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Where are the women at the Detroit auto show? | Men in suits stand huddled together on the North American International Auto Show floor shaking hands and making pleasantries. They travel in packs throughout Cobo Center during media preview days in Detroit. Theres no shortage of men at the Detroit auto show. Women, however, appear to be in short supply. Buy Photo A group gathers on the North American International Auto Show floor Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, at Cobo Center in Detroit. (Photo: Tanya Wildt/Detroit Free Press) For an industry that has been pushing for more female executives and more women in manufacturing and technology industries, the 2019 Detroit auto show is evidence theres still work to be done. Last year, Scotty Reiss, founder of agirlsguidetocars.com, a website that coaches women on car ownership issues, said women represent about 27 percent of people working in automotive professions despite the fact that they make or influence 85 percent of all car purchases. Read more: The auto industry has been vocal about its desire to hire more women. Women who can relate to what other women want from cars. Companies know without them it's like not thinking to include short people on a team designing cars for short drivers. It doesn't make a lot of sense. And its just not the auto industry that appears to have a gender problem at the auto show. The media room is mostly male. Buy Photo North American International Auto Show attendees inside the media center Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, at Cobo Center in Detroit. (Photo: Tanya Wildt/Detroit Free Press) On Tuesday, there were about 300 people in the auto show media center. I counted about 40 women among them. Spotting a woman at the show definitely isnt a unicorn moment, but as a woman moving around the venue, I really feel the imbalance at times. Buy Photo A group gathers on the North American International Auto Show floor Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, at Cobo Center in Detroit. I overheard another auto show attendee talk about how sparse the attendance was this year. He reminisced about the days when you would have to arrive 30 minutes early to a vehicle reveal if you wanted a seat. This year, the empty seats were plentiful minutes before the Lexus reveal I attended. Plenty of empty seats waiting for women to fill them. Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/detroit-auto-show/2019/01/16/detroit-auto-show-women/2580059002/ | https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/detroit-auto-show/2019/01/16/detroit-auto-show-women/2580059002/ |
Is Technology Helping Or Hindering Our Fight Against Financial Crime? | 2018 proved to be a successful year for the UKs tech sector, surpassing the rest of Europe by attracting 6.3bn in venture capital investment. But that wasnt the only record-level figure set last year money laundering reports in the UK also reached an all-time high. The NCA stated it received almost 10 per cent more suspicious activity reports (SARs) than the preceding year. As concerns of London becoming an increasingly attractive global laundromat grow, this striking correlation leaves us questioning whether emerging technologies are helping or hindering our fight against financial crime. Money laundering in the 21st century We often associate money laundering with shell companies, offshore accounts and complex corporate structures. As our digital society continues to grow, criminals are finding innovative ways to exploit new technologies to clean their dirty money. Companies such as Revolut and Monzo are disrupting the financial services market by providing an alternative to traditional banking. This presents new opportunities for money launderers to hide in plain sight. Many countries are also moving towards faster payments, enabling criminals to transfer illicit funds at much faster pace and on a global scale. The sheer quantity of these transactions has been made possible by progressions in technology, and as a result, compliance teams have faced greater strain. With money laundering underpinning several other crimes such as human trafficking and terrorist financing, its fundamental that we put the necessary processes in place to prevent this activity. Criminals are consistently evolving and adapting their methods of committing crime to keep up with advancements in technology. They are becoming increasingly tech-savvy and operating at a much more complex level than ever before. Historically, criminals have targeted financial institutions known to have weaker AML systems, and understood how to hide under the radar of their transaction monitoring systems. In the same way, criminals are targeting organizations with new, and potentially less secure, technology. Last year, Revolut reported that it suspected money laundering activity within its networks to British law enforcement and regulatory agencies. As new companies are growing at such astonishing rates, its essential that they maintain strict compliance procedures when onboarding customers and uphold effective anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes as they expand. Even for the largest organizations, AML and KYC processes are tough to get right every time. To address the UKs growing money laundering risk, institutions must take a different approach that allows them to assess complex criminal networks. Traditional transaction monitoring systems (TMS) monitor suspicious activity by looking at transactions alone, rather than at the individual and their wider context. The Catch 22: Using technology to our advantage Advancements in technology arent all bad; businesses can leverage the latest developments in tech to stay one step ahead of the criminals. Many are already employing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems to spot complex patterns of criminal behavior and we are seeing early adopters of these technologies reaping the full benefits. Although AI is not a new discovery, there have been some huge advances in recent years that have enabled the technology to surpass the decision-making skills of humans in many situations. In the next few years, well see businesses using AI alongside the cloud as organizations strive for greater accuracy, efficiency and security. Over the past decade, money laundering has become a severe problem for the UK. In order to put a stop to this, companies across all sectors need to review their internal processes with the goal of strengthening their services to ensure they arent exploited. As we continue our fight against financial crime, organizations need to equip themselves with the right technology to ensure they remain compliant. Businesses who fail to recognize the importance of technology will remain vulnerable to criminals and disruptive companies alike. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/vishalmarria/2019/01/16/is-technology-helping-or-hindering-our-fight-against-financial-crime/ |
Is Chicago The Next Detroit? | That is, in my prior article I discussed a proposal for a prepackaged bankruptcy that would be designed exclusively to shed unaffordable pension liabilities. Much as it's tempting to pile on, when it comes to the overall economic and social health of the cities and their metro areas, the answer is no. Chicago as a city has plenty of woes. It's got troubles with its finances. Crime. Corruption. Citizen distrust of the government. And the like. But here are some very gross generalizations, coming from having spent my childhood in a Detroit suburb and my adulthood in a Chicago suburb. Chicago, once hog butcher for the world, has a diversified economy. Detroit historically has not -- though perhaps the situation has improved in the past decade, given that the biggest Mover and Shaker in the city is Dan Gilbert, owner of Quicken Loans, and named by Politico as one of America's "most interesting mayors" in 2017 (with an asterisk behind his name, of course). But still -- "When the U.S. economy catches a cold, Detroit gets pneumonia," as the old saying goes, not merely because of the dependence on the auto industry, but because that industry is so cyclical, with Americans postponing new car purchases when the economy declines. Chicago had the Daleys, and machine politics. Detroit had Coleman Young. His was an era not of Chicago-style machine politics, but of city vs. suburb conflict; while the intent and consequences are disputed, he famously told criminals to "hit 8 Mile Road," which readers may recall from the Eminem film to be the border between the city and its northern suburbs. This city/suburb divide had deep impacts - it didn't seem incongruous to us that the film Robocop would have been set in Detroit. Two of our sports teams (the Lions and the Pistons) played in the suburbs. The hipsters seeking an urban environment generally settled in such suburban towns as Royal Oak and Ferndale, though in the past several years there have been genuine development projects in the area rechristened Midtown (because its former moniker, the Cass Corridor, universally connoted crime and drugs). Yet at the same time, that which was such a contributor to its downfall is now giving Detroit an identity. There is a sense of pride in the auto industry, and, helped by a new generation of civic leaders, a new willingness of city and suburbs to come together, as exemplified by the fact that, in order to save the Detroit Institute of Arts, suburbanites voted to tax themselves to fund the museum. (If you visit, you'll notice that this means that residents of the tri-county area receive free admission; in addition, there are outreach programs to suburban residents. Officially, the tax authorizes the provision of art-museum services which, conveniently, are contracted out to the DIA.) Detroit has a lot of "worsts": a high poverty rate, a tremendous number of abandoned homes (now largely demolished), poor education metrics, and the like, but, at its best, Detroit thinks of itself as a scrappy fighter determined to renew itself -- and I've tended to view the 2014 election of (white) Mayor Mike Duggan somewhat symbolically, as an indicator that the old city against suburb conflict had been left behind. The city hasn't undergone the same struggles. While Chicago and Detroit both had population peaks in 1950, the Chicago decline is far less dramatic, from 3.6 million then to 2.7 million now, compared to Detroit's collapse to a little more than a third of its 1950 population as first whites, then people of all races fled the city. On the other hand, Chicago has had much more immigration, or, rather, in-migration, that is, both from immigrants to the country, and Americans from elsewhere. And here's another very broad generalization: In 2018, Detroit knows it needs to fight for every job, every boost to its tax base, every tick upwards in functional literacy rates or downwards in crime rates. Here's a statement from a recent NPR article evaluating Detroit's current situation, from Detroiter Thomas Sampson, connecting his personal situation to that of the city: "And that's what's the most important thing about Detroiters. We're strong. We're resilient. When we fall we get back up." Having not had that level of crisis, my sense is really that the city and its politicians are still likely to act as if it's owed prosperity and are not yet ready to acknowledge that difficult decisions generating unhappiness from constituents are required. Even in the current mayoral election rhetoric, candidates are promising that new revenue from gambling expansion and marijuana legalization, as well as conjuring up new revenue from the state and federal government, will solve the city's problems. But enough of that. Questions of municipal bankruptcy do not need to concern themselves with the overall soundness of the region's economy, in the same way as the bankruptcy of a private company does not depend on the overall viability of the particular line of business that company is engaged in, or even whether the company is fundamentally able to function as a profitable enterprise, absent its debt -- though that would, naturally enough, affect whether the particular structure of the bankruptcy is one of reorganization or liquidation. According to Truth in Accounting, Chicago has debts of $42 billion. That includes pension, bonds, and other liabilities. Of this total, $28 billion is the net unfunded pension liability discounted back at the expected investment return rate, and $800 million, unfunded retiree healthcare. That means that roughly 70% of the city's liabilities are in the form of pension underfunding. Detroit, at the time of its bankruptcy, had debts of over $18 billion, which included a much smaller fraction of pension liabilities - $6.9 billion - but a much larger liability for retiree healthcare, $5.7 - $6.4 billion (the data source, the Huffington Post, doesn't explain why they provide a range rather than a single point liability). That works out to a proportion of 50% of the city's total debt. Put another way, Chicago has a population of 2.7 million. Detroit's population as if the time of its bankruptcy was 700,000. If Detroit's debt were prorated to reflect Chicago's population, it would have been $72.5 billion, or 75% higher than Chicago's present debt. If Detroit's pension liabilities alone were prorated to reflect Chicago's population, they'd have been $35.5 billion, or 25% higher than Chicago's present debt. But having said that -- there is a long distance from "financially healthy" to "pre-bankruptcy-Detroit levels of financial distress" and "not being Detroit" is hardly the right metric for measuring a city's financial well-being. If Chicago's debt burden and its pension contributions trajectory put the city at risk of delivering vital services to its residents, reform is needed. As always, I invite you to share your comments at JaneTheActuary.com, where you can also see links to past and future articles in this series. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ebauer/2019/01/16/is-chicago-the-next-detroit/ |
How Can We Help Solve The Global Mental Health Crisis? | Today, 450 million people worldwide live with a mental illness. According to the World Health Organization, one in four of us will experience a mental or neurological disorder during our lifetime. Depression is the leading cause of disability around the world. Yet low-income countries generally lack the human resources necessary to provide adequate care for the mentally ill, resulting in an astonishing treatment gap. Pavel Reppo founded a non-profit called mindfullwe in order to address this problem, and just finished his pilot program of community-based mental health support in Uganda. We recruit, train and employ local community members to provide basic therapeutic support services to individuals struggling with depression , Pavel says. The work is steeped in task-sharing, whereby the few specialists on-the-ground in the country are reallocated to offer oversight, quality assurance, and supervision so that lesser-trained workers can be empowered to act as the frontline in mental health support. The stepped care these workers provide includes 1) psychoeducation: offering practical advice in coping with problems, 2) antidepressant drug therapy, 3) interpersonal counseling: which focuses on understanding the relationship between symptoms and triggers, and if necessary, 4) referral to a mental health specialist. Moving forward, mindfullwe intends to partner with vetted organizations around the world to run similar programs, sharing a functional playbook detailing the steps to effectively replicating the program in other geographical locales. Their hope is to catalyze a shift towards community-based mental health services. Reppo says he was inspired to pursue his life purpose of facilitating groundbreaking work in mental healthcare by Tom Chi, a pioneer in rapidly prototyping solutions to different problems. But also, he was inspired to found mindfullwe based on his personal experience with mental illness. At 13, I found myself washing my hands for 45 minutes at a time. My hands began to crack and bleed, and yet I could not stop. I was in the cold grip of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Since that fated day, I've had an outpouring of support to reclaim my life. Even so, it has been far from easy. Im rounding the corner on five years of behavioral therapy, a year with an OCD expert, several bouts of medication, and keeping up-to-date with the latest literature and research in OCD management. And Im one of the lucky ones. The global mental health landscape is bleak, Reppo reports. On average, there is only one psychotherapist for every 200,000 or more people in the world. In Africa, most countries spend less than 1% of their health budgets on mental health care. The World Health Organization posits that one of the most important recommendations for improving healthcare globally is integrating mental healthcare into primary care settings, which includes screening, assessment and treatment. One simple and effective solution is task-sharing: using non-professionals trained in brief, intense therapies to offer services. By no means did I invent this solution, Reppo explains. However, I am undaunted in applying task-sharing to bridge the global mental health treatment gap. Reppo shares the story of a patient, whom well call Jane, who came into a Uganda health clinic for a check-up for her one-year-old daughter. After sitting down with a health worker trained by mindfullwe, Jane confessed that she had been struggling with severe stress for months, stemming from her separation from her husband, taking care of three children as a single mother, and being the sole provider for her family, including her mother and sister. On top of that, she recently had lost her job. The night before, she had made the decision to take her life. She had cooked a local Ugandan dish and planned to purchase rat poison to mix with the food. Luckily, the mindfullwe health worker was able to understand the diagnosis of depression, manage Janes suicidal risk, and offer practical advice. This timely intervention may have saved Janes life, and saved her three children from growing up without a mother. This anecdote shows just how meaningful our work is, Reppo says. While he finds the constant travel back and forth between Colorado and Uganda exhausting, he is passionate about what he does. We literally save lives. Other patients report having more interest and pleasure doing things. Most are more upbeat, resilient, and hopeful. Nevertheless, pursuing this career path takes its toll on Reppos own physical and mental health. Ive noticed that I am willing to give everything I have in order to see mindfullwe flourish. In doing so, I subject myself to ungodly work hours, expectations, and standards. I dont extend compassion to me, and end up hurting myself. Im learning to understand that it is not okay to give up my health for another pursuit, he says. In pursuing your life purpose, Reppo recommends a horizontal approach where you experiment doing things that may be completely unrelated. Listen to what grips and interests you, what sours you and pushes you away. A close cousin of this is, be willing to look silly or foolish in new endeavors. Frankly, if you are focused on tapping into your life purpose, its not going to matter in the long run how it appears to someone else. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/meimeifox/2019/01/16/how-can-we-help-solve-the-global-mental-health-crisis/ |
How should I respond if I witness racist behaviour in public? | I recently read in your paper about some of the racial bias that people in Britain experience and I found it quite shocking. It is something I have heard a lot about, but have not experienced myself, and I didnt know that ethnic minorities still find themselves being removed from bars or restaurants for no reason. It has made me start to wonder how to respond if I see this behaviour in public. If I witnessed a person experiencing racism, I would want to help but wouldnt want to appear like a white knight coming to the rescue because I thought they couldnt speak for themselves. At the same time, I dont want to just be a bystander who tacitly validates this unacceptable behaviour by not saying anything at all. You are right to start by putting yourself in someone elses shoes sometimes good intentions are not enough, particularly if walking on uncharted ground. The answer very much depends on your relationship to the person in question. It may feel nerve-racking, but trust yourself. The articles you have read can be a starting point for conversation, and youll have to gauge how far you should go with it. Be clear about your own lack of knowledge; its fine to say to someone, I dont really know how to ask this question or, I cant tell if this is offensive or the sort of thing you necessarily want to talk to me about I know its not your job to educate me. Of course you might get it wrong in fact, its likely you will as no two people are the same and racism is a sensitive subject; some people might not feel at ease talking to you about it. They may fear that you will become defensive as has been written about by many writers of colour that you might deny their experience of racism, or fail to understand it. But you might be able to ask how they would like people to react when these things happen to them. As long as you are open-minded, willing to accept criticism and to be clear about your own lack of knowledge, you have the chance of building a better understanding of someone elses life and becoming better equipped to support them. You may be in a situation where you witness racism towards someone you dont know. A person may appear to want to ignore it, but that could be for a host of reasons feeling others dont care, or out of embarrassment, shame or feeling like they are a burden. In these situations you should gauge whether it is safe to intervene or you need to call the police. There are guides that suggest helpful behaviours in these situations, focusing on diverting attention from the situation (sitting next to someone and talking to them about a random, unrelated topic, rather than standing up for them or confronting the aggressor). In reality, you will do what you feel comfortable with and are able to. That may mean making eye contact, or mouthing to see whether they are OK. In times of crisis and upset, it is always OK to ask. Post your responses below or email them to [email protected] Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions: see gu.com/letters-terms | https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jan/16/racist-behaviour-witness-how-respond |
Has Brexit become a choice between a horrible ending and unending horror? | Name: Unending horror. Age: For the rest of eternity. Appearance: Oh my God oh my God oh my God. You sound stressed. Its this Brexit business. Ah well. The referendum happened. Fifty-two is more than 48. I guess we just have to make a deal and go. Thats not what Im stressed about. I suppose there is a risk of leaving without a deal, which could be very bad, I agree. But Im sure wed recover eventually. Thats not what Im stressed about, either. I dont see how we can. Parliament and the country dont want Mays deal, or no deal. Thats a relief! But if they decide they want a second referendum, or a general election, or a fresh negotiation, well need to extend the deadline, assuming the EU lets us. Then the process will take months, perhaps many months. Perhaps years. She could, but if we revoke Brexit, many leavers will feel betrayed and well live with a permanent campaign for Brexit 2 Oh God, please no And, of course, even if we do leave, the campaign to rejoin will begin right afterwards. Make it stop! There there. You have the full sympathy of Dr Volker Treier of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce. Well, I suppose thats um something. He says it would better not to extend the deadline under any circumstances. As he put it, better a horrible ending than unending horror. Cheery fellow, Dr Volker. Although a horrible ending doesnt sound great either, to be honest. Unending horror it is! Agh! Excuse me while I start drinking heavily. I know the feeling. Its enough to make you miss the happier days of Brexit fatigue or even Brexhaustion, back when at least we thought it was nearly over. Thats right. Now Brexit has become a never-ending nightmare, according to the German newspaper Die Zeit. So the Germans feel sorry for us. Somehow I dont think this was what Ukip had in mind. Indeed. You could call it a where did I put my keys? Brexit. Sounds perfect. Do say: Thank goodness we avoided chaos with Ed Miliband. Dont say: I bet even David Cameron wishes that we hadnt now. | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/shortcuts/2019/jan/16/has-brexit-become-a-choice-between-a-horrible-ending-and-unending-horror |
What Is A Home Equity Loan And How Does It Work? | If you need money to cover life's big expenses, tapping into the equity in your home can be a smart option. One way to do that is by getting a home equity loan. In the post below, we'll describe what this loan is, how it works, and how to qualify for one of your own. Keep reading to learn if this financial move makes sense for you. A home equity loan is often referred to as a second mortgage because that's truly what it is. It's a loan that lets you borrow against the value of your home. Often, this type of loan can be a way for homeowners to access large sums of money to pay for life's big expenses. It's not uncommon to see someone take out a home equity loan to finance home improvements, to cover medical debts, or to assist a child in paying for his or her education. Home equity loans are often an attractive source of funding because they're available at lower interest rates than credit cards or personal loans. However, be aware that those low interest rates come with a high amount of risk. Lenders feel comfortable offering lower rates because these loans are secured by your home, meaning that the lender can foreclose on you if you decide to stop making your payments. Put simply, home equity loans work in much the same way that your first mortgage did when you initially bought your house. The money from the loan is disbursed as a lump sum, allowing you to use it as you see fit. After you receive it, you start making fixed, monthly payments to pay back the loan. With each payment, you'll always be paying down a portion of both the principal and the interest. Also of note, home equity loans come with fixed interest rates. Qualifying for a home equity loan Again, qualifying for a home equity loan is very similar to qualifying for a first mortgage. Your lender will want to see proof of employment, as well as records of your debts and assets. You should be prepared to bring the following documentation with you when you visit your lender. Two years of W-2's or tax returns, if you're self-employed. Your most recent pay stub with your year-to-date income listed Statements for all your bank accounts and assets Debt records for any credit cards or other loans However, in addition to these documents, your lender will also look at one more piece of information. He or she will evaluate how much equity you have in your home. (Remember, equity is the percentage of your home that you own outright.) Here, the amount of equity you've built up in your home will help determine how much money you can borrow. Most lenders only allow you to borrow against up to 85% of your equity. To find out how much you can borrow, follow this equation: The amount your home is worth x the percentage of home equity you're allowed to borrow - how much you owe on your home For example: Let's say your home is worth $200,000 (according to a recent appraisal) and you're allowed to borrow up to 85% of your home equity, but you still have a $100,000 balance on your mortgage. $300,000 x 0.85 = 170,000 $170,000 - $100,000 = $70,000 In this case, you'd be approved for a $70,000 loan. The difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit Often, home equity loans and home equity lines of credit get confused for each other. They're similar in that they both let you borrow against the value of your home, but they work much differently from one and other. While a home equity loan functions like a traditional mortgage, a home equity line of credit works like a credit card. It gives you a period of time when you're allowed to draw on the equity in your home, as needed. Home equity lines of credit also have adjustable interest rates. If you're not sure which of the two is right for you, talk to your current loan officer and/or a financial advisor. They can help you take a more in-depth look at your options in order to decide which one will serve you the best. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/taramastroeni/2019/01/16/what-is-a-home-equity-loan-and-how-does-it-work/ |
Why did Kyle Kuzma tweet at halftime of the Lakers game' vs. Bulls? | Here's a weird thing that happened at 11:48 p.m. PT: Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma tweeted. Because Kuzma was in the middle of playing a game against the Chicago Bulls. We know it was halftime because the Lakers sent a tweet at 11:35 p.m., about 10 minutes before. But Kuzma's tweet is simply the handle of Ball is Life, which posts all things hoops content. On Tuesday night, the account retweeted a couple of Kuzma-related videos/GIFs. Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma (0) reacts during the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. (Photo: Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports) One theory: Someone else with access to the account accidentally pushed "send" on a draft. Or it was a tweet scheduled to run at that time, although that seems more improbable. Another: He sat on his phone in his locker and butt-tweeted. Maybe the last thing he had open was the Ball Is Life's feed. Kuzma finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the Lakers' much-needed win over the Bulls. Los Angeles is only 4-7 since LeBron James' Christmas Day injury. The only certainty is we've come a long way (nearly 10 years, to be exact) on Twitter since Charlie Villanueva's famous halftime tweet blew up and led to an NBA social media policy: | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/lakers/2019/01/16/kyle-kuzma-tweets-halftime-lakers-game-bulls/38906347/ |
Does the NFL need a Rooney Rule for women? | Sarah Thomas made history in 2019, becoming the first female referee to work a game in the postseason. The NFL has always been a boys club, but women are slowly making their way to the league. While the NFL said a Rooney Rule equivalent for women was coming in 2016, it only applied to the league office. Expansion to all teams would help accelerate the NFL's inclusion of women. However, others feel opportunities shouldn't be handed out. They have to be earned, just like everything else in the league. PERSPECTIVES Sarah Thomas broke another barrier for women in the NFL by becoming the first woman to referee a playoff game. While this is a remarkable achievement, the fact that this is newsworthy in 2018 is sad. Women in the NFL should be the norm, not the exception. The league's proposed Rooney Rule expansion for women in 2016 was a step in the right direction, but expanding it to all teams would modernize the league by putting women in executive positions on teams, which would only benefit the league with fresh perspectives and new ideas. Much like the original Rooney Rule, adding diversity to the league is never a bad thing. Roger Goodell: NFL creating a Rooney Rule for women True equality is earning your spot through your merit. Getting handed out opportunities is not the right path to diversity. Sarah Thomas earned her way to the NFL Playoffs because she proved her skills on the field in the regular season. If they put someone out there just because she's a woman, it would be a disservice to anyone to toiled and built their resume's fairly. If a woman is right for the job in the NFL, she will be hired. They don't need a rule to force teams to interview a woman to accomplish that. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.nola.com/interact/2019/01/does_the_nfl_need_a_rooney_rul.html |
What are the alternatives to May's rejected Brexit deal? | After Tuesday nights crushing defeat for Theresa Mays Brexit deal, there is perhaps one thing on which almost all MPs can agree: there is no obvious consensual route forward. Following are the main possibilities, the obstacles they face and an educated guess at how much support they might command. Most of them would probably involve an extension of article 50 beyond the 29 March deadline. Revoking article 50 is also possible, but unlikely without a second referendum. Tweaked version of Mays deal This appears to be the prime ministers current choice: use the heavy loss to go back to Brussels and beg for another concession on the Irish backstop. The problem is that the only changes to the mechanism that would change minds a guaranteed end date and/or a unilateral pull-out mechanism have been definitively ruled out by the EU. Likely support in Commons: little more than the 202 seen on Tuesday if May secures no real changes. Quick guide Brexit and backstops: an explainer Show Hide A backstop is required to ensure there is no hard border in Ireland if a comprehensive free trade deal cannot be signed before the end of 2020. Theresa May has proposed to the EU that the whole of the UK would remain in the customs union after Brexit, but Brussels has said it needs more time to evaluate the proposal. As a result, the EU insists on having its own backstop - the backstop to the backstop - which would mean Northern Ireland would remain in the single market and customs union in the absence of a free trade deal, prompting fierce objections from Conservative hard Brexiters and the DUP, which props up her government. That prompted May to propose a country-wide alternative in which the whole of the UK would remain in parts of the customs union after Brexit. The EU still requires a backstop to the backstop effectively an insurance policy for the insurance policy. And they want this to be the Northern Ireland-only solution that they had previously proposed, May told MPs. Raising the stakes, the prime minister said the EUs insistence amounted to a threat to the constitution of the UK: We have been clear that we cannot agree to anything that threatens the integrity of our United Kingdom, she added. No-deal departure This is still the default option if MPs find no other way out a departure on 29 March and a switch to trading on World Trade Organisation terms. However, the Commons has already shown there is a clear majority against this happening, by backing Labour MP Yvette Coopers amendment seeking to prevent it happening. And plenty of senior Conservatives have made it clear they would not let May push ahead with this. Likely support in Commons: perhaps fewer than 100 would accept it; many fewer want it as a stated ideal choice. Norway-plus/single market/Efta These options are closely interlinked, if not the same for example, the plus in Norway-plus refers to the intention of keeping the UK in a customs union as well as a single market, either permanently or until a solution to the Irish border issue can be found. Norway is among the four members of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) as was the UK before it joined the then-European Economic Community in 1973. Such versions of Brexit would limit economic damage, but require continued freedom of movement for people, which is politically difficult. Also, senior Norwegian politicians have said they would not welcome the UK re-entering Efta. Likely support in Commons: extremely hard to say. Perhaps around 200, made up mainly of Labour MPs, plus some Conservatives and the Scottish National party. It all depends on the other options on the table. Show Hide This soft Brexit compromise has been championed by the former Conservative minister Nick Boles as a plan B for leaving the European Union. It is based on Norways relationship with the EU, which is outside the bloc and the customs union but inside the single market. Under the plan the UK would have to join Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland in the European Free Trade Association (Efta), which would then allow it to participate in the European Economic Area (EEA). The plus in this option refers to a temporary customs union with the EU, which would need to be negotiated to avoid a hard border ion the island of Ireland. The temporary arrangement would remain in place until the EU and UK agreed a specific trade deal. The option has the advantage of being as close to the EU as possible without full membership, and it would do away with the need for a problematic backstop for Northern Ireland. Like Norway, the UK would be outside the common fisheries and agriculture policies, and would not be subject to the European court of justice. But it crosses a key red line for Brexiters by continuing freedom of movement, one of the preconditions of single market membership. It would also limit the UK ability to negotiate its own trade deals while a new customs arrangement is under discussion. And it would require continued financial contributions to the EU without an influence inside the bloc. Customs union To be precise, a customs union, as Labour term it, to distinguish it from the existing one based around the EU. Labour, the main proponent of the idea, says it would help businesses with supply chains and solve the Irish border issue. May argues that it goes against the referendum result as it would preclude the UK signing its own trade deals. Likely support in Commons: most of Labours 256 MPs would back this in a whipped vote. Support from others would depend on the rival options on offer. Show Hide A customs union is an agreement by a group of countries, such as the EU, to all apply the same tariffs on imported goods from the rest of the world and, typically, eliminate them entirely for trade within the group. By doing this, they can help avoid the need for costly and time-consuming customs checks during trade between members of the union. Asian shipping containers arriving at Felixstowe or Rotterdam, for example, need only pass through customs once before their contents head to markets all over Europe. Lorries passing between Dover and Calais avoid delay entirely. Customs are not the only checks that count imports are also scrutinised for conformity with trading standards regulations and security and immigration purposes but they do play an important role in determining how much friction there is at the border. A strict customs regime at Dover or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would lead to delays that will be costly for business and disruptive for travellers. Just-in-time supply chains in industries such as car making could suffer. An Irish peace process built around the principle of entirely unfettered travel between north and south could be jeopardised. Second referendum Otherwise styled as a peoples vote by one of the groups advocating it, arguing it would not merely be a repeat referendum but a fresh choice now that the facts of Brexit are known. On the plus side, it would end the deadlock in parliament. Negatives include considerable complexities on timing and vote mechanics, and the bad feeling it could stir in leavers who insist the matter was settled in 2016. Likely support in Commons: extremely hard to say, anything from 170 to 300, depending on a variety of factors, including whether Labour adopts the plan, and the other options. | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/16/what-are-the-alternatives-to-mays-rejected-brexit-deal |
Is Facebook's '10 Year Challenge' meme a creepy facial recognition gambit? | By now, all of your social media feeds are probably brimming with then-and-now pictures showing the "glow-up" or positive transformations of people including celebrities, friends, family or random folks sharing decade-old images of themselves, alongside current photographs. Although the meme that's proliferated on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is a great way to show much you've changed over the years, and users are freely sharing the images, one technologist and follower of the meme pondered whether the entire challenge was actually something more sinister and sparked a discussion about the technology in the process. Kate O'Neill, who authored a book called "Tech Humanist," went on to theorize that, if you were training a facial recognition program on age-related traits, it would be useful to have a large data set taken at a fixed number of years apart. "Thanks to this meme, there's now a very large data set of carefully curated photos of people from 10 years ago and now. Not necessarily," O'Neill said on Twitter, noting that such technology could be used to find missing children. A number of technology companies, including Facebook and Amazon, have been criticized over the privacy implications of facial recognition technology. A Facebook spokesperson provided the following statement to Fox News: This is a user-generated meme that went viral on its own. Facebook did not start this trend, and the meme uses photos that already exist on Facebook. Facebook gains nothing from this meme (besides reminding us of the questionable fashion trends of 2009). As a reminder, Facebook users can choose to turn facial recognition on or off at any time. Instagram and Twitter have not yet responded to a request for comment from Fox News. BROKE TEEN WHO SOLD KIDNEY FOR IPHONE NOW BEDRIDDEN FOR LIFE Although O'Neill said that facial recognition technology will likely be most useful for targeted advertising, she emphasized in several follow-up tweets that users should remain vigilant with what they share regardless of the social platform. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "The broader message, removed from the specifics of any one meme or even any one social platform, is that humans are the richest data sources for most of the technology emerging in the world. We should know this, and proceed with due diligence and sophistication," O'Neill wrote in an opinion piece for Wired on the meme. | https://www.foxnews.com/tech/is-facebooks-10-year-challenge-meme-a-creepy-facial-recognition-gambit |
How does the government shutdown affect breweries? | CLEVELAND, Ohio The government shutdowns tentacles reach into multiple areas, but you can include a popular and beloved industry in its reaches. Beer. The reason for the shutdown's effect on the world of suds is simple: Beers being brewed in Ohio and distributed outside the state require federal approval. It's ironic that beer is being affected by the government today, Jan. 16. The date marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 18th Amendment, which started Prohibition until its repeal in 1933. The shutdown's effect is not lost on Hoppin' Frog Brewery's Fred Karm, who has worked in a competitive landscape to market his beers. The 13-year-old Akron brewery's beers are distributed to 23 states and 38 countries. "We have a wide distribution network," he said. "The government shutdown has affected what we told our distributors. Every year we give a schedule of what is coming out." And what is coming out is Hoppin' Frog's Tadpole series in 16-ounce cans. But the release order of those six beers has changed, thanks to the shutdown. "We had to drop (the first beer) because of the shutdown," said Karm, who made the decision after Christmas to shift the schedule. "The first one we arent going to make. because I didnt get approval of the label." The "cookie-style beer" he had planned blends "beer with dessert flavors. People go crazy for that. Several distributors were excited about it. I had to bite the bullet for that." Instead, Karm will be releasing Double Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Stout, the next beer in the series. The cookie-style beer might come out toward the end of the year, he said, but that is not certain, considering the many recipes he has in the pipeline and the momentum that some beers gain in the marketplace. "I invested in brand, time and money," he said. "The first-of-six series is now a five-beer series." Most distributors, he said, want a long lead time. "With our distributors it requires a lot of legwork now. It didnt before. I have to communicate with them way ahead of time," he said, to get his beers on their plate - or in their glass, so to speak. "The government shutdown I wouldnt say greatly affected us, but it has adversely affected us. That was the disappointing thing about the Tadpole series. Here we are trying to stay relevant in this market, and this gets thrown at us." Karm said he always obtains federal approval for his beers being distributed outside the country, but he added it is an "unknown if it is required." "I really wish I could yell at the government," he said. Karm's frustration is based on working in an ever-growing competitive landscape. American craft brewers in particular churn out very creative brews and expand style categories. They are in a battle for shelf and tap space, which is a challenge for them while being good for the consumer. Government shutdowns that took place more than a decade ago had limited impact on beer because there were fewer craft breweries. But the industry has grown - and keeps growing - on multiple platforms: Some breweries expand with additional fermenters, new ones start up. With more space and equipment comes more beer. With more beer comes the quest for distribution channels - and the labels that go on those beers. Beers distributed outside the state need federal approval via the Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Label approval is required for several reasons, including ingredient and source information. It also is doubtful to see a beer called "I Hate My ($&*!) Neighbor at (insert house number and street)" Ale. Two beers from different breweries cannot have the same name, so a registration process mostly prevents that. When it does occur it often is settled with a friendly call or cease-and-desist letter between brewers, though in some cases the dispute winds up in court. Attorney and former Clevelander Adam Russ, who includes beer, wine and spirits among his areas of legal expertise, said with the proliferation of craft breweries "How many plays on the word 'hop' or 'IPA' or 'ale' can you really include?" Russ, who now works in Houston for Lorance Thompson, said labels are regulated for consumers so "there's no confusion about what theyre buying." While he said it is "hard to tell" how much of an effect the shutdown can have on the craft-brewing industry, he said "the issue that (the shutdown) can have an effect, I think, for not only breweries in production but breweries that are looking for expanding distribution." Well-known breweries in Northeast Ohio that have been expanding include Great Lakes Brewing Co., Ohio's first and largest craft brewery, which is distributed in more than a dozen states; Fat Head's Brewery, which recently opened a huge production facility and taproom in Middleburg Heights; and Platform Beer Co. All are based in Cuyahoga County, and all ship their beer outside the state. Summit County's two largest breweries both distribute outside Ohio. In addition to Hoppin' Frog, Thirsty Dog goes to 12 states. Many area breweries like The Brew Kettle, Goldhorn, Market Garden, Masthead and Sibling Revelry - all in Cuyahoga County - are not affected because, while they have strong regional distribution, their beers do not leave the state for sale. State regulation of a brewery's beers, Goldhorn's Joel Warger said, is not intended solely for labels but also for any distribution or packaging. Lindsey LeBerth, brand manager for the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, confirmed that any beer an Ohio brewery makes must be registered. "The state wants to register everything you do," Warger said. But if you're distributing only within Ohio you do not have to register federally, he added. The decision to distribute depends on a brewery's volume as well as its mission. Small breweries can have distribution limited to just a few neighborhoods, or sell beer exclusively from their taprooms. But others - larger, more established ones - send their beer to multiple states. Jack Kephart of The Brew Kettle said the shutdown affected him in 2013 but not now. "It affected me more then because I was doing more federal registrations," he said. "We were distributed outside the state, in Kentucky. So we were doing COLAs (Certificate of Label Approval) at that time. That was a major hangup for us. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out." Kephart said The Brew Kettle had a "couple" of beers waiting on label approval in 2013, but working in advance helps. "If you don't have it planned out well in advance it can definitely trip you up," he said. Federal waiting times for beer labels are at least 21 days, according to TTB figures. Kephart added Ohio's beer-registration fee is $50 while the federal permit is free. Frank Luther, one of the owners of Masthead, sees an interesting, potential ramification for some Ohio breweries. "Depending on how long it lasts, it could end up being a win for local breweries on the store shelf as out-of-state breweries that weren't able to get TTB label approval for new products prior to the shutdown won't be able to sell their products here," he said. Jan. 16 marks a record 26th day of the shutdown, which is affecting more than three quarters of a million federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay. It is a result of the congressional stalemate over President Trump's call for funds to build a wall along Mexico. When the government shut down for 16 days in 2013, there were about 100 breweries in Ohio. Today, there are 297, according to the non-profit Ohio Craft Brewers Association. Coincidentally, Goldhorn is the site for Craft Beer & Conversation: Government Shutdown at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20. The group Craft Beer & Conversation said via Facebook that it "aims to bring people together to civilly discuss hot topics in a safe space." Previous coverage: Northeast Ohio breweries and the 2013 shutdown | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/01/how-does-the-government-shutdown-affect-breweries.html |
