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Is it OK to wear shorts to work during 'January casual'? | Model Georgia Fowler steps out in cropped pants and a mid-heel, a 'January casual' and polo staple. Credit:PA If you're lucky to be returning to work on Monday after the break, my condolences. See, for the past three years I have somehow drawn the short straw of working over the Christmas-New Year period (cue tiny violins). But one of the advantages of working through when everyone is off is no back-to-work blues the first Monday of January! Another plus for those of us working through yuletide is we've had a chance to get a head start on what many companies call "January casual". Whereas many businesses are jacket and trousers February through December, with the exception of Fridays at many places of employ, a growing number of companies allow their staff to wear smart casual until Australia Day. Increasingly, this means that women and men are allowed to wear shorts in the workplace. And while few companies I know go so far as to prescribe leg lengths (imagine the outcry if they dictated how wide women's dress straps needed to be, although Patricia Karvelas recently learned the hard way, thanks to an archaic rule at Parliament House), there are some general rules. Let's call them the commandments of "JanCas". | https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/is-it-ok-to-wear-shorts-to-work-during-january-casual-20181231-p50oy6.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed |
What Does It Mean to Support R. Kelly? | Robert is a master manipulator, the R&B singer Stephanie Sparkle Edwards says in the second episode of Lifetimes new docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly. Everybody knows it now. They didnt know it back then. Her voice is resigned in this sequence, a precursor to forthcoming scenes in which Edwards tearily expresses remorse for introducing the singer to her then 12-year-old niece, the alleged victim at the center of Kellys 2002 child pornography case. Executive-produced by the writer and filmmaker dream hampton, Surviving R. Kelly painstakingly details the now widely known allegations that have thus far not hindered the 51-year-old megastars nearly three-decade career. The musician and his representatives declined to comment for the series. Kelly has largely denied the many accusations against him over the years; even his startling 19-minute July confessional track, I Admit, shirked accountability in favor of self-aggrandizement. Lifetimes rendering of Kellys story does not excavate unreported rumors with an eye trained uncritically toward salacious gossip. Rather, the documentary brings together the previously reported but nonetheless disturbing accounts of his accusersand indicts the many people who have enabled his alleged abuses with their silence. Through its attention to overlapping patterns in the womens accusations and in the social systems that fail young black girls and women, Surviving R. Kelly repeatedly makes an almost impossibly simple observation: The singers alleged history of systematized predation could not have occurred without a ready network of support. In six hour-long episodes being aired over the course of three nights, the Lifetime series documents the life and alleged abuses of the singer, producer, and songwriter through interviews with almost 50 people. The first nights installments, which premiered Thursday, explore Kellys experience of being sexually abused as a child, as well as the musicians clandestine relationship with the late singer Aaliyah; the third and fourth episodes detail the infamous child pornography case and sex tape; and the final evenings portions trace recent allegations that Kelly has been holding young women captive in his Atlanta and Chicago homes. With much of its runtime dedicated to detailed testimonies from Kellys accusers, Surviving R. Kelly renders the years of reporting on his alleged misdeeds far more immediate, and unequivocally human. It is a staggering, stomach-churning narrative workespecially for those who have experienced similar traumas. Allegations that R. Kelly serially preyed on women, many of them underage, were first reported in December 2000 by the Chicago Sun-Times writer Jim DeRogatis and his colleague Abdon Pallasch, who appears in the documentary. But rumors of Kellys predilections had existed for years: In 1994, at 27, the singer married the 15-year-old Aaliyah; on the pairs falsified marriage certificate, which Vibe magazine first reported, she is listed as 18 years old. The marriage was annulled two months later, shortly after the release of Aaliyahs queasily titled debut album, the Kelly-produced Age Aint Nothing but a Number. By the end of 1996, Kelly had married Andrea Lee (now Kelly), a dancer on his tour, and been sued for emotional distress by Tiffany Tia Hawkins, an aspiring singer who, according to the suit, said they began having sex when she was 15. (The case was settled in 1998, with the condition that Hawkins not speak publicly about it.) In January 2001, a month after the Chicago Sun-Times published its first landmark investigation, a video depicting a man who appeared to be Kelly engaging in sexual acts with someone who appeared to be a minor was sent to the publication. Throughout this period, and well after, Kelly continued to accrue astronomical commercial success and critical acclaim for his overtly sexual, narrative-driven hits. | https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/01/surviving-r-kelly-is-a-powerful-visual-testimony/579427/?utm_source=feed |
What can I do to prevent milk fever on my dairy farm this year? | Dairy farmers are being reminded of the important role of dry cow management, in particular nutrition and mineral supplementation, when looking to the future in terms of health and productivity. With calving just around the corner on many dairy farms, there are many minerals that are important to the dairy cow. One disease that farmers will all be familiar with is milk fever. As a result of milk fever, cows often go down after calving from low levels of blood calcium (Ca). In the majority of cases, cows will recover; however, if the problem is not addressed early it can result in death. In addition, it is not unusual for these cows to get mastitis or other infections even after Ca has been administered. Speaking to AgriLand, Padraig Hennessy from Terra NutriTECH explained the importance of mineral supplementation to prevent milk fever. He said: When a cow starts producing colostrum two weeks out from calving and particularly when she starts to milk she has a huge requirement for Ca. So, it would seem simple; a cow coming up to calving needs more Ca. However, this is where Ca can confuse farmers and get a little more complicated. A cow has a complicated Ca metabolism that is heavily influenced by some other macro minerals and even her body condition score. The cow cannot consume enough Ca around calving to meet her demands, so she pulls over 90% of her Ca requirements from her bones; this allows the freshly calved cow to meet demands while adjusting her dietary intake to bridge the gap. Advertisement One of the most important minerals in this process is magnesium (Mg). Padraig also highlighted that correct levels of blood Mg actually send a signal through a complex pathway to tell the cow she needs to pull Ca from the bone. This is why Mg is such an important mineral in the weeks leading up to calving. This can be further influenced by potassium (K) which actually binds up Mg leading to more risk of low blood Ca or milk fever; K itself is actually antagonistic to Mg. In Ireland, we feed silage during the dry period. So generally, what we see in grass silage is higher levels of K and thats related to the slurry and fertilisers that are applied; therefore, minerals need to be managed correctly. | https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-can-i-do-to-prevent-milk-fever-on-my-dairy-farm-this-year/ |
Is China's economy slowing? | The same old fears about a slowdown in China shake global financial markets in the New Year. While both sides agreed to a 90-day truce last month, the China-US trade war is evident for the world to watch. That countdown expires at the end of next month and billions of dollars of penalties are still in place. For many economists, what happens next will prove to be the key factor in deciding the outlook for Asia's economy in 2019. As the new year gets under way, alarm bells are already sounding about a slowdown in the world's second-biggest economy and exporting nation. China's CSI 300 index lost about a quarter of its value in 2018. The fear is that the effect of a trade war is likely to be felt this year, and that could mean weaker growth in countries dependent on trade with China. "A lot of the metrics coming through over the last couple of days are signalling that the health of the economy really deteriorated during the fourth quarter," explains Jim McCafferty, head of Equity Research at Nomura Holdings. China's stock market needs to catch up with its economy Jim McCafferty, head of Equity Research at Nomura Holdings "Having said all that, China's economy is still growing, it's still the second-biggest economy globally, and it's growing at more than five-to-six percent a year, which relative to big economies in the world, is still a huge pace of growth. But nonetheless, the growth of that economy is slowing down and for global investors, they find that quite hard to digest." While "China as an economy is the second biggest in the world and its 15 percent of the global economic output, in terms of stock market, it's only three percent of the overall stock market representation. So what it means is, China's stock market needs to catch up with its economy and companies will become more sophisticated in the way they deal with investors ..." "[Donald] Trump and Xi [Jinping] both care about the value of the stock market. From Trump's perspective, a lot of his voters that got him into power care about their 401K, they care about their pension plans, and weakness in the US equity market that we've seen in the last quarter doesn't like Trump's policy with regard to trade." "At the same time, from Xi's perspective - although he's got absolute control - it's very useful for him to have social cohesion. And from a China market point of view, this is not a market owned by sophisticated institutional investors - it's owned by retail investors. So, if the US and Chinese authorities are able to send signals that actually stimulate the stock market, as well as a wiser economy, that would be welcome." Brazil's Bolsonaro Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, was sworn in as the new year got under way. But his challenges are far from many. Highlighting the challenges facing the new right-wing president, "The focus is clearly going to be on fiscal consolidation from a number of fronts, economic liberalisation, but also streamlining the economy and the public sector workforce," according to Richard Segal at Manulife Asset management. Bolsonaro's Challenges (3:25) "It's important to realise how enormous the challenges are and therefore, we'll be looking for this new government to be making step-by-step progress with only a few steps backwards rather than a big bang approach, which would have the risk of failing." While Bolsonaro's often criticised for knowing very little about financial markets and how the financial world works, "Thus far, he's indicated that he'll adopt a hands-off approach towards letting the experts run the economy and the financial markets. So, there's reason to be encouraged but with many Latin countries, the initial appointments have been welcomed but they haven't lasted long enough so we have to hold our breath and hope for the best," says Segal. Also on this episode of Counting the Cost: Brazil's Bolsonaro: Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, was sworn in as the new year got under way. He's already given powers to the agriculture ministry to manage the Amazon rainforest, as John Holman reports from Brasilia. Apple-China: The head of Apple has partly blamed the US president's trade war with China for missing out on billions of dollars worth of business. Tim Cook warned of lower-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of this year, also citing weaker demand from China, as Heidi Zhou-Castro reports. France Internet tax: Tech giants in France now have to pay more tax. The so-called "GAFA tax," named after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, is to ensure global digital firms pay their fair share. The measure is expected to raise around $570m for France in 2019. Nigeria savings aid: Economists are warning bad debt and low savings are threatening the survival of Nigeria's commercial banks. Many people refuse to put their money in accounts, saying banks can't be trusted, as Ahmed Idris reports from Bodinga. Greece property: A record 33 million visitors are heading to Greece every year and they're driving up previously depressed house prices. Non-Europeans are among the buyers and if they spend enough, they get a visa to stay, as John Psaropoulos reports from Athens. Source: Al Jazeera | https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2019/01/china-economy-slowing-190105071832199.html |
Will Ed Sheeran Stand in Court Over Plagiarism Case? | British singer Ed Sheeran, who has released a new album titled Divide. AFP Ed Sheeran will face court over claims that he plagiarised Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On'. The 27-year-old musician previously denied that his 2014 single 'Thinking Out Loud' imitated the 1973 hit - however his bid to dismiss the lawsuit over his own song has been rejected, meaning a jury will decide whether or not he is guilty. It has been reported District Judge Louis Stanton made the decision as he believed there were "substantial similarities between several" of the two works' musical elements. According to the BBC, the US judge went on to asses similarities between the tracks including bass lines, percussion the "aesthetic appeal" to listeners. Stanton added that jurors "may be impressed by footage of a Sheeran performance which shows him seamlessly transitioning" between the two songs. The pop star's defence team have argued that the songs differ where Ed's track is a "sombre, melancholic tones, addressing long lasting romantic love" while 'Let's Get It On' is a "sexual anthem". The action has been brought against Ed, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Atlantic Records by the estate and heirs of the late producer Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the track with Gaye. This isn't the first time Ed has been accused of copying the iconic single, as in 2016, heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the song with Marvin - both of whom are now dead - claimed the two tracks were "strikingly similar". The lawsuit states: "The defendants copied the 'heart' of 'Let's' and repeated it continuously throughout 'Thinking'. "The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of 'Thinking' are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of 'Let's'." At the time, Ed denied the allegations and no further action was taken. | https://www.albawaba.com/entertainment/will-ed-sheeran-stand-court-over-plagiarism-case-1234256 |
Will Hulk Hogan Return to WWE Raw? | The 65-year-old star, Hulk Hogan. (AFP/File) Hulk Hogan is set to make a return to 'WWE Raw' to celebrate the life of his long-time friend 'Mean' Gene Okerlund. The 65-year-old star hasn't appeared on 'Raw' since he was suspended by the WWE in 2015 after using a series of racial slurs in a recorded conversation, but he's poised to reappear on the show following the death of Okerlund, who passed away on Wednesday (02.01.19). The iconic duo were close friends for decades and Okerlund's backstage interviews and on-screen chemistry with Hogan helped to establish him as a global wrestling star. As a result, Hogan is set to appear on the next episode of 'Raw' on Monday night (07.01.19) as he honours his good friend. Okerlund - who died aged 76 - passed away one year after he was last seen on TV. In a statement, WWE said: "WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Gene Okerlund, the most recognisable interviewer in sports-entertainment history, has passed away at age 76." He first joined WWE in 1984 and became a staple of its TV programming through his entertaining skits with the likes of Hogan, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior. Okerlund played a huge part in the company's expansion around the world when Vince McMahon signed him up after his time in the American Wrestling Alliance, and he went on to host shows like 'Tuesday Night Titans', 'Wrestling Challenge' and 'Prime Time Wrestling'. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hogan, who responded to news of his death with a simple Twitter post. He wrote: "Mean Gene I love you my brother HH (sic)" | https://www.albawaba.com/entertainment/will-hulk-hogan-return-wwe-raw-1234248 |
Is Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF a Buy? | The data is clear: Dividend-paying stocks have historically trounced the returns of non-dividend-paying stocks, and it isn't even close. But following the trend by building your own dividend portfolio of individual stocks can be time-consuming and costly. For hands-off investors, a dividend-focused ETF may be a better solution. Insert the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSEMKT: VYM). This exchange-traded fund tracks more than 400 of the highest-yielding stocks on the market, showering its investors with nearly 60% more in dividends than they would earn by investing in S&P 500 index funds. But before you sink your entire retirement fund into this low-cost fund, here are some things you should know about how the ETF works, what it invests in, and how to decide if it's right for you. Hand placing U.S. quarter into change jar full of quarters, next to four ascending stacks of quarters More Image source: Getty Images. How Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF works When analyzing any index ETF, you have to dig into the guts of how it works. ETFs are designed to track an index, so whether an ETF is "good" or "bad" is a function of the underlying index it tracks. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, which takes a simple, but effective approach to investing in dividend stocks. The mechanics of the index are easy to understand. The index starts with a list of all U.S. stocks that pay a dividend, ranking them by their yield. The index throws out real estate investment trusts (REITs), which would otherwise dominate the fund and make it just another REIT ETF. Once REITs have been removed, stocks are added to the index one by one until it includes stocks that make up half the total market value of all dividend-paying stocks excluding REITs. In one final twist, this fund weights stocks by market cap, so that it invests more in the largest companies and proportionately less in the smallest companies. The net result is a high-yielding ETF largely made up of the very largest U.S. stocks. Market Cap % of High Dividend Yield ETF % of Total Stock Market ETF Giant 59.7% 47% Large 28.5% 29.2% Medium 9.7% 17.4% Small 2% 5.6% Micro 0.1% 0.9% Data source: Morningstar. Compared to, say, Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF, which simply holds basically every stock on U.S. stock exchanges, the High Dividend Yield ETF holds more megacap and large-cap stocks, and fewer small- and micro-cap stocks in its portfolio. That's primarily due to the fact that larger, established businesses are much more likely to pay a dividend than small and midsize companies. The types of businesses Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF invests in Some sectors tend to pay higher yields than others. Utilities, for example, have always been some of the market's highest-yielding stocks. In contrast, technology companies tend to be some of the lowest-yielding stocks on the market, because they invest their profits for growth and trade at higher valuations. Compare the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF to the S&P 500 and you'll see that it has some meaningful differences in portfolio construction. The high-yield ETF invests comparatively less in technology companies and invests far more in consumer defensive ones (consumer staples stocks). To some conservative investors, the sector differences may be a feature. To investors who want more exposure to faster-growing technology companies, it's a bug. | https://news.yahoo.com/vanguard-high-dividend-yield-etf-123000556.html |
Where Did The Killers Get Their Name From? | The Killers. Brandon Flowers was a huge fan of British music when he was a teenager living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Seeing Oasis play at the Hard Rock Hotel in his hometown in 2001 made him drop the synthpop and take up glamorous indie rock n roll instead. Flowers was also a huge fan of Mancunian indie legends New Order, formerly known as post-punk titans Joy Division. In the video for their 2001 single Crystal, New Order were replaced by a group of attractive teenagers, who were supposed to be members of the fictional band "The Killers. New Order Crystal video. Picture: YouTube/Rhino Their name was emblazoned on the drum kit, which caught the eye of young Brandon Flowers, who needed a name for his new rock band. The (real) Killers also took inspiration from the Crystal video for their own clip for the single Somebody Told Me. But the story doesnt end there. Brandon came across his hero Bernard Sumner at the NME Awards not longer after Somebody Told Me had made a splash. He told Radio Xs Gordon Smart: It was our first time going to the NME Awards, and we were starstruck. It was an incredible experience for us. We were just happy to be there. Im in the bathroom. Im at the urinal. And Bernard Sumner, whos one of my heroes, steps up next to me." And he starts singing Somebody Told Me in my ear. It was decent, yeah! He can carry a tune. That is so out of this world to have that happen. It was incredible! Flowers has joined New Order onstage to play Crystal, while Sumner has joined The Killers to perform on their cover of Joy Divisions Shadowplay, on which Bernard played guitar. Nice! | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/the-killers/where-did-the-killers-get-their-name-from/ |
What Does Catfish And The Bottlemen Mean? | Catfish And The Bottlemen 2017. Picture: Jill Furmanovsky/Press Van McCanns band have had huge hits with their albums The Balcony and The Ride. Its a moving story GQ called their name objectively terrible. Most other people have reacted with mild bemusement. It looks good on a t-shirt and an album cover. Frontman Van McCann got the band together in Llandudno, North Wales, but he spent much of his youth travelling around Australia. But on arrival in the country they discovered some bad news: his mother couldnt have children because of a road accident that shed had when younger. Van explained in a 2014 interview: They worked two jobs, had no money and they were really trying to start a family. They tried for an IVF baby which the doctors were saying, even with that, its not going to happen. They kept trying and trying and using every penny they had and twice it failed. On the last attempt, it was like this has got to be the last time as its killing us as people to find out its not worked. And then I popped out! Like Alan Shearer! Yes! The couple, together with little Van, then drove around Australia, stopping here and there and discovering new things and meeting new people. I remember being plodded outside a cafe, watching this guy, Van recalled. He had a washing line with bottles hanging off it and he used to play it like a drum kit. He was called Catfish The Bottle Man. When he came to naming the band I thought it was quite an apt thing to call us. Because it was my first memory of music and the story of my mum and dad. Catfish The Bottlemans real name is Michael Bevan and he has an unusual story himself. He writes: In December 2000, I quit my job and decided to follow my heart and play music. I soon ran out of money and was looking for ideas. I was living in a crazy share house with about ten others in Glebe Sydney. There were plenty of beer bottles lying around so I decided I'd try tuning them up. In the early days, when I was still living in that crazy share house, I had a crazy beard. I had three long spikes coming out of each cheek, a spiky goatee and a spiky moustache. My flatmates started calling me Catfish and the name stuck. Once I became a full time beer bottle player I naturally became Catfish the Bottleman. Catfish the Bottle Man met Catfish And The Bottlemen at the studios of Triple J back in 2015. Since then, Catfish The Bottleman has appeared as a finalist on Australias Got Talent and is planning a new career as an inspirational speaker. You can find out more about him at his website catfishthebottleman.com. | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/catfish-and-bottlemen/what-does-catfish-and-the-bottlemen-mean/ |
Which councils will bid for fund to give high streets a boost? | Preston City Council has confirmed that it will be bidding for a share of a new government fund to redesign its high street. Preston City Council has confirmed that it will be bidding for a share of a new government fund to redesign its high street. The Future High Streets initiative aims to encourage local authorities to rethink what their traditional shopping areas have to offer - and guard them against changing consumer habits. The government is inviting applications from councils which can demonstrate significant challenges facing high streets in their area and where investment is needed in physical infrastructure. Projects which could benefit from the fund include those which reduce reliance on retail and create mixed developments of residential and office space - alongside shops. Research from Public Health Health England suggests that the introduction of new uses for the high street can help make it more resilient to change. A spokesperson for Preston City Council said: This is a welcome opportunity for further investment in our high streets and we expect the demand for funding to be extremely high. We are considering the detail of the prospectus but do expect to submit an expression of interest by the March deadline. Meanwhile, Chorley Council confirmed that it was considering its options and the scheme could form part of the wider improvements already underway to improve the town centre. South Ribble and Ribble Valley councils were both unable to confirm their intentions at this stage. The Federation of Small Business in Lancashire is encouraging local authorities to submit strong bids for the fund. Area Leader for Lancashire, Rachel Kay, said: We would like to see all our local authorities try to secure additional funds to support our town centres and high streets. The growth of online shopping and out of town shopping centres continue to be a real challenge to businesses on high streets throughout the county. Small businesses, in particular, have found the last few months challenging and deserve some support to make sure they can keep serving the communities in which they operate. SHOPPING STATS 1 percent - total retail sales online (October 2000) 20 percent - total retail sales online (October 2018) 4,412 - reduction in retail units across UK (Jan-Jun 2018) Sources: Office for National Statistics/Local Data Company | https://www.chorley-guardian.co.uk/news/which-councils-will-bid-for-fund-to-give-high-streets-a-boost-1-9521816 |
When is the next bank holiday? | Get What's On 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 With the Christmas and the New Year bank holidays over, you may be thinking about when the next bank holiday is. Well in England, they will arrive in spring during the Easter period. So you might want to start planning a mini break or some adventures with your family and friends now. The next bank holidays is The Good Friday bank holiday which will happen on April 19, 2019. And Easter Monday will land on April 22, 2019. Following that, the next bank holiday is the early May bank holiday, which is on Monday, May 6. What's good about bank holidays is that they won't be included in your annual leave allocation at where you work. So if you plan a holiday around the same time as them you can get some extra days off which wont be included in your annual leave allowance. | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/next-bank-holiday-15628838 |
How should companies like Netflix respond when repressive governments order the removal of critical content? | This statement was originally published on freedomhouse.org on 3 January 2019. By Allie Funk, Research Analyst, Freedom on the Net News broke this week that Netflix, acting on a request from Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission, removed an episode of the comedy show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj from the streaming service's Saudi platform because it was critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his government's involvement in the war in Yemen. This politically motivated censorship comes at a time when the kingdom is already under intense scrutiny over the murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018, apparently on orders from the crown prince. Given its record of intolerance for dissent, Saudi Arabia's move to silence another critical voice online is hardly surprising. But Netflix's decision to comply with the request has renewed an ongoing debate about how international companies should respond to politically motivated censorship demands when operating in repressive countries. Governments with little regard for freedom of expression routinely ask social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to remove critical content that allegedly violates domestic laws. The latest restriction in Saudi Arabia suggests that governments will increasingly impose such rules on entertainment and streaming platforms as well. Online censorship in Saudi Arabia In making what Netflix described as "a valid legal request" to remove the Patriot Act episode, the Saudi government claimed that it violated Article 6 of the country's 2007 Anti-Cyber Crime Law, which bans the production of anything that "harms public order, religious values, public morals, [or] the sanctity of private life and prohibits "authoring, sending, or storing [such material] via an information network." The law imposes penalties of up to five years in prison and 3 million riyals ($800,000) in fines on those who violate its vaguely written provisions. The authorities have frequently used Article 6 to silence dissent. For example, activists Mohammed al-Otaibi and Abdullah al-Attawi, who had founded a short-lived human rights organization, were sentenced in 2018 to 14 and 7 years in prison, respectively. They were convicted in part for "dividing national unity" and "publishing information" about previous interrogations by the public prosecutor regarding their advocacy work. The Saudi government also routinely forces the removal of online content. In September 2017, authorities ordered Snapchat to block the news network Al-Jazeera, a move that was apparently linked to the kingdom's feud with neighboring Qatar, where Al-Jazeera is headquartered. In December of that year, Canada-based Saudi dissident Omar Abdulaziz said that a critical hashtag he created, translated as #StopalSheikFromWastingTheNationsMoney, had been removed from Twitter after being retweeted 6,000 times. In another case, London-based Saudi dissident Ghanem al-Dosari reported that his Facebook account was inaccessible for nine months. Abdulaziz and al-Dosari both claimed that Saudi authorities were behind the censorship. A global problem on the rise While content removal requests around the world are typically grounded in laws pertaining to national security, cybercrimes, hate speech, or defamation, many repressive governments use such laws as a pretext for politically motivated censorship. Turkey, whose leadership has intensified its crackdown on dissent since a 2016 coup attempt, is a global leader in content removal requests, with approximately 4,300 requests to Twitter alone between July and December 2017; in 3 percent of those cases, Twitter at least partly complied. The government's requests primarily affect journalistic or critical speech. Content removal on streaming services is less routine, but Netflix's decision to remove the Patriot Act episode is not the first instance of censorship on these platforms. In India, streaming services are reportedly self-censoring to appease right-wing political figures. Netflix released a censored version of the film Angry Indian Goddesses in the country, but provided international audiences with the uncensored version. Amazon Prime has similarly issued censored content for its Indian audiences, featuring blurred nudity and deleted images of animal carcasses. In China, where Netflix does not operate, the Netflix show BoJack Horseman was removed from the domestic streaming platform iQiyi, with which Netflix has a licensing deal, two days after originally airing due to its satirical content. Many governments also use licensing requirements to censor streaming services. In Indonesia, the largely state-owned internet service provider (ISP) Telkom Indonesia has blocked Netflix since early 2016, claiming that the company operates without the proper licenses and exposes users to violence and pornographic content that is prohibited under Indonesian law. In March 2018, the Turkish parliament approved a bill that requires streaming platforms to obtain broadcast licenses and allows the country's Radio and Television Supreme Council to remove content. Resisting government censorship demands Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime can serve as important vehicles for expanding artistic freedom. By producing and airing shows like Patriot Act that merge news and entertainment, these companies increasingly play a role in the protection of press freedom as well, joining other online information sources such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google. The improper removal of content from these platforms threatens some of our most fundamental human rights and the core principles of democracy. Following the Patriot Act incident, Netflix stated that it supports "artistic freedom worldwide and only removed this episode in Saudi Arabia after [it] had received a valid legal request - and to comply with local law." First, they should adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Companies should determine whether a given request amounts to a legitimate restriction under international human rights law. This includes assessing whether the removal is proportional and necessary to achieve a precisely stated aim that is itself acceptable under international law - something Netflix apparently failed to do in the Patriot Act case. Such widely recognized standards can lend authority and consistency to a company's policies on politically sensitive content and help it resist pressure to censor. When possible, companies should also resist improper content removal requests through domestic legal processes, including by filing objections with regulators and appealing to the courts. Netflix does not seem to have exhausted all of its legal options in Saudi Arabia. In places where platforms are ultimately forced to restrict content, that restriction should be as narrow as possible. Fortunately, only one episode of Patriot Act was removed, and so far it remains available via YouTube in Saudi Arabia. As more countries move toward digital authoritarianism, government attempts to remove and censor content will likely proliferate. Companies like Netflix owe it to their viewers to resist and help reverse this trend. | https://www.ifex.org/saudi_arabia/2019/01/05/netflix-patriot-act/ |
