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Is Bringing Back New Coke On Netflix A Good Move For Coca-Cola? | Every now and then a truly fascinating marketing move is made by one of the world's top companies. Coca-Cola's recent move to bring back New Coke in partnership with Netflix is one of those moves. As documented by Ad Age's excellent writer Jeanine Poggi, the partnership involves a reintroducing the New Coke formulation for a limited time starting July 4th in conjunction with product placements run on the Netflix show "Stranger Things." Poggi also reports that the campaign will also be supported with video and cinema ads featuring "Stranger Things" characters that will be produced by showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer. ASSOCIATED PRESS A very interesting element of the return of New Coke for the first time since its introduction and discontinuation in 1985 is that it is widely regarded as one of the biggest marketing failures of all time. The fact that Coca-Cola is simultaneously regarded as one of the world's best marketers and top global brands makes that failure a historical anomaly. In a way the miscalculation is understandable -- consumers did like the taste of New Coke in taste tests and Pepsi had been claiming a taste advantage in its advertising. Yet, consumers' deep attachment to the classic version was underestimated and it became necessary to bring "Coca-Cola Classic" back. Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP In analyzing this move, it would appear that there are some pros and cons. I'll cover these before giving my take on the potential effectiveness of the move. Cons: 1) Under most circumstances, it is not a good idea to call attention to a past failure Imagine Heineken calling attention to it's "lighter is better" campaign that was criticized for being racist or Pepsi recalling its failed ad featuring Kendall Jenner in its marketing sometime down the road. Companies normally will want to move on from a mistake and look forward rather than doubling down and losing again. In fact, some companies go to considerable lengths to limit publicity given to their failures as has been the case of Snapple's initial failed entry into Japan based on not adapting to Japanese tastes. Whether in life or marketing in many instances it is simply not good practice to call one's worst moments to everyone's attention. 2) There is a risk of backlash if the campaign is not well received There is little doubt that Coca-Cola runs a substantial risk if the reintroduction fails, even though it is only intended to be short-term. Social media was not around in 1985 and if the campaign is not effective it is easy to see a scenario where it gets pilloried on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and other sites as well as becoming fodder for late-night comedians talking about the "New New Coke." Pros: 1) The timing for Coca Cola to take a risk in the soda category is good In spite of its prowess as one of the most powerful global brands, Interbrand's estimate of Coca-Cola's value has been in decline. While the company, of course, has brands in other beverage categories, the declining soda market hurts a dominant brand like Coke. Millennials and Gen Z consumers grew up being told soda was bad for them and as I have written elsewhere, the flavored sparkling water category is growing and seeing considerable innovation from brands like Spindrift. In the face of these trends, anything that gets the brand noticed in a fun way is a good idea. 2) Nostalgic appeals tend to work for iconic U.S. brands From my years of studying advertising and Super Bowl advertising in particular, I am continually impressed as to how well appeals to nostalgia work for brands like Budweiser, McDonald's, and Coca-Cola. Consumers enjoy recalling past good times and iconic brands are one way to call up such memories. While New Coke's "nostalgia" is a bit unconventional, it nonetheless brings back brand associations that go back to an earlier time. With good creative, I think it can be made to work. 3) The idea behind the campaign is innovative and may generate excitement among younger consumers It seems unlikely that Coca-Cola's marketing team would have even considered this reintroduction were it not for how unique the idea is. Netflix has become a powerful brand in and of itself and does not run advertising in its programs. As a result, product placements have the potential to have a higher impact. It also helps that "Stranger Things" has a high viewership and cuts across demographics more than most shows. Clever product placement could generate considerable buzz for the New Coke reintroduction and reflect well on the Coca-Cola brand as a whole. The Verdict My take is that Coca-Cola is taking a significant risk but that it is one worth taking. If the product placement is cleverly done and fits into the show seamlessly (i.e., they fit the narrative and it does not appear that they are only there because Coca-Cola paid for placement) it has potential to stand out from the clutter and generate buzz in a category where it is badly needed. The added advantage of being able to make the "New Coke" brand appear trendy, even in the short-term across a wide range of age groups is also a big plus. I look forward to seeing how this campaign does. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlesrtaylor/2019/05/30/is-bringing-back-new-coke-on-netflix-a-good-move-for-coca-cola/ |
What Does A Seller Have To Disclose About A Property And How? | Getty Every house has its quirks and, as the homeowner, you've probably come to embrace them over the years. But, if you've started to worry about them once you started thinking about selling, you're not alone. Many sellers are apprehensive about disclosing any potential problems with the property that could make it harder to find a buyer. With that in mind, I've decided to lay out a primer on disclosures. Keep reading to learn all about what you may have to share with buyers when you go to sell your home. Federally-required disclosures Surprisingly, there aren't a ton of federally-required disclosures out there. However, the one disclosure requirement that is the same in all 50 states has to do with lead-based paint. If your home was built prior to 1978, you must comply with the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, which is also known as Title X. Title X states that you must: Disclose if there is any known lead-based paint in the home lead-based paint in the home Provide buyers with a pamphlet on lead-based paint that was published by the EPA Have the buyer sign a statement saying that these disclosure requirements were completed Keep the signed statements for three years as proof of compliance Offer the buyers a 10-day opportunity to test the home for lead. State disclosure laws Other than lead-based paint, the majority of disclosures are regulated at a state level. For the most part, the consensus is that the sellers must disclose any known deficits or problems with the property. However, each state has its own requirements regarding what specific deficits must be mentioned. Your real estate agent will likely take care of letting you know what the requirements are in your state. Typically, when you put your home on the market, you're required to fill out a signed disclosure form that asks more in-depth questions about the condition of specific features of your home. That said, there are a few disclosure areas that are more commonly required than others. They are: Water damage or mold: If your basement floods when it rains or your roof leaks, you generally have to be upfront about that. This would fall under the "known deficits" category. Additionally, if you've done anything to remedy these issues, you should also be upfront about that. If your basement floods when it rains or your roof leaks, you generally have to be upfront about that. This would fall under the "known deficits" category. Additionally, if you've done anything to remedy these issues, you should also be upfront about that. Pests: Pests aren't a pleasant topic to talk about, but it has to be done. If you've ever had an infestation - and especially if you have an active one while you're selling - you need to be open about it. Again, any treatments that you've done to remedy the issue should also be brought up. Pests aren't a pleasant topic to talk about, but it has to be done. If you've ever had an infestation - and especially if you have an active one while you're selling - you need to be open about it. Again, any treatments that you've done to remedy the issue should also be brought up. Repairs and insurance claims: Buyers can request a CLUE Report, which allows them to see any insurance claims that have been made on the property within the last seven years. Rather than being caught in the lurch, it's best to simply disclose these issues from the get-go. Major repairs to the property, even ones that were done by previous owners, also fall under this category. When in doubt, disclose Most sellers feel apprehensive about the idea of being open about any problems that could potentially discourage buyers from making an offer. However, in this case, it behooves you to be honest. Many of the problems listed on disclosure forms can be found if the buyer elects to do a home inspection. At that point, you'd have to negotiate a remedy anyway. But, beyond that, purposely withholding information about the property's deficits can get you into some hot water. There have been lawsuits over these issues and sellers have been made to pay buyers damages because they weren't forthcoming about this information. You can always ask your real estate agent if you're unsure whether or not it's important to disclose a particular issue. However, as a rule of thumb, it's better to disclose everything you're aware of rather than running the risk of having it come back to haunt you later on down the road. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/taramastroeni/2019/05/30/what-does-a-seller-have-to-disclose-about-a-property-and-how/ |
Will Upcoming Skai Aircraft Be The Air Mobility Solution Of The Future? | Alakai Technologies The future of local air transport sure looks like Skai from Alakai Technologies. Part helicopter, part piloted or autonomous drone, Skai is designed to fly for up to 300 miles at up to 118 mph, powered by nearly zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells. Its built to carry up to five people or 1000 pounds of total payload in either piloted, ground-piloted or fully autonomous mode. Alakais Skai is the third electric eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) prototype Ive seen in the last eight months, including the gigantic Bell Nexus and the diminutive SureFly. None are yet in service, and there are many questions. Some issues include safety, public hesitancy, certification, automated control of such craft in three dimensions (when automated ground vehicles are still at a testing stage), manufacture, cost and who will operate them. One major proponent of the automated eVTOL air taxi, Uber, may have to focus on fundamentals after its less-than-resounding IPO last month. But if Skai really does take off, it has the potential to revolutionize aviation applications from air ambulances and emergency services to cargo delivery to the much-talked about eVTOL air taxi concept. Looking at the sleek full-size mock-up, or watching a Skai VR presentation, it can be difficult to keep from racing ahead. Alakai Technologies Skai is designed to be flown by a pilot using simple joystick-like controllers, or from the ground as an unmanned service delivery vehicle. The new-generation aircraft is designed to fly using six rotors driven by electric motors powered by electricity from fuel cells. The company founders say when all six motors are operating, the craft will generate about 400 horsepower, which they say is more than enough to lift its maximum gross weight of around 4000 pounds. The founders claim the system is triply-redundant, with a redundant auto pilot system, redundant fuel cells and redundant electric motors. Alakai Technologies Co-Founder, CTO and President Brian Morrison says this will help it achieve levels of safety quite different than the past. To further protect its passengers and payload, Skai will have a built-in airframe parachute (similar to the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System used on existing light aircraft) as Skai cant auto-rotate like todays helicopters. Alakai Technologies Alakais founders, who have decades of aviation experience, dont believe they are in a race to build the first successful eVTOL. But they do have a catchphrase. Ultimately, transforming transportation through hydrogen-powered mobility. Alakai (pronounced Ala-kee) Technologies was founded by Morrison in 2015 and has been producing avionics (aircraft control systems). Morrison, officially Co-Founder, CTO and President, holds 14 patents. He developed and flew the worlds first Fly-By-Light aircraft, as has also worked on civilian, military and NASA programs. Steve Hanvey, CEO of Alakai, was a decorated military pilot ad has more than 40 years of professional experience in aerospace. The company and its executives have worked with NASA, Raytheon, Beech Aircraft, McDonnell Douglas, Hughes and Cirrus, and also have FAA certification experience. The latter should come in handy for Alakai, as Morrison explained that as the Skai doesnt really fit under either Certification Part 23, for fixed wing aircraft,or Part 27, for rotor craft, the FAA is working with the company on certification. Morrison says, Skai is a simple and clean approach to mobility solutions. Alakai Technologies CEO Hanvey touts the aircrafts low complexity approach, with very few moving parts, lower noise level, powered by electricity from hydrogen fuel cells. Morrison says that the the higher energy density of the hydrogen fuel cells make it possible for us to get two to four hours of flight. There are no moving parts for fuel cells," says CEO Hanvey. "They take liquid and convert into low pressure gas, you get electricity, heat and a little trickle of water. Skai is designed to dissipate such heat through radiators. The company is currently funded by a single, deep-pockets investor committed to going through certification and production, whose name the founders would not disclose. But Morrison notes that building the prototype and the mock-up have so far cost less than $15 million. Hanvey says the company is sticking to the KISS formula"keep it simple and safe. We built the prototypes using existing motors and controllers, and improving existing fuel cells. In addition to aerospace experts, Alakai has been recently hiring production experts from the auto industry, as the founders believe that the craft will eventually achieve high-volume, low cost production. As for the usage model, Morrison says, We will have our own air taxi capability. Other customers might include defense, government, personal air mobility, agriculture and inspections. Its going to cost a lot less than people imagine for this type of vehicle. Hanvey feels theres a real need for Skai. People are really frustrated with gridlock and want this three-dimensional mobility solution, with simplicity, comfort, and safety. We assessed the eVTOL space with our own study, and looked at Merrill Lynch and other research," says Morrison. Theres going to be a fundamental change in how people move. Its not going to happen overnight, but we are absolutely not in science fiction territory. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2019/05/30/skai-air-mobility-solution-of-the-future-arrives-today/ |
Will John Legend Fill Adam Levine's Shoes and Start Arguing With Blake Shelton on The Voice ? | One week Adam Levine is signed on for The Voice season 17, the next he announces he's doneand walking away from a reportedly big payday. Levine's exit was announced by The Voice host Carson Daly on May 24 during a segment on Today. He'll be replaced by Gwen Stefani. The news of his exit came shortly after NBC announced Levine would return for the fall 2019 season of The Voice with John Legend, Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. In an Instagram post, Levine said it was time for him to "move on." E! News caught up with John Legend at Sesame Street's 50th anniversary event where the new coachwho won his first seasonhad some ideas on the new coach dynamic. | https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1045574/will-john-legend-fill-adam-levine-s-shoes-and-start-arguing-with-blake-shelton-on-the-voice |
Is The Bachelorette still worth watching? | by Keydra Manns The Bachelorette is 15 seasons in and the series continues to bring the drama. Hannah Brown was not the first choice when fans were betting on who would lead the show because many thought she lacked personality on the last season of The Bachelor. But many seem pleasantly surprised on how much they like Hannah B and the amount of drama that is surrounding the series. But some say despite the social media uproar, the show has run its course. Hannah Brown may have not been the first pick, but fans are warming up to her. And after Tyler G. was abruptly sent home, fans are really holding on to the series. Couldnt understand for the life of me why they picked Hannah but I think tonight she showed us what the producers saw in her. IM A FAN. #TheBachelorette puffycombs71 (@puffycombs71) May 28, 2019 But after over a decade of being on air, others say its okay to call it quits. I just tried to get back into watching the Bachelorette and I have no idea why because I got 4 minutes in until I realized how annoying she is and how boring the show as a whole is Kelsey Young (@kelseywhy) May 28, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/05/is-the-bachelorette-still-worth-watching.html |
Will John Legend Fill Adam Levine's Shoes and Start Arguing With Blake Shelton on The Voice? | One week Adam Levine is signed on for The Voice season 17, the next he announces he's doneand walking away from a reportedly big payday. Levine's exit was announced by The Voice host Carson Daly on May 24 during a segment on Today. He'll be replaced by Gwen Stefani. The news of his exit came shortly after NBC announced Levine would return for the fall 2019 season of The Voice with John Legend, Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. In an Instagram post, Levine said it was time for him to "move on." E! News caught up with John Legend at Sesame Street's 50th anniversary event where the new coachwho won his first seasonhad some ideas on the new coach dynamic. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1045572/will-john-legend-fill-adam-levine-s-shoes-and-start-arguing-with-blake-shelton-on-the-voice?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories |
Will My Child Outgrow Asthma? | Answers From James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D. Asthma symptoms that start in childhood can disappear later in life. Sometimes, however, a child's asthma goes away temporarily, only to return a few years later. But other children with asthmaparticularly those with severe asthmanever outgrow it. In young children, it can be hard to tell whether signs and symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath are caused by asthma or something else. Sometimes, what seems to be asthma turns out to be another condition, such as bronchitis, recurrent pneumonia, or bronchiolitis. These and a number of other asthma-like conditions typically improve as children get older. Children with more severe asthma are less likely to outgrow it. Persistent wheezing and a history of allergies, especially to furry animals, also increase the odds that your child won't outgrow asthma. It's important to diagnose and treat childhood asthma early on. Work with your child's doctor to manage your child's asthma. A written asthma action plan can help you track symptoms, adjust medications, and help your child avoid asthma triggers. As your child gets older, involve him or her in the development of the action plan. Updated: 2017-02-08 Publication Date: 2017-02-08 Originally Appeared on Self | https://news.yahoo.com/child-outgrow-asthma-164334127.html |
Is Wade Avenue closed at Capital Boulevard in Raleigh? | Capital Boulevard bridge replacements explained in visualization Work is underway to replace two bridges in Raleigh - one on Capital Blvd. over Peace Street and another on Wade Avenue over Capital. Both bridges are classified as "structurally deficient" due to age. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Work is underway to replace two bridges in Raleigh - one on Capital Blvd. over Peace Street and another on Wade Avenue over Capital. Both bridges are classified as "structurally deficient" due to age. The new Wade Avenue bridge over Capital Boulevard is essentially finished, except for the artwork, but theres still plenty of work to do on the roads around it. Eastbound Wade Avenue will be closed again this weekend at Capital Boulevard because of work related to the new bridge. That means drivers heading into downtown on Wade will be detoured onto Glenwood Avenue and Peace Street starting at 9 p.m. Friday. The same detour will apply to drivers wishing to get on northbound Capital Boulevard from Wade. The road will reopen no later than 6 a.m. Monday, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation, but it could happen sooner if contractors finish their work early. Theyll be repairing a manhole on the ramp to northbound Capital Boulevard and ripping out concrete and replacing it with asphalt on the ramp to southbound Capital. Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to The News & Observer content across all your devices. SAVE NOW The work is part of a larger project to remake a 1-mile stretch of Capital Boulevard that also includes new bridges over Peace Street. NCDOT says more closures and detours are possible through the summer before the project is finished this fall. | https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article230981503.html |
Will Myers Park QB Drake Maye follow family, play for UNC? | Riding with recruits: Drake Maye of Myers Park High Myers Park High's Drake Maye, the brother of UNC All-American Luke Maye, recently got a football offer from Alabama. He is also a Division I basketball recruit. Recorded on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Myers Park High's Drake Maye, the brother of UNC All-American Luke Maye, recently got a football offer from Alabama. He is also a Division I basketball recruit. Recorded on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Myers Park High quarterback Drake Maye doesnt say a whole lot, but he makes his words count. Ask him about his teams chances this winter to win the first N.C. 4AA state football championship in school history and Maye says, pretty flatly, that its going to happen. Ask him if hes 100 percent going to play football at North Carolina like the 247Sports Crystal Ball has him pegged for and Maye says this: I wouldnt say (UNC is in the lead). Carolina is there with everyone else. I just want to enjoy the process. Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to The Charlotte Observer content across all your devices. SAVE NOW Right now, 247 ranks Maye as the No. 51 recruit overall in the class of 2021 and the No. 5 pro-style quarterback. Maye has offers from schools like UNC and N.C. State, plus national powers like Alabama and Ohio State. College coaches like his athletic pedigree: his father, Mark, was one of the best high school prospects ever from the state of North Carolina. Mark Maye played football at North Carolina. His older brothers Cole (Florida, baseball) and Luke (UNC, basketball) won national championships. And Drake Maye may be the best Maye of them all. I used to coach in Maryland, and one time, I had the No. 1 offensive line prospect in the country, said Myers Park coach Scott Chadwick, whose team is ranked No. 1 in the Way Too Early Charlotte Observer preseason Sweet 16 football poll. And that was pretty crazy. But we had 120 coaches come to our school in four weeks. Its not just Drake. Weve got other good players, but (earlier this month), the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from Stanford got on a plane, flew to Charlotte, watched Drake practice, and flew back. Last season, Maye led Myers Park to one of its greatest seasons ever, setting a school-record for wins (13) and rolling to a N.C. 4AA state semifinal berth, while throwing for 3,201 yards and 36 touchdowns. That was the most yards from a Mecklenburg County sophomore quarterback since Independence High star Chris Leak threw for 4,544 19 years ago. Maye was 6-3, 190 last season, and he is 6-5, 205 now. He seems a lot more confident in person vs. six months ago, more at ease with being the front man for one of the states premier teams. To give you a baseball analogy, Chadwick said, I think there were a couple times last year where he really had to rare back to dial in his 90 mile-per-hour fastball, and now thats his normal. Hes worked hard in the weight room and its led to him being stronger. That shows up in his arm strength and his confidence. This season, Maye, Chadwick and Myers Park will have to deal with something the Mustangs have not faced in the modern era: They will be expected to win, expected to challenge state heavyweights like Wake Forest and Mallard Creek, Richmond Senior and Butler. Offensively, there may not be a more talented team in the Southeast with Maye throwing to two top 25 national recruits at wide receiver Porter Rooks and Muhsin Muhammad III. Tight end Logan Mauldin has offers from Massachusetts, Akron and Tulane. Charlotte Country Day transfer Twan Flip, a multi-position skill threat, has joined the team, and reliable receiver Jordan Bly also returns. At running back, Myers Park will feature the promising brother tandem of Tim and Jacob Newman. Jacob Newman, a rising sophomore, projects as a major college talent, Chadwick has said. But there is one caveat: Only one starting offensive lineman is back, and Chadwick said Myers Park may start three sophomores up front. Weve got to put the puzzle pieces together there, on the line. Chadwick said. But they are talented players. (Former NFL QB) Josh McCown (a Mustangs assistant) and I were talking after practice and we said, When we really sit down to game plan, its going to be a lot of fun. A big reason for all that optimism is Maye, who plans to commit to college pretty early in my junior year. Were going to hard to stop, Maye said. Its going to be a fun year. The Way Too Early Charlotte Observer preseason football poll | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/high-school/preps-blog/article230980398.html |
Why Am I So Sweaty? | If you feel like youre constantly dripping with sweat all summer, youre not alone. But surprisingly, its not just the rising temperatures that can cause you to heat up. The main function of sweat is to help us cool down as the sweat evaporates from our skin, says Dr. Melynda Barnes, Clinical Director for Rory. As we all have experienced, we can sweat when we are nervous even if we are not hot. We actually have two types of sweat glands: eccrine glands, which are activated when we exercise or when we are hot, and apocrine glands, which are activated when we are nervous and these glands are concentrated more in our groin and armpits. Of course, some people sweat more than others. In general, were all different, so yes, some people sweat more than others just like some people run faster than others, says Osita Onugha, MD, thoracic Surgeon at Providence Saint Johns Health Centers Hyperhidrosis Program in Santa Monica, CA. Genetic differences are what allow for differences in sweating. However, the question is do we know what causes people to sweat abnormally. Here's How to Tell 5 Ways to Get Your Kids to Stop Hating Sunscreen If youre truly an excessive sweater, you might have a condition called hyperhidrosis. It is relatively rare and typically occurs in situations where sweating would be expected heat exposure, exercise or being stressed, explains Kristine Arthur, MD, internist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. The amount of sweat is just excessive. Hyperhidrosis involves lots of sweating of the hands, armpits, and feet, even if you havent been active, to the point where it affects your ability to perform daily activities, like writing with a pen or wearing flip flops. To help keep you cool, we explain each sweat trigger that might surprise you. Anger When youre angry, your body releases stress hormones, which also activate your sweat glands, in addition to raising your blood pressure and your body temperature, Barnes says. So not only does being angry make you stressed but it also makes you hot, which activates both sweating pathways. If you find yourself angry all the time, or having a hard time managing your anger or how you express yourself when you are angry, you should reach out to your physician or mental health provider. Stress Stress activates the hypothalamus, which serves as a thermal regulatory center for the body, explains Onugha. The hypothalamus controls both blood and sweat to the skin surface. That means when youre worried or anxious, the hypothalamus sends a signals to the apocrine sweat glands and kicks them into high production. Spicy foods If youre chowing down on a food that is spicy due to peppers, that means it contains a chemical called capsaicin. Capsaicin activates the nerves responsible for sensing body heat and makes your body feel warmer, Barnes says. Because your body feels warmer, the sweat glands, primarily the eccrine glands, are activated in an attempt to cool down. Caffeine! Yep, the waker-upper is a stimulant, which activates your nervous system and causes an increase in blood pressure, heart rate and activates your sweat glands. The more you drink or the stronger it is think double espresso versus regular coffee the more that you may sweat. Temperature has something to do with it, too. Coffee, hot tea, or any hot beverage can increase the bodys core temperature by stimulating the bodys thermoregulatory center to produce sweat to cool the body, Onugha explains. Medication We all know that medications come with plenty of side effects, but you may not have realized that sweating, and even hyperhidrosis, is a common one. Medications that increase serotonin affect the hypothalamus and thus can increase our core body temperature which will cause us to sweat, Barnes explains. Medications that increase serotonin include SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and triptan migraine medication. Pain medication can make you sweat as well. Over the counter medications like ibuprofen or aspirin cause the blood vessels to dilate, so that heat can be lost through the skin, which can also trigger sweating. Prescription pain medications, like opioids and tramadol, can also cause sweating. But if youre experiencing profuse or continued sweating, even if it is a known side effect of a medication, check in with your doctor. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-am-sweaty-190041801.html |
How Much Fiber Should I Be Eating to Feel Regular? | Youve surely heard all about fiber and its many virtues. For starters, we know that eating lots of fiber-filled foods is associated with a regular pooping schedule, but it's also associated with improved heart health, feeling full and satisfied after meals, and keeping your blood sugar stable. Heres the deal on how much fiber you actually need to be eating. What fiber does Dietary fiber is a kind of carb found in plant foods, including whole grains (like oats, barley, and whole wheat pasta), legumes (lentils, beans), nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Its structure makes it difficult for our digestive systems to break down, so it largely passes on through, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains. There are two types of fiber: soluble, which dissolves in water to create a gelish substance, and insoluble, which doesnt break down at all. Certain foods might be higher in one or the other, but most plant foods usually contain some of both. We need fiber in our diets for a few reasons. First and foremost is the pooping aspect, obviously. Adequate fiber intake is very important for regular bowel movements and digestive health, Christine Lee, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. Insoluble fiber is especially critical in this regard. It helps add bulk to your stool, and accelerates the movement of food through the digestive system to prevent you from getting backed up, according to the FDA. Softer stools and more consistent bowel movements, Dr. Lee says. Soluble fiber actually has the opposite effect: It slows down digestion, which prevents all of the food you eat from being broken down and excreted too rapidly. Thats why you generally want both, so they can sort of balance each other out and keep things regular. Fiber is beneficial in other ways, too. It helps regulate the levels of your LDL cholesterol and blood sugar, per the FDA, and it can help increase feelings of fullness for longer after a meal. How much fiber you need Now, the answer youre here for. The Dietary Guidelines correlate your optimal fiber intake with your caloric intake. They say people should get about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in their diet. In general, fiber recommendations also vary according to age and sexfor example, the recommendation is highest for men in their 20s, because the number is based off projected caloric intake. Now, remember that the Dietary Guidelines are just that: guidelines, not rules. Your daily caloric intake isnt necessarily that cookie-cutter average 2,000 calories per daywe all have different nutritional needs and ways of eating that work for us. At the end of the day, were all a little different, and so are our fiber needs, Dr. Lee says, for a variety of reasons. Some of this is just individual variation. Your gut might be more or less sensitive to fiber than other peoples, Dr. Lee says. Or maybe you just feel better eating a bit more or less than recommended, for reasons only your gut knows. There are also lifestyle factors that can affect your fiber requirements in the short or long term. One is your activity level, because exercise can help move digestion along. So an athlete might need to eat less fiber to be regular than someone who doesnt work out much, Dr. Lee says. Another one is stress, Dr. Lee says, which can cause diarrhea in many people and constipation in others because the digestive system and the brain communicate with each other, as SELF previously reported. And there are some medical factors to consider. Having any kind of GI condition can definitely affect your ideal fiber intake in either direction, Dr. Lee says. That includes Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diverticulosis or diverticulitis. This is extremely variable across conditions, people, and the course of illness, so its really important for anyone with a digestive issue to talk to their doctor about how it might impact their fiber needs, Dr. Lee says. For instance, people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may find that fiber helps decrease symptoms like bloating, pain, and diarrhea, according to the Cleveland Clinic, while certain fibrous foods like fruit, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts can actually cause bloating and gas. | https://news.yahoo.com/much-fiber-eating-feel-regular-191302172.html |
How Can The Average Person Contribute To Land Preservation? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Alyssa Ravasio, Founder and CEO of Hipcamp, on Quora: Such a beautiful question, thank you. One of Hipcamps most important values is to Leave It Better. And we really believe thats possible. You can do better than Leave No Trace (although definitely as a baseline, make sure you do this!) We believe you can make a positive impact as well, and taking care of the land is a great way to do this. Protecting and preserving land is important. Land is living though, so I like thinking of this through the lens of restoration and regeneration. One way you can leave the land better than you found it is by camping at farms, ranches, vineyards and nature preserves where landowners engage in regenerative agricultural or ecological practices, because youre using outdoor recreation as a tool to support sustainable, enriching long-term production methods. Volunteering with private landowners and public parks systems to preserve their ecosystems (eg: cleanups, gardening, and restoration projects) is another effective way to improve the environment. There are tons of local organizations where you can volunteer to protect habitat for locally endangered species, improve watersheds, and more. For example, if youre in California, there are many opportunities to help replant areas devastated by wildfires. As the great John Lui has said, ecological restoration is the great work of our time. Sometimes, Leave It Better simply means offering a smile or kind words or gratitude to whomever is working to create space for you to enjoy the outdoors. There are lots of great organizations protecting land as well. I would suggest connecting with your local land trust to learn more. Of course, regardless of where and how you choose to spend time outside, be sure to stay on established trails, avoid picking, trampling, or disturbing plants and wildlife, keep pets on leashes, and responsibly dispose of wasteincluding picking up trash even if you didnt leave it. 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 and Facebook. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/05/30/how-can-the-average-person-contribute-to-land-preservation/ |
What Are The Most Important Things VCs Look For When They Invest? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Nicole Hatcher, Counsel at Atrium, on Quora: Based on your stage of fundraising and the value each investor will bring to your company, they will each be looking at different drivers and factors of why they should invest. From my experience though two of the most important factors to consider when pitching investors that are more easily overlooked is (1) the dynamic of you and your co-founder or other executive hires, and (2) your story telling ability. The first one is pretty straight forward. Do you and your co-founder compliment each other, both from a skill sets perspective but also from a pure personality stand point. Unfortunately times will get tough as your company grows and many times founder dynamic can go sour which can really disrupt your company. Believing in the founders and executives themselves and the synergy they have is as critical as believing just that the product itself goes a long way. The second piece is a bit more complex. By story telling I mean your ability to paint a vision for your company and nail your narrative. What problem are you solving, why is it revolutionarily different, why are you the one to solve it, and why should the investor want to not miss out. Nailing this story line is critical to being successful at fundraising and in the early days much more important than proving any of the basic company metrics. To go more in depth here, Justin Kan (Atriums CEO) has shared a lot of great advice on how to nail your narrative during fundraising like how to understand investors as well as how to raise your series A. All content presented herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing should be construed as legal advice. Transmission and receipt of this information is not intended to create and does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship with Atrium LLP. There is no expectation of attorney-client privilege or confidentiality of anything you may communicate to us in this forum. Do not act upon any information presented without seeking professional counsel. 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 and Facebook. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/05/30/what-are-the-most-important-things-vcs-look-for-when-they-invest/ |
How Did Russiagate Begin? | Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. It cannot be emphasized too often: Russiagateallegations that the American president has been compromised by the Kremlin and which may even have helped to put him in the White Houseis the worst and (considering the lack of actual evidence) most fraudulent political scandal in American history. We have yet to calculate the damage Russsiagate has inflicted on Americas democratic institutions, including the presidency and the electoral process, and on domestic and foreign perceptions of American democracy, or on US-Russian relations at a critical moment when both sides, having modernized their nuclear weapons, are embarking on a new, more dangerous, and largely unreported arms race. Ad Policy Rational (if politically innocent) observers may have thought that when the Mueller Report found no collusion or other conspiracy between Trump and Vladimir Putins Kremlin, only possible obstruction by Trumpnothing Mueller said in his May 29 press statement altered that conclusionRussiagate would fade away. If so, they were badly mistaken. Evidently infuriated that Mueller did not liberate the White House from Trump, Russiagate promotersliberal Democrats and progressives foremost among themhave only redoubled their unverified collusion allegations, even in once-respectable media outlets. Whether out of political ambition or impassioned faith, the damage wrought by these Russiagaters continues to mount, with no end in sight. One way to end Russiagate might be to discover how it actually began. Considering what we have learned, or been told, since the allegations became public nearly three years ago, in mid-2016, there seem to be at least three hypothetical possibilities: 1. One is the orthodox Russiagate explanation: Early on, sharp-eyed top officials of President Obamas intelligence agencies, particularly the CIA and FBI, detected truly suspicious contacts between Trumps presidential campaign and Russians linked to the Kremlin (whatever that may mean, considering that the presidential administration employs hundreds of people), and this discovery legitimately led to the full-scale counter-intelligence investigation initiated in July 2016. Indeed, Mueller documented various foreigners who contacted, or who sought to contact, the Trump campaign. The problem here is that Mueller does not tell us, and we do not know, if the number of them was unusual. Many foreigners seek contacts with US presidential campaigns and have done so for decades. In this case, we do not know, for the sake of comparison, how many such foreigners had or sought contacts with the rival Clinton campaign, directly or through the Clinton Foundation, in 2016. (Certainly, there were quite a few contacts with anti-Trump Ukrainians, for example.) If readers think the answer is because the foreigners around the Trump campaign included Russians, consider this: In 1988, when Senator Gary Hart was the leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, he went to Russiastill Communist Soviet Russiato make contacts in preparation for his anticipated presidency, including meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. US media coverage of Harts visit was generally favorable. (I accompanied Senator Hart and do not recall much, if any, adverse US media reaction.) 2. The second explanationcurrently, and oddly, favored by non-comprehending pro-Trump commentators at Fox News and elsewhereis that Putins Kremlin pumped anti-Trump disinformation into the American media, primarily through what became known as the Steele Dossier. As I pointed out nearly a year and a half ago, this makes no sense factually or logically. Nothing in the Dossier suggests that any of its contents necessarily came from high-level Kremlin sources, as Steele claimed. On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence that researchers in the US (some, like Christopher Steele, paid by the Clinton campaign) were supplying him with the fruits of their research. Current Issue View our current issue 3. : From Putin & Ukraine to Trump & Russiagateis that US intelligence agencies undertook an operation to damage, if not destroy, first the candidacy and then the presidency of Donald Trump. More evidence of Intelgate has since appeared. For example, the intelligence community has said it began its investigation in April 2016 due to a few innocuous remarks by a young, lowly Trump foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos. The relatively obscure Papadopoulos suddenly found himself befriended by apparently influential people he had not previously known, among them Stefan Halper, Joseph Mifsud, Alexander Downer, and a woman calling herself Azra Turk. What we now knowand what Papadopoulos did not know at the timeis that all of them had ties to US and/or UK and Western European intelligence agencies. US Attorney General William Barr now proposes to investigate the origins of Russiagate. He has appointed yet another special prosecutor, John Durham, to do so, but the power to decide the range and focus of the investigation will remain with Barr. The important news is Barrs expressed intention to investigate the role of other US intelligence agencies, not just the FBI, which obviously means the CIA when it was headed by John Brennan and Brennans partner at the time, James Clapper, then Director of National intelligence. As I argued in The Nation, Brennan, not Obamas hapless FBI Director James Comey, was the godfather of Russiagate, a thesis for which more evidence has since appeared. We should hope that Barr intends to exclude nothing, including the two foundational texts of the deceitful Russiagate narrative: the Steele Dossier and, directly related, the contrived but equally ramifying Intelligence Community Assessment of January 2017. (Not coincidentally, they were made public at virtually the same time, inflating Russiagate into an obsessive national scandal.) Thus far, Barr has been cautious in his public statements. He has acknowledged there was spying, or surveillance, on the Trump campaign, which can be legal, but he surely knows that in the case of Papadopoulos (and possibly of General Michael Flynn) what happened was more akin to entrapment, which is never legal. Barr no doubt also recalls, and will likely keep in mind, the astonishing warning Senator Charles Schumer issued to President-elect Trump in January 2017: Let me tell you, you take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you. (Indeed, Barr might ask Schumer what he meant and why he felt the need to be the menacing messenger of intel agencies, wittingly or not.) But Barrs thorniest problem may be understanding the woeful role of mainstream media in Russiagate. As Lee Smith, who contributed important investigative reporting, has written: The press is part of the operation, the indispensable part. Ideally, mainstream mediaprint and broadcastwould now themselves report on how and why they permitted intelligence officials, through leaks and anonymous sources, and as opinion commentators, to use their pages and programming to promote Russiagate for so long, and why they so excluded well-informed, nonpartisan alternative opinions. Instead, they have almost unanimously reported and broadcast negatively, even antagonistically, about Barrs investigation, and indeed about Barr personally. (The Washington Post even found a way to print this: William Barr looks like a toad ) Such is the seeming panic of the Russiagate media over Barrs investigation, which promises to declassify related documents, that The New York Times again trotted out its easily debunked fiction that public disclosures will endanger a purported US informant, a Kremlin mole, at Putins side. Even fervent political and media opponents of Trump should want to know who is making foreign policy in Washington. The next intel target might be their preferred candidate or president, or a foreign policy they favor. Nor, it seems clear, did the CIA stop. In March 2018, the current director, Gina Haspel, flatly lied to President Trump about an incident in the UK in order to persuade him to escalate measures against Moscow, which he then reluctantly did. Several non-mainstream media outlets have reported the true story. Typically, The New York Times, on April 17 of this year, reported it without correcting Haspels falsehood. We are left, then, with this paradox, formulated in a tweet on May 24 by the British journalist John OSullivan: Spygate is the first American scandal in which the government wants the facts published transparently but the media want to cover them up. This commentary is based on Stephen F. Cohens most recent weekly discussion with the host of The John Batchelor Show. Now in their sixth year, previous installments are at TheNation.com. | https://www.thenation.com/article/how-did-russiagate-begin/ |
Who put Limes in the drink? | Lime has vowed to find whoever threw several of its electric scooters into the Water of Leith in Dunedin, the latest in a spate of the scooters winding up in the waterway. The scooters have repeatedly turned up in the river, and four more were found strewn in the water at Willowbank yesterday morning, still appearing on the Lime application's map. Lime New Zealand public affairs manager Lauren Mentjox said in an emailed statement the company's operations team retrieved the scooters yesterday morning. "Lime does not condone this behaviour and is committed to finding those responsible.'' Advertisement An Otago Regional Council spokesman said people regularly reported ``Limes in the Leith'' to the pollution hotline, but was unable to respond by deadline to questions on their potential environmental impact. Dunedin City Council community services general manager Simon Pickford said the Council had received assurances from Lime the batteries in the e-scooters were watertight, and there was little likelihood of leakage from the batteries, or other electronic waste. Lime was complying with the terms of the memorandum of understanding with the council and removing scooters within the agreed timeframe (two hours of being notified during ``normal Lime operational hours''), he said. "However, not all instances of scooters in waterways or in trees are reported to Lime or the Council. Council staff had never had to retrieve a Lime from a river, Pickford said. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12236066 |
Why was she denied boarding by easyJet? | Q: I booked a ticket for my wife to visit me from Malaga, Spain, to London last spring on easyJet. After clearing Spanish immigration, she proceeded to board her flight. However, an easyJet representative, upon examining my wifes Moroccan passport, told my wife to stand down and to wait on one side. An easyJet representative then wrongfully stated that because she had a Moroccan passport, she needed a visa to join me in the United Kingdom. Prior to her travel, we had checked with the border control telephone helpline and were told there were no visa requirements. My wife protested and showed her European Union Spanish residence card. The easyJet representative insisted that a visa was required. EasyJet denied her boarding on the London flight. She had to buy a ticket on British Airways. I complained to easyJet, and it promised to get back to me within 28 days. But 28 days later, after I had heard nothing, I phoned the airline. A representative asked me for documentation of her out-of-pocket expenses, including the new ticket from British Airways that she purchased. I submitted them, along with my bank account details. I have heard nothing from easyJet since then. Its been more than a month. Atif Shabbirdin, Boxhill, England A: EasyJet owes your wife a full refund for her ticket, her out-of-pocket expenses and an apology. I think in all this Brexit-induced fog, the easyJet representative may have misunderstood the rules, which are clearly spelled out on the EU website. Your case doesnt just underscore the need for authoritative information about visas and passports. It also highlights to need to bring that documentation on your trip. I know it may sound a little ridiculous, but if you have a complicated situation like your wifes (Moroccan passport, Spanish residence card, visiting an almost-not-EU country), you need something definitive in writing. Im writing about this European case even though most of my readers are in the United States. The summer travel season isnt far away. If you find yourself with a ticket to or from an EU country, and especially with all of this Brexit nonsense going on, bring a copy of the visa and passport regulations with you. Dont leave anything to chance. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of easyJets customer service managers on my consumer advocacy site. As I already noted, your wife deserved an immediate refund. EasyJet also promised to refund her incidentals but then never followed through. No excuse for that, either. I contacted easyJet on your behalf. It apologized to you and refunded your wifes unused airline ticket, her expenses and the ticket she had to purchase. Christopher Elliotts Travel Troubleshooter column can be found on his website, www.Elliott.org. Email: [email protected] | https://www.sfchronicle.com/travel/article/Why-was-she-denied-boarding-by-easyJet-13907562.php |