How Will The U.S. Fracking Slowdown Impact Halliburton's Q4 Earnings? | Halliburton, the second-largest oilfield services company, is expected to publish its Q4 results on January 22, reporting on a quarter that saw a slowdown in fracking activity in the U.S, the companys bread-and-butter market. In this note, we take a look at some key trends to watch as the company publishes earnings. We have created an interactive dashboard analysis which outlines our expectations of Halliburton over 2018. You can modify the drivers to arrive at your own price estimate for the company. Headwinds In The U.S. Markets The North American oilfield services market is likely to see a soft performance over the fourth quarter, driven by multiple factors. Firstly, the market for pressure pumping services has been weak, due to declining demand and a relatively strong supply of pressure pumping equipment, which has been hurting pricing. Separately, operators have slowed down activity in the Permian, which is one of the largest oil and gas basins in the U.S., due to a lack of pipeline capacity to transport crude from the region. Halliburton also previously indicated that many of its customers had exhausted their budgets, hurting activity. While Halliburton didnt provide any mid-quarter updates following its Q3 earnings, rival Schlumberger noted that revenues from its North American business could fall 15% sequentially over the quarter, citing similar trends. Oil prices declined meaningfully over the last quarter, with WTI prices currently trading at under $50 per barrel, which is almost 35% below their October 2018 highs. While this isnt likely to have meaningfully impacted global activity over the fourth quarter, it could cause customers to take a more conservative approach with their E&P budgets over 2019, hurting drilling activity and broader services pricing. We will be looking for more color from Halliburton on this front during its earnings call. Embed them in your own posts using the Trefis WordPress Plugin. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/16/how-will-the-u-s-fracking-slowdown-impact-halliburtons-q4-earnings/ |
Is The ICO Market Truly Dead? | Recently, more than one analyst has gone on the record to state that the market for initial coin offerings (ICOs) is basically dead. Michael Novogratz, founder, CEO and chairman of Galaxy Digital, told Bloomberg last month that "The ICO market is pretty much dead right now." Barry Silbery, CEO and founder of Digital Currency Group, concurred, telling CNBC in an interview that the ICO was "dead" and "over." [Ed note: Investing in cryptocoins or tokens is highly speculative and the market is largely unregulated. Anyone considering it should be prepared to lose their entire investment.] Token Sale Evolution However, several market observers have asserted that ICOs are not dead, they are simply evolving. "ICOs are not dead, far from it," said Matthew Unger, founder and CEO of iComply Investor Services inc. John Hargrave, publisher of Bitcoin Market Journal, offered a similar point of view. "The ICO market is not dead, but changing," he claimed. Hargrave pointed to Google Trends data, emphasizing that search interest for the term "ICO" has fallen sharply over the last year. While a score of "100" represents peak search interest, this measure has been closer to 10 over the last few months. Rise of STOs He emphasized that the search interest for the term "STO," which stands for security token offering, has been fluctuating far closer to all-time highs in recent months. Unger also spoke to the proliferation of these sales, stating that: "For every ICO we see going live today there are at least three security tokens being launched." Eric Ervin, CEO of Blockforce Capital, also spoke to this transition taking place in the market for digital token sales. "As they continue to mature and people become more familiar with blockchain technology, we expect STOs to become more prolific," he stated. "In short, ICOs arent dead, investors are just doing more due diligence and looking for more credible and vetted projects," said Ervin. Crypto Wealth Effect While the landscape for digital token sales is clearly changing, shifting toward STOs, another factor that is contributing to lackluster ICO activity is the sentiment of investors, said analysts. "Global Ether buyers/owners have MUCH less 'house money' to spend," said Sean Walsh, CEO of crypto mining firm HyperBlock. Ether was trading close to $125 at the time of this writing, far below the value it had at many points in 2017 and 2018. When ether was more valuable, it likely made those who held it feel affluent. According to the wealth effect, people are more likely to spend when they feel well off. In this case, the assertion is that investors were more likely to take part in ICOs during the bull market because their crypto holdings were substantially more valuable. However, the value of the crypto market has fallen sharply over the last year, causing the net worth of many digital currency investors to dwindle. "Without that wealth effect, they're unwilling to participate in ICOs," said Walsh. Hargrave also weighed in on this situation, stating that: The whole market moves in tandem. So when BTC is down, so is ETH. When ETH is down, investors are less likely to buy into tokens. When token funding is down, the whole market slows down. It's a cycle. "But cycles change. Seasons change. Crypto winter will surely be followed by crypto spring." Disclosure: I own some bitcoin, bitcoin cash and ether. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/cbovaird/2019/01/16/is-the-ico-market-truly-dead/ |
Why Would Bill Barr Even Want to Be Attorney General? | Read: The inadvisable president That drily delivered answer contains a great deal of meat. Its impossible to read his statements about rule of law and the independence and reputation of the Justice Department as anything other than an implicit rebuke of Trump, who has tried to railroad the department into prosecuting political adversaries and overriding ethical recommendations; of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who resisted Trumps biggest pressures but saw DOJ take a steep decline in esteem; and of Matt Whitaker, the political apparatchik whos now the acting attorney general. Barr came across, during the hearing, as the sort of Washington figure who holds a near-religious reverence for the Justice Department. Not only did Barr previously serve as attorney general, late in George H. W. Bushs presidency, but he also has a long list of relations who work or have worked at the departmentas well as an 8-year-old grandson who, he quipped, will someday be in the Department of Justice. Barrs veneration for the DOJ seems to be a powerful force in his desire to take the job again. He may also nurse the same ambition as many people who have held powerful jobs: the desire to hold them again. Being attorney general is a plum position, and whatever caveats might apply in the Trump administration, people want Cabinet roles. Barrs paeans to the rule of law and independence of the Justice Department also suggest he might feel some of the same sense of duty to protect the country from Trump that compelled Mattis to serve, despite his misgivings. Perhaps Barr harbors dreams of being a modern-day Elliot Richardson, the attorney general who stood up to Richard Nixon and resigned rather than fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Barr did tell senators hed resign before doing something illegal, but the prospect of martyrdom is an unlikely reason to take a job. Like Mattis, Barr shows little evidence of being a real Trumpist. His interest in the rule of law is enough evidence of that, as is his service to Bush, a president with few if any similarities to Trump. Barr is a conservative Republican in the old mold, but Trump is not. On Tuesday, Barr praised Mueller as a man of impeccable integrity and said the special counsel would not take part in a witch hunt (though Barr allowed that Trump might feel persecuted, since he is the one under investigation). The one exception in Barrs recent past is the unsolicited memo that he submitted to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein criticizing one interpretation of the law on obstruction of justice, related to the Mueller probe. Barr tried to write the memo off as a speculative interpretation based on little real knowledge of Muellers view of obstruction of justiceas though his input carried only the weight of an obscure legal blogger and not a former attorney general. | https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/why-would-bill-barr-want-be-trumps-attorney-general/580555/?utm_source=feed |
Will 2019 See a Bitcoin ETF? | The bitcoin market has been facing its share of disruption of late. There were repeated attempts by issuers for a bitcoin ETF and the SEC was in disagreement with the same. The regulatory board rejected as many as nine proposals from three different issuers last August (read: Top ETF Stories of August). Late last July, the authority turned down an application by the Winklevoss brothers for a bitcoin ETF, finding the product not safe enough. Thanks to stringencies by regulatory authorities, bitcoin prices have dropped 67.5% in the past year (as of Jan 15, 2019). Though the SEC had released letters mentioning intentions of reassessing the verdict of rejecting nine applications, soon after rejecting, the letters did not clarify the review timeline for the decision. Along with that, the SEC deferred the decision for VanEck-SolidXs proposed product in early August. And again in December, it extended the review period for the same ETF to Feb 27, 2019. VanEcks product is different in nature as the company has collaborated with blockchain company SolidX to make it physical and not futures based. This means the product will hold actual bitcoin, which will be insured against any loss or theft. The VanEck SolidX Bitcoin Trust will have a ticker symbol XBTC, if approved (read: Will VanEck's Renewed Attempt to Launch Bitcoin ETF Work?). A New Issuer Entering the Race Cryptocurrency asset manager Bitwise announced on January 10 that its filing for a new bitcoin ETF with the U.S. SEC. The product would be different from other proposals as it would depend on regulated third party custodians to hold its physical Bitcoin, and the index draws prices from a large number of cryptocurrency exchanges. After many failed attempts by peer companies last year, Bitwise Asset Management believes it can make a successful bitcoin ETF launch this year by providing the SEC with all the necessary data and information needed for an approval, as noted by benzinga. There are a few factors that seem positive about the formation of the VanEck fund. First, the underlying currencies will be insured, which would provide insulation against any hacking attack. Secondly, the issuers purposely kept retail investors far from the proposed fund, which reduces the broad-based risk associated with such a product. Also, the fact that Bitwises proposed fund will be physical in nature and not futures-based raises the chances of approval (read: SEC to Rethink Rejecting Bitcoin ETFs: Any Hopes Ahead?) ETF Impact Though bitcoin ETFs are not available to investors, theyhave blockchain ETFs at their disposal. Per a source, the blockchain in Bitcoin literally acts a ledger; it keeps track of the balances for all users and updates them as money changes hands. So, if investors cannot lay their hands on a bitcoin ETF now, they can definitely familiarize with the concept through blockchain ETFs like Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF BLCN, Amplify Transformational Data Sharing ETF BLOK and First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process ETF LEGR. Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report | https://news.yahoo.com/2019-see-bitcoin-etf-180006518.html |
Can The U.S. Keep Its Nuclear Industry Afloat? | As many other countries are working on building up their nuclear industries, in the United States nuclear simply cant compete with cheap natural gas and other renewables growing more affordable all the time in the nations wholesale electricity markets. In fact, just within the last five years six nuclear plants in the United States have closed and almost 35% of the nuclear plants that remain are being met with the possibility of early closure or are facing retirement. Even with the application of the most promising technological advancements in development to boost efficiency and reduce cost, it likely wouldnt be enough to make the plants competitive with other energy sources. While many of these advanced nuclear technologies remain in the research phase and are largely untested, many of the current research shows great promise. Technologies under development that would be able to make new reactors both cheaper and safer than the current standard include small modular reactors (SMRs), generation IV reactors, and liquid-sodium cooled reactors. The SMRs, thanks to their compact size, would require less investment in infrastructure and less on-site construction. The Generation IV reactors are innovative in that their design does not include complex external cooling systems, which, notably, are the apparatus that failed in 2011s Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. The benefit of the liquid-sodium cooled reactors is that they are able to utilize spent uranium and plutonium, meaning they can produce energy for much more extended periods of time without the need for expensive refueling. Related: Oil Rises After Choppy Start To The Week In an effort to keep the United States from falling behind the rest of the world in terms of nuclear power, the US Energy Department is planning to invest $115 million to aid the development of some of these technologies, with the money going to an Ohio-based pilot project focused on producing a more energy-dense uranium, which would support the newer, smaller reactors that the nuclear industry is moving toward. While the US nuclear industry has floundered, other nations have stepped up. China is building new nuclear power capacity, Russia has led the development of some nuclear projects in other countries, and Japan has been working hard to resurrect their once powerful nuclear sector in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. In fact, Russia is already capable of producing the higher-enriched uranium that the United States Energy Departments new program is currently just now working up to producing. Without investment in new nuclear technologies such as this, the US could very well be left behind and left out of the global nuclear industrys continuing evolution according to Dan Brouillette, Deputy Energy Secretary. Related: Russia Looks To Build LNG Island To Supply Booming Asian Market While the advances in the nuclear industry currently being supported by the US energy department would go a long way toward making nuclear more affordable, it still wouldnt come close to the ultra-low cost of natural gas thanks to the U.S. current fracking boom and subsequent shale oil and gas glut. According to some experts, what is possibly the last hope for nuclear to compete in the United States cheap and highly saturated energy market would be a price on carbon. As the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago puts it, There is a world where nuclear is competitive. It involves pricing carbon. If fossil fuel producers in the United States were made to pay a price for their hefty carbon emissions, as has been implemented by many countries around the world since the 1990s (as far-flung and diverse as Denmark, South Korea, and Zimbabwe), nuclear would be able to hold onto its meager market share or even expand it. (Click to enlarge) By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: | https://news.yahoo.com/u-keep-nuclear-industry-afloat-180000627.html |
Is Julian Edelman's shout-out to Patriots fans more right than he realizes? | originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com Julian Edelman simply was acknowledging New England Patriots fans Tuesday when he logged onto Instagram. Scroll to continue with content Ad "Home field advantage means something more at Gillette," Edelman wrote in a post Tuesday morning. "Thank you for being the best fans in the league. #OnToKC" The Patriots played their last home game of the season last Sunday in an AFC Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Chargers -- they'll travel to Kansas City this weekend for the AFC Championship Game -- so this was a good time to shout out the denizens of Gillette Stadium. Also: Edelman may be more right than he realizes about that home field advantage bit. Never mind that New England is 9-0 at home this season and was the only team in the NFL to go 8-0 at home during the regular season. And never mind that the Patriots had a +15.9 point differential at home this season, better than every team in the league. (The Chiefs were second with a +14.8 point differential.) The best way to see how much home-field mattered to the Patriots is to look at how poorly they played outside Foxboro. Patriots' home/away splits in a few key areas this season: pic.twitter.com/Dc3ghnwBcd Joe Osborne (@JTFOz) January 15, 2019 Story continues New England went 3-5 away from home this season and based on a few key metrics was one of the league's worst road teams. Despite finishing tied for the league's sixth-best record, the Patriots actually have been outscored on the road this season and rank 26th or lower in net yards per play, offensive red zone touchdown percentage and opponents' third down conversion percentage. Simply put: No team benefited more from home field advantage this season than the Patriots. They'll have to shake those bad habits and recent history Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, as road teams have lost the last 10 conference championship games dating to 2012. Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device. | https://sports.yahoo.com/julian-edelmans-shout-patriots-fans-185316457.html?src=rss |
Who will step up to protect Ontarios health care? | In his New Years letter to Ontarios public servants, Premier Doug Ford said his governments priorities are to improve health care and reduce the provincial deficit. Those words dont match Ford actions. But they perhaps reveal a lot about what Ontarians think their governments priorities should be and what opposition leader Andrea Horwath needs to quietly work on in upcoming months. Doug Ford talks to staff during a campaign stop at Etobicoke General Hospital in Toronto in May 2018. Doug Ford said health care and deficits are his priority but his actions suggest otherwise, writes Tom Parkin. ( Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) Despite the premiers New Years claim that health care and deficits are his priority, during the past provincial election the Conservatives campaigned on cutting revenue by $8.05 billion a year. Putting the province deeper in the hole is a strange policy if the priority is health care and deficits. The largest promised annual payouts were $2.3 billion for a high income tax cut, a $1.9 billion break for carbon emitters and a $1.2 billion tax cut for corporations. And in Novembers Fall Economic Statement, the Conservatives stayed on their foolish path. The statement revealed in-year budget cuts of $3.2 billion, with $1 billion coming from Ontarios poorest people on social assistance. From those cuts, only $500 million went to deficit reduction. The remaining $2.7 billion was paid-out as tax and revenue cuts. Article Continued Below When money cut from public programs goes 85 per cent to revenue giveaways and only 15 per cent to deficits, its clear health care and deficits arent the priority. Whatever his actions, the words of Fords letter suggest he believes Ontarians want a priority on health care and deficits. With reason. Last winter, during the annual flu season, many were shocked by reports of overcrowded emergency rooms and even patient deaths when hospital beds couldnt be found. The previous government had cut Ontarios per person program spending to lowest in Canada including the lowest-funded provincial health care in Canada. It was showing. Now, warns a recent Toronto Star report, the Conservatives solution may be two-tier health care, allowing superior treatment for those who can pay privately. Insurance firms are excited about the possibility of increased private health care, according to the news report. The challenge for NDP leader Andrea Horwath, if she is to replace Ford and end his cuts, is to do the quiet work of feeling out the contours of a coalition that will support a different plan one that both protects our public programs and stabilizes the provincial budget. Perhaps that coalition might unite around policies that benefit all Ontario society in contrast with Fords coalition of particular private interests. Insurance companies, for example, may be anxious to profit from Fords self-imposed budget crunch, but its hard to see the social benefit. Private insurance isnt free the premiums are one more cost passed onto other businesses and individuals. And the U.S. evidence is private multi-payer health care cost more even though they exclude many. And theres a social interest in a single-payer drug insurance plan. In her last campaign, Horwath pointed to the 2.2 million Ontarians who have no drug insurance. Numerous reports have called for a pharmacare plan another one came just days ago from the Broadbent Institute which would provide universal coverage and cost less. Of course certain particular interests, like insurance and big pharma, are naturally not keen about the plan. Article Continued Below No doubt it will be frustrating for Horwath and her New Democrats to have to re-argue the social benefit of universal health care or pharmacare to pull together a new social coalition. But the ability to build new political coalitions based on bold positions is the mark of true political leaders. And there is a lot at stake. Because if Horwath and her team cant find those contours and cant craft that progressive alternative coalition, the erosion of Ontarios health care and other public services will continue regardless of which political party rules Queens Park. Tom Parkin is a social democratic political commentator based in Toronto. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/01/16/who-will-step-up-to-protect-ontarios-health-care.html |
How about that weather eh? | Theres a reason for all this weather talk, of course. Our countrys four-season climate makes us loopy sometimes. From Arctic blizzards to subtropical humidity, we face a kind of annual endurance test. Whether youre a farmer getting harvest-ready, a rush-hour commuter, or (ahem) someone who has to develop recipes two seasons in advance, the only way to survive the constant state of change is to come to some kind of uneasy peace with it. Or even better, embrace it. An American I know recently said that Canadians seem obsessed with the weather. When the temperature is one of the major subjects of discussion, it means you live in a pretty good place. I used to tolerate the roller-coaster ride of the seasons with little to no complaining. Now, largely because of the cooking show and magazine that I run, I cherish the benefits of our four-season way of life. Sure, on days when bad weather messes with my plans, I grumble. But I truly think were blessed to live in a country where weather is a national preoccupation. Not only do the challenges of the seasons push us to be flexible, theres always something exciting around the corner. I only have to think about where I live and how the late December holidays give way to sugar shack season, and then to gardening and backyard grilling in turn. Theres never a dull moment! Of course, I cant help but look at our weather patterns through the lens of food. Its good that weve arrived at the point where we think its strange when a restaurant pushes an asparagus plate in January, or gazpacho in February. Our expectations have evolved as diners and home cooks, and thats wonderful. Ill pass on food Groundhog Day, thank you very much. Give me the promise of seasonal produce and products corn! peaches! spot prawns! every time. This bounty gives us a huge reward to look forward to, especially at this time of year. Now, I dont necessarily want to eat stews and fondue all winter long, until the first radish pops up in my garden in late April (fingers crossed). So I appreciate how our seasons force me to think creatively in the kitchen. Its not just about seasonal produce either, but the different techniques that the seasons demand from us (perfect my braises in January, up my salad game in July). These variations are something to be grateful for, despite the occasional and perhaps all-too-understandable complaint about the weather. | https://www.thestar.com/life/2019/01/16/how-about-that-weather-eh.html |
What about the thousands of women in Canada with stories similar to Rahafs? | On Saturday, a Saudi teenager fleeing domestic abuse was offered protection in Canada. As a bevy of television cameras captured Rahaf Mohammeds arrival at Pearson International Airport, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland handed her a Canada hooded sweater, and welcomed her to her new homeland. As many people now know, Rahaf fled to Bangkok from Kuwait, where her family was on holiday, in the hopes of receiving asylum in Australia. She was briefly detained and authorities confiscated her passport. She then barricaded herself in a hotel room to thwart her removal to Saudi Arabia. At this point, she became a person without status as her primary documentation for her identity and travel had been taken from her. Asylum Seeker Rahaf Mohammed, 18, smiles as she is introduced to the media at Toronto Pearson International Airport, alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, right, on Saturday in Toronto. ( Cole Burston / GETTY IMAGES ) Ottawa deserves credit for acting swiftly to offer asylum to the 18-year-old, who alleged her family would kill her if she was forced to return to Saudi Arabia. Freeland says Rahaf was singled out because every light is significant. The positive outcome in Rahafs case often eludes the thousands of women and children who become undocumented or non-status in Canada after fleeing domestic abuse. Since people who become undocumented usually fear coming to the attention of immigration authorities, they are often forced to live clandestinely and work under the table in order to avoid removal. Article Continued Below There are an estimated 20,000 to 200,000 individuals in Canada who dont have legal immigration papers. And many of them have stories similar to Rahafs. Through my work with the Rights of Non-Status Women Network, a Toronto-based grassroots organization to support and disseminate information to front line workers, I heard many of these stories. The government is, at best, ignoring the claims and calls for protection for these women and their dependants and, at worst, potentially pushing them back to their abusers. It is done through the underfunding of womens shelters and through Ontarios civil court system, where they have to seek injunctions against abusers. It is done through tying subsidized housing access to immigration status, forcing women to choose between abuse and homelessness. It is done through not officially unplugging the Harper-era police hotline for Canadians to anonymously report barbaric cultural practices that could get other people deported. Network sources tell us that abusers and traffickers use the threat of phoning the anonymous hotline threat to manipulate, control, and harm vulnerable people. And, finally, it is done through not providing duty counsel or free access to high-quality legal counsel in immigration and refugee matters before the courts. Article Continued Below There has also been no mention of whether Rahaf will need to reimburse the government for her flight, a huge financial burden for other newcomers, or the usual payments for language certification, identification documentation and eventually citizenship. At the press conference at Pearson, Freedland said We believe very strongly that womens rights are human rights. Thats something we believe in and act on here at home. Lets hold her up to this promise and support the decisions and actions of women and children like Rahaf, but also those who are already in Canada. Lets also remind ourselves that while migration is not a right, all migrants are entitled to enjoy human rights. Dr. Stephanie J. Silverman is the interim associate director of the Ethics, Society, and Law Program at Trinity College, University of Toronto and the Vice-President of the Canadian Association of Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS). | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/01/16/what-about-the-thousands-of-women-in-canada-with-stories-similar-to-rahafs.html |
What Are Costco's Key Value Drivers? | Costco saw its stock price increase by nearly 10% over the course of 2018. Much of that increase was due to the companys strong comparable sales growth in the U.S., as well as international markets. We have a $238 price estimate for Costco, which is almost 15% ahead of the current market price. We have created an interactive dashboard on Costcos Revenue and Cash Profits breakdown, which details our forecasts for the companys revenue and cash profits in the calendar year 2019. You can modify our assumptions to see the impact any changes would have on the companys earnings and valuation. We expect Costco to generate around $149 billion in revenues in CY 2019. Of the total expected revenues in CY 2019, we estimate $85 billion in the Costco U.S. business, almost $35 billion for the Costco International business, nearly $26 billion for the Ancillary businesses, and close to $3.3 billion in Membership income. Breakdown By Division Costcos domestic business constitutes 45% of the Trefis price estimate for Costcos stock. It is the most valuable segment for the company, contributing more than half of total sales. The retailer continues to benefit from the positive momentum of its comparable sales in the U.S. In its recent earnings, the company posted a 9% increase in comparable sales. In addition, Costcos organic performance has been keeping pace with the U.S. retail industry. This is primarily due to its business model. The company relies heavily on its membership fees, despite the fact that these fees account for only 3% of total revenues. The companys membership fees contribute around 17% of its value, per our estimates, given the low costs associated with this revenue stream. Like other large retailers, Costco makes small margins on most of its items in its stores, while membership fees help offset these low margins. Paid memberships at Costco have grown at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 4% over the past two years to 51.6 million in fiscal 2018. Going forward, we forecast the companys revenue from membership fees to reach $3.3 billion in CY 2019. Costco operates in ten international markets. The retailer boasts more than 10 million members in Canada with a renewal rate of 90%, which helps the company earn significantly through its membership fees alone. Costco operates 100 stores in Canada (as of Sept. 2018), which is the greatest number of stores in any market outside the U.S., with impressive 5% comparable sales growth. We expect the sales from the Canadian market to boost the companys international revenues in 2019 as well. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/16/what-are-costcos-key-value-drivers/ |
Is the "10 Year Challenge" on Facebook a privacy scheme disguised as a meme? | It's the simple meme that's taking over your social media feeds: the "10 Year Challenge," where users upload side-by-side photos of themselves from a decade ago and now. But it might not be so simple. Facebook on Wednesday distanced itself from the "10 Year Challenge" after an article set off speculation that the social media giant could be secretly mining data from the photos to improve its facial recognition algorithms. It's a scenario that those who have studied social media companies don't rule out, despite Facebook's denials. The photo challenge gives Facebook "a perfect storm for machine learning," said Amy Webb, a professor at NYU Stern School of Business with an upcoming book about how artificial intelligence can manipulate humans. "It presented Facebook with a terrified opportunity to learn, to train their systems to better recognize small changes" in users' appearances, she told CBS News. The "10 Year Challenge" popped up last week and across Facebook, Instagram (which is owned by Facebook) and Twitter millions of people have participated. The challenge generated 5.2 million engagements on Facebook in just three days, according to the social media monitoring tool Talkwalker. It was the latest in a constant stream of social media crazes like the "Bird Box" challenge and Top Nine photo collage that enticed users to join in with little concern for safety and privacy. There are also viral hashtags like #MyFirstConcertWas, which get users to reveal answers to popular security questions. Speculation about the meme's ulterior motive flared up after Wired writer Kate O'Neill published an op-ed suggesting it wasn't just harmless fun. O'Neill pointed out that the viral challenge has filled Facebook with labeled, side-by-side user photos taken within a fixed period of time. That's different, and easier to analyze, than the years of photos that users have already uploaded in no particular order. It's also more useful for technology that's trying to capture how people look and how they age. She warned of "fraught consequences" that could come from this data, such as insurance companies kicking up coverage costs for people who seem to be aging quickly. (There has been no evidence so far that this is happening.) Facebook issued a statement saying it had no role in starting the challenge and saw no benefit in it. "This is a user-generated meme that went viral on its own. Facebook did not start this trend, and the meme uses photos that already exist on Facebook," the company said. "Facebook gains nothing from this meme (besides reminding us of the questionable fashion trends of 2009). As a reminder, Facebook users can choose to turn facial recognition on or off at any time." But even if Facebook didn't initiate the challenge, it has been using facial recognition intelligence for years to recognize users and people they are pictured with. It is also rolling out new products that rely on artificial intelligence, such as Portal, a video chat screen with a camera that can follow you around a room and automatically focus on your face. The "10 Year Challenge" comes about a year after a similar effort from Google, one of Facebook's biggest competitors. Google's Arts & Culture app matches selfies with works of art that resemble the user. The app uses facial recognition algorithms to create side-by-side comparisons after users upload a photo. Whatever Facebook gets out of the "10 Year Challenge," Barr said it's significant that people questioned its motive in the first place. After an avalanche of Facebook privacy scandals and data breaches in the past two years, now even a meme seems suspect. "It's good that finally, even though it took a couple days, eventually the conversation (began) of, 'What a minute, did we just play into the hands of the tech giants again?'" Barr said. "At least that was part of the conversation." -Dan Patterson contributed to this report. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-10-year-challenge-meme-could-it-mine-your-data-facial-recognition/ |
Why are US troops in the Syrian city of Manbij? | The location of Wednesday's bomb blast that killed American service members -- the northern Syrian city of Manbij -- has proven vitally strategic for U.S. forces who have had a highly visible presence there for nearly two years. Add Syria as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Syria news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest The Americans have conducted patrols in the city, in vehicles, and on foot, to act as a buffer between Turkey and the U.S.-led coalition's Kurdish partners, a group that's been critical to the fight against ISIS but which Ankara classifies as terrorists. Manbij has long had a historic population mix of Arabs, Kurds, and other minority groups and was part of a swath of territory overtaken by ISIS. During the summer of 2016, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the Kurds make up a significant portion, retook the city to the dismay of Turkey, which didn't like the Kurds operating so far west into Syria and close to their border. In response, Turkey began threatening those partners in Manbij, and the U.S. had to work to prevent the Turks from carrying out any attacks. At the same time, Syrian regime forces and their Russian backers recognized the town's strategic value as well and -- not wanting Turkey to have control of the area -- Russia sent troops to begin patrolling near Manbij. Hussein Malla/AP, FILE By March 2017, the U.S. decided to send hundreds of American troops to Manbij to be a visible presence in the city, so as to prevent Turkish forces from attacking the Kurds and also keep Russian forces at bay. The troops flew the American flag on their vehicles -- a practice not common in other parts of Syria -- because, as a Pentagon spokesman said at the time, they would be "a visible sign of deterrence and reassurance." The U.S. also worked to slowly remove the Kurds from the Manbij Military Council, a group put in place by the SDF, in order to ease Turkey's concerns. Over time, the U.S. vehicle patrols have included "dismounted" patrols with American forces in the city on foot, which is what the U.S. service members who were killed on Wednesday were doing at the time of the explosion. As Turkey continued to issue threats against the Kurds, the U.S. also sought to ease tensions by carrying out joint U.S.-Turkey patrols to the north of Manbij. After months of delays, the joint patrols began last fall, but they were the closest that Turkish troops could come to the city. Since the Trump administration's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, Syrian and Russian forces have once again gotten closer to the city, but have not entered. Kurdish elements welcomed the Syrian advance, fearing that Turkey would invade the city once U.S. troops pulled out. Those fears may very well be founded. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the head of a Turkish-backed militia group was waiting to launch an assault on Manbij if given the go-ahead by Ankara, which is in dialogue with Washington to see how the U.S. withdrawal unfolds. ABC News' Elizabeth McLaughlin contributed to this report. | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-troops-syrian-city-manbij/story?id=60421763 |
Could Dufferin County be a municipal dumping ground for provinces review of regional governments? | The fear Dufferin County could serve as a dumping ground for any municipal bits and pieces left without a home following a provincial restructuring of regional governance across Ontario is real. Among the 82 municipalities and nine regional governments Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative regime seek to review for greater efficiencies are Dufferins municipal neighbours in Peel Region and Simcoe County. Amalgamation hasnt shown any of the results that have been promised over the years, says Darren White, the Melancthon mayor who also serves as warden of Dufferin County. It does but nobody seems to know what. Everybody is very tight-lipped at the province. I dont know that us being pushed into an alliance with other bits and pieces would work very well either, said Dufferin County Warden Darren White. That is a concern, he added. Our final answer: Its complicated, but itd most certainly have to be brought down from on high by the province. And itd be far more likely if Peel were to be restructured. That possibility has been made even more real by Tuesdays announcement. Amalgamation disproportionately affects rural areas. It leads to cuts in services and therefore the disenfranchisement of rural residents, White argued. For an area like Dufferin where the largest economic sector is agriculture, that would be a tragedy. Uncertainly in Peel Region, namely due to Mississaugas wish to break away from Brampton and Caledon to become a single-tier government, is the X-factor though. If Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga cant resolve any differences, provincial officials have told Peel politicians a merger of the last two into a single city could be contemplated. Then the question is, does Caledon stay in that new city? Caledon Coun. Ian Sinclair previously asked. Or do we take everything, Mayfield, north and join with the greater Dufferin? MPP Sylvia Jones declined to be interviewed for our investigative series, but she did provide us with a brief statement answering a question we had not yet been able to ask. Im not aware of any conversations about amalgamation, it read. Following the provinces announcement on Tuesday, The Banner reached out to Jones to request another interview on the topic. We were provided with the following statement on Wednesday morning. Article Continued Below Our government is committed to improving the way regional government works and we will be looking at ways to make better use of taxpayers' dollars and make it easier for residents and businesses to access important municipal services, the statement read. The review will consider whether changes are needed to ensure that regional governments are working efficiently and effectively so they can continue to provide the vital services that communities depend on. It was no secret that Fords PCs planned to review regional governance across Ontario. With the current model in place for 50 years, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing says populations have grown, infrastructure pressures have increased and taxpayer dollars are being stretched to the limit. (We) will be seeking more municipal input to help us ensure that regional government is working harder, smarter and more efficiently, said ministry spokesperson Rachel Widakdo. Its time to consider whether governance in these communities could be improved. The cost-savings-through-amalgamation argument tends to focus on eliminating unnecessary politician and staff salaries. By creating a larger service provider, studies have shown municipalities often need to hire more expertise once theyve become larger. White figures Dufferin County left off the provinces list due to its size. For instance, he said Simcoe County has a gigantic regional government compared to Dufferin. Ours arent gigantic. We have a lot of people but it doesnt cost a lot of money. People seem to think, even locally, that local politicians are making a pile of money and we are just not, White said. It just doesnt work, he said, referring to amalgamations. If you look at other places that have amalgamated, what you will see is sure, theyve gotten rid of some politicians but theyve had to replace low paid politicians with high-paid bureaucrats. From Whites perspective, local governments can make better decisions than outsiders pushing it down their throats. Time will only tell if the province provides them with that autonomy. We can do it better here if were just left to manage our own affairs, White argued. If we are expected to create our own solutions, we can do that much better than an outside force can impose on us. Chris Halliday covers Dufferin County, school board and police. He can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/01/16/could-dufferin-county-be-a-municipal-dumping-ground-for-provinces-review-of-regional-governments.html |
Can Royal Dutch Shell's Cash Flows Remain Consistent? | Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A), saw profits surge in the last quarter, as improvements to capital efficiency has meant the company reported a strong quarter. With oil prices falling into the twentys a couple of years ago, Shell decided to re-focus its strategy. Previously it had focused on acquiring assets, and paid little attention to quality. When the oil prices fell, it had to quickly re-strategize to keep profitability up, and the strategy has paid off. Gas and exploration income almost doubled from the previous year, and the upstream segment of the company saw significant increases. Along with the increase in income, profits almost tripled from the previous year . We have a price estimate of $67 per share for Royal Dutch Shell, which is 10% higher than its current market price. View our interactive dashboard Royal Dutch Shell In 2019 and modify the key drivers to visualize their impact on its valuation. Shell has significantly tightened how it allocated capital in 2018. Capital Expenditure (capex), has remained steady through 2018, and is at similar levels from 2017. Capex is expected to continue into 2019. This means Shell will weather any major prices changes in oil, far better than previous years, where it wasnt prepared for an oil collapse. The volatility in oil could be a reason why the stock remains muted, as investors look for consistent quarterly results before investing in the stock. But with capital expenditure tightening, we expect free cash flow to come in at $20 billion in 2019, up from ~$16 billion in 2018. The companys average realized price for 2018 has been $65, and we are currently expecting a similar average realized price in 2019. Currently the stock trades at a price of $60, and our price estimate is at $67, should cash flows come in strong as expected, we could see the price of the stock achieve much higher levels, with the stock reaching as high as $73 which is illustrated in in our chart labeled (share price), and our dashboard. But for the stocks price to rise to $73, the company would have to show 2-3 quarters of consistent results. With OPEC expected to keep a tight lid on supply, we expect oil prices to remain steady. Overall, Royal Dutch Shells stock is well placed to go higher in 2019. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/16/can-royal-dutch-shells-cash-flows-remain-consistent/ |
