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How does the government shutdown impact me? | Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about the shutdown and how it is or isn't likely to impact you: (WASHINGTON) As the partial government shutdown continues into its second week with no agreement to end it, more Americans are starting to feel the impact of a lapse in federal services. Federal employees and contractors are facing the end of a second week without pay but more people feel the impact in sometimes unexpected ways. Business owners in Washington say they see a decrease in business due to fewer tourists since the Smithsonian museums closed this week. Delays in grant and loan applications, planning for future projects and interrupted scientific research could have long-lasting impacts even after the shutdown ends. This shutdown isnt exactly like others in the past because only part of the government is closed. Some branches like the Department of Defense and the legislative branch already have funding for next year. But other agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Interior Department, and IRS are closed and most employees were sent home. A great number of people wont see an immediate difference from the shutdown in their everyday life, though many impacts are difficult to measure. The financial services company Standard & Poors estimates the current shutdown will cost the U.S. economy $1.2 billion a week. Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about the shutdown and how it is or isnt likely to impact you: Travel The average traveler wont notice much of a difference in airport operations during the shutdown. Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers are still working as usual, though they arent being paid. International travel plans also shouldnt be significantly impacted. While the State Department is affected by the shutdown and some bureaus within the agency have furloughed workers, passport services remain open because their funds come from fees. At embassies and consulates abroad and passport agencies at home, U.S. citizens can still apply for a new passport or renew a passport. The only exception is passport agencies that are located within a government building that is closed because of the shutdown. Some people applying from Global Entry status, which allows travelers to get through Customs and Border Protection more quickly when traveling internationally, say their interviews were canceled during the shutdown without notice. A Department of Homeland Security official told ABC News that the program is not processing any applications, though that does not impact the TSA Precheck program which is paid for by fees. You may see some closures if you plan to visit any National Parks or other federal lands. While open-air parks are open, some campgrounds and other areas have closed due to concerns about health, safety and potential damage to natural resources. Benefits Social security, Medicaid and Medicare are still operating and providing benefits as usual. Since the programs are deemed mandatory the funding is secure even if the broader department doesnt have its budget for next year yet. According to the Department of Agriculture, food stamps and other nutrition benefits are also set, at least until February. The Department of Veterans Affairs is not impacted by the current shutdown, so veterans benefits and health care services are continuing as usual. Even though federal employees arent getting paid during the shutdown they still have access to their benefits through their employer, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Furloughed federal employees can apply for unemployment during a shutdown, according to the office of personnel management, but are advised to consult the specific rules in their city or state. Taxes While the government is shut down the vast majority of IRS employees are not at work, so there is no one to respond to taxpayer questions, issue tax refunds or perform other administrative functions. Electronic tax returns can be processed, but the refund will not be issued. Some paper tax returns could be processed in batches, because those operations are considered necessary to protect government property. According to the IRS contingency plan, the agency will meet throughout the course of the shutdown to determine if employees need to be brought back to work, without pay, to keep up with some of these functions. The contingency plan expired on Dec. 31, before tax season officially started, so its unclear exactly how the IRS will respond as the shutdown continues into 2019. Some IRS employees are still working to implement the Republican tax plan, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which contained its own funding for two fiscal years. Tax refunds could also be delayed if the government shutdown lasts much longer. After the 2013 shutdown, which lasted 16 days in October, $4 billion in tax refunds were delayed, according to the Office of Management and Budget. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. | https://wtop.com/government/2019/01/how-does-the-government-shutdown-impact-me/ |
Who should be responsible for clearing sidewalks in Halifax? | CTVNews.ca Staff, with a report from CTV Atlantic's Allan April With sidewalks still coated in ice more than two days after a wicked storm, residents and city politicians in Halifax are debating who should be responsible for cleaning up the wintry mess. Scroll down or click here to vote in our poll of the day Resident Christopher Doucette said he was worried about walking around the city on Thursday because of the precarious walkways. Its so treacherous that Im scared Im going to seriously fall down, he told CTV Atlantic. Yesterday, I slipped so much I skated down this road on my feet. I was just sliding. Five years ago, the Halifax Regional Municipality took over sidewalk snow-clearing duties from residents who pay a higher tax rate now for the service. The city employs a mix of municipal employees and contracted crews for the work. Before the city swooped in, homeowners and business owners were responsible for cleaning up the sidewalks in front of their properties. There were properties under the old system that didnt get shovelled, but we had a bylaw that said you must clear it by a certain number of hours and there were bylaw officers that would go out and enforce that, Shawn Cleary, the councillor for District 9, explained. Cleary said hes not sure the city-led system is an improvement. If you look at the service difference, the quality of walkability of sidewalks now versus five years ago, I don't think were any better now than we were five years ago, he said. Resident Caroline Anderson appeared to agree with that assessment as she carefully made her way down one of the citys icy sidewalks on Thursday. I just think that whoever is hired by the city to do the sidewalks has failed miserably so far this winter, she said. Last night I had to walk on the street. I couldnt even walk on the sidewalk. Anderson said she wishes the municipal government would address residents concerns about the state of the sidewalks during the winter. I really preferred when we did our own, she said. Trevor Harvie, the citys winter supervisor of operations, said it was a city council directive to take on snow removal duties. He said reverting to the old system where residents cleared the sidewalks in front of their own properties could still be an option. Its always something that council could re-entertain, but by all means if someone wants to help out and clear in front of their property, we would never take that away from them, he said. Cleary, on the other hand, said he thinks more needs to be done to re-evaluate the citys snow clearing system. He said he has moved several motions imploring council to look at it since he was elected in 2016. What Id love to see is either us [sic] improve the service and actually make it so that able bodied people and disabled people could easily and safely get around on our sidewalks and our crosswalks, he said. If we cant do that, admit it, and give the job back to the residents. Cleary said a staff report is being conducted on his latest motion to look at the problem and he will bring up the subject next week when council convenes its first meeting of the New Year. | https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/who-should-be-responsible-for-clearing-sidewalks-in-halifax-1.4240331 |
Does Mitch McConnell know hes part of the first branch of government? | Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). (Susan Walsh/AP) Opinion writer The New York Times reported on the eve of House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) swearing-in: Asked if [Pelosi] considers herself Mr. Trumps equal, she replied, The Constitution does. She frowned at the memory of a dinner at the White House last year when men talked over her, and she asked, Doesnt anybody listen to a woman in the room? "Hopefully that will become a thing of the past now that we have so many women in Congress and with the gavel, Ms. Pelosi said. The gavel makes a big difference. That is a politician fully aware of and ready to use her power. Contrast that with the pathetic passivity of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who presides over what was once called the worlds greatest deliberative body. Not anymore. CNN reports: Well, its not complicated. I was in this role when [Barack] Obama was President, and [Vice President Joe] Biden and I did deals because they needed some of our votes. So, now the role is reversed and ultimately the solution to this is a deal between the President and Nancy and Chuck because we need some of Chucks votes and obviously we need Nancys support," he said, referring to newly installed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat. So, I havent been sidelined, McConnell added. Its just that theres no particular role for me when you have this setup. Gosh, he could vote on the very same bill that passed the Senate by voice vote and just like that! reopen the federal government. A self-respecting Senate majority previously would not declare his own impotence, nor turn over the job of legislating to the White House. Pelosi is right: Congress is a coequal branch and its job is to fund the government. You have to wonder why Republicans want the Senate majority if they are nothing more than supplicants to the president and bystanders in governance. President Trump, who seems to be in a funk these days, popped into the White House press briefing room Thursday, a lame effort to get the cameras off Pelosi for a few minutes. If Trump and McConnell two low energy septuagenarians dont show signs of life, voters will start to wonder why Republicans should be in charge of anything. The problem is not cosmetic and will deepen as Pelosi sends over bills not only to reopen the government but also to fix the Affordable Care Act, address corruption, legalize dreamers status, revive the pre-clearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act and more. McConnell can carp that the president would veto all those things since Republicans now, I suppose, object to keeping the lights on, fixing the ACA, ending Trumps reign of corruption, helping the dreamers (who were brought here as children and must undergo serious vetting) or protecting voting rights. Indeed, the lack of energy, ideas and optimism in the GOP is striking. A new conservative online outlet called the Bulwark, run by prominent #NeverTrumpers, will attempt to address the problem head on. Editor at large Bill Kristol writes, The task now is not to continually degrade and adjust our standards to accommodate Trump, but rather to push back against the moral and intellectual corruption that now poses an existential threat to conservativism as a viable political force. Rather than William F. Buckleys stand athwart history yelling, Stop," Kristol and other like-minded critics of Trump and the rotting GOP will declare in the face of Trumpian inanity and dishonesty, "You cant be serious. He adds, As much of the Right descends into sophism and trollery, we will be a forum for rational, principled, fact-based conservative commentary. Wow, what a concept. (The mindless shuttering of the Weekly Standard seems extraordinarily dumb especially since its writers and their readers will go to the Bulwark and elsewhere, including to The Post, in the person of David Byler.) So we return to the Republicans' dilemma. They do not favor or seem capable of sound governance. The great economy Trump inherited suddenly seems vulnerable. All Republicans can do is rail against immigrants, propose silly and unpopular things such as the wall, run up the debt and retreat from Americas foreign obligations while coddling brutal dictators. McConnells do-nothing strategy is not only a constitutional outrage but politically deadly for his members. What exactly are incumbents up for reelection in 2020 (e.g. Sens. Maybe that is why Gardner is already urging Republicans to open the government. Next thing you know, a few Republicans are going to want to pass anti-corruption legislation or the long-awaited infrastructure plan. If McConnell cannot lead from the front, other Republicans will need to push their party to do their jobs. Read more: Eugene Robinson: Speaker Pelosi will show Trump hes not the only one with power in Washington Greg Sargent: Trumps reign of corruption will now face real opposition. Here are three things to watch. George F. Will: Republicans should be alarmed by this sign of intelligent life in the Democratic Party E.J. Dionne Jr.: Nancy Pelosi vows that House Democrats wont act like Republicans | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/04/does-mitch-mcconnell-know-hes-part-first-branch-government/ |
Whats Next for Former Middle Champ Gennady GGG Golovkin? | By: Ken Hissner Going into 2017 Gennady GGG Golovkin was considered one of the best P4P boxers in the world if not the best. He had scored 21 straight stoppages and was 36-0 (33) when he defended against Danny Miracle Man Jacobs 33-1 (29) in March of 2017. Jacobs refused to come to the day of the fight weigh-in. Golovkin had gained ten pounds that day coming in at 170 lbs. Rumors were Jacobs was between 180-185 lbs. when he entered the ring that night. Another surprise was he fought the fight southpaw. Though a close fight, Golovkin got the decision by scores of 114-113 and 115-112 twice. The WBC was in no hurry to order a rematch that Jacobs could have asked for but didnt push for it. The WBO and WBC World Super Welterweight champion Saul Canelo Alvarez, then 48-1-1, who had rarely weighed over 155 lbs. during his entire career was being groomed for a shot at 160 lbs. His promoter Oscar de La Hoya decided he should fight Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., 50-2-1, at super middleweight with both fighters coming in at 164 lbs. Alvarez won every one of the twelve rounds on all three score cards and Chavez hasnt fought since. It was decided by Alvarezs promoter to take on WBC, WBA and IBF world champion Golovkin in Las Vegas which was a second home for Alvarez who fought there in seven of his previous nine fights only losing to Floyd Money Mayweather. It had been a year to the day since Alvarez defended his two titles defeating Liam Smith by knockout while receiving a fractured right thumb and received a cut. The fight with Golovkin didnt make a lot of sense except financially for the state of Nevada, the promoter (Golden Boy) and both fighters. Alvarez may have been ahead after five rounds winning three of them. Suddenly when the sixth round started Alvarez had enough of trading punches with the hard hitting Golovkin and ran the next seven rounds. If Golovkin had run like Alvarez they would have called him chicken but Alvarez seemed to get a free pass. At the end of the bout the scores were announced as 118-110 by one judge Adalaide Byrd. Afterwards there was a rumor she would be under temporary suspension but it never happened. Byrd was a Nevada resident and a house judge. Another judge Dave Moretti scored it 115-113 for Golovkin. Close but still it was a fair decision going to the obvious winner. Then the third judge Don Trella came up with a 114-114 score giving Alvarez a gift draw with the WBC ordering a rematch between Alvarez and Golovkin that would make Nevada and Golden Boy richer. The fight with Jacobs was closer for Golovkin than the Alvarez match but no one ordered a rematch after that one. This writer had it 116-112 for Golovkin and being generous to Alvarez in their first match. Then it was found that Alvarez was using a banned substance and yet he stayed in the rankings. It took a year before the rematch came about with Alvarez inactive and Golovkin having one match knocking out forty fight veteran and former Olympian Vanes Martirosyan in two rounds being the only time he was stopped and hasnt fought since. So, in September the rematch between Golovkin and Alvarez happened. Golovkin was satisfied boxing Alvarez almost at will landing his jab. His trainer told Golovkin to go and take it to him but Golovkin didnt follow his instructions. Then came the decision with Moretti back as one of the judges along with well-regarded Steve Weisfeld calling it for Alvarez 115-113. Glen Feldman the other judge had it 114-114. The IBO didnt recognize the fight since Alvarez wouldnt pay their fee. This writer had it 115-113 for Golovkin. To avoid a rubber match Alvarez moved up to take on ordinary WBA World Super Middle champ Rocky Fielding with a built-up 27-1 record stopping him in three rounds. Afterwards Alvarez said he had no intentions to stay at super middleweight. He even fought this one at MSG where he wouldnt fight Golovkin figuring he wouldnt have the protection that the Nevada commission and the WBC would give him. The WBC goes out of their way not insisting on a third Alvarez-Golovkin fight but tells Golovkin to fight interim champ Jermall Charlo. The WBA dropped Golovkin to No. 2 behind David Lemieux whom Golovkin has stopped in eight rounds in one of his title defenses. Lemieux had even lost in a title challenge for the WBO title since being stopped by Golovkin. This is more than a conspiracy against Golovkin with the Nevada Commission, Golden Boy and the WBC behind it. Rumors have him signing with the DAZN as did Alvarez recently. A title fight with new WBO World champion Demetrius Andrade who claims to want to fight Golovkin in the past would make more sense. Even a rematch with Jacobs who now has the IBF title would make sense. The IBF had the nerve to rank Golovkin No. 10. It seems the WBC, WBA and IBF all have it out for Golovkin while the WBO had never ranked him. Maybe Golovkin should drop to 154 lbs. or go up to 168 lbs. where in the past he said he could fight. Fighting for the vacant WBC title or the WBA super middle title that Alvarez said he wont defend. There are many options for Golovkin but it seems if he doesnt knock out his opponent he cant win a decision. One thing for sure Golovkin should never fight in Las Vegas again where he cannot get a fair decision. | https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/whats-next-for-former-middle-champ-gennady-ggg-golovkin/ |
When is Towie back in 2019? | The Only Way Is Essex is returning later this year (Picture: ITVBe) Fans of The Only Way Is Essex will no doubt be experiencing withdrawal symptoms, with it being two months since it was last on TV. Towie has aired a whopping 23 series so far, with ITVBe confirming a 24th season is definitely on its way and has begun filming. Fans are already taking to Twitter, begging to find out when their next dose of The Only Way Is Essex will arrive. when is #TOWIE back for a new series on @ITVBe please let me know #2019 https://t.co/XPzfuiTlFp I You Shane Filan (@DonnaFilan) January 3, 2019 Happy New year Lady. All the best for 2019. Can't wait for TOWIE to come back on. Xx teresa szalkowski (@fleurlass69) January 1, 2019 Happy New Year @BobbyCNorris cant wait to see you do you in 2019! #TOWIE jessica gunton (@jessicagunton) January 1, 2019 And with Gemma Collins hopping over to Dancing On Ice to take part in the new series from this Sunday, its likely the longing for Essex will be even stronger. ITVBe is yet to confirm a return date but it is likely to be sometime in March. The show airs two series a year one at the start and one towards the end. The series which aired at the start of 2018 kicked off on 25 March last year, so it stands to reason that we can expect the new series around this time too. Towie airs two seasons a year. Pictured filming last year is Georgia Kousoulou, Lauren Pope, Bobby Norris and Chloe Lewis (Picture: KGC Photo Agency) Its not yet known who will be back for the new series, but information will be revealed in due course. The ITVBe show, which gave us Mark Wright, Lauren Goodger and Lucy Mecklenburgh, has been running for nine years now, and follows the lives of a group of Essex men and women providing plenty of drama-filled moments. The shows format was refreshed last year, and instead of airing 50-minute installments on both Wednesdays and Sundays, Towie now only broadcasts one hour-long episode per week. Gemma Collins is appearing on the new series of Dancing On Ice (Picture: ITV) The Only Way Is Essex airs on ITVBe. MORE: Dancing On Ices Gemma Collins breaks rules by lifting partner Matt Evers in first routine MORE: Dancing On Ices Gemma Collins attacks judge Jason Gardiner: He cant actually skate | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/04/way-essex-back-2019-8309600/ |
Where was The Favourite movie filmed? | The setting of the movie might be closer than you think (Picture: Fox Searchlight) The Favourite has a star-studded cast thats hard to ignore. Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Weisz all come together in the award-winning comedy period drama. As well as the well-received acting, however, another thing has got people talking. Critics have praised things like the screenplay and the cinematography, as well as the perfect setting. Lets take a look at where it all takes place. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The film is set in 1708 in England, and features Olivia Colman as Queen Anne. Most of it takes place in Queen Annes Palace, and it looks at the dynamics between her and her advisors and helpers. Director Yorgos Lanthimos wanted to get that palatial idea across, saying From the beginning, I had this image of these lonely characters in huge spaces. Advertisement Advertisement Hatfield House in Hertfordshire was then chosen for the majority of the filming (although some scenes were also shot at Hampton Court Palace and in Oxford). We are excited to share the new trailer for The Favourite, featuring the House, Gardens and grounds of Hatfield House! #thefavourite #wearefamous https://t.co/CRH8lqkn0f Hatfield House (@Hatfield_House) July 17, 2018 Hatfield House is Jacobean, and was built in 1611. Currently the home of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury, it is also open to the public. You will see scenes in the buildings Marble Hall, the Long Gallery and the King James Drawing Room, the walls of which are adorned with fine tapestries. With its high ceilings and expansive grounds, Hatfield House has played host to a number of films, from the 1989 Batman to the 2010 Get Him To The Greek. Catch The Favourite in cinemas now. Fans are terrified ahead of tonights finale MORE: The ending of The Predator couldve connected the film to the Alien franchise | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/04/favourite-movie-filmed-8309593/ |
Will CV district have to pay $102K for breaching education rights of student with Crohns Disease? | That call will be up to a federal judge in Harrisburg. It is on the desk of U.S. Middle District Judge John E. Jones III after the attorneys for the parents of the student with Crohns filed a motion this week for the district to pay the parents legal fees from the four-year court fight. On Thursday, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit issued a ruling that upheld an earlier finding by Jones that the district had breached its obligations to the student under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The circuit judges backed Jones conclusion that the district did not follow federal child find requirements because it didnt proactively seek to accommodate the students special educational needs relating to his painful digestive tract disease. The boy was expelled by the school board in 2014 after years of chronic absences from class and declining academic performance. District officials did make accommodations for the boys affliction based on doctor recommendations and tried a partial home-schooling program that didnt succeed, court filings state. However, Jones and the circuit judges found the district didnt go far in enough and was wrong to conclude the boys condition didnt qualify for even more special education programming under the IDEA law. After his expulsion, the student, now 20, enrolled in East Pennsboro Area School District, where he was provided with a special education program under IDEA. The request for $101,907 in legal fees was filed with Jones by Judith A. Gran, the New Jersey lawyer who represented the students family in the case, which was filed in 2015. Gran stated she and a colleague spent more than 190 hours working on the case at hourly rates of $525 and $475. Having decided to vigorously contest this matter, the district is responsible for payment of the reasonable fees incurred by the plaintiffs, Gran wrote. CV had not filed a reply to Grans payment petition as of Friday morning. Gran noted both parties previously stipulated the district must provide the student with 500 hours of compensatory education. | https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/01/will-cv-district-have-to-pay-102k-for-breaching-education-rights-of-student-with-crohns-disease.html |
How will Ron DeSantis approach Florida's environmental struggles once he's inaugurated? | Buy Photo Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis greets community members during a last-minute campaign rally at The Patio Seafood Tavern in Vero Beach on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Lara Trump, daughter-in-law to President Donald Trump, where on hand to lend their support to the Republican candidate. (Photo: PATRICK DOVE/TCPALM)Buy Photo On the campaign trail, Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis approached water issues differently than many Republicans have in the past. He called for more scientists on state boards. He vowed to get increased federal funding for water storage and water quality projects. He was critical of Florida's sugar industry, which has been incredibly influential in limiting some water projects. But now it's unclear what DeSantis will do once he takes office Tuesday. He's told reporters and supporters that a top priority is getting funding and starting work on the design and construction of the EAA reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to reduce harmful freshwater discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. The discharges are largely to blame for toxic blue-green algae blooms that have plagued the estuaries. CLOSE Here's why that Lake O reservoir is necessary. DACIA JOHNSON/TCPALM Wochit In a meeting of several newly elected governors with Donald Trump in December, DeSantis asked the president to support the reservoir and expedite the approval process with the Army Corps of Engineers. A spokesman for the DeSantis transtion team did not respond to interview requests from TCPalm. This story will be updated if they do. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, chair of DeSantis' transition team on the environment, redirected all questions to the DeSantis transition. More: State's ecological problem all about dirty water DeSantis' environmental transition team has recommended wide-ranging solutions to the state's issues during its three meetings, from strengthening pollution regulations to advocating for so-called "water farms," which pump polluted water out of the canals and rivers leading into the estuaries and store it until it eventually evaporates or seeps into the ground. Buy Photo An aerial image shows Caulkins Water Farm on Thursday, July 5, 2018 in Palm City. (Photo: LEAH VOSS/TCPALM) If DeSantis does propose massive changes to water quality standards or large-scale projects to store and clean water, he will still face a Legislature that has been hesitant to pass or has weakened bills funding water projects in recent years. Multiple lawmakers have filed water-friendly bills similar to those that have not passed in recent years. When DeSantis rolls out his budget recommendations, he could recommend similar bills. Temperince Morgan, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Florida and a member of DeSantis' environmental transition committee, said she's not worried about outside influences stymieing their recommendations. "Im hopeful that recommendations made by the transition advisory committee, who are leaders from diverse backgrounds in environment, natural resources and agriculture charged with advising on protecting the environment, can be supported by the governor and Legislature, and begin 2019 by moving forward on what is best for the environment," Morgan said in an email. Everglades Foundation Executive Director Erik Eikenberg said DeSantis will "shake up" the status quo on environmental issues, saying that's necessary to keep Florida growing. He said he's talked to activists throughout the state who are ready for change. "Blue-green algae, droughts, fish kills, loss of tourism and economic revenue and jobs; it doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican or an independent. These issues are what make Florida special; they're what make Florida great," Eikenberg said. "It doesn't matter what party you're with. They want it fixed. They want it changed moving forward, and he has a tremendous opportunity to do it." Algae DeSantis took multiple trips on the campaign trail to areas on the Treasure Coast and Southwest Florida affected by toxic blue-green algae blooms and red tide. He proposed multiple solutions: Create a task force to investigate and oversee the causes of the blooms and propose solutions. Expedite construction of the EAA reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee that would store and clean water, and send it south. Tighten regulations on pollution levels in the Lake Okeechobee watershed. Morgan said she supports and will push for DeSantis' administration to add more water storage and treatment projects throughout the Everglades ecosystem. She said that includes stormwater management efforts in and around Lake Okeechobee to reduce and improve runoff from both urban and agricultural sources, and septic-to-sewer conversions. "The DeSantis administration should work closely with legislators, scientists and citizens on cooperative efforts relying on sound science and comprehensive planning to treat and help prevent blooms," Morgan said. "2018s blue-green algae blooms and red tide events have devastated our waterways, wildlife, livelihoods and quality of life." CLOSE In the summer of 2016, discharges from Lake Okeechobee caused widespread toxic algae blooms in the St. Lucie River. Wochit Sugar and agricultural standards DeSantis has been a longtime foe of Florida's sugar industry. While serving in Congress, he voted against price supports as part of the Farm Bill. Since then, he has criticized the industry, ramping up attacks during the primary. Florida's two largest sugar companies U.S. Sugar Corp. and Florida Crystals contributed more than a half-million dollars to DeSantis' rival in the Republican primary, outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. DeSantis capitalized on the donations, referring to Putnam as "U.S. Sugar's errand boy." After the primary, DeSantis' criticism of the industry waned. While he never received a direct contribution from the industry, business interest groups heavily funded by sugar boosted DeSantis' campaign. CLOSE With the reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee federally approved, U.S. Sugar says the state's option to buy land isn't necessary. GINNY BEAGAN/TCPALM Wochit Environmentalists hope DeSantis and incoming Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat who also received little support from agricultural interests, will consider imposing stronger regulations on industry pollution. However, it's unclear if any changes will be made, or if there will be division over how it's done. Some members of the DeSantis transition team have supported creating stronger partnerships with agriculture, similar to what Putnam supported while serving as agriculture commissioner. Others have expressed support for moving components of state water quality regulation from the agriculture department to the environmental protection department. DeSantis supported the latter during his campaign, but that stance since has been wiped from his website. South Florida water management On the campaign trail, DeSantis said he would support adding more scientists to water management district boards, a sharp contrast to former Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican who mostly appointed business leaders. But soon after DeSantis was elected, the South Florida Water Management District board drew ire from environmentalists and DeSantis' environmental transition chair, Mast, for a vote that lets the district continue to lease sugar farmers land slated for the EAA reservoir. Mast and DeSantis asked the board to delay the vote so they could have time to review the lease. The board declined, prompting Mast and some environmentalists to call for their resignations. DeSantis has been mum about his stance on the vote. Three of the board's members have terms that expire in March, and environmentalists hope DeSantis will appoint members with fewer ties to Florida industries. Eikenberg said he's optimistic there will be major changes at water management districts, not just on boards but with executive staff members. "This (DeSantis' inauguration) gives us an opportunity for a new start," Eikenberg said, "and in discussions with the DeSantis transition team, they acknowledge that." Read or Share this story: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/04/how-ron-desantis-approach-environmental-issues-once-inaugurated/2420548002/ | https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/04/how-ron-desantis-approach-environmental-issues-once-inaugurated/2420548002/ |
Did Madonna Get Butt Implants? | By now you've probably seen the viral photos of Madonna that prompted the internet at large to wonder if she got butt implants. Which, to be clear, is none of anyone's business and super body shame-y! But here we are. And now Madonna's commenting on all the chatter, and she's quite rightly not having it. She hit Instagram and wrote "Desperately Seeking No Ones Approval. And Entitled to Free Agency Over My Body Like Everyone Else!! Thank you 2019 ! Its Going to Be an amazing Year!! ! #2019 #freedom#respect #nofear #nodiscrimination." Welp, there you have it. Time to move on! | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a25745031/madonna-butt-implants/ |
Who wants to play Kerplunk? | Trevor Stoyko Record Staff I am at my cousins a few nights ago having a few, pops, the kids are in the room playing video games. I heard a noise coming from their room that I found startling. I rose from my easy chair to see what was the matter. What I heard were gunfire and swearing. Not from the 10 and 12-year-old kids, but from the video game itself. The characters were using language that was best saved well should not be used. Or am I my dad where it bothers me but I still snicker to myself. I can see if I was getting pelted by 1000 shells I would be a little miffed. When we were young, our video games never talked like that. You never hear Pac Man get upset, and he ate the same things every day and was always followed by four ghosts. They were always being attacked by these big, brown, googly-eyed creatures, also gorillas, fire-breathing dragons you try running away in overalls from a dragon, only to have a sliding turtle take you out at the ankles. I would think if that happened to me I would have reason to curse, or at least to change my facial expression. I asked the kids if they could turn it down or maybe do something else. I am a child of the 80s. I had the mullet, I had Intellivision, I had the first ever laptop We called it Lite Bright remember. The children were relentless. What other cool games did you have growing up Uncle Trev? that is when I froze. Well, we had this cylinder, a cylinder with holes, and we put colorful toothpicks in it then we would put marbles in the cylinder and then pull out the toothpick hoping the marbles would not fall, if they did, you lose. The kids were out of the room once I said cylinder. It was time to hear to my aunts, so the kids with their cell phones, snap chatting as they walked, thinking that I was the lamest Ukrainian on the planet. That was until we walked by the frozen garden hose. I was curious to see if the water was still on. It was, I put my lips under the end of the hose and took me a drink. Well, my friends, it was like I turned into Justin Bieber (or whoever the kids are listening to today). Their little jaws dropped as to how could anyone do such a thing. To be courteous, I offered them a drink, their parents say no. But through that one sip, I became, cool. On the ride to my aunts, I told them all about the 80s. How we had this thing called lawn darts, I was always the goalie. We had Men Without Hats, A Flock of Seagulls, Mr. Dress Up and a Friendly Giant. I had them in the palm of my hand! That was Until we played Kerplunk. [email protected] twitter.com/TrevorStoyko | https://www.fortsaskatchewanrecord.com/opinion/columnists/who-wants-to-play-kerplunk |
Should I consolidate my 401(k) and IRA accounts? | Q. I have a 401(k) and an IRA. I'm thinking about consolidating the accounts. -- Investor A. There are several great reasons to consolidate your accounts. You can save on fees, it will be easier to manage investments, there will be less paperwork and calculating Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) will be a snap, said Bill Connington of Connington Wealth Management in Fairfield. He said most 401(k)s have limited options available for investments, higher fees and most people take their plan with them when they leave the company, he said. IRAs would have more diverse investment options and lower fees. If you give it a shot, make sure you don't accidentally create a taxable event by taking possession of the money. Institute a custodian-to-custodian transfer instead. Just note that if you're still working at the job where you have the 401(k), you may be unable to move it until you end your employment. Email your questions to [email protected]. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. | https://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/01/should_i_consolidate_my_401k_and_ira_accounts.html |
Can soundbars challenge 5.1 surround sound? | This soundbar comes with an additional subwoofer for the really deep bass Endless reams of untidy cabling are a mainstay of most multispeaker sound systems, whether they're 5.1 or the more space-hungry 7.1 specifications. These setups aren't ideal for anybody without a capacious lounge that features a pretty standard layout. Unfortunately, the whims of modern architecture mean that stereotypical retail showroom interiors are few and far between, making setting up surround sound systems accurately a difficult issue. To get round this, manufacturers produced soundbars devices incorporating five channels into one bar that can be placed above or below a television. Many consumer electronics makers have spied the emerging market for clutter-free speaker solutions and jumped on the soundbar production bandwagon. There are two main solutions on offer. The cheaper option simply provides stereo sound, which offers a clearer and more defined alternative to your television's standard built-in speaker. These models are generally active rather than passive, which means that the amplification unit makes up a portion of the device's interior. As a result, there's no need for a separate receiver or amp, and you'll reap the rewards of improved sound in an eye-catching, streamlined setup. More expensive soundbars dole out engaging aural effects with the sole intention of placing you in the centre of the on-screen action, whether you're watching a film or playing a game. We'll be focusing on a soundbar with a virtual surround sound feature-set here. Surround yourself The downside of their compact size is that soundbars are only able to offer frequencies at the higher end of the audio spectrum. The cabinets are simply too small to produce full bass. For a more complete full-range of sound, an additional sub-woofer is required. While most products are sold without a sub, some do include one as part of the package. However, manufacturers don't just bundle an array of tweeters into the device's casing haphazardly. No, they're cleverly engineered so that the loudspeakers combine to give you the impression of an all-encompassing auditory envelopment. Although the soundbar is more convenient for use within a compact room than a normal surround sound system, it still requires some form of uniformity in the layout. The devices are at their best performance-wise in a square room where the rear wall is closely behind the back of the sofa you're parked on. The system then beams sound around the room and deflects it off walls to create virtual surround sound. In addition to this beaming, a more complicated method that harnesses some of the fundamentals in psychoacoustics (the study of how our ears perceive sound) is employed. Tiny adjustments to volume, time difference and frequency mean soundbars can create effects that equate to noise sounding like it derives from a different direction. For example, when a sound originates on the right, it's louder in the right ear. Our brains are able to work out where the sound comes from by the delay in it arriving at our left ear. The time it takes to travel the width of our skull is mere thousandths of a second, but it's enough. The psychoacoustics employed by soundbars simulate exactly this. One of the reasons that we're able to pick out sounds emanating from the rear is that the outer-most part of the ear filters out a selection of frequencies and decreases the volume from sounds that are behind us. When the integrated sound-processing encased in many soundbars removes those frequencies and also lowers the volume slightly, our brains are fooled into believing the sound is coming from behind. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/audio/home-cinema-audio/can-soundbars-challenge-5-1-surround-sound-635348 |
Was soll aus der heimischen Experimentalliteratur werden? | Heute vor zehn Jahren verstarb viel zu jung der Krntner Prosavirtuose Gert Jonke. Nicht nur sein Andenken wird von der Furie des Verschwindens bedroht, sondern auch der Zweiklang von Poesie und Erkenntnis Pnktlich zum heutigen zehnten Todestag Gert Jonkes darf man im Brustton der berzeugung auf die brennende Aktualitt des Klagenfurter Weltliteraten verweisen. Ein solcher mit den Zustnden, wie sie heute in sterreich anzutreffen sind, vortrefflich harmonierender Text heit Grofischhndler am Donaukanal. Er findet sich in der Prosasammlung Himmelstrae Erdbrustplatz oder Das System von Wien, 1999 verlegt bei Residenz. In diesem Bravourstck der Stadterkundung gelangt Jonkes Ich-Erzhler an den Donaukanal. Genauer gesagt: Er trifft auf einen "Fischgrohndler" als "Grofischhndler", der mit dem geseufzten Ausdruck der Erleichterung soeben den Rollbalken vor seiner Htte herunterlsst. In einem sich zwanglos entspinnenden Gesprch enthllt der Fischhndler seinem Zuhrer eine verblffende Tatsache. Weil in sterreich die "eigentliche Politik von Leuten betrieben" werde, "die man nie der Politik zuzuordnen wagen wird", sei er, der Grofischhndler, das "Oberhaupt" des Landes. Der amtierende Kanzler sei nur die "Marionette" seines (jeweiligen) Parteiideologen. Dieser wiederum leite nur weiter, was ihm sein Sekretr ins Ohr flstere. Am Ende der Befehlskette aber stehe niemand Geringerer als er, der Grofischhndler: "Also ich bin der eigentliche Kanzler, weil alles so durchgefhrt wird und vor sich geht, wie ich es bestimme." Modelle der Wirklichkeit Jonkes furiose Darstellung eines typisch sterreichischen Demokratiemodells enthlt alle Kennzeichen scheinbarer Beweisfhrung. Sie enthllt, dass man als Kanzler auf der sicheren Seite ist, wenn man als Schweigekanzler amtiert. Es ist im Zweifelsfall ohnehin nur ein Fischhndler aus der Leopoldstadt, der aus einem spricht. Die Erzhlung ist ein Paradebeispiel fr die heimische experimentelle Literatur. Durch die planvolle Wucherung von Behauptungsstzen werden Muster und Modelle der Wirklichkeit als das enttarnt, was sie ihrer Natur nach sind: hypothetische Entwrfe. Diese prgen nach Magabe der Grammatik das Bild, das wir uns von der Wirklichkeit machen. Umgekehrt mssen wir bereit sein, die Vorstellungen, die wir uns von der "Welt" machen, zu revidieren. Es war ber mehrere Jahrzehnte die heimische "experimentelle" Literatur, die ihre Leser zur Akzeptanz einer solchen Vorlufigkeit erzogen hat. Mit Poeten wie Ernst Jandl und Hans Carl Artmann gelang es namhaften Vertretern der heimischen Moderne sogar, populr zu werden. Mit dem Monokel im Auge als grimmiger Aristokrat verkleidet (Artmann). Schwindelerregende Stze Namhafte bundesdeutsche Verlagshuser hofierten etwa ab Ende der 1960er-Jahre die spezifisch sterreichische Tradition der (beredten) sich auf Ludwig Wittgenstein berufenden Sprachskepsis. Gert Jonkes (19462009) schwindelerregende Satzkonstruktionen gemahnen von Ferne an Thomas Bernhard. Der Autor gehrte bereits der zweiten, in Wahrheit sogar der dritten Generation experimenteller Dichterinnen in sterreich an. Sein Werk wird bis heute vom Salzburger Verlagshaus Jung und Jung in wunderschnen Ausgaben vertrieben. Und doch gilt auch fr Jonke posthum das ernchternde Diktum: Man rhmt ihn, fhrt gelegentlich eines seiner die Wirklichkeit umstlpenden Theaterstcke auf. Sonst liest man ihn kaum. Man msste Jonkes lange Satzgebilde wieder den Crowds der Generation Internet in den Magen stopfen. Unermdlich, als Beweise fr die Notwendigkeit notorischer Sprachlusterregung. Aus den Regalen entfernt Die gnnerhafte Ermunterung durch deutsche Zwischenhndler verebbte bereits in den 1990ern. Damals gingen Groverlage wie Rowohlt rigoros dazu ber, Autoren wie das streitbare Prosagenie Werner Kofler vor die Tr zu setzen. Lngst ersetzt die Romanlnge als Warenform die Lust am (unorthodoxen) Text. Erzhlt wird sicherheitshalber, was man ohnehin schon wei. Gar nicht heimlich still und leise verschwinden die Jandls, Jonkes und Artmanns aus den Regalen der Buchhandelsketten. Die Fischgrohndler dieser Tage machen in Krimis. Die irritieren kein Weltbild, sondern huldigen der Mordlust vor schlampiger Heimatkulisse. In einem Jonke-Roman wird hingegen nie klar, wer "es" getan hat. Der groe Berliner Poesietheoretiker Sebastian Kiefer hat soeben ein Werk ber die einflussreichen 44 gedichte des Avantgarde-Lyrikers Reinhard Priessnitz verffentlicht. Es heit Parodie und Totalitt und enthlt die klgsten Gedanken zum Erkenntnisstand heutiger Welterschlieung vermittels einer Poesie, die sich als Mittel zur Erkenntnis versteht. Das Buch hat 1100 Seiten. (Ronald Pohl, 4.1.2019) | https://derstandard.at/2000095311986/Zum-Todestag-Gert-JonkesWas-soll-aus-der-stolzen-heimischen-Experimentalliteratur?ref=rss |
When Is A Corporate-Environmental Partnership More Than Just PR? | As harvest wrapped up this year and the leaves turned brilliant shades of red and yellow, two of the worlds biggest agribusinesses, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Smithfield Foods, announced they were pairing up on projects with environmental nonprofits. It didnt create the furor like in past years when oil companies joined forces with nonprofits and were met by accusations of greenwashing that is, just trying to shine up their reputations. But that doesnt mean these latest partnerships have it figured out. Success begins with finding common ground with the farmers and landowners the efforts affect the most. And theres also the challenge of holding each other accountable. Harvest Public Media's Erica Hunzinger explores partnerships between agribusiness and environmental nonprofits. I think it's more effective to have a change when you to come in and talk with people and come to an agreement about an overarching goal and then figuring out how to get there as opposed to fighting about it, said Stewart Leeth, the chief sustainability officer for hog processor Smithfield. These voluntary, piecemeal partnerships among non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and corporations may even turn out to be the first line of defense against climate change particularly as the federal government shrinks its regulatory duties at the direction of President Donald Trump. On the surface, corporations environmental-minded work appears to have increased substantially in the 2010s. The Governance and Accountability Institute said earlier this year that nearly 85 percent of companies in the S&P 500 including ADM and Smithfield reported on sustainability or corporate responsibility in 2017, up from 20 percent in 2011. Partnerships with environmental organizations are among the most visible steps a company can take, and theyre taking root among a host of food and agribusiness companies, like PepsiCo, Nestle and two of the most recently announced efforts. Smithfield announced Nov. 1 its partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group, on protections for monarch butterflies. And on Oct. 17, ADM joined the Ag Water Challenge, which is hosted in part by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres), a sustainability nonprofit that targets investors and companies. Both EDF and Ceres told Harvest Public Media that the cost of the work falls mostly in the lap of the multibillion-dollar companies, not the nonprofits. We do not want this to be companies paying to engage with us, said Eliza Roberts, senior manager of water at Ceres. Ceres and (the World Wildlife Fund) received funding from foundations to do all of the work that we do and we've launched this challenge as a way of incentivizing companies to step up and make commitments to address the water challenges that we're facing now and in the future. But one big concern is accountability, and critics like Stephanie Feldstein, with the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, said thats the weak spot in the partnerships and where consumers should push back. The goals dont tend to be ambitious enough, she said, adding that companies need to publicly report results so that their customers their investors, can see whether or not theyre actually sticking to these targets. Feldstein, whose nonprofit doesnt seek such partnerships, said in many cases, the partnerships are just a PR stunt, more of a partnership of convenience for the corporation. The Missouri model In 2016, Smithfield, whose large-scale hog operations are the target of nuisance lawsuits and waste complaints, announced a goal to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2025. To that end, the company has been working in northern Missouri since 2014 with Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE) to try to capture the methane from hog-waste lagoons and turn it into biogas. Its a technique thats spread to several other operations in Utah and North Carolina, and the Washington Post reported that an energy company is now involved. But RAE founder Rudi Roeslein, who invested millions of his own money into the biogas-capture project, wanted to take it a step further to protect pollinators specifically, monarch butterflies. And thats where the Environmental Defense Fund entered the picture. The three organizations decided on restoring habitat at a hog farm just south of Green City, Missouri, with the hopes of providing habitat for monarchs, which could be listed as a federally protected species in 2019, and trying out prairie brush as a biomass energy source. (EDF is) constructive in that they figure out what goal they want to reach and then they figured out a way to partner to get that thing accomplished as opposed to fighting and pointing fingers and filing lawsuits and things like that, said Smithfields Leeth. Smithfield, which had about $15 billion in revenue in 2017, is paying $300,000 through its philanthropic arm for planting grasses and wildflowers on more than 600 acres. Tatyana Deryugina, an environmental economist at the University of Illinois, said its about positive publicity because companies tend to do things that are most visible to the public as opposed to the things that are really the most cost-effective if we don't include the (public relations) value, she said. So, monarch butterflies are a great example. People really care about them, they're awesome. The types of activities that the firms pick might not match up with what society would like them to do, she added. Leeth, however, argued the connection is a natural one for the North Carolina-based company. I don't think people really realize the distance between the folks who actually work on farms and grow crops, and folks in the urban areas who actually acquire and buy the food and consume the food grows more and more, he said. I don't think people realize how important pollinators are, whether it's bees or butterflies or anything else. The partners differ, though, on the long-term goals of the monarch project. Wolfe said the nonprofit wants to restore 1.5 million acres of monarch habitat through 2028, while RAE wants to have 30 million acres of land changed to prairie grass by 2048. And Smithfield is looking to meet its emissions goal and have more manure-to-energy projects, Wolfe said. ADMs water focus For ADM, water sustainability is perhaps a couple of steps divorced from its actual business of processing and selling grains, but its a major component for healthy soil in which the grain is grown. The Ag Water Challenge asks companies to assess efforts to address water risks in agricultural supply chains and make that change. Its has been going on since 2016, and ADM finds itself among other major food companies like General Mills and PepsiCo. ADM Chief Sustainability Officer Alison Taylor acknowledged that working with competitors or entities seems like strange bedfellows. But, she said, ADM is serious about its partnerships, of which it has many. We can get a lot more done this way and mutually benefit because we kind of have different sweet spots, Taylor said, explaining that ADM uses the expertise of nonprofits and data-heavy partners and the partners use ADMs expertise and connections with farmers. ADMs goal in the Ag Water Challenge is to focus on what Taylor called stressed watersheds in the places it sources wheat, corn and soybeans, including Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Itll be done with a couple of different programs that emphasize farmer outreach and training, Taylor noted, and includes incentives for farmers. One of those programs, Saving Tomorrows Agriculture Resources (or STAR), is new to ADM but was started by the Champaign County Soil and Water District in central Illinois, about 30 minutes away where ADM's headquarters were located for decades. Like the Smithfield effort, ADM is paying about $30,000 for the Ag Water Challenge efforts through its corporate social investment program, Taylor said. The company had about $60 billion in revenue at the end of 2017. Tracking progress Ceres published a report in August that concluded a majority of corporations that have sustainability efforts provide no formal assurance of sustainability disclosures that is to say, you cant trust that what the company puts forth to investors is true. And its investors that make the nonprofit-corporate coupling a triangle, and they often have the ear of people like Taylor. They contact me directly to talk about our progress, she said. For instance, the progress reports are on our website with respect to our no-deforestation policy, they read them and they call to ask about what our future plans are or whether we're going to develop more specific goals. Ceres is evaluating and measuring ADMs progress, Roberts said, which includes adding that date to its biannual rankings report. The five evaluative components she described sound straight out of a corporate sustainability handbook phrases like value chain and time-bound, measurable commitments and mitigate risk. Notable in Taylors description of the STAR program was that farmers will voluntarily determine their level of preventing soil-and-nutrient participation. And that type of commitment is what can lead to weak partnerships, said Feldstein with the Center for Biological Diversity. A lot of times, we see that the goalposts keep moving, and it keeps getting more and more diluted. We found in terms of accountability is to ask from the beginning for these ambitious goals, get the strongest targets that we can get, she said. While acknowledging that the partnerships may be successful in solving some environmental problems or making a company more sustainable, Deruygina, the University of Illinois professor, doesnt think environmental policy should be left up to corporations. Without government regulation, they have no incentive to care beyond looking good in front of their customers, she said. The Environmental Protection Agency says that couldnt be further from the truth. Acting Director Andrew Wheeler said his agency, which has put into place 28 deregulatory measures since President Donald Trump took office, encourages the partnerships. We dont think that everything should be directed out of D.C. or by the federal government. We think that a lot of great progress is being made by cooperative measures between companies and outside organizations. We champion things like that but I dont think the federal government needs to step in and manage or control private-sector initiatives, he told Harvest Public Media in early November. Deruygina said there is a best-case scenario: a financial and environmental win for the nonprofits and corporations. Sometimes these partnerships are about sacrificing profit. Theyre about teaching a company how to do something thats more environmentally friendly and potentially cheaper, she said. And thats where accountability returns, in the sense that its important to the nonprofits seeking these partnerships, Feldstein said. A lot of the positive image that they're looking for is being able to say We reached this company, we got them to make a commitment. We got them to create the change that will reach all of the angles of their business, she said. Follow Erica on Twitter: @ehunzinger | http://www.iowapublicradio.org/post/when-corporate-environmental-partnership-more-just-pr |