Could Democratic Socialists and Big Business Become Allies? | The Trump presidency may be the best thing thats ever happened to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The DSA reports that it acquired 13,000 new members, most between the ages of 18 to 35, between November 2016 and July 2017an increase of 153%. The DSAs growing membership reflects a deeper current, well-noted in recent polling, of capitalism skepticism among Democrats and people under 30. The DSA now has two sitting members in Congress in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist (though not a DSA member), is a front-runner for the Democratic nomination for president. This doesnt exactly add up to a new democratic socialist majority, but it is indicative of a remarkable development since the 2016 elections: the return of a powerful American leftist movement, last seen in the early 20th century. Its safe to say that big business isnt on board. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned in last years annual letter to shareholders, Socialism inevitably produces stagnation, corruption, and often worse Earlier this month, Warren Buffett identified himself as a card-carrying capitalist in response to a question about his own politics in the current political environment. The website Votesmart.org documents that Bernie Sanders and Rashida Tlaib have very low levels of support from major business associations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. Indeed, the DSAs agenda, on its face, is not business-friendly. Its advocacy of democratizing private business (granting workers greater control), moving the health and financial sectors toward public control, and raising taxes on the wealthy do not suggest an inclination to see existing business leadership as a potential allyor vice versa. Democratic socialist candidates reliance on small-dollar donations is an explicit strategy to avoid dependence on very wealthy donors. Yet a closer inspection of historical and contemporary trends reveals that working relationships between leftists in government and businesses arent impossible. Any government, democratic socialist or otherwise, needs the economy to thrive if it hopes to stay in powerand, if anything, greater public control of important economic sectors requires more collaboration with business leadership, not less. This becomes even more true if the economic situation goes south. Think of how closely government agencies worked with bank executives as the financial crisis unfolded and youll get the idea. Meanwhile, there are glimmers of recognition in the corporate worldfor instance, by Ray Dalio of the hedge fund Bridgewater Associatesthat the income and opportunity gaps created by extreme capitalism pose existential threats to the U.S. There may be more room here for business-friendliness to democratic socialist politics than CEOs public declarations of fidelity to capitalism suggests. Even as Dimon issued warnings of socialisms deleterious effects in his shareholders letter, for instance, he also made a strong distinction between traditional socialism and social democracy, which successfully combine market economies with strong social safety nets. Historically speaking, the combination of purportedly anti-business forces in government, economic worries, and concern about political unrest has pushed business leadership and politiciansof whatever political stripeinto closer working relationships. Consider, for instance, the establishment of the Committee for Economic Development (CED), which originated in the Commerce Department in 1942. Amid worries of a post-World War II recession, the CED became a collaborative research initiative of prominent business leaders, economists, and spending-friendly New Dealers meant to promote free enterprise and full employment, paying particular attention to the needs of small business. From the perspective of officials in then-president FDRs government, more intervention in the economy necessitated collaboration and information-sharing with business leadership, not to mention allies capable of bringing businesses as a whole on board; for business leadership, the prospect of being able to work from within an otherwise interventionist government to preserve free enterprise made sense. The CED helped to create todays Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), the Marshall Plan, and an Eisenhower-era tax on excess profits to support wartime expenditures. Its hard to say how likely an initiative like the CED might be if a democratic socialist should win the White Housebut its not impossible. Another possibility is that socialist politicians will find allies in certain corners of the worlds of business and financewhich are internally diverse and differentially affected by economic trends and policy decisions. An important consideration here is the interests of large versus small businesses. Mergers and acquisitions, which rose sharply since the 2008 financial crisis and spiked in 2018, fuel monopoly and the concentration of revenue in big firms hands, especially in the retail, IT, financial, and transport sectors. As the financial crisis and Great Recession showed, the risky practices of giant financial firms endanger small commercial banks and credit unionswhich, in turn, threatens the credit lines of the small businesses that depend on them. Given that around 90% of U.S. firms have fewer than 99 employees, this is hugely important for the economy as a whole. Democratic socialists are focused on these kinds of concerns. The Sanders campaign, for instance, emphasizes its support for entrepreneurship and low-rate small business lending. In addition, many small businesses serve communities that are, or could become, constituencies of progressive and democratic socialist politicians on the national scene; the companies could therefore improve their reputations by publicly supporting socialist policies. If socialist politicians drew local businesses into state- and national-level economic policymaking discussions, it would further deepen the relationship. The biggest question hovering over the prospect for collaboration between democratic socialists and business leadership concerns socialist politicians strategy for handling the finance and tech worlds. A great deal of American enterpriseas well mention politics and governmentdepends on these two sectors. Though their leaders often profess progressive inclinations, it is difficult to conceive of a world in which they are amenable to enhancing worker or public control of their business operations. (Unionization rates in tech are abysmally lowaround 3.7% of those in computer and mathematical occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lower than the 6.4% overall private sector rate.) After all, a large part of their success owes to the capitalist, entrepreneurship-driven economy from which theyve emerged. If such an alliance were to form, democratic socialists in government would be even more empowered to take on the systemic concerns they are so devoted to solving. But for now, theyre likely to find more success working with small businesses and sympathetic companiesand working up from there. Stephanie L. Mudge is an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Davis. More opinion in Fortune: Joe Biden is wrong. Businesses willand want topay for Medicare for All Breaking up Facebook wont be enough, says Morgan Stanley boss. Heres his proposal Why we need a public health insurance option The number of men uncomfortable mentoring women is growing Why the U.S.-China trade war wont end anytime soon Listen to our new audio briefing, Fortune 500 Daily | http://fortune.com/2019/05/30/capitalism-democratic-socialists/ |
Is Cambodia The Next Bali? | Thanks largely to Instagram, Bali has become a hub for digital nomads over the past few years. The country is quickly becoming an expat haventrendy smoothie bowls, affordable cost of living and beautiful scenery included. While Cambodia has had a much rougher recent history than Bali, it is a relatively peaceful time for the country politically. And with the rise of the digital nomad and work abroad opportunities for Americans and Europeans, Phnom Penhs central location for travel in Southeast Asia and its incredibly affordable housing prices for foreigners makes it an attractive place for young professionals. Getty There is a vibrant expat community in Phnom Penh; co-working spaces, juice bars and boutique hotels have started to pop up. Here are a few expat hotspots you wont want to miss on your next trip to the Kingdom of Wonder. Lot 369 J.Q. LOUISE For a stylish weekend brunch, treat yourself to a meal at Lot 369. A spot created by and for expats, Lot 369 is an Aussie caf. The menu is filled with things like iced Khmer coffee, avocado toast, and Aussie brekkie stacks. Lot 369 is everything you want in a brunch spot, open air seating (although set back from the street and technically enclosed under a canopy, which is exactly what you want in the sweltering and bustling Phnom Penh), a mouthwatering menu and a friendly staff, all ingredients for your newest neighborhood weekend hangout. Phnom Climb Indoor rock climbing is probably not the first thing you associate with Cambodia, but thanks to Phnom Climb, expats hooked on the sport can get their fix right in downtown Phnom Penh. When you walk in, expect to see it filled with travelers and visitors from all over the world getting in their daily exercise, youd swear you were in Brooklyn or Seattle or Cambridge, MA. But then again when you go to pay for your evening of bouldering, you remember that you are in Phnom Penh and the effect on your wallet is a lot less severe than it would be in those other cities. Sora Sky Bar J.Q. LOUISE When youve had enough of the hectic streets of the capital, head up to escape. The Sora Sky Bar at the Rosewood Hotel not only offers 360-degree views of the city, they also have a very expat friendly happy hour menu each night from 7-9pm. So dress to impress, grab your friends and head to the highest rooftop bar in town to enjoy the sweeping sunset, a few craft cocktails and some great music. J.Q. LOUISE While Phnom Penh is still a little rough around the edges, it is an up and coming destination that is worth your attention, especially if you are a digital nomad looking to made a jaunt to Southeast Asia. Cambodia is now a worthy option. Phnom Penh is quickly rising to the occasion to offer everything expats need, quality Wi-Fi, Instagrammable cafes and affordable fun. Phnom Penh is a remarkable city filled with hospitable people, a rich history and tasty food, so be sure to add this part of the world to your list. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jqlouise/2019/05/30/is-cambodia-the-next-bali/ |
Should Investors Get Excited About Rare Earth Metals? | Wikipedia Terbium is used to make flat-panel displays. Thulium can be found in your microwave. Dysprosium demand is growing with increased production of wind turbines and electric vehicles. The 17 so-called rare earth metals, of which the three mentioned above are members, may not have household names like gold or copper, but they play strong supporting roles in many of the consumer electronics we enjoy on a daily basis, from our TVs to smartphones. They also have important high-tech military, energy, health care and transportation applications. According to the Rare Earth Technology Alliance (RETA), each Lockheed Martin F-35 requires some 920 pounds of the metals. Some nuclear-powered submarines use up to 9,200 pounds. All of this could be something of a concern in the near term. China, which accounts for close to 80 percent of the worlds annual production of rare earth metals, is allegedly preparing to curb the export of these important materials to the U.S. as a bargaining chip in the ongoing trade war between the two superpowers, and as retaliation for the recent U.S. ban on imports from Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei. In a tweet dated May 28, Hu Xijin, editor of the Chinese state-controlled Global Times newspaper, said that he believes the country is seriously considering restricting rare earth exports to the U.S. Some market commentators are already calling this Chinas nuclear option. U.S. Global Investors Rare, by the way, is a misnomer here. The metals are actually more plentiful than precious metals such as gold and platinum. But because processing them is costly and leads to heavy pollution, China has risen to become the global leader. As few as six state-owned enterprises (SOEs) dominate the Chinese rare earth metals mining and refining industry. U.S. Global Investors The U.S. was actually the leader in global rare earth production from the 1960s to 1980s, but today, Californias Mountain Pass mine is the only such mining and processing facility in the U.S. As such, China supplies some 80 percent of U.S. rare earth requirements. Obviously this has some serious national security as well as economic implications. There are other countries the U.S. can import these metals fromincluding Australia, Estonia and Myanmarbut it would be challenging to make up the difference. American Ingenuity to the Rescue If you remember, the U.S. faced a similar crisis involving oil around 20 years ago. Some people were talking about peak oil. But American ingenuity gave us hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and today the U.S. is the worlds largest producer of crude, having surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia sometime last year. Should China follow through with its threats and cut off its rare earth exports, I believe the U.S. should build up its own mining and refining capacity aside from finding new suppliers. American innovators gave the U.S. fracking and soon-to-be energy independence. They can and should do the same with respect to rare earth metals. As expected, Hong Kong and Shenzhen-listed rare earth miners surged this week and last. China Rare Earth Holdings gained more than 108 percent in a single session on May 21. JL Mag Rare-Earth Co., which Chinese president Xi Jinping recently visited, has had a remarkable 13 straight days of positive returns , and is now up 171 percent since May 13. Seeing as how this rally is driven purely by geopolitics, its hard to say at this point how much gas is in the tank, so to speak. I still find more traditional materials and resources attractivecrude oil, copper, paper products, chemicals and more. The rare earth trade flare-up may expose Americas own vulnerabilities, but it also demonstrates just how much we depend on natural resources in general to keep our lives running smoothly. For my money, thats worth betting on. For full disclosures pertaining to this post click here. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/05/30/should-investors-get-excited-about-rare-earth-metals/ |
Are Mueller and Barr really on different pages about Trump and obstruction? | Shortly after special counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday offered his first public remarks about his two-year investigation into Russian meddling and possible efforts by President Donald Trump to obstruct the probe, House Democrats and others began describing Muellers account as a direct rebuke and a contradiction to Attorney General Bill Barrs own public statements on the matter. Add Russia Investigation as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Russia Investigation news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Here is where they seem to agree, and where they dont: They agree: A sitting president cannot be indicted Both Mueller and Barr agree that a Justice Department memorandum from 2000 created a policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted while in office. To do so would interfere with a chief executives constitutional responsibilities and authorities, according to the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, written in the aftermath of the independent counsels investigation of then-president Bill Clinton. On Wednesday, Mueller was explicit: [U]nder long-standing department policy, a President cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Barr has similarly recognized the OLC opinion, citing it in recent testimony to Congress. In his testimony to Congress three weeks ago, Barr explicitly said he believes it was Muellers responsibility to determine whether or not conduct was criminal, even though Trump could not be charged as long as he was in office. Mueller, however, feels differently. On Wednesday, he defended his handling of the matter, citing the OLC opinion and "principles of fairness. When no charges can be brought, Mueller wrote in his final report, a prosecutor shouldnt undertake an assessment that potentially could accuse someone of a crime. An individual who believes he was wrongly accused can use [the trial] process to seek to clear his name, but a prosecutor's public statement of criminal conduct "affords no such adversarial opportunity for public name-clearing before an impartial adjudicator, Mueller said. So, "we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the President committed a crime, Mueller added Wednesday. Barr has not said what he would have done in light of the OLC opinion if Mueller did reach a determination, and that determination was to recommend charges against Trump. Jim Lo Scalzo/epa-efe/rex/Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA via Shutterstock They agree: Mueller found at least some evidence of obstruction, but further analysis was required Mueller and Barr both seem to agree that Mueller uncovered at least some evidence possibly pointing to obstruction. [F]or each of the relevant actions investigated, [Muellers] report sets out evidence on both sides of the question, Barr wrote in his March 24, 2019, letter to Congress. And as Mueller declared on Wednesday: If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that. Some evidence, however, may not always be enough to bring charges. So Mueller and Barr seem to agree that further legal analysis looking at all of Mueller's evidence was needed to determine whether Trump's conduct actually amounted to crimes. But, as described above, Mueller stopped short of engaging in that further analysis. He and his team never reached the point of assessing whether Trump did or did not engage in criminal conduct. Barr recently told Congress that he specifically asked Mueller multiple times whether Mueller would have recommended charges against Trump if only the OLC opinion didn't stand in his way. And, according to Barr, Mueller denied that was the case. Special counsel Mueller stated three times to us in response to our questioning that he emphatically was not saying that, but for the OLC opinion, he would have found obstruction, Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee three weeks ago. After Mueller abstained, Barr conducted the further legal analysis himself, making the final decision that charges were not warranted. Its unclear whether Mueller agrees with Barrs ultimate decision. Mueller has remained completely silent on the issue, even as Barr continues to defend his own handling of the matter. I think that the government did not have a prosecutable case, Barr recently told lawmakers. As Barr saw it, the totality of Muellers evidence and the context of Trumps actions made it difficult for the Justice Department to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the president committed obstructive acts and had corrupt intent" key elements of any obstruction charge. The president took no act that in fact deprived the Special Counsel of the documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation, and there is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, Barr said in prepared remarks on April 18, 2019, just minutes before releasing a redacted version of Muellers report. Those are non-corrupt motives, Barr said. Andrew Harnik/AP, FILE For their part, Mueller and his team never made a final determination over whether Trumps motives were in fact corrupt even though they did conclude that some of Trumps actions were likely intended to influence and limit Muellers investigation. According to their report, substantial evidence indicates that Trumps push to have then-attorney general Jeff Sessions limit Muellers jurisdiction to only future election interference was intended to prevent further investigative scrutiny of the President's and his campaign's conduct. In addition, evidence concerning the President's conduct towards Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager who was prosecuted for an array of financial crimes, indicates that the President intended to encourage Manafort to not cooperate with the government, the report said. Nevertheless, in other instances, the report said evidence pointing to Trumps intent was inconclusive or [did] not establish that the President intended to stop or interfere with the Russia probe. [W]hile this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mueller and his team wrote. And on Wednesday, Mueller pointedly repeated a line from his report, insisting, "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so." They disagree: Mueller shouldnt have investigated if he wasnt going to rule on obstruction During his remarks on Wednesday, Mueller pushed back on any notion that he shouldnt have investigated Russian meddling and Trumps subsequent actions if he wasnt going to make a final determination on whether Trump unlawfully obstructed justice. Russian operatives launched a concerted attack on our political system, and, The matters we investigated were of paramount importance, Mueller said. It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable, he insisted. And, he said, the OLC opinion that blocks the indictment of a sitting president explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting president because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could now be charged, and Congress can initiate a process to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing, he said. But Barr has strongly rejected the idea that the Justice Department as part of the executive branch should be used to conduct investigations for Congress the legislative branch or anyone else. We don't conduct criminal investigations just to collect information and put it out to the public. We do so to make a decision, Barr told a Senate panel three weeks ago. If [Mueller] felt that he shouldn't go down the path of making a traditional prosecutive decision then he shouldn't have investigated, Barr added. | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mueller-barr-pages-trump-obstruction/story?id=63353085 |
Will Sacramento finally get a Michelin star? | When Dane Blom first heard the worlds most famous restaurant guide would finally include his hometown of Sacramento in its rankings, he was full of emotion. It was a little justification for us guys who left and came back and believed in Sacramento, the executive chef at Grange said. Michelin Guide releases its first-ever California guide June 3, expanding beyond the Bay Area to evaluate restaurants in Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey, Orange County, Santa Barbara and, yes, Sacramento. Visit California paid Michelin $600,000 to make the statewide guide a conversation that actually began with Sacramentos tourism board several years ago. Michelin inspectors have already visited restaurants across the state, and its red books will give coveted stars to those it deems worthy. The editors of the guide already released their selection of Bib restaurants, or those that represent a good value but havent received a star. In Sacramento that included Canon, a relative newcomer from a former chef at Solbar in Calistoga; Frank Fats, a Chinese restaurant that has also won a James Beard Foundation Americas Classic award, and Mother, a casual vegetarian restaurant. The possibility of a Michelin star is something many of Sacramentos leading chefs have been wanting for years for but never thought would actually happen. The citys restaurant scene has grown tremendously over the past decade, with chefs embracing Sacramentos marketing campaign as Americas Farm-to-Fork Capital. Still, the city tends to favor casual over fine dining, and a sense of complacency has overtaken certain popular restaurants, according to some chefs. Michelins mere presence could change that. Now that we know theyre here, everyone is going to get better, said Bill Ngo, chef-owner of Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine. Now, Michelin and guesses at which restaurants have a shot at earning a star is dominating conversations among Sacramentos leading chefs. The same names tend to emerge: Localis, a cozy, hyper-seasonal spot with a $115 tasting menu; Kru, which offers a $125 omakase experience that rivals pricier versions in San Francisco; Grange, a splashy hotel restaurant highlighting the regions agricultural bounty; and Ella Dining Room & Bar, the politico favorite that hosted Michelin for its California launch event. More than any of those restaurants, though, chefs point to one in particular that surely deserves Michelins attention: the Kitchen. The 28-year-old restaurant from Randall Selland, whose family also owns Ella and a few other Sacramento spots, is the citys toughest reservation and its most unusual dining experience. Its part dinner party, part theater one highlight of the four-hour meal is the intermission, where guests rove around to find bites scattered across the entire restaurant. Its current executive chef, Kelly McCown, has an extensive, Michelin star-studded resume with top positions at Martini House and Goose & Gander, both in St. Helena, and a stint at La Folie. Throughout his career, he said, he hasnt let Michelin stress get to him. But the arrival of Michelin inspectors in Sacramento adds a new kind of pressure, as chefs and diners look at the Kitchen as their best shot at Michelin glory. I dont want to let down peoples expectations, McCown said. If the Kitchen does get a star, McCown said itd be an honor to win it for Sacramento at large. The citys chefs said theres an unusual camaraderie among them something you dont see in more competitive cities like San Francisco. In McCowns words, Itd be like, Hey Sacramento, we got one together. Several of Sacramentos top restaurants are run by chefs who are from Sacramento or cooked in Sacramento and left to pursue bigger things: the Culinary Institute of America in New York, internships at Michelin-starred restaurants in Napa Valley, stops through San Franciscos fine dining world. Then, they came back. For McCown, it happened right after the 2008 recession, when he got a job at Ella and promptly entered an identity crisis. I identified myself with being a chef in Napa Valley and being at these Michelin-star restaurants, he said. I didnt realize what a good position I was in. But like many fellow Sacramento chefs, he soon discovered that working at those big-name restaurants wasnt all that fulfilling. He left Ella to open Goose & Gander back in Wine Country, but he wasnt happy. Sacramento provided a better work-life balance. Chefs like McCown dont plan to leave Sacramento again, and in that sense, it doesnt really matter if Michelin is in town or not. But it could make a difference for the next generation. As a young chef, Sacramento wasnt S.F. or Chicago or wherever. It was just Sacramento, said Brad Cecchi of Canon, formerly executive chef of Michelin-starred Solbar. Now its a place I can professionally call home. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @janellebitker | https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Will-Sacramento-finally-get-a-Michelin-star-13908057.php |
Where does the Coalition's re-election leave refugees on Manus and Nauru? | Asylum seekers and refugees say the mental health of those on Manus Island, in Port Moresby and Nauru has deteriorated dramatically, with many citing the re-election of Australias Coalition government as a tipping point. Since the offshore detention policy was reintroduced by the Gillard government in August 2012, some 4,000 refugees and asylum seekers have been sent to processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Medevac law repeal a priority, Coalition says, as self-harm rises among refugees Read more With Australia refusing to settle refugees who arrived by boat after 19 July 2013, they can either resettle in those nations, apply for a limited number of places in the US, or return to the home country they fled. About 500 people have been resettled in the US under the terms of the deal struck between Australia and the Obama administration, which was forecast to result in up to 1,250 departures. In April the home affairs secretary, Michael Pezzullo, told a parliamentary estimates hearing further departures to the US were anticipated in coming months. About 800 asylum seekers and refugees have returned to their home country, while a few others were resettled in Cambodia. As of March, there were 359 people in Nauru and between 547 and 561 in Papua New Guinea. The majority of those in PNG are on Manus Island, while about 170 are in Port Moresby for medical treatment. Guardian Australia understands there have been 26 cases of attempted suicide or self-harm since Australian election on 18 May, including six since Tuesday. While similar incidents have occurred regularly throughout the offshore detention period, those on Manus say there is an increased sense of desperation and hopelessness among the islands refugee population. Australias offshore detention regime enjoys bipartisan support, but Labors promise to accept New Zealands offer to resettle 150 asylum seekers and increase the countrys humanitarian intake to 27,000 refugees a year had been a source of some hope for many on Nauru and Manus. Since the Coalitions re-election the government has said it plans to repeal medical evacuation laws passed against its opposition in a historic political defeat during the last parliament, and that it will not accept the New Zealand resettlement deal as it now stands. The government faces an uphill battle to overturn the medevac laws because of opposition from crossbenchers in the Senate, but the Manus refugee Shaminda Kanapathi from Sri Lanka told Guardian Australia the prospect of three more years in limbo meant all of us have lost our hope. We have been detained for the last six [years] with the current government and we fear that we have to spend another three year indefinitely with no hope, he said. All of us [are] worried that we will be forgotten under this government and just abandoned in [Papua New Guinea] forever. We dont know what our future is, our life is in limbo. More than 40 refugees transferred to Australia for urgent treatment since medevac laws passed Read more Its out of control. Im worried about my future. I completely lost hope of my freedom. Im worried that I will be detained for another three more years on Manus. Im helpless. The Kurdish Iranian refugee and journalist Behrouz Boochani told Guardian Australia: Im struggling to find words to describe this situation. All I can say is that its gone out of control. I dont know what will happen. In 2017 the Manus Island detention centre was closed after the PNG supreme court ruled it to be unconstitutional and the detention of asylum seekers illegal. The centres closure prompted a three-week standoff before the men there were forcibly moved into alternative accommodation in the Manus township of Lorengau, with food and security services but a lower level of access to health services. While International Health and Medical Services had been providing healthcare services to asylum seekers and refugees in Australian-controlled detention centres including mental health and trauma care after the closure of the Manus Island detention centre, its services were wound back and its contract was terminated in April 2018. In May 2018 Amnesty International released a report criticising the termination of IHMSs mental health services and questioning the healthcare available to refugees and asylum seekers in PNG. It also raised longstanding concerns about the healthcare provided to refugees and asylum seekers in offshore detention. Amnesty Internationals own findings were consistent with those of UNHCR that healthcare for refugees has largely been inadequate and declining because of limitations imposed by the Australian government, and that unless some of the most urgent cases are transferred to Australia, they will not be able to receive necessary treatment, with potentially life-threatening results, Amnesty said. Australia returns 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers after boat intercepted Read more Since May 2018 the Australian government has given $21.5m to a healthcare provider called Pacific International hospital to treat asylum seekers on Manus. Thats despite the Queensland coroner laying criticism on PIHs Port Moresby hospital for its role in Kehazaeis death after he was transferred there before his death in 2014. The coroner found PIH lacked necessary clinical skills, provided inadequate care, and was far too slow in treating Kehazaei. I conclude that if Mr Kehazaei had been intubated immediately on arrival at the PIH and provided with adequate ventilation support, in addition to intravenous fluids and antibiotics, it is likely that he would have survived, the coroner found. The transit centre clinic in Lorengau employs 13 health care professionals including three medical officers, three nurses, one paramedic, an after-hours GP and one after-hours nurse. The five mental health workers include just one psychiatrist. On Wednesday a Kurdish refugee on Manus, Benham Satah, told Guardian Australia the healthcare on the island was failing to cope with the level of mental health problems. Satah said the island doesnt have any place to keep these mentally sick people and that the local hospital did not have enough beds to keep those suffering from severe mental illness. I have never seen it in this crisis before, never, he said. Everyone is mentally unwell and everyone is highly depressed. There really is no way to describe how bad the situation is at the moment. Nobody can control the situation. We dont know whats going to happen tomorrow. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org | https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/may/31/where-does-the-coalitions-re-election-leave-refugees-on-manus-and-nauru |
Will Elon Musk and SpaceX ruin our view of the night sky? | A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket with a payload of 60 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband network, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Thursday, May 23, 2019. (Photo: Malcolm Denemark, AP, File) Already, the first 60 of SpaceXs planned 12,000 internet-delivery satellites have appeared as a decidedly unnatural string of lights in the night sky. Scientists worry the companys plan to ring Earth with orbiting Starlink devices will wreck our view of the cosmos. It changes how the night sky looks, astronomer Ronald Drimmel from the Turin Astrophysical Observatory in Italy said in a new report by Forbes. Starlink would ruin the sky for everyone on the planet. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company, founded in 2002 and owned by its CEO, Elon Musk, says Starlink will connect end users with low-latency, high-bandwidth broadband services by providing continual coverage around the world using a network of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit. The priority, according to SpaceX, is reaching those who are not yet connected to provide reliable and affordable broadband internet services. Dutch astronomer Cees Bassa tweeted Saturday that the visibility of the Starlink satellites will depend on a viewers latitude. At 52 degrees latitude, for example around Seattle, the orbiting machines each bearing a reflective solar panel will be visible all night during summer, according to Bassa. For locations at lower latitudes, the situation is only slightly better, Bassa continued in another tweet. At 34 degrees latitude, say Los Angeles, up to 10 #Starlink satellites will be visible during twilight. At those latitudes the satellites will be invisible for only 4 hours in typical a summers night. The string of lights seen after the Starlink launch May 23 will soon no longer be visible once the satellites drift away from each other during orbit, according to a report Monday in Gizmodo. SpaceX is best known for its rocket program that Musk claims will ultimately deliver humans to Mars, and which was used to launch a Tesla Roadster into orbit. But astronomers told Forbes they worry the firms Starlink satellites will interfere with gathering of imagery. On Sunday, Musk addressed that concern, tweeting that SpaceX would make sure Starlink has no material effect on discoveries in astronomy. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off fro Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Thursday, May, 24, 2019. (Photo: Craig Bailey, AP, File) Musk, responding to a tweet asking if later batches of launched Starlink satellites could reflect less light downward, also tweeted Sunday that he had sent a note to the Starlink team the previous week, asking about reducing the reflectivity. He claimed in another tweet that the satellites wont be seen by anyone unless looking very carefully. Potentially helping billions of economically disadvantaged people is the greater good, Musk continued. But thousands of internet-beaming satellites also pose a risk to other satellites in orbit, according to a report earlier this month in Scientific American. Although they promise to revolutionize global telecommunications, these efforts are not free of peril: As the number of satellites inexorably grows, so, too, does the risk of creating dangerous debris that could threaten the continued safe use of Earth orbit, the magazine reported, noting that the planet is currently spinning amid 2,000 active satellites. A worst-case scenario would be the Kessler syndrome, a positive feedback loop in which debris-generating collisions create more and more collisions, which in turn create more and more debris, rendering parts of Earth orbit essentially unusable. SpaceX in April modified its agreement with the Federal Communications Commission, saying it would lower by half the planned altitudes of more than 1,500 of its satellites, but that would mean they stay in orbit longer, according to the magazine. Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2019/05/29/spacex-satellites-will-change-night-sky/39526823/ | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2019/05/29/spacex-satellites-will-change-night-sky/39526823/ |
Is losing high school football coaches a problem for CMS? | Vance High football coach Aaron Brand leaving CMS Vance High football coach Aaron Brand discusses why he's leaving for a job at a S.C. high school Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Vance High football coach Aaron Brand discusses why he's leaving for a job at a S.C. high school Aaron Brand is settled in Charlotte. Six months ago, he led Vance High School to its first appearance in a state football championship. His players are confident they can go back this season. Brands 12-year-old son, A.J., is a youth football star. In the Vance High community, Aaron Brand is part celebrity, part surrogate father, part football coach. So when he was offered a job at Irmo High School in Columbia in May, Brand, 43, said he felt a whirlwind of emotions. Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to The Charlotte Observer content across all your devices. SAVE NOW But as much as a draw as all of that was the players, his community status, his love of home Brand still decided to take the job in South Carolina. They have excellent facilities, he said, and I think they care a little bit more about football down there, and the pay increase was too much to turn down. Still, it was one of the hardest things Ive ever had to do. More and more, football coaches in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, like Brand, are leaving or looking to leave to go to South Carolina or other systems. In the past two seasons, seven of the 19 CMS schools have changed football coaches. Vance is expected to name Glenwood Ferebee, from Virginia, to replace Brand. And South Mecklenburg will have to hire a new coach before the 2019 season begins. In many cases, it comes down to money, teaching and facilities. Brand will nearly double his salary at Irmo. He will make more than $100,000 annually. At Vance, he teaches three full-time classes. At Irmo, Brand said he wont have to teach. He will have daily lunch room duty, and plenty of time to stay on top of his coaching duties. And the Irmo weight room and playing field two important items for any football coach dwarf anything Vance has to offer. Brand said the money was a big draw, but the facilities were also part of it. He feels that facilities at some CMS schools are supported by the system more than others. At the end of the day, they dont love all schools equally, Brand said. I still cant get over the fact they moved my (state semifinal) playoff game (with Myers Park, due to poor field conditions). It didnt affect the outcome, but our kids deserved to come out of their locker room. Coaching stars marching out the door In the past 10 years, several strong head football coaches have left CMS: Tom Knotts left Independence High for Dutch Fork. Bobby Collins left Hough for Lancaster. Mike Newsome left Butler for Kannapolis Brown. Jarvis Davis led West Mecklenburg to its first conference title in 30 years and left to become an assistant at Rock Hill. Sam Greiner led Harding to an improbable state title and left three months later for Harrisburgs Hickory Ridge. Many strong assistant coaches have also moved. In each case, the coaches got a big raise, fewer teaching responsibilities and what they all described as more support. Unlike Brand, who is moving to another state, Newsome was able to stay inside the North Carolina public school system and continue to accrue years towards his retirement pension. But he understands why coaches still make the jump south. I can see where somebody would say that, said Newsome, who led Butler to state championships in 2009 and 2010 before leaving. When I got the opportunity to go and was getting a considerable pay raise, I was able to stay in the state retirement system, which was a bonus. With Aaron (Brand), you get a chance to double your salary, who wouldnt take that opportunity? In some districts, football coaches in South Carolina are paid as administrators, not teachers, so their salaries rival those of assistant principals. Knotts, for example, made around $64,000 when he left Independence 10 years ago. He makes well north of $100,000 now as athletics director and head football coach at Dutch Fork. A 2016 survey conducted by the State newspaper in Columbia, showed that nearly a dozen South Carolina athletics directors or football coaches, like Knotts, earned more than $100,000 annually. Tommy Wilson, schools superintendent for Anderson County (S.C.) District Five, told the State newspaper in Columbia in 2016 that he was given permission by his school board to seek out and pay the best football coaches he could find. He said graduation rates increased afterward as well as the performances of teams on the field. According to the S.C. Department of Education, the graduation rate at TL Hanna was 77.5 percent in 2012. In 2018, the graduation rate had jumped to 85.9 percent. In the eight years before Wilson started in 2013 and increased coaches pay, TL Hanna averaged 4.6 wins per year. In the five years since, its averaged 8.8 wins, including going 11-1 in 2017 and 14-1 in 2018. The 2018 team reached the schools first state championship game in 44 years. Our desire is to have the highest paid coaches in the state. They understand the expectations as well, Wilson told the State. You get what you pay for. If you want a $60,000 coach, they are out there. When I came here from Georgia, I felt the athletics (had) been totally neglected. And I think the stronger athletics programs you have go hand in with strong academic and arts. Last year, CMS gave coaches a 20 percent increase in their coaching stipends, the first such raise in 14 years. Head football coaches saw increases from $4,172 to $5,006.40. But across the state line, in nearby Rock Hill, the head football coaches supplement is $7,415. A football assistant there can easily make more than a CMS head coach, or coaches in other North Carolina systems like Cabarrus County. Ive lost two assistants going to Rock Hill, Newsome said. They make double (the stipend pay of) what they make (at Kannapolis Brown) as an assistant. They drive from Kannapolis to Rock Hill every day. I tried to talk them into coming back, but they wont because of the pay cut theyd have to take. CMS director of athletics Sue Doran did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story. SHARE COPY LINK Observer preps writer Langston Wertz brings up the topic of compensation that prep coaches receive during a roundtable discussion. Prep coaches Aaron Brand and Scott Chadwick are joined by Carolina Varsity editor and chief Matt Morrow. In some cases, South Carolina football coaches, like Knotts, double as athletics directors, giving schools another option to increase the total salary. For years, CMS has not allowed coaches to become athletics directors without giving up their whistles. CMS added the rule, believing that ADs didnt have adequate time to coach teams and do the job. But today, a growing number of CMS coaches would like to see that rule changed. Myers Park football coach Scott Chadwick says Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools would be able to retain its best coaches if it relaxed a rule that prohibits them from also serving as athletics directors. Observer file photo I think there are definitely some of us who would like the opportunity to do both jobs, Myers Park head coach Scott Chadwick said, and I think the obvious reason would be to be financially compensated a little bit better, but also because I think some of us would actually like the chance to do the job. In my case, the ideal job would be AD and head football coach and that opportunity is not afforded to me where Im currently at. Chadwick, whose team is loaded with college recruits, said its hard to not look across the border and see spring practice, better facilities, no teaching, plus more money and not feel a pull. Chadwick will begin his sixth season at Myers Park next fall after five at Union Countys Marvin Ridge High School before that. And Chadwick said CMS could take a big step towards keeping its best coaches by relaxing the coach/AD rule. Thats the easiest step it can take, he said, and that may not be enough, but at least its a step. For me right now, Im really happy at the school I work at and with the administration and community ... Thats what has kept me here. Thats why I havent further pursued things like Aaron did, but at some point, Ill have to look closer at opportunities to advance myself career-wise and financially. Losing a top-tier coach like a Chadwick or a Brand can have an enormous effect on a school, Vance athletics director Carlos Richardson said. Richardson said, after a big change, you worry about students transferring. You worry about not having as many fans show up at games, particularly if the team isnt winning the way it has, and football is the main financial driver of a high school program. Still, Richardson said he understands his good friends motivation. Its a big loss, he said. Brand is more than a coach. Hes a dad, you know. Hes everything. But sooner or later you have to start thinking about taking care of your family. Football is a full-time job, 12 months out of the year. Coaches want to be compensated ... One of the things that keeps coaches here in Charlotte is that youre coaching great kids, the best of the best. Thats a draw, but sooner or later, youre looking at how much time youre spending doing those things and losing money. A lot of coaches lose money when they coach, to be honest. Brand said hes lived that. Then an opportunity comes for you to do the exact same thing you have been doing but with less school work, and a lot more pay. That happened to Aaron Brand this month and Aaron Brand said he just couldnt say no. Its a chance to do better, he said. In this business, to be honest, people that look like me dont get all these opportunities, and the chance to put your family in a great situation. I had to jump on it. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/high-school/preps-blog/article230644269.html |
Is it 'molecules of freedom' or just natural gas? | It's hard to generate interest in a news release about liquefied natural gas exports, but a high-ranking Trump administration official succeeded by calling the stuff "molecules of U.S. freedom." Assistant Energy Secretary Steven Winberg made the comment this week to describe an expansion of export capacity at a Texas terminal. Winberg says exporting liquid gas is good for U.S. jobs and the economy and for the energy security of America's allies. Another Energy Department official calls it "freedom gas." Some people are going on Twitter to make fun of the colorful language, but environmentalists opposed to wider use of natural gas say it's no laughing matter. Rachel Cleetus, a climate expert at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says it's an absurd attempt to rebrand natural gas, which is still a fossil fuel. | https://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Is-it-molecules-of-freedom-or-just-natural-gas-13908303.php |
How does Canadas garbage end up in developing countries, and how are Southeast Asian nations fighting back? | VANCOUVERSixty-nine shipping containers of festering Canadian trash have been loaded onto a container ship in the Philippine port of Subic and are expected to depart toward the Port of Vancouver today. For years, the Philippines have been asking Canada to repatriate its trash. In 2013 and 2014, a private Canadian company, Chronic Inc., shipped 103 containers of garbage, wrongly labelled as recycling, to the Philippines, setting off a diplomatic dumpster fire. In a particularly heated moment last month, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to declare war with Canada if the dozens of garbage-filled containers were not dealt with. Canada has agreed to repatriate the 69 containers that still havent been disposed of. On Tuesday, the Malaysian government also announced it would return thousands of tons of imported plastic waste back to the U.S., Canada and Japan. The practice of countries sending their non-recyclable waste to poorer nations is grossly unfair and should stop, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Developed countries often send recyclables overseas, where other countries make a business out of reusing them or breaking them down. The years-long dispute over the garbage in the Philippines highlights the need for stronger regulations aimed at decreasing consumption and increasing reuse and refurbishment, experts have told Star Vancouver. Read more: Shipping containers of Canadian garbage will depart Philippines for Vancouver later today Heres what you need to know about the growing controversy. Until 2018, China handled recyclable waste from around the world and reprocessed it to create new materials. But China ended this policy, in part because they received too many contaminated materials that couldnt be reused. Israel Dunmade, a sustainable engineering professor at Mount Royal University, speculated these Canadian containers may have ended up in the Philippines, labelled as recycling, after being turned away from China for holding contaminated waste. Malaysia is demanding Canada pay to take back a shipping container filled to bursting with plastic grocery bags and packaging the Malaysian government says is too contaminated to be recycled. Ottawa is still investigating the Malaysian situation though the green plastic Loblaws bag and made-in-Canada stamps on other packages in the container make it difficult to deny where the waste originated. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW International law is on the side of the Philippines and Malaysia. The United Nations Basel Convention is an international treaty that went into force in 1992 and forbids countries from dumping illegal waste in developing nations without their informed consent. Canada has ratified this convention, meaning its legally bound to it. The convention also states that if the receiving country declares the waste as hazardous, the exporting country has to take it back. However, Ottawa has refused to support a full ban on the dumping of hazardous waste in developing countries. The proposed amendment would strengthen the Basel Convention and has already been supported by numerous signatories, including the European Union. But support from two more is needed to bring the Ban Amendment, as its known, into force. Environmental organizations say stronger enforcement is critical. Chronic Inc. is the private waste management firm that sent the garbage wrongly labelled as recycling to the Philippines. In 2014 the companys owner denied the allegations to the Star. Now, Chronic Inc. appears to be dormant. A Toronto Star reporter visited a Whitby, Ont., address associated with the company and found the doors locked and no one home. The Government of Canada has not taken legal action against Chronic Inc. because it was not breaking any Canadian rules at the time, a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada told Star Vancouver. Canada introduced new regulations in 2016 requiring exporters to get permits to ship waste that other countries would consider hazardous, including trash. The changes came as a result of the diplomatic dust-up with the Philippines. The federal government has issued no permits for Canadian companies to ship trash overseas since regulations changed three years ago but Canadian garbage is still showing up unwanted in Asian nations. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna thinks there is clearly a broader lesson for the world in all of this. Developing countries dont want to receive plastic goods, they dont want our waste, she said Wednesday. She intends to unveil a strategy next month to get at the roots of the problem, including cutting down on the production and use of single-use plastics, putting more onus on producers of plastic to pay for the problem and improving recycling. This latest garbage embarrassment is shining new light on what Greenpeace Canada calls the myth of recycling. I think it is a shock to Canadians that we ship so much garbage overseas, said Sarah King, head of Greenpeace Canadas oceans and plastics campaign. With files from Andrew Jeffrey, Kenyon Wallace, the Canadian Press and the Associated Press Joanna Chiu is a reporter and managing editor of Star Vancouver. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu Ainslie Cruickshank is a Vancouver-based reporter covering the environment. Follow her on Twitter: @ainscruickshank Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2019/05/30/how-does-canadas-garbage-end-up-in-developing-countries-and-how-are-southeast-asian-nations-fighting-back.html |
Is it molecules of freedom or just natural gas? | Its hard to generate interest in a news release about liquefied natural gas exports, but a high-ranking Trump administration official succeeded by calling the stuff molecules of U.S. freedom. Words matter after all. Earlier this week, the Energy Department announced it was approving more exports of liquefied natural gas from a Texas terminal on the Gulf Coast. Assistant Energy Secretary Steven Winberg, who signed the order, said exporting the fuel is good for U.S. jobs and the economy and for the energy security of Americas allies. His agency is helping let molecules of U.S. freedom to be exported to the world, he said. Another Energy Department official, Mark Menezes, said expanding the Texas facilitys export capacity is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world. Some people went on Twitter to make fun of the colorful language, but environmentalists opposed to wider use of gas said it was no laughing matter. Advertising This is an absurd attempt to rebrand natural gas, and it shouldnt fool anyone, said Rachel Cleetus, a climate expert at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She said the Trump administration is exporting reliance on natural gas instead of promoting renewables such as solar and wind energy. Natural gas is still a fossil fuel, she said. What the world desperately needs is freedom from runaway climate change. The dust-up highlighted a more fundamental debate about natural gas. Gas supporters note that as more power plants burned natural gas and many coal-fired plants were retired, U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases fell for many years. But that trend has slowed, and environmentalists prefer renewables over natural gas a byproduct of which is methane, a powerful heat-trapping chemical linked to climate change. | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/is-it-molecules-of-freedom-or-just-natural-gas/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
How much can painting a roof white reduce its temperature? | Image copyright Getty Images It has long been known that painting the roof of a building white reflects sunlight and reduces its temperature. In a recent BBC interview, the former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon suggested that this reduction could be as much as 30C, with the internal temperature of the building falling by as much as seven degrees. Mr Ban was talking about a pilot project in Ahmedabad City in western India, where summer temperatures can reach as high as 50C. In 2017, more than 3,000 city rooftops were painted using both white lime and a special reflective coating. Known simply as "cool roofing", this process is designed to reduce the solar radiation absorbed, which in turn means less heat is transferred inside the building. Cool roofs also emit away some heat normally retained by a building, cooling it further. Image copyright Getty Images The planning document for the Gujarat project states that reflective roof coverings "can help bring roof temperatures down by as much as 30C and reduce indoor temperatures by three to seven degrees". But this is not an actual finding from the project itself. "Depending on the setting, cool roofs can help keep indoor temperatures lower by 2C to 5C as compared to traditional roofs," says Anjali Jaiswal, of the US-based Natural Resources Defence Council, which oversaw the Ahmedabad project. This range is slightly lower than Mr Ban's figure for the reduction of building temperatures, but is still a significant drop. Another pilot in Hyderabad in southern India, using a cool roof coating membrane, found indoor air temperatures lower by an average of 2C. As for Mr Ban's claim of a 30 degree fall in the temperature of the rooftop itself, the Gujarat pilot does not provide answers, but we can turn to the findings of a study by the California-based Berkeley Lab for some guidance. It found that a clean white roof that reflects 80% of sunlight will stay about 31C cooler on a summer afternoon. The conditions would of course be very different in California to those found in India - where more than 60% of roofs are made from metal, asbestos and concrete, which trap heat inside buildings even when treated with white coating. However, both Indian cities, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, have seen sufficient success with their pilots that they have launched expanded cool roofs programmes this year. The idea is of course not new, and white roofs and walls have been a typical sight for centuries in southern European and North African countries. The city of New York has recently coated more than 10 million sq ft of rooftops white. Other places like California have updated building codes to promote cool roofs, which are seen as an important way to save energy. A cool roof can save air-conditioning costs by as much as 40%. An experiment in Bhopal in central India found that solar reflective paint on low-rise buildings saved energy load by 303 kWh in peak summer hours. There are even estimates for the potential reduction in global carbon emissions if cooling paint was used on rooftops in every large city around the world. The Berkeley Lab says the worldwide use of reflective roofing could produce a global cooling effect equivalent to offsetting 24 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of taking 300 million cars off the road for 20 years. Image copyright Getty Images It is certainly a low-cost option, particularly in poorer countries. A coating of lime wash "can cost as little as 1.5 rupees (0.017; $0.02) per sq ft to more expensive reflective coatings or membranes", says Ms Jaiswal. The differences can be considerable both in personal comfort and in energy savings on cooling. Ultimately, however, "political will and implementation play a big role", says Ms Jaiswal. And there are possible downsides to consider. For cities with colder winters, reflective roofs might increase demand for heating and roof condensation is a mould risk. This is why a University College London team decided not to use white paint for a resettlement colony project in New Delhi. "The residents were also against painting roofs white, because roofs are also used for other purposes," says Renu Khosla, from the Delhi-based Centre for Urban and Regional Excellence. The highly reflective paint, she says, makes it hard to go out on to the roofs to use the space for storage and daily household chores. A team from the University of Chicago also carried out research in the same area near Delhi. They painted the roofs of a group of buildings and found that even though indoor temperatures fell by only modest amounts, those living in them did adjust their behaviour to save money on energy bills and water use. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-48395221 |