What options do the NJ Devils have if Mackenzie Blackwood is injured? | CLOSE Devils' coach John Hynes breaks down the shootout win over the Arizona Coyotes. Abbey Mastracco, Staff Writer, @AbbeyMastracco GLENDALE, Arizona -- The tides seem to be turning in New Jersey. Maybe the Devils have finally learned from their past mistakes or theyre just getting better bounces, but theyre suddenly able to overcome the adverse situations that undid them back in November. The Devils have won four of their last five including two games on the road. Friday night in Arizona, they won their first shootout game of the season and did so after losing starting goalie Mackenzie Blackwood in the first period. That was a big one tonight, said Drew Stafford, who netted the shootout winner. We needed that. Its worth noting, these wins have come without Taylor Hall and Marcus Johansson. New Jersey is playing through adversity on a nightly basis without two top-six forwards. Here are three takeaways from the Devils 3-2 shootout win over the Coyotes. Goalie depth Jan 4, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) defends against Arizona Coyotes center Clayton Keller (9) during the first period at Gila River Arena. (Photo: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports) There was no update on Blackwood following the game and Keith Kinkaid is still scheduled to start against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. Should Blackwood be seriously injured, the Devils have two goalies in Binghamton to choose from, Cam Johnson, an American Hockey League rookie or Evan Cormier, a 21-year-old with only two AHL games under his belt. Eddie Lack, a proven NHL backup, is out for the season after undergoing hip surgery. If Blackwood ends up on injured reserve, it may be in the Devils best interest to try and get a goalie off waivers. However, its all speculative for now. Kinkaid has had adequate rest and practice time and performed well in relief on Friday. He made some saves down the stretch and I thought he got stronger and stronger and more comfortable as the game went on, coach John Hynes said. Veteran leadership Stafford was called upon in a big moment and he came through. But the one shootout goal doesnt speak to the role hes played for the Devils as of late. With Hall and Johansson out theyve needed Stafford to play a fourth-line role, which wasnt a role he would have played earlier in his career. At 33, hes not the same player he once was and hes aware of that. Stafford doesnt try to be anything he isnt or anything he once was. Hes a savvy veteran who is going to play whatever role the team needs him to play. I dont want to say Im just a minute-muncher where Im out there providing time for the other lines, but really, its true, Stafford said. You have to be solid in your own zone and the neutral zone and thats part of my job is to be solid below the dots. Thats it. Whether I play five minutes, 10 minutes or eight minutes I need to be solid in that time. Special teams Arizona Coyotes right wing Richard Panik (14) flips over New Jersey Devils defenseman Ben Lovejoy (12) as Panik passes the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (Photo: Ross D. Franklin, AP) Two of the best penalty kills in the NHL went toe-to-toe at Gila River Arena. Unsurprisingly, neither one yielded a goal. The Devils had to kill off 12 minutes of penalties, including a 5-on-3 in the first period. The PK was a big difference in the game, for sure, Hynes said. We knew coming in that it was going to be important. We didnt want to have to kill off that many penalties but to go six minutes in the third when the game is on the line, they did a heck of a job. Don't miss a thing Download our app and get alerts for breaking news, scores, analysis and more. iPhone app | Android app | Find us on Twitter Read or Share this story: https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/nhl/devils/fireandice/2019/01/05/what-options-do-nj-devils-have-if-mackenzie-blackwood-injured/2487461002/ | https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/nhl/devils/fireandice/2019/01/05/what-options-do-nj-devils-have-if-mackenzie-blackwood-injured/2487461002/ |
How much concentrates should I feed with my silage? | When harvested at the correct growth stage, grass silage can be a low-cost, high-quality feed for pregnant ewes. In order to achieve optimum ewe performance during late pregnancy, the dry matter digestibility (DMD) of the silage in the diet is one of the most important quality factors to consider. Over or underestimating silage feeding value due to a lack of test results can not only have an effect on ewe performance, but also cost you a significant amount of money. Concentrate requirements Silage quality will have a significant effect on the quantity of concentrates required by a ewe during late pregnancy in order to meet her requirements for optimal performance. According to Teagasc research, a twin-bearing ewe offered unchopped baled silage of 72% DMD will require approximately 24kg of concentrate during late pregnancy. In contrast, a twin-bearing ewe offered unchopped baled silage of 64% DMD will require approximately 35kg of concentrates during late pregnancy. Advertisement Therefore, approximately 1.4kg more concentrate is required by each ewe during late pregnancy for every 1% decease in silage DMD below 72%. Naturally, the concentrate requirement for single and triple bearing ewes will be lower and greater than twin-bearing ewes regardless of silage quality. According to Teagasc, a single and triplet bearing ewe offered unchopped baled silage of 72% DMD will require approximately 19kg and 32kg, respectively, of concentrate during late pregnancy Silage chop length Chop length has a major impact on the intake of silage by sheep. On average, almost half of the sheep farms in Ireland make baled silage. Research from Teagasc showed that ewes offered silage during late pregnancy that was precision chopped, produced lambs that were 1.8kg heavier at weaning than lambs from ewes that were offered unchopped silage from bales. In addition, offering 72% DMD precision chopped silage to a twin bearing ewe in late pregnancy reduced the concentrate requirements by 7kg. | https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/how-much-concentrates-should-i-feed-with-my-silage/ |
What's closed during the partial government shutdown? | The partial government shutdown began on December 22 after President Trump and congressional Democrats could not agree on funding for the president's long-sought southern border wall. While Mr. Trump and congressional leaders have met periodically to try to resolve the impasse -- twice in the first week of January -- they have made no discernible progress. The president told Democratic leaders he was willing to have the government shut down for "years" over border wall funding. Nine out of 15 federal departments are closed, as well as dozens of agencies. However, several funding bills were passed and signed, so about 75 percent of government services are unaffected by the shutdown. More than 420,000 federal employees are working without pay, including agents from the FBI, ATF, DEA and CBP, as well as staff from the State Department, Coast Guard, IRS and Department of Homeland Security. Another 380,000 workers have been furloughed from departments including NASA, the State Department, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Transportation Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the IRS. Here is what is -- and isn't -- affected by the 2018-2019 partial government shutdown so far: What is closed during the government shutdown: The Smithsonian museums and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., shut their doors on January 2. The National Zoo has closed, although animals are still being cared for by zoo workers. Many national parks have also closed, but several remain open during the shutdown, albeit without services. Sanitary conditions have rapidly deteriorated at many of the nation's parks, with restroom toilets overflowing and trash piling up. At Yellowstone, private companies that offer tours have been performing some maintenance, enabling them to continue operating throughout the winter, if necessary, The Associated Press reported. Volunteer Alexandra Degen cleans a restroom at Joshua Tree National Park on January 4, 2019 in Joshua Tree National Park, California. Volunteers with 'Friends of Joshua Tree National Park' have been cleaning bathrooms and trash at the park as the park is drastically understaffed during the partial government shutdown. Campgrounds and some roads have been closed at the park due to safety concerns. Mario Tama/Getty Images The IRS has mostly stopped working (only 12 percent of its staff are working -- without pay), and those who are working are mostly focused on security and technology, not on taxpayers' refunds. The IRS is not issuing refunds, updating tax forms or answering phone help lines during the shutdown, according to its shutdown plans. Immigration courts have also closed, forcing judges to indefinitely postpone hearings scheduled months in advance. There is already a backlog of over 800,000 cases. E-Verify, the government immigration system and database employers use to check and confirm that employees are eligible to work in the United States, is out of service during the shutdown. It typically takes just a few seconds for E-Verify to compare an employee's records against DHS and Social Security records. #EVerify is not available due to lapse in DHS appropriations. https://t.co/xzw4doYGww USCIS E-Verify (@EVerify) December 22, 2018 Still open and operating during shutdown: Mail is still being delivered. Social Security checks are still going out to recipients, and Medicare and Medicaid are unaffected by the partial shutdown. Federal courts are still open and operating through January 11, by relying on court fee balances and funds that do not depend on a congressional appropriation. Should the shutdown extend beyond that date, the courts would continue to operate under the Anti-Deficiency Act, in support of Article III powers. However, staffing could be reduced. TSA agents are considered essential. However, by the 14th day of the shutdown, TSA had seen an increase in sick calls since the shutdown started, although that had not negatively impacted the agency's ability to screen airline passengers, CBS News' Kris Van Cleave reported. As of January 5, major airlines and airports were unaware of any issues or delays at checkpoints. Special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation will continue because it does not depend on a congressional appropriation for its funding. Nutrition benefits like SNAP will be available through January. Other nutrition assistance programs may operate with any state and local funding resources that are available, but no other federal funds will be provided during the shutdown. Child nutrition programs, like School Lunc and School Breakfast will keep operating into February. Forest Service law enforcement and emergency response efforts will continue. U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, which deals with naturalization and citizenship, has been uninterrupted because its operations are funded by user fees. Veterans are still receiving their benefits because the Veterans Affairs Department was among those funded through September 2019. Passport services will still be offered during the shutdown. Passports can be renewed by mail or in person at passport agencies, post offices, libraries and other facilities, and processing times are expected to remain unchanged. Unintended consequences Pay raises for top officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, were set to go into effect on Saturday, The Washington Post reported. But federal agencies were told in a memo issued Friday from the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management to hold off on enacting the raises during the shutdown, according to The Associated Press. A pay freeze for the officials had been close to expiring due to the shutdown. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-what-closed-open-affected-explained-post-office-irs-national-parks-2019-01-05/ |
Will they opt in or out? | Brantford and Brant County councils should vote to opt-out of retail cannabis stores for a year, says the chair of the local impaired and distracted driving advisory committee. Were not comfortable with some of the zoning regulations that are in place and were concerned that there wont be any limit on the number of stores allowed if a municipality opts in, Lawrie Palk, chair of the Brant, Brantford, Six Nations Impaired and Distracted Driving Advisory Committee, said Friday. He said the committee thinks the consideration of the issue is being rushed. We think the city and the county should opt-out for now, take a look at the experiences of municipalities that opt-in and revisit the issue in a year. City and county councillors are scheduled to vote on the issue of cannabis retail stores at meetings on Tuesday night. They have three options: Opt-in to allow cannabis stores on the understanding the municipality could never opt-out; Opt-out with a one year review; Or not allow cannabis stores. The Cannabis Act, which came into effect last Oct. 17, legalizes access to recreational cannabis in Canada and controls how marijuana is grown, distributed and sold. In Ontario, legal recreational pot will be sold only online until April 1. After that, the province has said cannabis sales will be permitted at private, retail stores that are licenced by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. The Ontario government is giving municipalities a one-time chance to opt-out of allowing the stores in their communities. Municipalities have until Jan. 22 to decide. Palk said he will attend Tuesdays city council committee-of-the-whole meeting to speak to councillors on behalf of the advisory committee. Of particular concern is a provincial requirement that retail cannabis stores must be at least 150 metres (164 yards) from a school, Palk said. Thats too close for the comfort, Palk said, noting that several local high schools are located near already existing retail plazas. Provincial authorities, however, have said the distance buffers in Ontario are in line with those established in other provinces, including Alberta and Quebec. They have also said municipalities will have 15-day window of opportunity to provide written submissions to the provincial regulator highlighting concerns with a proposed store location. Meanwhile, city staff, in a report prepared for councillors, say 15 days is insufficient time to obtain direction from council with respect to locations. The report also notes the 150-metre buffer refers only to schools. Should the city decide to opt-in, staff are recommending stores not be allowed within 150 metres of licenced day nurseries, libraries, community centres, the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, the Bell Homestead and some parks, which have active programming for children. City councillors also will consider the results of an online survey and information received at a public meeting held Thursday. As of Friday afternoon, more than 2,000 people have participated in the online survey and 64 people attended the public meeting. The online survey will remain open until Jan. 6 and is available on the citys main Facebook page and Twitter page @cityofbrantford. Palk said that opting-out now and looking at the issue again in a year gives both municipalities time to look at a range of issues that could arise with the opening of pot stores. Allowing retail stores could have an impact on a number of different policies and raises other issues, he said. There is the question of store security and there are questions about the training of staff. As well, I think the municipalities will also want to know the impact stores would have on policing. Palk said that the decision deserves not to be rushed. County councillors, meanwhile, have discussed the issue. While some are in favour of opting-in, others have argued for opting-out and looking at the issue in another year. Brant County is home to Emblem Cannabis, a medical and recreational marijuana production company looking to establish a retail outlet at its Paris manufacturing facility. The company is already adding a research and innovation facility to its Paris location. A retail outlet would create jobs and help boost local tourism, company officials have said. Emblem officials also said that a cannabis store in Paris would help keep money in the community and give people a way of purchasing cannabis produced in a facility overseen by the federal government. But Palk said cannabis can already be purchased online through the Ontario Cannabis Store. While the lure of jobs and economic benefits may appeal to some, Palk said he believes a measured approach is warranted. Through the Ontario Cannabis Legalization Implementation Fund, all municipalities, regardless of their decision on the retail stores, are to receive a first payment in early January. The combined funding will be $15 million and allocated on a per household basis. After Jan. 22, municipalities that have opted out will receive a second $5,000 payment, while the opt-in communities will share in another $15 million that will again be doled out on a per household basis. Also, the province says if its portion of the federal excise duty on recreational cannabis over the first two years exceeds $100 million, it will provide half of the surplus to municipalities that have opted in before Jan. 22. Meanwhile, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission will start accepting applications this week for the 25 retail stores that will be allowed to open as of April 1. A lottery system will be used to determine the successful applicants, as well as creating a wait list. The 25 stores will be spread across the province, with seven to be located in the West Region, which includes Brantford-Brant, Hamilton, Haldimand-Norfolk, Niagara, Dufferin-Wellington, Waterloo, Perth, Oxford, Elgin, Chatham-Kent, Essex, Lambton, Middlesex, Huron, Bruce, Grey and Manitoulin. Toronto will get five stores, while the Greater Toronto Area is scheduled to get six. Northern Ontario will get two, while Eastern Ontario will get five. [email protected] twitter.com/EXPVBall | https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/will-they-opt-in-or-out |
Which dishwashing bar is the most effective and consumer-friendly? | Consumer Voice, a Delhi-based consumer-interest organisation, tested 10 utensil cleaning bars in the price range of Rs 5-8 per 100g on parameters such as cleaning efficiency and surface damage. Presented here are the key findings and a summary of the lab reports. Housewives in each Indian household face the task of washing utensils after every meal. Gone are the days of washing utensils using the ashes from the Kitchen chulha which used wood and coal. As the household has upgraded to using cooking gas, the technique of washing utensils has graduated to using Utensil Cleaning Bars. Most Indian households are using these cleaning bars to clean food and oil residues from utensils and polish all varieties of utensils to ready them for the next meal. These bars are manufactured, branded and sold at retail prices between Rs 5 to 8 per 100gm. They are available in different size packs and for comparison purposes they are priced between a low of Rs 5.36 upto Rs 8.00 per 100gm. Each brand claims excellent utensil cleaning performance. Consumer Voice tested ten brands and compared their performance on different parameters. These brands included Xpert, Reliance, Exo and Patanjali in the low price segment ( Rs 5 to 6 / 100gm); Odopic, Vim and Nip in medium price segment ( Rs 6 to 7 / 100gm) and Clean mate, Pril and Pitambari in high priced segment ( Rs 7 to Rs 8/ 100gm). Test methods used Consumer Voice tested each of the 10 brands as per their overall performance based on the comprehensive testing in an NABL accredited lab. The tests covered a range of quality, performance and acceptability parameters. These included cleaning efficacy, tough-soil cleaning, active matter, surface damage, lather, mushiness, moisture, active alkalinity, retention on 250-micron sieve, and matter insoluble in alcohol. The performance tests were conducted using stainless-steel plates as per guidelines of Indian Standard. It may be noted that Exo and Pitambari claimed to be anti-bacterial. Scoring criteria and overall rank The test and evaluation methodology assigned the highest weight (25%) to cleaning efficiency defined as number of plates cleaned per 5gm of bar. It was followed by active matter percentage by weight (15%) and tough soil cleaning and surface damage, each 10%. And lather generation ( 8%). Moisture, active alkalinity, mushiness, retention in sieve and matter insoluble in alcohol each had 5%. The remaining 7% weight was related to packing, marking and labelling. Each brand was subjected to these tests in the labs and assigned marks out of 100 using these criteria. The top three brands were Clean Mate 93/100, Xpert 92/100 and Vim 89/100. Patanjali stood at the bottom with a score of 73/100 preceeded by Exo 82/100 and Reliance 83/100. Cleaning efficiency Cleaning efficiency of a bar is measured by the number of soiled plates cleaned by a fixed amount of bar. Five grams of each brand was taken from each bar to measure the efficiency. All the brands could clean five plates soiled with grease and oil as per standard. However, Clean Mate and Xpert each cleaned the maximum number of plates (10) and got the highest score. Active matter refers to the key ingredient of a utensil bar consisting of cleaning agents and compounds. As per standard, each bar must have at least 8% active matter. Each of the brands were above the minimum 8% requirement. However, Xpert had highest 16.77 % followed by Clean Mate 16.71 % followed by Odopic 14.81% and lowest was Patanjali 12.15%. Tough soil cleaning This test involves the soiling mixture composed of wheat flour 16.5%, besan 16.5% , rice flour 17%, vegetable oil 50%. This mixture is spread evenly on a stainless steel plate using a brush. This soiled plate is then heated by putting on hot plate at 325 degrees Celsius for about two minutes and cooled to room temperature. The soiled plate is then cleaned by each utensil bar. Each brand was able to meet the standard of being able to clean the plate. However, Xpert scored highest 97.5% followed by Clean mate 96.8% while Patanjali scored lowest 88.09%. Surface damage This test is performed by soiling a steel plate by 2gm of oil and then cleaned with the test bars. As per standard only two scratches are acceptable. All brands passed this test. Foam/lather generation Lather is the amount of foam generated after dissolving a fixed quantity of powdered utensil bar in a fixed amount of water. Each bar is supposed to generate 70ml lather. The foaming efficiency test was passed by all ten brands. Clean mate and Pitambari generated the highest amount of foam ( 122ml) followed by Xpert and Reliance Scrubz lemon powder( 120ml each). Moisture , volatile-matter content and active alkalinity Each utensil bar should not contain more than 10% moisture and volatile matter by weight as per standard. A higher moisture content can make the bar lumpy. All 10 brands conformed to this standard when tested at 105 degrees Celsius. The standard also specifies that maximum limit of alkalinity is 20ml. A higher level of alkalinity can adversely affect the hand skin of users. Each brand was found to be well below the standard set making them safe for human skin. Pril with 1.25ml had the lowest alkalinity Xpert with 3.9ml had the highest. Mushiness and retention (on a 250 micron sieve) When a bar is kept on the kitchen sink it comes in to contact with water. Mushiness is its property to absorb moisture and also get dissolved in the water. This test measured the mushiness in each brand. Reliance Scrubz and Nip were found to have the highest mushiness. Vim showed the lowest mushiness. The composition of the bar should be such that ingredients of each bar should be soluble in water. The max limit of retention is specified as 0.1 %. All brands except Patanjali had retention well below the max limit. A 250 micron sieve is used to detect the amount of undissolved matter. Insoluble matter in alcohol Insoluble materials are a part of the utensil bars composition. These indicate the quantity of filler material in the bars composition. As per standard these cant exceed 80%. All brands except three were meeting this requirement. Three brands Patanjali, Pitambari and Xpert exceeded the maximum permissible level of 80%. Clean Mate had the lowest 77.04% of insoluble matter and therefore scored highest on this parameter. General parameters Each brand was also evaluated on other parameters that are important for consumer. These include marking with proper information about the identity, origin, manufacture and customer care. None of the brands were marked with instructions for usage although the standard requires it. Batch number was not marked on three brands Nip, Reliance Scrubz and Xpert. The standard also requires each brand to have secured plastic wrappers, paperboard containers and sealing to retain the essential moisture. All the brands had moisture proof flexible packaging. Net weights are required to be printed on each package. Legal metrology rules provide a tolerance of 9gm in a package containing 200 to 300gm and 12gm in a package containing 300 to 500gm. This means that actual weight can vary to the given extent. Four brands Clean mate, Vim, Pril and Reliance Scrubz had correct net weight. Five brands had less net weight as per their marking but were within the tolerance limit: Patanjali, Nip, Odopic, Xpert and Pitambari. Net weight of Exo was less than the tolerance limit. Other forms of utensil cleaners This test report covers only cleaning bars. However, utensil-cleaning products are available in formulations in powder, bar, paste or liquid form, containing a cleansing agent like synthetic detergent, soap, SLS, etc., along with powdered, mildly abrasive materials (optional in case of liquid). These are used primarily for cleaning of utensils and crockery, and secondarily for kitchen shelf and basin or even cooker tops, etc., where cleansing is effected by the combined action of detergency and scrubbing.Liquid utensil washers are liquid-based soaps which have gained in popularity due to their being more convenient to use as well as ability to reduce surface damage. Liquid soaps also cause less wastage in comparison to bars as they do not have mushiness property. Comparative Testing: ISO Norms Such tests are commonly conducted by consumer organisations uninfluenced by manufacturers or other commercial interests. Their sole purpose is to educate consumers and spread awareness about facts that may be important for consumers to exercise informed and rational decision making in the market place. The author is Managing Editor of Consumer Voice and former Dean and head of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi Disclaimer: This study was conducted independently by Consumer Voice | https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/lifestyle/dishwashing-bar-effective-consumer-friendly |
Do ghosts deserve the reputation theyve got? | Eeek, yikes. This place is haunted, run, run, lets get out fast. Creepy, terrifying, spine chilling stories about ghosts abound all over the world. The fear of ghosts is known as spectrophobia or phasmophobia and is known to arise from a fear of the unknown. Stephen Wagner, a paranormal researcher with 30 years of experience describes this is a deep-seated fear that is hardwired into our genetic makeup. The primitive parts of our brain that respond to instinct a holdover from our cave-dwelling ancestorsflush our bodies with adrenaline when we encounter a threat, preparing us to fight or flee. And when that threat is something unknown that might leap out of the darkness, wed just as soon flee. Theres another component to this fear when that something in the dark is perceived as a ghost. After all, a ghost is the manifestation of a person who is dead. So now we are confronted not only with what we think is a threat to our lives, but a representation of death itself. Not only is it an entity that we dont understand, it is also a resident of the place many of us fear the mostthe mysterious land of the dead. Besides, a fear of ghosts stems from popular trends. The readers and audience want a scary story, says Wagner, and so thats the way its written. But harmful or evil spirit activity is very rare. Most haunting activity consists of unexplained noises, scents, sensations, or fleeting shadows. Sometimes things get moved and voices are heard. Rarely is an apparition seen. These can frighten people because they seem to be supernatural. But they are harmless. The media has in fact contributed in a big way to projecting ghosts in a scary, negative light. According to Lewis and Sharon Gerew of the Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance, What Hollywood and television portray is very inaccurate and cannot be relied upon as truthful. They show these spirits of the dead as being evil in nature, filled with malice and harmful intent. I assure you that this is not the case. The fact is that since ancient times the phenomenon of ghosts and spirits has become closely linked with fear. Most people would readily confess to being scared if they thought of or actually encountered a ghost. Yet according to most paranormal experts that scary feeling is not justified. Wagner argues that the true behavior of ghosts, as evidenced by many thousands of investigations and case studies conducted by paranormal experts, overwhelmingly contradicts the common idea that they should be feared. Veteran ghost investigator Hans Holzer writes that the popular notion of ghosts is that they are always dangerous, fearful, and hurt people. Nothing could be further from the truth. A history of spooked presidents, prime ministers and pets. The White House, wrote Theresa Vargas, has long housed unsettling specters of a different, more bump-in-the-night kind. Whether one embraces or mocks the paranormal, the many accounts that have spilled out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over two centuries give ghosts an undeniable place in the countrys history. They also make that address arguably the nations most famous haunted house Vargas goes on to quote Jared Broach, the founder of the company Nightly Spirits, which offers tours of haunted areas. The White House has the best ghost stories, and Id call them the most verified. Amongst the favourites is British Prime Minister Winston Churchills 1940 meeting with the ghost of American President Abraham Lincoln. According to accounts, Churchill had just stepped out of a hot bath in the Lincoln bedroom and was wearing nothing but a cigar when he encountered Lincoln by the fireplace. Good evening, Mr. President, Churchill reportedly said. You seem to have me at a disadvantage. Notably, even though ghostly sightings and activity in the White House sightings have been documented in eerie detail by scholars, newspapers, and of course, those involved in the actual encounters, none of the White House ghost stories feature malicious or harmful ghosts. In my own experience, there is a range of personalities amongst ghosts and spirits. Ive written about pishachas and pishachinis, baaks, nishi daks and other dangerous ghosts and spirits. In its malevolent form, a baak can kill a person and take the killed persons shape. In Assam, the misty form of a baak would not disappear when we approached it but keep retreating till a point where we were reluctant to follow it. We didnt come to harm because we held back. In the case of the Nishi Dak too, a very dangerous spirit generally encountered and feared in Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand, people know that it calls out at night in the voice of a person known to the intended victim, so they dont respond. My two golden rules: dont mess around if you know a ghost or spirit is dangerous. Dont disturb a ghost or spirit unless absolutely necessary. But happily, so far I have found that dangerous ghosts or spirits form a small percentage amongst so many, many different types of ghosts. Mostly, they are benign. As Wagner pointed out, in the vast majority of haunting cases, there really isnt anything to be afraid of. Our own fear and lack of understanding is the problem. In the final analysis, whether they are good, bad, benign or malicious depends on ones own beliefs and experiences. But one bad or malicious encounter doesnt mean all ghosts are alike. And as a friend quipped, just as well there are invisible barriers between our world and the other world, otherwise our already overburdened courts would have to contend with a slew of defamation cases filed by maligned ghosts. | https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/ghosts-deserve-reputation-theyve-got |
Which film should win the 2019 Golden Globe for Best Drama? | "Black Panther" and "A Star Is Born" were two of the biggest blockbusters of 2018, and both are nominated for Best Drama at the 2019 Golden Globes. "Black Panther" is regarded as a cultural milestone, and earned $1.3 billion at the box office worldwide. "A Star Is Born" also slayed at the box office, and many critics regard the film as the frontrunner to win at the Globes. PERSPECTIVES Below is the synopsis of "Black Panther," per Rotten Tomatoes. "Black Panther" follows T'Challa who, after the events of "Captain America: Civil War," returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to take his place as King. However, when an old enemy reappears on the radar, T'Challa's mettle as King and Black Panther is tested when he is drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk. "Black Panther" not only holds a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but moviegoers and critics alike praised the film for being a cultural milestone for the black diaspora and cinema in general. Below is the synopsis of "A Star is Born," per Rotten Tomatoes. In "A Star Is Born," Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga fuse their considerable talents to depict the raw and passionate tale of Jack and Ally, two artistic souls coming together, on stage and in life. Theirs is a complex journey through the beauty and the heartbreak of a relationship struggling to survive. In this new take on the iconic love story, four-time Oscar nominee Cooper ("American Sniper," "American Hustle," "Silver Linings Playbook"), makes his directorial debut, and also stars alongside multiple award-winning, Oscar-nominated music superstar Gaga in her first leading role in a major motion picture. Cooper portrays seasoned musician Jackson Maine, who discovers and falls in love with struggling artist Ally. She has given up on her dream to become a successful singer, until she meets Jack, who immediately sees her natural talent. In addition to the Golden Globes, "A Star Is Born" is also garnering Oscar buzz; it could potentially be nominated not only for Best Picture, but Best Actress (Lady Gaga) and Best Actor (Bradley Cooper) as well. The film holds a fresh rating of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and fans love the award-nominated soundtrack. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.nj.com/trending/2019/01/which_film_should_win_the_2019.html |
