/ |
Is Measles Here To Stay? | Enlarge this image toggle caption solidcolours/Getty Images solidcolours/Getty Images In 2000, the Pan-American Health Organization announced a monumental public health achievement: Widespread vaccination efforts, overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had effectively eliminated measles from the United States. The disease, which before the vaccination era affected 3 to 4 million people in the U.S. each year, was now isolated to small, contained outbreaks connected to international travel. This year's record-setting outbreak threatens that achievement. Since January, over 700 cases of measles have been reported in 22 states. Most of the affected have never been vaccinated. Sixty people have been hospitalized, and the case numbers continue to climb, although in some regions, like the Pacific Northwest, outbreaks have subsided. Though the current numbers are dwarfed by the scale of cases in the first half of the 20th century, they're still meaningful, says Ren Najera, an epidemiologist and editor of the vaccine education website History of Vaccines. "We are getting very close to a tipping point. If cases continue to escalate, the U.S. could lose its elimination status," says Najera. Click here. A disease is considered eliminated from a country when it can no longer be contracted within its borders, though cases tied to international travel like those that have happened since 2000 can still occur. Losing elimination status would mark a failure of one of the biggest public health achievements in our history. Before the 1960s, "measles was basically a universal experience of childhood," says James Colgrove, a public health historian at Columbia University. Essentially everyone got it. Of the millions infected each year, 400 to 500 would die, tens of thousands would be hospitalized, and hundreds would face serious complications, like encephalitis, according to the CDC. "People had experienced the harm measles could do, and so were receptive to the vaccine when it came out," says Najera. The first steps towards a measles vaccine were taken in 1954, when John F. Enders and Dr. Thomas C. Pebbles collected throat swabs and blood samples from children at a Boston school that had just experienced an outbreak. Enders and his lab managed to isolate and culture the measles virus, and eventually adapted it to chicken embryos, eventually resulting in the release of a vaccine in 1963. In 1968, a more effective vaccine was developed by Maurice Hilleman and colleagues, and is the same measles vaccine (combined with a mumps and rubella vaccine) used in the U.S. today. "The measles vaccine was widely accepted and welcomed," says Najera. Between 1964 and 1974, the number of measles cases in the U.S. plummeted. During this time states began adopting laws requiring proof of immunization in order to enroll in public schools. "These kinds of laws helped drive the immunization effort," says Colgrove. Click here. By 1978, vaccination efforts had been going so well that the CDC set the goal of eliminating measles from the US by 1982. Amesh Adalja, a physician and an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University, explains that achieving elimination requires "herd immunity," or a level of immunity among a population such that the chances of vulnerable people (like infants or the immunocompromised) contracting the virus are exceedingly small. "Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases, which means that you need more than 93 percent immunity to protect a population," says Adalja. "One dose of the vaccine turned out to not be quite enough." In 1989 measles surged to 18,193 cases, around 40 percent of which occurred in vaccinated children. After that outbreak, public health officials began recommending two doses of the measles vaccine. That recommendation, in conjunction with redoubled efforts to vaccinate lower-income communities, worked. Measles rates continued to drop, allowing the Pan-American Health Organization to declare the disease eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. "It was an enormous public health achievement, particularly because measles is so contagious," says Colgrove. Of course, in the years since, measles outbreaks have occurred, but all stem from international travel. ln 2014, 383 cases were reported among Ohio's Amish community, which has low vaccination rates. Two Amish men returned from typhoon relief work in the Philippines, and unknowingly brought back the virus, fueling the outbreak. In 2015, an outbreak occurred in Disneyland, where 147 cases were suspected to have originated from a traveler from the Philippines. Every outbreak since elimination was declared has eventually fizzled out, as the virus hit the wall of herd immunity, keeping elimination status of the U.S. intact. But now, public health officials worry that elimination status could be cracking as measles mounts a comeback. "If things don't change, we could be back in a United States where measles is not eliminated," says Najera. That would not mean that the U.S. would go back to having 3 to 4 million people affected each year; vaccination levels are high enough to prevent that. But outbreaks would become more common. Unvaccinated young children have the highest risk of contracting measles and developing rare but serious complications from the disease. "Statistically speaking, once we get above 1,000 cases of measles we're going to have a death," says Najera. "For an entirely preventable disease, that's unacceptable." "We aren't there yet, but we are getting very close," says Najera. "If these numbers continue to climb, and new cases to pop up that aren't associated with foreign travel, we're there." Most cases in the current outbreak are linked to travel but Adalja says the longer the outbreak goes on, the harder it is to trace back any given case back to a introduction by a traveler. As the outbreak simmers, the concern is that the domestic reservoir of measles is growing, making it more likely for vulnerable people to pick up an infection within our borders. The U.S. could reach that point within several months, according to Adalja. "If these chain of outbreaks continue burning for a year, we'd be in a position to question the elimination status," he says. Vaccine refusals. "We hadn't been threatened with losing our elimination status before vaccine refusal rates went up," says Adalja. "Because of the inaction of certain individuals, they've allowed measles to come back. These are completely preventable outbreaks." State-by-state MMR vaccine coverage varies, ranging from 85 percent in Missouri to 98 percent in Massachusetts according to 2017 data from the CDC. And some local communities have even lower rates. Najera says states and local governments should be taking action now. Many already have. On April 9, the New York City Health Commissioner ordered all unvaccinated individuals living or working in Brooklyn to get vaccinated or face a $1000 fine and on April 19 a judge upheld the order. The Washington state legislature is currently considering bills to remove personal exemptions for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. "If we do everything possible to get people vaccinated, we might contain this outbreak," says Najera. "But we're not there yet." "The 200-year history of vaccines has shown that it's always a challenge to maintain high levels of immunity because any vaccination program will inevitably become a victim of its own success," says Colgrove. "The better vaccines work, the more people think they don't need them anymore." Jonathan Lambert is a freelance science journalist based in Washington, D.C. You can follow him on twitter @evolambert | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/30/718220586/is-measles-here-to-stay?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr |
Is elevating housing prices a good way to make homes more affordable? | Finn Poschmann is resident scholar at the Fraser Institute. When our rancorous members of Parliament get around to looking at the Trudeau governments 2019 election budget, they might want to pay special attention to the proposed First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, a shared equity mortgage to be run by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. It will work like what many middle-class North Americans know as the Bank of Mom and Dad, offering a generous contribution to a first house down payment, to be paid back, well, whenever, or as the budget plan says, for example at re-sale. Story continues below advertisement The proposal would offer 5 per cent toward the purchase price of a resale home, or 10 per cent toward a newly constructed home an open-ended, zero-interest loan. The proposed loans have the natural appeal of free money and will be attractive to a wide range of people, including the children of middle-aged middle-class parents with the potential means to help them into the housing market, and to first-time home buyers of limited means. The plan might also appeal to Canadians whose means are not so limited. While eligibility is limited to households with income of $120,000 or less, many of those may be able to draw on parents or their own registered retirement savings plans to make a down payment. The proposed cap on the conventional plus shared equity mortgage is $480,000. If the final rules allow down payments to approach 20 per cent of the purchase price, and the home buyer pays the CMHC insurance premium up front, that would allow a buyer to bid near to $600,000. Thats enough to buy a decent place to live everywhere in Canada except for downtown Vancouver or Toronto, from where most complaints about house prices arise. Because the plans design works out the same as an interest-rate subsidy, it will allow eligible home buyers to bid more for a home than they otherwise would, given their economic circumstances, or to buy a bigger one. If you took high-school or first-year economics, you know that as an upward shift in the demand curve, and a higher market-clearing price. The federal budget draws an analogy between the shared equity mortgage and similar community-based plans, such as Habitat for Humanity, discussed in a recent analysis prepared for the CMHC. Story continues below advertisement Such narrowly targeted plans do not have much of an impact on prices, but the same cannot be said for broadly available plans, such as the one proposed for Canada. The most similar program is Britains Help to Buy Equity Loan, introduced in a budget six years ago. To cope with failing home builders in outlying areas and complaints about high prices in Greater London, this shared mortgage plan offered up to 20 per cent of the equity for new builds (40 per cent in London), to a maximum value of 600,000 ($1.05-million). Because that 2013 British plan could not fail but to raise prices in supply-constrained areas and reinflate pricey markets, it had its critics. I described it at the time as daft policy poured from Alices drink-me bottle. With the benefit of time and extensive data, cooler heads at the London School of Economics have since had a look at Help to Buys impacts. In their forthcoming work, the authors report, not surprisingly, that new builds occurred only in areas where demand was weak relative to supply meaning where people did not so much want to live and that new house prices went up by 3 per cent to 4 per cent in regions where people did want to live but did not have much to choose from, such as Greater London. Ottawas proposal is more constrained than Britains plan, and the impact on prices will therefore be less. In early April, the CMHC said it thought the price impact would be 0.2 per cent to 0.4 per cent across all markets, which seems about right as a low-end estimate, but not for supply-constrained markets. The CMHC also pointed out that it could have chosen measures that inflated prices even more, which was intended as a defence of the program. It is agreed, however, that higher prices will be the result. Story continues below advertisement Some of us homeowners will benefit from the higher prices the proposal will produce. But higher entry-level prices might not be such a good thing for others, such as folks ineligible for the plan or retirees looking to downsize and move to a condo nearer to city services. Or the many thousands of Canadians who move from homes in cool markets to jobs in hotter ones, exactly because they need to work. The 2019 budget partly reflects this understanding, saying that the shared equity mortgage could help encourage the home construction needed to address some of the housing supply shortages in Canada, particularly in our largest cities. In other words, higher prices might draw in new builds, where supply conditions allow. And if local zoning, permitting and land-use requirements are addressed, we just might see more supply in three or four years. When talking about the British plan earlier this week, former Bank of England governor Mervyn King said that Help to Buy had definitely managed to drive higher house prices. Whether that was a sensible way to address housing affordability, he added, is a different matter. In Canada, it is likewise certain that the proposed federal Bank of Mom and Dad will succeed in raising prices. Perhaps we might ask beforehand whether blowing up housing prices is a good way to make homes more affordable. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-is-elevating-housing-prices-a-good-way-to-make-homes-more-affordable/ |
Are Prince William and Prince Harry in a feud? | Far be it from us to rejoice in any kind of interpersonal discord but we must say: How refreshing to be talking about a feud between two men! In fact, todays column marks a rare-in-pop-culture sighting of a catfightus masculinus, which we dont actually have a translation from the Latin for because its just that rare. The closest we can come is: The Opposite of a Bromance. The bros in question are actual brothers Princes William and Harry, who until late last year spent their three decades of siblinghood in near perfect harmony (or so we thought). Lets take a deep dive into the (alleged) growing rift between these two sons of the House of Windsor. ( Pool / GETTY IMAGES ) Im going to stop you right there. It is thought that William and Kates visit to Meghan and Harry in their new home did mark a friendlier phase in royal relations. Per the Daily Mail, however, the real patching-up happened ten weeks ago. That seems very specific. Article Continued Below This will sound counterintuitive, but apparently it took the splitting up of their households to heal the rift between the brothers. (Youll recall it was announced a few weeks back that the brothers would no longer share a team of staff and would do their own thing under separate royal households they made it Insta official as well.) The tabloid quotes a source who says, Finalizing plans on their future paths and roles did make things easier. There was no formal process or meetings required. It was never that bad. They worked things out between themselves. Not that bad?! The body language between them at public events in the last year has been ice cold Its true, but body language analysis is an imperfect science, and where you might see can-barely-be-in-the-same-room froideur, others might see two brothers feeling self-conscious that everyone is looking at them and analyzing how they (and their wives!) are all interacting. As recently as Easter Sunday (the same day some were reporting the couples got together for a cosy cuppa and new house tour) the Daily Expresss body language guru Judith James was pronouncing the feud deeper than ever. Said she: The body language between the two princes here doesnt just add to the speculation that pair are no longer on speaking terms, it seems to suggest than any rift might have got even wider. When he was single Harry was always forming a tight and happy trio with William and Kate but here it looks sadly as though he is going out of his way to have a lack of communication with his brother. James also pointed to how happy and relaxed Harry looked while attending Anzac Day services with Kate a few days later sans William to demonstrate just how pointed his dislike of his older brother has become. You cant deny that something has been up between Wills and Harry. Stories of a feud between the two brothers emerged late last year, right in the thick of Kate-versus-Meghan-gate. After all, Wills was just being a protective older brother. In The Sun, a royal expert links it back to Princess Diana, and Harrys guilt at not being able to save her from the pressures of life in the royal family and the spotlight (its heartbreaking to think of a little boy taking on that burden). Thats why when it comes to Meghan hes on hyper alert for haters and that includes his own brother. On the other hand, theres every chance this relationship breakdown could be about Harry wanting to spread his own wings he is, after all, a nearly 35-year-old man with a wife and a kid. Its conceivable that the two brothers are struggling to navigate a tricky transition from Harry as Goofy Younger Bro to Harry as Grown-Up Who Wants to Be Taken Seriously. Article Continued Below Basically, youre confirming there is a feud Wed wager its more of a growing pains thing. So many of the signs of the brothers growing estrangement are actually explained by the royal status quo getting a switch-up. The move to Windsor, for instance, was attributed to Meghan and Harry wanting to get out of Will and Kates shadow. That could be true, but also probably just means that Harry is no longer the bachelor who liked being near to his brother and sister-in-law so he could pop in and raid their fridge. The splitting of their households has just as much to do with William getting ready to move into his role as future king as the brothers not being able to bear sharing a photocopier anymore. That could be seen as a mark of trust in the Sussexes to serve as global ambassadors for Brand Windsor, and not like, a banishment. Yeah, but its obvious things arent the way they were in the good old days Those good old days are the final myth wed like to bust. Yes, William and Harry are close, and probably got even closer as a result of their mothers death and the fact that theyre probably the only two people who really understand their weird life as princes. But they are two very different people, with conflict built into their relationship due to the fact that one brother is inherently more important than the other, purely by default of being born first. Exhibit A: Both boys indulged equally in underage drinking. Harry got labelled the Party Prince but because [William] was the heir, he got away with it and Harry took the flak, as royal watcher Katie Nicholl wrote in Vanity Fair. William is said to have spent the entirety of Harrys 20s being mad at him for stunts like Vegas, that offensive costume, et al. Nope. And something tells us it wont be the last, either. Just Google Prince Charles hates Prince Andrew and youll see what were talking about. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/life/fashion_style/2019/04/30/are-prince-william-and-prince-harry-in-a-feud.html |
Whats the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? | When I want to provoke my wife, I tell her that a good muffin is actually just a cupcake! My daughters think Im dated. And theyre probably right ... But in my mind a muffin is supposed to be healthy, and a cupcake is, well, a cup cake. Im actually sad for muffins. I feel like theyre suffering from an identity crisis. There are many people out there who think a muffin is a muffin a small quick bread while a cupcake could go either way. These pretty treats are ready for their close-up in ravishing red velvet style. ( Ricardo ) Start your day the healthy way with these Sweet Potato Breakfast Muffins, theyre actual muffins and not some cupcake hybrid. ( Ricardo media ) Some fast food chains even go so far as to call their cupcakes muffins! As if they were good for you. On the other hand, you will never see someone mistake a muffin for a cupcake as if steak could be chicken. I often ask myself if a cupcake is actually a muffin if it contains more mango, coconut and blackberries than brown sugar. Maybe the dense, All-Bran style is the only way to go (forgive all the extra butter in it). Unless youre serving them at a birthday party! Then there is the world of savoury flavours. (Did I just invent the Red Velvet muffin?) And we havent even talked about size ... Sometimes I think panettone is just a giant muffin in disguise (or is it a huge cupcake?). But thats another story. The secret may hide in the muffin top! To be honest, the muffin isnt the only one thats confused. Thankfully, I married a nutritionist and my life is a blend of these two visions of the world. Of course, a muffin should be healthy. Sometimes they are more complicated to make. And yes, it requires more creativity to create a good muffin than a good cupcake. But thats my job and I love it. Red Velvet Cupcakes 1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk 1/3 cup (75 ml) canola oil Article Continued Below 2 eggs 1 tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar 1 tbsp (15 ml) red liquid food colouring or 1 tsp (5 ml) red gel food colouring 1 1/2 cups (225 g) unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups (165 g) icing sugar 2 tsp cocoa, sifted 1 tsp baking soda A pinch of salt 1 Italian Meringue (see recipe) With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Line a 12 cavity muffin tray with paper liners. In a bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vinegar and food colouring. Set aside. In food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the liquid mixture and blend until the batter is smooth. Scoop the batter into the moulds. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Using a pastry bag fitted with a fluted or plain tip, frost the cupcakes with the meringue. Italian Meringue 1 cup (210 g) sugar 1/4 cup (60 ml) water 2 tbsp (30 ml) light corn syrup 3 egg whites 1/4 tsp cream of tartar In a small pot, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and cook until the candy thermometer reads 240 F (116 C). Remove from the heat while whipping the egg whites. In a bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Pour the syrup in a stream over egg whites, beating constantly until the meringue has cooled and stiff peaks form. Sweet Potato Breakfast Muffins 1 lb (450 g) sweet potatoes (about 1 large sweet potato) 1 cup (150 g) whole wheat flour 1/2 cup (105 g) lightly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup (50 g) rolled oats 1/2 cup (30 g) wheat bran 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 pinch cinnamon 1 pinch nutmeg 1 pinch salt 2 eggs 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk 1/3 cup (75 ml) canola oil 3 tbsp (45 ml) molasses 3 tbsp (30 g) raisins 2 tbsp chopped dried figs (about 2 dried figs) Toppings (optional) 2 tbsp rolled oats 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds 3 dried figs, each cut into 4 slices With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper or silicone liners. Pierce the sweet potato with a fork. Place on a plate and cook in the microwave oven for 6 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, or until tender. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the potato in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Coarsely crush with a fork to obtain about 3/4 cup (180 ml) of mashed sweet potato pure. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. To the sweet potato pure, add the eggs, milk, oil and molasses. Beat with an electric mixer. On low speed, or with a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients until just moistened. Add the raisins and dried figs. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups. Sprinkle with the oats, pumpkin seeds and a fig slice, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Unmould and let cool on a wire rack. NOTE For a complete breakfast, serve these muffins with yogurt or cheese. | https://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/recipes/2019/04/30/serve-up-a-perfect-portion-of-a-dessert-with-meringue-topped-cupcakes.html |
What went wrong at Philip Green's Topshop empire? | Sir Philip Green's retail empire - which owns Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, and Wallis - is reportedly seeking a rescue deal that would allow it to cut rents and close stores. It would be big fall from grace for a business that not long ago hoped to crack the US, as well as a blow for Sir Philip, who made his fortune in fashion retail. Image copyright Daily Herald Archive Image caption Arcadia grew out of Burton Group, whose roots go back to 1903 Where it began The Arcadia Group's origins date back to 1903 and the formation of the Burton menswear chain, which grew to acquire brands such as Topshop and renamed itself Arcadia in 1998. In 2002 Taveta Investments, owned by the Green family, bought Arcadia and delisted it from the stock exchange. Sir Philip, who had bought the now defunct BHS department store chain for 200m in 2000, installed himself as chief executive. The entrepreneur swiftly set about "cutting the fat" out of the group, offloading failing brands and cutting jobs, says retail analyst Richard Hyman. "He very successfully reduced the cost base, making brands like Dorothy Perkins more profitable. He is famous for running a no frills operation." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Topshop is considered the jewel in Arcadia's crown The thriving noughties The group seemed to be doing well, particularly the jewel in its crown, Topshop, which became known as a trend setter and began to attract celebrity endorsements. Kate Moss has twice worked with Sir Philip on Topshop lines, while Cara Delevingne, the model-turned-actress, became the face of the brand in 2014. Sir Philip, who is reported to be worth more than 3bn, also appeared to be doing well from his acquisition. In recent years, he been snapped partying with everyone from Bill Clinton to MP Michael Gove, and reportedly spent 20m on his 55th birthday party in the Maldives. However, Mr Hyman believes that behind the scenes, all was not well at Arcadia. "Arcadia for many years has been a business with one very good brand - Topshop - and others that are somewhat past their best. "In a growth market it is easy to paper over the cracks, and there was a growth market from the mid 90s up until the financial crisis in 2008. Then things changed." Today Arcadia has 1,170 shops in 36 countries, although the majority are concessions or franchises. It has also shut 200 of its UK stores over the past three years, and may be set to close more as it struggles with a challenging market. The group now faces intense competition from a crop of more contemporary "fast fashion" retailers ranging from High Street behemoths like Zara and H&M to pure online players like Asos. It's also faced the same problems as other High Street retailers, including rising business rates and labour costs, too many unprofitable stores, and inflexible leases that make it hard to close failing shops. "We've had 10 years of austerity, people don't spend like they used to, and we're massively over shopped," believes Eric Musgrave, a fashion commentator and former editorial director of Drapers magazine. "The speed at which the market is changing, and the number of new fashion rivals, has basically overwhelmed them." Richard Lim, an analyst at Retail Economics, says the rise of online shopping's been a big factor too. "Not only are retailers facing fixed costs they face huge costs fulfilling online orders. That's a lot easier to handle if you are a smaller, nimbler operator." Some say that Sir Philip, who is reported to have run Arcadia with an iron fist, has been too slow to change. Lord Stuart Rose, a former boss of M&S and retail rival, told the Financial Times in 2015: "He's more of a yesterday's man than he is a tomorrow's man... Time has caught him up." It is also unclear whether a spate of personal scandals has damaged the group's performance. The tycoon received widespread criticism - and calls to strip his knighthood - after he sold BHS for 1 to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell in 2015. Image copyright PrettyLittleThing Image caption Fast fashion brands such as Pretty Little Things pose a threat to traditional retailers MPs accused him of stripping money out of the firm before the sale, leaving it with a pensions deficit of 571m, which Sir Philip eventually paid 363m into. More recently Arcadia faced a consumer backlash after Sir Philip faced allegations of sexual harassment - claims he strongly denies. Reports suggest Arcadia will seek a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) - a solution that would enable it to avoid going bust by closing stores and cutting rents. However, while this has worked for other struggling retailers such as Byron Burger and New Look, some question whether landlords will be prepared to grant Sir Philip concessions given his reported personal wealth. The tycoon could also seek to sell the business, but some say prospective buyers could be put off by its large pension liabilities. The ailing retailer has two final salary plans with a combined deficit in 2018 of 537m. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48102858 |