Could the Seattle Seahawks feature the NFL's best offensive line? | originally appeared on nbcsportsnorthwest.com RENTON, Wash. - At this time last season the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line created a sense of dread regarding the 2018 season after the pitiful performance the group had put forth in 2017 and with the only addition being a seemingly average guard from a bad New York Giants team. Scroll to continue with content Ad That feeling is antithetical to the vibe surrounding the crew one year later. Seattle shockingly led the NFL in rushing last season and gave quarterback Russell Wilson the protection he needed to throw for a career-high 35 touchdown passes while Seattle went 10-6 to reach the playoffs. Four of the five starters from that group remain with only J.R. Sweezy, acquired last year during training camp, having moved on by signing with Arizona. Replacing him will be veteran Mike Iupati, who has also worked with Seattle offensive line coach Mike Solari and spent last season with the Cardinals. The 80 percent retention coupled with the addition of Iupati has left tackle Duane Brown believing that Seattle might become more dominant upfront. "I think him being in a system with Solari had some rapport with him and with the system and the terminology and everything," Brown said. "And I'm so happy we got him. I've been a big fan of his throughout the years, watching him play in San Francisco and Arizona. I mean, our line has the chance to be the best in the league. I think if we keep everyone healthy, the talent that we have, the mixture of youth and experience that we have, we have the chance to really be great and Mike has been a great addition for us." Story continues Those are lofty expectations but not at all completely unrealistic. Leading the NFL in rushing last season is a great place to start. What might keep this line from being hailed as the league's best, however, is the lack of Pro Bowl players. Brown made the Pro Bowl with Houston before the Texans traded him to Seattle during the 2017 season. Not one Seahawks lineman reached the Pro Bowl last season despite the team leading the league in rushing. Sweezy was named as an alternate. For Seattle to earn "best in the league" status it must see continued improvement from center Justin Britt and right tackle Germain Ifedi. The other projected starter at guard is D.J. Fluker, the lone new addition to the team last spring. He added nastiness and a veteran presence to the group that helped transform the line into a nasty, ground churning unit. That's a heck of a solid starting five and one that should at least have Seattle near the top of the rushing category once again. "You saw the production we had throughout the year, and this year, being a year better for it, this time of the year is about getting the information, getting back up to speed on things," Brown said. "And we haven't missed a beat." Another new addition to the group is rookie guard Phil Haynes, a fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest. Brown said Haynes has fit in well and appears to be a quick learner. "He's catching on pretty quickly," Brown said. "He's got a great demeanor. A lot of times, this kind of atmosphere can be overwhelming, being given so much information, the speed right now, you're not used to practicing without pads on so fast and everything's happening so quickly, but he's handling everything well. Today he was in there with the ones and played next to me and communicated great." He will have to learn quickly to keep up with a deep group of players that are looking forward to a second year together under Solari and blocking for Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. Seattle might not become the very best, but it should continue to give the Seahawks a chance to run the ball well enough to make another run at the playoffs. "We're communicating and everything well," Brown said of the benefits of entering year two as a group. "No one's confused out there. I think once we get the pads on, the amount of physicality we'll play with will be demoralizing for defenses, so I'm looking forward to it." | https://sports.yahoo.com/could-seattle-seahawks-feature-nfls-183012948.html?src=rss |
What will Cleveland Indians do when Tyler Naquin is ready to be activated? | CHICAGO -- The Indians have an interesting decision coming their way. Outfielder Tyler Naquin is on a rehab assignment at Class AAA Columbus. Hell DH on Friday, play nine innings in the outfield on Saturday and have Sunday off. Then the Indians will decide if hes not only ready to be activated, but to rejoin the big-league club. While Naquin has been on the injured list, rookie Oscar Mercado has been rolling. Mercado took Naquins spot on the 25-man roster and went into Thursday nights game hitting .333 (14-for-42) with one homer and four RBI. Mercados 14 hits in his first 12 big-league games are the most by an Indians player since Michael Brantley had 17 in his first dozen big-league games in 2009. Yes, Mercado has made some rookie mistakes, but he hits right handed, can run like the wind, track balls well in the outfield and has fit into the No.2 spot behind Francisco Lindor. Then theres the case of Greg Allen. When Allen arrived from Columbus for his second tour with the Tribe on Saturday, he was basically told not to unpack. Perhaps the Indians were counting on a quick return by Naquin. Allen opened the season with the Tribe, but hit just .105 in 15 games before being optioned to Columbus. In his last two games, Allen has gone 3-for-7 with two triples and one homer. In those two games, both against Boston, he scored three runs with four RBI. Naquin, meanwhile, is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with two homers and four RBI in his rehab. On Thursday, he went 2-for-5 with one homer and three RBI as Columbus beat Norfolk. Theyve already dropped veterans Hanley Ramirez and Carlos Gonzalez, who signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs on Thursday. Martin, who did not start Thursday, is hitting .223 (41-for-184) with six homers and 13 RBI. He has five hits in his last 28 at-bats, all singles, and leads the team with 59 strikeouts. Jake Bauers may also be a candidate. He entered Thursdays game in a 8-for-58 (.138) skid. Bauers is the Tribes backup first baseman, which would could help his job security because the Indians dont have anyone currently on the 25-man roster to spell Carlos Santana. Depending on how the Indians want to manipulate the roster, first baseman Bobby Bradley could be an option. Bradley is hitting .282 (50-for-177) with 14 homers and 38 RBI at Columbus. Bauers does have five home runs and 20 RBI. The Indians acquired him from Tampa Bay in December for Yandy Diaz. They may be inclined to keep him in the big leagues for a little longer because of that. Naquin is hitting .278 (25-for-90) with six doubles, one homer and 10 RBI for the Tribe this season. Hes played in 30 games and posted a .694 OPS. Get Tribe Insider texts in your phone from Paul Hoynes: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning Indians reporter, just like you would with your friends. It's just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/05/what-will-cleveland-indians-do-when-tyler-naquin-is-ready-to-be-activated.html |
Are Juiced Balls The Reason MLB Is On Pace For Another Record Setting Home-Run Season? | ASSOCIATED PRESS Major League Baseball is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2019 and there have been almost 300,000 home runs hit dating back to the inaugural game on June 1, 1869 between the Cincinnati Red Stockings and Mansfield Independents. This season MLB is on pace to break the record of 6,105 homers hit in 2017 . . . by almost 400! With all the long balls being sent over the outfield walls, the whispers in the game again are echoing that the ball is juiced. Through May 30, Milwaukees Christian Yelich was the MLB leader with 21 homershe hit a career high 36 last season and didnt connect for No. 21 until Aug. 24. Cody Bellinger is having an MVP caliber season and is second to Yelich with 20 HRhe clubbed only 25 in 2018 after setting a N.L. rookie record with 39 in 2017. Mets first-year player Pete Alonso had 19 homers through New Yorks first 55 games and is on pace to break Aaron Judges rookie mark of 52 homers set in 2017. Tommy LaStella, who created a fan base in Chicago as a member of the Cubs as a pinch-hitter extraordinaire, already has belted 12 homers in his first 166 at-bats as a starter with the Angels after connecting for only 10 homers in his previous five major league seasons that included 828 ABs. Many other players have put on a power surge to open the yearPittsburghs Josh Bell has 18 homers after slugging only 12 in 2018. Derek Dietrich of the Reds has 17 homers, surpassing the 16 long balls he totaled a year ago. Daniel Vogelbach of Seattle finished with four home runs last season and has more than tripled that output this year with 15. Willson Contreras of the Cubs has 12 homers, two more than he hit in 18 and Brandon Lowe of the Rays has almost doubled his total this season with 11 after hitting six a year ago. A most incredible thought is that after the first 10 weeks of the 2019 season, 43 players were on pace to hit 35 or more home runs. The record is 27 set in 1996 and equaled in 2000 during the steroid era. I hate to dive too deep into conspiracy theories, New York Yankees veteran pitcher JA Happ told USA Todayreporter Bob Nightengale, but its pretty wild whats happening. I dont want to take anything away from anybody, but some of these homers that go out, you just shake your head. A guy thinks he has a chance almost all of the time now when he gets the ball in the air. Nothing surprises you anymore. It used to be that you kind of knew for sure when a guy got you, and now you dont know. You see hitters get frustrated, put their head down, and think they missed it, but the ball still goes out. You hate to talk about it too much because its like youre trying to make excuses, but the numbers are what they are. Whether anyone in the MLB offices want to admit it or not it appears to those in the game and those watching are convinced the ball is juiced. "Yeah, I know they're not rubbed up like they used to be, said Cubs pitcher Jon Lester on the feel of the ball. You get balls back and they're basically white. It seems like they're right out of the box. I had a piece of the ball in my finger at one point. Former slugger and White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson concurs that the balls have been different for a number of years. You could hear (Bert) Blylevens curveball and you could hear Nolan Ryans fastball, Harrelson said. You have to understand the seams on the ball back in those days were bigger. Thats one reason youre seeing so many pitchers on the DL. They have to work so hard because there are no seams to work with. The ball is hot. You could lay your finger against the seam in those days; now you cant. Now pitchers put a lot of strain on their arms to throw a good curveball or slider and hitters are benefitting with a lot of home runs. Many current MLB pitchers agree and have indicated the ball is more slick and the seams are more smooth and hard to grip. Hall of Famer Greg Maddux fingered the result of the increase in home runs hit in 1996 was due to a livelier ball. I do know that certain balls are harder than others, he said. You can feel the difference by squeezing them. It seems like one of the intriguing questions each season involves the proliferation of monster home runs and the explanation that finds its way into the minds of players, fans, and reporters is that the ball is juiced. Every time players accumulate big home-run totals or players of little bulk are blasting moonshots of 500 feet into the upper deck, fans and reporters are convinced the ball has more life to it. There have been 53 home runs that have traveled more than 450 feet through May according to Statcast. The pitcher stands out on the mound with a baseball. He can throw it 90 to 100 miles per hour. This gives the batter less than a half second to make a decision to swing, take the pitch or get out of the way. A ball traveling at high velocity along with the movement hurlers are able to put on the ball should make hitting a home run difficult, but at the current rate, home runs are being hit at a record pace this season. Robert Arthur of Baseball Prospectus, uses pitch-tracking information available in every ballpark and says, As baseballs become more aerodynamic, they travel further given a certain initial velocity. A deep fly ball that might have been caught at the warning track can instead, with just a 3% change in drag, go into the first row of the stands for a home run. Smaller and inconsistent strike zones, poor pitching, infield shifts, and the new hitting belief of launch angle have also been contributors to the home-run frequency. Ted Williams once said, A no-hitter is a classic work of art, a shutout is a beautiful painting, stealing bases and the hit-and-run are ballet movements but someone once said, there is nothing so beautiful as the arc a baseball makes when it soars out of the ballpark. All would agree with the beauty of the home run, but the fact is that in todays game the frequency of the home run arc is robbing the game of its other wonderful elements. Its a game of inches and dollars. Get the latest sports news and analysis of valuations, signings and hirings, once a week in your inbox, from the Forbes SportsMoney Playbook newsletter. Sign up here. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertkuenster/2019/05/30/are-juiced-balls-the-reason-mlb-is-on-pace-for-another-record-setting-home-run-season/ |
Can Sports Help Kids Overcome Their Childhood Trauma? | Coaches and youth sports experts like to talk up the positive life lessons one can get only through sports, but a recent study is going one step further and concluding that participation in sports can help mitigate the damage caused by childhood trauma. On May 28, the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics (owned by the American Medical Association) posted a study that found the rates of depression, anxiety and depressive symptoms among adults who had suffered at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) were lower among those who had played sports as teens, compared to those who had not. The research did not find similar effects for participation in other school activities. The comparisons were done by analyzing date of about 5,000 teens in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which started with a questionnaire to U.S. 7th- to 12th-graders in the 1994-95 school years, and has re-interviewed that group in waves ever since. Lead author Molly Easterlin, a Los Angeles pediatrician, a UCLA research fellow and a former soccer player at Cornell University, told NPR she drew upon her own experiences in sports to come up with the study: When Easterlin became a pediatrician, she started seeing a lot of children suffering from trauma, from physical abuse to emotional neglect. Many of these kids didn't respond fully to traditional treatment for trauma and depression. Frustrated and searching for answers, Easterlin turned to her own past. "I suspected that sports might have a powerful impact [on kids]," she says. The study concludes that "team sports may be an important and scalable resilience builder." Basically, being part of a team, working together toward a common goal in a competitive environment, may help give kids the skills to manage or overcome their own issues. And there a lot of kids who could use the help: about 50% of children have suffered at least one ACE. (ACE has a formal definition -- it's not the mere act of something disappointing happening.) This follows another study that looked at the backgrounds of elite athletes and determined childhood trauma was necessary to provide the drive for success. But before you rely on sports to cure your child's mental health issues, or try to screw up your child's mental health to make them elite, know that -- as always with studies -- there are questions on whether the conclusion is as clear-cut as it seems. From NPR: Christina Bethell, a professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University with a focus on child well-being and adversity, says the study is a useful contribution to the study of ACEs. ... But, she says, it's important to consider additional factors when examining resilience, like emotional connection with relatives and a sense of safety and support. These "family factors" may increase a person's overall well-being, in addition to their ability to participate in sports. So sports might not be the sole cause of the protective effect. But Bethell, as most anyone would, told NPR exercise is healthy and should be encouraged no matter what. One of the big problems Easterlin points out is that if sports can have a mental-health benefit for kids who have suffered one or multiple ACEs, the current structure of pay-to-play, elite-at-early-ages youth sports shuts out children in poverty, who are more like have suffered one or more ACEs than their wealthier peers. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcook/2019/05/30/can-sports-help-kids-overcome-their-childhood-trauma/ |
Should The Rockets Hit Reset? | ASSOCIATED PRESS ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski reported yesterday that the Houston Rockets were aggressively pursuing an overhaul of their roster, making several key components of their team available in trade. Today, multiple reports surfaced regarding head coach Mike DAntonis future with the team, specifically that the sides had cut off negotiations on a contract extension. While Houstons season ended in disappointment yet again, the Rockets have been more successful than any other team in the league against Golden State over the last two seasons, the duration of the Chris Paul and James Harden union. In that time, Houston finished first and second, respectively, in offensive rating, and closed the season in 2018-2019 with the second best defensive rating in the league. They won 65 games in 2017-2018 and finished on a 60 win pace in 2018-2019 after an 11-14 start. The Rockets have undoubtedly been elite when having a set rotation. Enough random occurrences happened at the margins to posit the argument that Houston realistically could have won either series. And therefore a compelling case can be made that with Kevin Durants likely imminent departure this summer, the Rockets are closer than ever to their heated rivals and need only remain patient and wait out this Warriors dynasty. But Houstons window is limited too and perhaps Morey feels he doesnt have time. Its unlikely he feels the gap is insurmountable. The Rockets memo to the league expressed they believed they were robbed of a championship in 2018. Though, Morey may feel the odds have drastically dwindled given Pauls severe decline this season. If Paul, 34, can ever be dealt, it probably has to be now. His contract will become even more unmovable next summer when he has even further regressed. P.J. Tucker is also 34. And Eric Gordon will become a free agent the following summer meaning that Houston will either need to commit to him long term, or deal him now when he has value. Of course, Ive already strongly asserted the case for trading Clint Capela - even if the Rockets bring everyone else back, they strongly need to look at swapping Capela for a capable wing. Morey could feel that if he doesn't make major moves this summer with some of his key players, he'll be even more boxed in the following summer. The success of the Toronto Raptors this season, who cobbled together a nucleus on the fly, trading for both Kawhi Leonard and Marc Gasol less than a full year before their Finals appearance, could have general managers around the league questioning the value of continuity. Morey could feel that way given Harden will be 30 and only has precious few prime years left. Still, the Rockets should not be rash in their decisions. Just standing pat with minor upgrades could be enough to finally get them over the hump. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/rahathuq/2019/05/30/should-the-rockets-hit-reset/ |
Will Arizona's newest utility regulator turn into just another APS pocket pet? | CLOSE Opinion: Lea Marquez Peterson, Arizona's newest corporation commissioner, has an opportunity to strike a blow for a rarely considered group: ratepayers. Lea Marquez Peterson (Photo: Tom Tingle/The Republic) If youre an APS customer, all eyes should be on a woman youve likely never even heard of: Lea Marquez Peterson. Last year, this longtime Tucson businesswoman ran unsuccessfully for Congress, hoping to snag the seat held by Martha McSally. I will be an independent-thinking Republican, she said at the time. Lets hope she meant it because on Thursday, she snagged an all-important seat on the Arizona Corporation Commission. APS is struggling The one that sets the size of APSs profits and its customers utility bills. The one that will decide whether APSs captive customers should be paying more and more and more to a company that is raking in eye popping profits one whose CEO scores $1 million a month. This, compared to the Salt River Project CEOs $1 million a year. Peterson's comes at a time when APS is scrambling to maintain its stranglehold on its regulators. She replaces Commissioner Andy Tobin, a 2015 Ducey appointee who quickly became an APS toadie. Its curious that Tobin is now leaving a powerful elected position in order to take yet another job in Duceys administration. Perhaps he feels the prevailing winds are shifting. Watchdogs are following their every step Last year, voters finally got wise to the cozy factor between the states most powerful utility and the states regulators the ones APS spent more than $14 million to get elected to be its regulators. Voters in November booted APS pal Tom Forese off the commission. These days, the winds dont appear particularly favorable to APS, with APS critic Sandra Kennedy replacing Forese and a group of savvy citizen watchdogs monitoring the commission's every step. Meanwhile, APS critic Bob Burns, now the commissions chairman, last week floated out the D word deregulation suggesting that its time to talk about allowing utilities to compete for customers. NEWSLETTERS Get the newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Maybe now the time is ripe, he said. We made a stab at it in 2013 and APS spent over $5 million to convince people that it was not a good idea. The challenge is out there and the solution, in my opinion, is there. I guess the whole idea is stay tuned. I, for one, am tuned and you should be, too. Ducey has APS ties. Peterson does too Its interesting to note that Gov. Doug Ducey announced Petersons appointment just an hour or so after Tobins resignation became public on Thursday. The governor, like much of Arizonas leadership, has long been tight with APS and its parent company, Pinnacle West Capital Corp. Pinnacle West, its top officers and wives sunk big money into getting Ducey elected and re-elected. Last year, at the height of the RedforEd movement, APS started a non-profit, the Arizona Education Project, which proceeded to run ads extolling the wonders of Arizonas schools in an obvious effort to boost Duceys education credentials. So its not exactly a shocker to learn that Peterson has some ties to APS as well. Pinnacle West put $2,500 into her unsuccessful run for Congress last year. (Hedging its bets, APS also put $2,500 into Democrat Ann Kirkpatricks campaign.) Humberto Lopez, a Tucson developer and longtime member Pinnacle West's board of directors, and his wife Czarina, donated $10,800 to her campaign. Pay attention, Arizona Both APS and Tucson Electric, whose lobbyist also donated to her campaign, are members of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which was run for years by Peterson. And she sits on the board of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is almost indistinguishable from APS. In fact, one of the first people out with a big congrats on her appointment Thursday was Chamber CEO Glenn Hamer. Outstanding selection Gov. @dougducey! @LeaPeterson is a great friend of the job creators across Arizona. We were honored to have her as an @AZChamber Board Member. Co-chair @ArizonaZanjeros. Also, a national leader on trade #USMCA. We were at WH together for Cinco de Mayo event. https://t.co/99uJ262VsV Glenn Hamer (@GlennHamer) May 30, 2019 Of course, none of the above is enough to conclude that Peterson will join the time-honored Corporation Commission tradition of becoming an APS pocket pet. But it's worth noting that at a time when Arizonans finally have a chance to wrest control of our utility regulators away from the states powerhouse utility, Ducey appointed yet another person with ties to APS. Pay close attention, Arizona. Reach Roberts at [email protected]. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/05/30/lea-marquez-peterson-arizona-public-service-corporation-commission-seat/1288062001/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/05/30/lea-marquez-peterson-arizona-public-service-corporation-commission-seat/1288062001/ |
Can annexing 350 homes into Mt. Juliet help take away need for property tax hike? | CLOSE The city has transformed itself from a mostly rural community to a suburban one. Wochit The Mt. Juliet mayor will propose doubling the payment for property owners outside the city limits who receive sewer service from the city as part of a multi-step plan to avoid a property tax increase. Ed Hagerty (Photo: City of Mt. Juliet) There are about 350 homes that arent considered within Mt. Juliets city limits, but connect to city sewer for a 25 percent surcharge on their bill. Mayor Ed Hagerty wants to raise that surcharge to 100 percent, effectively doubling a bill, to sway those homeowners and neighborhoods to want annexation that would increase the base of homes paying Mt. Juliets property tax. It would also add to the citys population and subsequently state shared revenue intake, Hagerty said. The proposal, if approved, would also serve as an incentive to future homes and neighborhoods now outside the city limits that want Mt. Juliet sewer service to also seek annexation. My hope is no one has to pay it, Hagerty said. My hope is that they see the value in requesting annexation. The step is one of several parts of the mayor's plan he believes can increase revenue to fund a new fire station for the citys north side and shore up a fire department deficit that some officials say exist. Mt. Juliet presently has a property tax rate of 16.64 cents for every $100 of assessed property value that is dedicated to fire service. The Fire Department of Mt. Juliet, which the city restarted in 2011, has operated at a budget deficit, officials have said. There are also plans to build a north side fire station supporters say is vital. City commissioners have proposed up to a 59-cent rate for the 2019-2020 fiscal year budget not yet approved. Hagerty has opposed a property tax increase. The city can approve requests to annex, but cannot force annexation. NEWSLETTERS Get the newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-342-8237. Delivery: Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Sewer service is a big carrot cities can offer to incentivize annexation, Wilson County Planning Director Tom Brashear said. Wilson County Commissioner Wendell Marlowe represents some homes that have Mt. Juliet sewer service just outside the city limits. Keep up with whats new throughout Middle Tennessee and support local journalism and community news with a digital subscription that starts at just $1 for the first three months. Marlowe wants to examine the legality of a dramatic increase for existing customers and how annexation pertains to the overall county land use plan. I would hope they would consider other options beside that one, Marlowe said. Other steps Hagerty will propose To refinance the citys general obligation debt that now stands at about $3.5 million with a 3.9 interest rate to be paid off in seven years. Hagertys wants to add about $3 million to the debt to finance the north side fire station at a 1.8 percent interest rate with a payoff remaining at seven years, he said. To expand fees already in place for new commercial construction that are dedicated to fire service to include residential building, he said. To hold a sales tax referendum for Mt. Juliet voters to decide whether to increase the citys 9.25 percent rate to 9.75 percent. The increase would be dedicated to the fire department, Hagerty said. Mt. Juliet Commissioner Ray Justice previously proposed funding alternatives to a property tax increase. One centered around designating hotel and motel tax revenues that have increased beyond initial expectations for fire department needs. Hotel-motel revenues are now dedicated toward taxes Justice also wants to evaluate potential changes to Mt. Juliets impact fee structure. Hagerty is open to supporting other options that will be presented, he said. Reach Andy Humbles at [email protected] or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.     <!--iframe-->   Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/wilson/2019/05/30/mt-juliet-mayor-offers-annexation-plan-lieu-property-tax-hike/1277743001/ | https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/wilson/2019/05/30/mt-juliet-mayor-offers-annexation-plan-lieu-property-tax-hike/1277743001/ |
When Will The Universe Get Its First 'Black Dwarf' Star? | Anne Dirkse / http://www.annedirkse.com The Big Bang happened approximately 13.8 billion years ago, and it might have only taken 50-100 million years to form the very first stars. Ever since then, the Universe has been flooded with starlight. When enough matter mostly hydrogen and helium gas gravitates together into a single, compact object, nuclear fusion must take place inside the core, giving rise to a true star. But as time goes on and fusion continues, eventually that star will run out of fuel. Sometimes, the star is massive enough that additional fusion reactions will take place, but at some point, it all must stop. Even when a star finally dies, however, their remnants will continue to shine. In fact, except for black holes, every remnant ever created still shines today. Here's the story of how long we'll need to wait for the first star to truly go dark. ESA / Hubble & NASA It all begins from clouds of gas. When a cloud of molecular gas collapses under its own gravity, there are always a few regions that start off just a little bit denser than others. Every location with matter in it does its best to attract more and more matter towards it, but these overdense regions attract matter more efficiently than all the others. Because gravitational collapse is a runaway process, the more matter you attract to your vicinity, the faster additional matter will flow inward. While it can take millions to tens of millions of years for a molecular cloud to go from a large, diffuse state to a relatively collapsed one, the process of going from a collapsed state of dense gas to a new cluster of stars where the densest regions ignite fusion in their cores takes only a few hundred thousand years. ESO Stars come in a huge variety of colors, brightnesses and masses, and a star's life cycle and fate are determined from the moment of the star's birth. When you create a new cluster of stars, the easiest ones to notice are the brightest ones, which also happen to be the most massive. These are the brightest, bluest, hottest stars in existence, with up to hundreds of times the mass of our Sun and with millions of times the luminosity. But despite the fact that the brightest ones are the stars that appear the most spectacular, these are also the rarest stars, making up far less than 1% of all the known, total stars. They are also the shortest-lived stars, as they burn through all the nuclear fuel (in all the various stages) in their cores in as little as 12 million years. NASA, ESA, and E. Sabbi (ESA/STScI); Acknowledgment: R. O'Connell (University of Virginia) and the Wide Field Camera 3 Science Oversight Committee When these stars, the brightest and most massive ones of all, run out of fuel, they die in a spectacular type II supernova explosion. When this occurs, the inner core implodes, collapsing all the way down to a neutron star (for the low-mass cores) or even to a black hole (for the high-mass cores), while expelling the outer layers back into the interstellar medium. Once there, these enriched gases will contribute to future generations of stars, providing them with the heavy elements necessary to create rocky planets, organic molecules, and in rare, wonderful cases, life. It is estimated that at least six prior generations of stars contributed to the molecular gas cloud that eventually gave rise to our Sun and Solar System. NASA, ESA, J. Hester, A. Loll (ASU) If you form a black hole from the collapse of a supermassive star, you don't have to wait very long for it to go dark. In fact, by definition, black holes go almost perfectly "black" immediately. Once the core collapses sufficiently to form an event horizon, everything inside collapses down to a singularity in a fraction of a second. Any remnant heat, light, temperature, or energy in any form in the core simply gets added to the mass of the singularity. No light will ever emanate from it again, except in the form of Hawking radiation, which is emitted when the black hole decays, and in the accretion disk surrounding the black hole, which is constantly fed and refueled from the surrounding matter. But not every massive star forms a black hole, and the ones that form neutron stars tell a vastly different story. NASA A neutron star takes all the energy in a stars core and collapses incredibly rapidly. When you take anything and compress it quickly, you cause the temperature within it to rise: this is how a piston works in a diesel engine. Well, collapsing from a stellar core all the way down to a neutron star is maybe the ultimate example of rapid compression. In the span of seconds-to-minutes, a core of iron, nickel, cobalt, silicon and sulfur many hundreds-of-thousands of miles (kilometers) in diameter has collapsed down to a ball just around 10 miles (16 km) in size or smaller. Its density has increased by around a factor of a quadrillion (1015), and its temperature has grown tremendously: to some 1012 K in the core and all the way up to around 106 K at the surface. And herein lies the problem. ESO/L. Calada You have all this energy stored within a collapsed star like this, and its surface is so tremendously hot that it not only glows bluish-white in the visible portion of the spectrum, but most of the energy isnt visible or even ultraviolet: its X-ray energy! There is an insanely large amount of energy stored within this object, but the only way it can release it out into the Universe is through its surface, and its surface area is very small. The answer depends on a piece of physics that practically isnt well-understood for neutron stars: neutrino cooling! You see, while photons (radiation) are soundly trapped by the normal, baryonic matter, neutrinos, when generated, can pass right through the entire neutron star unimpeded. On the fast end, neutron stars might cool down, out of the visible portion of the spectrum, after as little as 1016 years, or only a million times the age of the Universe. But if things are slower, it might take 1020-to-1022 years, which means youll be waiting for some time. NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI) But other stars will go dark much more quickly. You see, the vast majority of stars the other 99+% dont go supernova, but rather, at the end of their lives, contract (slowly) down into a white dwarf star. The slow timescale is only slow compared to a supernova: it takes tens-to-hundreds of thousands of years rather than mere seconds-to-minutes, but thats still fast enough to trap almost all the heat from the stars core inside. The big difference is that instead of trapping it inside of a sphere with a diameter of only 10 miles or so, the heat is trapped in an object only about the size of Earth, or around a thousand times larger than a neutron star. This means that while the temperatures of these white dwarfs can be very high over 20,000 K, or more than three times hotter than our Sun they cool down much faster than neutron stars. BBC / GCSE (L) / SunflowerCosmos (R) Neutrino escape is negligible in white dwarfs, meaning that radiation through the surface is the only effect that matters. When we calculate how quickly heat can escape by radiating away, it leads to a cooling timescale for a white dwarf (like the kind the Sun will produce) of around 1014-to-1015 years. And that will get your stellar remnant all the way down to just a few degrees above absolute zero! This means that after around 10 trillion years, or only around 1,000 times the present age of the Universe, the surface of a white dwarf will have dropped in temperature so that its out of the visible light regime. When this much time has passed, the Universe will possess a brand new type of object: a black dwarf star. NASA / JPL-Caltech Im sorry to disappoint you, but there arent any black dwarfs around today. The Universe is simply far too young for it. In fact, the coolest white dwarfs have, to the best of our estimates, lost less than 0.2% of their total heat since the very first ones were created in this Universe. For a white dwarf created at 20,000 K, that means its temperature is still at least 19,960 K, telling us weve got a terribly long way to go, if were waiting for a true dark star. We currently conceive of our Universe as littered with stars, which cluster together into galaxies, which are separated by vast distances. But by time the first black dwarf comes to be, our local group will have merged into a single galaxy (Milkdromeda), most of the stars that will ever live will have long since burned out, with the surviving ones being exclusively the lowest-mass, reddest and dimmest stars of all. Only darkness, as dark energy will have long since pushed away all the other galaxies, making them unreachable and practically unmeasurable by any physical means. user Toma/Space Engine; E. Siegel And yet, amidst it all, a new type of object will come to be for the very first time. Even though well never see or experience one, we know enough of nature to know not only that theyll exist, but how and when theyll come to be. And that, in itself the ability to predict the far-distant future that has not yet come to pass is one of the most amazing parts of science of all! | https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/05/31/when-will-the-universe-get-its-first-black-dwarf-star/ |
Who Invented The Petri Dish? | ASSOCIATED PRESS Friday is the 167th birthday of Julius Richard Petri, inventor of the famous Petri dish. In 1876, bacteriologist Robert Koch identified the bacteria that causes anthrax; it was the first time anyone had ever traced a disease back to the microbe that caused it. That was a great discovery, and it's shaped the course of microbiology and medicine ever since; 150 years later, it's easy to forget unglamorous details like the fact that in those early days, Koch grew many of his bacterial cultures on potato slices. There just wasn't anything better. Today, he gets much of the credit for developing better (and less starchy) methods for growing bacteria, especially the little round dishes called Petri dishes. But as the name suggests, Petri dishes weren't Koch's invention at all -- although Koch certainly deserves credit for knowing a good idea when he saw it. Petri joined Koch's lab at Germany's Imperial Health Office in 1877, and shortly after that he came up with a decent substitute for potatoes: a round, shallow glass dish with a lid. It caught on quickly in Koch's lab, where researchers cultured bacteria on various mixtures of gelatin and beef broth. The design hasn't changed much since the late 1870s; modern dishes also come in plastic versions, and most now have rings on their lids so they're easier to stack, but the basic shape is the same. But all was not yet well in the world of early bacteriology, because Koch and his assistants were wrangling with the problem of how to feed their bacteria colonies, now that they had them in Petri's neat little dishes. Beef broth provided most of the nutrients a growing colony needed, but it turned out to be nearly impossible to pick bacteria out of the resulting soup. They needed something firmer to grow on. Gelatin -- a protein found in collagen and used to make familiar jiggly snacks like Jell-O -- seemed like a good way to firm things up. But many species of bacteria just ate their way through the gelatin. In other cases, it melted into goo in the heat of the incubators. Good luck isolating bacteria from that. Angelina Hesse had been cooking up the beef broth for untold billions of bacteria since her husband, Walther Hesse, joined Koch's lab in 1881. She suggested using agar -- a compound found in the cell walls of red algae and often used to make jellies and ice cream or thicken soups -- to firm up the growth medium for the bacteria. She'd learned the trick from Dutch friends, who in turn had learned it from their neighbors during a stay in Indonesia; Angelina Hesse was just the first person to bring agar into a biology lab (although today her husband and his boss still get most of the credit, which gives her something else in common with Petri). Agar, mixed with a nutritious broth and plated up in Petri dishes, proved to be an excellent way to grow and study bacteria, and that's how Koch eventually identified the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2019/05/31/who-invented-the-petri-dish/ |
Did Celtics miss opportunity with Kawhi Leonard? How will it impact this summer? | originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com Kawhi Leonard's preposterous postseason play, which on Thursday night delivers the Toronto Raptors to an uncharted championship stage and Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, has left a lot of Celtics fans wondering whether the team missed an opportunity to land a top NBA talent last summer. Scroll to continue with content Ad This, however, reeks of hindsight. For as fantastic as Leonard has been, reaffirming his status as one of the league's elite two-way players, and leaving Doc Rivers on the borderline of tampering as he made Michael Jordan-level comparisons recently, it's astounding to see how quickly many have forgotten just how much of a high-risk situation the pursuit of Leonard was seen as last summer. Leonard was coming off a year in which he played only nine games due to a quad injury, and his inability to get back on the court - coupled by the drama it caused for the largely drama-free Spurs - raised caution flags on its own. That Leonard had only one year remaining on his contract and was seemingly ticketed for Los Angeles in the summer of 2019 might have been even more frightening for potential suitors. Remember, too, that the Celtics were in a drastically different space. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum had just unexpectedly propelled the Celtics to the fringe of the NBA Finals and there was unbridled optimism about Boston's potential with the impending return of a healthy Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Story continues League sources insisted at the time that Boston's talks with San Antonio centered heavy on draft assets with the team likely not willing to mortgage their young talent for the many risks associated with Leonard. Of course, we all know what happened the past eight months. The Celtics stumbled their way through one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. A team dripping with obvious talent proved unable to figure out how to properly harness it all. What's more, Boston's talent glut seemed to conspire against it and, when young players like Terry Rozier underperformed, all while Boston's prime draft assets like the Sacramento Kings first-round pick plummeted in value, it was too easy to wonder if the team missed a sell-high opportunity. With Raptors off to the Finals, it's easy to say yes in hindsight. But, in the moment, it was a much harder decision. From Early Edition with @KyleDraperTV, @Gary_Tanguay, and @trenni pic.twitter.com/EAeGz3LXg1 Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) May 29, 2019 Meanwhile, in Toronto, Leonard was spectacular, even as the team employed a load management strategy to preserve his health. The Raptors finished second in the Eastern Conference - nine games ahead of Boston - and Leonard landed on the All-NBA second team (about as close as he ever came to teaming up with Irving). It's much too easy now to examine how the year played out and lament how Boston should have been more willing to include players like Brown and Tatum in a deal. Heck, even those players might not have been enough to sway Gregg Popovich and the win-now Spurs, who clearly valued getting an established four-time All-Star in DeMar DeRozan. The Celtics simply weren't in a position last summer where it made sense to roll the dice on Leonard. While Danny Ainge has said that players with only one year remaining on their contracts wouldn't completely scare him away (we'll get to you in a minute, Anthony Davis), it seems fair to suggest he's treaded slightly more carefully with the likes of Leonard and Paul George given flight-risk potential. Remember, too, that the Raptors were in need of a shakeup. Even with LeBron James fleeing west, Toronto was seemingly stuck in a rut of second-round playoff exits with that DeRozan/Kyle Lowry core and could more confidently take a flyer on Leonard in hopes of the jackpot they struck. There is, of course, still the very strong chance that Leonard will flee for warmer climes this summer. The Raptors, knowing how this season played out, might still do the trade again knowing what exactly this postseason run has meant to the franchise in the bigger picture. They'll cling to the hope that indelible moments like Leonard's Game 7 winner against Philadelphia will force him to more strongly consider an extended stay up north. The question that's more prudent to ask from a Celtics perspective is whether the Leonard situation might encourage Ainge to be even more aggressive this summer in the team's quest to land Davis. Given that only one year remains on Davis' current deal, the Celtics have to balance the risk that Davis might only be here one season. Maybe that's not as much of a concern if a Davis acquisition encourages Irving to re-sign long term, ensuring the team isn't left holding the bag if Irving was to bolt for a new situation and the team had to throttle down on the Davis pursuit. The price tag for Davis will undoubtedly induce far more sticker-shock than Leonard did. New Orleans landing the No. 1 pick and the rights to choose Zion Williamson only further enhanced their leverage. Ainge must balance the risk. But the Celtics' situation has changed, too, in a year's time. They cannot bring back the same core, and might need another reason for Irving to consider a long-term stay. They are far from desperate but it's fair to wonder if the Leonard situation will make them think just that much harder about stomaching a bit more risk. If nothing else, it's a reminder that elite NBA talent does not become available that often - though maybe that's changing in an NBA that will see a lot of laundry turnover this summer - and teams might simply have to be more willing to roll the dice given that windows seem to be closing faster than ever around the league. 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/did-celtics-miss-opportunity-kawhi-193645412.html?src=rss |
Why are students at university so stressed? | Mounting social and academic pressures mean that higher education can be a challenge for any student. A Uni Health study found that 80% of those studying in higher education reported symptoms of stress or anxiety, while one NUS survey found that nine in 10 students experienced stress. Uncertainty around Brexit and rising living costs mean that many students dont feel confident about finding a job. Alex, an international relations and politics student at the University of Leicester, says hes constantly worried about graduate life. Theres that fear of having to adjust back to life back home. Is my CV up to scratch? While his institution offers career guidance, his plans weigh on his mind. Hannah Morrish, a psychotherapist and the higher education lead at The Student Room, says students are increasingly questioning whether university is worth the cost. The pressure to be successful and get a lucrative job role after graduation is high. Students worry that it wont work out and they wont achieve the success or personal return on investment. She recommends speaking to student advisers about hardship funding and getting a part-time job. Read more Leaving the structures of home and family for the first time can often exacerbate mental health problems. A 2019 poll of almost 38,000 UK students found that psychological illnesses are on the rise in higher education institutes, with a third stating they suffer from loneliness. Spending all day and night studying in the library will certainly help you feel more in control of your personal success, says Morrish, but book time in to do things you enjoy with people you like spending time with. Join in with student meets and societies. You dont have to commit indefinitely, just dip in and out and try new things in order to grow your social circle. For many students, a poor work-life balance is a huge contributing factor to mental health issues and stress. Morrish advises sticking to a schedule with space for recreational activities. Give yourself permission to create a routine which gets the best out of you. Often when were feeling the burn we stop doing things that make us feel good, like working out and cooking balanced meals. Minority students can experience a different level of isolation. Much has been written about how higher education can marginalise black students, with figures from the Office for Students recently reporting that white students are more likely to be awarded first class or upper second class degrees than black students. Sexism within Stem subjects, meanwhile, has been reported at all levels of academia. Grace Arena, a masters student in prosthetics and sculpture at Buckinghamshire New University, says shes picked up on gender biases from her tutors, almost all of whom are male. I definitely feel theres a gap in understanding between male tutors and female students and that can be quite difficult. Its always in the back of your mind that youre being taught by men, youre going to be applying for jobs with men, the workshops are run by men ... The prospect of being one of the best in the field, without having females in the industry already to look up to, is really quite hard. Rianna Walcott, 24, is a PhD candidate at Kings College London in digital humanities, and co-author of the book The Colour Of Madness. While studying, Walcott co-founded Project Myopia to promote inclusivity and run workshops around the minority experience in academia. There needs to be more support for students right now and especially minority students, she says. If we want the culture to change, students and staff need to take a stand. Higher education staff suffer 'epidemic' of poor mental health Read more Stress isnt only rising among undergraduates. A report commissioned by the Higher Education Policy Institute revealed that staff referrals to counselling and occupational health services have soared over recent years. The culture of academia is unstructured and performance-driven, often lending itself to overwork. For masters and PhD students who also teach, the lines between work and leisure-time are often blurred. Stress is unavoidable because you cant clock out, says Walcott. If you dont get a grant, you have to be able to support yourself in your PhD. Then theres a lot of invisible stuff you need to do to become employable; you have to be involved in conferences, teaching, networking. Your responsibilities increase the older you get in academia, but if course youre still living as a student with not nearly enough to actually live on. | https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/31/why-are-students-at-university-so-stressed |