What Will Come After The Information Age? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Brian Bi, former software engineer at Google, on Quora: I would say that were currently in the transition from the Information Age to what I call the Age of Reckoning. In the Industrial Age and the Information Age, there was widespread optimism that technology would eventually solve all of our problemspoverty, disease, violence, and others. In the last 5 years or so, its been slowly dawning on us that more technology, by itself, cannot be the solution, and in fact, the systems we currently have in place, while they solve some problems, create other problems that may be equally severe. While technology has certainly lifted many humans out of poverty and enriched our lives in many ways, it has also made the world increasingly complex and difficult to navigate. The rapid disruption of many established industries has meant that even the most intelligent and conscientious individuals have had to struggle to stay relevant in the modern globalized economywhile others, inundated with information to make sense of, cant figure out how to make all the right decisions the first time, and must spend years broke, jobless, underemployed, or burnt out. We are not weaker or stupider than our ancestors, but the world is more challenging than ever before and we need to go through more trial and error than they did in order to secure a comfortable existence. Continued technological development will increase material abundance even more, but technology alone cannot solve the problem of figuring out whom to distribute resources to and getting everyone on board with how resources are distributed. The internet has enabled new modes of social interaction that the evolution of our primate brains didnt equip us to handle. Despite the fact that we are supposed to be more connected than ever before, many people are lonely and starved of genuine positive human attention. Many people dont belong to tribes or bands in which individuals are valued, the way our ancestors have for millennia; instead, we all compete for attention on a globalized market provided by social media, and many people are losing the competition, becoming lonely and depressed, while even those who are winning, receiving a larger share of positive attention than others, can often be anxious and insecure about maintaining their position in the status hierarchy, because they, too, often lack a close-knit social group in which people genuinely care about them. Economic growth and technological development dont increase the ratio of available human attention to the amount of need for human attention (as both scale linearly with the number of humans alive). We have to admit that we simply dont know how to solve this problem right now, but at any rate, its obvious that we cant rely on technology to be our savior. I believe that in order to confront the major problems that we will face this century, we are going to have to look inward and confront some uncomfortable truths about human nature, understand the fact that technology can amplify both the best and the worst aspects of it, and possibly come together to make big sacrifices in order to build a world thats truly better for all of us. This is the reckoning that I speak of. 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/2019/01/16/what-will-come-after-the-information-age/ |
Can People Buy Plots Of Land On The Moon? | Short answer: you cant. No one can. Heres why. There are several international treaties that bear on this subject, but the most important is the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies signed on January 27, 1967 . This treaty is usually called the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 or the OST for short. You can read the treaty and the US State Departments explanation of it here: Outer Space Treaty The relevant provision of the OST is Article II which states: Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. So what? you might say. The OST pertains to nations. Im not a nation, so why cant I buy 40 acres on the Moon with a nice view of the Apollo 15 landing site? Contrary to what you might believe, this provision absolutely prevents you from buying that gray, arid hunk of moon that you crave. Any claim to own real property (immovable property in those countries whose law descends from the Roman Civil Law, or just plain land to most people) MUST derive from some national claim of sovereignty. If you own land in the United States and received an abstract of title look at it carefully, all the way back to the last page. You will see that, at one time or another, your land was claimed as sovereign territory of the United States of America, or the United Kingdom of Great Britain, etc., or the Kingdom of Spain, or the Republic of Mexico, or the Russian Empire, or the Kingdom of Hawaii (I think thats all of them, but I might have missed one in there somewhere). That sovereign then caused that piece of land to be severed from the public domain by means of a land grant, sale, Homestead Act Title, or some other means and became someones property. Title then passed through a series of owners down through history to YOU. Some sovereign had to own the property FIRST, so that you can trace your ownership back to that sovereign (or more than one sovereignmany abstracts refer to the treaty or treaties by which that territory passed from a foreign sovereign into the possession of the United States). Further, it is the law of that sovereign that recognizes, protects, and legitimizes your ownership. At bottom, ownership of land is a legal right to exclusive possession, use, and control of the land and what it produces. That right has meaning ONLY if you can enforce it in the courts. Or from coming on the land armed with Ole Betsy, his trusty 12 gauge shotgun, and running you off the property before you can even get the foundation poured for your house. It is your ability to go to court, get a Temporary Restraining Order barring Mr. Schmuckmaker from interfering with your legal use and enjoyment of the land (and empowering the Madison County Sheriffs Office to cart him off to jail if he violates that order), and obtaining legal damages from him for the tort of trespass, that makes your ownership of the land more than a mere legal formality. Just think about it from the perspective of a bank giving you a loan to buy the land and build (or buy) a house on itno bank would ever give the loan at an interest rate anyone could afford unless there was a legal system that protected your possession of it AND that provided a means by which the bank could foreclose on the loan if you dont make the payments. So, in summary, the OST says that no nation can exercise sovereignty over any body in outer space, including the moon. No private person can own property and freely exercise rights of ownership under the law unless that land has been first legally claimed by some sovereign and unless that sovereign has established a legal system that recognizes and protects that ownership. So, save your money to buy that beautiful oak tree-shaded plot in the Texas hill country, because you simply cant own acreage on the moon. 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/2019/01/16/can-people-buy-plots-of-land-on-the-moon/ |
Will the Real Bill Barr Please Stand Up? | On the opening day of his confirmation hearings, attorney general nominee William Barr said many things to reassure senators and the American public about his commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice under the Trump administration. I will not be bullied into doing anything I think is wrong by anybody, whether it be editorial boards or Congress or the President, Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee, sounding bold, albeit slightly rehearsed. Barr projected himself as principled, professional and deeply committed to the rule of law. But that did little to calm the concerns of critics who point to the nominees long commitment to an extreme view of executive power in which the president is effectively above the law, and his bizarre memorandum addressed to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein which criticized what Barr assumed was special counsel Robert Muellers theory of obstruction of justicea writing which favorably circulated among top White House officials. If it is the principled, experienced, crusader for apolitical law enforcement, then we can all rest easy. But if the other Bill Barr takes the reins, there is cause for concern. At the hearing, Barr was unable to explain adequately his decision to write the memorandum to Rosenstein last June, while Barr was still in private practice. He claims he was motivated by news stories. But his judgment in drafting and sending it is in tension with his image as a detached professional pursuing evenhanded justice. Pundits and journalists are expected to speculate on information in the public record. They can and do give their opinions about what it appears Mueller and his team are doing and where theyre headed; this is a public service because they are helping people understand a complex and often technical process. By contrast, in drafting and submitting legal memoranda, lawyers serve a different role and are expected to act differently. Lawyers, unlike pundits, are supposed to reserve judgment about the law until they understand the facts. Despite qualifying his memorandum by explaining that he has no understanding of the facts and no independent knowledge about the Mueller probe, Barrs memo launched into a full-throated criticism of Muellers theory of obstruction of justice, as if he knew what that theory is and whether Mueller is pursuing it. Barr begins his memo by conceding "I am in the dark about many facts." He goes on to allege that Mueller is proposing an unprecedented expansion of obstruction laws so as to reach facially-lawful actions taken by the President in exercising the discretion vested in him by the Constitution, although Mueller has not publicly proposed any such action and Barr would have no way of knowing the special counsels thought process. He asserts that the full measure of law enforcement authority is placed in the President's hands, and no limit is placed on the kinds of cases subject to his control and supervision. The Attorney General and Department of Justice lawyers exercise prosecutorial discretion on [the presidents] behalf, Barr argues, an interpretation of executive power which both undermines the DOJs traditional independence and effectively gives the president the power to stop any criminal investigation he chooses. These choices would be appropriate if Barr was rehearsing for a role as personal lawyer to the president, but makes little sense if his only interest was to inform the relevant parties and preserve his reputation as a public servant. Both Republicans and Democrats grilled Barr on the independence of the Department of Justice, and he reassured senators on both sides of the aisle that he has no more remaining professional and personal aspirations. All he cares about is his legacy, his reputation. This, he claimed, uniquely suits him to stand guard of the agency he cares about so deeply. This line of argument is convincingthis is how professionalism is supposed to work. Concern for reputation in a community with particular and exacting standards is a significant check on professionals like Barr, who stand to lose and gain nothing from public service other than their legacy. But if an enduring legacy of public service is his sole motivation, it makes little sense that he would have drafted that memorandum, which was at odds with the best practices of the bar. Somewhat ironically, Barr explained that he could not answer particular questions at the hearings without more facts. There were numerous questions from senators about what might constitute obstruction of justice by a president. Barr agreed that an explicit offer to exchange a pardon for favorable testimony or the refusal to cooperate would constitute obstruction of justice. Likewise, destroying documents with the intent to interfere in an investigation would be a crime. But on more nuanced questions, he reserved judgment. One senator asked whether Barr would allow the special counsel to subpoena the presidents testimony. Barr refused to answer, saying he would need to know the facts. Another asked whether Barr would commit to revealing as much as he could of Muellers report to Congress and explaining why he has withheld anything if he chooses to do so. Barr refused to make a pledge without first seeing the facts. Frustrating as these answers are, lawyers are expected to be cautious in this way. Even in the context of a public hearing whose purpose is to inform lawmakers and the public, lawyers tend to reserve final judgment until they know the facts. It is a central part of their professional obligation. But this cautious approach is at odds with Barrs decision to opine in that memo about whether a set of facts he did not know constituted a crime on a theory of obstruction he did not know was even relevant. There is another inconsistency between the Barr who appeared before the Senate yesterday and the Barr who wrote that memorandum. The theory he embraced in his memo (and has reportedly long held) and the statements he made in his confirmation hearing are in tension. In the memo, Barr embraced a strong vision of the executive whose power is concentrated in the hands of the president. As a president has plenary authority over the executive, Barr insisted, he has full power to hire and fire for any reason, and cannot be prosecuted for exercising his powers with a subjective intent to interfere with an investigation into himself and his campaign. Yet Barr insisted in the hearing that he understands that as the nations chief law enforcement officer, the attorney general must preserve the independence of the Justice Department and protect it from political influenceincluding from the president to whom he reports. These two visions are fundamentally incompatible. If the president controls law enforcement, thenas President Trump and his lawyers have insistedhe is allowed to do anything legal, including inject political considerations into individual prosecutorial decisions. Under his own theory, Barr would be limited to resigning if he disagrees with the presidents directive. Intellectual inconsistency is not a fatal flaw, and ifas he promisedBarr plans to protect both the Mueller investigation and other federal prosecutors from the taint of political interference, the rule of law will win. But his strong vision of executive power calls into question whether that commitment is as strong as he trumpeted at his hearing. That will be his legacy. Rebecca Roiphe (@rroiphe) is a professor of law at New York Law School. | https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/16/william-barr-trump-attorney-general-confirmation-hearings-224022 |
Will Mayor David Briley get derailed Music City Music Council back on track? | Buy Photo Nashville Mayor David Briley has reiterated his faith in the Music City Music Council and expressed confidence the group will get back on track. (Photo: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean) Ten years after the Music City Music Council was launched by former Mayor Karl Dean with tremendous fanfare, the music business advisory board has found itself stuck in neutral. Dean created the Music Council with visions of connecting Music Row to Metro and jump-starting music industry economic development initiatives. The 20-person board included leading executives from every corner of the music industry and A-list Nashville artists such as Emmylou Harris and Jack White. But in the last year the Music Council has languished. The group has met just once in the last 12 months, and after its highly regarded executive director Justine Avila departed for another job, Mayor David Brileys administration created a job description for her replacement that includes economic development projects outside the narrow focus of the music industry. Among its accomplishments over the last decade, the Music Council played a key role in creating the artist housing development Ryman Lofts, provided input for the construction of Ascend Amphitheater, helped recruit music business jobs such as the Warner Music back-office expansion and lured the annual Music Biz conference to Nashville. The Music Council also played a key role in an economic impact report that found in 2013 that the music industry has a $9.8 billion annual impact on Nashville. Through a spokesman, Briley reiterated his faith in the Music Council and expressed confidence the group would get back on track. Mayor Briley supports the Music City Music Council, Briley's spokesman Thomas Mulgrew said. His vision for the council mirrors MC2s mission statement, which is for the organization to be dedicated to developing strategies toward heightening the awareness and development of Nashvilles world-wide reputation as Music City. That optimism was echoed by Music Council co-chair Scott Clayton, a managing partner at the Nashville office of WME. I look forward to working with Mayor Briley and his administration alongside vice chair Sally Williams and all of the current council members, Clayton said. I am very proud of what the Music City Music Council has accomplished in the past, and I remain optimistic about what we will achieve together in our continued commitment to growing the music business in Nashville and promoting the citys status as the leading global music destination. The Music City Music Council met once in 2018 shortly before former Mayor Megan Barry resigned from her job. Metro was in a state of flux after Barrys departure, with Briley, who had been vice mayor, taking over and then winning election. Avila left as executive director of the Music Council. In November, Brileys administration forwarded the Music Council a job description for Avilas replacement. The job focus includes music industry initiatives but also added other economic development areas, including special projects. Thanks to the leadership of MC2 and other key stakeholders, Nashvilles music and entertainment industry is stronger than ever, Mulgrew said. Since 2009, MC2s role as an organization focused on promoting and growing these sectors of our economy has played a central part in a number of major developments, notably the expansions of Sony/ATV and Eventbrite and the creation of the Ryman Lofts, among others. Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @tnnaterau. Be in the know: Learn about the latest business news and developments. Sign up for our free newsletter. Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/01/16/music-city-music-council-nashville-david-briley/2592253002/ | https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/01/16/music-city-music-council-nashville-david-briley/2592253002/ |
How Does the Government Shutdown Affect Medicare? | [Answer]No. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been funded through September 30, 2019, and its programs (Medicare and Medicaid) haven't been affected by the partial government shutdown. Claims continue to be processed as usual. SEE ALSO: 10 Things You Need to Know About Medicare Medicare enrollment, which is processed through the Social Security Administration, hasn't been affected, either. The SSA has also been funded through fiscal year 2019 (which ends on September 30, 2019), and branch offices continue to be open on their regular schedule. If you're turning 65 and signing up for Medicare, however, the most efficient way to enroll is online at www.ssa.gov/medicare, even if you aren't signing up for Social Security benefits yet. (If you delayed signing up for Medicare past the age of 65 because you were working and had employer coverage, you'll need to fill out some extra forms and either mail them to the SSA or visit a Social Security office rather than signing up online.) These procedures haven't changed because of the shutdown. See Signing Up for Medicare When You're Still Covered by an Employer's Health Plan for more information. You can continue to contact Medicare's toll-free 800-Medicare number (800-633-4227) with any questions on the program, although the phone lines tend to be busy early in the year; some other resources might be easier to reach, regardless of the shutdown. You can get help from your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program counselors, who can answer questions about Medicare enrollment, rules and appeals. You can find contact information for your local SHIP at www.shiptacenter.org. Another good resource is the Medicare Rights Center, which runs a national helpline and includes answers to many questions at Medicare Interactive. And you can find out about Part D and Medicare Advantage plans in your area through the Medicare Plan Finder. See Switching to a New Medicare Advantage Plan Gets Easier for more about when you can switch plans after open enrollment. Medicare.gov also has a lot of great resources to help answer your questions about Medicare coverage and rules. The Shutdown's Impact on Health Coverage for Veterans, Government Employees The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been funded through fiscal year 2019 and is not affected by the shutdown. The Department of Health and Human Services, which also has been funded for fiscal year 2019, runs the ACA marketplaces, and subsidy payments will not be disrupted. If you move or leave your job and qualify for a special enrollment period to buy individual health insurance on the exchanges outside of open enrollment, you can still go to Healthcare.gov to purchase a policy or find links to your state exchange. Federal employees continue to be covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits program during the shutdown, even if they have been furloughed. However, any changes to their coverage (say, for a life event, such as moving, changing jobs or having a baby) may be delayed while they are furloughed. EDITOR'S PICKS Copyright 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors | https://news.yahoo.com/does-government-shutdown-affect-medicare-212721127.html |
Should the Mavericks Trade Dennis Smith Jr.? | The NBA rumor mill is starting to heat up as the trade deadline draws near. The Mavericks have reportedly engaged in discussions on finding a trade partner for point guard Dennis Smith Jr. The former lottery pick has struggled in his first two seasons in the NBA and with the emergence of Luka Doncic as a playmaker, it might be time to explore options. On the latest episode of the Open Floor podcast, Andrew Sharp and The Washington Posts Ben Golliver examine trade ideas for Smith Jr. and his lack of success in Dallas. (Listen to the latest Open Floor podcast here. The following transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.) Laughs. Sharp: Oh man! This is a really tough situation for me because you know I am not a Rick Carlisle guy, never haven been and I really would love to crush them for not giving Dennis Smith Jr. enough time and for basically wasting a top 10 pick. I think some of that is probably fair because Carlisle just can't make it work with guys. Its not just Smith Jr., it goes back to Rondo and Nerlens Noel. Its really hard to completely crush them for this. I think people have been criticizing this and saying the Mavs are going to get screwed in this trade and its just a bad look for the organization. I am just not a big fan of Smith Jr. and where he is going. Golliver: Last time I talked about Dennis Smith Jr. it got transcribed and it went viral because I was so mean, so I am not going to try to repeat that. I am just going to say in Dallas defense, if you look at that class behind him, its not like he is the only mistake. But Malik Monk and Luke Kennard Sharp: We dont talk enough about Stan Van Gundy taking Luke Kennard 12th. That was a really deep draft and Van Gundy made that pick and everyone was like What the hell is he doing? The only reason why that pick didnt get much heat is because no one really cares about the Pistons. On the night of the draft, this is not hindsight, but Donovan Mitchell would have made 10x more sense for the Detroit Pistons than Kennard did. Golliver: There were guys that was behind Smith Jr. You got Mitchell, Bam, John Collins in Atlanta who has had a really nice season, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart. It wasnt just Dallas saying like, Oh Dennis Smith Jr. we are randomly just high on him. Sharp: Yeah, he was top five to top 10. People really liked him and I think what Dallas was doing, which actually made sense at the time, was saying like We dont know if we are going to continue to be in the top 10 and while we are here, we rather take a big swing on a guy that could be a legit superstar. For about one week at NBA Summer League during his rookie year, Dennis Smith was like the talk of summer league. People were convincing themselves that he was a future All-Star and everything was great. Everyone kind of sobered up midway through last year. This guy is not very efficient; hes too small to ever be good on defense and kind of looks disinterested in playing defense whatsoever. Golliver: The comparison I made for him last time was to Emmanuel Mudiay and the advantage Dallas has if they think about trading him now, that means they gave up quicker than Denver did on Mudiay, so you should get a bit more on the return package. I just think the book is out on him. Hes a very inefficient shooter, poor decision maker and its not a Carlisle thing, he just makes bad decisions. Its possible. Sharp: Its possible. Golliver: I dont see it. He is just somebody elses problem to me. If I am Orlando or if I am Phoenix and I got nothing going on at the point guard position, I would be like okay lets roll the dice. If I am a team with a capable point guard, I would pass. | https://www.si.com/nba/2019/01/16/dennis-smith-jr-dallas-mavericks-trade-rumors-open-floor |
Can Blockchain Solve Child Labor in the Cobalt Industry? | Six months ago, I traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo with photographer Sebastian Meyer and revealed how thousands of young children were working 14-hour days digging cobaltan essential mineral found in every one of our mobile phones, electric vehicles, and computersfor just a few dollars a day. The scene was heart-breaking. Children living in desperate poverty were servicing giant tech and auto industries, whose products they would surely never be able to own in their lives. Now a few companies have seized on a possible solution: Using blockchain to track and monitor how their cobalt is mined and marketed. Ford Motor Company; the Korean battery-manufacturing giant LG Chem; Chinas Huayou Cobalt; and RCS Global, a London-based organization for responsible supply chains, announced this week that they will jointly create the first blockchain distributed platform to encompass the entire production cycle for cobalt. IBM will power the technology. The group claims that the immutable identity of the information uploaded on to the blockchain will allow it to monitor and assess every step of production, from the moment cobalt is dug out of the ground in remote southern Congowhere most of the worlds cobalt reserves lieto the smelters and refineries in Asia, and finally the global trading market. The risks we are looking for are operational health and safety, conflict financing, and child labor, Nicholas Garrett, CEO of RCS Global, tells me. Under the new blockchain system, each entity will report its stage of the process. Each player assesses for responsible practices, he says. The idea is to scale up the blockchain, allowing more and more mining and refining companies to join the platform. Any company failing to meet due-diligence standards will be ejected from the platform. The incentive for companies joining the blockchain is to keep extracting Congos huge resources, while still claiming to the world that they are following ethical business practices. We remain committed to transparency across our global supply chain, says Fords vice president for global purchasing and powertrain operations Lisa Drake; the company recently announced it is investing $11 billion on EVproduction over the next few years. As our reporting in DRC showed, cobalt mining in Congo has been riddled with human-rights violations and corruption for years, and operates in a vast Central African country beset by violent conflict. Given that, the new blockchain project might deliver fewer results than the companies claim. It is beginning with just one pilot site, Luswishi Industrial Mine in DRCs southern province of Lualaba, which uses machine techniques to extract cobalt. As such, the initiative does not (for now) tackle artisanal mines, which industry analysts believe account for about 20% of cobalt production, and which continue employing the child miners we met in the DRC last year, like 11-year-old Daniel and 15-year-old Lukasa. Traceability is not the final objective, it is just a means to an end, says Rashad Abelson, legal advisor on mineral supply chains for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris, which has drafted codes of conduct for the industry. Theres a risk that companies could treat blockchain technology as a panacea that is going to solve all the problems, he says. Children like Daniel and Lukasa will almost certainly continue digging for cobalt as long as they can, since the root causes of child labor remain: Deep poverty, and a lack of education and job opportunities. Even leaving aside child labor, there are other problems too: As we saw in the villages, cobalt markets and mines we visited, there are few resources to scrutinize peoples work habits. In the Kasulo mine, which is operated by Huayou, we watched hundreds of men digging cobalt with manual tools, and with no protective gloves or hard hats. And that was the site Congos local provincial officials wanted us to see, as an example of good mining practices. Abelson fears that the bare-bones conditions in Congo could also lead to bad information being uploaded on to the new blockchain platform, in areas where there is low literacy, and almost no experience of software technology; in some areas, there is not even Internet access. In addition, there will be few ways to know whether the data on the blockchain is true or false. It is not yet totally clear how this technology would resolve the issue of validating information that is fraudulent from the outset, he says. The stakes for fixing the labor violations and corruption in cobalt production are high indeed. As people increasingly choose electric vehicles over fossil-fuel models, global demand for cobalt could increase 700% by 2030, according to the cobalt-trading company Darton Commodities in London. The question now is whether the world can embrace green technology, and still adhere to ethical standards. | http://fortune.com/2019/01/16/can-blockchain-solve-child-labor-in-the-cobalt-industry/ |
What Happens to U.K. Companies if There's a No Deal Brexit? | The very possible scenario that the U.K. leaves the European Union without a negotiated exit deal would be a shock to everyones system. With no trade deals in place, tariffs would jolt into effect, causing shortages on shelves and blockages in ports. Many financial services firms are moving assets out of the U.K. and into the EU. As the consultancy giant EY reported, 20 companies have already publicly announced such shifts. EY put a conservative estimate of 800 billion pounds ($1.02 trillion) on the total. Barclays has shifted ownership of its French, German, and Spanish operations from its British base to its Irish subsidiary. More than a third of big U.K. financial services firms are moving staff abroad. Many industries are stockpiling. Though the British government has announced that medicine imports will get priority at the ports in the event of no deal, pharma giants such as AstraZeneca and Merck are caching meds, just to make sure. (AstraZeneca has also begun parallel testing at a Swedish site, owing to likely sudden changes in regulation.) And in the auto industry, Aston Martin and Volkswagen-owned Bentley are not only stockpiling components in order to avoid manufacturing disruptions, theyre also arranging to use ports other than Dover, the U.K.s main ferry link with the European mainland, which is likely to become heavily congested. We have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told Reuters. This article originally appeared in the February 2019 issue of Fortune. | http://fortune.com/2019/01/16/no-deal-brexit-emergency-plans/ |
Will The Super Bowl's TV Ratings Rebound From Their Recent Slump? | In todays fractured media market where people have a seemingly infinite number of viewing choices, nothing quite compares to the Super Bowl, which is almost always the most watched television show in any given year. I expect 2019 to be no exception According to Nielsen, last years NFL Championship game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots attracted more than 104 million viewers, the games smallest audience since 2009. The NFL, though, has proven to be more resilient than many pundits including yours truly expected thanks to rules changes that made the game more interesting to fans. During the first 13 weeks of the current season, the NFL averaged the most points (47.8), yards (718.4) and passing touchdowns per game (3.5) in its history. As a result, TV ratings for NFL games rose 5 percent in 2018, rebounding from two years of declines. The momentum should help bolster the Super Bowl ratings since there are plenty of compelling storylines to entice viewers. The NFC and AFC Championship games will feature future Hall-of-Famer Quarterbacks Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints against the respective dynamic young leaders of the Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams. Lets not forget Chiefs Coach Andy Reid who was fired by the Eagles in 2012 after a 14-year career where he lost the NFC Championship four times. The Rams returned to Los Angeles in 2016, 14 years after leaving Southern California for St. Louis and have struggled to attract fans. Advertisers are shelling out more than $5 million on average to CBS for 30-second sport on the big game, roughly what NBC charged last season. More than 90 percent of the available ad inventory has been sold, according to CBS. As the game day comes closer, odds are that the ads will be sold out. First-time Super Bowl advertisers include Procter & Gambles Olay skin care products, the Bumble dating/networking app, Kraft-Heinzs Devour line of frozen foods, according to AdWeek. Planters Nuts is returning after an absence of more than a decade. Other brands at the game include Skittles, Anheuser-Busch and Mercedes-Benz. A recently released poll of 2,000 consumers from Morning Consult and The Wall Street Journals CMO Today found that more than two-thirds of respondents said they thought it was inappropriate for advertisers to advance a political agenda. Coca-Cola, Dodge Ram Trucks, and T-Mobile used their Super Bowl ads as a forum to discuss diversity and the virtues of public service during last season's game. To be clear, consumers are fine with advertisers talking about non-controversial issues such as helping veterans (70 percent) and providing disaster relief (58 percent), according to the poll. Since most commercial times is bought in advance based on existing viewership, CBS, NBC, Fox, and ESPN couldnt charge as much for commercial time on NFL games that they had previously. According to Standard Media Index, NFLs ad revenue slumped 19 percent in September and October as the number of spots that aired fell 6 percent. The effects of the lower audiences last year are spilling into this season, as NFL revenue is down, said James Fennessy, CEO of Standard Media Index. Nevertheless, as the market reports improving viewership, we will see how these trends change over the remaining months of the season. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanberr/2019/01/16/will-the-super-bowls-tv-ratings-rebound-from-their-recent-slump/ |
How Much Longer Will TSA Agents Work For A Delayed Paycheck? | The partial shutdown of the Federal government hits its 26th day on Wednesday, January 16, continuing the longest government shutdown in US history. Although it took me less than a half an hour to get through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines at LAX and Nevadas McCarran last week, this week trouble spots are starting to show. On January 14 the official Twitter account for Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) the worlds busiest airport (104 million passengers a year) tweeted #ATL is experiencing longer than usual wait times during peak travel. Please plan ahead and give yourself 3 hours to clear security. Long wait times have also been reported in Dallas (DFW), while both Miami International (MIA) and Houstons George Bush (IAH) reportedly closed terminals due to a shortage of TSA screeners. Nonetheless, Matthew Bradley, former CIA agent and current Regional Security Director Americas at International SOS (a leading medical and security assistance company) and Control Risks, believes US airports are holding up remarkably well so far during the shutdown. Bradley, who travels 150,000 miles a year himself, says Right now Atlanta and Dallas are the only ones with significant issues. We havent seen any significant disruption. When the TSA doesnt have enough employees to operate all the security lines, as in Houston and Miami, Bradley says it will close the ones it cant man, pushing people to the remaining open lines. Bradley says this will create longer lines, but there will still be good security practices followed. However, Bradley believes that if the shutdown drags on much longer, the situation may worsen. Bradley says TSA numbers show that on one recent date during the shutdown, some 6.8% of TSA workers called in sick versus 2.5% on the same date last year. The implication is that some government workers are not willing to work for a delayed pay check. (Government employees will get paid when the shutdown is finally resolved.) Behind the scenes, at least 800,000 federal employees have been affected by the shutdown, (including 57,000 at the TSA) with many missing their first paycheck on Jan. 11. (TSA airport security jobs typically begin at $25,518 to $38,277.) While other Federal workers at the airports are also working for a delayed paycheck, Bradley says air traffic controllers will stay on the job because they cant get a better job. But if you are TSA officer, you can get other jobs that pay as well. A mobile food bank in Phoenix reports serving 300 TSA agents, theres another in San Antonio, while this week Tampa International Airport, Feeding Tampa Bay and United Way Suncoast set up a food bank for TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Federal Aviation Administration workers. The situation is particularly difficult for TSA workers with young families. There are reports of TSA workers calling in sick to drive for Uber and Lyft to earn extra money during the shutdown. The unemployment rate, although marginally off a 49-year low of 3.7% in December, is still just 3.9%. I havent seen anything that shows that they are going to quit en masse, says Bradley. But if it goes on, if they think it could go on for months, many of them will have to find a different job so they can get paid. Robert Costa, a political reporter with the Washington Post, tweeted on January 15, senior Republican lawmakers tell me the only way this [the shutdown] breaks open is if TSA employees stay home and Americans get furious about their flights. Even after the shutdown is settled, Bradley says there is a possibility of lingering delays if a significant number of TSA dont come back to work. The longer it goes on the more likely you have people calling in sick or not coming back to work when the government starts up. The TSA screens literally millions of passengers a day. While most weapons are detected, earlier this month a man managed to bring a gun on a flight from Atlanta to Tokyo. Two agents were fired after the incident, which the TSA says was unrelated to the shutdown. Sometimes things get past them, Bradley observes, but most TSA workers are still diligently doing their jobs. They provide a valuable service we cant do without. Hopefully the support they are getting now from passengers and members of their communities should carry over after the shutdown. For now, Bradley suggest travelers should arrive at airports an hour and half early if they have pre-check status for that flight, two hours if they are standard travelers. He adds that too often, People are unprepared for the inspection. You know you have to take out your electronics, take your belt and shoes off, and dump your liquids. Unnecessary delays occur because people are unprepared. In terms of security, If you see something say something, as always. Help these guys out. Above all, Bradley says, Be courteous to TSA employees. Lines can be longer and tempers can be shorter. Dont make their job harder. Remember, its not their fault. Its not normal times, so these are not normal delays. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2019/01/16/how-much-longer-will-tsa-agents-work-for-a-delayed-paycheck/ |
What Does Socialism Have to Do With Sex? | One of the most popular tourist attractions in Berlin is the D.D.R. Museum, which opened in 2006 and aims to show visitors what life was like for ordinary people in the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The museum uses interactive installations and cleverly designed displays of documents, photographs, and household goods to summon the recent past. Schoolchildren line up for the opportunity to sit in the drivers seat of a Trabant simulator, to perch on a couch in a reconstructed East German apartment, or to see examples of the games played and the foods eaten by Germans who lived behind the Iron Curtain. The exhibits are generally fascinating, although embarrassed middle schoolers may scoot quickly by the extensively illustrated display dedicated to the East German enthusiasm for nudism. The less savory aspects of the East German regime are chillingly represented: theres a mock interrogation room of the sort that would have been used by the Stasi, and a prison cell with a grim, narrow bed, underlining the brutality of the regime for anyone who crossed the secret police. The descriptive panels accompanying the displays, which are in German and English, often have an oddly pejorative, snarky tone, even in exhibits on the more benign aspects of everyday East German life. In a re-created kindergarten classroom with books, wooden cars, a shoe rack, and a linoleum floor, the wall text notes that attending kindergarten was an exercise in conformity rather than an opportunity to develop individual skillspresenting the fact that children were all required to nap at the same time as damning evidence of a repressive state, as opposed to an eminently sensible practice observed by caregivers of small children in societies even as capitalistic as the United States. The tone of superiorityas if the decades of socialism in East Germany were nothing but a misguided aberrationis hardly limited to the curators of the D.D.R. Museum. It is, in fact, a pervasive attitude found in contemporary liberal democracies toward the leftist political alternatives that existed in many parts of the world during much of the twentieth century. In Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence, Kristen R. Ghodsee, who teaches Russian and East European studies at the University of Pennsylvania, seeks to counter this narrative, arguing that for all the crushing repression under a political system like that of the former East Germany, women in those countries enjoyed certain freedoms, both material and existential, that were and remain largely unavailable, or even unimaginable, to women in liberal democracies. Ghodsees title is a memorable one, with its suggestion that under socialism women might all be having as much fun as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pirouetting on a Boston rooftop. As in the Times Op-Ed from which the book originated, the title refers to the results of studies conducted in Germany from the mid-nineteen-eighties onward, which reported, among other intriguing findings, that eighty per cent of East German women always experienced orgasm during sex, compared to sixty-three per cent of women in West Germany. Ghodsee cites the work of a number of scholars of sexuality, who have addressed these topics in greater depth. But her own point is a larger one. Unregulated capitalism is bad for women, she writes. If we adopt some ideas from socialism, women will have better lives. The two Germanys, whose populations were ethnically and culturally identical before the political division, offered researchers an irresistible natural experiment through which to explore womens rights and experiences. Ghodsee discusses several fascinating studies that suggested East German women reported higher levels of satisfaction, even the non-orgasmic kind, than their West German sisters. The division of domestic labor in the East was more equitable, in part because of a system of state-funded creches that allowed East German women to remain a part of the workforce. Because men in the East could not depend upon wealth or economic success to win over a mate, they had to rely upon other attributes, including, Ghodsee argues, a greater sensitivity to the needs of women. Divorce was easier in the East, so women could liberate themselves from unhappy relationships with less difficulty. And, as Ghodsee suggests, the very aspects of East German life that struck the West as the most repugnantthe totalitarian foreclosure of the public spheremeant that the domestic and private spheres became, perforce, more important and more worthy of care and personal investment. Elsewhere in the state-socialist East of the twentieth century, womens rights and freedoms were extendednot with the intention of cultivating womens self-actualization, as Western mainstream feminism sought to do, but for more basic economic reasons. Women made up half of the potential workforceand more than half in countries where the male population had been ravaged by war. In 1950, fifty-two per cent of Soviet workers were female, compared with twenty-eight per cent of North American workers. While American women were being encouraged to find fulfillment as wives and mothers, Soviet women were being sent to universities to become scientists or trained to become cosmonauts. Women in the Eastern Bloc were, like their Western counterparts, encouraged to have children. But they were entitled to state-funded maternity leave, a provision that, outrageously, still eludes American women. Nearly thirty years after the end of the Cold War, the United States remains one of only a handful of countries that lacks legislation guaranteeing any kind of paid maternity leave. (The others include Suriname and Papua New Guinea.) Ghodsee acknowledges that women who lived under the various iterations of state socialism in Eastern Europe were often worse off in many specifically feminine ways than their Western sistersfrom shortages of sanitary towels in Bulgaria to the tragic natalist policies practiced in Ceausescus Romania, where women were forced to bear children they couldnt afford to raise, then obliged to give them up to orphanages. Yet, stressing that she is by no means advocating a return to the repressive practices of the Communist Bloc, Ghodsee points out that some aspects of socialism, such as the provision of state-funded parental leave and free higher education, have been successfully implemented in Scandinavian social democracies without being accompanied by shortages or enforced childbearing, let alone the cruelties carried out by the Stasi. She seeks to remind her readers that, as difficult as it may be to imagine an alternative political structure from within an existing one, even countries committed to neoliberal capitalism are capable of having different priorities; she cites the example of Finland, which has had legislation providing maternal job protection in place for a hundred years. The virtue of Ghodsees smart, accessible book is that it illustrates how it might be possible for a womanor, for that matter, a manto have an entirely different structural relationship to something as fundamental as sex, or health. The United Kingdom, for example, has hardly shied away from capitalist enterprise, but thanks to the National Health Service, or N.H.S., Brits reflexively assume that the government will provide free health carean unimaginable expectation among Americans. (Two of the most cherished institutions in the U.K. are the N.H.S. and the monarchy, proving that it is possible for a populace to see simultaneously the appeal of socialism and feudalism.) Ghodsee approvingly notes the growing appeal of socialist ideas among young people in the United States and Western Europe, and her book is a useful reminder that the spread of these ideas would not just advantage the Bernie bros but might also better womens lives in significant ways. More orgasms alone might be a fine thing. But a change in the structural conditions under which more orgasms might be possible is another level of turn-on entirely. | https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/what-does-socialism-have-to-do-with-sex |