Is there room for asylum seekers in the U.S.? | Donna, Texas President Trump announced a new proposal to slow the number of Central American migrants at the border, including charging those who seek asylum an application fee. But the government actually has hundreds of vacancies. Just across the U.S. border, CBS News saw hundreds of people waiting for a chance to legally ask for asylum. At a shelter in Reynosa, Mexico, run by pastor Hector Silva, names are kept on a list, part of the surge in asylum seekers. Last month, border agents said more than 100,000 people illegally crossed into the country. Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan is now asking for $5 billion to fix the problem. "The new wave of vulnerable populations arriving here and exacerbating our already urgent humanitarian security crisis at the border. We don't have room to hold them," McAleenan said. But there is room. CBS News learned Homeland Security already has detention facilities that are operating well below capacity. The Berks County detention facility in Pennsylvania, which can house 96 people only has nine. The Dilley detention site in Texas, which CBS News visited last August can hold over 2,400 women and children. Right now, there is less than 1,000. 2 tent cities opening along southern border in response to migrants surge Yet DHS has authorized two new tent cities that will hold 500 men, women and children. Immigration attorneys like Katy Murdza say the $36 million price tag is a waste of money. "These new facilities is another example of what we've already seen over the past five years of family detention, which is traumatizing and unnecessary," Murdza said. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said the volume of family units crossing the border has overwhelmed their limited transportation resources. In addition to the new tent projects, the Department of Defense will be sending 320 troops to the border again. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-there-room-for-asylum-seekers-in-the-us-2019-04-30/ |
Did Venezuela military betray Guaido attempt to oust Maduro? | A woman cheers on soldiers outside La Carlota military air base who have turned against Venezuelan dictator Nicols Maduro. AP For Venezuelas opposition, dawn broke on Tuesday with a jolt of political lightning and an auspicious photo-op. Interim President Juan Guaid, flanked by heavily armed soldiers and the countrys best known political prisoner, Leopoldo Lpez, announced the time had come to oust Nicols Maduro. With the help of rebellious troops, Guaid held out the promise that 20 years of single-party rule first under Hugo Chvez and now Maduro could end with a military-backed popular uprising. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN that Maduro had even been prepared to flee that he had a plane parked on the tarmac ready to take off to Cuba. That Lpez, who was serving a 13-year prison sentence under house arrest, was freed by his Military Intelligence captors, seemed to bolster the idea that the armed forces would play a starring role in what Guaid calls Operation Liberty. But as the day wore on, Guaids army of defectors never appeared en masse. And rather than leading a colossal march on the Miraflores Presidential Palace, as some were hoping for, the push devolved into running and brutal street battles that left at least 60 wounded, according to local reports. And Pompeo said Russia had talked Maduro out of leaving the country. Guaids three-month-long push to oust Maduro, it appeared, would require more time. Why the military and other high-ranking officials didnt heed the call to topple Maduro remains unknown, but its clear that Guaid and U.S. officials were expecting something else. Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lpez and Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno and others had been talking to the opposition and had agreed to help oust the embattled leader. And he held out hope they might ignore their Cuban handlers and do right by the country. All agreed that Maduro had to go, Bolton said of the men. They need to be able to act this afternoon and this evening to be able to bring other military forces to the side of the interim president. As of Tuesday night there was no sign of that happening. Padrino Lpez, on national television, mounted one of the most impassioned defenses of his boss, saying that anyone who tried to march on the presidency would face the full brunt of the armed forces. We reject this aggression directed by the North American empire, he said. Guaid, 35, is recognized by Washington and more than 50 other nations as the countrys only legitimate leader. They argue that Maduro, 57, has stayed in power through a series of increasingly fraudulent elections and as the nation has crumbled. In recent years, more than 3.4 million people have fled hunger, disease, crime and political oppression. Yddy Subero, a 35-year-old business administrator in Caracas, had come out onto the streets to protest for Guaid and end the national nightmare. I hope this ends without blood, she said, that [Maduro] has a heart and leaves peacefully. But thats unlikely. In the opposition strongholds of eastern Caracas, armored troop carriers loyal to Maduro rammed into demonstrators armed with little more than rocks, sticks and Molotov cocktails. Local TV showed one of the vehicles driving over the median and crushing a protester. Things had seemed more hopeful in the morning. Shortly after Guaid gave his predawn speech at the Carlota Air Force Base in Caracas, rumors spread that Armed Forces Chief of Staff Jose Ornelias and powerful commander Jess Surez Chourio were behind the military uprising. But just as quickly both men joined a growing list of officials swearing loyalty to Maduro. Then the oppositions attempts to take or at least surround Carlota, an iconic military base in the heart of Caracas, fell short as they were repelled with tear gas and tanks. That military officials who owe their careers and livelihood to Maduro and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela didnt abandon him shouldnt have come as a surprise, said a former U.S. diplomat in Washington, who would only talk on background. He said hed known about Guaids plans to call for an uprising for at least 10 days. If I knew it, then everyone knew it, he said. The [Maduro] regime saw it coming and was prepared. The regime probably even knew that people in the government were talking to the opposition and probably even approved of it. Guaid had originally called for a national march on Wednesday, May Day, so Tuesdays video announcement (released at about 5:40 a.m.) caught many by surprise. Asked if the United States had been given a heads up about the uprising, Bolton said: We feel very well informed about whats going on. Risa Grais-Targow, an analyst with the Eurasia Group, said that the next several hours could be critical. If there are high level military defections and significant street protests continue, it has the potential to be the long-awaited catalyst that initiates a negotiated transition. However, Guaids move is also a highly precarious bet, she wrote. If Maduro can successfully put down the rebellion, it will be a strong signal that he still enjoys a high degree of military support, which in turn will probably deflate the opposition. Earlier in the day, Venezuela security expert Brian Fonseca, a former Marine and U.S. Southern Command intelligence analyst who now serves as the director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University, said Guaids military support seemed to be flagging. What we saw today so far is some elements of the National Guard, some general officers from the National Guard actually support Guaid, Fonseca said. He estimated that the total number of forces behind Guaid was likely only in the hundreds. To me, the most important, powerful branch is the Army and we are not seeing the types of fractures there, Fonseca said. Guaid took a risk announcing the military support, Fonseca said, and if the Army does not back him, it could be crippling. If todays movement falls flat what does that mean for credibility of the Guaid movement? But its clear that Maduro is also politically wounded. As he faced outright revolt from some of his military and the seething discontent on the streets, Maduro stayed out of public view. Only hours after the uprising had started, he tweeted that hed talked to his commanders and that they had sworn their loyalty to the people, the Constitution, and to the FatherlandWe will be Victorious! Roger Noriega, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere during the George W. Bush administration, said that Tuesday was looking like another short-term loss for the opposition, but it, once again, put Maduros ruthlessness on display. He also said the situation in Venezuela had become more volatile as Russia, China, Cuba and others work to prop up the Maduro regime. This may look like a failure at this point, but one thing that it confirms is that we cant walk away from this, the United States has to be more creative and no less energetic, he said. Its no longer a showdown with tropical dictators, because we have China and Russia involved. ... Its not unthinkable that the Russians will be able to sustain Maduro in defiance of the U.S. [so] we have to dig in on this and look for a better set of options. Earlier this year, Russia sent at least 100 military advisers and tons of hardware to Venezuela. In a statement, Russias Foreign Ministry said the country only supported a negotiated solution to the political crisis. The radical opposition in Venezuela has again resorted to violent methods of confrontation, the government said. Instead of seeking to settle political disputes peacefully, it has adopted a course of escalating the conflict, provoking violations of public order and staging clashes with the involvement of the armed forces. For Guaid and Lpez, the stakes are high. Maduro has stopped short of arresting Guaid, but some speculate that restraint is now gone. On Tuesday Chiles Foreign Minister said Lpez and his wife, Lilian Tintori, had become guests at the Chilean embassy in Caracas a sign that they could no longer count on the crowds to keep them safe. Lpezs Voluntad Popular party later said that he was not seeking asylum and would not be staying at the embassy permanently. On Tuesday evening, Guaid suggested that victory was the only option remaining. Venezuela: We have the power in our hands to end, once and for all, this usurpation, he said. This process is unstoppable. We have the firm backing of our people and the world to reestablish our democracy. Caracas-based freelancer Carlos Camacho contributed to this article. | https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article229875474.html |
Could Venezuela uprising lead to a Trump Bay of Pigs moment? | Venezuelas Guaid calls for uprising in video Interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaid, called for a military uprising on April 30, 2019, in a video shot at a Caracas air base that showed him surrounded by soldiers and accompanied by detained activist Leopoldo Lpez. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaid, called for a military uprising on April 30, 2019, in a video shot at a Caracas air base that showed him surrounded by soldiers and accompanied by detained activist Leopoldo Lpez. President Donald Trump is dancing on a razors edge in Venezuela. Three months after the U.S. backed an uprising in its backyard, Trump appears closer than ever to toppling one of the three legs in what his administration has called the western hemispheres troika of tyranny. On Tuesday, Venezuelan National Assembly leader and self-declared Venezuelan President Juan Guaid called on Venezuelans to rise up against Nicols Maduro and, according to the U.S., nearly convinced the embattled ruler to flee to Cuba. Regime change in Venezuela would be a momentous victory for Trump. But after backing an out-gunned and out-manned opposition leader and bluffing for months at the possibility of military intervention, Trump has also backed himself into something of a corner. Hes risked creating dangerous expectations that hell use force if push comes to shove in a country where both Russia and Cuba are deeply invested. And with the Venezuelan military literally driving over protesters in the streets, there is already pressure building for him to send in troops. War is a last resort. However, I think if theres any attempt at killing people on the streets because theyre demonstrating against Maduro, if that occurs we have to do something, said Bay of Pigs Veterans Association President Johnny Lopez de la Cruz, who was among the U.S.-backed troops who covertly invaded Cuba in 1961, only to be abandoned on the beach by John F. Kennedy. Im pretty sure the U.S. has learned the lesson of the Bay of Pigs, raising the expectations and then at the last minute taking away the support. Thats something I dont think is going to happen this time. The likelihood of military intervention in Venezuela still seems remote. Trump tweeted Tuesday about ratcheting up sanctions not force against Cuba, which has worked to keep Maduro in power. And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continued to talk about a peaceful transition of power during a Tuesday evening interview with CNN, in which he said that Maduro was poised to flee the country on his private plane until Russia convinced him to stay in Venezuela. Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido (C) speaks to supporters next to high-profile opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez, who had been put under home arrest by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros regime, and members of the Bolivarian National Guard who joined his campaign to oust Maduro, in Caracas on April 30, 2019. - Guaido -- accused by the government of attempting a coup Tuesday -- said there was no turning back in his attempt to oust President Nicolas Maduro from power. (Photo by Cristian HERNANDEZ / AFP)CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ/AFP/Getty Images CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ AFP/Getty Images But for all of Trumps efforts to shape the uprising in the poverty-stricken country, a peaceful transition is not entirely in his control. And at least one of the presidents allies is urging the U.S. to position its troops on the border in case Guaid needs all the force of the American military. President Trump should immediately position American military assets to be ready to deliver aid to the people and defend freedom and democracy as well as U.S. national security interests in our hemisphere, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said Tuesday. This is a fight against Cuba, Russia, China, Iran and Hezbollah who are all in Venezuela right now and want to inflict pain and torture on the people. The time for talking is over. Its time for action. Trumps high-stakes gambit in backing Guaid has largely paid off. Fire-brand rhetoric around Maduros regime has endeared Trump with a large exile Hispanic community and put Democrats on their heels in the countrys largest swing state. National Security Adviser John Bolton, meanwhile, has made repeated visits to Miami to rip what he calls the Troika of Tyranny Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela and Trump stopped in Miami in February to proclaim 2019 the twilight of socialism in the western hemisphere. J.R. Johnny Lopez de la Cruz, left, president of the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association Brigade 2506, presents a medallion to National Security Adviser John Bolton Wednesday, April 17, 2019, in Coral Gables, Fla., at the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association on the 58th anniversary of the United States failed 1961 invasion of the island, an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government. The Trump administration on Wednesday intensified its crackdown on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, rolling back Obama administration policy and announcing new restrictions and sanctions against the three countries whose leaders national security adviser John Bolton dubbed the three stooges of socialism. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Wilfredo Lee AP Its been an effective strategy in Florida, where top-of-ticket races are decided by thin margins and just shy of 20 percent of Floridas 13.4 million registered voters are Hispanic. And Guaids ascension made possible by Trumps support has received bipartisan acclaim in Miami, which possibly helped keep Democrats from running up the score in Democrat-heavy South Florida this past November. South Florida is different than anyplace else, Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart said Tuesday. The Nicaraguans are there. Because of [President Daniel] Ortega. The Colombians are there. Because of the FARC and the ELN [guerrillas]. The Cubans are there. Because of the Castro regime. The Venezuelans are there. Because of [Hugo] Chavez and Maduro. Thats the reality. It is the center of exile for the hemisphere and therefore there is infinite knowledge and sensitivity to the damage that these regimes have done. That passion poured out in South Florida Tuesday morning as news spread of Guaids call to arms. In the Venezuelan exile community of Doral, a Rosary was called at Doral Catholic Church. Hundreds flocked to El Arepazo Original, a Venezuelan restaurant where live images of gunfire and tear gas canisters was broadcast live around the clock. Weve waited 20 years for this moment, said Yuri Ouchi, who spent the day at El Arepazo sending information to isolated relatives in Venezuela. Venezuelan exiles in Miami anxiously follow news coming out of Venezuela through media outlets including television channels and social media at El Arepazo restaurant in Doral. Pedro Portal [email protected] But the news wasnt all positive. By mid-afternoon, former presidential candidate and political prisoner Leopoldo Lpez, who escaped house arrest to appear on video with Guaid Tuesday morning, checked his family into the Chilean embassy for protection. And there was little evidence that military members were fleeing to Guaids side, said Brian Fonseca, a Venezuelan military expert and Florida International University professor. Im not seeing any real or serious indications that the military is fracturing, said Fonseca, a former Marine and U.S. Southern Command intelligence analyst who now serves as the director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University. Troubling video surfaced of an armored car driven by pro Maduro forces driving into and over a crowd of demonstrators in the streets of Caracas. Bolton later told reporters that at least 40 people have died since protests began in February. The U.S. has repeatedly warned that military force is an option in the country. But Fonseca believes Trump lost all credibility after U.S. Envoy to Venezuela Elliott Abrams admitted during a prank call recorded by two Russian nationals that Trump was dangling military action as an empty threat. Now, Fonseca says with concern, maybe one of the few ways to regain that credibility is the actual use of the military. Still, with a peaceful transition a possibility, Venezuelan exiles in South Florida were encouraged by Guaids move Tuesday. After weeks of non-action that followed an ill-fated attempt two months ago to push humanitarian aid into the country, Venezuelan expat and Democratic political consultant Helena Poleo said Trumps support for Guaid was beginning to look like a campaign stunt. If this ends up today in Maduro releasing his grip on power, then this is a huge, huge win for the Trump administration. And this is something theyll absolutely use in 2020, he and anybody else running for office under that flag, she said. For South Florida, it will mark a huge change, even if the outcome is not what we wanted. I think it will help unless a big unless this could turn into a Bay of Pigs. So they have to be careful. The Bay of Pigs invasion, which took place this month in Cuba 58 years ago, was planned as a covert action by the administrations of Dwight Eisenhower and then John F. Kennedy and was intended to appear as if Cuban exiles had planned their own coup to topple Fidel Castro. Kennedy called off air strikes after the invasion had already begun, dooming the operation to failure and effectively turning generations of Cuban exiles against the Democratic Party. In Venezuela, just as it was in Cuba, there is also Russian and communist Cuba interests at play, which poises tricky politics for a president who has spent the last two years arguing that hes tough on Cuba and not in the pocket of Russian President Vladmir Putin. At the same time, Trump also faces the fact that hes led an international strategy of isolationism, and that his voters outside Florida may oppose increased U.S. involvement in South America. Theres no doubt the entire Venezuela situation is a political tinder box, said Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi. If it explodes, theres going to be fallout on all sides, not just in Latin America. From a political vantage point, Trump could be perceived as the JFK of the Venezuelan community. For now, though, Trumps administration is striking a moderate tone, even as Guaids uprising showed signs of waning Tuesday evening. Bolton who appeared in Miami this month with Lpez de la Cruz to speak on the 58th anniversary of the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion downplayed the chances of Maduros military firing on their own people. And he continued to hold out hope for a successful change in the presidency, even while waving a stick. We want as our principal objective the peaceful transfer of power, Bolton said. But I will say again as the president has said from the outset, and that Nicolas Maduro and those supporting him, particularly those who are not Venezuelan should know, is all options are on the table. McClatchy reporters Tara Copp and Alex Daugherty, and Miami Herald reporters Kyra Gurney and Jim Wyss contributed to this report. | https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article229842794.html |
Is There Trouble in Paradise for Vanderpump Rules Star Lala Kent and Fianc Randall Emmett? | On Tuesday, fans of the Bravo series noticed the 29-year-old beauty mogul deleted photos of her and her "man," as she refers to him on the show. It seems Kent is currently on a deleting spree, because she only has one image (as of now) of her and Randall and it dates back to Dec. 16, 2018. The picture remaining is of the two looking lovingly at each other at their engagement party. "I told him last night, if we get caught up in the celebration with our beautiful friends and family, just glance at me from across the room, and we will remember it's just you and me," she captioned her post. "Last night was so full of love." Photos of their engagement news have also been wiped from her social media page, which she announced on Instagram last September. | https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1037063/is-there-trouble-in-paradise-for-vanderpump-rules-star-lala-kent-and-fiance-randall-emmett |
Is a Burkini Enough to Rehabilitate the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue? | There are some sights you just never forget. For me, those lasting images include the splendor of Patagonias Perito Moreno Glacier, the first time I laid eyes on my wedding dress, and the day I walked into my old midtown office, only to be confronted by a sea of womens butts. I was working for Fortune sister publication Money at the time, and the butts in questionthree of them, belonging to topless models with their backs to the camerawere courtesy of another Time Inc. magazine, Sports Illustrateds Swimsuit Issue. One perk of working at the company was the access to free magazines, which were piled throughout the building. But for some reasonmaybe hoarders?the annual SI Swimsuit Issue was the only one that was personally delivered to our office door. That hallway of tanned cheeks is on my mind today because of news that Somali-American model Halima Aden will become the first woman to wear a hijab and burkini in the upcoming issue. She looks amazingand surely it counts as progress to see a young Muslim woman represented in the pages of the popular, mainstream publication. Yet it also makes me wonder, as I did that morning many years ago, what the swimsuit issue really represents, and to what extent we should really celebrate the firsts it achieves. (There have been plenty of others, including Ashley Graham as the first plus-size cover model, snowboarder Brenna Huckaby as the first featured amputee, and last years disastrously ill-conceived #MeToo-themed shoot, in which women painted phrases like more than my appearance onto their otherwise naked bodies.) Sure, its a fashion mag and a great way to sell ads. But its also a remnant of an old world where we all agreed on what was sexya skinny white woman with large breasts wearing as little clothing as possible. And even as the magazine leans on women like Adenwho, like so many of us, fall outside of that teeny, tiny boxto provide them with a sprinkle of wokeness, the majority of previous issues have been more of the same. Maybe that will change this year. (The new issue comes out in May.) Or maybe our ideas of sexiness and desirability have finally evolved beyond something that can be contained in a single package and put on the newsstandor delivered to your office door. This essay originally appeared in the April 30th edition of The Broadsheet, Fortunes newsletter about the worlds most powerful women. Subscribe here. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/30/burkini-sports-illustrated-swimsuit/ |
Why did someone throw a lemon at Ariana Grande at Coachella? | FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2015 file photo, Ariana Grande arrives at the 57th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Not cool. Video making the rounds on social media show that Ariana Grande wasnt treated too well during her performance Sunday at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival. Grande was singing a Break Your Heart Right Back mashup when all of a sudden a lemon thrown from the crowd hits her square in the chest and then bounces off. ARIANA SWEETIE IM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT LEMON BUT... I CANT BELIEVE CHRIS AND I SAW THIS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US JSKSJW pic.twitter.com/SoJvdEwQjn kayleigh (@KayleighPerezz) April 22, 2019 The pop singer doesnt miss a beat and skips around in in mega high heels, laughing. Twitter users sounded off. This aint no One Direction concert. People dont throw lemons at people! Some commenters seem to believe the lemon incident stemmed from a recent Variety article that said Grande was paid $8 million for her Coachella set and that Bey was paid roughly half that last year. The beyhive did it, opined a Twitter user, referring to the Lemonade singers fan base. But it turns out that was just a rumor, and the two women made the same amount, but that their contracts were structured differently, The Blast reports. | https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/news/article229572514.html |
Is It Time To Talk Instead Of Text? | Getty Its good to talk. Back in the mid-90s when I was working in London, living in Amsterdam, this was the brilliantly simple campaign catch line of British Telecom during what is now known as a golden era for television advertising. It seems almost prehistoric to think that this much-awarded national campaign was all about persuading a phone-phobic male population to dial their friends and family more often. I was thinking about this the other day, wondering whether our preference to conduct communications behind a screen (so millennial) was more help or hindrance. (Is it?) This was a question posed recently by researchers in a study for the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology . They found that talking in-person was 34 times more effective. That is, count them, 34. In the study, participants were much more likely to agree to complete a prescribed task when they were asked directly, rather than over email. You need to ask six people in person to equal the power of a 200-recipient email blast, wrote author Vanessa K. Bohns. Then theres the time-saving efficiency of talking in person. There is not a person among us who has not at some point rolled their eyes after receiving an email with a benign enquiry from a co-worker sitting next to us. Hello, Im here, you can ask me, I dont bite. In my New York agency, it used to drive me crazy that 50 people in a room would be exchanging (via emails and instant messages) plans around lunch without ever uttering a peep like Who is making a salad run? Anyone want Chinese? I am eating Keto; whos in? If you were to teleport someone from the pre-digital era to a 21st-century office, it would be the silence they would not be able to comprehend. ), the telephones endlessly ringing, all replaced by workers operating in almost secluded silence. (And in the creative industries, usually with a pair of headphones on, a kind of passive aggressive do-not-disturb signmaddening for anyone who wants to ask them a question, which invariably has to be done twice.) And yet ours is an age where communication has never been easier, with the possibility of reaching new audiences around the world that would have been simply beyond comprehension a generation ago. Its not just the everyday office communication tools like email, Slack and Skype that make communication easier. Its the amplification power and negligible cost of platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and other social channels that means launching a startup has never been easier, or less risky. Conversation may be easier. But the value of real conversation is manifestly more powerful, and much harder. Email read receipts are all very well (or maddeningly irritating depending on your viewpoint) but they dont tell you if the recipient actually understood. A large part of the work Im doing at Philip Morris International (PMI) involves initiating a conversation, both online and in-person, engaging with critics, business and healthcare stakeholders, the media and the wider world to encourage everyone to unsmoke their worlds . I hardly need to point out that social media is not the easiest environment to change minds (echo chambers are us), especially when your opposite number is behind a screen or using an avatar. By far the most meaningful conversations Ive had have been in person where even our staunchest critics have listened with a generosity of spirit. And its arguably the method that will deliver more effective results. Its good to talk. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariansalzman/2019/04/23/is-it-time-to-talk-instead-of-text/ |