What are the Credit Reporting Agencies for Businesses? | Building a business credit score is essential for every small business. According to a survey done by Manta in 2016, 72% of small business owners do not even know their credit score. Many are not even aware they have a separate business credit score. Borrowing money to grow your business is only one reason to focus on building your business credit score; the other is that without a strong credit score, you may miss out on business opportunities. Your credit score determines whether others decide to do business with you or to extend you credit, especially for large projects. Make sure you have a business credit file started, and start building your credit score now. Your business credit file uses your federal employer identification number (EIN). If you have multiple businesses, each has a separate EIN and credit file. 3 Major Business Credit Reporting Agencies Many people think of these three as the only business credit bureaus: Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), Experian and Equifax. They are the best known, but definitely not the only important business credit reporting agencies. Each of them uses a different mix of information drawn from diverse sources and each generates different scores. Note that each agency has multitudes of different reports with different names and scales. They also each have their own scoring systems and collect different types of data. While Experian and Equifax also handle consumer credit reports, Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) is business only. 1. Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Even if you already have a business credit file started, it is important to register for your D-U-N-S number. Although Dun & Bradstreets D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) Number is proprietary to them, it is widely used by federal and commercial entities. D&B focuses primarily on the timeliness of how your business pays vendors and suppliers to generate their Dun & Bradstreet PAYDEX score. Scored from 0-100, businesses have both a D&B PAYDEX score and a risk category or ranking. You can request a copy of your score using D&Bs iUpdate. Many lenders including banks use the D&B PAYDEX report to determine whether they will grant you a loan and what the interest rate they charge will be. It is also pulled by some other credit reporting agencies as part of their score. According to the SBA, Dun & Bradstreet states 90% of the Fortune 500, and companies of every size around the world, rely on their data, insights and analytics to streamline operations, manage risk, improve targeting, find quality leads, boost customer relationships and most important of all grow. The D&B Viability Rating includes a viability score of 1-9, a portfolio comparison of 1-9, a data depth indicator of A-M and a company profile score qualifier of A-Z. Their Delinquency Predictor Score of 101-670 predicts whether a business is likely to pay slowly or not at all. These scores are further broken down into Delinquency Predictor Risk Classes of 1-5. The lower the numbers, the higher the risk. They also generate a Financial Stress Score in the range of 1,001 to 1,875 which other businesses use to evaluate how likely your business is to be unable to pay outstanding invoices and debts or fail in the next twelve months. 2. Experian Experian collects information from public and private sources including legal fillings, credit obligations, and marketing databases. Unlike their primary competitors, they calculate only one business credit score between 0-100 where a higher score is best. Their new Financial Stability Risk Rating of 1-5 is the opposite, where a higher score equals more risk. They offer many reports and subscription plans. Their Experian Intelliscore PlusSM score ranges from 0-100. By analyzing 800+ variables, they claim they can predict the likelihood of serious credit delinquency in the next 12 months. Your Experian score is useful for evaluating small businesses that rely more heavily on vendor terms than bank loans. To achieve a low-risk rating a business has to have an excellent credit history over a long period of time. 3. Equifax Equifax uses banking and leasing information from the Small Business Finance Exchange (SBFE) and the Equifax Small Business Enterprise database to generate three Equifax business risk scores: Business Delinquency Score of 101-662 Business Credit Risk Score between 101-992 Business Failure Risk Score of 1,000-1,880 Businesses are listed with Equifax when a leasing company, supplier, bank or other lender you do business with that your business has a relationship with furnishes your company information to them or the SBFE. (FICO SBSS) Just as FICO provides consumer credit scores that are widely used, they now also have a small business scoring service. FICO business credit scores pull from the other business credit systems in an order customized and weighted by each bank. (FICO SBSS) combines both your personal and business credit files into one score of 0-300 where a higher score is better. This is now widely used by banks and the SBA for pre-screening loan applicants. Small business owners must maintain good credit ratings both personally and for business to keep this score high and also because lenders will look at both. 15 Additional Business Credit Bureaus The three credit reporting bureaus mentioned above and FICO are not the only credit bureaus for businesses. There are fifteen additional business credit bureaus serving particular niches: 1. Ansonia favored by construction trades; partners with Tarnell to share data. 2. Tarnell provides deep financial insights on suppliers of industrial material and equipment and the plastics industry. 3. Lumbermen Credit Reporting Group uses personal and business data to provide reports to commercial mercantile and construction. 4. Cortera specializing in the transportation industry. 5. Seafax credit bureau for the food industry. 6. Factual Data FDInsight offers the mortgage industry flood zone determinations, merged credit reports, and data verification services. 7. Lexis-Nexix | Accurint partnership between Lexis-Nexis and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) offering reports similar to Business Experian. 8. ClientChecker provides feedback between members on small businesses, freelancers, and contractors. 9. Credit.net database lists 15.5 million U.S. and Canadian companies including very small businesses. 10. Global Credit Services offers B2B trade payment information on U.S. and Canadian companies. 11. Creditsafe collects trade data on invoice payments. 12. Paynet used by commercial finance lenders and banks to obtain credit reports and scores. 13. LexisNexis Accurint uses public data to calculate risk scores, even on businesses that have not built credit files. 14. National Association of Credit Management (NACM) members of NACM share their credit data with other members. 15. ChexSystems used by banks to determine whether to allow a business to open checking accounts. Review these additional business credit bureaus to determine if any apply to your business. Review Your Business Credit Scores Regularly As a small business owner, work to keep both your business and consumer credit scores as high as possible. Pull regular reports and review them for errors. Pay promptly and stay on top of your finances to improve your scores. The success of your business depends upon it. | https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/01/business-credit-reporting-agencies.html |
What time is Grantchester series four on TV? When is James Norton leaving and who is replacing him? | One of ITVs most popular running dramas, Grantchester is coming back with a fourth series in 2019. Advertisement However, it could be a bittersweet series for fans, as its set to be James Nortons final appearance as Sidney Chambers, the man of God who is surprisingly talented at solving crime. While Norton may be moving on, theres still plenty to be excited about when it comes to Grantchester series four not least a new vicar arriving in the parish. Find out everything you need to know about the new series below. ITV is starting the new year with a bang in 2019. Grantchester series four will begin on Friday 11th January 2019 at 9pm. Filming began for the six-part series in June 2018, and took place in London, Cambridge and of course Grantchester itself. Yes, the reports are true: Grantchester series four will include James Nortons final appearance as Sidney Chambers. As excited as I am to be filming a new series of Grantchester, its also heartbreaking to be saying goodbye to Sidney Chambers, Norton said in 2018. Ive loved this experience, and particularly working with such an extraordinary cast and crew. Watch a trailer for the new series of Grantchester Nortons exit from the small Cambridge village is promised to be an emotional one, with his co-star Robson Green admitting he cried real tears at bidding his friend goodbye. There wasnt acting required, he told RadioTimes.com. James is an intelligent, charismatic, joyous person to be alongside, and its hard to say goodbye to someone youve shared door go your deepest feelings and thoughts with. It was so beautifully written and so powerful on so many levels. Actor Tom Brittney is set to replace James Norton in future series and will join the cast of series four as new vicar the Reverend Will Davenport. The 28-year-old actor has previously starred in UnREAL, Outlander and Call the Midwife. Will Davenport is an energetic man of the people according to ITV, who channels his boundless energy into a quest for social justice. He is a man of God, but with the devil inside of him. New character Davenport will also bring a sense of generational change, according to creator Daisy Coulam. Hes much younger than Sidney, which instantly gives him a new characteristic because our new guy didnt go through the war, she said in a recent PBS podcast interview. Hes the face of modern Britain. Norton gave his blessing to actor Brittney, saying, All the best to the fantastic Tom Brittney in his role as the new vicar. He is a wonderful addition to the Grantchester family. All the auditions were brilliant, but Tom had the thing we wanted, Green added. Hes so hardworking. He cares so much and just wants to get it right. Davenport will team up with Geordie Keating (again played by Robson Green) who draws him into righting the wrongs of criminal Cambridge. The returning cast includes Al Weaver as Leonard Finch; Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs Maguire; and Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating. In a PBS podcast the Grantchester creator Daisy Coulam said that the new series would bring some changes. The series is set in 1956, a world after rationing, where Elvis has his first number one, Teddyboys are bringing new fashions to the streets, and life beyond the small hamlet is moving quickly. The world is changing, people are changing, and we decided to make that a theme of the series Coulam said. Our theme is evolve or die. You have to move with the times or you kind of fade away. Our characters are all sort of struggling with that, really. Geordie Keating will be facing a world without his best friend, but in good crime tradition, he will still have a new best friend to fight crime alongside, she added. The new series will also see characters tackling themes such as homosexuality, racism and female equality. However, not every character is happy to embrace change, with Green admitting the gruff Geordie struggling particularly with his wife Cathy getting her own jobs and finding her own feet. Geordie really struggles, Green said. He feels stuck in a different time and wants things to go back to the way they were. In this situation in the 50s, suddenly the wife can become the breadwinner. Cathys broadening her horizons, but Geordies feeling his wages should be good enough. Deep down, the main risk for him is that shes going to be meeting other men. Then hes getting peer pressure from work as Cathy can buy her own things and his colleagues are seeing that. That theme of her becoming liberated gets more prominent. Advertisement Grantchester series four airs from Friday 11th January 2019 at 9pm on ITV | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-04/grantchester-series-4-itv-air-date-time-channel-james-norton-back-replacement/ |
Is Victoria on Netflix? | Viewers have been charmed by the beautifully shot period drama Victoria since the late queen graced our screens in 2016. Since then, there have been two series, a Christmas special and in December 2017 Victoria was renewed for a third series. Advertisement With all this hype surrounding the series, it seems that the show could run for almost as long as Victorias reign. Jenna Coleman plays Victoria and the show explores the early years of Victorias reign. It shows her friendship with Lord Melbourne, and her marriage to Prince Albert, played by Tom Hughes. And the pairs on-screen chemistry has leaped out of our screens and into the real world. The two have been dating for over a year. The series is written by Daisy Goodwin. This marks the first time that she is using her history degree for television, and has claimed that accurately portraying Victoria, through carefully researching her diaries, was of the utmost importance. You can be the judge of this yourself. The series is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and on NOW TV, for those with subscriptions. Advertisement The first series is on Netflix, but streamers will have to wait a while for the second to be uploaded. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-04/is-victoria-on-netflix/ |
How do I talk to my father about his infidelity? | It is easy to vilify the one who has been unfaithful, says Annalisa Barbieri, but they are often firing a distress flare on a relationship thats already in trouble My parents divorced when I was five. I still remember the night they sat me and my sisters down, and Dad told us that he and Mum didnt love each other any more. I remember clinging on to his hand as he walked down the stairs on the day he left home, and afterwards crying to my mother late at night about how I missed him. I am now in my mid-20s. When I was a teenager, Mum told me they divorced because he had been unfaithful. She said he had been under a lot of pressure at work, but that when her father died, she needed to support her mother, and my father felt he wasnt getting the emotional help he needed. I have never spoken to him about this so many years have passed and I want to know how I should go about it now. He is a complex man highly intelligent, but emotionally immature. My guess is he could quickly become defensive and angry. But I have been carrying my own feelings with me for most of my life, and think I deserve a proper explanation. He has never had to account for his behaviour to the one most affected by it, and that feels wrong. Im also at the stage in life when I am considering becoming a father, and cant understand how he could make a decision that would lead to him not seeing his own every day. He remarried years ago and has a daughter with his new wife (not the woman he was unfaithful with). I resent that he has another chance at a family life, while I still struggle with anxiety and insecurity, which may be caused by his abandonment of my sisters and me. I should add that he has always been part of my life, and I know he loves me and my sisters deeply. I am angry with him, but I also want to hear his perspective on what happened. I think what you are asking is understandable and admirable, but you need to approach it differently. Rather than looking for him to account for his behaviour, try to think of it as finding out more about your father. I can totally understand your motivation. But I want you to get a conversation going so you can get answers; if you make him defensive, I fear you may feel even worse. It is easy to vilify the person who has been unfaithful, but its often they who are firing the distress flare on a relationship that is already in trouble. I think your mother has hinted at this. But your parents must take responsibility for their behaviour, and it sounds as if your mother was left behind to pick up the pieces. That she didnt tell you the details until you were old enough to handle them is laudable. As you are getting older, perhaps you are realising that relationships are trickier than they seem when you are a child. Im impressed you want to get another point of view on this, and are employing some critical thinking in a situation that clearly still causes you angst. You have asked me how to start this conversation; unravelling family history and, perhaps, challenging what you think you know, is rarely a one-off event. These conversations take time, and require building up to. People keep asking why I dont have children. I dont know what to say Read more Of course your father doesnt want to raise this. I would imagine he carries a lot of guilt. Start the conversation slowly, and when you are both at ease (side-by-side conversations often work best in these situations, rather than the intensity of face-to-face). Could you say something honest like, Id like to be a dad one day what was it like for you when you first became a father? and build up from there. As I said, it may take a few conversations. If your father becomes defensive and angry, then pause and say, I can see this is causing you pain, but its causing me pain, too. How can we help each other? But try not to be afraid of his anger and defensiveness think of them as layers that you have to get through. It might be an idea to discuss what happened before you get into how it made you feel. I had a situation in my own family; something that happened when I was the age you were when your father left. In the end I talked over some years to all but one of the people involved. Doing that really helped the adult me lift the child me out of the situation I had found myself in. What once burned a hole in my heart doesnt touch me any more. I have simply folded it into my family history. Send your problem to [email protected]. Annalisa regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure the discussion remains on the topics raised by the article. | https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jan/04/my-father-was-unfaithful-how-do-i-talk-to-him-about-it-annalisa-barbieri |
How Will the Shutdown End? | This week, the third shutdown of the federal government in 2018 became the first government shutdown of 2019. For more than two weeks now, a partial shutdown has dragged on following President Donald Trumps refusal to sign a spending bill passed by both a majority in the lame-duck Republican House and unanimously in the GOP-held Senate. The reason for Trumps intransigence is simple: he wants any spending bill to include $5 billion to pay for a wall on the Mexico-U.S. borderthe central policy goal of his 2016 campaign and which he consistently promised that Mexico would pay for. Story Continued Below Congressional approval of a border wall seemed unlikely even when Trumps fellow Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress. Now that a new Congress has been sworn in and the House is firmly in Democratic handsand with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowing not to authorize a single dime for the construction of a border walla resolution to the impasse seems, at the moment, unimaginable. We asked 11 top political strategists, pundits and observers from across the political spectrum how they think the shutdown will end. Heres what they had to say. It will end with Trump declaring victory regardless of the actual outcome Anita Dunn is managing director at SKDKnickerbocker, was a senior adviser to President Barack Obamas 2008 campaign and served as White House communications director in 2009. It is likely that the shutdown will end before the State of the Union (still to be scheduled, but traditionally late January) and it will end with President Trump declaring victory and progress on getting the wall built, regardless of the actual outcome. In the alternate reality, Congress will fund border security at roughly the same levels it would have funded border security in December. House Republicans will NOT use the wall (or even beautiful steel slats) as a recruitment talking point in the districts they lost in 2018, and Members of Congress will try to pretend the whole thing never happened. Trump will propose a fix for DACA recipients in exchange for at least half of the $5 billion dollars in funding for the border wall Alfonso Aguilar is president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles Because the shutdown is partial, it seems that both sides are not in a hurry or feel as much pressure to reach a deal. Both will take time to score points with their base. The shutdown will, therefore, continue easily for another 10 days. By next week, however, the White House and congressional Democrats will begin serious negotiations that will lead to an agreement that allows both of them to save face and claim some sort of victory. President Trump will take the first step and proposeto the chagrin of his nativist immigration aide Stephen Millera fix for DACA recipients in exchange for at least half of the $5 billion dollars in funding for the border wall he has requested. This will turn the table on Pelosi and Schumer. If they insist on not including any money for the wall when the president is showing flexibility and willing to negotiate, they will come across as intransigent and only interested in playing politics with the immigration issue. After some initial push back, they will accept the deal but will demandand Republicans will acceptthat the final legislative language not include the term wall but alternative terminology such as strategic fencing, which in practical and policy terms means exactly the same. The shutdown will end around January 12th. The government will open very quickly if Dems offer future chances for a border wall Paul Winfree is director of the Heritage Foundations Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and former White House budget policy director for President Trump. Thus far, Congressional Democrats seem to be offering only paths that would roll back the administrations policies while eliminating current and future opportunities to deliver on border security. Thats not exactly a strategy for progress if the goal is to the open the government. I suspect that the government will open very quickly once Democrats offer Trump the ability to make progress on the border infrastructure while creating future opportunities for evaluation and debate by limiting the amount of money available for construction relative to the Presidents request. Amidst plummeting approval ratings, Trump will be forced to sign a compromise without a wall Neera Tanden is president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank. Speaker Nancy Pelosiwho, unlike her predecessor Paul Ryan, is capable of governingwill pass legislation in the House which mirrors the bill that the Senate has already unanimously approved. Eventually, Senators who supported this same package just two weeks agoparticularly Republicans facing reelection in 2020, such as Cory Gardner, Susan Collins, Joni Ernst, and Thom Tilliswill recognize that refusing to reenact the Houses resolution will constitute their first flip-flop of the upcoming campaign cycle. Once the Senate decides to abide by the terms of its previous agreement, President Trump will be forced to sign this legislation amidst plummeting approval ratings. He will then issue a rambling and fraudulent tweet boasting that the new spending bill funds his border wall. Sadly, this is a lie that his base is likely to believe. It should end with a grand compromise: The Dream Act, plus a border barrier Frank Luntz is a pollster and communications strategist who has worked for a wide array of clients in the business and Republican political world. I dont know how it will end, but I do know how it should end: with a grand compromise that includes the Dream Act for Democrats and funding for border security and a barrier or the Republicans. Everyone can get what they care about most, and the public can once again get a government that functions. If we focus on delivering for our constituents rather than beating the opposition, we can achieve so much. It wont be a physical wall, but the language will by written in a way that Trump can claim I got my wall Michael Steele is the former chairman of the Republican National Committee. President Trump and Speaker Pelosi have entered the Shutdown Ring, circling each other like prize fighters looking for each others weakness to exploit with one quick and stunning blow. Unfortunately, the only people getting punched are the more than 800,000 federal workers who arent getting paid. Given Trump and Pelosis posturing, dont expect a quick end to the madness: Speaker Pelosi has absolutely no incentive to give the president $5 billion for a wall, and the president has every incentive to blame the Democrats for the shutdown. I suspect that by January 29, the tentative date of the State of the Union speech, something close to $2 billion will be appropriated for border security. It wont be a physical wall, but the language will be written in a way that Trump can claim I got my wallremember, hes down to slats at this point. This shutdown will end with Trump capitulating on the wall Rick Wilson is a Republican political strategist and the author of Everything Trump Touches Dies. This shutdown will end with Trump capitulating on the wall. The White House hasnt felt any of the pain and chaos from it yet, and the pressures that come with 800,000 federal employees sitting home without pay will rise and rise. Trumps disregard for federal workers is one thing; the damage will ramify across the economy and the political sphere as this game drags out. The only hope the White House has right now is that Schumer blinks, though it looks like the Democrats have the political will to hold the line. Theyd be fools not to; this is a massive, singular issue on which Trump bet 100 percent of his credibility. He put his head on the chopping block and handed Pelosi the axe. Uncertainty will continue until Senate Republicans wake up and find their groove Donna Brazile is the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and managed Al Gores 2000 presidential campaign. The newly elected Democratic majority in the House of Representatives will take the lead by offering proposals that would normally get us back to the negotiating tableTrump enjoys playing by his own set of rules. Uncertainty will continue until Senate Republicans wake up and find their groove to lead with or without the President. Especially as the economy falters, the president needs some street cred with his base, and he might try to find it in badgering Democrats. The challenge for him is that in trying to get Congress to pay for his border wall, he risks highlighting the fact he was unable to make good on his single biggest campaign promise from 2016: that he would build a wall, and Mexico would pay for it. The longer this shutdown drags on, the bigger the risk for Trump. Of course, he could come clean by telling the American people that he needs taxpayers the foot the bill for the wallperhaps hell get more by telling us the truth than forcing innocent public servants to play his foolish game of chickenbut I doubt hell do that. There must be fencing the Obama folks created that can be extended or renewed at a modest increase in spending David Gergen is the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a former White House adviser to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. The only certainty about the shutdown is that it will end. Democrats are holding the high cards at the momentand Nancy Pelosi is playing a more skillful game than Donald Trumpbut the longer the impasse, the more the public will blame both parties. Each side, then, needs to find a quiet way stop this craziness soonand in truth, it shouldnt be that hard. There must be fencing the Obama folks created that can be extended or renewed at a modest increase in spending. Dems can then claim they are beefing up security just like Obama; Trump in turn can claim that barriers are longer and even higher than in the past. On both sides, there are already hints that they could also agree to a compromise on spending levels. What about each side designating three negotiators and passing a continuing resolution giving them two weeks to finish, letting federal workers return to their jobs immediately and promise to protect their back pay. It shouldnt even take two weeks to get it done. One thing is for sure: the public is sick of political stuntsour leaders in Washington are bound to see that, get this one behind us, and move on. Who will cave: Pelosi or Trump? Sophia A. Nelson is a former Republican counsel for the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, and author of the book, E Pluribus One: Reclaiming our Founders Vision for a United America. Given President Trumps bizarre appearance in the White House Briefing Room on Thursday afternoon, I think we are in for a rough road and a long standoff. If Trumps press conference is any indication, he will stand his ground on the border wall and hold out for money for his wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a smart and savvy leader, has vowed not to give any funding for a wall, and knows that she cannot allow the Democrats to get the blame for this shutdown. My money is that Pelosi comes out the winner here, as Republicans in Congress lose patience as Trump drifts further and further away from the simple reality that most Americans care more about their personal financial security than about a border wall. The shutdown will end when Fox News tells Trump to end it Adam Jentleson is public affairs director at Democracy Forward, former president of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, and was a top aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. This feels different than past shutdowns. There is no obvious endgame and Trump is firmly ensconced in a Fox News bubble, unresponsive to rational inputs. It will end when Fox News tells him to end itthats the most Im confident predicting. | https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/04/how-will-government-shutdown-end-223691 |
Should Innsbrook After Hours leave its Henrico home? | HENRICO COUNTY, Va. One of the regions largest concert series may be looking to leave its namesake neighborhood in Henrico for a new home in Goochland County. Innsbrook After Hours is considering a potential move in 2020 from the Innsbrook office park to a parcel in West Creek, as its current home could be set aside for development. Organizers of the concert series, which has been running shows out of Innsbrook for more than 30 years, have zeroed in on a 5-acre site at 12575 W. Creek Parkway near the Richmond Strikers Field Complex, according to documents filed with the countys planning and zoning division. Larry Creeger, Innsbrook After Hours executive producer, confirmed the groups interest in the West Creek site, adding that his organization also is scouting potential venues in Henrico and Chesterfield, though he would not elaborate about specific locations. Creeger said the search for a new venue was prompted by the potential for its current 6-acre home at 4901 Lake Brook Drive to become a development target. Were very happy where we are, Creeger said of Innsbrook. But we have to have options if something did happen with the space were occupying. Click here to keep reading on RichmondBizSense. | https://wtvr.com/2019/01/04/innsbrook-after-hours-move/ |
Can St. Paul's 'Top Chef' contestant survive the pressure cooker of Restaurant Wars? | Never do a Champagne toast to your impending victory while soaking in a hot tub of hubris. Thats the lesson learned on Top Chef, as the shows Restaurant Wars challenge wrapped up Wednesday night miserably for our hometown hero, Justin Sutherland. Last week, Sutherland and his overconfident teammates jinxed themselves with that hot tub toast. This week, their Blue Team is altogether crashing and burning, and Sutherland chef at St. Pauls Handsome Hog isnt looking too good. To recap, Restaurant Wars is the big challenge of the season, where the chefs team up to conceive, design and execute a brand-new restaurant in two days. When we left our chefs in the first of this two-parter, Sutherlands team was struggling with front-of-the-house training. Chef Nini Nguyen was in charge of bringing the servers up to speed, but wasnt doing a very good job of it. Sutherland, who was in the executive chef role, was stomping around and cursing loudly. Things dont look much better in the second part, as the servers keep mixing up tables and questioning Nguyen about how a guest will be able to eat soup if she doesnt have a fork and a knife. In the kitchen, chefs Sutherland, David Viana and Kelsey Barnard Clark are way behind schedule and have to shuck oysters to order. Meanwhile, Nguyens ice cream is melting down. So is Sutherland, by the time the judges, a table of six, sit down to eat at the teams Third Coast restaurant. Customers arent getting their food, the wrong orders are being served and guests are waiting an hour for a table. Youre killing me, Sutherland says at one point. The food isnt getting great reviews from the judges, either. The compound butter on the oysters is too acidic, and Sutherlands own crawfish bisque is too thick. Their entrees (red snapper, duck and cabbage) fare better, but the judges dont see the connection between them and the appetizers. Meanwhile, dishes keep getting sent back to the kitchen because the orders were incorrect. This is one of the most ridiculous situations Ive ever been in in my career, Sutherland says. Bleep. Finally, its over, and time for judgment. Unsurprisingly, the Blue Team does not win the challenge. When asked what went wrong, Sutherland unleashes his displeasure. It was a mess, he says. The service staff was not ready and really had no training. Cut to Nguyen looking both guilty and annoyed. It was chaos, he continues. But Sutherland cant place all the blame on the front of the house. Guest judge Nilou Motamed, the editor of Food & Wine magazine, calls Sutherlands bisque one of the weakest dishes of the night at any of the restaurants. Tom Colicchio said it didnt taste like seafood. Host Padma Lakshmi called it swampy. And because this was a continuation of the high-stress Restaurant Wars, Sutherland didnt get any redeeming moments in the form of his signature off-the-cuff witticisms, or his cool shirts and hats. The series most dynamic contestant was reduced to a chefs coat and a scowl face for most of the episode. But hes safe, for now. Nguyen, along with chef Pablo Lamon, is sent home. As most of the other chefs pile hugs on her, Sutherland stands back and breathes a sigh of relief. Now that hes bought himself another week, maybe the fun old Justin Sutherland will return. Id toast to that. | http://www.startribune.com/can-st-paul-s-top-chef-contestant-survive-the-pressure-cooker-of-restaurant-wars/503899632/ |
Which countries have the highest State Department threat levels for traveling? | 18. Mali Population: 19.5 million Cases in 2018: 643 Cases in 2017: 21 Cases in 2016: 109 Mali faced epidemic levels in 2009-2010 when it had over 3,700 confirmed measles cases. Back then, nomadic groups presented a huge challenge for the vaccination of hundreds of thousands of children, according to humanitarian organization Mdecins Sans Frontires. ALSO READ: Teams With the Most Hall of Famers (Photo: dutourdumonde / Getty Images) As a new year of travel planning begins, the U.S. State Department has cautioned people not to travel to 10 countries around the world. The countries which include conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria have No. 4-level travel advisories. Last year, the State Department simplified its travel warnings and alerts. Under the new system, introduced in January 2018, every country in the world is now ranked 1 to 4. No. 1 advises travelers to take normal precautions. No. 2 encourages increased caution. No. 3 urges travelers to reconsider a trip. And No. 4 recommends against travel. Specific threats are now labeled by letter. C is for crime, T for terrorism, U for civil unrest, H for health risks, N for natural disasters, E for time-limited events such as elections or sporting events, and O for other. Ten countries including Turkey and Venezuela have No. 3 travel advisory levels. Mexico, overall, has a No. 2 travel advisory level due to crime. But the State Department also has alerts for each state. The department advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the following states due to crime: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas. Reviews for countries ranked 1 or 2 will happen once a year. Those with 3 or 4 levels will be reassessed every six months. But the labels may change at other times depending on events. The State Department cannot forbid U.S. travelers from visiting any of these countries, except for North Korea. To see pictures of the riskiest countries in the world, take a look at the photo gallery above. The countries with the No. 4 warning and the codes of their specific threats are: Afghanistan, C, T, U, O Central African Republic, C, U Iraq, T, O Libya, C, T, U, O Mali, C, T North Korea, O Somalia, C, T, O South Sudan, C, O Syria, T, U, O Yemen, T, U, H, O Those with No. 3 travel warnings are: Chad, C, T, O Congo DRC, C, U, O Mauritania, C, T Nicaragua, C, U, H, O Niger, C, T Nigeria, C, T, U, O Pakistan, T, O Sudan, C, T, U, O Turkey, T, O Venezuela, C, U, H, O Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2019/01/04/these-most-dangerous-countries-travel/2478837002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2019/01/04/these-most-dangerous-countries-travel/2478837002/ |
Should I Use My Personal Laptop for Work? | Welcome to the first Lifehacker tech-advice column of 2019! This weeks question from Lifehacker reader Mike is something that many of us have had to deal with at one point in our lives: the irritating balance between technology, ones personal life, and the demands of ones professional life. Before I begin, one quick reminder. Im excited for a brand-new year of Tech 911, fueled by the many tech-related questions, disasters, and other curiosities youre willing to send my way. So, please email me any and all issues youre having (or leave them as a comment in my call-for-questions posts). Thats the best (and only) way to ensure your questions are answered in a future column. Let me help you! Advertisement Now, on to Mikes dilemma. Its a biggie, but its absolutely worth reading: Ill try to keep the backstory simple: At the beginning of this year, I started a new position as a contract employee for a consulting organization. This is a virtual worldwide business so 95% of employees work from home. As a contract employee, I was required to use my own device without reimbursement (this was fine, I just recently bought a new laptop for personal use and didnt really care to use two devices). We used Skype to communicate and Sharepoint for file sharing - no big deal, everything worked fine. After my contract was complete, I was offered a permanent position (yay!) and continued with the same work structure on my personal device. All was still well functionality wise. Recently, my firm began an overhaul of their IT infrastructure. They recently asked us to upgrade to Windows 10 Professional, the cost of which was reimbursed. No big deal. Then, we were asked to establish a Windows 10 Enterprise profile on our laptops. This involves creating a new user account and also joining their Azure Active Directory (whatever that is...). As I was reading through the instructions to do this, I noticed some prompts that were a bit concerning. Specifically: [when initially connecting to my work account] Connecting means that your work or school might control some things on this device, such as what settings you can change [when joining the Azure AD] These actions will set up the device as your organizations and give your organization full control over this device. I do also have the option of being issued a separate work laptop, but am intrigued by the convenience of using only one device (assuming my data will remain secure). Advertisement I completely understand your desire to keep your technological life simple, and I want to lead off with a clear and precise answer. When you use a laptop that your company controlswhether they gave it to you or they have administrator access to the operating system that powers your machineyou should assume that anything and everything you do is logged, tracked, or viewable in some fashion. Expect no privacy, and dont do a single thing on that device that you wouldnt be comfortable doing with your boss (or the head of HR) standing over your shoulder. I realize that sounds a little drastic, but staying strict is the surest way to avoid any workplace problems whatsoeveras far as your gear goes. Im not implying that youre the kind of person who is likely to get into trouble for that sort of thing, but I also dont want to downplay the significance about the open window your job now has into your technological life. Advertisement I dont work in IT, and Im not super-familiar with the nuances of enterprise setups, but I would err on the side of caution in your case. Even if you have two user accounts in Windows 10one for personal things and one for work things (that blasted you with scary prompts when setting it up)Id keep everything youre doing on the laptop work-related going forward. Assuming a best-case scenario, where the contents of your personal account is perfectly hidden and encrypted so nobody else can see what youre storing in your user folders (or what youve downloaded to them), there are plenty of other reasons why its important to create this separation. You need to set a mental switch, if nothing else. This ensures that you dont accidentally look at a site you shouldnt, or download something you didnt mean to, when youre on your work account instead of your personal one. Mistakes happen. They might not even be your mistakes. Ive had plenty of friends get hit with the dreaded someone texted me during a work presentation and a preview popped up on my MacBook and oh God problem. Keeping your personal accounts and data walled off from your work environment protects you from these sorts of situations, and the easiest way to do so is to use work devices for work and personal devices for everything else. Advertisement Additionally, you have no idea whats in store for your system from your employers IT department. You might not miss the former as much as youll miss the latter, especially if you havent backed up your photos, movies, or documents in a while. Thats eight (or more) extra hours each day that youre stressing your battery or running mechanical parts that might fail sooner than they otherwise would. If a company laptop breaks down, the company probably has a replacement it can give you right awayor established, easy ways to get your laptop fixed up. If your personal laptop breaks down, thats on you. Theres no guarantee the company will pony up for repairs, or that it will even get you a new one. Its your laptop, after all. Advertisement When you leave your jobespecially if its an unexpected departureIT might wipe your entire laptop without giving you a heads-up. That could be a problem for you, and its another great reason to not combine work and personal data on the same device. You mention at the end of your email that you have the option to get a work-issued laptop. That might sound like an inconvenience at first, but its the perfect way to maintain church-and-state-like separation between your two lives. Youll have to resist the urge to do little things for convenience, like setting up your personal Gmail account or your favorite messaging service on your work laptop. That will be annoying in some instances, but the privacy youll maintain is worth it. And if your personal laptop breaks for any reason, at least youll have a backup you can use for the basics: web searches, driving directions, a safe-for-work YouTube video to cheer you up, et cetera. Going forward, a great way to get around this entire work/life balance issue is to tell your employer (or a future employer) that you have no technological resources whatsoever. Doesnt exist. You have a dumb T9 device. You laptop broke and you havent purchased a replacement. Youve never owned a desktop PC. Advertisement Let the company provide the resources you need to do the best work possible. Dont volunteer your gear if you dont have to. | https://lifehacker.com/should-i-use-my-personal-laptop-for-work-1831458990 |
What Does the Government Shutdown Mean for Tax Returns? | In what is perhaps an entry for the of course it is filestheres word that the partial government shutdown continuing could delay Americans getting tax refunds. You see, the IRS is one of the departments shut down right now. As the shutdown continues, the IRS says Americans can still file their 2018 tax returns, but they will not be able to process any refunds until after the shutdown ends. But dont think that means youre off the hook for paying your taxes those will be due as scheduled April 15th. The reasoning is simple. For now only 12.5% of the 10,000 IRS employees are working. Once tax-filing season picks up steam later this month, they just may not have the manpower to process returns. If the shutdown ends soon, Americans will probably not notice any delay in getting their refunds. If it drags on into February however, it is likely there will be delays. SOURCE: WSJ.com | https://www.mix941.com/what-does-the-governmentt-shutdown-mean-for-tax-returns/ |
Is Theresa May any closer to unblocking her Brexit deal? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption There is a growing feeling it may take more than one go to get the deal through Parliament When Theresa May pulled the "meaningful vote" on Brexit last month, the day before MPs were about to pass their verdict on her deal, Downing Street hoped two things would happen. First, that the EU would offer some form of legal guarantee that the Northern Irish backstop - the arrangements for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland - would be temporary. This, in turn, would bring the DUP on board - and unlock further support from previously hostile Conservative backbenchers. Second, that some sceptical MPs, once away from the febrile atmosphere at Westminster, would quietly reflect over Christmas that the deal wasn't as bad as all that, as it at least guarantees that the UK will leave the EU at the end of March. So perhaps any rebellion would diminish, if not evaporate. But neither hope has - yet - been realised, with the vote now less than two weeks away. Deeper difficulties So as things stand, the prime minister is once again facing defeat. But her difficulties could run even deeper than assumed. It was undoubtedly disappointing for Downing Street that the DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds declared that the Withdrawal Agreement "flies in the face" of the government's commitments on Northern Ireland following his meetings with Theresa May and the Conservative chief whip Julian Smith this week. The government quite simply couldn't tell him that that the EU, at this stage, was willing to go any further than offering "reassurances" and "clarifications" on the temporary nature of the backstop, rather than legal guarantees. But even if the EU does move significantly in the next ten days, the prime minister could still be facing defeat. What the DUP's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday was significant. He said he was "alarmed" that the Northern Irish backstop could become the "settled arrangement" on Brexit. Let's unpick this for a moment - because it goes to the core of Theresa May's difficulties. The DUP want to make sure the backstop is temporary and that the UK, including Northern Ireland, can exit from it without EU approval. Image copyright Reuters Image caption The European Commission has said the deal can't be re-negotiated but the talking continues If the EU can guarantee this, it's possible the DUP's MPs may grit their teeth and back - or abstain on - the deal, as would some long-standing Leave campaigners on the Conservative benches. But, as I understand it, up to 40 Conservative MPs still wouldn't back the deal because they, like Sammy Wilson, are worried about what the "settled arrangement" on Brexit might look like. They believe that the way the government will avoid a hard border in Ireland - and avoid triggering the backstop - is by agreeing a permanent trade deal that actually looks a lot like the backstop in any case. That is, the whole of the UK, not just Northern Ireland, would mirror some EU regulations on goods and stay close to the EU's customs arrangements. This would, they fear, then constrain the UK's ability to do future trade deals with the rest of the world. This suspicion is fuelled by the following words in the political declaration document - the blueprint for the post-Brexit relationship with the EU: "The economic partnership should ensure.ambitious customs arrangements that.. build and improve on the single customs territory provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement." Downing Street officials have pointed out - until they are almost blue in the face - that the political declaration also specifically mentions an "independent trade policy" for the UK. But this doesn't appear to have neutralised some backbench concerns. Charm offensive The prime minister will launch a "charm offensive" with Conservative MPs next week to try to allay any suspicions - though whether they will be charmed or offended is still an open question. Such is the lack of trust amongst a small but potentially crucial contingent of her MPs, I am told that in order for them to vote for her deal, she would need to convince them that she wouldn't handle the future trade negotiations after Brexit. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Despite Chief Whip Julian Smith's efforts, many Tory MPs remained opposed to the deal And/or give them a firm date for her departure from office. Downing Street - and more widely, the government's - tactic is to raise the possibility of No Brexit unless long-standing Leave campaigners hold their noses and vote for her deal. This process has already begun. But expect it to be ramped up next week. The PM's allies will argue that unless the deal is settled soon, then opponents of Brexit and supporters of a new referendum will try to amend forthcoming non-Brexit legislation to make it contingent on a public vote taking place. And MPs who don't want a referendum but do want Theresa May's deal fundamentally renegotiated will be told that would mean extending Article 50 and therefore, in No 10's eyes, breaking faith with leave-supporting voters. So far these arguments don't seem to have worked. Some of her MPs will doubtlessly be poring over a YouGov survey published today. This was commissioned by London's Queen Mary University and Sussex University as part of a wider project into party members' attitudes and views. It suggested more than half of Conservative members - 53% - believe Mrs May's deal doesn't respect the result of the referendum. And 59% of them oppose her deal, while 38% support it. No 10 would argue that there is private polling which suggests her deal is more popular with the wider public. The You Gov survey itself suggests that 46% of likely Conservative voters (as opposed to members) back the deal, with a smaller number - 38% -opposing. Customs in practice There is another potential fly in the ointment for the prime minister - although here, adversity could be turned to advantage. It is assumed that the Lords will insert an amendment in to legislation on trade which would require the prime minister to negotiate a customs union with the EU. Please upgrade your browser Your guide to Brexit jargon Enter the word or phrase you are looking for Search The government, in the normal run of things, would then vote this change down when the legislation returns to the Commons. But with Labour formally backing a customs union - and some Conservative MPs who backed Remain in the referendum also very warm to the idea - government sources are concerned that the Commons might not overturn it. So the argument that is likely to be made by government whips to the Brexiteer opponents of Theresa May's deal is this: Unless they grab the prime minister's deal before the trade legislation comes to the Commons, they might be landed with a customs union. And this wouldn't just constrain, but prevent, future independent trade deals. Over to EU Image copyright EPA Image caption It may look chaotic but one government insider says the key is making steady progress But the most likely option for at least reducing the size of any defeat on the deal is further movement from Brussels. The prime minister is talking the EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker later and I am told she will be talking to other EU 27 leaders over the next ten days. There is a feeling in Whitehall that it may take more than one attempt to get the deal through parliament. One government insider likened the prime minister's situation to a game of American football. Things can look chaotic at any given moment but as long as you don't give the ball away to your opponents you can move incrementally towards your goal. But she has already had to make one backward pass - delaying the vote on her deal - and may need some trick play to get her deal over the line. As MPs return to parliament next week, the prospect of a prime ministerial victory appears some way off. | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46761290 |