Should the State of the Union be postponed until the government shutdown ends? | Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has taken the unprecedented step of un-inviting the president from delivering the State of the Union to Congress. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Pelosi said the ongoing shutdown had left many government security officials furloughed and unable to adequately prepare security measures for the event. Not allowing the president to speak directly to the American people for an hour would also be politically advantageous for the Democrats. PERSPECTIVES The Washington Post reports in her letter to the White House, Pelosi urged the president to pick a different date to deliver the State of the Union. "Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th," Pelosi wrote in the letter. The Speaker of the House typically invites the president to deliver the State of the Union to a joint session of Congress. However, that has not always been the case. For 112 years, between the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and Woodrow Wilson, the president submitted the State of the Union in writing. Wilson restarted the tradition of delivering the address to Congress. When asked whether she had un-invited the president as punishment for his intransigence during the shutdown, Pelosi maintained the decision was based only on security concerns, saying the decision was a "housekeeping matter... honor the responsibility of the invitation we extended to the president. He can make it from the Oval Office if he wants." Politico reports Pelosi's decision had support from fellow Democrats. "This shutdown is ridiculous and the people tasked with protecting him and protecting us are not getting a paycheck," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass. ), the House Rules Committee chair. "So it's inappropriate to carry on with business as usual." While the Speaker said her decision was based only on logistics, there are clear political benefits to postponing the event until the end of the shutdown. Per The New York Times: With Democrats and Mr. Trump at an impasse over his demands for funding for a wall along the southern border, the speech would give Mr. Trump a nationally televised bully pulpit to hammer away at Ms. Pelosi and her party. Politico reports some Democrats have been concerned about the unfettered access the State of the Union would provide the president. But privately, Democrats also don't want to give Trump a major platform to blame them for the shutdown when Trump's demand for billions in wall funding has been the main driver, according to a Democratic lawmaker close to leadership. Trump has tried to pin the blame on the shutdown on Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, but public polls shows the public largely blames the president. Some may wonder whether these political concerns justify delaying or canceling one of the most important political events of the year. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.nola.com/interact/2019/01/should_the_state_of_the_union.html |
Are Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth expecting a baby? | Newly-married Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are reportedly expecting their first child. A source told the magazine OK! Australia that couple, who wed on December 23, that they are thrilled by the baby news. "Miley's over the moon because she's carrying Liam's baby... It's a girl, which is what [they] hoped for," claimed the unnamed source. "He called his brothers and parents. [Miley] got him to Skype call her family, too. Her mum was crying." Advertisement The singer reportedly wants to raise her first child in Hemsworth's home in Australia, specifically the coastal town of Byron Bay - where the couple regularly visit Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky. "Byron Bay feels like a second home to her... Miley wants to buy a house next to Chris and Elsa's, so they can all spend more time together and the cousins can grow up together," the insider said. Cyrus has previously vowed to be married with children by 2019, in a previous interview with Glamour magazine. In 2009, when asked where she sees herself in decade she said: "Hopefully I'll be settled: making movies, living in a house, maybe even married. "I think my mom [Tish Cyrus] did everything pretty close to perfect, and I want to be the cool mum that the kids run home to." The Hollywood couple's fairytale romance began in 2009, when they met on the set of coming of age drama The Last Song. The couple got engaged in 2012 but but broke up the following year. However, they rekindled their relations in 2016 and Cyrus was pictured wearing her ring again. Last year on December 23 , they got married in Tennessee, surrounded by family and friends. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12191857 |
Can the Patriots limit Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce? | FOXBORO Minutes after an exhilarating win against the Chiefs in October, Patriots veteran Duron Harmon summed up his night against Tyreek Hill in a dozen words. He is, Harmon said, by far the fastest person Ive ever come in contact with. Hes a matchup nightmare, but then again so is his entire team. Facing the Chiefs is a game of whack-a-mole for any defensive coordinator. Prioritize Hill, and Sammy Watkins pops up. He was on pace for 1,000 yards before a foot injury wiped out of the second half of his season. Double-team Travis Kelce with a safety, and youre taking chances one-on-one elsewhere. You cant stop it all. I think you have to put your chips on something, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. If it is, nobodys figured out the formula. The Chargers shut down Kelce to the tune of one catch for 6 yards in the season opener. Hill went nuts for 169 yards and two touchdowns. The 49ers held Hill to two receptions in Week 3 but allowed Kelce to catch eight passes for 114 yards. The Raiders almost blanked Hill in Week 13, limiting him to one catch for 13 yards. Kelce destroyed them for 12 receptions, 168 yards and two touchdowns. Only one team held both Kelce and Hill under 70 yards: The Chargers in a 29-28 victory in Week 15. When the Patriots beat the Chiefs in Week 6, they allocated extra resources to both All-Pro pass-catchers. The goal was to disrupt Kelces release wherever he went. If Kelce was aligned from a traditional tight end position, that meant the defensive end (in many cases Trey Flowers) would bump him as he started his route. If Kelce was detached from the formation, a linebacker followed him and did the same. The strategy was mostly effective, even though it meant subtracting a potential pass-rusher from the equation (sometimes Donta Hightower would jam Kelce and then rush a second or two late). The Pats didnt allow much to Hill when they were in man coverage with a safety shading toward his side. But attempts to jam him were basically a waste. On a third-and-17, Kyle Van Noy stood over Hill in the slot. Hightower followed Kelce outside the numbers. Hightower got a decent jam on Kelce. Van Noy didnt get a hand on Hill. Because both linebackers were occupied, the Patriots could only muster a three-man rush. This enabled Patrick Mahomes to drift to his left, extend the play and find Hill 27 yards downfield against zone coverage. Hills 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter also was against zone coverage and a three-man rush. Zone coverage with two deep safeties. Also a three-man rush. The Pats wont enter Sundays AFC Championship with an identical gameplan. Their personnel has changed, as undrafted rookie J.C. Jackson has emerged as a strong No. 2 cornerback. They might trust Jackson to man up with Watkins, a high-end No. 2 receiver, and let Gilmore chase Hill. They know what worked and what bombed the first time around. There will be tweaks from the Patriots side. Theyre surely anticipating adjustments from Kansas City, too. When youre dealing with Andy Reid, a great offensive mastermind, hes going to make it hard on the defense, Harmon said. Its going to be like a chess match, something that were excited and ready for. Thats what these types of games are. Championship games are (won) not just lining up and playing, but being able to adjust, being able to play fast. BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots warms up during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots is bundled up against the cold during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Julian Edelman (11) of the New England Patriots warm ups during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Albert McClellan (59) of the New England Patriots runs through warmups during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: J.C. Jackson (27) of the New England Patriots warms up during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: James White (28), Sony Michel (26) and Rex Burkhead (34) of the New England Patriots on the field for warm ups during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots warms up during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Stephon Gilmore (24) of the New England Patriots stretches during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Stephon Gilmore (24) of the New England Patriots stretches during practice at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: David Andrews (60) of the New England Patriots takes questions during player availability at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Devin McCourty (32) of the New England Patriots leaves the podium after player availability at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) BOSTON MA. - JANUARY 16: Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots answers questions during player availability at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald) In the Week 6 matchup, the Patriots thrived when linebackers and defensive backs hovered over the ball before the snap, making it difficult for the offensive line to identify which players were rushing and which were dropping. That trend has continued late in the season. As Reid said, Theyre bringing everybody. Youve got to come up with a plan to try to put body-on-body, the coach added. Theyre moving people around and they mess with you that way. On a third-and-4 at the Pats 24-yard line, the Pats showed seven potential rushers at the snap. Hightower and Van Noy retreated to the shallow middle at the snap. Devin McCourty and Harmon rushed with three defensive linemen, and the Kansas City offensive line didnt make the read quickly enough. Harmon got a free run at Mahomes, forcing him to unload early. He missed Kelce on a corner route and the Chiefs settled for a field goal. Theres danger in sending extra rushers at Mahomes; if he side-steps the tackler and flees the pocket, hell spot Hill inevitably running away from the one defensive back covering him. As the Patriots learned in Week 6, theres equal danger in rushing three and letting Mahomes calmly scan the field. Theres risk in pretty much everything against the Chiefs offense. Andy does a great job of putting the defense in compromising positions where you have to make choices, Belichick said. There are no perfect answers. The Patriots can simply hope the lane they choose ends up working just well enough. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/16/can-the-patriots-limit-tyreek-hill-and-travis-kelce/ |
How did a photo of Justin Trudeau and his family in a canoe wind up on a billboard in Kentucky? | OTTAWA You might think the last thing youd stumble onto on a rural road in central Kentucky is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Chances are many of the people who pass by the intersection where Mammoth Cave Road meets Old Mammoth Cave Road dont even notice that they did. But there, on the right side of the road, about two hours south of Louisville at the edge of a national park, is a giant billboard advertising the Mammoth Cave Canoe and Kayak operation, one mile ahead on the left. And the photo on the billboard, of a smiling family of four in a canoe, is clearly the Canadian prime minister, his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and their two oldest children, Xavier and Ella-Grace. They are in a red canoe, all clad in life jackets, and Sophie and Ella-Grace are waving. A call to Mammoth Cave Canoe and Kayak went unreturned Wednesday, but a man who owns a cabin rental operation across the street from the billboard confirmed its existence. He said he hadnt looked at it that closely before and was surprised to learn it featured Trudeau. The billboard photo wasnt there in June 2015, when Google captured an image of the spot for its Google Street View page. But it has been there since at least 2016, when an observant Facebook user spotted the sign and posted about it in French. Another person mentioned the billboard on Twitter last June. But the story seemed to take on more legs Wednesday after a Reddit user posted a photo of the billboard captioned, Did you ever hear about our Trudeau billboard down here in Kentucky. We havent quite learned not to steal pictures from the Internet yet. It prompted Trudeau to tweet a response. For the record: This was taken in Yukon in 2013. A spectacular part of this country to explore. For the record: This was taken in Yukon in 2013. A spectacular part of this country to explore. #ExploreYukon cc: @TravelYukon https://t.co/nMVQCA50AV Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 16, 2019 Trudeau originally tweeted the photo himself in August 2013 when he announced he and his wife were expecting their third child. Thrilled to let you know were going to need another seat in our canoe: Sophie is pregnant! #threeisthenewtwo, he posted, more than two years before he would become prime minister. When it comes to advertisers nabbing internet photos of unwitting politicians, Trudeau was portrayed in a somewhat more flattering light than Conservative MP Michael Chong. In 2017, a Canadian woman noticed a photo of Chong was being used in a poster campaign in Guatemala advertising sanitary bathrooms. | https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/kentucky-canoe-outfit-borrows-photo-of-trudeau-family-to-market-business |
How did we get to a place where the FBI wondered if an American president was a Russian asset? | Federal counterintelligence agents believed there was credible enough information to open a formal investigation into whether the president of the United States was or is a Russian asset. This is our national reality, not the stuff of an airport spy novel. The story in The New York Times, published Jan. 11, details that in the days after Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey: Counterintelligence investigators had to consider whether the president's own actions constituted a possible threat to national security. Agents also sought to determine whether Mr. Trump was knowingly working for Russia or had unwittingly fallen under Moscows influence. Such an inquiry is unprecedented in American history. But given the set of facts and circumstances surrounding the president and Russia, it is and we are astounded to find ourselves in a place in history saying this unsurprising. The presidents refusal to acknowledge Russias plain interference in the 2016 presidential election. His suggestion that the U.S. should withdraw from NATO. His decision to throw U.S. intelligence officers under the bus in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin at Helsinki. His decision to pull U.S. troops from Syria. A day after The Times reported that Trump was put under investigation as a possible Russian asset, The Washington Post added more grist: President Trump has gone to extraordinary lengths to conceal details of his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including on at least one occasion taking possession of the notes of his own interpreter and instructing the linguist not to discuss what had transpired with other administration officials. This is not how presidents have historically behaved when dealing with the leader of the nation most hostile to our national interests and to the interest of democracy globally. Putin is an enemy of freedom, an enemy of the alliances that have supported freedom and a man bent on diminishing the forces of freedom across the globe. America is the beacon of that freedom, its historical defender and the force most responsible for its expansion around the world. We must have clarity on who our president is, what side he is on, why has he done the things he has done. We have to accept, based on the facts in front of us, that we just dont know. And nothing, right now, could be more important. Our worry is that our country is so divided in this time that we cannot stop and ask ourselves hard questions about the fearful possibility this news should raise. | https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/01/16/get-place-fbi-wondered-american-president-russian-asset |
What's wrong with Vanderbilt basketball in first 0-4 SEC start in program history? | CLOSE Vanderbilt lost 74-71 to South Carolina, falling to 0-4 in SEC play for the first time in program history. Adam Sparks, USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee Vanderbilt basketballs five-star freshman Simi Shittu said he had never lost four games in a row in his life until the Commodores current skid. Then again, Vanderbilt had never gone 0-4 to start SEC play in program history until suffering a 74-71 loss to South Carolina Wednesday night. A few players lay on the Memorial Gym court in disbelief after squandering a 12-point lead in the second half to the Gamecocks. Coach Bryce Drew said some players cried in the locker room after the game, and he admitted being baffled about the outcome. How in the world did we lose that game? Drew said. It was somewhat a rhetorical question. Drew already knew why Vanderbilt lost the game, or at least some of the factors. But there are others, as well. Missed free throws coming at worst times Vanderbilts cumulative free-throw shooting isnt as bad as it seems. The Commodores have made 70.3 percent of their foul shots. In the previous 20 seasons, they shot worse than that eight times. But the misses are magnified in key situations and SEC games. Vanderbilt has made only 63.1 percent (82 of 130) in four SEC games, averaging 12 missed free throws per league loss. Drew said this team has shot more free throws in practice than any hes coached in his career. There is no clear-cut leader, and players know it Freshman point guard Darius Garland was viewed as the team leader before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. But that was two months ago, and the Commodores are still searching for his replacement in that role. Thats not our decision, Shittu said. Thats coachs decision, so youll have to ask him. Added freshman Aaron Nesmith: I wouldnt say that we have a vocal leader right now, so weve got to figure that out. That hurts us. Top scorers arent shooters Vanderbilt would be in a worse place if not for Shittu and sophomore guard Saben Lee, who lead the team in scoring at 14.1 points and 12.3 points per game, respectively. But neither is an accurate jump-shooter, foul shooter or 3-point shooter, which limits their options as go-to-scorers in tight games. Both can go strong to the rim, but drawing fouls in the paint actually lessens their effectiveness. Shittu (66.3 percent) and Lee (70.4) are two of the teams worst foul shooters, and they have attempted 207 of Vanderbilts 421 free throws this season. Revamped roster has been counter-productive after Garland injury Five of the nine players in Vanderbilts rotation are newcomers this season, and that lack of cohesion is showing against elite SEC competition. With Garland, the Commodores looked like a team loaded with talent and destined to mesh. Without him, the newness has turned to inconsistency. There were always going to be growing pains, but the team has struggled to adapt after his loss. Players simply have no past experience together to define their roles. Team tightens in final minutes of close games Vanderbilt forward Matt Ryan (32) leaves the court as South Carolina players celebrate after an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. South Carolina won 74-71. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) (Photo: The Associated Press) A combination of these other factors has led to Vanderbilt faltering in crunch time of games, a slide that usually starts with about eight minutes remaining. Against Ole Miss, the Commodores were tied at the eight-minute mark, but they lost by 10. Against Georgia, they were down 7 at that point and lost by 19. Against Kentucky, they trailed by only 3 at the eight-minute mark but lost by 9. And against South Carolina, they were up 3 and then lost by 3. A strong SEC field makes Vanderbilt look worse Despite the historic 0-4 SEC start, this is not an all-time bad Vanderbilt team. It beat Liberty for a top-50 win, defeated then-No. 19 Arizona State a month ago and put up a good fight in losses to No. 14 Kentucky and No. 20 Ole Miss. But those tough opponents are taking a toll on the Commodores, whose confidence is waning. This is the best conference in the country, by far, I feel, Shittu said. Just the pace and the toughness of players. Weve just got to get tougher from (players) one to nine and play for the whole 40 minutes. It will only get harder. Vanderbilts next four games are against Top 25 teams, including No. 23 Mississippi State on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network), No. 3 Tennessee on Jan. 23 (6 p.m., ESPN2), at No. 19 Oklahoma on Jan. 26 (3 p.m., ESPN2) in the Big 12/SEC Challenge and No. 14 Kentucky on Jan. 29 (8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2). "It's not the start we wanted," Drew said. "The reality is we aren't the team that we planned to be. But we're going to be a much better team than we are now come February." Reach Adam Sparks at [email protected] and on Twitter @AdamSparks. | https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2019/01/17/vanderbilt-basketball-bryce-drew-simi-shittu-saben-lee/2566699002/ |
What is the EU position on alternative Brexit options? | The UK has several ways to try to break the deadlock but they will all require EU agreement After MPs crushing rejection of Theresa Mays Brexit deal, the EU response was swift and coordinated. In several languages, but usually English, leaders and politicians made plain the EU had no intention of conjuring up a plan to break the deadlock. The ball is now in the court of the British lower house, said Austrias chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, echoing a widely held view in national capitals and the EU institutions. Labour MPs declare support for second Brexit referendum Read more Try again and seek concessions from the EU Mays first instinct is to resurrect a version of the deal that preserves her red lines. The EU27 has already ruled out changing the deal unless the UK alters those red lines. The bloc, in a letter of reassurance sent by EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk on Monday, raided its cupboard of legal devices and goodwill promises in an attempt to convince parliamentarians. EU officials feel there is nothing more to give and see further talks as pointless until the UK has a plan. Scrap the backstop The government has been facing renewed calls from Brexiters to scrap the contested Irish backstop, despite MPs voting down an amendment to Mays deal to this effect. This plan is destined to fail. The EU has invested so much political capital in the backstop that abandoning it now would have politically damaging consequences for EU unity. Overriding the wishes of Ireland would send a message that those of a difficult country that has chosen to leave count for more than a member state. We stand by the backstop, as long as Ireland stands by the backstop, one EU diplomat said. Some have speculated that the EU could be persuaded to return to its original version of the backstop, the Northern Ireland-only plan favoured by the bloc until October. But that implies a different government: Theresa May and her Democratic Unionist supporters have ruled out that option many times. Go for Canada-plus Ardent Brexiters have claimed that May has a simple option. The PM must go straight back to the EUs [free-trade agreement] offered by Tusk in March, said the former cabinet minister Owen Paterson. This ignores the fact that the EU will only agree a free-trade deal if the UK signs the existing withdrawal agreement, which includes the Irish backstop. When the EU talks of pluses in any Canada-style deal, it means other non-trade deals on security, fisheries and foreign policy. When Brexiters talk of pluses, or Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Canada, they have been looking for advantages that Brussels has repeatedly ruled out. Switch to Norway MPs who favour a soft Brexit used the Commons defeat to increase calls for a Norway-style relationship that would keep the UK in the European Economic Area and allow it to enter the European Free Trade Association (Efta). Now rebranded as Common Market 2.0, this would be the least economically damaging form of Brexit. Proponents may have been heartened by the statement from the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, that the EU was ready to change its Brexit offer if the UK changed its red lines. From the EUs point of view, nothing in the withdrawal agreement or political declaration needs to be changed to embark on negotiations for a Norway-style relationship. While the EU would be open to adjusting the non-binding political declaration to help the UK achieve this goal, other pitfalls lie ahead. EU officials have noted they cannot compel Norway and other Efta members to accept the UK into their club. Insiders have also cast doubts on British expectations of being able to be a rule-shaper while outside the EU. Welcome to the Westminster apocalypse. | Marina Hyde Read more Ask for more time A British request to extend Brexit talks is increasingly been seen as a matter of when, not if. French and German ministers say the UK should have more time if needed; diplomats say they cannot see any of the EU27 objecting if the UK has a good reason. Good reasons would include to strike a deal after receiving a realistic proposal from the UK, or to hold an election or second referendum, not simply to prolong the pain of the departure. However, Germanys foreign minister, Heiko Maas, noted that prolonging article 50 would not be easy because of European elections in late May. A new European parliament is due to be sworn in in July. Having the UK as a member state beyond then could be legally tricky, although some think the problem could be fixed by a special clause in the withdrawal agreement to allow British MEPs to sit for a few months. There are thousands of political problems, but from a legal point of view everything is possible, a diplomat said. Other officials stress that the first priority for Brussels is ensuring the EU is correctly legally constituted, meaning no one would welcome a barrage of legal challenges from British citizens just as the EU is attempting to launch a new work programme. Cancel Brexit The clock is ticking, but the UK remains a member state, with the right to withdraw its article 50 letter without permission from the EU. | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/17/what-is-the-eu-position-on-alternative-brexit-options |
Which is the world's most vegan city? | Since Greggs announced a new vegan alternative to its meaty sausage roll at the start of the year, the Quorn pastries have flown off the shelves, the bakery chain says, selling hundreds of thousands in the first week alone. Its success is a testament to both a remarkable PR stunt and the seemingly unstoppable rise of veganism, which, according to a new study, has been led by Bristol. If you have a vegan friend you will know it Chef's Pencil The online food blog Chefs Pencil used Google Trends data to look at the most popular cities for vegan-related searches, which were at record levels last year, rising 11% from 2017 and 35% from 2016. According to Google Trends, the interest level around the world for all things vegan restaurants, recipes, dog food was highest in Bristol, followed by Portland, Edinburgh, Vancouver and Seattle. Six of the top 20 cities were in the US, with European and Australian cities also showing a strong interest in going meat-free. Facebook Twitter Pinterest People in a park in Clifton, Bristol, no doubt thinking about veganism. Photograph: Alamy Google searches wont give you an accurate idea of how many people commit to vegan diets or buy vegan products, but Chefs Pencil says the analysis does tell you there is an intent in taking action about your diet in these cities. In Bristol there is a vibrant local community, says a spokesperson from Chefs Pencil, and having a core community of vegans plays a huge role because theyre so active and loud. If you have a vegan friend you will know it. Bristol has long been seen as place for all things green and liberal. Its home to the Viva! animal rights campaigning group. Three out of four Bristol MPs say they are vegan or veggie. And the online community Vegan Bristol has a long, thorough list of places that are meat-free. Read more Portlands vegan voice is equally loud. Paul McCartney and the animal rights campaign group Peta named it the most vegan-friendly city in 2016, even handing the mayor a bouquet of vegetables. Portland has a vegan summer camp, a venue for punk music that also promotes veganism, a vegan shopping mall and even a vegan strip club. The rise of veganism has undoubtedly been led by city dwellers. A 2016 UK survey by the Vegan Society found veganism was significantly more popular in urban areas rather than rural places. Two-thirds of those surveyed who said they didnt eat meat and avoided dairy products lived in urban and suburban Britain. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Impossible Burger 2.0, a new version of Impossible Foods plant-based vegan burger, is introduced at a press event in Nevada in January 2019. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images This is partly due to a greater ease of access to vegan options, according to Sam Calvert from the Vegan Society. A vegan for 24 years, she remembers a lot of friends in previous years saying it would be too hard to eat out and find suitable alternatives. With more choices available now, people are more likely to make that leap. The typical vegan would be young and female, and youre more likely to find young people in cities, she says. As with all communities its easier to find more people of the same in cities. There are lots of vegan meet-up groups, which tend to be in cities. Other cities have seen the veggie lifestyle promoted from a political level, mainly for environmental reasons and as a push towards sustainability. In 2016 Barcelona declared itself vegan- and vegetarian-friendly, encouraging residents to embrace a meat-free diet by promoting meat-free Mondays and creating a vegetarian guide to the city. That same year Turins new mayor declared the Italian city to be the worlds first vegan city. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Heather Mills tells meat-eating chef Antony Worrall Thompson on ITVs This Morning that becoming vegan helped her to get over the loss of a limb. Photograph: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock The promotion of vegan and vegetarian diets is a fundamental act in safeguarding our environment, the health of our citizens and the welfare of our animals, the city said in a statement. It was intended as programme to raise awareness of sustainability and alternatives to meat, but was unsurprisingly divisive. If being a true vegan city involved banning the sale of meat or dairy products, then the Gujarat town of Palitana would be on the list. A hunger strike by Jain monks in 2014 led to the local government declaring the city and its holy sites to be meat-free zones. Interestingly, while India is viewed by the rest of the world as a predominantly vegetarian country, research last year from the US-based anthropologist Balmurli Natrajan and the India-based economist Suraj Jacob suggested only about 20% of Indias population are vegetarian lower than official statistics suggest. The Indian cities with the highest proportion of people with vegetarian diets are Indore with 49%, Meerut with 36% and Delhi with 30%. Most lists of vegetarian- or vegan-friendly cities are based on the number of veggie restaurants or cafes in a place rather than the amount of people interested in practising veganism. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Wool, Dorset. Not the worlds capital of veganism. Photograph: UrbanLandscapes/Alamy Stock Photo According to Happy Cow, a crowdsourced list of veggie and vegan restaurants, London is the most vegan-friendly city in the world. It was the first on the site to surpass 100 completely vegan restaurants, in 2017, and currently has 110 vegan eateries in a five-mile radius within the city. It is closely followed by Berlin, with 65 vegan restaurants within a five-mile radius. The unstoppable rise of veganism: how a fringe movement went mainstream Read more But perhaps it is all in a name. Last year animal rights activists tried to change the name of the West Country village of Wool to Vegan Wool. If the proposal had been accepted by the parish council (it wasnt), then this unassuming place in Dorset would have surely taken the title of the worlds vegan capital by default. Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, and explore our archive here | https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jan/17/which-is-the-worlds-most-vegan-city |
Why is my insurance more due to other drivers mistakes? | A driver, who was on the phone, hit my new car from behind seven months ago. Then, three weeks ago, I was struck on a roundabout by an Estonian lorry driver who had misunderstood the right of way. I have been driving for 31 years, have a clean licence and maximum no claims. My renewal is due and the quote from One Call has risen from 476 last year to 1,882. It says my current insurer will no longer cover me and this is the best price. On top of this I have had to pay the 400 excess. Im being punished for mistakes by other drivers. LN, London This is an extraordinary increase. Blameless victims can expect an average premium hike of 23%, according to figures by price comparison site uSwitch only marginally less than that for at-fault drivers. One Call says that, as a broker, it has no control over prices. We simply present the risk details to our insurer panel, it says. When the third-party insurer hasnt fully accepted liability, the price will be higher than if the claim was closed non-fault. Some insurers will not offer a price when a claim is open. It is normal for that insurer to offer a rebate for the increase and the excess once the claim is closed non-fault, although this will depend on other factors. Sabrina Webb of uSwitch says the industry needs to stop this unfair practice that does little more than penalise innocent motorists. Meanwhile, drivers can put themselves back in the front seat by shopping around. If you need help email Anna Tims at [email protected] or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jan/17/car-insurance-premium-increase-after-crash |
Does the Hitachi decision mean the end of the UK's nuclear dream? | Ever since Tony Blair rebooted support for nuclear power 13 years ago, British governments have been committed to a new generation of reactors to secure supplies and cut carbon emissions. But those ambitions have yielded just one project under construction, Hinkley Point C in Somerset, south-west England. The past two months have dealt serious blows to hopes for more, with Toshiba scrapping its plans for Moorside in Cumbria and Hitachi scrapping its Wylfa plant on Anglesey. Wylfas death means a second Hitachi plant planned for Oldbury, Gloucestershire, is doomed too. Together the three projects would have provided 15% of todays electricity demand. Hitachi scraps 16bn nuclear power station in Wales Read more What is not in question is the UKs need for more low carbon power. Coal and old nuclear plants are shutting in the 2020s and tough climate targets are looming. The Green party and groups such as Greenpeace advocate ditching nuclear in favour of more renewables, energy efficiency and flexibility through imports, batteries and other technologies. But most energy industry experts think the future involves some new nuclear. The government has already restated its commitment to new nuclear power. Its difficult to see a low-carbon energy system in the future which has no new nuclear, says George Day, head of policy and regulation at the government-funded Energy Systems Catapult. If you try and rely on just renewables and storage, without carbon capture and storage or nuclear, you are looking at a very challenging transition and one that is more costly than a balanced mix [of supplies]. All of National Grids four future energy scenarios envisage some new nuclear, although the amounts differ considerably. Peter Atherton, an analyst at Cornwall Insight, said it was hard to imagine an energy system without the baseload power, or continuous electricity supply, provided by nuclear. There is a school of thought that says baseload is a 20th century thing. They might be right. But it would be a big call by government to bet baseload wont be a thing by 2025. The government has already downgraded the amount of new nuclear it expects to be built in the future. It assumes 13 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity by 2035, implying three further nuclear power stations in addition to the 3.2GW one at Hinkley. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Hinkley Point C nuclear power station under construction near Bridgwater, Somerset, England. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images There are now just two firms in the running, which are both involved in plans for two new plants. French state-owned EDF Energy, which is behind Hinkley, wants to start building a carbon copy at Sizewell on the Suffolk coast in 2021. Chinese state-owned CGN, meanwhile, is accelerating work on a Chinese-designed reactor for Bradwell in Essex, with the aim of being operational around 2030. Hitachis withdrawal suggests the financing model used for Hinkley, and proposed for Wylfa, is dead. The government will now likely junk that approach of offering a guaranteed price of power for 35 years for an alternative known as the regulated asset base (RAB) model. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has created a whole division to develop RAB, where a regulator would set a fixed sum for the power stations costs and fixed returns for the developer, paid for by energy billpayers or taxpayers. Officials are assessing RABs viability, with a decision expected this year. But critics say the approach loads the risk of nuclear plant construction delays, such as those seen in France and Finland, on citizens. Returns would also be paid for years before any electricity was generated. EDF Energy backs the RAB model and the Chinese have said they would look at it. Influential government adviser Dieter Helm has called it plausible and preferable to the Hinkley approach if the UK wants new nuclear. Day believes it could deliver the power stations that ministers want. Toshiba's failure shows private sector cannot deliver nuclear future for UK | Phillip Inman Read more Labour, which is pro-nuclear, has branded the approach risky and reckless, but has not put forward an alternative. Maybe. The obvious route is a lot more renewable power capacity than currently planned. The governments climate change advisers last year hiked up the amount of renewables they expected four years ago, to 45-60% of electricity supplies by 2030, up from 40-55% previously. Both are a big increase from the 33% level today. The Committee on Climate Change said there is evidence the energy system could cope with as much as 60% of supplies coming from intermittent renewables. Filling the 9.2GW-sized hole left by Moorside, Wylfa and Oldbury would require 14GW of offshore wind power, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank. That is equivalent to more than 20 of the worlds biggest offshore windfarm, which consists of 87 turbines. According to Atherton, the only way renewables and storage could plausibly fill the nuclear gap would be to spend a vast amount of money on saturating the UK with offshore wind. That could end up with enough turbines in enough different locations to replicate the always-on nature of nuclear. Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk Large-scale batteries will help with the variable nature of renewables, and are expanding fast. But they will not address the fact that electricity demand is much higher in winter than summer, or solve long windless spells. The other big techno fix in the arsenal of low-carbon energy options is carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, many years of government efforts to kickstart it failed and ministers have switched their focus away from CCS for power stations to CCS for industrial uses. Day said gas power stations with CCS still looked pretty promising but significant policy changes would be needed to enable firms to invest in it. Others are more dismissive. Atherton said: People have been working on CCS gas for 20 years, and nobody has got within a mile of it yet. People will tell you the technology works that doesnt mean I can do it on a budget. | https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/17/does-the-hitachi-decision-mean-the-end-of-the-uks-nuclear-dream |
Why the sudden outrage over racism? | Republicans are shocked, shocked, to learn that Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is a dyed-in-the-wool racist. Also that snow is cold, the ocean is wet and the sky is often blue. The clamor of GOP voices denouncing Kings latest racist eruption is more amusing than inspiring. Surely the party of Lincoln is aware that race has been the most divisive issue in our national history. Surely Republicans were aware of Kings toxic views, which he makes no attempt to hide. Perhaps Kings newly outraged critics were waiting for him to finally spell it out in language that even the party of Trump cannot ignore. Which he did. In a New York Times profile last week, King expounded on his hardline anti-immigrant views, which are the only thing that has distinguished him, or undistinguished him, in an otherwise mediocre congressional career. Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization? We have seen, in subsequent days, that the open embrace of white supremacy is a bridge too far for many Republicans. Thats what they say, at least. Ill believe them when they make clear with actions, not just words that racists like King are unwelcome in the partys ranks. After the Times piece was published, King quickly issued a statement seeking to distance himself from white nationalism and white supremacy, claiming to reject those labels and the evil ideology they define. But then he went on to defend that very ideology in the euphemistic language word salad about nationalism and Western values that white supremacists use in polite company. King claims his crusade is about keeping out the wrong kind of values. But his rhetoric and his associations make clear that his real aim is keeping out the wrong kind of people Latinos, Muslims, anyone who doesnt fit into his warped, ahistorical, racist vision of the nations heritage. Several years ago, referring to the undocumented Dreamers brought here as minors, King had this to say: For every one whos a valedictorian, theres another hundred out there who weigh 130 pounds and theyve got calves the size of cantaloupes because theyre hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Thats what King thinks of Hispanic immigration. He proposed a border wall before Trump did. As the Times noted in its profile, King has supported political figures abroad who have anti-Semitic leanings and neo-Nazi ties. In his response statement, King said he condemns anyone who supports the ideology that led to the Holocaust. So thats something. In years past, however, he did display a Confederate flag in his office an odd and telling choice of decor for a man born and raised in Iowa, where the trees are not draped with Spanish moss and the atmosphere is not suffused with Lost Cause nostalgia. Here is part of what King said last year to a right-wing Austrian website: When I made a statement on Twitter saying, We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies, it seemed to be more irritating to the left than anything I have ever said. First of all, the total fertility rate in Europe is below replacement rate. When that happens, you are a dying civilization. ... If we continue to abort our babies and import a replacement for them in the form of young violent men, we are supplanting our culture, our civilization. The idea of replacement is a cornerstone of white supremacist ideology. Following the Times profile, weve heard stirring denunciations from outraged and embarrassed Republicans. On Meet the Press, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., was righteously eloquent on the subject. In a Washington Post op-ed, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., challenged his colleagues: Some in our party wonder why Republicans are constantly accused of racism it is because of our silence when things like this are said. On Face the Nation, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., promised that action will be taken against King; there were reports he may be removed from some House committees. Yeah, sure, whatever. Then stop letting bigots like King and Trump define the partys policies. Ill believe stirring GOP words about diversity when they are backed up by votes. Eugene Robinson is a columnist for The Washington Post. | https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/jan/17/why-the-sudden-outrage-over-racism/ |