Is There Any Chance Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Actually Going To Release Single Player DLC? | Red Dead 2 Rockstar If you havent heard all that much about Red Dead Redemption lately, its because even if Rockstar continues to update Red Dead Online (still in beta), its become pretty clear that the mode is never going to be golden goose that GTA Online was and still is for them. Red Dead Online may have some niche fans, but there still just isnt all that much to it, and too many problems and potential competitors exist for most people to keep bothering with it for this long. As such, Im wondering if Rockstar may possibly be changing their tune about single player DLC, something that has never been officially discussed for Red Dead Redemption 2, but is obviously a big part of Rockstars DNA with famous packs for GTA 4 and the original Red Dead, from Ballad of Gay Tony to Undead Nightmare. GTA 5 famously abandoned the concept of single player DLC altogether, much to the dismay of fans. Even if Rockstar had a good reason for doing so, the immense popularity of GTA Online, it still felt like leaving a whole lot of money on the table for what is literally the best-selling $60 title in the history of video games. I would hope that Rockstar may have learned a lesson for that, as even a cursory attach rate for GTA 5 single player DLC would have earned them hundreds of millions of dollars and now here, Im hoping that with Red Dead Online not exactly setting the world on fire in terms of revenue like GTA Online was, that maybe Rockstar no longer has an excuse to avoid single player DLC for RDR2. Red Dead 2 Rockstar With Red Dead Redemption 2 being a prequel that bumps up against the events of Red Dead 1 pretty clearly, post-story DLC may not be in the cards. And yet I think theres plenty of room for single player DLC concepts here. You could have pre-prequel stuff with a young Arthur running jobs with Dutch and Josiah. You could have spin-off stuff like following Sadies adventures as a bounty hunter. You could go completely wacky and emulate Red Dead 1 with an Undead Nightmare-style standalone story that isnt canon in the traditional sense. The options are there. We are seeing most games move away from big DLC packs because its expensive to make and its easier to just make shirts and guns and hats and sell them as microtransactions for a fraction of the cost. But with RDR2s huge sales, Rockstars best-in-industry DLC making abilities and the desire of the fanbase to see something like this, it would seem like a good idea all the same, and every time we get some new crappy Red Dead Online update instead of news about single player DLC, fans die a little bit inside. I dont like this new future of nothing but roadmaps and microtransactions. The era of great DLC may be over, but it doesnt have to be, and Rockstar has a unique opportunity here to bring it back in a way that few other developers or games could manage. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Read my new sci-fi thriller novel Herokiller, available now in print and online. I also wrote The Earthborn Trilogy. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2019/04/23/is-there-any-chance-red-dead-redemption-2-is-actually-going-to-release-single-player-dlc/ |
Could one of these five players be on the move during 2019 NFL draft? | CLOSE Nate Davis reveals three of the 100 biggest draft busts in NFL history according to USA TODAY Sports. USA TODAY Sports The 2019 NFL draft is only days away, teams finalizing their boards and rehearsing various scenarios as Thursday's first round approaches. Trades are an inevitable byproduct of the draft, and you're guaranteed to see quite a few once the event commences. Most of those will involve the swapping of current and future picks, though some players already in the league could also be on the move. Receivers Martavis Bryant and Tavon Austin were packaged off to new teams during last year's draft for selections and it must be a wideout thing Oakland infamously sent Randy Moss to the Patriots during the 2007 draft. Here are five names to watch: Seahawks DE Frank Clark: After committing $140 million to Russell Wilson over the next four years, Seattle could decide it makes more sense to offload its 25-year-old franchise-tagged pass rusher than further stress the salary cap by giving him an extension, too. Clark, who has 32 sacks over the past three seasons, is also a nice chip for an organization that currently has just four choices in this year's draft. The tricky part here is that a trade partner would surely want time to work out an extension with Clark before surrendering a high pick for his services. After tagging Dee Ford earlier this year, the Chiefs sent him to San Francisco for a 2020 second rounder. Browns RB Duke Johnson: GM John Dorsey insists his third-string back isn't going anywhere ... and maybe it does make more sense to hold onto Johnson until closer to the trade deadline, at which point suspended Kareem Hunt's expected return should be imminent. But the longer Dorsey holds onto an effective third-down back (nearly two-thirds of Johnson's 3,456 career yards from scrimmage have come as a receiver), the less he can probably expect in return. However Johnson is under contract for three more years, so Dorsey can certainly afford to drive a hard bargain here. Buccaneers DT Gerald McCoy: He just turned 31. He's coming off a season when he failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2011. He's scheduled to make $13 million this season, and his expensive contract runs through 2021. He's also not necessarily a great scheme fit in new coordinator Todd Bowles' defense. So it's little wonder that the Bucs, including new coach Bruce Arians, have been non-committal about McCoy's future ... and also no surprise he has yet to report for voluntary workouts. QB NEEDS: Ranking all 32 teams by need for a passer BOOM OR BUST: Drew Lock, Rashan Gary among NFL draft volatile prospects Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey: Total speculation here. But Ramsey has been absent from Jacksonville's workouts, drawing the ire of old school executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin. Ramsey, arguably the most talented corner in the league, was a huge part of Jacksonville's success in 2017. He was also a distraction in 2018 and didn't play up to his exceptional ability though he was hardly alone in his own locker room. He should be a cornerstone of this franchise. But it's also not outside the realm of possibility that Coughlin decides he should get everything he can for a player scheduled to be a free agent in two years and one sure to drive a hard bargain come contract time. And don't forget, the Jags would still have a first-rate corner in A.J. Bouye if Ramsey departs. Cardinals QB Josh Rosen: According to multiple reports, Arizona brass still hasn't determined whether to draft Oklahoma's Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick. But if they arrive at that decision, as most draft observers assume they will, then it makes a lot more sense to unload Rosen, the Cards' top pick in 2018, for the best offer they can wrangle before the draft begins rather than waiting until after it starts. *** Follow Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2019/04/23/nfl-draft-trade-players-2019-frank-clark-josh-rosen/3545345002/ |
Why Is The Public So AI-Illiterate? | Getty The state of AI understanding by the public, policymakers, journalists and even non-AI technologists is almost comically bad. What is most intriguing, however, is that like todays social media coverage and yesterdays VR coverage, non-AI researchers tend to react with considerable dismissiveness and even downright vitriol to discussions of the limitations of todays correlative approach to deep learning and its reliance on free but bad training data. Several years ago, writing anything critical of virtual reality was apparently one of the greatest violations of technology etiquette a journalist could perform, frequently yielding torrents of hate mail condemning the journalist in question as lacking the most basic understanding of VR. No matter that the author had spent years working with VR or that the very VR technologists at the companies so esteemed by these individuals were raising exactly the same issues, it seemed anything critical of VR was forbidden. What mattered was Silicon Valleys extraordinary reality distortion field that had convinced these people that virtual reality had finally reached its moment and that within a year, televisions would have disappeared and every household would have a VR headset for every family member. The sheer power of the reality distortion field around technology is a remarkable thing to behold, especially its ability to convince even other technologists outside the given field to suspend their disbelief and their own technical knowledge and simply accept on blind faith whatever the marketing departments of the biggest companies want them to think. Ironically, many of the commentators that just a few years ago were the most fervent in their attacks on anyone who questioned the rise of VR are today claiming they knew all along VR would remain a niche technology. Social media has been the most recent technology to be enveloped within the reality distortion field, with an endless deluge of press, policymakers, pundits and the public touting it as the all-powerful societal zeitgeist capable of undermining democracy itself. No matter the actual factual evidence that social media is vastly smaller, slower and less influential than believed or that one of the major platforms is actually declining rapidly. If one dares to question the influence of social media, it is apparently evidence that they simply dont understand technology. Today the latest technology to enjoy this support is the field of deep learning, known simply as AI to the general public. Public understanding around AI tends to fall into one of three camps: all-powerful superhuman thinking machines poised to take over the world momentarily and save humanity, all-powerful superhuman thinking machines bent on the imminent and utter destruction of humanity whether through claiming our jobs or taking our lives and critiques of AI as a limited and brittle technology that produces hauntingly accurate results when it works, but whose underpinnings are based on mere statistical correlations without the causative models necessary to actually reason about the world. The problem is that while the technologists at the forefront of AI have cautioned about the latter, it is the former two portrayals that seem to have taken root in the cultural zeitgeist, especially the first. It seems the idea of AI everywhere, leading us towards a brighter, safer, more secure and happier future is the theme that has taken over the worlds press. In fact, global online news coverage of AI in the 65 languages monitored by the GDELT Project has doubled over the past two years. The chart below shows the percent of global online media coverage mentioning artificial intelligence or deep learning as monitored by the GDELT Project, compared with coverage about AIs impact on employment, the use of AI to create autonomous weapons and the limitations of AI. Kalev Leetaru It is clear that overall conversation of AI (which tends to veer sharply into marketing hype and hyperbole and is almost overwhelmingly positive) vastly outpaces coverage of the negatives of AI, especially its limitations. It doesnt help that the overwhelming majority of the technology press have no actual experience building production AI systems and so rely primarily on the lavishly glowing hyperbole spoon-fed to them by AI companies. Similarly, non-AI technologists that dip their toes into the AI waters find that the typical hello world deep learning app created with a few lines of code and a few training samples performs almost uncannily well, leading to the false assumption that closing the accuracy gap to production is a trivial matter of loading a few dozen more examples into the algorithm and calling it a day. The problem is that the press, policymakers, pundits and the general public are all largely AI-illiterate and thus unable to make informed decisions about the increasing use of deep learning in their lives. To them, AI is almost magical and this idea is amplified by the marketing machines of major AI companies touting the superhuman feats of their algorithms, while leaving out the almost tailor-built handcrafted laboratory conditions under which those algorithms achieved those results and all of the times the algorithms failed. Companies maintain this illusion by touting their successes while largely hiding their failures, while the press and policymakers understand so little about AI they dont even know what questions to ask. It is quite telling that each time Facebook touts its counterterrorism AI algorithms, there is a deluge of glowing press coverage touting how the algorithms catch 99% of terrorist content. In reality, the careful observer will recognize Facebooks exact wording states that 99% of the content it removes were the result of its blacklists and nave filters and that it is almost entirely dependent on blacklists and these basic filters for content removal. From an enormous AI success story, the reality becomes a cautionary tale of the failures of relying on AI. Yet, few journalists know enough about AI to understand the exact meaning of Facebook's words nor will they take the time to track down all of the companys public statements, read through its academic publications or interview its AI researchers in order to get one of its spokespersons to confirm these details. Most importantly, Facebook to date has refused to offer even the most rudimentary numbers about its false positive and false negative rates which would allow outside AI researchers to assess the accuracy of its algorithms and policymakers to contemplate the societal impact of imperfect AI wielding such enormous influence over the national discourse. Putting this all together, our AI-illiterate public is bombarded with a daily deluge of glowing press lavishing AI with praise and focusing almost exclusively on its positives, while the nuanced conversation about the very real limitations of AI and the path towards more robust, accurate and understanding AI is almost nonexistent. In the end, it is clear we as a society have a long path ahead in trying to create an AI-literate society that can make informed decisions about the role of AI in our lives. The only question is whether rational discourse can compete with Silicon Valleys legendary reality distortion field. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/23/why-is-the-public-so-ai-illiterate/ |
Is BTC Determined To Try Higher? | Getty Monday was still part of the Easter holiday in many countries although it was business as usual in the US. The week began with some small gains across the board with Bitcoin (BTC) back above $5,300 and Ethereum (ETH) up to $171.50. Still, the market had that holiday feel about it with light volumes and a general reluctance to push too hard to the topside for fear of what might be lurking. However some brave soul decides to have a go and BTC is up to $5,425 in a heartbeat but alas as quickly as it went up, it comes back to $5,300. If you had blinked you would have missed it, but the move probably gives some insight into the interest lurking higher. You would imagine this price action would have been enough to put off even the strongest bull, but apparently not! Back up we go to $5,450 this time! No, back down to $5,380 as the sellers rushed back in. As we can see this level for Bitcoin is going to be a battle, but upward progress is being made. And interestingly it doesnt appear to be dragging the rest of the market with it as ETH finished the day virtually unchanged at $171.40. Technical Analysis We will not overcomplicate it today, so just a reminder where we are with BTC. The chart is self-explanatory with various levels of support in place following the break higher from several weeks ago. To the top, we have last weeks high of $5,466, and then $5,633, which was the high on a bounce after the break of the very important $5,800 level. And that in itself probably becomes the most important of levels to the top. Still, plenty of room to move either way but for now the market feels determined to try and push higher. 23 April 2019, David Hannigan. trade.io Mondays biggest winner and loser With additional commentary & technical analysis by David Hannigan, Chief Dealer, trade.io. Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by Jim Preissler are solely his opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Forbes, Forbes CryptoMarkets, their parent company or affiliates. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jpreissler/2019/04/23/btc-is-determined-to-try-higher/ |
Is The Swelling In Retirement Confidence Believable? | Getty A new landmark study of Americas workers and retirees shows theyre significantly more confident than a year ago in their ability to live comfortably throughout retirement. I wish I could believe them. But based on actual retirement savings trends, retirement health costs and long-term care expenses, I sadly think many of the workers and retirees are kidding themselves. I hope Im wrong. According to the 2019 Retirement Confidence Survey of 2,700 Americans 25 and older from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) the nonpartisan nonprofits 29th report: 82% of retirees are confident they (and their spouse) will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement. Thats a sharp rise from 75% a year ago and comparable to the highs in 2005 and 2017. 67% of workers are confident they (and their spouse) will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement, up from 64% a year ago and 60% in 2017. Its near the peaks of 1999 and 2004. Skeptical About the Retirement Confidence Numbers And heres why Im dubious: The EBRI survey also found that 40% of workers said they have less than $25,000 in savings and investments, not counting their home and any traditional pension plans. Another 9% had $25,000 to $49,999 and another 9% had $50,000 to $99,000. That brings us to 58% having under $100,000 saved. (A recent Transamerica survey found that boomers have saved a median of $152,000 and Gen Xers have saved $66,000.) Also on Forbes: Similarly, a March 2019 U.S. Government Accountability Office report to Congress found that 48% of U.S. households aged 55 and over have no retirement savings. And I think retirees and workers are wildly optimistic about their ability to pay for health and long-term care costs in retirement. In the survey, 80% of retirees said theyre confident they (and their spouse) will have enough money to take care of their medical expenses during retirement; 59% felt the same way about long-term care, such as nursing home or home care. And those percentages are way up from a year ago, too (70% and 51%). A striking 59% of workers said theyre confident in having enough money for medical expenses in retirement and 52% felt that way about long-term care costs. This despite the recent Fidelity Investments estimate that a healthy couple retiring at 65 this year can expect to spend $285,000 in retirement. And the new Senior Living Cost Index from A Place for Mom, a national senior-living referral service, said it now costs about $47,000 a year to live in an assisted-living facility and about $60,000 annually for a memory-care unit. Those figures will almost certainly increase in coming years. EBRI/Greenwald Retirement Confidence Survey Surprised About the Big Rise in Retirement Confidence Craig Copeland, EBRIs senior research associate, told me he was surprised how confident workers and retirees have become about their retirement finances. I was certainly expecting [the retirement confidence] numbers to go up from a year ago, with whats going on in the economy and the job market. People have been seeing raises and inflation is under control. There are a lot of good things going on, Copeland said. But the magnitude is a little larger than I expected. Copeland seemed skeptical about whether the strong confidence numbers were warranted. If you look at what people have saved, theyre not at the numbers people say in the survey that they should be saving at, he said. And, he added ominously: I hope this isnt a precursor to what we saw just before 2008 with the level of numbers we had back then. As you no doubt remember, the stock market and housing market came crashing down soon after. Taking the Temperature of Health Costs Copeland was also surprised, as I was, about the respondents confidence in their ability to pay for health and long-term care costs in retirement. He attributed it to the current low rate of medical inflation. They think that will continue, Copeland said. That may be a false hope, because if people get hit with long-term care expenses, they typically arent going to have enough money for them. I asked Copeland why workers and retirees have grown more confident about their retirement prospects when the stock market fell about 6% last year. Middle America people are more likely to have money in bank accounts than in the stock market, he said. And interest rates rose throughout much of 2018, providing heftier returns. Considering all of this, its important to point out that just 23% of workers say they are very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through retirement. Thats also up substantially from last year, though, when 17% said so. EBRI/Greenwald Retirement Confidence Survey Working in Retirement: Perception vs. Reality There also seems to be a large disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to working part-time in retirement. Once again this year, a preponderance of workers (80%) said they think theyll work for pay after they retire. Yet only 28% of retirees have actually done so, and that percentage fell from 34% in 2018. Weve seen this gap for a number of years, said Copeland. We also see people ending up retiring earlier than they had planned due to illness or disability or a loss of their job. It can be very difficult to get back to work. Copeland expects the percentage of retirees working part-time to increase, but doesnt expect much of a narrowing in the chasm between the percentage planning to work and those actually working. Investing, Caregiving and Retirement Confidence Two more intriguing findings from the EBRI study relate to investments and family caregiving. A sizable majority of workers (74%) and retirees (65%) said income stability was more important to them in retirement than maintaining wealth. Put another way, they favored knowing theyd have a set amount of income for life over preserving the money they had. However, not many Americans are giving their savings to an insurance company or other financial firm to turn the money into a guaranteed income annuity when they retire. Pulling the trigger on that really seems to be hard, Copeland said. And in a sign of the times, family caregiving has become a stumbling block for saving for retirement. In the survey, about a quarter of the workers whove provided unpaid care to a relative or a friend said the caregiving prevented them from saving or investing for the future or caused them to stop contributing to, or reduce contributions to, a workplace retirement plan. Only 28% of workers have been caregivers, but for them, it does have a huge impact on saving for retirement, said Copeland. The Key to Confidence: A Workplace Retirement Plan As in previous years, the EBRI survey found that having a workplace retirement plan was a key factor in whether Americans are saving for retirement. Some 79% with a plan have saved for retirement while only 17% without a plan have done so. And this comes through in the confidence numbers, said Copeland. While 74% of workers with retirement plans are confident about living comfortably in retirement, just 39% without a plan are. Legislation moving through Congress might help the ones lacking access to plans often small business employees and the 27 million Americans who are part-time workers. The SECURE bill would make it easier for both to contribute to workplace retirement plans. But, Copeland said, I expect it would be four or five years down the road before that law would let people have enough to accumulate for retirement to see if this shows up in the retirement confidence numbers." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2019/04/23/is-the-swelling-in-retirement-confidence-believable/ |
What is biggest need Miami Heat has to address in offseason? | Spoelstra: This season without question would be the growth of our young players Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talks to the media during the season-ending press conference at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Friday April 12, 2019 in Miami. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talks to the media during the season-ending press conference at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Friday April 12, 2019 in Miami. The Miami Herald Heat mailbag is here to answer your questions. If you werent able to ask one this time, send your questions for future mailbags via Twitter (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email me at [email protected]. Anthony Chiang: A No. 1 go-to option who can create his own offense consistently. In other words, a leading man. Dwyane Wade turned into that late in games this past season, as he led the Heat in fourth-quarter points per game (4.6), fourth-quarter shots per game (4.2) and fourth-quarter usage rate (28.6 percent). But Wade is now retired, and the Heat needs a player who can carry the offensive load for the entire game. Miami has lacked that, as its offense went through too many cold spells and finished among the worst in the NBA this past season. The Heat was below average in almost every offensive category 26th in points (105.7), 22nd in shooting percentage (45), 21st in three-point shooting percentage (34.9), 30th in free-throw percentage (69.5), 23rd in turnovers (14.7) and 26th in offensive rating (106.7 points per 100 possessions). Heres the issue: The Heat doesnt have the financial flexibility right now to acquire a leading man this offseason. Of course, Miami could find one in the draft. The Heat more than likely will pick 13th in the June 20 NBA Draft depending on lottery results, and the Jazz selected Donovan Mitchell with the No. 13 pick in 2017. So its possible. As far as cap space, the Heat has none as of now. Miami enters this offseason with 13 players under contract for 2019-20 who are due about $140 million, excluding cap holds. That puts the Heat above the projected $109 million salary cap and above the projected $132 million luxury tax line. So the wait for a leading man could stretch into the 2020 offseason, when the Heat is expected to have about $35 million in cap space (accounting for the Heats first-round draft pick in 2019 and 2020), which is enough for one max player in free agency. William: While I find the revelations about why Pat Riley signed Dion Waiters and James Johnson to long-term deals interesting and perhaps a mistake, I dont understand why he keeps getting a pass on the $98 million he gave to Hassan Whiteside. Anthony: Its easy to forget that if the Heat didnt give a max contract to Hassan Whiteside in the summer of 2016, another team would have. The Mavericks were prepared to offer him a similar annual salary. That doesnt make Miamis decision right or wrong, but that was Whitesides market value at that time. Since then, the value put on traditional big men has dropped as three-pointers and small ball have become the way to play. But Whiteside can still make an impact just because of his rim protection and rebounding, and he does need to play more than the 17.3 minutes of court time he averaged during the final 20 games of the season in a reserve role. Sports Pass for $30 per year Get unlimited access to all Miami Herald sports stories and videos for $30 Subscribe now #READLOCAL | https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article229572824.html |