Why doesnt California treat wildfire hazards like it treats floods? | Water fills the city of Venice after a five-day flood in southern California on March 5, 1938. The overpasses, lower left, and bridges, right center, withstood the deluge. (AP Photo) Kayaker on the flooded campus of Fullerton College in 1938. (Photo courtesy of the Buena Park Historical Society) Sound The gallery will resume in seconds Workers fill bags with sand to repair levees along the river near Sacramento, Ca., Feb. 11, 1938. Levees were broken when high gales swept northern California Feb. 9, and the already well-filled rivers were churned into waves that broke numerous cuts in the flood-protection walls. (AP Photo) A filling station attendant uses a rowboat to maneuver as he fills a pickup after a flood inundated Buena Park in 1938. (Photo courtesy of the Buena Park Historical Society) Aftermath of the 1938 Santa Ana River flood. This aerial view shows the broken water barrier of San Francisquito Canyon, Ca., after the St. Francis Dam burst on March 13, 1928. The dams reservoir of 12.5 billion gallons of water poured down the narrow canyon, carrying nearly 500 inhabitants to their deaths. (AP Photo) Groceries that washed out through the broken windows of a supermarket by the tidal waves that swept Crescent City, Calif., are scooped by a lift truck in front of the store, March 29, 1964. The entire area of the store was swept by the huge waves that destroyed a large part of the downtown section. (AP Photo) A luncheon for notables takes place on top of the huge, concrete spillway of the Hansen Dam during dedication ceremonies near the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 20, 1940. Built under the supervision of U.S. Army engineers, the dam will protect the valley and Los Angeles from mountain-born floods. The compacted earth-filled structure, the largest of its kind, is two miles long and 122 feet high with a gigantic spillway and control gates at the center. (AP Photo) One of many burn out homes in the hills of Malibu Springs Tuesday morning. The Woolsey fire flare up again and burn another 1,000 acres with no homes damage. Nov 13,2018, Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer. In 1938, five days of rain bloated the Santa Ana River, sending it spilling over its banks, killing about 100 people in the region, sending cows paddling down streets and wiping out entire neighborhoods. The Prado Dam is one legacy of the disaster. (File photo) A county maintenance worker moves an abandoned Ford from Pacific Coast Highway with his dozer in downtown Laguna Beach Wednesday morning, Dec 22, 2010. (KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER) Tim Biglow tries to save the furnitures from the Woolsey fire in Malibu, Calif., Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) FILE This Nov. 9, 2018 file photo shows the charred remains of a home after the Woolsey fire swept through Malibu, Calif. The number of structures destroyed by a huge Southern California wildfire has risen to 1,500. Another 341 structures were damaged as of a Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 count. As firefighters mop up, repair and restoration of utilities is continuing along with repopulation of areas evacuated when winds spread the fire earlier this month. Forecasters predict rain in the area by midweek. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File) A firefighter battles the Woolsey Fire burning a home in Malibu, Calif., Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Theres no word on what sparked the Woolsey Fire and smaller Hill blaze Thursday. But winds are blamed for pushing the fire through scenic canyon communities and ridgetop homes. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) A Karmin Gia sits on Monday, November 12, 2018 burned on Hidden Highlands Road along Kanan Road after the Woolsey Fire burned through the area. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) The Los Angeles riverbed at Willow was a churning force to be reckoned with as debris flowed fast during a steady and heavy rain in Long Beach on Thursday, December. 6, 2018. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG) A plane drops fire retardant behind homes along McVicker Canyon Park Road in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes Aug. 9, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) FILE In this Nov. 9, 2018 file photo, firefighter Jose Corona sprays water as flames from the Camp Fire consume a home in Magalia, Calif. A massive new federal report warns that extreme weather disasters, like Californias wildfires and 2018s hurricanes, are worsening in the United States. The White House report quietly issued Friday, Nov. 23 also frequently contradicts President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File) Flooding has never been reason enough to halt development in California. Instead, flood control was embraced as a way to keep progress moving ahead. California wildfires scorched 1.9 million acres last year, destroying thousands of California homes and killing more than 100 people. The fires sparked lots of conversation about banning or restricting new home construction in high-risk fire zones. But this anti-building rhetoric runs in the face of how California has historically tackled other natural disasters, specifically floods. Instead of curbing construction, the state tapped government protections for homeowners and grew its population and economy to be the nations largest. Dont get me wrong, the states wildfire risks are very real. Full disclosure: Wildfires strike home for me, too. For the past quarter-century, Ive lived in a one of those fire-prone community in south Orange Countys foothills. I know we can do better to protect citizens from such fires, one of the many natural hazards that confront many of us who call California home. Theres a serious need for prevention and mitigation efforts to be incorporated into modern real state planning from neighborhood design to building codes to brush maintenance and risk-education for residents. Like many infrastructure needs, todays world seems to demand new properties owners pay for much of developments costs. That typically includes basic and expected infrastructure expenses community roads, water, sewage, electricity, etc. But the tab often also encompasses paying for much of the broader, growing neighborhood needs, too schooling, first responders, connection roads and recreation. New neighborhoods also can be forced to build (and pay for) rainwater collection tools to lower the flood control burdens downstream. And dont forget another flooding hazard: the costs of keeping the ocean from chewing up seaside real estate. Wildfire management is a classic example of how Californian opinion on development has changed. In those overly revered early boom times, government dollars were invested in building the community infrastructure to get folks to move to California: everything from schools to fire stations to boulevards and ballfields. Oh, and flood control. Today, many of those costs are foisted on the families who want to settle in a new community driving housing costs skyward. Ponder Californias long-time residents. Homeowners benefited from various forms of community-building efforts once paid for by the government. Oh, and their property taxes are low, thanks to Proposition 13. And if theyre flatlanders living in the regions basins, well, their housing stays dry thanks to huge government-funded flood-control spending. A history lesson First of all, Californias topography isnt kind to human habitation, even as it houses nearly 40 million people. Sky-high and relatively lush mountains with typically heavy snowpack have steep foothills below that adjoin low-lying basins too close to the ocean. Its a watery recipe for frequent springtime floods. It means an untamed Santa Ana River, for example, would be one of the nations biggest flood risks. The geological misfortunes translate to a long-running headache for California. One of the first written accounts of California floods was in Spanish missionary Father Juan Crespis diary detailing the livability challenges of the unsettled Los Angeles basin in 1769-70. The history books remind us that late that winter it rained for almost a month straight. The states topography isnt built to hold that much water. Thankfully, California was sparsely populated back then. Reports say the rushing Santa Ana River overflowed, wiping out farming enclaves between the San Bernardino Mountains and Orange County. As the flood waters approached the ocean, they created a huge inland lake swamping much of what today is Santa Ana and Anaheim. Up north, Sacramento was so overwhelmed with water that state government moved to San Francisco. And governing became tricky; estimates at the time suggested one-quarter of the states taxable property was destroyed and shrinking tax collections nearly bankrupted the state. Fast forward to winter 1938 as California was starting to gain traction as an economic powerhouse. Five days of heavy rain in Southern California basin pushed the Los Angeles and Santa Ana rivers over their banks. The Ventura River was said to have grown to nearly a mile in width. More than a hundred people died across the region. Thousands of structures were destroyed. River-close towns north of L.A. and in the Inland Empire were devastated. In places such as Santa Ana and Compton, thriving neighborhoods were turned into lakes. Transportation was a mess. Local rail lines yes, those trollies were damaged. Interstate travel it was rail in that era was cut off. In some communities, life was so impassable the Coast Guard helped with mail delivery. A rapid response The same waters that fueled the states agricultural legacy often turn destructive and deadly. And after 1938 there was no ban on expansion rather an expensive, development of massive flood-control measures that have been amplified over the years. Much of the financial burden of such projects that greatly muted flood risks were not placed on the individual property owners in flood-prone neighborhoods. Rather, the tab was typically spread amongst regional, state and federal taxpayers. All this infrastructure cannot fully protect all Californians. But flood risks are still so collectively high that most private insurers wont offer a policy against such a watery risk. So, its left to the federally backed National Flood Insurance Program to be the primary financial backstop for flood risks. Its policies paid 11,483 Californians a total of $219 million from 1996-2016. The bottom line is that if it wasnt for all this government support, the risks of having real estate and related assets frequently washed away would have cooled what became monumental statewide development. Nothing symbolizes that post-1938 flood-control push more than the Prado Dam where the Santa Ana River snakes past the edge of the Saddleback Mountains at the border of Orange and Riverside counties. That project alone made a major dent in flood risks, but other lower-profile work strengthening river beds with concrete and streamlining river flow helped throttle what would be flooding in years to come. That safety net protected the region for what was judged to be a one-in-50-year flood. But killer floods in 1969 prompted a move to basically double the level of protection. There was a rough doubling-down on the size of the Prado Dam. And then theres the addition of the Seven Oaks Dam on the Santa Ana River near Mentone. Its a half-billion-bucks of walls up to 50-stories high protecting an estimated 2 million properties by keeping mountain rainwater from ever reaching the Prado Dam. The bottom line Lets tackle wildfire risk like we fought floods. Be proactive and smart. Dont view wildfire suppression with some sort of cost-containment logic. Invest in mitigation and firefighting not only on an event-by-event basis but with long-term vision. Challenge government and industry alike to find new ways to lower the hazard. Lets spend to have resources man and material ready so begging isnt required when misfortune strikes. If investment means taxpayer dollars are going to create permanent firebreaks or the like to protect homes as we did with concreting river bottoms for floods, so be it. If wildness must be pruned, lets do it. See the costs as worthwhile insurance, not wasteful spending. | https://www.ocregister.com/2019/01/04/why-doesnt-california-treat-wildfire-hazards-like-it-treats-floods/ |
Where are Oregon's urban supercommuters? | Commute times are increasing on average across the U.S., in part due to the rise of supercommutes. These are defined as commutes of 90 minutes or more each way, and while they're more common in states with large metropolitan areas like New York, they're also increasing here in Oregon. The share of supercommuters in Oregon has increased from an average of about 1.7 percent of all commuters to about 2.2 percent between 2007 and 2017. The percentage of supercommuters living in cities is lower than the state average, but still represents thousands of people -- and in turn, many thousands of hours. Below we show you the cities with higher-than-average percentages of supercommuters and the time all that commuting adds up to. | https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news/g66l-2019/01/90fec159785848/where-are-oregons-urban-superc.html |
How long were other shutdowns and how did they end? | When Political control Why it happened How it was resolved Less than a day in 2018Invalid date Political control R Trump R Senate House (changed control) Why it happened Trump wants funding for the border wall, but Democrats, who took control of the House during the shutdown, want to fund the government temporarily with no strings attached. How it was resolved Its unclear how this shutdown will end, as neither side appears to be budging. Less than a day in 2018 Political control R Trump R Senate R House Why it happened Sen. Rand Paul briefly filibustered a two-year bipartisan spending bill over its cost. Democrats wanted a solution for dreamers, immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. How it was resolved After the time for debate expired, Congress voted overnight to increase domestic and military spending caps and to fund the government. No deal was made for dreamers. Read more 3 days in 2018 Political control R Trump R Senate R House Why it happened Democrats wanted protections for dreamers, but Republicans refused to negotiate on immigration until government funding was passed. How it was resolved Senate Democrats bowed to pressure to reopen the government when Republicans committed to hold a vote resolving the status of dreamers by mid-February. Read more 16 days in 2013 Political control D Obama D Senate R House Why it happened Hard-line conservatives pushed GOP leaders to use a shutdown threat to block parts of Obamacare. How it was resolved Republicans relented by overwhelmingly passing a bill to fund the government without any major health-care provisions. Read more 21 days in 19951996 Political control D Clinton R Senate R House Why it happened President Bill Clinton and the GOP disagreed on how to balance the budget within seven years, with Clinton using more optimistic Office of Management and Budget projections, and Republicans using Congressional Budget Office estimates. How it was resolved Clinton agreed to submit a budget plan that balanced the budget according to CBO estimates. Read more 5 days in 1995 Political control D Clinton R Senate R House Why it happened Clinton vetoed legislation that would have raised Medicare premiums and required him to submit a seven-year balanced-budget plan, triggering the shutdown. How it was resolved Clinton and Republicans agreed to a temporary measure fund the government and to produce a seven-year balanced budget. Read more 3 days in 1990 Political control R Bush D Senate D House Why it happened President George H.W. Bush refused to sign legislation funding the government unless it included a deficit reduction plan. How it was resolved Congress sent Bush a plan to reduce the deficit. 1 day in 1987 Political control R Reagan D Senate D House Why it happened President Ronald Reagan and Democrats could not agree on how to provide aid to Nicaraguan rebels and whether to enact into law the Fairness Doctrine requiring broadcasters to air different sides of controversial issues. How it was resolved Congress approved providing the Nicaraguan rebels with nonlethal aid but not the Fairness Doctrine. Read more 1 day in 1986 Political control R Reagan R Senate D House Why it happened Reagan and House Democrats disagreed on several issues that werent resolved before a shutdown took effect. How it was resolved Democrats got a promise of a vote on welfare expansion but caved on most of their wishes, and Republicans offered a concession on the sale of the public-owned railway. Read more 1 day in 1984 Political control R Reagan R Senate D House Why it happened A deal on several issues wasnt reached in the time of a three-day funding extension. How it was resolved Congress removed several measures from the bill according to Reagans wishes, kept his preferred crime funding and negotiated a settlement on funding the Nicaraguan Contras. Read more 2 days in 1984 Political control R Reagan R Senate D House Why it happened Congress attached several measures to the funding bill, including a crime-fighting package, water projects funding and a civil rights measure. Reagan offered to sign a bill without those, but a deal wasn't reached in time. How it was resolved Congress passed a three-day funding extension to continue negotations. 3 days in 1983 Political control R Reagan R Senate D House Why it happened House Democrats wanted nearly $1 billion in additional education funding and their foreign aid and defense spending did not align with Reagans priorities. How it was resolved Democrats reduced the education spending and funded the MX missile that they had cut in the last shutdown fight. They got their foreign aid and defense cuts. 3 days in 1982 Political control R Reagan R Senate D House Why it happened Congressional leaders wanted to spend billions to create jobs, but Reagan opposed it. The Democratic House opposed funds for a nuclear missile program. How it was resolved Congress abandoned plans for the jobs spending, but also funded legal support for poor Americans over the presidents wishes. Reagan signed it anyway. 1 day in 1982 Political control R Reagan R Senate D House Why it happened Congress hadnt passed a new budget and lawmakers were attending social events the night of the deadline. How it was resolved Lawmakers returned and passed spending bills late, which Reagan signed despite reservations about the cost. 2 days in 1981 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/politics/longest-shutdowns-history/ |
What in the World is a Robots.txt File? | A robots.txt file is a mechanism by which a webmaster indicates to a search engine crawler which pages can and cannot be requested from a website. These are not limited to HTML pages and can include all types of files including pictures and video. Although the concept may seem counterintuitive because the idea is for a search engine to review everything in a website, pages with too many unimportant resources and high traffic can overwhelm a server, thus indexing files that are not going to help with ranking while ignoring important content. Therefore, these files can ensure that the right information is indexed while also blocking other resources including duplicate content or any other item that may negatively affect the site. The file follows a protocol developed in 1994 that forms part of the Robot Exclusion Protocol. The resource is a simple ASCII file that follows the basic formatting rules. Therefore, those interested in creating the file can use programs like Notepad. However, more complex word processes like Microsoft Word add proprietary formatting information to the file, thus making their use incompatible. The file should be placed in the root directory of the webpage and be named robots.txt for the bots to identify and read it. Websites that use subdomains will need to place the resource in the main directory of said subdomain. After the file is created, webmasters or interested parties can use a collection of tools such as a robots.txt validator to check the format and contents of the file and verify its validity and syntax. The format of the file follows a basic user-agent and disallow property that indicates to a bot that a resource is off limits to crawling. This can be as short as two lines of code with the basic set, or as complex as multiple lines that have many directives. If a version of the file has more than one instruction, then each command is paired and each pair is separated by a blank line. This allows webmasters to permit certain resources while restricting others. When a bot reads the robots.txt resources, it does so in a sequential manner starting from the top and finishing at the end of the file. Users may implement the use of comments by placing a pound sign before said comments. These are good for creating reminders or indicating the explanation of the idea of the restriction for future access. Webmasters should be aware that the files are case sensitive and that all files are allowed for crawling unless otherwise flagged for restriction. There are many reasons to use robots.txt to limit a search engine from crawling every file on a particular website. Among these is that search engines like Google do not like duplicate content. In certain cases, duplicating information may be necessary to provide visitors with access to information. To avoid being penalized by a search engine, users can restrict the resource. Additionally, bigger websites may have countless files. When a bot crawls a site, it may have a limit called a crawl budget. The idea in search engine optimization (SEO) is to rank a page as high as possible by optimizing the content for relevance and visibility. However, if the bot spends its crawl budget by reviewing low quality or unimportant URLs, then any SEO performed on the site will be meaningless. As a countermeasure, webmasters can target specific content by creating a strategy where only pages with highly-valued information are allowed and all else is restricted, thus ensuring that the right content is indexed by search engines. (Visited 8 times, 3 visits today) | http://techiediva.com/2019/01/03/what-in-the-world-is-a-robots-txt-file/ |
What is a presidential exploratory committee? | Sen. Elizabeth Warren kicked the 2020 White House race into high gear on New Year's Eve when she announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee. The announcement made clear that Warren is in the race for the Democratic nomination, but by forming an exploratory committee, she is technically still one step short of officially becoming a presidential candidate. Campaign finance Elections (by type) Elections and campaigns Elizabeth Warren Federal Election Commission Government and public administration Government organizations - US Political candidates Political donations and fundraising Political Figures - US Politics US federal departments and agencies US Federal elections US government independent agencies US Presidential elections An exploratory committee is a vehicle by which candidates for federal office can "test the waters" of a bid before officially entering a race. It's a mostly technical distinction that allows candidates to form a committee and begin raising and spending money on limited campaign activities like polling and outreach. And exploratory committees aren't initially required to file reports with the Federal Election Commission, at least until a candidate's bid becomes official by FEC standards. That happens, according to the FEC, when a candidate engages in "certain activities" that constitute official campaigning -- "making or authorizing any statements that refer to themselves as candidates"; "using general public political advertising to publicize their intention to campaign"; "raising more money than what is reasonably needed to test the waters or amass funds to be used after candidacy is established"; "conducting activities over a protracted period of time or shortly before the election"; or "taking action to qualify for the ballot." Once a candidate engages in any of those campaign-type activities, they trigger official candidate status, must register as such with the FEC, and begin filing regular financial reports -- reports that include money raised or spent in the "testing the waters" phase. Exploratory committees are subject to the same contribution limits as regular campaigns ($2,700 per-donor per-election). The real advantage of an exploratory committee is that it allows candidates two swings at the "presidential announcement" news cycle -- first, when they announce their exploratory committee, and again when they make their bid official. Warren's decision to form her exploratory committee on December 31 also ensures that she will have the entire first quarter of 2019 to begin raising funds for her presidential bid. That will give the Massachusetts senator a head start in a crowded field during the first fundraising period of the 2020 cycle, covering January 1 through March 31. On top of that, Warren enters the fray with already considerable financial advantages, including $12.5 million left over in her Senate campaign account, which she can transfer to her presidential campaign. Brendan Fischer at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit group focused on campaign laws, explained that the FEC "allows an individual at the testing the waters stage to voluntarily form an 'exploratory committee,' and to voluntarily file reports disclosing contributions and expenditures, but there is no legal obligation to do so until they become a candidate." "A candidate or potential candidate is under no legal obligation to form an 'exploratory committee' but a presidential hopeful can create multiple opportunities for news coverage by first announcing the creation of an exploratory committee, and then later announcing their campaign," Fischer said. In the absence of an exploratory committee, the FEC advises that candidates at least "set up a separate bank account for the deposit of receipts and the payment of expenses," which ultimately must be detailed in the campaign's first financial report after the campaign becomes official. | https://www.kimt.com/content/national/503901172.html?ref=172 |
How should Derby County line up for FA Cup clash against Southampton? | Get Weekday Derby County FC updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Derby County kick off their FA Cup campaign this weekend, where they welcome Premier League opponents Southampton to Pride Park Stadium. The Rams take on the Saints in the third round of the competition, with both clubs looking to have a good cup run this season. Derby go into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough on New Year's Day - a stalemate which leaves the Rams in sixth place in the Sky Bet Championship table. Southampton also go into Saturday's match on the back of a draw, after their Premier League match with Chelsea ended goalless at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Ahead of this weekends game, we want to know what line-up you think Frank Lampard should pick to get the win to progress to the next round. Use our custom-designed widget to pick your Derby starting XI for Saturdays match. As always, we want you to get involved by tweeting us @dcfc_live or joining the conversation on Facebook. You can also leave us a comment below. | https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-should-derby-county-line-2388225 |
When is it? Who is playing and what time will it be on in the UK? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email The regular NFL season is coming towards its end and the climax that is the Super Bowl is not too long away at all. Super Bowl 53 will take place at the Mercedez Benz Arena in Atlanta, home to NFL team Atlanta Falcons and MLS champions Atlanta United. The first weekend of January brings the first weekend of the NFL playoffs titled as Wild Card Weekend as it features the play-off teams that did not win their respected division facing off against the third-seeded division winners. Here it is in grid form. The NFL is divided into the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. Both conferences contain 16 teams and are split into four divisions - North, South, East and West. Super Bowl 53 (LIII) will take place in Atlanta on Sunday February 3 from 6:30pm ET. As ever the game will go on until the early hours over here due to the time difference. If the game kicks off at 7pm in Atlanta, that will be midnight here in the UK. That depends on how the playoffs pan out. Eventually the AFC champions will play the NFC champions. Coverage is expected to start around 11.30pm (6.30pm US Eastern Time) on both BBC and Sky Sports. Both networks are also expected to replay the game and highlights in the following days, for those of us unable to stay up into the small hours to enjoy it live. The Super Bowl half-time show is a prestigious affair and often eclipses the game itself. Justin Timberlake played the slot in 2018 while Lady Gaga headlined it in 2017. This year's lineup is arguably much less impressive with warblers Maroon 5 headlining the gig. They will however reportedly be joined by Travis Scott but this is far from being confirmed. The Super Bowl Halftime Show is arguably the worlds biggest concert, watched by 100 million people around the world. But the furore surrounding NFL players right to protest and the treatment of Colin Kaepernick has meant that playing the set comes with an implicit endorsement of the NFLs stance on the ongoing issue. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/other-sport/nfl-super-bowl-53-it-15630360 |
Who is Gemma Winter actress Dolly Rose Campbell in Coronation Street? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email She is Coronation Street's comedy queen, although kebab shop worker Gemma Winter has had plenty of tough times along the way too. And things are about to get even more dramatic for the bubbly character in 2019, with her jailbird brother Paul due to arrive on the cobbles. Here's more about actress Dolly-Rose Campbell and the lovable character of Gemma. Actress Dolly-Rose Campbell was born on 21 April 1987, making her 31 years old. She was a huge Coronation Street fan before joining the soap - indeed she admitted that she'd gone on the soap tour just a week before first winning the role of Gemma back in 2014. While Corrie has been Dolly-Rose's big break in TV, she had previously worked in radio. Away from the cobbles, Gemma is a keen supporter of the arts in Manchester, and is a patron of Manchester Pride. (Image: Manchester Evening News) She has won a string of awards for her portrayal of kebab shop worker Gemma, including the Best Comedy Performance award at the British Soap Awards in 2017 and Funniest Female at the 2018 Inside Soap Awards. (Image: ITV) Gemma first arrived in the show in 2014 as part of Kylie Platts old crew from The Dog and Gun pub where she led a life of crime. Since then she has turned her life around and become one of Weatherfields most loved characters who works at Devs kebab shop and is one of icon Rita Tanners best friends. She had a torrid time with posh brewery heir Henry Newton (George Banks) when he pretended to like her for a bet with his pals, but ended up falling for her. He tried to win her back by offering to buy her the Rovers Return, but she then uncovered his further dastardly plans and he left Weatherfield once again. (Image: ITV) Since then she's never found lasting romance despite having a massive crush on singer Peter Andre and playing cupid for friends including her pal Chesney Brown, helping to bring him and Sinead back together last year, and more recently matching him with Emma. Soap fans are now desperate for Chesney and Gemma to get together though. (Image: ITV) There is to be more drama ahead for Gemma when she is reunited with her estranged brother Paul Foreman (played by Peter Ash) - who soap fans will discover was the same Paul who shared a cell with David Platt when he was in prison in 2018. Yes, you can find Dolly-Rose tweeting at @Dolly_Campbell, and on Instagram at dolly_rose_campbell. Dolly is 5' tall. Join our Coronation Street Fan Chat group on Facebook where youll also get updates, spoilers and more. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/gemma-winter-dolly-rose-campbell-15612754 |
Will denn keiner diese Frdergelder? | Schwache Nachfrage nach Elektroautos - Kaum Antrge auf Umweltbonus - vor 11 Minuten NRNBERG - Trotz Umweltbonus bleibt die Nachfrage nach Elektroautos mehr als mau. 2018 ist die Zahl der Antrge auf eine Frderprmie nur wenig gestiegen. Die hoch gesteckten Ziele der Bundesregierung drften sich also kaum erfllen lassen. Ein paar Faktoren knnten 2019 dennoch mehr Stromer auf die Strae bringen. Elektro-Smart beim Stromfassen: Nur wenige Frderantrge fr E-Autos wie dieses werden gestellt. Hersteller Elektro-Smart beim Stromfassen: Nur wenige Frderantrge fr E-Autos wie dieses werden gestellt. Foto: Hersteller Als im Juli 2016 die "E-Auto-Prmie" eingefhrt wurde, da waren die Erwartungen gro: Der Umweltbonus sollte die Nachfrage nach Elektroautos und Plug-in-Hybriden krftig anheizen. Auf diese Weise, so der Plan, wre dann auch das hehre Ziel der Bundesregierung zu erreichen, wonach bis 2020 eine Million Elektrofahrzeuge auf unsere Straen rollen sollen. Die Ernchterung ist gro Inzwischen aber ist die Ernchterung gro. Wie die jetzt vorgelegten Zahlen des Bundesamtes fr Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (Bafa) belegen, mag sich kaum ein Autokunde fr ein Elektromobil erwrmen. Seit Einfhrung der Kaufprmie im Juli 2016 bis zum Jahresende 2018 sind nur 91.498 Antrge beim Bafa eingegangen. Besonders ungut erscheint den E-Auto-Befrwortern, dass die Zahl der Antrge von 2017 (38.874) auf 2018 (44.601) nicht signifikant angestiegen ist. Auch die Jahresbilanz des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamtes (KBA) weist den Elektroautos nur einen winzigen Nischenplatz zu. Von 3,44 Millionen in 2018 zugelassenen Neuwagen waren nur 31.422 (oder 0,9 Prozent) Plug-in-Hybride und 36.062 (oder ein Prozent) reine Elektro-Pkw. Tesla Model S: Bis auf das Basismodell ist die kalifornische Elektro-Limousine nicht frderwrdig. Hersteller Tesla Model S: Bis auf das Basismodell ist die kalifornische Elektro-Limousine nicht frderwrdig. Foto: Hersteller 600 Millionen im Frdertopf Insgesamt 600 Millionen Euro an Bundesmitteln waren 2016 in den Prmientopf gegeben worden, das sollte fr die Frderung von 300.000 Elektroautos und Plug-ins reichen. Es ist indes kaum zu erwarten, dass die Frdergelder bis zum 30. Juni 2019 ausgeschpft werden, wenn das Bonusprogramm ausluft. Immerhin mssten dazu in den kommenden zwlf Monaten ber 200.000 neue Stromer bzw. Teilzeitstromer bei den Zulassungsstellen vorfahren. Experten rechnen deshalb damit, dass das Frderprogramm ber 2019 hinaus verlngert wird. Allerdings knnte es demnchst durchaus aufwrts gehen mit den Verkaufszahlen der elektrischen Modelle. Grund: Die Markteinfhrung der ersten deutschen Stromer einer neuen Generation steht unmittelbar bevor. Audi und Mercedes beispielsweise schicken ihre elektrischen Crossover e-tron und EQC an den Start, bei VW luft Ende des Jahres die Produktion des kompakten I.D. Neo an, der sich in der Grenordnung eines Golf bewegt und ab ca. 30.000 Euro kosten soll. Hinzu kommen weitere alltagstaugliche E-Mobile wie beispielsweise die Kia-Modelle e-Niro und Soul EV. Privileg fr elektrische Dienstwagen Ein weiterer Anschub ist von der neu geregelten Besteuerung von Dienstwagen zu erwarten. Demnach mssen fr einen privat genutzten Dienstwagen nur 0,5 statt ein Prozent vom Listenpreis als geldwerter Vorteil angegeben werden, sofern das Auto ein reines E-Modell oder ein Plug-in-Hybrid ist. Der Antrag auf Frderprmie kann beim Bundesamt fr Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (Bafa) gestellt werden. Reine Elektroautos bekommen 4000 Euro, "von auen aufladbare Hybridfahrzeuge", sprich Plug-in-Hybride, 3000 Euro. Bund und Autoindustrie beteiligen sich jeweils zur Hlfte. Bilderstrecke zum Thema Die elektrischen Top Ten Noch kommt die Elektromobilitt nicht richtig in die Gnge, die Zahl der Antrge auf Frdergelder blieb auch 2018 hinter den Erwartungen zurck. Wir zeigen die zehn beliebtesten E-Modelle in der Bilderstrecke. Voraussetzung ist allerdings, dass der Anschaffungspreis des Stromers 60.000 Euro nicht berschreitet. Ein Jaguar I-Pace fllt da raus, das Tesla Model S steht nur in der "Base"-Ausstattung auf der Bafa-Liste. Und ein PHEV darf nach dem neuen WLTP-Messzyklus nicht mehr als 50 g/km CO2 emittieren. Das ist eine Vorgabe, die beispielsweise vielen Volvo-Plug-ins oder dem Mini Cooper SE Countryman All4 den frderwrdigen Status gekostet hat. Ulla Ellmer | http://www.nordbayern.de/freizeit-events/auto/will-denn-keiner-diese-fordergelder-1.8467761?rssPage=bm9yZGJheWVybi5kZQ== |
What's the Fascination With Number 23? | " " Many people throughout history seem to have had a fixation with the number 23. The number 23. But that's not all. In the Bible, Numbers 23:23 contains the phrase "What hath God wrought," which happens to be the first message sent in code on the telegraph by Samuel Morse back in 1843. If you add up the four digits of 1967, the year that Nirvana co-founder Kurt Cobain was born, they come to 23 which is also the sum of the four digits for 1994, the year in which he died. All of us humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in our genetic makeup. And the medieval Catholic military order, the Knights Templar, had 23 grand masters during its existence. A skeptic might ascribe all this to mere chance, but some people think there's more to it. If you poke around the internet, you'll discover thousands of web pages devoted to something called the "23 Enigma" essentially, a belief that the number has some sort of magical or mystical significance and/or power, because of all the instances in which it occurs. There's even a Facebook page for "23rdians," as people who are fascinated with the number call themselves. It's filled with posts containing the number, ranging from a picture of a restaurant check number 23 that was issued to table 23, to the music video for the 2013 hip-hop song "23" by Mike WiLL Made-It. According to Barnaby Rogerson's 2013 compendium "Rogerson's Book of Numbers: The Culture of Numbers from 1,001 Nights to the Seven Wonders of the World," the 23 obsession started with Burroughs, famous for his strange flights of disturbing, hallucinogenic fantasy in novels such as "Naked Lunch." In Tangier in 1960, Burroughs claimed to have met a sea captain named Clark, who boasted that he'd never had an accident in 23 years. Later that day, his ship sank, killing him. That night, Burroughs supposedly heard a radio news story about a flight 23 that had crashed in Florida, also piloted by a captain Clark. (Aircraft accident records for 1960, however, don't show any such crash, though perhaps Burroughs was thinking of the Flight 23 that was destroyed by a bomb in 1933.) From then on, Burroughs started keeping track of events that included the number 23, and years later published a short story entitled "23 Skidoo." Burroughs passed along his fascination with 23 to his friend Robert Anton Wilson, and it figures prominently in the Illuminatus! trilogy, a series of cult novels that Wilson wrote with Robert Shea. The latter contains an assortment of 23 occurrences, ranging from 17th century Irish archbishop James Ussher's belief that the world started on Oct. 23, 4004 BCE, to the fact that Harpo Marx's birthday was Nov. 23, 1988. There's also a mention of the I Ching's hexagram 23, and Bonnie and Clyde's death on May 23, 1934. But they weren't the only ones with a 23 fixation. The Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash, Jr., whose struggle to overcome mental illness is documented in Sylvia Nasar's 2001 biography "A Beautiful Mind," once told a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology that 23 was his favorite prime number, and insisted that he had appeared on the cover of Life magazine, disguised as Pope John XXIII. Nash, oddly, died in a car accident on May 23, 2015, according to his profile on the Nobel website. The 23 Enigma even was the subject of a 2007 movie, "The Number 23," in which a troubled man named Walter Sparrow, portrayed by Jim Carrey, becomes obsessed with a book entitled, fittingly, "The Number 23: A Novel of Obsession" and is convinced that it contains the key to his own past. And then there's Michael Jordan, who started wearing the number 23 in high school because it was as close as he could get to half of the number 45 worn by his older brother, Larry. LeBron James also has worn 23 as an homage to Jordan. It's hard to say, though 3.29 percent of each year's days has 23 in the date, so there's a lot of opportunity for births, deaths, accidents and other memorable events to occur on those days. And as Daniel Gilbert explains in this 2010 New York Times article, there are plenty of other seemingly magic numbers. It could all be mere happenstance. Or maybe it's more. Some coincidences, after all, can be meaningful. Research indicates that people commonly interpret coincidences as signals to look for hidden causes, according to Dr. Bernard Beitman, a psychiatrist who is founder of the field of Coincidence Studies, and author of the book "Connecting With Coincidence: The New Science for Using Synchronicity and Serendipity in Your Life." "A baby cries and the mother comes. Coincidence! Maybe there is a connection," Beitman explained in an email. "The baby learns that crying brings her mother to her. Some people overdo the search for explanation of coincidences and others underdo. I think you have to overdo and then analyze, since somewhere among those pebbles might be a gold nugget." However, "when it comes to numbers like 23, I don't know," he said. But even Dr. Beitman, as it turns out, has a 23 connection. "Twenty-three was my football number and seemed to follow along with me for many years. It served as a comforter and supporter. And then disappeared." | https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/whats-fascination-with-number-23.htm |
What Could the French Yellow Vests Teach Us about Ourselves? | Most coverage of the Yellow Vest movement in Francelasting seven weeks and drawing hundreds of thousands onto the streetsmisses a key question, and one at the heart of our own nations journey. Were told the diesel tax hike was the last straw for the rural, working poor unable to make ends meet, while the underlying cause of the uprising is resentment at the worsening inequality. But wait. In France the top fifth of all earners receive almost five times more than the bottom fifth. Sounds extreme. But here that gap is eight-fold. Such contrasts in economic inequality carry with them real differences in the depth of human suffering. Consider that American babies die at a rate 80 percent higher than French babies; and disparities in death rates between babies in poor and wealthy neighborhoods is more significant in Manhattan than in Paris. Moreover, our lives are on average three years shorter than those of the French. In education, American college grads are burdened with student-loan debt averaging almost $29,000, whereas in France the cost of higher education is negligible. Im convinced that in part its that we Americans have more thoroughly absorbed the notion that our fate is our fault. Many factors, of course. But Im convinced that in part its that we Americans have more thoroughly absorbed the notion that our fate is our fault. Americans have bought into a particularly virulent version of social Darwinismdismissed by science more than a century ago. We cling to the belief that in our dog-eat-dog world, ruled by an infallible free market, the best rise to the top. So, were set up to feel demeaned if we are struggling to get by. And, on top of that, we feel trapped because in our collective psyche theres no fix to inequality that wouldnt wreck the markets magic. Yes, France also has a capitalist economy, but deep within its culture are values at the heart of its 1789 revolutionlibert, galit, fraternit. They are not viewed as tradeoffs but as essential to one anotherand written into the 1958 French constitution. For the French, equality is a positive value; whereas here at home calls for greater equality are fought by evoking fear of creeping communism andwith racist undertonesthe coddling of the undeserving poor. In both nations inequality has gotten worse. For decades after World War II both France and the United States experienced lessening inequality. But in the early 80s things changed. In France the trend reversed, and by 2007 the share of income going to the richest 1 percent had grown by about half, reaching 12 percent. A similar shift went much further in the U.S., where by 2016 1 percenters reaped 39 percent of income. My hunch is that, though mild relative to our extreme, inequality in France violates core values and thus provokes less shame and greater anger. There, struggling to get by is not itself seen as demeaning. The Yellow Vests express dignity in their demands. Were human, too, for Gods sake! shouted one Yellow Vest. Perhaps because of such cultural attitudes, more than 70 percent of French people approve of the movements demands. Within a market driven by corporate Americas one-rule obsession (i.e. do what brings highest return to existing wealth), sadly we end up with more extreme inequality than in roughly 120 countries, includingbelieve it or notIndia and Mali. And, if we listen closely, these French protesters could carry a liberating lesson for us as well: To achieve real democracy and basic fairness requires that we, too, claim our dignity. We can reject any notion that there is shame in announcing that we are struggling to get by in Americas brutal form of capitalism. Within a market driven by corporate Americas one-rule obsession (i.e. do what brings highest return to existing wealth), sadly we end up with more extreme inequality than in roughly 120 countries, includingbelieve it or notIndia and Mali. Listening to the Yellow Vests, we can reject the lie that a market works on its own for the good of all. As citizens step up in the rising Democracy Movement, they are striving not only to fix our broken political democracy but to work for a democratic economy as well. Citizen-led campaigns in the midterms increased the minimum wage in two states. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Warren are leading the push for legislation giving workers the right to elect representatives to corporate boards. In this good work, Americans are rejecting the false tradeoffs frame as we come to understand that achieving greater economic equality furthers other values we hold dear, including economic and social vitality and, ultimately, life itself. | https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/01/04/what-could-french-yellow-vests-teach-us-about-ourselves |
How Does The Government Shutdown Affect Idaho Residents? | The United States hasn't been very united since members of Congress couldn't figure out how to properly run our nation. At midnight on December 22nd the partial government shutdown began. WalletHub claims this is only the 21st shutdown in our history and the 3rd since President Trump took office. Idaho ranks right in the middle as far as the effect of the shutdown on residents. WalletHub has us at #25. They based their ranking on the number of federal jobs, families receiving food stamps, National Park access, and a few other factors. You may not have seen any effects from the shutdown but Idaho is definitely being affected. | http://newsradio1310.com/how-does-the-government-shutdown-affect-idaho-residents/ |