Is Universal Financial Inclusion For The Third World's Poor Achievable? | Financial Inclusion is the current term for the movement to provide the third world's poor with access to formal financial services such as savings, loans and money transfers. The terminology reflects the latest expansion of what began as the microcredit movement in the late 1970s when it was widely believed that access to credit would lift people out of poverty. Today about 70% of adults worldwide are "banked," in contrast to 40% in the third world. The World Bank's goal is Universal Financial access by 2020. There is some progress towards this. Just in the last three years the number of unbanked people worldwide has gone from 2.6 billion to 1.7 billion. And unlike in the developed world where the number of bank branches per 100,000 adults is going down (an extreme example is Finland which went from 13.17 branches per 100,000 in 2004 to 1.43 branches in 2017) in much of the developing world the number of bank branches is going up (e.g., Kenya 2.74 to 5.27). Still, overall progress towards universal financial access is likely to stall the closer we get to the bottom of the unbanked pyramid. My experience researching the views and behavior of many poor "unbanked" people in developing countries since the 1980s suggests that financial inclusion is not as important to a great many of them as it is to the international development establishment that promotes it. To begin with the movement rests on a zero-sum premise: that inclusion implies prior exclusion. The view expressed in a Wall Street Journal blog is typical: "There is a strong link between poverty and lack of access to basic financial services such as savings accounts and loans. When poor people are shut out of the formal banking system they have to rely on less-efficient and potentially usurious sources of credit, such as moneylenders. The economy is also deprived of a large pool of savings which could be invested profitably." Rather than being "shut out" because they are poor, the reality is that the feeling is mutual - the world's poor have as many reasons not to do business with banks as banks have not to do business with them. First of all, while they may not always be financially literate, the poor know something about money. Not having much of it teaches sensible lessons. They are aware of opportunity costs and often see financial transactions in terms of relationships, which explains why non-bank and informal types of financial services remain popular, such as moneylenders and informally organized rotating savings groups. Moneylenders, pretty much everywhere in the third world, answer a need that banks and non-bank financial service providers (such as non-profit microfinance providers) cannot. A poor woman facing a sudden medical crisis in the middle of the night might have access to a local healer or provider of medicines but needs cash that she does not have. The local moneylender knows her, is available night and day and the transaction cost amounts to the effort it takes to wake him up. The moneylender's interest rate is by our standards usurious, but not by hers. She'll pay for the convenience and the trust and the lower opportunity cost compared to trying to get the same loan from a formal source. Consider a bank, even if there were one located near her rural area. The paperwork to open an account is daunting, and even though more and more countries are moving towards universal identity documentation many poor do not have proper identification. The physical appearance of the bank is often a psychological barrier and the terminology is unfamiliar. Banks have their own business reasons for not wanting to deal with millions of the very poor. The transaction costs for a $0.50 savings deposit are the same as for $50.00. Naturally the bank prefers richer clients. On her side, the poor woman has her own reasons not to do business with the bank. The first is interpersonal. She doesn't know these people nor they her. The bank's hours don't suit her and there is the cost of transport to get to it. Based on experience and what she hears from her peers, she has an inherent distrust of large institutions. Finally, she intuits correctly that there are likely to be various fees involved in doing business with the bank or restrictions (e.g. not being able to access her savings when she wants) that do not make financial sense for her. And as with the option of a moneylender for emergency loans she has still other financial alternatives. The traditional rotating savings and credit association (called ROSCA in the literature) is widespread in the third world and usually informally arranged among extended family, neighbors, ex school mates, etc. ROSCAs have been around for ages. In East Africa these are called "merry-go-rounds," in parts of West Africa "susu," in Maharashtra state in India, "bishis." Each week or two weeks or each month each member (there may be ten to twenty or more) puts a small amount of money in the group pool. Then in rotating fashion at the end of each interval one person gets to take the entire amount in the kitty as a lump sum. For poor people who rarely see more than a few pennies or dollars at a time, having 40 or 50 dollars in one go enables all kinds of improvements in their lives. There is no interest to be paid and no transaction cost. As for the idea that lack of bank access denies the larger economy the use of savings, this is not so, since any form of savings, including the ROSCA, puts money into the economy. Likewise the notion that there is a link between mass access to formal financial services and poverty reduction is not borne out by history, both the four decade history of microfinance and the much longer history of formal financial service access in the so-called developed world. As for microfinance, by 2009 we had the first rigorous impact studies, among them those conducted by MIT's Poverty Lab, and these showed that access to credit in poor areas did not reduce poverty. More important, economic history in Europe and the United States from the late 19th century on suggests strongly that mass access to formal financial services was led by rising incomes and consumption. In short financial inclusion was not the cause of poverty reduction, it was the result. Finally much of the data we have on financial inclusion is self reported - thus much is being left out and especially at the bottom of the rich-to-poor pyramid the poor have reasons not to reveal everything about their financial lives. Where we do see measureable and significant financial behavior change among the poor is in the use of mobile money (via cell phones), a form of transaction that is less daunting than going to a bank. Mobile money transactions per 1,000 adults have gone up by almost 500% in the last three years from 30.5 to 176.6, and mobile money agent outlets (from small grocery stores to kiosks in rural areas) per 100,000 adults have gone from 6 to 10, a rise of 66% in the last three years. But just as with the moneylender, mobile money makes life for the poor more convenient without necessarily changing their condition. It is quite possible that a good proportion of the last large group of unbanked people will remain so because in their view it might just be their best option. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasdichter/2019/01/17/is-universal-financial-inclusion-for-the-third-worlds-poor-achievable/ |
Why did it take TV to turn the tide against R. Kelly? | CHICAGOFor almost two decades, allegations of sexual abuse of women and girls by singer R. Kelly have been part of the public record. Times up for R. Kelly, says the R&B star John Legend in the film, pointedly using the name of the powerful anti-sexual harassment movement. Lady Gaga, Cline Dion and Chance the Rapper have joined recently in the condemnation and ended access to tunes recorded with Kelly. Demonstrators chant during an R. Kelly protest outside Sony headquarters, in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. Kelly has been under fire since the recent airing of a Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly. ( Richard Drew / AP ) In this Nov. 10, 2010 file photo, singer R. Kelly performs When A Woman Loves, during the Soul Train awards in Atlanta. ( David Goldman / AP ) Referring to 2015s Somewhere in Paradise, Chance says in the series some of which will be re-airing this weekend on Slice that making a song with R. Kelly was a mistake. But celebrity shunning is the least of the problems for Kelly, the 52-year-old Chicagoan also facing money woes, a shrinking range of outlets for his music and a criminal investigation. As relentless celebrity chronicler TMZ put it recently, the walls are closing in. Part of why the charges against Kelly are gaining traction this time is, yes, the power of the visual medium, of actually seeing women who say they were abused. Article Continued Below A parade of them, many wiping tears as they talk, appears in the six-hour film. They range from Kellys ex-wife Andrea to Floridian Lizzette Martinez, who says Kelly picked her up as a 17-year-old in a mall and took advantage of her desire to be a singer. He told her that her voice was good, she recounts, and then he French-kissed her. I wanted the dream so bad, she tells the documentary makers, but I knew it was going to be something else. Having television drive home the message about Kelly is welcomed by Jim DeRogatis, the Chicago music critic who has led the reporting detailing the abuse allegations, from stories in the Sun-Times beginning in 2000 to an influential set of articles in BuzzFeed in mid-2017. (Kelly denies committing sexual abuse, typically contending that his accusers are lying in search of profit.) Ive never felt proprietary about this story. I think its too urgent, DeRogatis said in an interview. (Full disclosure: DeRogatis is married to Carmel Carrillo, a Tribune arts editor.) I think Im being conservative when I say, of the women who have spoken to me on the record or off the record, and the women that Im aware of, were talking 60 abuse victims. He credits former Sun-Times reporter Abdon Pallasch, who shared much of the Kelly load at that paper with him, and columnist Mary Mitchell (a goddess), who broke sexual abuse news in some of her more than 20 columns about Kelly. DeRogatis will have his own book, Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly, coming out in the fall, he said. But the story has many dimensions. As print journalists, there are certain things you do that nobody else can do, and that is deliver the complexities of an incredibly complex story, DeRogatis said in an interview. And there are certain things that broadcast does better than anything, and meeting those women was that. I think its that directness, that direct emotional connection. And its the number. Its woman after woman after woman doing this difficult thing, telling this story. DeRogatis compared it to the way seeing so many accusers helped turned the tide against comedian Bill Cosby after years of alleged sexual assaults those brave women who put their faces on the cover of New York magazine, two dozen of them. Article Continued Below Bringing up Cosby suggests another key factor. According to the filmmakers themselves, the road was smoothed for the documentarys reception by recent cultural factors. In the last 18 months, a #MuteRKelly movement, which would tie into the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter efforts, went after Kellys concert and radio-play income and started to resonate across pop culture. MuteRKelly was sparked by the BuzzFeed stories in July 2017 by DeRogatis that documented a new development in the Kelly narrative, allegations that he was keeping multiple young women under his control and cutting them off from their families in what family members described as a kind of sex cult. I cant discount the hard work of the MeToo movement, said Brie Miranda Bryant, the documentarys executive producer for Lifetime, which saw record ratings for Surviving R. Kelly despite it airing right after the year-end holidays. In the past year weve seen a shift in culture and conversation with the MeToo and TimesUp movements. Added Tamra Simmons, one of the executive producers for the filmmaker, Kreativ, The Surviving R. Kelly documentary is just like a megaphone in this social movement for women to be able to tell a story they previously thought the world wouldnt care to hear. So it wasnt just the power of video, but video does have some inherent advantages, Bryant said: When youre seeing it, its delivered to you as is. And in that moment, you know, I think people have emotionally connected with these survivors and participants and had a larger understanding of what they went through. In print, too, said Greg Kot, the Chicago Tribune rock critic and DeRogatis longtime partner on the public radio music show Sound Opinions, the story was almost ahead of its time in the sense that, you know, pop star behaviour like that was accepted for so long. I mean, it was just part of the lexicon of drugs, sex, rock and roll. Even though theres reportedly been a spark of new interest in Kellys music on streaming services since the documentary first aired, the bigger story seems to be the series of Kelly-related headlines suggesting an empire, a career and a mythology in decline. Kelly had already lost rented homes outside Atlanta in one of them a woman in the documentary says she and others were kept as virtual prisoners for failure to pay rent. Now the warehouse Kelly has rented on the Near West Side, which reportedly contains a recording studio and residential spaces, will soon be lost to him if he doesnt pay back rent, according to news reports. Concert promoters have cancelled performances, including one at the UIC Pavilion in Kellys hometown of Chicago after student and staff protest, and attendance has been sparse at some of his concerts that have taken place. His record label, RCA, isnt dropping him, but it says it has no plans to release any new music. After years of trying to separate the music from the man, radio mogul Tom Joyner says in the film, Joyner agreed last year to a request by MuteRKelly activists to stop playing Kellys music on his stations, African-American outlets which are, in essence, the artists base. And music streaming services have taken Kellys work off or curated or recommended lists, meaning it is much less likely to just pop up in a listeners stream. Perhaps most threatening to the singer, prosecutors in Atlanta and Chicago are reportedly looking into criminal charges. At the root of this decline has been the work of DeRogatis, said Lifetimes Bryant: I think that man has really carried this story on his back for so long. I really commend him for that and being a champion of these survivors and for black girls. I think he did a tremendous thing. Kot agreed. The series struck at exactly that moment where people were viewing these kind of affairs in a new light, he said. But it needs to be said that there is no Lifetime series if it hadnt been for Jims reporting. He really built a foundation on which all of this R. Kelly house of cards can come tumbling down finally. | https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2019/01/17/why-did-it-take-tv-to-turn-the-tide-against-r-kelly.html |
What is weather forecast during lunar eclipse Sunday? | The arctic air mass headed to the Carolinas Sunday night will cause temperatures to drop 20 degrees in six hours -- from the 50s to the 30s -- but there is an upside, says the National Weather Service. All that dry, cold air will sweep away rain clouds just in time for most of the Carolinas to get a good view of a super moon combined with a total lunar eclipse just before midnight. By the time the total eclipse starts at 11:41 p.m., the view should be clear with only spotty upper level clouds, says Scott Krentz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service based out of Greenville-Spartanburg. The maximum eclipse starts at 12:12 a.m. Monday and ends at 12:43 a.m., according to TimeandDate.com. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. All of North America has the potential to see the hour-long event, weather permitting. What Carolinians will see is a blood red colored moon that appears larger and brighter than normal on the horizon, according to AccuWeather.com. NASA says the darkening will be caused when the earths shadow totally blocks the suns light from reflecting off the moon. The red color is due to the way light bends around earth as it moves toward the moon, according to Space Tourism Guide. The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures may be in the twenties around the time the eclipse ends Monday morning. The low Sunday night is expected to be 22 degrees. Depending on where you are in the country, the moon might turn a copper-orange-reddish color, according to a Jan. 7 article Forbes magazine. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday will be sunny, with a high near 39 degrees, says the National Weather Service. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article224503745.html |
What went right for the Mets in 2018? | The Mets finished with a losing record in 2018 for the eighth time in 10 seasons. But just like the preceding seven sub-.500 campaigns, this one came without a full bottoming out and thus reason to believe the Mets can return to relevancy sooner rather than later. Time will tell on that, but theres no doubt the Mets had some notable positive moments last season Heres six of them: 1.) Jacob deGrom. Jacob deGrom. Jacob deGrom. DeGrom pitched about as well as three aces combined this year, when he managed to destroy the idea wins should serve as a metric of a pitchers value by winning the Cy Young despite recording only 10 victories. DeGrom may never have another season as good as this one, but then again, his 2018 was a generational tour de force. At the least, deGrom has proven, health permitting, he should be among the top handful of pitchers in the game into the 2020s. 2.) Manager Mickey Callaway proved to be a pitching savant with both starters and relievers. Not only did deGrom emerge as a superstar, but Zack Wheeler had a breakout year. And while Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz continued to battle durability issues, each had his best season while on the mound. 3.) In addition, Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman, each of whom looked like a tweener maybe not quite a back-of-the-rotation starter, but maybe not a shutdown reliever either turned into valuable weapons out of the bullpen. Lugos velocity shot up as he dominated in his multi-inning bridge role while Gsellman did a serviceable job as a fill-in closer following the trade of Jeurys Familia. 4.) Brandon Nimmo, who also looked like a tweener in his previous big league stints, proved to be a terrific everyday player and sparkplug atop the lineup, though his emergence also magnified the short-sightedness of the Mets front office, which stockpiled veteran outfielders on long-term deals (Juan Lagares, Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce) because they didnt know the controllable gem in their system. Almost as impressively, Nimmo maintained his perpetually sunny demeanor even in the midst of another losing season in which everything fell apart around him. 5.) David Wright got to say goodbye on his terms. It wasnt the exit Wright or anyone could have envisioned in 2013, when the iconic third baseman appeared to be on the fast track to the Hall of Fame. But Wrights body betrayed him and cruelly made the game he loved so much an exercise in daily torture. It took everything Wright had to make it back for three plate appearances on the final weekend of the season, but at least he, the Mets and their fans got a modified goodbye. 6.) The Mets didnt bottom out. This may not be a good thing in retrospect. But by losing only 85 games, the Mets avoided a full-scale rebuild and elected to go for it in 2019 with most of their generational rotation intact. A whole lot can go wrong over the coming months and years to prove the Mets were just delaying the inevitable by pushing off a rebuild, but in an era in which teams with far better recent track records than the Mets have decided to tank for 2019 and beyond, theres something admirable in a flawed team chasing immediate glory. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerrybeach/2018/12/31/what-went-right-for-the-mets-in-2018/ |
Where do the investigations related to Trump stand? | Add Donald Trump as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Donald Trump news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Trump is facing criminal investigations in Washington and New York. Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia and whether the president obstructed the investigation. Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say Trump directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to make illegal hush money payments to two women as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. House Republicans brought an unceremonious end to their yearlong look at the Justice Department's handling of the investigations into Trump's ties to Russia and Democrat Hillary Clinton's emails. In a letter released before Republicans cede the House majority to Democrats, the chairmen of two committees described what they said was the "seemingly disparate treatment" the two probes received during the 2016 presidential election and called on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate further. The wrapping up of the congressional investigation, done in a letter and without a full final report, was a quiet end to a probe that was conducted mostly behind closed doors but also in public. Republican lawmakers often criticized interview subjects afterward and suggested they were conspiring against Trump. Trump's pick for attorney general, William Barr, sent an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department this year criticizing parts of the Mueller probe as "fatally misconceived." The 20-page memo, sent in June while Barr was in private practice and months before he was selected by Trump for the Justice Department job, may prompt questions about his ability to oversee the special counsel's investigation fairly. The document argues that there could be disastrous consequences for the Justice Department and the presidency if Mueller were to conclude that acts a president is legally permitted to take such as firing an FBI director could constitute obstruction of justice, just because someone concludes that there was corrupt intent. There is no smoking gun when it comes to the question of Russia collusion. But the evidence so far shows a broad range of Trump associates had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition period, and that several lied about the communication. There is also evidence that some people in the president's orbit were discussing a possible email dump from WikiLeaks before it occurred. American intelligence agencies and Mueller have said Russia was the source of hacked material released by WikiLeaks during the campaign that was damaging to Clinton's presidential effort. That is another unresolved question that Mueller is pursuing. Investigators have examined key episodes such as Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey and his fury over the recusal from the investigation of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump has repeatedly slammed the Mueller investigation as a "witch hunt" and insisted there was "NO COLLUSION" with Russia. He also says his now-former lawyer, Cohen, lied to get a lighter sentence in New York. For more in-depth information, follow AP coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/investigations-related-trump-stand-60101908 |
Why am I still charged for cards when I transfer money? | Transferwise still levies a 1.5% charge for using a credit card to move funds to the account with them, despite the law change banning surcharges. The company told me it is part of their policy and that as they provide alternative free means of payment they are in compliance with the regulation. AI, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey The Payment Services Regulations came into force in January and banned traders from levying surcharges on card payments. In its response to you, however, Transferwise claims that surcharges are fine so long as they are displayed upfront and so long as they only reflect the actual cost of processing the card payment. It muddies the waters further in its response to me, claiming that the fee for paying by card is not a card surcharge. Transferwise offers three significantly different products at three different prices, it says. Hence theres no card surcharge as we do not charge based on payment instrument. Instead, the difference in charges is comparable to saying we charge X for delivery tomorrow, and XY for delivery instantly. Its website, however, appears to make no bones about the fact that its card service is more expensive because card transactions incur an interchange fee payable to the card issuer. It says that since your complaint it has made its prices more transparent on its website. There is plenty wrong with the surcharge ban because cards do indeed cost traders more to process and that cost now has to be passed on to all customers in hidden ways. However, because local trading standards are the authorities required to enforce it and with shrinking budgets and increasing legislation this is not a priority. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute tells the Observer helplessly: Under new surcharge legislation, companies based in the UK cannot charge a fee to consumers using a credit card to make a purchase or transfer money. says that the law is clear to stop customers being penalised for paying by card and traders should be called out for flouting it. The government and regulator need to closely monitor the impact of the ban, as well as look at the interchange fee regulation and the charges companies pay for processing card payments, to ensure that the reforms have the positive outcome for consumers originally intended. If you need help email Anna Tims at [email protected] or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. Subject to our terms and conditions | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jan/01/why-am-i-still-charged-for-cards-when-i-transfer-money |
Could Exercising In Frigid Temperatures Make Us Healthier? | Enlarge this image toggle caption NurPhoto/Getty Images NurPhoto/Getty Images When Scott Carney first saw the photo of a nearly naked man sitting comfortably on a glacier in the frigid cold, he was skeptical. The man Wim Hof is a Dutch athlete who claims to control his body temperature in extreme cold through sheer force of will. Exercising in the cold, Hof argues, makes people healthier. "I actually flew out there with the intention of debunking him as a fraud," says Carney, a Colorado-based journalist, author and senior fellow at Brandeis University's Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism. But after learning Hof's methodology a combination of meditation, breathing exercises and immersion in icy cold water Carney became a believer. "In a matter of a few days, I was meditating on the bank of a snowy river in Poland in ridiculous, freezing winter, and melting the snow around me with my body temperature," Carney says. Carney details that experience in his book, What Doesn't Kill Us, which was released in 2017 and recently came out in paperback. Carney points out that humans dealt with cold temperatures for much of their evolutionary history. Introducing a bit of chill into our daily life now, he says, stimulates muscles and tissue in a good way. "Our bodies need to be in constant variation," Carney says. "That's what keeps us healthy and fit." We asked some leading physiologists to weigh in. Burning extra calories Many of the purported benefits of cold hinge on brown fat, sometimes referred to as "good" fat. Long known to exist in human infants, brown fat burns calories and generates heat. Dr. C. Ronald Kahn, a researcher at the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical School, was among the first scientists to document the existence of brown fat in very small amounts in adults in the mid-2000s. People can increase their levels of brown fat by being in mildly cold environments, Kahn says, though the effect on the number of calories they burn will be relatively small. "The average person will burn an extra 100 to 200 calories a day when brown fat is activated," Kahn says. "But if you go eat half a muffin, forget it." And that "100 to 200 calories" figure is for someone who's chilly all day long, he says. Most people experience cold for only short periods of time. "When you activate brown fat, it may stay active for a few hours," Kahn says. "Not permanently." Kahn also warns that Hof's call for exposure to the extreme cold could be overkill. "What it takes to activate brown fat is very mild degrees of cold," Kahn says. "If I put you in a room at 60 or 62 degrees Fahrenheit and you're dressed in very light clothing, that's enough to do it." A second way that people can burn extra calories when they're cold is through shivering. But Kahn doesn't suggest that strategy, either, because shivering makes most of us miserable. "It's a way to burn extra energy," Kahn says. "But I don't think there's any data to say that this is a good way to lose weight ... because it's not comfortable." Furthermore, people often warm up when they exercise, notes John Castellani, a research physiologist with the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. Since you have to feel cold to burn those extra calories, Castellani says, people who exercise outside might not actually be burning any more calories than those who are in a warm room. Exercising the blood vessels A side effect of exposure to the extreme cold that Hof calls for is vasoconstriction. When you're subjected to extreme cold, the muscles surrounding many of your blood vessels cause them to contract sending more blood to your core, where it can stay warm. Carney says that because modern humans live in temperature-controlled environments, "all of that musculature is weak." Exercising those muscles through cold exposure, he claims, has "a huge impact on circulation and arterial health." Castellani says the theory is interesting but still untested. "In terms of using [cold] as a way of ... 'training the blood vessels?' To my knowledge there's no data to support that claim," says Castellani. Additionally, Dr. Aaron Cypess, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health worries that cold-induced vasoconstriction could have negative consequences for some people, including spikes in blood pressure. "We were looking at someone in one of our mild cold studies, and his blood pressure went really high," Cypess says. "That's not a good thing." Training the immune system One of Wim Hof's more startling claims that he could consciously control his immune system drew the attention of Matthijs Kox, a researcher at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. "At first we were a little bit reluctant, but then we started to look up all the remarkable feats he had pulled off," explains Kox. "So we decided to give him a chance to prove his claim." To put Hof to the test, Kox and his team injected Hof with a solution containing pieces of E. coli bacteria. Since the injection didn't contain live bacteria, it couldn't actually make Hof sick. But in most people, these bacterial compounds would fool the body into believing it is being attacked, triggering a temporary immune response that includes fever and inflammation. If Hof could indeed suppress his immune system, then the injection would have no such effect. Sure enough, Hof's body showed little reaction to the injection. "He had virtually no symptoms which was remarkable," Kox says. Kox followed up, repeating the test on a group of individuals whom Hof had trained. Just as with Hof, people in the study who had received the training showed little reaction to the injection. But untrained control subjects experienced fevers, headaches and chills. Kox and his research team published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in 2014. Suppressing your own immune system may be possible, those results suggest but for many of us, this may seem counterproductive. Carney thinks that sort of suppression might benefit patients who are suffering from autoimmune disorders such as forms of arthritis that are linked to the body's immune system essentially attacking itself. If people could suppress their immune system as Hof does, Carney contends, some could potentially cure themselves of those diseases. Kox is cautiously optimistic that this could, indeed, someday be a treatment strategy. "We still have to test it, but it might be beneficial in conditions associated with an overactive immune response," Kox says. "But we need more work more proof to see whether this is really beneficial." Kox says he can't tell from his findings, but he is currently supervising an experiment to find out. He expects those results to be published within the next couple of years. Until then, the value of cold exposure as a treatment for autoimmune disease remains largely unproven, if promising. The bottom line is, there is little evidence so far to suggest that training in cold weather makes you healthier, or that you can burn significantly more calories. The physiologists Shots talked to all agreed on one thing: There simply hasn't been enough research to say one way or another. Cypess says he isn't ready to dismiss the potential benefits. But until he sees more compelling data, he's not likely to suggest it as a therapy. He has a bigger priority. "The most important thing is to get the person to exercise," Cypess says. "There is no obvious added benefit to exercising in the cold." Paul Chisholm is a freelance science writer in Rapid City, S.D. You can reach him on Twitter: @PaulJChisholm. | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/01/01/681259440/could-exercising-in-frigid-temperatures-make-us-healthier?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=shotshealthnews |
Will new federal tax law hurt SC nonprofits, charities? | Midlands nonprofits are hoping changes to the federal tax law wont discourage South Carolinians from giving to charity since many filers will no longer write off their donations on their tax returns. Standard deductions were expanded under the 2017 federal tax law, meaning more filers will choose that larger deduction $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married joint-filers in April because its more generous, said tax economist Nicole Kaeding. That has some S.C. nonprofits on edge particularly those that rely on middle-income donors. They are concerned they will receive fewer donations than in past years. However, groups also say that, for the most part, people give to charity because they want to. If the standard deduction is bigger, you take that, said Kaeding, the federal policy director with the Washington, D.C. think-tank Tax Foundation. In 2017, about 70 percent of taxpayers took the standard deduction. This year, its estimated to be about 90 percent. $20 for 365 Days of Unlimited Digital Access Last chance to take advantage of our best offer of the year! Act now! Madeleine McGee, head of Together SC, which advocates for S.C. nonprofits, said stakeholders are watching for that potential impact. Everyone is watching to see what happens and hoping that giving wont decline, she said. If it does, I believe leaders ... stand ready to help find a fix. The question, McGee said, is whether donors will change their giving behavior without the financial incentive. Thats to be determined. So far, childrens advocacy group Childrens Trust of South Carolina said it has not seen a significant drop in giving. However, we recognize that it may be too early to gauge the consequences, and we are watching what this could mean for us in the future, said Childrens Trust CEO Sue Williams. And United Way of the Midlands also said its too early to tell the laws impact given the groups campaign fundraising season stretches until June 30. Im optimistic that it wont, said the groups president and CEO, Sarah Fawcett. For the most part, people give because they believe in causes. I hope people do continue to give regardless of the tax law or its impact. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article223665435.html |
Where Will Realty Income Be in 10 Years? | Realty Income (NYSE: O) has been an excellent investment over the years. Since the company's NYSE listing about 25 years ago, Realty Income has generated 15.9% annualized total returns for its shareholders, handily beating the S&P 500 over that time period. Nobody can accurately forecast any stock's future, but having said that, Realty Income's business model makes it a more predictable company than most. So, as a Realty Income shareholder myself with no intention of selling anytime soon, here's an outline of what I expect over the next decade. Man wearing suit with hands poised above a crystal ball More Image source: Getty Images. Realty Income's portfolio will get even bigger The short version of my prediction for the company's portfolio of net-lease real estate is that I think it will get much larger. Now, the company's acquisition activity won't exactly be a steady stream over the next decade. For example, when the cost of capital is low, as it was a couple years ago when interest rates were at historical lows and Realty Income's stock price was at an all-time high, the company went on quite a shopping spree. On the other hand, if borrowing rates get significantly higher and/or the company's stock price falls, I'd expect acquisitions to slow down a bit. If I had to put a number to it, I'd expect Realty Income's portfolio (currently at about 5,600 properties) to grow at an annualized rate of about 4% per year over the next decade, which is in line with its recent average. So, I'd roughly expect Realty Income to own about 8,000 properties 10 years from now. Having said that, I'd advise investors not to get too caught up in Realty Income's growth rate as long as the company is growing responsibly. It's entirely possible that the next decade will be extremely favorable for property acquisitions, or Realty Income could decide to acquire one of its competitors, in which case the portfolio could double or more. On the other hand, if the next decade isn't a great acquisition environment, the portfolio may not grow too much at all. Realty Income's management team has an excellent track record of reading the market's conditions and adapting the growth strategy accordingly, and there's no reason to expect otherwise going forward. Profits will grow and the dividend will steadily increase Realty Income has done an excellent job of growing its profitability on a per-share basis over the years. Here's a quick look at the company's FFO (funds from operations -- the REIT version of earnings) from the past few years. Year Adjusted FFO Year-Over-Year Growth 2018 $3.195 4.4% 2017 $3.06 6.3% 2016 $2.88 5.1% 2015 $2.74 6.6% 2014 $2.57 6.6% 2013 $2.41 17% 2012 $2.06 2.5% 2011 $2.01 8.1% Data sources: 2018 FFO is based on the midpoint of the company's guidance, and prior years are actual results from Realty Income's press releases. As a result of this steady growth, I expect the company's dividend growth to continue. Since listing on the NYSE in 1994, Realty Income has increased its dividend a remarkable 99 times at an annualized growth rate of 4.6%. Based on the company's steady FFO growth and increasing economies of scale as its portfolio grows, I don't see this growth rate slowing down. This means that in a decade, I'd expect Realty Income's dividend to grow by roughly 55% from its current level. Realty Income's stock price will go up and down, but the general direction will be up | https://news.yahoo.com/where-realty-income-10-years-121700761.html |
Will UPS and FedEx Rate Hikes Doom Free Shipping? | The free shipping that consumers have come to expect when ordering online could be jeopardized by the latest rate hikes imposed by UPS (NYSE: UPS) and FedEx (NYSE: FDX). The average rate hike of 4.9% is the same amount the two carriers have imposed every year since 2010. But the increases in ancillary fees and surcharges are what could wreak havoc with free shipping, because they're targeted at the residential customer -- and some rates will rise as much as 30% or more. Although UPS has couched the rate hikes as a way to improve customer service, John Haber, the CEO of supply chain consultancy Spend Management Experts, says the "rate increases are massive and are going to negatively impact shippers of all sizes." UPS delivery truck More Image source: UPS. An expensive benefit UPS gave shippers less than a month's notice that it was raising rates on the day after Christmas, while FedEx rates will go up starting Jan. 7. The two national carriers are also raising a variety of fees and surcharges that -- depending upon your ZIP code -- will increase shipping costs by an average of 9% or more. More worrisome for the future of free shipping is the rate hike UPS is imposing on SurePost, the service provided in collaboration with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) under which UPS uses the USPS to provide faster last-mile delivery. For packages over one pound, rates are rising by 9%; for those under a pound, they're going up 9.34%. Surcharges to certain rural or difficult-to-access locations will see rates rise by 32%. Rates for FedEx's similar SmartPost arrangement are also going up. The USPS also raised its rates this past October, with its Parcel Select package rates rising between 9% and 12%. It's a problem because Spend Management Experts says that SurePost, SmartPost, and Parcel Select are the options retailers most often use to offer free shipping in a bid to maintain parity with Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN). That causes the retailers to operate at razor-thin margins, and the rate hikes could make free shipping a money-losing option for them. The Amazon effect The impact of the rate increases on Amazon, while not negligible, is more easily borne because it has over 100 million customers paying $119 a year for a Prime membership to get "free shipping." That offsets the cost to an extent, even though there are many other benefits included in the loyalty program. Also, Amazon began building out its own logistics operations several years ago, which are increasingly taking over package delivery from the national carriers. It just announced it was expanding by 10 planes the number of aircraft it will lease from Air Transport Services Group, to add to the 40 planes it currently has in its Amazon Air fleet. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate Amazon can save anywhere from $2 to $4 per package when using its private fleet, amounting to some $2 billion annually. That would equal about 10% of the $21 billion Amazon spent on shipping in 2017. The rate hikes will only encourage Amazon to further build out its delivery business, particularly for last-mile delivery. There's no free lunch The e-commerce giant is most dependent upon the USPS. Estimates of the post office's share of Amazon's overall volume vary widely. One analyst estimates that the USPS delivers 45% of Amazon's domestic shipping volume and 23% of Amazon's total volume. Another industry consultant says that the figure is higher, projecting as many as 62% of Amazon parcels get delivered through the USPS. | https://news.yahoo.com/ups-fedex-rate-hikes-doom-121800411.html |
Is Franklin Natural Resources A (FRNRX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Well, Franklin Natural Resources A (FRNRX) would not be a good potential starting point right now. FRNRX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 4 (Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify FRNRX in the Sector - Energy category, an area that is rife with possible choices. Throughout the massive global energy sector, Sector - Energy mutual funds hold a wide range of quickly changing and vitally important industries. While oil and gas comprise the bulk of the exposure, carbon-based fuels will be the biggest group of assets in these funds, though clean energy is starting to pick up steam. History of Fund/Manager Franklin Templeton is based in San Mateo, CA, and is the manager of FRNRX. Since Franklin Natural Resources A made its debut in June of 1995, FRNRX has garnered more than $283.65 million in assets. The fund is currently managed by a team of investment professionals. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. FRNRX has a 5-year annualized total return of -7.45% and is in the middle third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 1.08%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of FRNRX over the past three years is 21.11% compared to the category average of 12.48%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 22.13% compared to the category average of 12.56%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. FRNRX lost 54.92% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 0.23%. This might suggest that the fund is a better choice than its peers during a bear market. Nevertheless, with a 5-year beta of 1.09, the fund is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. FRNRX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -16.05, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, FRNRX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.13% compared to the category average of 1.48%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, FRNRX is actually cheaper than its peers. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $1,000, while there is no minimum for each subsequent investment. Bottom Line Overall, Franklin Natural Resources A ( FRNRX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, worse downside risk, and lower fees, Franklin Natural Resources A ( FRNRX ) looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now. Your research on the Sector - Energy segment doesn't have to stop here. You can check out all the great mutual fund tools we have to offer by going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds to see the additional features we offer as well for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (FRNRX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/franklin-natural-resources-frnrx-strong-120012823.html |
Is American Funds Mutual Fund A (AMRMX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Large Cap Value fund seekers should consider taking a look at American Funds Mutual Fund A (AMRMX). AMRMX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective AMRMX is classified in the Large Cap Value segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Investors interested in a stable income stream fund these mutual funds very appealing because they have a unique investing strategy. Large Cap Value funds invest in stocks with a market capitalization of $10 billion or more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value. This tactic often leads to low P/E ratios and high dividend yields; however, these funds'high growth opportunity are often slowed, as large-cap securities are generally in stable industries with low to moderate growth prospects. History of Fund/Manager American Funds is responsible for AMRMX, and the company is based out of Los Angeles, CA. Since American Funds Mutual Fund A made its debut in February of 1950, AMRMX has garnered more than $25.23 billion in assets. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals. Performance Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 9.53%, and is in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 11.49%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Compared to the category average of 8.59%, the standard deviation of AMRMX over the past three years is 7.93%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 8.79% compared to the category average of 8.75%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. AMRMX lost 43.29% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 7.41%. This could mean that the fund is a better choice than comparable funds during a bear market. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.85, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. AMRMX has generated a positive alpha over the past five years of 0.07, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, AMRMX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.58% compared to the category average of 1.03%. AMRMX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $250, and each subsequent investment should be at least $50. Bottom Line Overall, American Funds Mutual Fund A ( AMRMX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now. For additional information on the Large Cap Value area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into AMRMX too for additional information. Zacks provides a full suite of tools to help you analyze your portfolio - both funds and stocks - in the most efficient way possible. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (AMRMX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/american-funds-mutual-fund-amrmx-120012332.html |