Can an app improve romantic relationships? | In an article for The Lily, the Washington Post vertical dedicated to millennial women, Caroline Kitchener a name that seems like it was custom-made for a relationships columnist wrote about the Lasting app, which was created after its founder wondered, as reported in the piece, if its possible to programmatically get at couples therapy? Kitchener adds Two years later, however, it seems like the answer is probably no. The app is among the many tech interventions meant to manage either the daily details calendar synching; photo sharing or the uncomfortable (or, in millennial-speak, awkward) work of personal relationships. Kitchener writes that Lasting begins with an assessment of each individuals strengths and weaknesses then lines up a particular series of sessions. Users listen to three-to-eight-minute tutorials, narrated by a soothing female voice with excellent enunciation. Technology in various forms has always been part of human progress and daily life, including in relationships, Kate Carraway writes. ( dreamstime ) What Lasting offers doesnt seem that far removed from whats available in a deep Google and some light self-awareness, but downloading a dedicated app, and asking a partner to do the same, might have the effect that makes a theoretical real. It also has the benefit of offering a version of therapy for people who find the idea of talking to a stranger about their problems (the way a lot of the counselling-averse describe it) a hellride of vulnerability and fear. Technology in various forms has always been part of human progress and daily life, including in relationships, and isnt necessarily about outsourcing a feeling: some of what Facebook does could be said to have outsourced entire relationships, but for a while there, it was great for remembering birthdays. (I use iCal for that now, especially because Facebook has been mostly abandoned by my cohort. You can see, year over year, the birthday messages there shrink in both number and enthusiasm.) Other notable examples of this kind of thing are Romantimatic, an app that automates words of affirmation and reassurances, and Kindu, an app meant to encourage couples to talk to each other about their sexual preferences. but I do often ask my husband for a compliment. What he says after that kind of prompting counts in a way that a pre-programmed, drop-down I love you doesnt, because he still has to do the emotional work of connecting to whatever low mood or current conundrum Im in, and come up with something that I want or need to hear. Article Continued Below These apps might be worthy projects, considering the impact on relationships of culturally generated shame and tech-generated emotional negligence, but I cant help but be reminded of the high-school rule about having sex for the first time if youre too embarrassed to talk to a doctor about it, or to buy condoms or birth control, youre not ready to have sex. If you arent inspired to say something nice or sweet (or original) without an alarm, or if you cant talk about the kinds of sex you do and do not want to experience, you have work to do that is outside the scope of any app, and sometimes, outside the scope of a relationship. And that might be the real issue with Lasting. Kitcheners article includes the fact that even IRL couples therapy isnt magic, on its own: after people stop going to therapy, and no longer have the regular obligation to show up and actively talk about their experiences, they can lose momentum and resume previous, un-great relationship behaviours. And, Lasting cant offer the context of real therapy: the work there isnt just the best practices, as handed down on the app, but a contextualized, comprehensive approach to the two specific people in the room, as individuals and as a couple. The ongoing narrative of online life is one of equivocation: last year, the hot story was about parents in Silicon Valley raising their kids with minimal screen time, then it was how offline is the new luxury, and now its about Cal Newports digital minimalism and how few people have decent relationships with their devices. The common thread isnt that tech like this is necessarily good or bad but that over-reliance on it, and addiction to it, is a problem that has become so common we dont usually recognize it. Sometimes I watch my husband, who does not need an app to easily talk about even the most vulnerable stuff of our relationship, open Candy Crush on his phone while Im talking to him, not because hes actively avoiding anything, but because clicking open apps is now part of an average persons muscle memory. I feel like, get whatever help you can, but one big problem is resolved by putting down the phone, instead. Kate Carraway is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @KateCarraway | https://www.thestar.com/life/relationships/opinion/2019/04/23/can-an-app-improve-romantic-relationships.html |
What's the controversy over the baby T. Rex listed on eBay? | The partial skeleton of a baby Tyrannosaurus rex is for sale on eBay for nearly $3 million. And while it's anyone's guess who (if anyone) will buy the "king of the dinosaurs," the seller is certain of one thing: The specimen will inevitably end up in a museum, he said. "I'll guarantee you it will" eventually land in a museum, Alan Detrich, a sculpturist and professional fossil hunter in Kansas who is auctioning the T. rex, told Live Science. According to Detrich, if some billionaire purchases the specimen, he or she will likely for tax purposes gift the dinosaur to a museum one day. In that case, "everybody is happy because the [T. rex] is in a museum, and the billionaire got patted on the back and rode off into the sunset on the back of a dinosaur," Detrich said. [In Images: A New Look at T. Rex and Its Relatives] Detrich listed the baby T. rex on eBay on Feb. 26, and the paleontological community has been in an uproar ever since. Legality has nothing to do with the anger. Detrich's brother Bob found the beast's fossilized bones near Jordan, a town in eastern Montana, in 2013. Detrich was leasing the land, which was private property, meaning anything found on the land belonged to Detrich. Rather, paleontologists are upset because if a private individual buys the baby dinosaur king, that person is under no obligation to share it with the scientists who are keen to study juvenile T. rex specimens. Moreover, even if the predator's remains were lent to an institution or made available for study, most paleontologists don't like to study fossils unless they're donated, meaning the specimen would be available for study in perpetuity, and not just when the owner feels like making it accessible. That's precisely what happened in 2016, when a privately owned, 120-million-year-old specimen from Brazil drew controversy: A group of scientists called it the first four-legged snake on record, and another group announced that it wasn't a snake at all, but likely a dolichosaurid, an extinct snake-like marine lizard. It's anyone's guess what the creature really is, as the specimen's owner has declined to let anyone else study the fossil. Finding Baby Bob After digging up the bones, Detrich immediately knew they belonged to a theropod (a group of bipedal, mostly meat-eating dinosaurs), but he didn't know it was a T. rex until he took it to Peter Larson, a paleontologist and president of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research in South Dakota. Excited, Detrich took the fossils home to Kansas and cleaned them up. Then, in honor of his late mentor, Larry Martin, a vertebrate paleontologist and curator of the Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas, he lent it to the museum. "In honor of Larry, I thought it would be a good thing if I loaned this thing to the museum," Detrich said. "They could study it, they could show thousands of people this specimen, and they have." Paleontologists contacted by Detrich looked at the bones and estimated that the dinosaur, initially named "Baby Bob" and later "Son of Samson," was about 4 years old when it died during the late Cretaceous, about 68 million years ago. [Gory Guts: Photos of a T. Rex Autopsy] But after Son of Samson was on display for two years, Detrich felt like "I did my fair share of giving," and he posted it on eBay for $2.95 million. He didn't initially tell the museum about his plans, but when museum officials found out, they asked that he remove their name from the eBay posting, so they wouldn't be associated with the auctioning of dinosaur fossils. In a statement, museum director Leonard Krishtalka said, "The KU Natural History Museum does not sell or mediate the sale of specimens to private individuals. Accordingly, the specimen on exhibit-loan to us has been removed from exhibit and is being returned to the owner. We have asked that the owner remove any association with us from his sale listing." The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology also decried the sale: "Vertebrate fossils are rare and often unique," the society said in a statement. "Scientific practice demands that conclusions drawn from the fossils should be verifiable: scientists must be able to reexamine, remeasure and reinterpret them (such reexamination can happen decades or even centuries after the fact)." Studying privately owned specimens is so discouraged that Robert Boessenecker, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, who isn't involved with the T. rex specimen, said he wouldn't study any, even if the owner offered to lent it to him or a museum. In fact, it's common for people to try to drop off privately owned specimens for Boessenecker to identify, shed light on or even put on temporary display. "That has already happened, and I have thanked them for their generosity, but explained that because museums serve as a center of research, that any fossil that enters the museum for a long-term period should be owned by the museum," Boessenecker said. "If we're going to put it on display, it has to be a fossil that has been donated or otherwise permanently accessioned [added] into our collection." He added that most museums don't have the budget to purchase high-priced specimens. (An exception is Sue, the most complete T. rex on record , who was sold to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for $8.4 million in 1997.) Instead, most research institutions opt to spend less money by sending their own researchers out into the field to find fossils, or rely on the generosity of donors, Boessenecker said. [Photos: Velociraptor Cousin Had Short Arms and Feathery Plumage] Boessenecker added that many paleontologists have good relationships with fossil collectors, who often clue in researchers to fossil hotspots and exciting finds. But if they want to loan a specimen, it's just not worth it, Boessenecker said, in part because the museum is responsible for the housing and safety of any fossils in its possession. (He detailed other challenges in this Twitter thread.) Moreover, Detrich's eBay listing hints that the juvenile T. rex might solve the Nanotyrannus mystery once and for all. In short, some experts think that Nanotyrannus is a separate species, but most paleontologists think it's simply a baby T. rex. However, while the teeth of such a specimen would shed light on the mystery one way or the other, Boessenecker noted that Son of Sampson's jaw is highly fragmented and part of it may be missing so it likely wouldn't solve the case. In the meantime, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology discouraged institutions from putting loaned items on display. "We strongly recommend that repositories, exhibitions and scientists stay at arm's length from specimens that are not yet permanently in the public trust," the society said in the statement. To give an example, "The Museum fr Naturkunde [Natural History Museum] in Berlin is currently exhibiting and studying a privately owned tyrannosaur skull, a specimen that could just as easily be removed from the public trust as Detrich's juvenile," the society said. While there are no bids on the T. rex yet, as Detrich told Live Science, "All you need is one." Originally published on Live Science. | https://www.foxnews.com/science/whats-the-controversy-over-the-baby-t-rex-listed-on-ebay |
Would A Congress Party Victory In India Complicate Trumps Iran Sanctions Strategy? | With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in power in India, the country has similar foreign policy interests to those of the United States under President Donald Trump. In November, the Trump administration granted India an exemption from U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil which has allowed India to import an average of 300,000 barrels per day from Iran for the last six months. India has complied with those numbers, and now that the U.S. has ended exemptions, India has positioned itself to operate without any Iranian oil. However, this could all be complicated depending on the results of the ongoing national elections throughout India. NEW DELHI, INDIA - APRIL 23: A supporter carries a huge symbol of BJP in support of party candidate from East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency Gautam Gambhir as he files his nomination at District magistrate office, Geeta colony, on April 23, 2019 in New Hindustan Times via Getty Images By the end of May, India might have a new prime minister and ruling party. It may be the Indian National Congress (INC or Congress Party), currently headed by Rahul Gandhi. While Modi and the BJP are close with the Trump administration and American allies and partners in the standoff with Iran (Modi is particularly close with Israels Benjamin Netanyahu and has increased cooperation with Saudi Arabia), the 85 year old INC has traditionally been more distant from the US and others countries that oppose the current Iran regime. The INCwhich has been led over the years by Rahul Gandhis great grandfather (Jawaharlal Nehru), grandmother (Indira Gandhi), father (Rajiv Gandhi) and mother (Sonia Gandhi)might be less agreeable to abiding by the US-imposed sanctions on Iran. For years, Iran has played a major role in fueling Indias economic expansion. There were close ties between Indian refineries and the Iranian oil and gas industry. Now, because of the Iran sanctions, India is compelled to purchase more from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries. It may be compelled to rely on American imports too. Saudi Arabia is a new economic partner for India, but parts of Indian refineries are even being sold to Saudi Aramco, which should help cement a relationship. However, Saudi Arabia is also close with Pakistan, which has been an antagonist to India since partition of the subcontinent in 1947. Reliance Petroleum, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India. (Photo by: IndiaPictures/UIG via Getty Images) UIG via Getty Images It seems there is a good chance that Modi and the BJP will hold onto power. But if the Congress Party takes power in India, we do not know how India will react to the US sanctions on Iran. Those are big questions for the oil markets and geopolitics watchers alike. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenrwald/2019/04/23/would-a-congress-party-victory-in-india-complicate-trumps-iran-sanctions-strategy/ |
Who Has The Power To Regulate Extremist Content On The Internet? | Getty Earlier this month, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (more commonly known by its acronym DCMS) in the United Kingdom released a new online harms white paper to regulate social media, search, messaging, and file sharing platforms. Among other things, the proposal called for the creation of an independent regulator to police harmful content online, including implementing fines and holding individual executives to account if problematic material is not removed within a specified time period. Vague international definitions of terrorism and extremism have partially contributed to the struggle that technology companies face in moderating online content that is seen as extremist. As a result, multiple stakeholders have had to balance the power of policing content online to protect citizens, while upholding the tolerance inherent within liberal societies that allows citizens to express their rights of expression. After all, decisions around policing for extremism have important implications on citizen privacy, freedom of speech, and the ways in which governments and technology companies interact to define a term such as extremism and navigate the boundaries of their power. In the United Kingdom, the revised Prevent Duty Guidance defines radicalization as the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups. However, the terms extremism and terrorism have often been used interchangeably in government policy, and publicly available documents outlining the difference between these terms and their inherent relationship are lacking. The UK Governments Channel Duty Guidance, for example, defines extremism as the vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism calls for deaths of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas. However, this definition has met its fair share of criticism for being unclear and inapplicable, leading to the creation of a Counter Extremism Commission in early 2018 to propose a new definition of extremism for the United Kingdom. When it comes to defining and moderating extremist content, the online space is an important case study to examine how power is distributed between government and technology companies. Some, such as Huszti-Orban, have argued that States are effectively outsourcing certain law enforcement-linked tasks to private outlets, especially in the counter-terrorism context. Social media companies have been increasingly described as the keepers of public discourse. While extremist content can fit into the hate speech category, it usually requires a unique approach given that such content dehumanizes those groups seen as others, makes statements on their inferiority, or calls for their exclusion and/or segregation, all of which are often linked to violence. Given the possibility of security threats stemming from extremist activity, faster decisions have to be made than those on hate speech alone. As such, technology companies have exercised and distributed their power in new ways. The first is by going beyond what is legally required by governments and forging their own space of responsibility. This is certainly the case with Facebook, which has created its own definition of terrorism, and Google, which has defined extremism on its own terms. These are perhaps a reaction to a lack of governmental clarity on these terms. Moreover, as these technology companies operate global platforms, national laws on extremism and terrorism make the issue more contentious, as definitions vary from state to state. The second way that technology companies have exercised their power is through the use of artificial algorithms. 98% of videos removed from YouTube for violent extremism are flagged by machine-learning algorithms before they can be seen by users. Bulk removals by artificial intelligence present several ethical problems, including the removal of content that depicts human rights violations (as automated programs can tag torture as graphic or violent content). Moreover, there is no effort made on the part of technology companies, yet, to share information on how they understand such patterns of behavior or make decisions on what material should remain and what should be removed. There is, therefore a lack of accountability on the part of those that exercise power over citizens in controlling their right to expression and the consumption of information. The third, and crucial way in which technology companies have exercised their power to police extremist content online is by sharing this power with citizens. Through citizen coproduction, the citizen is allowed to perform the role of a partner rather than a customer in the recognition and removal of problematic content. As such, the inclusion of citizens in the process of content removal has allowed technology companies to share responsibility, but also to involve citizens in defining what extremism means. Crawford and Gillespie (2014), for example, have used the case study of flagging offensive content as a way for users and platforms to negotiate around contentious public issues. This argument rests on the assumption that power is shared between technology companies and citizens, and the visibility of the decision making process is in itself a way to control users of platforms. However, one could argue that citizen coproduction can also be a way for technology companies to increase their power over citizens. Foucault, for example, often discussed the invisibility of power, moving away from the need to keep subjects of disciplinary techniques visible be it through visibility within schools with glass walls and doors, or visibility of prisoners being punished in town squares to the idea of biopower, an increase in social control through self-discipline. When discussing the online space and extremism, one can therefore question whether the power to police is something that institutions such as technology companies, governments, and individuals possess and exercise to oppress individuals, or whether Foucaults conception of biopower has lead individuals to regulate themselves through self-disciplinary practices that subjugate them. As such, individuals can voluntarily control themselves by self-imposing conformity to cultural norms through self-surveillance and self-disciplinary practices. In this way, the constant self-disciplining of speech online due to vague conceptions of what constitutes extremism has implications on expression and privacy. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/nikitamalik/2019/04/23/who-has-the-power-to-regulate-extremist-content-on-the-internet/ |
Who is standing in the European elections in Wales? | Image copyright Getty Images On the 23 May voters in Wales and across the UK will take part in elections to the European Parliament - maybe. They may become redundant if Labour and the Conservative-led UK government strike a deal to get Brexit passed in the House of Commons. But there is little time and it is looking more likely than not that the polls will take place. The prospect of the election has thrown the parties into action stations in the second unexpected election in three years. Those who are successfully elected will take their seats in July and hold them until the current Brexit deadline of October, unless matters are resolved sooner or another extension is agreed. The UK has 73 seats in the parliament - split into different areas. Wales will be electing four MEPs. For European Union elections, parties stand on lists. You get one vote to support the party of your choice. Candidates have not yet been officially confirmed - that will not happen until nominations close on Thursday 29 April - and not all parties have announced their prospective nominees. Some have, though and so we know that the following people are putting themselves forward, with candidates listed in the order they would appear on the ballot paper: Labour: Jackie Jones, Matthew Dorrance, Mary Wimbury, Mark Whitcutt Plaid Cymru: Jill Evans, Carmen Smith, Patrick McGuinness, Ioan Bellin Welsh Liberal Democrats: Sam Bennett, Donna Lalek, Alistair Cameron, Andrew Parkhurst UKIP: Kris Hicks, Keith Edwards, Tom Harrison, Robert McNeil-Wilson Greens: Anthony Slaughter, Ian Chandler, Ceri Davies and Duncan Rees The Conservatives have not officially announced their list of candidates but they are expected to nominate Dan Boucher, Craig Lawton, Fay Jones and Tomos Davies. Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is yet to announce its full list but Nathan Gill is expected to stand. Change UK, which wants to remain in the EU and backs another referendum on Brexit, has reportedly chosen Jon Owen Jones, June Davies, Matthew Paul and Sally Stephenson as its candidates. Nathan Gill and Jill Evans are both sitting MEPs - the Conservative's Kay Swinburne and Labour's Derek Vaughan will be standing down. The 2014 election saw UKIP top the poll across the UK. Labour came first in Wales, but only just. While Labour's Derek Vaughan was re-elected with 28.15% of the vote, UKIP's list got Nathan Gill returned as an MEP with 27.55% of the vote. The Tories' Kay Swinburne was re-elected with 17.43% for her party. Plaid Cymru came forth but held on to Jill Evans' seat with 15.26% It meant that the status-quo from the previous election in 2009 remained. It is a result of the UK government's Brexit deal failing to pass in the House of Commons, and the fact the process has been extended into the autumn. The UK was meant to leave on 29 March, but Brexit has now been extended to 31 October. If a deal is agreed in the Commons, however, the UK could leave before Halloween. Prime Minister Theresa May has said there is a possibility the parliamentary elections could be avoided if a deal is passed before 22 May. Wales' MEPs are elected through a system named after a Belgian lawyer and mathematician, Victor D'Hondt, and via party lists. After the votes are counted the party with the most wins the first MEP, with the first name from the top of its list being elected. The number of MEPs the party has won so far is added to its total, and then the vote is divided in half. The totals are crunched again, and the party who comes out on top wins the second seat. The process is repeated until all the MEPs are allocated. If a party wins more than one MEP then the next candidate down its list will be elected, and so on. Pembrokeshire council is responsible for the European elections in Wales. It is expected to hold the count in Haverfordwest on Sunday 26 May - three days after the poll is held. You will need to be registered to vote - if you have not done so you need to be registered by 7 May. You can do so at the gov.uk website where you can also register to vote by proxy or by post. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-47948545 |
What Are The Major Online Payment Trends Of 2019? | 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: In the near term, a few things stand out: The roll-out of contactless in the US seems to finally be gaining momentum as the networks and several large issuers have announced aggressive plans for 2019 (with a strong focus on transit use cases in particular). PSD related activities are obviously top of mind for everyone in Europe - e.g. 3DS 2.0, open banking etc. which will also serve as a test bed for how these could roll-out globally. Longer term, many of the trends are driven by mobile devices, and the possible scenarios for retailers look positively limitless. More than 5 billion people around the globe now view the internet on a mobile device, and mobile will be the channel that drives the most growth in retail long term. Consumers are increasingly comfortable making larger purchases on mobile devices, meaning optimizing the design and function of mobile checkout is more important than ever and EMarketer predicts mcommerce will grow a whopping 37.9% in 2019. Companies are also heavily leveraging mobile in store to improve the customer experience (e.g. mobile POS, use of QR codes etc.) We are also seeing a shift towards contextual commerce, buying a product closer to the moment the shopper discovers it. The purchase happens in context meaning, in the middle of other activities like browsing social media, listening to music, or driving a car. Savvy companies will soon let shoppers buy anything at anytime, anywhere. Voice commerce is also an exciting area that will continue to grow as more shoppers buy smart speakers and AI advances make digital assistants better able to understand and execute on our needs. 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/2019/04/23/what-are-the-major-online-payment-trends-of-2019/ |