Is Whole Foods Telling Us the Truth About Its Stance on Animal Rights? | In February of this year, I was one of around 100 members of the grassroots animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) who walked into a Whole Foods store on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. Several of the activists rolled a small wooden calf hutch with a young woman inside into the store. The hutch was four feet wide, six feet long and four feet high, the size used by dairy farms DxE visited; dozens of milk cartons were placed in front of the hutch. All of this was meant to dramatize the violence and cruelty inherent in raising cows and taking their milk for human consumption. The protest was one of numerous nonviolent actions, both inside Whole Foods stores and outside in their parking lots, that have been held during the past four years. Until recently, Whole Foods employees, managers and security, at least in the Bay Area where I live, let them happen. DxE activists have never been arrested at Bay Area Whole Foods protests, which have also included holding a mock Thanksgiving dinner in the meat department with a live human in place of a roasted turkey. But toward the end of September 2018, Whole Foods (which was purchased by Amazon in 2017) changed its tactics. Whole Foods Market California decided to sue DxE, asking for a prohibitory injunction to prevent activists from protesting on Whole Foods property throughout California, including inside stores and outside in the parking lots. DxE targets Whole Foods because the grocery chain misleads the public. For years now, Whole Foods has marketed itself as selling meat and animal products that come from animals that are humanely raised. DxE has conducted numerous investigations of farms that supply Whole Foods such as Diestel Turkey Ranch and Petaluma Farms, and the investigative teams have found and documented, in photographs and on video, a wide range of atrocities, including, depending on the farm investigated, dead birds among the living, birds trapped in their own feces, birds crammed together in barns, birds that live their entire short lives inside barns, untreated wounds and/or cannibalisms. Animal rights activist have a name for Whole Foods hypocrisy: the humane lie. Animal rights activist have a name for Whole Foods hypocrisy: the humane lie. DxE says the very notion that its okay to kill an animal as long as you raise the animal in a decent manner is wrong. As DxE points out again and again in chants and speak-outs, and as anyone who cares for a dog or cat knows, Animals want to live, just like us. The odd thing about Whole Foods filing a lawsuit against DxE is that for most of the past four years, there appeared to be an understanding on the part of Whole Foods managers and employees that they were to let DxE activists come into their stores, protest and leave, without trying to stop them or have them arrested. On one occasion, a friendly store employee even pointed out to me that I was holding my protest sign upside down. What signaled a real change on the part of Whole Foods was the 11th-hour legal request for an injunction to ban Wayne Hsiung, co-founder of DxE, and other DxE activists from all California Whole Foods stores. The ostensible reason: DxE had announced a week-long protest called Occupy Whole Foods, planned for the Telegraph Avenue store and set to start on September 23 of this year. In court on the Friday before Occupy Whole Foods was to begin, a judge said that banning DxE from Whole Foods stores throughout California was out of the question, but she did grant a temporary restraining order prohibiting Hsiung and other DxE members from stepping onto the companys Telegraph Avenue property. The reason for the restraining order was an Occupy Whole Foods Facebook event page the judge said indicated DxE activists were planning to occupy the store despite the fact that DxEs lawyer Dan Siegel stated that the activists were not using the word occupy in a literal manner but rather, in the symbolic spirit of the Occupy Wall Street protests that took place all over the country, and that DxE members were actually going to protest on the sidewalk bordering Whole Foods property, and not in the store or parking lot. The judge also said that another judge would hear the Whole Foods vs. DxE case at a future date and would then decide if a permanent ban from all stores in California and/or the Telegraph store was warranted. Surprisingly, though Whole Foods managers began asking DxE not to enter at least one of their stores in early 2018, Bay Area stores where DxE continued to hold protests had apparently no problem with activists protesting on Whole Foods property, outside the front entrances of the stores. On April 28 in Berkeley, a store manager directed dozens of activists to leave the Telegraph store but said, You guys are more than welcome to protest outside. That protest, held on Whole Foods property right in front of the store, took place with no interference from security or police. On July 29 of this year, more than 100 DxE activists marched from Petaluma Farms, a Whole Foods egg supplier, to the Petaluma Whole Foods and stood outside the store in the parking lot doing speak-outs about the animal cruelty involved in egg production, and chanting animal rights slogans such as Its not food, its violence. Both Whole Foods management and Petaluma police (who followed the protesters from the farm to the store) stood by; no one was arrested. DxE believes the recent legal challenge is Whole Foods attempt to stifle free speech and prevent DxE from engaging in the public good of alerting Whole Foods customers that Whole Foods multimillion-dollar, multi-year humanely raised marketing campaign is a lie. DxE also argues that activists have the right to protest inside Whole Foods because the stores are public forums. After all, Whole Foods invites people to hang out in areas of their stores where they provide tables and seating, and where people sometimes spend much of the day working on their laptops (electrical outlets provided), talking to friends and engaging in other social activities. In mid-November, during an animal rights conference held in Salt Lake City, hundreds of activists filled a local Whole Foods store and protested the company for animal cruelty and consumer fraud while police and store employees looked on; no one was arrested or detained. In addition to the Whole Foods suit, DxE has, since early 2018, been under fire from authorities in multiple states. Hsiung himself has been charged with numerous felonies in Utah, North Carolina, Colorado and most recently, Sonoma Country, California, for rescuing sick or injured animals from farms, or, in one case, for simply entering a Whole Foods store in Colorado and asking a store manager about the animal products sold at the store. (In early December, the Colorado charges against Hsiung were dismissed.) These prosecutions are being coordinated across the country by authorities pressured by or beholden to Big Ag in the hopes of shutting down DxE. In advance of a conference DxE held in Salt Lake City in November, the Utah Farm Bureau alerted its members that the militant animal activist organization, Direct Action Everywhere would be coming to Salt Lake City and that ANY farm, ranch or operation may be targeted. (It should be noted that DxE is not a militant group and that nonviolence is a core value of DxE. Co-founder and former Northwestern law professor Hsiung is a student of both Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.; DxE holds a number of nonviolence training workshops throughout the year.) In advance of a planned December DxE protest, Californias leading dairy industry group, the Modesto-based Western United Dairymen, wrote about DxE in a recent newsletter, As the domestic terrorist threat of animal rights activists continue to increase throughout the state, its important to make you aware that multiple county sheriffs departments have begun to adopt a Zero Tolerance Policy for these triggered terrorists. Whether or not Whole Foods succeeds in getting DxE banned from its stores in California (a judge is due to rule any day now), the activist group intends to keep protesting Whole Foods humane lie, and has also been protesting Amazon directly (including the creation of oneclickcruelty.com, a website that explains why DxE protests the mega online retailer), and will continue investigating so-called humane farms in order to inform the public as to where the animal products sold at Whole Foods and elsewhere come from and how those animals were raised. This article was produced by Earth | Food | Life, a project of the Independent Media Institute, and originally published on EcoWatch. | https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/01/04/whole-foods-telling-us-truth-about-its-stance-animal-rights |
Did NBA Scouts See Enough from Bol Bol to Make Him a Top-10 Pick? | Mary Altaffer/Associated Press Already the most polarizing prospect expected to declare for the 2019 NBA draft, Oregon's Bol Bol just became an even more complicated evaluation for scouts. He is done for the year with a stress fracture to his left foot, per 247Sports' Matt Prehm, after averaging 21.0 points while pulling off moves typically executed by only one other big man taller than 7'1". "He has Kristaps Porzingis ability," one scout told Bleacher Report. "But he could also get you fired." "The talent is there, but it won't matter if he's not available to play," said another scout. "Big guys with foot problems have never been able to have healthy careers." According to Bol's lawyer, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, his client will be out "eight to 10 weeks and return to basketball activities in summer." Regardless of whether his medical reports come back clean by the draft, scouts now sound more nervous about the durability of Bol's rail-thin frame and legs. Elsa/Getty Images As much as his upside pops, this latest injury just adds more weight to the side of the measuring scale that accounts for risk, which was perceived to be high even before the injury. "I was already gun-shy due to intangibles," said the first scout. Dating back to high school, scouts have expressed concern over his desire and motor. And there have been enough possessions this season that helped illuminate his suspect defensive awareness, effort and toughness around the basket. Over the years, he's also turned some evaluators off by regularly trying to show he can score like a guard around the perimeter instead of using his spectacular tools to impact games inside. However, through nine games at Oregon, Bol's perimeter game was working. His jump shot looked convincing based on the results (13-of-25 3PT, 75.7 percent FT) and the fluidity of his release. He also flashed unique shot-creativity and shot-making versatility. And at his size, the ability to use the dribble and convert off the bounce hints at rare offensive potentialthe kind that fuels today's perceived NBA unicorns. For good measure, Bol was also effective working as a traditional big man, having shot 22-of-39 on post-ups and converted 11 of 15 putbacks. Assuming doctors declare him fully healed, it's possible some general managers could view this as an opportunity to buy lower on Bol. Mary Altaffer/Associated Press Heading into conference play, scouts sound mostly underwhelmed by this year's talent outside of Duke's Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett. That should make teams more willing to gamble on Bol, knowing they won't be passing on any obvious cornerstones. He's also expected back for predraft workouts, a key chance to reassure teams that remain interested but hesitant. Chances are, he'll push the draft-stock arrow back upward in open-gym settings, where his captivating skill level can be persuasive, like it was during Porzingis' infamous workout before the 2015 draft. There will still be teams picking early that'll want to avoid the risk and headache and would rather bet on a prospect whose game and body are easier to picture fitting in than Bol's. He'll now need to ace the predraft process to maximize interest and suitors, and it's a goal he's more than capable of achieving. Based on responses from scouts and the projected field, an updated Bleacher Report mock draft today would still project Bol going in the late-lottery rangefalling, but not too far, similar to Michael Porter Jr. last season. He's a slipping prospect, though he won't be a forgotten one. Stats courtesy of Synergy Sports. | https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2813823-did-nba-scouts-see-enough-from-bol-bol-to-make-him-a-top-10-pick |
Who will be the lucky winner of the $23k camper trailer? | ENTER NOW: Thomo's Betta Home Living Chris Thomasson shows up the campervan which some lucky shopper will win before 2pm today n the car park. It has been supplied by Guardian Campers and RV Centre and is worth $23,000 with $3,000 worth of extras. ENTER NOW: Thomo's Betta Home Living Chris Thomasson shows up the campervan which some lucky shopper will win before 2pm today n the car park. It has been supplied by Guardian Campers and RV Centre and is worth $23,000 with $3,000 worth of extras. Jann Houley BY 2PM today someone will be the lucky winner to take home a brand-new camper trailer. Thomo's Betta Home Living is hosting an event to celebrate the drawing of their latest and biggest raffle. The competition has been running for the past six weeks. For each $200 a customer spends, they are given an entry to win the camper trailer. The trailer has been donated by Rockhampton business, Guardian Campers and RV Centre on Yaamba rd. It is worth over $23,000 and has another $3000 worth of extras added on, including solar panels, portable toilet and a Waeco fridge/freezer. Throughout the day, the North Chargers football club will have a sausage sizzle going with drinks from 9am. Chris Thomasson with some of the newest technology with Samsung fridges with integrated tablets installed. Jann Houley With the promotion held in the lead-up to Christmas and for Boxing Day, there will be many customers eagerly waiting to see if their ticket is a winner. "As the promotion has gone on and it has gained momentum, people are getting excited, store manager Chris Thomasson said. "It wouldn't surprise us tomorrow to have 1000 people out the front. "For us it's very exciting too. | https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/who-will-be-the-lucky-winner-of-the-23k-camper-tra/3614968/ |
What new technology will be on-trend for 2019? | Digital twins, far-reaching artificial intelligence and augmented analytics are among the business tech areas to keep a close eye on in the next 12 months 1. Augmented analytics Augmented analytics automates the gathering of data insights that companies can get through machine learning. In 2019 it will advance rapidly to mainstream adoption with automated insights from augmented analytics embedded in various enterprise applications, including HR, finance, sales, marketing, customer service, procurement and asset management departments. As a result, it wont just be data scientists who can extract important data, but users whose main job is outside the field of statistics and analytics which should make all businesses faster and smarter across the board. According to David Cearley, vice-president and Gartner fellow, enterprises will start to use citizen data scientists to fill the data science and machine learning talent gap caused by the shortage and high cost of data scientists. Good news for everyone then, except data scientists. 2. Intelligence assistance in the workplace Increasingly, large companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) and particularly voice recognition to help staff perform their duties more effectively. According to IT management software company Spiceworks, 40pc of large businesses in 2019 those with more than 500 employees will implement one or more intelligent assistants or AI chatbots on company-owned devices using technology such as Microsoft Cortana and Apple Siri. The Spiceworks survey suggested that just under half (46pc) of these firms will use intelligent assistants for voice-to-text dictation, while 26pc will use them to support team collaboration, and 24pc for employee calendar management. 3. Blockchain moves beyond cryptocurrency slowly It has been a difficult time for blockchain, the distributed ledger technology underpinning cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. According to research company Forrester Research, 90pc of corporate blockchain pilots will never actually materialise, while a Gartner study found that only 1pc of chief information officers report their companies have any kind of blockchain adoption. The disconnect between the hype and the reality is significant Ive never seen anything like it, Gartner analyst Rajesh Kandaswamy told Bloomberg recently. Yet in 2019 we do expect to see further advances in blockchain, particularly around supply chain management where it promises greater transparency and efficiency, and as case studies move slowly from the academic world to practical, broad applications. 4. Digital twins of organisations A digital twin refers to a digital representation of a real-world product or system. Functioning something akin to a self-contained sandbox, digital twins are being increasingly used in manufacturing, for example to understand how a car will perform if different materials are used, or how a smart factory can best be organised to optimise production lines for customised goods before they start being made. The need for digital twins has been driven by the growth in consumer demand for customised or personalised goods at large scale, with mass-production specialists such as Nike allowing individual sneakerheads to design their own shoes online for a delivery in several weeks. Increasingly, enterprises are also implementing digital twins of their organisations (DTOs). With a DTO, every asset that falls within the context of an organisation (including processes, technology, architecture, infrastructure and customer interactions) can be connected, reported upon and visualised. Importantly, this helps business leaders assess the impact of change in a controlled environment before committing to something with far-reaching and unintended consequences. 5. Rise of the virtual agent While chatbots have been around for some time, 2019 will bring the emergence of fully AI powered virtual agents dedicated to customer service. Human touch: expect to see more companies investing in lifelike AI-powered virtual agents Credit: Getty For example, digital design giant Autodesks virtual agent Ava has a female face and brand-approved voice that speaks (quite literally) for the company. In the next 12 months, expect to see more companies investing in lifelike AI-powered virtual agents to engage in conversations with customers in a more authentic way, thanks to improvements in NLP (natural language processing), which move beyond stock question-and-answer feedback to something more like a human conversation. 6. Democratisation of AI As AI spreads throughout the enterprise, the ability to build AI solutions will move from specialist data scientists to all departments. This trend will lead to a larger set of employees having the skills and tools to create business solutions. While this should strengthen organisations at all levels, one of the biggest security risks, according to Gartner Research, will be shadow AI where users bring their own data to build their own AI models, potentially without the oversight and due diligence that in-house tech will be subject to. By 2022, Gartner found, 30pc of organisations using AI for decision making will have to contend with shadow AI as the biggest risk to effective and ethical decisions. 7. Hybrid clouds Many companies are starting to realise that having all their data in a public cloud, private cloud or data centre is not necessarily the best option. Instead they need a mix of them all. Hybrid clouds combine dedicated private cloud infrastructure (often maintained on-premises within an organisations own data centre) with public cloud services. System type: hybrid clouds combine dedicated private cloud infrastructure with public cloud services Credit: Getty Recognising this trend, leading cloud providers will accelerate their efforts in 2019 to target emerging hybrid cloud opportunities. Competition between Amazon and Microsoft, the two largest cloud service providers globally, is expected to be particularly intense. 8. Rise of digital ethics and privacy With people increasingly concerned about how their personal information is being used by organisations in both the public and private sectors, digital ethics and privacy will become even more crucial considerations for businesses in 2019. Importantly, organisations will begin to look beyond being simply compliant with data regulations, such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ask themselves broader ethical questions such as: Are we doing the right thing? and Does collecting this data fit with our business mission statement? if they want to build trust with their customers. 9. The empowered edge Seen as complementary to cloud computing, edge computing places traffic and processing much closer to the endpoint for example, on end users smart devices in order to reduce the burden on the network. Over the next five years, AI chips, along with greater processing power, storage and other advanced capabilities, will be added to a wider array of edge devices. Longer term, as 5G matures, the edge computing environment will have much more robust communication back to centralised services. Importantly, 5G provides the lower latency and higher bandwidth needed for autonomous things. 10. Collaborative intelligent things While the concept of the internet of things (IoT) is hardly new, in 2019 we will start to see more things acting in collaboration with one another rather than by themselves. Outstanding in its field: we will soon see multiple intelligent devices working together Credit: Getty For example, if a drone examined a field and decided it required harvesting, it could dispatch an autonomous harvester. Or aerial drones and robots could work together to explore environments that are too dangerous for humans, such as a nuclear power plant after a suspected leak. Mr Cearley says: As autonomous things proliferate, we expect a shift from standalone intelligent things to a swarm of collaborative intelligent things, with multiple devices working together, either independently of people or with human input. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/connect/better-business/business-solutions/new-technology-2109/ |
How much Apple stock is it safe to own? | BOSTON Someone who has their entire investment portfolio in Apple stock has just lost 40% of their savings in three months. Someone who has only half of it in Apple AAPL, +3.46% has lost 5% just in the first two trading days of 2019. Few investors take their commitment to such extremes. But Apple is famous for the devotion of its most hardcore fans, and the stocks meltdown has left many nursing painful losses. We have one of these exact clients, said Randy Bruns, a financial planner at the firm Model Wealth in Downers Grove, Ill. Last August, as Apple neared its peak, his client sent him a message, crowing Kind of glad (actually very glad!) we have not sold it yet. Made about 50k in two days. Just sayin.... :) Apple is famous for the devotion of its most hardcore fans, and the stocks meltdown has left many nursing painful losses. She ignored his advice to take profits. Her [response] probably sounded entirely rational to her, he says. But it was anything but rational to us. And its especially irrational looking back on it now. Based on his numbers, the client has since given back that $50,000 and another $120,000, due to Apples stock drop. Apple stock plunged 10% Thursday after CEO Tim Cook revealed a sharp slowdown in China sales, and recovered some of that lost ground on Friday. Its plunge since peaking last October has put it in one of its deepest bear markets in 20 years. These are among the reasons financial experts advise against holding too much of your money in an individual stock any stock. Even if the stock eventually recovers, the investor has to hang on through grim and nerve-wracking times, and many will end up panicking and bailing out, probably at the wrong moment. And then theres also the risk that a stock wont recover after all. Pan American World Airways, XRX, +4.47% Polaroid and Netscape were truly great, world-beating growth companies in their day. They lost their crowns and never got them back. Financial advisers are divided on whether individual investors should even bother owning individual stocks. A growing number recommend sticking completely to mutual funds that spread your risk. They believe the stock market is so good at setting the prices for individual stocks that it is next to impossible to beat an index fund or equivalent without taking on too much risk. Caution is a tough sell to many Apple fans. Theyve heard this before. Harold Evensky, a financial planner in Lubbock, Texas, says that the best rule of thumb for how much you should hold in an individual stock is probably 0%. He adds, somewhat whimsically, that hed raise that to 5% if the investors know more than professional investors who are investing billions. Caution is a tough sell to many Apple fans. Theyve heard this before. Meanwhile their favorite stock has outperformed the broad U.S. stock market indices by a factor of 60 over the past 20 years, according to FactSet data. Apple is up twelvefold just in the past 10 years, or about four times as much as the most widely used broad stock market index, the Standard & Poor 500 SPX, +2.92% To be sure, during that time the stock has often been more volatile than many may remember, underperforming the broad indices for long periods of time on multiple occasions. And markets, companies and industries are changing all the time. Past performance is no guarantee of the future. My rule of thumb is 5%, says George Gagliardi, a money manager at Coromandel Wealth Management in Lexington, Mass. He says that refers to the maximum amount of your portfolio you should invest in any individual stock, and not just Apple. Because if the particular stock tanks 20% over several days, the loss to the portfolio is only 1%, he adds. Peter Palion, a financial planner in East Meadow, N.Y., agrees. A 5% cap on any given stock is a reasonable limit, he says. Its your money and over the long term that bet has worked well so far. But go no higher than 20%, say many advisers. I would limit the total exposure to any single stock to 20% MAX, says Palion (who adds that hes bullish on Apple). Put a maximum of 10% to 20% of your investable net worth in any one stock, even in a concentrated portfolio, says Dave Alison, a financial planner in Palo Alto, Calif. And that goes for Apple, he says. Apple (is) just down the road from my office, he says. I have clients that work at Apple, and have for 10-plus years. Many of them had accumulated huge amounts of Apple stock from their employer and it was often most of their wealth, he adds. Hes still persuading them not to bet the farm. Get a daily roundup of the top reads in personal finance delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Personal Finance Daily newsletter. Sign up here. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-much-apple-stock-is-it-safe-to-own-2019-01-04 |
Will the December jobs report be Trumps last hurrah? | The economy today requires us to consider two concepts that no one whos been watching has ever linked: Donald Trump and a first-rate intelligence. I refer to F. Scott Fitzgeralds famous line that the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at once and yet retain the ability to function. And yet, with the Labor Department telling us that employers added 312,000 jobs in December and the S&P 500 Index SPX, +2.93% recovering from Apples AAPL, +3.48% announcement that a slowdown in China sales connected to Trumps trade war, investors are dealing with two opposed ideas. The jobs report says things are fine, yet the trade war suggests that growth is being eroded, maybe sharply, with a non-trivial chance of a recession beginning late this year. They are two genuinely opposing ideas, and the game now is to hold them in the mind and keep a clear head. Its not for nothing that Fitzgeralds line comes from a short story called The Crack-Up. The economy is doing well right now, University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers said on Twitter. The problem is that its being goosed by (ill-timed) fiscal stimulus, and thats going to wear off. Well, begin with the consumer and consumer perceptions begin with jobs. Read: Stellar jobs report doesnt mean a recession is impossible Consumer spending Theres not a lot in the jobs report to suggest consumer spending will slow soon. Wages rose 3.2% over last year, and with falling gasoline prices containing inflation, that translates into a very decent gain in real incomes, which had faltered in 2017. Nothing in the data points to a fear of jobs suddenly becoming hard to find, either. Yet, car sales were down in December, according to different auto-company reports. Last year overall was solid, and manufacturers said they expect a pretty good 2019, but the fattest part of the auto-industry expansion seems to be over. Housing has issues, too. Manufacturing slowdown Thursdays report on sentiment among manufacturers sums up the problem neatly. On the one hand, the Institute of Supply Managements Index of 54.1 was well above the 50 level that is supposed to indicate a downturn. But it was down from 59.3 in November for the largest drop since 2008. The issue was a reading of 51.1 for new orders barely above recession levels. And manufacturers No. 1 reason for reporting tiny gains in orders was China. The ongoing open issues with tariffs between U.S. and China are causing longer-term concerns about costs and sourcing strategies for our manufacturing operations, one manufacturing executive in ISMs survey wrote. This situation was helped not at all when Kevin Hassett, chairman of the presidents Council of Economic Advisers, cheerfully opined on camera that lots of companies will see their earnings whacked by trade tensions, just as Apple did in the Christmas quarter. This problem was brewing last year, even when investors were talking boom, but when Apple got hit and issued a warning Wednesday the market paid attention. After all, Apple represents 4% of the value of the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +2.83% When it sneezes, the market reaches for a face mask. A trade slowdown with China, by itself, wont cause a recession but can take the foam off the economys beer. Thats the lesson of late 2015 and early 2016, the last time Apple and the rest of us got smacked by worries that Chinas 6%-plus annual economic growth would slow. (That time, the reason was Chinas debt load and property markets.) That U.S. growth slowdown growth fell below a 1% annual rate briefly, less than half the recent average was one reason Trump could make a case that he could do better with the economy. Trump on trade The problem is that trade is the main area where Trump has freedom of action now, since he can impose sanctions on China or other countries without congressional approval. Which is worth mentioning upon the swearing-in of a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives whose first move was to pass government-funding bills with no money for Trumps Mexican border wall. It would be totally Trumpesque to lash out against the emasculation to come (especially at the hands of female House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) by doing rash things on trade. His recent history, though, suggests he will settle for face-saving moves. He made a trade deal with Canada and Mexico that didnt change much and is unlikely to get through Congress. His sanctions against Iran led to a big drop in the cost of oil when markets learned how many exemptions the administration was allowing, despite its tough talk. He talks big, delivers puny. So the balance of risks is still slightly positive. The ISM orders problem will likely go away quickly, for example, if Trumps disputes with China are papered over. Car sales arent bad, just not growing as fast as in past years. The Federal Reserve can tap the brakes on interest-rate increases if needed. The problem is, were not remotely dealing with a first-rate intelligence in the Oval Office. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/will-the-december-jobs-report-be-trumps-last-hurrah-2019-01-04 |
How Worried Should I Be About the Flu? | Last year, an estimated 80,000 people in the U.S. died from flu-related complications, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making the 20172018 flu season the deadliest in at least four decades. With that in mind, itd be understandable if youre worried about this years flu: wondering whether it will be as severe as last seasons and what you can do to prevent the virus from affecting you. Luckily, the Cut chatted with flu experts to find out what you need to know. Well, before we go on, its important to recognize that its still pretty early in the flu season, so its tough to know what will happen. The CDC started monitoring the flu in October, and the season should last through the spring. Heres whats been happening: The CDCs latest FluView report indicates that flu activity is increasing nationally (which is typical for this time of year). More people are starting to go to the doctor with flu-like symptoms, and theres been a rise of laboratory-confirmed flu cases. Additionally, there have been 11 reported flu-related pediatric deaths so far in the 20182019 flu season. Beyond that, flu expert Stephen Ferrara, associate dean of clinical affairs at Columbia University School of Nursing, told the Cut that so far, the flu season has been following a more traditional pattern in contrast with last years, which was more unpredictable. So there are already some visible differences. However, although there are early indications that this years influenza may not be severe as last years, Ferrara stressed that the flu is always dangerous in any circumstances. Wait, please explain these differences. Basically, each year, different mutations of the influenza virus circulate; certain strains tend to be more dominant than others, depending on the season. The prominent strain last year was Influenza A (H3N2). The virus circulated earlier in the season than usual and was more virulent than had been seen in prior years, which contributed to it being a particularly difficult strain, according to the expert. On top of that, after the H3N2 virus reached its peak by early February, a strong surge of Influenza B cases popped up and spread through the spring. Thats a fairly regular occurrence after a H3N2 spread, but different than what you might see after other strains reach their peaks. So this year, Ferrara notes the flu seems to be following a more predictable pattern: Theres been the traditional spike in cases in the weeks of December, and a more common strain Influenza A (H1N1) has so far been dominant. There are still cases of H3N2, but fewer than last year. But keep in mind that both of these strains are still mutations of the same Influenza A virus; its just that were more likely to have built up some immunity to H1N1 (which emerged in 2009), whereas H3N2 is a newer mutation. Yes, H1N1 is also known as the swine flu, but please dont be overly alarmed. The strain is dangerous say it with me: All strains of the flu are dangerous but this outbreak should not be as bad as the 2009 pandemic, which one study found may have led to approximately 280,000 deaths worldwide. You see, during the pandemic, a special vaccine for the H1N1 strain was created and the strain also became a more regular fixture of flu seasons moving forward. So, our bodies (hopefully) now have some immunity to it. Ferrera told the Cut that now, a typical flu vaccine includes two variants of Influenza A (both H1N1 and H3N2) and at least one strain of Influenza B, so if you get the flu shot, you will hopefully be covered. Please forgive this emphasis, but yes, yes, yes, a million times yes! According the CDCs Nordlund, the flu vaccine is the safest bet to reduce the risk of the flu and its serious complications. I got my flu shot back in October, but Ferrara says its not too late for others to do the same. We continue advocating for people to get them, and especially now, if people were to get it, it will cover them in the typical peak season, he said. It does take your body about 10 to 14 days to develop immunity from the vaccine, but certainly there is still time. We havent seen the worst of this season yet. | https://news.yahoo.com/worried-flu-161623850.html |
How common are food allergies? | Bottom Line: Survey data suggest at least 1 in 10 U.S. adults are food allergic and nearly 1 in 5 believe they have a food allergy. Food allergies are expensive and potentially life-threatening conditions. In this nationally representative survey study of more than 40,000 U.S. adults, nearly half of food-allergic adults developed allergies during adulthood, many reported being allergic to multiple foods, and 38 percent reported at least one food allergy-related emergency department visit in their lifetime. Shellfish allergy was the most common, followed by milk, peanut, tree nut and fin fish. Self-reported food allergies by study participants weren't confirmed by diagnosis. ### Authors: Ruchi S. Gupta, M.D., M.P.H., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, and coauthors To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website. (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.5630) Editor's Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. : Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork. com/ journals/ jamanetworkopen/ fullarticle/ 10. 1001/ jamanetworkopen. 2018. 5630 About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-01/jn-hca010219.php |
Have we learned nothing from the Worldspreads scandal? | On December 24th, while the rest of us were hanging up our Christmas stockings, the Companies Registration Office was stamping as received the final documents from liquidator George Maloney for the wind-up of financial spread-betting company Worldspreads. And what a wind-up that whole saga was. The Dublin-based, London-listed group collapsed in 2012 with more than 13 million of its clients money missing. If it had happened in any other era, the Worldspreads affair would be recalled as one of the most egregious financial scandals in Irish corporate history the finance chief of a publicly listed financial group, which had a board full of business and political luminaries, admitted diddling its books for years. It was shocking. Yet, the fact that it happened as Ireland was dealing with the fallout from proportionally the greatest banking collapse in history means that Worldspreads, as bad as it was, tends to get relegated down the list of post-crash painful memories. The case is now almost closed. The Worldspreads group collapsed with debts of 32 million, although most of this was dealt with via a KPMG administration of its regulated UK entity. Creditors got less than 1 per cent of their cash back in 2017. There has been little or no investigation in this State of what actually happened in the whole, sorry affair Maloneys records of the Dublin-headquartered PLCs final meeting on December 18th show it finished with assets of just 567.72, which was eaten up in fees. A related company that he is also liquidating, Worldspreads International, had about 25,000 left on its books, This, too, was disbursed in various official payments. Separate scandal Most of the Irish financial regulatory system appears to have ignored what happened at Worldspreads, and a separate scandal at a related Irish-based business, Marketspreads. This was spun off by Worldspreads to unsuspecting investors with overstated profits. A sum of 1.4 million was later secretly diverted by former Worldspreads executives from the spun-off business to another company. There has been little or no investigation in this State of what actually happened in the whole, sorry affair. Despite the clear evidence of financial irregularities, no cases over the issues at Worldspreads or Marketspreads were ever taken by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement or the Central Bank against any individuals, and nobody was restricted as a director. Though authorities in the UK designated what happened at Worldspreads as a serious market abuse, the only regulatory ripple in Ireland is that Niall OKelly, the chief financial officer who admitted cooking the books, last year received a 12-month suspension as a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He was also fined about 11,000 in the UK and banned from involvement there with regulated entities. They all seem to be getting on with their lives. The companys founder and chief executive, Conor Foley, who suddenly resigned in 2012 days before the scandal broke, has always claimed he knew nothing about the financial irregularities, or the fact that the business he floated in 2007 was listed on the stock market on the basis of fictional figures in its accounts. All the directors claimed the same. Foley is now involved with the Irish International Business Network (IIBN), an executive networking agency he founded and co-owns. The sponsors listed on its website include the State agency Enterprise Ireland, Bank of Ireland, AIB, the law firms Matheson and Beauchamps and the accounting firm Grant Thornton. According to its website, an IIBN co-initiative received significant State funding between 2013 and 2016, the years during which the full scale of the shenanigans at Worldspreads became apparent. The initiative was even launched by President Michael Higgins in 2012, the year the Worldspreads scandal broke. A new venture Foleys Linkedin profile says he is now a consultant to a new venture. His brother and Worldspreads co-founder, Michael Foley, who was also sitting on the board when the company hit the wall, has also moved on to other ventures, including a digital marketing business. He is also a director of the company behind Spark Crowdfunding, an unregulated entity that raises equity from the public for other businesses. And he is a director of a company that owns other businesses that appear to have raised cash from the public via Spark. - Charlie McCreevey, the former minister for finance and EU commissioner, keeps himself busy with directorships including Virtu Financial, Murray and Spelman insurance brokers, and ECC Timber. - Lindsay McNeile, the Eton and Sorbonne-educated dandy who was chairman of Worldspreads, and who breezily announced Foleys departure days before the company collapsed, is now the UK chairman of a Nasdaq-listed US financial group. He is also a director of his sons steak restaurant business in London. - Polly Williams, a former KPMG partner, is now a trustee for the Guide Dogs for the Blind in Britain and a non-executive director of TSB Bank. - Her former Worldspreads board colleague, David Leonard, a former global president of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, is also busy with various directorships. - Meanwhile, Fergus Rice and Brian ONeill, the former Worldspreads-turned Marketspreads executives, who were later sued in the High Court by Marketspreads new owners and bankrupted over the diverted 1.4 million, went on to run a sports spread-betting company. The investors and clients of Worldspreads lost virtually everything. But for those who were tasked with overseeing the rotten business, it seems the show must go on. | https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/have-we-learned-nothing-from-the-worldspreads-scandal-1.3747805?localLinksEnabled=false |
What does 'dead' mean? | These are among the wide-ranging questions explored in a new special report, ("Defining Death: Organ Transplantation and the Fifty-Year Legacy of the Harvard Report on Brain Death,") published with the current issue of the Hastings Center Report. The special report is a collaboration between The Hastings Center and the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School. Editors are (Robert D. Truog), the Frances Glessner Lee professor of medical ethics, anaesthesiology & pediatrics and director of the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School; (Nancy Berlinger), a research scholar at The Hastings Center; Rachel L. Zacharias, a student at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a former project manager and research assistant at The Hastings Center; and (Mildred Z. Solomon), president of The Hastings Center. Until the mid-twentieth century, the definition of death was straightforward: a person was pronounced dead when found to be unresponsive and without a pulse or spontaneous breathing. Two developments prompted the need for a new concept of death, culminating in the definition of brain death proposed in the Harvard report published in 1968. The first development was the invention of mechanical ventilation supported by intensive care, which made it possible to maintain breathing and blood circulation in the body of a person who would otherwise have died quickly from a brain injury that caused loss of these vital functions. The second development was organ transplantation, which "usually requires the availability of 'living' organs from bodies deemed to be 'dead'," as the (introduction) to the special report explains. "Patients determined to be dead by neurologic criteria and who have consented to organ donation . . . are the ideal source of such organs, since death is declared while the organs are being kept alive by a ventilator and a beating heart." While the legal determination of death in all 50 states includes death by neurological criteria - the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain - the concept of brain death remains contested, most recently by the case of Jahi McMath, who was declared dead by neurological criteria but continued to have unexpected biological development. In the new special report, leading experts in medicine, bioethics, and other fields discuss and debate areas of continuing and new controversy, including: ### The special report, funded by the Boger Initiative for the Wise Use of Emerging Technologies at The Hastings Center, originated from presentations given at a 2018 conference at the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School. The full text of the report, Defining Death: Organ Transplantation and the Fifty-Year Legacy of the Harvard Report on Brain Death, can be found (here). For more information and to interview Nancy Berlinger or Mildred Z. Solomon, contact Susan Gilbert, director of communications The Hastings Center 845-424-4040 x244 [email protected] To interview Robert Truog, contact Angela Alberti, communications manager Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School 617-432-6778 [email protected] | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-01/thc-wd010419.php |
How Will Dwight Relocate From The Walking Dead To Fear? | AMC Last season, Fear the Walking Dead rebooted with new showrunners, new characters, a time jump and a new location, moving from the American-Mexican border to Texas. In an effort to jumpstart the ratings, The Walking Dead even transferred Morgan (Lennie James) to the spin-off show. It worked, at least in the short term the crossover event gave Fear its best ratings since the pilot episode. However, after Fear killed off its lead, Madison Clark (Kim Dickens), in the midseason finale, the ratings settled back down to season three levels. The series the third-highest rated on cable television in 2018 behind only The Walking Dead and American Horror Story is hoping to re-inject some enthusiasm (and ratings juice) as production of the fifth season begins by adding another crossover character from The Walking Dead. Austin Amelio, whose character, Dwight, was exiled from The Walking Dead at the end of the eighth season, will be joining the fifth season of Fear the Walking Dead, reports ComicBook.com, citing multiple sources. Dwights relocation will actually make slightly more sense than that of Morgan, who basically walked from Virginia to Texas because he was in another depressive funk. Dwight, on the other hand, has presumably been roaming the country in search of his wife, Sherry. Meanwhile, in the fourth-season finale, we learn that Morgan and the Fear characters are setting up a facility in which they will transport goods and other necessities to those in need around the country. Its not too far fetched to believe that someone from Fear might cross paths with Dwight. | https://uproxx.com/tv/dwight-walking-dead-transfers-fear-the-walking-dead/ |
What is West Palm's new 'Millennials Ruin Book Club' at Subculture Coffee all about? | Things to do in West Palm Beach: 1. Millennials Ruin Book Club is a new program being hosted by the Mandel Public Library that begins Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m., at Subculture Coffee in downtown West Palm Beach. In this new book club, created by millennials for millennials, there is no assigned book to read. Not assigning reading is ideal for young working adults because they are busier than ever and might not have time to commit to reading a book a month, or want to read a book that doesnt interest them. With Millennials Ruin Book Club, participants can just share what they are reading or watching with like-minded individuals, and also get recommendations from other readers and librarians, enjoying the benefits of a traditional book club but in a more relaxed setting. So, the book club is not really being ruined, just tailored to suit the desires and expectations of this audience. 2. Cars & Coffee Palm Beach, Floridas largest monthly auto event, begins Sunday by showcasing vehicles that include a 1921 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Limo from the TV Series, Boardwalk Empire, and millions of dollars worth of vintage cars from Steve Wolfs collection. Legendary lady Jet Car drivers of Larsen Motorsports will attend with their jet dragsters. Hope 4 Mobility and the Lotus Car Group are sponsoring a fundraiser for the Horton Family, recently nominated in The Palm Beach Posts Season to Share holiday program. Additionally, The Gater 98.7 FM plans to join MiniMe Cars & Coffee in their new expanded kids club and family area. Each monthly event includes thousands of display vehicles of all makes, models, and vintages, plus giveaways, vendors and more. Spectator admission and parking just outside the show area are free for this pet-friendly event. Display vehicles are $5 per vehicle at the entrances. The first show is Sunday, 8 a.m.-noon, at 1751 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., (near PetSmart). For more information, call Palm Beach Outlets at 561-515-4400 or go online to www.palmbeachoutlets.com or to organizer John Zeilinga at 561-756-3063 or to www.carsandcoffeepb.com. 3. Guitar lessons are offered at the Mandel Public Library on Mondays, 6 to 8 p.m. (Library closed Jan. 21.) The classes will be held in the Hibiscus Room of the library, at 411 Clematis St. If you love music and have a guitar, come jam at the group guitar class. No matter your skill level or playing style, this workshop led by Phill Fest, local guitarist and composer, will help you learn more about your instrument so you can have more fun while you play. Bring your guitar. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701. [email protected] @tonydorisPBP | https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190104/what-is-west-palms-new-millennials-ruin-book-club-at-subculture-coffee-all-about |
What do Christians really celebrate at Epiphany? | This Sunday churches in the Western tradition will be marking Epiphany, traditionally the end of the Christmas season. It commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant (or toddler) Jesus in Bethlehem, a story usually folded into the Christmas carol service but actually separated in time by as much as a couple of years. Pixabay The magi brought gifts to Jesus. The word is Greek, epiphaneia, and it's very interesting. It means 'appearing', and according to Strong's Concordance it was often used by the Greeks of a 'glorious manifestation of the gods, and especially of their advent to help'. It appears elsewhere in the New Testament in connection with the second coming of Christ, rather than the first. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 the epiphaneia of Christ will overthrow the coming 'lawless one'. In 2 Timothy there are three references, in 1:10, 4:1 and 4:8, the second two about the second coming but the first about the incarnation itself: 'This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the epiphaneia of our Saviour Jesus Christ...' Titus 2:13 and 1 Timothy 6:14 both use it to refer to the second coming. Perhaps there are three things. First, the Epiphany we celebrate on Sunday is a deeply significant moment. The coming of the Wise Men to Bethlehem is not just there to decorate the Christmas story. Gentile scholar/priests, representing the wisdom and spiritual authority of the ancient world, came and bowed down to the infant Jesus. That moment marked the submission of the old world to the new. Second, it is tied to the final victory of Christ. However we understand it, the second coming is the hope of every Christian. It speaks of his victory over all the forces of evil, spiritual and material, and of the establishment of his everlasting kingdom. The child in Bethlehem was the saviour of the world, 'appearing' in weakness but full of divine power and authority. Third, that first Epiphany also marked the expansion of grace to the whole world: God's gift of himself to the Jews would be extended to the Gentiles. Whoever the wise men were, they were not Jews, but their journey was honoured and their worship and their gifts were accepted. The Kingdom of Heaven would be opened to all believers. So Epiphany is also about mission, the actualisation on the ground of this new spiritual reality. It's a pity if Epiphany is reduced to the day we take the Christmas decorations down. It's much more than that: it's when the wide world begins to own Jesus as Lord. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods | https://www.christiantoday.com/article/what-do-christians-really-celebrate-at-epiphanyexecute1/131393.htm |
Is Ohio State about to land former Penn State commit and Georgia transfer Justin Fields? | One report on Friday says that he is, as Dawgs247.com writes that a source has confirmed the Bulldogs' passer is leaving the SEC to take residence in the Big Ten at Ohio State. Lettermans Row reporter Jeremy Birmingham also reports that the Buckeyes are set to land Fields as their Heisman Trophy finalist, Dwayne Haskins, is off to the NFL, but The Athletics Bruce Feldman writes with a little less certainty, saying on social media that: I can confirm that he is on the OSU campus there now. Would expect more details in the next 24 hours or so. The tea leaves say that Fields to Ohio State is all but a done deal, save for maybe some paperwork and other minor details. It would mean the Lions could face the quarterback they had hoped would be Trace McSorleys successor either this year or next, depending on whether or not the NCAA grants him a hardship waiver. If he does, perhaps one of college footballs biggest transfer talents in history would be eligible to play immediately, just as Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson was last year. If it does not, however, Field must sit out a year due to transfer rules, and would be eligible to play again in 2020. Fields' recruitment marked one of James Franklins first big wins in the quarterback recruiting realm during his tenure in State College, but also one of his largest losses. The Kennesaw, Ga., picked the Lions on Dec. 1, 2016 but decommitted on June 6, 2017 before ultimately picking Georgia. Penn State was reportedly not even an option this go-around, as reports put Oklahoma, Florida, and Ohio State in play from the get-go, and the Buckeyes, and new head coach Ryan Day, look primed to win out in the end. | https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2019/01/is-ohio-state-about-to-land-former-penn-state-commit-and-georgia-transfer-justin-fields.html |
Who is James Middletons new girlfriend Alizee Thevenet? | James Middleton snuggles up to Alizee Thevenet in St Barths (Picture: BACKGRID) Kate and Pippa Middletons younger brother James has got himself a new girlfriend, in the form of a French financial expert. Alizee Thevenet has been spotted cosying up to James in St Barths over the new year period. But its not a couples holiday courtesy of their honeymoon period they were away with James family, which is a sure sign theyre pretty serious about each other. Also holidaying in St Barths with them was Pippa Middleton and husband James Matthews, his brother Spencer Matthews and wife Vogue Williams and the Middleton siblings mother Carole. James and Alizee looked relaxed in each others company as they enjoyed sunbathing and swimming in the Caribbean sea. James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet enjoyed themselves as they holidayed at the Eden Rock resort in St Barths (Picture: BACKGRID) They were staying at Eden Rock resort, which is owned by Spencer and James mother and father. Advertisement Advertisement Alizee is a financial expert who works in the City of London, employed by ITG as an analytics and product research analyst, according to her LinkedIn page. On her online profile, she says: I am a result-driven individual with good planning and organizational skills with attention to details. I have a demonstrated ability to find solutions to problems using my creativity and reasoning, I am always open to new ideas. The couple certainly werent shy of packing on a PDA during the trip (Picture: BACKGRID) She also speaks three different languages, having lived in six countries Germany, Indonesia, Chile, France, Belgium and England. Its understood Alizee has been dating James for six months after they met in a bar. Her father Jean-Gabriel Thevenet spoke to Mail Online and revealed he thinks James is a very charming man. Pippa Middleton is seen out with James and Alizee in December 2018 (Picture: CAMERA PRESS/Mark Stewart) My daughter Alizee is very happy with James, they are very much in love, he said. James is a very charming man. I have seen the pictures of Alizee and James in St Barths. They look very happy. Alizee is very happy living in London. I am not allowed to say how they met, to give away their secrets. You must talk to her or James, they will be back in London soon, but Im very happy for them. He also hinted he had met James parents Carole and Michael Middleton already. MORE: Prince William got caught out playing never have I ever | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/04/james-middletons-new-girlfriend-alizee-thevenet-8310452/ |