What can the UK government do to support estate agents? | makibestphoto / Adobe Stock Its probably fair to say that the political establishment has been preoccupied with Brexit at the expense of key policy oversights such as housing, and estate agencies have been put under multiple new strains. Over the last few years, numerous changes to industry regulation and tax have piled pressure onto agents at a time when the market is already incredibly competitive, and margins are tighter than ever. Stamp duty Stamp duty is a hot topic amongst most of the agents and industry experts I speak to. Penalties on second homes, and increased stamp duty payable on homes valued over 937,500 have drastically stifled market activity. Many owners of more expensive homes have been deterred from trading up given the financial outlay a purchase would demand, which has impeded those in the mid-tier from being able to upsize to a larger property, claims Lisa Simon, Head of Residential at Carter Jonas. In many instances, homeowners are now electing to extend or renovate a property as moving can prove costly, with stamp duty regarded as wasted expenditure. As Simons explains, a property priced at 950,000, prior to autumn 2014, would have commanded 22,000 in stamp duty. Today, under the new stamp duty legislation, that same property would require 38,750 in stamp duty, or 67,250 if the buyers owned property elsewhere in the world an increase of 45,250. Anecdotally, one buyer likened it as going into 7% negative equity on day one, Simons adds. Recalculate at 1,750,000 and this is over 10%, so it is no wonder in a flat market that discretionary buyers are sitting back. Mark Homer, Co-founder of Progressive Property, adds, surely the time is now right for government to reform the stamp duty regime: to reduce headline rates, which ironically have reduced the treasurers SDLT receipts, especially at the top end which many believe is the primary reason residential property price falls as much as 25% have been experienced in prime London areas. Current regulations are clearly doing no favours for buyer, sellers, estate agents, or even government, and this point about London is a particularly interesting one. In the capital especially, where the average house price is so high, legislators should really be considering those that are reluctant to down-grade or equity release for the fear of being penalized by the current tax system. The Conservatives have attempted to mitigate the situation through a recent relaxation of planning laws which for some, will potentially mean they dont need to move. But this is an incomplete solution. The sales market has to be flexible to work at its most efficient, and stamp duty will have to be addressed directly for this to occur. To improve activity in the sales market, perhaps the government can also look to reform help-to-buy, which has to date, only really helped house-builders. Allowing Help to Buy on resale properties and allowing investment companies to set up property funds to Help to Buy are two ideas that spring to mind. Tenant Fees Ban At the moment, tenants can be charged admin fees such as tenancy renewal fees, referencing fees and credit check fees by landlords and letting agents. However, with the introduction of a new law on 1 June this will no longer be the case. Considering UK agency fees are already some of the lowest in the world, most agents see the legislation as a mistake. We wait to see what the reverberations of the Tenant Fees Ban will be but we can expect a minimum of hard-working property professionals to lose their jobs and at worst, I fear some businesses will just not be able to survive the drop in revenues, which are coupled with continued pressure on fees we can charge through online and cheap agencies who really cant offer the service required at these fees, explains Mark Noble of Castles Residential Sales & Lettings. I think it is clear within our industry that nobody is opposed to a fair fee structure but to virtually abolish the need for a tenant to contribute towards renting a property is a step too far. Noble expects a downturn in new landlords entering the market place, with existing landlords exiting the sector. The government, in their efforts to help tenants are likely to hinder them as there will be fewer properties to choose from and ultimately, the landlord will pass any cost inconvenience back on to the tenant with increases in rent. Standards for estate agents With the government planning a huge overhaul of the industry and sales process including mandatory qualifications for agents and greater transparency about referral fees when passing on client leads to solicitors, surveyors and mortgage brokers theres a concern that this could be detrimental to the industry. These measures were introduced to professionalise the market, designed to end rouge management agents, but some consider that its also throttling some of the freedoms estate agents had prior and putting the entire industry at risk, explains Mike Patterson, CEO of We Buy Any House. But not everyone sees the prospect of additional regulation of agents as a wholly negative thing. Ideally, when the Brexit storm settles, what wed like to see the government do to support the real estate industry is take more measures to penalise rogue agents who are not behaving ethically or fairly, says Finlay Brewers Paul Cosgrove. Bruce Burkitt, Founder of Property Experts, is inclined to agree, although he suggests that some agencies may be negatively impacted. By creating the need for individuals to study and obtain a qualification this will not only help deter opportunists from entering the industry but will improve the general publics perception of the Estate Agents and provide greater protection against any sharp practices. With the necessity for estate agents to become qualified and or licensed there would undoubtedly be an initial reduction in the number of agencies, adds Burkitt. However, this in turn would lead to a better level of service and the ability for agents to charge respectable fees. Housebuilding The issues surrounding the state of Britains housing are well known, and of course, low supply negatively impacts buyers who have to pay a premium for a limited choice of properties. But its easy to forget that poor supply also negatively impacts agents. Property Experts Bruce Burkitt proposes a couple of solutions. One involves enforcing the implementation of planning permissions granted. Currently, any planning permission granted must be implemented within a three-year period or the permission expires. By reducing the implementation period to two years this would encourage more projects to be built quicker and create a greater supply of homes for agents to sell and let. Burkitts second solution is to reduce the current number of stealth taxes levied on new build and conversion projects such as CIL and carbon tax contributions. This, in turn, would make schemes financially viable and would bring more stock to the market. Speed and fairness Another solution to boosting volumes, less frequently discussed, involves improving the efficiency of property transactions themselves. The government needs to follow through on its commitment to improving the buying and selling process, says Tim Purnell of Move & Save. By making it easier and less stressful for consumers to move home, this will, in turn, provide more business opportunities for estate agents. Craig Vile, director of The ValPal Network, representing over 800 estate agency brands, makes a similar argument. Overhauling the antiquated conveyancing process, which is responsible for lengthy delays and many fall-throughs every year. Any solutions aimed at making this process more efficient should be championed and the government can help the industry by supporting any PropTech start-ups working in this space. Besides speed and simplicity, perhaps theres also a point to be made about fairness. After all, in England and Wales, for example, an offer isnt legally binding until contracts are exchanged. This has created the potential for gazumping that is, making a higher offer for a house than someone whose offer has already been accepted by the seller. In my view, it makes sense to back a Scotland-style model whereby offers are treated as legally binding. This prevents buyers from being exploited. Final thoughts Importantly, the government needs to realize that its policies dont have to take sides. Good legislation for the property sector isnt about prejudicing landlords, tenants or estate agents so that a certain group can benefit. Smart regulation provides a fair and level playing field for all and enables the market as a whole to thrive. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/garybarker/2019/05/31/what-can-the-uk-government-do-to-support-estate-agents/ |
Is MacKenzie Bezos' philanthropy a force for good? | Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash MacKenzie Bezos ex-wife of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff announced she would be donating at least half of her $37 billion fortune to good causes. Signing up to the Giving Pledge an elite group of high net-worth individuals established by Warren Buffet and Bill Gates back in 2010 MacKenzie joins an influential group of individuals, couples and families who have and continue to donate the majority of their wealth to social causes. With social responsibility and philanthropy low on Amazons priority list until recently, understanding where the recent divorcee may invest her resources is yet to be seen, though her statement made clear it is a decision to be made with time, effort and care. Yet, with over $18 billion to play with, the question of how it will be spent is as important as where. Whilst donating to a specific cause or backing a charity makes for good media fodder, the potential to enable significant social progress (or not) requires scrutiny. The potential for uniformed giving is one major concern. Whilst supporting food banks and or donating to homeless shelters may alleviate immediate challenges, philanthropists could donate for decades, pouring money onto a symptom of deeper-rooted issues that require investment too. The temptation to address visible social issues, and allow short-term, story-worthy opportunities to take precedent over the harder, longer-term graft needed to create the systemic and cultural shifts required to address poverty and inequality, in addition to helping those impacted. Similarly of concern is the sanitised, arms-length approach that philanthropy props up. The privilege and power that giving away billions in spare change affords inherently underpins a them and us mentality, and starkly highlights the inequality theyre hoping to address. With tax subsidies for charitable giving, increasing brand kudos for those influential businesses and individuals who demonstrate their conscience, plus an automatic hall pass from tackling the cultural issues, political landscape or economic injustices that causes the issues theyre looking to address questions must be asked. When Amazon announced in 2018 that they were investing $2 billion in homelessness, the world was agog. That amount of money could go a significant way to shifting the needle on homelessness, but on closer inspection, the programme didnt add up. Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash Whilst investing in education and supporting families impacted by the issue is no bad thing, homelessness is underpinned by housing issues, insecure income and limited public resources with which to house or support people with exacerbated mental health and addiction issues. Considering Amazon have contributed to pushing house prices up in the cities where they have a significant presence, until recently paid less than a living wage to their manual workers and shut down a proposal from Seattle mayor to tax business to raise desperately needed public funds, Amazon has hindered efforts to address homelessness, and played a part in its rise. Education also wont relieve parental poverty, or support the many more single men, abused women, refugees or LGBTQ+ youth impacted by homelessness, so despite the positive press, Amazons efforts are more aligned with investing in the future workforce than addressing a still rising social issue. Far better at investing in root causes are Fair by Design, a collaborative social investment fund focused exclusively on the poverty premium. With people impacted more likely to pay more for goods and services to the tune of 490 per year according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation they have already raised and deployed 10 million to social innovation in this area. Backing organisations like Wagestream which aims to make redundant the payday loan industry, and Switchee which helps social housing providers find low-cost energy to pass on to tenants in the form of lower bills, these initiatives address the systemic issues as well as help the people most in need. Purpose marketing is now all the rage, as brands wake up to younger generations demand for conscientious companies to buy from. Gillette is case in point, as it turned from years of commodifying women to challenging toxic masculinity in a single ad. Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash Calling out the #metoo movement, mansplaining and abusive relationships, the Best a Man Can Be campaign was backed up by a $1 million fund, with the aim of donating to organisations and campaigns that help men achieve their personal best. Set to run over three years, the fund solidifies the brand's intention to shift the conversation, but questions remain around how. Toxic masculinity is still little understood as an issue in mainstream society, and its impact and root causes require deeper and sustained examination. It's not clear where the pot of money will be invested as yet, but what is clear is that three years is a small amount of time when you consider the grassroots work it took to bring sexual harassment to the fore of public consciousness. For good work here, look instead to organisations like Luminate. An offshoot of the Omidyar network funded and fuelled by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar back in 2004 the parent organisation tackles weighty topics of the likes of reimagining capitalism and beneficial technology. Luminate dives deeper, not just in the issues it tackles civic empowerment and digital rights for example but also in how it tackles. With a mission to build stronger societies, the organisation goes beyond funding and creates connections between its investees. Most importantly, the work also goes beyond the systemic, and impacts culture too. Its support of the Anti-Defamation league is case in point. At a time when anti-Semitic rhetoric is on the rise in Germany, and Britains Labour party has been mired in controversy over its mishandling of alleged abuses against Jewish MPs, enabling organisations which challenges, facilitate and change conversation is all important. The fears around organisations, funders and philanthropists are well versed and well founded, with the need to win PR brownie points central to the publics concern. The Chan Zuckerberg Institute, set up following the birth of the increasingly beleaguered Facebook founders first child, is a prime example. Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash Out of the couples vast fortune, $3 million was channelled into housing grants within the Bay area. Recognising the astronomical rise in house prices a median $2 million in the immediate areas around Silicon Valley techs success had taken San Franciscos housing market far beyond gentrification in just over a decade. Whilst contributing to an issue Facebook had played a considerable part in creating, and promising research into longer-term solutions for the housing crisis the organisation was intractably mired in, the money donated was seen as no more than a social sticking plaster. That, and effort to undo some of the increasingly bad press theyre receiving. Far more impactful is the work of the Lloyds Foundation. Recognising that grants are often only the start of social impact, the Enhance programme has allowed them not just to fund but develop the charities and social enterprises they support too. Providing mentoring, tailored development in everything from service development to strategy and fundraising, since launching, the banks corporate social responsibility initiative has helped over 350 organisations, linked up 400 mentors and more specifically, invested 2.6 million in domestic violence and sexual abuse initiatives. Recognising the long-term, sensitive and expertise needed to address such issues, its why theyve backed charities like Mankind, where trained service providers work with men in recovery from sexual abuse. Knowing empowering people requires far more than a bed for a night, its this kind of investment in those who help others that makes a significant difference. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencoulman/2019/05/31/is-mackenzie-bezos-philanthropy-a-force-for-good/ |
Why is there a Little Germany in Bradford? | Image caption German businessmen founded the Bradford Chamber of Commerce. Just outside Bradford city centre, there are dozens of unique buildings in an area called Little Germany. As part of the BBC's We Are Bradford project, people asked us about the origins of these "beautiful" buildings. They were mainly offices and warehouses built by German wool merchants who moved to Bradford in the 1800s. Richard Farrar, who recently visited the area on a day trip, said: "In industrial parts of West Yorkshire, the centres have a lot of history to offer. Latest news and updates from Yorkshire. "You forget that these buildings have got a history behind them. "They're often hidden round corners you might not expect and if you just take a little time and effort to have a stroll round, it's surprising what you discover." Image copyright Bradford Museums & Galleries Image caption Just outside Bradford city centre, there are dozens of unique buildings. These structures were built after Bradford's economy experienced a huge boom in the 1800s as the wool trade grew rapidly in the city. Many German merchants, who were attracted by the business potential in the area, moved to Bradford as a result. Elizabeth Llabres, curator of Social History at Bradford Museums, said: "The German businessmen were generally from a wealthier background and had a powerful influence on trade and the development of the town. "They were not necessarily at the manufacturing end, but at the trade end where a lot of the money is being made. "The merchants helped streamline and simplify the business of selling woollen goods and helped widen Bradford's markets." Image caption Richard Farrar said: "You forget that these buildings have got a history behind them." Well-known German businessmen, such as Sir Jacob Behrens, created the Bradford Chamber of Commerce which promoted Bradford's goods worldwide. As the wool business thrived in Bradford, a lot of the businessmen built warehouses in the area that would become Little Germany. Munro Price, Professor of International History at Bradford University, said: "Without the German influence, Bradford wouldn't have been so affluent. The German merchants saw a huge opportunity and made it into a global city." But the German influence in Bradford wasn't limited to just the wool industry, the merchants had a huge cultural impact too through acts of philanthropy. Image caption The German influence in Bradford was more than just in the wool industry. Sir Jacob Behrens founded Bradford's Eye and Ear Hospital and German businessmen also financed other projects in Bradford, such as the construction of St George's Hall. Ms Llabres said: "Germans living in Bradford developed a lively middle and upper class community and established cultural clubs and societies." These included supporting the Bradford Festival Choral Society and forming links with the Halle Orchestra, which held an annual season of concerts in Bradford. Prof Price said: "In terms of culture, the Bradford Germans had a big impact. "They were extremely important as they were the key people in the city." This article was created as part of We Are Bradford - a BBC project with the people of the city to tell the stories which matter to them. You can submit suggestions using the tool below. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-48352524 |
How Important Is Goal Setting In Growing Rich? | There are so many books on the subject of getting rich and they underline the importance of setting goals. Napoleon Hills Hypothesis The goal-setting approach originated with Napoleon Hill. His book, Think and Grow Rich, has sold more than 60 million copies around the world since its publication in 1937, and is the epitome of self-help, wealth-creation literature. The steel magnate Andrew Carnegie encouraged Hill to interview the 500 most successful men in the United States and to use his findings to develop a method that would lead to success. Hills central hypothesis was, When you begin to think and grow rich, you will observe that riches begin with a state of mind, with definiteness of purpose, with little or no hard work. According to Hill, only those driven by an unquenchable desire for wealth will become rich. He claimed that wealth can only be achieved by making a commitment, in writing, to achieving a specific financial target within a specifically defined period of time. And, according to Hill, this goal needs to be anchored in the subconscious using the techniques of autosuggestion. Goal-Setting Theory The correlation between goal-setting and success has been widely researched by scholars. The theory of goal-setting, which was developed by Edwin A. Locke of the University of Maryland and Gary P. Latham of the University of Toronto, is of major relevance. Based on hundreds of scientific studies conducted all over the world, researchers have found that specific, difficult goals lead to higher performance than no goals, or vague, abstract goals such as do your best. Scholars working in the field of entrepreneurship research have confirmed that the same applies to entrepreneurs: Those who set themselves ambitious and specific goals as entrepreneurs get further than those who set themselves no or only vague goals. The Psychology Of The Superrich For a doctoral dissertation on the psychology of the superrich in 2015, interviews were conducted with 45 self-made entrepreneurs and investors. The interviewees also completed a psychological test. Most of them had net assets of between $30 million and $1 billion. The interviews were designed to explore a range of issues, including the importance of setting financial goals as the foundation of entrepreneurial success. For many of the interviewees, the written formulation of goals played an important role. Some of these wealthy individuals followed the advice given in popular wealth literature to the letter. They set themselves specific financial goals and precise deadlines for achieving them. An astonishing number of interviewees described a process of detailed goal-setting, which they carried out once a year. They took the time to define milestones for the next year, while also reviewing the goals they had set for the previous year in order to assess what they had achieved. Only Written And Quantifiable Goals Are Ultimately Verifiable A number of interviewees carried out this review at shorter, more regular intervalsevery month and, in some cases, even on a daily basis. Such planning needs to be done in writing, as many emphasized. Only written and quantifiable goals are ultimately verifiable. Many described the detailed visualization techniques or other rituals that they are convinced help them to reach their goals. One interviewee had worked with a feng shui consultant to create a wealth corner in his house, where he prayed every day to achieve his financial goals, and one had fixed an aspirational 1,000,000,000 ($1.12 billion) in large figures above his office door. Another detailed the 200 questions he regularly asks himself and answers in writing. Yet another spends one week at the beginning of each year fasting and setting his goals for the year ahead. Nevertheless, not all of the interviewees employed such goal-setting techniques. A number explained that, although they set revenue targets for their companies, they did not formulate any personal financial goals. Others expressed general skepticism and questioned whether it is at all possible or worthwhile to set life goals. The hypothesis of popular wealth literature, that it is only possible to achieve great wealth by setting down specific, quantifiable financial goals in writing and constantly visualizing these goals, was not confirmed. This can be a path to wealth, but it is by no means the only one. It would also appear to be less than likely that everyone Napoleon Hill spoke to when he was writing Think and Grow Rich formulated all of their goals in writing and consistently followed the methods he described. Even though Hill claimed to have spoken to large numbers of people who were either wealthy or had been very successful in other areas of life, it is impossible to verify exactly what methods they used, and it is important to remember that Hills book was far from a scholarly work. So although there are different paths to wealth and some entrepreneurs became wealthy without this being their primary goal, there are many who did set themselves specific financial targets. And anyone who sets themselves the goal of becoming rich should follow Napoleon Hills methods. Above all, they should set clear financial objectives and anchor their goals into their subconscious using the techniques of autosuggestion. Of course, there are entrepreneurs who have become rich without setting financial goals. Nevertheless, anchoring ambitious goals in the subconscious is still a proven method to achieve success of any kind. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/rainerzitelmann/2019/05/31/how-important-is-goal-setting-in-growing-rich/ |
Who will replace UK Prime Minister Theresa May? | The dust had barely settled on Theresa Mays tearful resignation speech before candidates began lining up to replace her. The next leader of the Conservative Party, and by default the next prime minister, will have a huge task on their hands. Eleven members of Parliament have declared their intention to be the next Conservative leader. That person will face the same goals that May failed to achieve to unite the country and deliver Brexit, which is far easier said than done. Hannah Mckay/Reuters According to the Institute for Government, here's how the process of electing a new leader works: The election takes place in two stages. In the first stage (shortlisting), Conservative MPs put their own names forward. In the 2016 leadership election, they also needed the nominations of two other MPs to be allowed to stand. MPs then vote in a series of rounds to whittle down the candidates. In each round, the person with the fewest votes is removed. This continues until there are only two candidates remaining. Then, in stage two, the party membership is balloted on which of the two candidates they prefer. Lets take a look at the lead contenders. Boris Johnson The former mayor of London, Johnson is currently the favorite to be next prime minister. He is massively popular with the Conservative Party membership. He is, however, a divisive figure. He led the official campaign to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum, which bolsters his Brexit credentials, but he is not known for his political honesty. According to reports in the British media, Johnson has been ordered to appear in court over allegations that he lied during the Referendum campaign. He is also greatly admired by President Trump, who recently declared him a friend. Ben Cawthra/REX via Shutterstock Michael Gove The second favorite is the current secretary of state for the environment, Michael Gove. He campaigned for Brexit alongside Johnson in the 2016 referendum, but unlike his rival, he supported Theresa May all the way. He is generally considered a highly intelligent reformer with big ideas, who could prove to be a wily negotiator as the Oct. 31 deadline for leaving the EU approaches. Hannah Mckay/Reuters Dominic Raab Dominic Raab formerly served as Brexit secretary, a position that meant he was supposedly in charge of the negotiations. He resigned in 2017, claiming that the deal Theresa May had negotiated left the U.K. too closely tied to the EU. After he resigned he became one of the prime ministers staunchest critics. Raab claims to be a details man, despite being accused by an opposition lawmaker that he doesnt even understand the very basics of Brexit. Andrea Leadsom Leadsom is a former senior government minister who resigned on the eve of Mays departure. She unsuccessfully ran against May for the party leadership in 2016. Her campaign was marred by controversy after she told The Times, Britain's daily newspaper, that being a mother gave her a very real stake in Britains future. She later apologized to May, who does not have children. She is a staunch Brexit supporter but that alone is unlikely to secure her enough support to win. STF/AFP/Getty Images Rory Stewart Stewart, initially a Remain supporter (the only one among the favorites) who supported Theresa Mays Brexit plan, is considered a dark horse in the race for the Conservative leadership. He is considered to be rather inexperienced, as his highest role in government has only been as secretary of state for international development. He has been by far the most vocal of the prospective leaders so far, traveling around the country to speak to ordinary voters. He has said he will rule out leaving the EU without a deal. Stewart also had a colorful career before entering politics. He wrote a bestselling memoir about walking across Afghanistan in 2002. He recently admitted to smoking opium on a trip to Iran, which he called a stupid mistake. | https://abcnews.go.com/International/replace-prime-minister-theresa/story?id=63346233 |
Why are Mel C, Nicola Roberts and Rebecca Ferguson performing in restaurants? | There is always a point in any gig where the singer introduces the band, for instance when you think: Id love a sit down and a bowl of pudding. Well, now pop stars are agreeing by playing gigs in restaurants. London-based Scottish-themed restaurant Boisdale (described by Tatler as Londons No 1 jazz venue) has been booking blues, jazz and soul musicians to entertain diners since 1999. But recently, it has started to hire more pop acts: Mel C performed in May last year; Rebecca Ferguson has played a residency; and ex-Sugababe Mutya Buena will appear in November. To decide on the acts, the restaurant groups managing director, Ranald Macdonald, gets suggestions from staff and friends. [Then] we look at how many Spotify plays an artist has had in London, how recently and where theyve performed. Our customer base is very diverse, at least three generations, and people from different corners of the world. Or, sometimes, we just book an act because we want to. Nicola Roberts appeared there last month only the second time shes performed live in six years. She agreed, she says, because in an arena, with Girls Aloud, its a big production and you dont have time to talk to the crowd about the songs. With this, it was more personal and intimate. Im so glad I agreed because I remembered how much I love to sing. You spend so much time in a studio writing for other people, you forget you sing, you know? Almost half a century ahead of the current trend was PizzaExpress. For 50 years, the Dean Street branch in Soho has hosted jazz every night. Amy Winehouse, Ed Sheeran, Jamie Cullum and, more recently, Will Young, Pixie Lott and Seal have played there. PizzaExpress Live music manager Ross Dines admits that it takes a little extra effort to make the nights work; you dont want singers distracted by a customer signalling for the bill. Service throughout the performance needs to be both attentive yet, at the same time, invisible, he says. Macdonald says that his restaurants dont have rules about talking during performances, but people know how to behave. Look: its not going to work for every band. Thats going to get messy. We cant see Drake competing for your attention with a pollo ad astra. But, as Roberts says, it can work if done right. The thing is, Boisdale is built for music performances; its not as if a stage has been built in a random restaurant. I would never do that, it doesnt feel credible or authentic to me, she says. And I was lucky in that I was playing to fans having a bit of dinner, not to a room full of businessmen in a Canary Wharf. For anyone whos ever eaten a burger from a hatch at a gig, this new trend is both great and potentially life-saving news. Bring on the dinner. | https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/may/31/food-for-thought-why-is-mel-c-performing-in-a-restaurant |
Are Professional Services Firms Finally Championing A Sea-change in Flexible Working? | Getty Flex Goes Mainstream In the last five years in the UK we have been experiencing an explosion in flexible working due to changing attitudes and technology, wellbeing benefits for employees and cost savings for businesses. Early flexible-working practices often emerged in response to demands from working parents and mothers in particular. They have, without doubt, transformed opportunities for women, helping to keep them in the workforce, but these policies are now becoming mainstreamed and rolled out for everyone. According to Sarah Churchman OBE, Chief Inclusion, Community & Wellbeing Officer at PwC, 80% of their workforce are millennials with an average age of 28. The importance of flexibility is high on their agenda and we need to change. Flexibility certainly remains an important piece of the jigsaw for gender diversity, but it has to be for everyone. The millennial generation is more likely to share parental responsibility and references to maternity are now increasingly restated as parental leave. Liz Cope, Global Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at Linklaters, explains: By normalising it for everyone you reduce the stigma. According to Fleur Bothwick OBE, Director of Diversity & Inclusive Leadership EMEIA at EY, Although more junior employees want to have flexibility to work different hours, they dont necessarily want to work from home. They want to work collaboratively and feel part of the culture, but they do want to have a say in when and how they get their work done. This weaves a rich tapestry of employee requests and the need for a flexible response. A Move Away From Formal Flexible-Working Contracts A focus on informal flexibility is echoed in all of the conversations I have had. Sarah Churchman confirms that, Informal flexibility is much more commonplace now rather than formal arrangements, with only 10% of our workforce with formal flexible-working contracts. Fleur Bothwick agrees: Our number-one priority for the next five years is to get more women in leadership positions; informal flexibility and a non-traditional approach to work seem to be how we can make this happen. This is a move away from contractual relationships to a more informal dialogue, from presenteeism to empowering people themselves to get things done. Ringing The Changes In Law Traditional law firms have been notoriously slow to adapt but even here change is afoot. Liz Cope comments that her firm, Linklaters, is working hard to be at the forefront of changes in law. She believes the mindset of individuals has changed dramatically and that technology offers fantastic opportunities to make flexible working a key part of their appeal for staff. Were proactively talking about it internally and externally and made it a central part of our business strategy. It is a key part of what we offer There is good understanding that if we want to attract and retain people and commit to having a diverse and inclusive workforce we have to do this. It is a huge opportunity for us; we need to respond. The business needs to be agile. Communication And Four Cornerstones For Making Flex Work Absolutely critical to making all this work is communication. Four recurring themes emerge: maintaining open and honest conversations, building trust, embracing technology and investing in staff training. Open And Honest Conversations Liz Cope talks about building collegiality and relationships through open and honest conversations, encouraging teams to have ongoing discussions around how they will manage their relationships and how they will communicate. Its simple but its really crucial to making it work. Sarah Churchman at PwC explains: It is hard to change the habit of a lifetime! We believe in the importance of role modeling the right behaviors and suggest that our partners talk more about flexible working. They now sit not in their office but in workspaces with staff and talk about the benefits. These issues have to be addressed. Fleur Bothwick explains: The hot-desking culture does have its benefits, but dont overlook the need for collaboration, team-building, camaraderie and strategic networking. Trust Trust is another recurring theme. Leila Ebrahimi, co-lead of PwC Reward, People and Organization in South Africa, says: We encourage new employees to stick to regular hours for six months so that we can engender this trust. Other organizations have changed their policies to empower their employees with this trust from the day they join. Technology Technology is a crucial tool in building trust and communication . Sarah Churchman of PwC explains: You need to have great tech in place. If this doesnt work, it can make flexible working a headache. Linklaters encourages their staff to use tools such as video calls and instant messenger. Social media also makes it possible to show where people are working. Leila Ebrahimi in South Africa cites the benefit of Google Hangouts and Google Chat: Everyone can see youre on so they know youre at your desk. Staff Training And Coaching As well as ensuring that staff are trained appropriately in the technology and ways of working flexibly, Fleur Bothwick also highlights a potentially challenging aspect of home-working that needs to be addressed and managed: People that work from home can sometimes be quite vulnerable and experience higher levels of stress. Things can get out of proportion when you are working alone a lot of the time. For example, it only takes one rude email to be taken in the wrong way. If you are not in the office, you dont bump into someone, have a quick chat to distract you and move on. She adds: At the leadership level there is also still quite a long way to go in changing the mindset of some traditional partners who still believe the more junior team should be in the office. This stems from a lack of trust and the perceived need for supervision and control (especially around regulatory work) partners are also sometimes worried about people taking confidential work home with them. I hope you will help to share the stories of where flex is working and how it can bring benefits both to employees and to organizations. Lets create a culture of trust and outputs rather than how long people are at their desks , and, as Liz Cope says, lets leave the outdated culture of presenteeism behind. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joyburnford/2019/05/31/are-professional-services-firms-finally-championing-a-sea-change-in-flexible-working/ |
Can The Detroit Pistons Capitalize On The Instability Of The Houston Rockets? | ASSOCIATED PRESS As teams look to improve entering the offseason, there can be external factors that influence how things unfold across the league. For example, just a couple seasons ago the Detroit Pistons were poised to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a massive contract which would have been a drastic overpay. However, in a situation which seemed to be completely unrelated at the time, Gordon Hayward had a decision to make between the Utah Jazz, the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. Hayward chose Boston, which meant the Celtics needed to jettison salary in order to consummate the signing, so they sent Avery Bradley to Detroit in exchange for Marcus Morris. Bradley didn't have a great stretch in his brief stint in Detroit, but he was a factor in the deal with the Los Angeles Clippers that brought Blake Griffin to the Pistons. As with life, no event in the NBA occurs in a vacuum. Gordon Hayward signing with the Celtics was the flitting of the butterfly's wings that unleashed a set of circumstances which provided the Detroit Pistons with one of the best players in the history of the franchise. If Hayward had simply signed with the Jazz or Heat or somebody else, the Pistons would likely be saddled with several more expensive years of Caldwell-Pope instead of several more expensive years of a suddenly peak-level Blake Griffin. An outside element which the Detroit Pistons should be keeping an eye on is the developing dysfunction with the Houston Rockets. With the Rockets being less than willing to spend (and owner Tilman Fertitta claiming staying under the luxury tax line was "a fluke" in spite of not using their mid-level exception last summer), and major disconnects between Fertitta and general manager Daryl Morey with regards to coaching leading to a lame-duck head coach in Mike D'Antoni with a gutted core of assistant coaches, the organization is looking to shake up its roster as well. The Rockets have made it known that everybody (with the likely exception of James Harden) is available in trade talks, including Chris Paul and Clint Capela. While ostensibly this willingness to deal is in order to increase their competitive ability to stick with the Golden State Warriors in battling to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, given Fertitta's track record as owner it's not unlikely to assume that the Rockets might be looking to cut costs should the opportunity provide itself. As for the Detroit Pistons' interest in the matter, their roster isn't optimized to trade for anything the Houston Rockets likely want. It's very unlikely the Pistons could put together a package for Chris Paul, although something involving Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway's expiring 2019 contracts would provide the Rockets tremendous long-term financial relief. Again, the Rockets are claiming to be considering moves in order to improve their team, and while Paul is surely on the decline at the age of 34, there's next to no chance that Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway will be able to provide replacement or improved performance compared to what Paul can bring to the table. The Detroit Pistons have no reason to inquire about Capela with their own expensive center, Andre Drummond, under contract. For that matter, the Rockets are unlikely to be interested for plenty of reasons including the fact that Capela is simply cheaper and fits their strategy better than Drummond could. Eric Gordon is an intriguing target for the Pistons, but it's hard to envision a trade which matches salaries appropriately and leaves both teams feeling as though they have improved enough to want to make a deal. He is also on an expiring contract, which holds its own inherent value for the Rockets given that if they do want to get off his salary they can simply let it run out at the end of next season. It's hard to know exactly what the Houston Rockets are looking for, but at least at a glance the Detroit Pistons don't fit much of what makes sense for them. However, chaos finds a way to create the unexpected. Much like the Pistons didn't expect to get Blake Griffin as a byproduct of Gordon Hayward signing with the Boston Celtics, the uncertainty surrounding the Rockets may provide sudden routes for the Pistons to capitalize. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/duncansmith/2019/05/31/can-the-detroit-pistons-capitalize-on-the-instability-of-the-houston-rockets/ |
When is the best time to plant a new shade tree in Texas? | Try this strategy Learn a simple, add-as-you-go strategy for building a backyard oasis. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Learn a simple, add-as-you-go strategy for building a backyard oasis. Carefully chosen and strategically planted shade trees, if theyre of the best species, will add thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars in value to a Texas home. Simply put, shade sells! It stands to reason, then, that you should maximize your return on the dollars you spend. Landscape contractors plant trees all year long. Fall is an outstanding time, but you can certainly take advantage of end-of-spring sales right now. Transport your new trees home carefully. Wrap their tops to protect the foliage from highway winds. Plant them as soon as youre home, and resolve to water them thoroughly several times weekly all summer long. Start with the best Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to Star-Telegram content across all your devices. SAVE NOW These are some of your very best options in large shade trees for North Texas landscapes. I always list seven. Four are oaks (live oak, Shumard red oak, chinquapin oak and bur oak). They and two others are native here (also including pecans and cedar elms). You might also consider Chinese pistachios. If I need a large pyramidal evergreen I recommend eastern redcedar juniper. If a person doesnt mind slower growth I suggest southern magnolia. And for smaller trees at maturity, my list would include Little Gem or Teddy Bear dwarf magnolias, golden raintree, Mexican plum or redbud. Buy from a reputable nursery that has trees at all months of the year (instead of a national chain store that has a significant garden department for only a few months each spring). Choose the best location The first shade tree in your landscape will add the most value. The second one will add slightly less. By the time you add several more you may actually see diminishing returns on your investments because they will grow to crowd into one another. Position your new tree carefully. It should not be in the exact center of its space in the garden. Dont align it with other trees up and down the block or with neighbors fences. Let it appear to have been planted by the random hand of Nature. Your landscape will appear much more relaxed if you do. Set the new tree at the same depth at which it was growing in its container. Use the extra soil left over from digging the hole to create a bowl around it. That will facilitate watering it by hand for its first year or two in your landscape. Sprinkler irrigation alone will not be enough. Soak it deeply every two or three days through its first growing season. Stake your new tree to hold it absolutely plumb. Keep the guy wires taut, and pad the trunk so they wont wear through its bark. The wires should be halfway up the trunk for the best anchoring. Remove the wires when the trees roots are secure enough to hold it upright without staking. Be sure not to leave wires in place long enough that they could girdle the trunk, that is, that the trunk could begin to grow around the wires and cut off the flow of manufactured sugars from the leaves back down to the roots through the outer tissues of the trunk. One of the most critical tasks is frequently overlooked. Protect the trunk with paper tree wrap for the first 18-24 months to prevent sunscald and subsequent borer invasion. New trees are especially vulnerable because their thin, new bark hasnt been out in the sun while they were being produced pot-to-pot in the nursery. Thin-barked trees such as Shumard red oaks, chinquapin oaks, Chinese pistachios and maples are frequently killed by sunscald on their south or west sides when theyre planted and not protected. The sad part is that it happens after two or three years, long after any warranty of the new tree has expired. A few dollars of paper tree wrap and two minutes to apply it would be all it would have taken to protect them. When it comes time for professional care Youve invested years in growing your trees. Theyre almost mature, and theyre beautiful. Theyve become the investments you had hoped that they would. Ask for referrals from neighbors with fine landscapes. The simple question might be, Who does your tree work? Ask owners and managers of independent retail garden centers, preferably Texas Master Certified Nursery Professionals. Theyll know who the best companies are. Pay attention to which crews are in your neighborhood and watch how carefully theyre doing their jobs. Look at the equipment theyre using. Check their websites for the professional achievements of their employees. Youll want an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist on site as your work is being done. That man or woman has passed the exams to prove he or she is well versed in proper care of landscape trees. Your trees deserve that professionalism. As best youre able, look for the companys safety practices. Read about their credentials, leadership and awards online. Some of it will be on their website, but youll also find stories written about the good companies and work that theyve done within their communities. Many of them are going to be locally owned businesses, not national institutions with branch offices. The good companies give back to make their communities better. Trees are a great place to start. You can hear Neil Sperry on KLIF 570AM on Saturday afternoons 1-3 pm and on WBAP 820AM Sunday mornings 8-10 am. Join him at www.neilsperry.com and follow him on Facebook. | https://www.star-telegram.com/living/home-garden/neil-sperry/article230954603.html |
Is Wall Street's Abercrombie & Fitch Love Affair Over? | Investors may not be ready to break up with Abercrombie & Fitch for the longterm, although the fashion retailers stock declining as much as 34% this week might indicate otherwise. The drop was an eye-opener, since the teen-to-young-adult Abercrombie chain, along with its surf-oriented Hollister stores, had been Wall Street sweethearts during an impressive two-year brand turnaround. I think the significant decline in stock price was just a normalization, closer to where their price should have been if it were not for the mask created by the success of Hollister over the past two years, Tyler Higgins, leader of the retail practice at AArete, tells Fortune. The companys stock started its nosedive after a Wednesday earnings call announced same-store sales grew by 1%, rather than the 1.4% estimated by analysts. The company also stated its plans to close three of its flagship stores. In just over 24 hours, Abercrombies stock lost $441.5 million in market capitalization. By Thursday, share prices dropped to $16.92 from $25.64. While Hollister is a major source of revenue for its parent company, and has largely been credited for Abercrombies recent growth, consumer interest has shown signs of leveling. Hollisters same-store sales fell 1.4% short of analysts predictions, rising only 2% this quarter. This time last year, sales had grown 6%. What that trend did was mask the overall problem that has plagued all mall retailers, Higgins says. Abercrombie has a foot-traffic problem. This lackluster mall shopping was exacerbated by something as simple as bad weather. In the U.S., where the bulk of Abercrombie & Fitchs business is, recent mall traffic trends deteriorated, in part reflecting a cooler spring versus last year, Marie Driscoll, the managing director of Luxury & Fashion at Coresight Research, tells Fortune. Although investors might be wary about the closure of a Hollister flagship store in New York and two Abercrombie & Fitch flagships in Japan and Italy, as CEO Fran Horowitz assured them Wednesday, large format, expensive flagships are not part of our go-forward strategy, since customers now prefer smaller, more intimate, omni-channel focused spaces. For a couple years, Abercrombie has been investing in smaller locations to create more personalized and engaging experienceslike technologically savvy fitting rooms. At the end of its first quarter, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. had 857 stores globally, with 660 in the United States. By the end of the year, it expects to close up to 40 Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch stores globally and open 85 new experiences, which includes new stores and remodels. Abercrombie is realizing what numerous others have and that is: Flagship stores can tax a retailers business, especially as they evaluate a major transformation, Higgins says. The upside of the transformation is that Abercrombie is becoming more nimble as they improve customer experience as well as productivity of their stores. The downside is that the smaller stores put a greater tax on operating costs for each store to maintain revenue growth in a small format. A Looming Trade War A new round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, ordered by President Donald Trump, threaten additional costs of 25% on fashion apparel, which could take a toll on Abercrombie. Horowitz told investors the company is proactively reducing the amount of merchandise sourced from China. While Abercrombie in 2017 imported approximately 40% of its U.S. merchandise from China, in 2018 it reduced imports to 25%, and hopes to lower its reliance to 20% by the end of 2019. Many apparel and retail executives have conservative outlooks near term as we work out trade and tariff issues, Driscoll says. The higher tariffs will impact margins and earnings near term for many. In tandem with other apparel brands and retailers, concerns about the U.S.-China tariff uncertainty has slowed purchases among the fast-growing Chinese middle class/luxury shopper, both in the U.S. and in China, where Abercrombie has 12 stores. While Abercrombies position might seem precarious with its stock declining and looming trade wars, it certainly isnt the only fashion retailer taking a beating in the market. Although investors point to Hollisters leveling sales, Abercrombies namesake brand has actually exceeded analysts expectations: Same-store Abercrombie & Fitch store sales actually increased by 1.5%. This is a testament to the companys growth since it changed its image to one that touts inclusion, after ditching its exclusive, over-priced, and over-sexualized branding in 2015the year the American Customer Satisfaction Index dubbed it the most hated retailer in the U.S. Whats more, Horowitz told analysts that its cologne, Fierce, saw its best comp in more than five years, with about half of recent identified purchases coming from customers that we believe are new to the brand. This comes four months after the colognes rebrand, and two years after Abercrombie stopped spraying the overpowering scent throughout it dark, techno-blaring stores. While there are certainly challenges ahead, Higgins doesnt believe the companys situation is dire. I believe this quarter was a long time coming, but its an inevitable outcome of the changes that Abercrombie has been working on. | http://fortune.com/2019/05/31/abercrombie-fitch-hollister-stock-decline-china-import-tariffs-trade-war/ |
Why is the Minnesota Legislatures session so short? | With the arrival of spring came an all-too-familiar flurry of headlines for Suzanne OConnor. State lawmakers in St. Paul were once again locked in a stalemate over the budget and other key policy debates, as the May 20 deadline for the Legislature to adjourn rapidly approached. The end-of-session scramble raised a question for the retired federal government worker from St. Paul. They never get anything done, so why not extend it out and give them more time to get it done? OConnor asked. OConnor took her inquiry to Curious Minnesota, our community-driven reporting project fueled by great questions from inquisitive readers. Her question Why is the Minnesota Legislatures session so short was selected by readers who also wanted us to answer that question. The board in the House Chamber says the House is adjourned until Feb. 11, 2020. A special session was required to finish much of the work that was not completed before the regular session ended. The short answer (pun intended): Because the state Constitution says so. The Constitution currently limits each two-year session of the state House and Senate to a maximum of 120 days. Article IV, Section 12 of the document dictates that each biennium begins on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year. For the current session, that meant lawmakers gaveled in on January 8. The session must end after the first Monday following the third Saturday in May of any year. This year, that date was Monday, May 20. While the timing of the session has traditionally stretched through the winter and early spring a convention historians believe was intended to accommodate farmers serving in what framers hoped would be a part-time citizen Legislature the length of sessions fluctuated over the years. At statehood, the Legisalture met annually for as long as they wanted, according to David Schmidtke, deputy director of the Legislative Reference Library. That first session, which spanned 1857 to 1858, the Legislature met a whopping 254 days. After that, they scaled back to 60 days most years. By 1877, lawmakers decided to trim the schedule even more. At the urging of the then-governor, the Legislature agreed to meet 60 days every two years. The limit bumped up to 90 days just a decade later. In the 1960s, it was increased again, to the current cap of 120. The requirement that the Legislature gavel out by late May came into being at a 1972 Constitutional Convention. That depends. Each state has its own rules governing the legislative calendar, and schedules vary significantly. Legislators in Utah met for just six weeks this year. Others, including in California, are full-time and convene year-round. Four states Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and Texas meet every other year. Eleven place no limit on how many days the Legislature can meet. Of course, the end of the regular session in Minnesota doesnt mean legislators are done for the year. The constitution also gives the governor the authority to call a special session to put legislators back to work on unfinished or urgent business, including passing a state budget. Just because these sessions are special doesnt mean theyre rare. In recent years, legislators have needed more time to finish their work. This year was no exception. Lawmakers returned to their respective chambers for a one-day special session that ended at 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 25. The prevalence of special sessions is another element of state government that really irks OConnor, especially given the fact that lawmakers can collect per-diem payments that add to their base salary when they return to St. Paul to tie up loose ends they didnt finish in time. For that reason, the 71-year-old found the reason behind the deadline interesting, but not satisfying. If thats the case and they dont want to change it, they need to look at the time involved and how they spend it, she said. | http://www.startribune.com/why-is-the-minnesota-legislature-s-session-so-short/510139241/ |