Can The Utah Jazz Pull Off The Impossible 0-3 Comeback? | ASSOCIATED PRESS The simple answer to whether or not the Utah Jazz can completely erase their 0-3 series deficit to the Houston Rockets is probably, "No." But thanks to Monday's Game 4 win, in which the Jazz used a 31-12 fourth quarter to win 107-91, the "probably" qualifier is necessary. Now, the odds of Utah winning three more games in a row are quite low. So, maybe looking at them could serve as something of a reality check. According to FiveThirtyEight, the Jazz have a 5% chance to pull off the comeback. Jacob Goldstein of The Basketball Index has a model that puts Utah's chances at 7%. And Basketball Reference is all the way up to 12.1%, which is a better forecast than it gives the Oklahoma City Thunder (8.3%), Brooklyn Nets (4.7%), Los Angeles Clippers (4.4%) or Orlando Magic (2.5%). Again, all of these are low. Even 12.1% is. But it's just enough to go full Lloyd Christmas: From a tactical standpoint, the Jazz do seem to have some things figured out. Utah defenders are literally playing behind James Harden on the perimeter. It's unlike anything we've ever seen in the NBA. In the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks took an exaggerated stance on Harden's left shoulder, trying to force him right. Utah exaggerated things even further: Harden just had the best pace- and minute-adjusted scoring season since 1962 Wilt Chamberlain, according to Ben Taylor. And the Jazz deliberately gave him an open path to the lane. Of course, few, if any, teams other than Utah can do that. It has Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint. And through four games, Harden is now 5-of-27 (18.5%) in the range of 3-10 feet. Houston is scoring 2.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with Harden on the floor than it did with him playing in the regular season. And if you narrow it down to just the two games in Utah, the Rockets are 16.2 fewer points per 100 possessions with Harden on than they did during the season. The more the Jazz lean into the strategy, the better it seems to work. After Game 5, this could all be moot, though. Harden was significantly better in Games 1 and 2 at home. And the rest of the team will almost certainly play with more urgency than what we saw in Game 4. But don't expect the Jazz to deviate from the strategy that gave them a chance to win Game 3 and put them over the top on Monday. On the other end of the floor, Utah is struggling. But, as is the case with the defense, the tactics aren't the issue. Jazz shooters just can't hit open shots. "Updated numbers after Jazzs Game 4 win: 55.7 quantified shot quality, still best in playoffs," ESPN's Tim MacMahon tweeted Tuesday. "19-of-84 (22.6%) on wide-open 3s, still worst for any team in last five postseasons." For those who don't know, "quantified shot quality" measures the number of points a team should score based on where it's getting its shots from. And the Jazz are getting loads of good ones. But, as noted by MacMahon, they just aren't converting them. In the regular season, Utah's top five shooters by three-point percentage hit a combined 39.3% of their attempts from deep. In this series, those five--Joe Ingles, Kyle Korver, Royce O'Neale, Georges Niang and Thabo Sefolosha--are shooting 29% from three. Donovan Mitchell, Ricky Rubio and Jae Crowder are a combined 20-of-72 (27.8%). The offense has been fine structurally. Gobert's rolls to the rim are still collapsing the defense. As are Mitchell and Rubio's drives. And everyone seems to be finding the shooters. Utah's fifth among playoff teams in potential assists, per NBA.com/stats. But it's eighth in assists and 12th in percentage of potential assists that were actually converted. If Utah's going to keep this series on life support, more than one of those shooters will likely need to get hot. Or, at the very least, rediscover regular-season form. And that's not all. The gimmicky defense that seems to be finding some footing has to continue to frustrate Harden. Games 3 and 4 gave the Jazz some reason for optimism. But to win in Houston, they'll need more than optimism. They need to make some shots and hope Harden keeps missing his. Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Cleaning the Glass or ESPN. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/andybailey/2019/04/23/can-the-utah-jazz-pull-off-the-impossible-0-3-comeback/ |
How did a $15,000 prosthetic leg fall 10,000 feet from the sky and land in NorCal lumber yard? | The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office helped connect a Marin man with a prosthetic leg he lost while skydiving on April 21, 2019. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office helped connect a Marin man with a prosthetic leg he lost while skydiving on April 21, 2019. 1 / 5 Back to Gallery Workers at a lumber yard in Cloverdalde, Calif., were surprised to find a perfectly intact prosthetic leg with a sneaker attached among a wood pile. It turns out the leg belonged to a Marin amputee named Dion who lost it at about 10,000 feet while skydiving on Sunday. Sonoma County Sheriff's Office recovered the leg and used social media to find its owner. Dion said this isn't his first lost leg. Another one fell off on another skydiving trip two years ago yet it was never found. "He promises to make a tether and learn from this but fully plans to stick with his passion," the Sonoma County Sherrif's Office said in a Facebook post reporting on the story. | https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/prosthetic-leg-Sonoma-County-skydiving-lumber-yard-13788689.php |
How will make-or-break season for Zimmer, Spielman and Cousins influence draft? | The possible future paths of the Vikings are best understood by looking at the past. The biggest trick is knowing when to stop going backward, but 2012 seems like as good a candidate as any. That season, the Vikings had two first round picks, choosing offensive tackle Matt Kalil with the No. 4 overall pick and grabbing safety Harrison Smith at No. 29. It remains the only time between 2003 and 2018 that the Vikings have taken an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft. Kalil played at a high level as a rookie, helping pave the way for Adrian Petersons 2,097 yard rushing season and a surprise playoff berth under second-year QB Christian Ponder. But injuries started a downward spiral for Kalil. Instead of being a 10-year anchor on the offensive line, he was gone after 2016. Smith, on the other hand, has become one of the NFLs best safeties. He started a run of defensive stalwarts plucked from the draft joined by Xavier Rhodes (2013), Anthony Barr (2014), Eric Kendricks and Danielle Hunter (2015), that together with head coach Mike Zimmer (hired in 2014) formed the identity of the Vikings. They invested in defense, and they were rewarded with division titles in 2015 and 2017. What they lacked was stability at quarterback and enough talent/depth on the offensive line. Teddy Bridgewaters devastating injury in 2016 is the single most-defining moment in the last seven years of Vikings history. And the inability to construct a consistently adequate offensive line has been the biggest downfall. Those two things werent necessarily linked for many of those years, but they sure are now. The Vikings went all-in on Kirk Cousins as a free agent QB in 2018, signing him to a three-year, $84 million guaranteed contract. What they bought was the idea of a consistent upgrade over 2017 starter Case Keenum and the potential for stability with a QB in Cousins who is a bona fide starter and a durable one at that. It was a fair gamble, but it came with a risk. Signing Cousins instead of, say, re-signing Keenum or banking on Bridgewaters return to health for much lower prices, meant there was less money to spend on defense and the offensive line. That in turn put pressure on drafting players, striking gold with lower-tier free agents and improving in-house candidates on the O-line. The strategy failed miserably in 2018, even when considering the tragic death of offensive line coach Tony Sparano before the start of the season. For the second time in three seasons, poor offensive line play derailed a potential playoff season. That lack of success, particularly in the Super Bowl-or-bust 2018 season, has put the onus on GM Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer to succeed in 2019 or risk losing their jobs. And that leads to some interesting questions about how the Vikings strategy in the draft starting Thursday might be impacted as a result which we discussed on this weeks Access Vikings podcast. Zimmer probably enjoys knowing who his quarterback is going to be from year-to-year, but hes also made it clear that he doesnt want it to come at the expense of his defense. At the 2018 scouting combine, as rumors swirled that the Vikings might be able to sign Cousins, he gave the most honest reckoning of that sentiment when he said: I think its really, really important that we understand and Im not just saying this weve won 40 games in the last four years. Weve done that by being pretty good on defense. This year obviously the offense was much better, but part of the reason weve been winning games and staying in games is because weve been playing good on defense and weve been a smart team and all those things. I want to be really careful about taking away from our strength and saying, OK, were not going to be able to do this and were not going to be able to do that anymore because of financial reasons or something else. At the same gathering, Zimmer exhibited a crystal clear understanding of how important the QB decision was going to be. He said: Its important for myself and Rick and the organization that we pick the right guy that is going to help us to continue to move forward. If we dont do that, then Ill probably get fired. The Vikings spent their first-round pick on defense in 2018 (cornerback Mike Hughes), but Zimmer lost his big three technique tackle (Sheldon Richardson) to free agency this offseason because theres only so much money. He could sure use one of those in the draft. He could also probably use another linebacker, maybe even corner depth (just one more) and probably a safety. Oh, and an edge rusher. Defense is what got the Vikings here, after all. And some running back depth The Vikings do have eight picks, though half of them are in the sixth or seventh rounds. Because of the Vikings limited ability to spend in free agency, there is a lot riding on this draft. The true reality might be somewhere in the middle, but the possible realities are as such: Best-case scenario: The Vikings find TWO offensive line starters in the first three rounds, and their offensive line moves back to 2017 territory adequate, and good enough to win. They use their other top-three pick on an interior defensive lineman, and they rebound in 2019 to make the playoffs and resume an upward trajectory. Cousins solidifies his long-term future and extension talks start for Cousins, Zimmer and Spielman. Worst-case scenario: The Vikings fail to adequately address (known immediately) or choose poorly (known as 2019 wears on) in their quest to upgrade the offensive line. The season plays out similarly to 2018, and possibly worse, with the offensive line being a major contributor. The Vikings miss the playoffs. Spielman and Zimmer are fired. Cousins is set up for the third and final year of his contract a 2020 season where he has a guaranteed salary and $31 million as somewhat of a lame duck under a new regime and yet another offensive system (his third in three years with the Vikings). So no pressure. | http://www.startribune.com/how-will-make-or-break-season-for-zimmer-spielman-and-cousins-influence-draft/508953082/ |
Do Meghan and Harry owe us a public birth? | Wed all gotten used to the routine around the birth of a royal baby: Hospital of choice (a.k.a. the Lindo Wing) is announced months beforehand in a detailed press briefing; press gathers outside said hospital once labour has commenced; world is glued to live streams for hours; baby is born; and mom, dad and the newest royal come out onto the hospital steps for a quick photo call. A series of at home photos of the new family would follow in a few weeks or so. Meghan and Harry, however, have revealed that their plan for Baby Sussexs arrival is, well, very different. As laid out in a statement released by Buckingham Palace this week, the parents-to-be, while grateful for all the well wishes, have taken a decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby quiet. Basically: Theyll be in touch, but dont sit around waiting for their call. Meghan and Harry's baby is coming any day. ( Chris Jackson / GETTY IMAGES ) This announcement, of course, sparked *quite* the reaction (after all, something has to fill the column inches that will be left unfilled by Meghan not appearing on the hospital steps in full glam, la Diana and Kate Middleton). Its not and this pains us to say, given the tabloid source an entirely unreasonable argument. After all, royals are the definition of famous-for-being-famous, and youd be naive to think they arent incredibly calculating in how and when we get to see them. At the same time, being a royal is inherently weird for that very reason. Its something youre born into and cant really ever opt out of, and the line between work and leisure is ludicrously blurred. That royal wedding, for instance, was both a private celebration and a public occasion (one that boosted the economy nearly $2 billion, its worth noting). For queen and country and all that If rumours are to be believed, Meghan and Harry have actually compromised a lot on their original vision for this babys birth, which apparently was to share literally nothing. What it is, really, is Meghan and Harry clearly drawing a line between what they are and arent willing to do for the family business, even if it takes some negotiating to get there. In the same week that this private birth plan was announced, for instance, Harry shared that he and Oprah Winfrey were going to be teaming up for a show about mental health. It was, we think, his way of saying that certain aspects of his life are fair game (like being vulnerable about the chaos caused by not dealing with his mothers death, for instance) but his family, and especially his infant child, are not on the menu for public consumption. Thats not really fair on his part, though. A hereditary monarchy where the mere act of being born first means one son gets to be king and the other doesnt. Despite being brothers, in the eyes of the royal family Wills and Harry have very different expectations placed upon them. When George, Charlotte and Louis were born, it was a proper state occasion: These were the heirs to the throne, and of genuine national interest as a result. Popular as they may be, Meghan and Harry are second-tier royals. This can be both a blessing (in theory, they can live less-public lives!) and a curse (like if youre Eugenie and Beatrice, caught somewhere between C-list celebrity and national oddity). Its worth noting that Will and Kate were making a deal with the devil when they showed off their kids so quickly: Give the public what they want in exchange for an expectation of privacy afterward. Just as they probably dont particularly want to do things like invite the media to Georges first day of school, its a bone they have to throw nonetheless. Wow. You make the public sound like a bunch of pathetic saddos. Before you start hauling out the guillotine, yes: The royals rely on public interest for relevance/currency/being able to bring attention to causes they care about. And thats why they grant even that limited level of access to their children. Its not like were asking Prince Harry to wear a go-pro on his head and live-vlog the birth Article Continued Below Well admit: The notion that this is a private birth is actually rather laughable. There is nothing remotely anonymous or low-key about the way Baby Sussex is coming into this world. Even if Meghan does manage to have a water birth at home at Frogmore, with Le Labo Santal 33 candles burning and Doria whispering hypnobirthing affirmations in her ear, she will still be subject to stresses that 99.99999 per cent of new parents cant even contemplate. Theres the efforts to keep the birth a secret until theyre ready to share it; theres crafting the birth announcement and posting it to Instagram, which were pretty sure will implode when this happens; theres staging some kind of photo shoot fairly quickly. No, its not quite prancing out onto the stairs of the Lindo Wing hours after giving birth, perfectly blown out and maquillaged, but its also hardly the blissful baby bubble most new parents dream of. Speaking of most new parents: the access they are granting us is basically the exact same as any regular people parents. Its a competitive sport Thats the point. Most royal experts are in agreement that Harrys goal all along has been to give his child the most normal life possible and that starts with not being confronted by a bank of photographers hours into ones existence. Maybe its because of his own rocky relationship with the press (whom he blames in part for his mothers death) or his memories of being a kid in the public eye, but Harry has made it clear that his kids are going to have a very different life to his own. And when the Sussexes are unable to divert attention, as in the case of the obsession around this babys arrival, theyre working to channel that interest into something positive. See: The Global Baby Shower they supported, asking well-wishers to donate to their favourite causes rather than send gifts. OK, so Harry, we get. Meghan Markle, however, is a known publicity hound. Ambitious, savvy and strategic as she no doubt is, weve got a theory that Meghans reluctance to have her baby publicly is as much about building her brand as having those photos flashed across the world would be. Meghan is well aware of the backlash Kate faces every time she appears looking immaculate two seconds after having a baby, and, as a feminist, shed be loathe to have any She is making other women feel bad by looking so good pieces written about her. Wed like to believe that Meghan is not out to make Kate look bad or shame her for choices the Cambridges made (or had to make) specific to their unique scenario. At the end of the day, royal spotlight or not, Meghan and Harry are first-time parents who are probably scared witless at what the coming weeks hold for them. That they would choose to embark on this exciting (but also scary) chapter of their lives as privately as possible is entirely understandable if, we must admit, a little disappointing. So disappointing. Guess well just have to wait here, refreshing the app until they upload that first Insta We shall. And we dont think it would kill them to throw an Insta Story into the mix. Just this once. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/life/fashion_style/2019/04/23/do-meghan-and-harry-owe-us-a-public-birth.html |
What Happened To U.S. Workers? | Listen 9:57 9:57 The U.S. economy is booming. We've seen sustained low unemployment rates, wages are climbing, and thousands of new jobs being added to the economy every month. The headline numbers focusing on the labor market seem great, and they are. And yet, some deep problems remain unsolved. For example, take the prime-age labor force participation rate or the share of people in the workforce aged 25-54, whom you'd expect to be working rather than in school or retired. In the U.S., that share is lower than it was in the 1990s. This episode is an excerpt from a panel discussion at a live event in Washington D.C., hosted by the Financial Times Alphachat podcast. Listen 27:54 27:54 Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, PocketCasts and NPR One. | https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/04/23/716413259/what-happened-to-u-s-workers?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr |
Was The ProRail 'Victim Fashion' Campaign Too Controversial? | Recently The Netherlands train service ProRail launched a short-lived, controversial campaign to curb railway accidents. First, the campaign. Victim Fashion. Created By Accident. The ProRail campaign was aimed at teenagers because, despite previous PSA efforts, the number of railway casualties in The Netherlands has tripled since 2016. To reach this elusive audience, a "fashion" brand was created featuring a replica collection of torn clothing as worn by actual railway accident victims. The "Victim Fashion" brand - promoted under the brilliant slogan "Created by accident" - was hyped by influencers and subsequently launched at a fashion show in Amsterdam in early April. A few images from the show: ProRail ProRail ProRail The goals for the campaign according to a spokesperson were the following: Long-term, heavily reduce (we go for the 0 mark) the number of accidents on and close to railroad tracks. Reach 60-70% of the youngsters (aged 12-18). They are the bulk group of people dying & getting hurt in railroad accidents. Generate media visibility and social traction - we'll target wave makers reaching our core target audience: youngsters and all Dutch inhabitants. The results for the campaign according to the same spokesperson: We surpassed all short term criteria within 1 day." Since the campaign only launched in early April, only time will tell if it saves lives. But the provocative nature of the campaign has some people questioning whether it's gone too far. That was my first thought, I admit it. It's disturbing to think about. In fact, looking at one of the articles of clothing--torn and shredded--really brings the viewer nose-to-nose with the victim in a very uncomfortable way. If a picture tells a story, then that torn shirt up there tells a elaborate and tragic one. Now imagine the impact of these not as pictures but live, in person, at the fashion show. Even just seeing the pictures, I can't help but imagine the victim getting hit by the train. I can't help but visualize the shirt or pants getting savagely mangled. I can't help but think about the human being who wore these clothes as all that happened. It's intimately horrible to the point you can viscerally feel the message. So horrible in fact, many called for the campaign to be pulled. And the backlash was so great the effort was, in fact, quickly pulled. Per the press release: After being enthusiastically received by the (teenage) target audience, the campaign quickly ran into criticism from the countrys national railway operator, the Dutch secretary of infrastructure, and some parents of previous victims. Considering all communication targets were surpassed within hours of the launch, ProRail management decided to respect calls for the campaign to be taken offline and avoid unnecessary distress to those taking offense to the campaign." I'm glad the campaign was so effective during the short time it ran, but I think it's a shame this campaign was pulled. Here's why. The reasons people were offended are the same reasons it worked. This campaign was effective because it made people feel uncomfortable. It forced people to consider--again, intimately--what it would be like to be mangled in a train accident. While I can understand why someone--particularly a parent--might think so, I think there is a higher good at play here. In fact, there is no better way to respect a victim than to find a way for others to learn from that victim's fate and, in so doing, avoid becoming victims themselves. It's shocking, yes. But it has to be. Shock is this campaign's primary source of energy because once someone is dead, they're dead. The risk of a future victim missing the campaign's message because the creative was "too safe" is simply not worth taking. I sincerely hope The Netherlands ProRail and everyone involved reconsider their decision to pull this provocative and important campaign. And do so before another victim is created by accident. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/willburns/2019/04/23/was-the-prorail-victim-fashion-campaign-too-controversial/ |
What To Expect From Norfolk Southern's Q1? | Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) is expected to publish its Q1 2019 results on April 24. This note details Trefis forecasts for Norfolk Southern, as well as some of the key trends we will be watching when the company reports earnings. for more details on the key drivers of the companys expected Q1 performance. In addition, you can see more of our data for Industrial companies here. Total Revenues for Norfolk Southern have largely trended higher over recent quarters. Revenues grew from $2.67 billion in Q4 2017 to $2.90 billion in Q4 2018. The growth can primarily be attributed to higher intermodal revenues. We estimate the revenues to be $2.84 billion for Q1; a figure 4% higher than what it reported a year ago. Norfolk Southern generates its revenues primarily from various commodities freight, including merchandise, coal, and intermodal. Intermodal refers to the shipment of containers that can be moved from one form of transport to another. Merchandise freight revenues are derived from the shipment of merchandise commodities, including agriculture, metals, paper, chemicals, and automotive related goods. Intermodal segment revenues have grown from $667 million in Q4 2017 to $755 million in Q4 2018. This can primarily be attributed to capacity constraints in the trucking industry amid driver shortage after the full implementation of the ELD Mandate. This trend will likely continue in the near term. We forecast the segment revenues to grow in mid-to-high single-digits in Q1 2019. Norfolk Southerns merchandise freight grew from $1.57 billion in Q4 2017 to $1.68 billion in Q4 2018. This can partly be attributed to higher fuel surcharge in the recent quarters, given the movement in crude oil prices. We forecast the revenues to grow in low single-digits in Q1. This growth will likely be led by chemicals, metals, and forest products, as an expected growth in construction will likely bode well for the railroad shipments. The U.S. construction sector is forecast to grow in mid-single-digits over the next three years. Coal freight revenues grew from $426 million in Q4 2017 to $457 million in Q4 2019. This can be attributed to higher coal exports. We forecast the segment revenues to grow in mid-single-digits in the near term. While we expect export to see some growth, domestic coal will likely trend lower. The decline in domestic coal demand can largely be attributed to the trends in natural gas prices. The benchmark Henry Hub natural gas price is currently trading under $3 levels, falling from the highs of $4.50 in late 2018. With gas prices being more attractive, the dependency on coal as an energy source continues to come down. EIA estimates 603 million short tons (mst) coal consumption in 2019, which will be the lowest coal consumption over the past few decades. Coal exports have been trending higher in the recent quarters, but it may see a slight decline in 2019, thereby impacting the overall volume. However, the segment should benefit from better pricing, as it did in the recent quarters. We expect the earnings to be $2.20 per share in Q1. This reflects 14% growth to the prior year quarter. The growth in earnings will likely be led by higher revenues, and higher margins. The company is focused on reducing its operating ratio by better managing costs and improving efficiency. Operating ratio stood at 62.8 in the previous quarter, reflecting 550 bps improvement over the prior year period. This should help improve margins and aid the companys overall earnings growth in the near term. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/04/23/what-to-expect-from-norfolk-southerns-q1/ |
How Can Businesses That Profit From Customer Data Add Value To Their Communities? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Antony Brydon, CEO and Co-Founder at Directly, on Quora: Increasingly, the majority of customer data is being concentrated in the hands of the largest organizations, those with the ability to (1) collect data on a large enough scale and (2) monetize other peoples data (like Facebook and Google, for example). Corporate social responsibility of the future is not just consuming knowledge from people (or peoples data), but rewarding them for sharing that knowledge and paying them for their data. If 800 million jobs could be lost to AI, (representing about a fifth of the global workforce), this problem must be solved sooner rather than later. This leaves three options: (1) high corporate taxes (2) a universal basic income, or, (3) ensuring the economic models of the future are designed in such a way that will allow people to flourish alongside AI and big data. Businesses that profit from consumer data should create a royalty model where companies pay consumers for the data they put into the system (either based on the value of the information, or how much information they share). Content thats shared online is often reused, but right now, no royalties are given to the content creators. I sure think so. Under copyright law, we wouldnt think twice about paying someone a royalty for a movie they were in or a song they wrote, so it only makes sense that we extend analogous protections into this new AI era. 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/2019/04/23/how-can-businesses-that-profit-from-customer-data-add-value-to-their-communities/ |