What time is the Luther finale on tonight and will there be a sixth series? | Luther is back in 2019 (Picture: BBC Photographer: Robert Viglasky) The day has come its time for the finale of Luther. After series five aired a pretty shocking third episode last night, tonight will see the fourth and final episode air. Luther came crashing back onto our TV screens on Tuesday night, with the first episode of series five, three years after the last series aired. Luther airs its fourth and final episode of series five tonight on BBC1 at 9pm. Luther series 5 will be a return to form (Picture: BBC) Writer and show creator Neil Cross had said in December last year: We missed John Luther. We missed some old friends. And we wanted to make the biggest, scariest, darkest, most thrilling series of Luther theres ever been. So thats what weve come back to do. Advertisement Advertisement Luther has never been scheduled to do it every year, Idris Elba recently pointed out. We do it whenever we want, and thats why this feels like a good time to come back; its just because weve been away for a while. There is unfinished business, but theres also more Luther. A new nightmare awaits DCI John Luther in series five, and he must once again confront the depths of human depravity. The official press release states: As a series of monstrous killings becomes ever more audacious, Luther and new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday are confounded by a tangle of leads and misdirection that seems designed to protect an unspeakable horror. But even as the case brings him closer than ever to the nature of true evil, a reluctant Luther must also face the ghosts of his own past. Striding back into the line of fire, he must choose who to protect and who to sacrifice. Whatever his next move, it will have devastating consequences for those around him and change John Luther forever. Luther is back filming (Picture: BBC) Lets see a trailer To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The BBC finally released the trailer for the fifth series in November and it looks bloody good. Advertisement Advertisement A long three years has passed since we last Idris Elbas DCI Luther swooping in to save Londoners from a horrifying number of murderers and his return looks set to be as dramatic and exciting as ever. Idris Elba as Luther is finally back (Picture: BBC) Set to a revamped version of Britney Spears Toxic, the trailer sees the iconic character delve right into the deepest depths of human depravity with new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday (Wunmi Mosaku) by his side. Luther is forced to confront his own demons of his own recent past and must choose who to protect and who to sacrifice. Yep, were bursting with anticipation too. As well as Idris and Ruth, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley and Patrick Malahide will return for the four-part series as DSU Martin Schenk, Benny Silver and George Cornelius; and Wunmi Mosaku, who won a BAFTA for her performance in BBC Ones Damilola, Our Loved Boy in 2017, as well as starring in current Channel 4 drama Kiri, will join as new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday. Filming for series five, created by Emmy-nominated writer Neil Cross and produced by BBC Studios,.took place in London. Advertisement Ruth Wilson has admitted hat she is open to fronting a Luther spin-off if the script was right. The 36-year-old actress, who plays wicked research scientist Alice Morgan in the BBC1 detective drama, said that she is in talks to star in a show focused on her own villainous character. Weve talked about it actually. Yes, definitely, if the script is right and the storyline is right, she said. Its funny. People like watching her because she comes in and out. I dont know. Ruths character Alice Morgan is obsessed with Luther, played by Idris Elba (Picture: BBC) The screen star said that she would be prepared to branch out on her own because her alter ego is so multifaceted. Shes a scientist, shes incredibly intelligent. Shes not like Luther [played by Idris Elba], she told The Sun newspapers Bizarre TV column. Youd have to make the show quite different in style though, and get inside her head. Youd have to find a new pivot, but yes we have talked about it, and she is an amazing character. Whether youre late to the party or you want to relive all of the great previous series, all four seasons are available to download on BBC iPlayer, so theres no reason not to get acquainted with Luther. Luther airs on BBC One every night this week at 9pm. Series 1-4 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/04/time-luther-finale-tonight-will-sixth-series-8310479/ |
Will Box Stock Be Bought Out or Run Out? | Enterprise cloud provider Box (NYSE: BOX ) was on the move on Wednesday. The BOX stock price rose nearly 9% as speculation increased that Box could be a takeover target. The rumors do make some sense. Box is often compared to fellow cloud play Dropbox (NASDAQ: DBX ). But despite the similar names and business models, the two companies serve two very different markets. Dropbox focuses more on consumers and SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses), while Box serves larger enterprises (among its customers are Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ) and General Electric (NYSE: GE ).) That enterprise focus creates a number of logical suitors for Box. Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG , GOOGL ) has been floated as a potential buyer. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) might make some sense. Even private equity funds might be interested, according to at least one analyst. As a result, M&A chatter has surrounded the company since its 2015 IPO (and even before), with the BOX stock price spiking this summer on takeout rumors as well. But that chatter alone hasnt been enough to keep BOX stock afloat. The stock still trades below its first-day close of $23, and touched a nearly-two-year low last month. The problem with BOX stock is the flip side of the M&A argument: competition is intense. The same giants who could buy Box out may also choose to simply undercut the company on pricing in order to take its market share. And with profitability still narrow in a nervous market, that risk is enough for investors to stay away from BOX, despite the rumors. The BOX Stock Price Jumps The case for BOX stock admittedly goes beyond just M&A. Box is growing nicely. Revenue is guided to increase 20% in fiscal 2019 (ending January), after 25%+ growth last year. That guidance was raised in the third-quarter report, though the BOX stock price fell on the news anyway. BOX is unprofitable but earnings are around the corner. The company is guiding for its first quarterly profit in fiscal Q4. Spending has been high in the past, and operating leverage minimal, but thats starting to change, just as management predicted a few years ago. Adjusted operating margins rose over 8 basis points in Q3, and should improve further going forward as add-on products help revenue growth and margins. That growth should continue for years. Existing customers will stay sticky; Boxs revenue retention rate remains over 100%. (Thats a notably better figure than Dropbox, whose consumer customers tend to come and go.) New customers are being on-boarded, with the total base clearing 90,000 in Q3. And as more and more enterprise activity moves toward the cloud, Box should benefit. Its a strong growth case and theres the takeover angle as well. Box would fit in nicely with Microsofts cloud strategy. The enterprise customer base would be of great interest to Google. Other enterprise software players like Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM ) could be kick the tires. In a takeout scenario, profit margins are less important. And at roughly 4x FY19 revenue, BOX could merit a premium in a sale. The Risks to BOX The most obvious risk to BOX stock is on the competitive front. The same giants that make sense as buyers also are existing competitors. Google offers Business Solutions for Enterprise. Microsoft obviously has decades-long relationships of some type with nearly every major company on the planet. Back in April, Will Healy highlighted the competitive problem here and little has changed since. And the problem, if BOX doesnt sell itself, is that the financials arent strong enough yet. Its true the company is moving toward profitability, but Q4 adjusted earnings are expected to be only 2-3 cents. Consensus for full-year fiscal 2020 earnings per share is just 2 cents. Even those figures exclude a substantial amount of stock-based compensation which has been 20% of revenue so far this year. This simply is a business that is a long way from true, consistent profitability. That means investors have to show quite a bit of patience while hoping the company can fight off competition. That seems a tough combination and one likely to result in another pullback at some point. With investors already nervous at the moment, BOX stock hardly seems the choice for a flight to safety. A long position at this point has to be, in large part, a bet on a sale. But, even with the speculation, a takeout isnt guaranteed. If a giant decides to rescue Box, the BOX stock price could soar. If not, upside could be tough to find. It seems like, even in this market, there are more compelling long cases out there. As of this writing, Vince Martin has no positions in any securities mentioned. | https://investorplace.com/2019/01/box-stock-bought-out-run-out/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29 |
Whats wrong? Whats right in Birmingham in January? | WRONG I never got to ride a scooter. I get that Bird didnt play by the rules and they had to go, but it doesnt change the fact that their scooters looked like fun and were a sensible commuting option for downtown. Also, I just really want to ride a scooter. -2 I know its not voting season now, but we need to take a strong look at straight party ticket voting. Were one of the few states that still has it, and its time to let it go. Lets stop being lazy with our vote and actually learn about the candidates that make decisions for us. -4 Dont read the comments. These words of wisdom ring truer now than ever before. The divide in the country shines bright as people hide behind their screens. Since social media and the comment sections arent going anywhere, we should all do our part and not feed the trolls. -1 It was recently brought to light that conversion therapy is still a thingin 2019. Not only is it outdated, its cruel. When you tell people that who they are is wrong, the consequences can literally be deadly. -6 Total: -13 RIGHT The Firehouse Shelter is getting a new home! The community and its citizens came together for their fellow man. Im proud of you, Birmingham. +5 A new federal program providing large tax breaks to investors willing to pump money into designated low-income areas could be transformational for Birmingham. Growth is a great thing, especially when its not just in one area of town! +5 Dont put up your grilling utensils yet, because football is back! The Birmingham Iron AAF football team kicks off next month, so we can basically show our love for pigskin all year long now. No rest for you, liver! +2 A team of UAB physicists was awarded $635,964 from the United States Department of Energy and is testing superconductivity in a class of materials that are thought to have no electrical resistance. I dont know what any of that means, but Im pretty sure its good! +3 Total: +15 This Months Overall Rating: +2 This story appears in Birmingham magazines January 2019 issue. Subscribe today! | https://www.al.com/bhammag/2019/01/whats-wrong-whats-right-in-birmingham-in-january.html |
Who are the latest Irish EuroMillions jackpot winners? | EuroMillions jackpot winners Frances and Patrick Connolly both went to Queens University Belfast. She is from Glebe in Co Tyrone and he is from Belfast. They met at a wedding in 1989 and have been together for 30 years. They spent 25 years working in Hartlepool, in Co Durham, and recently returned to a rented property in Moira, Co Down. The obligatory champagne spray shot. pic.twitter.com/EumzRYpI9L David Young (@DavidYoungPA) January 4, 2019 Mr Connolly ran a small business at one stage before going on to work for others. His expertise is in manufacturing. Mrs Connolly worked as an educational programme co-ordinator and plans to do a PHD in clinical psychology. They have three grandchildren, two boys and a girl, and three daughters, one aged 30 and twins aged 24. One twin is in New Zealand doing a Masters degree. She will be travelling home and, during her stopover, has upgraded from a hostel to a modest hotel, her mother said. Mr Connolly paid tribute to his wonderful wife and family. He said they had never lived an overly extravagant lifestyle, joking that could be about to change. He said he was retired for now while he decides what to do in the future while his wife said: I am retired 100%. They said they wanted to focus on charitable work in the future, on job creation and doing good deeds. Mrs Connolly would not disclose details of those they would be helping but promised to create some more millionaires in a list of 50 people who will benefit from a share of their winnings. She added: It is going to be so much fun. The pleasure for me will be seeing their faces and asking what they want us to do for them. - Press Association | https://www.breakingnews.ie/discover/who-are-the-latest-irish-euromillions-jackpot-winners-895616.html |
Can Bayside Conference basketball become best in Maryland? | CLOSE Slam dunk competition- Governor's Challenge 2018 Megan Raymond, Salisbury Daily Times Buy Photo Elizabeth High School's Jesiah West drives to the basket against Wicomico High School during the Governor's Challenge on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018 in Salisbury, Md. (Photo: Staff Photo by Megan Raymond)Buy Photo As Wicomico High School boys basketball coach Butch Waller likes to say, Salisbury is a basketball town. Its not hard to agree. Throughout the lower Shore, the stands always seem to be packed at high school basketball games, as fans shout and cheer for their favorite players and teams. Over the past several years, athletes have excelled on Delmarva and gone on to play at the next level, including Kory Holden (South Alabama), Jorden Duffy (North Texas), Keve Aluma (Wofford) and Dayona Godwin (UMES). A team can run the table against every other squad in the Bayside Conference, but should they advance deep into the postseason, a date with a Western Shore group is inevitable. Although our local teams dont often play opponents from across the bridge, the one event that serves as a great measuring stick is the largest holiday basketball tournament in the country the Governors Challenge. Made up of 120 teams with the bulk coming from the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia area the Governors Challenge offers the chance for local teams to take on squads they wouldnt normally face. And in the 2018 tournament, the Bayside Conference teams never found the success they hoped for. READ MORE: Mississippi State commits put on big show at Governor's Challenge MORE HOOPS: Governor's Challenge tournament director breaks down 2018 event The 15 boys squads to participate finished with a combined 6-24 record, while the five girls teams tallied a 1-9 record. From the conference, only the Mardela boys basketball team finished with a bracket championship and undefeated record. While some may blame the scheduling, the finger should be pointed at the Bayside Conference teams themselves. Year after year, local teams have strong showings in the regular season, make a run in the playoffs but get creamed when they head over the bridge, apart from a few teams over the past seasons. High school basketball on the Shore is regarded as inferior when it comes to teams' ability to match up against squads from across the bridge. Buy Photo Wi-Hi head coach Butch Waller smiles as his team gets set to take on Cambridge South-Dorchester on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 to open up the high school basketball season. Wi-Hi won, 77-57. Lets start with the person in charge the head coach. But you cant really blame the coaches the Bayside South has some of the best in Maryland, including Waller, Pocomokes Derrick Fooks, Parksides David Byer, Decaturs B.J. Johnson and several others. Recently, many schools brought in former state champions to coach their teams, hoping the experience and wisdom they offer can help elevate the program to the next level. The bulk of the coaches know what theyre doing their systems, game planning and drills are exactly whats needed to earn victories and fight for a championship. Most also know how to earn their players' respect and show not only can they help them excel in basketball, but also provide the tools to get to the college level. MORE SPORTS: Top 10 sports stories from 2018 That brings us to another factor the players. As stated earlier, the Shore has seen a lot of great talent in the past and currently features fantastic athletes like Jaden Baker (Wi-Hi), Churchill Bounds (Decatur), Mekara Hanson (Bennett) and Jacqueline Wright (Parkside). But as one coach once said to me, These athletes cant unlearn what they already know and wont buy into the system. Whether it's feeder programs, street ball or pick-up in the backyard, athletes come in with their own styles, but must become coachable when playing on the high school level. Everyone wants to be the point guard or the guy who scores all the points and makes the highlight reel. But athletes need to understand their role. The famous saying Theres no I in team speaks volumes about what it takes for a high school basketball squad to find success. Its obviously hard for a 16-year-old athlete to unlearn something theyve been taught throughout their career. Something as simple as bending the elbow, crossovers, basic dribbling techniques and much more can completely change their style in a players mind. Buy Photo Parkside's Marcus Yarns (5) moves the ball against Linganore in the Governor's Challenge basketball tournament at the Civic Center in Salisbury on Thursday, Dec 27, 2018. (Photo: Staff Photo by Jenna Miller) Thats why the formula for success needs to be strong coaching and an athletes desire to learn to not go in thinking theyre automatically going to be the best. The final point: the referees. It's no secret; a player could look at another player the wrong way and get called for a foul in the Bayside Conference. Officials for high school basketball games on the Shore have one of the worst reputations Ive seen among any athletic group. But its for a good reason. Athletes cant play basketball the proper way on the Shore, because even the slightest bit of contact is called a foul. Nine times out of 10, when a player drives toward the net, the defender is called for a personal foul. This has caused players to back off, stand solid with their hands up hoping to draw the charge or simply leave the lane open and just prepare for the next possession. While teams and coaches have adapted to this on the Shore, it doesnt do any favors when they travel over the bridge, where the game is much more physical. Buy Photo Crisfield's CorTrey Fontaine with the jumper against Dunbar on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2018 during the Governor's Challenge in Salisbury, Md. (Photo: Staff Photo by Megan Raymond) Not only are Delmarva athletes outsized, they also have no way of playing the physical game Western Shore teams are accustomed to because it results in countless fouls here locally. I will say I believe the Bayside Conference referees do their best, and many of them know the sport and are properly trained in what to look for. But those who dont leave a negative effect on the players, coaches and fans. The Bayside Conference certainly has potential and has seen its share of dominance over the years. But if it wants to be regarded as one of the top conferences in Maryland, some changes must be made. It cant be about individuals its about the team. With success comes the spotlight, so if squads can discover the formula to stay consistent, perhaps more state championships will make their way to Delmarva. The Shore is a basketball area, so lets keep it that way. MORE HOOPS: Delaware athlete who lost family in fire returns to court with new passion | https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/sports/2019/01/04/can-bayside-conference-basketball-become-best-maryland/2471785002/?from=new-cookie |
Will Fleetwood Macs Stevie Nicks be serving Big Macs in Fleetwood? | It might only be early January, but perhaps the strangest online campaign well see all year has been launched. Facebook user Be Reet has started the campaign to get Fleetwood Macs Stevie Nicks to work a shift at the McDonalds restaurant in the UK town of Fleetwood on September 28 this year. So far, the campaign which is introduced by the line Sell me fries, sell me sweet little fries has seen 3000 people report that theyre going, while another 17,000 say theyre interested. The Facebook page even has a poll to find out peoples favourite Fleetwood Mac-themed meal. At the time of writing Fries, Sweet Little Fries is leading the pack, leaving The Fast Food Chain, Go Your Own Shake, Sell Me Pies, Sell Me Sweet Apple Pies and Big Love Mac in its wake. Reacting to the campaign, a McDonalds spokesperson tells NME: Weve heard some rumours that Stevie Nicks might be keen to visit our own Fleetwood Macs. Next time shes in the area wed be delighted to welcome her for some sweet little fries before she goes her own way Last month, it was confirmed that Nicks will be inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame later this year as a solo artist, while shell also be on tour with Fleetwood Mac throughout 2019. Be Reets other online campaigns include attempts to get Liam Gallagher to replace Axl Rose in AC/DC and to reunite Nirvana with Nickelbacks Chad Kroeger. | https://www.loudersound.com/news/will-fleetwood-macs-stevie-nicks-be-serving-big-macs-in-fleetwood |
Is Chris Grier the Right Man to Lead the Dolphins? | Chris Grier is now the head man in Miami. He alone has control over the roster and the coaching staff. He alone will implement the teams new philosophy of playing the long game and rebuilding the franchise and turning the team into a perennial contender. He answers only to the owner Steven Ross. Like many fans, I really didnt know too much about Grier until now. The first thing to know about Grier is that football is in his blood. For his entire life, Chris Grier has lived and breathed football. His father Bobby Grier, was a football executive, serving as Vice President of Player Personnel for the New England Patriots, and then Associate Director of Pro Player Personnel for the Houston Texans. After attending the University of Massachusetts, where Grier played college football for two years, Chris joined his father Bobby on the staff of the Patriots in 1994. Chris worked as a regional scout for New England until 1999. While in New England, Chris spent extensive time working under football legends Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll, and Bill Belichick. This experience has helped to shape Griers football philosophy. Chris Grier first joined the Dolphins as an area scout in 2000, working under Nick Saban. Chris then became a national scout, and then became director of college scouting until 2016, when he was named General Manager. Since taking over the draft as general manager in 2016, Griers drafts have been outstanding. In 2016 he picked up Laremy Tunsil and then traded back up in the second round to snag Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard. Grier then went on to select Kenyan Drake as his third pick, before taking Grant in the 6th. In the 2017 draft, Grier added starting middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan, and valuable contributors Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor. In 2018, Grier grabbed the best player available in the draft at #11 in Minka Fitzpatrick, and also drafted starters Jerome Baker, Jason Sanders, and contributing running back Kalen Ballage. In 3 drafts, Griers one notable miss was Charles Harris, but overall, Grier has added many contributors, starters, and some elite talents. Thats pretty good work. As Director of College Scouting with the Dolphins, Grier helped to bring in players like Jarvis Landry, Mike Pouncey, Jay Ajayi, Reshad Jones, Brandon Fields, Jake Long, Paul Soliai, Lamar Miller, Bobby McCain, and Charles Clay. Grier has helped to bring in 8 Pro Bowl players that have combined for 15 Pro Bowl selections. Since becoming general manager, Grier has been given more responsibility, and the results have been better drafting and better talent acquisition. The Dolphins now enter this period of rebuilding with a core nucleus of good young players in Fitzpatrick, Howard, McCain, Taylor, Godchaux, McMillion, Baker, Wilson, Grant, Gesicki, Smythe, Tunsil, Ballage, and Drake that the Dolphins will be building the future around. This is the core that Chris Grier has assembled. Some say the one constant in the organization for the last 20 years has been Chris Grier, therefore hes been part of the problem. But while Grier was merely a scout, and then director of college scouting, Jeff Ireland and then Dennis Hickey were running the show. Mike Tannenbaum has been his boss, and we dont know how many of Griers recommendations were overruled by Tannenbaum. I dont know, but its pretty telling that now Tannenbaum has been relieved of his duties, and Chris Grier has been promoted. We dont know if this latest change will work, we never know until afterwards by the results whether any change works. Certainly, getting the head coach and quarterback positions will be paramount to determining the future success of this franchise; but Grier has earned this position, has the pedigree, and has tutored under Saban, Parcells, Carroll, and Belichick. Griers entire life has prepared him for this moment, and until we see otherwise, lets trust Chris Grier do his job. | https://dolphinstalk.com/2019/01/04/is-chris-grier-the-right-man-to-lead-the-dolphins/ |
What is Jon Ronsons new podcast The Last Days of August about? | Jon Ronson is known for his storytelling. The journalist, writer and latterly podcaster has unearthed plenty of odd tales over the years, from soldiers experimenting with psychic powers in The Men Who Stare at Goats to nightmarish tales of internet trolling in So Youve Been Publicly Shamed. Advertisement In recent years, hes provided an in-depth account of the effect of tech on the porn industry in Audible podcast The Butterfly Effect, a tale he is continuing in his latest series The Last Days of August. Released in seven chapters, the new podcast (available on Audible from Friday 4th January) sees Ronson investigate the death of porn star August Ames, who committed suicide days after she was subjected to a storm of negative comments on social media. Ronsons new podcast was prompted by the death of 23-year-old August real name Mercedes Grabowski in December 2017, days after a tweet she sent about refusing to work with an actor who had shot gay porn. The post had led to a stream of negative comments, including pointed messages from notable figures in the porn industry. whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow for @EroticaXNews , youre shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know. #ladirect I do my homework for my body August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 3, 2017 On 5th December August Ames was found dead, committing suicide in what appeared to be reaction to the cyberbullying she had endured. It was then that Ronson got involved. I thought to myself, I guess Im sort of uniquely qualified to tell this story because Im the only person I know whos both spent a lot of time in the porn world and also has spent a lot of time writing about public shaming on social media, he tells RadioTimes.com. So, I approached Augusts husband Kevin [Moore] for an interview and thats how it began. Originally conceiving his reporting as an article profiling the people who piled in on August, the story soon spun into ten months of work alongside producer Lina Misitzis. That escalation was thanks in large part to the porn industrys reaction to his first interviewee Kevin. Adult filmmaker Kevin was married to August at the time of her death and features heavily in Ronsons podcast. In January 2018, shortly after Ronson made contact, he released a lengthy statement on his late wifes website blaming cyberbullies for causing her death. If you fire a gun into the air and that bullet randomly hits someone that you never intended to kill, you still killed them, said Moore in a post that has since been deleted. I write this to make it crystal clear: Bullying took her life. If the harassment had not occurred, she would be alive today. She ended her life the day after the bullying began. To think they are unrelated is delusional. Having begun his investigation by speaking with Moore, Ronson soon chose to distance himself from the producer after hearing conflicting reports of him and the nature of his relationship with August from other members of the porn industry. Chief among them was Jessica Drake, a prominent porn star who had been singled out by Moore in his statement. Ronson interviewed her in a hotel room before she hosted the industrys AVN Awards. He recalls: Kevin and his statement had laid much of the blame on Jessica so when we went up to Jessicas hotel room, I thought wed just be finding out what was happening in Jessicas life but then Jessica said this really unexpected thing to me. Im paraphrasing, but she said Ive become this weird repository of information and a lot of people are coming up to me and telling me about him and her, meaning Kevin and August. And I said what are people saying? and she said I cant tell you. The reason she couldnt tell me was it would seem like she was trying to pass the blame to Kevin when she would be the one whod look terrible. But she said she was in this very frustrating position where people keep telling her about Kevin and August and she cant say anything. And she was crying and saying someone needs to help me. So that was enough for me and Lina to think, weve got to keep going and see where this takes us. The presenter and producer decided to distance themselves from Kevin for a while. For the first couple of months, we didnt talk to him because we were trying to figure out what was going on and I didnt want to be calling Kevin and saying oh my god, weve just heard this. But interviews with Kevin do feature heavily in the podcast, with Ronson eventually putting the various aspersions cast by the industry to Augusts husband and recording his response. The fact we were open and honest with him really helped. I think some journalists want to be secretive but we decided we absolutely owed Kevin to be open and honest with him about the things people were saying and how the story was evolving. First and foremost was a desire to give him an honest portrayal and prevent another public shaming once the podcast was released. It was such a big part of my thought process throughout this year we must be fair to Kevin, we must make sure that Kevin comes out of this as a fully rounded human being, Ronson says. No. Ronson is explicit in distancing his podcast from the mix of amateur audio crime investigations that have sprung up in the wake of Serial. I have a love/hate relationship with true crime podcasts. Im a fan of them and I also find myself wincing at their ethical shortcomings quite frequently. He adds: I would wake up in the middle of the night and think I could not make a show where we used suspicion of somebody as possibly being a murderer as a narrative device. I just cant do it. Ronsons means of veering away from the genre comes in the form of a statement made at the top of his second episode. While introducing an interview with porn star Mercedes Carrera, he tells listeners: I dont want this to be one of those shows that creates narrative tension by fuelling suspicion that a person might be a murderer. So I want to tell you that while we uncover some extraordinary, unexpected things, or that devastating mysteries will reveal themselves and be solved, this will not turn out to be murder mystery. He later tells RadioTimes.com: What Im saying is I want to make a show that tries to understand why people behave in difficult ways I think Kevin comes out of this show as a complicated human being and I think by the end of the show a lot of people will have empathy for Kevin because I think we portray him as the complicated human being that people are. Its an important question and Ronson admits having long, dark thoughts about the story he was reporting. But he remains convinced it needed to be told. There were a few reasons why I decided to continue but one of the main ones was the realisation that not continuing would be worse than continuing. Just stopping and never knowing why August died, giving up on trying to solve that mystery thats the alternative. The death of a 23-year-old is unspeakably terrible and we just felt now wed stumbled into this story, we absolutely had a duty to continue, to try and work out why it happened and to stop it out of concerns about everything was worse than not stopping. Advertisement The Last Days of August is available to listen to on Audible now | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/radio/2019-01-04/what-is-jon-ronsons-new-podcast-the-last-days-of-august-about/ |
Who is Dancing on Ice judge Jason Gardiner? | The return of Dancing on Ice sees a selection of celebs take to the ice in order to impress the panel of judges and the viewers at home with their carefully choreographed routines. Advertisement But forgetting the moves may be the least of the celebs worries as they perform under the frosty gaze of dancer and veteran judge Jason Gardiner, whose famously bitchy comments are as sharp as the blades theyre expected to skate on. As he rejoins the panel alongside Ashley Banjo, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, heres everything you need to know about Dancing on Ices most vitriolic judge. Jason Gardiner the early years Gardiner was born in Melbourne in 1971, launching his career in film and television at just 16 as he joined the original cast of the Australian version of 42nd Street. He went on to star in a series of musicals, including West Side Story, Cats and Chicago. However, its for his work as a choreographer that he is best-known, having worked with a galaxy of celebs including Kylie Minogue, Pink, Cher and Sir Elton John, as well as working with brands including Yves Saint Laurent, Benefit and MTV. Before he brought his barbed comments to Dancing on Ice, Gardiner was in the original British version of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy in 2005 as the shows resident culture expert. Its success saw Gardiner land his first judging role on BBC1s short-lived Strictly spin-off Strictly Dance Fever in 2005, alongside former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips. Joining the show at its inception in 2006, Gardiner found his niche as one of the most acid-tongued judges in showbiz, giving Simon Cowell a run for his money with his crushing putdowns. Some personal favourite insults he dished out before leaving the show in 2012 include telling wholly hopeless skater EastEnders actor Todd Carty that he looked like hed crapped himself, crediting TOWIEs Lauren Goodger with all the sensuality of a walrus, and in one particularly scathing attack comparing swimmer Sharron Davies to faecal matter that wont flush. The latter remark in 2010 saw 400 complaints to Ofcom, with Gardiner forced to issue a grovelling apology on his Twitter page. Love him or loathe him, Gardiners cold remarks saw him picked up as a judge on short-lived ITV talent show Born to Shine in 2011. Sat alongside Denise van Outen, Gardiner would critique celebrities, who were learning a new skill from teenagers on behalf of charity Save the Children. Advertisement He also was a judge on the Davina McCall-fronted Stepping Out in 2013, a show that saw a series of real-life couples learn to dance. While it was originally pitched as ITVs rival to Strictly Come Dancing, it was not renewed after the first series. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-04/dancing-on-ice-judge-jason-gardiner/ |
Which of Australias three banned ball-tamperers is being the most annoying (and which of them is being the least annoying)? | Cameron Bancroft hand-down-pants shot via Sky Sports The Tamperer was an Italian dance music act. They had a number one with Feel It. The most memorable element of Feel It was that the bridge section (there wasnt really a chorus) went: Whats she gonna look like with a chimney on her? There you go. Theres a nice reminder for you. Feel free to have that play in your minds ear every time you see an interview with Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith or David Warner. (Theres even a suggestion that someone crossed the line in verse two.) The terrible trio are inching their way back towards international eligibility and the interviews are arriving with ever-greater frequency. It seems a good time to rank their performances in exile according to how annoying theyve been. In reverse order 3. David Warner Photo by Sarah Ansell Quite miraculously, David Warner has been almost entirely non-annoying during his ban. Yes, he stormed off the pitch when Phil Hughes brother sledged him, but that was more laughable than annoying. Unlike Bancroft and Smith whove been unnecessarily keen to shift responsibility for the act onto his shoulders Warners largely managed to resist the temptation to open up about what happened. His latest interview is a deader bat than he ever presents on the field. 2. Steve Smith Steve Smith in the Vodafone advert Smith has subtly rewritten his role in the sandpaper plot. His version now is: I walked past something and had the opportunity to stop it and I didnt do it and that was my leadership failure. As apologies go, theres a certain amount of distancing going on there. Not so much, sorry for the crime as sorry for the dip in standards in my policing. Smith also did a Vodafone advert, the premise of which is built on the idea that the way [Smith] responded to the situation head-on took guts. So essentially hes getting paid for an ad in which he calls himself gutsy for getting paid for an ad in which he calls himself gutsy. (Smith got the gig because hes become an ambassador for the Gotcha4Life school programme which teaches teenage boys the importance of opening up. Hopefully all the moneys going to that or some charity.) 1. Cameron Bancroft Excuse making (via Sky Sports video) In the opening scene of Patriot, John Tavner shoves a guy in front of a van. He does this because theyre both going for the same job and John needs to get the job. Cameron Bancroft did the metaphorical equivalent of this when he said: Dave suggested to me to carry the action out on the ball given the situation we were in in the game. What was annoying about this was that it was totally needless. Everyone thought the sandpapering was all Warners idea anyway. To actually say as much is really just sticking the boot in. In the same interview, Bancroft explicitly said that he wasnt a victim while implicitly saying the exact opposite. I didnt know any better because I just wanted to fit in and feel valued really, he explained. He said that if he hadnt done what he did: I would have gone to bed and I would have felt like I had let everybody down. I would have felt like I had let the team down. So essentially: No, Im not going to say Im a victim but if you want to draw that conclusion based on the picture Ive painted of the environment I found myself in then theres nothing I can do to stop you thinking that. There was also the 20,000 word open letter to himself which oscillated between self-aggrandisement and self-pity while maintaining a constant state of self-indulgence. Sample quote: You have no idea how amazing you are as a person. You have an ability to love others and not just love but even hug and understand others with compassion, strength and resilience. So yes, all in all Cameron Bancrofts been the most annoying. | https://www.kingcricket.co.uk/which-of-australias-three-banned-ball-tamperers-is-being-the-most-annoying-and-which-of-them-is-being-the-least-annoying/2019/01/04/ |
How much is Texas willing to spend on education? | CLOSE Former CEO and chair of CNN and former editor of Time Magazine Walter Isaacson thinks education is the key to innovation. Here's what he had to say. Alexandria Rodriguez/Caller-Times For the first time ever, the Robstown ISD Education Foundation awarded six grants to teachers of Robstown ISD. The foundation distributed about $4,600 during a surprise check presentation Friday. (Photo: Contributed photo/Robstown ISD) Texas should have the best public school system money can buy. This is Texas. We're Texans. Texans think big. But Texans also are realists. They know our state government has been thinking small about public education for too long. Try since 1993. That was the last time the state made a serious stab at funding schools fairly and adequately, and came up with the current system known as Robin Hood because it redistributes some of rich school districts' funds to poorer districts. In the intervening years the state did what it could to lessen its own financial obligation for education, pushing it down to the local level, then taking credit for cutting taxes while blaming the locals because they had no other option but to raise property taxes. Why 2019 will be different That's the pattern we expect to be broken this year. The Legislature will convene Tuesday. Gov. Greg Abbott has declared education a priority and so have many key members of the Legislature. More: What should be the Texas Legislature's No. How about reforming school finance But don't take their word for it. The reason to expect real progress this year is because the people Abbott and lawmakers listen to are demanding it. Chambers of commerce throughout the state are calling publicly for school finance reform and for 2019 to be the year it happens. Texas prides itself on being businesslike and business-friendly. Usually our politicians misinterpret that to mean taxes so low that there's not enough school funding. What businesspeople want But business people don't really think that way. The thing they usually want most from a community and a state is excellent schools for their own kids and for the kids who will be their employees someday. Excellent schools, excellent workforce, excellent neighborhoods. Texas Supreme Court (Photo: Contributed: Texas Supreme Court, Mark Matson) Another reason to expect change this year is that our elected officials are out of opportunities to punt. School districts tried to back them into a corner a few years back by taking them to court. The reasonable expectation was that the Texas Supreme Court would declare the state's school finance system unconstitutional and force the Legislature to change it. But the Supreme Court pulled a surprise in 2016, deciding that school finance, while crummy, wasn't unconstitutionally crummy. The following year would have been a good time to reform school finance, being an odd-numbered year that the Legislature meets. But the 2017 Legislature got mired in culture wars like the so-called bathroom bill and ended up punting once again. Fewer punting opportunities So Abbott appointed a special committee to study school finance. That move bought time but also further shrunk his and the Legislature's opportunities to punt further. The committee recently came back with its report, which called for more funding, tied to incentives such as teacher performance pay and academic performance. Buy Photo Texas Governor Greg Abbott during an interview at his office in the State Capitol in Austin on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2018. (Photo: Courtney Sacco/Caller-Times) The committee initially was going to ask for a specific number $1.73 billion in new funding, but backed off for fear that it would make the state vulnerable to a lawsuit if it didn't meet it. The committee also backed off admonishing the state for its past sins, on the theory that it would be impolitic to antagonize. We understand the political reasoning but wish the committee had been as bold as it initially set out to be. So, in that spirit, bravo the business lobby for being willing to antagonize. Bravo for remembering that it's the hand that feeds, not the other way around. It's about time. The business groups didn't specifically demand the best education money can buy. But they should. Our lawmakers need a goal. They also need to accept that having the best that money can buy costs money. They need to embrace it. If they spend big on education and are seen doing it, it will stimulate business. Being the right thing to do would be just a bonus. This is the year: 2019. Read or Share this story: https://www.caller.com/story/opinion/2019/01/04/how-much-texas-willing-spend-public-schools/2473740002/ | https://www.caller.com/story/opinion/2019/01/04/how-much-texas-willing-spend-public-schools/2473740002/?from=new-cookie |
Should I wait for Amazon Prime Day for a mobile phone deal? | If you're a deals savvy tech buyer, Amazon Prime Day's imminent arrival in mid July, probably has you eyeing up any deal you see right now with large degree of suspicion and doubt. That little voice whispering 'should I wait for Prime Day for a better deal?' is getting louder and louder as the sales event of the summer approaches. And if you're looking to buy a cheap TV, grab a discounted laptop deal, get a discounted gaming console or bag an Amazon device, we'd certainly consider waiting to see what Amazon Prime Day has to offer. They're a little different. While Amazon Prime Day is undeniably going to be the biggest sales event of the year so far, it's not necessarily something mobile phone retailers get behind with as much vigour as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, or the general October-December seasonal shopping frenzy. Mobile phone contracts on Amazon Prime Day It all depends on what sort of mobile phone deal you're after in all honesty. If you're looking for a new contract, there probably won't be anything to look forward to on Prime Day in particular. Amazon don't do contracts for a start, but we've not traditionally seen mobile contract sellers' websites (both the networks or stores like Mobiles.co.uk) run any special promotions to cash-in on Prime Day in the same way retailers like Argos and Walmart do in the UK and US respectively. On the bright side, this doesn't actually mean you have to wait for Black Friday as we're actually seeing some extremely competitive contract prices right now on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S9 (and some outrageously cheap prices on the older S8 too), the brand new Huawei P20 and P20 Pro, and the Google Pixel 2 and the XL also. Prices have been so good lately on these models, we've been happy to recommend them over waiting for Black Friday. It's been a different story for the iPhone X deals and even the iPhone 8 where prices have been stubbornly high all year. In their case we would advise waiting for a better contract offer around November time. Don't forget, if your contract is running out soon, but you're not ready to sign a new one you could always get a rolling 30-day SIM only deal to tide you over - it's what we do while waiting for that perfect deal. SIM-free mobile phones on Amazon Prime Day If you're keeping things simple and would prefer to buy a phone outright with a SIM-free unlocked handset, there's a better chance Amazon Prime Day will have something for you, although we don't expect a huge selection. Last year, Amazon knocked a big chunk off the price of a few of its Wileyfox budget smartphones. And we recall some of the Moto G phones getting discounts at Amazon in recent times too. With a larger amount of third-party retailers set to unleash discounts on Amazon Prime Day 2018, we're cautiously optimistic a few more premium flagship handsets will be available at a discounted price. We regularly see Amazon sellers have the cheapest prices for unlocked versions of the Galaxy S9, Note 8 and even the iPhone X, so if you're thinking of buying any of those models outright, you might as well wait just-in-case a better deal is waiting in the wings for the sale. In all honesty though, we think it's the slightly older generations of those lines that are more likely to get a promotional price for Prime Day. That and newer entries like the mid-tier Moto G6 are solid candidates for a discount. So that's our two cents on mobile phone buying advice for Amazon Prime Day. To sum up again, if you're after a contract, you might not need to wait as the deals on many phones (Apple aside) are strong right now. If you want to buy an unlocked phone, you might have better luck by waiting for something on Prime Day. We'll all be keeping our fingers crossed for certain items in the sale as per usual. If you want to stay updated on the latest deals you might want to slap a bookmark on some our suggested pages below. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/should-i-wait-for-amazon-prime-day-for-a-mobile-phone-deal |
When is Epiphany and what does it mean? | Many people just arent sure when the right time is to take down the Christmas tree. On the one hand, it feels pretty sad that the festivities are over. On the other, its nice to have a good clear out at the start of the New Year. Thankfully, Christianity has done all the legwork for you, as the official end of Christmas is a day known as Epiphany. Heres everything you need to know. The Epiphany is on 6 January 2019, meaning that the Twelfth Night is on 5 January 2019. The Epiphany signals the official end of Christmas and marks the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The name epiphany is actually Greek and means manifestation with the date itself being a celebration of God coming to Earth as a human in the form of his son. Advertisement Advertisement The date is also when the Three Kings (aka the Three Wise Men) arrived to meet the baby Jesus after following a bright star to Bethlehem and handed over their gifts of gold (to symbolise his royal standing), frankincense (to symbolise his divine birth) and myrrh (to symbolise his mortality). And in case you didnt know frankincense and myrrh are both fragrances. Frankincense is a milk-white resin extracted from Boswellia trees and myrrh is a reddish resin from the Commiphora myrrh tree. The Three Kings, known as the Magi, were called Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar. Some suggest they are meant to represent Europe, Arabia and Africa. Picture: Getty Images In the olden days Christmas wasnt just a one-day event it was actually celebrated for 12 days. This began on Christmas Eve, December 24, and was celebrated every day up until the Epiphany. The 12 days begins on Christmas Day itself. That means that January 5th was celebrated just as much as Christmas Day itself. This was the tradition from the medieval period up until the 19th century. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, spiritual leader of the Orthodox world, holds a wooden crucifix during the epiphany day ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey(Picture: EPA) While the Catholic Church marks the Epiphany for one day, many protestants mark the season of the Epiphany from January 6 up until Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. When marking the Epiphany season, the last day of the Epiphany is called Transfiguration Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Orthodox Christians celebrate the Epiphany on January 19 rather than January 6. The name of the celebration also depends on where you are. If you live in the Spanish speaking world, the Epiphany is known as Three Kings Day or Dia de los Reyes. Epiphany traditions A man holds a wooden cross after retrieving it from the sea during an Epiphany ceremony in Greeces northern port of Thessaloniki (Picture: Getty) Pope Francis is expected to hold the annual Holy Mass for the Epiphany in St Peters Basilica in Rome but elsewhere there are some more curious traditions. In some countries, like Mexico, a baby Jesus figurine is hidden in break and whoever finds it must throw a big party on Candlemas. And New Yorkers hold an annual parade with camels, puppets and floats at El Musea del Barrio. Meanwhile in Europe, children have been known to leave their shoes outside to be filled with gifts and leave straw out for the Kings camels. Eastern Orthodox priests throw a cross into the sea in Bulgaria with men competing to dive in and fetch it. MORE: Cars, lorries and taxis to be banned from Tottenham Court Road | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/04/when-is-epiphany-and-what-does-it-mean-8310926/ |
Are lottery winnings tax free? | A Northern Irish couple Frances and Patrick Connolly have today been announced as the lucky winners of a whopping 115 lottery jackpot. Theyve said theyve made a list of about fifty family members and friends who they plan to help out with their windfall, which is certainly a noble gesture. Lets find out. HMRC doesnt actually consider lottery winnings to be taxable, so you wont owe any. That means, if you win a tenner, a million, or anything in between its all yours. That said, once your estate reaches a certain amount (currently 325,000, with some exceptions), you may be liable to pay inheritance tax if you pass away. Trying to get round this could still lead to you paying some tax, as there are penalties in place if you die up to seven years after gifting some of your money away. Advertisement Advertisement Plus, any income you make on top of your win including any interest or investment returns will be taxed, so youre not entirely exempt. MORE: Cars, lorries and taxis to be banned from Tottenham Court Road MORE: Amazon Alexa could soon guess your interests by quietly analyzing the words you say to it | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/04/lottery-winnings-tax-free-8310601/ |