Should Eagles be worried about Nick Foles rib injury against Chicago Bears? | PHILADELPHIA There was a now-famous moment against the Houston Texans two weeks ago where Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was lit up by Houston defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, completed the pass, fell to the ground and lay there for a while. He eventually left the field, only missed one play, and returned to author a game-winning drive. Foles has built up such a level of respect and expectation amongst his Eagles teammates that this has become par for the course. He might take a beating and fall to the floor, bruised and battered, but this is a quarterback thats always going to stand up and keep fighting. I thought maybe he took a play off to get his breath, right tackle Lane Johnson said after the game. Really, Foles was struck in the ribs, and he felt it the rest of that night, it lingered a bit during the week afterward, too. Then, again, in Week 17, Foles was struck again in the ribs in the fourth quarter against the Washington Redskins. This time he didnt return, but the Eagles easily won 24-0 anyway. The Eagles cant afford Foles getting banged up against against the Bears on Sunday in a NFC Wild Card matchup at Soldier Field in Chicago. Here's the story of how Nick Foles joined the Eagles However much pain Foles is in now, the Bears -- namely, elite pass rusher Khalil Mack -- wont make it any easier on him. The Bears will do everything in their power to hit Foles, and to hit him hard. As a team, they have 50 sacks this season, third-most in the NFL. In Foles and Eagles coach Doug Pedersons comments, theyve described Foles' ribs as sore and not broken or cracked. The University of Arizona alum said he plans to add a little bit of something for protection but other than that I want to function and move around, he said. By gameday, Ill feel great. He was a limited participant in Wednesdays practice, though that was merely a hypothetical designation, as the Eagles only conducted a walkthrough. Foles was a full-go on Thursday and Friday. Each day it gets better, Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. Hes doing everything he can, with treatment and rehab protocols we have him on and what he wants to do. Yeah, hes feeling good. He threw yesterday. Did a nice job and we just have to see where hes at again (Friday), but each day hes getting better. Whether the injury is more serious than the Eagles are letting on -- it would make sense to keep much detail away from the public to keep that information away from Bears defensive planners -- it will make sense if the Eagles take precautions in keeping him safe. That means roll-outs and quick throws. Foles isnt exactly mobile, so evading any sort of pass rush wont be easy. It doesnt help that left tackle Jason Peters (quadricep) and likely starting left guard Isaac Seumalo (pectoral) are both banged up, and Seumalo hasnt played in nearly a month. Of course, the Eagles have been throwing the ball quickly anyway. Since Foles took over for an injured Carson Wentz in Week 15, hes only taken, on average, 2.24 seconds to throw the ball, per Pro Football Focus. Thats the quickest mark in the NFL over the last three weeks and would be tops in the NFL over a full season, too. Foles has also thrived under pressure, too hes completed 71.4 percent of his passes while under duress, per PFF. Only Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (78.9 percent) has been better. Clearly, the Eagles arent worried. Even so, its lingering. With Wentz out, backup Nate Sudfeld will need to stay ready. He filled in for Foles against the Texans on that one play, throwing an incomplete pass. Against the Redskins, he stepped in and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor. Sudfeld is one play away, as he was last week, and he understands that now, but he understood that three weeks ago when -- or four weeks ago -- when Nick took over, Pederson said. He definitely understands hes one play away from entering a game. Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ZackBlatt. Find NJ.com on Facebook. | https://www.nj.com/eagles/2019/01/should-eagles-be-worried-about-nick-foles-rib-injury-against-chicago-bears.html |
How did a Mexican president come to have a traffic circle in D.C. named after him? | A statue of Mexican president Benito Jurez stands at the intersection of Virginia and New Hampshire Avenues NW. It was dedicated in 1969, a gift from the people of Mexico. ( John Kelly/The Washington Post) Columnist I saw the name Jurez Circle for the first time today. I knew of the circle, near the Kennedy Center, just never its name. I could find information about the man 19th-century Mexican president Benito Jurez but not when the circle was named or why it was called that. Paul Shedlarski, Cabin John, Md. On April 15, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson stood before assembled dignitaries in Mexico City and said: All nations rightly praise their own famous men. But only a truly great people pause to pay tribute to the great of other lands. And that is what Mexico is doing today. The occasion was the dedication of a statue of Abraham Lincoln, a gift from the American people to the people of Mexico. The Lincoln statue was a replica of an original by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in Chicagos Lincoln Park. Lincoln was a popular figure in Mexico, dating all the way to his first term in Congress, when, as a Whig from Illinois, he opposed the 1846 U.S. invasion of Mexico. As president, Lincoln was against European imperialism in Mexico. Well, Jurez is sometimes called the Lincoln of Mexico. Though the two men never met, they have long been linked in the public imagination, especially south of the border. They shared certain similarities. Both were born into rural poverty, Lincoln in a log cabin in Kentucky, Jurez in an adobe house in Oaxaca. Both became lawyers and politicians. Lincoln fought to quell internal forces that were tearing apart his country. Jurez opposed the machinations of outsiders, including French emperor Napoleon III, who with the support of conservatives in Mexico sent Maximilian I, the younger brother of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, to Mexico in 1863 to establish a new monarchy. That didnt work out so well. Soldiers loyal to Jurez defeated the French and in 1867 Maximilian was executed. After the Lincoln statue was unveiled in Mexico City, the Mexicans decided to reciprocate. In August 1968, the U.S. Senate approved placing the Jurez statue in Washington. It was decided that the Jurez statue, a copy cast from sculptor Enrique Alciatis 1891 original, would be placed at New Hampshire and Virginia avenues NW. A new circle had been created when I-66 was driven underneath what had been a regular intersection. (The official name for the short stretch of road under the circle is the Potomac River Freeway. It marks the eastern end of I-66.) Since it was a new circle, it had no name. (In fact, there are no signs there now denoting it as Jurez Circle.) The 20-foot-tall, 3,600-pound bronze statue was trucked from Mexico to Laredo, Tex., then loaded onto a rail car for its trip to Washington. The journey was rough on Jurez. As The Posts Martin Weil wrote 50 years ago: When the crate was opened Dec. 16, officials found to their dismay that the statues right arm, designed to thrust forcefully outward, was cracked, sagging and almost severed. Other cracks crossed the castings legs. The Washington firm of Rileys Welding Services was hired to secure the statesmans arm and fill in the fissures. U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Mexican Foreign Minister Antonio Carrillo Flores spoke at the Jan. 7, 1969, dedication of the Jurez statue. Said Rusk: We shared with Mexico one of our greatest heroes and now Mexico is sharing with us one of its greatest sons. Secreted in the granite base the statue stands on is an urn that holds soil from the town in Oaxaca where Jurez an indigenous Indian was born. Send it to [email protected]. Twitter: @johnkelly For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/john-kelly. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-did-a-mexican-president-come-to-have-a-traffic-circle-in-dc-named-after-him/2019/01/04/e56687ea-1028-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html |
Is Rohit Suchanti the reason behind Srishty Rode-Manish Naggdevs breakup? | Mumbai: Even though Bigg Boss season 12 has ended but the after effects of the show still prevails, Srishty Rode on one hand bagged in Bollywood project just two days later after getting evicted from the show while on the other hand the actress was already upset after her link-up rumors with Rohit Suchanti inside the house but she also cleared the air by clarifying that she is in a serious relationship with actor Manish Naggdev. But after Manish Naggdev un-followed Srishty on Instagram, it somehow hinted that there is something wrong between the two but now Manish has made it official that the couple has decided to part ways and end this relationship. While many people speculated that Rohit Suchanti would be the reason behind their breakup after his closeness to Srishty in Bigg Boss 12 but Manish made it clear that no man or woman including Rohit is the reason behind their breakup instead some minor disagreement made them take this big step. Now confirming the same, Manish opened up about his breakup with media: All I can say is minor disagreements and difference of opinion led to it. We were expecting different things from each other. Around three weeks ago we realised that things are not working out between us as expected. So we discussed the future of our relationship and decided that it was better to part ways, said Manish. However, he says that he has immense love and respect for the actress and he will cherish the time spent with her. | https://pardaphash.com/is-rohit-suchanti-the-reason-behind-srishty-rode-manish-naggdevs-breakup/ |
Is another 'Beast from the East' imminent? | In recent days there have been many headlines proclaiming a return of the 'Beast from the East' - which brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow last winter. Bookies are reportedly cutting the odds that this month will end as the coldest January on record following a sudden stratospheric warming high above the Arctic. Jason Kelly, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, explained: "It is true that a sudden stratospheric warming has happened. The warming started around December 22 2018 and the winds at around 30km above the North Pole have now reversed from westerly to easterly. At ground level we know that sudden stratospheric warmings tend to weaken the UK's prevailing mild westerly winds, increasing the chances of us seeing colder weather a couple of weeks after a sudden stratospheric warming. "However, it's important to note that not all sudden stratospheric warmings lead to colder-than-normal conditions over the UK and there are other global weather factors that result in blocked weather patterns and possible colder weather for us. These include El Nio and the Madden-Julian Oscillation that were well signalled in our three-month outlook as early as the end of November. "Certainly, for the first 10 days of January there is no strong signal for a cold easterly flow that was associated with the 'Beast from the East' last winter - and it's too early to provide detailed forecasts for what the weather will be like for the remainder of January. "Our current six to 30 day forecast points to the likelihood of more mobile conditions before the arrival of anything that might potentially be colder. Towards the end of January, however, there is an increased likelihood of a change to much colder weather generally, bringing an enhanced risk of frost, fog and snow. "This cold spell is by no means certain, though." | https://www.belpernews.co.uk/news/is-another-beast-from-the-east-imminent-1-9521927 |
What Are the Best Exercises for Older Adults? | Study after study has shown that exercise can help improve cardiovascular health, stamina and bone density while reducing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. These findings hold especially true for older adults Study after study has shown that exercise can help improve cardiovascular health, stamina and bone density while reducing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. These findings hold especially true for older adults who, by the very nature of aging, are likely to lose muscle mass, strength, bone density, agility, endurance and balance as they age. Its a fight against gravity and time, but staying fit over the long term is a goal worth pursuing. Older adults who exercise regularly enjoy more independence and health than those who dont. The key is to find enjoyable activities that you can stick with. These can be anything from walking or water aerobics to yoga, dancing, tai chi or simple stretching. Regardless of the specific activity you may choose to pursue, one key thing to focus on, says Douglas Ebner, a physical therapist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, is functionality. [See: 7 Mind-Blowing Benefits of Exercise.] Cultivating the strength needed to complete these everyday tasks can be achieved through the use of various leg exercises, such as using a leg press machine or completing squat exercises, which are elements Ebner says he focuses on with his patients. Depending on the person, Ill try to give them some weight to hold onto so that way we can load their muscles to elicit the response we want. In addition to focusing on lower body strength to ensure walking ability and reduce fall risk, Ebner says some older adults may also want to incorporate other functional exercises into their routine. If theyre stronger, then we can work on a motion where theyre picking up a medicine ball or a kettlebell from the ground, as a simulation for picking up items from the ground that they might need to do in everyday life. While exercising, another important consideration is avoiding falls. Ebner says falls are a big concern because theres a direct correlation between falling later in life and life expectancy. A 2017 study in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that one-third of adults over age 50 who fracture a hip die within 12 months of that injury. Hip fractures are also very painful and greatly reduce mobility. But reducing falls while encouraging exercise raises a dilemma, says Dr. Tanya Gure, section chief of geriatrics and associate clinical professor in internal medicine at the Wexner Medical Center. There can be this tension that starts to develop when patients are having increased falls. How do you improve mobility without increasing fall risk? Particularly for older adults living in an assisted living community or other long-term care facilities where it may be more difficult to engage in exercises with the support of a therapist in a one-on-one situation, balancing the risk of falling with the need for mobility can be a delicate calculation and a challenge that many assisted living facilities must meet daily. Sometimes having a concern about falls and a whole system thats really geared up to reduce falls can ultimately reduce the amount of walking that patients do. Thats a dilemma. You want to encourage mobility and encourage residents to maintain their walking, says Gure. Thats why its important to find the right level of physical challenge with the appropriate level of safety. Heres where Gure says families can play a key role in helping a senior stay as active as possible for as long as possible. Families play a critical role in being there and serving as partners with staff at a facility and helping keep seniors active outside of organized exercise classes and events. When the family is there, you can ensure that your family member walks more. This kind of support and encouragement can go a long way toward helping a loved one maintain mobility and independence. To the extent that it can be optimized, families can play a critical role in keeping that going, Gure says. [See: 7 Exercises You Can Do Now to Save Your Knees Later.] In finding the right exercise routine or activities for your loved one, a match also needs to be made between the individuals abilities and interests. Sue Johansen, vice president of partner services with A Place for Mom, a senior referral service based in Seattle, says it goes back to ensuring that the activity level of the resident is in sync with the programming at the community. Different levels of care may mean different things; there are some senior communities that have resident-led walking groups in the morning. For those for whom its appropriate, its great. They can decide where their walks are going. But she notes participating in certain exercise groups isnt always as straightforward a prospect as it might seem on paper. Senior communities often act like a high school there are cliques and joiners and people who are leaders. So, for active people, they tend to self-select and gravitate to others that they feel comfortable doing activities with. This is great if your senior is outgoing and active already. But if youre trying to encourage an aging adult to get moving more, that might require a little more effort on the part of the caregiver to draw that person into more activities and exercise groups. And exercising with peers should be part of the program. Gure says exercise is about more than just getting the blood moving and maintaining range of motion its about social interaction, too. Exercise has been shown to be helpful in combating depression, and so has reducing social isolation. Group exercise classes for seniors often involve stretching or yoga gentle movements that provide benefits through relaxation as well as improved range of motion. The degree of intensity of that would depend on where you are (physically) and what kinds of programs are available. I would characterize it as being on the lighter side, Gure says. However, some residents in assisted living communities and nursing homes need more intensive rehabilitation before theyre ready to engage in group exercise events. In these cases, Gure says she will discuss with families concerns about limitations in that person being able to engage in an exercise program. An assessment of current ability and what itll take to get the persons physical status up to a level that allows them to participate with other residents can be a smart way to help them integrate into the community and get back to a more regular exercise routine. The goal of any exercise program for older adults should be on improving or maintaining day-to-day function and quality of life. Because of this, many communities will offer exercises that are geared toward helping people maintain mobility while reducing the risk of falling. Seniors who are a fall risk may be able to engage in modified exercises while seated. In nursing homes, because residents tend to have more health needs than residents in assisted living facilities, the type of exercise youll find may be more limited. The focus in nursing homes may be more on providing physical therapy to help residents recover from an illness and become stronger and more independent. But that all depends on where the person is in their long-term stay, Gure says. When a patient initially comes in, sometimes the reason for that is subacute care, where physical therapy services are part of the benefit. The patient is there to gain strength. If there is a decision to either not continue in that subacute care setting because benefits have run out or theres not an additional benefit needed through rehab, then that long-term resident has more of a restorative exercise program. Gure says that physical therapy may be helpful for some patients depending on the situation. Many times, those patients are at baseline and not physically able or have other limitations cognitively that would make it more difficult for them to engage more independently in an exercise program than a resident whos in an assisted living facility. In these instances a more structured setting where theres more supervision and a dedicated schedule for that tends to be more what you see when its a long-term care resident. That said, many nursing homes do have recreational programs that have wonderful activities that residents can participate in, Gure says. There may be some patients in nursing homes who have more free use of the gym to maintain their fitness, but exercise tends to be a much more structured activity in nursing homes. When determining what aspect of fitness needs the most focus, Ebner says he evaluates patients first, but that this evaluation doesnt vary much from what he would conduct for a younger person. Ill check to make sure that all the joints are moving the right amount and make sure that their muscle strength is appropriate. Depending on what I find, I may give them specific stretches and exercises to work on that impairment. But as far as the evaluation itself goes, it really doesnt change much between older adults and younger people. I always look at how the joints and muscles are working. [See: 5 Strength Machines You Should Start Using ASAP.] Ebner says a focus on strength training is important, but that cardiovascular exercise is also beneficial, especially for older adults who have to face a lot of stairs in day-to-day life. Whereas navigating a couple of steps to get into the house might rely more on strength, climbing a longer flight of stairs to the second level may also require some stamina and endurance that cardiovascular exercise can help build. No matter the specific needs, the name of the game with exercise is to make it a lifelong habit. Ebner says the seniors who do better are those whove been active all along and arent starting from scratch in building strength and endurance later in life. The more they can do proactively to keep from losing their strength, the better. Strength training, balance work, yoga, walking any and all of these activities can help you lead a longer, less frail life, because having optimal strength will prevent them from having any major injuries or a fall. Even being bedridden is no excuse to skip the sweat session, Ebner says. Anything can be valuable. (Bedridden patients) are going to be limited in what they can do, but the main thing is you want to get them weight-bearing, or working to build up the strength to be able to get up out of bed. This may require intensive one-on-one physical therapy sessions, and if theyve had surgery they may not be able to. But a lot of times its just getting them to do whatever they can do. It seems when it comes to exercise, no matter your age, something is always better than nothing. The big thing is that the more people can strength train at a younger age, I think it sets them up for better success down the road, Ebner says. While there might be a negative cultural connotation associated with strength training as being only for body-builders and meathead types, he says this isnt what strength training is about. Its about helping you maintain function as long as possible. originally appeared on usnews.com | https://wtop.com/news/2018/12/what-are-the-best-exercises-for-older-adults/ |
Why is Saints safety Chris Banjo having so much fun? | Since joining the New Orleans Saints in 2016, Chris Banjo, the backup safety and special teamer, has played 39 games with zero starts. But it would be hard to find a more popular player in the locker room. We feed off of his positive energy, free safety Marcus Williams said. Theres no negativity in him. Banjo, 28, has an infectious smile and laugh, and while hes not the most important player on the roster, several players say his leadership helps on both special teams and defense. Now in his sixth NFL season his first three-plus years were with the Green Bay Packers Banjo understands that all players can add value to a team. One way is by making plays, but because Banjos role is almost exclusively on special teams, he said he adds value by being one of the teams energy guys. Craig Robertson, the Saints' one-man hype machine, finds energy in his love of the game Defensive end Cameron Jordan referred to Banjo as a spark plug. Whenever the Saints have a big play, No. 31 is normally among the first people celebrating, and after games, hes often in the middle of the locker room dance circle. This game is hard enough as it is, just from a preparation standpoint to obviously a physical standpoint, Banjo said, So Ive always just tried to have fun competing and compete to the highest of my ability. Banjo went undrafted in 2013 and isnt an every-down player, but hes just as competitive as his teammates. In fact, Banjo has probably won more games than anyone else since joining the Saints in 2016 playing Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 64. Players can often be found playing the game during media availability, and Banjos skills leave his teammates in disbelief. They come close to beating him but rarely do. For as lively as Banjo is on the sidelines, when he plays Super Smash Bros, hes pretty reserved. Other Saints players will boast about a kill or an impressive move, but he sits back and waits to unload his trash talk for when he inevitably wins. Linebacker Craig Robertson, who also plays the game a lot, said he has no problem admitting Banjo is better. Banjo, however, will not concede on who of the two has the best dance moves. Banjo and Robertson are among the most energetic guys in the Saints locker room, and their bond helps them liven things up. Both players are from the Houston area and went to college in Dallas, Banjo at SMU and Robertson at North Texas. I guess we kind of feed off each other, Robertson said. Its kind of like were jokesters. We just kind of make everything fun. Around us, theres never like a dull situation. Beating Kirby with Samus in Super Smash Bros. obviously has no bearing on what happens on the field, but those hotly contested games are just another opportunity for Saints players to bond in a competitive way. Then, when Sundays come, the players all hope to celebrate together. These are my brothers, so whenever I get to see them succeed in opportunities that I know they prepared for, thats a great feeling, and I just want to enjoy that moment with them, Banjo said. There have been a few times this season when Banjo was the reason for the celebration. Against the Eagles in Week 11, Banjo played a season-high 13 defensive snaps in the 48-7 blowout, and he made two interceptions. He said the special part of those plays was the aftermath, when his teammates celebrated his on-field performance the way he normally does theirs. Linebacker Vince Biegel considers himself a high-energy guy, and hes glad to have like-minded players like Banjo and Robertson on the Saints special teams unit. According to Biegel, players genuinely want to play special teams on the Saints, which isnt always the case. Meanwhile, the defensive backs see a side of Banjo that others dont. Because he rarely plays on defense, he has a unique perspective from the sidelines, and the other players in the secondary appreciate his input. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore said he and the other young defensive backs look up to Banjo. Banjo is just a great guy, Lattimore said, smiling when asked about his teammate. He has that leadership ability. Hes not the most outspoken player, but hell come to you one-on-one and let you know to turn it up. He never gets to the point where hell call you out in front of people. Another word Banjos teammates use to describe him is focused. Yes, he ensures his teammates are locked in during meetings or games, but that focus also extends to the fun times. Banjo thinks its important to appreciate the opportunities to celebrate. As he said, a lot of teams dont have a reason to dance. These moments dont last forever, especially having the season that were having and that were fortunate to have, Banjo said. Hopefully, itll continue. | https://www.nola.com/saints/2019/01/why-is-saints-safety-chris-banjo-having-so-much-fun.html |
Could LCD TVs be more dangerous than CO2? | Sony's new TVs are said to be green, but professor Michael Prather doesn't agree LCD TV manufacturers have made much of their 'green' intentions of late. But a new study by atmospheric scientist Professor Michael Prather, of the University of California, could dampen any ecological claims. Prather believes that LCD TVs are made with a gas called nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). This substance is said to be 17,000 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. The gas, however, is only said to be this harmful if it is broken up by UV rays before hitting the atmosphere. Problem gas In an article published by New Scientist, Prather states that the increase in this gas has been directly caused by the electronics industry. The article states that NF3 was introduced as an alternative to greenhouse gases, which because of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change are slowly being eradicated. TechRadar contacted Sony Electronics about Prather's claims. Sony is one of the companies that is aiming to produce greener TVs, such as the recently-launched green range of Bravia TVs. We are still waiting for a response but will update you as soon we can. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/hdtv/television/could-lcd-tvs-be-more-dangerous-than-co2-415644 |
Have Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik split again? | Share: California - Power couple Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik have reportedly not spent any time together since November sparking rumours of another split after the pair parted for the first time in March last year. The 23-year-old model and 25-year-old singer announced their separation two years after they first became a couple but the twosome were back together by June with both posting several social media pictures of the other or them as a duo. However, since the end of last year, the couple have not appeared on each other's Instagram accounts and it seems former One Direction member, Zayn has unfollowed Victoria's Secret star, Gigi. An insider at E! News said the two think that 'time apart is best for the sake of their relationship right now'. The source said: "Both been really focused on themselves and their separate careers. "Zayn has been in the studio recording new music and pushing out his new album, while Gigi has been focusing a lot of time on herself." Gigi spent the festive season sharing throwback pictures of herself, sister Bella and mother Yolanda with Santa, but no pictures of Zayn. December 12 saw the singer release a new track titled There You Are, an intense love song about relying on people. Some of the lyrics include: 'Friends that I rely on / Don't come through / They run like the rive / But not you. 'Only you know me the way you know me / Only you forgive me when I'm sorry / Even when I messed it up / There you are'. Fans are convinced the song is about Gigi and their on-and-off relationship. The duo were first linked in November 2015, shortly after his split from fiance Little Mixer, Perrie Edwards and her split from singer Joe Jonas. | https://nation.com.pk/05-Jan-2019/have-gigi-hadid-and-zayn-malik-split-again |
How On Earth Did 'Pokmon GO' Make Almost $800 Million In 2018? | The biggest story of the gaming year is certainly Fortnite, which made Epic Games $3 billion this year despite its battle royale mode being free, selling only cosmetics. But a similarly impressive story is that Pokmon GO made $795 million in 2018, two years after its release, which represents a 35% jump from the year before. And Id argue that it did so while being a free game that sells far less attractive items than Fortnites never-ending carousel of skins. Well, it is still a low key global phenomenon, even if its not in headlines as much, and Niantic really delivered on their promise to double down on Pokmon GO, which many assumed would not happen with a new Harry Potter game on deck (which didnt actually come out in 2018 the way many expected it would). Engagement has been dramatically increased with new features like the friend system, research quests, trading and PvP battling. Weve seen the launch of new generations of Pokmon, working our way up all the way to Gen 4 out of 7 now. There was plenty of cross-promotion with Lets Go Pikachu and Eevee as Nintendo and The Pokmon Company are finally leaning into Pokmon GOs success. Past that, as SerebiiNet points out, there were 31 events, 12 Community Days and 4 special raiding days in Pokmon GO in 2018, as opposed to 10 total events in 2017. Niantic has figured out that to keep players engaged there needs to essentially be a non-stop parade of events in some form or another. Community Days in particular have been a huge hit for the game, as during a few hours every month it recreates the feeling of everyone is playing GO outside, making large scale, IRL meet-ups still possible, even if the craziness of two years ago has subsided. I remain impressed with GOs revenue not just in terms of player engagement, but again, because the monetization in this game isjust not that intense. Everything else is just icing, and this is not Fortnite selling elaborate $20 skins or $40 cosmetic sets on a non-stop 24 hour rotation. GO has also steered away from both loot boxes and traditional mobile trappings like pay-to-skip wait timers. Its kind of miraculous its putting up this much revenue given the way its monetized, which speaks to the overall breadth and devotion of its playerbase. This latest revenue total means that Pokmon GO has brought in $2.2 billion since its launch in the summer of 2016, and it seems possible it will hit $3 billion by the end of 2019, if they keep up this kind of momentum. And thats not counting whatever Niantic brings in from Harry Potter and its WB partnership. What a year, indeed. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Read my new sci-fi thriller novel Herokiller, available now in print and online. I also wrote The Earthborn Trilogy. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2019/01/05/how-on-earth-did-pokemon-go-make-almost-800-million-in-2018/ |
Were 'Yellow Vests' protesting against vegan sausage rolls at Greggs in Manchester today? | 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 Police were called to a protest in Manchester city centre on Saturday - with the location of the demonstration prompting speculation that it could be a response to vegan sausage rolls at Greggs. Around 30 protesters were contained by police on Mosley Street, right outside one of the many city centre branches of the fast food chain. The protest appeared to have been organised by a YouTube account called Tommy Robinson News. One witness said people taking part chanted slogans in favour of Brexit, critical of the police and the press, while carrying pro-Trump and English Defence League placards. But that didn't stop some jokey speculation that the real reason for the anger was the recent introduction of vegan sausage rolls to the menu at Greggs. @seismicshed wrote on Twitter: "Those people that post facebook memes about how plucky brits saw off the bosch during the war and how today's youngsters are all coddled and soft are currently stamping their feet outside a greggs in Manchester because there's no meat in some of the sausage rolls." (Image: Joel Goodman) And @DJdellamorte said: "Honestly if that's what these idiots get upset about now I'll gladly eat my lentil curries all up in their angry faces." @paddyoverall added: "Britain First protesting outside a Greggs in Manchester about their new vegan sausage rolls. Suppose it's an improvement on their usual anti-Muslim bullshit." Unfortunately (or fortunately, for the sake of all our sanities) it appears that the protesters were just being temporarily held outside Greggs as they tried to march from St Peter's Square up to Piccadilly Gardens. The site is next to the busy tram line on Mosley Street and officers were stopping the protesters disrupting Metrolink services. Greater Manchester Police tweeted from their city centre account: "Police are aware of a protest in Manchester today, Saturday 5 January 2019. "Officers are on duty to support any requirement to facilitate peaceful protest whilst also minimising disruption to the communities of Manchester." The new addition to the Greggs' menu is made with a Quorn sausage and a flaky pastry. Greggs meat-free rolls have been launched just in time for Veganuary - a month-long initiative which aims to encourage people to eat more plant-based meals. Roger Whiteside, chief executive at Greggs, said: "Like many food retailers we have seen increasing demand for vegetarian and vegan products. We have been trying to develop a vegan version of our famous sausage roll for some time now. "It has not been easy but our taste panel customers all love this one, so we have decided to launch it as our contribution to Veganuary." But extending consumer choice hasn't played well with professional TV opinionater Piers Morgan, who tweeted: "Nobody was waiting for a vegan bloody sausage, you PC-ravaged clowns." Several people have taken to social media since then to complain that their local branches have sold out. Let us know - in complete confidence - by emailing [email protected], calling us on 0161 211 2323, tweeting us @MENnewsdesk or messaging us on our Facebook page. You can also send us a story tip using the form here. Join the Manchester Evening News breaking news Facebook group for a place to read and talk about breaking news in Greater Manchester. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/were-yellow-vests-protesting-against-15634441 |