Is Swedens flight shame movement dampening demand for air travel? | The chief executive of one of Scandinavias largest airlines has blamed the flight shame movement for a fall in passenger numbers in Sweden, where concern about climate change has inspired people to give up flying. Rickard Gustafson, chief executive of SAS, told Danish newspaper Dagens Nringsliv that he was convinced the movement was behind a slump in Swedish air traffic, which reportedly fell by five per cent in the first quarter of 2019. Passenger numbers rose by 4.4 per cent in Europe during the same period. The airline also blamed the weak Swedish krone. Spread via social media, the flygskam (flight shame) movement has received celebrity endorsement from local stars in Sweden, including the former Olympian biathlete, Bjrn Ferry, who has pledged to quit flying. He declined a request to be interviewed by Telegraph Travel. Ferry isnt the only high-profile Swede refusing to fly. Greta Thunberg, the teenage climate activist who inspired students around the world to strike over climate change, has also quit air travel. Greta is one of Sweden's most prominent no fliers Credit: Getty Images Europe/Michael Campanella More Thunberg famously took the train (journey time: 32 hours) to attend Januarys World Economic Forum in Davos, where she shamed delegates who jetted in on private jets. Sweden has a curious relationship with air travel. While it appears to be leading a campaign against it, the countrys emissions from aviation are five times higher than the global average, according to a report by Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. However, there are signs that Swedes are shifting towards more sustainable transport: while the countrys airports report falling passenger numbers, a local railway company, SJ, claims bookings on some routes have increased by as much as 100 per cent. Swedens flight shame movement now appears to be taking off in the UK where a sister campaign, Flight Free UK (flightfree.co.uk), launched in February to encourage Britons to quit flying in 2020. The idea is to get 100,000 people to pledge not to fly next year, said lead campaigner, Anna Hughes, who describes the movement as a sort of Veganuary for aviation. Flight Free UK is also campaigning to make the cost of alternative forms of transport fairer. At the moment aviation is heavily subsidised the tax on kerosine is very low whereas alternative forms of transport are often prohibitively expensive, she said. Aviation currently accounts for three per cent of global CO2 emissions, but according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) the industrys carbon footprint could rise by as much as 700 per cent over the next three decades in a business-as-usual scenario. Ryanair alone is already considered one of Europe's ten biggest carbon polluters. Aviation needs to quickly reduce its emissions, said Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel, which is campaigning for a global tax on kerosine to fund research and development into cleaner alternatives. He added: We need to fly less for the next 30 years until we get electric or other decarbonised forms of air travel. SAS told Telegraph Travel that it will act faster to reduce emissions. We need to accelerate our work towards more sustainable air travel, a spokesperson said. Aviation accounts for 3 per cent of global CO2 emissions Credit: GETTY More Meanwhile, Easyjet has claimed that it will be flying electric planes within a decade. The Norwegean government has also set a goal of making all short-haul flights electric by 2040. In the meantime people can switch holidays with flights to those with trains or closer to home, and take fewer but longer overseas holidays with flights, suggested Francis. | https://news.yahoo.com/sweden-flight-shame-movement-dampening-134232327.html |
How Tough Can It Be To Start A Cannabis Franchise? | Harvesting product for ONE Cannabis, a Colorado-based dispensary franchise. courtesy of ONE Cannabis Franchising in the U.S. is part of the nations business culture and an economic force, generating $451 billion last year. So its not surprising that entrepreneurs in the world of cannabis are attracted to the fast growth it can provide. One such player in the cannabis industry is Christian Hageseth, cofounder of Colorado-based Green Man Cannabis, a grower and dispenser of the crop. Hageseth has been toiling in the space for years. His varied career began after college, working in ice cream retail, IT recruitment, mortgage banking and home investment. In 2009, a chance meeting with a cannabis dispensary owner inspired him to enter the industry as a grower in Colorado, providing marijuana for medical patients. The entrepreneur in me was fully engaged with this concept of legal cannabis and what it might be, he says. Along the way Hageseths company opened its own dispensaries and created new strains of award-winning cannabis. Christian Hageseth, CEO of ONE Cannabis. courtesy of ONE Cannabis Hageseth latest venture, with COO Mike Weinberger (a lawyer and formerly the CEO of Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies), is the development of a Denver-based retail concept called ONE Cannabis that will sell the plants Green Man grows. To date, the company has sold the rights to five locationsall in Coloradoeach for a $130,000 franchise fee, though the company estimates it costs franchisees between $325,000 and $1.13 million in startup costs to open a shop, depending on the location. All of the dispensaries are in site-selection and have yet to come online, says Weinberger, but the existing Green Man dispensaries, owned by the home office, will be folded into the ONE Cannabis brand. But launching a cannabis franchise is not as straightforward as starting a hot dog franchise because the nature of the product, which is controlled under federal law, creates some barriers to entry. State Versus Federal Legal Issues Cannabis has been legalized in 11 states, including Colorado, California, Oregon and Alaska. That said, federal law enforcement is an ever-present threat to businesses that trade in cannabisa schedule I substance defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, essentially on par with heroin. In theory, federal law enforcement can seek to shut down cannabis dispensaries in a state where its use has been decriminalized, though the possibility of that happening is very small. A Colorado grow room courtesy of ONE Cannabis But federal law hampers cannabis producers and sellers the most by stonewalling their ability to offload product through shippingselling to customers or businesses that are out of state is a no-no, as is shipping supply to, say, a franchise location in another state. That would potentially give the federal government a reason to get involved because it would be involving interstate commerce, which they can regulate under the commerce clause of the Constitution, says Henry Baskerville, a Denver-based lawyer with experience advising individuals and businesses in the marijuana industry. Blocking access to out-of-state customers creates a glut and can drive down prices in states where cannabis has been decriminalized, he explained. 280E Tax Issues According to federal statute 26 U.S. Code 280E, businesses that deal in schedule I and II substances cannot receive tax deductions or credits for any money they pay or incur during their operationslike shipping, rent, mortgage or employee expenses. That means that entrepreneurs cant recoup operational costs. For a franchisor, revenue generated by taking a percentage of its franchisees sale salesthe royalty feecannot have any deductions applied to it. This narrows profit margins significantly. Typically, a franchise organization like ONE Cannabis would expect to have its income taxed at a 36% rate, Hageseth says. When we realize the full burden of 280E, 52% of our income was paid out as tax to the federal government. The fix for 280E is maximizing a businesss efficiency, says Jim Marty, CEO and founder of Bridge West, a Colorado-based accounting firm that focuses entirely on the cannabis industry, serving more than 300 cannabis license holders in the U.S., including ONE Cannabis. The trick for cannabis retailers in general, he says, is to minimizing nondeductible expenses. You can sell a lot of cannabis out of 800 square feetyou dont need a 5,000-square-foot spa-like atmosphere, Marty explained. Labor costs also need to be minimized, so working with a skeleton crew is advisable and since advertising is not deductible, try to advertise in places where advertising is inexpensive or even free, like social media. Educating The Customer Open a sandwich franchise and chances are that the vast majority of folks who walk past your storefront know about sandwiches, approve of sandwiches as a concept, have consumed sandwiches and have enjoyed them. Cannabis, however, is a relative mystery to many and can elicit mixed reactions, either because of negative association or bad experiences or lack of exposure. Reaching those potential customers is an ongoing process, and not necessarily a rapid one, which means limited customer appeal in the short term. [In Colorado] weve been doing it for quite a while, Weiberger says. But other states havent even seen a dispensary, theyve never been inside of one, and they dont know what an edible is and they dont know what a sativa or and indica is. Limited Investor Appeal (for now) The legal complexities of the industry, says Hageseth, had, for a while, kept moneyed investors from making big playsit was just too much of a headache to deal with, too risky. For those with the gumption, that breathing room was invaluable. But an increase in investment in the past couple of yearsas well as recent congressional actions regarding cannabis businesseshas shown that things are changing. This industry is going to dramatically shift to big money when these legal issues and tax issues are resolved, Hageseth says. Mike and I get the opportunity to do this right now because it is this hard. We will figure it out but others wont. As an entrepreneur, thats the greatest opportunity ever. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2019/05/31/how-tough-can-it-be-to-start-a-cannabis-franchise/ |
Is Tech Undervaluing The Power Of Creativity? | Getty I recently heard a story from a friend about the legendary Nashville guitarist Chet Atkins that struck me as a good analogy for a challenge many technology companies face today. One night, while he was taking a break between sets, Atkins was on stage with his guitar when a fan approached. Chet! the fan said, pointing to the Gibson hollow body Atkins was holding. That guitar sounds great! Oh yeah? Atkins smiled, taking the guitar off and placing it on its stand. How does it sound now? Atkins point was simple: It is not the tool or the instrument that creates something incredible. It is the skill and creativity of the person who has mastered it. For several years, the conventional thinking has been that the sheer depth and scale of data would be enough to drive growth. And while nobody would ever argue that data and the insights it provides aren't incredibly important, it is hard not to notice the idea that information is an organizations most critical resource coincides with what I see as an unmistakable plateau in innovation. No wonder that, according to LinkedIn research, 92% of organizations consider soft skills (like creativity) increasingly important -- and that a recent study from iCIMS, an HR software platform (via Fast Company), found that recruiters place a higher value on soft skills. Years ago, the entire tech space was exploding with exciting new companies, and now it just doesn't seem to be -- at least not at the same pace, as Axios illustrated. If you are a public company accountable to quarterly deadlines and shareholders, you spend a lot of your time dealing with business operations, which doesn't leave much time and space to think about building new products that could change the world. The business rigor is certainly a critical means to an end -- the capital you raise helps you do great work. Long-term success often hinges on attracting and retaining new users. That takes great ideas. But often, the immediate reaction I see is to reduce every idea down to the lowest and safest common denominator. Its like the cliche of having too many cooks in the kitchen if the cooks are only allowed to add more water. Talk about a recipe for mediocrity season with meetings and simmer. He is considered a creative visionary with limitless resources but he doesnt buy his incredible ideas. Elon Musk doesnt wake up and purchase a plan to colonize Mars, build reusable rockets to enable everyday space travel and invent passenger capsules powered by solar panels. Ideas like that cant be bought at any price which is why visionaries buy them with something even more valuable: time. Musk has been outspoken about the energy creative thinking demands. The key ingredient of any game-changing innovation is big, bold ideas and lots of them. So start with the outlandish. Weve all seen how quickly wild ideas get tamed. So aim higher, and make the five-star superb rating achievable and actionable. The alternative is what many organizations now struggle with, and honestly, I don't believe it is tenable. Many I know in tech allowed themselves to take the limitless velocity and consistency of innovation as a given. Thats the very definition of a bubble mentality. As a result, habits and patterns totally corrosive to creativity can became entrenched in how those companies operate. This includes habits like the focus on improving metrics that may be meaningless in the bigger picture and the creation of what I call near-term quicksand the constant prioritization of the immediate over the important. At the same time, recognizing creativitys importance can cause some organizations to over-invest in an idea too early which can drive analysis paralysis, excessive meetings and the development of additional rungs of hierarchy. But it is not just about individual ideas dying. This can all create a heads-down, stay-in-your-lane stigmatization of risk, failure and importantly weirdness, that is like a pesticide for creative thinking: It can not only kill the creative ideas that appear but also take the poison back to where creative ideas are conceived and kill them before they hatch. When a companys culture makes it impossible to propose new, original ideas, that company could be in serious trouble. The lights are on, but nobodys home. Over the next five years, I believe creative ideation will become the most critical factor for success, yet very few companies I know of have any strategic plan or methodology to increase or even recognize it. I have always liked the idea that if you are coasting, you are probably going downhill. When I look out my office window at the steep streets of San Francisco, I see a lot of companies that are picking up speed but not always in a good way. The opposite is a good metaphor for creativity too: Its like pedaling uphill. Its hard, exhausting and frustrating work. But even when it feels like youre going nowhere, youre actually getting closer to the top. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/05/31/is-tech-undervaluing-the-power-of-creativity/ |
Has Al Horford Played His Last Game For The Boston Celtics? | Even in the offseason, Al Horford seems to gets overlooked. With Kyrie Irvings contract situation and a potential Anthony Davis trade dominating the early discussions about the Boston Celtics immediate future, nobody seems to be talking about the fact that the veteran big man could be a free agent this summer. In fact, theres a real chance that he has played his last game for Boston. When Horford left the Atlanta Hawks, the big man signed a $113.3 million/four-year deal with the Celtics that included a player option for that final season. In his first three years with the franchise, Horford has been the rock for a team that has gone through some drastic changes. Now, Horford can now either play out for the $33.1 million left on the deal or opt-out to sign a long-term contract and not necessarily with Boston. Well, shortly after the sudden end of the Celtics season, Horford made the following statement: Ive enjoyed being here in Boston. Just have to wait and see what were going to do as a team. And its steps that the management is going to do moving forward, and continue to get better. Thats not a lot to go byHorford is not much of a talker as, say, Terry Rozierbut there are a few obvious takeaways. The first is that Horford has enjoyed his three years in Boston and would like to return. The second part of the message cannot be overlooked: the soon-to-be 33-year-old is at least somewhat reluctant to return to a Boston team that takes a few steps backward. Its no secret that Horfords main goal is to win a championship and time is no longer on the veterans side. If the Celtics arent in a serious position to advance past the Eastern Conference Finals, Horford might very well sign someplace where is in a better opportunity to win a ring. Money might no longer be his primary motivation. As with nearly everything with the Boston Celtics this offseason, it could all come down to whether Kyrie Irving re-signs with the team. If Irving comes back to the fold and signs a long-term deal with Boston, its probably safe to assume that Horford either picks up his option or re-signs a multi-year contract with the team. If he does that, its possible he could opt for a deal that would make him less money for the 2019-20 season but would give him more long term security. If Irving leaves and they manage to trade for the New Orleans Pelicans Anthony Davis, the same scenario seems likely. Its impossible to predict or read his mind, but it's a question that the Celtics organization might be forced to ask themselves. There are those Celtics fans who believe that Horford was never worth his initial contract and would be perfectly fine if Average Al heads elsewhere and opens up some cap space for Boston. More understandably, there are those who have their doubts about Horford after his 12 years in the NBA. Should the Celtics Plan A and Plan B both fail to come to pass, theres a possibility that there could be some benefits for the team no longer have to pay a big man who is certainly in the decline period of his career. Maybe, but its hard to imagine another player replacing what Horford has done for the Celtics. There's a reason that Horford's player efficiency rating ranked him as second on the team last season: he's basically been the linchpin of the system that head coach Brad Stevens has run. The last few years there has been no better way of judging how well the Celtics are doing in a game than looking at Horford and see how well he was playing. Above all, the guy has always played as if he was fully committed and, as last year taught us, that's an important quality for one of your key players to have. If Horford does leave, one of the last images fans will have of him in a Celtics uniform will be him getting uncharacteristically angry and picking up a rare technical in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. At that moment, he seemed to be channeling the frustration of an entire fanbase. If he goes, the Celtics are going to miss more than his basketball IQ, versatility and unimpeachable fundamentals. They will miss his heart. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/hunterfelt/2019/05/31/has-al-horford-played-his-last-game-for-the-boston-celtics/ |
Have We Been Pronouncing Rihanna's Name Wrong All Along? | If you were stunned to learned that Rihanna managed to low-key move to London without tipping off any fans to the transatlantic move, brace yourself for this next shock. It turns out that after all these years, people may have been mispronouncing the singer-turned-Fenty entrepreneurs name. Rihanna appeared in a video for British Vogue and introduced herself not as Ree-ah-na, which is how most people pronounce the Umbrella singers name, and instead pronounced it as Ree-anna. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now For fans who have been following RiRi since Pon de Replay hit the Billboard charts back in 2005, learning they have been mispronouncing her name for over a decade has come as a bit of a shock. Perhaps that is why she chose the track, Whats My Name It shouldnt have come as such a surprise, though. Back in 2012, Rihanna tried to set the record straight about the correct pronunciation of her name in a red carpet interview and she tried to teach the world again in 2015 in a video that has re-surfaced on Instagram. Maybe her song Whats My Name was not just a jam, but also a plea for fans to learn how to say her name correctly. Contact us at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5597167/rihanna-name-pronounce/ |
Who is the man on trial in the slaying of Ashton Kutchers date? | Actor Ashton Kutcher entered a Los Angeles courtroom this week, adding more attention to a sensational murder trial. Michael Gargiulo faces two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in attacks in the L.A. area between 2001 and 2008. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case. One of the women Gargiulo is accused of killing had arranged to go on a date with Kutcher in February 2001. And that was the focus on his testimony Wednesday. Kutcher testified for about an hour, describing how he became concerned when Ashley Ellerin, a 22-year-old fashion student, didnt respond to his calls or answer her door. Ellerins slaying is just one part of what prosecutors describe as a reign of terror by Gargiulo. Here is a narrative of the accusations against him from the pages of The Times: Serial sexual-thrill killer Prosecutors have called Gargiulo a serial sexual-thrill killer who derived pleasure from slaughtering beautiful women. Court records show a chronology of attacks linked to Gargiulo that began in the Chicago area in 1993. In August of that year, Tricia Pacaccio, 18, was celebrating her high school graduation with friends before each headed off to college. She was bound for Purdue University, where shed earned an engineering scholarship. She dropped a peer off about 1 a.m. before heading home. She walked up to her door carrying her house key but never made it inside. Her father found her on the doorstep later that morning with numerous stab wounds to her chest, shoulder and neck. Just 17 at the time, Gargiulo was a friend of Pacaccios younger brother. It wasnt until a decade later that investigators discovered the DNA collected from her fingernails was his. By then, prosecutors say, Gargiulo had moved to the Los Angeles area and killed Ellerin. A move to L.A. Gargiulo first met Ellerin when he offered to help her change a flat tire. Later, he offered to help fix a problem with her heater, and from then on, hed show up uninvited and unannounced at her apartment. Some reported seeing him park in front of her home at all hours, staring at her residence for long periods of time. Her roommate thought he was a stalker. Prosecutors allege he entered Ellerins Hollywood home one night in February 2001 and stabbed her 47 times, slashing her throat so severely that he almost decapitated her. Kutcher went to Ellerins home after the pair had arranged to have a drink that night, the actor testified, but she did not answer the door. Gargiulo later moved to the El Monte area, into the same apartment complex as Maria Bruno, 32. In 2005, prosecutors allege, Gargiulo attacked Bruno as she slept and quite literally butchered her, slashing her throat and slicing off her breasts, which he staged for police to find. Soon after investigators found her body, they spotted a blue surgical bootie outside her apartment door with three drops of Brunos blood. Gargiulos DNA matched the profile that was found along the elastic band. The same type of booties, which he wore for work as an air conditioner repairman, were found by detectives hidden in his attic. Before the killing, Gargiulo had been seen trying to open Brunos door and peeping through her window. The last attack linked to him, in April 2008, was unlike the others. Michelle Murphy survived. Gargiulo and Murphy, who was 27 at the time, lived across from each other, sharing an alley in Santa Monica. In the months leading up to her attack, Gargiulo would greet her outside her apartment. One night, prosecutors say, she woke up to him stabbing her arms and chest. She kicked him off, causing him to cut his wrist and flee. Investigators found his blood on her bedspread and in the alley. After his arrest less than two months later in connection with the Santa Monica attack, detectives linked Gargiulo to the killings of Ellerin and Bruno. He wasnt charged in Illinois with Pacaccios slaying until 2011. A survivor speaks Murphy was the first witness called by prosecutors in the case. On the day of the attack, Murphy testified that she washed her bedsheets, jumped rope in the alley behind her Santa Monica apartment complex and watched TV before crawling into bed. She had been asleep for about an hour, she testified, when she woke up to a man straddling her, stabbing her arm and chest with a serrated knife. She screamed and asked why he was attacking her. The man didnt say a word, she said. In a struggle to save herself, Murphy said she wrapped her hands around the knifes blade and kicked the man off the bed. As he ran out the door, Murphy recalled, he spoke for the first time. Im sorry, the attacker said. Murphy testified that she locked the door, closed the living room window the man had climbed in and made two phone calls. She first called the man shed been dating for two months, who is now her husband, and then the police. An ambulance took her to a hospital, where doctors operated on her hand and stitched her wounds. She never returned to that Santa Monica apartment. Instead, her family and friends packed up her belongings. Since her attack, Murphy said shes more vigilant about making sure everythings locked. Im much more aware of anyone around me, she testified. 2019 the Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/05/31/who-is-the-man-on-trial-in-the-slaying-of-ashton-kutchers-date/ |
Whos winning the infrastructure primary? | Editors Note: This edition of Morning Transportation is published weekdays at 10 a.m. POLITICO Pro Transportation subscribers hold exclusive early access to the newsletter each morning at 6 a.m. To learn more about POLITICO Pros comprehensive policy intelligence coverage, policy tools and services, click here. Quick Fix Infrastructure hasn't been an early focus in the 2020 Democratic primary at least when it comes to the front-runners. Story Continued Below Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell is planning to stay at the agency as long as hes needed. The drone industry seized on the news Thursday that a plane in Mexico was not in fact struck by a drone in December, as was widely reported at the time, but instead was the victim of faulty repairs. ITS FRIDAY: Thanks for tuning in to POLITICOs Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on all things trains, planes, automobiles and ports. Get in touch with feedback, tips or song lyric suggestions at [email protected] or @samjmintz. Bandwagon, it's coming into town / To turn your life around / And take you to the places that you once / Could only dream of. LISTEN HERE: Follow MTs playlist on Spotify. As infrastructure talks wither in D.C., your host took a look at whos saying what on the 2020 campaign trail. The verdict: So far, its not the front-runners who have made infrastructure a big part of their platforms, but some of the lesser-known names in the race. The two candidates who have released full-fledged plans are former Rep. John Delaney and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who are both trailing the main pack in polls so far. One divide in their proposals is a question that will be interesting to follow as more candidates eventually weigh in: whether or not to raise the gas tax. Klobuchars against it (she wants to fund infrastructure solely with a corporate tax hike), and Delaney wants to do both. In that sense, the debate mirrors Washington, where the issue of funding infrastructure has remained the biggest barrier. The front-runner has talked a bit about transportation on the trail, but hasnt released an infrastructure plan or gone into detail on his website. That could change since Biden is expected to come out with a climate plan, and versions of his stump speech have linked the two issues, as Bernie Sanders has. HYPERLOOP LOBBYING TAKES OFF: Hyperloop companies are ramping up their lobbying efforts in Washington, with an eye toward winning regulatory approval for the nascent technology. As POLITICO Influence reports, Virgin Hyperloop One, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies and Hyperloop America Inc. have all hired lobbyists and lawyers in D.C. this year. TO BE CLEAR: Thursdays MT included an item about a new report from the Problem Solvers Caucus coming up with infrastructure solutions. Not so fast: It turns out that its just a repackaged version (close to word for word) of a report the group first issued in 2018. Thanks to an eagle-eyed MT reader who noticed the similarities. Aviation NOT GOING ANYWHERE: Elwell told our Brianna Gurciullo on Thursday that he has no immediate plans to leave the FAA if and when his replacement, Steve Dickson, is confirmed by the Senate. I'm prepared to do whatever the president needs and Secretary [Elaine] Chao needs," he said. "I will stay as long as the FAA, as long as Steve needs me. There's always a transition, so I'm prepared to serve as long as I'm needed. The former deputy administrator could go back to that position if Dickson is confirmed (and if Congress passes a waiver allowing two former military officers to hold the top two positions at the FAA). Whats next: The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on Dicksons nomination on May 15. A markup has yet to be scheduled. DIG IN TO WAIT FOR SPACE RULE: The FAA has extended the comment period on a proposed commercial space launch rule until the end of July. As Brianna reports, the extension came after dozens of requests for more time to weigh in, given the proposals breadth, significant impact, length, and complexity. The rule itself wont be codified by the end of 2019, partially because of the government shutdown, according to the FAAs commercial space chief Wayne Monteith. When its really just not a drone. A Mexican airliner said to have been hit by a drone in December was actually damaged after a flawed repair job caused its nose to collapse and crack, Bloomberg reported. That revelation came in a report from the airline to the NTSB, and its vindicating for the drone industry, which has argued that reports of drone strikes are often false and the risk to aviation overblown. It would be nice if every news outlet that ran a scary story speculating about a drone collision would correct their coverage, but we know that probably wont happen, wrote drone giant DJI on a company blog. Instead, we hope this will spur the media, the drone industry, government officials and the general public to be skeptical the next time they hear an unverified allegation that a drone had a close call with an airplane thousands of feet in the air. CRITICISM OF BOEING FROM THE HILL: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who has been critical of Boeing and the FAA in the wake of two 737 MAX crashes, wasnt taken by the companys CEO apologizing during an interview with CBS Evening News this week. Plane passengers deserve more than apologies & promises from Boeing's CEO about the updated 737 MAX's airworthiness, any 'fix' must be independently scrutinized. A new, robust review of all safety systems is paramount, Blumenthal tweeted on Thursday. TSA HIT SCREENINGS RECORD: U.S. airports experienced their busiest day ever on May 24, with TSA screening a record 2,792,525 passengers and crew members, the agency announced Thursday. In the same statement, the agency acknowledged that increased traveler volume this summer may present challenges as its resources are sent to support DHS mission at the U.S. border with Mexico. WHO MAKES WHAT: The Bureau of Labor Statistics released an interesting new dataset on transportation industry employment. The numbers, which date back to May 2018, show employment levels and mean salaries. You should look through yourself, but a few randomly selected tidbits: The annual mean wage for airline pilots is $169,560. There were 1.8 million truck drivers working in the U.S at that date. And the rail industry wins the award for goofiest job titles, with dinkey operators and hostlers among the positions listed. Rail PTC PROGRESS: The FRA said this week that, as of March 31, positive train control systems were being used on close to 48,050 of the 58,000 route miles subject to a statutory mandate. Thats a 3 percent increase from last quarter, with 19 months left before a December 2020 deadline. The agency also said it sent a letter to freight, non-Class I tenant railroads emphasizing the importance of timely implementation, and inviting them to meet with FRA in Washington, DC, this summer. The Autobahn Pollution: the race to clean up the shipping industry. Financial Times. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lees office is working with Volkswagen to crush a union drive. The Intercept. Why New York cant have nice things. New York Magazine. California is cracking down on the gig economy. Vox. Why arent cities getting ready for autonomous vehicles? CityLab. Former Senate Appropriations Chairman Cochran dies. POLITICO Pro. Sen. Jerry Moran on the mend after rescue from Camelback Mountain. Roll Call. The Countdown DOT appropriations run out in 122 days. The FAA reauthorization expires in 1,583 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 491 days. Follow us on Twitter Kathryn Wolfe @kathrynwolfe Sam Mintz @samjmintz Stephanie Beasley @steph_beasley Brianna Gurciullo @bgurciullo Tanya Snyder @tsnyderdc | https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-transportation/2019/05/31/whos-winning-the-infrastructure-primary-442414 |
What's Doctor Burnout Costing America? | Enlarge this image toggle caption Runstudio/Getty Images Runstudio/Getty Images Doctor burnout is costing the U.S. health care system a lot roughly $4.6 billion a year, according to a study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. "Everybody who goes into medicine knows that it's a stressful career and that it's a lot of hard work," says Lotte Dyrbye, a physician and professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who co-authored the study. She says the medical profession now carries an increasing load of paperwork and bureaucracy, adding stress to doctor's lives. "We want to be able to deliver good quality care to our patients, and our systems get in the way," Dyrbye says. The study defines burnout as substantial symptoms of "emotional exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment from work, and a low sense of personal accomplishment." This description tracks closely with the World Health Organization's newly-updated definition for burnout. To put a price on burnout, the study authors culled data from recent research findings and reports including direct or inferred findings on doctors cutting back on hours or quitting as a result of burnout. They ran a mathematical model to estimate the costs associated with burnout, focusing on the costs of replacing physicians and lost income from unfilled positions. A previous study, which shares some of the same authors, found that 54% of doctors reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout, from the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a validated tool for measuring burnout. Dyrbye says research shows that doctors find meaning in helping patients, but are taxed by systemic burdens they consider tangential to patient care. "Cumbersome, inefficient" electronic health record systems, increased reporting requirements, and hectic, irregular schedules cause doctors to feel that they're socially isolated and lack autonomy. "There is a general sense of loss of meaning [to the work]," she says. The study authors calculate that for health care organizations, the cost of burnout comes out to $7,600 per physician per year. The study notes that their cost estimate is conservative, only taking into account lost work hours and physician turnover. But other research shows burned out doctors are also more likely to make medical mistakes, have less satisfied patients, and get sued for malpractice, all of which have indirect costs. Constance Guille, a doctor and professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, who was not involved in the study, says that highlighting the economic costs associated with burnout is important work. However, she says a weakness of the study is that it drew from inconsistent data, an issue baked into the literature: "We're not actually able to measure burnout well," she says. Guille co-authored a paper, published last year in JAMA, that found at least 47 different definitions of "burnout" across 182 studies. From Guille's perspective, mental health diagnoses offer clearer metrics. "Burnout is highly, highly associated with major depression," she says. "It's measurable, and we have really good interventions for it." She adds that focusing on depression "could improve physician health, and reduce the financial impact of burnout." The current study is accompanied by an editorial also published in the Annals of Internal Medicine by Edward Ellison, executive medical director of Southern California Permanente Medical Group, a health care provider in the Kaiser Permanente network that employs over 8,500 physicians. He writes that burnout is associated with "anxiety, depression, insomnia, emotional and physical exhaustion, and loss of cognitive focus." But most concerning, Ellison notes, is that the physician suicide rate is much higher than the general public and even exceeds that of combat veterans. "[W]e cannot underestimate the urgency, severity, and tragedy of the human cost," he writes. Doctor burnout has been a known problem for years, the study authors note, and by putting a cost to the problem and using the language of policy makers and CEOs, they aim to compel organizations to act. "We hope that people will think about these numbers and say: 'If I invested half that amount of money in systems that improve work efficiency, or ways to build better teams to offload some of the workload from the physician, not only is it the right thing to do, but it's also going to improve my quality and safety, and save me some dollars in the end,'" says Dyrbye. Bottom line, she says, addressing burnout is not just a moral responsibility: It could also be money-saving. Pien Huang is NPR's Reflect America Fellow, helping to bring more diverse voices to air and online. | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/31/728334635/whats-doctor-burnout-costing-america?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=health |
Is Austin, Texas The Best City In America? | This southern city keeps making headlines. Austin was recently voted the No. 1 place to live in America for the third year in a row based on affordability, job prospects and quality of life. It was named the fastest growing large city in the U.S. It ranked No. 4 of the best large cities to start a business. It was chosen among the top 15 cities in the United States to visit. And its home state of Texas took the top spot in a study of the best states for female entrepreneurs. Its no secret that Austin, Texas is a hotbed for technology, startups and innovation. There are so many tech companies that Austin has been nicknamed Silicon Hills. Apple recently announced that it is creating a $1 billion campus with the capacity for 15,000 employees, making it the largest private employer in Austin. A hiring surge from Facebook is turning Austin into the third-largest U.S. hub outside of the companys Silicon Valley headquarters. And in the past couple of years, Google and Oracle opened offices downtown. For one thing: "Everything is bigger in Texas, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a press conference in December. Austin has also long been the tech center of Texas, with 6,500 startups and tech companies based here, including Dell which was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell while he was at the University of Texas and helped kick off the citys technology boom. This is also the home of South by Southwest (SXSW), which has transformed from an indie music gathering into one of the worlds most trendsetting technology festivals. READ MORE: "Quit Your Job And Live In The Caribbean: 5 Cheapest Dream Islands" 2018 Bloomberg Finance LP A huge part of Austins appeal: Austin is one of the most significant cities in the country for entrepreneurship and a recognized hub for startups. Austin attracts annually about a billion dollars in venture capital investment and another billion dollars in corporate entity investments, says Angelos G. Angelou, who used to be the vice president for economic development for the Austin Chamber of Commerce, as well as its chief economist. Hes now CEO of AngelouEconomics, a technology consulting firm that advises cities trying to attract investment, as well as companies looking for new locations. Laura Lorek is the publisher and cofounder of Silicon Hills News, which covers technology in the area. When she launched the site in 2011, she says she covered just about every startup in town. The growth in startups and startups culture has been incredible, says Lorek. Now, there are so many, I don't know them all. Another draw, says Lorek: "Austin is a special place with an appealing culture. It has a lot of great parks, river access, hike and bike trails, good food, great music and it has a collaborative tech culture that is warm and accepting of people who are not from here." Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Austin also has a highly educated workforce, thanks in part to the University of Texas and other local universities. We have an incredible talent pool here from a number of universities, and many of those students are inclined to look for employment here, says Angelou. Austins low cost of living is another part of its appeal. Theres no personal income tax, and the city has more affordable housing than on the coasts, from which it pulls a lot of its transplants. According to the Economic Policy Institute's family budget calculator, which factors in expenses like housing, food, transportation, and health care, it costs about $3,197 per month for a single adult to live in Austin, while San Francisco the most expensive city in the U.S. costs $5,756 per month. Ben Rubenstein, who cofounded the online marketing company, Yodle, when he was in college and sold it to Web.com for $342 million in 2016, is another successful Austin-based founder. He had been based in New York City until around 2011, when Yodle acquired an Austin-based SEO company called Profit Fuel. After commuting back and forth, he decided to relocate to Austin full-time. I not only fell in love with the city, but I knew it was a great place to scale a business, Rubenstein says. When I started [Opcity] in 2015, I knew there was no better place to start a tech company. After selling the real-estate technology platform Opcity to News Corp. for $210 million, Rubenstein is staying on as CEO and plans to remain in Austin. Its a cool urban environment. Its also an active community. The weather is much better, says Rubenstein. Lots of smart people are moving here. Getty Another Austin-based tech brand that has made it big is Bumble, the dating app that has grown to over 55 million users in just four years. "Austin is where it all started for us, and being surrounded by such a supportive community as our brand has grown has meant the world to us, says Bumbles Chief Brand Officer Alexandra Williamson. It's been exciting to watch the tech industry in Austin grow and flourish, and I think we will only continue to see more opportunities for tech workers in the city of Austin and the surrounding areas in the future from more entry-level opportunities for recent graduates to more high-profile executive positions in the area, as well. Experts anticipate that all of this expansion and development will have a massive impact on the growing city, which already has a population of over 2.1 million. I remember when I first moved to Austin in 1984, it was only about 560,000 people, says Angelou. Were projected to exceed 4 million people by 2040. Job growth equals home sales, Re/Max Austin Skyline Real Estate Agent Hope Teel told a local TV station. We should expect prices to go up with that, but, hopefully, we'll see a lot more new development, new construction and, hopefully, some redevelopment in some existing neighborhoods to increase housing density. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Hotel industry execs say it will have a positive impact on tourism, as well. Any time a major company establishes a new presence or expands their existing footprint in Austin, we see an uptick in corporate travel, says Rich McGonnigal, director of sales and marketing at Four Seasons Hotel Austin. Located on the shores of Lady Bird Lake, the hotel is emblematic of the new Austin, offering clever only-in-Austin experiences like a summer "champong" service (think champagne and ping-pong), ceviche classes and an on-demand Margarita Cart that can be delivered to you for some in-room mixology. Joe Pagone, general manager of the three-year-old Hotel Van Zandt, says his music-themed boutique property has witnessed occupancy growth aligned with Austins boom. People are more interested in Austin than ever, and these companies are helping put the city on the map, Pagone says. People are seeing that its a great place to live, but also a great place to travel. Its increasing occupancies and increasing revenues and increasing travel into the market. Photo courtesy of the Hotel Van Zandt And there are more hotels coming to respond to the increased demand, including the new East Austin Hotel, a modernist property that features collaborations with local artisans and makers. Lufthansa also recently announced new non-stop service between Austin and the airlines Frankfurt hub. But not everyone is happy about all the development. Austin's community has a love and hate relationship with growth and change, says Lorek of Silicon Hills News. Everyone loves the Austin they moved to or grew up in. The city has changed so dramatically during the past ten years and the result of rising real estate prices downtown has driven many long-time businesses out of business. Getty Opcitys Rubenstein points out that traffic is also an issue: Austin ranked as the 14th most congested city in the nation. Austin doesnt have good public transportation, and the roads were not designed for this many people, he says. Lorek says that Austin city leaders are grappling with affordability and traffic problems to accommodate the influx of people. The creative community of writers, musicians, artists and all of the weird funky stuff that made Austin great must remain for Austin to continue to be a highly desirable place to live, she says. Nevertheless, the future looks bright. "Its viral marketing that takes place in Austin. People are so enthusiastic about the quality of life and what the city offers," says Angelou. "I dont foresee a downside." READ MORE: "Quit Your Job And Live In The Caribbean: 5 Cheapest Dream Islands" "35 Countries Where Americans Are Most Likely To Get Kidnapped" "Ranked: 10 Happiest And 10 Saddest Countries In The World" "Dream Job Alert! These Positions Will Pay You To Travel The World" | https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2019/05/31/is-austin-texas-the-best-city-in-america/ |
What is a race hate crime? | Getty Images Children have got in touch with the NSPCC to say they have tried to change their appearance because they are worried about being singled out (Stock image) The NSPCC says that children have got in touch with them to say they have tried to change their appearance after being targeted because of their race and how they looked. One 11-year-old Chinese girl told the charity: "I've tried to change the way that I look by using eyeliner so that I fit in more." A 16-year-girl told the charity how she feels singled out because she dresses in traditional Muslim clothes. "In the last few weeks, I seem to be getting racist comments wherever I go," she said. The news comes after the charity published new figures showing that in 2017/18, the police recorded an average of 29 race hate crimes every day against children aged 17 or under. With over 10,500 incidents reported in total, their research suggested an increase in the number of these crimes, when compared to the previous two years. An NSPCC spokesperson said: "The rise could be down to a number of factors including growing public confidence in recognising and reporting racism, young people feeling empowered to come forward when they see those in the public eye call racism unacceptable, and improvements in police recording." Read on to find out more about the issue. A race hate crime is a type of hate crime. According to the Law Commission: "Hate crimes are acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are." This could be because of their race, disability, religion, sexuality or gender identity. It could be verbal and physical abuse, bullying, threatening behaviour or harassing somebody, online bullying, or damaging somebody's property. A hate crime is a criminal offence, which means that it is against the law. Getty Images A hate crime can take the form of cyberbullying Specifically, a race hate crime is when somebody is targeted because of "their race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origin", according to Citizens Advice. "Something is a racist hate incident if the victim or anyone else thinks it was carried out because of hostility or prejudice based on race," Citizens Advice explains. When bullying is motivated by hostility or prejudice based on race or religion, it can be a hate incident. Bullying in itself is not a criminal offence. But if it's serious enough, it could also be a hate crime. Bullying includes cyber bullying. If you are worried about anything you have read in this article, or if you are worried that you or somebody that you know is experiencing behaviour that is talked about here, it is important that you speak to an adult that you trust about it. This might be a member of your family or a teacher at school. You can also ring the police on 101 or ring Childline for free on 0800 1111. The charity told Newsround: "There are lots of people working to tackle racism such as police, teachers and, of course, Childline counsellors who can support any child who has been affected by racism. If a child is feeling worried about this issue we would urge them not to suffer in silence, but talk to Childline counsellors who are always here to help." The NSPCC requested figures from all UK police forces under the Freedom of Information Act, and received figures from 38 out of 45. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/48464200 |
What Could Possibly Be Wrong with Hudson Yards? | Getty An intriguing bronze-shrawarma-Tower-Eifel- thingy is sitting on top of the active West Side train yards in Manhattan. The platform has internal air-conditioning to keep the pansy and other plant roots from frying from the hot trains coming in and out of New York from Long Island. Hudson Yards also sports a snazzy theater space called The Shed and a white, marble upper-scale shopping mall, many condos and offices, all sitting in a space that used to be fetid air. Amazing really. There are a lot of economic and morale-boosting benefits promised by Hudson Yards, which beautified a particularly avoidable part of town. However, where there are benefits, there are costs. And whether a project is worthy is known only when the benefits running on one side of the ledger are compared with the costs along the other side. In short, Hudson Yards is huge. For most of its recent history, the 360 acre area to the west of Midtown was home to commercial and light industrial uses and 28 acres of open-air rail yards owned by the MTA. In 2005, the city rezoned the area and laid the financial groundwork to transform the low-density manufacturing area into a high-density, mixed-use district. Today, the area is what New York Magazine calls a billionaires fantasy city and the New York Times calls a supersized suburban-style office park. It is home to luxury, super tall skyscrapers housing office tenants such as Coach and Wells Fargo, a mall housing retail tenants such as Neiman Marcus, Dior and Channel, and a $475 million, city-sponsored arts center. Luxury residential buildings have also grown in the area, with the average apartment costs at $4,300 per month and two-bedroom condos at 35 Hudson Yards starting at $5 million. In 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg assured city residents that infrastructure needed to attract private development could be built without bearing the costs by using a version of tax increment financing, or TIF. Projects using revenue bonds in a TIF-type financing structure are described as self-financing based on the theory that designated revenues generated by a development will pay back the costs. However, Hudson Yards shows that the theory often doesnt reflect the reality when projects are implemented. The city ended up spending an additional $2.2 billion in taxpayer dollars on the Hudson Yards project. The choice to use a self-financing structure connected the debt issued for the infrastructure costs to the revenues generated by private development in the area. However, the plan for Hudson Yards did not allocate important risks associated with megaprojects, and taxpayers were left footing the bill if and when these materialized. Which they did - at a cost of $2.2 billion. This includes $369 in debt costs, $400 million in cost overruns and spillovers, and a loss of $1.4 billion in revenue due to tax breaks to commercial and residential developers. It is still too soon to tell. However, the Bloomberg Administrations central argument for the development of Hudson Yards was the need to build office stock to reverse New York Citys dwindling share of the regions demand for commercial office space. But so far, we see that rather than bringing in new office businesses from outside the city, 90 percent of Hudson Yards commercial tenants have come from Midtown. More research is necessary to determine the full economic effects. Hudson Yards will continue to develop over time. And clearly, at such a size, it will affect the citys bottom line. While it is sure to generate revenues for the city, in an age of increasing inequality, we must take full responsibility for how our public dollars are spent, including who benefits, who pays, and what public interest is served. The valuable lesson we can learn from Hudson Yards is to ask these important equity questions before the project is implemented, especially when all New Yorkers bear the costs. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/teresaghilarducci/2019/05/31/what-could-possibly-be-wrong-with-hudson-yards/ |
Could Wolves be in a spot to draft the next Pascal Siakam? | Welcome to the Friday edition of The Cooler, where its officially air conditioner season. Lets get to it: *Its dangerous on a lot of levels to make comparisons between athletes at far different stages of their careers simply because of physical appearance. So Im going to tread very lightly into this area with the knowledge that an established 25-year-old NBA player and an 18-year-old prospect are, obviously, two very different people. That said, things that work tend to get copied. The NBAs Raptors are evidence of that on a lot of levels and one of them was on display front and center in Thursdays Game 1 finals victory over Golden State. Pascal Siakam, the No. 27 overall pick in the 2016 draft, scored 32 points on an otherworldly 14 of 17 from the field for the Raptors. He is a great example of incremental progress and the high upside that can come from drafting a late bloomer. The Cameroon native played at New Mexico State and has ascended from valuable role player (and G League Finals MVP in 2017) to a key scorer who could dethrone the Warriors. And hes also being championed as a good-scenario comp for Sekou Doumbouya, the 18-year-old international player from France who could be a lottery pick in a few weeks. It helps that both players are listed at 6-9, 230 pounds and that both can run the floor and defend. They are seven years apart in age, and Siakam was 22 when he was drafted four years older than Doumbouya is now so talking about them as prospects is a little bit of apples to oranges. But hes intriguing particularly because a lot of mock drafts have him going sometime late in the lottery, right around the time the Wolves will pick at No. 11. This highlight reel has some impressive moments: If he is available, you could make a compelling argument that the Wolves should take him even if it meant developing in the G League for a chunk of his rookie scale contract. At the very least, it would be fun to see what new President Gersson Rosas would do if Doumbouya is there at No. 11 because it would give at glimpse into his roster-building strategy. *Packers coach Matt LaFleur reportedly tore his Achilles playing basketball at Lambeau Field. The report made no mention of any involvement from Anthony Barr. *This is encouraging. | http://www.startribune.com/could-wolves-be-in-a-spot-to-draft-the-next-pascal-siakam/510670102/ |