Why Is R. Kellys Brother Bruce in Prison? | After much hype and speculation, the first two episodes of docu-series Surviving R. Kelly finally premiered on Lifetime Thursday night. The new series introduces viewers to eight women who allege that Kelly was abusive throughout the course of their relationships, as well as various members of Kellys family, including his brothers Bruce and Carey. Many viewers were immediately interested in Bruce, Kellys older brother who is currently serving a prison sentence in Chicago. Speaking from prison, Bruce seemed to defend his brothers interest in underage girls as a preference, creating somewhat of a controversy among viewers and social media users. Bruce Kelly conducted his interviews from a Cook County jail, where he is serving a two to four-year sentence on charges stemming from a 2016 burglary. According to a tweet from Chris J. Scruggs, who posted a screenshot of Bruces profile on the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate database, R. Kellys older brother was admitted to the Vandalia Correctional Center on July 7, 2016, and first became eligible for parole in December 2017. He was denied, however; the Department of Corrections expects Bruce to be released in December 2019. This is not the first time that Bruce Kelly has been in jail. According to Vibe, Bruce was arrested and charged with drug possession in 2015, theft and possession in October 2016, and criminal trespassing and driving without a license in June 2017. In Surviving R. Kelly, Bruce defends his brother and seems to shrug off the many credible accusations against him. You have people who have fantasies about different things, Bruce said when asked about the allegations that R. Kelly sexually abused minors. I like older women, go figure, you know. But thats just a preference. Everyone has preferences. What is the big issue with my brother? Bruces insistence that R. Kellys predatory behavior was simply a preference angered many viewers, who called him sick. Surviving R. Kelly continues tonight, Friday, January 4 and Saturday, January 5 on Lifetime. Watch Surviving R. Kelly on Lifetime | https://decider.com/2019/01/04/why-is-r-kelly-brother-bruce-in-prison/ |
What's So Different About Cryptocurrency Exchanges? | This piece is part one of a four-part series looking at trading cryptocurrency. While both traditional exchanges and cryptocurrency exchanges facilitate trade across thousands of accounts, their setups are vastly different. A traditional exchange only carries out swaps between securities; it stays out of the broker/dealer role and doesnt touch custody. Transferring digital assets requires transacting on a blockchain and storing funds in a digital wallet. These unique factors, combined with largely undefined regulation, mean that crypto exchanges perform several services in one. One Function Versus Many Centralized crypto exchanges like Binance and OKEx employ several services needed to coordinate digital asset trading. Each crypto exchange uses an order-matching engine to match buyers and sellers, verify accounts and finally process transactions. In contrast, traditional exchanges basically perform one service, carrying out trades through an order-matching engine. They dont hold funds or perform the role of a broker/dealer. Shane Molidor, Global Head of Business Development at FBG ONE Trading, explains crypto exchanges role as more analogous to all-in-one platforms that interact with a custodian, the exchange, and a clearing agency, rather than just one place to exchange funds. While each of these functions were built separately for financial trading, Molidor says, crypto platforms consolidate all of this functionality. If you deposit bitcoin with Coinbase Pro, for example, youre commingling your assets with all their other customers whove deposited bitcoin. When you place a buy or sell order, Coinbase is serving as the broker/dealer introducing that order to the order matching engine. When the maker and taker interact with one another, the trades are settled immediately but back into the commingled accounts. This difference from traditional exchanges is what makes much of Wall Street and traditional investors uncomfortable using cryptocurrency exchanges. Cross-functionality also creates counterparty risk (the risk that one party will default on the agreement). Another key difference involves how crypto exchanges and traditional exchanges interact with data. Data Centers and Cloud Services While traditional financial exchanges rely on massive data centers in physical locations, most crypto exchanges rely on cloud servicesmore specifically, Amazon Web Services. Using AWS (or any centralized data center) puts crypto exchanges at risk of service outages like the time a human error brought AWS down in an entire region for five hours. While such outages are infrequent, crypto exchanges face some risk that a government will order their services cut off. Crypto introduces the complexity of transferring funds using various cryptocurrencies with multiple blockchains, gas fees and digital wallets, along with counterparty risk, custody issues and regulatory uncertainty. While exchanges, market makers and traders are profiting, the differences between crypto exchanges and their traditional counterparts are keeping many potential investors out for now. As more regulatory scrutiny comes to crypto, its possible the collection of services offered on crypto exchanges will start to separate in order to provide better protection against counterparty threats and regulatory violations. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/leslieankney/2019/01/04/whats-so-different-about-cryptocurrency-exchanges/ |
Which Celebs Declined To Interview For R. Kelly Docu-series? | Text RICKEY to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions). So, night one of the Lifetime docu-series aired last night and everyone is talking. What was revealed was a shock to some and old news to others. There were a lot of celebrities that were asked to be a part of the series but they declined and didnt want anything to do with it. Check it out below: According to Vibe.com, the producer of the docu-series, Dream Hampton, said that numerous celebrities declined interviews for the show. In a recent interview, Hampton said, John Legend was the only one. I asked JAY-Z, I asked Mary J. Blige, I asked Lil Kim, Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle But they all said no. I mean, most people just dont want to touch it. I remember Ahmir[Questlove Thompson] was like, I would do anything for you but I cant do this. Its not because they support him, its because its so messy and muddy. was originally published on mycolumbusmagic.com Related Also On The Rickey Smiley Morning Show: | https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com/1964681/which-celebs-declined-to-interview-for-r-kelly-docu-series/ |
Was de aarde vroeger een gigantische 'sneeuwbal'? | De geschiedenis van onze planeet is met bodemonderzoek redelijk nauwkeurig in kaart te brengen. Als je maar diep genoeg graaft kom je lagen van miljarden jaren oud tegen. Er is echter een deel van deze geschiedenis in de aardkorst 'zoek', het gaat om een periode van tussen de 250 miljoen en 1,2 miljard jaar. Wetenschappers vermoeden dat deze laag gesmolten is omdat hij volledig bestond uit waterijs, zo schrijft het blad History. Sneeuwbalaarde Onze planeet heeft in zijn ruim 4 miljard jarig bestaan behoorlijk wat schommelingen in het klimaat meegemaakt; van gloeiendheet tot stijfbevroren. De missende laag in het oppervlak zou na een lange koude periode gesmolten zijn en onze zeen gevuld hebben. Deze bevinding past binnen de zogenaamde Sneeuwbal Aarde-Theorie, hierbij wordt er vanuit gegaan dat er door een omgekeerd broeikaseffect een enorme afkoeling heeft plaatsgevonden. Hierdoor was zelfs het gebied rond de evenaar bedekt onder een dikke laag waterijs. Het 'gat' in de bodemhistorie wordt ook wel de grote onzekerheid genoemd, deze prehistorische ijslaag die miljoenen jaren bleef liggen zou hier wel eens de oorzaak van kunnen zijn. De aarde is zo'n 4,6 miljard jaar oud, de eerste vier miljoen jaar worden het precambrium genoemd. Na de laag van het precambrium volgt die van het zogenaamde cambrium, een warmere periode met een plotselinge "explosie" van leven op aarde. Tussen deze twee periodes mist een puzzelstuk, een zeer lange globale ijstijd zou een goede verklaring kunnen zijn. Deze ijstijd kan 250 miljoen tot 1,2 miljard jaar lang geduurd hebben, deze bevindingen werden gepubliceerd in het wetenschappelijke tijdschrift Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Een van de oudste meercellige wezens Dickinsonia Wikimedia Commons IJstijd der ijstijden Niet alleen het smelten van de ijslaag heeft zijn sporen - of het gebrek eraan - nagelaten, ook heeft het immense gewicht van de bewegende gletsjers onderliggende lagen gepolijst. Onderzoekers stuitten al eerder op een onverklaarbare 'recycling' van het aardoppervlak in dezelfde periode. Als de theorie klopt, zou het een verklaring kunnen zijn waarom de aarde de meeste van zijn kraters is kwijtgeraakt tussen de 600 en 700 miljoen jaar geleden. De enige momenten waarop de temperatuur boven nul uitkwam, was wanneer een vulkaan tot uitbarsting kwam. Vermoedelijk heeft het eerste eencellige leven zich rond deze hotspots opgehouden om niet uit te sterven of onder de ijslaag nabij geothermische bronnen gevestigd. Er is ook nog de zogenaamde Natte Sneeuwbal Aarde-theorie, hierbij wordt er vanuit gegaan dat het niet overal op de planeet bevroren was en dat er enkele warmere gebieden vloeibaar water hielden. Deze koude periode vond plaats voor de zogenaamde Cambrische explosie. Nadat het ijs gesmolten was en de temperaturen iets aangenamer werden, vond er een 'explosie van leven' plaats. In een vrij korte tijd - zo'n 11 miljoen jaar - nam de biodiversiteit enorm toe en werden de eerste complexere levensvormen aangetroffen. Sinds 600 miljoen jaar zijn er meercelligen, deze meercelligen ontwikkelden zich in de honderden miljoenen jaren die hierop volgden tot planten, schimmels, dinosaurussen en jouw buurvrouw. | https://www.metronieuws.nl/in-het-nieuws/2019/01/was-de-aarde-vroeger-een-gigantische-sneeuwbal |
Is a 1-Year Space Station Mission in the Works? | A Russian report this week claimed that an American and a Russian will launch on a one-year trip to the International Space Station in 2015. But NASA says the endurance space mission is just an idea, for now. The short news story Wednesday (Aug. 22) by Russia's Interfax news agency cited an unnamed source within Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) to state that the marathon space station flight, which would be twice as long as typical six-month trips, will launch in three years and feature a two-person crew. But NASA officials say not so fast. Nothing, they say, has been decided yet. "We are exploring the idea of a one-year increment as part of preparations for exploration beyond low-Earth orbit," NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries of Johnson Space Center in Houston told SPACE.com. "But the discussion is very preliminary and no official decisions have been made." [Most Extreme Human Spaceflight Records] The Interfax report also stated that the American on the mission would be veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who stepped down as the agency's chief astronaut recently to rejoin its active spaceflying ranks. The Russian cosmonaut for the one-year crew has not been chosen, but a one-year mission would free up some Soyuz spacecraft seats for space tourists to visit the orbiting lab, Interfax reported. If a one-year stay aboard the International Space Station is actually in the works, it could help lay the foundation for even more ambitious human spaceflight efforts down the road. President Barack Obama has challenged NASA to develop new spacecraft and technology in order to send astronauts to visit a nearby asteroid by 2025, and ultimately on to Mars in the 2030s. A roundtrip journey to Mars, according to some mission concepts, would take about two years to complete. So a one-year stint on the International Space Station would allow scientists a chance to observe some of the longer-term effects of spaceflight beyond what crews have reported to date. In fact, a one-year trip into space has actually been done before. In the mid-1990s, Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, a medical doctor, spent nearly 438 consecutive days in space during a marathon mission aboard the Mir Space Station. The mission began in January 1994 and ended in March 1995. While Polyakov's endurance space trial helped researchers study the long-term physiological effects of human spaceflight, Russia has also had a keen interest in the psychological impact of spending such a long period away from Earth. Last year, six volunteers representing Russia, Europe and China completed a staggering 520-day Mars mission simulation that aimed to recreate the isolation and mental stress of long-term spaceflight. That simulation, called the Mars500 mission, began in June 2010 and ended in November 2011. The International Space Station is currently home to six crewmembers representing three different countries. The station's Expedition 32 crew includes three Russians, two Americans and a Japanese astronaut. NASA, Russia and the space agencies of Canada, Europe and Japan built the $100 billion space station over more than decade. Construction began in 1998, with another Russian lab due to arrive at the station next year. A total of 15 different countries have participated in the station's construction. | https://www.foxnews.com/science/is-a-1-year-space-station-mission-in-the-works |
Was El Chupacabra Spied in Texas? | New claims of the legendary Chupacabra are causing a stir for some North Texas residents. Their fears arose after a local animal control officer shot two canine-like animals in Hood County, Texas. The mythical creature has captured the public's imagination for years. Carcasses of the coyote-like chupacabra have been "identified" across the U.S. -- the latest is even on display in an upstate New York museum. The chupacabra comes from Hispanic folklore, where it is supposedly known for attacking goats and other livestock (chupacabra means "goat sucker" in Spanish). It was even featured on the popular television series "The X-Files." "All I know is, it wasn't normal," said animal control officer Frank Hacket, who shot one of the animals in a local rancher's barn. "It was ugly, real ugly. I'm not going to lie on that one." This is nothing new for Texas State University biologist Mike Forstner. In 2007, Forstner performed a DNA test on another alleged Chupacabra, only to find the beast was really a coyote. "We're either going to find out that they're a Mexican hairless dog species, and may have been someone's pet, or that they're coyotes," Forstner said. Read the full story at AOLNews. | https://www.foxnews.com/science/was-el-chupacabra-spied-in-texas |
Should polling places be allowed in New York's schools? | CLOSE Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, that New York should consider making Election Day a state holiday during a speech to the New York City Bar Association in Manhattan. Joseph Spector, Albany Bureau Chief Buy Photo People enter Irondequoit polling place to vote on New York Primary Day, April 19, 2016. (Photo: Kristopher J. Brooks/Staff photographer)Buy Photo ALBANY Elections would soon be dismissed from New York schools if some state lawmakers have their way. At least three bills before the state Legislature seek to relocate or remove polling places from schools an idea that first began circulating around Albany in 2014 following several high-profile school shootings and threats of terrorism. Despite an increase an increase push for school safety in recent year, legislation seeking to remove polling places from schools has failed to gain any traction. The idea, however, appears to be gaining momentum, and perhaps more importantly, bipartisan support. The legislation has been introduced in recent weeks by members of both major parties two by Democrats, the third by a Republican. But even with bipartisan support, obstacles remain. What the bills would do The bills seek to address safety on Election Day, when schools throughout the state open their doors to the public so voters can cast their ballot. "You have this bizarre dichotomy where on the one hand schools have become much more fortified and secure and appropriately so ... except on Election Day, then we let anyone walk into schools," said Sen. Todd Kaminsky, D-Nassau County, who sponsors one of the bills. Kaminsky's bill wouldn't bar schools from hosting elections, but instead would ensure no school be required to host a polling place while class is in session and minors are present. The Board of Elections would be tasked in finding an alternative polling place should a school choose to opt out of hosting an election, according to the bill. Kaminsky introduced similar legislation in 2016, but the bill failed to make it out of committee. Sen. Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, Wyoming County, introduced legislation this month that would prohibit schools from acting as polling places altogether, regardless of whether or not school is in session. "With today's fears of terrorism our polling sites make prime targets," the bill memo reads. "There were fears of attacks on poll sites during the recent Iraqi elections. While these did not take place in large part the fear was real and we in no ways should be putting our children in harms way." Ortt, who was unaware of Kaminsky's legislation at the time he introduced his, said in a statement he would be willing to work with "anyone anywhere when it comes to protecting children and our communities from sexual predators." Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo restored the voting rights to 35,000 parolees, including convicted sex offenders. Though such offenders were not permitted to vote at schools until after 7 p.m., Cuomo faced backlash from lawmakers and community members alike. More: Watch: NY could make Election Day a holiday More: Why New York may make Election Day a state holiday History Buy Photo Cynthia Johnson and David Dietrich, with daughter, Jaya, 1, fill out their ballots at School Without Walls on Election Day. (Photo: TINA MACINTYRE-YEE/@tyee23 , Staff photographer ) The idea to relocate polling places from New York schools first appeared in 2014, the year the state's School Board Association adopted a position that would limit local board of elections from hosting elections in schools without consent of the school board. "We have always supported giving school boards, school districts, the opportunity to decline the use of a school building as a polling place if the use of that building would present a safety concern," said David Albert, director of communications for the state School Boards Association. "Right now schools really have no say in the matter." The School Boards Association isn't seeking to remove polling places from schools, which are often the focal point of communities and offer ample parking for voters. Instead, the organization is pushing for legislation that would give school boards a greater voice in the decision to host an election. Districts, according to Albert, currently have no way to decline hosting an election if a board of elections seeks to use a school building. The third bill, sponsored Assemblyman Anthony D'Urso, D-Nassau County, would give school boards a greater say in hosting elections. That bill was supported by the School Boards Association when it was first introduced in August. "We would like to see districts afforded the opportunity to decline or appeal a decision to use a school as a polling place if a board deems that it would present a security risk for the building and for students and employees," Albert said. Challenges Removing polling places from schools may be easier said than done, according to Darlene Harris, president of the state's Election Commissioners Association. "Certainly it would be a hardship, I think, in many instances because we do utilize quite a few schools," Harris said. Any alternative polling place would have to be handicap accessible, a difficult task for some voting districts which may result in a longer trip to the polls for some voters, according to Harris. "It's just another challenge. If it passes and we're now directed to get out of all of our schools and stuff like that, there's going to be that made scramble to try and find what can accommodate the various voters," Harris said. Kaminsky said he recognizes removing polling places from schools may be difficult, but said his legislation is "designed to get the conversation started" around an important issue. "Schools are nervous," he said. "Principals, teachers, parents have all complained to me that this is a very unsecure situation." More: Sex-offender parolees pardoned by Cuomo can vote at schools, but only after 7 p.m. More: Andrew Cuomo inauguration: 5 questions he will have to answer in 2019 Solutions Lawmakers could potentially solve the problem in part by passing electoral forms. Federal and state primary days are currently held in June and September respectively. Consolidating the primary days would both reduce the number of elections and allow elections to take place when classes are not in session, according to Kaminsky. "We may not be talking about having elections with kids in school anymore, there may be very few and far between," Kaminsky said. "The more we treat election day as a holiday in our country, and the more we consolidate elections so we don't have so many of them, may take care of this problem," he added Such reforms stalled in years past because the Democrat-led Assembly and Republican-led Senate couldn't agree on a primary date, but with Democrats taking control of both Legislative chambers last year, that may soon change. Cuomo has also vowed to make Election Day a state holiday in a recent speech laying out his administration's agenda. It's not known if or when these things will happen, but even with electoral reforms, challenges remain. Schools often play host to local elections throughout the year and the question of off-year elections remains to be addressed. "I do believe we can have a society with increase participation and increase safety, but we have to work with each other to try and get there," Kaminsky said. Read or Share this story: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2019/01/04/new-york-school-polling-places/2431304002/ | https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2019/01/04/new-york-school-polling-places/2431304002/ |
Should I Stop Counting How Many Books I Read? | Photo: Ursula Klawitter/Getty Images A few years ago, having disappointed myself in the category of Not Reading Enough, I decided to start tracking how many books I read in a year. In 2015, I read 25. For 2016, I set a goal to read 30; I read 51. Bolstered by this resounding success, I set the next years goal at 55; I read 64. 2017 was a really good book year, for me, so I knew to be moderate with my 2018 goal I set it at 60, which was, I assured myself, childs play. But in 2018, I did not read 60 books. I read 49. Which is about 82 percent, a B-. I knew I had legitimate reasons for not meeting my goal: I started a full-time job in 2018, I got engaged in 2018, I allowed myself to abandon nine full books in 2018. But I still felt bad. I hate not meeting my goals so much that I usually do not set them unless I am certain I can achieve them. The worst part was that, when I looked back on the books I read last year, I saw only a fraction Id really enjoyed. And even while reading those, Id been rushing, trying to finish number 11 so I could get to number 12, and so on. I was reading to meet an arbitrarily set number, rather than reading because it was one of my favorite things to do. And yet, when I didnt have a specific, numbered book goal, I didnt read as much as I wanted to; early on, I found that counting the books I read reminded me to create time for something I loved. (This also reminds me of my feelings about tennis, which was so much fun for me when I was just starting, and still fun when I got better, and then much less fun when I got good enough to realize I would never be great.) For 2019, rather than aim for a specific number of books, I wrote down that I wanted to read for fun, and I felt very evolved and chill about it at the time, but now I wonder if Ive just permitted myself to stagnate. For how commonly people like to suggest writing down your goals, theres startlingly little evidence that doing so makes you any likelier to achieve them, at least that I can find. There is a semi-famous experiment often referred to as the Harvard Written Goals Study, which either took place in the 1950s or 1970s, depending on the account. In it, researchers were said to have found that only 3 percent of Harvard MBAs wrote down their goals, and when researchers tracked down that 3 percent some number of years later (this part varies in the telling), they were making ten times as much money, on average, than their goalless peers. Sounds promising, but the study never happened. A small study by Gail Matthews, a professor of psychology at Dominican University of California, did find that writing down ones goals results in a higher reported rate of goal achievement, but that study relied on self-reports, and so do New Years resolutions. If I write down Be nicer in 2019, I can guarantee you I will determine myself a success on January 1, 2020. AHHHH. This is why you need specificity, maybe; I cannot really fail to read for fun so long as I enjoy one book this year, and that seems like a low bar. I once read about the concept of SMART goals, wherein SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. That sounded really smart (ha) to me, until I read some other guy argue SMART goals are actually stupid, and the thing to do is HARD goals (Heartfelt, Animated, Required, and Difficult). Okay. I personally dont really think required makes a lot of sense in the goal-making world, at least the New Years kind, but I do buy that good goals are at least moderately difficult. By aiming only to read for fun, I worry I risk treating reading as only a hobby, and not a vital part of my work as a writer, which I happen to think it is. I was planning to just write down the titles I read, sans number, just for memorys sake, but its not like that prevents me from counting them up anyway. (I didnt watch Bird Box, but if I knew how to make a meme Id do a Bird Box one here that says something like, Me trying not to compete with my own arbitrary goals. I know, its only okay.) Perhaps what I should do is set a specific book-count goal, and then a separate goal that limits the amount of time I spend feeling disappointed in myself should I fail to meet that count. I think 50/10 sounds both doable and forgiving. | https://www.thecut.com/2019/01/does-writing-down-your-goals-help-you-achieve-them.html?utm_source=nym&utm_medium=f1&utm_campaign=feed-part |
How to build nation out of corruption? | It was not in any way gathering of upper class or middle section of society at a place in Islamabad on the first day of the New Year. Only some lower middle people who never break the heart of the poor because they believe in one true God who chose a poor pious man to lead mankind as the last prophet (peace be upon him). How great reformer, administrator and general turned out Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)! And how deeply was impressed the founder of Pakistan by him! Wholl build the nation out of this corruption? Elders at such gatherings plainly say: Time is our teacher, were all slave to time; it shall never forgive us if we do not act upon the message of Almighty God by uniting on one platform and carry discipline into effect in order to save ourselves from disaster. Whats common among citizens is the spirit of Islam which keeps them alive to the need for protection of life and property of minorities also, and a fair deal to them. It advocates justice to all, equality, fair-play, toleration and even generosity to non-Muslims. Common people have a dream. They want peace and harmony vital to achieving progress and prosperity: but there are obstacles. On one side, there are selfish and corrupt leaders; and on other side are terrorists disturbing peace, tranquillity and harmony of metropolitan cities at a time when the country was on the way to betterment of the common man. People who have foresight say the scheme of some foreign hands is to weaken Pakistan economically and create problems for the ones who are devoted all the time to homelands defence. Unhealthy economy, suicide by unemployed parents in the wake of food price hike, poverty and nepotism, death sentence to and burning alive of innocent girls under un-Islamic jirga system, feudal practice of setting hounds free on children and women and luxurious ways of living of politicians, whether theyre in power or not, are some of the problems which pain people who have not closed their eyes and ears to radio and TV channels. They look towards God almighty and defenders of the state. [email protected] | https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/414458-how-to-build-nation-out-of-corruption |
Can Imran change Karachis political dynamics? | The electoral shift in 2018, from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the last elections provided opportunity to Prime Minister Imran Khan to win over Karachi above ethnic consideration. Can he be able to change the dynamic of the city during his tenure as the real economic hub of Pakistan and take the long-awaited ownership of country's economic hub that he has often committed to more than once. Lets wait and see. Karachi often suffered due to the power imbalance involving the Federal, Provincial and City governments which dented city's development. The Prime Minister has constituted a committee headed by the Governor, Sindh Imran Ismail and comprising members from PTI and its ally MQM-Pakistan to speed up the development work falling under the federal government. Unlike the past, the provincial governments reaction raised the hope for a better Karachi. Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah has assured that neither his party nor government would create hurdles. Though it may not be as easy as it looks, it still is a step in the right direction. It could have been even better if the federal, provincial and city governments formed a 'joint committee'. For the first time since 1970, Karachi has voted for a party which formed government at the centre, and the PTI now has the space and opportunity. So, it is better if federal government defuses tension which seems imperative in the aftermath of JIT report involving PPP leadership. PTI and MQM-P can make a difference if they work together. Karachi has multiple issues, but without knowing the exact population of the city, it may not be easy to plan and develop the city where half of its population lives in irregular and illegal 'katchi abadis.' The controversies revolving around a census in the city should be the first priority of the federal government and it should take up the matter with the Supreme Court where petitions against Karachi's census have been pending for past several months. Around four million aliens who have been living in the city for years are not included in the census. Speaking ideally as well as realistically, Karachi, like any other metropolis in the world, should be under one Umbrella Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Mayor. But due to political dimension and dynamics particularly in the last 40 years, the powerful state apparatus and narrow political approach always created hurdles. Unfortunately, the party which once had the unprecedented mandate to represent Karachi's case also failed and indulged in activities which not only damaged the party, its voters and supporters but also Karachi as a whole. With the passage of time not only MQM's political dynamic but also of Muhajirs and Karachi have changed. The efforts to unite the four factions of the MQM have failed mainly because of leaders egos. The MQMs politics of the past particularly with issues like rising militancy, extortion and corruption also changed the character of this once dominant middle class party. The 2013 elections were a wake-up call for MQM but their leaders didnt learn and as a result they lost their hold in 2018, and irrespective of the allegations of alleged manipulation in election results, the fact remains that PTI emerged as a strong alternative with its bipartisan political narrative. Thus the Karachi voters including a strong Muhajir vote bank, particularly the youth and the families, switched the trend over to a centrist party instead of the past tradition of supporting religious or ethnic parties. It is a dilemma that the PPP has not been able to win over Karachi or urban Sindh despite having strong presence in Karachi. The Muhajir politics in the 70s revolved around quota system in admissions and jobs, identity crisis beside insecurity. Some of these issues are no more relevant, today. Quota system had been abolished in 2013 as the government did not go for its extension for another 10 years. Similarly with more private college and universities and private jobs available in the market, the Muhajir youth are no more inclined towards CSS or government jobs which once use to be quite attractive options. Besides, they also look for private small or big businesses here or abroad. Though politics of Karachi does not merely revolve around Muhajirs as it is now the city of nearly 30 million with a strong presence of other communities, it is still afflicted with the old mindset that is believed to be was one of the reasons for alleged manipulation in the census. The Jamaat-e-Islami which once controlled Karachi had suffered badly on the electoral front despite their repeated attempts. The Jamaat needed review of their overall political approach but something went wrong at the national as well as Karachi and urban Sindh levels. Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) led by former MQM leaders like Syed Mustafa Kamal, Anis Qaimkhani and others did came out with something new and tried to attract the non Urdu speaking segment but it was branded as establishment's party. Same had happened in the past with MQM (Haqiqi), though PSP came with much different narrative. Perhaps PSP could have been more acceptable had they joined hands with PTI, as the later not only showed interest in forming an electoral alliance but also wanted seat adjustment. Credit must go to MQM-P that even in the worst condition they at least managed six NA and 20 MPA seats from urban Sindh, but still far behind PTI which won 14 out of 20 NA seats from Karachi. Muhajir politicss decline was very much on the card and expected. Perhaps, they missed best opportunities like they had when were coalition partners of different governments particularly during time of former President (retd) General Pervez Musharraf. (The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of GEO, The News and Jang. Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO) | https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/414523-can-imran-change-karachi-s-political-dynamics |
Is Obama Administration Going Overboard With Federal Regulations? | This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," October 13, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET! BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In the "Impact" segment tonight: An article in The Washington Post today says the federal government is regulating just about everything, including Cheerios. The cereal was saying it lowers cholesterol, and the feds replied, hey, you can't say that; only drugs can lower cholesterol. That's just one example of more and more regulation under President Obama. Joining us now from Los Angeles, radio talk show star Leslie Marshall. OK, can't buy pistachio nuts. The FDA says, hey, no, better not eat pistachio nuts. That puts all those people out of business. Then you have trans fat ban in California. No trans fats. Then you have smoking, no smoking anywhere. In fact, Michael Jordan gets whacked for having a cigar on a golf course. Click here to watch the debate! LESLIE MARSHALL. RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Well, I don't smoke, and I've lost over 50 pounds from last year, Bill, so maybe the trans fats was a good thing here in California. I love Cheerios, my kids eat Cheerios, but if I have high cholesterol and I'm eating Cheerios because I think it's going to reduce my cholesterol, then I think the government and our president is right that General Mills, that owns and runs Cheerios, shouldn't be sending that message. I don't think it's wrong to say hey, this is healthy and this is why. But I think it's bad to give that kind of message because that should come not only from a drug, drug company but certainly from a medical O'REILLY: OK, I don't have any beef with Cheerios and the government saying, look, you know, unless you can prove this in clinical studies, you got to take it off. I want honesty, and I want people to know what's going on. But they're taxing soda now. You know, you get a coke, you're going to pay a sugar tax. The intent, Leslie, is good. The execution, though, is nanny state. It's almost a quasi fascism. It's basically Barack Obama and his merry guys saying, you know, we think Oreos are bad. We're going to tax them. We think Ding Dongs are bad, Cheetos are bad, we're taxing them. We don't want you to do this. Now you know, the logical extension is that if you don't exercise, we're going to have to pay a little bit more income tax. You know, but if you're in shape, like me, you get a tax break. MARSHALL: Look, although I'm a liberal Democrat, and we're known, Democrats, for having more and bigger government, this would be too much government to have the intrusion into your personal fitness center, etc. However O'REILLY: But you have it now. MARSHALL: ...as Americans, but we are fatter, Bill. And we are less healthy. And heart disease is killing us. And we need to worry about not only ourselves, but our kids and our kids' kids, etc. O'REILLY: OK, but then you have the MARSHALL: So if the government is O'REILLY: Here's my beef. You're right. And we don't want to be a chubby nation of people keeling over when they're 55 of heart attacks. Or do you suggest that, hey, this is really the right thing to do. It's more of a persuasion. Now, you have McDonald's, the fast food industry. They're posting now the calories. I'm for that. I'm for that. I think that's good. But I don't want them to slap 20-cent excise tax on a Big Mac. I think that's bad. You don't punish people for their choices. You advise them; you don't punish them. Go. MARSHALL: When you said that, you know, you kind of, you know, guide or gear an individual. Then maybe we can look at the tobacco tax as such. O'REILLY: But that's different though. MARSHALL: Somebody has to pay more, maybe they won't smoke. O'REILLY: Because MARSHALL: Is it different because it's lung cancer vs. girth O'REILLY: Right. MARSHALL: which affects your arteries and your heart. O'REILLY: It's the difference between crack and marijuana. I mean, some things are so dangerous, that you have to regulate them. But a Big Mac isn't. A Big Mac can be enjoyed once in a while. A Coke can be enjoyed once in a while. You shouldn't be punishing people if they want to have some comfort food. I don't want that kind of a government, Leslie. I don't think it's right. Go. MARSHALL: Well, I'll tell you, I agree with you that having a Big Mac my personal favorite is a lot of macaroni and cheese for my comfort food. O'REILLY: Yeah, once in a while. MARSHALL: But if I sit and eat macaroni and cheese, and I've done it, and if I sit and eat macaroni and cheese day after day, and if I have 10 Big Macs instead of one, that's where the problem is. We lack self-control, and if the government can help us get a little O'REILLY: I know. MARSHALL: I think it's a good thing. O'REILLY: But if the government's gong to tax everybody without self-control, we're all going to be bankrupt. Leslie, everybody. We appreciate it. Content and Programming Copyright 2009 FOX News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2009 CQ Transcriptions, LLC, which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is granted to the user of this material except for the user's personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon FOX News Network, LLC'S and CQ Transcriptions, LLC's copyrights or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation. | https://www.foxnews.com/story/is-obama-administration-going-overboard-with-federal-regulations |
Can an auto-immune illness explain the Salem witch trials? | Their limbs wracked and, tormented so ... their arms, necks, and backs turned this way and that way, and returned back again. Their mouths stopped, their throats choked. They had several sore fits. A contemporary description of cousins Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, the first of the afflicted at Salem. Their speech was garbled and their limbs contorted, they wailed and howled and convulsed. It was 1692. Betty was nine and Abigail was 11. Reverend Samuel Parris was advised by a doctor that the girls, his daughter and niece, respectively, were bewitched. Soon, at least five other girls in Salem Village developed similar symptoms and began to accuse locals of witchcraft including Tituba, a slave, and Sarah Good, a homeless beggar. A flurry of accusations followed, with residents piling on to denounce over 200 people. Persons of ill-repute and dedicated churchgoers alike were imprisoned and Bridget Bishop, known for her gossipy habits and promiscuity, was the first to be hanged on 10 June. Twenty people were put to death in total with several others dying in prison. One popular theory, proposed by Linnda Caporael in Science in 1976, is that it was caused by rye fungus. The parasite, ingested accidentally from infected crops, causes convulsive ergotism muscle spasms, hallucinations, and seizures. Others blamed the psychoactive jimsonweed (devils snare). Later, encephalitis lethargica, a mysterious sort of sleeping sickness possibly caused by an environmental toxin, a bacterial or viral infection or an autoimmune disorder, was invoked. If you enjoy this, you may also like: But these ideas have since been dismissed. For instance, key symptoms of ergot poisoning from rye fungus were absent in the Salem girls, including prominent gastrointestinal complaints, a livid skin colour, and ravenous appetites. And whilst ergot poisoning might cause LSD-type perceptual distortions (rainbow-like colours, halos, persistent after-images), the girls described well-defined figures attacking them instead. Now a new candidate has emerged, proposed by Michael Zandi, a neurologist at University College London, and one of his students, Johnny Tam, in the Journal of Neurology. That candidate is anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Heres the story of a typical patient. She initially develops a flu-like illness. Within weeks, she becomes obsessed by god or the devil, consumed by paranoia and racked with insomnia. Now, she repeats the same words, then is struck mute. Next: seizures, writhing and contorted limbs, odd repetitive movements of the mouth and tongue. Her pulse races or slows, her blood pressure rises and falls. She sweats, drools, grunts and grimaces. She becomes catatonic and then comatose. For so long, these patients were often diagnosed as hysterics and maligned as neurotics, sent to asylums to become madder still, or to die. But now we know the condition is caused by a neurological disorder following ground-breaking research in 2007, which has shown that an offending antibody reacts against NMDA receptors hence the term anti-NMDAR encephalitis (the R stands for receptors). These receptors are responsible for the synaptic transmission of signals across the brains synapses, and neuroplasticity the brains capacity to adapt and change in addition to behaviour, learning and memory. The antibody attack in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis seems to arise as part of an autoimmune response, perhaps one that occurs in the aftermath of an infection (a triggering virus such as herpes has been suggested but the jury is still out on this one). Some women with anti-NMDAR encephalitis have been found to have an ovarian tumour called a teratoma a mass made up of hair, teeth, and bone. These tumours also have neural tissue which expresses NMDA receptors. Once again the immune system might be to blame its likely that these receptors trigger the production of antibodies, which then cross-react with the brains NMDA receptors as well as those of the teratoma. Intriguingly, ketamine is also an antagonist of these receptors, which is why a ketamine overdose produces similar symptoms to anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Treatment to suppress the immune system sees 75% of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis fully recover or at least substantially so (although spontaneous improvement has been seen). For those who have an ovarian teratoma remove this and the bewitched are de-witched. The condition has now also been identified in men, in young and old, but women are most commonly affected, frequently in their early 20s. Zandi and Tam analysed descriptions of Betty and Abigail and they think its a distinct possibility for the following reasons: Anxiety and persecutory delusions feature in anti-NMDAR encephalitis and seem to have been present in the Salem girls. Seizures occur in encephalitis. The girls had several sore fits. The dyskinesias (involuntary limb movements) of anti-NMDAR encephalitis might match the following description: Their limbs wracked and, tormented so ... their arms, necks, and backs turned this way and that way, and returned back again. There are parallels between the loss of inhibition and altered mental status of encephalitis and this account: She was at first hurryed with violence to and fro in the room ... and begun to throw fire brands, about the house... The suggestion that the girls were hallucinating: Sometimes making as if she would fly, stretching up her arms as high as she could, and crying Whish, Whish, Whish!... The fact that the girls were occasionally taken dumb, perhaps suggestive of catatonia. Brain swelling can impair speech. The girls mouths stopped, their throats choked... Their illnesses seem uncannily similar to a disease weve only got a handle on in the 21st Century, says Zandi. And why would anti-NMDAR encephalitis not have been present then? It sounds compelling, but some questions remain unanswered. Zandi points to the heritability of other autoimmune conditions, so it is possible that both suffered from the same condition, but he recognises that yes, its more likely that only one had it than both". As for the rest of the girls, a great deal of mystery persists, says Zandi. Socio-political factors may have underpinned other cases, and perhaps other medical conditions may have been mislabelled as witchcraft including epilepsy," he says. Psychologist Nicholas Spanos also invoked the role of other factors, viewing the episode as a sociopolitical drama played out in terms of the worldview shared by seventeenth-century Puritans. The girls enacted the role of demoniacs, perhaps unwittingly so, and those roles were learned in and legitimised by this religious community: As soon as she [the accused witch] came near all fell into fits. They reported being bitten when the accused bit her lip in court. When she moved her hand, they said theyd been pinched. Tellingly, they reportedly appeared healthy outside the courtroom: Many of these afflicted persons, who have scores of strange fits in a day, yet in the intervals of time are hale and hearty, robust and lusty, as tho nothing had afflicted them. Still, the possibility of anti-NMDAR encephalitis affecting even one of the girls is intriguing, even if socio-political and religious influences drove the rest. It follows a suggestion that the 14-year-old whose story inspired The Exorcist moviehad the same form of encephalitis. Admitted to a Missouri hospital in 1949, he exhibited extreme rage, shouts in unknown tongue, and bouts of contorted postures into seemingly impossible shapes. As for Salem, a reprieve in May 1692 saw the release of about 150 accused witches. One of the afflicted girls, Ann Putnam Jr, formally apologised, writing a letter to the church in Salem village in 1706. Betty Parris is believed to have later married and raised a family in Sudbury. The fate of Abigail Williams remains unknown. Theories around the afflicted have abounded; now anti-NMDAR encephalitis has taken its place in line. Others will surely follow. Join 900,000+ Future fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Instagram. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called If You Only Read 6 Things This Week. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Capital, and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. | http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20181221-can-an-auto-immune-illness-explain-the-salem-witch-trials |