Will Vancouver Canucks Nikolay Goldobin Ever Become an Impact Player? | I remember when the Vancouver Canucks traded for Nikolay Goldobin. I watched his first game on March 4, 2017, and was immediately impressed with his speed and puck-handling skills. Furthermore, I remember him scoring the game-winning goal in a 43 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. A lot has happened in Goldobins Canuck career, and not all of it is good. So here we are as the season is at its halfway point, and the Canucks fourth-leading scorer is a healthy scratch. Because, although Goldobin is great with the puck, he is a defensive liability without it. Learning to Play Without the Puck In talking to the press at the end of last season, coach Travis Green said about Goldobin: Hes good with the puck when he has it. Hes gotta find ways to be good away from it. I met with Goldy today for 15-20 minutes. How long do you have the puck? I asked him. He said 2 minutes. Called our analytics guys, he had it for 29 seconds last game. Clearly, the biggest lesson the 23-year-old Goldobin must learn is how to play without the puck. In the game Green was discussing, Goldobin played 9:31. Doing the math, if he only had the puck for 29 seconds, that means he played 95 percent of his time on the ice without the puck. In itself, thats an interesting statistic and one, I admit, I wouldnt have guessed. It also makes any players time without the puck hugely important. As noted, thats Goldobins biggest issue. Related Mike Babcock on Elias Pettersson: Hes Smarter than Everybody Else Goldobins Two-Year Canucks History In 2018-19, Goldobins first full season with the Canucks, he split his time between the Canucks (38 games) and their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets (30 games). In his 38 NHL games, he had eight goals, six assists and 14 points. Thats hardly enough for a player whose main role on the team is on offense. Still, he teased fans by ending the season, scoring seven points in 11 games playing with Bo Horvat on the Canucks top line. This season, hes had some strong offensive games. He had two assists in a 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers and, in mid-December, had assists in three straight games. Goldobin, with the season now halfway through, has 18 assists and 23 points and is on-pace to finish with 46 points. Hes especially strong on the power play and has averaged close to three minutes of power play time each game. As a result, hes had a plethora of scoring opportunities. If he continues to play on the power play, he should keep scoring in the second half of the season. Although Goldobin struggled to score early in the season, his offense isnt the issue for Canucks coaching. Its his defense. And, whether the Canucks will wait for him to improve in that area is a question being discussed by those who cover the team, especially after the trade for Josh Leivo and Brandon Sutters imminent return. The ice is getting thinner. On Jan. 3, David Quadrelli of Fansided asked the question directly: Should the Canucks trade Nikolay Goldobin? Although he believes the answer is no, others seem less certain. Sportsnets Rick Dhaliwal tweeted: They have to make a roster move pretty quick here with Sutter coming back. I dont see Goldobin in the plans moving forward, he just is not learning and getting it. This has been months of trying to teach him to play a 200-foot game and it has not happened. In the meantime, Green is giving Goldobin some tough love. He has been a healthy scratch for two games and has listened to Green lay out the problems he needed to work on: his play along the boards, his forchecking and his work away from the puck. Weve shown him a lot of clips, Green added. I showed him in a clip in Calgary where he races in on the breakaway and his speed was great. Yet we showed him another clip of him on the forecheck and it wasnt the same speed. Hes skilled with the puck, has great vision and is fun to watch. My experience suggests that, if a player can skate and think, playing good defense is simply hard work and strong willpower. For me, the attraction of his offense is irresistible. Ive been around a long time, and, in that time, Ive learned that its hard to guess when or if a young player will or wont have a breakout season somewhere in the future. First, however, some of the lessons he seems to be dropping must be caught. Simply said, he has to learn how to play without the puck. Related Canucks News: Goalie Trade, Petterssons Great Day & Demkos Coming | https://thehockeywriters.com/vancouver-canucks-goldobin-impact-player/ |
When will it start getting warmer again in Bristol? | 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 If you are looking for some glimpses of some winter sunshine, then today could be your day. But wrap up warm as it's going to remain cold. It's been a chilly start this morning with temperatures hovering around freezing and many people waking to the job of de-icing their cars. (Image: Getty Images) And the temperatures are not likely to improve much throughout today, rising to around 5c, according to the Met Office. But the good news is there could be some sunshine later this morning and afternoon, although the odd light spot of rain does remain possible where the cloud thickens. Tonight will remain mainly dry and cloudy with temperatures dipping once again to around freezing. But its likely to remain largely frost free. Sunday will remain dry, although largely cloudy. And temperatures are on the up too, to around 10c. (Image: Getty) Monday will turn breezy with some patchy rain later in the day. But the bad news is the mild-ish spell will not last, with Tuesday and Wednesday - although dry, bright and breezy - turning colder once again. | https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/weather-forecast-uk-met-office-2392707 |
Which high school football senior recruits might Rutgers target after the dead period? | Yusuf Terry, WR, Imhotep (Philadelphia, Pa.) Terry has been one of Rutgers' top wide receiver targets over the last half year. He took an official visit to Rutgers last month, while still committed to Baylor, but still has yet to sign. Rutgers will likely continue to recruit him if he's serious about the Scarlet Knights. A 6-3, 175-pounder with wheels, Terry committed to Baylor on August 1 over 15 other offers and a top seven list of schools, including Rutgers, North Carolina, West Virginia, UCF, Syracuse and Missouri. Although there were more than a handful of schools in the mix for the three-star, Terry's recruitment came down to three teams: Baylor, Rutgers and West Virginia. | https://www.nj.com/expo/sports/g66l-2019/01/dbb2433f3d5919/which-high-school-football-sen.html |
Is Love Islands Alexandra Cane dating former Love Islander Rykard Jenkins? | Love Island contestant Alexandra Cane may have not had much luck in the 2018 Love Island villa (ahem, Dr Alex George), but it seems she may be following in Laura Andersons footsteps by going on to reportedly date someone else from the ITV show. And according to The Sun, that someone else is Rykard Jenkins from the second series of Love Island! You know, the star who dramatically quit the 2016 series to carry on his romance with Rachel Fenton, after she was voted off. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below ITV The report suggests that Alexandra and Rykard have been quietly interested in each other for a while. He went on Love Island and sacrificed his place on the series to be with Rachel Fenton so Alexandra was off-limits for a few years, the insider commented. But theyve reconnected again since Alexandra was on the show too and theres no denying their chemistry together they've been close friends for a while now." The source goes on to reveal that the pair were recently spotted kissing on a night out and couldnt keep their hands off each other. Update: While Alexandra hasnt commented on the rumours, Rykard has since spoken out on his Instagram Stories, replying to a fan by saying "I'm not dating anyone guys". Well thats pretty much cleared things up, but its still a recoupling we wouldnt mind seeing. | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a25754919/love-island-alexandra-cane-dating-rykard-jenkins/ |
What Do the Most Successful CEOs Have in Common? | The best leaders may be hiding in plain sight. The four researchers behind a 10-year study called the CEO Genome Project examined this question by exploring the traits that high-performing CEOs share. They summarized their findings in the May/June 2017 issue of Harvard Business Review. One surprising finding was that while extroverts are often perceived as having leadership qualities, introverted CEOs tend to do better for a companys bottom line. Our analysis revealed that while boards often gravitate toward charismatic extroverts, introverts are slightly more likely to surpass the expectations of their boards and investors, the researchers wrote. A board is twice as likely to give a candidate with an extroverted, confident nature the top job, but the researchers found that this aspect of a leaders personality doesnt have any bearing on how well they will do the job. Related: This List of the Highest-Paid CEOs May Surprise You Additionally, those who are selected for chief executive roles dont always have pristine records. Forty-five percent of CEO job candidates studied had at least one major career blowup in their past, but even if that mistake cost their former employer a great deal, 78 percent of those individuals were subsequently offered a CEO job. Although it might seem like a no-brainer to hire someone with an Ivy League pedigree, the researchers found that seven percent of high-performing CEOs have an undergraduate degree from an Ivy League school while eight percent never graduated from college. Ultimately, the researchers found that there are four common behaviors that the most successful CEOs exhibit. The first is decisiveness -- a measure of how quickly, how consistently and with how much conviction the CEO makes decisions, regardless of the outcome of those decisions. In our data, people who were described as decisive were 12 times more likely to be high-performing CEOs, the researchers wrote. Related: Learn the Traits of Successful CEOs The second quality is an understanding of stakeholders priorities and an ability to deliver results based on them. Of the top executives studied, those who engaged with their companys stakeholders were 75 percent more likely to succeed in the CEO position. The third quality of successful CEOs is an ability to think in the long term and adapt quickly to change. The researchers found that effective CEOs consider the long-term fortunes of the companies they lead 50 percent of the time, and those who are adept at quickly changing course are 6.7 times more likely to succeed The last of the four behaviors is the ability to reliably deliver on promises. CEO candidates who scored high on reliability were twice as likely to be picked for the role and 15 times more likely to succeed in it, the researchers explained. Boards and investors love a steady hand, and employees trust predictable leaders. | https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/293140 |
Is afname aantal ziekenhuizen gevaarlijk? | Vraag bij het nieuwsEr zijn ruim 24.000 handtekeningen opgehaald om sluiting van Bronovo in Den Haag en Antoniushove in Leidschendam te voorkomen. Om de zorg in de toekomst voor Den Haag en Haaglanden haalbaar en betaalbaar te houden is een grote reorganisatie nodig, volgens het HMC. Als Bronovo en Antoniushove verdwijnen, zou het HMC alleen nog maar bestaan uit HMC Westeinde. Daarnaast kunnen Hagenaars terecht in het Haga ziekenhuis. Volgens Bart Bakker, initiatiefnemer van de petitie, heeft juist Westeinde een slechte naam. ,,Te massaal, te onpersoonlijk, lange wachttijden, slechte medische zorg, slecht te bereiken en vrijwel altijd parkeerproblemen. Het sluiten van ziekenhuizen is een landelijke trend. Toch noemt Guus Schrijvers, oud-hoogleraar Public Health en gezondheidseconoom, het geen probleem. ,,Personeel is wel nodig, maar niet in zoveel gebouwen. Wie niet in Den Haag behandeld wil worden, kan naar een andere stad in de omgeving, volgens Schrijvers. ,,De keuzevrijheid in de Randstad is goed. Als een Hagenaar een oogoperatie in Rotterdam wil, kan hij daar ook naartoe. In Friesland, Drenthe of Zeeland ligt dat anders. ,,Wie in Friesland wordt doorverwezen naar Reumatologie, moet vaak de provincie uit. Geboortezorg Ook acute zorg zoals geboortezorg, is een probleem in genoemde provincies. Er zijn te weinig ziekenhuizen die specialistische zorg 24/7 kunnen aanbieden. Dat komt in Den Haag niet in gevaar als er ziekenhuizen gesloten worden, volgens de oud-hoogleraar. ,,Als de specialist er maar binnen een half uur kan zijn. Dat is belangrijker dan een gebouw. In steden als Leeuwarden, Arnhem en Den Bosch is er slechts n ziekenhuis. Bij een bacterile uitbraak vangen andere ziekenhuizen in de regio patinten op. Dan wordt onderscheid gemaakt tussen acute patinten en patinten met planbare zorg. ,,Een uitbraak wordt gemeld bij collegas, de inspectie en de GGD. De andere ziekenhuizen moeten vervolgens goed communiceren naar patinten. In de toekomst volstaat n ziekenhuis in een kleine stad en twee ziekenhuizen in grote steden. Daarvan is Schrijvers overtuigd. ,,Je krijgt steeds meer contact met specialisten via een scherm. Daarbij kan er vanuit huis bloed afgetapt of een biopt genomen worden. Specialisten gaan ook vaker het ziekenhuis uit en werken samen met huisartsen. Zwart-wit: Alleen wanneer het mes erin moet, hoef je nog naar het ziekenhuis. | https://www.ad.nl/den-haag/is-afname-aantal-ziekenhuizen-gevaarlijk~a0e74b5e/ |
What will the Fremantle Dockers best 22 look like in 2019? | Dual Doig medallist Lachie Neale, who missed just one game in the past four seasons, will leave a huge hole after his departure for Brisbane at 25 years of age. It is a hole the Dockers should be capable of filling but only if their other prime movers in the midfield can stay fit. Connor Blakely looms as an obvious candidate to be switched into an inside midfield role and he looks capable of becoming a key ball-winner. With Bradley Hill and Ed Langdon offering options on the wings, Fremantle will also hope Stephen Hill can make a strong return from an injury-riddled 2018, and further issues over the summer, to offer a solid inside presence. Further progression from highly-rated duo Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra would add to the Dockers midfield depth, while Richmond recruit Reece Conca will provide a strong body. In the longer term, highly-rated second-round draft pick Luke Valente, taken at 32 in the national draft, looks well suited to becoming an important inside ball-winner. Williamstown left-footer Brett Bewley, 23, taken with pick 59, is a ready-made option who should add depth and running power to the on-ball unit. The Dockers team for the opening round is set to feature a host of changes from the side that lost to Collingwood in the final round last year. Fremantle could unveil all four of their trade period acquisitions, with tall targets Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb, former Essendon speedster Travis Colyer and Conca all in the frame. However Hogan is in a race against time to overcome a foot injury. The arrival of Hogan and Lobb as viable marking targets in attack also has the potential to trigger flow-on benefits. Cam McCarthy will be playing for his career after an indifferent season last year, however the 23-year-old should relish not having to play as the main target. Not a natural contested marker, the 193cm McCarthy would be free to play a roaming role if he was picked to play in a forward line that featured at least a couple of Hogan, Lobb and Matt Taberner. Taberner will slide under the radar given the big-name recruits, however he played career-best footy early last season and should be well-placed to recapture that form with Hogan to attract the best defender. A Hogan-Taberner-Lobb forward trio has the potential to offer awesome aerial firepower and would likely leave no room for talented youngster Brennan Cox. Cox, a Rising Star nominee this year who showed off strong hands but a less than reliable goal-kicking action in 16 games as a forward, could now be redeployed to the backline. The 20-year-old was named at centre-half back in the under-18 All-Australian team as a junior and could become an intercept defender in the mould of the retired Michael Johnson. Another key issue for the Dockers to wrestle with next season will be who leads the ruck. The addition of 207cm Lobb as a forward-second ruck means there wont be room for veteran Aaron Sandilands and youngster Sean Darcy in the same team. Midfielder Harley Bennell had been training solidly before Christmas, but two games in three years on the list would indicate he is unlikely to be available for round one. | https://thewest.com.au/sport/fremantle-dockers/what-will-the-fremantle-dockers-best-22-look-like-in-2019-ng-b881065992z |
How will West Coast Eagles team shape up in 2019? | Adam Simpson said telling Will Schofield he was dropping him for last years qualifying final against Collingwood was one of the hardest things hed had to do. After Schofields rock-solid performance in the grand final, Simpson might have to find another defender to drop ahead of the season-opener this year as West Coast prepare to welcome back Brad Sheppard. Sheppards comeback promises to be an early highlight, after a serious hamstring tendon injury destroyed his finals series and ultimately cost him a premiership medal. Emotional comebacks will be a key theme for the Eagles this year. Wingman Andrew Gaff will have to wait until round three to make his own return for the grand final re-match against Collingwood at the MCG, when his eight-match suspension expires. And ruckman Nic Naitanui will have to wait even longer as he attempts to return from his second knee reconstruction during the latter part of the season. No premiership 22 has ever played another game together and that will continue next season when the Eagles make several changes to their grand final outfit for their round one trip to face Brisbane. Ruckman Scott Lycett has moved to Port Adelaide as a free agent, while forward Mark LeCras has retired. St Kilda recruit Tom Hickey and Nathan Vardy are expected to form the first-choice ruck combination, with Naitanui looming as a late-season wildcard as he targets a return ahead of the finals series. Vardys ability to contribute up forward, underlined by his crucial contested grab and goal in the last quarter of the premiership, means the Eagles are likely to continue with their unique two-ruck system. The other option will be to play either Hickey or Vardy as a sole ruckman, which would require a part-timer to chip in. Three-time All-Australian Jeremy McGovern is willing to spend time in the ruck, but his importance as an intercept defender means Simpson has largely shied away from asking him to do ruckwork. Utility Brendon Ah Chee, who was an emergency for the grand final, was used in the ruck for East Perth and in training drills last season despite being just 188cm and is another back-up ruck option. Grand final hero Dom Sheed was dropped three times last season, but begins 2019 well placed to be a regular after a strong finals series. Sheed starred on the last Saturday in September with 32 touches, including the most important kick of his life, and shared the clubs player of the finals award with fellow midfielder Jack Redden. Setting up Sheeds winning goal in the grand final was Liam Ryan, who in turn took one of the most important marks in West Coasts history. The lively forward returned to pre-season training short of condition following his controversial post-season break and will need a strong post-Christmas period on the track to earn a spot for round one. If Ryan is forced to start his season in the WAFL with West Coasts new reserves team, Ah Chee and Subiaco recruit Luke Foley could receive early opportunities. Foley, a 19-year-old midfielder-forward, is a year older than normal draft age after being overlooked in 2017 and looks the most prepared of the Eagles new crop to make an early debut. | https://thewest.com.au/sport/west-coast-eagles/how-will-west-coast-eagles-team-shape-up-in-2019-ng-b881065999z |
Will Adele never tour again? | Adele has shut down the company she formed to collect her tour cash, giving fans a further indication shell never hit the road again. The 30-year-old told fans her most recent tour would be her last, admitting she struggled with life away from home, and now the Hello singer has applied to have her gig business, Remedy Touring LLP, put into voluntary liquidation, according to The Sun. In her most recent accounts, filed almost a year ago, Adeles business aides revealed she had earned $181 million from the 121 gigs on her Adele Live tour from February 2016 to June 2017. But, onstage at a show in March, 2017, Adele told fans, Touring isnt something Im good at. Applause makes me feel vulnerable. I dont know if I will ever tour again. The only reason Ive toured is you. She launched Remedy Touring in 2015 in her full name, Adele Adkins. | https://canoe.com/entertainment/music/will-adele-never-tour-again |
Can Bama do the impossible and get in Trevor Lawrences head? | The President began his meeting with lawmakers with a profanity-laced outburst and said he wouldn't negotiate on his $5.6B demand for a border wall, sources say President Donald Trump told congressional leaders during a meeting Friday to try to negotiate terms to re-open the government and that he preferred the word "strike" in describing the ongoing government shutdown, a person familiar with the meeting and a Democratic aide told CNN. Analysis: Trump and Pelosi face off in epic power struggle The two most powerful people in Washington -- Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi -- met for the first time as President and speaker Friday morning at the White House in a futile attempt to end a government shutdown as it hit the two-week mark. Hundreds of TSA screeners calling out sick during shutdown Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration officers, who are required to work without paychecks through the partial government shutdown, have called out from work this week from at least four major airports, according to two senior agency officials and three TSA employee union officials. See Trump's fiery response to impeachment remark President Trump responds to Rep. Rashid Tlaib's (D-MI) controversial comments. Hours after she was sworn in to Congress, Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib used an expletive in pushing for impeaching President Donald Trump. From weddings to beer, the surprising impacts of the shutdown The government shutdown is approaching the two-week mark with no end in sight. And now that the holidays are over, its effects are becoming more apparent -- not just on federal workers' salaries, but on everything from science to beer. CNN reporter presses Trump: You promised Mexico would pay CNN's Kaitlan Collins presses President Donald Trump on how he can say he's not failing on delivering his campaign promise to build a concrete wall and have Mexico pay for it. Anderson Cooper debunks Trump's shutdown claims CNN's Anderson Cooper discusses President Donald Trump's recent rhetoric about the government shutdown and border wall. Trump says he could keep shutdown going for months or years A meeting Friday between President Donald Trump and newly powerful Democrats ended in varied descriptions of what transpired, with Republicans expressing fresh optimism a deal could be struck and their political opponents offering drearier views of a compromise. At least 3 dead in shooting at California bowling alley A shooting at a bowling alley left three men dead and four people injured in Southern California late Friday, authorities said. | http://theechotimes.com/can-bama-do-the-impossible-and-get-in-trevor-lawrences-head/ |
Why Is Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) Up 2.6% Since Last Earnings Report? | Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) reported earnings 30 days ago. We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Broadcom Inc. (AVGO). Shares have added about 2.6% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Broadcom Tops Q4 Earnings Estimates, '19 Outlook Strong Broadcom Limited has delivered stellar fourth-quarter fiscal 2018 results. Non-GAAP earnings of $5.85 per share marginally beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.58 per share. The figure improved 27.5% from the year-ago quarter and 17.5% sequentially. Non-GAAP revenues from continuing operations were $5.448 billion, soaring 124% from the year-ago quarter and 8% sequentially. GAAP revenues came in at $5.444 billion. The figure marginally surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.401. Decline in its large wireless customers and lower-than-expected demand in broadband business due to sluggish carrier spending is a headwind. Segment Revenues Wired Infrastructure revenues (41% of total revenues) totaled $2.2 billion, up 3% from the year-ago quarter. The upside was primarily driven by robust demand for cloud data centers and traditional enterprises. Broadcom also announced that robust growth in networking and compute offloading in cloud data centers, and solid growth spending by enterprise IT positively impacted the segmental revenues. However, lower-than-expected demand in broadband business owing to sluggish carrier spending is a concern. As a result, revenues from broadband were down year over year. Wireless Communications (31% of total revenues) was down 5% year over year to roughly $1.7 billion. Decline in large wireless customers remains a headwind. Enterprise Storage (23% of total revenues) surged 96% from the year-ago quarter to $1.3 billion. The improvement was largely backed by contribution from the recently-acquired Brocade Fibre Channel switch business and strong enterprise IT spending. Industrial & other (5% of total revenues) increased 5.8% year over year to $272 million. Excluding IP licensing revenues, Industrial business continued to grow, highlighting single-digit increase year over year. Operating Details Non-GAAP gross margin expanded 510 basis points (bps) on a year-over-year basis to 68.4%. The increase was buoyed by favorable product mix, driven by higher revenues from wired segment. Non-GAAP operating expenses increased 11.4% year over year to $863 million. Operating margin expanded 520 bps from the year-ago quarter to 52.5%. Liquidity As of Nov 4, 2018, cash & cash equivalents were $4.3 billion compared with $4.1 billion in the previous quarter. Long-term debt was $17.5 billion at the end of the fourth quarter, in line with the prior quarter level. Broadcom generated cash flow from operations of roughly $2.6 billion compared with $2.2 billion in the previous quarter. Capital expenditures totaled $106 million, down from the last quarter figure of $120 million. During the reported quarter, the company repurchased approximately 6.4 million shares worth $1.53 billion. In fiscal 2018, the company repurchased 31.9 million shares worth $7.258 billion. Additionally, Broadcom returned $723 million in the form of dividends to shareholders during the fourth quarter. The company also approved a quarterly cash dividend of $2.65 per ordinary share (an increase of 51%, sequentially). Guidance For fiscal 2019, Broadcom forecasts non-GAAP revenues of almost $24.5 billion. Non-GAAP operating margin is anticipated to be 51%, while non-GAAP operating expenses are expected at around $874 million. The company projects capital expenditures of $550 million for fiscal 2019. In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. VGM Scores Currently, Broadcom Inc. has a nice Growth Score of B, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with an A. However, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-broadcom-inc-avgo-2-143002962.html |
Why Is Signet (SIG) Down 15.4% Since Last Earnings Report? | It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Signet (SIG). Shares have lost about 15.4% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Signet Posts Q3 Loss, Revenues Up Y/Y Signet Jewelers Limited posted adjusted loss in third-quarter fiscal 2019. Nevertheless, both bottom and top lines surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the reported quarter. Performance was mainly driven by growth in same-store sales. Q3 Details The company reported adjusted loss of $1.06 per share in the quarter, which was narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.08. Also, the same declined more than five folds compared with the year-ago quarters loss of 20 cents. This jewellery retailer generated total revenues of $1,191.7 million that came ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,172 million and rose 3% year over year. On a constant-currency basis, revenues increased 3.3%. Per management, sales were primarily driven by strong same-store sales performance, the James Allen acquisition in September 2017 and the application of new revenue recognition accounting standards. These upsides were partly negated by unfavourable currency, impacts stemming from calendar shifts and store closures. The companys same-store sales rose 1.6% year over year. E-commerce sales, including James Allen, came in at $125 million, up 54.9% on a year-over-year basis. We note that e-commerce improved across all channels in the quarter and accounted for 10.5% of total sales. Adjusted gross profit increased 15.6% to $371.2 million, while gross margin expanded 330 basis points (bps) to 31.1%. Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) were up 9.2% to $410.3 million in the quarter, owing to higher advertising expenses, rising incentive compensation and increasing credit outsourcing costs that were partly offset by cost savings. Adjusted operating loss came in at $38.9 million, against operating income of $5.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Segment Discussion Sales at the North America segment increased 4.1% on a reported basis (or 4.3% at constant currency basis) to $1,064.3 million. Comps rose 2.1% on the back of James Allens contribution to sales and renewed focus on product assortment. Further, comps increased 2.8%, 16.2% and 0.7% in Zales, Piercing Pagoda and Kay segment, respectively, while it remained flat for Jared. Sales at the International segment decreased 5.5% to $121.3 million on a reported basis and declined 4.2% on a constant-currency basis. Comps at the segment declined 3.1%, along with flat ATV and a transaction decline of 2.7%. Dismal comps performance mainly stemmed from soft-traffic trends and a tough consumer environment. Further, lower sales of diamond jeweler and fashion watches were partially offset by higher prestige watch sales. Other Details Signet ended the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $130.7 million, net accounts receivable (inclusive of accounts receivable held for sale) of $14.1 million and inventories worth $2,647.1 million. Long-term debt and total shareholders equity were $660.4 million and $1,349 million, respectively. For fiscal 2019, the company plans to close more than 200 stores and open approximately 30 stores. As of Nov 3, the company operated 3,478 stores. The company has repurchased 8.8 million shares worth approximately $485 million year to date. As of Nov 3, the company is left with share repurchase authorization of $165.6 million. Guidance Management revised its guidance for fiscal 2019. The company anticipates earnings per share between $4.15 and $4.40 compared with its prior guidance of $4.05-$4.40. It now expects same-store sales to be flat to up 1% compared with the prior view of flat to down 1.5%. Sales for the year is projected to be $6.26-$6.31 billion compared with the previous projection of $6.2-$6.3 billion. The company continues to anticipate capital expenditures of $165-$185 million. Signet also provided fourth-quarter fiscal 2019 guidance. The company anticipates adjusted earnings per share of $4.35-$4.59. Sales are projected to be $2.17-$2.22 billion. Further, gross margin rate and SG&A expenses are expected to increase year over year in the quarter. Earlier in March 2018, the company announced its three-year Path to Brilliance transformation plan. In this regard, Signet continues to anticipate cost savings of $85-$100 million during fiscal 2019 with additional cost savings of $115-$125 million by the end of the three-year program. Additionally, the company continues to project cost savings from this program to be $200-$225 million over the next three years. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-signet-sig-down-15-143002295.html |