What Does It Mean To Be White? | Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Back by popular demand, but mostly thanks to an influx of new readers filling my inbox with some pressing questions, Im re-running part of a column from last year about what it means to be white. Its an overlooked part of the how to have a difficult conversation about race, dilemma. For one thing, it hits a new note for most white conversation partners: White people tend to think of themselves as people, not as having a race. They certainly dont think of themselves as oppressors. I hope youll find the resources below helpful. E McG. I had a conversation with a middle-school classroom teacher recently, a twenty-plus year veteran who had been given another difficult task to perform in an era of budget cuts: Help fix the schools discipline stats. Like many predominantly white schools, the data showed that black students are being punished at higher rates than white ones are. They had to turn this around. To help the teachers figure things out, theyd been forced to take some well-intentioned but poorly managed bias-mitigation training that has served only to insult them while failing to address their concerns. The big takeaway: Youre punishing the black kids unfairly. Theyre calling us racist, the teacher told me, among many other pointed things. Frank Dobbin, a professor of sociology at Harvard, co-conducted research that seems to show that most diversity efforts are similarly doomed. It always seemed crazy to me that people thought that you could put people in two hours of diversity training and change their behavior, he tells raceAhead. And when you talk to people after they get out of diversity training, often theyre angry and feel like theyre being treated like bigots. It just never seemed to me that that was a likely way to change the world. I was able to offer no breakthrough moment to this very angry teacher, but we did talk about something that they had not considered before. Reframing how whiteness is perceived rather than how blackness needs to be policed can sometimes be helpful. It can, however, make white people uncomfortable for different reasons. Sociologist Robin DiAngelo has cornered the market on white peoples discomfort with talking about themselves as white. (Heres a terrific review of her book, White Fragility.) Part of the problem, she says, is an inability to truly grasp the vastness of the racist systems in which we all operate. DiAngelo, who is white, reserves her most pointed observations for the white liberals who exempt themselves from criticism and reject the idea that they need to understand how they exist within racist systems. I believe that white progressives cause the most daily damage to people of color. Its not just the unexamined complicity, she says. To the degree that white progressives think we have arrived, we will put our energy into making sure that others see us as having arrived. Regardless of ideology, being perceived to be racist is a very, very upsetting thing for most people. Thats why taking a step back can help. And I do mean all the way back. Someone absolutely invented the idea of whiteness, and its impossible to understand the world we live in now if we dont understand how whiteness came to be. For that, Id point you to a deceptively mellow podcast from Scene On Radio, the Peabody-nominated joint from the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Seeing White is a fourteen-part series on how the concept of race came to be, and how the social construct of whiteness informs a complex caste system that is all around us, all the time. (Hint: Its linked to colonialism, capitalism, and a desperate attempt to justify enslaving other people.) Refined over centuries, it is now often invisible to the naked, white eye. While the reported pieces are exceptional, some of the episodes are simple conversations between the white host, John Biewen, and his black friend, the journalist, professor, and artist Chenjerai Kumanyika. Biewen has been in public radio on the race beat for a long time, and his expertise shows. But he also shows admirable vulnerability as he checks his own assumptions about race, history, and his life. Kumanyika provides a perspective thats unwavering, honest, and generous. Together they model a simple truth: That its possible to acknowledge that youve missed something important about how the world works or how you operate within it without losing face, friends, or your own future. You just have to put in the time. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/23/what-it-means-to-be-white/ |
Should Title VII Civil Rights Protections Include the LGBTQ Community? | The Supreme Court is taking on three cases that will determine whether a federal civil rights law regarding workplace discrimination applies to the LGBTQ community. The law, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. In its existing form, however, the law does not address sexual orientation or gender identity. Lower courts have been divided as to whether the law should include such protections. The first two cases involve sexual orientation. The two individuals in question, Donald Zarda and Gerald Bostock, both alleged that they were fired from their respective jobs for being gay. Although Zarda died in 2014, the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in his favor in early 2018, finding that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is in violation of Title VII. In Bostocks case, a federal district court in Atlanta and then the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case. The final case involves Aimee Stephens, a Michigan transgender woman, who was fired from the funeral home where she worked two weeks after she told her boss that she was transitioning. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Stephens favor. The question is whether the Supreme Courtnow with an empowered conservative majoritywill side with the plaintiffs and expand the definition of Title VII. The Trump administration has reversed course from the Obama administration so far, with the Justice Department taking the position that Title VII was not intended to encompass protections for gay or transgender individuals. When Title VII was enacted in 1964, sex meant biological sex; it refer[red] to [the] physiological distinction[] between male and female, the Justice Department wrote in an October 2018 brief, concluding that Title VII does not apply to discrimination against an individual based on his or her gender identity. This position follows the publication of a leaked memo by The New York Times that found the Trump administration was considering rolling back Obama-era protections for transgender people, defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, itself a part of the Trump administration, has taken an opposing stance, noting on its website that it interprets and enforces Title VIIs prohibition of sex discrimination as forbidding any employment discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The EEOC explicitly includes firing an employee because he is planning or has made a gender transition among its list of examples of LGBT-related sex discrimination claims. But without a national law that explicitly bars sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination, states are permitted to set their own standards. Twenty-six states are in a federal circuit that have a ruling which explicitly interprets existing federal prohibition on sex discrimination (under Title VII) to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity, according to MAP, an LGBT advocacy think tank. Meanwhile, there are also 26 states in which there are no explicit prohibitions for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in state law. James Esseks, director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, who is representing Stephens and Zardas estate, said that a ruling against the individuals in these cases would be disastrous, relegating LGBTQ people around the country to a second-class citizen status. The LGBTQ community has fought too long and too hard to go back now, Esseks said, and we are counting on the justices not to reverse that hard-won progress. HRC legal director Sarah Warbelow said this is an opportunity for the Supreme Court to make clear that Title VII does apply to those who identify as LGBTQ. The growing legal consensus is that our nations civil rights laws do protect LGBTQ people against discrimination under sex nondiscrimination laws, she said. The Supreme Court has an opportunity to clarify this area of law to ensure protections for LGBTQ people in many important areas of life. The impact of this decision will have very real consequences for millions of LGBTQ people across the country. Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing Harris Funeral Homes in Stephens case, has argued the opposite, saying this is an opportunity to clarify that equating sex with gender identity would undermine equal treatment for women, jeopardize the dignity and privacy of women, and put employers in difficult situations. Replacing sex with gender identity in Title VII should not be taken lightly, the organization said. Only Congress has the authority to make such a drastic shifta change that has widespread consequences for everyone. The cases will be argued in the fall with decisions expected by June 2020as 2020 campaigns are in full swing. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/23/title-vii-supreme-court-lgbt-case/ |
Where are early voting sites for NC 9th District primary? | Ten Republicans are running in the new 9th District primary The State Board of Elections ordered a new election after allegations of absentee ballot fraud. If none of the candidates gets 30 percent of the vote, a runoff will be held. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK The State Board of Elections ordered a new election after allegations of absentee ballot fraud. If none of the candidates gets 30 percent of the vote, a runoff will be held. Early voting for the May 14 Republican primary starts Wednesday in Mecklenburg, Union and the six other counties in the 9th Congressional District. Only Republican and unaffiliated voters are eligible to cast ballots. There are no primaries for Democrats or members of the Green, Libertarian or Constitution parties, though each has a candidate in the general election. Ten Republicans are running for the nomination. The winner is expected to face Democrat Dan McCready, who ran in 2018. The special election was called after the State Board of Elections found a coordinated, unlawful and substantially resourced absentee ballot scheme in Bladen and Robeson counties during the 2018 election. At least five people have been arrested on charges related to the case. If no one in the May 14 primary gets at least 30 percent of the vote, there will be a Sept. 10 runoff followed by a Nov. 5 general election. If no runoff is necessary, the general election would be Sept. 10. Early voting kicks off Wednesday at seven sites in Mecklenburg, two in Robeson County and one in each of the other counties. In Mecklenburg, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays through May 10. On April 27 and May 4, both Saturdays, the sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be no Sunday voting. Early voting ends May 10. Heres where to vote in Mecklenburg: Hal Marshall Annex, 618 N College St. Main Library, 310 N. Tryon St. Matthews Library, 230 Matthews Station St. Mint Hill Library, 6840 MatthewsMint Hill Road. Morrison Regional Library, 7015 Morrison Blvd. South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Road Elon Park Recreation Center, 11401 Ardrey Kell Road. In Union County, early voting will be at the public library, 316 E. Windsor St. Monroe, 28112. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article229583014.html |
Whats the Best Way to Keep Incendiary, Violent Content Offline? | In early April, in the anxious days of mourning after the massacres at two New Zealand mosques, the Australian government passed what it called the Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material bill. The hastily drafted law called for fines of up to 10 percent of annual revenue or three years of jail time for technology executives whose companies fail to expeditiously take down abhorrent content. According to The Guardian, objectionable content would include videos depicting terrorist acts, murders, attempted murders, torture, rape or kidnap. Its unclear how quickly companies are expected to take down content. Australian politicians have spoken of a reasonable timeframe being perhaps an hour after a major event. A similar German law allows for a 24-hour grace period before issuing fines of up to 50 million euro; the European Parliament is currently considering a law that would allow for only an hour. Industry groups fretted that the law was cobbled together too quickly, and could implicate almost any employee of a tech platform. An opposition party promised revisions to the law should it come to power. Regardless of how Australias law is implemented, it could lead to complex legal disputes. Zoom out and you see a liberal democracy struggling with how to respect speech rights while also protecting its citizens from harmful or inciting material promulgated on tech platforms over which they only have partial jurisdiction. The answer isnt clear, particularly since these companies style themselves as public squares, pseudo-political entities unto themselves with a responsibility to offer opportunities for (some kind of) free expression. What is clear is that we are a long way from being able even to contemplate such a law in the United States. In the U.S., calls for regulating inciteful or violent content can run headlong into conservatives fears of being deplatformed or shadowbannedterms for when a company blocks certain users. One persons efforts to eliminate hate speech is anothers censorship. It doesnt help that we know very little about the standards and processes that Facebook, Google, and other big tech platforms use to filter content. In the EU, at least, platforms have to publish reports twice a year on their efforts to combat hate speech. Elsewhere, the decision-making process is rather opaque, clues coming only from the occasional leak or a carefully curated tour through a content moderation facility. | https://newrepublic.com/article/153656/whats-best-way-keep-incendiary-violent-content-offline |
Who was Kate Smith and why is she suddenly a pariah for recording racist songs decades ago? | CLOSE Flyers fan Ken Giusini of Philadelphia reacts after the Flyers covered the statue of Kate Smith after recordings of the singer containing offensive lyrics have come to light. Chris LaChall/Staff Photographer Decades after her death, singer Kate Smith is in the news again and not in a good way. The woman who helped make God Bless America a semi-national anthem, played before countless sports events and other national displays of patriotism, is suddenly a candidate for banishment from public spaces for her recordings of racist songs in the distant past. Born in 1907 in Virginia (she died in 1986 in North Carolina), Smith was once known as the "First Lady of Radio," with a TV, radio and recording career that spanned decades and reached a pinnacle during World War II. She was widely admired for her rendition of "God Bless America," a classic ode to American greatness by a grateful immigrant, the peerless songwriter Irving Berlin. Kate Smith sings "God Bless America" before an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff game between the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers in Philadelphia in May 1975. (Photo: AP) Thus, long after she was gone, her soaring contralto has boomed out regularly at American public events, including the seventh inning stretch at Yankee Stadium. Until now. Last week, after an anonymous tip from a sports fan, the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Flyers announced they had stopped playing Smith's version of "God Bless America" amid emerging claims about racist lyrics in some of the songs in her catalog, including her hit "That's Why Darkies Were Born." The tune originated in a 1931 Broadway revue and some music historians suggest it was meant to be a satire of white supremacy. But this do-good motive might have been lost on listeners with lyrics such as: "Someone had to pick the cotton / Someone had to plant the corn / Someone had to slave and be able to sing / That's why darkies were born." It should be noted that the same song was recorded by Paul Robeson, the concert singer and actor who also was a famous lawyer, scholar, and political and civil-rights activist before his death in 1976. And it wasn't the only song he recorded that might be considered politically incorrect in the 21st century, including Stephen Foster's plantation songs, such as "Old Black Joe." One of his records, "Plantation Medley," features a song called "The Little Piccaninny's Gone to Sleep." Robeson was black; Smith was white. The Philadelphia Flyers covered and then removed a statue of singer Kate Smith outside their arena, following allegations of racism against the woman who recorded "God Bless America." Smith also recorded 1933's "Pickaninny Heaven," from the film "Hello, Everybody!" The song is aimed at colored children and mentions great big watermelons, while the video for the song contains racist imagery and takes place in an orphanage for black children, according to The New York Daily News. It isn't a good look, even for a long dead singer, not in an era when politicians are discovering that pictures of them dressed in blackface when they were young and reckless can get them into political trouble now that they're grown up and ambitious. Smith's relationship with the Flyers started in 1969 when a team executive ordered her version of "God Bless America" to be played instead of the actual national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," according to The Associated Press. Then she sang the song live for the Flyers at one of their winning games in the 1974 Stanley Cup finals, leading the team to view Smith's rendition as their winning song. The Flyers have been so unnerved by what they have learned about Smith's racist recordings, the team removed a bronze statue of the singer they erected outside their arena in 1987 after her death, carting it away Sunday to an undisclosed location. In a statement, Flyers president Paul Holmgren invoked the "hockey is for everyone" principle as the heart of what the Flyers stand for. "As a result, we cannot stand idle while material from another era gets in the way of who we are today," Holmgren said Sunday. The Yankees issued a statement saying the team takes social, racial and cultural insensitivities seriously, and they are erring on the side of sensitivity. Now some are rooting through Smith's career in search of similar misdeeds. For instance, a likeness of her appears in a 1939 ad in which she endorsed the Mammy Doll, based on a racist caricature of a black woman in the same vein as Aunt Jemima. Paul Robeson testifies in Washington on June 12, 1956, before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. The singer also was a lawyer, athlete, scholar and civil-rights activist. (Photo: BILL ACHATZ/AP) None of these episodes from Smith's past were mentioned or even remembered when Smith received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan in 1982 for her artistic and patriotic contributions. Smith's family members say they're "heartbroken" by the uproar. In an interview Saturday with USA TODAY, Smith's niece, Suzy Andron, and her husband Bob, said Smith didn't write the racist songs, she only performed them, and early in her career while she was in her 20s and trying to make her mark as a singer. "It's somebody who found the words to two songs that she sang, out of 3,000 that she recorded, and tried to make a case out of it," said Bob Andron, 74. "And my heart goes out to them, too. Because they're misguided. They don't understand what kind of a person Kate Smith was." Not everyone is jumping on the "ban Kate Smith" bandwagon. The mayor of Wildwood, N.J., an Atlantic shore town that has traditionally started each day by playing a recording of Smith's rendition of "God Bless America" on its boardwalk, says they're not stopping that. "It's an Irving Berlin patriotic song that has nothing to do with anything but America," Mayor Ernie Troiano told AP. "We have no intention of removing it, and it's not a statement that we don't understand what's going on or we're ignorant to the history. We understand the history." Contributing: The Associated Press Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/04/23/kate-smith-heres-why-her-racist-recordings-are-controversial/3550061002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/04/23/kate-smith-heres-why-her-racist-recordings-are-controversial/3550061002/ |
Why Making Money in Transportation Services is So Elusive, and What's the True Value of Disruption? | Throughout recent history, companies have tried to create profitable transportation service businesses and run up against real-world challenges. Whether in air, rail, jitney, streetcar, taxi or, more recently, ridehail. Even in this digital age, at some point the rubber has to literally hit the road, and that is where the challenges begin. The streetcar revolution of the early 20th century in the U.S. was driven by private sector entrepreneurs, particularly developers who planned lines around real estate development, including streetcar suburbs and newish electric utilities who needed a mechanism and a customer to build out the power grid. These oft individually owned lines struggled to generate profit, were forced to merge locally, and were finally done in by the post World War II push by industry and government to mainstream the private automobile (and the industry behind more profitable bus manufacturing). Two early impacts killed the streetcar: inefficiency from streets clogged with individual vehicles, followed by the related ridership decline reducing farebox recovery and forcing insolvency. In the 21st century, we have few profitable transit systems, most notably Singapore and Hong Kong, and these particular systems have a few striking differences from most others. They have tremendous coverage, in the case of Hong Kong, 94% of citizens are within 1km of a station, and their government applies disincentives to car ownership through high excise taxes which results in high (profitable) transit ridership. Additionally, land use and transit planning are importantly combined. Finally, the authorities that build and operate the systems are public-private partnerships of varying types that can operate more like private companies with some level of government ownership and direct policy intervention. Gabe Klein At the end of 2002, I went to work at Zipcar as a VP and worked in one of the first next-gen sharing economy service companies. This was happening just as Gen-Xers and first wave millennials were flocking back to cities with limited incomes. With a tremendous amount of initial boot-strapping, instituting of lean processes for cost-discipline, and a relative monopoly on the market (U.S. at least), it took 10+ years for Zipcar break even. A key tipping point for us was the facilitation of public-private-partnerships, which I write about extensively in my book Start-Up City. When cities gave us spaces on the streets, in transit lots, and provided marketing and regulatory support, the service took off. Now of course, there is a tremendous amount of use-case based competition in the space from a plethora of business models that were non-existent at the time, and disruption is the word of the day. There are hundreds of examples of private transportation service businesses that have gone belly up or essentially been break even for decades. Its not easy to be profitable when a substantial capital investment in transportation is needed to operate a service. Even without this investment, companies struggle as they invest in their platform-based marketplaces and have to actively balance supply and demand. This is why the retail automobile model, while still challenging, is so tempting and hard to break away from for the auto industry: they sell a vehicle, pocket the profit, and leave the operations, maintenance and depreciation to the buyer. This, of course, leaves the owner of the vehicle holding the proverbial bag. But with 1950s+ U.S. land use patterns, associated sprawl inducing housing + parking policies (2 free spaces with your house!) and flight away from cities, we had been able to justify the individual capital investment and ongoing losses attributable to operation & maintenance. However, as cities are repopulating, jobs are relocating, and the economic energy of cities and towns is being felt across the globe, its exposing new problems, and new opportunities. The very thing that drove people back to cities, is at risk because of safety, sustainability and affordability crisis. The biggest wake-up call is the realization that the downstream 2nd and 3rd order impacts have never even been figured into the business models of any of the companies in the ecosystem. From oil and gas providers, to autos, to curbside parking. If these impacts are factored in, profitability is not even in the realm of possibility for many of these businesses. With this in mind, in a world with increasing awareness of the relationship between climate catastrophe and CO2 emissions, of equitable provision and cost for transport being crucial to cost-effective urban living and upward mobility, and finally of the numerous generational impacts on people from poor land-use decisions around automobiles we are in for much more of a government role vs. less. Against this backdrop, we are figuring out in real-time how public, private, NGOs and citizens can work together. Pilots & permits have proliferated to give the private sector room to experiment and, predictably, we are now moving towards concessions with a smaller number of good actors (proven through actions). If that doesnt work or P3s, and the trust around them, break down, possible government operation, particularly of commodity services, may come back in vogue. Gabe Klein Gabe Klein From congestion pricing, to micromobility, mobility aggregation and payments extending to the monetization and privacy protocols around data and beyond we are in for a fascinating ride over the next decade, as we try to stem climate catastrophe while elevating all citizens quality of life and figuring out the future of work. What we do know, is that the key is going to be co-creation, collaboration, and ultimately building trust adversarial relationships will not win the day. Those companies that can embody a triple or ideally quadruple bottom line approach to their business will win the day. Because if not, the planet may not survive it. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/gabeklein/2019/04/23/why-making-money-in-transportation-services-is-so-elusive/ |
Can Elon Musk's robotaxi plan help Tesla owners make $30,000 a year? | CLOSE Elizabeth Keatinge tells us about Tesla's Autonomy Investor Day where robotaxis were discussed. Tesla's aggressive (perhaps unrealistic) goal to launch a robotaxi network in 2020 was revealed by CEO Elon Musk on Monday as the company discussed plans toward a self-driving future. Under Musk's strategy, the electric car maker will enable owners to add their autonomous driving-capable vehicles to a Tesla ride-sharing app, which he described as a combination of Uber and Airbnb. From our standpoint, if you fast forward a year maybe a year and three months, but next year for sure well have over a million robotaxis on the road, Musk told an audience on Monday. The fleet wakes up with an over-the-air update; thats all it takes, he said. At face value, the promise that Tesla owners can make $30,000 per year adding their cars to the Tesla Network sounds great especially as an increasing number of Americans search for side gigs and supplemental income. On a slightly deeper level, the idea of having a stranger hop behind the wheel of your hi-tech car raises more questions than Musk or anyone else from Telsa has answered. Tesla is scheduled to release its most recent quarterly results later this week, but there are already concerns from analysts and investors alike. That's yet to be seen. The CEO is very optimistic that Tesla cars on the road today are an over-the-air update away from being fully self-driving capable. By the middle of next year, well have over a million Tesla cars on the road with full self-driving hardware, feature complete, at a reliability level that we would consider that no one needs to pay attention, Musk said. However, so far, Tesla has been officially positioning its Autopilot system as more of an advanced driver assistance feature that requires the driver's attentiveness. Motorists can use it to help with parking and making lane changes, but Telsa has yet to show its cars at Level 4 Autonomy where the vehicle can perform all driving tasks, while monitoring the driving environment itself, and the driver could, say, take a nap. The Partners for Automated Vehicle Education industry group advise on Twitter against over-promising on the state of autonomous technology. It is damaging to public discussion about advanced vehicle technologies and potentially unsafe to refer to vehicles now available for sale to the public using inaccurate terms. At least to start, the cars used in the fleet will be equipped with steering wheels and pedals, so the stranger behind the wheel might have some level of control. It's unclear. The Tesla Network robotaxi plans seemed half-baked, with the company appearing to either not have answers to or not even considered pretty basic question on the pricing, insurance liability, or regulatory and legal requirements, said Cowens analyst Jeffrey Osborne in a note on Tuesday. All Tesla cars being built today have the hardware necessary for full self-driving: 8 vision cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, radar, and this custom-designed beast of a Full Self-Driving Computer pic.twitter.com/jYMAhB5Ooc Tesla (@Tesla) April 23, 2019 In places where there arent enough shared cars, Tesla would provide its own dedicated vehicles, including Model 3, S and X taxis, so clearly the company would take care of the maintenance on those cars. Drivers for ride-sharing companies like Lyft and Uber are independent contractors, so just about any money spent on the gig becomes a tax-deductible business expense. Along with the water, gum and snacks for passengers, any car tech you may pay for is also tax deductible, according to TurboTax. Tesla didn't say whether this would apply to owners of its currently semi-autonomous cars. Perhaps owners could write pricey off software upgrades. In February, the Palo Alto-based company increased the price of its Autopilot package by $5,000 and added a few new features. Only time will tell. Teslas Uber alternative has been in the works for a few years. Musk announced the project as part of a broader master plan for the company in 2016. Still, that timeline seems ambitious, and Musk has admitted that he is often fairly criticized for not meeting deadlines. Only criticism, and its a fair one, (is that) sometimes Im not on time, Musk said, laughing. But I get it done, and the Tesla team gets it done. Musk also acknowledged that government regulations may be a hindrance to his 2020 timeline. At least 41 states and the District of Columbia have considered legislation related to autonomous vehicles. In 2018, the House of Representatives passed autonomous vehicle legislation H.R. 3388 to create uniform standards for self-driving cars. Find out more about Tesla's plans: Elon Musk vows fully self-driving Teslas this year Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/04/23/elon-musk-says-tesla-owners-could-make-30-000-robotaxi-network/3549652002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/04/23/elon-musk-says-tesla-owners-could-make-30-000-robotaxi-network/3549652002/ |