What Strategy Should Stock Pickers Use in 2019? | The first trading day of the year didn't bring much upbeat news to Wall Street. Word is that manufacturing is slowing down in a fair number of key foreign markets, victims of political and trade fears, macroeconomic fatigue, and general uncertainty. But with U.S. markets in bear territory, long-term investors may be looking for direction. In this MarketFoolery podcast, host Chris Hill and senior analyst Seth Jayson talk about their views on the market: why trouble elsewhere isn't a win at home, and why fear is contagious in the economy; whether a sector-based investing approach makes sense; and why markets seem unimpressed with so many companies' strong performances. Perhaps most importantly to their listeners, they'll also offer their best suggestions for profitable investing tactics this year. Continue Reading Below A full transcript follows this video. 10 stocks we like better than WalmartWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market. * David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Walmart wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of November 14, 2018The author(s) may have a position in any stocks mentioned. Advertisement This video was recorded on Jan. 2, 2019. Chris Hill: It's Wednesday, Jan. 2. Welcome to MarketFoolery! I'm Chris Hill. Joining me in studio today, Seth Jayson. Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Hill: For a couple of days now. And the market's open, unlike yesterday, when the market was closed, and people were recovering from the night before, and presumably watching a lot of college football here in America. Jayson: It looks hungover from the headlines I saw this morning, the market here. Hill: Yeah, the market does look a little hungover. Jayson: I was on vacation for more than a week and I didn't read single bit of news. No financial news. No other news. The world's a lot better that way. Hill: [laughs] Sorry to pull you back to reality and your day job. That's so much better. It's a better way to live. Hill: It is. We can get to that. But in the meantime, let's talk about what's going on with the market. Jayson: Listen to the enthusiasm! Hill: Exactly. Now I'm just thinking about people who have listened to this podcast for a while, and maybe have said to a couple of their friends, "Hey, it's the start of a new year. Start getting your finances in order. Here's this podcast I listen to! Listen to this!" And this is the first episode. Jayson: [laughs] This is their first one. Hill: There are at least a couple of people who, this is their first episode. [groans] Hill: Let's get to the market. Market down. There's very little news, and what news we have is not encouraging on a macro level, and that's from China and the monthly report, in terms of factory activity in China. Not great. Factory activity in China for the month of December shrank. It's the first time since mid-2017 that that's happened. Jayson: Yeah. And if it were just China, you could say, "Oh boy, the president sure is sticking it to the Chinese! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" But it's actually a whole bunch of the manufacturing countries over in Asia. Korea somehow going the other direction, for now, anyway. South Korea. North Korea, I'm pretty sure the manufacturing is still probably lousy. It looks a little bit more broad-based than just a China problem. Of course, the culprit is probably fears about global trade wars, tariffs everywhere. If we're going to do politics and policy by always being angry at stuff coming from somewhere else, people are getting afraid. At the same time, there were some slowdowns in Europe also. Italy moving in the opposite direction. These are not good things. If you see these indices down, probably a prediction that some companies are really starting to wonder about demand over the next few months, and they're pulling back a bit. Not good. Hill: Definitely not good. It reminds me of Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx (NYSE: FDX), a couple of weeks ago -- Jayson: There was that. I was still here for that. People were surprised. Hill: Fred Smith was pretty pointed in his remarks about politicians around the world. You've touched on this, it really points to the level of uncertainty that large companies, and by ripple effect, medium and small companies have with respect to a lot of different things. Not just "What's the state of trade between the U.S. and China?" When you're doing your budgeting 12 to 24 months out -- Jayson: Or further, in the case of capacity increases that you're investing in. Yeah, this is all scary. It has a ripple effect. And then, of course, you've got the ripple effect of a stock market that suddenly drops into free fall at the end of the year. Maybe deservedly so. There were some nosebleed valuations on a lot of stocks. These are normal, but they freak people out. And when people get freaked out, they tend to fold their wallets up and keep them in their pocket. That pulls the demand back, and a freak-out over nothing can turn into an actual something, and then you really need to freak out. Hill: Before we get to what might be interesting to look at, in terms of investments in 2019, let's go in the other direction for a second. I'm not going to look in that direction for investing ideas." For me, and I think I touched on this on a recent episode of Motley Fool Money, it really seems restaurants are a stay-away. For me personally. It's an industry that I understand, and based on what's been happening over the last 12 to 18 months in restaurants, I think to myself, there's so much upheaval, you have so many that are either aggressively looking at going private or flirting with the idea, that I just think, as an investor, I'm avoiding restaurant stocks in 2019. It is tough for me to be an industry or sector investor. There's always outperformers in every area, obviously. Restaurants, for years, we were saying, "We're over-restauranted here in the U.S." But people said that for a long, long time, and a lot of restaurants did a lot of business and expanded while that was going on. It did just fine. The good operators will always stand out. I haven't checked in with my friends at Chefs' Warehouse (NASDAQ: CHEF) for a while, but as of a year or so ago, and I suspect this is still going on now, higher-end restaurants -- Chefs' Warehouse sells fancier stuff to higher-end restaurants. Think country clubs or small chef-driven restaurants and things. Higher-end restaurants were doing pretty well. But the mass restaurants were engaging in price wars. The ones who could stay on top of things with apps and delivery were doing better than others. But there's upheaval in that business, the same as there is in bricks-and-mortar retailing. Those who aren't doing a good job of selling stuff the way consumers want to get it are falling behind. There was an interesting article I read a while ago. Uber Eats was wandering around in Brooklyn. They know there's no burgers close enough in Brooklyn to deliver to people. There's no burger restaurant there." And the back of this place, they make burgers and fries. They gave it a burger restaurant name. And this business started selling burgers like crazy, delivery only. So, there are places in the restaurant business where money is going to be made. I suspect that the better operators are the ones who will do better with digital and online and delivery and things like that. To get back to the sectors or the industries in general, I took a look at the losers. Performance is what I was looking for, over the past 12 months. Right now, as of the end of last year, that looked a lot like losers. Energy, for instance, down 20% over the year. Materials, almost as much. Industrials, probably 15%. Consumer discretionary, you think of companies like Under Armour (NYSE: UA) (NYSE: UAA) and others getting whaled on, actually one of the best. Not positive performers, but only down a couple of percent. There are very few sectors that took a win for the whole year, healthcare being one of them, and utilities eking out a small gain. I usually start my sector hunting where things have been the worst in the past year, because that's where I expect the lingering crummy sentiment to be, and that I'll be able to find bargains. That's usually where I start. This year, if you're comfortable with energy, you might want to start looking at energy. Look at materials. Materials are always interesting. If you can find good operators in cement or aggregates, smaller companies. One I follow is Eagle Materials (NYSE: EXP). It's really tough to send that stuff too far. It's expensive to ship rocks and cement and stuff. So if you find a better operator that has a good geography, and it's down and it's a good operator, that can be a good investment, especially in a down cycle like this. Jayson: [laughs] That's what you'd think. It's primarily around Texas with cement and aggregates and things. They also have a wallboard business. The wallboard business was actually doing pretty well, even though the housing thing started to fall apart at the end of last year. That's one that I happen to like. Probably not going great guns right now with sales of the real estate market down and maybe a pullback in infrastructure investing. But these cycles all eventually turn. In the meantime, you get a good player at a cheaper price than at the height of the upcycle. I like to look in places like that. Hill: It's a nice reminder that, as you said, even when an industry can be down, or an industry as a group can be challenged, if you take the time and look within, you might find some hidden gems in there. Jayson: That always holds. Last year was interesting. This market this year, I'm going to say, might be an easier market to make money because sentiment is probably going to be poor for a while. It was those stocks. In fact, the only one, according to this, that had a positive return by the end of the year. And that's because last year, everybody was so excited about everything, and there was lingering bad sentiment on a certain combination of stocks, and those stocks outperformed. Looking for the unpopular stocks is always a good idea, probably a better idea in a super great market. However, we have a different market this year. You can almost pick any stock of any business that you really like. We've talked about Home Depot (NYSE: HD) a few times here recently. I've been in here. Hill: They just crush it. Jayson: They have been crushing it. Hill: Pretty much, yeah, across the board. By the way, when I think back to the end of 2018, it was a warning sign when Home Depot, whenever was their last quarterly report, I remember talking on this podcast and around the office, probably to the point where I was annoying people, that I was dumbfounded -- Home Depot put up the quarter that they did, had the guidance that they had, and the stock was still down. It was a little bit of a canary in a coal mine. And it was followed the next week by Walmart (NYSE: WMT), same sort of thing. Not as glowing a report, but same sort of thing. Because right now, this is looking a little mystifying." Jayson: Yeah, exactly. I had a planned tangent from the clever, which I'll go into really quickly. You think of a guy like David Einhorn, another terrible year last year. He's really, really a smart guy, but he's almost too clever. All right, we think Tesla's (NASDAQ: TSLA) probably massaging the numbers, being a little wacky, doing crazy things, no long-term value. Except that he's really smart and he wants to be right. So his fund is doing terribly, but a very smart guy. I think 2019 is the kind of year where it's a great year for people like us. You don't have to be very smart and you can make some money in stocks. Home Depot, I think, is a good example. The stock is down some 20% here, according to the chart I'm looking at. In the meantime, you have a free cash flow yield to that stock price of about 5.1%. 2.4% dividend yield, according to what I've got here. Selling at a multiple to revenue that is still a little bit high historically. But if you look at the charts, and you look at the direction of their margins and how well they do -- by the way, they're doing well in the places they need to. They're doing well in digital sales, sales through the phone, order online/pick up in store. They're doing all the right things, and the stock has been crushed, along with a lot of the rest. I'm no fan of the Google. Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) is down quite a bit. They just churn through the cash. I have a feeling that one day, governments should -- probably now -- split them up. They have too much power. Probably not. Probably not. They've got a variety of businesses. The Google has been creamed lately. I really dislike the Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) more than anything. I'm not on Facebook. I think it's terrible for humanity. Facebook's down almost a half, throwing out 4.5% free cash flow yield. People spend all their time on it. These are some easy ideas. They're right under your nose. Thanks to a little market panic in the last month or so, there are a lot cheaper than they were. Hill: It's going to be interesting, though, when Facebook reports their next quarter. You see this almost anecdotal evidence of people saying, "I've deleted it from my phone." Jayson: I wonder if anyone really does. Hill: Well, that's the thing. I saw a report the other day, I think the number was 40%. Like, "40% of this age demographic deleted it from their phone." Like, all right, that's based on a survey. If that's actually true, this is going to be the most interesting quarter in Facebook's history as a public company, probably right after the first quarter they ever reported. Jayson: You've still got Instagram, which everyone's addicted to. I've never used it because ... Hill: It's not for you and me. Jayson: It's not. It's not for us. And you've got WhatsApp, which I have used, which I don't use as much anymore because they started sticking ads in the middle of your list of calls. That was Facebook Messenger. Hill: Yeah. Jayson: They're going to put ads everywhere. The business is selling ads. Jayson: Exactly. It may be unpalatable to geezers like us, but they have a lot of eyeballs. They're selling a lot of ads and they're making a lot of money. I think, 2019, if you can avoid being a panicky Peter, you don't have to be too clever this year. Just keep at it. If you don't even want to pick individual stocks, this is the year to just make sure that you're getting your money taken out every month, put in your 401(k), in your S&P 500 index fund or something. This is the kind of year to make sure that that's happening, for sure. Hill: Yeah. Our friends at the Motley Fool Answers podcast do a great job of talking every week about Money 101 issues. To the extent that we'll talk about them on this podcast, it'll just be to echo that comment. If you've got a 401(k) planned, any sort of retirement plan, particularly if there's a matching component from your employer -- Jayson: Free money. Hill: -- max that thing out. Jayson: Especially because, if you're in a higher-ish tax bracket, such as the sorts of folks who listen to this podcast, that have some money available for investing, you're losing some of your ways to get the tax man off your back with the home and real estate tax changes, write-off changes. One of the still-dependable ways, at this point, is to get rid of taxable income. Maxing out those 401(k)s and any other retirement plan that you can is the best way to do that. Hill: Before we wrap up, you were over in London. Jayson: No, we were just in London. We stayed down by St. Paul's, near the Blackfriars station there. The Blackfriars art deco pub is down that way. It's near the bridge that the Death Eaters destroy in the beginning of that Harry Potter movie, the Millennium Bridge, which we found out the locals called the wobbly bridge. It was originally installed, it wobbled a lot. It was perfectly safe, but people got scared and sick. Apparently, in England, in the theaters, when the Death Eaters destroyed that thing, the audiences applauded. Hill: [laughs] Can I just suggest that if a bridge is nicknamed by the populace "the wobbly bridge," the civic leaders might want to do something about that. Jayson: They did, they fixed it. Because people didn't want to go over it. Hill: [laughs] That's terrifying. "Oh, the wobbly bridge." Hill: It is, that's delightful. Jayson: We were in London. We had a wonderful time. If we have any London listeners over there, thank you for a great time! Sybil now has a favorite Irish pub. Hill: One more reason I'm a fan of your daughter. Jayson: It serves Thai food. An Irish pub that serves Thai food. She taught the manager and one of the waitresses how to play an ancient Roman board game similar to Go. I have a strange kid. She's great! Hill: I think she's creative. Not strange. Let's steer clear of the word strange. She's creative and delightful. Jayson: Strange in the best way. Hill: In the best possible way. Seth Jayson, thanks for being here! Jayson: Thank you! Hill: As always, people on the program may have interests in the stocks they talk about, and The Motley Fool may have formal recommendations for or against, so don't buy or sell stocks based solely on what you hear. That's going to do it for this edition of MarketFoolery. The show is mixed by Dan Boyd. I'm Chris Hill. Thanks for listening! We'll see you tomorrow! Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Chris Hill owns shares of Under Armour (A Shares) and Under Armour (C Shares). Seth Jayson owns shares of Under Armour (A Shares) and Under Armour (C Shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Facebook, FedEx, Tesla, Under Armour (A Shares), and Under Armour (C Shares). The Motley Fool has the following options: short February 2019 $185 calls on Home Depot and long January 2020 $110 calls on Home Depot. The Motley Fool recommends Eagle Materials and Home Depot. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/what-strategy-should-stock-pickers-use-in-2019?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxbusiness%2Flatest+%28Internal+-+Latest+News+-+Text%29 |
When Will CNY Get Next Significant Snowfall? | Looks like January could be a dud as far as notable snow accumulation in Central New York. Rain is moving into CNY tomorrow (1-5-19) and we'll see some light freezing rain over the weekend. weather.gov Mark Wysocki, New York state climatologist and an atmospheric sciences professor at Cornell University tells Syracuse.com : Im afraid it may not turn out to be a very nice January for snow... dont see anything on the horizon for at least the next couple of weeks in terms of anything major. The one-month outlook from the Climate Prediction Center shows no major precipitation in CNY. cpc.ncep.noaa.gov Paul Pastelok, a meteorologist with Accuweather tells Syracuse.com There are a couple systems in January that could produce a little bit of snow...It may be just colder with flurries getting into February, not heavy accumulating snow. " NWS has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for CNY: Today and Tonight: After a dry day, rain will move into the region after midnight tonight into Saturday morning. Temperatures may be cold enough at first for brief light freezing rain, mainly for higher elevations of the Twin Tiers to Catskills with much lower chances towards the New York Thruway. Slick spots could occur on untreated roads. Saturday through Thursday: Another system could bring a wintry mix to the region late Monday into early Tuesday, potentially impacting travel. Monitor the forecast as details become clearer the next few days. Extended Forecast: Today: Sunny, with a high near 43. Southwest wind around 6 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Light and variable wind. Saturday: A chance of rain or freezing rain before 3 pm, then a slight chance of rain after 4 pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before 1 am, then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Sunday: A chance of snow showers, mainly before 9 am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Northwest wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Sunday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 13. Monday: A chance of snow after 4 pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Monday Night: Snow likely before 1 am, then snow, freezing rain, and sleet likely. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Tuesday: Snow, freezing rain, and sleet likely before 1 pm, then rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tuesday Night: A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Wednesday: A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 33. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Keep Up-To-Date Take us everywhere you go with our new App . Listen live with all of your favorite shows with fewer commercials. The new app lets you call, message or tweet at us anytime or send us photos and videos. The app also gives you the ability to receive notifications about breaking news, weather alerts, traffic advisories and school closings happening in and around Central New York. Winter Weather Preparation: Keep your cell phone charged and make sure you know where your backup power supply is. Make sure all your flashlights have fresh batteries. Fill your gas tank. You can use your car to keep warm and recharge devices. Have some food available that you dont need to cook. Download the WOUR App Youll receive local alerts, weather reports and more with push notifications. [ NWS , Syracuse.com , CPC ] | http://wour.com/when-will-cny-get-next-significant-snowfall/ |
Do 'Insider' Journalists Do Us All a Disservice? | I try to choose topics for this column that are not too inside. "Inside" meaning of interest only to news executives or news reporters or news junkies, as opposed to men and women of broader societal perspective, who I hope are the audience for these pieces. Today's column starts out inside. But it will soon go out, I promise, and when it does, will raise an important issue. Lou Dobbs, the former and present anchor of CNN's business program Moneyline, accepted a reported fee of $30,000 to make a speech last weekend to the Ford Motor Co.'s top dealers. Those who say "yes" cite the First Amendment. Those who say "no" cite a conflict of interest. If Lou Dobbs is beholden to the Ford Motor Co. for $30,000, there is the appearance (one hopes not the reality) of favoritism; i.e., that Dobbs might be tempted to report more optimistically on the company than he should, or perhaps ignore, or deliberately not seek, negative news about the automaker. What makes this less of a story than other cases of journalists taking big money from big business for small speeches is that Dobbs has said he is giving his fee to charity. He has also said, as has CNN, that he agreed to the Ford appearance before rejoining CNN, when he was, in other words, not officially a journalist. To turn down the engagement, thus, would have been to go back on his word. What makes this more of a story is the following: On the edition of Moneyline that aired the day before the speech, one of Dobbs' guests was Jacques Nasser, the CEO of Ford Motor Co. At the end of the interview, Dobbs said, "Well, Jacques, we wish you all the best." The inside story is now outside. For more than three years now, I have been reading mail from viewers of Fox News Watch. For more than six months, I have been reading mail from followers of this column. The most recurring theme of complaint in all these letters is not that the media tilt to the right or the left, but that they tilt toward existing power: That political reporters are too cozy with legislators, that sports reporters are too cozy with athletes, that business reporters are too cozy with chairmen of the board and that the result of these relationships is skewed journalism, reporting and commentary that takes the side of entrenched interests against those of the average man and woman. Whether Dobbs himself is too cozy with corporate heads is irrelevant; the point is that his interview with Jacques Nasser gives the impression that he is, and so is one more brick in a wall that decent, thoughtful, hard-working Americans are erecting between themselves and those who report to them. It is to me a remarkable irony. Journalists, especially those on television, live and die by their images. The star anchors pay more for haircuts than the rest of us pay for restaurant meals; they seek the advice of clothing consultants, makeup experts, sometimes voice and diction coaches. And then, once their images are perfectly sculpted, once they look like just the kind of folks you can trust to tell you the plain, unsullied truth on any topic of importance, they give air time to the CEO of the company that's about to fork over $30,000 to them for a few minutes of talk time at a convention. Maybe what they need is a behavior coach. | https://www.foxnews.com/story/do-insider-journalists-do-us-all-a-disservice |
Is Google working on a foldable Pixel phone? | As we wait for Samsungs foldable phone this year, and possibly a foldable tablet from Xiaomi, rumour has it that Google is planning for a foldable Pixel phone. This comes at a time when we are waiting for the affordable variants of the Pixel 3 (currently priced at Rs 62,990) and the Pixel 3 XL (Rs 71,245) that could be called the Pixel 3 Lite and the Pixel 3 XL Lite. The foldable Pixel device is likely to sport a design similar to what Samsung has planned for its phone with its Infinity Flex Display. While Samsung had showcased the flex display at the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC 2018) at San Francisco in November last year, Google announced at the Android Dev Summit, right after the SDC, that they were working on optimising Android to support foldable smartphones. A Russian blogger called Eldar Murtazin had claimed last year that of the seven smartphones Google was working on, one of them was a device with a flexible display. Of the seven, two phones have already made its debut as the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL. The remaining four are supposed to be upgrades of the current Pixel line, according to Murtazin. Murtazin also said in his blog that the Google phone with the flexible display was a 2020 prototype. Adding some weight to Murtazins claim, someone with the username @TechNavvi on Twitter said that Googles foldable smartphone is currently being worked on. He even tweeted an image which looks like a patent application. Google had announced in the Android Dev Summit last year that it was working on optimisations for foldable smartphones and they even had a dedicated session on Foldables to give a sneak peek into what was going on. We're optimising Android for this new form factor. And, making changes to help developers everywhere take advantage of the possibilities this creates for amazing new experiences, new ways to engage and delight your users, Stephanie Cuthbertson, Director of Product Management, had written in a blog post. Google had also mentioned at the summit that the optimisations would include a screen continuity feature to enable a smoother transition from screen to screen and a multi-resume feature that will allow multiple apps to run simultaneously on the unfolded screen. Android Q, the next iteration of the Android 9.0 Pie should include these optimisation features. However, Google has revealed nothing about this foldable smartphone yet and all of these are guess-timations at best. Well have to wait and watch. | https://in.pcmag.com/mobile/127816/is-google-working-on-a-foldable-pixel-phone |
Who Should (and Will) Win at the Golden Globes This Weekend? | Homecoming and A Star Is Born. Photo: Amazon Studios/Warner Bros. You may be doing a dry January, but I assure you Hollywood isnt. Sunday brings the Golden Globes, awards seasons tipsiest ceremony, a night so crazy that they hand out trophies for film and TV. While theyre a pivotal step in the Oscars race, the Globes are also good for a few completely unpredictable choices each year which is of course what makes them so fun to try to predict. Below, youll find Nate Jones (movies) and Jen Chaney (TV) make their best guesses at who the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will pile their celestial honors upon this year. Film Best Motion Picture, Drama BlacKkKlansman Bohemian Rhapsody If Beale Street Could Talk A Star Is Born Black Panther A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody both decided that running in the more prestigious Globes category was worth the risk, and both were rewarded with prime nominations. A Star Is Born seems an easy choice here, as its got everything the Globes usually go for an actor reinventing himself as a director, a singer reinventing herself as an actress, heck, theres even a musical element. The Globes leaving Sam Elliott off the Supporting Actor ballot could suggest that the HFPA is slightly cooler on ASIB than everyone assumes, but I think Bradley Coopers film has the star power to pull through. Should win: A Star Is Born Will win: A Star Is Born Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Willem Dafoe, At Eternitys Gate Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman This race looks like it will come down to Cooper versus Malek, who give two very different performances as two very different rock stars. (Though what I wouldnt give to hear Jackson Maine sing Fat Bottomed Girls ) Each has been nominated twice before at the Globes without a win, and while I still think Cooper is the Oscar front-runner, a win for Rami Maleks false teeth just feels like the kind of crazy little thing the Golden Globes would do. Rosamund Pike, A Private War The Globes gave Gaga a trophy back when she was just one of Ryan Murphys repertory players, and I dont think theyll be able to resist the temptation to do so again now that shes headlining a major Oscar contender. Should win: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born Will win: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy Crazy Rich Asians The Favourite Green Book Mary Poppins Returns Vice The Globes fell absolutely head over heels for both Green Book and Vice, giving them basically every nomination they were eligible for, and a few I swear they werent. (Did Sam Rockwell really spend two hours fine-tuning his SNL reel, or did I just hallucinate it?) Each is among the more polarizing of this years awards field, and Im looking forward to seeing Film Twitter going insane with rage when one of them inevitably takes home the win here. I think the HFPA will ultimately ride with Green Book, whose nominations in Director and Screenplay felt even more out-of-nowhere than Vices did. They could also avoid the whole mess by giving this to The Favourite, which wouldnt piss anyone off. Should win: The Favourite Will win: Green Book Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy Christian Bale, Vice Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns Viggo Mortensen, Green Book Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie Another ViceGreen Book face-off, and what a pair of faces they are! In one corner you have Viggo Mortensen, jaw agape, preparing to ingest an entire pizza pie; in the other, you have Christian Bale, snarling his way through prosthetics that make him look like a 60-year-old man from Wyoming. In a battle of two very big performances, I think the HFPA will likely go for the most striking transformation, and thats Bale. Should win: Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun Will win: Christian Bale, Vice Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns Olivia Colman, The Favourite Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade Charlize Theron, Tully Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians In the musical/comedy category, a tie goes to the actual musical. Blunt it is. Sam Rockwell, Vice The Globes neglected to honor Ali the year he took home the Oscar for Moonlight, going instead with Aaron Taylor-Johnsons psychotic turn in Nocturnal Animals. Making it up to him this year for a movie Globes voters loved seems like a no-brainer. Will win: Mahershala Ali, Green Book Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Amy Adams, Vice Claire Foy, First Man Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk Emma Stone, The Favourite Rachel Weisz, The Favourite If you figure that the Favourite actresses will split their vote, and First Man isnt winning anything, this one comes down to Adams versus King, both of whom are also competing against each other in Best Actress in a Limited Series. Adams is close to a shoe-in for Sharp Objects there, and while I could see voters spreading the wealth around, I think their love for the actress, and Vice, will power her to a win here, too. Should win: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk Will win: Amy Adams, Vice Best Director, Motion Picture Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Alfonso Cuarn, Roma Peter Farrelly, Green Book Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman Adam McKay, Vice Cuarn has been vacuuming up Best Director honors all season long, and with Roma ineligible in Best Drama, the incentive to honor him here is even stronger. Should win: Alfonso Cuarn, Roma Will win: Alfonso Cuarn, Roma Best Screenplay, Motion Picture Alfonso Cuarn, Roma Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk Adam McKay, Vice Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Green Book If Olivia Colman doesnt take home Best Actress in a Comedy, Screenplay seems a likely spot to reward The Favourites barbed wit. But keep an eye out here for Vice, the 2018 screenplay that certainly has the most writing. Should win: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite Will win: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite Best Original Song, Motion Picture All the Stars, Black Panther Girl in the Movies, Dumplin Requiem for a Private War, A Private War Revelation, Boy Erased Shallow, A Star Is Born The other day I found myself singing, In the show-how, show-how-er / in the shawa-shawa-shower. Anyway, its gonna be Shallow. Should win: Shallow, A Star Is Born Will win: Shallow, A Star Is Born Best Original Score, Motion Picture Marco Beltrami, A Quiet Place Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs Ludwig Gransson, Black Panther Justin Hurwitz, First Man Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns Mary Poppins feels like its lost a bit of momentum recently, which could provide an opportunity for First Man to eke out a win here. But you wont catch me betting against a musical in Best Score. Should win: Im writing in Nicholas Britell, whose Beale Street score somehow missed the cut at the Globes. Will win: Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns Best Motion Picture, Animated Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs Mirai Ralph Breaks the Internet Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Pixar has only gone home empty-handed in the Globes animation category once, in 2011, when Cars 2 lost to Adventures of Tintin. I think this is the year another of the studios sequels loses to another groundbreaking comics adaptation. Should win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Will win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language Capernaum Girl Never Look Away Roma Shoplifters In some precursors, voters have chosen to treat Best Foreign-Language Film as a sort of runner-up award, giving it to Pawe Pawlikowskis black-and-white romance Cold War after rewarding Roma higher up the ballot. But Cold War didnt make it in at the Globes, and given the ceremonys relative lack of craft categories for Alfonso Cuarns film to compete in, I dont see anything standing in Romas way here. Should win: Roma Will win: Roma TV Best Television Series, Drama The Americans Bodyguard Homecoming Killing Eve Pose In most of its TV categories, especially the big ones, Golden Globe voters tend to lock into the newest, buzziest shows. Thats why, even though The Americans deserves to win in this category, it wont. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has never nominated it before, so its inclusion counts as the groups way of making up for that error. But the FX spy series may seem too much like old news to actually win. All four of the other nominees are coming off of their first seasons, but I think the choice will come down to two: Killing Eve, the British spy thriller that happens to stars Globes co-host Sandra Oh, or Homecoming, the Amazon psychological thriller that happens to star Julia Roberts in her television-series debut. Yes, thats the same Julia Roberts who has nine Golden Globe nominations to her credit and three wins for her film work. The HFPA kinda likes her, and I suspect its members may appreciate Homecomings 70s conspiracy vibe enough to give it the edge. Should win: The Americans Will win: Homecoming Best Television Series, Comedy Barry The Good Place The Kominsky Method Kidding The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel The last time the Golden Globes gave the best comedy award to the same series two years in a row was in 2010 and 2011, when Glee scooped up back-to-back wins. The rarity of consecutive victories doesnt rule out the possibility that the Globe will once again go to The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, last years victor. But I think that makes it less likely. As for which one out of the other four nominees has the best chance, honestly, this is pure guesswork. As much as the HFPA loves Jim Carrey, Im not sure the dark and quirky Kidding will win over enough voters. On the dark and quirky front, I suspect Barry has a better chance of winning. Meanwhile, The Kominsky Method has a couple of things that work in its favor: celebrated Hollywood veterans (Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin) as its stars and the fact that if it is announced as the winner, 70 percent of viewers will go, What the hell is The Kominsky Method? Only at the Golden Globes is that an advantage, one that I refer to as the Mozart in the Jungle Rule. is telling me that The Good Place is going to win this thing. The series isnt new, but its taken a while for it to develop a fervent following, so it still has some fresh shine on it. Plus, the Golden Globes has been kind to another Mike Schur-produced series, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Also, if The Good Place wins, Twitter will explode. I realize social-media response has nothing to do with how awards should be decided, but this is the Golden Globes and normal standards simply dont apply here. Should win: Barry or The Good Place Will win: The Good Place Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Assassination of Gianni Versace Escape at Dannemora Sharp Objects A Very English Scandal The Alienist HBO has won in this category more than any other network, which seemingly gives Sharp Objects an advantage. The Assassination of Gianni Versace won the Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series, which seemingly gives that entry an advantage. (The Emmys and the Globes dont always align in this category, but they frequently do.) Escape at Dannemora may be top of mind since it just finished its run, plus it boasts movie-star talent in front of and behind the camera, both advantages as well. Still, I am betting on A Very English Scandal, the BBC mini-series about the relationship between MP Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) and his persistent ex-lover (Ben Whishaw), to potentially sway the crucial U.K.-based and European bloc of members of the HFPA. Should win: Sharp Objects Will win: A Very English Scandal Best Actor in a Television Series, Drama Jason Bateman, Ozark Stephan James, Homecoming Billy Porter, Pose Richard Madden, Bodyguard Matthew Rhys, The Americans The consensus among Gold Derbys Golden Globe predictors, including myself, is that this will either go to James, whos had a breakout year thanks to his performances in both Homecoming and If Beale Street Could Talk, or Matthew Rhys, who won the Emmy in this category for his superb portrayal of Philip Jennings on The Americans. (Ill also say its possible that Billy Porter, who infused Pose with so much spirit and pathos, could pull off an upset.) While the Globes usually trend toward whatevers new, sometimes they give a trophy to an actor whos clearly long overdue, much like they did with Jon Hamm in 2015. I guess what Im saying is that Matthew Rhys will be this years Jon Hamm. Yes. Mmmm, not sure. I dont see Moss winning again or Balfe winning for a first time. Like the Best Drama category, I think this comes down to Killing Eve and Oh versus Homecoming and Roberts. Both women give terrific, award-worthy performances. But its harder for me to imagine the HFPA overlooking Roberts. Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Donald Glover, Atlanta Bill Hader, Barry If Michael Douglas were not in the mix, Id say the trophy here would either go to Jim Carrey, a favorite of the HFPA, or Bill Hader, who already won the Emmy for Barry. But Douglas, a 12-time Globes nominee, five-time winner, and previous recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award is in the mix, and my best guess is that voters will lean his way. Should win: Bill Hader, Barry Will win: Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy Kristen Bell, The Good Place Candice Bergen, Murphy Brown Alison Brie, GLOW Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Debra Messing, Will & Grace Rachel Brosnahan, last years winner, is fantastic in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But, unlike at the Emmys, there are rarely back-to-back wins in this category. (Fun fact: Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been nominated five times for Veep but has never won not even once!) For that reason, I doubt Brosnahan will win. Instead, Im looking at either Alison Brie, who goes from big to subtle and funny to dramatic in GLOW, or Kristen Bell, who strikes me as a strong contender, especially if the voters opt not to reward The Good Place for Best Comedy. Should win: Honestly, its a three-way tie between Brosnahan, Bell, and Brie. Will win: Kristen Bell, The Good Place Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso Daniel Brhl, The Alienist Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal Darren Crisss performance as Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace was a breakout moment for the actor. It won him an Emmy, and theres a good chance it could win him a Golden Globe, too. But he faces some tough competition, particularly from Hugh Grant, who does some of the best work of his career as the smug, duplicitous Jeremy Thorpe in A Very English Scandal. Im betting that the HFPA will find Grant too hard to resist. Should win: Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal Will win: Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Amy Adams, Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora Connie Britton, Dirty John Laura Dern, The Tale Regina King, Seven Seconds Wow, is this a competitive category. As strong as all the contenders are, though, I think it will come down to three nominees: the fantastic Regina King in Seven Seconds; Patricia Arquette, who physically transforms into Tilly Mitchell in Escape at Dannemora; and Amy Adams, whose damaged Camille dominates Sharp Objects. All three of these women have been nominated at the Globes before, but Adams has the most nods to her credit counting her two this year for Sharp Objects and Vice, she has nine as well as two wins. In other words, the HFPA likes her, and with a selection committee this small (there are roughly 90 members of the Foreign Press Association), a track record of being liked matters. Should win: Amy Adams, Sharp Objects Will win: Amy Adams, Sharp Objects Best Supporting Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method Kieran Culkin, Succession dgar Ramrez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal Henry Winkler, Barry This is a tough call. Both Winkler and Arkin are industry veterans a potential plus with the HFPA. A wave of support for The Assassination of Gianni Versace could push Ramrez into the winners column, and lets not overlook Kieran Culkin, the best smarmy entitled richie on TV last year. But I keep getting stuck on Ben Whishaw, who is heartbreaking and maddening in equal measure in A Very English Scandal. I think that mini-series could wind up doing a mini-version of the Limited Series sweep Big Little Lies pulled off last year. Should win: Ben Whishaw or Henry Winkler Will win: Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal Best Supporting Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects Penlope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace Thandie Newton, Westworld Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaids Tale While all the women in this category are deserving, the two front-runners seem to be Alex Borstein, nominated for Mrs. Maisel for the first time this year, and Patricia Clarkson, the passive-aggressive mommie worstest in Sharp Objects. I can imagine either of these ladies winning, so its ultimately going to come down to whether the HFPA love for Mrs. Maisel is stronger than its love for Sharp Objects. (I also wouldnt rule out the possibility of an upset, perhaps by Cruz.) But my hypothesis is that Clarkson will prevail. Should win: Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects Will win: Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects | https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/2019-golden-globes-predictions.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fvulture+%28Vulture+-+nymag.com%27s+Entertainment+and+Culture+Blog%29 |
How much money would Mike Trout get in free agency right now? | In short: Its almost unfathomable. In slightly longer: This is a pointless exercise, as Mike Trout signed an extension with the Angels just before the 2014 season that locked him up through the end of the 2020 campaign. Had he not, he wouldve hit free agency last year, so he never would have hit the market at the same time as Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. But since Harper and Machado are free agents right now and the baseball world has little to do besides track rumors and troll their Instagram accounts for clues, its fun to imagine what type of contract Trout might get if he were looking for a new club this winter. And its fun, in part, because most assume that Harper and Machado will both score unprecedented deals, and Trout has just been so, so much better than Harper and Machado. Across the course of their big-league tenures, Trout has been better than Harper and Machado combined. By WAR no matter which version you use Trout has a higher career total than those of the offseasons two hottest commodities put together. Hes 11 months older than Machado and 14 months older than Harper and he had a little bit of a head start on his career, but he has also finished with a higher WAR (again, in both the Fangraphs and baseball-reference versions) than Harper and Machado combined in two of the last three seasons. Thats no knock on Harper or Machado, as theyre both great players. Its just that Trout is off the charts. Trout has the highest WAR at his age of all position players in MLB history. He is unprecedented. Regular readers of this sites Mike Trout coverage likely understand this already, but attempting to draw comparisons between Trout and any active big league player only does both players a disservice. He has dusted his contemporaries in practically every offensive category, and he adds value with good range an an accurate arm in center field and with great instincts and speed on the basepaths. Add that all up, and it makes it difficult to even render a guess at what Trout would make on the open market. The MLB Trade Rumors contract predictions which have proven very accurate on contract terms to date expect Harper to get a 14-year, $420 million deal and Machado to sign for 13 years and $390 million. Even if teams dont ultimately go quite sign off on contracts quite that long, the baseline for Harper and Machado seems the 13-year, $325 million extension Giancarlo Stanton signed with the Marlins after the 2014 season. Stanton, like everyone else on the planet, is also not as good at baseball as Mike Trout. But there are complicating factors on top of Trouts transcendent greatness. MLB teams have recently operated as though the sports collectively bargained luxury-tax threshold is a soft salary cap. And if youre looking at it that way, paying Trout something close to fair value for his services would mean tying roughly one third of your maximum payroll to one player. But then, that dynamic could shift if the MLBPA negotiates a better deal after the current one expires in 2021, so Trout like Harper and Machado would likely be best served inking a deal that includes an opt-out accounting for that potential adjustment to the market. The guess here is that, even in spite of the way teams are currently budgeting, Trout would clear $500 million in guaranteed money and assuming hes exclusively seeking the most riches and gives no weight to any other factors maybe even land something like a 12-year, $600-million deal. That sounds crazy, of course, since its so far above the current benchmark for big deals, But Trout, again, is at least that far above the competition that such a contract might in time prove a bargain. | https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/01/mike-trout-free-agency-how-much-so-much-mlb |
Did Ellen Just Get Kevin Hart His Oscars Job Back? More Importantly... Why? | Ellen DeGeneres has one of the most powerful platforms in show business. Its a platform that is hers to do what she wants with, and one that she takes seriously and uses responsibly. So for the life of me, I cant imagine how or why she used it to make a pitch for the Oscars to take Kevin Hart back, less than a month after the comedian resigned under pressure from his gig as host after past homophobic jokes resurfaced. The incredible and honest conversation, as DeGeneres teased at the end of Thursdays show, is being rushed to air Friday. (Excerpts of the conversation have already been released.) The host said she wanted to hurry the interview because she didnt want the audience to wait any longer to hear what Hart had to say. Its also, speaking a bit cynically, because she really, really wants Hart to be allowed to host the Oscars again. A former host herself, she probably knows that the closer the awards ceremony gets, the more likely the Academy is to pick another replacement. DeGeneres has called the Academy herself to ask them to rehire Hart, she says on her show. She tells us they still desperately want him, and would do whatever it takes to make it happen. DeGeneres took that as marching orders, it seems, to use her show as the greatest crisis management opportunity a star could ask for and pretty much assumed a one-woman position as Oscars hiring committee, whether or not she even has the authority. Youll finish watching the interview Friday under the assumption that the ball is in Harts court as to whether he wants to take the job back. Its all so...bizarre. Its not that Hart doesnt have a right to defend himself, reflect on the ugly time surrounding the publicizing of his past jokes and how he handled addressing them, reveal his true character, and move forward. Like many people, I was actually looking forward to that discourse. Its a valuable one about homophobia and its lingering harms and ramifications that needs to take place. That was made acutely clear by the reactions to anyone who pointed out or criticized Harts anti-gay jokes: A tidal wave of get over it, fag messages ridiculing those critics for being thin-skinned, at best, and vindictive in their political correctness, at worst. Both DeGeneres and Hart, in this conversation, were in positions of power to create a tangible change in our culture about responsibility, liability, humor, acceptance, and harm. (That Hart was in that position when the Oscars controversy came to be, and refused to engage in that conversation is part of why the demand for him to resign was so loud and passionate.) It should have been the teaching moment so many were waiting for. We take particular umbrageand are quite shocked, reallywith DeGeneres referring to those who brought up Harts past jokes and asked that he account for them as haters. There are so many haters out there on the internet, she tells him. Dont pay attention to them...You cant let them destroy you. Its alarming that DeGeneres would amplify a dismaying argument in the debate, in which critics were portrayed as some mob out to get Kevin Hart and asking for his head the second they found out he joked about gay people. Thats a harmful and ignorant dismissal of those critics, the LGBTQ community, and the entire discourse. As Buzzfeeds Adam B. Vary pointed out on Twitter, The host of the Oscars had made anti-gay jokes, and LGBT people who love the Oscars were legitimately startled to see just how harsh his words were. As a reminder, those jokes included, among many other things, saying someone looked like a gay bill board for AIDS, and saying that one of his biggest fears is that his son would be gay, tweeting once that if he saw his son playing with a doll house he would break it over his head and say n my voice stop thats gay. There are countless instances of him calling people fag as an insult. The people who pointed this out werent a mob with pitchforks. They were trying to understand Harts thinking at the time of the jokesthe humor and the intentand what he thinks of them now that he is one of the industrys most popular family-friendly entertainers, given one of the most prestigious entertainment slots in the business at the Oscars. The belief that those who found these jokes were out to get Hart reflects a lack of understanding of how Twitter and the internet works. Twitters search function surfaced all of them in secondsas Vary says, there was no malicious attackand that search was triggered by many people who remembered and could easily Google a fairly notable controversy Hart weathered just a few years ago over the jokes. It should have been the teaching moment so many were waiting for. Hart repeated his exasperation that he was being forced to apologize again for the jokes. We get that. Were just as exasperated having to point outagainthat he never apologized in the first place and instead maintained that funny is funny, venturing that he probably wouldnt make the jokes again in current more sensitive times. It is not an attack when Oscars fans want an explanation of how Hart has evolved since making those jokes. For DeGeneres to perpetuate the narrative that it is marks a dismaying turn from her, as does her mischaracterization of responsible critics using their platformsones much smaller than hers, though vulnerable to their own volume of hate speechas haters. The host has been outspoken in recent years about the toll it takes on a person to demand respect for their identity and to risk their career doing it. She talks about what a lonely, scary time it was for her after she came out and her career fell apart, and how depressing and illuminating it was to realize that prejudices and hate that she thought had evolved out of the public mindset, or at least her industry, were still very much alive. The stormy debate that followed Harts Oscars controversy revealed that, decades later, those mindsets are still around. With social media, they have more volume. No matter how confident a person is and how much conviction they have in what theyre saying, the words at that volume still hurt, still harm. We were excited for DeGeneres and Hart to talk about just that. Instead, DeGeneres essentially told Hart he didnt have to. She gave him the floor to vent about how everything went down, and then pivoted the conversation to one about a job opportunity and the politics of getting it back. (It should also be pointed out that Hart chose to do this very public interview just before he has a new movie coming out. Of course he would have to and should have addressed this eventually. But the timing bears noting.) Heres the thing that must be said: I do not think Hart is homophobic. I do think Hart should have been asked to apologize and explain, and I do not think he, still, has done that. Theres this idea that nothing Hart does or says would be enough for the snowflakes out for blood over some old tweets. Thats not the case. This whole controversy has yielded nothing but negativity: toxic arguments and insults; the loss of a job; the tarnishing of an institution and an awards show, the Oscars, that so many people love; and the incessant republishing of hateful speech with no valuable conversation about it. We actually wanted something positive to come from all this, and thought the Ellen interview would be just that. Instead, the interview was crassly opportunistic. Only twice in Oscars history has a host been named later than this, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That could be owed to the struggle to nail down someone to take an already difficult-to-sell job in the wake of what happened with Hart, who is a friend to many in the industry. It could also be owed to the Academy, as DeGeneres suggests, still mulling over a route in which it could actually have Hart back. After everything that has happened and how strong the feelings are about Hart in relation to this gig, Im not sure how anyone wins in that scenariohonestly, including Hart. But who knows. It could happen that the Academy takes him back, even after urging him to resign. Theres that saying about things that are too little, too late. It may be the one clich that doesnt apply in Hollywood. | https://www.thedailybeast.com/did-ellen-just-get-kevin-hart-his-oscars-job-back-more-importantlywhy?source=articles&via=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29 |