Why Is John Wiley & Sons (JW.A) Down 6.5% Since Last Earnings Report? | It has been about a month since the last earnings report for John Wiley & Sons (JW.A). Shares have lost about 6.5% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. John Wiley & Sons Q2 Earnings & Revenues Decline Y/Y John Wiley & Sons came out with second-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein both top and bottom lines deteriorated year over year and also fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the second straight time. The company reiterated its previously issued drab earnings outlook for fiscal 2019. Continued softness in Publishing revenues and costs related to increased growth investments remained deterrents for the company in the second quarter. Moreover, revenues, operating income and the bottom line were somewhat hurt by foreign currency headwinds. Q2 in Detail John Wiley & Sons adjusted earnings of 89 cents per share tumbled 13.6% year over year, and dropped 9% on a constant-currency (cc) basis. Earnings were mainly hit by costs associated with growth investments to enhance performance across Research and Education Services. The bottom line also came a penny below the Zacks Consensus Estimate, which marked the companys second consecutive miss after seven straight quarterly beats. Revenues of $448.6 million dipped close to 1% year over year (up 1% on a cc basis). Further, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $453 million. Results were hurt by persistent weakness at the Publishing division, while Solutions segment continued with its robust show. Meanwhile, sales at the Research segment remained flat. Adjusted operating income came in at $67.5 million compared with $79.4 million in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted operating income plunged 10% at cc. The downside primarily stemmed from increased investments in growth efforts. Adjusted operating margin contracted 260 basis points to 15%. Segmental Details Research revenues remained flat year over year, while it rose 3% at cc. Results were fueled by double-digit improvements in Open Access and Atypon Publishing Technology Services. Journal subscriptions remained flat at cc. The segments adjusted contribution to profit declined 7% at cc on account of greater society publishing royalties and growth investments. Publishing revenues dropped 5% on a reported basis and 3% at cc, due to soft performance by Educational Publishing, STM and Professional Publishing. This was somewhat compensated by growth in WileyPLUS and Test Preparation. Adjusted contribution to profit dipped 2% at cc, owing to soft revenues. The company posted an 8% increase in Solutions revenues, which jumped 9% at cc. The upside was backed by robust performance by Professional Assessment and Corporate Learning. Performance of Education Services was fueled by same-school growth, though it was countered by termination of various underperforming contracts. Solutions segments adjusted contribution to overall profit jumped 22% at cc, courtesy of improved revenues and efficiency. This was partly negated by growth investments. Other Financial Update The company used $121.1 million of cash from operating activities in the first half of fiscal 2019. Further, the company used free cash flow (net of Product Development Spending) of $163.5 million. Capital expenditures (including Technology, Property, and Equipment and Product development spending) were $42 million. In fiscal 2019, capital expenditures are expected to be lower than $150.7 million incurred in fiscal 2018. Management expects cash provided by operations to decline in high-single digits from the year-ago level of $381.8 million. John Wiley & Sons raised its quarterly dividend to 33 cents in June. During the first half, the company bought back shares worth roughly $25 million and paid $38 million as dividends. Other Developments & Guidance Wiley acquired The Learning House on Nov 1, which is set to solidify the companys position in the fast-growing education services market, worth nearly $10 billion. Further, management expects to gain from its solid university partners, new research publishing ventures and focus on expanding in growth areas. The companys focus on enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs also bode well. Management reiterated its earnings and sales guidance for fiscal 2019. Revenues are expected to be flat year over year at $1796.1 million. A low-single-digit rise in Research and Solutions revenues is anticipated to be countered by a low-single-digit fall in Publishing revenues. Adjusted earnings (at cc) are anticipated to decline in mid-single digits from $3.43 in the previous fiscal, owing to escalated investments in revenue enhancement efforts, mainly in Research and Education Services. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2019 earnings and revenues is pegged at $3.07 and $1.8 billion, respectively. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-john-wiley-sons-jw-143002234.html |
Why Is G-III Apparel (GIII) Down 17% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for G-III Apparel Group (GIII). Shares have lost about 17% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. G-III Apparel Tops Q3 Earnings, Lags Sales Estimates G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. posted third-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein the top and the bottom line improved year on year. Also, earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This marks the companys seventh straight bottom-line beat. The quarterly results were backed by sturdy performance of the wholesale business. Further, management raised view for fiscal 2019. However, the companys retail segment was unimpressive in the quarter, due to sales declines across major stores and lower store count. Results in Detail Adjusted earnings came in at $1.88 per share, which surpassed the consensus mark of $1.82. The bottom line improved 12.6% from the year-ago quarters figure of $1.67. Further, net sales of $1,073 million grew 4.7% year over year. Sales mainly benefited from stellar show in the wholesale operations, which gained from impressive brand performances. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1079 million. Moving on, gross profit declined 2.3% to reach $382.1 million. Further, gross margin of 35.6% contracted 260 basis points (bps), due to dismal gross margins in the retail and wholesale segments. In the quarter under review, SG&A expenses declined 4.4% to nearly $232 million. The improvement was primarily driven by the adoption of a new revenue standard. Further, operating profit amounted to $140 million, marking a 0.1% decline from the prior-years figure. Segment Performances Net sales in the wholesale segment came in at $1.01 billion, up almost 4%. The Tommy Hilfiger and DKNY brands were primary growth drivers. However, bankruptcy of Bon-Ton stores negatively impacted the performance of Calvin Klein brand. Retail segment net sales came in at $111 million, down 7% from the prior-year quarters figure. The segment witnessed sales decline across Wilsons and G.H. Bass stores, partially offset by higher sales in DKNY stores. Decline in the number of stores operated by the company also weighed upon the segments performance. Other Financial Details GIII-Apparel exited the third quarter of fiscal 2019 with cash and cash equivalents of $66.1 million and long-term debt of $694.3 million. Total stockholders equity came in at $1,181 million. Guidance & Management Plans Led by sturdy results in the third quarter, management raised view for fiscal 2019. The company now expects net sales close to $3.08 billion compared with the previous view of approximately $3.06 billion. Also, management expects earnings in the range of $2.67-$2.77 per share compared with the prior projection of $2.52-$2.62. The bottom line estimate excludes imputed interest expense related with the Donna Karan International acquisition. Management is optimistic about the momentum in the wholesale businesses. We expect this unit to continue performing well in the upcoming quarters. Additionally, to improve retail business, the company is reviewing growth opportunities and focusing on minimizing losses. It is also on track with rationalizing retail store portfolio. In this respect, the company has already shuttered 71 stores of its targeted 105 closures. Apart from these, GIII-Apparel is on track with bolstering brands across channels. Fresh estimates followed an upward path over the past two months. The consensus estimate has shifted 22.53% due to these changes. VGM Scores At this time, G-III Apparel has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with a B. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook G-III Apparel has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report G-III Apparel Group, LTD. (GIII) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-g-iii-apparel-giii-143002531.html |
Why Is Patterson Cos. (PDCO) Down 11% Since Last Earnings Report? | Patterson Cos. (PDCO) reported earnings 30 days ago. We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Patterson Cos. (PDCO). Shares have lost about 11% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Patterson Companies Q2 Earnings Beat, Animal Health Up Patterson Companies reported adjusted earnings of 39 cents per share in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents. Earnings however fell 23.5% year over year. Net sales in the quarter were $1.40 billion, up 1.4% year over year, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a slight 0.01%. Segmental Analysis The company currently distributes products through subsidiaries Patterson Dental and Patterson Animal Health. Dental Segment This segment provides a virtually complete range of consumable dental products, equipment, software, turnkey digital solutions and value-added services to dentists as well as laboratories throughout North America. In the second quarter, dental sales (39% of total sales) declined 2% year over year to approximately $542.5 million. Dental Consumable Sales in the sub-segment were $303.8 million, down 2.4% year over year. Dental Equipment & Software Sales in the segment fell 1.1% on a year-over-year basis to $167.7 million. Other This segment comprises technical service, parts and labor, software support services as well as office supplies. Sales in the segment declined 2.6% on a year-over-year basis to $71 million. Animal Health Segment This segment is a leading distributor of veterinary supplies to clinics, public and private institutions and shelters across the United States. Coming to the second-quarter performance of the platform (61% of total sales), sales increased almost 3.9% on a year-over-year basis to $855.4 million. Corporate Sales at the segment were $6.83 million, down 19.9% year over year. Gross Margin Analysis Gross profit in the reported quarter was $295.1 million, down 6.5% year over year. As a percentage of revenues, gross margin contracted 180 basis points (bps) to 21% in the second quarter. Operating expenses in the reported quarter totaled $253.9 million, up 4% on a year-over-year basis. Guidance For fiscal 2019, Patterson Companies has retained its guidance. Notably, earnings per share are expected in the range of $1.40 to $1.50. In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. VGM Scores At this time, Patterson Cos. has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with a B. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision indicates a downward shift. Notably, Patterson Cos. has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Patterson Companies, Inc. (PDCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-patterson-cos-pdco-down-143002658.html |
Why Is Cooper Cos. (COO) Down 11.1% Since Last Earnings Report? | Cooper Cos. (COO) reported earnings 30 days ago. We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Cooper Cos. (COO). Shares have lost about 11.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Cooper Companies Q4 Earnings Miss, Gains From Core CVI Cooper Companies reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2018 earnings of $2.87 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3%. However, earnings increased 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. The company reported revenues worth $651.5 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $645.8 million. On a year-over-year basis, revenues improved 16%. Q4 Segment Details CVI This segment garnered revenues worth $480.6 million, up 10% on a pro forma basis and 9% year over year. Per management, the segment saw a noticeable uptick in the daily silicone hydrogel lenses, showing pro forma growth of 50% driven by accelerating growth in both Clariti and MyDay. Toric (31% of CVI) revenues totaled $149.2 million, up 11% on a pro forma basis and 10% year over year. Multifocal (10%) generated revenues worth $47.8 million, up 7% at pro forma and 6% year over year. Single-use sphere (29%) posted revenues worth $141.7 million, which shot up 21% at pro forma and 19% from a year ago. Non single-use sphere (30%) revenues came in at $141.9 million, up 2% at pro forma and 2% from a year ago. Geographically, the segment saw an improvement in U.S. revenues (39%), up 8% at pro forma and 8% year over year to $185.8 million. EMEA revenues (38%) were $183.8 million, up 9% at pro forma and 6% from the prior-year quarter. Per management, overseas growth was driven by clariti and MyDay strength and strong results from Biofinity and Avaira Vitality. Asia Pacific sales (23%) rose 19% at pro forma and 19% year over year to $111 million. Per management, APAC posted strong results buoyed by Clariti along with strength in MyDay and Biofinity. CSI This segment posted revenues of $170.9 million, up 5% at pro forma and 40% year over year. Per management, growth was led by a 20% rise in PARAGARD. Sub-segment Office and Surgical products (64% of CSI) accounted for $110 million, up 12% at pro forma and a whopping 97% on a year-over-year basis. Fertility (36%) posted sales worth $60.9 million, down 9% year over year and 6% at pro forma. Margin Analysis In the fiscal fourth quarter, gross profit totaled $430 million, up 21.7% year over year. Per management, adjusted gross margin was 66%, flat with the year-ago quarter level. As a percentage of revenues, adjusted gross margin at the CSI segment was 73%, up from 60% a year ago. Per management, the upside was driven by the addition of PARAGARD and improvement in product mix. As a percentage of revenues, adjusted gross margin at the CVI segment was 64% compared with 68% in the year-ago quarter. Operating income in the quarter totaled $122.7 million, up 13.1% year over year. Adjusted operating margin was 24.3%, up 180 bps from the prior-year quarter. Per management adjusted operating margin was 27%, flat year over year. Financial Condition Cooper Companies exited the fiscal fourth quarter with free cash flow of $193.2 million, up 16% year over year. The companys debt fell to $2.02 billion primarily due to paydown with operational cash flow generation. FY19 Guidance Cooper Companies expects fiscal 2019 revenues within $2,600-$2,660 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $2.67 billion, above the projected range. Notably, revenues from CVI are expected between $1,940 million and $1,980 million, while the same from CSI are anticipated within $660-$680 million. The company also expects adjusted earnings per share between $11.30 and $11.70. Fresh estimates followed a downward path over the past two months. The consensus estimate has shifted -7.81% due to these changes. VGM Scores At this time, Cooper Cos. has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-cooper-cos-coo-down-143002309.html |
Why Is Michaels (MIK) Down 8.1% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Michaels (MIK). Shares have lost about 8.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Michaels Companies Tops Q3 Earnings & Sales, Ups View Michaels Companies delivered strong third-quarter fiscal 2018 results, wherein top and bottom lines beat estimates and improved year over year. This marked the companys third consecutive earnings beat while sales topped estimates in three of the last four quarters. Further, the company raised its sales and comparable store sales (comps) forecasts and tightened its earnings guidance for fiscal 2018. It also outlined its view for the fiscal fourth quarter. Q3 Numbers Michaels Companies adjusted earnings of 48 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 44 cents and improved 9.1% from the prior-year quarter. The increase was driven by solid comps growth, efficient expense management and the impact of the ongoing share repurchase program. Net sales of this arts and crafts specialty retailer increased 2.7% year over year to $1,274.1 million. The top line also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,255. This increase was backed by comps growth and operation of 19 additional Michaels stores (net of closures), partly negated by the closure of all 94 full-size Aaron Brothers stores in the fiscal first quarter. Excluding the impact of Aaron Brothers, sales improved 5%. Comps improved 3.8% in the fiscal third quarter, with 4.3% growth on a constant-currency basis. The upside was driven by rise in average ticket, partially offset by a marginal decline in customer transactions. Further, comps gained from improved in-stock merchandise, marketing support, and focus on value and key items. Adjusting for the calendar shift, comps were up 1.1%. Gross profit declined 1.1% year over year to $479 million while gross margin contracted 140 basis points (bps) to 37.6%. The contraction in gross margin was due to rise in distribution-related costs and higher inventory reserves. This was partly offset by occupancy leverage and benefits of the ongoing sourcing endeavors. SG&A expenses, including pre-opening costs, increased 3.5% to $341.8 million owing to higher performance-based compensation, increased marketing and payroll-related expenses. This was offset by the decline in expenses related to the closing of Aaron Brothers stores in the fiscal first quarter. Backed by gross margin contraction and higher SG&A expenses, adjusted operating income dropped 8.2% to $141.3 million. Operating margin was 11.1%, down 130 bps from the year-ago quarter. Stores Update During the fiscal third quarter, the company inaugurated six new Michaels stores, alongside closing one and relocating four Michaels outlets. As of Nov 3, 2018, Michaels Companies operated 1,256 Michaels stores and 36 Pat Catans stores. In the fiscal fourth quarter, the company plans to open two Michaels stores (net of closures) and relocate one Michaels store. For fiscal 2018, the company estimates opening 20 new Michaels outlets (net of closures) and relocating 21 Michaels shops. Financial Position Michaels Companies had cash and cash equivalents of $102.7 million, long-term debt of $2,690.3 million, and total stockholders deficit of $1,789.9 million as of Nov 3, 2018. Total debt at the quarter end was $2,930.6 million. As of Nov 3, total merchandise inventory rose 2.6% to $1,440.9 million. Management incurred capital expenditure of $119.6 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2018, mainly related to investments in technology projects, comprising funds to support the in-sourcing of e-commerce fulfillment, and resources pumped into new and relocated outlets. For fiscal 2018, the company expects to incur capital expenditure of $160 million. Guidance Michaels Companies remains concerned about the challenges facing the Arts and Crafts channel due to stagnant growth and increased distribution points. However, it expects the momentum witnessed in the fiscal third quarter to continue in the fourth quarter. Consequently, the company provided an upbeat outlook for the fiscal fourth quarter. Management expects comps for the fiscal fourth quarter between negative 0.5% and positive 0.5%. Adjusted operating income is estimated to be $332-$342 million. Interest expenses are likely to be about $38 million, with an effective tax rate of 23%. Earnings are envisioned to be $1.42-$1.47 per share. Based on year-to-date results and outlook for the fiscal fourth quarter, the company raised its sales and comps view for fiscal 2018, and tightened its earnings forecast. It now expects net sales of $5,261-$5,278 million in fiscal 2018, marking an increase from $5,217-$5,293 million mentioned previously. Comps are now estimated to increase 0.7-1.1% compared with comps of flat to up 1.5% expected earlier. Adjusted operating income is projected to be $670-$680 million versus $677-$700 million stated earlier. Interest expenses continue to be estimated at $144 million, with effective tax rate of nearly 23%. Earnings per share for the fiscal are now anticipated to be $2.35-$2.39, up from the companys previous view of $2.29-$2.42. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-michaels-mik-down-8-143002061.html |
Why Is The Children's Place (PLCE) Down 18.5% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for The Children's Place (PLCE). Shares have lost about 18.5% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Children's Place Lags Q3 Earnings, Cuts View The Childrens Place, Inc. reported third-quarter fiscal 2018 results, wherein earnings missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but sales surpassed the same. That said, the companys top and bottom lines both increased on a year-over-year basis, courtesy of surging demand in its digital channels. Despite the improvement, it trimmed its fiscal 2018 earnings and margin guidance. Lets Delve Deeper The company reported adjusted earnings of $3.07 a share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.08 but came at the higher end of its guided range of $2.97-$3.07. However, the bottom line increased 19% during the quarter under review, following a decline of 18.6% in the fiscal second quarter. This year-over-year improvement can be attributed to higher digital sales, partly offset by lower margins owing to increased focus on e-commerce penetration. The company generated net sales of $522.5 million, which increased 6.6% year over year and also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $502 million. Its net sales topped the consensus mark in the fiscal second quarter as well. The increase in net sales in the fiscal third quarter was due to comparable retail sales increase of 9.5% and new revenue recognition rules. The positives were partly offset by about $14 million impact from the calendar shift related to the 53rd week in fiscal 2017. U.S. and Canada comparable retail sales increased 10.6% and 1.6%, respectively, owing to strength in traffic trends, transactions and conversion. E-commerce, which represented 29% of total net sales, surged 38% during the quarter. Adjusted gross profit edged up about 1% to $204.4 million, whereas gross margin contracted 220 basis points (bps) to 39.1% due to increased e-commerce penetration. Adjusted operating income came in at $65.5 million, down 4.2% from $68.4 million a year ago, while operating margin contracted 150 bps year over year to 12.5%. Adjusted SG&A expenses increased 4% from a year ago to $122 million. However, as a percentage of net sales, the same improved 60 bps on a year-over-year basis. The improvement in SG&A expenses was due to fixed cost leverage on stronger comparable retail sales and lower incentive compensation expenses. Store Update As a part of store fleet optimization endeavors, the company shuttered four stores and did not open any outlet, thereby ending the quarter with 988 stores. Since the announcement of the fleet optimization plan in 2013, the company has shuttered 195 outlets. The companys international franchise partners opened 21 net new points of distribution through fiscal 2018, ending the quarter with 211 international points of distribution open that are operated by its eight franchise partners in 20 countries. Other Financial Details Children's Place ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $93 million compared with $257.7 million a year ago. The company exited the quarter with inventories of $376.9 million and shareholders equity of $343.5 million. It has a revolving loan of $65 million. During the quarter, the company bought back 192.2 thousand shares for roughly $26 million and paid a quarterly dividend of approximately $8 million. At the end of the quarter, the company still has approximately $281 million remaining under its existing share repurchase program. Management incurred capital expenditures of approximately $28 million during the quarter and expects the same to be in the range of $70-$75 million for the fiscal year. Guidance Slashed Management now anticipates adjusted earnings in the band of $7.69-$7.79 per share for fiscal 2018, down from the prior guided range of $8.09-$8.29 and compared with earnings of $7.91 reported in fiscal 2017. The guidance includes about $30 million costs related to the companys accelerated digital spending. Children's Place now envisions total net sales in the range of $1.955-$1.960 billion compared with $1.945-$1.955 billion projected earlier. The company forecasts mid-single digit growth in comparable retail sales. Meanwhile, it has slashed adjusted operating margin guidance to 7.7-7.8% from the prior guided range of 8.5-8.7%. The tepid outlook takes into account higher fulfillment expenses to support stronger demand in digital channels and shipping costs due to a shift from store to online during the fiscal fourth quarter. Management expects digital penetration to increase to 27% of net sales from 23%. The company now envisions fourth quarter net sales in the range of $547-$552 million. The company projects fourth-quarter earnings between $2.07 and $2.17 per share, down from $2.52 recorded in the prior-year period. Management now expects low-single digit increase in comparable retail sales versus prior expectation of mid-single digit growth. Adjusted operating margin is now expected in the range of 8.1-8.4% for the final quarter. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-childrens-place-plce-down-143002742.html |
Why Is Ulta (ULTA) Down 12.9% Since Last Earnings Report? | It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Shares have lost about 12.9% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Ulta Beauty Q3 Earnings Beat, Sales Meet Estimates Ulta Beauty reported third-quarter fiscal 2018 results, wherein earnings outpaced estimates while revenues met the same. Further, the top and the bottom lines improved year over year. Management also issued guidance for the fiscal fourth quarter, which was below analysts' expectations. Nevertheless, it reaffirmed fiscal 2018 outlook. Quarterly results were driven by the companys retail business, solid store-expansion efforts, gains from the adoption of revenue standard, higher market share gains, and sturdy e-commerce sales and salon operations. Q3 Numbers Ulta Beautys earnings were $2.18 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a couple of cents. Further, the bottom line improved 28.2% year over year. Net sales of this cosmetics retailer grew 16.2% year over year to $1,560 million but came in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. We note that Ulta Beauty adopted Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers on Feb 4, 2018. The adoption of this revenue standard contributed nearly $10.5 million to the top line in the reported quarter. Comparable sales (comps), including stores and e-commerce, climbed 7.8% compared with 10.3% growth in the prior-year quarter. Increase in traffic and ticket, along with higher store productivity, led to comps growth. During the fiscal third quarter, the company registered a transaction increase of 5.3% while average ticket was up 2.5%. Retail business (comprising retail and salon) witnessed comps growth of 4.4%, including 3.5% improvement in salon comps. Sales for the salon business rose 10.7% to $74 million. Further, e-commerce sales soared 42.5% to $170.7 million, reflecting about 340 basis points (bps) of total comps growth. Gross profit increased 16.1% year over year to $572.3 million. However, gross margin remained flat at 36.7% as category and channel mix shifts along with investments in salon services and supply chain were completely offset by the impact from revenue recognition accounting and leverage in fixed store expenses. Including the effects from the adoption of the revenue standard, gross margin expanded 50 bps. While operating income was up 4% year over year to $169.2 million, operating margin declined 130 bps to 10.8%. This contraction was due to rise of 140 bps in SG&A expenses (as a percentage of sales), somewhat mitigated with lower pre-opening expenses, which decreased 21.6% to $7.6 million. Other Financials Ulta Beauty ended the quarter under review with cash and cash equivalents of $296.9 million, and total stockholders equity of $1,835.7 million. Merchandise inventories summed $1,484.6 million as of Nov 3, 2018, marking a 10% increase from the year-ago period. However, average inventory per store remained flat year over year. Net cash provided by operating activities came in at roughly $542.2 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2018. In the fiscal third quarter, management bought back 451,424 shares for $119 million. Year to date, it has repurchased 1,582,118 shares worth $379.4 million. With this, the company had nearly $282.8 million outstanding as of Nov 3, 2018, under its $625-million share repurchase plan announced in March this year. Store Updates In the fiscal third quarter, Ulta Beauty opened 42 stores while shuttered three. As of Nov 3, 2018, the company operated 1,163 stores, increasing its total square footage by 9.7% year over year. Moving ahead, the company still plans to launch 100 stores and remodel or relocate 15 outlets in fiscal 2018. Guidance Following the impressive quarterly results, management provided guidance for the fiscal fourth quarter and reiterated the same for fiscal 2018. Net sales are projected to be $2,085-$2,103 million compared with $1,937.6 million registered in the prior-year quarter, which has a 53rd week. Comps, including e-commerce sales, are predicted to grow 7-8% compared with 8.8% rise in fourth-quarter fiscal 2017. Earnings per share for the ongoing quarter are envisioned to be $3.50-$3.55 compared with $3.40 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, which included an impact of 14 cents from the 53rd week. For fiscal 2018, the company still expects total sales to grow in low teens percentage, with comps growth of 7-8%. Further, the company continues anticipating e-commerce sales rise in the 40% range. However, operating margin is still projected to decline by 50-70 bps. Further, management continues to expect earnings per share to increase in the low 20% percentage range. The forecast includes nearly $500-million impact from share repurchases and estimates an effective tax rate of 24% for fiscal 2018. Ulta Beauty still plans to spend about $375 million in fiscal 2018 compared with $441 million capital expenditure incurred last year. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-ulta-ulta-down-12-143002052.html |
Can Sixers Stop 'Young-Player Killer' Jimmy Butler from Killing the Process? | Chuck Burton/Associated Press It didn't take long for things to go sideways in the Jimmy Butler-Philadelphia 76ers universe. Only 24 games into the Butler era, brotherly love seems to be sorely lacking in Philly. According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, Butler has been openly questioning coach Brett Brown's offensive system and his role in it. According to the report, the discourse during a recent film session in Portland became "disrespectful" and went beyond the customary friction that can sometimes occur between player and coach. "The team should be concerned," a Western Conference executive told Bleacher Report. "Brett has been the voice the last few years, and now Jimmy is making a scene. It's a problem." When the Sixers acquired Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 12 in exchange for Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-rounder, it seemed like a risk worth taking. It was time for the baby Sixers to grow up, and they needed a veteran star to complement Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The forging of this Big Three, however, has been anything but smooth. Butler hasn't been the only one complaining about his role; Embiid has, too. After a 117-111 victory over the Pistons in early December, Embiid questioned why he wasn't getting many post touches since Butler entered the mix. "I haven't been myself lately," Embiid told the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey at the time. "I think it's mainly because of the way I've been used. I'm being used as a spacer, I guess; a stretch 5 Our setup, [Brown] always has me starting on the perimeter and it just really frustrates me." Rick Scuteri/Associated Press Brown's role has shifted, too. After spending his first three years as the sacrificial lamb for former GM Sam Hinkie's "Process," Brown was charged with teaching a bunch of youngsters the ways of the NBAEmbiid, Saric, Jahlil Okafor and Simmons. With the acquisition of Butler, his job description changed again into: "Here are your three stars, make their games and egos fit, keep everyone happy and let's go to the Eastern Conference Finals." I refer you to a quote from a prominent agent after the Butler trade for some insight into just how tough his job has become. "It's a great deal for Philly if they think they can rein Jimmy in," the agent told B/R. "Brett Brown is pretty good with personnel, pretty good with managing that stuff. But with Jimmy, don't forget that dealing with people is not something he does well." Butler's reputation"He's a young-player killer," the Western Conference exec told B/Rpreceded him. And, as yours truly pointed out: "If Butler couldn't stomach Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau's heavy minutes, how do you suppose he'll respond to the analytics-driven approach to substitution patterns the Sixers have adopted under coach Brett Brown, as ESPN.com's Zach Lowe detailed?" Indeed, there are issues to iron outbut, let's not get carried away. Matt Slocum/Associated Press/Associated Press "We're coming together," Brown told reporters after Tuesday's victory over the Clippers. "We have a new opportunity. You don't just click your heels and throw Jimmy Butler in and everybody's going to be playing the same way and style. It [doesn't] work like that. So my job is to grow a team." Brown, who received a contract extension before the season, continues to have the full support of ownership and GM Elton Brand, ESPN reported. And, consider this: As The Athletic's Rich Hofmann pointed out, the Sixers have the fifth-rated offense in the league since they acquired Butler, per Cleaning the Glass. After Saturday's game against the Mavericksfor which Butler is questionable with an upper respiratory infectionBrown and his Big Three will still have 42 games to figure this out. To say this little midseason kerfuffle is an indication that Butler's future with the Sixers is somehow in doubt would be a stretch. "This, too, shall pass," one Eastern Conference executive told B/R. "Follow the money," another Eastern Conference exec said. Despite the sometimes-clumsy integration of Butler with Simmons and Embiid, the Sixers remain committed to ironing things out and coming to a long-term agreement with their new star this summer, league sources said. It isn't difficult to understand why. When Butler presumably opts out and hits free agency in July, the Sixers can offer him a five-year max deal worth an estimated $190 million. That's one year and $49 million more than anyone else can offer. There sure was. In today's NBA, if you're not in a destination market that can compete for premier free agents, trading for and hoping to re-sign a star is often the only way to acquire one. "There's a lot [of risk]," one of the Eastern Conference executives told B/R. "Depending on his future contract, whether he behaves and whether or not he actually stays or leaves." The "behavior" aspect of that risk has already taken a predictable turn. As far as the staying or leaving part, it's too early for the Sixers to panic. Brown still has more than a half-season to make things fit, and 50 million reasons to think it will all work out in the end. Ken Berger is a national columnist for Bleacher Report. | https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2814081-can-sixers-stop-young-player-killer-jimmy-butler-from-killing-the-process |