Is AMG Yacktman I (YACKX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | If you have been looking for All Cap Value funds, a place to start could be AMG Yacktman I (YACKX). YACKX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify YACKX in the All Cap Value category, an area rife with potential choices. Like the name suggests, MUTUAL FUNDS invest in small, medium, and large-cap companies, though they end up focusing on bigger firms due to percentage of assets. These funds look for key value characteristics, targeting stocks that boast low P/E ratios, high dividend yields, and whose share prices do not reflect their worth. History of Fund/Manager YACKX finds itself in the AMG Funds family, based out of Norwalk, CT. The AMG Yacktman I made its debut in July of 1992 and YACKX has managed to accumulate roughly $7.60 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Stephen Yacktman who has been in charge of the fund since December of 2002. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 8.65%, and is in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 11.84%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. YACKX's standard deviation over the past three years is 6.17% compared to the category average of 10.25%. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 7.88% compared to the category average of 10.56%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors cannot discount the risks to this segment though, as it is always important to remember the downside for any potential investment. In the most recent bear market, YACKX lost 40.99% and outperformed its peer group by 7.96%. This makes the fund a possibly better choice than its peers during a sliding market environment. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.68, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. YACKX's 5-year performance has produced a positive alpha of 0.97, which means managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, YACKX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.70% compared to the category average of 1.15%. So, YACKX is actually cheaper than its peers from a cost perspective. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $100,000; each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100. Bottom Line Overall, AMG Yacktman I ( YACKX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now. Your research on the All Cap Value segment doesn't have to stop here. You can check out all the great mutual fund tools we have to offer by going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds to see the additional features we offer as well for additional information. For analysis of the rest of your portfolio, make sure to visit Zacks.com for our full suite of tools which will help you investigate all of your stocks and funds in one place. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (YACKX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/amg-yacktman-yackx-strong-mutual-120012480.html |
Is Ivy Small Cap Growth Y (WSCYX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Small Cap Growth fund seekers should not consider taking a look at Ivy Small Cap Growth Y (WSCYX) at this time. WSCYX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective WSCYX is one of many different Small Cap Growth funds to choose from. Small Cap Growth mutual funds build portfolios around stocks with markets caps under $2 billion and large growth opportunities. Additionally, these portfolios typically highlight smaller companies in promising markets and industries. History of Fund/Manager Ivy Funds is responsible for WSCYX, and the company is based out of Boca Raton, FL. Ivy Small Cap Growth Y made its debut in December of 1995, and since then, WSCYX has accumulated about $141 million in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. WSCYX has a 5-year annualized total return of 9.8% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 13.17%, which places it in the middle third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Over the past three years, WSCYX's standard deviation comes in at 14.3%, compared to the category average of 9.29%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 14.45% compared to the category average of 9.4%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors One cannot ignore the volatility of this segment, however, as it is always important for investors to remember the downside to any potential investment. WSCYX lost 49.67% in the most recent bear market and outperformed comparable funds by 3.36%. This means that the fund could possibly be a better choice than its peers during a down market environment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. WSCYX has a 5-year beta of 1.08, which means it is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Alpha is an additional metric to take into consideration, since it represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which in this case, is the S&P 500. WSCYX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -1.49, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Holdings Exploring the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is primarily on equities that are traded in the United States. This fund is currently holding about 93.84% stock in stocks, and these companies have an average market capitalization of $3.69 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors: Technology Other Health With turnover at about 43%, this fund makes fewer trades than its comparable peers. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, WSCYX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.31% compared to the category average of 1.29%. So, WSCYX is actually more expensive than its peers from a cost perspective. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $0, while there is no minimum for each subsequent investment. Bottom Line Overall, Ivy Small Cap Growth Y ( WSCYX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, Ivy Small Cap Growth Y ( WSCYX ) looks like a poor potential choice for investors right now. Don't stop here for your research on Small Cap Growth funds. We also have plenty more on our site in order to help you find the best possible fund for your portfolio. Make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for more information about the world of funds, and feel free to compare WSCYX to its peers as well for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (WSCYX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/ivy-small-cap-growth-y-120012570.html |
Is Vanguard Tax-Managed Small Cap Investor (VTMSX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Small Cap Blend fund seekers should consider taking a look at Vanguard Tax-Managed Small Cap Investor (VTMSX). VTMSX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify VTMSX in the Small Cap Blend category, an area rife with potential choices. Small Cap Blend mutual funds usually target companies with a market capitalization of less than $2 billion. A small-cap blend mutual fund allows investors to diversify their funds among various types of small-cap stocks, which can help reduce the volatility inherent in lower market cap companies. History of Fund/Manager Vanguard Group is based in Malvern, PA, and is the manager of VTMSX. Since Vanguard Tax-Managed Small Cap Investor made its debut in April of 1999, VTMSX has garnered more than $5.95 billion in assets. The fund's current manager, William A. Coleman, has been in charge of the fund since April of 2016. Performance Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 9.33%, and it sits in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 12.05%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. VTMSX's standard deviation over the past three years is 14.62% compared to the category average of 11.5%. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 13.96% compared to the category average of 11.46%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. VTMSX lost 50.89% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 1.56%. This means that the fund could possibly be a better choice than its peers during a down market environment. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.07, which means it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. VTMSX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -1.85, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses Costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing, and particularly as competition heats up in this market. And all things being equal, a lower cost product will outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, so taking a closer look at these metrics is key for investors. In terms of fees, VTMSX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.09% compared to the category average of 1.08%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, VTMSX is actually cheaper than its peers. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $10,000, and each subsequent investment should be at least $1. Bottom Line Overall, Vanguard Tax-Managed Small Cap Investor ( VTMSX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Vanguard Tax-Managed Small Cap Investor ( VTMSX ) looks like a good potential choice for investors right now. Don't stop here for your research on Small Cap Blend funds. We also have plenty more on our site in order to help you find the best possible fund for your portfolio. Make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for more information about the world of funds, and feel free to compare VTMSX to its peers as well for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (VTMSX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/vanguard-tax-managed-small-cap-120012879.html |
Is her ticking biological clock sabotaging her relationships? | Try living in the present instead of the potential future, advises Carolyn Hax. Dear Carolyn Adapted from a recent online discussion. I have seen two relationships crash and burn because my partners rightly suspected I was trying to suss out where things were headed and disappointed with how long it was taking. Dating Without Deadlines DEAR DATING WITHOUT DEADLINES: This answer is almost impossible for me to write without sounding dismissive, so my apologies. You stop it with the father of my children. Because thats living almost entirely in a future that isnt entirely in your power to get and so puts you in the awkward spot of being at the mercy of others. It is this awkwardness that likely pushed away the men you were dating. Theres nothing wrong with you, or with wanting what you want, but you werent in the present with these partners. You werent with them as people you were in your vision of what could be and what they could give you. And there is something wrong with that. Its not fair to them. Imagine if they dated you transactionally say, for sex or connections or security. This is a fraught question, obviously, because the kid question breaks people up all the time. But that doesnt change the baseline message: I like you, even love you, but you alone arent enough. It hurts. Since living and dating for kids has been self-defeating, I urge you to decide instead to live fully in the life you have. As it is. You and all your wonderful gifts. And in the company of men you enjoy for their company alone. Conveniently: No matter the context, embracing what you have has an uncanny way of improving whatever comes next. Re: Deadlines: I can tell you it was a tremendous relief to reach 40, without having married or having had children, and to realize I was still here, with much to be grateful for, despite having this worst fear realized. So, not only try living in the present, but also in that future you dread, too. You may find it has much to recommend it as well. Relieved DEAR RELIEVED: Well said, thank you. Re: Deadlines: I wasted years not asserting what I wanted for fear of scaring a guy off. By the time I met my husband, I was very upfront about my plans. I was no longer afraid of anyone walking away. Now Im married and pregnant at 39. Dont be afraid to be honest. No Longer Afraid Re: Deadlines: Or go ahead and have your baby. I wrote to Carolyn years ago about picking a sperm donor and am happy to say I have a beautiful baby boy. Im also dating. Theres less time for it, but I dont have to suss out anyones intentions. Its the best idea I ever had. Anonymous | https://www.seattletimes.com/life/is-her-ticking-biological-clock-sabotaging-her-relationships/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Will Tractor Supply (TSCO) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report? | It is worth considering Tractor Supply (TSCO), which belongs to the Zacks Retail - Miscellaneous industry. This retailer for farmers and ranchers has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 7.72%. For the most recent quarter, Tractor Supply was expected to post earnings of $0.86 per share, but it reported $0.95 per share instead, representing a surprise of 10.47%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.61 per share, while it actually produced $1.69 per share, a surprise of 4.97%. Price and EPS Surprise For Tractor Supply, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Tractor Supply currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.54%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 30, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Tractor Supply Company (TSCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/tractor-supply-tsco-beat-estimates-151003628.html |
How Many Members Did Netflix Add in Q1? | Slated to report fourth-quarter results on Jan. 17, streaming-TV company Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) will soon reveal how many streaming members it ended the year with. Ahead of the quarterly update, expectations are high for the key metric. Year to date, the company has seen significant momentum with member growth, adding more members in the first three quarters than it did during the same time last year. What to expect For its fourth quarter, Netflix guided for 9.4 million net member additions -- a figure that would come in ahead of the 8.33 million members the company added in the fourth quarter of 2017. That would put total members at the end of the year at an astounding 146.5 million, up from 109.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Netflix Originals More Image source: Netflix. Netflix said in its third-quarter shareholder letter it expects most of these new members to come from its international markets, where management is guiding for 7.6 million new members. Domestically, Netflix expects to add 1.8 million members. These figures compare with 6.36 and 1.98 million net member additions internationally and domestically in the fourth quarter of 2017, respectively. Highlighting the company's strong growth recently, Netflix added 19.5 million members during the first three quarters of 2018, up from 15.5 million in the first three quarters of 2017. With such significant momentum, it's no surprise that management is guiding for more member additions in the fourth quarter of 2018 than in the year-ago period. Importantly, investors should keep in mind that there's no guarantee Netflix will hit its guidance for the final quarter of 2018. Indeed, Netflix missed its guidance for net member additions by over a million members in its second quarter. The miss was a reminder of management's guidance method: The company doesn't intentionally try to undershoot its actual results but instead strives for accuracy with its forecasts. That means that "in some quarters we will be high and other quarters low relative to our guidance," management said in the company's second-quarter shareholder letter. Looking ahead Of course, just as important as Netflix member additions during fourth quarter will be its guidance for member additions in Q1. This metric will importantly give investors a glimpse into how management expects member growth to fare 2019. Starting with its January quarterly update, management is only guiding for its paid member additions. Looking to the first quarter of 2018 to inform how this January's forecast may look, investors should expect Netflix to guide for around 8 million paid member additions -- in line with the approximately 8 million paid members the company added in the first quarter of 2018. Guidance for this many paid members would mean the company is maintaining its strong pace of growth. More From The Motley Fool Daniel Sparks owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/many-members-did-netflix-add-154600789.html |
Will General Dynamics (GD) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report? | General Dynamics (GD), which belongs to the Zacks Aerospace - Defense industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This defense contractor has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 9.36%. For the last reported quarter, General Dynamics came out with earnings of $2.89 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.74 per share, representing a surprise of 5.47%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $2.49 per share and it actually produced earnings of $2.82 per share, delivering a surprise of 13.25%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for General Dynamics lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. General Dynamics has an Earnings ESP of +1.35% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on January 23, 2019. When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report General Dynamics Corporation (GD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/general-dynamics-gd-beat-estimates-151003345.html |
Will eBay (EBAY) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report? | EBay (EBAY), which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This e-commerce company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 2.87%. For the last reported quarter, eBay came out with earnings of $0.56 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.55 per share, representing a surprise of 1.82%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.51 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.53 per share, delivering a surprise of 3.92%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for eBay lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. EBay has an Earnings ESP of +1.47% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on January 30, 2019. When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report eBay Inc. (EBAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/ebay-ebay-beat-estimates-again-151003962.html |
Can Honeywell (HON) Keep the Earnings Surprise Streak Alive? | Honeywell (HON), which belongs to the Zacks Diversified Operations industry, could be a great candidate to consider. When looking at the last two reports, this industrial conglomerate has recorded a strong streak of surpassing earnings estimates. The company has topped estimates by 3.74%, on average, in the last two quarters. For the last reported quarter, Honeywell came out with earnings of $2.03 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.99 per share, representing a surprise of 2.01%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $2.01 per share and it actually produced earnings of $2.12 per share, delivering a surprise of 5.47%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Honeywell lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Honeywell currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.03%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 31, 2019. Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Honeywell International Inc. (HON) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/honeywell-hon-keep-earnings-surprise-151003549.html |
Will Qualcomm (QCOM) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report? | Qualcomm (QCOM), which belongs to the Zacks Wireless Equipment industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This chipmaker has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 25.34%. For the most recent quarter, Qualcomm was expected to post earnings of $0.83 per share, but it reported $0.90 per share instead, representing a surprise of 8.43%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.71 per share, while it actually produced $1.01 per share, a surprise of 42.25%. Price and EPS Surprise For Qualcomm, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Qualcomm currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.45%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 30, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/qualcomm-qcom-beat-estimates-again-151003509.html |
Can Valero Energy (VLO) Keep the Earnings Surprise Streak Alive? | It is worth considering Valero Energy (VLO), which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry. This oil refiner has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 5.29%. For the most recent quarter, Valero Energy was expected to post earnings of $1.95 per share, but it reported $2.01 per share instead, representing a surprise of 3.08%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $2 per share, while it actually produced $2.15 per share, a surprise of 7.50%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Valero Energy. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Valero Energy currently has an Earnings ESP of +10.44%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 31, 2019. When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/valero-energy-vlo-keep-earnings-151003763.html |
Is the end of Netflix's golden age in sight? | Streaming pioneer Netflixs first mover advantage has taken it to nearly 150m global subscribers but serious competition is now coming as traditional media companies and Silicon Valley rivals fight back. Disney, with the might of its super franchises from Marvel to Pixar and Star Wars, is set to join the fray with its own streaming service, Disney+. The worlds largest entertainment group is banking on its content clout to help make its relatively late entry into the market a success. AT&T-owned WarnerMedia is also prepping a service that will include content from HBO, Turner and the Warner Bros film studio. WarnerMedia has not been as combative as Disney in pulling content from Netflix. But Netflixs willingness to pay $100m (78m) to keep Friends for one more year at which point WarnerMedia will have to decide whether to keep it exclusively for its own service highlights the value of crowd-pulling content and the problems Netflix could face if media companies reassess their content strategies. Netflix previously paid $30m a year for Friends, which has proven one of its biggest hits globally. Netflix is facing increased competition from some of its previous content suppliers, said Richard Broughton, an analyst at Ampere Analysis. Despite its major focus on original content the company is still hugely reliant on licensed content for subscribers and that carries risks. Ampere estimates that Netflix original productions in the US make up only about 8% of the hours of content available in its vast library, and 9% in the UK. A further 5% of hours is labelled as original by Netflix because it airs it first, but is actually acquired from content suppliers, such as Star Trek: Discovery. Individually any one of the big Hollywood studio groups does not make up a huge proportion of Netflixs catalogue, maybe 4% or 5% of total hours, says Broughton. If one or two pull their content Netflix can plug the gap. But if the market gets more aggressive against Netflix, it is going to get tougher. Netflix is already facing off against Amazons Prime Video, a global rival with ambitious plans including a Lord of The Rings extravaganza. A rattled Netflix upped its content budget by 50%, from $8bn to $12bn, when Amazon announced it would spend $5bn this year. But Amazon could easily outspend rivals: its market valueis six times bigger than Netflix and 4.5 times the size of Disney. Netflix will also be looking over its shoulder at Apple, which is widely expected to launch a global streaming service this year. The content arms race is costing Netflix dear. The company expects a negative free cash flow of $3bn-$4bn this year meaning the amount its spends on content, marketing and other costs in 2018 will exceed what it earns from subscribers by at least $3bn. Netflix keeps turning to debt markets to top up the funds it needs to continue to feed film and TV content to the binge-watching generation it helped create its net debt was $8.34bn at the end of September, up over 70% year-on-year. Netflix built its reputation and audiences from expensive dramas, such as The Crown. It has recently started to focus on cheaper, yet popular, unscripted shows snapping up Channel 4 reality show The Circle to make it in multiple markets with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings highlighting the value of such fare. Unscripted television has always been a hugely profitable sector, says Lucas Green, head of content at Banijay Group, maker of shows including Survivor, Temptation Island and Wife Swap. Drama has always got the headlines and red carpet treatment. Yet game shows, quiz, reality TV, dating, baking and talent shows are highly returnable, faster to produce, more cost efficient and therefore lower risk. Netflix is also facing pressure outside the US, which is increasingly nearing peak Netflix, for the next cycle of growth. Well over 80% of the new subscribers added by Netflix in the third quarter came from outside the US. Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk The company has been very bullish on the prospects of the Asia-Pacific region, particularly India. But Netflixs pricing makes it a premium service compared with pay-TV and streaming rivals in many of these new markets and it may have to cut prices meaning it will need more subscribers. Broughton reckons it is Amazon: If I had to put my money somewhere it would have to be on Amazon. Amazon has the deepest pockets. Its catalogue is by far the largest, even if a lot of the content is quite old, and it has been exploring sports rights and other areas other players arent. | https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/01/is-this-the-end-of-netflixs-golden-age |
Is LeBron James Still Chasing Michael Jordans Ghost? | A few weeks after upsetting the 739 Warriors in the 2016 Finals, heres what LeBron James said his biggest motivation was when asked by a prospect at the Nike Skills Academy, as witnessed by then-SI writer Lee Jenkins: My motivation, James said, is this ghost Im chasing. It doesnt really matter whether or not you or I think LeBron James is the GOAT. James himself waxes and wanes from the conversationat times freely discussing like he did at the Nike camp or in his documentary, other times preferring more attention be paid to his off-court pursuits. Whats most interesting to me when comparing these LeBron comments is trying to figure out if hes content or not. SHAPIRO: LeBron James Refuses to Decline First, an appreciation. LeBron James was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was a junior in high school, and he was boldly proclaimed The Chosen One. He has completely surpassed the hype we (and everyone else) placed on him as a teenager. The only reason the discourse around James reaches such absurd levels is because he commands that much attention. He couldve faded into a solid-but-not-spectacular NBA career, like many highly hyped prep stars do, and the TV debate shows (and hot takey magazine writers) would have found someone else to bloviate about. Instead, James has put together a career thats Hall-of-Fame worthy multiple times over. He basically could have retired after his first Clevelnd stint and still been one of the NBAs all-time greats. LeBron has earned every comparison to Michael Jordan, and its 100% to his credit that the comparison is even a possibility. The 2016 LeBron sounded hungry. He was chasing. He was starting his workouts at 6 a.m., beginning earlier in the summer in the aftermath of Kevin Durant joining Golden State. 2018-2019 LeBron sounds more confident, more willing to reflect, and more secure in his place in the games hierarchy. This isnt to say James is all of a sudden relaxing. I bet those workouts still start earlier than 95% of the NBA. Im sure well see more chasedown blocks once the playoffs start. The question now isnt if LeBron is still giving his all to the game, but what his biggest motivation is if he feels hes already caught the ghost. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images LeBrons Lakers tenure is in many ways shaping up to be the most fascinating experiment of his career. The biggest issue I saw with Jamess decision to sign with L.A. is that it didnt come with the same starpower as his last two decisions. There were no All-Stars waiting in the wings or coming along for the ride. Instead, LeBron made what felt like a not-100%-basketball-related decisionwhich is totally, perfectly cool!when it seemed like other teams could give him a better chance at a championship. Especially with the Warriors still operating with juggernaut-level talent. James is certainly not in the stage of his career to be ring chasing on any level. But for someone chasing a ghost, joining a team of prospects glued together with veteran mercenaries looked like a step backward. If LeBron doesnt feel like he needs more titles to be considered better than Jordan, maybe he doesnt feel the title-or-bust pressure hes lived under for the last eight yearshis recent Anthony Davis recruitment notwithstanding. MAHONEY: The AD Trade Hype Was Years in the Making Cynics, realists, Steph Curry fans, and all kinds of other people will read LeBrons GOAT declaration as goal-post moving. If he says hes the GOAT, hes already creating excuses for losing. Maybe thats true to an extent. James is certainly aware of what hes saying in front of cameras and writers alike. Im more interested in the shift in perspective, and if it means LeBron can finally be content with his accomplishments as opposed to having to amass more of them every second of every day. For outsiders, LeBron could believe hes the best or win 10 more titles, and it wouldnt change many of their opinions, both good and bad. S---, half?) of his career should ultimately reveal what is truly motivating him. If hes sitting shotgun next to Magic Johnson on the driveway of 2019s best free agent, then its probably fair to assume James is still looking for more stones for his Infinity Gauntlet. If a Hollywood trade mag announces two more Space Jam sequels that are going to be filmed back-to-back, it may be a hint LeBron wouldnt mind some more free time. James has always had the right to approach his career the way he best sees fit. Without any championships or any outside validation, he still would have had a remarkable impact both on and off the court. For seemingly the first time now, at least publicly, LeBron appears willing to admit his approach is not about climbing, its about enjoying the view from the top. If that really is the caseand again, Anthony Davis is out thereIm interested to see how that affects Jamess decisions moving forward. Selfishly, I never want James to stop trying to reach new heights. But that gets harder to do when you know youre at the top. | https://www.si.com/nba/2019/01/01/lebron-james-michael-jordan-warriors-lakers-greatest-player-all-time-debate |
Would 2019 begin with Georgia on a Sugar high? | There were worse fates than facing Texas in the Sugar Bowl. When Georgia came within an eyelash of beating Alabama in the 2012 SEC championship game, which served as a de facto play-in to the BCS title tilt, the Bulldogs didnt land in one of the BCS-affiliated games. They fell to the Capital One Bowl against Nebraska, while Florida which Georgia had beaten wound up losing to Louisville in the Sugar. This Sugar was a New Years Six game in prime time Jan. 1, and Texas is not nobody. It stands with Georgia, as Longhorns coach Tom Herman said Monday, on college footballs short list of major national brands. People would watch this game. They mightnt remember its winner, but theyd watch. For Kirby Smart, though, the Sugar has needed some selling. His Bulldogs had come so close to winning a second consecutive SEC title and thereby qualifying for the College Football Playoff for a second year running that anything less would constitute a comedown. Smart had lobbied for his team to crack the field of four it wound up No. 5 and the weak showings by No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Oklahoma in Saturdays semis touched off a storm of social-media crowing, some of it from Bulldog Nation, but much from the Bulldogs themselves. When Georgia players met the media Sunday morning, they expressed no such righteous indignation. They surely had been ordered to tone it down, doubtless because they still had a game to play and a worthy opponent to confront. If the Bulldogs were to come out New Years night and apologies for the tangled metaphor lay an egg, theyd leave the rainy Crescent City with egg on their faces. Here was Smart on Monday, responding to a question as to whether Georgia should have made the CFP: Our concern, as you well know, is with Texas. And everything that we'll be judged on is how we finish, and we want to finish the right way. And we want to play our best football game at the end of the year, which is tomorrow night. Coaches live in fear of how their teams will treat a bowl. Everyone in the playoff is primed, but the non-playoff postseason games often hinge on which team is happier to be there and has more to prove. For Texas, this marked the first bowl appearance outside the Lone Star State since Dec. 28, 2011, when the opponent was California and the Holiday Bowl the venue. The Longhorns hadnt won 10 games in a season since 2009, when they lost to Alabama for the BCS title. Last year they finished 7-6 after beating Missouri in the Texas Bowl. They were, in a word, hungry. Georgia believes it coulda/shoulda been playing for another national title. In the attempt to snap his men to attention, Smart laid it on thick Sunday. The opportunity in front of our team is as grand as there is, as there can be, because for our guys they're looking at it as an opportunity to play to a standard, to make a statement, to play to the excellence that we try to create at the University of Georgia. They've got an opportunity to do that against one of the top programs in the country. Some of that was even true. Still, the month after the latest near-miss against Alabama has been fraught with intrigue. The ballyhooed freshman quarterback Justin Fields has placed his name in the NCAA transfer protocol. The All-American cornerback Deandre Baker is skipping this game so as not to get hurt ahead of the NFL draft. Several juniors tailback Elijah Holyfield and tight end Isaac Nauta among them are considering whether to make themselves draft-available. Even Smart conceded that the past four weeks had been wild and crazy. There seemed little question that Georgia was more talented than Texas. And yet: When last these teams met, the more gifted team lost. That was on Jan. 2, 1984, in the Cotton Bowl. Texas entered ranked No. 2 in the land, which would become a bigger deal that night when No. 1 Nebraska was upset 31-30 by No. 5 Miami, which was rewarded with the national title. The Bulldogs entered the game 9-1-1 and ranked No. 7 in their first post-Herschel season, but the feeling was that theyd overachieved they were beaten 13-7 at Sanford Stadium by Auburn in the game that gave the Tigers the SEC title and would stand little chance against Texas in Texas. The Longhorns led 9-3 with 4-1/2 minutes remaining when Craig Curry muffed a punt. Georgias Gary Moss recovered at the Texas 23. Two plays later, it was third-and-4 at the 17. The Bulldogs had converted only one of 13 third downs. Quarterback John Lastinger faked a handoff and spun right. The pride of Valdosta broke through the line and outran safety Jerry Gray, since enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, to the pylon. Georgia would win 10-9. Texas chance at a national title was gone. Of all Vince Dooleys famous upsets, that Cotton Bowl ranked second to none. Conversely, the Austin American-Statesman declared Currys flub the most heartbreaking Texas sports moment of the 20th century. (Ahead of the Longhorns two title-denying Cotton Bowl losses to Notre Dame and the Dallas Cowboys losing three Super Bowls by a total of 11 points, not to mention two last-gasp NFL title defeats against Green Bay.) The better team didnt win that Cotton Bowl. Georgia managed just 215 yards, but it scored one more point. Thats the sort of result that Smart and staff had been working like mad to prevent. Human nature, however, can be the toughest of all foes. After another Bama disappointment and wild and crazy December, the Bulldogs would gladly have settled for a nice serene NOLA victory. | https://www.ajc.com/blog/mark-bradley/would-2019-begin-with-georgia-sugar-high/9yV6tDXc0Yjq1pCwIwcy6H/?src=rss |
Who Will Lead In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence? | Accelerating trends in artificial intelligence (AI) point to significant geopolitical disruption in the years ahead. Much as mass electrification enabled the rise of the United States and other advanced economies, so AI is poised to reshape the global order. Forecasts suggest that AI will add a massive $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. Prospects for sustaining global competitiveness are now directly tied to the industrialization of AI. AI and machine learning are predicted to reshape manufacturing, energy management, urban transportation, agricultural production, labor markets, and financial management. Governments that can successfully cultivate a culture of disruptive innovation will be strategically positioned to lead in the twenty-first century. By contrast, governments that resist AI will find themselves facing a daunting future. Battle of the Titans At the research level, the United States remains highly invested in AI and other disruptive technologies. The National Science Foundation (NSF) currently invests over $100 million each year in AI research. DARPA recently announced a $2 billion investment in an initiative called AI Next whose goal is advancing contextual and adaptive reasoning. Meanwhile, the US military has created a new Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) to oversee service and defense agency AI efforts. But where the US has established a strong lead in AI discovery, it is increasingly likely that China may dominate the industrialization of AI. Alongside Chinas expertise in factory machinery, electronics, infrastructure, and renewable energy, the countrys government is increasingly focusing on AI leadership. According to former Google head Kai-Fu Lee, Chinas innovation system is nurturing a kind of global economic duopoly that will inevitably force countries around the world to choose sides. Lee would know. After completing his PhD in speech recognition at Carnegie Mellon he went on to lead AI research at Apple, Microsoft Research, and Google China and now oversees venture capital investing in Beijing. As Lee points out, the strength of Chinas economy is a productive synergy between government policies and market forces. Not only does China have advanced commercial capabilities in AI but more importantly it has a coherent national strategy. Unlike the US, Chinas government has become highly invested in leveraging AI to drive its enormous economy. Chinas state-led strategy builds on the countrys national champions Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent (BAT) in a long-term effort to restructure the global technology market. Chinas government correctly recognizes that AI is critical to its future growth. Where China has commoditized computers, electronics, smartphones, infrastructure, telecommunication technologies, and supercomputers, Beijing has now set its sights on system-wide AI. This includes autonomous vehicles (AVs), advanced medical equipment, robotics, and financial technologies. Until very recently, most of the AI-driven innovation deployed by Chinese industries has been incremental rather than disruptive. But this is changing. Chinas technology sector is reaching a critical mass of expertise, talent and capital that is realigning the commanding heights of global power. In fact, the Chinese government plans to lead the world in AI by 2030, announcing more than $110bn worth of technology merger and acquisition deals since 2015. China expects to widen its lead in the industrialization of AI by leveraging massively abundant data and rapid prototyping. The countrys growing internet economy generates vastly more data than any other country, leveraging speed, execution, and product quality, particularly through its fintech companies. With instantaneous mobile payments, for example, Chinas mobile infrastructure is providing a tsunami of data for training AI algorithms. After two centuries of Western dominance in technology and innovation, the tables are now turning. Chinas highly efficient planning model has become a force to be reckoned with. Even as the big five US technology giantsAmazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple and Googleredefine Western capitalism, China is inventing a kind of technonationalism. While the US retains a significant technology dominance in AI, resources are fragmented and national leadership is weak. Even as the Congress has recently passed legislation introducing a national security commission on AI, the US still lacks a coherent vision for coordinating AI. Perhaps an even more challenging problem is the deep divide between the public and private sectors. In the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations, technology professionals now repudiate government, wary of colluding with an opaque military-industrial complex. The main problem facing the US and other advanced economies is a kind of market fundamentalism that devalues government-led moon-shots. After a half century of US-led neoclassical economic theory, Chinas planning model is proving to be more strategically effective at delivering the goods. Where the US thinks in electoral cycles, China is reshaping the playing field, accelerating the decline of the Western-led world order. What is obvious is that Western countries are in need of new leadership at multiple levels. Just as a post-war generation built a liberal global order, so today aging democracies are in need of a new and compelling vision for a high tech global society. A new generation of leaders is urgently needed younger, smarter and most importantly, technology literate. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielaraya/2019/01/01/who-will-lead-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence/ |
Who is Paul Whelan, the American Detained in Russia for Alleged Spying? | New details have emerged about Paul Whelan, the 48-year-old Novi, Michigan, resident who is facing 10 to 20 years in Russian prison on charges of espionage. While U.S. court records and the accounts of Whelans family and workplace cannot clear him from any suspicion of spying, they depict him as a fairly ordinary American an Iraq war veteran, former sheriffs deputy and corporate security expert who, his brother says is a loyal friend and family member. We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being, the Whelan family said in a statement that his twin brother, David Whelan, posted on Twitter. His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected. David Whelan later told CNN about that he learned that his brother, who had been in Russia for a wedding, had been detained from a news story. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now According to David Whelan, Paul Whelan served multiple tours in Iraq as a marine and is a corporate security expert. Paul Whelan had made several trips to Russia in the past, his brother believes that he was attending the wedding to help other guests navigate Moscow. David Whelan told CNN that his brother is a helpful sort of person. Pauls a kind soul, hes very generous, hes notorious among my kids for his huge belly laugh, he said. He added that his brother is a highly capable individual, who has served in Iraq and worked in law enforcement. In court records from 2013, Paul Whelan testified to working as a corporate security expert for over a decade. At the time, Whelan was working as a senior manager of global security and investigations for Kelly Security Services, he testified. He said that he was responsible for looking into accusations of theft, fraud, sexual harassment and workplace violence. Transportation technology company BorgWarner Inc. confirmed in a statement that Whelan is currently the companys director of global security. He is responsible for overseeing security at our facilities in Auburn Hills, Michigan and at other company locations around the world, a BorgWarner spokesperson said in a statement. Between 1990 and 2008, Whelan also served several tours in Iraq as an active-duty reservist, he testified. Whelans future, however, remains uncertain. David Whelan told CNN that he is appealing to U.S. officials to push for his brothers release. He has also been in contact with State Department officials, who say that they are working to secure a meeting between Whelan and U.S. embassy officials in Russia. The State Department declined to comment about the case, but confirmed that they have been informed about Whelans detention by Russian authorities. A departmental spokesperson said that Whelan is assured access to the consular authorities under the Vienna Convention. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it, the spokesperson said in a statement. Write to Tara Law at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5491477/russia-paul-whelan/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29 |
Was world's oldest ever woman, France's Jeanne Calment, a fraud? | The world's oldest woman, who died at the age of 122, may have been a fraud according to Russian scientists. Jeanne Calment, from Arles, France, died in 1997, at the age of 122 years and 164 days, making her the oldest officially recognised person in history. However, Russian researchers claim she was in fact Yvonne Calment, Jeanne's daughter - and had assumed her mother's identity to avoid paying inheritance tax. Mathematician Nikolai Zak and gerontologist Valeri Novosselov studied biographies, interviews and contemporary photos, and claim their circumstantial evidence supports their theory. Advertisement "The analysis of all these documents led me to the conclusion that the daughter of Jeanne Calment, Yvonne, took the identity of her mother," said Zak. Yvonne Calment died of pleurisy - a lung infection - in 1934, according to official records. Zak claims that this was a lie, and that it was Jeanne Calment who died, at the age of 59, and that Yvonne lived to the still-impressive age of 99. Among his 'evidence' is a copy of the identity card of Jeanne Calment dating from the 1930s where the color of her eyes, her height and the shape of her forehead do not correspond with her appearance of her in later life. "As a doctor, I have always had doubts about her age, the condition of her muscles was different from that of the others of her age, she was sitting without support, she had no signs of dementia," said Novoselov, who heads the Gerontological Section of the Moscow Society of Naturalists. Zak also claims that the fact that some of Calment's photo archives were burned is proof that she was in fact Yvonne Calment. However, French demographer and gerontologist Jean-Marie Robine, who participated in Calment's age validation by the Guinness Book of World Records in the 1990s, said she "never had any doubt about the authenticity of the documents" of the 122-year-old. The mayor of Arles at the time of Calment's death, Michel Vauzelle, says Zak's theory is "completely impossible and improbable". Members of the Calment family did not respond to AFP's requests for interviews. Should Jeanne Calment's record be made invalid, the official oldest living person would be American Sarah Knauss, who died at the age of 119 in 1999. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12184786 |