What's the 'weediquette' for parties where pot is legal? | CLOSE As legal cannabis has spread to dozens of states, many older Americans are adding marijuana use to that roster of senior activities like bingo. AP, AP Now that marijuana is legal in one form or another in most U.S. states, you might be more inclined to bring some with you to a party for personal use. But while bringing a six-pack of your favorite craft beer or a bottle of wine to a party is regarded as a nice gesture, you might not get the same reaction if you were to show up with a tray of weed brownies or joints to pass around as party favors. And because legal cannabis usage is fairly new in the United States, we may not all be hip to the etiquette surrounding marijuana. We can't just all light up and smoke whenever and wherever we want. I mean, technically you can, but it might be considered rude (or even illegal in certain states). Lizzie Post, author of "Higher Etiqutte" and the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, who basically invented manners, gave us some tips on how to politely consume or smoke marijuana. Marijuana may be legalized in most states, but not everyone is cool with lighting up at a party. (Photo: RAUL ARBOLEDA, AFP/Getty Images) Ask your party host It's best to ask before the day of the party if you're bringing any kind of weed to share with guests so you don't show up with a tray of brownies and make everything awkward if the host isn't comfortable with it. If you're bringing some for personal use, make sure to ask the host privately in a way that they're comfortable enough to say no if they so wish. "Not every single person is OK with that. Respect the host, especially in their home," Post says. "If you can find a different way to consume that doesnt make the host uncomfortable, I think thats the way to go." The only exception Post makes to this rule is if you're using cannabis in a personal way that's medicating. If they're not cool with you smoking but you absolutely need to, try doing it before or after the party, Post suggests. Proper labeling is key If your host is cool with you bringing happy party favors, make sure to properly label what it is you're bringing and don't leave them in a place where people can consume them unknowingly. "Any edibles you choose to bring to the party, you want to provide a label on the strain and potency and any effects it has if its a motivating high, a relaxing high," Post says. Make sure to also note the dosage that each bite or serving size has. You don't want party guests taking a bite of your weed cookies and not knowing what type of high they're getting themselves into. If it's not legal in your state, don't even try it When cannabis usage starts crossing the line of legality, you're no longer dealing with a matter of etiquette. You never want to put your party host and their guests in a compromising position. "Its illegal and thats the end of the story. If its illegal in your state, thats a whole different ballgame," Post says. "Generally, you know exactly the homes you can bring it to and those you can't, but its different for each person." You'd never ask to store a body in someone's home, so don't ask about doing something else illegal there either. R-E-S-P-E-C-T NEWSLETTERS Get the newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-872-0001. Delivery: Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters At the end of the day, it's all about respecting your host and your surroundings. Make sure to be aware of your environment and ask yourself what type of party this is. "It doesnt have to be something that divides friendships and social lives and making things awkward," Post says. "If anything its known for bringing people together." Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/05/31/marijuana-manners-how-roll-one-up-and-smoke-politely-party/3768776002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/05/31/marijuana-manners-how-roll-one-up-and-smoke-politely-party/3768776002/ |
When will Interstate 77 toll project open in Charlotte, NC? | Drone footage shows toll lane construction The $647 million Interstate 77 toll lane project is scheduled to open by the end of the year. It will add two toll lanes in each direction from uptown to Exit 28 in Cornelius and on to Exit 36. The project has faced ongoing controversy. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK The $647 million Interstate 77 toll lane project is scheduled to open by the end of the year. It will add two toll lanes in each direction from uptown to Exit 28 in Cornelius and on to Exit 36. The project has faced ongoing controversy. After 3 1/2 years of construction thats brought traffic headaches and controversy, the first stretch of Interstate 77 toll lanes is scheduled to open Saturday in the Lake Norman area, project officials said Friday. Drivers can begin using the lanes at 10 a.m. along the northern end of the project, from Hambright Road in Huntersville to N.C. 150, Exit 36, in Mooresville, officials with I-77 Mobility Partners said. The rest of the 26-mile $647 million project, to I-277 in uptown Charlotte, is expected to open all at once by September, I-77 Mobility Partners CEO Javier Tamargo told The Charlotte Observer in phone interview on Friday. The number of I-77 free general purpose lanes will remain the same, officials said. Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to The Charlotte Observer content across all your devices. SAVE NOW Construction of the toll lanes began in November 2015. The project has drawn intense criticism, particularly in the Lake Norman area. Tamargo said project officials had asked the public for patience before the work began. He said he hopes people will see the project is paying off with an easier commute and that they will come to enjoy the lanes. This is a developing story. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article231035543.html |
How does Cleveland rank against Columbus, Pittsburgh for becoming the nations next tech hub? | CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The authors of Jump-Starting America think boosting the nations economy means investing billions of dollars in technology hubs -- but not Silicon Valley, New York City, Boston and Seattle. Among the top 10 cities for potential growth: Cleveland. (A lot of these cities) are in the area pejoratively known as the Rust Belt, said co-author Jonathan Gruber, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During the wealthy heyday of U.S. manufacturing, (these cities) got big, developed excellent educational institutions and still have highly educated populations who can do big things, but the high tech jobs arent making their way there." The idea Cities often turn to private businesses to jump-start their economy -- for example the high profile bidding war over Amazons second headquarters. Despite offering tax breaks and other perks, companies still land in already-crowded cities, with Amazon choosing New York City for HQ2. These Superstar cities become overloaded with people, experiencing skyrocketing housing prices and crushing pressures on public transit. Amazon pulled out of New York after backlash over the incentives offered to the company. Taking billions of dollars and furthering research topics of national interest will not only reestablish America as an advocate for science, but can jump start these underutilized cities and the nations economy, Gruber and co-author, MIT professor Simon Johnson, write. Johnson and Gruber claim that a $100 billion federal investment each year would yield these benefits, including four million new jobs. They also suggest an independent commission responsible for picking where these research dollars would go. Government-owned real estate would benefit from the economic growth in these cities, and Gruber and Johnson suggest profits be shared among all Americans. The ranking The Tech Hub Index System ranks cities for their potential based on factors like housing cost, crime rates, university science and engineering and education and concentration of educated young people, according to MITs Sloan School website. Most of the top cities are in the Midwest and the Northeast, with Rochester, New York, in the No. 1 spot. Cleveland is 6, below metropolitan areas like Columbus, ranked 4, and Pittsburgh, ranked 2. Cincinnati ranks 9 and the Akron-Canton area ranks out of the top 10, but at 14. The full list, found on Jump-Starting Americas" website is: Rochester, New York Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Syracuse/Utica-Rome, New York Columbus, Ohio Bloomington/Champaign-Urbana, Illinois Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio Ames/Des Moines- West Des Moines, Iowa Binghamton/Ithaca, New York Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson/Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana On the website, visitors can play with the different factors to make their own list. Gruber said the ranking isnt meant to be definitive. In the authors ranking, education, population and lifestyle are the main three factors. Cleveland-Elyrias stats are: Population 25-64: 1,076,766 Percent of adults with a college degree: 30.32% Top science grad programs: 5 Top science undergraduates 4 Patents per 1000 workers: 0.520 Percent of workers with less than a 30 minute commute: 64.26 percent Violent crimes per 10,000: 3.32 Average house price: $182,174 Why it matters Though the rankings are flexible, Gruber said lists like these should spark a little rivalry. We think competition is natural and healthy, he said. Its been happening in a destructive way which is tax breaks. Instead on focusing on tax breaks for private businesses, the federal government providing money could incentivize cities to work on affordable housing strategies and access to education to attract research dollars, Gruber said. Ohio has three cities in the top 10 potential tech hub ranking. Gruber said depending on the transportation between the cities -- like a high-speed rail -- the definition of a hub can include an entire state. The public research and development approach is different from what Ohio is doing now. Ohios Third Frontier fund does pay into some research efforts at public universities, but it also focuses on boosting entrepreneurship in the state. State-level funding is not enough for this type of economic boost, and Gruber said he hopes the book pushes people to contact their political leaders to advocate for federal funding. | https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/05/how-does-cleveland-rank-against-columbus-pittsburgh-for-becoming-the-nations-next-tech-hub.html |
How Is Triple Negative Breast Cancer Different from Other Diagnoses? | No one could blame you for having a mountain of questions after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. Here, breast cancer experts answer these and other questions. It might sound surprising, but in a sense, breast cancer isnt really one disease, Erica Mayer, M.D., M.P.H., senior physician at the Susan F. Smith Breast Oncology Center at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, tells SELF. Subtypes of the condition, like triple negative breast cancer, have characteristics that differentiate them from other forms of the disease. To fully understand triple negative breast cancerand what makes it different from other breast cancersyou need to know a bit about breast cancer receptors. Receptors are proteins that are located on the outside of a cancer cell, and they receive signals from the body that may influence the growth pattern of the cancer cell, Dr. Mayer says. The receptors that help to determine a breast cancer diagnosis are estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and HER2 protein receptors. Doctors separate breast cancer into a few main categories based on the presence or absence of these receptors. Breast cancers that have estrogen or progesterone receptors are known as hormone receptor-positive, meaning that they grow in response to these hormones. Hormone receptor-positive breast cancers make up about two-thirds of all breast cancer cases, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). If a cancer cell has the estrogen receptor, then estrogen circulating in the body has the potential to stimulate that receptor and stimulate the cancer cell to grow, Dr. Mayer explains. If we can block a receptor from being stimulated, then we can block cancer cell growth and spread. That's the basis for many of the therapies we use to treat cancer, Dr. Mayer explains. Then there are breast cancers that have too much of the HER2 protein, which account for about 20 percent of diagnoses, according to the ACS. (Some of these are also hormone receptor-positive.) HER2 is a protein that encourages cancer cells to grow, the ACS explains. If you have HER2-positive breast cancer, an excess of this protein in the tumor essentially turns on a switch in cancer cells, Leisha Emens, M.D., Ph.D., co-leader of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program in Pittsburg, tells SELF. Therapies that target the HER2 protein try to flip off the switch, so to speak. Doctors test tumors for all three of these receptors when people undergo breast biopsies, according to the Mayo Clinic. When tests for all three receptors come back negative, doctors diagnose triple negative breast cancer, which makes up around 12 percent of all breast cancers, according to the ACS. Doctors used to treat all cases of triple negative breast cancer as just one group, but thats changing, Rita Nanda, M.D., associate director of Breast Medical Oncology at UChicago Medicine, tells SELF. Doctors now acknowledge at least four different kinds of triple negative breast cancer based on the proteins the tumors express, she says. Triple-negative breast cancer is considered particularly aggressive. These tumors express different genes than ER/PR-positive and HER2-positive breast cancers, leading to higher risk of recurrence, Dr. Emens says. Plus, the targeted therapies that treat ER/PR-positive and HER2-positive breast cancers havent worked for triple negative breast cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The signs of triple negative breast cancer Symptoms of triple negative breast cancer arent different from other types of breast cancer, Dr. Mayer says. According to the ACS, these symptoms include: A new breast lump that may be hard, soft, painful, or painless Swelling of the breast Breast or nipple tenderness An inverted nipple Skin peeling, thickening, or redness Skin that resembles an orange peel Nipple discharge Swollen lymph nodes Triple negative breast cancer risk factors As with so many complicated health conditions, experts arent quite sure what causes triple negative breast cancer. Doctors dont understand for certain what causes breast cancer in general, Dr. Mayer says, much less the complex triple negative kind. They have some ideas about risk factors involved, though. | https://news.yahoo.com/triple-negative-breast-cancer-different-172109526.html |
How Far Will Congress Go on Retirement? | In the 45 years since Congress passed the landmark Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, there have been unfortunate changes to the nations retirement system that make it difficult for working families to prepare for retirement. Research indicates that one key change replacing defined benefit (DB) pension plans with defined contribution (DC) individual accounts for private sector workers has dramatically reduced the retirement plan coverage and wealth among the bottom half of U.S. households as measured by income. istockphoto.com Hopeful progress toward improving the retirement outlook for working Americans took a bipartisan step forward when the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019 by a vote of 417 to 3 just before the Memorial Day recess. This measure expands opportunities to participate in DC savings plans, like 401(k) accounts, and encourages employers to offer features in DC plans that would replicate the lifetime income feature provided by traditional pensions. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee is considering similar legislation, the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA). Earlier this year at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, Cynthia McDaniel, the wife of a 71-year-old retired truck driver, explained the need for policy action on retirement. She testified about the financial devastation she and her husband would face if they do not receive the full multiemployer pension that he earned. For readers who dont know the ins and outs of retirement plans, there are two major types of private sector pension plans: multiemployer plans and single employer plans. Single employer plans generally cover the workforce at a single company. Multiemployer plans, also called Taft-Hartley plans, cover multiple employers whose workers are covered by a collective bargaining contract, usually within the same industry or geographic region. Multiemployer plans are jointly governed by management and the labor union(s) representing covered workers. Cynthia told committee members that her husband Ted suffered a heart attack shortly after receiving the news that his monthly pension income could be cut by 57 percent. Cynthia explained that such a drastic cut to their retirement income would make it difficult to pay their bills and support their family. For Cynthia and Ted, the pension promise is at the heart of what it means to be a hardworking American. Ted worked hard for the pension he earned, and the couple planned on that income to be self-sufficient in retirement. In her Congressional testimony, Cynthia also said that a cut to Teds pension would mean they would have to cut their spending at local businesses like the Farm House, the only restaurant in their hometown of Appleton City, Missouri. Cynthia asked Congress to consider the economic harm across the nation should 1.2 million Americans experience similar dramatic cuts to their multiemployer pension benefits. Every day our economy benefits when retirees spend their monthly pension income. Recent research from the National Institute on Retirement Security tallies up the economic gains attributable to multiemployer pension expenditures and those impacts are considerable. National Institute on Retirement Security In 2016, $41.8 billion in pension benefits were paid to 3.5 million retired Americans covered by multiemployer plans. The average benefit paid to retirees covered by these plans was $11,935 per year. As those retirees spend their pension benefits on goods and services in the local community, the cumulative economic impact at the national level supports: Nearly 543,000 American jobs that paid nearly $28 billion in labor income; $89 billion in total economic output nationwide; $50 billion in value added (GDP); and $14.7 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue National Institute on Retirement Security The research found that the largest employment impacts occurred in the real estate, food services, health care, and retail trade sectors. This economic data often is overlooked, but it is critically important for policymakers to consider as they examine the multiemployer pension funding issue. Leaving the multiemployer pension underfunding issue unattended will ripple through the economy -- its not just individual lives and families like Cynthia and Ted that will be harmed from pension cuts. There are significant national and local economic consequences. Also important to consider is that pensions similar to Social Security act as an important economic stabilizer for middle-class families and the broader economy. For example, during the Great Recession when the economy needed spending to help with recovery, retirees with pensions could continue spending at the same level because they had reliable income. Compare that to the plight of retirees with only 401(k) income during the financial crisis. Those retirees saw their retirement savings plummet, and the instinct was to retreat from spending exactly the opposite of what the economy needed most. As evidenced by the strong bipartisan support for the SECURE Act, policymakers seem to be motivated to take action to address the nations retirement crisis. But, the measure did not include provisions from another bipartisan bill, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act that would help multiemployer plans shore up their financial soundness. Absent action, the financial security of more than one million retirees is at risk. Its good news that Congress is taking action on retirement. But if lawmakers fail to address the multiemployer pension issue, there will be painful consequences for families like Cynthia and Ted, and for businesses across the nation. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianeoakley/2019/05/31/how-far-will-congress-go-on-retirement/ |
Is Entrepreneurship Becoming The Purview Of Upper-Class Men? | Getty One big cultural change in America over the past 20 or 30 years is that entrepreneurship has become glamorous. A big CEO once illustrated this to me by explaining that when he went to Harvard Business School back in the 1980s, hardly anybody planned a career in entrepreneurship.These days, hundreds of graduates of elite business schools pour out each year, stars in their eyes and startup ideas in hand. Their presence has changed the whole conversation around small business and entrepreneurship. We have an image now of entrepreneurs as white venture-capital funded men, young wunderkinds who become billionaires, float around on yachts, play with flameflowers and build apocalypse houses in New Zealand. Yuck. I wondered about the current popular image of entrepreneurship as I read the Kauffman Foundations report, released this spring, on capital access for entrepreneurs. It puts hard numbers to the barriers to entrepreneurship. We might argue about what those barriers are, or which to focus on fixing, but you cant read the report without realizing how high and systemic they are. Overall, the shape of the American entrepreneurship begins to emerge from the picture of the funding flows and its a not a flattering picture of opportunity in America, not one that fits with our bootstrap myth. What it suggests to me is this: Entrepreneurship has always been the purview of white men more than women and white men more than men of color. Now, class is even more a factor in our concept of entrepreneurship. Consider these stats, all drawn from the report: Data from 1996 to 2017 show that men are consistently more likely to start businesses each month than women, and 2017 was the first year in which the rate of black and white new entrepreneurs was the same. Historically, between 1953 and 1998, less than 5% of total venture capital funding went to women-owned firms. Pitchbook data for 2017 showed that all-women founding teams raised 2.2 percent of total VC funding (accounting for fewer than 5 percent of deals), compared with all-men teams that raised about 79 percent, and mixed teams that raised about 12 percent of total funding. Though our image of entrepreneurs is dominated by those starting tech businesses, at least 83 percent of entrepreneurs do not access bank loans or venture capital at the time of startup. Almost 65 percent rely on personal and family savings for startup capital, and close to 10 percent carry balances on their personal credit cards. Some research suggests that women face less discrimination in the lending world. Many entrepreneurs rely on personal resources to start their companies. The median net worth for white families was $171,000, compared to the median net worth of $17,600 for black families and $20,700 for Latino families. Five metro areasNew York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallaswere estimated to have contributed to 50 percent of net new firm creation between 2010 and 2014. In addition, VC industry data reveals considerable geographic and industry concentration. Close to 80% of about $21.1 billion in VC funding in the first quarter of 2018 was disbursed in five regional clusters San Francisco (North Bay Area), Silicon Valley (South Bay Area), New England, New York City metro, and LA/ Orange Countywith slightly more than 44% in the North and South Bay Areas. On one hand, you can say that the big cities are talent draws, and that the money follows the talent. On the other hand, based on the skewed picture of how many men versus women are funded, you can guess that theres more of a network effect going on here: the money and power is flowing among people who already have it. Research at the neighborhood level found that in New York City, the richer third of neighborhoods had more than twice the rate of self-employment than the poorest third. Startups create a lot of the new jobs, period, in the economy (some economists say they are responsible for all new job growth). But the rate of startups in the United State has declined over time, though its up a little since the end of the Great Recession. But the share of jobs that startups add to the national economy is falling: Per capita startup job creation in the first year declined from 7.52 jobs in 1998 to 5.27 jobs by 2017, according to Kauffman. At a certain point, perception becomes the reality. Entrepreneurship has been defined subtly by our national conversation away from Main Street, from industry and from service, toward technology, a sphere that is dominated by white, wealthy men. Those companies are easy to start, can be run with fewer employees at the beginning and create a winner-takes-all mindset. That version of entrepreneurship I described at the beginning of this piece isnt the reality of entrepreneurship in America but we are drifting in that direction. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/2019/05/31/is-entrepreneurship-becoming-the-purview-of-upper-class-men/ |
Was The 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee Too Easy? | (OXON HILL, Md.) There were warning signs throughout a marathon day of spelling that this Scripps National Spelling Bee would not conclude like any other in the events 94-year history. Rishik Gandharsi sensed it as he stepped to the microphone for the ninth round of Thursday nights prime-time finals, when he was one of eight spellers remaining onstage. Just out of curiosity, Rishik asked pronouncer Jacques Bailly, do you happen to know what time it is? It was 11:18 p.m. Forty-five minutes later, Rishik was a champion. So was Erin Howard. So were Saketh Sundar, Shruthika Padhy, Sohum Sukhantankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and, finally, Rohan Raja. The eight co-champions closed out the bee by spelling 47 consecutive words correctly. All eight received the full winners freight of $50,000 in cash and a new, custom-designed trophy, because Scripps simply could not come up with words difficult enough to challenge them. There was plenty of concern, after the bee ended in ties three years in a row, from 2014-2016, that the very best spellers might be too good for the bee. Scripps came up with a written tiebreaker test of both spelling and vocabulary, a solution no one was thrilled about. After two years in which the test wasnt needed, bee officials decided it was too burdensome on the spellers and got rid of it. The rules going into this years bee called for, at most, three co-champions. A contingency plan for even more winners was developed on the fly Thursday afternoon, after bee officials evaluated spellers performance in the early final rounds. It took 5 hours to narrow the field from 50 kids to 16. We are closely connected to the difficulty level at the program, so we are quite aware of the rising level of competition. This does not actually surprise us at all, said Paige Kimble, the bees executive director. We didnt go into the competition tonight not knowing that this was a possibility and not having a plan. Bailly, the longtime pronouncer and the beloved public face of the bee, broke the news to a stunned crowd in a convention center ballroom outside Washington after the eight eventual champs had gone through two consecutive perfect rounds. Champion spellers, we are now in uncharted territory, Bailly said. We do have plenty of words remaining on our list. But we will soon run out of words that will possibly challenge you, the most phenomenal collection of super spellers in the history of this competition. There would be three rounds, Bailly said, and anyone who got through them would be a champion. No one came close to missing a word. For the winners, fatigue was the only real concern. Shruthika staggered to the microphone for her last few words and greeted Bailly with a wan, hoarse voice. Im very glad they stopped where they did, said Shruthika, a 13-year-old from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I feel like there was no better way to do it, said Saketh, whos also 13 and lives in Clarksville, Maryland. I dont know if I wouldve won if they kept going. I was super tired because it was like 12:00, and I was exhausted. Kimble has long insisted that Scripps would never subject spellers to an endurance contest, and she had no regrets about the way it ended. Look at these kids. They worked so hard and they achieved so much, Kimble said. I think its the best night ever for the bee. Naysa Modi rests in between turns during the final round of the 91st Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center May 31, 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland. Modi took second place in the competition. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images But there were murmurs of discontent among the ex-spellers and spelling experts in the crowd. The words, they said, were just too easy. Naysa Modi, last years runner-up who surprisingly missed out on the finals this year because of her written test score, was in tears as the confetti fell. She said the winners were deserving, but the final words werent tough enough for them, or her. Among the words that earned spellers a share of the title: auslaut, palama, cernuous and odylic. This would never happen at my bee, said Rahul Walia, founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee, where Sohum defeated Abhijay for the title last year. He said Scripps was just scratching the surface of words that could confuse or trip up elite competitors. The South Asian bee and the North South Foundation bee, national competitions available to spellers only of South Asian descent, are among the many reasons Indian-Americans have come to dominate the Scripps bee over the past two decades. Erin was the first champion without South Asian heritage since Evan ODorney in 2007. I never expected for this to happen. I was convinced that the bell was going to ring on me at some point today, but for some reason it did not, said Erin, a 14-year-old from Huntsville, Alabama. This is the culmination of the past six years of my life. So frankly, I just cant believe that Im here right now. The majority of the spellers had personal coaches, and 13 of the final 16 used word lists and study materials compiled by ex-spellers Shobha Dasari and her younger brother, Shourav. Shobha, whos 18 and will go to Stanford in the fall, said the proliferation of private coaches and online study guides has simplified speller preparation, but she still gave credit to the champions. The kids still have to put in the work, Shobha said. Three of the champions are from the Dallas area, perhaps the most competitive region in the country: Sohum, Abhijay and Rohan. New Jersey had two champs, in Christopher and Shruthika. Rishik, from San Jose, California, was the only one of the self-proclaimed octo-champs from the West Coast. Perhaps the speller who had the oddest experience was Simone Kaplan, the last kid to misspell a word Thursday night. Simone, a 13-year-old from Davie, Florida, who dazzled the crowd by shouting out definitions and obscure roots, finished ninth, but she also turned out to be the runner-up. Simone is in seventh grade, which means next year is her final year of eligibility. Champions are barred from defending their titles, so she wouldnt have to face any of the kids who beat her. But shes not sure if shell try again, because she was satisfied with her performance. I do feel that this is a strange occurrence, Simone said in an attempt to sum up the night. A tiebreaker test could have potentially come in handy. Contact us at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5599133/2019-scripps-spelling-bee-too-easy/ |
How much will Big 12 schools get from TV, bowl deals? | Bowlsby says Big 12 unified behind 10-team model Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby says Monday vote to remain a 10-member league show B12 committed to its model of having a round-robin FB schedule and a double round-robin BKB schedule. Video by Jimmy Burch. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby says Monday vote to remain a 10-member league show B12 committed to its model of having a round-robin FB schedule and a double round-robin BKB schedule. Video by Jimmy Burch. The Big 12 announced that it will distribute a record $38.8 million per school for the 2018-19 school year. Primary sources for the revenue are the leagues television contracts and bowl and NCAA Tournament shares. Were enjoying a period of prosperity, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said at the conference meetings in Irving, Texas. Bowlsby said he expects those numbers to increase to $44 million to $45 million before the current rights fees end in 2024-25. Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to The Kansas City Star content across all your devices. SAVE NOW The revenue does not include TV and media rights, third-tier rights, owned by the school. This will be final school year that some schools, including Kansas and Kansas State, will control those rights. In April, the Big 12 and ESPN announced that the third-tier rights will belong to the national cable provider. Fans will need a subscription to the ESPN+ streaming service to watch some football and mens basketball games that had previously aired on local cable and TV networks. A year ago, the Big 12 distributed an average of $36.5 million per school. | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article231022223.html |
Whats the matter with Kirsten Gillibrand? | Shes smart and politically savvy and a year ago seemed like a top 2020 contender largely thanks to her national leadership on headline women's-rights issues like sexual assault in the military. (For years her PAC, Off the Sidelines, has supported female candidates.) But now shes struggling to make the debate stage, pleading with supporters for $1 donations just to make the small-donor threshold. Some have called Gillibrand the feminist candidate . But when POLITICOs Tim Alberta spent time on the trail with the New York senator, he found a candidate leaning away from her signature issues in an effort to appeal to a broader group of voters. Story Continued Below During the interview, Gillibrand held back when discussing gender bias in the 2020 election. (Alberta writes that the off-the-record version of her comments, had they been published, would have gone viral overnight.) And while she has recently criticized the new spate of state laws limiting abortion rights a move that earned her tons of media coverage she seems conscious of [making headlines on womens issues] infrequently, wary of being typecast as a single-issue candidate, Alberta writes. Its not just Gillibrand Other female candidates are reluctant to make their identity as a woman a core part of their 2020 strategy. Kamala Harris doesnt dwell on it; Amy Klobuchar said point-blank, Im not running as a woman. But at least in Gillibrands case, her decision not to jump headfirst into pursuing the woman vote could be seriously hurting her in the primary, Alberta says. -- Money moment ... The look on her face when I mentioned Beto ORourkes appearance on the cover of Vanity Fair was beyond description. Unusual, she finally mustered, biting her lip and her tongue at once, a litany of curse words no doubt suppressed underneath her smirk. Never seen it before. POLITICO Happy Friday and welcome to Women Rule. This week, Hillary Clinton blasted the doctored videos of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi circulating online, which Facebook didnt take down, as sexist trash. Clinton and her daughter Chelsea, meanwhile, are reportedly planning to take the narrative into their own hands, starting a production company focused on telling stories by and about women. Out on the campaign trail, the day after Joe Biden got in trouble yet again, this time for rubbing the shoulders of a 10-year-old girl and calling her good looking, his wife Jill promised Trevor Noah that the 2020 candidates touchy behavior wont happen again. It took a lot of courage for women to step forward and say you know, youre in my space and Joe heard that, she said. He heard what they were saying. Thanks to Maya Parthasarathy who contributed to the newsletter this week. Send feedback to [email protected]. Sign up here. -- Ghosted: GOP abandons female House hopeful despite talk of electing women: Weve heard talk about the GOPs escalating efforts to recruit female candidates, but POLITICOs Laura Barrn-Lpez and Melanie Zanona talked to one female candidate who saw a different side of that story. Before Leigh Brown ran for a vacant House seat in North Carolina earlier this year, she got plenty of encouragement from Republicans in Washington eager to grow the ranks of GOP women in Congress. Then Brown jumped into a crowded Republican primary and the people who had given her hope were nowhere to be found. Among those who disappeared, she said, was Rep. Elise Stefanik, who launched an initiative this year to elect more Republican women. Part of the problem, critics say, is that there is little concert between the groups set up to help Republican women. And they limit where they get involved to vacant, open Republican-leaning seats or swing districts currently held by Democrats while deliberately shying away from backing challengers to male incumbents. POLITICO 2020 WATCH -- Kamala Harris wants an abortion rights law modeled on the Voting Rights Act. Heres why that could work by Eugene Scott WaPo How John Hickenlooper would expand access to contraception by Alice Miranda Ollstein POLITICO -- DEMS WANT PAID FAMILY LEAVE OVERWHELMINGLY: A recent survey of 1,600 likely 2020 Democratic primary and caucus voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina conducted via cell phone and landline by GBAO on behalf of PL+US Action Fund found that 92 percent of those polled support a national paid family and medical leave policy. ABORTION WARS -- A slew of major production companies are threatening to stop operations in Georgia if the state implements its new restrictive abortion law. Netflix led the charge on Tuesday, and was followed by Disney, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, Viacom, CBS, Showtime and some others. AJC We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law, Ted Sarandos, Netflixs chief content officer, told Variety this week. Its why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Variety (h/t Playbook) #METOO LATEST -- 2 executives depart Nature Conservancy after harassment probe by Zack Colman: Two senior officials at The Nature Conservancy, one of the world's most influential environmental groups, have exited the organization after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. POLITICO -- Sixteen women allege discrimination at FBI training academy in lawsuit by Stephanie Gosk, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Julia Ainsley and Kenzi Abou-Sabe: The women, seven of whom still work at the FBI, detail incidents where they say they were punished for behavior their male counterparts got away with. They also describe what they say is a male-biased review process, and even overt sexual harassment. NBC News THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION -- State Department to launch new human rights panel stressing natural law by Nahal Toosi: The Trump administration plans to launch a new panel to offer fresh thinking on international human rights, a move some activists fear is aimed at narrowing protections for women and members of the LGBT community. POLITICO PHOTO OF THE WEEK: A couple kiss outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei last Friday as the legislature in Taiwan passed an historic law, the first in Asia, allowing same-sex marriage and same-sex couples full legal marriage rights, including in areas such as taxes, insurance and child custody. -- These Rape Victims Had to Sue to Get the Police to Investigate by Valeriya Safronova and Rebecca Halleck: Evidence so neglected it grew mold. Calls to the authorities for help that went unanswered. Witnesses and victims who were never interviewed. These are just a handful of the claims that sexual assault survivors are making against law enforcement in courts around the country. The unconnected lawsuits are adding a set of novel legal arguments to the search for solutions in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which exposed failures to recognize and pursue sex offenders. The lawsuits argue that sexual assault victims do not receive equal treatment compared with victims of other violent crimes, and that failure to test physical evidence collected from their bodies amounts to unreasonable search and seizure. NYT -- Newsy Finds NYPD Undercounting Rape By 38% Compared To FBI Statistics Newsy THE CEO GAP IS NUMBERS, NOT MONEY -- Female CEOs are competitively paid, but greatly outnumbered by Sarah Skidmore Sell: The median pay package for female CEOs in the 2018 fiscal year was $12.7 million, compared with $11.2 million for men, according to data analyzed by Equilar for The Associated Press. Still, of the 340 companies included in the analysis, only 19 were run by women. AP DEPT. -- OP-ED: Trump administration neglect shows why we need permanent White House women's adviser by Cathy Russell: A former Obama administration official makes the case for a cabinet-level post focused on women and girls. Under Trump, she writes, the United States has abdicated its leadership in promoting womens political and economic participation on the global stage, and all the while has largely ignored these problems in our own country. This retrenchment underscores a longstanding problem in our government structure: There is no built-in guarantee that womens issues dont get shoved aside. ... The legislative branch, newly empowered with a record number of women, should establish a federal department for women and families that would direct and coordinate the various government offices focused on womens issues. The agency would be a part of the Executive Office of the President, similar to the director of national intelligence or the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. USA Today MOMS ARENT THE ONLY CAREGIVERS -- Victory for Fathers in a Parental Leave Case That Could Be a Harbinger by Noam Scheiber: On Thursday, JPMorgan Chase announced that it had reached a tentative settlement in a class-action case initiated by a father who was denied the 16-week paid parental leave that the company began offering in 2016. He was offered only two weeks, on the grounds that he was not the primary caregiver. As part of the proposed settlement, the company will take steps to ensure that its policy is administered in a gender-neutral way. And it will create a $5 million fund to compensate up to about 5,000 fathers who were shortchanged in the past. NYT NOT IN MY FAMILYS BACKYARD -- Family Matters: The town that online shopping built and women are trying to save by Justine Calma: San Bernardino County, California, has become a delivery hub for Amazon and other major retailers, bringing year-round traffic from delivery trucks and trains and making the countys air quality the worst in the country. Calma spent a year on this story, interviewing the Latina women leading the fight for cleaner air in the community. The Grist AROUND THE WORLD -- In Kabuls Liberating Cafes, Women Make the Culture Here, Not Men by By David Zucchino and Fatima Faizi: Trendy new cafes have sprung up across Kabul in the past three years, evolving into emblems of womens progress. The cafes are sanctuaries for women in an Islamic culture that still dictates how they should dress, behave in public and interact with men. Those traditions endure 18 years after the toppling of the Taliban, who banned girls education, confined women to their homes and forced them to wear burqas in public. NYT -- Former Tehran mayor confesses to killing his wife, sips tea on Iranian state TV WaPo South Africa makes history as women make up half of government for first time CNN Ill keep fighting: Philippine women keep alive memory of sex slave horrors during World War II WaPo Why Are So Many of Our Girls Dying? Canada Grapples With Violence Against Indigenous Women NYT NEWS YOU CAN USE -- Just 4,400 steps a day tied to women living longer, study says by Susan Scutti: Women whose step counters reached 4,400 each day had a 41% lower rate of death than women who took 1,700 fewer steps each day, a new study of older women found. CNN -- Women are happier without children or a spouse, says happiness expert by Sian Cain: Men benefited from marriage because they calmed down, he said. You take less risks, you earn more money at work, and you live a little longer. She, on the other hand, has to put up with that, and dies sooner than if she never married. The healthiest and happiest population subgroup are women who never married or had children, he said. The Guardian . LIVING IN A MANS WORLD, MEDICALLY SPEAKING -- Half of H.I.V. Patients Are Women. Most Research Subjects Are Men, by Apoorva Mandavilli: Women make up just over half of the 35 million people living with H.I.V. worldwide, and the virus is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. In Africa, parts of South America and even in the southern United States, new infections in young women are helping to sustain the epidemic. Women and men respond differently to H.I.V. infection, but clinical trials continue to rely heavily on the participation of gay men. Trials of potential cures fare particularly poorly in this regard. NYT . CURIO -- A new gender-swapping Snapchat filter can show us the female presidents we never had, from Donna Eisenhower to Barbara Obama. Watch this: Twitter (h/t Margy Slattery) BOOK CLUB -- Rachel Syme reviews two new books out that detail the daily routines of women writers and artists. I like being reminded that there are so many ways to live, stuck as I am in my own body, my own tightly coiled routine. She recommends: Women at Work, Volume II: Interviews from the Paris Review. -- Women to Pose as Men for Bravo Social Experiment Series: Bravo is teaming with Viola Davis and Julius Tennon for a new social experiment series. The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has greenlit In a Man's World, a docuseries in which four women will morph into men for several days. Each woman, following months of training and with the assistance of Oscar-winning makeup artists and voice and movement coaches, will explore what it's like to experience the world as a man. The series, exec produced by Davis and Tennon's JuVee Productions and Lucky 8 will debut in the fall. Hollywood Reporter (h/t Daniel Lippman) WOMEN RULERS TRANSITIONS -- President Donald Trump appointed Julie Dunne, a former staffer with House Oversight and Senate Homeland Security, as senior adviser to the administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (h/t Morning Tech) Sonita Alleyne was elected master of Jesus College at Cambridge, becoming the first female master of the college and the first black person to lead a college at either Oxford or Cambridge. Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will be a partner at the law firm of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison. COMING ATTRACTIONS -- Join Anna and a panel of top political journalists at the Newseum on June 24th for a conversation marking the 100th anniversary of Women's Suffrage. RSVP WISDOM OF THE WEEK -- Laurie Halse Anderson, bestselling author of Speak and SHOUT: A single-minded focus on goals is useful when carving out your lifes path, but unless its balanced with curiosity, that path becomes the fast lane to burnout. The tree with one root topples in the wind. The tree with a single branch withers in the heat. Make a file marked Curiosity in your planner. Fill it with ridiculous ideas and wild questions that make your heart beat faster. Spend 20 minutes every day playing with your curious notions, just for fun. Connect with Laurie here IMPACT PARTNER CONTENT -- In the 19th and 20th centuries, as women expanded their roles outside the domestic sphere into the public arena, they found in the mainstream political culture no images that spoke to women's experiences or conveyed women's political objectives. Google Arts & Culture: Creating a Female Political Culture looks at the images and rhetoric that enabled women to transform their domestic experience into a powerful political statement that was crucial for achieving the acceptance of voting rights for women. Explore the digital exhibit here MARKETPLACE -- Each month we highlight a female founder by sharing her companys story. This month, were featuring Katerina Schneider, founder and CEO of Ritual, a direct-to-consumer supplement company providing essential vitamins for women. I feel extremely lucky to have started a family and built a company at the same time. I want other women to know that if thats something they want for themselves, they should go for it. We are capable of so much. Use POLITICO for 10% off your first 3 months of Ritual. Women Rule is produced by POLITICO in partnership with our founding partners, Google and the Tory Burch Foundation. To learn more visit Women Rule and #RuleWithUs on social. Follow us on Twitter Elizabeth Ralph @EFRalph | https://www.politico.com/newsletters/women-rule/2019/05/31/whats-the-matter-with-kirsten-gillibrand-442426 |
Is James Holzhauer turning Jeopardy! into great fun, or a snoozefest? | With his seemingly unstoppable winning streak on Jeopardy!, James Holzhauer just keeps on racking up money. The professional sports gambler has, as of this writing, won 31 games, and a total of $2,382,583. At this point, Holzhauer is hot on the trail of Ken Jennings winning total record of $2,520,700. As the Jeopardy! website spells it out, Holzhauer has been a machine, winning an average of $76,858 per game. He bets an average of $9,046 per Daily Double. And hes not just using his professional betting skills. Holzhauer knows his stuff, with an average of 97 percent correct responses. Tonights episode again will feature Holzhauer and two other players who, to put it mildly, have their work cut out for them. If we were betting types, wed wager that Holzhauer is going to win again. Certainly, Holzhauer has become a pop culture phenom. Ratings for Jeopardy! have climbed since Holzhauer began his winning streak. As CNN has reported, Jeopardy! has been earning some of its highest ratings of the season. Holzhauers streak has also cast positive attention on Jeopardy! at a time when fans have been concerned about host Alex Trebeks health. After revealing about three months ago that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Trebek has been public about his treatment and his progress. Vote in our poll (above), and let us hear your opinions. Meanwhile, the show goes on, with a new episode of Jeopardy! scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. on KATU. -- Kristi Turnquist [email protected] 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. | https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2019/05/is-james-holzhauer-turning-jeopardy-into-great-fun-or-a-snoozefest.html |
Do more youth experience homelessness in Dallas, Collin counties during the summer? | The Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance Youth Committee and its volunteers in June plans to conduct its first ever summer homeless youth in Dallas and Collin counties. Volunteers will venture out around the counties to survey homeless youth where they might be: on the streets, in hotels or sleeping on friends couches. Keri Stitt, chair of the Youth Committee, said the group decided to conduct the count to see if the area has a spike in youth homelessness during the summer months. The group previously conducted a count over six nights in late January and early February. We needed to see the entire picture once school is out, Stitt said. | https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2019/05/31/youth-experience-homelessness-dallas-collin-counties-summer |
Is Confirmation Bias Destroying Marketing Innovation? | Photo by Icons8 team on Unsplash Confirmation bias, or the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories is running rampant in our society today, particularly fueling our political debates online. Pick any news story and those on the left will only see data that supports their position and people on the right will only see data that supports theirs. I think it's quite possible. Here's how. Confirmation bias destroys innovation. Confirmation bias is not taught or socialized, but something ingrained in our nature. While it seems on the surface to be an entirely irrational behavior, researchers believe it's the result of evolutionary design. Regardless, what's clear is that confirmation bias is the antithesis of creativity. Confirmation bias is the force we apply to our reality to maintain it, keep it from changing and make us feel better for it. A fresh, new idea, on the other hand, can't be "confirmed" because it doesn't exist yet. Worse, a fresh, new idea can threaten one's perception of reality. Think about the potential for confirmation bias in our marketing world. Reviewing fresh, new creative campaigns that we've never seen before, have never done before and are not part of our brand's reality today. Reviewing campaign results that may conflict with our personal, emotional views of that campaign. Political infighting between internal silos--e.g. the outside agency vs the in-house agency creatives vs the product marketers vs the brand managers vs the sales force--each is looking for data that pleases the C-suite. Each will unknowingly deploy confirmation bias to incoming data. Professional and personal bias to project positive momentum in one's career. Conflicting data here hurts and is easily ignored. And that's just on the client side. Let's look at the potential pitfalls for agencies. Agencies in my experience tend to think the relationships they have with their clients is better than it is. Confirmation bias in typical agencies is like a thick psychosis, almost visible in the C-suite hallways. Agency leaders feed on optimism and can't help but dwell on and remember the positive data--good meetings, good work, a good result--and dismiss the negative data--bad meetings, bad work, a bad result--all of which only contribute to their inaccurate, biased, overly positive construct. Worse, as in astronomically worse, typical agencies who believe they have a stronger relationship with their client than they have are less likely to push for innovation, new ideas, and more likely to stay the course on any given account. New ideas, new directions, new campaigns, new anything is risky when the relationship is perceived to be good, which it always is. Note: no agency will ever admit this is true, but I believe this confirmation bias results in business getting put up for review. The client wants fresh thinking. The question is, what do we do about it. Confirmation bias is a dragon, so slay it. The first step in dealing with confirmation bias is to admit it's there. All the time. And it's likely affecting our decision-making on a daily, if not hourly basis. So being aware of it might just loosen its reigns on us. Have a meeting with your team and talk about it, see if anyone admits to any. Next, face your current world views in the marketing space and question them. Or at least allow them to be questioned. As for me, my world views have changed massively since being a naive college student, as they should. Views about the world in general as well as views about the advertising business. So to the degree that it's possible always question your world views, as they relate to marketing and your job (I don't care about your politics). Allow scary questions. And, agencies, if I were you, I would assume every client relationship you have is on the rocks and behave accordingly. Take your confirmation bias and stomp on it, grind it into the carpet and assume the worst. A healthy dose of wild paranoia will put a stake in the heart of your confirmation bias and lead to longer, healthier relationships. While we won't be changing the dogmatic fixtures of confirmation bias in our politics anytime soon, we can at least address our own as it relates to marketing. Let our bias now be trained against confirmation bias. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/willburns/2019/05/31/is-confirmation-bias-destroying-marketing-innovation/ |