Is early retirement possible? | Mark Twain said, Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Only some are so lucky. And, if you are one of the lucky ones, even a job you enjoy doing can become tedious after many years. According to SmartAssets analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the average retirement age in the United States is 63 years old. When you look at the average by state, it varies from a high of 65 to a low of 62, with New Englanders having the oldest average retirement age. Based on this data, early could be anytime before 62 or 65, depending on where you live. Dont panic, its perfectly normal One of the biggest challenges to early retirement is figuring out how to pay for health care. Regarding health care coverage, early retirement would be before age 65, at which time most Americans become eligible for Medicare. Unless youre lucky enough to have employer-covered retiree health insurance, youll pay hefty premiums until you become Medicare-eligible. If youre exiting the workforce before age 65, plan on budgeting $500 to $1,000 a month per person to purchase health insurance. Instead of shelling out $1,000 a month, some early retirees are opting for retirement jobs. Something part-time, low-stress and low-pay, but with benefits. This type of job can help bridge the gap from early retirement to Medicare age. Once on Medicare, you still pay premiums, but theyre more affordable, often less than half of what you were paying before going on Medicare. To exit from the workforce, another item you must plan for is the number of years youll need to live off your acorns. A 60-year-old retiree needs their financial assets to have a 30-year shelf life. The 50-year-old needs theirs to last 40 years. To make your assets last an extra 10 years, you either need to save a lot more or plan on spending less. You cant count on the market to make up the difference; its anyones guess as to whether your first decade of retirement will be a boom decade or a bust. You need your plan to work either way. If youre determined to retire early, there is a way. Some opt for a low-cost RV lifestyle and travel across the country from campground to campground. Others retire overseas where $2,000 a month can buy a comfortable lifestyle. And some decide to change lifestyles, sell the big house and buy a condo in a state that has a retiree-friendly tax code. If youre early in your career, decide now if you want to work overtime, spend little and pile money into savings so you can exit the workforce early. Use resources like Mr. Money Mustache and Early Retirement Extreme to see how others have accomplished this. And, keep in mind, theres nothing wrong with opting for a lifelong career either. Early retirement isnt for everyone. Read: Why you shouldnt fall in love with your job What makes early retirement challenging for some is having too much time on their hands. Give thought to what you will do with your time. If you have hobbies, passions, family activities and volunteer work that youve always wanted to pursue, retirement may feel like a dream. But if your sense of self-satisfaction comes from contributions at work, retirement can feel empty. If youre part of a couple, youll need to make sure youre on the same page. Youll need to figure out how to negotiate a joint retirement dream or make a plan that allows you each to pursue your passions, but perhaps not both at the same time. Early retirement is possible, but it takes planning, or luck, or both. You can opt for luck and buy a lottery ticket. Or, if you want to make sure it happens, you can start laying out your action plan right now. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-early-retirement-possible-2018-07-11 |
Was passiert eigentlich JWD? | Moderation: Martin Bttcher Eine verlassene Tankstelle im Havelland: Auch Brandenburg ist eine Station der Provinz-Echtzeit. (imago / Uwe Steinert) Orte fernab der Metropolen haben oft ein finsteres Image. Dabei bietet das Leben auf dem Land auch Raum fr Kreativitt und Innovation. Die Echtzeit hat sich von Oberammergau bis Lappland umgesehen, um herauszufinden, was die Provinz zu bieten hat. "Provinz ist da, wo Landlust aufhrt". So fasste es einmal der Rowohlt-Verlag zusammen und brachte damit das finstere Image der metropolenfernen Regionen auf den Punkt. Doch es mehren sich die Stimmen, die behaupten: Die knftigen Innovationen werden nicht mehr in den Stdten geboren sondern da, wo Raum dafr ist - auf dem Land. So auch der Tenor der fr Herbst angekndigten und von Rem Koolhaas kuratierten Schau "Countryside: Future of the World" im New Yorker Guggenheim. Den Blick in die Flche wagen Auch wir wagen also heute den Blick in die Flche. Wir wundern uns bei der Gelegenheit ber die Architektur deutscher Industriegebiete und den neuerdings dominierenden Typus der Lagerhalle, die immer grer, aber leider nicht schner wird. Wir besuchen einen Designer, der in ein bayerisches Dorf gezogen ist, weil er nur dort die Dinge entwerfen kann, die seine grostdtischen Kufer in New York, Tokio oder Berlin so schtzen. Sind zu Gast bei einer Gruppe von Menschen, die ein Dorf in Brandenburg zu neuem Leben erwecken mchten. Und reisen schlielich bis zum Polarkreis, nach Lappland, wo es nicht nur leer sondern um diese Jahreszeit auch ziemlich dster ist. | https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/provinz-was-passiert-eigentlich-jwd.2147.de.html?dram:article_id=437472 |
Do these codenames point to the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL? | With the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Apple iPhone 8 on the way handset speculation is at an all-time high at the moment and now it seems we can start the guessing games about Google's next phones too. An Android open source collaboration page reveals two codenames that appear to be successors to the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL, reports Android Police. Read more: Google Clips The names are 'walleye' and 'muskie', two freshwater fish that echo another pair of aquatic life: marlin and sailfish, a.k.a. the working pseudonyms of Google's debut smartphones, leading us to believe work has begun on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The report speculates that 'walleye' refers to the smaller of the two handsets, making 'muskie' more than likely the larger-screened variant. While Android Police is confident in the source divulging the information, light skepticism is always smart when there is no official confirmation. That said, with this fall being the one-year anniversary of the Pixels' launch it wouldn't be too soon for Google to start planning its sequels. In fact, rumors are already circulating about the next Pixel phones, including the handsets potentially ditching the headphone jack, iPhone 7-style. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/do-these-code-names-point-to-both-the-google-pixel-2-and-pixel-2-xl |
Whos facing the most pressure to win on NFL Wild Card Weekend? | Pressure pushing down on me, Pressing down on you NFL Wild Card Weekend begins the month long march to crown a Super Bowl winner. The pressure of playing in these games is immense. Its win or go home. Legacies are defined by what happens this time of the year, starting this weekend. Ill detail which players and teams have the most pressure to win this Wild Card weekend Phillip Rivers Fair or unfairly, we judge quarterbacks by two things: Super Bowl wins and stats. They arent weighed evenly. For example, Eli Mannings Hall of Fame chances rest on his two Super Bowl victories and not so much on his stats. Rivers, famously of the same draft class as Manning, has to rely on his stats at the moment to help his Hall of Fame bid. Adding a Super Bowl championship solidifies his career resume, and Rivers knows this. He knows his window is closing as his age continues to climb. He played his worst game of the season in the Chargers most important contest in Week 16 against the Ravens. If he loses in the first round this season, it will be another black mark on his stellar hall of game worthy career. Since 1996 the Cowboys have played in 10 playoff games, winning only two. Theyve been extremely underwhelming in these postseason opportunities, including their last playoff loss to the Packers at home after going 13-3 in the 2016 season. This season, they won the NFC East again because of their defense and ground game. Prescott has played well since Amari Cooper came along, but the Cowboys are built on those two things rushing and defense. If either one of those fails on Saturday night, the team will look towards Dak to win the game for them. Well find out. Theres a big drop off after these two down to Bill OBrien Bill OBrien OBrien has been the Texans coach for five seasons now, and this is his third trip into the post season. Hes 1-2 in the playoffs with his single victory against the Derek Carr-less Raiders in 2016. The other games havent gone so well. In 2015 they lost the Chiefs 30-0 at home. They were put out of the playoffs by the Pats in 2016 to the tune of 34-16. Now, they are playing a division opponent at home after winning the division. The window for the Texans is still wide open with a young quarterback, stud wide receiver and some great defensive pieces. Now Im stretching a bit Lamar Jackson We know hes played well within this system, but the offense hasnt played all that great at times during this winning stretch. Theyve had 23 red zone opportunities with Jackson under center and only 10 touchdowns. Since Week 11, they are 27th in points per possession in the red zone. I think most of us who doubt the long term success of this offense point to those red zone issues and ask how Lamar Jackson will respond if his team is behind at all. Its unfair to expect Jackson to be elite in his first playoff game, as he hasnt even started for half a season. So Im stretching a bit to add him to this list Chicago Bears They are playing with house money at the moment as they feel a year ahead of schedule. However, they are playing a home game against a backup quarterback. Yes, that backup QB is Nick Foles, whos now 6-0 in must win games three last season and three this season. However, he is still the back up. The Eagles come into Chicago to face an excellent defense, and the Bears are six-point favorites, the highest by far this weekend. They should win this game. Ok, now Im just making up things. Philadelphia Eagles I know things didnt go their way this season, but they won the championship last season. They were beat up this year, and their offense didnt thrive or even look the same as last season. They were missing a handful of defensive backs and it got ugly at times. I guess. No idea. They are supposed to be rebuilding this season Indianapolis Colts Theres legit no pressure on this team. They are way ahead of schedule. | https://www.sbnation.com/2019/1/5/18169587/nfl-playoffs-2019-wildcard-weekend-cowboys-jason-garrett-dak-prescott-philip-rivers-chargers |
Are blue jeans the iPhone 6's real worst enemy? | Every smartphone has its problems, but for a variety of reasons those afflicting the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been scrutinized with an excessive amount of glee. In case the lazily named "BendGate" and all the bugs that launched in iOS 8 weren't enough to sate your appetite for watching iPhone users tear their hair out, the latest development may suffice. Once again it involves pants. Where iPhone 6 Plus users reported previously that tight trousers caused the massive handset to contort into unseemly shapes, now some users are noting that their phones have absorbed an unsightly blue hue from their denim garments. Specifically numerous users have told BGR that the plastic strips along their new iPhones' edges have over the past few weeks turned the blue of fresh jeans. Dyeing on the inside Most brand new pairs of jeans carry a warning to give them a wash before you sit on your white couch with them on, but no one reads warning labels anyway. Now users have reportedly found it difficult to scrub the color out using common cleaning products, even as Apple has allegedly instructed them to do. One solution is to use a case, although some users are understandably hesitant to cover up their sexy new iPhones with even more ungainly plastic. Regardless, there is no way in hell we're going to refer to this as "DyeGate," so just check that one at the door. Thanks. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/are-blue-jeans-the-iphone-6-s-real-worst-enemy-1270508 |
What happens when someone loses disability insurance? | Megan Willis lives with cystic fibrosis, a deadly disease that causes extensive lung damage. The 22-year-old said she spends around six hours a day administering medications and therapy, and that the disease frequently causes infections and other complications. With the condition, Willis qualified as a disabled adult for Social Security benefits on living expenses. About 10 million other Americans too disabled for work also get the stipend, called Disability Insurance. More importantly, having Social Security gave Willis access to Medicaid, which paid her annual health care costs of over $100,000. But in March, Social Security sent her a letter saying her health had improved since the last review of her case and that she was able to work. This was news to Willis. "My health has only gotten worse in the past year," Willis told CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook. Despite that, her Social Security benefits were terminated and she lost Medicaid. Since she lives in Florida, one of 14 states without expanded Medicaid, she had no other way to get it. Her family can't afford private insurance. While the medical bills mounted, she began law school. "I don't want to just stay stagnant and you know, depressed, looking at the four walls of my room," Willis said. "I want to move up in the world even if you know it's going to be hard." Willis also contacted attorney Beth Sufian, who runs the Cystic Fibrosis Legal Hotline and has cystic fibrosis herself. Sufian said, "We've seen us five times increase in the number of people with cystic fibrosis that have been reviewed in the past 18 months. And we think that Social Security is targeting young people with chronic illness in an effort to reduce the number of people getting benefits." By law, disability claims are periodically reviewed to see if recipients are still eligible for benefits. Over the last decade, to combat a backlog, full medical reviews quadrupled to an expected 900,000 this year. "It really is a life or death situation for all of our clients when they lose their benefits," Sufian said. In Willis' case, Social Security ultimately reconsidered and she was able to get back on disability in November. She was hospitalized around Thanksgiving, and Medicaid kicked in and the bills were covered, her mother Wendy said. But Willis's lawyer still has about 200 pending cases of people with cystic fibrosis who are first getting reviewed and those who are appealing. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-happens-when-someone-loses-disability-insurance/ |
Will Ravens be able to throw Philip Rivers off of his game? | Getting after Philip Rivers hasnt been a problem for teams this year. Bringing him down has. During the regular season, Rivers was sacked three or more times in only three games. The Ravens were able to bring him down four times in week 16. Its been widely known that the way to get after Rivers is right up the middle. Teams bring blitzes off the edge and the quarterback is one of the better ones in the league at sliding around in the pocket and buying more time. When the rush comes right at him, theres just not much Rivers can do. ESPN received some confidential quotes on how to stop Rivers. Here is one: The best way is pressure him in the middle of the field. Rivers doesnt like to exit the pocket toward the sideline to make a play. Hes far more comfortable backing up to buy time or to avoid pressure or to climb the pocket and make the throw. Rivers had some phenomenal plays over the course of 2018 where he would retreat in the pocket and make a play. One of the big issues the last time these two teams faced were the running backs in pass protection. The backs will need to be more aggressive this game. Here is another quote: Sacks are no guarantee of results hes been sacked three or more times in just three games this year, but he has thrown for at least 313 yards in two of the games and was 28-of-29 passing in the other but hes a rhythm player, and defenses have to upset his rhythm. Itll be interesting to see if the Chargers try and get Rivers in rhythm with quick throws and then eventually work their way down the field. | https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/05/will-ravens-be-able-to-throw-philip-rivers-off-of-his-game/ |
Is there an optimal diet for everyone? | Nutrition experts have long debated whether there is an optimal diet that humans evolved to eat. But a new study found that there is most likely no one natural diet that is best for human health. The research, published in the journal Obesity Reviews, viewed the diets, habits and physical activities of modern hunter-gatherer groups and small societies whose lifestyles are similar to those of ancient populations. They found that they all exhibit generally excellent metabolic health while consuming a wide range of diets. Some get as much as 80 percent of their calories from carbohydrates. Others eat mostly meat. But there were some broad strokes: Almost all of them eat a mix of meat, fish and plants, consuming foods that are generally packed with nutrients. In general, they eat a lot more fiber than the average American. Most of their carbohydrates come from vegetables and starchy plants with a low glycemic index. But it is also not uncommon for hunter-gatherers to eat sugar, consumed primarily in the form of honey. The findings suggest that there is no one true diet for humans, who can be very healthy on a wide range of diets, said the lead author of the study, Herman Pontzer, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University. We know that because we see a wide range of diets in these very healthy populations. One thing hunter-gatherer populations have in common is a very high level of physical activity. Many walk between 5 and 10 miles a day. Yet they do not have higher energy expenditure levels than the average U.S. office worker. That suggests that health authorities should consider recommending exercise primarily as a way to improve metabolic health, but not necessarily as a calorie-burning antidote to obesity, the authors said. From a public health perspective, modern hunter-gatherers may be most remarkable for their relative lack of chronic diseases like heart disease, hypertension and cancer. Obesity rates are low. They have very high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, even in old age. And Type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction are hardly ever seen. The Hadza tribe of Tanzania live by subsistence hunting and foraging for berries, honey, baobab fruit and tubers. But life in hunter-gatherer societies is not easy. Infant mortality rates are high because of infectious disease. Deaths from accidents, gastrointestinal illness and acute infections are common. Those who survive to adulthood often reach old age relatively free from degenerative diseases that are the norm in industrialized nations. They are typically fit and active until the end, suggesting that there is something about their way of life that allows them to age healthfully. Few of us would want to trade places with them. Their lives are still tough, Pontzer said. But the things they get sick from are things we know how to deal with, and the things they dont get sick from are the things we struggle to deal with. Michael Gurven, an anthropologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has researched the Tsimane, a Bolivian population that lives a subsistence lifestyle of hunting, gathering, fishing and farming. The Tsimane get most of their calories from complex carbohydrates high in fiber like plantain, corn, cassava, rice and bananas, supplemented with wild game and fish. Gurven has published detailed studies showing that they have exceptional cardiovascular health and almost no diabetes. Yet Gurven has seen several cases of Tsimane people developing and dying from Type 2 diabetes after leaving their villages and moving to the nearby town of San Borja, where they took sedentary office jobs and gave up their traditional diet. They changed from their traditional diet to eating in town where everything is fried, he said. Some of these folks can see a pretty rapid change in health. For the new study, Pontzer and his colleagues analyzed data on hunter-gatherers and other small-scale societies across the globe, from South America to Africa and Australia. They looked at detailed dietary assessments of fossil and archaeological records to get a sense of what early humans ate. And they included new data collected from the Hadza, a community of people who spend their days hunting and foraging in northern Tanzania, much as their ancestors have for tens of thousands of years. The Hadza consume what some call the oldest diet. The amount of daily calories that the Hadza consume is similar to that of the average American. But they rely on a fairly small number of foods. And notably they do not have potato chips, candy and other processed foods that combine large amounts of fat and simple carbs foods that are engineered to be irresistible even when we are not hungry. The lack of novelty and variety in hunter-gatherer diets may be part of the reason they do not overeat and become obese. Studies show, for example, that the greater the variety of food choices in front of us, the longer it takes to feel full, a phenomenon known as sensory specific satiety. Its the reason you always have room for dessert at a restaurant, Pontzer said. Even though youve had a savory meal and you cant eat one more bite of steak, youre still interested in the cheesecake because its sweet and that button hasnt been worn out in your brain yet. | http://www.startribune.com/is-there-an-optimal-diet-for-everyone/503861262/ |
What do startups do when their investors implode? | Its hard not to feel a little bad for startup founders caught in the crossfire of a venture capital firms implosion as privileged as they are to have millions of dollars in backing. Its not a rare occurrence these days: Young companies backed by Binary Capital had to scramble last year after a sexual harassment scandal blew up the venture capital firm founded by Justin Caldbeck. Portfolio company founders told me then that they were frustrated caught in the middle of an ugly, bad-headline breakup but couldnt really shake it until another investment firm, Lerer Hippeau, effectively acquired Binary Capitals portfolio months later. And now we have the slow-motion teardown of Social Capital thanks to disputes about the direction of the firm. It is essentially morphing from a venture capital firm into founder Chamath Palihapitiyas family office, investing only his own money. Ive spoken with a bunch of Social Capital founders over the last few months, and more than a few of them are naturally exasperated with all the commotion, as partner after partner departs, sometimes leaving them in a lurch. The latest evidence came this week with the news that Carta, which makes software to help startups track the ownership breakdown of their shareholders, ironically did some managing of its own investors. Carta raised $80 million in financing and, eager to fit in other investors without creating new shares in the company, asked Social Capital to sell most of its stock to make it happen, as Axios first reported. It was the natural firm to ask, given it is no longer a venture capital firm, Im told. Carta is not alone. Mathilde Collin, the CEO of Front, an app for managing emails, last year also asked Social Capital to sell almost all of its shares, as Bloomberg reported. Carta and Front are two of Social Capitals more prominent portfolio companies, and theyre both asking Social Capital to reduce its ownership in them. Some other Social Capital portfolio CEOs have told me theyve thought about similar moves, depending how their next fundraising rounds go and when they happen. Thats especially true for founders who have board members that once worked for Social Capital but who have since defected to other firms. Interests are no longer perfectly aligned. One startup founder who counts Social Capital as an investor, for instance, said the investment firm told him it would be open to other investors buying them out if the founder wanted that, given the firms evolution. (He didnt.) Founders say that its a fight that, frankly, is not worth picking. Running a startup is hard enough without making it a priority to battle with a noisy, small-shareholding venture capitalist. Plus, many still have genuine affinity for the charismatic, historically successful Palihapitiya. That explains why Carta and Front are the only two to bite the bullet, as far as we know. The current situation isnt ideal, but its tolerable to most of their companies. The whole saga is a reminder that just as startup drama can be a reputational risk for investors, investor drama can be a reputational risk for startups. Thats true for startups with ties to the Saudi Arabian government, like those backed by SoftBanks Vision Fund. Its true for startups with ties to firms accused of bad behavior like Binary Capital. And while the headlines are very, very different, that lesson is also being learned by startups tied to Social Capital. | https://www.recode.net/2019/1/4/18167878/startup-venture-capital-drama-chamath-palihapitiya-carta |
Who Is Being Held to Account for Palestinians Food Insecurity? | By Ramona Wadi Palestinians food insecurity made brief headlines with the announcement that the World Food Programme (WFP) will be cutting food aid due to insufficient funds. An estimated 190,000 Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank will be affected; 27,000 through the suspension of food aid and 165,000 who will have their aid reduced by 20 percent. The WFP attributed this selective deprivation to the US withdrawal of humanitarian aid. According to the organizations country director Stephen Kearney, the US cut funding, not just to UNRWA, who work with the refugees in Gaza, but also to the rest of the international community, including WFP. The UN Relief and Works Agency referred to by Kearney not only works with refugees in Gaza, by the way; it also provides essential services to Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The US funding cut should not be viewed as an anti-Gaza, for which read anti-Hamas, issue; it is anti-Palestinian, pure and simple. It is a mistake to focus on Palestinians food insecurity only in light of the WFPs reduction in aid. In its latest report, the Programme stated that 22.5 percent of Palestinians suffer from food insecurity due to limited access, lack of mobility and economic restrictions, as well as the discrepancy between income and food prices. All of this should be blamed directly on Israel, not least because prior to the Zionist colonization of Palestine, the indigenous population lived a life of relative abundance. Many Palestinian memories of their land reflect upon the connection between the soil and its people, in terms of ownership and cultivation; the Zionists did not make the desert bloom, as is often claimed. The international community, working in Israels favor, has succeeded in disseminating Palestine as a humanitarian predicament. Since 1948, the Palestinians have been coerced into participating in their own humiliation. Humanitarian programmes, with limitations even before US President Donald Trump, cut US financial aid, have downplayed Palestinian expectations and eliminated their rights, despite the fact that political collusion with colonial Israel created refugees out of the indigenous population of Palestine. For decades, Palestinians have had to prioritize survival over resistance because the international community decided to expound upon the refugee phenomenon to accommodate Israels colonial expansion. No matter how much Israel argues against UNRWA and humanitarian aid to Palestinians, the truth is that Israel benefits from the strategy behind the UN Agencys existence. The international communitys rhetoric about decolonization is nothing but agenda embellishment and it clearly has no intention of granting Palestinians their political rights, let alone allowing the necessary space for Palestinians to claim their rights from their own collective narrative. Instead, Palestinians are constantly portrayed as a deprived population dependent on humanitarian aid and far removed from the political violence that forced them into choosing between food and legitimate rights. If there is no political solution, both choices will eventually lead to further deterioration of the people of Palestine. This will occur due to the fact that in both choices, multitudes of limitations are imposed which will never allow emancipation and autonomy. Humanitarian aid, although necessary because of Israels colonial occupation and oppression, is a veneer that maintains all the ramifications of political violence. It has become a cycle of adding statistics to the already available data. Thinking about Palestinians in percentages as opposed to a population denied of its political rights normalizes the entire sequence of violations that they continue to suffer. It is equally disconcerting to note that, had the WFP not faced budget cuts, the existing food insecurity would have been dismissed as a regular consequence of colonial plunder under the guise of Israels security. The funding crisis, however, will also become normalized, to the point that within another brief time span, it will be necessary to point out food insecurity as a news item, rather than a call to accountability. Who is being held to account for this insecurity is a question that needs to be asked, but is unlikely to be answered honestly. Ramona Wadi is a staff writer for Middle East Monitor, where this article was originally published. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com. | http://www.palestinechronicle.com/who-is-being-held-to-account-for-palestinians-food-insecurity/ |
Why are we afraid to be labeled an introvert? | CLOSE Sarah Hudson Pierce Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times Buy Photo Sarah Hudson Pierce (Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)Buy Photo The author and aviator Anne Morrow Lindbergh, born in 1906 wrote, "The world today does not understand, in either man or woman, the need to be alone." She went on to note that any other excuse, even a visit to a hairdresser or a shopping expedition, would be accepted. "But if one says: I cannot come because this is my hour to be alone, one is considered rude, egotistical or strange," Lindbergh noted. "What a commentary on our civilization, when being alone is considered suspect; when one has to apologize for it, make excuses, hide the fact that one practices it like a secret vice!" She had much to say about our need for solitude. Lindbergh was also the wife of aviator Charles Lindbergh. Their child was kidnapped in 1932 and later found dead. Anne Lindbergh went to the sea to spend six weeks alone and to write "Gift from the Sea," a book that delves into our need to be alone and to restore herself and to hear herself think. That's my take on it. We tend to extol extroverts and criticize introverts for whatever reason. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, all I wanted was some time alone. I need time to think, to reach within, to explore what else is out there that I need to record as a legacy for my family and friends who care to read my thoughts. Text continues below Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's lives were forever altered by the kidnapping and murder of their son. (Photo: ( 2015 Fairchild Fashion Media/Photo provided) We live in a society of constant background noise, as though we are afraid to be alone with ourselves. We can't get together without the big screen. That is OK for others. But not for me. I need to think, to center down, to renew myself, my creative energy. At the age of 70, I sense that I have a wealth of stories that I need to write. But how to when I seem to have to steal minutes alone. No one is demanding my time, but I feel an obligation that I have placed upon myself because I care a little too much for others and too little for me. I think we live in a society that thinks it's wrong to want to be alone for a span, to hear ourselves think. I went through years of pain in an orphanage, then was cast in a most difficult role as a minister's wife too much to write about. We must walk in someone's shoes to understand the path they walk. I've heard it said that extroverts accomplish more than introverts. It takes just a moment to research the difference. It's believed that Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein and Dr. Seuss, to name but a few, were introverts and may have had forms of autism. The truth is, I believe that many people are afraid to be alone, to hear themselves, to learn how to deal with pain, which is why some people become closet drinkers. Enough said, and maybe not. Sarah Hudson Pierce lives near Mooringsport. Contact her at [email protected]. More by Sarah Hudson Pierce A goal for the New Year: Why newspaper writing is important If you give only one gift for Christmas, give this 'Divine alignment' is a GPS system for life 'If I'm only for myself, what am I?' A worthy lesson: We can't fake caring The magical, mystical power of belief Making friends is a dying art Read or Share this story: https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/life/2019/01/05/why-we-afraid-labeled-introvert/2484971002/ | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/life/2019/01/05/why-we-afraid-labeled-introvert/2484971002/?from=new-cookie |
What is cryptography? | Whether for secure communication, or for private storage of data, there are occasions when individuals and organizations have a need to make their data unreadable to general users. The technology that makes this possible is known as cryptography, which comes from the Ancient Greek words, kryptos, that translates to secret or hidden, and graphein which means to write. Cryptography is a process that converts the text of a message or data, into a scrambled message, that obscures the original message, and then the recipient can convert the scrambled message back to the original. Also check out the best encryption software tools Cryptography can be traced back to the ancients, with the first documented use dating to 1900 BC in ancient Egypt with substituted hieroglyphics. A more modern approach with a substitution cipher can be found with Julius Caesar in 100 BC, where each letter was substituted with another letter to scramble the message, in what became known as a 3 cipher that moved each letter three ahead in the alphabet to keep it secure. This Caesar Cipher was used to send secure messages to the Roman generals on the front line, but is considered less secure by modern standards as it only used an encryption method, and did not utilize an encryption key, and therefore is subject to being easily decrypted based on the frequency of the letters. Cryptography's history A more modern approach to cryptography is from Blaise de Vigenre, a Frenchman in the 16th century, and represents an early approach to encoding the message via an encryption key in what became known as the Vigenre cipher . In this approach, an encryption key is used, and the letters get encrypted via this key, however this simplistic approach can also be easily broken. Seeking greater security, cryptography has benefited from technological advances, with electro-mechanical approaches being taken in the early 20th century, starting with the Hebern Rotor Machine. This used a single rotating disc, with a secret key embedded and was based off of an electrical typewriter. The cryptography is based on a substitution table, but the advance was that the next letter, the rotor advanced, thereby changing to a different substitution table used after each letter, while maintaining efficiency as no manual lookup was required to encode or decode the message. Rotating disc technology then formed the basis of the famous German Engima machine, which was invented by Arthur Scherbius. It debuted at the end of World War I, and was relied upon heavily by the German military during World War II. The advance over the Hebern Rotor Machine was that it used multiple discs, three for the German Army, and the Navy, that implemented their Enigma Code later, used four rotors for additional security. It took a process over years to crack the German Enigma code , with initial progress made by the Polish Cipher Bureau, which used their close ties to the German engineering industry for the initial decryption, and had a fully reconstructed an Enigma machine in the 1930s. The Germans were quite confident that their Enigma code could not be broken, and used it throughout all of their branches of the military, including all secret communications. Facing a German invasion, the Poles shared their knowledge of Enigma with the British at their now famous Government Code and Cipher School, better known for their location at Bletchley Park, including their reconstructed Enigma machine that was a detailed replication down to the internal wiring. The British, faced with the challenge of deciphering Enigma code messages in a timely fashion to generate actionable intelligence, devoted considerable resources including their top mathematicians, for a faster method to decrypt the German Enigma communications. This resulted in the Colossus Mark 1, which was the worlds first programmable, and electronic computer- purpose built for codebreaking. From the origins of these vacuum tube code decrypting behemoths started the computing revolution. Modern cryptography Computers have continued to be central to cryptography today. In the 1970s, IBM developed a cipher known as Lucifer to encrypt corporate communications, that subsequently was adopted by the US National Bureau of Standards as the Data Encryption Standard (DES) for the protection of sensitive government data. With a 56-bit key size, as computing power increased it was broken via brute force attacks, and this was demonstrated in 1999 when it was decrypted in under 24 hours. Shortly thereafter, in 2001, the shift was made by NIST to a new more secure block cipher, which became the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which features a block size of 128-bits, and multiple different key lengths of 128, 192 and 256 bits, which is currently still in use. AES uses symmetric encryption, which means that the same key is used for both encryption as well as decryption. This is also known as shared-secret key encryption, and the weakness is that any user with the key can decode the message making the security of the key quite paramount. This type of encryption is commonly used for securing data stored on a hard drive . The alternative is asymmetric encryption, which is also known as public key encryption. In this method, the code to encrypt the message can be shared, as it cannot be used to read the message, and is known as the public code. A second code, known as the private code, is necessary for decrypting the message. Asymmetric encryption is applied to many internet protocols, including the RSA security algorithm, that forms the basis of the SSL/TSL Protocol, which secures our computer networks. While symmetric and asymmetric encryption are thought of as separate entities, in practice they are also used in combination across the internet. For example, symmetric and asymmetric encryption is combined for digital signatures, where both public and private keys are utilized for verification of the sender of the message, and to keep the message secure, and unaltered. Cryptography also gets applied to secure browsing, via the encrypted tunnel that gets created via VPN technology. While there are several security protocols that can be used for the creation of an encrypted tunnel of a VPN , the state of the art choice is OpenVPN , which uses asymmetric encryption with both public and private shared keys, via an open source algorithm, and 256-bit encryption via OpenSSL. | https://www.techradar.com/news/what-is-cryptography |