Has Kanye West destroyed his reputation? | While some think Kanye West is planning a presidential run in 2020, others argue his political shenanigans are costing him his legacy. After showing support for President Donald Trump, criticizing Barack Obama and proclaiming slavery was a choice -- many have jumped off his bandwagon. With acclaimed projects out in 2018 -- including "Ye," skeptics debated whether or not to support him. PERSPECTIVES In May, Kanye stopped by TMZ to express his support for Trump and argued slavery was a choice. Kanye appeared on the show with Candace Owens where they explained "free thought" and how it can make the world a better place ... from a place of love. During the conversation Kanye said, "When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?! That sounds like a choice." Van from our newsroom took great offense and fired back. Things got intense and ultimately led to a face-to-face at Van's desk. Many praised the way TMZ's Van Lathan responded to Kanye's comments. According to CNN, Lathan said: "And while you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you've earned by being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives," Lathan said. "We have to deal with the marginalization that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said, for our people, was a choice." "Frankly, I'm disappointed, I'm appalled and, brother, I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that's not real," Lathan concluded. Many argue nobody could have put it better than Lathan. I didn't want to post this because I hate giving Kanye West's words more power. But then I saw Van Lathan speak up in the clip. He stood up and perfectly articulated what Kayne is failing to see. This is courage. pic.twitter.com/MwRXdBA8zk -- Red T Raccoon (@RedTRaccoon) May 1, 2018 Maybe Childish Gambino sees where Kanye went wrong and believes in his redemption story. In his animated video for "Feels Like Summer," Gambino depicts a crying Kanye being comforted by Michelle Obama. While some praised the imagery of black women uplifting black men, others argue that it shouldn't fall on black women to uplift anyone else. Plus, folks haven't forgotten about Kanye's political controversies, arguing he needs to take responsibility for himself. Billboard reported: The video's most controversial scene arrives during a dream sequence when a crying Kanye West, seen wearing a Make America Great Again hat, is being comforted by Michelle Obama. Some of the more angry viewers saw the moment as an insult to black women, while others believed Obama represents Kanye's late mother. "@donaldglover Just so you know, it is not the job of Black women to heal or fix Black men. Black women do not exist to be other people's mules," @LegalSojourner, who describes herself as lawyer and black feminist, tweeted." Twitter user @13Xum, a self-described songwriter, took a different view. "Michelle Obama comforting Kanye West in 'Feels like Summer' video was suppose to depict her being a mother like figure for Kanye being that Kanye seems lost in life and doesn't have a mother," he wrote. Kanye apologized for the slavery comments in August 2018. Kanye also squashed his beef with Drake. Let me start by apologizing for stepping on your release date in the first place ... We were building a bond and working on music together including squashing the issues with Cudi at our office. -- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) September 5, 2018 But critics ain't buying Kanye's apology. BE REAL. KANYE is only apologizing months after the fact because Surgical Summer FAILED miserably and his reputation is in the toilet!! If he was real why didn't he humble himself and CALL Drake like a man?!!! Because this is "apology" denying his involvement is FAKE -- B [?][?] (@AthenaMani) September 5, 2018 Kanye is killing the game by producing music for other artists like Kid Cudi. He dropped his new LP, "Ye," in June. While some skeptics struggled with whether or not to listen to him and support him, the album garnered praise. Listeners say the album sounds like old Kanye, and that's a good thing. Listen to "Ye" below via Spotify. kanye's new album got that old school kanye vibe -- REY (@elrey) June 1, 2018 But others refuse to support him at this point. Ever since Kanye started going on pro-Trump rants, many detractors have argued he's officially canceled. So Kanye's new album... Let's not partake. It's equivalent to folks watching Roseanne--willing to ignore her vitriolic racism for a nostalgia trip. But there is no separating art from the artist. And Kanye is now a willing tool for white supremacy. I'm NOT here for it. -- Shree [?] [?][?] [?] (@shreec) June 1, 2018 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/has_kanye_west_destroyed_his_r.html |
Is Venezuela Willing to Start a Carribean War? | Scott B. MacDonald Security, Americas The timing of Russia sending two long-range bombers to Venezuela earlier in December has Washington wondering what Caracas is thinking. On December 22, 2018, the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela intercepted the ExxonMobil research ship, the Ramform Tethys, in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The ship is flagged by the government of the Bahamas and was contracted to conduct seismic work by ExxonMobil and has a crew of seventy. Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have deteriorated considerably since Nicolas Maduro came into office in 2013, following the death of Hugo Chavez. This incident could be the beginning of a more sustained push by the authoritarian Maduro regime to stir up nationalism in the run-up to the beginning of a new presidential term in January 2019. Guyana and Venezuela have a longstanding border dispute, dating back to the early nineteenth century but since settled by international arbitration. Venezuela has periodically challenged that settlement, claiming about half of the country. The recent discovery of large quantities of oil off the shore of Guyana conducted by major oil companies, in particular ExxonMobil, has led to a new oil rush for the Caribbean country. With a population of less than one million and an economy that has struggled in the past, the addition of oil is real boost to the economy, and if used prudently, could considerably improve the lives of most Guyanese. The problem for Guyana is that the Venezuelan economy is sinking, and badly. According to the International Monetary Fund, inflation should reach ten million percent in 2019. The country is struggling to produce enough oil for exports, and food, toilet paper and other daily staples are hard to find. Crime is rampant, and the economy is now based on barter, with goods having greater value than the worthless government currency, the bolivar. Close to 2.5 million people have already fled Venezuela and more are expected to head across the borders to Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador as well as throughout the Caribbean. There is some talk that up to ten million Venezuelans may ultimately leave their country to escape economic collapse, a lack of personal safety and political repression. The Guyanese government is deeply concerned that Venezuela could continue to push on the border issue. The government released a statement, saying that it rejects this illegal, aggressive and hostile act perpetrated by the Government of Bolivarian Republic of which once again demonstrates the real threat to Guyanas economic development by its western neighbor; an act that violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. On paper, the Venezuelan military is much larger than Guyanas. However, the terrain through which any large-scale Venezuelan incursion would proceed is challenging. Much of the border is jungle, and there are few roads as well as a number of rivers. Moreover, one has to wonder as to how combat effective the Venezuelan armed forces are at this stage, considering the countrys budget problems and the corruption within the officer corps. The answer is probably no; the preference would be more likely to conduct a number of bullying operations, such as the seizure of oil exploration ships. Making the situation more complicated is the involvement of the major powers in the region. Both China and Russia have been and continue to be actively engaged in keeping the Maduro regime in power, although it is questionable that Beijing or Moscow would favor backing Caracas in a shooting war with Guyana. Moreover, the United States has made it clear that it considers Venezuela, in the words of national Security Adviser John Bolton, part of the troika of tyranny, alongside Cuba (which has security advisers in Venezuela) and Nicaragua. Washington has little regard for the Maduro government and has suggested regime change would be a good thing. However, if Venezuela were to escalate the situation from the seizure of an oil exploration vessel to a land grab or an attempted naval blockade of the offshore oil fields, the situation could turn ugly. The United States has already let it be known that it disapproved of the Venezuelan action and stands behind Guyana. | https://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-willing-start-carribean-war-011600257.html |
What coaching changes will teams make for 2019? | How the coaching carousel looks on the dawn of Black Monday: Cleveland: Its a more wide-open field now. With the Browns showing so much promise in a 5-3 second half, this is a far more attractive job than it was two months ago. With the success of Freddie Kitchens as offensive coordinatorBaker Mayfield loves him and responds to himmy sense is the Browns feel they dont have to get the next great offensive brain to work with Mayfield and develop an offensive identity. They might have that guy now. So that could put a defensive presence like Vic Fangio of Chicago in play, or even a special-teams guru like Dave Toubwell known to GM John Dorsey from their days in Kansas City. Gregg Williams will be interviewed for the gig, but it doesnt look like hell be a serious candidate. I still think McDaniels and Lincoln Riley will be vetted by the Browns too. Scroll to continue with content Ad Green Bay: The Pack is rounding up some different suspects. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is an interesting name; hes done a lot with less at the strong academic school, which could be appealing to GM Brian Gutekunst because so many marginal players need to play roles for NFL teams to win; roster churn in the NFL is a way of life. Ill be surprised if the Packers dont interview Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who I believe will be interested only in the best jobs on the market because he knows he has a bright future in New England. If I were McDaniels, those jobs this year would be Cleveland and Green Bay. Hmmmm. I said last week McCarthy could be interested in Arizona (for football and family reasons); CBS Jason LaCanfora said Sunday that McCarthy would not be a candidate there. This is an interesting jobassuming, today, that Steve Wilks is let go after one seasonbecause Cards have had a talent drain and have not had impact drafts the last couple of years. Even though they have the first pick in the draft, GM Steve Keim could be on thin ice with one more bad season. Denver: Vance Joseph could never stop the bleeding. Broncos had an eight-game losing streak last year, and Joseph vowed to be better at turning around the bad runs. This year, Denver had a four-game losing streak early, and finished the year losing four in a row. You just never got the feeling he could turn it around. That plus game-management issues (such as kicking the field goal, down four with 4:39 left at the Cleveland 6-yard line, and losing by one to the Browns Dec. 15) doomed Joseph, who will leave with an 11-21 record. The Broncos thought briefly of dumping the offensive coaching staffJohn Elway wants to emulate some of the more imaginative offensive schemes in footballand pairing Joseph with a bright young offensive coordinator; Im told Elway would not have brought Gary Kubiak back to run the offense. But Denver is more likely to blow it up today and start a wide search. Elway is most likely to try to find the best available offensive mind and build a staff around him. New York Jets: Discipline, or a lack of it, killed Todd Bowles. Three straight seasons of 5-11, 5-11 and 4-12 are the obvious reasons Bowles will get fired. But this one play from Sundays desultory end of his reign crystallized how Bowles couldnt get through to some undisciplined guys. Midway through the second quarter, defensive lineman Henry Anderson of the Jets had the harebrained penalty of the day, shoving Tom Brady after he threw the ball away on third down, giving the Patriots, already up 14-3, a fresh set of downs and, as it turned out, an easy third touchdown of the day. Theres a reason why the Jets are 4-11, Ian Eagle said on CBS. Yes there is. Bowles has railed against the lack of discipline, and now someone new will see if they can get through to players committing stupid fouls. Im told its likely GM Mike Maccagnan will get one more coach to hire. If I were him, Id try to convince Mike McCarthy to be interested. Not sure McCarthy would comehe is widely reported to be considering taking 2019 offbut control over the roster and the specter of coaching Sam Darnold should tempt him. Atlanta: Beware, coordinators. The bloated Falcons coaching staff will likely be overhauled, with head coach Dan Quinn changing lots at the top. Endangered: offensive coordinagtor Steve Sarkisian, defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and veteran special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong. Owner Arthur Blank will give GM Thomas Dimitroff and Quinn 2019, and maybe not much longer, to clean up this 7-9 mess. Baltimore: Strange days in Maryland. As I wrote last week, Im not sure John Harbaugh will sign an extension; he might, but its no sure thing. If he doesnt sign, and if the Ravens decide not to proceed with a lame-duck head coach, itll be interesting to see where Harbaugh would land, because hed easily be the hottest commodity on the market. First things first, though. The Ravens will be a tough out in the playoffs, and thats got to be everyones first priority now, of course. Jay Glazer had Lewis out on FOX Sunday, and I dont doubt it. I know Bengals owner Mike Brown, and I know how much he likes regularity, and I also know this would not be a widely sought job. I remember a few years ago discussing the Bengals job with a league executive, who said, You mean the 33rd franchise? The Bengals are not progressive, and they are not an attractive franchise, and I cant imagine a coach whod have other options wanting to succeed Marvin Lewis. Tampa Bay: Dirk Koetter couldnt fix Jameis Winston, and so hes gone. With GM Jason Licht staying and lording over the coach search, its obvious the Bucs are going to give another coach the chance to save Winstons Tampa career in 2019, year five of Winstons time with the Bucs. The Buc job is somewhere far south of Green Bay and Cleveland on the coach-desirability meter and north of Cincinnati. Itll be interesting to see how much interest Licht can drum up among premier candidates. He is, according to owner Shad Khan, despite another afternoon of player misbehavior that has been shockingly consistent for the most disappointing team in the NFL. Stability should not be confused with satisfaction, Khan said after the game in a statement confirming coach Doug Marrone, EVP Tom Coughlin and GM Dave Caldwell would return in 2019. Eleven months after the Jaguars blew a 20-10 lead with 10 minutes left in the AFC title game at New England, they finished 2018 as the NFLs most disappointing team with a woeful 20-3 loss at Houston. Im a bit surprised, though clearly Khan is doing this only because he knows disruption to the status quo could do more harm than good. But the leadership trio was also forewarned about 2019 thusly by Khan: I will not overlook how poorly we accounted for ourselves following a 3-1 start. There were far too many long Sundays over the last three quarters of the season, with todays loss in Houston being the final example, and that cannot repeat itself in 2019. I was surprised, too, to hear the respected Jay Glazer say this about the Miami coach on the FOX pregame show: If hes out, he will skyrocket to the top of a lot of lists. Gase is 23-26 in his three seasons in Miami, with no playoff wins; he was hired to develop Ryan Tannehill into a prime NFL quarterback, and though Tannehill has missed 23 games due to injury during Gases tenure, the quarterback play between Tannehill and Jay Cutler has been mediocre at best. In his last 21 starts, Tannehill has not thrown for 300 yards in a game. Not once. The Miami Herald reported that EVP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum is likely to be fired, so that lends credence to Tannenbaum being the sacrificial guy, with Gase and GM Chris Grier staying. But well see. Owner Stephen Ross isnt happy with consistent irrelevance, so I bet hell knock on Jim and John Harbaughs doors before Gase can feel secure for 2019. Carolina: Ron Rivera is safe. Good move, David Tepper. Read more from Football Morning in America by clicking here | https://sports.yahoo.com/coaching-changes-teams-2019-124908387.html?src=rss |
What Does It Take To Get Into The Ultra-Competitive Research Science Institute (RSI)? | Every summer, 80 of the top students from around the world come together at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for an intensive summer program called the Research Science Institute (RSI). However, RSI is not a typical summer camp; it is free to students, and you leave with a slew of new connections and experiences that most other high school students will never be able to experience. Interview With Research Science Institute We sat down with Maite Ballestero, the Executive Vice President of Programs and Administration and Maureen Palmer, the Manager, Advisory and Consultancy for the Research Science Institute, to gain further insight into the admission process and how prospective candidates can make their application stronger. A: To gain admission into the Research Science Institute, there is a set of general guidelines that the ideal candidate should meet. On average there are more than 1600 applicants into this camp, of which only 80 are chosen. Admissions are solely based on academics and accomplishments, and no applicant is favored due to legacy or knowing someone who is associated with the program. Students are expected to achieve high marks during their high school career, and perhaps even lead a club or start their own business or nonprofit. While the average GPA and test scores change from year to year, typically the students will be in the top 1%. To combat GPA inflation, the admissions committee looks at individual coursework and the grades. One last thing the committee wants to receive is at least one standardized test score: the PSAT, SAT or ACT. It is not required that you take all three, just one. However, just because you meet all of these requirements doesnt mean you will gain a spot at the camp, and you dont have to meet all of the criteria to be chosen for RSI. The review process is holistic and many factors are considered. A: Be passionate, be well-rounded. Be a leader. Be who you are. Perhaps you have heard of the saying, Jack of all trades, master of none. We want students to find out what they are passionate about and explore it deeply. We dont expect students to be able to list out ten or more activities they excel at and we prefer to see students doing a few activities that they have leadership positions. We do like to see students who have been published. While the committee does love to see this, it is not a requirement and it by no means guarantees your entrance into the program. A gold medal in Science Olympiad also helps your application stand out, but once again it does not mean you will be admitted. Even if the applicants are from small towns, we want to see students who are taking advantage of what opportunities are available to them. We want them to exploit their surroundings in the most positive way. For example, if you are passionate about math, the student should be going to summer programs in math and taking courses online or at community colleges. Some applicants are world class musicians, cross country stars, or accomplished singers. We have even had a previous student who could have qualified in the Olympics in figure skating. There is never a dull moment here! A: We are the first high school program to use SlideRoom, which is an applicant tracking and management system. It makes it easy to share our files with committee member of seven to nine people. The process is very intensive because each member presents the students who they would like to be admitted to the entire committee, and the decision must be unanimous. We will have applications from every single state and many countries. We have partnerships with 15 countries and we typically admit between one to six international students. We also have worked with NGOs and gifted and talented organizations to find the most qualified students. Of course, we thoroughly vet every student who is admitted into the program, regardless of how we find them. We are very proud never to have had to charge for this opportunity. When we are selecting attendees, we make sure that we are giving a spot to a student whose life could be changed by this camp. Regardless of income, background, or where you grew up, all students are looked at objectively. A: After the program ends, the students enter into their senior year. That means they will be competing in and frequently winning science fairs, the Regeneron Science Talent Search, and other math or science-based competitions. Some of our admitted students continue to show great success and continue to research their fields. One of the mentors for our program and an alum is Feng Zhang, the inventor of CRISPR, a gene-editing technique. He is very generous with his time and continues to support the program. The founder of Pinterest, the first female math chair at Harvard, and a Facebook engineer are all alums, and they all continue to give back to the program. As you can see, many of our students go on to achieve great things! They go on to study at Stanford, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton and are the recipients of every type of award and scholarship imaginable including Rhodes Scholars, Waterman Awards, and Simons Investigators. Anything is possible for our alums. A: The program lasts for six weeks, and is packed with activities from start to finish. For the first four days, every single student, regardless of their interests, reads a humanity book. Last year, they read Frankenstein. It helps them start thinking from the first day, and we have a small essay competition, which is a light-heart way to get the students to acclimated into the program. All students take humanities because we want students to realize that communication is crucial. This course helps them to become more effective community members and more well-rounded. After this first week, they get to dive more into their research topic in either biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, or humanities. We partner with MIT, and an alum or MIT professors teach all of the classes. For Weeks 2-5, the attendees are paired up with a mentor who works in the field the student wants to learn about more. Of course, one of the biggest struggles is finding a good bond between the mentor and the mentee, so we work hard to make sure the student and mentor are a good fit. The students might be working in a lab at Harvard, MIT, Brood Institute, or a local company. We ensure the students are always safe and able to learn more about a specific academic area. Throughout the program, we also have a guest lecture series three or four nights a week. We bring in Nobel Prize winners, people who work in top companies, and other leaders in their fields. We want our attendees to meet and network with the guest lecturers and help them broaden their horizons. During the last week of the program, they will finish the research paper they have been working on throughout the program. The students then present their paper in both an oral and written format. We feel that this is an integral part of the program because some students have never had to present their research in this way, so it is a good learning experience for them. Q: What are some of the biggest challenges students face in the program. A: The heat! Since there is no air conditioning, it can become quite muggy. They have to try to stay cool and still get a good nights rest to keep on working hard all week. A: When the students come to the camp they might be meeting kids that are just like them for the first time - other students who perform competitively and at a high academic level. By the end of the program, they have formed friendships that often last for years. There are Facebook groups, Google Hangouts, and other methods of keeping in touch with the students. We try to help them find internships or even get jobs. Essentially, you are part of this group for life, or as long as you want to continue engaging with other members. The application deadline for the Research Science Institute is January 15. To apply and for more information, visit www.cee.org/apply-rsi. Research for this article was contributed by Moon Prep college counselor, Lindsey Conger. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristenmoon/2019/01/02/what-does-it-take-to-get-into-the-ultra-competitive-research-science-institute-rsi/ |
Can Patrick McCaw help fix Cleveland Cavaliers' inability to defend point guards? | CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Way back on Opening Night, Toronto Raptors All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry torched the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 27 points to go with eight assists while making 10 of his 12 shots. Call it a precursor of what was to come this season. More than two months later, the Cavaliers still have few answers when it comes to defending opposing lead guards. "I can see him doing some of that, absolutely," head coach Larry Drew said when asked if McCaw would get a chance to defend high-level backcourt players. "What we've done, against scoring point guards like Mike Conley, like Trae Young, we did switch our matchups and go bigger on both guys. That seemed to have some effect." Since sliding into the starting lineup for an injured Rodney Hood, Alec Burks has taken over that defensive role. Burks, who is 6-foot-6, helped pester Mike Conley into a 15-point, 6-of-16 shooting night last week. Burks' combination of length and athleticism bothered Hawks rookie Young early in Saturday's game, forcing Young to get yanked after struggling in the first three minutes. Young rebounded, started hunting switches and finished with 21 points on 8-of-16 from the field. McCaw, listed at 6-foot-7 with long arms, brings some of those same characteristics as Burks. "Some point guards have a problem with size. I see Patrick in that same role. I think he has that ability to play a smaller point guard," Drew said. "He really defends well on the ball. He's athletic and he has long arms and he gets his hands on a lot of balls defensively. You can't play with the ball in front of him. He's got a knack for coming up with it. "I really like his on-ball defense, because he has long arms and he really gets down in a stance. I saw something (at practice) that I was very happy to see from a defensive standpoint, that we have been struggling with this year. He certainly has some tangibles that really excite us." Drew compared McCaw to Corey Brewer. McCaw said he doesn't have a specific position. He called himself a "basketball player," one that brings the necessary tools to play -- and defend -- multiple spots. But defending point guards is where the Cavs need the most help. Even with some decent performances recently, they rank 27th in points allowed to the position. The only teams worse: Atlanta, Detroit and Washington. Rookie Collin Sexton is at the center of the issue. Statistically, he has been one of the league's worst defensive players. According to ESPN's Defensive Real Plus-Minus metric -- a player's estimated on-court impact on team defensive performance, measured in points allowed per 100 defensive possessions -- Sexton ranks 465th out of 466 total players. With Sexton on the floor, opponents boast an offensive rating of 123.1. For perspective, the Warriors' No. 1 ranked offense has a rating of 112.9. With Sexton off the floor, the offensive rating drops significantly to 114.4. Sexton admitted recently that adjusting on defense has been a challenge. The amount of film work required and detailed scouting reports is a change from college. "You have to know different teams' plays," Sexton said. "As a point guard I have to know what they like to run and what positions, so I have to do more of watching film before the game." Cleveland has tried hiding him on defense. Against Memphis last week, Sexton was matched up against Garrett Temple. Sexton primarily guarded Rodney McGruder a few nights later in the Miami matchup, with the Cavs not wanting to expose Sexton against Justise Winslow or Josh Richardson. On Saturday night, Sexton spent most of his defensive possessions against rookie Kevin Huerter, who was the lowest-scoring perimeter player in the Hawks' starting group that night. Having McCaw gives the Cavs another option on defense, letting them continue the same strategy of keeping Sexton off opposing point guards. Perhaps McCaw will even help solve this big problem, one that became evident at the start of the season and has only gotten worse from there. | https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2019/01/can_patrick_mccaw_help_with_cl.html |
Why Has the World Gone Easy on Cristiano Ronaldo? | Juventus, meanwhile, issued a statement praising Ronaldos professionalism and dedication, adding, The events allegedly dating back to almost 10 years ago do not change this opinion, which is shared by anyone who has come into contact with this great champion. Fernando Gomes, president of Portugals soccer federation, said, In my name and in the name of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express total solidarity with Cristiano Ronaldo, in a circumstance where his good name and reputation are at risk. Some Italian news outlets ignored the rape accusation until it started to affect Juventus share price, said Susy Campanale, a soccer journalist who edits the Football Italia website. (The clubs stock stabilized in late October.) And some papers explicitly sided with him. Cristiano Crucified, declared the sports daily Corriere dello Sport. Tuttosport ran his photograph beside the headline Pi forte del fango, or stronger than the mud-slinging. On social media, Italian soccer fans initially split along partisan lines, with Juventus supporters defending him and rivals reveling in the possibility of his downfall. But what controversy there was has since subsided. People in Italy didnt care about it at all, said Ilaria Maroni, an Italian sports writer based in New York. The majority of the people didnt believe the story was true. They only believed the girl wanted to get more money out of it. To wit, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica was inundated with hostile comments after publishing a letter in October from a 27-year-old woman who criticized Juventus statement of support for Ronaldo. Mayorga cannot say she has been raped, one commenter wrote. Either she was giving consent, or she staged the whole thing to get money. It was disconcerting, yet really not that surprising, to see the reaction from women, said Campanale, of Football Italia. They tended to range from Hes rich, handsome and successful, he doesnt need to rape anybody to If a woman is raped, she goes to the police straight away and doesnt accept a payout. Mayorga has not spoken publicly since Der Spiegel published the story, and her lawyer, Leslie Stovall, did not respond to a request for comment. But Antje Windmann, one of the reporters who worked on the story for Der Spiegel, said she has spoken with Mayorga about the reaction to her allegation. She was desperate and heartbroken about what people think about her nowthat she wants his money or that shes a disappointed lover, Windmann said. She felt completely helpless. The allegation is not the first #MeToo claim to meet a cold reception in Italy. After Italian film actress and director Asia Argento accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault in 2017, she said she felt doubly crucifiedfirst by the assault itself, then by the hostile reaction in her home country. Argentos case offers a prime example of Italys broader victim-blaming culture, said Farren, the Womens March organizer. #MeToo, I think its fair to say, just has not been a cultural phenomenon in Italy the way it has been elsewhere, said Rachel Vogelstein, who runs the Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations. The media still remains hostile to women who speak out, so I think the conversation continues to remain an uphill battle. What Happens When the Worlds Most Famous Athlete Is Accused of Rape? a New York magazine story asked in early October. This is the most famous athlete on the planet credibly accused of a heinous crime of sexual assault, Will Leitch wrote, referring to Ronaldo. It is unprecedented, and it is going to tell us everything about how the world of #MeToo is either going to crash against the world of sports or become a part of it. The answer thus far to the articles question is clear: Not much happens at all. Ronaldo continues to play every week, with nary a mention about the allegations against him. While Italys resistance to the #MeToo movement has certainly helped Ronaldo, so too has his prowess on the pitch. Soccer is an extremely protective environment in Italy, Farren said. Soccer comes before almost anything. But its not just soccer. #MeToo has yet to make inroads in the sports world, where tribal affinities often outweigh ethical concernseven in the U.S., where the movement originated and has been the most influential. Big-name American athletes have been accused of sexual misconduct over the years, often with only minor consequences. Former L.A. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger were accused of sexual assault at the peak of their careers; they lost endorsement deals, but not their jobs. Their cases also predated #MeToo. In a more recent case, quarterback Jameis Winston was the number-one pick in the 2015 NFL draft despite a rape accusation against him, and he continued to play this season after a second allegation surfaced in September. Broadly speaking, the world of professional sports to date has not really been significantly changed by #MeToo, said Vogelstein, the Council on Foreign Relations official. That world is really notorious for silencing claims of sexual violence. The accusation against Ronaldo differs in some important respects from many of the stories that have surfaced during the #MeToo era. Mayorga was not Ronaldos subordinate, or even involved in the sports industry; he was unlikely to make or break her career. Unlike Weinstein or Bill Cosby, Ronaldo has not been charged with a crime. Its possible that soccer fans, the media, and corporate sponsors are withholding judgment until Las Vegas police completes its investigation. Then again, accused men have suffered professional repercussions before the conclusion of official inquiries, or even in their absence. The muted reaction may have more to do with the gender dynamics of sports than the details of the legal process. Sports fandom is so invested in this elite form of masculinity that really in some ways is consistent with sexual aggression, said Susan Cahn, a history professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo who studies gender in sports. Male athletes in their prime really represent a kind of virility thats physical but also sexual. Fans want to escape daily life, and so anything that enters into the sports realm or enters into this escape mechanism really turns them off, said Adam Earnheardt, an expert on sports fandom who chairs the communications department at Youngstown State University in Ohio. When NFL players knelt during the national anthem, some fans were upset simply because the protests were violating their escape, Earnheardt said. They didnt want to think about politics. Still, he said, Roethlisberger faced criticism from fans who once cheered for him. And memories of the accusation against Bryant have lingered: In October, he was removed from the jury of a cartoon film festival he was slated to judge after backlash from the animation community. The Ronaldo story would have had greater attention, would have had probably a bigger reaction, if he were a sports star in the United States, Earnheardt said. Juventus has ten official supporters clubs in the United States. Fabrizio Capobianco, an Italian expat, founded the Silicon Valley branch in 2015. He said his clubs membership has almost doubled, to more than 100 people, since Ronaldo joined the team. He has changed the way the team plays, Capobianco said. They just walk into the pitch knowing they are going to win because the best player on the planet is playing with them. As for the rape accusation, Capobianco says it hasnt been a major concern for the California-based Juventus fans who gather every weekend to cheer on their new hero. In Italy, he noted, Soccer is first and everything else comes after. As long as he doesnt actually go to jail and he can play on Sunday, I think people will be fine, Capobianco said. Were hoping this disappears. | https://newrepublic.com/article/152828/world-gone-easy-cristiano-ronaldo |
How Did Ethereum Take Over Ripple With 80% Gain in One Month? | Over the past 30 days, the Ethereum price has risen from $83 to $150, by 80 percent against the U.S. dollar in a strong corrective rally. On January 2, following a seven percent increase in its price, Ethereum (ETH) surpassed Ripple (XRP) to reclaim its throne as the second most valuable cryptocurrency in the global market. Two main factors have likely contributed to the short-term surge in the price of Ethereum in the past month: oversold conditions and the upcoming Constantinople fork. From early November to mid-December, Ethereum experienced a steep decline in value as its price fell from $220 to $83. Despite its recent 80 percent climb, the asset is yet to achieve November levels and would still have to increase by an additional 46 percent to rise back to $220. The market demonstrated oversold conditions subsequent to the sudden decline in the price of Ethereum from November to December, relieving sell-pressure on the crypto asset and allowing the asset to recover. According to Alex Krger, an economist and a cryptocurrency trader, the upcoming fork of Ethereum called Constantinople is increasing the demand for Ethereum, as the fork would reduce the block rewards of ETH from 3 to 2. Notable outperformance of ETH over BTC in the last few weeks. Theres a reason for it: the upcoming fork / supply reduction. Another BAKKT delay adds to it, the trader said. 1/ #Ethereum's Constantinople fork is coming on block 7080000, around January 16, 2019. Constantinople will reduce the block rewards from 3 to 2, decreasing new $ETH supply accordingly. On the long run, this is decidedly bullish. https://t.co/4bbgAHMz7Z Alex Krger (@Crypto_Macro) December 24, 2018 The reduction of the block rewards of ETH restricts the amount of ETH miners can generate, which in the long-term will lead to a gradual decline in the potential circulating supply of ETH. As the supply of ETH goes down and the demand goes up or remains the same, the ETH price is expected to increase. On Christmas Eve of last year, Krger added: Ethereums Constantinople fork is coming on block 7080000, around January 16, 2019. Constantinople will reduce the block rewards from 3 to 2, decreasing new ETH supply accordingly. On the long run, this is decidedly bullish. Krger also pointed out in his analysis that in previous forks, Ethereum increased substantially in value. While the state of the market is significantly different than in previous instances, in consideration of the historical performance of ETH, the trader suggested that the Constantinople fork could contribute to the rise in the price of the asset. On the Homestead fork, ETH increased by 1150% in the two months prior (in both USD and BTC terms, as BTC was relatively flat during that period). Price started a 50% reversal the day of the fork. Not suggesting one should expect the same different market, different times, Krger noted. Ethereum (ETH) Best Performing Asset in December ETH remains as one of the best-performing assets in December 2018, outperforming Bitcoin, Ripple, and Bitcoin Cash. However, the valuation of the cryptocurrency market still remains at $130 billion and it is far from recovering to previous highs and as such, it is still too early to conclude that ETH has started to enter a mid-term bull rally. Featured image from Shutterstock. appeared first on CCN. | https://news.yahoo.com/did-ethereum-over-ripple-80-101417491.html |
What Happened To Oil Prices In 2018? | (70.75) November: Why the oil price tailspin may be short lived (56.96) And the punchline: December 19: America's top oil-producing region has a new problem: $40 crude I removed the names of the various pundits out of a sense of fairness, although the links are there for the purpose of verifying the quotes, because first, a quote or headline out of context can be extremely misleading. Oil prices could hit $100 is not a bad forecast, but a statement of conditional fact. Unless the pundit thinks something like oil prices could hit $100 if the cocoa crop is robust. Second, short-term prices are very volatile and difficult to predict, so that it is extremely easy to find bad forecasts from any given punditincluding me. And frankly, I have been somewhat selective in my choice, probably picking more price bulls than bears because it looks more amusing given current low prices. If prices were near $100, I probably would have picked out the bearish stories. First, OPEC plus helpers showed pretty good discipline, more than most expected (probably including themselves). This brought the market back into balance earlier than anticipated, and made the sentiment bullish. Combined with the surprise announcement in May that the U.S. would reimpose sanctions on Iran, the possibility for market tightening later in the year dominated thinking. That, combined with an acceleration in the decline of Venezuelan production this year (see figure), was the major factor in prices going above $70. The initial decision by the Saudis, Russians and others to offset potential losses of Iranian oil, along with the Trump Administrations granting of waivers to major Iranian customers, was a major element, suggesting that the market would not be short of oil (and possibly see the surplus grow). But market fundamentals have also played a big part, especially the unexpectedly strong rise of U.S. shale oil production. The table below shows that, in December of 2017, the IEA was predicting that the demand for OPEC oil would drop by 0.4 mb/d in 2018, whereas the latest estimate puts the actual drop at 1.2 mb/d. (OECD demand grew more than expected, non-OECD demand less.) U.S. oil production has grown by roughly 2 mb/d in 2018, about twice what was expected in late 2017. The figure below shows the forecast growth for 2018 in U.S. oil production as it evolved from the December 2017 market reviews of the IEA, OPEC, and the EIA, until the most recent publication. The EIA has been closest in its forecast and was earliest to revise its prediction, which could represent either an optimistic bias on their part of better data and analysis. (Washington being closer to the shale fields than Paris or Vienna.) Interestingly, in the first half of 2018, U.S. production was up less than 1.5 mb/d year on year, accelerating in the summer to surpass 2 mb/d by August. The EIA seems to have anticipated this, while forecasts by the IEA and OPEC appear to have been reactive, rising only as the actual production rose. Again, this might be more luck on the part of the EIA, but possibly also reflecting the fact that covering the entire world oil market makes it difficult to spot changes. (Conservatism is also typical and normal for such forecasts.) Lower oil prices might mean less shale oil growth this year than last (something most predict), although growing pipeline capacity in the Permian is expected to offset that somewhat. Overall, though, while some recovery from currently depressed prices is likely, the supply picture does not support sharply higher prices this year, especially given the growing pessimism about the global economy. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2019/01/02/what-happened-to-oil-prices-in-2018/ |
What If Wearable Technologies Can Track Our Emotions? | One of the questions most executives ask themselves in regard to their employees and their organizations is: "How do we achieve peak performance on a continuous basis?" Attaining peak performance is almost always about understanding ones physiology and gaining a better control of emotions, thus enabling smarter decision making. Every success, failure, or opportunity seized or missed is the result of a decision that someone made or failed to make. In neuroscience terms, all decisions are initially driven by feelings, after which they are justified by reason or logic. In effect, dismissing or suppressing emotions causes the brain to underperform. Decision making boils down to the emotions of the individual making a decision. Technology is at its most seductive when it offers to meet our vulnerabilities, and tech entrepreneurs the world over are racing to claim a new technical frontier: human emotions. According to Gartner, "By 2022, 10% of personal devices will have emotion AI capabilities, either on-device or via cloud services, up from less than 1% in 2018." Science and technology are still in the early stages of finding the right answers to that question, but as an initial take, this engineering will involve a deeper analysis of DOSE: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. DOSE are mood-elevating neurotransmitters that influence our moods, sleep, behavior, reactions and decisions. The Future Of Wearable Technologies A decade ago, the thought of a personalized watch that not only tells the time but reads your text messages, tracks your workouts and even keeps track of your sleep habits sounded like a much-coveted piece of technology from a James Bond movie. But thats exactly what has happened, and over 80 million people now own a wearable device. The Apple watch can now be used for communication, effective exercise patterns and to track the wearers health. It will be working throughout the day, understanding and analyzing how you feel every second and detect any negative emotions. It will also suggest ways to alleviate such emotions or detect positive feelings and suggest measures to prolong or recreate the feeling at a different moment in time. Apple has already proven that it's interested in using technology to decipher human emotion, so the prospect of taking such technology a step further isn't all that far-fetched. For instance, what if a young entrepreneur is on her way to an important meeting seeking funding, and on the way there, the watch detects feelings of underlying stress, which could affect her performance. Such a breakthrough would allow technology to not only make predictions but to also provide insights about what you can do to better understand yourself. As technology gets better at reading different human emotions, we have to focus on seamlessly integrating this technology into human lives to enable people to lead better lives and to have technology that can read emotions we humans fail to detect. Wearables like smartwatches and activity-tracking devices have become an indispensable part of our lives. This is evident by the huge investment that is expected to be poured into the wearables market over the next eight years. I believe integrating these devices with mobile applications and social media platforms can potentially help users develop positive emotional habits. Whatever one thinks of these assertions, its certain that these emotion-reading wearables will tweak our reaction to the world around us. Users of this technology will develop a heightened sense of everything that is going on around them, which will create better experiences for people who have difficulty expressing and communicating emotions. The future in this field promises to be exciting and fulfilling, and as the technology develops, our lives will continue to revolve around it. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/01/02/what-if-wearable-technologies-can-track-our-emotions/ |