Did I Miss Out On A Deal Because I Didn't Buy a Car Before The New Year? | As Jalopniks resident car buying expert and professional car shopper, I get emails. Lots of emails. Ive decided to pick a few questions and try to help out. This week we will discuss whether or not you missed out on deals if you didnt buy before the New Year, and how to hedge against high mileage depreciation. We are/were looking at either a new Toyota Highlander, RAV4, Honda Pilot or CRV, and as the money came last Friday, we tried to rally to get a deal before the end of the year. After test driving them all over the weekend, we had zeroed in on the CRV as fitting our lifestyle and were lining up an offer. That is until I stumbled across the rating question on Consumer Reports related to the engine issues plaguing the 2017 and 2018. We tried to double back and go with the 2018 RAV4, but the dealer was down to a few left and decided they were no longer willing to negotiate on them. So we did nothing. We are thinking about going after a Highlander now, but technically the Toyota incentives have expired. A common car buying myth is that if you want to score a deal you need to do so the last week of December right before the New Year because dealers are desperate to make sales for both the end of the month and the end of the year. Ive covered before why this isnt always the case, but I can tell you that you probably didnt miss out on the deal of a lifetime. Most of those savings come in the form of discounts and rebates from the manufacturer, so the dealers ability to discount the car out of their own profit margins doesnt really change from month to month or year to year. If they want to offer an aggressive price at or even below their invoice cost, they can do so. Furthermore, with import brands tend to have fewer rebates compared to some of the massive sales like the domestic brands such as GMs Employee Pricing Program. If you are looking at cars that are in very popular segments like compact and mid-size crossovers like a Honda CR-V or a Toyota Highlander, those are going to sell wellthe automakers dont really need to put a lot of cash on the hood. Therefore, youre primarily working with the best dealer discount anyway. One thing you want to know about Toyota is that rebates can vary from region to region, and the rebate follows the dealer, not the buyer. I had a customer in the New York City metro area buy a Tacoma near Philly because the dealer was willing to offer a steeper discount, but in addition to that Toyota was offering stronger rebates in that region that resulted in more savings. It pays to spread your net wide. Just wondering if you have some general advice on this. If keeping the car longer than the loan duration obviously that gets negated. Lets say for this case its trading in the car at around 3 years on a 5-year loan. Are there leases that would allow for that sort of mileage and would they even make financial sense. If you are going to buy a car and really rack up the miles there are a few ways to approach this. First, you can get something that has already depreciated, but given the mileage that means you would likely run out of warranty pretty fast. The other option is to buy something brand new, if that works for your budget, that will hold its value. Look into a high-value car like a Honda CR-V or Subaru Outback, as even with a lot of miles on them their resale numbers should still be solid. Sedans are great deals right now but theyre not holding their value. Now Is the Time to Buy a Sedan<em></em> Also if you have the ability to drop a sizable down payment and establish a lot of upfront equity to keep you ahead of the curve, that would be recommended. Hedging yourself with extra payments certainly isnt a bad idea, but you could also stash those extra payments away into a separate fund in case you need to use it to balance the scales on an underwater loan. High mileage leases are sometimes an option but they are usually very expensive. I would suggest you stick with a purchase over a lease. Email me at [email protected]! Read more | https://news.yahoo.com/did-miss-deal-because-didnt-175000959.html |
How Does Government Intend To Ensure The Purchase Of Groundnuts For The 2018/2019 Trade Season? | 0 SHARES Share Tweet The Minister of Agriculture needs to issue a statement after consultation with the National Food Security Processing and Marketing Corporation (formerly GGC), to inform the public of the real state of affairs of the groundnut marketing season. The Agriculture Ministry is the policy and service arm of the State, regarding the agricultural sector. They should be able to keep track of what is happening in the sector from production, marketing and preparation for the next season, and keep the public well informed. This has never happened in the past and it should happen now. Some farmers continue to follow their income from sale since the last trade season, without knowing whether Government was in the know of how they became creditors, instead of recipients of hard-earned income. This should not repeat itself. The public deserves to be informed. | https://foroyaa.gm/how-does-government-intend-to-ensure-the-purchase-of-groundnuts-for-the-2018-2019-trade-season/ |
Which Jets landed on All-Pro teams? Did Jamal Adams get snubbed? | Jets safety Jamal Adams was thrilled to find out he was Pro Bowler when the NFL released the rosters for its annual all-star game a few weeks ago. But Adams will have to wait at least another year before he can call himself a First-Team All-Pro player. The 23-year-old did land on the Associated Press' All-Pro list when it was announced Friday, but he landed on the Second Team. The Jets' only First-Team All-Pro selection was kick/punt returner Andre Roberts. Jets' 2019 salary cap situation Kicker Jason Myers was snubbed altogether. The Ravens' Justin Tucker and Giants' Aldrick Rosas landed the first- and second-team spots, respectively. Myers, Roberts and Adams are the Jets' three Pro Bowl representatives. Adams was beat out by the Bears' Eddie Jackson and Chargers' Derwin James for the two first-team safety positions. Jackson intercepted six passes and scored two touchdowns in his second season, while James notched 3.5 sacks and three picks as a rookie. For his part, Adams tallied one interception, 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles this season. He was graded as the second-best safety in the league this season by ProFootballFocus.com, behind only Jackson. Adams received an 89.7 grade, while Jackson finished with a 93.2. James finished fifth at 88.3. Still, Roberts and Adams are the Jets' first AP All-Pro selections since 2015, when Brandon Marshall and Muhammad Wilkerson made the second-team. Roberts is the teams first first-team selection since Darrelle Revis in 2011. He is the 27th Jet ever to be named to the APs First-Team All-Pro. Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook. | https://www.nj.com/jets/2019/01/which-jets-landed-on-all-pro-teams-did-jamal-adams-get-snubbed.html |
Should Virginia name Northern Neck Ginger Ale the states soft drink? | RICHMOND, Va. Virginias state bird is the Cardinal, state tree is the American Dogwood, and the state insect is the Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. Del. Margaret Ransone (R 99th) would like it to be Northern Neck Ginger Ale. Del. Ransone, whose district includes the Norther Neck, filed a bill in the 2019 Virginia General Assembly to officially name Northern Neck Ginger Ale Virginias state soft drink. If passed, Northern Neck Ginger Ale will join other beverages such as milk (state beverage) and George Washingtons rye whiskey (state spirit) as honored drinks. The push for Northern Neck Ginger Ale began last summer with a petition that garnered hundreds of signatures. In 1926, a beverage of superior deliciousness was created in the small town of Montross, Virginia, the petition stated. It was enjoyed by the local populace for years, eventually making its away across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Share your thoughts with the newsroom. | https://wtvr.com/2019/01/04/northern-neck-ginger-ale/ |
How should micro-entrepreneurs pay taxes in Azerbaijan in 2019? | By Trend Since January 1, 2019, amendments to tax legislation have entered into force in Azerbaijan, which include the changes in the tax payment for micro-entrepreneurs, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Taxes told Trend. The questions about the tax payment procedure from this year have arisen. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Taxes clarified the new tax payment procedure and benefits which will micro-entrepreneurs, who until this year were simplified tax payers, will receive. Moreover, before the changes, there was no need for the simplified tax payers to register their income and expenses as the tax on goods (work and services) was calculated without deducting expenses and therefore, the accounting was not conducted properly. The main purpose of the simplified tax is to reduce the tax burden for those engaged in small entrepreneurship, as well as reduce the administrative burden and avoid additional documentation. However, the ministry stressed that some entrepreneurs have recently used a simplified tax to pay less. "A number of big enterprises divided their business into several smaller companies to become simplified tax payers, and thus avoiding paying other taxes [legal entities are exempt from VAT, profit tax and property tax, while individuals do not pay VAT and income tax]," the ministry said. In some cases, entrepreneurs working in Baku [the simplified tax rate was four percent in Baku until 2019] registered their business in the regions to pay two percent [simplified tax rate for the regions]. Thus, they created big problems for tax accounting. "As a result, presently, more than 90 percent of taxpayers registered in the country are tax payers, the ministry said. The share of this tax in tax revenues is slightly above five percent, while in many countries this figure is about 40 percent." To prevent such abuses, changes were made to the Tax Code and new provisions that limited the number of simplified tax payers were included. Thus, according to the changes, since 2019, individuals who have more than ten employees who are engaged in the wholesale trade of gold, golden jewelry and other household goods, leather goods, as well as individuals engaged in licensed activity (except for the construction of buildings) can not be simplified tax payers. From this year, these taxpayers will pay income tax. Individual entrepreneurs, working on the basis of civil law contracts, will pay taxes on income, taking into account benefits starting from this year, the ministry said. Namely, 75 percent of the income and profits of microentrepreneurs are exempt from taxes. For example, income of an individual microentrepreneur providing translation services is 3,000 manats and expenses are 1,000 manats. If expenses are deducted from income, a net income of 2,000 manats emerges. The tax from this amount is calculated as follows: 2,000-2,000*75 percent [a part that is exempt from tax] = 500 manats*20 percent=100 manats Thus, tax deductions will be 100 manats. Earlier, until 2019, these persons were payers of a simplified tax, and the rate on this tax was 4 percent in Baku (2 percent from 2019). That is, a person providing translation services, previously had to pay a simplified tax of 120 manats from the same income of 3,000 manats. The tax was calculated according to the following formula: 3,000*4 percent=120 manats The ministry noted that starting from this year entrepreneurs will be able to take advantage of a 75 percent benefit, even if they havent documented their expenses. Another important advantage is that taxpayers will need to submit tax reports only once a year (until now it was necessary to submit tax reports every quarter of the year). | http://www.today.az/news/business/177744.html |
How new IMO regulations to affect global oil market? | By Trend International regulations limiting sulfur in fuels for ocean-going vessels, set to take effect in January 2020, have implications for vessel operators, refiners, and global oil markets, Trend reports citing the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). EIA believes that stakeholders will respond to these regulations in different ways, increasing uncertainty for crude oil and petroleum product price formation in both the short and long term. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the 171-member state United Nations agency that sets standards for shipping, is set to reduce the maximum amount of sulfur content (by percent weight) in marine fuels used on the open seas from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent by 2020. These regulations are intended to reduce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants from global ship exhaust. "The choice of compliance path for vessels introduces a risk to refiners: if scrubbers become widely adopted, higher-sulfur residual oils might still be used, potentially reducing the value of existing and new refining units capable of upgrading the residual oils," said a report released by EIA. One approach refineries could pursue is to divert more low sulfur distillate fuel into the bunker fuel market, which would mean ocean-going ships would be competing with trucks, heavy equipment, trains, and planes for supplies of distillate fuels at a time when global demand for distillate is already high, according to the report. EIA experts believe that to respond to added demand for distillate fuels, refineries can increase the rate they process crude oil or invest and build more refinery capacity to produce distillate fuels. Both options would increase demand for crude oil. "Refineries might also choose to process crude oils that are lower in sulfur, yield a greater amount of distillates, and yield lower amounts of residual oils. Changes in the types of crude oil refineries purchase would then change how different crude oils are priced relative to each other and crude prices overall," said the report. The decisions refiners and shippers make in response to the IMO 2020 rules heavily influence one another, adding to uncertainty and complexity, according to EIA. | http://www.today.az/news/business/177721.html |
Do emoji have a place in serious conversation? | An emoji's message may be dependent on one's culture and what an image, object, or expression means in that particular place and at that particular time. A new paper looks at the and of using emojis in biomedical documentation. It's the return of pictographs, millennia later. You know, this one: . Putting aside for the moment that the symbol's official meaning is a phrase, not a word, we might also remember that its everyday meaning is actually a bit different: "laughing so hard I'm crying." Such ambiguity aside, it's indisputable that emoji - which have only been universally implemented since 2010 - have become important tools for shorthanding communication, especially for thumb-typists. Vikas O'Reilly and colleagues at Emory University have therefore raised a question about leveraging the communicative power of emoji in a more serious context: "Is it time to start using the emoji in biomedical literature?" Their thoughts are published in The BMJ, and they're thought-provoking. O'Reilly's team lays out the and . : Spin power, plus more fun and real-estate savings Emoji are undeniably fun as a means of imparting intended subtext. O'Reilly furnishes a handful of examples to make his case, including: "In this issue Dr. Superstar and colleagues report miniaturising themselves and repairing. oncogenic DNA mutations by hand ." "It is with great interest that we read the article by Dr Doe and colleagues ." Emoji's side-commentary powers have found a welcome place in today's snarky culture. It could be argued that the habits of the next generation of future medical researchers and writers may simply require accepting their use in a professional context since almost everyone under 30 uses emoji all the time. They could replace dry ranking symbols, such as asterisks and such, with pictographs. Well, depends who you ask, as in the case of the "face with tears of joy" character. An emoji's message may be dependent on one's culture and what an image, object, or expression means in that particular place and at that particular time. O'Reilly mentions as an example the "call me hand" (), which "is likely to be interpreted very differently by Hawaiians, Southern Californians, and coastal Brazilians (ie, shaka brah )." Likewise the peace sign () in America, which, turned around in the UK, is "f#%k you." What's tempting, though, about emoji is the way in which they can often seem to convey a complex meaning in a single character. O'Reilly offers an example of how much space could be saved if: A young child admitted by ambulance to an emergency department, in whom a rare disease is uncovered after unrevealing diagnostic studies and failed attempts at conventional treatment. This is a problem. Medical documentation has an obvious need for an exemplary level of clarity, since misreadings could be devastating for researchers, doctors, customers, and/or patients. It seems obvious that the introduction of emoji would make biomedical writing less clear, not more. "Ask your doctor," for example, becomes the iffy " your ." It's nearly impossible to construct complex emoji passages that can be reliably translated. Consider this: If you search for emoji translators on the web, nearly every one you find, and there are lots of them, translates your language into emoji, not the other way around. This suggests creating an emoji story is a lot easier than interpreting one. To illustrate a point, here are four of the web's big science/medicine headlines of 2018 in emoji form, translated by one of those online emoji translators. (Answers are at the bottom of the article.) Even if using emoji in biomedical documentation made sense, there would still be technical issues. First, there's the lack of standardisation. O'Reilly notes as an example just how many versions of Santa and Mrs Claus there are, not that they come up in much in the life sciences. In addition, some medical publication platforms don't yet even support the emoji character set. It seems the whole idea of using emoji for critical communication is a bit as things currently stand - or at least way ahead of its time - in biomedical documentation. This would be true, in fact of any writing that's a matter of or . Written by Robby Berman, Contributing Writer, Big Think. This article was republished courtesy of the World Economic Forum. | https://ewn.co.za/2019/01/04/do-emoji-have-a-place-in-serious-conversation |
Why Iranian petrochemical products not easy to substitute? | By Trend Importers of Iranian petrochemical products cant easily find an alternative to them, according to deputy head of Iran Association of Petrochemical Industry Corporation (APIC) Fariborz Karimai. "Iran exports petrochemical products in large volumes. Petrochemical products, methanol, carbamide and polymer products have a considerable share in the world market," Trend reports citing Karimai, who was interviewed by Mizan news agency. Therefore, the countries, which have worked out a program for importing petrochemical products from Iran cannot easily find an alternative for those products, he said. He went on to add that petrochemical products find a market before production, therefore, the export of these products is carried out in accordance with long-term programs. Reportedly, the statistics show that the production of Irans petrochemical plants stood at 36.7 million tons in the first eight months of the current Iranian year. Major part of this volume accounts for Mahshahr and Asaluyeh counties with 12.908 million tons and 16.453 million tons, respectively. Iran has exported 14 million tons of petrochemical products worth $8.1 billion in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year, which started March 21, 2018. | http://www.today.az/news/regions/177719.html |
Is The World Getting Better Or Worse? | Uproxx / Getty Ever since the final days of 2016 little more than a month after Donald Trump was elected to the highest office in the land political pundits, influential voices, and social media stars have taken to dubbing individual years, the world at large, and all of humanity trash. They havent been deprived of solid reasons for drawing this conclusion, either. The past three years have seen kids in cages, sexual violence exposed across every segment of society, and an ecological doomsday warning. (These examples are limited by the rule of three, I could offer many, many more.) Its no surprise then that everyone wants to talk about how awful the planet is, how were headed towards extinction, how the invisible monsters from Bird Box are going to visit earth and decide to skip right over us because were doing a fine job destroying ourselves without them. If you have any faith in statistics, the answer to those questions are no and yes. Speaking globally, by virtually every metric available, the overall experience of humans living on earth is steadily progressing. Extreme poverty is plummeting; so is infant mortality. Secondary education rates are at their highest ever; illiteracy has hit an all-time low. Fewer people starve; more people live long lives. The number of wars and dictators are trending downward; the number of people living under democracy is headed up. And yet few people seem to think life is getting better. Roughly 6% of Americans take that view and were in the middle of the pack worldwide. Share This Video Facebook Twitter EMAIL The idea that things are better than were willing to admit has been posited before, most notably by Harvard Professor Steven Pinker, in his books Enlightenment Now and Better Angels of Our Nature and a very viral TED Talk. Pinkers basic thesis is an extrapolation and expansion of the data points listed above. His work revolves around the idea that things are, in fact, less trash than they were 30 years ago. As a public figure, hes optimistic, smiling, and has supreme faith in the universes slow arc toward justice. Bob Ross for intellectuals. In his TED talk and books, he unpacks how the very idea that everything is a cesspool is short-sighted and often media-driven. He urges us to look at the big picture for evidence that progress is being made. The media aspect of Pinkers argument is undeniable. Negative stories click. Outrage is a better seller than sex. And though Trump has co-opted the term fake news and permanently muddled its meaning, the fact that every outlet on earth uses the most sensational possible takes on every single story while crafting headlines in order to compete desperately for your click has certainly contributed to our constant state of collective anxiety. (As Parker Molloy notes, Trump boosted online media because hes the easiest rage click in the business but hes also advanced its collapse because hes sparked fast and loose journalistic practices.) The stories we see are real, after all. There are school shootings. Species are going extinct. We do have children dying in government captivity at our borders. Shitty stuff happens every day, so its natural that we react especially in a country where agnostic humanism is on the rise. (When theres no rapture to look forward to its a lot harder to tolerate misery in this life.) Pinker understands all of this. In fact, he says in his TED talk, Progress does not mean that everything becomes better for everyone, everywhere, all the time. But he wants us to take the 1000 yard view and see the historically awful forest for the statistically less awful trees. Its a tall order for people staggering under the weight of loans or institutional bigotry. Even the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years is unable to charm us when we have to hustle 60 hours a week to cover rent. On top of all that, the internet in general and social media in specific have made gathering bad news tremendously easy. And while our increasing access to information could deliver good news to our fingertips too, it typically doesnt (Upworthy is the now-mostly-defunct outlier here). | https://uproxx.com/news/is-the-world-getting-better-or-worse/ |
When is The War of the Worlds on TV? Who is in the cast? | Eighty years after an infamous radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds supposedly sparked a mass panic that the world was ACTUALLY ending, the BBC is gifting us with a brand-new adaptation of the HG Wells sci-fi novel. Advertisement Eleanor Tomlinson, Rafe Spall, Robert Carlyle and Rupert Graves will star in the three-part series, written for television by Doctor Whos Peter Harness. The show was announced in spring 2017 and production began in April 2018, with filming taking place in Liverpool. Eleanor Tomlinson and Rafe Spall play George and Amy, a couple defying the prejudices of society as they attempt to start a life together, all the while swerving the ongoing chaos of an alien invasion. Tomlinson is best known for her role as Demelza in Poldark. She also recently starred in Ordeal by Innocence, as Mary Durrant. Spall, son of Timothy Spall, has starred in One Day, Prometheus, Life of Pi and The Big Short. Also joining them are Robert Carlyle as astronomer Ogilvy, and Rupert Graves (Sherlocks DI Lestrade) as Georges brother Frederick. Its fantastic to have Rafe and Eleanor leading such a brilliant cast of British acting talent in the BBCs faithful adaptation of H.G. Wells legendary story, said Tommy Bulfin, BBC commissioning editor, in a statement. The War of the Worlds (1897) is a novel by English author HG Wells, who also wrote The Time Machine and became known as the father of science fiction. Its one of the earliest books to tell the story of a conflict between mankind and an extraterrestrial race in this case, Martians. When a strange object lands in the heart of England and hatches, the inhabitants of Earth find themselves under attack from ruthless aliens armed with heat rays and poisonous smoke. Unlike Steven Spielbergs 2005 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning, the BBCs version will be true to the original period and setting. HG Wells seminal novel has been adapted for the screen many times, but its always had a contemporary (and American) setting, director Craig Viveiros said. This is the first version to be set in London and [its environs] during the Edwardian period. However, George and Amy Spall and Tomlinsons characters are a new addition. Advertisement Writer Peter Harness added: The version of The War of the Worlds that I wanted to make is one thats faithful to the tone and the spirit of the book, but which also feels contemporary, surprising and full of shocks: a collision of sci-fi, period drama and horror. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-01-04/when-is-the-war-of-the-worlds-on-tv-who-is-in-the-cast/ |
When is Line of Duty back on TV? | Line of Duty is coming back to our screens for a hotly anticipated fifth series about police anti-corruption unit AC-12. Advertisement Jed Mercurios acclaimed thriller is lauded by viewers for the intricacy of its plot and its nail-biting interview scenes. Line of Duty began filming in September 2018 and is expected to air in early 2019. Speaking in September 2018, series creator Mercurio said: With Line of Duty were shooting series five now, and series six has been commissioned which were gonna shoot hopefully in the next couple of years. So yeah Line of Duty should be on air, series five early in 2019. Star Martin Compston revealed in December that he expected the new series to air in April 2019. I think round about April probably, he said on ITVs Lorraine. We just finish it and then we hand over to the BBC scheduling gods, but I think April has sort of been the time that they normally put it on. . The end of series four saw Line of Dutys network of bent coppers revealed itself to be even larger and more complex than AC-12 could have imagined, and they realised they had only scratched the surface of police corruption. We dont know very much about the fifth series, except that star Martin Compston teased that the script is immense and Mercurio said the new episodes feel like very fresh territory. Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston are confirmed to be reprising their roles as the officers of AC-12. Line of Duty usually has a guest star as the focus of each investigation previous series have seen Keeley Hawes and Thandie Newton among those to come under scrutiny but season fives casting is yet to be announced. Yes, Line of Duty has already been commissioned for a sixth instalment, which is set to film in the next couple of years. Mercurio has been busy writing Bodyguard another BBC1 drama featuring his Line of Duty star Keeley Hawes. Weve had a teaser Advertisement Line of Duty will return to BBC1 in early 2019 | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-01-04/when-is-line-of-duty-back-on-tv/ |
Who is Dancing on Ice judge Ashley Banjo? | Ashley Banjo has come a long way since he led his dance troupe Diversity to victory on Britains Got Talent in 2009, beating firm favourite Susan Boyle to the 100,000 prize. Advertisement Since then, hes established himself as a TV judge, currently sat on the panel of ITVs popular Dancing on Ice alongside Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean and Jason Gardiner for the second year in a row. Heres everything you need to know. Ashley Banjo the early years Born in Leytonstone, London in 1988, Banjo has always been a fond lover of dance, teaching himself routines since he was 14. In 2007, alongside his brother Jordan Banjo, he formed dance troupe Swift Moves, which eventually morphed into Diversity. After winning a street dance competition that year, the team decided to enter the third series of Britains Got Talent in 2009. Diversity on Britains Got Talent Although their routines were highly praised by judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, it was viral sensation Susan Boyle who was expected to score the contests 100,000 prize and coveted place performing at the Royal Variety. Hardly believing their victory, Banjo said at the time, I was saying guys, second!. When you said our name honestly, Im going to wake up in a minute. Since winning Britains Got Talent, dance troupe Diversity have completed eight tours, danced in the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games and are preparing for an anniversary tour in 2019, a decade after they won Britains Got Talent. Banjo also saw himself narrowly miss another Britains Got Talent victory last year, after his Diversity offshoot, DVJ, entered the talent competition. Banjos expertise in dance saw him take part in a series of related programmes, including comedy-drama film Streetdance 3D, and fronting all five series of Sky1s competition, Got to Dance, until the show was cancelled in 2014. Banjo also fronted two series of Ashley Banjos Secret Street Crew on Sky1, where himself, and a few other members of Diversity, teach a series of non-dancers a street routine before they perform in front of surprised family and friends at an event. Banjo returned to his judging roots for ITVs short-lived 2017 series Dance Dance Dance, which saw a collection of celebrities learn a series of routines alongside a friend or partner. In more recent times, Banjo has leant his choreography skills to ITV special The Real Full Monty in both 2017 and 2018, which saw a series of celebrities strip on screen in order to raise awareness for those who have suffered from cancer. Away from showcasing his own smooth moves, Banjo has also forayed into presenting. In 2015, he fronted an ITV special of Perspectives, where he explored the history of Michael Jackson and the inspiration behind the legendary 1984 Thriller video. He also teamed up with Zoe Ball to front BBC1s 2015 game show Cant Touch This, where contestants had to navigate a huge assault course in order to win a selection of prizes. His most recent foray into presenting is Channel 4s upcoming dating show Flirty Dancing, in which Banjo teaches two singletons a separate routine they then perform together when they first meet. Dance is my thing, he said. I am intrigued by how different people find the right person. When the concept came up, my first conversation to show producers was about how I met my wife dancing. It does happen. I know friends who met their other half through dance. I knew there was something in it, so I just wanted to explore it. Advertisement Dancing on Ice returns Sunday night at 6pm on ITV | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-04/dancing-on-ice-ashley-banjo-profile/ |
When is Silent Witness back on TV? | The BBC is relying on its big hitters to help begin 2019 with a bang, and thats great news for Silent Witness fans. Advertisement Series 22 of the long-running crime drama is set to air in January 2019 on BBC1. The BBC has confirmed that the new series will begin airing on Tuesday 8th January 2019 at 9pm on BBC1. Silent Witness has typically aired on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the 2019 series is set to begin on Tuesday night, with another new episode on Wednesday. It is not yet clear whether the series will revert to its usual time slots on Monday and Tuesday in future weeks. The BBC is broadcasting an FA Cup 3rd round tie on Monday 7th January, so that may explain the change in day. We will keep this article updated with more details closer to the time. The last series of the long-running crime drama finished in February, and filming for series 22 of Silent Witness began in April. Happy first day of filming to all our fantastic cast and crew on #silentwitness22 @Keestah @tracksgoggins @RichardStokes7 @CazGroves . You set the bar high @thelizcarr for behind the scenes photos. Cant wait to see you. Emilia Fox returns for her 14th outing as forensics expert Dr Nikki Alexander. Other cast members include David Caves as Jack Hodgson, Liz Carr as Clarissa Mullery and Richard Lintern as Dr Thomas Chamberlain. The BBC crime drama focuses on a team of forensic pathologists as they investigate various crimes. The series was first broadcast in 1996 and has been going ever since. Richard Lintern told RadioTimes.com at the BBC Worldwide Showcase: I think there was a conscious decision taken on this particular series of Silent Witness to focus on London, to bring London more in as a character than its been before. Silent Witness has been running since the 90s and goes out in more than 235 territories including New Zealand and the US, so its pretty likely that the crime drama will be re-commissioned for a 23rd series. I think it deserves to, as long as the storylines are good, Lintern said. David Caves added: As long as theres an audience and as long as it keeps evolving, which it has to do, then theres absolutely no reason why not. Advertisement This article was updated on 13th December 2018 | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-04/when-is-silent-witness-back-on-tv/ |
Is Target's popular weighted blanket actually worth it? | Like many people, I have anxiety. I am always looking for new ways to cope with it. After trying all the latest fads including countless essential oil diffusers, lavender-scented everything, white noise machines, and the weirdest meditation apps around, I was captivated by the illustrious weighted blanket. It has been said that weighted blankets help with anxiety, insomnia, sensory disorders, autism, and more. According to the PTSD Journal, the added weight releases serotonin into the body, which naturally converts into melatoninthe hormone that helps you sleepand the two work wonders on your body and provide comfort during a time of stress, depression or anxiety Weighted blankets are an incredible tool to utilize with all populations, says Vanessa Crespo, head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Carney Hospital. She says the added weight gives feelings of safety, relief, and comfort: think of a weighted blanket compared to swaddling a baby or thunder shirts for nervous dogs. Whether or not they actually work is a topic of debate, but one thing is for sure: a weighted blanket piqued my interest. Their high price point has kept me from investing in one of my own: most popular brands retail north of $100 on Amazon, and the less expensive options seemed of markedly poorer quality. Thanks to Target, its now at least an option. Credit: Target In October, Target released their own weighted blanket for only $69.99. The angels start to sing as a heavenly light shines upon the aisle in the back of your local Target. I had to find out, so we pitted a higher-priced, luxury-brand weighted blanket against Targets Tranquility blanketand what we found was pretty surprising. Putting the weighted blankets to the test Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech Most of the sources online about weighted blankets are published by specific manufacturers, so I wasnt sure what I could believe and what was just good marketing. To test the claims of these blankets, I spent weeks snuggling up with each blanket in various different positions, settings, couches, etc. to get a full-fledged analysis on both. It was such a struggle. The luxury brand: I started my testing with a 25-pound blanket by Rocabi ($240). I found myself literally dragging it across the floor from room to room because I could not easily carry it. This made it difficult to comfortably cover myself with it, since it was a workout in itself to get cozy. Many times, Id lie down on the couch or in bed and make my partner drop the blanket on me from above. Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech The Rocabi weighted blanket was so heavy, it was difficult to move beneath. Sleeping with 25-pounds on top of you is a struggle. It was nearly impossible to roll over, and many nights I found myself actually waking up from feeling so restricted and shoving the blanket onto the floor. Many studies show weighted blankets help with insomnia, but I found myself actually developing sleep issues from it! However, what really tanked this experience was the weight distribution. The weighted beads in the Rocabi blanket clumped to one area. The blanket has two layersa machine-washable plush exterior and the weighted interior layerwhich is nice in theory, but they are held together by weak clasps along the edges. These clasps are difficult to fasten and immediately come undone the second you move the blanket, which lands all 25 pounds sitting right on your knee caps, while your upper body feels none of the weight. It completely nullifies the experience. Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech These weak clasps were no match for the heavy weighted blanket insert. The budget brand: After two weeks in Rocabi-land, I switched over to Targets Tranquility weighted blanket ($70), a twin-sized blanket rather than Rocabis roomy queen. Targets Tranquility blanket was only 12-pounds which felt like next to nothing compared to Rocabi. I found myself enjoying Targets blanket with a lot more ease. I was able to carry it from room to room without breaking a sweat, and I could use it in a variety of positions I couldnt even imagine doing with the 25-pound one. Id comfortably sling it over my shoulders while playing on my laptop, or drape it over my legs, mimicking the feeling of my little Yorkie and Chihuahua back homethe light pressure felt like a tiny hug. Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech Target's Tranquility weighted blanket was cozy enough to drape over shoulders as a shawl. As for sleeping with the Target blanket, it was life-changing. I have never had trouble sleeping, but using this blanket made me sleep like the dead and wake up super refreshed. The lighter weight allowed me to roll over and adjust myself in my sleep as I pleased, without any struggle. This felt like a comforting hug that made it really hard to want to get out of bed in the morning. Best of all, the glass beads stayed proportionally spread out throughout the blanket. It did have its flaws, though. I wish it were biggerbut thats the catch in its low, low price. Unfortunately, there is no larger-sized blanket available by the same brand, and the blanket is also not machine washable and is spot-clean only, so after a while, itd get pretty gross. Some reviewers suggest putting a twin duvet on it as a DIY outer layer, though the weighted insert may cause an issue there. "Sleeping with Target's weighted blanket was life-changing." The surprising results Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech Lo-and-behold, Targets $69.99 weighted blanket was immensely better than Rocabis pricy option. The weight distribution of the glass beads and value of the inexpensive brand is far superior, although my ideal weighted blanket would be a good combination of the two: the Queen size, machine-washability, and plush exterior from Rocabi, mixed with the weight distribution, portability, and price from Target. And for my own personal preference, Id split the difference in the weight and get a solid 18-pound blanket. But if I had to pick a winner between these two, itd absolutely be Targets 12-pound Tranquility weighted blanket, hands down. Now keep in mind, although I absolutely love Targets weighted blanket it definitely didnt cure my anxiety. If anything, it sort of encouraged my depression by making it more enticing to stay in bed all day long. So while I highly recommend getting yourself a weighted blanket to assuage your sleeping troubles and anxieties, dont go into it with the idea that it will magically cure you. It may help you or it may not do a thingbut with Targets great price, its worth a try! How to choose the right weighted blanket for you Credit: Reviewed / Jessica Teich What to consider before buying a weighted blanket. Weight: Make sure that you get the right size and weight: it is essential to having a successful experience with your weighted blanket. Its recommended to use one thats 10% of your body weight for the best, most calming results. Size: Weighted blankets come in variety of different lengths and widths. Make sure youre choosing a blanket that fits your needs and lifestyle (I, for example, bought Targets weighted blanket without realizing it was only twin-sized while I wouldve much rather had a queen to wrap up in). These blankets come in varieties as well, such as lap pads or wraps that can be easily used during travel, at school, or on the go. Usability: We suggest a two-layered blanket for the same reason you might keep a duvet on your comforter: its easier to clean. Some blankets come with a machine-washable shell and and a weighted sleeve (like Rocabi), while others (like Targets) come as one-package deal. There are pros and cons to eachso make sure to think about this before you buy. Material: Purely a matter of personal preference, but after testing both, I found that I much preferred the minky texture of Rocabi's blanket. The most common fabrics are cotton, minky (the kind baby blankets are made of), fleece, linen-rayon blend, or flannel. Filler type: The most common fillers are glass beads and plastic poly pellets, there are other fillers you may come across, ranging from steel shot beads, sand, and riverstone pebbles. Some people are against poly pellets, since the poly stands for Polypropylene, a chemical compound and artificial resin. But dont be alarmedmost fillers are non hazardous, chemical free, BPA free, hypoallergenic and safe to use. Just make sure the check that the label says FDA-approved before buying! | https://www.reviewed.com/home-outdoors/features/target-tranquility-weighted-blanket-review?utm_source=usat&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=collab&utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-techtopstories |
Did Santander Cause 'Crisis At Christmas' Over Frozen Bank Accounts? | In the wake of Santander being fined 32.8 million (c.$41.35 million) this December by Britains Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), over mishandling thousands of dead customers money in their probate and inheritance processes and not treating their next of kin fairlyaccording to the regulator, news reached me that Santander U.K. had frozen a 92-year olds bank account for almost a year, making them almost homeless with no access to their savings. The British arm of the largest Spanish banking institution in the world, apologized over the failings after being hit with the fine for retaining millions of pounds back of deceased customer accounts after their deaths - in the probate and bereavement process. In one case they had held onto money for 21 years. This was among 40,428 customers who were directly affected as the bank had failed to transfer a total of 183 million (c.$231.8 million) of funds to beneficiaries when it should have done. The bank promptly transferred the majority of customer funds in the aftermath and according to Nathan Bostock, CEO of Santander U.K., have made significant improvements to our whole probate and bereavement process. But some may be wondering how it ever come to pass in the first and how the bank was able to return the money so swiftly after being fined. At the time, Bostock said: We have now transferred the majority of customer funds...ensuring we provide both a sensitive and efficient service to our bereaved customer representatives and those who are managing the estates of people who have passed away. Mark Steward, the FCAs executive director of enforcement and market oversight, stated in a press statement on December 19 from the regulator: These failings took too long to be identified and then far too long to be fixed. For reaching an early settlement Santander had its fine reduced by 30%, otherwise the bank could have faced fines of almost 47 million (c.$59 million). Santander breached Principle 3 and Principle 6 over more than a three-year period (from January 1 2013 and 11 July 11 2016), by failing according to The City watchdog to take reasonable care to organize and control its probate and bereavement process responsibly and effectively, with adequate risk management systems, and by failing to treat its customers and those who represented them on their death fairly. In particular, Santanders probate and bereavement process contained weaknesses that resulted in it failing to effectively follow-up on communications with deceased customer representatives, which increased the likelihood of probate and bereavement cases not being closed. But it is not the first time Spains biggest lender, which has long had one of the lowest core capital levels among its banking peers and saw its share price decline around 28% last year, has come a cropper and been fined. It counts Abbey National in Britain as a member of its group (a brand that ceased in 2010) and Bradford & Bingley, which was nationalized in late 2008 in what shareholder action group, BBAG, fighting for investor compensation have argued was a dubious act. Back in early 2015 Santanders UK arm was preparing for a compensation payout of 45 million (c.$56.7 million) following its fine for offering unsuitable investment advice to customers. And, a year before in March it was fined 12.5 million (c.$15.75 million) over poor investment advice. In 2013 it topped the bank complaints list from the then newly named Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). And, a little further back (February 2012) it was fined 1.5 million (c.$1.9 million) over the level of Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) cover for stock market-linked bonds and responding too slowly to customer queries (over some two years). The FSCS is the U.K.s compensation fund of last resort for customers of authorized financial services firms offering compensation of up to 85,000 (c.$107,000). Frozen Bank Accounts The above looked largely at Santanders probate and bereavement processes as well other historical weaknesses. Now we turn to the living and the case of one Daphne Fisher, a 92-year old living in sheltered housing in Bushey, Hertfordshire, who has around 7,000 (c.$8,812) in her current account with Santander. And, that is about all she has to her name. For around the last nine months (since April 2018) she had had her bank account frozen by Santander - without explanation - over what are described as anomalous transactions after reporting her cheque book stolen. In fact, the cheque book was not lost and had been mistakenly reported by Fisher. However, this did not stop the bank putting a block on her account over this entire period and over this Christmas and New Year (bar 5 minutes to allow a 200 (c.$250) withdrawal), which could have meant she was not able to eat or have gas to heat her dwelling. Potentially she could have been on the streets. In fact, lack of bank access lead to the bailiffs being called to her home because she could not pay the gas bill, which besides still not having been paid caused stress (although a cheque to the supplier had been written to British Gas in June 2018). A cheque written to her 71-year old son, who has compiled a potted history of the events and communications between the bank and himself that I have seen, reveal a number cheques including British Gas and her son - have been stopped (even though funds were available). One cheque for 1,400 (c.$1,762) was stamped PAYMENT STOPPED - AWAITING CONFIRMATION - PLEASE REPRESENT on August 31, 2018, despite sufficient funds being available. One letter delivered by hand by the son on behalf of Mrs Fisher to Santanders branch in Stanmore reads as follows: I am advised by the recipient of a cheque I issued to my son, which you have seen fit not to honor. I have funds in my account and you are holding my money and not honoring my instructions. You have made my ability to live untenable and my son is looking after me with everything - including paying my bills. I wish to close my account with immediate effect...and transfer the funds to the following payee. In a dossier half an inch thick detailing every significant event leading up to the present day around this distressing saga contains a series of emails, letters and telephone communications - over 30 in total - between the arthritic mother, her son and Santander from April last year. In the past month or so, a letter from a Finance Director at Santander has dismissed Fishers son and stated that they will not talk to him. Now I know freezing of customer bank accounts can happen what with issues around money laundering, KYC or proceeds of crime, but to deny a 92-year old access to the relatively small sum of money - all she has in the world - seems bizarre, puzzling and clearly distressing for the parties concerned. Santanders response has effectively been to say they are not at liberty to reveal why the account has been frozen - even after three visits by the mother with her son, a qualified chartered accountant in the West End with some 40 years experience, who told me when we met: I have never experienced anything like this. And, I, if anyone - a chartered accountant - should have been able to resolve matters given my accountancy background...but no. This is an accountant with experience who has dealt and corresponded with the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by email almost on a daily basis over the years, which he pointed out: HMRC have no problems with that. Exasperated at the situation, he added: They are totally dismissive. And, in the end they [Santander] wouldnt talk to me and nor would they write to me. They had previously told me they dont accept letters and yet theyve written to me. Theyve informed me I dont have any authority over my mothers account. However, theyve relied on things Ive said regarding my mothers capacity. Frankly, what right do they have to make that decision? Santanders branch in Stanmore, north London, told Fishers son we dont correspond by email. Even bringing the 92-year old to the branch to resolve matters when the account was under review yielded no more progress, before being told by the bank: We have made our decision and that is final. Added to that the account holders son was informed we are not client facing. Its like the computer says NO and matters are in a black hole. Furthermore, letters the bank said that they had sent were not received and a promised visit by bank officials from Santander to Fishers home never materialized. Having already got power of attorney for health and care, he has now applied for power of financial attorney (late November 2018), which is the process of being arranged. He added: On the one hand they [Santander] say they cannot listen to me because I am not authorized. Yet on the other hand they have taken what I said as being the reason why they closed my mothers account. How does that work? The only way to get access to the funds would, it seems, be when Mrs Fisher dies. And, this is where matters stand today. However, he and his mother are not alone. A few years ago in 2015 the Daily Telegraph reported that the Financial Ombudsman Service, the U.K.s official expert set up by Parliament to sort out problems with financial services, had received around 20 to 30 complaints per month from individuals who have been locked out of their accounts without any explanation. The newspaper stated: On this basis, given the small proportion of complainants who raise cases with the FOS in other areas, the number of people booted out by their bank is likely to be in the hundreds every month. Martyn James, an FOS spokesman, commenting at around this time said: We see a steady stream of calls and concerns over banks closing consumers accounts. The most frustrating thing for people in this situation is the bank does not have to give a reason for closing the account - and banks rarely do, or sometimes cant. Bank Processes & Regulation Part of the problem, is that from the banks perspective, they have become increasingly wary in recent years of the fines they could face if they fail to detect obvious fraud and money laundering - and particular in the U.S. It is process labelled de-risking. At the same time one wonders why Santander could not detect issues around their probate and bereavement far sooner, and only stood up once being founding wanted by the FCA. For the banks, detection is based on certain computer-detected patterns of behavior on an account and the anomalies that can be thrown up as a result. Moreover, as an unintended consequence of onerous regulation is that it is often not possible for a bank to explain say why it has taken such action like closing an account - due to so-called tipping off rules - that are designed to prevent criminals knowing that the authorities are on to them. David Woolcock, Director, Business Consulting at Eurobase Banking Solutions, which specializes in treasury management and dealer/trading support solutions, commenting on this latest situation [re. Fisher] said: It is a story of false positives by a computer. Until the fines the FOS and others can levy for incorrect closing of accounts are an equal deterrent to bad behaviour to the fines levied for money laundering, controls failings it will continue. He added: One can see parallels in wholesale Financial Markets. But it is galling to see the very people the FCA and other national competent authorities are meant to be protecting, suffer from the overzealous application of regulations enforced by large fines. It is time we moved on from the events of 2008-2015 and encouraged banks to use common sense rather than being mere slaves to the computers and having to enact what the machine flags up. It is surely a sad world when it is the retail customer that ends up being unable to get proper redress, while a larger institutional one does because they can initiate legal action and sue. As Woolcock put it: To my mind this should be investigated just as thoroughly as a financial market misdemeanor such as LIBOR rigging and fines of similar significance levied on those who inappropriately freeze accounts just based on a false positive. This whole issue around freezing bank accounts - and in particular the elderly and vulnerable - may just be the tip of the iceberg given the cases that actually surface. The bereavements and probate issues with Santander has now passed, but the case of Daphne Fisher could just be a precursor to an immeasurable larger number of people who are simply brow beaten by their banks because they do not have the money to fight. If you have also experienced a similar experience having your bank account(s) frozen do get in touch. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogeraitken/2019/01/04/did-santander-cause-crisis-at-christmas-over-frozen-bank-accounts/ |
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