Did Srishty Rode and Manish Naggdev Break-up Because Of Rohit Suchanti? | Srishty and I are just friends. As for her personal life, it's her decision what she wants to do with it. She is a very sensible and smart girl." When asked whether he was romantically involved with Srishty, he said, "No." When asked whether Srishty confided in him or tell him about her issues with Manish, Rohit said, "Nope. She did not. Neither during Bigg Boss nor after we came out of it. After Bigg Boss 12, we have met just once at New Year's." He also clarified that he neither met Manish nor spoke to him over the phone. Manish Opens Up On His Break-up With Srishty Now, Manish too, has clarified that he and Srishty didn't break-up because of third person. Regarding the break-up, Manish was quoted by the entertainment portal as saying, "Srishty and I are not together anymore. I don't wish to give a reason because there is none in particular." "All I can say is, minor disagreements and difference of opinion led to it. We were expecting different things from each other. Around three weeks ago, we realised that things were not working out as expected. So, we discussed the future of our relationship and decided that it was better to part ways. I have immense love and respect for Srishty and I will always cherish the time spent with her." Its Heartbreaking! He further added, "We shared a great relationship, but there is no point in sulking after it has ended. Of course, it's heartbreaking, as it's not easy to forget someone you have been in love with, but I am all focussed on work now." Manish On Srishtys Participation On Bigg Boss It has to be recalled that Manish supported Srishty while she was in the Bigg Boss 12 house. Regarding the same, Manish said, "I have no regrets about supporting her on the show; she, too, had mentioned me during her stay inside the house. We did it out of love for each other. There are times when two good people can't be happy together. It's as simple as that." "There was a gap of two months (during her Bigg Boss stint) and I am sure that gave her a lot of time to think. Even after she came out, the two of us were busy with our respective work. I met her just three times after her eviction from Bigg Boss. So, I won't be able to say if she has changed post her stint. Though I was the first person she called up after her eviction, we stopped talking to each other seven days later." Whether there was third person involved in the break-up, he said, "Our relationship hasn't ended because of a third party, as many seem to have assumed. These are just rumours. There is no other girl or guy involved, including Rohit Suchanti (Srishty's co-participant on Bigg Boss)." | https://www.filmibeat.com/television/news/2019/did-srishty-rode-and-manish-naggdev-break-up-because-of-rohit-suchanti-281175.html |
Is Advanced Micro Devices a Buy? | Though the last few months have been rough going, Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) stock ended 2018 sporting a nearly 80% gain. Share prices are off their highs reached during the fall, though, as the company's sales momentum has slowed and a broader stock market sell-off has taken its toll. Though the chipmaker is still forecasting growth ahead, investors should use caution here. 2018 momentum is fading... for now AMD's big gains last year are easy to explain: New demand for the company's products for video gaming, personal computers, laptops, and data centers led to much higher sales compared to a year ago. Metric 9 Months Ended September 29, 2018 9 Months Ended September 30, 2017 YOY Change Revenue $5.06 billion $3.91 billion 29% Gross margin 37.8% 34.1% 3.7 p.p. Operating income $423 million $129 million 228% Adjusted EBITDA $651 million $310 million 110% YOY=year over year. P.p.=percentage point. EBITDA=earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization. Data source: Advanced Micro Devices. Sales and profit increases led to the stock's meteoric rise, but third-quarter results indicated a slowdown for AMD. Sales were up only 4% year over year, and adjusted EBITDA was up 23%. That's nothing to balk at, but nevertheless was much slower than the previous few quarters' results. Management sees sales increasing 8% year over year in the fourth quarter, and gross margins rising to 41%. The cooldown is in keeping with an overall slowdown in momentum for semiconductor companies that occurred in 2018. It all started with memory chips, an especially up-and-down concern, but other chipmakers got hit, too. AMD was no exception, as was the case for its peer NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), which took an especially hard tumble as demand for graphics chips related to the cryptocurrency boom last year wore off. That's a headwind that AMD has acknowledged is weighing on results right now, too, and could persist for a couple more quarters. An artist's illustration of digital data getting shared via the internet around the globe. More Image source: Getty Images. A big pullback, but still not cheap Despite a steep drop the last few months from its high point, AMD still isn't a cheap stock. Trailing price to earnings is at 56.9, and one-year forward price to earnings is 30.5 -- supporting Wall Street's expectations that bottom-line profits will continue to improve in the immediate future. Even with the more modest sales growth outlook from management, AMD could certainly pull off another big year of bottom-line increases if its profit margins keep rising as anticipated. Nevertheless, headwinds are mounting for the chip sector, and AMD is priced at a premium to its immediate competition. After getting beat up after its last quarterly report, NVIDIA is trading at only 17.1 and 17.8 times one-year trailing and one-year forward price to earnings, respectively, versus AMD trading at 55.2 and 27.5 trailing and forward earnings, respectively. If AMD experiences a similar slowdown -- or even a slight contraction -- in chip sales, shares could shed even more value. However, it's hard not to be enamored with the semiconductor industry in general. The digital revolution is lifting demand for chips across many industries, providing a secular tailwind for the entire sector. However, with near-term weakness in graphics cards and AMD priced at a premium, the stock isn't a slam-dunk buy. Shares could fall further before a rebound gets underway, so investors should use caution at this point. More From The Motley Fool Nicholas Rossolillo and his clients own shares of Nvidia. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/advanced-micro-devices-buy-173400171.html |
Will JPMorgan Chase Raise Its Dividend in 2019? | 2018 was a disappointing year for banking giant JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM). Shares of the New York-based company sagged by about 9%, and despite seeing solid fundamentals throughout much of the year that resulted in solid growth in deposits, loans, and credit card revenue, shareholders became nervous late in 2018 that the recent rise in interest rates would come to an end, bringing with it potential contraction in the interest income growth that the banking giant has seen over time. Dividend investors have long looked to JPMorgan Chase for income, and the bank has been diligent in paving the way forward. Shareholders got a huge dividend increase in 2018 and they'd enjoy seeing even larger quarterly payments in 2019 and beyond. Let's look more closely to see whether JPMorgan Chase investors can bank on higher dividends in the coming year. Dividend stats on JPMorgan Chase Current Quarterly Dividend Per Share $0.80 Current Yield 3.3% Number of Consecutive Years With Dividend Increases 8 years Payout Ratio 40% Last Increase October 2018 Source: Yahoo! Finance. Last increase refers to ex-dividend date. Hitting new highs in dividends JPMorgan Chase has seen its dividend fully recover from its challenges during the financial crisis. The bank has historically been able to offer dividend yields that stay within a range of around 2.5% to 4%, but in 2009, it slashed its dividend to the bone, making just a $0.05 per-share quarterly payout in order to comply with the requirements of government bailout guidelines. Even at the time, JPMorgan didn't really want to make that move. It worked to reverse the dividend cut as quickly as possible, and it only took a couple of years before it got permission to quintuple its dividend. By 2014, the bank had restored its full dividend from before the financial crisis. But as you can see below, that wasn't enough to satisfy JPMorgan, which went quite a bit further. JPM Dividend Chart More JPM Dividend data by YCharts. Shareholders had something to celebrate in 2018, as JPMorgan gave investors a 43% boost to their quarterly payouts effective in October. On top of strong business conditions, JPMorgan also benefited from lower corporate tax rates following tax reform in late 2017, and that was a factor in prompting the outsized dividend increase. A lot of investors have focused on the inverting yield curve as a warning sign for JPMorgan and its peers. Yet at least so far, the implied recessionary threat hasn't really materialized, as unemployment remains at levels not seen in decades and overall economic growth has remained steady. That's a favorable environment for JPMorgan, which benefits when consumers have the confidence to spend and the wage growth to invest in bank savings and investment products. | https://news.yahoo.com/jpmorgan-chase-raise-dividend-2019-163800470.html |
Will Keri Russell Win a Golden Globe Again 20 Years After Winning for Felicity? | Keri Russell is one of five actresses nominated for a Best Actress in a Television Drama Golden Globe tomorrow night, but she is the only one whose potential win would mark a truly gobsmacking career anniversary. 20 years ago, Russell won her first and only Golden Globe in the very same category, no less for her work in the first season of J.J. Abramss Felicity. FXs The Americans just wrapped up its critically-acclaimed run after six seasons. Though its long been a cult favorite among discerning TV fans, The Americans hasnt really gotten its due in the awards circuit. That means that tonight is the last night that the show and its stars Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell could take home awards honoring their work on the series. Now, to be clear, Russell is currently considered a long shot in the category. Killing Eves Sandra Oh is considered the odds-on favorite, but its worth remembering that Russells first win, for Felicity, was something of a shocker. Russell beat out Julianna Margulies, Gillian Anderson, Kim Delaney, and Roma Downey, but the win was well-deserved. The first season of Felicity is something of a lovely revelation. Its a heartfelt drama about a young woman discovering herself, and it works because Keri Russell was so immaculately good in it. She wasnt just technically precise, but she imbued the titular Felicity with an endearing innocence. In The Americans, Russell has given viewers something entirely different to chew on. Elizabeth Jennings is a jaded wife, mother, and spy: a woman torn between the different dimensions of herself. Its beyond a tour de force for Russell; its a part that immolates all the other characters shes played in her career and redefines her talent. Russell would deserve a second Golden Globe for the part, and if she won tomorrow, the two awards would bookend a spectacular television career. Where to stream The Americans Where to stream Felicity | https://decider.com/2019/01/05/keri-russell-golden-globes-felicity-americans/ |
Why do Nigerians give funny names to popular cars? | Nigerians love cars. In our society, cars are status symbols that's why it is not weird to see an average Nigerian Christian give a testimony in church about his new 'tear rubber' Japanese automobile. Cars are indicators of status. Not only do Nigerians love cars, but they also christen them with often humorous names. Nigerians have nicknames for popular models of cars, and they are so common that the real names of these rides are forgotten or not known at all. The Volkswagen Beetle was locally assembled in Nigeria from the mid-70s to the late 80s and was very popular. The nickname for the 'people's car', a brainchild of Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Porsche, was 'Ijapa'. 'Ijapa' in Yoruba means tortoise, and it was used to describe the shell-like structure of the car. In the 80s and 90s, Volkswagen and Peugeot cars would be popular. As a matter of fact, in the 90s, the 504 and 505 were the staple cars of the early 90s. Another popular car in this period was the Mercedes-Benz W123 also known as the Mercedes Benz 200. This Benz was known as 'Regular Benz'. This car was likely given this alias to differentiate it from the Mercedes-Benz W124/Mercedes Benz 300 1990 or popularly known as the VBoot. The nickname is derived from the v-shape of the car's boot. The mid-90s in Nigeria would give way to Japanese cars that quickly became a hit in Nigeria thanks to their low fuel consumption. The top two Japanese car brands in Nigeria are Toyota and Honda. Many of the car models from these brands have Nigerian nicknames. Here are some of them; Toyota Camry 1995 This model is known as 'orobo' which is a Nigerian slang for a fat person. Back then, it was one of the first new school of Toyota cars introduced to the country. For that time, the Camry looked fat in size. Toyota Camry 1999 This model was nicknamed The Pencil. It was the opposite of the 1995 model. The pencil is long and slim hence the nickname. Toyota Camry 2004 This car is known as Big for Nothing. The big structure of the car did not appeal to many Nigerians and was ridiculed for its huge size. Toyota Camry 2007 AKA The Muscle. Thanks to its sleek features and curves, Nigerians christened the car 'the muscle'. Its structure would be a big hit among Nigerians who fell madly over it. Now let's move to the Honda brand. Honda Accord 1990 This car is famously known as Honda Halla. Legend has it that this car got its nickname for Northern Nigeria where it was immensely popular, but no real reason has been identified for the unique name. Honda Accord 1995 This rideis known as the 'Bulldog' because of the way its rear is shaped like that of the ferocious breed of dog. Honda Accord 1998 It is famously known as the Baby Boy. During this period in Nigeria, Hip-Hop culture has started to seep into the fabric of Nigerian youth culture. The Honda Accord 1998 was popular in Nigeria but did not get the nickname 'Baby Boy' until 2001 when the John Singleton movie of the same name was released. In the movie, the lead star Tyrese Gibson was seen driving the Honda Accord in many scenes. Honda Accord 2003 This model was not only a very popular car in Nigeria, but it was also a status symbol. The car featured the IV-Tec engine which was the state of the art technology at the time. The Honda Accord 2003 is known as 'End of Discussion' because it was the tagline used in the advert. Honda Accord 2009/2012 These two models are known as 'Evil Spirit' because of the design of its headlamps which is said to have a terrifying look. Honda Accord 2006 -2010 'Discussion Continues'- These models were successors of the 'End of Discussion'. By extension, they were blessed with the name 'Discussion continues'. SUVs are also popular in the country. Nigerians are famous for calling every SUV a jeep which really is the name of a brand of SUV. After so many years, the name has stuck. All SUVs in Nigeria are called jeeps. | https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/why-do-nigerians-give-funny-names-to-popular-cars/174c306 |
Can a 108-year-old opera by Scott Joplin be made to sing for today? | Jessie Montgomery and Yamoussa Bangoura prepare for this months workshop of Treemonisha in Toronto. The 108-year-old opera was written by Scott Joplin, best remembered today for his rag compositions. (John Lauener) The themes that composer Scott Joplin was exploring in his masterwork Treemonisha feminism and black aspiration struck Leah-Simone Bowen as so ahead of their time that the opportunity to give them a new context for 21st-century audiences struck her as impossible to pass up. That its essentially a conversation within an African community, the playwright said. Its really subversive. And that these ideas were planted in a musical piece 108 years ago by an African American composer who never saw it blossom made the challenge for the Canadian writer and colleagues in the United States all the more irresistible. As a result, arts institutions from across the continent and the Atlantic among them, Washington Performing Arts have invested in an endeavor that Bowen and like-minded artists are now developing: an expansively reimagined Treemonisha, for which only a piano and vocal score exists, in the Library of Congress. Although the work finally reached the stage in 1972 and is occasionally revived with its schematic original story, no one has tried, the creative team says, to significantly alter its narrative infrastructure in hopes of reaching a wider audience. Thats the mission originally staked out by the Toronto theater company Volcano, with a goal of unveiling the revised Treemonisha next year in San Francisco and then taking it on tour to other cities, including a production hosted by Washington Performing Arts in fall 2020. I wanted to stick closely to Joplin and create an entirely new story that furthers those themes that resonate with today, said Ross Manson, Volcanos artistic director. As far as I can find, the libretto has never been touched. Were just giving Joplin the help he was denied. Reza Jacobs, music director for the reimagined work. (John Lauener) The next step in Treemonishas binational evolution comes in a 12-day workshop beginning Jan. 14 in Toronto, where 15 singers and a full orchestra will reveal the progress in the three-act work, which Joplin called an opera but Volcanos leaders say defies easy categorization. The groups big-umbrella ethos affirms that notion. I define theater as, well, anything, Manson said. This is a very unique opera, added Jannina Norpoth, who, with Jessie Montgomery, is arranging the jazz, blues, barbershop and gospel-inflected score, and interpolating into it other Joplin songs. It lies outside the classical realm, even though its classical music. However you define the outcome, this ambitious overhaul, with commissions from WPA, Londons South Bank Centre, Canadas National Arts Centre, and arts organizations in California and Alberta, signals an upgrade in efforts to underline African American accomplishments in the fine arts. Joplin, who died penniless in 1917 at age 48, made his reputation as a composer of rag, but his forays into other musical forms went underappreciated. His fame faded as he lapsed into illness and dementia, and it wasnt until a new popularization of his rag compositions, such as The Entertainer, featured in the 1973 Oscar-winning movie The Sting, that a major Joplin resurgence occurred. Manson got the idea for the Treemonisha project after seeing it in a Toronto concert hall. The music was unlike anything Ive heard, he said. As a document, its visionary. He was putting into classical form an American folk form. It tells the story of a foundling named Treemonisha, discovered under a tree by a former slave on the Texas-Arkansas border in the late 1800s. She grows up to lead a black community living on a plantation, espousing education as a means to achieve. Joplins forte, however, was not narrative structure. As an opera, it is naive, with a libretto virtually devoid of tension or literary ability, New York Times classical music critic Harold C. Shonberg wrote, after the premiere in Atlanta in 1972. Joplin thought naturally in small forms, and his opera is a collection of set pieces rather than a work with any kind of thread running through it. Bowen, Norpoth and Montgomery, aided by stage director Weyni Mengesha, have set about inventing a story with a stronger spine to support the music, while retaining Joplins vision. A critical pivot in their version presents Treemonisha as the tale of a fractured community of former slaves, half of whom stayed after the abolition of slavery and turned to the land and their Christianity. The others fled into the forests, embracing what Volcano describes as an ancient spirituality. It becomes Treemonishas crusade to bring the two communities together to move forward together in a reconciliation with the past. This has required not only a meticulous rewriting of the text, but also a sifting through Joplins other compositions to bolster the integration of song and story. Jessie was the one who said [Joplin] had written dozens of marches, Bowen recalled. And all of these marches lend themselves to all this drama, more of a tense feel. One of the pieces, The Great Crush Collision March, about a staged train crash in Crush, Tex., in the 1890s, was adapted for the new Treemonisha. Norpoth and Montgomery also added African instruments to incorporate more traditional sounds. The next step, in what has become a painstaking reclamation process, is the Toronto workshop, to hear how these elements have coalesced and how firmly they fulfill Joplins artistic blueprint. Joplin never had his day with his opera, Norpoth said. It really was his lifes work. In a way, we are resurrecting it, Bowen added. But he was the orchestrator, 100 years ago. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/can-a-108-year-old-opera--by-scott-joplin--be-made-to-sing-for-today/2019/01/05/b3a4056c-0aaf-11e9-a3f0-71c95106d96a_story.html |
Should the Panthers pursue a trade for Antonio Brown? | NFL superstars rarely change teams. Theres a reason why Jon Gruden got so much grief for dealing Khalil Mack to the Bears, and likely will for the remainder of his career. Some guys you just dont trade. Then again, sometimes those guys force their teams into a situation where they have no choice. Its looking more and more like a divorce is coming for the Steelers and their seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, Antonio Brown. The latest news is that Pittsburgh will actually do the unthinkable and consider trade offers for No. 84. Ian Rapoport at NFL Network reports. From @gmfb Weekend: The #Steelers are expected to consider trade offers for WR Antonio Brown, and they will ask for a lot. As they should. pic.twitter.com/C77EB3bJbl Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2019 The key words there are a lot. Trading for Brown would come at a high cost. The Steelers are and always have been a draft-first kind of franchise, so theyll demand high draft picks as part of any deal. For a team with an aging roster like Carolinas, thats especially difficult to swallow. Then theres the matter of money. Productive and entertaining as he is, Browns contract is problematic. Even still, its hard not to imagine what Brown and a healthy Cam Newton could get up to together. In fact, we have some tape. Heres a clip of Newton hitting Brown in stride on a deep ball over the summer. Thats a sight that no doubt inspired some salivating for Panthers fans, whose team wound up ranked third-to-last in deep ball attempts in 2018. Adding a talent like Brown (and fixing Newtons shoulder) would definitely turn that trend around in a hurry. Carolina also has a potential inside track with David Teppers previous experience as a minority owner with the Steelers. Assuming he still has lots of friends in the building, Tepper might be better positioned to pull off a deal for Brown than any other owner in the NFL. There are a lot of risks taking on Brown, of course. Not all of them are financially or draft capital related, either. The way hes forcing himself out of Pittsburgh is usually not the kind of behavior any team in the league will tolerate. Then again, Browns potential payoff is massive. Its arguably Newton has never had a talent like that before at wide receiver. Promising as D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel are, a player like Brown could take Carolinas offense to another level. Lets open this up for a vote. Vote in the poll and let us know what you think on social media. | https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/05/should-the-panthers-pursue-a-trade-for-antonio-brown/ |
Who are The Voice UK 2019 judges? | The Voice is back and the judging panels looking a little familiar (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) The Voice UK 2019 is here bringing with it a panel of judges wholl look very familiar to regular viewers. Well theres been no change in those famous red chairs this year, following two years of bringing newbies to the table. Without further ado, meet your 2019 The Voice judges will.i.am Will.i.am is back to call everything dope on The Voice UK (Picture: ITV) Will.i.am is one of The Voice UK veterans who has been on the show every single series since its inception back in 2012. Hes most notorious as a member of The Black Eyed Peas, who possess pop belters such as Where Is The Love?, Shut Up, Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling. Advertisement Advertisement The 43-year-old has also enjoyed a pretty successful solo career, releasing chart-topping singles with the likes of Cheryl, Britney Spears and Justin Bieber. He also voiced a bird called Pedro in 2011 animated flick Rio. Boom, indeed. Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Hudson is having her first time in the spinning chair (Picture: ITV) The 35-year-old American singer shot to stardom back in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol, and has since released three studio albums. If youre unfamiliar with her career as a musician however, you might recognise Jennifer for playing Effie White in 2006s Dreamgirls which landed her an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress. The singer also tragically hit headlines after her mother, brother and nephew were murdered back in 2008. Jennifer has also performed at the White House and has a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame, along with making her Broadway debut as Shug Avery in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple. Jennifer made her debut as a judge on The Voice in 2017 when the series moved to ITV. Sir Tom Jones Sir Tom Jones is back too for some intense name-dropping (Picture: ITV) After being controversially axed from the BBC version of The Voice, legendary Welsh crooner Sir Tom Jones was nabbed by ITV for another round on the chair last year. His career has spanned six decades, boasting such classic hits as Its Not Unusual, Whats New Pussycat, Delilah and Sex Bomb. Advertisement Advertisement After selling over 100 million records and receiving an OBE in 1999, he was later knighted in 2006 by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music. He also performed the opening song in 2000s underappreciated Disney classic The Emperors New Groove. Incredible. Olly Murs Olly Murs has arrived (Picture: Ian West/PA Wire) Olly found fame on The X Factor, finishing runner-up to Joe McElderry in 2009 but he swapped shows when he joined The Voice panel in 2018. He knows a thing or two about music contests, in other words. Olly went on to release five solo albums, while also forging a successful presenting career on The Xtra Factor alongside Caroline Flack. However, their joint hosting of the main show in 2015 didnt go down quite as well and they werent invited back in 2016. The Voice UK kicks off on Saturday January 5 on ITV at 8pm. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/05/who-are-the-voice-uk-2019-judges-8306884/ |
How does the auditions stage of The Greatest Dancer work? | The dancers will need to impress this lot as well as the studio audience (Picture: BBC) The Greatest Dancer is set to bring fleet footwork back to Saturday nights on BBC One when it kicks off this weekend. The series will see hopefuls competing for the series title in front of a panel of judges featuring Cheryl, Matthew Morrison and Oti Mabuse. But if they want to stand a chance of progressing theyll have to impress both them and the studio audience at the first auditions. Each of the judges will take three dance acts to the live shows (Picture: BBC) The first stage of auditions will see both the judges or dance captains as theyre known on the show and studio audience watch the hopefuls as they take to the stage. Advertisement Advertisement However the dancers will perform behind a two-way mirror, with the audience having the chance to vote for their favourites using a special light-up voting pad on their seat. If a contestant receives more than 75 per cent of the studio vote, the mirrored screen opens and they land themselves a place in the next round. The lucky ones get to progress to the callbacks stage of the competition where each of the judges will pick three performers to take to the live knockout rounds later in the series. The show sees Cheryl making her return to TV as a judge. Shell be joined by Glee star Matthew Morrison, as well as Strictly Come Dancing stalwart Oti Mabuse. Cheryls involvement in the show was the subject of much speculation in 2018 with Morrison all but confirming the news on her Instagram page as she celebrated her birthday. So happy you were born! he wrote, adding Look forward to getting to know you better this year! As well as the judges, the show will be hosted by Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo, both of whom took part in the pilot episode. The series kicks off on BBC One on Saturday night at 8pm. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/05/how-does-the-auditions-stage-of-the-greatest-dancer-work-8302940/ |
Who are The Greatest Dancer judges? | The Greatest Dancer has an impressive trio of judges (Picture: BBC) BBC Ones newest Saturday night show The Greatest Dancer is set to bring some very nifty footwork to our screens from this weekend. The series sees dancers of all kinds strutting their stuff in a bid to be crowned series champion, nab a 50,000 prize and also the chance to perform on Strictly Come Dancing. And not only will they have to impress the studio audience but also the judges or dance captains as theyre known wholl be choosing three acts each to take to the live shows. Heres wholl be putting the dancers through their paces Cheryl Having honed her craft on The X Factor, Cheryl is making her return to TV judging (her first role since she became a mum to baby Bear) in The Greatest Dancer. Advertisement Advertisement Shes no stranger to reality TV, having found fame on Popstars: The Rivals where she became part of Girls Aloud but the 35-year-old has said this is a very different type of competition. With this show youre helping them to win 50,000, which is awesome, and to perform, hopefully, on Strictly, so youre just giving, giving and giving youre not trying to create a career, she recently told metro.co.uk. It just feels different. And these two are extremely nice. We all felt in it from the start, a different vibe. And dance creates a different vibe. Matthew Morrison The 40-year-old California native found fame as Will Scheuster in Glee although hes also a veteran of Broadway and Off-Broadway, having appeared in such hit musicals as Hairspray and The Light In The Piazza, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to dance moves. Hes admitted things sometimes got a little heated on the show as they deliberated over their final acts. The three of us were basically locked in a room and we had to hash it out between each other, he told metro.co.uk. Things got a little heated then because were all very passionate people. At the end of the day the final nine we picked we all stand behind those nine acts and I, of course, want my three to be the winner, ultimately, but Im happy with all my acts and I champion their acts as well. Advertisement Advertisement Oti Mabuse South African dancer Oti, 28, has found fame here on Strictly Come Dancing, having been a part of the series since 2015. She went all the way to the final with Danny Mac in 2016 and during her time on the show has also partnered Anthony Ogogo, Jonnie Peacock and Graeme Swann. Oti has already hit the headlines over the show amid rumours that she and Cheryl didnt get on which they have both denied. While Cheryl said she felt privileged to be working with Oti, she took to Instagram to say: This beautiful woman has been nothing but caring, accepting and guiding towards me, shes funny, smart and honest. @cherylofficial sis youre an absolute QUEEN I love you dearly and cannot wait to work with you. The Greatest Dancer starts on BBC One on Saturday night at 8pm. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/05/who-are-the-greatest-dancer-judges-8305241/ |