Who are the US militia at the Mexico border? | Image copyright BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images With tensions mounting at the US-Mexico border, US militias - groups of armed civilians - have been making headlines for their efforts to patrol the border and seize asylum-seekers. The term has a complex history. The Militia Act of 1903 created the National Guard as a reserve for the Army, managed by each state with federal funding, and defined the "unorganised militia" as men between 17 and 45 years of age who were not part of the military or guard. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) defines current US militia groups as the armed subset of the anti-government movement. These groups engage in military exercises and gun training, and generally believe in conspiracies regarding the federal government. They focus on protecting second amendment rights - or the right to bear arms granted by the US constitution. Image copyright Mohammed Elshamy/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Heidi Beirich, director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, describes the militia movement as "American, born and bred". Many of these militia groups hold a "romanticised" view of the US revolutionary era, she told the BBC, with notions that they, like the colonists who fought British rule, are "the ultimate protectors of the nation". The III% Security Force militia group describes themselves in such a way - a coalition "intended for the defence of the populace from enemies foreign and domestic". "At such a point as the government intends to use the physical power granted it by those who implemented it against them, it then becomes the responsibility of the people themselves to defend their country from its government," the militia's website states. While there are militia-type formations in other countries, Ms Beirich says the revolutionary past of the groups in the US has made them more unique when it comes to movements with "conspiratorial ideas of an evil federal government". "Their number one issue, no matter what, is about protecting the second amendment," says Ms Beirich. "These are organisations that believe there are conspiracies afoot to take away their weapons." Militia are not the same as the white supremacy movement or the alt-right movement, she emphasises. They are not advocating white rule, for example, though they do share some beliefs with these movements. Two of the biggest militia incidents in recent years were the Bunkerville standoff - when militia ran federal officials off a rancher's land, believing the government was there to seize cattle - and a similar standoff in Oregon, where militia took over a wildlife refuge in protest of government "interference" in ranchers' lives. Image copyright PAUL RATJE/AFP/Getty Images But what's novel about the militia movement recently, Ms Beirich says, is a shift towards more explicitly anti-immigration and anti-Muslim views. "They view immigrants as invaders, destroying the country, undermining the Trump administration." She notes that those ideas predated Donald Trump's presidency, but his election win emboldened the movement. "Although these groups have always hated the federal government, they're pretty big fans of Donald Trump, so they're in an awkward position where they support Trump but believe there's a deep state conspiracy against him." In addition, militias have begun to work openly with white supremacists, which was rare in the past, Ms Beirich says. Members of the III% militia, for example, turned up at the far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2016. "That's a toxic brew we have to be concerned about." Whenever there is talk of gun control on Capitol Hill, membership rises in militias nationwide. In 2018, the SPLC found 216 militia groups with at least 15 confirmed members were active in the US, though given how secretive these organisations can be, that figure is likely an undercount. "The number of these groups skyrocketed in the Obama era," Ms Beirich says. "Obama never moved on gun control, barely spoke on it, but they viewed him as an existential threat." A similar situation happened under Democratic President Bill Clinton, she notes. The militia movement views Republicans as a party that is protective of gun rights, unlike Democrats. Militias and anti-government groups in the US In 2008, the last year of Republican President George W Bush's term, the SPLC reported 149 anti-government groups. The next year, under Democratic President Obama, that number jumped to 512, reaching a peak of 1,360 in 2012. Yes, depending on the state in which a militia is located. All states have laws barring private military activity, but it varies when it comes to paramilitary or militia organising. "There are very few rules in the US about what people with guns," Ms Beirich says. "Many of them frame holding military training exercises as their right with the second amendment, exercising their right to bear arms." According to a 2018 report by Georgetown University, 25 states criminalise kinds of paramilitary activity, making it illegal to teach firearm or explosive use or assemble to train with such devices with the intent to use such knowledge "in furtherance of a civil disorder". Twenty-eight states have statutes prohibiting private militias without the prior authorisation of the state government. "Not all militias are involved in the same kinds of activities," Ms Beirich notes. "If people are engaged in exercising their constitutional rights under the second amendment in states that don't ban the kinds of activities they undertake, they have every right to engage." Militias have been present at the southern border before. In the 2000s, a group called the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, was rounding up migrants for years before eventually dissolving. But the way groups like the United Constitutional Patriots, whose leader was arrested by the FBI on Monday, have been publicising their efforts is new, Ms Beirich says. The "explicitly anti-immigrant framing" she says is novel, compared to the Minutemen, who would have argued they were merely protecting the border. "The United Constitutional Patriots leader - he's been on record saying pretty terrible things about immigrants. That seems like a bit of a shift." | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48029360 |
Could AI Replace Hollywood With Personalized Movies? | Getty It is hard to imagine that just half a century ago there were only three television networks, meaning the entire country watched the same shows each night at the same time, creating a shared national experience. Cable and satellite television eventually brought us hundreds of channels, leading commentators asking whether we had reached entertainment saturation and fracturing our sense of community. Today, of course, we have effectively infinite entertainment options, with nearly the entire world of media at our digital fingertips. Machine learning has increasingly found a pivotal role in the entertainment world, helping streaming subscribers surface content of interest from the nearly limitless deluge of todays digital catalogs. Algorithms have become our digital guides through this vast entertainment wonderland, whether recommending the next movie for us to watch or generating infinite musical playlists for our speakers. No matter how sophisticated, all of these algorithms are hobbled by one critical limiting factor: they must match our individualized interests with preexisting content. Even the biggest Star Wars fan has just a handful of movies to select from, a 1940s movie buff could conceivably watch every movie from the era ever filmed and there are only so many superhero movies out there. The art world has increasingly experimented with using deep learning algorithms, especially GANs, to create novel content. Todays prototypes are extremely primitive and yield artwork and music that is more childs finger painting than masterwork, but some techniques have yielded quite exciting results. Given their exponential rate of improvement, it is only a matter of time before these AI creation engines are able to generate photorealistic scenes that match those of human artists and begin to show glimpses of novelty and creativity rather than pure mimicking or randomization. Instead of vast shared entertainment catalogs that try to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, such algorithms would create movies, music and art on-demand based on our mood, experiences of the moment and desires. Imagine a Star Wars fan pining for sequels. Armed with a license agreement with rights holders and an observational understanding of the elements and storylines of greatest interest to that fan, an algorithm could construct an endless series of new Star Wars movies just for them. Another Star Wars fan with different interests could have their own endless series of Star Wars sequels with entirely different storylines and outcomes. We already retreat to our own screens at night, each family member watching something different. Putting this all together, it is intriguing to contemplate a world in which entertainment becomes personalized and we lose the concept of shared experience. The modern worlds information overload has meant we increasingly retreat to our isolated filter bubbles and lose the national agenda setting of our era of news scarcity. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/23/could-ai-replace-hollywood-with-personalized-movies/ |
Is $200,000 a fair buyout price for a house in a Quebec flood zone? | The answer is complex, because when it comes to building homes on flood plains, there are several players who may share the blame, including the federal, provincial and municipal governments, the homeowners, and a capricious global weather system. The problem is responsibility is shared between a large number of actors, but the responsibilities are ambiguous enough that its very difficult to hold any one party accountable, said Daniel Henstra, a University of Waterloo professor specializing in flood-management policies, and a fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. Governments are increasingly getting tired of paying to repair the same houses over and over, so when it comes to fairness as a general principle, they have to also look at whether its fair for the public treasury that is, taxpayers to be repeatedly bailing out these people who have these repeated flood losses. On Sunday, Legault said the government was adjusting its programs to funnel compensation money to residents more quickly. Its reducing the maximum amount for repairs, down from $159,000 offered during the 2017 floods. Now the government will pay out a maximum of $100,000 in cumulative flood compensation, after which residents could receive up to $200,000 to move from flood-prone areas. That offer came as little solace to residents like Ren Rousseau, who has been trying to sell his $900,000 home on the Laval island of le Bigras for $700,000 with no luck, mainly because the for-sale sign on his front lawn is currently underwater. The mayor of flood-stricken Gatineau, Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, noted that people require not only the value of their home, but what it will cost them to live in a new location. If we ask people to leave, they must leave with dignity, and that means with enough financial means to have a quality of life that would be equivalent elsewhere. For many people, $200,000 for a house is pretty limited. Montreal Mayor Valrie Plante said the need for people to move out of homes in flood-prone areas is a delicate subject. This is a subject that we must approach with gentleness. Were talking about whole neighbourhoods in some cases, she said Tuesday. For those who live in places that will be systematically flooded year after year, we do have to raise questions. Plante said the price for compensating homeowners should be set regionally, because there are huge differences in property values between the Beauce, for example, and Montreal. There is a common public reaction to blame the homeowner, Henstra noted. But often homeowners are not advised of the risks, and its up to municipalities to decide whether or not developers can build and sell properties, he said, which shifts the blame to the cities. Municipalities may have little knowledge of flood zones, however, due to a lack of flood mapping that indicates current and future risks, which is a provincial responsibility. That issue is common across Canada, where there has been long-standing confusion over who is responsible for what, and a lack of conversation between different levels of government, Henstra said. The problems are exacerbated by the fact that shifting weather patterns and climate change have increased flood hazards. Since the floods of 2017, Quebec has moved ahead of many provinces, creating a flood action plan and ordering flood maps for the whole province by 2021. The offer of $200,000 to homeowners can be seen as progressive, Henstra said, in that the government could also leave it up to the free market to decide, in which case flood-prone houses might fetch a far lower price. The offer of compensation to move is a major improvement over past practice, such as when Quebec paid homeowners in the flood zone of the Richelieu Valley to rebuild in the same area after the 2011 floods, said Pascale Biron, an expert in river dynamics and professor in Concordia Universitys department of geography, planning and environment. Also promising is that Quebec has given the local responsibility for flood mapping to the Communaut mtropolitaine de Montral, which oversees the 82 municipalities of the greater Montreal region, as opposed to handing the reins to individual municipalities whose land-development decisions can be influenced by the promise of property tax benefits. The bottom line is that its positive that we are now realizing perhaps this is not sustainable and we have to think differently, Biron said. But we have to be cautious and not use the one-size-fits-all solution and force everyone to leave without taking into account the local situation. [email protected] Marian Scott of the Montreal Gazette contributed to this report Related | https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/is-200000-a-fair-buyout-price-for-a-house-in-a-quebec-flood-zone |
Wheres Doug Fords carbon rebate? | I propose that the Canada Revenue Agency edit this schedule. I just completed my 2018 taxes. Schedule 14-Climate Action Incentive calculated that I will be receiving $231 from the Trudeau government as my Climate Rebate. I will be receiving $0 from the Ford government. and make it mandatory that the filing party must manually enter $0 in that field, so that millions of Ontario taxpayers clearly understand how much the provincial government is giving them as a carbon rebate. When I spend my rebate, which I will, I will be helping to create jobs. And I can feel like Ive personally contributed to addressing our climate-crisis. If this is Mr. Fords idea of pain, hes never felt pain. | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2019/04/23/wheres-doug-fords-carbon-rebate.html |
Why is a 2,500-year-old epic dominating polls in modern India? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Many Hindus see the Ramayana's protagonist, Ram, as a hero With the Indian general election under way, the Ramayana, a 2,500-year-old Hindu mythological epic, is back in the spotlight. The BBC's religious affairs reporter Priyanka Pathak explains why. This year, like in previous elections, the conversation among many hardline Hindus has returned to the epic Ramayana and its protagonist, Ram. A longstanding demand to construct a temple in the northern city of Ayodhya - a key point of tension between Hindus and Muslims - which Hindus believe is Ram's birthplace, has become louder in recent months. Hardline Hindus want the temple built on the same spot where a 16th Century mosque was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992. They believe the Babri mosque was built after the destruction of a Hindu temple by a Muslim invader. India's Ayodhya site: Masses gather as Hindu-Muslim dispute simmers The governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised, once again, to reconstruct the Ram Mandir (temple) in its election manifesto. Like in previous elections, they hope that this pledge will draw in more Hindu voters. They also organised Hindu religious festivals on a grand scale in the lead-up to the polls. On 12 April, a large gathering of right-wing organisations was held at the iconic Ram Lila Maidan, a sprawling ground named after the god in the centre of the capital, Delhi, to celebrate "Ram's birthday". People dressed in saffron robes wielded swords as they chanted "Jai Shree Ram", which translates from the Hindi to "Hail Lord Ram". They shouted slogans, reiterating their promise to Ram that they would reconstruct the temple. Image copyright Heritage Images/Getty The epic tells the story of Ram, a beloved prince who is unaware of his own divinity On the eve of his coronation, he is banished from his kingdom for 14 years by his father at the behest of his stepmother With his wife, Sita, and brother, Lakshman, he wanders through India's forests - until the 10-headed demon king Ravana abducts Sita Ram then fights and defeats Ravana to rescue Sita after which he establishes a just kingdom The story of Ram's pursuit of righteousness has made him a symbol of self-sacrifice and heroism for many Hindus He is why this epic remains potent and has dominated India's political discourse Experts believe that the movement to build the temple, spearheaded by a powerful Hindu nationalist organisation called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has helped craft some sort of a collective Hindu identity in India. This idea is something that the RSS, the ideological fountainhead of the BJP, has cultivated since the 19th Century. However, the movement found its zeitgeist moment only a century later. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption People in Ahmedabad city sitting along the road and watching a television series on the Ramayana Several things happened almost concurrently during the late 1980s. First, a television show on the epic reminded 80 million viewers of the story and rekindled a love for its hero. The serial broadcast a standardised story of the Ramayana, pulled together from many versions and variants. There is no official version of this sprawling epic although historical scholars consider the version by Valmiki, a sage and Sanskrit poet, to be the most authentic. But really there are as many as 3,000 retellings of the story in around 22 languages, including some that eulogise Ravana while others say it was actually Ram's brother Lakshman who killed the demon king. India votes 2019 But what the television show did was give India a single narrative of the Ramayana. It also gave a single religion to a country "that was diverse and plural and included many different ways to be Indian", says Arshia Sattar, a doctorate in south Asian languages, who has translated Valmiki's Ramayana from Sanskrit into English. The second big moment came in the late 1980s, when the Congress party led by Rajiv Gandhi - which has always styled itself as secular - decided to lay the foundation stone of the temple in Ayodhya with the help of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing outfit, to woo Hindu votes in a close election. The plan didn't work - instead, it paved the way for the BJP, still a young party at the time, to seize what they saw as an opportunity to galvanise Hindu voters. In September 1989, the party's then president LK Advani launched a nationwide march for the temple. Bricks began to move from around India for the construction of the temple. The campaign was successful in mobilising communal sentiments and set in motion a series of events that would result in the demolition of the mosque. This, in turn, triggered nationwide riots. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Hindu activists are demanding the construction of the Ram Temple But in the next elections, the BJP swept the polls. From that moment forward, the party - which was 12 years old at the time - became a national heavyweight. It took its place as either the party leading the ruling government alliance or as the leading opposition party. For the BJP, the Ayodhya issue became a way to consolidate Hindu votes - something that used to be fragmented along caste lines. This now well-known version of the epic, championing Ram, also became a convenient point for other Hindu organisations to rally around. This meant that other versions of the epic began to be stamped out. For instance, in 2011, a Hindu nationalist student union and other affiliated right-wing groups succeeded in forcing Delhi University to drop an essay by the late poet and Ramayana scholar AK Ramanujan, which questioned how many versions of the epic existed, from its history curriculum. "This may have been part of the general climate of intolerance and the battle over who had the right to tell the country's history and its myths that was part of the Indian landscape between the 1980s and the 2000s," literary critic and author Nilanjana Roy wrote of the incident in her blog in 2011. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ram fights and defeats the ten-headed demon Ravana in the Hindu epic But for hardline Hindus, the cultural loss of other versions is simply collateral damage. They believe that a sort of Hindu renaissance can be built around the epic, allowing Hindus to band together and revive their religion as a way of life that they believe was lost and can be re-established. For instance, in September 2017, the Uttarakhand state minister for alternative medicine, proposed spending $3.6m (POUND) to find Sanjeevani - a mythical, glow-in-the-dark herb, described in the epic as having saved Ram and Lakshman from certain death. The deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has also suggested that science was so advanced during the time of the Ramayana that Sita was actually a test-tube baby. And the vice chancellor of an Indian university has claimed that Ravana, had a fleet of airplanes. A series of such examples from Indian politicians and scholars can be seen as an attempt to bolster pride in the mythological epic. But they also evoke a nostalgia for a grand past, reawakening hope for a future that repeats the great feats of distance ancestors. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-47944411 |
How did the qwerty keyboard become so popular? | Image copyright Getty Images It isn't easy to type "QWERTY" on a qwerty keyboard. My left-hand little finger holds the shift key, then the other fingers of my left hand clumsily crab sideways across the upper row. Q-W-E-R-T-Y. There's a lesson here: it matters where the keys sit on your keyboard. There are good arrangements and bad ones. Many people think that qwerty is a bad one - in fact, that it was deliberately designed to be slow and awkward. It turns out that the stakes are higher than they might first appear. Find out more: 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy highlights the inventions, ideas and innovations that helped create the economic world. It is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen to all the episodes online or subscribe to the programme podcast. But let's start by figuring out why anyone might have been perverse enough to want to slow down typists. In the early 1980s, I persuaded my mother Deb to let me use her mechanical typewriter, a miraculous contraption which would transcend my awful handwriting. When I hit a key, a lever would flick up from behind the keyboard and whack hard against an inked ribbon, squeezing that ink against a sheet of paper. On the end of the lever - called a type bar - would be a pair of reversed letters in relief. I discovered that if I hit several keys at once, the type bars all flew up at the same time into the same spot. Image copyright Getty Images Fun for a nine-year-old boy, less so for a professional typist. Typing at 60 words per minute (wpm) - no stretch for a good typist - means five or six letters striking the same spot each second. At such a speed, the typist might need to be slowed down for the sake of the typewriter. That is what qwerty supposedly did. The plot thickens. The father of the qwerty keyboard was Christopher Latham Sholes, a printer from Wisconsin who sold his first typewriter in 1868 to Porter's Telegraph College, Chicago. That bit's important. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Christopher Latham Sholes' daughter Lillian Sholes Fortner with her father's typewriter in 1939 The qwerty layout was designed for the convenience of telegraph operators transcribing Morse code - that's why, for example, the Z is next to the S and the E, because Z and SE are indistinguishable in American Morse code. The telegraph receiver would hover over those letters, waiting for context to make everything clear. So the qwerty keyboard wasn't designed to be slow. But it wasn't designed for the convenience of you and me, either. The simple answer is that qwerty won a battle for dominance in the 1880s. Sholes' design was taken up by the gunsmiths E Remington and Sons. They finalised the layout and put it on the market for $125 - perhaps $3,000 (2,271) in today's money, many months' income for the secretaries who would have used it. Image copyright Getty Images It wasn't the only typewriter around - Sholes has been described as the "52nd man to invent the typewriter" - but the qwerty keyboard emerged victorious. The Remington company cannily provided qwerty typing courses, and when it merged with four major rivals in 1893, they all adopted what became known as "the universal layout". And this brief struggle for market dominance in 1880s America determines the keyboard layout on today's iPads. Nobody then was thinking about our interests - but their actions control ours. And that's a shame, because more logical layouts exist: notably the Dvorak, designed by August Dvorak and patented in 1932. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption August Dvorak's alternative keyboard groups commonly used letters together It favours the dominant hand (left and right-hand layouts are available) and puts the most-used keys together. The US Navy conducted a study in the 1940s demonstrating that the Dvorak was vastly superior: training typists to use the Dvorak layout would pay for itself many times over. The problem lay in co-ordinating the switch. Image copyright Museum of History & Industry, Seattle Image caption August Dvorak, seen here teaching a typing class, was a professor of education at the University of Washington, Seattle Qwerty had been the universal layout since before Dvorak was born. Most typists trained on it. Any employer investing in a costly typewriter would naturally choose the layout that most typists could use, especially when economies of scale made it the cheapest model on the market. Dvorak keyboards never stood a chance. So now we start to see why this case matters. Many economists argue qwerty is the quintessential example of something they call "lock in". This isn't really about typewriters. It's about Microsoft Office and Windows, Amazon's control of the online retail link between online buyers and sellers, and Facebook's dominance of social media. This matters. The lock-in is the friend of monopolists, the enemy of competition, and may require a robust response from regulators. But maybe dominant standards are dominant not because of lock-in, but just because the alternatives simply aren't as compelling as we imagine. Consider the famous Navy study that demonstrated the superiority of the Dvorak keyboard. Two economists, Stan Liebowitz and Stephen Margolis, unearthed that study, and concluded it was badly flawed. They also raised an eyebrow at the name of the man who supervised it - the Navy's leading time-and-motion expert, one Lieutenant-Commander August Dvorak. Liebowitz and Margolis don't deny that the Dvorak design may be better: the world's fastest alphanumeric typists do use Dvorak's layout. In 2008, Barbara Bradford was recorded maintaining a speed of 150 words per minute (wpm) for 50 minutes, and reached a top speed of 212 wpm using such a keyboard. But they were just not convinced that this was ever an example where an entire society was desperate to switch to a hugely superior standard yet unable to co-ordinate. And in fact these days, most of us peck away at our own emails, on devices which can actually let you switch your keyboard layout. Windows, iOS and Android all offer Dvorak layouts. Image caption How the Dvorak keyboard appears on an iPhone You no longer need to persuade your co-workers, other employers and secretarial schools to switch with you. If you want it, you can just use it. Nobody else is even going to notice. Yet most of us stick with qwerty. The door is no longer locked, but we can't be bothered to escape. Lock-in seems to be entrenching the position of some of the most powerful and valuable companies in the world today - including Apple, Facebook and Microsoft. Maybe those locks are as unbreakable as the qwerty standard once seemed. Or maybe they risk being crow-barred off if restless consumers are tempted by something better. After all, it wasn't that long ago that people worried about users being locked in to MySpace. The author writes the Financial Times's Undercover Economist column. 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen to all the episodes online or subscribe to the programme podcast. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47460499 |