Should Apple Consider Dropping iPhone Prices? | Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved iPhone shipments have been trending lower, driven partly by Apples (NASDAQ:AAPL) move to bump-up its flagship iPhone prices to $1,000+. Over Q2 FY19, volumes fell 30% YoY to 36.4 million, per IDC, and we project that FY19 figures will fall by 15%. In this analysis, we provide a scenario which explores the impact on Apple if it decided to drop prices on its flagship iPhones. While we note that the odds of this happening are slim, examining the impact on Apples EPS and valuation could be interesting for investors. A Look At iPhone Shipments And ASPs In Recent Years And The Outlook iPhone shipments grew from about 150 million units in FY13 to 231 million units in FY15, driven by the iPhone 6 series. As shipments remained relatively flat between 2016 and 2018, Apple shifted its strategy toward boosting revenue per iPhone. For instance, ASPs rose 17% in FY18 to ~$765 driven by iPhone X and 8. However, we now expect iPhone shipments to decline by about 15% this year, with revenues also falling by a similar amount, as customers are holding on to devices for longer due to higher pricing. Trefis There Is A Strong Case For Reducing Flagship iPhone Prices Apples flagship iPhones are priced starting at $1,000 and $1,100 limiting their uptake beyond power-users/early adopters. Moreover, the strategy of offering all-new mid-range models such as the XR with lower specs hasnt resonated with customers. We believe that the company could drop iPhone pricing by about $100, without hurting its overall revenues in the long-run due to three broad reasons: lower component prices, higher services upside, and the ability to drive greater ecosystem lock-in. Our scenario for the price reduction is shown in blue. Our scenario assumes that Apple will drop prices on its flagships by $100, causing ASPs to fall to $680, versus our base case of $760 in FY19. (We project ASP decline to be less than $100, assuming that other models hold their price points) We estimate that this could boost iPhone shipments to 210 million, versus our base case of 186 million. Under this scenario, iPhone revenues would decline by about $4 billion vs. our base case. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/05/31/should-apple-consider-dropping-iphone-prices/ |
Is Cash The Only Charitable Payment Method? | Getty Last year, it was reported that London buskers would be able to accept payments in a range of different methods: cash, contactless cards, wearable technology and chip and pin with iZettle card readers. This makes me question if the best form of payment is in fact, the option of being able to pay however you want and then, if the lack of analogue choice prevents those who are vulnerable and unbanked or underbanked from moving forward, as Silvia Mensdorff-Pouilly, General Manager Europe Processors & Networks at ACI Worldwide highlighted. It could be argued that cash should remain in circulation until innovators can ensure that digital payments can be inclusive. Notably Sweden leads the way for cashless payments, so much so that only 10% of the 20 SEB banks in Stockholm hold cash, and some shops and restaurants have started to refuse cash the opposite to what has been seen in some U.S. states. However, Sweden is also preventing the complete eradication of cash and the Riksbank has insisted that all banks support the payment method. A similar thing is being done in China, where all business outlets are required to accept cash, cards and mobile payments as outlined by the Peoples Bank of China. Mensdorff-Pouilly pointed out that there are countless examples globally where fintechs are helping to solve the problem of the unbanked or underbanked. In fact, there is evidence that digital finance and banking is helping to support the unbanked and underbanked, especially in Africa but also in the developed countries. One example that stands out is challenger bank Monzos No Barrier to Banking campaign that aims to improve access to financial services for everyone, and last year expanded their ID verification to include application registration cards for refugees that have made asylum applications, but havent received leave to remain. As reported in the Evening Standard at the time, Tristan Thomas, Monzos head of marketing, said that this special current account offering has a lower level of risk. Its a limited version of the full current account, so you maybe cant withdraw as much cash or you cant get an overdraft. Overtime, they can build up to a full account if thats what they want. Its about getting people onto the ladder in the first place with an account number and a sort code, so they can get paid. Thomas also said that Monzo would be looking to offer the homeless limited accounts by using a letter from a shelter or a benefits letter. More recently Monzo partnered with The Big Issue to help magazine sellers boost their income through a re-selling scheme, the Pay It Forward scheme, which allows friends to sell their copy via a QR code. Mensdorff-Pouilly continued: Fintechs make it easier and cheaper for the unbanked or underbanked to transfer money. Evidence suggests that if businesses can bring consumers from an unbanked or underbanked situation into a banked one, it will increase security and help them to better manage their money. One of the key issues is to ensure that the unbanked and underbanked have access to technology that will allow them to become banked. But this isnt something fintechs alone can solve. She also provided an example: Amsterdam-based company N=5s solution, the Helping Heart Jacket for the Homeless. The jacket, which was piloted in Rotterdam and Amsterdam last year, is a warm winter coat that incorporates a payment reader and an LCD screen. Passers-by can make a card donation of a set 1 with one tap of their card. The donations can then be redeemed by the jacket wearer for food, shelter or other support through participating homeless shelters and organizations. The company is now working with other homeless charities and organizations all over the world to make the jacket available in different cities. Mensdorff-Pouilly also mentioned how there are a number of homeless people in China who sport QR codes, but as you can imagine, this is problematic. In an article in the International Business Times, marketing firm China Channel claimed that the homeless in Beijing are paid by businesses to encourage pedestrians to scan their QR codes, but their data is then harvested from their WeChat IDs and sold to other businesses for ads as Mensdorff-Pouilly explained. She added: When it comes to financial inclusion, keeping cash in circulation is the right thing to do in many circumstances, especially when we look at smaller more personal and emotive payments, including charitable donations, coins for a street busker or tipping a waiter. What is key though, is the need to strike a balance between cash and electronic payments. Mensdorff-Pouilly believed that India is a great example for how digital payments can be inclusive, referencing the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) which is mobile phone based and run by Indias Central Bank alongside 10 of the largest banks. More than 130 Indian banks have so far signed up and there are more than 100 apps via which consumers can connect to UPI and use the service to pay friends, businesses, restaurants or their electricity companies. The growth rates of UPI payments in India are phenomenal: UPI was launched in March 2016 and today has 350 million smartphone users in India; the volume of transactions has risen steadily. In March 2019 alone 800 million UPI transactions worth 1.33 Trillion Rupee were conducted. However, in order to increase financial inclusion, policies need to be put in place, and this is where infrastructure can become a significant obstacle. In some parts of the world, the emergence of pre-paid cards and contactless is enabling new solutions. But there is still work to do to overcome the hurdle of a lack of reliable infrastructure, in order for widespread adoption of electronic payments to take place. Many developing markets, including countries in Africa, have fewer legacy systems to contend with and potentially provide a model for more mature markets, which will allow them to adopt electronic payments easily. New services must be able to handle huge volumes of payments and comply with new security regulations. Crucially, they must also offer a fast and seamless customer experience to mimic the convenience of cash. All of this requires a strong, efficient and scalable infrastructure. Its also important to offer consumers a range of different payment options so they can choose what they would prefer to use, Mensdorff-Pouilly said. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/madhvimavadiya/2019/05/31/is-cash-the-only-charitable-payment-method/ |
Is Robert Pattinson the next Batman? | Twilight fans - brace yourselves! Reports from the US suggest that Robert Pattinson will be the new Batman. According to Variety magazine, Warner Bros has confirmed that the Twilight star will be next to take on the superhero role in the DC franchise. News websites in the UK are reporting that he will play the part too. But Warner Bros did not confirm to AFP news agency if the news was true. A spokesperson said: "I can confirm that we are in negotiations." Pattinson's agent also did not immediately respond. The rumours are that Pattinson will take up the role for the next film which will simply be called The Batman. It is not due to be released until 2021, but it is believed that filming will begin over the coming months. Let us know in the comments below! | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/48481342 |
What if Kings had won 2002 Western Conference finals Game 4 vs. Lakers? | originally appeared on nbcsportsbayarea.com The Kings have had unfinished business for nearly 20 years. Ask any Kings fan and they'll take you back to the 2002 Western Conference finals between Sacramento and the archrival Los Angeles Lakers, when the Kings could and should have won the NBA title. Scroll to continue with content Ad From referee controversy to food poisoning conspiracy theories, this David vs. Goliath matchup had it all. At the center of the series was Robert Horry's game-winner in Game 4. Up two points in the closing seconds, the Kings had a chance to take a three-games-to-one series lead going back to Sacramento. After both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal missed game-tying shots, Kings center Vlade Divac tipped the ball out to an open Horry, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer for the Lakers. "Anybody could have made that shot," Divac said after the loss. "It's a lucky shot that's all." "It wasn't no luck shot. I've been doing that all my career," Horry, the seven-time NBA champion, said postgame. "He should know. He should read in the paper or something." The Kings went on to lose the series in seven games to the eventual champion Lakers, who completed the three-peat after sweeping the New Jersey Nets. "The Kings would have went on to win the series I have no doubt," said Kings broadcaster Jerry Reynolds. "Had they won the series they would easily be the world champions because New Jersey just wasn't in the same caliber." Story continues "I didn't think about it until I talked to Kobe a couple years ago," former Kings All-Star and current assistant general manager Peja Stojakovic said. "He said something very interesting that the way we were playing at the time if we had won that year the momentum would carry into the following year and years ahead." "That was an era where you could have started a run right there," Kings pre and postgame host Jim Kozimor said. "I think there was a chance this team could have been a multi-championship winner." [RELATED: Barnes receives free agency advice for Jefferson] The Kings last made the playoffs in 2006 and have the longest playoff drought in the league. "I always look at 2002 like the girl who got away," Kozimor said. "It's the one you always think of. No matter how long you live it's the one that got away." | https://sports.yahoo.com/kings-had-won-2002-western-050723677.html?src=rss |
Did Mecklenburg County make bad bet on uptown land deal? | Brooklyn: How a black community was erased from uptown Charlotte The Charlotte Observer takes a look at a black community that was erased from Charlotte's uptown area due to Urban Renewal. Plans to develop the area with apartments and stores have been controversial due to the history. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK The Charlotte Observer takes a look at a black community that was erased from Charlotte's uptown area due to Urban Renewal. Plans to develop the area with apartments and stores have been controversial due to the history. When Mecklenburg County commissioners agreed to sell 17 acres in uptown Charlotte, county leaders made a bold promise. They said they would transform a vacant building, a little-used park, an aging office tower and parking lots in the former Brooklyn neighborhood into a bustling business district with offices, hotels, big-box stores and more than 1,000 apartments and condos. At the same time, officials said, the project in Second Ward would help house the poor. But three years later, newly elected commissioners are questioning the deal and exploring if the county can renegotiate. Theyre upset by the prospect of giving up public land to developers likely to build upscale housing. Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month Get full access to The Charlotte Observer content across all your devices. SAVE NOW In recent weeks, the commissioners said they challenged the plan during private meetings with developers. They said they long opposed the redevelopment proposal or were elected by voters to protect green space. The plan commissioners selected in 2016 calls for about 1,200 new homes, but only about 114 would be affordable to families making 80% of the area median income. Thats about $56,000 a year for a family of four in Charlotte. Some commissioners are miffed the agreement shrinks a 5.5-acre park by more than half in a county ranked among the worst in the country for its amount of park land. They said they are reviewing the agreement and would look into seeking changes from the developers. The previous deal was done at a different time with different priorities, said commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, who met with developers on May 1. If (the developers) dont make as much money that doesnt bother me. The opposition is significant because the current plan was passed on a 5-3 vote, according to an Observer report from June 2016. Two commissioners who voted against the proposal Pat Cotham and Ella Scarborough remain in office, meaning the majority of the board has indicated it does not support the deal as it exists. Rodriguez-McDowell and fellow commissioners Susan Harden, Elaine Powell and Mark Jerrell said they all share concerns about the project. But it is unclear how commissioners could change the agreement now. They said they dont know if they can renegotiate the master redevelopment agreement signed last year. Mecklenburg County refused to make administrators available for interviews. County spokesman Andrew Fair emailed written responses to questions from the Observer. Fairs statement said the county has a signed agreement with developers from BK Partners and any changes would require cooperation from the business. BK Partners is led by New York-based developer Don Peebles, one of the richest and most prominent African-American businessmen in the nation. Peebles said he met with commissioners to hear their concerns, but said he told them the session was not meant to renegotiate the contract. He said one commissioner suggested developers look into including micro-apartments, which are smaller and usually cheaper than standard apartments. Peebles said it was a good idea that he would study. Still, Peebles told the Observer that he is dismayed that some commissioners would be so critical of a potentially $1 billion project that would provide work for minority- and women-owned businesses in an attempt to preserve roughly 3 acres of an underused park. His plan says 35% of the construction, engineering, other professional services or other work would to go to minority and women-owned firms, far exceeding the numbers offered by other developers who competed for the project, officials said. Mecklenburgs Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise program sets more modest goals. That would include 21% participation for construction, 16% for architecture and engineering and 23% for professional services. This will be some of the first buildings in uptown that mean something for black Charlotte, Peebles said. Peebles said African-Americans and other minorities have been largely locked out of Charlottes real-estate boom, reflecting the citys stark racial and economic disparities. He said some commissioners mistakenly view the affordable housing included in the plan as racial justice. Thats a paternalistic way of looking at it, Peebles said. Give us economic opportunity and we will take care of our own. A plan to redevelop the former Brooklyn section of uptown Charlotte would shrink the size of little used Marshall Park. For the last five years, Mecklenburg County leaders have made plans to take advantage of Charlottes booming real estate market by selling public land on the edges of uptown. The idea is to take swaths of aging, sterile government buildings and parking lots and convert them into vibrant business districts filled with shops, restaurants, hotels and offices. Commissioners agree that government land sales can drive development and generate revenue that can be used to build affordable housing and new green space. But four commissioners elected to the nine-person board in November have questioned whether taxpayers got a good deal when Mecklenburg commissioners decided to sell land that includes the former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education building, Marshall Park and Bob Walton Plaza. The county chose the offer from BK Partners over proposals from two other firms selected to submit plans, Crescent Communities and Citisculpt. Citisculpt offered to pay as much as $40 million for the land, more than BK, which agreed to pay $33.7 million. But the BK plan provided the most residential units, including affordable housing, office space and retail. And unlike the other plans, it did not require public money to complete. The proposal from BK fulfills or exceeds County objectives to create a mixed-used community, a consultants report said. Paying less than market value Under the agreement, BK Partners doesnt have to pay the county for the land anytime soon. BK Partners plans to complete the project in three phases. After site plans and other details are finalized, the developers will have 18 months to close on the land involved in the first phase. Tax records suggest that the $33.7 million that BK Partners agreed to pay for 17 acres is far less than others recently paid for uptown real estate. In 2016, the same year BK Partners was selected, local developer Lincoln Harris and Goldman Sachs paid about $37.5 million for 10 acres near Stonewall and South Tryon streets, where The Charlotte Observer was once located. On Stonewall Street, the 4.2-acre retail portion of the Stonewall Station development sold last year for $34 million. Dennis LaCaria, who led negotiations for Mecklenburg County until he left the government earlier this year, said the county had to sell at a price below market value because officials wanted developers to include affordable housing and preserve park space. He noted that the city of Charlotte did not require affordable housing when it sold the land that became Stonewall Station. When youre talking about fair market value, its gonna be market driven, said Lacaria, who was a senior executive in the county managers office. If you want (affordable housing and green space), there has to be a way to subsidize that. Inherent risks Mecklenburg officials and developers originally said the redevelopment would take 10 years to complete. They said they would mostly finish phase one within five years. The county now says the project might be finished in 12 years. Since commissioners picked BK Partners in 2016, the developers and county staff have been working on due diligence, testing soil, developing a master plan and design, negotiating and agreeing to contracts and designing the project. Monte Ritchey, president of local development firm Conformity Corp., part of BK Partners, said developers are now gauging interest of local and national retailers. Theyll also have to submit a site plan to the county, which Ritchey suggests will occur in the third or fourth quarter of this year. They also may need to convince city of Charlotte officials to rezone the property, a process that often takes months. The statement sent by Fair, the county spokesman, said the immense size of the project more than 2 million square feet of retail, office and homes and other features means it will take longer to complete than the typical project. Tom Murphy, former mayor of Pittsburgh and senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute, said there are inherent risks in major redevelopments, especially since they can take years to complete. The political climate of Charlotte could change, Murphy said. The economics in the world could change dramatically. Theres all kinds of things that can happen between now ... and then when you get under construction. He and others said that a developer is unlikely to start construction if there is a downturn in the economy, which can cause further delays and uncertainty. Abandoned projects In 2013, Peebles planned to build apartments, shops and a hotel in Miami, but walked away from the deal three years later, according to a 2016 report from the Miami Herald. In March, Peebles company abandoned a hotel and condo project in Washington, D.C., amid legal squabbles, according to a report in the Washington Business Journal. Peebles said he turned away the Miami development after determining it was not financially viable. In the Washington project, he said his company plans to honor an agreement to build affordable housing at another site even though the deal to build the hotel and condos fell through. Peebles acknowledged that real estate is a cyclical business, but said he is confident the uptown Charlotte redevelopment will be successful. He noted Charlottes growing population, a need for more hotel rooms and a business-friendly environment. The county statement from Fair acknowledged that a previous deal with a local developer for part of the Second Ward property failed at least in part because of the Great Recession. The statement said there is less concern about the current deal because as a national developer Peebles has more financial resources to weather a recession than a local developer. With a sound agreement in place and continued growth in Charlotte, this development opportunity should remain attractive to the developer, the statement said. The Second Ward redevelopment carries historical significance. Once called the Brooklyn neighborhood, it was an African-American enclave bulldozed and replaced with bland government buildings in the name of urban renewal during the 1960s and 70s. The Government Center, county courthouse, jail and other municipal buildings now occupy land bordered by McDowell, Stonewall, Third and South Tryon streets. Some commissioners say thats why it is important to ensure the redevelopment includes affordable housing that will allow for more diversity. A city report says Charlotte needs about 34,000 units of affordable housing to meet demand, mostly among people making less than $25,000 a year. That means 114 units built over a decade is insufficient, some commissioners said. Im concerned with how this could become just another luxury space for rich people uptown, said Rodriguez-McDowell, the county commissioner. Its just more luxury-style apartments and condos. I asked about doing something with lower prices and they said Thats not how it is done. Commissioners Chairman George Dunlap and others have continued to support the project. At a board meeting in March, Dunlap defended the selection of BK Partners. He noted that developers had promised significant participation from minority- and women-owned businesses. Dunlap and others said people who once lived in the Brooklyn neighborhood should have their legacy honored in the new development. They are not worried about the size of the park, he said. Persons that lived in Brooklyn Village and relatives of those that lived there questioned the concern about a 5-acre park; because they said there was never a park in Brooklyn, Dunlap said, according to meeting minutes kept by the county. Commissioner Cotham voted against the BK Partners proposal in 2016, saying that it did not include enough affordable housing or preserve enough green space. However, Cotham said, trying to renegotiate now risks the countys reputation with the business community. We cant get years down the road and then say, Lets change it, Cotham said. No one would want to do business with us again. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article230906663.html |
Can a 1923 auto factory in Arabi become the areas biggest art hub? | The 1923 Ford factory on the Arabi riverfront is a gigantic post-industrial ghost composed of weathered concrete, grimy glass and rusted steel that the average onlooker might consider an eyesore. But to any artist in search of a picturesquely funky painting studio, or craft workshop, or rehearsal hall, or film set, or digital office space or dance studio its a vision of paradise. Attorney and developer Sidney Torres III hopes to open the gates of the heavenly space to the New Orleans area creative community in the coming years, after a $25 million restoration returns it to its original state. It wont be a small undertaking. The 225,000 square-ft. floor of the forlorn-looking building is almost as big as the floor of the Superdome, which reportedly has a total area of 269,000 square feet. As he led a tour of the cavernous almost-century-old space on Thursday (May 30), it was clear that Torres is in love with the relic and all it represents. He wants the renovations of the place to be practical, but respectful of its past. A building will speak to you sometimes and tell you what direction to go in, he said. When St. Bernard made cars: Arabi assembly plant represented a little bit of the Motor City in the Crescent City The New Orleans metropolis we recognize today largely took shape during the 1890s through 1920s, when most modern urban infrastructure was installed, and drained swamps gave way to spacious car-friendly neighborhoods. Comparable transformations were going on nationwide, and as both... The sprawling factory floor that was the birthplace of innumerable Model As and Model Ts must not be chopped up with walls, he said. The rows of stout columns and seemingly endless banks of overhead windows must remain as spectacularly visible as when renowned architect Albert Kahn, the so-called Architect of Detroit, first designed the avant-garde structure for Henry Ford. In Torress view, the building is nothing less than a monument to the industrial revolution of the early 20th century. If all goes as planned, it could become a monument to the creative industries in the New Orleans region in the 21st century. Torres, who owns the property with fellow investors, said that the Historic Tax Credit program that fosters the renovation of antique structures, plus Opportunity Zone incentives, meant to inspire private investment in projects in lower-income areas, will make the project possible. Sidney Torres III and Roberta Burns build a modernist masterpiece on their bucolic St. Bernard horse farm Attorneys Sidney Torres III and Roberta L. Burns share their home and property with a menagerie of very fortunate animals. Four Great Danes, five cats, a slew of pygmy goats and miniature burros, and a dozen gorgeous Paso Fino horses... Torres thinks it can. After all, he pointed out, downtown New Orleans is a mere five miles away you can see the skyline through the Ford factorys second-story windows. Artists across the region always need workspace, Torres said, and residential housing in the St. Bernard Parish suburb is relatively inexpensive. Arabi is already home to a few art enterprises such as the Studio Inferno glass art gallery and Zeitgeist theater and theres a rise in local population. A recent real estate marketing promotion at the Ford Plant touted Arabi as the sixth fastest growing suburb in the country. Torres said that the big building may include artist homes, but residences are not the driving force of the project. He pointed out that artists are often the pioneering occupants of properties such as the old Ford factory. But once the value of the site and surroundings goes up, the art pioneers are priced out. He said hed like to avoid that scenario in Arabi. The future art space, which will be called the Ford Plant, Arabi, is meant to be sustainable as an affordable creative environment. For the past few years, the property has been mostly employed as a storage warehouse. It is in remarkably good shape considering its age and disuse. Torres promised that the renovation will be underway within a year, with further phases of modification in the future that could include a 100,000 square-ft. event/convention center and possibly a tour ship wharf. The cost could eventually reach the $100 million mark as the project blossoms, he said. I dont have it all figured out, he said, I just know were going forward. Banksys edgiest New Orleans mural is on display again The graffiti superstar secretly visited New Orleans in 2008. Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram at dougmaccash, on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream. | https://www.nola.com/arts/2019/05/can-a-1923-auto-factory-in-arabi-become-the-areas-biggest-art-hub.html |
Can Bonneville Power Administration be saved? | Its not bankrupt yet, but Bonneville Power Administration has made it clear that it is facing a financial crisis and may be in trouble by 2028. In that year Bonnevilles long-term power contracts expire, allowing its customers Northwest power utilities to consider selecting a new, cheaper wholesale power provider. No one knows for sure if Northwest utilities will abandon Bonneville, but the fact that it is being discussed is itself a sign of trouble. For the past 20 years, I had the good fortune of working for governors Gary Locke, Christine Gregoire, and Jay Inslee as a Washington state representative to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a four-state body that provides some oversight over Bonneville. From this position I had a front-row seat on regional power planning, salmon recovery and Bonnevilles increasingly precarious financial situation. Because Bonneville manages the sale of electricity from 31 federal hydropower facilities in the Northwest, including Bonneville and Grand Coulee dams. This electricity is extremely valuable because it is low-cost, carbon-free and flexible in the sense that it can be ramped up to meet peak loads in the Northwest. Less obvious is the fact that the federal hydrosystem acts like a big battery to help balance renewable wind and solar. Fortunately, federal law gives the Northwest preference for these benefits that are sold to Northwest utilities at cost. For all these reasons, a financially healthy Bonneville is important to the Northwest economy and environment, especially to Washington state, which accounts for 65 percent of Bonnevilles cost-based sales. As evidence of its economic fragility, Bonneville points out that its financial reserves for its all-important power business line have fallen to essentially zero while its total debt soared to 88 percent of its annual revenues, a remarkable level for this kind of business. And recently Bonnevilles cash-on-hand, necessary to pay bills, slipped to a nail-biting few weeks. All this makes it difficult for BPA to compete with low market prices for electricity driven by the growth of renewables and low natural-gas prices. It is not unusual, for example, to see wholesale electricity prices trading below Bonnevilles cost-based rates. This creates legitimate grounds for concern. Bonneville needs to do a lot to recover its financial health, but four strategies rise to the top of the list. It should start by promoting the cheapest and cleanest resources for the future. It can do this by providing incentives for all their customers to use energy more efficiently and contracting with some customers to shift consumption from peak to off-peak, called demand response. Advertising We know demand response can work in the Northwest. Bonneville, for example, once contracted with aluminum smelters to cut their power use for a few hours when electricity was scarce and make it up later when it was abundant and cheap. Idaho Power compensates irrigators when they shift their electric power pumping to periods of lower, off-peak prices. We know that many more Northwest businesses will provide this service for the right incentive. And Washington state just required the phase-in of smart electric hot-water heaters that will allow customers to heat water when power is abundant and store it for later use. Demand response can also provide a low-cost option for integrating wind and solar into the power system if Bonneville and utilities are willing to promote it. While Bonneville has a great history of investing in efficiency it needs to renew that enthusiasm and add demand response to the portfolio. These two resources can free up hydropower generation that will improve Bonnevilles balance sheet and reduce carbon emissions across the West. Second, Bonneville needs to get serious about salmon recovery. The $8.5 billion it has spent over the past 30 years for fish and wildlife is a lot of money, but it has been deployed more like a litigation and political strategy than a salmon-recovery effort. For starters, it needs to incorporate basic performance targets into every fish and wildlife contract. Bonneville can avoid even greater future salmon costs if it makes an effort today to ensure that every dollar spent on recovery is producing more and healthier fish and wildlife. Third, it is time to stop pushing costs out into the future. If Bonneville remains deep in debt, by 2028 there is no amount of cost-cutting that can produce competitive rates. Bonneville had many opportunities to pay off long-term debt, including the debt associated with a costly nuclear-power plant, but each time it chooses to cut short-term rates instead. These decisions added to Bonnevilles debt burden and contributed to its current crisis. Share your opinion by sending a Letter to the Editor. Email [email protected] and please include your full name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters are limited to 200 words. And finally, Bonneville needs a little help from the U.S. State Department, which is currently renegotiating the Columbia River Treaty. A new treaty should relieve Bonneville of much of its current obligation to give Canada hundreds of megawatts of clean hydro energy and even more hydro peaking capacity every year. The logic behind this innovative 1960s agreement has expired, leaving a financial and environmental burden for Bonneville and Northwest ratepayers. A new, modernized treaty would ensure that Bonnevilles power payments to Canada are proportional to actual power benefits. The year 2028 may seem far away, but Bonneville needs to make changes now to remain competitive for future decades. The potential benefits of low cost, carbon-free power and abundant, harvestable salmon, make it worth the effort. | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/can-bonneville-power-administration-be-saved/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
How will the Sounders replace key midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro against FC Dallas? | TUKWILA Not enough is said about Nicolas Lodeiro. The Uruguayan center midfielder has been on a tear in MLS play for the Sounders since being snubbed for his countrys World Cup roster last summer. Last year, he recorded a single-season club record 16 assists. This year, Lodeiro is second in the league in assists at eight and has been a mainstay in Seattles starting lineup. Until Saturday. Lodeiro will miss his first MLS start since October when the Sounders (7-2-5) face FC Dallas (5-6-3) in Frisco, Texas. The team captain is serving a one-game suspension for yellow-card accumulation shown his fifth yellow in a loss at Kansas City on Sunday. Next game Sounders at FC Dallas When: 5 p.m. Saturday. Where: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas. Watch, listen: JOEtv; 950 AM and 1360 AM (Spanish). An exasperated, life happens, is all Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer could manage when initially talking about Lodeiros absence. You cant replace everything that Nico brings, but we can replace it in a different fashion, Schmetzer said when the team returned to training this week. So, whoever we use in that No. 10 position, will do the best job they can. It will be a different look for the team. One positive is the return of left winger Victor Rodriguez (hamstring) and defensive midfielder Gustav Svensson (hamstring). They participated in full training this week and are available for selection along with Joevin Jones. The versatile Jones helped the Sounders win their 2016 MLS Cup and is back after a two-year stint playing in Germany. Rodriguez could be shifted over to Lodeiros spot. Schmetzer praised his ability to play in pockets. Another option is midfielder Cristian Roldan, whos physical like Lodeiro and is a goal-scoring threat. Advertising In addition to figuring out play without Lodeiro, the Sounders spent the week breaking down their defensive missteps that led to a 3-2 loss to Sporting KC. Kansas City forward Johnny Russell scored a hat trick, his second in two MLS seasons. Dallas is on a six-game winless streak. In its last outing against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Dallas was down two goals at halftime before scoring in the 85h minute of the eventual 2-1 loss. The goals that we took from Johnny Russell, I think we couldve done better individually, Schmetzer said. We discussed all of that stuff on film. Were going to be facing another guy, (Michael) Barrios, whos an extremely dangerous attacking player. Thats where flexibility (in formations without Lodeiro) comes in. Its the nice thing about having guys with different skill sets. That flexibility is great, but its no match for having Lodeiro. His vision and accuracy have earned him another look as part of Uruguays national team roster for the Copa America, which begins June 14. Lodeiro is one of 12 players the Sounders are anticipating missing for at least two games in June due to international call-ups for various competitions and friendlies. The list includes left back Brad Smith, whose play with the Sounders earned him a slot on his Australian national teams roster for a friendly against South Korea on June 7. It makes things a little more difficult with Nico being out, Roldan said. Going into Dallas, who has struggled a little bit, theyre an eager team that wants to get a good result. Nico does so much for the team, its going to be hard to replace, but hopefully well have another guy who can do the job just fine. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/how-will-the-sounders-replace-key-midfielder-nicolas-lodeiro-against-fc-dallas/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
What Are The Key Drivers Of Uber's Expenses & When Can It Break-Even? | Ride-hailing behemoth Uber (NYSE: UBER) went public earlier this month, with its stock currently down by close to 10% from its IPO price of $45 per share. While the company remains the undisputed leader in the ride-hailing space, there are concerns relating to its business model, cost structure, and it still remains to be seen if the company will ever make money. Below, we take a look at some of Ubers key cost components and provide a scenario which could see the company reach operating break even by 2021. You can modify key drivers to arrive at your own estimates for the companys operating profits. Ubers total expenses grew from about $7 billion in 2016 to about $14 billion in 2018, driven primarily by higher cost of revenues. We project that total expenses will stand at about $21 billion by 2021. YoY Growth rate of expenses has declined from 75% in 2017 to less than 20% in 2018. Key Driver 1: Cost of Revenue Cost of revenues is the biggest driver of Ubers expenses, accounting for a little over 40% of total OpEx. This includes Core Platform insurance expenses, credit card processing fees, data center expenses, mobile device and service expenses. Cost of revenue rose from around $2.5 billion in 2016 to about $6 billion in 2018. We expect the metric to rise to about $9 billion by 2021. However, we expect the cost of revenue as a % of revenue to post a steady decline, driven by better economies of scale. Key Driver 2: General and Administrative expenses G&A expenses are Ubers second largest expense item, accounting for about 15% of total OpEx G&A expenses include compensation for management and administrative employees (finance and accounting, HR, and legal etc) Metric increased from around $1 billion in 2016 to about $2 billion in 2018. Key Driver 3: Sales and Marketing Expense Sales and marketing expenses include expenses relating to advertising, salaries to sales and marketing employees as well as consumer discounts, promotions, refunds, and credits and related expenses. The metric has increased from around 1.6 billion in 2016 to 3.2 billion in 2018. We expect it to increase steadily to over $5 billion by 2021. Key Driver 4: R&D Expenses Ubers R&D expenses have increased from around $0.9 billion in 2016 to about $1.5 billion in 2018, driven by the companys platform improvement investments and other technology bets such as self-driving cars. We expect the metric to rise to over $2 billion by 2021. Key Driver 5: Operations and Support Expenses These expenses include costs of supporting operations in cities, including driver operations, community management, and customer support. Expenses have increased from around $0.9 billion in 2016 to $1.5 billion in 2018. We expect them to grow at a slower pace to about $1.9 billion by 2021. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/05/31/what-are-the-key-drivers-of-ubers-expenses-when-can-it-break-even/ |
Can The Bucks Keep Antetokounmpo And Middleton Together? | Getty Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo's careers, at least as far as the Milwaukee Bucks are concerned, are unmistakably intertwined. Both came to the team in the summer of 2013: Antetokounmpo as a relative unknown from Greece that general manager John Hammond selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and Middleton a month later, as part of a sign-and-trade deal that sent former first-round phenom Brandon Jennings to the Pistons, who'd selected Middleton with the 39th overall pick a year earlier. He'd played in just 27 NBA games prior to the trade, averaging 6.1 points on 44% shooting but showed significant potential in his first season with Milwaukee, nearly doubling his scoring average (12.1 points per game), shooting 44 percent again, while appearing in all 82 games -- including 64 starts. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, was eased into then-head coach Larry Drew's system. The 19-year-old, at first, saw limited action while second-round pick Nate Wolters earned time as the team's starting point guard. Antetokounmpo went on to appear in 77 games that season, starting 23, while averaging a modest 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 24.6 minutes of work. In practice, the two butted heads daily. You cannot imagine how hard we [he and Khris Middleton] went at each other at practice, Antetokounmpo told The Athletics Eric Nehm earlier this season. Like, I went home and when my family came, I was showing them the scratches I had on my arms. [Middleton] used to come down and Id grab him hard. And hed push me off. In the same story, Middleton confirmed Antetokounmpo's recollection. We hated each other on the court because we were fighting for minutes, Middleton said. Me and him [Giannis] were kind of in the same position. It was a battle every day in practice. We were making each other better, but we were really trying to get into that rotation and start playing. The Bucks finished with a league-worst 15-67 record that season, which also marked the worst performance in franchise history. As the season ended, the franchise's fortunes began to turn as former Sen. Herb Kohl sold the team to a group of hedge fund billionaires from New York, who vowed to turn the franchise around. Fast forward five years and it's a much different storyline: Antetokounmpo and Middleton are no longer bitter practice-court rivals; they are the two key cogs in a machine that led the Bucks not only back to relevance, but into a new arena, to the best record in the NBA and within a game of returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. Whether or not that duo will be back this fall to take the next step remains to be seen. Antetokounmpo, the once unknown teenager, is now a bona fide superstar and a finalist for the league's Most Valuable Player honors, is under contract until 2021 thanks to a $100 million extension signed in the summer of 2016. Milwaukee signed Middleton to a five-year, $70 million extension that included a $13 million option for its final season, a year later. The deal seemed to be generous at the time but has turned into quite a value for Milwaukee, especially after Middleton finished second to Antetokounmpo in scoring with 18.3 points per game and knocking down 39.7% of his 3-point attempts while also proving to be one of the team's best defensive options, regularly matching up against opponents' top players. Oh, and for good measure, he earned his first career All-Star invitation, too. Having well surpassed the value of his original contract, Middleton is almost guaranteed to turn down the option for 2019-20 and hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career -- where he's likely to attract a max-level offer and leave the Bucks' front office with a difficult decision. Antetokounmpo has made it clear that he wants to see the Bucks' core brought back for another run, especially Middleton, who has become one of his closest friends on the squad. "I want everybody back," Antetokounmpo said earlier this week. Middleton has expressed interest in returning, too, but those sentiments come easily in the wake of a sudden, stunning and disappointing end to what was shaping up as a dream season and can change quickly when presented with a life-changing offer sheet. "Any time you fall short with somebody that you've been with the whole time, you always ask yourself or ask the other partner, 'Can we do this?'" Middleton said following Milwaukee's Game 6 loss to the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. "We've always felt that we could do it with the guys around us. It's gonna be interesting, it's gonna be fun to see what happens." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewwagner/2019/05/31/can-the-bucks-keep-antetokounmpo-and-middleton-together/ |
Why isnt Joe Biden at the California Democratic convention? | Most of the Democrats looking to replace President Trump in the White House will be talking to voters and posing for pictures at San Franciscos Moscone Center this weekend, but former Vice President Joe Biden wont be one of them. Biden, who is running at the front of the Democratic primary pack in the polls, will be at a Pride dinner hosted by the Human Rights Campaign in Ohio on Saturday night. He wont be joining 14 other presidential hopefuls speaking at the California Democratic Party convention, which promises to be the biggest and most widely covered event of the early primary season. Biden campaign officials painted his decision to give California a pass as being less about the San Francisco event and more about his commitment to advancing equality, justice and social progress for LGBTQ people in the United States and globally. Alex Rooker, acting chair of the state party, tried to put the best face on Bidens absence. I personally got a call from the vice president, who said he was committed to the (Pride) dinner, she said. I invited him to our next convention in November, and he said hed probably be there. Rooker, who has not endorsed a presidential candidate, admitted she was disappointed that Biden wouldnt be in San Francisco. I get it. Im not happy and I wish he was here, she said. But when youre number one at the top, youre getting pulled in every direction ... and the campaign has to do whats best to get past the finish line. Biden will still have a presence in San Francisco. Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to the campaign, will be at the convention, and campaign officials are planning a roundtable discussion with supporters. On Friday afternoon, however, Biden supporters were nowhere to be found. In the exhibitors hall at Moscone, volunteers for several Democratic candidates handed out signs and buttons and signed up delegates as campaign workers. But there wasnt so much as a free-standing yard sign to represent the Biden campaign. Bidens decision to choose the Midwest over the West Coast is as much about political realities as any specific time commitment. He doesnt have to be at the convention, so he wont be. After eight years as vice president and more than three decades as a high-profile senator, Biden has nearly universal name recognition among the California Democrats who will be voting in the March 3 primary. One more short speech during a candidate cattle call at the state convention isnt going to change that. That isnt the case for many other candidates. Although Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, California Sen. Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren are familiar figures to party regulars, most of the other 2020 hopefuls will be introducing themselves to the state and its voters. Bidens commanding lead in the early primary polls probably also played a roll in his decision to choose Ohio over California. The RealClearPolitics average of polls finds Biden leading runner-up Sanders nationally, 35% to 16%, with Warren at 10% and Harris at 7%. Everyone else lags even further behind. Although every candidate at the San Francisco convention has qualified for the first two Democratic debates in June and July, a number of them will have to catch fire to reach the 2 percent polling cutoff for the third debate in September. That means the longshots have to show up everywhere, while Biden doesnt. The former vice presidents visibility gives him the luxury of picking his spots, said Jamal Brown, Bidens press secretary. In the coming weeks, Vice President Biden is looking forward to returning to California to meet with voters, learn firsthand about their concerns, and ultimately, compete strongly in the state, Brown said. Californias increasingly liberal Democratic Party apparatus also could be a reason Biden will spend the weekend away from the Bay Area. The convention audience isnt likely to be Bidens type of crowd, said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. Bidens strategy is about the everyday Joe, he said. Those voters hes targeting arent the activists who will be at the convention. The convention crowd wont be looking for reasoned discussions on foreign policy, national security or the realities of what can get done politically, which are Bidens strengths, McCuan added. This is the activists stage and not necessarily the politicians stage, he said. If they want someone throwing out red meat or tofu, some other candidate can do it. Theres a growing disconnect between the progressive activists who now control the state party organization and Democratic voters as a whole. In 2018, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, former San Francisco mayor and one of the most powerful women in Washington, couldnt get the state partys backing for a fifth full term in the Senate. Instead, party leaders endorsed state Sen. Kevin de Len, who styled himself as a proud progressive. The endorsement didnt hold much weight with voters, who overwhelmingly re-elected Feinstein in the November matchup between the two Democrats. Biden doesnt call himself a moderate, but theres no denying that hes closer to the political center than Sanders, Warren or a number of other Democratic hopefuls. This weekend, at least, it leaves him in Ohio. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jfwildermuth | https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Why-isn-t-Joe-Biden-at-the-California-13914596.php |
Could the Celtics find a trade with the Houston Rockets? | Scroll to continue with content Ad ESPN reported that Houston general manager Daryl Morey has made his entire roster available in trade talks with hopes of reshaping a Rockets team that hasn't been able to get over the hump out west. Despite the minuscule chance that the Rockets would actually move James Harden, the Celtics will call about him, even if just for due diligence. Danny Ainge has a longstanding lust for Chris Paul, but probably not the one who's set to make more than $1 million for each of his 34 years of age next season (Paul will earn a staggering $38.5 million in 2019-20). Players like P.J. Tucker and Eric Gordon are intriguing, particularly on manageable money, but unless the Rockets decide to embrace a youth movement, the Celtics don't have the win-now assets to necessarily find that sort of deal. Here, however, is one intriguing scenario in which the teams could potentially do business. If Kyrie Irving elects to sign elsewhere this summer, the Celtics might be more willing to embrace their own youth movement. That doesn't necessarily mean a rebuild, but it's a longer path to Finals contention if you throw the keys to the car to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Story continues Under that scenario, Al Horford might be more intrigued by win-now possibilities than sticking around to see if Boston's 2018 playoff core - albeit with a now-healthy Gordon Hayward - could find that old Kyrie-less magic. He might alert Boston that he'd prefer to play for a more surefire contender, but is willing to help the team recoup assets in that process. Horford could either opt into the $30.1 million final year of his contract and be dealt to Houston in a deal that could bring back, say, Clint Capela and assets. Or Horford could opt out and the teams could try to find a workable sign-and-trade in which Horford still gets longer-term security and a chance to chase a ring. It's still a long shot, but remember that Horford was mighty intrigued by the Rockets before he elected to sign with Boston in the summer of 2016. The Rockets brought Harden, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Clyde Drexler to their July sales pitch with Horford and made him strongly consider the team. "It was a privilege," Horford said in 2016. "[Olajuwon] and Clyde were there, and my dad went to high school here in Houston, and he was pushing Houston hard. Hakeem, to him, was a big deal, and for me to be able to talk with him and spend some time. At the end of the day, just looking at the future and everything, I felt like here in Boston was going to be a better fit for me in the long run." If Irving departs and Horford's future gets murkier, the Rockets might just be a team that's worth talking to more. 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/could-celtics-trade-houston-rockets-162918583.html?src=rss |