Does Meghan McCain think Martha McSally is unworthy of her father's seat? | Opinion: The McCain family is making a mistake in giving Martha McSally the cold shoulder. She has more in common with the late John McCain than many think. Martha McSally speaks to the press Dec. 18, 2018, after Gov. Doug Ducey announced that the congresswoman will fill out the remainder of Sen. John McCain's Senate term. (Photo: Tom Tingle/The Republic) You have to marvel at the heat the left still throws at Martha McSally, one of the most accomplished people in Arizona a congresswoman, former Air Force colonel, graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with an advanced degree from Harvard. Lay your money on the latter. Because to Democrats and their friends in the media echo chamber there are few sins as despicable as embracing this particular president. And there is no appreciation for the complications Donald Trump creates for Republican candidates. Seen from the left, a GOP candidate who stands with Donald Trump is Donald Trump in all his cringe-inducing glory. Camp McCain is throwing shade, too It's not only Democrats who dislike McSally. A cold wind blows from Camp McCain, where the family of deceased Sen. John McCain continues to express their distaste for her. Only days before Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey named McSally to fill out the final two years of McCain's term, Meghan McCain's husband, Ben Domenech, founder of the conservative online magazine "The Federalist," tweeted: McSally strikes me as an unwise choice for a number of reasons. She's like an NFL team that plays down to its opponents' level - and she'll be tasked with running for re-election immediately. https://t.co/C01s2sL28e Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) December 14, 2018 Meghan McCain retweeted her husbands post. All of this would have been unremarkable were it not preceded by earlier swipes. During the Republican primary to fill Jeff Flakes U.S. Senate seat, McSallys liberal critics created a new political crime failing to enunciate the full and formal name of an appropriation bill. McSally committed this felony by failing to mention John McCain when describing the National Defense Authorization Bill named in his honor. More importantly she failed to mention McCains name after standing by Donald Trump at a signing ceremony in Fort Drum, N.Y. The left pounced. McSally had snubbed the war hero and senior senator then in the throes of terminal cancer. Meghan McCain took the bait The McCain family bit on this. Meghan McCain, the senators daughter, tweeted: . @RepMcSally 's inability to even mention my father's name when discussing the bill named in his honor is disgraceful (just as it was with Trump) - I had such higher hopes for the next generation of leadership in my home state. https://t.co/MC1qpDS2na Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 16, 2018 I root openly for Meghan McCain. I think she is the McCain who will carry the family political franchise because she has demonstrated real growth over the last five years, and because she has her father's fortitude. I compare her to Sarah Palin. Both had extraordinary access to John McCain and all the rights and privileges that entailed: the senator's guiding hand and advice, the McCain platform, the open doors to powerful people. However, Palin squandered all of that. She never grew. She fell in love with celebrity and never mastered the ideals and their details. She never got smarter. Meghan McCain is getting smarter. She improves every year in a crucible filled with media adversaries. Shes been reading and learning. And it shows. You can measure her success by the growing number of shrill voices lashing out against her. They clearly see her as a threat. Good for her. McSally shape-shifted - like McCain did But shes still making youthful mistakes, and she made one when she attacked McSally during the 2018 primary. She unwittingly became the page-turner for the liberal choir that was happy to damage the only electable Republican in the race. Meghan apparently hadn't noticed that the liberals attacking McSally for cozying up to Trump were the same ones who attacked her father in his 2016 race because he wouldn't disavow until the very end the GOP presidential nominee. When McCain ran that race, he understood that a populist insurgent who hijacks the party creates problems for every Republican down-ballot. McCain and McSally were never great fans of Donald Trump. Both had been openly critical. And they faced the same conundrum in their respective Senate races: Trump voters were their voters. So they shape-shifted for the elections. McCain handled it more deftly, never sidling up to Trump. But he was also dealing with a different Trump, one who in 2016 was widely expected to lose to Hillary Clinton in the general election. The Trump dealt to McSally was far more complicated in that he now enjoyed the power and legitimacy of the White House. His takeover of the Republican Party was complete. Like the McCains, she learns from mistakes CLOSE Martha McSally's campaign made two strategic mistakes that had nothing to do with Donald Trump, columnist Robert Robb says. Diana Payan, The Republic | azcentral.com What should have been obvious to critics of Martha McSally is that we didnt need the 2018 U.S. Senate election to tell us who she is. McSally demonstrated that in her first two terms on Capitol Hill. Shes a workhorse, not a show pony. She authored and passed 18 bills in her first three years. Like John McCain, she has moderate impulses and works well with others. No less a source than Kyrsten Sinema told us this. When my colleague Elvia Diaz asked Sinema why she cant look McSally in the eye, Sinema turned in her seat, looked at McSally sitting next to her, and said assertively that she can look McSally in the eye and that she and Martha have worked well together in Congress. In their contest, McSally blundered badly. Her accusation of treason was comically overwrought and her constant refrain of liar, liar grew tedious. If thats the McSally who runs in 2020, Domenech is right, shell be easily dispatched. But McSallys history is Meghan McCains history. She learns from her mistakes. And if McSally is anything, she is a competitor. She lost her first special election primary for Congress in 2012, but came back in the fall and won the regular Republican primary. She lost her 2012 congressional general election, but ran again in 2014 and won. She lost the 2018 U.S. Senate race to Kyrsten Sinema, but won appointment to the McCain seat by Gov. Doug Ducey. Getting the governor's nod was its own test of power and persuasion. No doubt Ducey had many suitors and suggestions from the rich and powerful. He chose McSally. He chose well. Never underestimate Martha McSally A little known fact about the two major candidates who ran to become Arizona's first woman senator is that McSally and Sinema are endurance athletes. They both have trained rigorously for the Ironman Triathlon that entails a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile marathon. McSally and Sinema are two of the toughest people, men or women, to ever hold office in Arizona. I wouldn't underestimate McSally. Anyone who challenges her in two years will face a fierce competitor who enjoys the large advantage of incumbency and a history of triumphing after past failures. If the McCain family is signaling theyll oppose her, theyre making a mistake. Because McSally is a natural torchbearer for Sen. McCain's legacy. MONTINI:Cindy McCain trumps McSally's disrespect with grace Like him, she is an Arizona warrior-statesman who shares his belief in American exceptionalism, the certitude that it is still this nation's special mission to lead the defense of the free world. At the end of his life, McCain warned that the world has not progressed to a point that America can let down its guard. Threats to our freedom still loom in China, Russia, North Korea, the Subcontinent and the Middle East. McSally understands this. She believes in a strong military and making sure it gets the resources it needs. During the Obama years, you could hear the echoes of John McCain, when she said, "Our enemies are no longer afraid of us, and our allies can no longer count on us." Before her appointment to the U.S. Senate, McSally visited with Cindy McCain, to, as Ducey said, clear the air. She apologized to Cindy, but she need not have. She did nothing wrong. When McSally was finally appointed to the job, Cindy issued what journalist Howard Fischer called, a lukewarm endorsement. That's too bad. I would expect and hope that we see political ambition in the rising generations of McCains. I hope Meghan someday "spends (herself) in a worthy cause," as Teddy Roosevelt once said, and goes "into the arena" of public life. If she is thinking in that direction, she would do well to understand that Martha McSally is not her foe, but a logical and powerful ally. Phil Boas is editorial page editor of The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com. He can be reached at [email protected] or 602-444-8292. Click here to subscribe to azcentral.com. 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Where is Super Bowl 53 being played? | originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com Super Bowl LIII is more than a month away and the Bears have plenty of work to do in order to lock up a spot in the big game. However, Super Bowl fever is alive and well in Chicago. And regardless of the path ahead of the Bears, fans should be knowledgeable about the game. Travel arrangements could be in order, after all. Scroll to continue with content Ad The Bears will likely host just one home playoff game - Sunday against the Eagles - as they are the No. 3 seed in the NFC. If they beat the Eagles, the Bears would play the No. 2 seed Rams on Jan. 12. Based on seeding alone, the winner of Bears/Rams would likely face the No. 1 seed Saints in New Orleans on Jan. 20. Playing in the south could become a trend for the Bears this postseason, however. If they ultimately played and beat the Saints, the Bears would then head to Atlanta. Super Bowl LIII will be played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium (home of the Falcons, which opened in Aug. 2017) on Feb. 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT. and the game can be seen on CBS. Yes, the Bears have to win three more games to get to Atlanta, but the idea of them doing so is very realistic. Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of the Bears and stream the Football Aftershow' easily on your device. | https://sports.yahoo.com/where-super-bowl-53-being-212144170.html?src=rss |
Is India Set To Adopt Elements Of China's Surveillance State? | Over the years, there has been more than a little symbolism to the disputes between China and India along the 5,000-kilometer border separating the worlds most populous countries. The relationship is on something of a high at the moment, with tensions thawed and collaboration warming up. In November, the two countries issued a statement to say they had reached an "important consensus" as they sought to step back from border tensions to promote trade and political ties. PWC forecasts that these two economies will be the largest on the planet by 2050, and so a great deal of attention is now focused on what happens next. Good Fences Make Good Neighbors Despite head to head standoffs, as seen in the disputed Doklam region in 2017, China dwarfs India from a military perspective and India could ill afford any serious escalation. Consequently, how border flare-ups remain under control and the approach India takes over Tibet will prove interesting litmus tests as to how India views the realpolitik of the coming years. There is also a strong sense amongst Indias politicians of the reshaping of the wider world order, with China and the US going head to head over trade, high-tech controls and the accelerated progression of AI with all of its inherent implications. Given the size of its population, economy and tech sector, India will look both east and west as this progresses, particularly the emerging AI Cold War. However, it is hard to imagine a contributing nation continuing to play both sides when access to core technology is at stake. India is a thriving market for the high-tech Chinese giants of communications and surveillance that have come under regulatory threat in recent months for alleged national security concerns. And, in the last week, we have seen rumors of an executive order from President Trump to ban US companies from buying Chinese telecoms and surveillance equipment and curbs on Silicon Valley AI exports. India is an enormous market for infrastructure procurements and also one of the world's leading markets for AI skills. There's every chance the country will soon need to pick a side. Times Have Changed Yesterday, Indias army chief, General Bipin Rawat, delivered a typically unflinching New Years message: We are facing complex and dynamic security challenges along our borders," he said, "which threaten territorial integrity and internal stability of the nation." There was markedly no mention of China. Contrast to 2018, when he said that China is a powerful country, but we are not a weak nation and that "China is an emerging economic competitor of India. Both countries are competing with each other in order to establish dominance in the South East Asia region. The economic growth of India will help to reduce the menace of terrorism." Now, New Delhi seems more likely to mimic Beijing than to criticize. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and last month Indias Ministry of Home Affairs announced legislation to intercept, monitor and decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer. Any person or organization failing to cooperate will be liable to sanctions, including seven-year jail sentences. China is further progressed towards the dystopian dream of a surveillance state than anywhere else. The pinnacle of its current ambitions is Sharp Eyes, an integrated surveillance scheme that even includes the introduction of citizen scores, ranking people by 'trustworthiness' and their value to society. Thankfully, the technology in place does not live up to the hype. For the time being at least. By contrast, India has made a much more modest start. Ten federal agencies, as well as the Delhi Police, have been given the powers to monitor, intercept and decrypt data and to seize hardware. In 2019 the Indian government could be set to go further, with the proposed 'Information Technology [Intermediary Guidelines (Amendment) Rules] 2018' mandating that online platforms will have to deploy automated tools to monitor content and identify violations. The legislation would introduce restrictions on encryption to ensure users originating content could be traced when required. According to reports, representatives from major platforms including Facebook, Google, Amazon and Twitter were briefed by government officials. The backlash in the press and across social media has been dismissed by the government as fearmongering, and counter-terrorism has been offered as a key driver. "If there is a recruitment drive which is going on by ISIS using social media, the government must have a provision of law under which it can seek information about a particular operator, who is operating under his or her own name or under a proxy name," explained the head of the ruling party's IT cell. "That is what the law will enable. East Is East What is clear is that 2019 looks set to be an interesting year. The US seems intent on tightening the vice on China's high-tech champions, and knock-on effects could hit prized export markets around the world. Restrictions on US company purchases would make things significantly more difficult for China's national champions. And then there is the AI back-drop as the race heats up to extend spheres of technological influence across the developing world. And here we have India, a vast market for consumers, corporations and skills, right on China's doorstep. Past tensions are being actively thawed. Political collaboration is high on the agenda. Accelerating ties between China and India would position the Chinese high-tech manufacturers extremely favorably as India continues to build out its infrastructure. That would clearly provide Beijing with strong influence in India, a key tenet of its export strategy, but it might also have consequences for India's own high-tech exports. We are now seeing an accelerating technological revolution that sees the combined forces of Cloud, IoT and AI driving generational change. Headlines in recent months have understandably focused on China and the US. However, as we will see in India and elsewhere in 2019 and beyond, the implications touch everyone. And a polarization of US and Chinese interests could well hit hardest at those playing both sides of the fence. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/01/02/is-india-set-to-adopt-elements-of-chinas-surveillance-state/ |
Will Russia Make Any Waves In Crypto This Year? | Russia and crypto seemed to go hand in hand. At least that was the case throughout nearly all of 2016 and 2017. Go to a Consensus crypto event and you were sure to run into Russians talking about their "projects". The initial coin offering (ICO) was a favorite of Russian developers, and -- of course -- scammers. With the ICO market pretty much dead, the crypto world in Russia is not what it used to be. It has lost its shine and its hype. Russian central bank president Elvira Nabiullina recently remarked how "fortunate" it was that her country is no longer "crypto crazy." That doesn't mean the Russians have lost interest in blockchain technology and its counterpart, the cryptocurrency startup. "The majority of investors have their doubts about investing in Russian crypto-startups. There are a lot of red flags for international investors," says John Slyusarev, managing partner of SMC Capital in New York. SMC is a venture capital firm investing in blockchain startups from Shanghai, the U.S. and Europe. None are based in Russia, though the European ones have Russian developers and founders. "I think the Russian projects with Russian founders have the hardest time finding money," he says. "There has been some blowouts in Russian Ponzi projects and fraud schemes that have hurt Russia's reputation." In November, North Dakota state regulators uncovered a Russian cryptocurrency scam and shut it down. In September, a Russian-based company named Coin Miner was charged by Texas securities regulators for committing securities fraud. In May, new Russian and Ukrainian blockchain startup Decenturion was on display at the Consensus forum in New York. They issued passports. It didn't take long for the Reddit community and other Bitcoin forum participants to call it out for being a Ponzi scheme. The coin now trades at around $3, according to CoinGecko, a loss of 98% from its launch last spring. Sadly, Russians seem to be the ones affiliated with crypto fraud. Despite all that, the Asian exchanges love the Russian market. Two of the biggest exchanges are expanding in Russia. China's Binance and Singapore-based Huobi have offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Their presence suggests Russia is still a contender in crypto markets. Russia has been slow to regulate the nascent digital assets market. In 2017, there was talk of Russian securities regulators building a blockchain platform with the developers behind the Waves Platform in Moscow. While Waves still exists, the Moscow exchange has moved on from becoming a crypto trader. Waves looks to be in limbo. Its webpage's news section hasn't been updated since June 6. One of the reasons the entire blockchain/crypto market is so tough in Russia is because the Russian Central Bank is not a fan. Nabiullina is against legalizing trading cryptocurrency for rubles and that puts a damper on the retail investing market. The central bank is expected to devise new laws this year to make business rules more clear for cryptocurrency miners in Russia and set the ground rules for raising funds via cryptocurrency tokens. Very few movement is expected on the latter. According to crypto traders in Moscow, the Moscow Stock Exchange (MoEX) is in talks with Asian and European exchanges regarding creating custodial accounts to securely hold digital assets. "Once they have that in place, I think the central bank might accept that MoEX is the true avenue for crypto in Russia," says Dan Wolfe, managing director of a cryptocurrency fund at the Specialized Research and Investment Group (SPRING) in Moscow. "There is tension between Putin and other leaders who see crypto as a way for companies to raise capital," he says. The ICO Grows Up. There's a new token offering in town and it promises to be a big deal this year. Speak to any serious Russian blockchain developer and crypto true believer -- and whether they are living in St. Pete's or in Palo Alto they will say the initial coin offering market is what brought Russians to the crypto startup game in droves. Russians are now joining forces with the venture capital firms to talk about the crypto world's latest "project" -- the Security Token Offering, or STO. In the simplest, non-CalTechie way of describing the STO, it's venture capital meets the stock market meets Bitcoin (or some other coin yet to be created). It's considered the latest move to professionalize the cryptocurrency industry, an industry that has gone bust over the last 12 months. Last December, Bitcoin was worth around $20,000. It starts 2019 at $3,817. "I think you will find that about a third of the STOs are going to either be Russian founders or Russian developers.," Slyusarev says, with a caveat. "I doubt you will find any of them being launched in Russia." Slyusarev's fund invested in one STO last year. He said they might invest in more this year. Regulatory matters will keep Russia closed off to this market. "The STO is appealing, but there are regulatory hurdles to doing this in Russia," says Gregory Klumov, co-founder and CEO of STASIS.net, a tokenization platform based in Malta. "Without access to global markets, Russia won't be able to develop a robust security token market anyway and so STOs won't be any better than existing ways of raising and distributing capital in Russia." Well-known developers in the space, Vitalik Buterin of Ethereum and Pavel Durov of the Telegram Open Network, a spinoff of the Telegram messaging application, are prime examples of Russian blockchain brainpower. Buterin has his Ether coins. Durov is supposed to launch his cryptocurrency next year, to be used on his newly developed blockchain platform. Other lesser-known Russians have become millionaires thanks to crypto. They travel the world, touting projects to blockchain journalists, posting pictures of themselves on their Instagram accounts, somewhere in the tropics, spending money to find themselves, and maybe an investor or two. From afar, it really does look like the Russian crypto market is in trouble. But that goes for a lot of other countries as well. The ICO world Russians happily played in is totally crumbling. "Russia is still better off than Turkey. Or Argentina," says Vladimir Popov, CEO of Synergis. He's best known as "Menaskop" among cryptocurrency aficionados. He thinks Russia can weather the crisis and time will lead to more local investor interest. "Remember the crisis of 2012 in Cyprus...it led to one of the first Bitcoin booms. If you think we are on the threshold of another world crisis, something that can even be like 2008, then I see all the prospects for growth of cryptocurrency as a hedging instrument," he says. That is a mantra repeated by many. Bitcoin becomes a safe haven. Like gold. So far that has proven incorrect. Gold prices are rising. Bitcoin prices are falling. Crypto fund managers like Wolfe at SPRING in Moscow believe the real investment case for cryptocurrencies "is not for things to go up in the short term, but for a fundamental reevaluation of the asset class within the next five to seven years," he says. "It will be driven mainly by countries with volatile currencies." Think Turkey. Or Argentina. Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar, CEO of RIF Labs in Argentina, a blockchain solutions provider, thinks Wolfe is right. Countries in emerging and frontier markets are seen gravitating towards crypto if another major economic crisis occurs. "This is where I think you will see more interest in digital currencies," Zaldivar says. "If it is more stable than their own currency, and easier to get access to then the dollar, then why not crypto?" While Russia's ruble is not as volatile as the Argentine peso, Russian politics are volatile thanks to Western sanctions and oil prices. Russians will be involved in crypto again this year. Retail investors in Russia will as well, if Binance's calculation is correct. But Russian ICOs have come and gone. That market is dead. STOs are the new thing, but the Russians looking to raise money that way are setting up shop in Singapore or here in the U.S. Meanwhile, the professional investor in Russia continues cutting their losses. "We have fewer positions now," Wolfe says. Their Moscow fund now holds 12 tokens. They held 20 in a portfolio last October, two months before Bitcoin hit $20,000. "It's been impossible to pick a winner over the last four months unless you're buying some obscure coin that is probably being manipulated. We are focusing on long-term exposure now," Wolfe says. Russian coins or no Russian coins, Wolfe warns that investors "should avoid this asset class if they don't have the stomach for it." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2019/01/02/will-russia-make-any-waves-in-crypto-this-year/ |
Are These Bulls Right About Philip Morris International? | Shares of Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) slid nearly 40% in 2018, as investors fretted over declining smoking rates, competition from British American Tobacco's (NYSE: BTI) takeover of Reynolds American, currency headwinds, and higher interest rates making its dividend less attractive. The broader sell-off across the markets exacerbated that pain. However, two analysts recently issued extremely bullish forecasts for the tobacco giant. In November, Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog reiterated her $100 price target for PMI, stating that it had "reached an inflection point" on positive trends in its cigarette and IQOS businesses. Herzog recommended PMI as a core holding for investors in 2019. Philip Morris' IQOS devices on a flat surface. More Image source: PMI. In December, Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Lavery, who has a price target of $110 on PMI, pointed out that PMI's "cigarette business remains strong, with pricing power still intact." According to Lavery, PMI's sell-off was "overdone," that the company was still generating robust earnings and free cash flow growth, and that IQOS had "proven traction with consumers." As of this writing, only one analyst rates PMI as a "sell," while most are telling investors to buy or hold the stock. Let's take a closer look at its business to find out. Understanding PMI's strategy Altria (NYSE: MO) spun off PMI a decade ago to handle the company's overseas businesses. That move enabled PMI to pursue aggressive growth in countries with higher smoking rates, while allowing Altria to streamline its domestic business, focus on cutting costs, and handle lawsuits in the U.S. However, the split also left PMI exposed to volatile currency exchange rates and economic challenges in certain markets. Despite those challenges, PMI is generating stronger growth than Altria, and it's immune from the Food and Drug Administration's tighter anti-smoking regulations in the U.S. market. During the first nine months of fiscal 2018, PMI's retail market share rose 30 basis points to 38.4% as its total (cigarette and heated tobacco) shipments increased 0.3% (after excluding the impact of trade inventory movements) to 579.3 billion. PMI's traditional cigarette shipments fell 2.7% annually to 550.1 billion, but that decline was fully offset by its growth in heated-tobacco (IQOS and HeatStick) shipments, which surged 42% to 29.2 billion units. PMI bulls believe that robust demand for its IQOS devices, which heat-branded tobacco HeatSticks instead of burning them, will stabilize PMI's business. PMI sells these devices on a razor-and-blades model -- it sells the IQOS unit at a low margin to lock in sales of the higher-margin HeatSticks. | https://news.yahoo.com/bulls-philip-morris-international-143000330.html |
What Would Childbirth in Space Be Like? | Human settlements outside of Earth would be pretty pointless without learning how to reproduce in space, Edelbroek says. Fair enough. If human beings someday venture far beyond this planet and land on anothernot to visit but to stayits not impossible to imagine that a pregnancy could occur during the journey or on the ground. One can picture toddlers in puffy spacesuits running around on Mars, the oxygen packs on their backs rattling with each leap. Of course, this future assumes that human beings have resolved many other challenges that come with traveling to other worlds. Scientists are still trying to figure out how to keep adult humans healthy during long stays on the International Space Station, which is indeed in space, but still within Earths magnetic field, an invisible bubble that protects the station and its inhabitants from the worst of space radiation. On top of that, the technology for deep-space travel doesnt exist. Human beings are a long way from becoming an interplanetary species, and reproduction is just one rung on a very tall ladder. Edelbroek says he has met with private spaceflight companies that may be willing to launch the delivery mission, and with people who will pay for it. Hes visited survivalist communities in the United States; he believes preppers are more likely to appreciate the companys ethos, and some are quite wealthy, spending thousands of dollars on high-end shelters. Hes even chatted with some women who are interested in claiming the historic title, for themselves and their offspring. Lets say Edelbroek gets all three: money, a rocket, and a volunteer. Long before anyone gets off the ground, SpaceLife Origin will face a barrage of questions from regulatory authorities, perhaps even from more than one nation. Commercial space travel is not confined by national borders, and its not uncommon for customers in one country to pay the government of another to launch their payloads. SpaceLife Origins ambitious mission could include an American woman, in a Japanese capsule, on an Indian rocket, accompanied by a team of doctors from multiple nations. In this scenario, its difficult to say who will regulate what. The pregnant womans actions may be subject to regulation, too. In the United States, women are harassed and even arrested for leaving their kids unattended, shamed for apparently putting young children in danger. Space is far more dangerous than the sidewalk outside a store. The doctors who would supposedly accompany her, too, might risk violating the physicians oath: First, do no harm. It seems difficult to make the case that helping launch a pregnant woman into space follows this promise. | https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/01/space-childbirth-babies/579064/?utm_source=feed |
Can a Democrat Win the Presidency on Climate Change? | Inslee has been on the expansive list of would-be Democratic presidential contenders since the 2016 election, mostly because he was then one of the few Democratic governors left in the country. He didnt take the talk seriously at first, nor did anyone else, and he certainly wasnt doing anything to help it along. But as the 2018 midterm campaigns came to an end, he read through searing international and federal climate-change assessments, took a trip to view the wildfire damage in California, and thought through the larger moment for the countryand he shifted. Now were laying the groundwork that would make this a feasible thing in the relatively short term, Inslee told me. If there is a new Democratic president come 2021, he or she will get pulled in all sorts of policy directions. Inslee says he has one priority: global warming. Its not theoretical, or a cause just for tree huggers anymore. Putting off dealing with it for a year or two or kicking it to some new bipartisan commission wont work, he says. He plans to focus on the threat that climate change poses to the environment and national securitythe mega-storms and fires causing millions in damages, the weather changes that will cause mass migrations, the droughts that will devastate farmers in America and around the world. Even more so, he wants to talk about the risk to American opportunity. We have two existential threats right now: one is to our natural systems, and one is to our economic systems, he said. As he did in Washington State, Inslee would propose a mix of government investments and incentives to spur other investment, restrictions on power plants and emissions, and programs to promote R&D and job growth. An endless number of jobs can be created in the climate arena, Inslee says. Its the way to make a real dent in income inequality and have the Democratic Party bring tangible solutions to communities in rural America that have been left behind. With his inaction, President Donald TrumpInslee calls him the commander in chief of delusionis engaged in a disgusting selling-out of the country, a crime against the aspirational optimism of America. Inslee is lining up donors and adding them to the political-action committee he launched in December. An official presidential exploratory committee is next. Aides note that hes attracted new supporters and fans after serving as the Democratic Governors Association chair last year; with Inslee at the helm, Democrats in November picked up seven governorships. Hes put together an email list of 200,000 climate advocates, which could become a beachhead of support around the country. Friends have offered to move to Iowa for him. His campaign, such as it is, seems a lot more seat-of-the-pants than the machines Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris have slowly assembled. For now, he seems to be counting on being able to stand out on his recordand preparing for future battles with Trump by testing out zingers like I wish nothing but the best for Donald Trump, including having the top bunk. | https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/washington-governor-jay-inslee-running-president/579217/?utm_source=feed |
Are Aurora Cannabis Inc and Cronos Group Stock Worth Owning in 2019? | Cannabis stocks had a banner year in 2018. And thanks to a surfeit of landmark developments -- such as the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada, Mexico's slow but steady march toward legalization, and Thailand's decision to suddenly decriminalize medical marijuana at the tail end of the year -- this emerging growth industry appears to be on solid footing heading into 2019. Still, investors may want to think twice before diving headfirst into this so-called "green rush." After all, the largest market in North America -- the United States -- remains off-limits for pioneers like Canada's Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB) (NYSE: ACB) and Cronos Group (TSX: CRON) (NASDAQ: CRON). And that situation won't change until marijuana is decriminalized at the federal level. Equally as problematic, these top Canadian producers have yet to even ramp up production levels to the point were they can adequately meet domestic demand, keeping them from being cash flow positive on a consistent basis. Jars filled with dried cannabis flowers laid out on a wooden tabletop, with one turned over and cannabis spilling out on the table. More Image source: Getty Images. While these two key headwinds are likely to fade with the passing of time, they're certainly going to shape the industry's near-term outlook. With this theme in mind, let's consider if either of these top pot stocks belong in your portfolio in 2019. A contender for best in class Aurora, as a company, went through a major metamorphosis in 2018. Through a series of seminal acquisitions that included CanniMed Therapeutics, ICC Labs Inc., as well as MedReleaf, Aurora greatly expanded its international footprint, production capabilities, and product offerings. As a result, Aurora has become the largest cannabis player in Europe. It brought several top-selling recreational products to market in Canada last year and has established a solid product line in the all-important medical cannabis segment. Most importantly, though, Aurora is now on pace to achieve an industry-best production output of 700,000 kilograms per year within the next few years, thanks in no small part to management's ultra-aggressive business-development strategy. The big deal is that Aurora should have the scale necessary to meet its ambitious international expansion. The company's enormous projected production capacity should also translate into a significant cost advantage over the broader field of cannabis producers. In fact, the company expects production costs to drop below 1 Canadian dollar once all of its facilities become fully functional. The drawback here is that Aurora's bid to become the top Canadian cannabis company has clearly come at shareholders' expense. In brief, Aurora's stock struggled last year, due to the company's ever-rising share count: | https://news.yahoo.com/aurora-cannabis-inc-cronos-group-160000277.html |
Can All Elite Wrestling land Chris Jericho or Kenny Omega? | CLEVELAND, Ohio If youre sick of the same old WWE storylines (or maybe the fact that the champion is NEVER on TV), there may be a wrestling promotion arriving in 2019 to rival the top dog in the industry. Wednesday saw the official announcement of All Elite Wrestling, the much-anticipated new organization created by billionaire Tony Khan, the son of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan. The promotion already comes loaded with talent in the form of indie wrestling stars Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page. Rhodes, who left WWE for a very successful indie run, will also serve as the Executive Vice President of AEW. The promotions first major event, Double or Nothing, will take place on Sept 1. At the Sears Centre in Chicago. The event will serve as a follow up to the All In showcase that grabbed headlines in 2018. More news on AEW will come during a press conference on Jan. 8 in Jacksonville. The promotion is expected to target other indie wrestling stars. But it could require someone like Kenny Omega, whose contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling expires early this year, or free agent Chris Jericho to make real waves. Both are a possibility. Though, Omega is rumored to be meeting with Vince McMahon about potentially joining WWE and having a run similar to that of AJ Styles. | https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/01/can-all-elite-wrestling-land-chris-jericho-or-kenny-omega.html |
How effective is the Shingrix shingles vaccine? | Good news for older adults considering the shingles vaccine: Its extremely effective, and the side-effects are minimal. Q: My older brother suffered from long-lasting pain after shingles. This is something my late mother experienced as well. Consequently, I decided to go ahead and get the Shingrix vaccine. For most people, it seems, the side effects of the vaccine are likely to be less troubling than the suffering resulting from shingles. My wife and I both had the vaccine. We had sore arms, with warmth at the injection site, but that was it. My brother is still receiving care at a pain-control clinic several years after having shingles. I would like to avoid that fate! A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that the Shingrix vaccine is about 97 percent effective in people 50 to 69 years old. Effectiveness drops a bit in people over 70, to about 91 percent. Thats still impressive. Protection remains high for at least four years after vaccination. Shingles is a painful rash caused by the virus that causes chickenpox. Sometimes after the rash fades, the patient is left with excruciating nerve pain and tenderness in that area of the skin. That complication is called postherpetic neuralgia. It can be extremely hard to treat. Two doses of Shingrix were 91 percent effective in preventing the development of postherpetic neuralgia, the lasting pain your brother has suffered. Shingrix is given as two shots two to six months apart. At the moment, the vaccine is in short supply, so many people who would like to receive it are having trouble finding it. Individuals who received the older shingles vaccine, Zostavax, at least five years ago can still benefit from the newer Shingrix vaccine. Q: My 13-year-old son has attention deficit disorder. He has been on Actavis generic Concerta OROS system with excellent results. He has made the honor roll and earned straight As for four years running. Last month the pharmacy switched to a different generic. Hes now failing math and is symptomatic. I know Actavis was purchased by TEVA. I contacted TEVA and was told Actavis 27 mg was on back order. No pharmacies in our region have any. The extended-release version works so very well. My son was in tears when he failed his first math test last week. Hes struggling to focus, and it is breaking my heart. A: The osmotic-release oral system (OROS) was approved for Concerta in 2000 and allows for convenient once-daily dosing (CNS Drugs, November 2014). Actavis was selling this under an authorized generic agreement with Janssen, the original maker of Concerta. However, that agreement lapsed at the end of last year. Another generic supplier, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, should be shipping authorized generic methylphenidate early in 2019. Brand-name Concerta is available, though the cost could be around $350 a month. If that is unaffordable, you may have to discuss use of immediate-release methylphenidate with your sons doctor. It sounds as if both you and your son are motivated enough for him to stick with a three-times daily dosing schedule. Three immediate-release pills a day should be as effective as one long-acting Concerta (Pediatrics, June 2001). | https://www.seattletimes.com/life/wellness/how-effective-is-the-shingrix-shingles-vaccine/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Could AI counselling be the future of therapy? | Charities are considering switching to so-called woebots to meet the growing demand for mental health treatment Name: Woebots. Age: 52 years. Appearance: Nonjudgmental. Im glad to hear it. In a few words, tell me how youre feeling today. Oh, a bit low, I suppose. I understand that you are feeling a bit low. Tell me more about this. Well Im always a bit sad at the beginning of January when Christmas is over and I have to get back to work. I am sorry to hear about the beginning of January. You feel a bit low because of the beginning of January. Not any more. Now I feel annoyed that youre talking to me like a robot in a call centre. Sorry. I thought it would be a fun way to discuss woebots. Woebots are artificially intelligent software applications that ask people questions to help them with their emotional problems. You always do this. I tell you Im upset and you just ignore my feelings and start talking about some pointless novelty in the news. Actually the first counselling software, called Eliza, was developed as early as 1966. But its true: that some new applications, such as one called Tess and another just called Woebot, offer fresh promise. Yes. But also Aidan Jones, the chief executive of Relate, a relationship counselling charity. Its human counsellors just cant keep up with demand. We have to start to look at what can be done with a non-human interaction, Jones said. Non-human interaction is exactly the problem in our relationship. Well it is true that computers are not a substitute for human counsellors, but they can hold up a mirror to peoples behaviour, which is very helpful in some cases. Id say thats a slightly judgey way to put it. Also, woebots can easily teach many of the skills and principles involved in cognitive behavioural therapy. But mainly theyre just cheap. They are much cheaper than human therapists, its true, but Jones says they have other advantages: Our counsellors tell me that, because it is more anonymous, people will start to explain what their issue is faster. Ive explained my issue many times. Its just that you dont listen. Thats interesting. Do say: If only Id married a robot in the first place. Dont say: Have you tried switching your husband off and on again? | https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2019/jan/02/woebots-ai-counselling-future-therapy-mental-health |
How much money do pop stars make from Christmas hits? | "It looks as if it's never going to go away," Slade's Jim Lea told the Guardian in 2011 about Merry Xmas Everybody, which he co-wrote with Noddy Holder. "It could be here in 200 years' time. I think it's because of the way the melody lilts around and it's got a happy-sad feel. It sounds nostalgic." The 1973 hit certainly shows no signs of going away in 2018, perhaps because, as Noddy told the BBC in 2009: "To me, it doesn't date - it seems to me as if it sounded as though it was recorded yesterday." Guesstimate yearly revenue: According to the Daily Mail, citing a 2016 Channel 5 programme, Eamonn & Ruth: A Million Pound Christmas, Merry Xmas Everybody is the top-selling seasonal tune and could bring in as much as a staggering 1m a year. Previously, in 2015, they suggested the track makes half of that. Jim told the Guardian, "I'm comfortable, that's the best way to put it," whereas Noddy told the BBC: "It is definitely a pension plan, yes. It was never designed to be that way but it has taken on a life of its own, definitely... It's been used for adverts, it's been used in movies, it's been used for all sorts of things." | https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/13e864b9-2945-4a4f-970c-52b18731b3f1 |
Did these pop stars actually change the course of history? | The story: Nearly 30 years on from the fall of the Berlin Wall, David Hasselhoff's name is still "inextricably - bizarrely - intertwined with that of the Berlin Wall", according to the Guardian. The story goes that the hunk in trunks, sensing the wind of change, recorded the zeitgeist-y Looking for Freedom (a cover of song from 1978, but don't let that detail get in the way). The song held down the No.1 spot in Germany for eight weeks in 1989, and eventually inspired thousands of East Germans to start climbing over the wall. Hasselhoff himself is sure of his place in history, telling Spielfilm magazine in 2004 that he found it "a bit sad that there is no photo of me hanging on the walls in the Berlin Museum at Checkpoint Charlie". The verdict: Hasselhoff's famous gig at the Brandenburg Gate on New Year's Eve 1989 came nearly two months after Germans began travelling from East to West in their thousands. What's more, the song Looking for Freedom would have been banned and unavailable in the GDR. "And yet I would argue that a pop song is like a perfume, in the sense that when one encounters it after many years it has the capacity to take you right back to where you were the last time you encountered it. So the Hoff's song embeds him in the fabric of history, as experienced by those who were present." Like us on Facebook, on Instagram, or follow us on Twitter | https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/e505acd9-3cff-4bd5-9b64-bd4d7a44ef62 |
Are these bizarre music myths too good to be true? | The myth: The early-90s were a difficult time for Kate Bush, who suffered a number of personal losses as well as the end of her relationship with long-term partner Del Palmer. She had originally planned her 1993 album The Red Shoes with the intention of touring for the first time since 1979, but by the time it was released, she needed a break and vanished from the public eye. Her record label, EMI, reportedly had no idea what she was doing - until years later, when an executive was summoned to her house to inspect whatever top-secret project has been occupying her time. On arrival, Bush pulled a tray of cakes out of the oven and plonked them down, declaring: "Here's what I've been working on!" The truth: When Bush finally re-emerged from her 12-year hiatus in 2005, with her album Aerial, she was asked by the Guardian whether the cake story really happened. "No!" replied Bush. "I don't know where that came from. I thought that was quite funny actually. It presents me as this homely creature, which is alright, isn't it?" | https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/4c17cd5b-0471-49cb-9b6b-884b7f2c8e3e |
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