What draft day moves would be unprecedented for Bill Belichick and Patriots? | Anything is possible with Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio at the controls in the war room. Often at the forefront of league-wide trends, the Patriots are as unpredictable as any team in the NFL draft. They loaded up with 11 picks in 2015, replenishing their young talent. They traded nearly their entire 2017 draft class for veterans. They spun the Jimmy Garoppolo pick into so many assets that the true return on the initial trade has become almost impossible to track. Theyre active, aggressive and adaptable on draft weekend. Yet for all the years Belichick has been doing this, and for all the different ways hes succeeded, there are still some moves he hasnt tried. Here are five draft-day maneuvers that would be unprecedented for Belichick and the Patriots: TRADE UP 12 SPOTS IN THE FIRST ROUND Belichicks most radical move up the board in Round 1 came in 2002, when he jumped from No. 32 to No. 21 to draft Colorado tight end Daniel Graham. To facilitate the move, the Patriots parted with a third-round pick and a seventh-round selection in addition to the No. 32 pick. Outside of the Graham trade, the Patriots havent often moved up in the first round. In 2012, they jumped up six picks to take Chandler Jones and minutes later moved up six picks to grab Donta Hightower. Their only other move up the board in the first round was in 2003, a one-spot hop from No. 14 to No. 13 to draft Ty Warren. This year, players like Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson or Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell might warrant a trade up. Or the Pats could jump into the top half of the first round for a quarterback. After all, thats how the Chiefs acquired Patrick Mahomes and the Texans landed Deshaun Watson two years ago. DRAFT A WIDE RECEIVER IN THE FIRST ROUND No, the Patriots havent experienced much success drafting receivers. Theyre also the only team since 2000 that has not spent a first-round pick on the position. Might be about that time. Receivers drafted in the latter half of the first round experience a much higher rate of success than those drafted in the second round. Examining receivers drafted from 2006-15, 48 percent who were picked in the back half of the first round posted multiple 800-yard seasons. That number drops to 26 percent for receivers drafted in the second round and 13 percent for receivers selected in the third round. Of course, theres the opportunity cost associated with spending a first-rounder on a wideout. Maybe thats why Belichick has shied away from doing it. But given the state of Tom Bradys pass-catching corps, this would be the year to break the trend. TRADE A PREMIUM FUTURE PICK ON DRAFT DAY When a sought-after player falls down the draft board, many teams are willing to put future picks on the table to get back in the mix. For example, during the 2017 draft, the Saints parted with their 2018 second-round pick to move into the third round for running back Alvin Kamara. The Patriots arent in the business of giving away future picks. Theyve taken the opposite approach. During Belichicks tenure, the Pats have acquired a future first-, second-, or third-round pick in 13 draft-day trades. Theyve parted with a future first-, second-, or third-round pick in zero draft-day trades. While the team trading away the future pick can sometimes emerge as the winner like in the Kamara scenario the Patriots are always increasing their odds by taking the future pick. Last year, the Lions offered their 2019 third-round pick to move into the middle of the fourth round as they targeted Alabama defensive tackle DaShawn Hand (who enjoyed a strong rookie season). The Patriots gladly obliged. They moved up 41 picks from No. 114 in 2018 to No. 73 this year for free. The most extreme example: In 2010, the Panthers were desperate to get into the end of the third round to draft Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards. So they dealt the Pats a 2011 second-round pick to make it happen. Carolina finished with the worst record in the league the following season, and its second-round pick landed at No. 33 overall. In the end, the Pats moved up 56 picks in the pick-for-pick swap. GO OFFENSE WITH THREE CONSECUTIVE FIRST-ROUND PICKS For the past decade, the Pats have heavily favored defensive players at the top of the draft. If they take an offensive player with their No. 32 pick this week, itll mark the first time in the Belichick era with three consecutive first-round selections on the offensive side of the ball (the Georgia duo of Isaiah Wynn and Sony Michel were first-rounders a year ago). The Wynn selection snapped a streak of six consecutive years with a defensive player as the Patriots top pick. Aside from the Wynn-Michel combo, the Pats picked offensive players with consecutive first-round picks only one other time in Belichicks tenure: Logan Mankins in 2005 followed by Laurence Maroney in 2006. DRAFT A PLAYER FROM OLE MISS, SOUTH CAROLINA, OR CLEMSON Two receivers expected to come off the board early Ole Miss A.J. Brown and South Carolinas Deebo Samuel hail from SEC schools with whom the Patriots have little draft history. South Carolina has seen 55 players drafted since 2000, but none were selected by the Patriots. Likewise, Ole Miss produced 43 draftees in that span without sending one to Foxboro. The Patriots love the SEC as much as anybody, but theyve leaned toward Alabama, Georgia, and Arkansas in recent years. Three Clemson defensive linemen could entice the Patriots, as Ferrell, Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence are projected to go in the first round. Lawrence is a popular target for the Patriots in mock drafts. Hed be the first player from Clemson to be drafted by the Pats since Jerome Henderson in 1991. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/04/24/what-draft-day-moves-would-be-unprecedented-for-bill-belichick-and-patriots/ |
Can a Witness Wear a Veil on the Stand? | Most of the time, witnesses lie with the same sincere face as when they tell the truth. Sometimes, they lie even better than when they tell the truth There is also the problem of people telling the truth but looking like liars, which can happen for a great many reasons, he wrote. The point is that demeanor isnt all its cracked up to be, and may just as well deceive a jury as aid it in deciding who is lying to them. Yet, it remains a crucial element of confrontation, and testifying from behind a veil precludes a jury from observing it. The trial court decided that Sparks would have to remove her veil in the presence of jurors to testify, but that spectators would be cleared from the courtroom. The right to confront an accuser would be undiluted. The rights to a public trial and the free exercise of religion would be somewhat compromised. Cooper was ultimately found guilty. He later tried to get his conviction overturned, arguing that his lawyer should have objected that his right to a public trial was compromised by the removal of most spectators during crucial testimony. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected that argument, asserting that the right to a public trial in the commonwealth is not absolute. A three-judge panel stated: We have permitted exclusion orders for the protection of a witness from embarrassment or emotional disturbance. Moreover, an exclusion order which is designed to protect a witness from emotional trauma will not necessarily be constitutionally infirm if it excludes the entire public for a limited time. We discern no abuse of discretion in excluding spectators from the courtroom while Ms. Sparks testified Striking a balance between Appellants right to a public trial and the need to respect the witness religious beliefs, the trial court cleared the courtroom, but only for the duration of Ms. Sparks testimony. The exclusion was limited in duration to protect the witness from emotional disturbance, as well as to protect Appellants right to confront her and to allow the jury to make effective credibility determinations. The law professor Eugene Volokh, a First Amendment expert, was intrigued by the decision. The First Amendment has been read as securing the publics right of access to court hearings (and court records), to much the same degree as the Public Trial Clause secures a criminal defendants right to have the trial be public, he wrote. The courts reasoning would thus suggest that the witnesss felt religious obligation to have as few men as possible see her unveiled trumps this First Amendment right of access as well as the Public Trial Clause. Is that right? To think the matter through, he revisited the language from a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals case from 1984. According to the opinion in Rovinsky v. McKaskle: The right to a public trial is not absolute: limitations on public attendance may be imposed so long as they are no more exclusive than necessary to protect a state interest that outweighs the defendants interest in public scrutiny of the proceedings. Indeed, the protection of witnesses from embarrassment or intimidation so extreme that it would traumatize them or render them unable to testify is a state interest sufficiently weighty to justify partial or complete exclusion of the press and public. | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/witness-veil-right-public-jury/587674/?utm_source=feed |
What's on the far side of the Moon? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Wayne Schlingman, The Ohio State University (THE CONVERSATION) Looking up at the silvery orb of the Moon, you might recognize familiar shadows and shapes on its face from one night to the next. You see the same view of the Moon our early ancestors did as it lighted their way after sundown. Only one side of the spherical Moon is ever visible from Earth it wasnt until 1959 when the Soviet Spacecraft Luna 3 orbited the Moon and sent pictures home that human beings were able to see the far side of the Moon for the first time. A phenomenon called tidal locking is responsible for the consistent view. The Earth and its Moon are in close proximity and thus exert significant gravitational forces on each other. These tidal forces slow the rotations of both bodies. They locked the Moons rotation in sync with its orbital period relatively soon after it formed as a product of a collision between a Mars-sized object and the proto-Earth, 100 million years after the solar system coalesced. Now the Moon takes one trip around the Earth in the same amount of time it takes to make one rotation around its own axis: about 28 days. From Earth, we always see the same face of the Moon; from the Moon, the Earth stands still in the sky. The near side of the Moon is well studied because we can see it. The astronauts landed on the near side of the Moon so they could communicate with NASA here on Earth. All of the samples from the Apollo missions are from the near side. Although the far side of the Moon isnt visible from our vantage point, and with all due respect to Pink Floyd, it is not accurate to call it the dark side of the Moon. All sides of the moon experience night and day just like we do here on Earth. All sides have equal amounts of day and night over the course of a single month. A lunar day lasts about two Earth weeks. With modern satellites, astronomers have completely mapped the lunar surface. A Chinese mission, Chang'e 4, is currently exploring the Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon the first such mission ever landed there. Researchers hope Chang'e 4 will help answer questions about the craters surface features and test whether things can grow in lunar soil. A privately funded Israeli mission, Beresheet, started as a mission to compete for the Google Lunar X Prize. Despite crashing during an attempted landing earlier this month, the Beresheet team still won the Moon Shot Award. Being shielded from civilization means the far side of the moon is radio dark. There, researchers can measure weak signals from the universe that would otherwise be drowned out. Chang'e 4, for instance, will be able to observe low-frequency radio light coming from the Sun or beyond thats impossible to detect here on the Earth due to human activity, such as TV and radio broadcasts and other forms of communication signals. Low-frequency radio peers back in time to the very first stars and the very first black holes, giving astronomers a greater understanding of how the structures of the universe began forming. Rover missions also investigate all sides of the Moon as space scientists prepare for future human missions, looking to the Moons resources to help humanity get to Mars. For instance, water discovered by NASAs LCROSS satellite beneath the Moons north and south poles in 2009 can be broken up into hydrogen and oxygen and used for fuel and breathing. Researchers are getting closer to exploring the Moons polar craters, some of which have never seen the light of day literally. They are deep and in just the right place to never have the Sun shine onto the crater floor. There are certainly dark parts of the Moon, but the whole far side isnt one of them. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/whats-on-the-far-side-of-the-moon-111306. | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/What-s-on-the-far-side-of-the-Moon-13790889.php |
When Should Millennials Fully Pay Travel And Other Expenses? | At age 20, people should pay their own travel costs and stop relying on travel-related financial assistance from mom and dad, respondents of a new survey released Wednesday say. Thats the average age stipulated by all survey respondents, according to results of a Bankrate.com survey. Millennials (ages 23-38) who responded say 21 should be the age, while baby boomers who responded say 20. Bankrate.com commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey online April 3-5, and 1,243 males and 1,310 females responded to the travel costs question. The results are representative of all U.S adults 18 years old or older, Bankrate.com says. Survey respondents believe the average age for paying housing costs, student loans and health insurance without financial assistance should be older than the average age for paying travel costs. The respondents say 21 should be the age for paying housing costs and 23 the age for student loans and health insurance. Respondents living in the West appear particularly adamant about people paying their travel costs at a young age. Forty-seven percent of respondents hailing from the West say 18 or 19 should be the age people pay their travel costs without financial assistance. That compares with 40% of respondents from the Northeast and the South who think that way. The average age to begin fully paying for one's credit cards should be 20, survey respondents say. Baby boomers believe that should happen at age 19 and say cell phone bills should be paid by 18 year olds without their parents' help. Financial assistance given by parents to adult children may be one of the biggest financial roadblocks on the way to the parents retirement, Bankrate.com concludes from its survey. Half of American parents with adult children say supporting their grown kids has been detrimental to their retirement savings, and 17% say it has had a significant impact, the survey found. Higher wage earners with adult children are more likely to sacrifice their retirement savings, while lower wage earners are more prone to have never saved for retirement, the survey found. Sixty percent of people with adult children and a household income of $80,000 or more say theyve jeopardized their retirement savings for their adult childrens bills. More than one of six people making less than $50,000 per year with at least one child 18 or older arent saving any money. Addressing the financial elephant in the room isnt always an easy conversation to have, but it is imperative for your future and your childs long-term success, says Kelly Anne Smith, an analyst at Bankrate.com. By not prioritizing your own expenses and retirement savings, that is when everyone suffers. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystoller/2019/04/24/when-should-millennials-fully-pay-travel-and-other-expenses/ |
Will GM's Stake in Lyft Help Steer it into the Passing Lane? | Since its 2009 bankruptcy and subsequent bailout by the federal government, General Motors (GM) has taken significant steps to remake itself as a leading automaker for the 21st century. In addition to focusing on its core brandsChevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMCthe company has invested heavily in hybrid (Chevrolet Malibu hybrid) and electric vehicles (Chevrolet Volt and Bolt EV) as well as autonomous vehicles (Cruise Automotive) and ride sharing. Getty That last point refers to GMs investment in Lyft which, after that firms recent IPO, appears to have been a great investment. Its initial investment in early 2016 was $500 million and, after the IPO, GM ended up with about 7% of the stock, which at a price between $55 and $60/share puts the valuation at over $1 billion. GMs bet in Lyft looks to have been a wise one by any measure. The ride-share space is still dominated by Uber, which is expected to announce its IPO in the coming weeks, but Lyft is its primary direct competitor. Sell-side analysts who cover Lyft expect the company to generate about $3.4 billion in revenue this year. Although Uber does about ten times the business of Lyft, they are otherwise very similar companies. They offer similar transportation services that users can reserve and pay for via an app on their mobile phones. In fact, many of their drivers also alternate between either of the companies as free agents. Another area where the business models of both firms align is that both classify their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. That strategy drastically reduces ride-share firm overhead since the companies dont have to make heavy capital expenditures to purchase vehicles. Nor do they have to worry about healthcare, vacation pay, holidays, or other pesky human resources regulations like minimum wages or overtime pay. Obviously, their strategy turns the entire business model of legacy taxi operators upside down and, therefore, many medallion companies have subsequently been forced into bankruptcy. The social impact on drivers from this industry disruption has been felt worldwide with subsequent strikes and airport blockades from California to France. Currently, regulations in 25 U.S. states agree with the companies that their drivers dont qualify as employees, but that may be changing. Ride-share Drivers United recently organized a strike in Los Angeles for drivers from both companies, demanding a minimum $28/hour salary and a few days later a bill was introduced in the California legislature that would provide stronger protections and benefits for drivers and other gig workers. In Europe, several recent court rulings have held against Uber with regard to drivers employment rights. If these trends continue, they could change the profitability calculus for both firms, as Lyft noted in its IPO filing when it stated that classifying drivers as employees may require us to significantly alter our existing business model. Uber took a similar position in its S-1 filing, saying that classifying drivers as employees would result in significant additional expenses. The filing did note, however, that in March of this year Uber agreed to pay $20 million to settle claims from drivers in California and Massachusetts over whether they should be classified as employees. Although the outcome of continuing investigations by labor and tax authorities, as well as private lawsuits, will take time and remains uncertain, Uber used the IPO filing to make a case for why the status quo should remain in place: We believe that Drivers are independent contractors because among other things, they can choose whether, when and where to provide services on our platform, are free to provide services on our competitors platforms, and provide a vehicle to perform services on our platform. In the not too distant future, technological advances may eventually render human-drivers less relevant. In fact, many major companies (Apple, Waymo, Tesla, GM, Ford, and Uber just to name a few) are feverishly working towards commercial production of autonomously driven vehicles. What these changes mean in the long run for ride-share businesses remains to be seen. One of the questions for GMs Lyft investment is whether that business can somehow help GM offer totally new technologically advanced products for its customers. Certainly, theres the potential for a partnership where Lyft drivers could be offered discounts for buying GM vehicles or offering Lyft services to GM customers. Or, possibly, Lyft could work with Cruise Automation, GMs autonomous driving division, to eventually have a network of ride-share vehicles that operate without drivers altogether. Another alternative for GM is to spin off its newly public Lyft stock to existing GM investors, who may then decide for themselves whether to keep the high-growth ride-share business or, instead, just sell it and remain focused on the high-cash-flowing legacy business. In any event, GMs management and board are developing a strong track record of evolving with the latest technology trends despite their companys long history as an auto manufacturer. At a total market value of $21 billion, after netting out the values of Lyft, Cruise Automation, GM Financial, tax assets, and net debt, GM trades at an astoundingly cheap TEV/EBITDA multiple of only 1.3x. Meantime, GM stock pays a robust dividend of nearly 4% for those patient investors willing to wait to see how these exciting industry developments play out. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeschultze/2019/04/24/will-gms-stake-in-lyft-help-raise-the-companys-fortunes/ |
Will Nashville's Runaway Growth Kill Music Row? | Getty You dont have to be a statistician to know that Nashville, Tennessee is booming. Cranes dominate the skyline and, every day, about 100 people move to the region. Visitors to the city have swelled from 2 million a year in 1998 to 15.2 million visitors in 2018. Not long ago, the citys Department of Public Works commissioned a study to measure the foot traffic along Lower Broadway and on First Avenue on a typical Thursday and Saturday. Planners were shocked to discover that the number of pedestrians using those streets was comparable to foot traffic in Times Square. If those statistics dont paint a crowded enough picture, just try to negotiate traffic on I-40 at rush hour. The supreme irony of Nashvilles mushrooming growth is that it endangers the historic center of the citys music industry. Music Row, a one square mile neighborhood housing countless music writing, publishing, production and recording enterprises, plus their attendant businesses, is next to downtown, where there is no more space for glassy towers. Thus, developers eye the small buildings between 16thand 19thstreets. Its called Music City for a reason, says Pam Lewis, President and CEO of PLA Media, a public relations, marketing and music tourism company located on 16thStreet, in the heart of Music Row. According to a 2013 economic impact study done by the mayor's office, the Nashville music industry employed almost 60,000 people and produced $3.2 billion in job income annually, she says. The density of the Nashville music industry is 20 to 30 times greater than that in the two other primary music centers, Los Angeles and New York. There are 800 annual festivals featuring music throughout Tennessee. Simply put, we are the only industry which brands the state internationally. Nashville became Music City early: in 1819 it housed the countrys first music publishing company. Fame accrued when the Fisk Jubilee Singers wowed international audiences, including Queen Victoria. In 1925, a country music juggernaught was launched by Nashville radio station WSM-AM when it broadcast The Grand Ole Opry. Today, the Opry is Americas longest-running radio show. Music is Nashvilles rhythmically beating heart, and Music Row is the neighborhood where it is at home. This is a social sport, says songwriter and producer Trey Bruce. We all walk to each others offices and work together. Much as the industry changes, we still have to create music together. The result, he says, is An accidental cultural district. It started to be developed in the late 19thcentury, and after World War II, attracted music people with its cheap office space, explains Carolyn Brackett, a Senior Field Officer with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For four years, she has worked with local individuals and organizations to try to save Music Rows buildings from the bulldozer. Bungalows were repurposed and new buildings erected for the music business, Brackett says. But it was still a neighborhood, or a campus. It is what a lot of cities want to have. But, in five years, we have lost 45 buildings in Music Row. One of the challenges to Music Row is that it does not fit historic district definitions; the eclectic neighborhood encompasses many types and styles of buildings. The National Trust has placed Music Row on its list of National Treasures, which identifies endangered significant historic places, Brackett says. Three-fourths of Music Row has no protection of any kind. We need new tools that are incentive-based so that Nashville can continue to have this incubator of affordable space. New music publishing companies are coming to Nashville every day, Trey Bruce says. We need a preservation plan and a new designation, a Cultural Business District. RCA Studio A is one of Music Rows rare success stories. The legendary recording studio was slated for demolition in 2014, when a group of citizens bought it. It continues to function as a recording studio today. Twelve of the songs up for Grammys this year were recorded there, Brackett says. Music is an emotional experience, says Bruce. If you have goosebumps because youre recording where Dolly Parton made records, youre going to sing differently. Pam Lewis points to Bill Miller of Icon Entertainment for another example of how historic preservation helps Nashville. He rehabbed historic buildings downtown on 3rd, Printer's Alley and Broadway for his numerous attractions, which include Nudie's, Skull's, the Patsy Cline Museum, the Johnny Cash Museum and House of Cards. This is compelling proof that commerce can prevail, she says. You can make money AND save historic resources. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginacole/2019/04/24/will-nashvilles-runaway-growth-kill-music-row/ |
When does Time Out Market in Miami Beach open? | Inside Time Out Market. Weve been waiting and waiting, and now our patience has paid off: Its almost time to stuff our faces with what could be the best food hall cuisine ever. Time Out Market Miami is finally opening. The highly anticipated food hall on Miami Beach, which will feature 18 restaurants, a demo kitchen and three bars, has announced its opening date and has filled the last two slots on its roster. The market opens at 8 a.m. May 9. Joining the award-winning lineup is Miguel Massens, whose career includes Michelin-star restaurants such as Daniel in New York and The French Laundry in Californias Napa Valley. Hell take a residency in the demonstration kitchen at Time Out Market. Norman Van Aken, who is already set to open his KWest concept at the market, will also have a second location there with his pizza restaurant Beach Pie. KWest aims to deliver an authentic taste of South Florida and the Keys. Chef Miguel Massens will take a residence in the demonstration kitchen at Time Out Market Miami. Theyll join Jeremy Ford of Stubborn Seed; pastry wizard Antonio Bachour; Arietes Michael Beltran; Alberto Cabrera and The Local Cuban; Giorgio Rapicavoli of Glass & Vine; and Suzy Batlle of Azucar, among others. When Time Out Market Miami opens, said CEO Didier Souillat in a statement, the hottest tables in town will be communal. There are three bars in Time Out Market, one in the center of the market and two side bars. All three will feature a cocktail menu curated by top local mixologists from Miami hot spots Broken Shaker, Sweet Liberty and Generator Hostel Miami. The thirsty can also choose from 25 wine selections by glass or the bottle, six kinds of Champagne and sparkling wine, beer from local breweries and frozen cocktails. After taking a look at these cocktails, we may have to try them all. Local favorites Broken Shaker, Sweet Liberty and Generator Hostel Miami will create the cocktail menus. Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas Time Out Market Miami Where: 1601 Drexel Ave., Miami Beach 1601 Drexel Ave., Miami Beach Opens: 8 a.m. May 9 8 a.m. May 9 Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. Some eateries will serve coffee, juices and breakfast items to start the day at 8 a.m. | https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/article229602929.html |
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