Should MLB extend safety netting in all stadiums again? | by Daniel Tran An MLB foul ball struck a young fan at a Houston Astros game, reigniting talk of extending stadium safety netting even farther. All 30 MLB teams already extended their safety netting last season, but expanding the net more would ensure safety and comfort in most seats. Critics think the net will obstruct views, cheapening the game experience. Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. laced a foul ball into the third-base stands that struck a young girl during a game against the Houston Astros. Almora was emotional during the half-inning and after the game, hoping to seek out the family to make sure the young fan is okay. Expanded protective netting would have prevented thisand other incidents in the pastfrom happening. Its obvious the extended netting placed in 2018 isnt enough. They need to expand it again. When you go to a ballgame, there are warnings on tickets and in the stadiums, telling you there are dangerous projectiles flying all over you, so pay attention. If you don't want to take the risk, don't go to the game. And if you are at the game, keep your head on a swivel. Injuries happen when people are so enamored with their phones they aren't tracking the action. Putting up netting would make it difficult to watch the game for people who paid good money to see it. Being able to take home game-used balls would also dramatically decrease. The joy of catching a foul ball is part of the in-game experience. Extending the netting even farther would be a mistake. They are more at risk there. Seriously, Or if we must, keep kids out of the front rows. But dreaming of catching foul balls is one reason people go to games. Janice Hough (@leftcoastbabe) May 30, 2019 Baseballs are 100-mph projectiles hurling unabated into the stands when a player really smacks one. Even the most athletic human beings can't protect themselves from thateven when they are paying attention. MLB needs to expand the protective netting again until all fans are safe. Some fans are crying they can't see well with a net in front of them. Oh, sorry, didn't know you wanted to subject yourself to a crushed skull, missing teeth or getting pierced by a broken bat. Theres no enjoying a game when there is a risk you can die from a meaningless play. Fans need to adjust to having a mesh netting that seems to be fine for people sitting in the best seats in the house behind home plate. No more excuses. Just put the damn net up from foul pole to foul pole. Catching a foul ball or getting a ball tossed to you by a player is a lifetime memory for baseball fans. They would be denied that opportunity if they extended the safety netting even more. Imagine your kid getting tossed a ball from their favorite player only for that ball to hit the netting. Dont ruin the experience for others because a freak accident happened. So youre gonna deprive me of getting a dream ball from my park because people werent paying attention byung hyun kim (@byunghyunkim69) May 30, 2019 Maybe fans should look at themselves rather than blaming the MLB. If they were responsible parents, they wouldnt put their kid in harms way by placing them in a seat where they were in danger. There are plenty of areas to enjoy the game and not have the risk of a 100-mph ball coming right at you. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/05/should-mlb-extend-safety-netting-in-all-stadiums-again.html |
Will Canada embrace the change needed to stop the genocide? | The genocide against Indigenous women is not a thing of the past. It is not simply a blight on our history, a tragedy of the Indian Residential School era. It is happening now. That is the true conclusion of the national inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls final report, Reclaiming Power and Place. Todays racist government laws, policies and actions have proven to be just as deadly for Indigenous peoples as the genocidal acts of the past, Pam Palmateer, a Mikmaw citizen and Ryerson professor and lawyer, rightly told the inquiry. Indigenous women are still being trafficked, stolen their disappearances unnoticed by society. They are murdered at far greater rates than non-Indigenous women, incarcerated at far, far higher rates. Indigenous children are overwhelmingly over represented in child-welfare systems and disproportionately live in poverty. Indigenous people continue to be subject to the Indian Act and its discriminatory transmission of Indian status and membership in First Nations. In all these ways and more, the war against our women continues. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW | https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2019/05/31/will-canada-embrace-the-change-needed-to-stop-the-genocide.html |
What Is Strategic Agility? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Bettina Bchel, IMD Professor of Strategy & Author of Strategic Agility, on Quora: The implementation of strategic initiatives is at the heart of strategy execution. Strategic initiatives can be business process initiatives, such as implementing a new customer relationship management (CRM) or a central ERP system such as Nestls Globe initiative or alternatively, it can involve growth initiatives such as Ooredoos mobile banking service. As strategic initiatives often commit substantial resources over extended periods of time, early learning is essential to reduce uncertainty. While business efficiency initiatives are often associated with developing a plan and then delivering this well thought out forecast, the reality of the implementation is often different as the complexity of process changes is often underestimated. This is even more often the case for growth initiatives. The answer is, to a large extent, no. Like I mention in my new book, Strategic Agility: The Art of Piloting Initiatives, by strategic agility, we mean the capacity to learn and then shift resources including cash, talent, and managerial attention quickly and effectively. Strategic agility involves carefully sequencing strategic initiatives to allow for the stages of execution to be broken down in a way that knowledge for business efficiency and growth initiatives is continuously accrued, while the flexibility to adjust the path is maintained as learning occurs. In an agile context, the use of empirical performance metrics is all about improving the probability that delivery teams of initiatives get continuous feedback. Paramount to an agile way of working is the concept of fail fast, learn faster. Teams quantify their performance and use the data to improve. Teams display progress status information visually, updating it frequently. This makes progress transparent to everyone including senior management. Senior management uses visible performance information to oversee projects and reinforce the message that the accountability for succeeding or failing in terms of learning remains with the delivery team. The usual principles of assurance remain but assessment relies more on observation and engagement with the delivery team and stakeholders, rather than reporting and information reviews. Good communication and engagement are critical if effective agile delivery in the execution of initiatives is to be assured. As such, reviewers are more effective in providing critical challenges if they have agile delivery experience in order to observe the ways the delivery team works including the management approach adopted. 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 and Facebook. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/05/31/what-is-strategic-agility/ |
Can Emotional Insecurities Lead To Mental Illness? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Elinor Greenberg, PhD Psychologist, on Quora: There is no one cause of mental illness. Some seem to have a strong genetic component, such as schizophrenia, and others appear to be the obvious result of an exposure to environmental trauma, such as a soldiers PTSD, with everything in between these two extremes. Here are some of the main variables that combine to determine the likelihood that someone will develop a diagnosable mental disorder: Genetics Genetics are known to play a strong role in many psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. For example, if you are a pair of monozygotic (so-called identical twins, and one of you develops schizophrenia, the other twin has about a 48% chance of developing it as well (if you average out the results of multiple twin studies according to Gottesman, 1991). If you are fraternal twins (non-monozygotic), your risk goes down to 17%. Whereas, if you are unrelated to someone with schizophrenia, your average risk goes down to around 1%. But genetics are not the only factor playing a role in schizophrenia. If it were, the monozygotic twins who have 100% identical genes, but are only concordant less than 50%, would be 100% concordant for schizophreniaboth twins would develop schizophrenia. Researchers have looked at epigenetic factors (things that turn genes on and off), intrauterine factors, environmental factors (toxins), parenting styles, and various combinations of factors. None of these has as yet fully explained this 50% difference. Obviously, having a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia does not always result in the person developing itand we are still unsure what triggers one person to develop it and what protects the identical twin who does not develop it. Parenting Styles Chronic Psychoses: Unlike what used to be believed, parenting styles do not play a role in the development of chronic psychoses. Some styles of parenting might be particularly difficult for mentally ill children and teenagers to cope with and have been shown to affect the length of time between psychotic episodes, but they do not cause these psychoses. Personality Disorders: Most personality disorder theorists believe that the type of parenting and degree of appropriate attunement to the young child at various key developmental times are the main causes of borderline, narcissistic, and schizoid personality disorders. Many theorists also believe that some children might develop a personality disorder more easily than a different child. Childrens' temperaments and degrees of resilience have an inherited component that can make them more vulnerable or less vulnerable to developing a personality disorder. James F. Masterson (19262010), the Object Relations theorist, attributed personality disorders to the combination of three factors: nature, nuture, and fate. What he meant was that a child could have good parents, but still be in a bad situation that negatively impacts his or her psychological and emotional development, or have a genetic inheritance that makes the child more vulnerable to stress and mental disorders. For example, the mother might be ill and need to be hospitalized during the important toddler years. Or, there could be a war in which the father is drafted and the mother has to go to work and also take care of a new baby. The mother would not have the same amount of time and energy to devote to a toddler in those circumstances. Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas (authors of the book Temperament in Clinical Practice) theorize that some psychological difficulties are caused by a mismatch between parental expectations and their childrens temperament. They sort young children into three basic groups with regard to how easy they are likely to be to parent successfully based on their needsEasy, Difficult, and Slow to Warm Up. The point is that some children might be easier or harder for specific caregivers to successfully parent. Most parents could successfully raise the easy child and most would find it hard to raise the difficult child. The slow to warm up child would require understanding and patient parents in order to thrive. Neuroses: The term neuroses has been used in the past describe all the less severe mental disorders that do not fit in the categories of psychosis or personality disorders. Sigmund Freud and his followers attributed what he termed the neurotic disorders to the post-Oedipal period (Over 4+ years of age). As personality disorders are thought to begin during the pre-Oedipal period while the personality is being formed (infancy to about age 4), most non-psychotic and non-personality disorder mental problemsphobias, OCD, panic attacks, reactive depression, PTSD, etc. were considered part of this group. Cultural Practices Some cultural practices encourage the development of personality disorders or anxiety or depression. For example, if public humiliation is a major part of a cultural groups way to discipline and teach children, this may encourage a narcissistic adaptation where unstable self-esteem, shame-based depressions, and narcissistic defenses against feelings of shame about the self are predominant symptoms. The United States customs that prioritize couples and their children living in their own home, not surrounded by extended family, deprives the children of the potential for other relatives to assist the parents in meeting the childrens needs. The ritual genital mutilation of daughters in some cultures increases the likelihood that these children will have psychological issues related to the event itself, with additional sexual issues later on related to being an adult who was subjected to this practice. Punchline: There are multiple different causes for the various types of mental disorders. Many appear to be the result of complex interactions between genetics, parenting styles, cultural factors, and unplanned events. Unfortunately, there still is a great deal that we do not know about the etiology and prevention of many forms of psychological distress. 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/2019/05/31/can-emotional-insecurities-lead-to-mental-illness/ |
What Is The Future Of Investing? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Morgan Housel, Partner, The Collaborative Fund, on Quora: Itll be harder for companies to take advantage of their customers than ever before, which is great. Historically the job of protecting investors has fallen on regulators. But the next generation of investors -- those under age 30 -- have two unique characteristics: 1) They came of age during or around the Great Recession, when blind trust in financial professionals disappeared. My theory is that baby boomers -- who came of age during an era when everyone who worked on Wall Street and wore a nice suit was considered a genius -- have a harder time letting go of that narrative than their kids, who think the idea is crazy because their first experience with financial professionals was watching the market disintegrate in 2008. The new generation isnt as persuaded by jargon and wood-paneled offices as previous generations. 2) The digital economy means the younger generation grew up with much higher expectations of transparency and access to pertinent information than their parents. Here again, growing up with a certain expectation is way more powerful than coming into it in your older adult years. A 12 year old with a smartphone today is probably better at quickly finding important financial information than most professionals on Wall Street were 20 years ago. So once those 12 year olds become investors I dont think youre going to be able to sell them perpetually under performing A Shares with a 2% management fee like you could to their parents. People will always be susceptible to greed and fear, but I believe in my bones that the younger generations have a better BS detector than their parents. 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 and Facebook. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/05/31/what-is-the-future-of-investing/ |
Should size limits on American flags be allowed? | STATESVILLE, N.C. The reality television star who has said he would go to jail before removing a huge American flag from his recreational vehicle store in North Carolina told cheering employees on Thursday that he would not take the banner down under any circumstance. Standing in the parking lot of Gander RV late Thursday afternoon, Marcus Lemonis declared to a group of workers and a gaggle of news media that he was not interested in the city of Statesville's offer to change a local ordinance regulating banner sizes to allow the giant flag to continue flying. What he wants, he said, is for them to eliminate all size restrictions on the American flag. "This is about a city and a flag that does not belong to us, it doesn't belong to you; it belongs to all of us," said Lemonis, chief executive officer of Camping World, which owns Gander, and star of CNBC's reality television show "The Profit". In announcing his visit to the site, Lemonis had said Wednesday that he wanted to show his support for workers "frustrated by the distraction" of the flag controversy. Officials from the city about 40 miles north of Charlotte sued the company earlier this month over the flag, which measures 40 feet by 80 feet and hangs on a 130-foot-high flagpole next to I-77. The code limits flags to 25 feet by 40 feet. But Lemonis declared on Wednesday that he would go to jail before he'd take the banner down. Not long after that, Statesville Mayor Costi Kutteh issued a statement saying he had asked the city's planning department to change the dimensions allowed for flags displayed in a highway business zone. "If passed, this amendment will permit the flag currently displayed ... to continue flying," the release said. Kutteh said the matter should be resolved at the department's meeting on July 15. That's not good enough, Lemonis said Thursday. "What we're asking for and what we're not going to back down on is ... for the city to modify the ordinance to eliminate the size of flag regulation and the size of pole regulation unless it interferes with the FAA, it interferes with people's health, wellness or safety, or it blocks the visibility of a consumer to another person's business," he said. Employees cheered when he once again proclaimed, "The flag is not coming down under any circumstance." Lemonis' attorneys were planning to file a response to the city's lawsuit. Lemonis said Wednesday that the response would cite First Amendment free-speech protections as well as a North Carolina law that prohibits size restrictions on official governmental flags except when necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare. Daquane Messier, who's opening a new hookah lounge in Statesville, said he was rooting for Lemonis "because a win for him" as a business owner "is a win for me." "Let them fly the flag," he said. "It can be a Confederate flag. It can be a neo-Nazi flag for all I care. You fly it. Because everyone has the freedom to express ourselves." Treva Miller, who works for a school system near Gander RV, said she doesn't understand why the flag's size is such a big deal. "It's a flag," Miller said. "It's not hurting anyone. It's not doing any damage. I'm not really sure what the controversy is." ___ Waggoner reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. | https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2019/05/should-size-limits-on-american-flags-be-allowed.html |
Will Cyber-Warfare Impact The Development Of Driverless Vehicles? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Stan Hanks, tech guy, on Quora: War is by nature the projection of force by one country to another to seek compliance with something or various concessions. Theres nothing polite or civilized about it, despite the rules laid down in the numerous Geneva conventions. War is not pretty. Not meant to be. One of the interesting facets of conventional warfare is that the fighting is typically localized to where the warfighters congregate. If for instance the US decided to take exception to the nuclear saber rattling currently escalating between Pakistan and India, we could do that by concentrating methods of forceful interdiction (probably repositioning the Fifth and Seventh Fleets, and deploying a large rapid deployment groups to forward bases). And if a shooting war started, wed have men on the ground in record time. Doing what they do best. So in this imaginary war, conventional wisdom says that combatants would bring the fight to us where we were, in the field, meeting them in combat. Somewhere far away from the US. I mean, it has worked that way for a very long time now. No. No one is (probably) stupid enough to launch a full military campaign against the US. I mean, hello were sort of isolated over here, between two enormous oceans. Wed sort of see you coming. That wouldnt go well. Yeah. Im talking about The Internet. And all the communications networks which fully interconnected to all the other communications networks over which both Internet and other traffic traverse. I was talking the head of one of the leading research contractors for a number of DARPA funded projects just this last week. It was refreshing, someone who thinks about this much as I do. Theyre working on just that sort of thing. How to keep things which are network connected from doing things other than those which you expect them to do. He noted - no surprise here - that the CAN bus system used to interconnect all of the various electronic systems inside a car was not designed with even a passing thought to the possible existence of a non-cooperating piece of software. No concept of threat. No concept that anything might be there which is not authorized. Thus, you can hack <insert your favorite car model here> in under five minutes. In the case of one popular electric car, the example given was that you could do all of the following, remotely Tighten down, and lock the seatbelt Cause the vehicle to remain accelerating as soon as the accelerator was engaged the first time Override the brakes Override the battery cooling system, and cause the battery to set itself on fire If you add in any kind of active steering - autopilot some might call it - youd then not just have a driver-killing car fire bomb, youd have one that you can steer remotely to attack targets of interest. This was an exercise. A trial. Something done by some really, really bright guys who spend for too much time metaphorically sticking random junk in to light sockets to "see what happens". But they wrote the code. Verified that you could do this. And No one really cares. Ive been around long enough to know that absent clear direction with painful consequences for non compliance, the industry isnt going to do anything about this sort of threat surface. So to answer the question, I dont believe that this sort of threat will impact the development of driverless cars. Not the slightest. But I most definitely believe that it should. 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/2019/05/31/will-cyber-warfare-impact-the-development-of-driverless-vehicles/ |
Who will end Champions League drought, Liverpool or Tottenham? | CLOSE A Iowa high school soccer player stunned the crowd after scoring a unique goal off a corner kick. USA TODAY Given the way both Liverpool and Tottenham reached Saturdays UEFA Champions League final (3 p.m. ET, TNT), they might be forgiven for being grateful to have made it this far. Theyre not. Despite a pair of extraordinary comebacks separated by 24 hours and 400 miles three weeks ago, these two English clubs know full well the opportunity to rewrite a painful modern history that awaits them, the kind of chance that may not arise again soon. It would have taken only the slightest shift in fate and either or both teams would be on summer vacation right now, left to ruminate on another season that wasnt everything it might have been. Instead, they are in Madrid preparing to play for one of the biggest prizes in soccer. In the second leg of its semifinal against Barcelona on May 7, Liverpool overturned a three-goal deficit on perhaps the most famous night its iconic Anfield stadium has seen. The Wanda Metropolitan Stadium in Madrid will play host to the Champions League final vs. Liverpool and Tottenham on Saturday. (Photo: Gabriel Bouys, AFP/Getty Images) WORLD CUP: FIFA keeps 32 teams for 2022, scrapping plans for expansion to 48 The next night, Tottenham clinched a place in the finale in similarly remarkable fashion. Dropping 3-0 behind to Dutch side Ajax on aggregate scores with 35 minutes remaining, the North London team rode a hat-trick from Lucas Moura to victory, sealed by a final goal in the waning moment of stoppage time. And thus, naturally, two passionate fan bases dare to dream. Dramatic late goals and surging comebacks have the effect of making a group feel like they are the team of destiny. Clearly, they cant both be right. It is about using the things that have brought you to the final, Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp said. We have controlled our emotions in such a good way that our feelings are just pure excitement. Only the final of the World Cup is as important as this in football, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino added. I know what it means to the club, to the fans. We understand it is everything to them. A triumph for either club would be potentially transformative. Liverpool enjoyed European glory in the late 1970s and early 1980s, winning this competition four times when it was still just the European Cup not the Champions League. Another triumph was added thanks to a major upset in 2005 and Klopp masterminded a trip to last years final, where Liverpool was defeated by Real Madrid. However, the Reds have not won the English title since 1990, a long and painful wait. This season, they finished second to the imperious Manchester City, ending with just one defeat and a total (97 points) that was the third-highest in league history. Coming up empty after a campaign that has spawned outstanding soccer, highlighted by the offensive excellence of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane and just a single league defeat, would leave decidedly mixed memories. For Tottenham, the drought has lasted even longer. Spurs were last champions of England in 1961 and have spent most of the intervening years in the shadow of local rival Arsenal. Arsenals defeat on Wednesday to Chelsea in the Europa League final Europes second most important club tournament gives Tottenham the potential for unlimited and long-lasting bragging rights if it is to claim the big prize this weekend. Having continued to develop and grow under Pochettino for the past five years, this would be the ultimate fruition of promise that has gradually built. Supporters of both teams are piling over to Madrid in full knowledge that either an unforgettable triumph or an agonizing defeat beckons. There are forces of economics and scruples at play. When it first emerged there may be a shortage of available flights bound for the Spanish capital, prices escalated to $1,600 for a 90-minute journey. Perhaps inevitably, opportunistic travel carriers latched on, adding more flights and thus tilting the balance of supply and demand. Those who decided to wait can now snap up fares for around $300. In truth, for long-suffering supporters who have long awaited this moment, no price would be too much for a victory. Some will tout the presence of two English teams in the final as being proof of an EPL resurgence. Realistically, it is much more localized than that. Victory for either team will serve as evidence that they are firm members of European soccers elite circle while helping to wash away years of disappointment. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2019/05/30/uefa-champions-league-who-end-drought-liverpool-tottenham/1279098001/ |
Whats in wildfire smoke and is it worth it to get a respiratory mask? | CALGARYNaomi de Vos, who has had asthma since she was a child, struggles during wildfire season. The Calgary mom says that at 42-years-old, shes finding the triggers for her asthma are increasing and when the smoke gets bad during the warmer months, she ends up having to stay cooped up indoors with her seven-year-old daughter. I try not to walk anywhere, she said, adding she even wears a respiratory mask at times. When the smoke is especially strong, she said not even her inhaler helps. Alberta is battling multiple wildfires burning out of control in the northern half of the province, according to Wildfire Alberta. There are several more wildfires burning on top of that, but they are either under control or being held. With dry conditions and drought this summer, experts are predicting more fires to come. The smoke that blanketed much of the province this week has had an apparent impact on air quality, affecting those with and without respiratory issues. On Friday morning, Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement for Calgary, advising people to stay indoors. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Michael Heuchert, a team leader at Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), said the stores reusable respiratory masks the Respro Ultralight Mask and the Respro Techno Mask are now out of stock in the downtown location at 10 Avenue and 8 Street SW. Today, literally as the store opened, the first three people through the door and the first three phone calls that we got were (people) looking into whether we had any (masks in stock), Heuchert said. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW For most of the year, he said they have enough masks in stock to cover demand. But during the summer, when wildfires rage and smoke becomes a problem, demand jumps and they have to boost their supply. Its pretty extraordinary circumstances out there, he said, adding the stores stock of masks will be replenished after the weekend. The effectiveness of respiratory masks will depend on what type they are, according to information on the Alberta Health Services website. Those looking for protection from wildfire smoke should check for the label NIOSH95 on the packaging. Wildfire smoke is typically a combination of particles and gases. The masks do not block out toxic gases or vapours, however gases are mostly only a concern to those in close proximity to the fire, such as firefighters. The tiny particles particulate matter 2.5 are what most people need to look out for, said Karla Gustafson, medical officer with Alberta Health Services (AHS). Aside from wildfire smoke, particulate matter 2.5 can come from other sources like tailpipe emissions and cigarette smoke. When breathed in, the particles can enter deep into capillaries in the lungs. It does reach farther into the airway, Gustafson said, adding the particulate is one of the main components thats monitored for air quality. If you do purchase a mask, its important to ensure youre using a maske rated N95 or higher and that it fits securely over the nose and mouth, according to information on the AHS website. The number refers to how much of the particulate matter is being blocked by the mask. With N95 masks, 95 per cent of the particles that are 0.3 microns or larger are being blocked out as long as the mask fits properly. The regular mask that people use for construction or to clean up their basement or what not arent effective. It really needs to be if, youre going to use a mask, it needs to be an N95, said David Strong, the lead medical health officer with AHS for the Calgary zone. Strong added that wearing a respiratory mask for long periods could make breathing more difficult and said those who dont want to use a mask should try to remain indoors as much as possible with doors and windows shut. For those needing to cool off, he recommends using an air conditioning system or heading to indoor public spaces like shopping malls or movie theatres. Strong said there isnt enough evidence to support the idea that wildfire smoke causes respiratory issues such as asthma, only that it exacerbates existing conditions. According to Jill Bloor, the Calgary executive director of Alberta Airsheds Council (AAC), the number of hours where particulate matter 2.5 exceeded the recommended maximum level (80 parts per million) nearly tripled within the last three years. The AAC monitors the presence of particulate matter in the air minute by minute and then calculates hourly averages throughout the year. In Calgary in 2015, the AAC recorded 92 hours where the level of particulate in the air went above the recommended maximum level. In 2018, when B.C. had a record-breaking year of wildfires creating smoke that wafted into Alberta, they recorded 263 days that exceeded the maximum. That compound in that smoke, thats the most dangerous for human health, Bloor said. For workers who have to be outside, having the right equipment is important. Hayley Magermans, media relations with Canada Post, said in an emailed statement that all of the companys delivery agents in areas where air quality is poor have been provided with water and N95 masks. The employees were also advised to return to the depot immediately if they experienced any issues. If the air quality is deemed too dangerous for our employees to continue delivering, we will issue a service alert until conditions improve, Magermans said, adding updates are available on the Canada Post website. Amy Tucker is a reporter/photographer with Star Calgary. Follow her on Twitter: @amy_journalist Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/calgary/2019/05/31/whats-in-wildfire-smoke-and-is-it-worth-it-to-get-a-respiratory-mask.html |
What is the least valuable British coin ever? | Image copyright Royal Mint The government has decided to keep the penny piece following a consultation, despite the suggestion from a survey that six in 10 of UK 1p and 2p coins are only used once before being put in a jar or discarded. One argument for the withdrawal of the 1p piece, raised in the government consultation on the subject, is that its value has been falling, meaning that it's becoming less useful compared with the cost of producing and distributing it. This led the Reality Check team to wonder if it is in fact the least valuable British coin there has ever been. And that in turn led us to Queen Anne, who came to the British throne in 1702 pursuing greater political integration between England and Scotland. Five years later, Article 16 of the Act of Union declared that for the first time all of Great Britain would have the same currency - so that seems like a good starting point for British coins. 1707 - 1842 Farthing 960 1842 - 1869 Half farthing 1,920 1869 - 1960 Farthing 960 1960 - 1969 Halfpenny 480 1969 - 1971 Pre-decimal penny 240 1971 - 1984 Decimal halfpenny 200 1984 - present Decimal penny 100 In 1707 the smallest coin was the farthing, which was a quarter of a penny. At the time there were 240 pence to the pound - that was changed in 1971 when the currency went decimal, with 100 pence to the pound, as it is today. If you put the value into the Bank of England's inflation calculator, it turns out that a quarter of a penny in 1707 was worth about 25p in 2018 money. Comparisons of values over such a long period are somewhat difficult to do, with considerable changes in the sorts of things people were buying then and now, but the difference is large enough to be able to say with confidence that you could buy more with a farthing in the early 18th Century than you can with a penny today. The farthing was the smallest coin until 1960, except for a 27 year period in the mid-19th Century under Queen Victoria, when there was a half farthing. Even the half farthing never dipped below a value of five pence in modern terms. After the farthing was withdrawn in 1960, the halfpenny was the lowest denomination coin until its demise in the run-up to decimalisation. The pre-decimal penny was the lowest value coin for a few years until 1971, when the decimal halfpenny took over. The halfpenny was finally withdrawn in 1984 under Margaret Thatcher's government, when it was worth 1.6p in 2018 money, 60% more than a penny piece is today. Image copyright Royal Mint Image caption The decimal halfpenny featuring Queen Elizabeth II was withdrawn in 1984 So we can conclude that since at least 1707, Britain has not had a coin worth less than the current 1p piece. Nonetheless, the government decided to keep the 1p and 2p coins, noting their historic and cultural importance, concerns that prices might go up if prices were rounded up to the nearest 5p and "a number of responses from the seaside amusement industry", which didn't want to lose the "2p push machine". Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48153442 |
Did Mueller Sit on His No-Collusion Conclusion? | This was among the questions that the Russiagate special counsel dodged at Wednesdays Justice Department photo opportunity. Meanwhile, America tore itself in two. Muellers 22-month-long inquiry was like chemotherapy an invasive, all-consuming nightmare, though seemingly necessary to excise a malignancy. Serious suspicions existed that the Republican partys standard-bearer conspired with the Kremlin to capture the White House. The chemo eventually worked. It confirmed that there was no collusion. The Oval Office is not occupied by a Russian asset. If Dr. Mueller determined this in, say, mid-February and informed Attorney General William Barr on March 22, then Americans should applaud this fair timeline. Under-covered passages of Muellers report strongly suggest that he engaged in malpractice rather than good medicine. As soon as news broke that Trump had been elected President, Russian government officials and prominent Russian businessmen began trying to make inroads into the new Administration, the report states on page 144. They appeared not to have preexisting contacts and struggled to connect with senior officials around the President-Elect. At approximately 3 a.m. on election night, Trump Campaign press secretary Hope Hicks received a telephone call, Muellers report continues. Through this persons thick foreign accent, Hicks deciphered the words Putin call. The next morning, Nov. 9, 2016, Hicks received the email she requested from the caller. Russian Embassy official Sergey Kuznetsov contacted Hicks via Gmail. Subject line: Message from Putin. In an English/Russian attachment, according to Mueller, Putin offered his congratulations to Trump for his electoral victory, stating he look[ed] forward to working with [Trump] on leading Russian-American relations out of crisis. Hicks and Trumps son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, according to his congressional testimony, then spent time authenticating this email by identifying, locating, and contacting Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. After Moscows man in Washington validated the email, Muellers report states, Hicks conveyed Putins letter to transition officials. Five days later, on November 14, 2016, Trump and Putin spoke by phone in the presence of Transition Team members. These delays frustrated Putin. Mueller cites Petr Aven, chief of Alfa-Bank, Russias largest commercial lender: Mueller states that Aven had a one-on-one meeting with Putin in the fourth quarter of 2018. Aven also testified that Putin spoke of the difficulty faced by the Russian government in getting in touch with the incoming Trump Administration, Mueller writes. According to Aven, Putin indicated that he did not know with whom formally to speak and generally did not know the people around the President-Elect. If Trump and Putin had been in cahoots, they would have speed-dialed each other and toasted Trumps triumph on Election Night. Instead, Putins greeting crawled toward the president-elect for five days. Trump-Russia collusion was a Red Square-sized lie. Kushner testified on July 24, 2017. Hicks spoke to the FBI on Dec. 8, 2017. Aven sang on Aug. 2, 2018. So, Mueller knew this at least 95 days before the November 6 midterm elections. Mueller could have removed the Trump is a KGB agent albatross that hobbled the president and his party. But he didnt. In essence, Mueller hid this exculpatory evidence from the 328 million jurors in Americas court of public opinion before they rendered their verdict on Trump and the GOP last November. The House and Senate Judiciary Committees should subpoena Robert No Questions Mueller and make him explain publicly why he covered up this game-changing conclusion from at least August 2 through March 22 with a national election wedged in between. More from National Review | https://news.yahoo.com/did-mueller-sit-no-collusion-103025549.html |
Was King George III really insane or was he suffering from an undiagnosed disease? | King George III reigned for 59 years, overseeing England through the upheaval of war, widespread social change and the industrial revolution. He was a popular King, much loved by his people, as he genuinely cared for the livelihood of the "common man" and delighted in encouraging both the arts and science (in 1768 George founded the Royal Academy of Arts.) He also led England's successful resistance to Revolutionary and Napoleonic France, oversaw a British victory in the Seven Years' War and supervised the loss of the American Revolution, reports news.com.au. Advertisement His madness. Sadly, the incredibly accomplished monarch is known today as Mad King George. He was widely labelled a lunatic, even though some later believed he suffered from a debilitating metabolic condition known as porphyria. A letter written by King George III. Photo / National Army Museum He was poorly handled by his doctors, who didn't really know how to treat the King; they gave him medication that was laced with poison, making the fits that accompanied his illness even worse. His recurrent fits of madness grew worse until 1810, when his son was required to step into his place. It was 209 years ago that King George was unofficially declared mad. Whether he was a Mad King or not he was a high achiever and despite Britain losing its American colonies, under George, the nation still managed to become one of Europe's leading powers in Europe. King George III of Great Britain (1738-1820). Photo / News Corp Australia Princess Amelia, was among one of the daughters of King George III of England. Photo / News Corp Australia THE LOSS OF THE AMERICAN COLONIES King George goes down in history as being the monarch who lost the American colonies. It all began when the King appointed Lord North prime minister in 1770, marking the start of a 12-year period of parliamentary stability. Three years later a new act was passed, taxing tea in the colonies, which led to the Americans complaining about a taxation without representation. The Americans then staged the infamous Boston Tea Party, but North refused to budge. Two years later, the American Revolution began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. A Declaration of Independence put forward America's bid for freedom, referring to King George III as a stubborn tyrant who could no longer govern the colonies. One thing the Americans were wrong about: It was not the King but parliamentary ministers who set the laws for colonial policies. On hearing that his army was defeated at Yorktown in 1781, King George planned to abdicate but changed his mind and decided to direct parliament towards peace negotiations. This resulted in the 1783 Treaty of Paris which recognised the United States and ceded Florida to Spain. George III was an incredibly learned man and was interested in every aspect of the war in America. He spent weeks recording details about the French fleet, even taking note of how many soldiers and blankets were required details he recorded in his own handwriting. When American independence was declared on 4 July 1776, George felt that he had defended the national interest by conceding defeat and avoiding a long war with revolutionary France. THE MADNESS BEGINS "King George III in coronation robes" painting by Allan Ramsay. Photo / Getty Images Some modern doctors believed King George suffered from the blood disorder, porphyria, which causes cramps, abdominal pain and seizures, similar to epileptic fits. George's extremely violent attacks led to him being labelled by doctors as "insane". And, to make matters worse, the most common medication was "James" powder' which contained arsenic, now known to trigger severe porphyria attacks. When George lapsed into a period of violent insanity in 1788, lasting several months, his doctors treated him appallingly. He was often forced to wear a straitjacket while doctors used him as a human guinea pig. According to historian Lucy Worsley, doctors tried various treatments on the King that were both painful and unnecessary. They described George's symptoms as "evil humours" and subjected him to everything modern medicine had to offer at the time. They used techniques such as bloodletting, urine analysis, blistering and also purgatives such as rhubarb, senna, castor oil and antimony to cure his chronic constipation. Dr Francis Willis was one of several doctors to treat the King. In his diary, on March 2, 1801, he wrote: His Majesty's feet were put into hot water and vinegar for half an hour. Soon after this His Majesty put on such an appearance of being exhausted, that his life was despaired of his pulse too had rapidly increased. Gave him a strong dose of bark which had the effect of composing him and putting him to sleep for an hour and a half which he had not had for I think, nearly 48 hours before which time too he had been in a very restless and unquiet state. He waked with a slower pulse and in every respect appearing better; so that the physicians were enabled to give a favourable report to the Prince of Wales in ye evening. If the report had been otherwise it was intended that other physicians should have been called in aid the medicines of today since two o'clock were chiefly composed of musk and bark his nourishment jellies and wine. Blistering was probably the worst thing the doctors did to him because that's when they used the James' Powders mostly made up of arsenic to blister his skin in an attempt to rid the body of toxins. Many believe it was the arsenic that made his condition worse and led to his death. HOW MAD WAS KING GEORGE October 25, 2001: Queen Elizabeth II stands in the 18th Century Room at London's Buckingham Palace. A 1771 Johann Zoffany portrait of King George III hangs in the background. Photo / AP Whether the King suffered from porphyria or was just mad has long been debated. That theory formed the story of a long-running play by Alan Bennett, The Madness of King George, which later became a film starring Nigel Hawthorne and Helen Mirren. But a recent research project at St George's, University of London, concluded that the King did suffer from mental illness after all. Researchers used thousands of George III's own handwritten letters, to analyse his use of language. Dr Peter Garrard and Dr Vassiliki Rentoumi discovered that during the King's episodes of illness, his sentences were much longer than when he was healthy. When he was going through a "mad episode", the King would repeat himself and his vocabulary became more complex and colourful. These are features common to patients going through the manic phase of a psychiatric illness, such as bipolar disorder. According to historian Lucy Worsley, the researchers are adamant that the porphyria theory is wrong and that the King definitely suffered from a psychiatric illness. "But it certainly did not stop George III from being a successful king. In a prosperous, industrialising Britain, it was growing more important for a monarch to reign rather than rule, providing background stability rather than aggressive leadership," Worsley said. "With his 60-year reign, George III certainly provided continuity, and I believe that his short episodes of illness tend unfairly to diminish our views of him." THE END OF KING GEORGE By 1779 the King had recovered and managed to reign for another 12 years, until he suffered his final bout of "madness". That meant his eldest son George, Prince Regent, had the difficult task of trying to govern according to the unpredictable notions of his father. The Prince wrote a letter at the time describing how tough those days were: There he was sitting on the Throne with his King's Crown on and held his speech written out for him, just what he had to say. But, oh dear, he strode up and made a bow and began 'My Lords and Peacocks'. The King's final months were spent being bound in a straitjacket and sometimes chained to a chair. Towards the end, he was deaf and blind and living in misery. He died at Windsor Castle on 29th January 1820. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12236533 |
Are Drake's Antics Good Or Bad For The Toronto Raptors Brand? | Getty Toronto Raptors' superfan Drake has an official role as the global ambassador for the NBA club and sits courtside at home games. The Canadian superstar rapper, also known as Aubrey Drake Graham, has brought added attention to the Raptors and to the city of Toronto, but opinion is divided on whether his relentless grandstanding is good or bad for the club's brand. Questions about whether he has taken his role too far came up after his shoulder rub with coach Nick Nurse on the sidelines of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final and his smack-talking has upset the Bucks and their city to the extent that a Milwaukee radio station has banned Drake's music for the rest of the series. In the video clip below, watch until about the 37-second mark to see Drake trying to get under the skin of Bucks' sensation, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Supporters see Drake as a positive and fun influence for a young, diverse fanbase, and the NBA is doing its part by having its colorful personalities spread the NBA brand around the world. Here's a piece by Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, who argues that Drake is just the protagonist in a modern, fun NBA. And NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith said he thinks it's "embarrassing" that anyone associated with the Milwaukee Bucks would even comment about Drake's sideline behavior. "There is no reason for everybody to be in an uproar about this," he said. "He's a part of the Raptors organization. He's just not some typical fan. If you've got a problem with this, Milwaukee, do something about it. Give him nothing to cheer about by handling your business." Drake's expression of his love for the Raptors and for the city of Toronto seemingly knows no bounds. After Game 5, Drake attracted a battery of TV camera reporters when he joined Toronto fans in celebration of victory and he made an impassioned speech. We have the best player (Kawhi Leonard), we have the best fans in the whole NBA," Drake said. "Look around. We created this. They can say it's disrespectful, but everybody is within the rules. All we are is proud and passionate. We are like a college sports team. I love this team." Can hardly wait to watch another episode of 'Drake does the NBA' tonight #Raptors steve buffery (@Beezersun) May 25, 2019 But to some, Drake is merely annoying. Last year, Complex, a New-York based media platform for youth culture, ranked the top 10 most annoying celebrity fans and Drake was No. 1. But annoying gets you noticed. Last year, the NBA was not happy with Drake's conduct in Toronto's second-round series against Cleveland. It has a Fan Code Of Conduct to create a "safe, comfortable, and enjoyable sports & entertainment experience," and the league asked the Raptors to tell Drake to tone it down after his verbal exchanges with the Cavaliers' Kendrick Perkins. It seems he's both. Trying to tone down Drake is a double-edged sword. He is also a big draw for the non-basketball crowd who will drive up television ratings for Game 6 on Saturday night because everyone wants to see what Drake will do for an encore. Drake has a strong effect on the team from a marketing and sponsorship perspective, and his massive social media following will raise the Raptors profile around the world. "Having Drake as an ambassador for the Raptors is one of the most valuable assets that any sports team has right now," sports marketing expert Blake Lawrence said from New York. Lawrence, a former starting linebacker for the Nebraska Huskers football team and co-founder and CEO of athlete marketing platform opendorse, said Drake's influence easily outweighs the impact of a previous generation of courtside celebrities like Spike Lee in New York or Jack Nicholson in L.A. because of the social media world we live in. "The difference between Drake and Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee is that Drake has had his rise to stardom in the social media era," Lawrence said. "Where you just saw Spike or Jack on the sidelines, you see Drake in your social media feed. You see his stories, you see his videos. He's got 57 million followers on Instagram and almost 40 million followers on Twitter. He's got nearly a 100 million people tuned in to his every move." The NBA has done a good job of leveraging courtside celebrities to drive viewership and engagement. "So many people at games are taking photos and videos of who's sitting on the bench. Not who's on the court," Lawrence said. But there could be a marketing downside to Drake's influence. "There's somewhat of a slippery slope on how much the Raptors allow Drake's brand to overshadow theirs," said Lawrence, whose company helps over 6,800 professional and collegiate athletes share content over social media. "When any brand has all their eggs in one basket, you are tied to the behavior of that celebrity. So Drake and the Raptors being synonymous is a good thing, but it also puts the Raptors at risk if Drake says something that doesn't align with the Raptors brand." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtisrush/2019/05/25/are-drakes-antics-good-or-bad-for-the-toronto-raptors-brand/ |
What Is The Mysterious 'New Era Of Destiny 2' Bungie Wants To Talk About? | Destiny 2 Bungie This week, Bungie laid out some big changes to Destinys Eververse store and the worlds first raid pursuit for Season of Opulence, with more information about the next Annual Pass release coming next week, apparently. But they closed with a line that attracted a lot of fans attention: Right now, our focus is on Opulence. But after the Season has launched and Raid belts have been awarded, well be looking deeper into the future, and sharing with you more about a new era for Bungie and Destiny 2. Taken literally, the new era here is Bungie operating without Activision. Season of Opulence was the last bit of content made while still under the Activision deal and working with Activision partners. But Bungie has yet to say one word about that. Whats interesting here is that Bungie says Destiny 2 and not Destiny, implying that were talking about specific, Year 3 content here. If we were sticking to the old Activision schedule of releases we would have a Rise of Iron type expansion launching this fall, followed by Destiny 3 a year later. There have been rumblings that Bungie is planning another Annual Pass, this time perhaps with four segments instead of three, but none of that is confirmed. Destiny 2 has also teased a coming conflict with triangle enemies a bunch of different times now, at the end of vanilla D2, at the end of the Queens Court storyline and at the end of Invitations of the Nine. Destiny 2 Bungie What I do not envision happening is the dream. While everyone may have a different dream for Destiny, I think there are a good number of fans that have this idea of Destiny morphing into a World of Warcraft type massive universe. This could involve porting all of Destiny 1 over into Destiny 2, complete with all those old missions and zones. And then in the future, Destiny 3 would not erase everything and start from scratch, but instead add onto the existing pile of worlds built up in the first two games. A veritable Destiny universe. But that all sounds like more work than a newly independent studio with no more corporate backing is capable of. In a perfect world, we could have some sort of sprawling dozen plus planet Destiny mega game, but I just dont see that being in the cards. Rather, I think Bungie will stick with more traditional releases. My money is still on an Annual Pass for Year 3 here, though perhaps one with meatier content to consume during the fall release period. But rather than one huge $40 expansion dropping all its content at once, it would spread things out throughout the year like weve seen in the past here. While I think most players might prefer a larger TTK/RoI/Forsaken level expansion this fall, part of getting free of the Activision deal means Bungie doesnt have to release something huge every holiday, which frees them up to put more work into say, Destiny 3 to hopefully avoid the problems that Destiny 2 launched with. Destiny 2 Bungie I think Bungie has done well with continued Destiny 2 content. I agree with people who prefer larger, flat DLC releases like Curse of Osiris and Warmind, and yet its not possible to do that kind of content every single year. The Annual Pass, ultimately, feels like a good compromise, because the alternative is what we saw in Destiny 1 Years 2 and 3 where there was quite literally nothing to do for months on end other than random holiday events. Say what you will about Destiny 2s past few months, but there certainly has been stuff to do. There have been hits (the Forge system) and misses (Reckoning farming), but overall, I think most active players would agree that the Annual Pass was probably worth $30, and thats before Season of Opulence even gets here. I do want to know what changes now. What Bungie is going to do differently now that theyre on their own. It sounded like a cause for celebration when the split was announced, but I think its time to tell players why they wanted this in the first place, and concrete ways its going to be make the series better. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Read my new sci-fi thriller novel Herokiller, available now in print and online. I also wrote The Earthborn Trilogy. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2019/05/25/what-is-the-mysterious-new-era-of-destiny-2-bungie-wants-to-talk-about/ |
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