How do The Voice UK blind auditions work? | The Voice is back and were so ready for the blind auditions (Picture: ITV) The Voice UK is back on ITV for its 2019 series, with more singing talent lining up in a bid to impress the coaches. The series sees the judging panel of Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Olly Murs take up position in those famous red chairs once again with Sir Tom the current reigning champion after his act Ruti Olajugbagbe was crowned 2018 winner. 321 #TheVoiceUK Coaches wish you a Happy New Year! (We're still not sure why @OllyOfficial is dabbing) pic.twitter.com/YADTo59uEk The Voice UK (@thevoiceuk) December 31, 2018 The first round sees the acts delivering their initial performance of the competition, in their bid to secure the backing of one of the coaches and progress to the next round. Advertisement Advertisement They not only perform to the studio audience but also to the coaches although they have their famous red chairs turned away from the stage so they cannot see the performer or performers, instead judging them purely on their voice. If they like what they hear, they press a button to spin their chair to face the stage and confirm their interest in having that act on their team. The judges could find themselves in a bidding war for the popular acts (Picture: ITV) If only one coach turns a chair for the act they automatically get a place on that team for the next round (the battle rounds, in which acts go head to head) if more than one turns round they have to make their bid to secure that act, who then chooses the coach whose team they want to be on. However they have to choose carefully as they can only have 12 acts on their team to take to the battle rounds. And the coaches have to be mindful of those magic buttons as it counts as a vote for that act (and them potentially joining their team) even if they press it by accident, as will.i.am discovered in 2017. Any act that fails to persuade any of the coaches to turn is eliminated from the competition. But theres a twist to that too as the four dont even turn round to talk to the hopeful once theyve finished singing, instead remaining with their backs firmly to them, leaving them to simply exit the stage and the competition. Advertisement Advertisement While they used to turn and give the unlucky act feedback, the new twist was introduced in 2017. However the acts are warned in advance that it could happen so at least everybodys prepared for a possible rejection. This year will see trios allowed to audition for the series for the first time. Previously the show was only open to solo artists and duos. Emma is back for another series of The Voice Picture: ITV) The series kicks off on ITV on Saturday night at 8pm. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/05/how-do-the-voice-uk-blind-auditions-work-8306404/ |
Can no ships ferry firm really save Ramsgate? | Flanked by seagulls against a powder-blue sky, a dredger is on day two of its low-rumbling shuffle across Ramsgate harbour. The job of excavating two-and-a-half metres of mud from the port is slow and dull. But the UKs only royal harbour has become the site of fevered debate as it prepares to turn into a second Dover in the event of a no-deal Brexit. With only 11 weeks to go and a 13.8m government contract awarded by transport secretary Chris Grayling to Seaborne Freight, a firm with no track record to run Ramsgates proposed ferry route to Ostend, the pressure is on. It doesnt look like that thing [the dredger] is doing very much, said Margaret Selwood, who was walking her dog along the beach. Selwood, whose late husband worked in maritime, was hopeful that a no-deal Brexit could restore Ramsgate to its former glory. We were a proud town before they just left all this here to rot and its a shame really. I dont think this lot knows what theyre doing but I think its good if it gives us a boost. Seaborne Freight faced scrutiny and ridicule last week when it was revealed that the firm had no ships, no contracts with Ramsgate or Ostend ports in place, and that the terms and conditions on its website were cut and pasted from a takeaway delivery company. Its CEO, Ben Sharp, was previously managing director of Mercator, a chartering company that collapsed in 2014 with debts of 1.8m. It is understood that Seaborne has hired Dutch company Van Oord to prepare the port to accommodate large cross-Channel ferries. A harbour tradesman, who did not want to be named, said: Its a shambles. Everything is so cloak and dagger and mysterious Seaborne have been trying to get hold of this harbour for two or three years now but they have no experience or rep in the industry. Its not just the dredging none of the walkways are safe at the moment, parts of it are condemned. Its a minimum of 12 weeks work. Theres no way it will be up and running in time. The residents of Ramsgate have been lobbying for the redevelopment of its ailing port for more than 18 months. Run by Thanet District Council and incurring estimated losses of 20m since 2010, Ramsgate harbour has not had a cross-Channel service since 2013. The arrival, then, of Seaborne Freight might have been met with more enthusiasm. Youve got to be joking, laughs John Davis, a campaigner. It is a farce. Grayling is pure incompetence. At lunchtime in the Royal Victoria Pavilion, a grand seaside building converted into Britains biggest Wetherspoons, Davis has organised an impromptu meeting of Ramsgate Action Group. Were a bit like a dads army, explained chairman Steve Coombes, who has been railing against Thanet Council and Seaborne Freight for two years. The group is lobbying for Ramsgates harbour to be restored into a commercially owned marina village. Its all a load of hogwash, Seaborne arent equipped to deal with a 14m contract. They havent got a port to piss in Steve Coombes, Ramsgate Action Group Where was the due diligence with the government handing Seaborne this contract? asked Coombes. Its all a load of hogwash, they arent equipped to deal with a 14m contract. They havent got a port to piss in. A DfT spokesperson said: Before any contract was signed, due diligence on Seaborne Freight was carried out both by senior officials at the Department for Transport, and highly reputable independent third-party organisations. Our contractual arrangements clearly reflect Seaborne Freights status as a new ferry operator and as such it is obliged to meet a number of stringent time-staged requirements to demonstrate that it can provide an effective service, with break clauses in the DfTs favour if it fails to meet them. Ramsgate is a deprived town and were not waiting for the government to inject money here, said Stephen Byrne, who moved from London. It has a wonderful history, Van Gogh lived here, Queen Victoria holidayed here, were trying to regenerate the port and harbour as a tourist attraction. In 2016, the Kent town of about 40,000 people voted overwhelmingly for Brexit with 64% of the Thanet constituency voting Leave, based on a 73% turnout one of the highest in the UK. According to Davis, very few locals will have changed their mind: It was never about too much immigration really, he nodded awkwardly. Its about jobs, housing and paying all that money to the EU. Irene, who works in a cafe by the train station, agreed. We just want it over with now, its a joke. But we need to get out and just get on with it. The majority of us voted for it and its only right. Irene would not be pressed on whether she would prefer Britain crashing out with no deal. I think them doing what theyre doing can only be a good thing, because it will be better for businesses here. Ramsgate has been hit hard by a decade of austerity, unemployment is higher than the average for both Kent and the country as a whole. Where neighbouring Margate has enjoyed a resurgence by attracting an artistic community priced out of London, this district of Thanet once had the UKs only Ukip-led council. We voted a Ukip council but not because were Ukip-y, explained Davis. We were fed up but its gotten worse. Were being left behind. | https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/05/can-shambles-ferry-firm-seaborne-freight-save-ramsgate |
Whats Ahead for Lululemon Stock in 2019? | With an over 50% annual return, lululemon athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) was one of the best-performing stocks on the market in 2018. But if you believe the management team, its gains could just be getting started. The yoga-inspired clothing specialist has set its sights on developing a global sales base well beyond the North American region that it previously focused on. CEO Calvin McDonald and his team are also aiming to expand its offerings into entirely new product categories, and extend the brand with more men's apparel options. These strategies should help propel the company toward its medium-term target of $4 billion of annual revenue by 2020. However, more than a few things will have to go right in 2019 if it's going to hit that goal. Continue Reading Below A strong holiday season Lululemon usually announces its fourth quarter results in late March. That report, which covers the key holiday shopping period, will also include management's first detailed outlook for fiscal 2019. Investors have some good reasons to be optimistic about what they'll hear at that time. After all, lululemon's growth pace surpassed expectations in each of the last three quarters, capped by a 21% spike in Q3. The company cited robust customer traffic, both in its physical stores and online, for boosting results in the period. A packed pipeline of product releases helped support those metrics, and should continue to do so. While revenue growth is important -- the top line is expected to jump 20% to $1.1 billion -- analysts will also be keeping a close eye on profitability. Gross margin has been climbing steadily for the last few quarters, and management predicts it will continue rising. Any disappointment on that front would be a major warning flag. Growth initiatives Advertisement Lululemon's aggressive expansion plans will require it to succeed at more than simply delivering premium apparel products to yoga fans. In the near term, its major growth efforts center around innovations like pop-up seasonal stores, and an aggressive e-commerce push that aims to take its digital sales channels well beyond the 25% of revenues they now provide. Longer term, lululemon is looking to gain a foothold in key overseas markets like China. In parallel, it's moving into new product categories -- and recent successes with new outerwear offerings suggest that this strategy could pay big dividends over time. Looking further out At this point, lululemon's outlook is positive for the coming quarters, but not yet concrete. The company has said it hopes to cross $4 billion in annual sales by 2020, and that goal doesn't look like a stretch given that sales likely exceeded $3.2 billion in 2018. Executives say the profitability expansion, which includes a 7 percentage-point improvement in gross margin since 2015, is just starting, too. In fact, CFO Patrick Guido told investors to look for profit margins to keep rising for at least the next couple of years. Any number of stumbling blocks could get in the way of the retailer reaching its broad targets, including an economic slowdown. Lululemon also remains susceptible to quality control issues, and investors only have to look back a couple of years to see the harm that a failure on that front can inflict on its brand and earnings power. The risks are amplified by the fact that the stock is up sharply, and is priced at a premium relative to more established companies like Nike. Still, nothing in its last few quarterly reports indicates trouble ahead for lululemon. Instead, its recent record of booming online sales volumes, rising profit margins, and successful expansion moves suggest that the coming year will look a lot like 2018 for the business. 10 stocks we like better than Lululemon AthleticaWhen 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, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has quadrupled the market. * David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Lululemon Athletica 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, 2018 Demitrios Kalogeropoulos owns shares of Nike. The Motley Fool recommends Lululemon Athletica and Nike. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/whats-ahead-for-lululemon-stock-in-2019 |
Will R. Kelly Survive Surviving R. Kelly? | After the debut of Surviving R. Kelly, lots of folks will be talking about the six-part Lifetime documentary TV series that will continue over the weekend of first weekend of 2019. And while opinions may differ after people watch each episode of the show, the immediate feeling after watching the first two, titled Hiding in Plain Sight and The Pied Piper of R&B, it certainly seems like the level of reporting and insight into Kellys career, and the accusations against him, are going to be challenging if even possible for the man once known as the king of R&B to overcome. We met several women who told stories and made allegations about R. Kelly, from being obsessive about controlling their lives while dating him, to highly inappropriate sexual behavior. All of it together is creating a very complicated story one that includes Kellys own molestation as a child and insecurities over his inability to read and write, but also accuses him of seeking underage girls for sex, and brings more light to his relationship with Aaliyah, as well as the niece of Rockland recording artist Sparkle. Theres sure to be a big conversation over the debut weekend, and we know you'll be watching. Tell us what you think about the documentary series on our Facebook page. In the meantime, watch the recent interview with Drea Kelly, R. Kellys ex-wife who appears in Surviving R. Kelly and has visited V-103 multiple times over the years, below: | https://v103.radio.com/blogs/throwback-v-103-interview-surviving-r-kellys-drea-kelly-singers-ex-wife |
Who's the Colts player in the clown mask? | Indianapolis Colts' player, TY Hilton turned heads as he entered NRG stadium with an interesting accessory.According to a State of the Texans article , Hilton claimed Houston as his second home. "I'm going to my second home," Hilton said. "I don't know what it is, I just like playing in that stadium and now I get another chance at it. "Following Hilton's interview, Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph said he did not appreciate his comment. "Nah, that is for clowns, that is for TV," Joseph said of Hilton's comments. "That's what they do, you put something in their face anybody can say it. "The Colts' wide receiver wore a "clown" mask in response to Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph and his comments to NRG Stadium earlier this week. | https://abc13.com/sports/whos-the-colts-player-in-the-clown-mask/5020856/ |
What Is The Power Of One Customer? | At face value, the power of one customer seems rather insignificant. After all, one customer making a single transaction certainly will not make the difference between the success and failure of a small business. The success factor One transaction with a company, regardless of the monetary size, rarely means success for the business. Of course, it can if the transaction is a once-in-a-lifetime event for a business, which is normally quite out of the ordinary. So, in the everyday course of business, one transaction or sale that stands by itself as an isolated situation will typically not have a profound impact on the annual net profit of the business entity. When a customer is pleased, however, with the outcome of a business transaction, that same customer will repeat his or her buying experience. Whether the transaction was personal or business, the importance is having the event repeated, not just a second time, but time and time again over a period of years. Repeat customers and repeat sales are basically a business annuity. Month in and month out, year in and year out, a continuous stream of money flows into the business from the same customers. Little effort and little marketing is required as long as these customers continue to be satisfied. Fortunately for the business, the positive effect of this repeated purchase cycle does not start and stop with the original purchase. The purchase experience, hopefully, leads to casual word-of-mouth comments, direct referrals, or online testimonials and reviews. Regardless of the action, the end result remains the same: new customers, more sales, continued business annuity, and additional satisfied customers who continue to promote the business without effort or cost to the business. This is the perfect situation for any business. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com: The failure factor The opposite of success, of course, is failure. The best scenario for a business is when one satisfied customer produces an untold amount of revenue for a business through actual sales and positive comments and referrals. Dissatisfied customers, however, do the exact opposite. They no longer support the business through sales, or bolster the business with positive comments, referrals, or reviews. A dissatisfied customer just goes away and never brings in more revenue to the business. The business annuity stops, and whatever personal effort or marketing costs that were invested in that one dissatisfied customer is also lostlabor and money out and no new money flowing in. Unfortunately for many businesses, they never know why they lost the customer. They just know they lost a money-paying customer to a competitor. The actions of a dissatisfied customer, nevertheless, does not end with a competitive business gaining a new customer. In addition to lost revenue from one dissatisfied customer, revenue can very likely be lost from other current customers hearing negative comments or prospective customers hearing negative comments that cause them to seek products or services from another company. Although bad internet reviews can be a disaster for any business, dissatisfied customers do not have to post negative online reviews to damage the future revenue of a business. The act of not repeating a sales transaction and making casual negative comments to personal and business acquaintances alone can be damaging to any business. The power of one So, the power of one customer can be staggering. One customer in and of itself will most likely not be the deciding factor between success and failure of your business, but the compound effect, both in positive or negative terms over a period of months and years, can definitely have a profound effect on the long-term profit and, potentially, the viability of your company. All businesses should have a mission that every employee understands. The mission does not necessarily have to be in the form of a written mission statement prominently displayed somewhere in the business; however, this would certainly keep employees constantly aware of what your business is trying to accomplish. Regardless of business size, type, or industry, just think what the following missions could do for any business: To become highly successful by pleasing one customer at a time To exceed customer expectations by providing the best products and service To produce a customer experience that never disappoints The goal is not to have one transaction with a customer; the goal is to create customers for life. And this is the real power of one customer. RELATED: How to Benefit From Customer Complaints This article was originally published on AllBusiness.com. Read all of Richard Weinbergers articles. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2019/01/05/what-is-the-power-of-one-customer/ |
What Does Warren Buffett Think of Apple's Plunge? | Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares plunged to a 52-week low on Jan. 3, a day after the company dramatically lowered its revenue guidance due to sluggish iPhone demand, especially in China. The tech giant is now expecting to report $84 billion in sales for the recently-ended first quarter of its 2019 fiscal year, down from its previous forecast range of $89 billion to $93 billion. The lagging iPhone sales are a result of a maturing market. People are holding onto their smartphones longer because the changes between models are subtle and often not worth the higher prices. Analysts on Wall Street made their opinions about Apple's guidance update clear with a slew of price target cuts for Apple shares. Considering that Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A)(NYSE: BRK-B) lost about $4 billion on its large Apple stake on Thursday, you'd think he'd have a strong opinion. The Apple iPhone X with water splashing around it. More Apple's iPhone shipments dropped dramatically this past quarter. Image source: Apple. Warren Buffett's take on the rise and fall of iPhone sales While Buffett hasn't spoken out publicly on Apple's disappointing sales update this week, we can take a look back at his past statements on iPhone shipments and Apple's stock to determine what he might be thinking this week. For example, when Buffett was interviewed on CNBC in May 2018, he seemed to shake his head at the stress the iPhone shipment reports caused investors. He said that obsessing over the exact number of iPhones sold in a three-month period isn't a reliable way to measure Apple's performance. People who focus on iPhone shipments are missing the point of the company, according to Buffett. "Nobody buys a farm based on whether or not it's going to rain next year or not," Buffett said. "You buy it because you think it's a good investment over 10 to 20 years." That interview came after there had been a deluge of negative reports on iPhone X demand leading up to Apple's May 2018 earnings report. Yet when Apple reported, it revealed that the iPhone X had been its top-selling iPhone model across the globe for the quarter. Considering that this interview happened less than a year ago, it seems logical that Buffett would give the same advice this week: Don't focus all your attention on Apple's ever-changing iPhone shipments. He wants investors to be thinking of Apple's long-term potential with its "sticky" products and its other revenue streams like its cloud business and App Store sales. If anything, past comments from Buffett point to him possibly buying even more shares of Apple this week. At Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting last May, Buffett told shareholders that he was hoping Apple's share price would drop so he could scoop up more of the company. In fact, during his CNBC interview, Buffett joked that he wished Berkshire owned 100% of Apple. Berkshire first invested in Apple in the first quarter of 2016, buying 9.8 million shares when the stock was trading in the low $100s. Buffett has steadily increased his position in Apple over the past few years. It's now Berkshire's largest position by far at about 250 million shares -- at least as of September 30. That stake is worth more than $37 billion even after the stock's recent plunge. | https://news.yahoo.com/does-warren-buffett-think-apple-191000236.html |
Why Is Gwyneth Paltrows Go-to Quote About Bitching Out a Yoga Studio Employee? | Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic If you thought Lady Gagas 100 people in a room awards season anecdote was getting a little too well-worn at this point, at least it has some sincere heart and soul behind it. I had this funny experience the other day where I went to a yoga studio in LA and the beautiful 22-year-old girl behind the counter was like, Have you ever done yoga before? she recalled. And I was like: Bitch, you have this job because Ive done yoga before. If youre a Goop groupie, you can probably recall Paltrow used the same story in a WSJ. Magazine profile last month, just with slightly different wording: Forgive me if this comes out wrong, but I went to do a yoga class in L.A. recently and the 22-year-old girl behind the counter was like, Have you ever done yoga before? And literally I turned to my friend, and I was like, You have this job because Ive done yoga before. And, months before that, she tried the lil tale out on a group of fashion and beauty reporters at a private dinner reception. Per Fashion Magazine: [S]he recounted how the other day she went to yoga, a discipline shes been practicing since the 90s. While she was getting her mat, the 20-something girl working at the studio asked Paltrow if shed ever done the exercise before. And I was like Bitch you have this job because Ive done yoga before! she said jokingly. I didnt really say that to her. Were going to need to mull this over with some green juices and vaginal eggs. And with a yoga mat made out of the finest polyurethane, we guess. | https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/gwyneth-paltrow-keeps-telling-this-weird-bitch-anecdote.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fvulture+%28Vulture+-+nymag.com%27s+Entertainment+and+Culture+Blog%29 |
Will South Carolina make the 'leap forward' in education reform in 2019? | In his more than 30 years in education, Spartanburg School District 4 Superintendent Rallie Liston said he's heard state legislators discuss a number of fixes for South Carolina's public education system. But now, maybe more than ever, he said he's hopeful for state-level education reform that could make an impact for students, teachers and taxpayers. I'm not so sure, but the playing field might be set," Liston said. "If they were ever going to make changes that can make a difference, I think the time might be right for that right now." Liston said conversations at both the state and federal level solutions pushed by education groups and public educators in other states have combined with the sense that South Carolina has studied its issues enough to know what could be fixed. "You've got state budget surpluses, and the economy is good," Liston said. "It could happen now." Lawmakers last week previewed the topic, among others, for media ahead of the launch of the new legislative session. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, acknowledged a state budget surplus along with the challenge of prioritizing ways to spend it. The bi-partisan panel agreed that education reform could take center stage in the upcoming year, but broke down over the complexities inherent in changing the system. Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, and Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, sparred over the funding levels and education results, for instance, while Rep. Mike Sottile, R-Charleston, said significant reform could take years. Republican state Rep. Rita Allison of Lyman, the chairwoman of the House Education and Public Works Committee, sounded a more optimistic tone Friday. "Education reform has to make a leap forward this year," Allison said. "And just listening to those conversations, I think we're hearing that it will." Allison highlighted dozens of bills that already have been filed in both the House and Senate to bolster her point and challenged Sottile's view that the process needs further study. "We've studied, we've looked and we've listened to a lot of folks on this issue," Allison said. "There are other states doing smart things. At this point, it's a matter of biting the bullet and making the leap." Allison said her top priorities include finding ways to recruit and retain teachers higher salaries will play a role, she said along with finding ways to holistically support teachers' efforts in the classroom. "We consistently hear about discipline issues, testing requirements, about all the other things that keep them from being able to enter the classroom, close the door and teach," Allison said. Revamping funding, which could require changes to the way property taxes are structured, could be a hot button issue that could derail the process, Allison said, but lawmakers should still broach the subject. "We've done it piecemeal," Allison said. "We're to a point, I think, when this has to be done." Underscoring the point: House Speaker Jay Lucas has said education would be his top legislative priority this year, according to the Associated Press. Liston said he hopes three issues see significant improvement in 2019, including calendar flexibility, increases in teacher salaries and improvements to the way school districts are funded at both the local and state levels. He said he's less optimistic about comprehensive reform than Allison. "The calendar issue is a political issue, it is, but that is something that is truly fixable," Liston said. "If you're having the conversation, you can get that done." Funding will be a more complex conversation, Liston said, with problems that have developed over decades. "If you're going to go for everything, all or nothing, you might get nothing," Liston said. I think we can, and we should. Teacher pay can be increased because anything we can do to recruit and retrain these folks, well we should do that." | https://www.goupstate.com/news/20190105/will-south-carolina-make-leap-forward-in-education-reform-in-2019 |
Who won The Voice UK in 2018 and where are they now? | 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 Ruti Olajugbagbe scooped last year's win on The Voice UK after impressing with her unique vocals. The teenager, who was on Sir Tom Jones' team, beat of stiff competition from Donel Mangena, Belle Voci and Lauren Bannon in the final to win a recording contract with Polydor Records. Stepping onto the stage in the blind auditions, the student and part-time carer prompted Sir Tom to press his buzzer and turn around with her rendition of Budapest by George Ezra. Throughout the series Ruti continued to wow Tom, along with coaching panel will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Olly Murs, with her quirky versions of well known songs. In the battle rounds she performed Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine, followed by Dreams by The Cranberries in the knockouts. Into the semi-finals she impressed with Boy Meets Girl's Waiting For a Star to Fall, followed by the Daniel Bedingfield ballad If You're Not the One in the final, where she also duetted with Tom singing What a Wonderful World. She also reprised Dreams, which went on to be her first single, which reached number 14 in the charts. Tom recently appeared on This Morning and revealed that she is currently in the studio making her debut album, which is expected to be released later in the year. He said: I won the first year [of The Voice] and then the last series with Ruti. Shes a tremendous singer. She writes her own songs. Shes in the studio now. Shes going to be around a long time, shes not a flash in the pan." (Image: ITV) Ruti, from Southend-on-Sea, lives with her mum, dad and little brother Femi. Speaking to Hello Magazine in September last year, she said: "It's surreal because on one hand I'm a normal 18-year-old, studying for my A-levels, but at the same time I'm also mixing with Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am. "I go back to college on Monday. I'm studying music, technology, drama and BTec music performance and I have my exams in June. Then I'm done." (Image: Getty Images) Ruti, now 19, has revealed her influences span a number of genres - from Bastille and Arctic Monkeys to Emeli Sande. In 2013 she sang in the final of Thurrock's young musician of the year. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/who-won-voice-uk-2018-15631383 |
What drives the Verde Valley economy? | While much of the Verde Valley is rural and not as densely populated as neighboring communities on the other side of the mountain, its economic impact to the region should not be underestimated. The Verde Valley makes up roughly 32 percent of the population in Yavapai County and nearly 40 percent of business establishments. According to a 2018 Verde Valley Regional Economic Development Organization report, the labor force increased between 2000 and 2011 but slightly decreased in 2016 from 29,614 to 28,293. White collar occupations such as management, sales and administrative support make up more than half the labor force. This is pretty much on par with Yavapai County but below the state average which has a 60.7 percent white-collar labor force. The report shows blue-collar occupations such as construction, farming and transportation making up around 19 percent of the labor force. This is slightly below the county, for which blue-collar work force makes up 21 percent but above the state at 18.9 percent. Service jobs also make up a large chunk of the labor force in the Verde Valley at 26.6 percent. The report states that employment in the Verde Valley is highly concentrated in services that include: education, health and social services; arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services; administrative; and food services. When comparing the mix of employment to the county and state, the Verde Valley has a greater percentage of jobs in construction, but lags in manufacturing, the report states. According to VVREO, sectors signaling the highest potential for growth in the Verde Valley are healthcare; agriculture and food processing; hospitality and tourism; and advanced manufacturing. Wine industry Agriculture and tourism have been boosted by the wine industry, the fastest growing industry, according to VVREO. The wine industry in the Verde Valley first emerged in the early 2000s with Page Spring Cellars. In 2008, the Verde Valley Wine Consortium was established and later started offering viticulture classes at Yavapai College. The Southwest Wine Center first opened in Clarkdale at the Yavapai College campus. According to Paula Woosley, wine educator and president of the Verde Valley Wine Consortium, there are 27 wineries in the Verde Valley Wine Trail Map and 23 tasting rooms. The industry is getting attention from around the world and has become quite vogue. In an Aug. 29 article on www.vogue.com, the Verde Valley was named one of the top seven emerging wine industries in America. The VVREO report notes that wine industry is broadly defined and includes both production and tourism; one of which is agritourism, or agriculturally-focused tourism. The United States Department of Agriculture pegged agritourism at $704 million in 2012, a 25 percent increase in five years. While the number of acres of grapes planted and tons of wine grapes harvested in the Verde Valley is relatively small, wine grapes and wines are an emerging industry segment with a great potential for agritourism, the VVREO report states. According to VVREO, there are 130 acres of vineyards in the Verde Valley. It also reports 325 tons of grapes harvested, 20,475 cases produced and $58.1 million in wine-related expenditures. The wine industry, while still in its infancy, continues to grow, according to VVREO findings. Like other wine regions, the Verde Valley has to safeguard against regulations that stymie growth of the industry, such as elimination of grape acres or regulations around tourism that damage opportunities for small wineries to sell direct, the report states. | http://www.cvbugle.com/news/2019/jan/05/what-drives-verde-valley-economy/ |
Are escape rooms safe? | Investigators at the scene of the fire at the escape room in Koszalin, in northern Poland. Credit: AP The deaths of five teenage girls in a fire at an escape room in Poland has raised questions about the safety of the game. Investigators believe a gas leak in a heating system caused the fire in Koszalin, in the north of the country, and it is believed the children - who were celebrating a birthday - were killed by carbon monoxide inhalation. Koszalin prosecutor Ryszard Gasiorowski said it is believed that the fire broke out in the waiting room of the games room, "cutting off the employee who was supposed to supervise the participants of the game and help to unlock the door", leaving the girls trapped. A gas leak in a heating system is thought to have sparked the fire. Escape room games, which have grown in popularity in recent years, see players seemingly shut inside a room or building with clues and puzzles to solve to help them get out or win a prize. UK centres are monitored by staff throughout and players are made aware they can take an exit door in the case of emergency. While questions have been raised about the safety of escape rooms following the fatal fire, "regulations in the UK are strict and standards are very high", David Middleton, the owner of Bewilder Box, a Brighton-based escape room, explained. The co-organiser of the escape rooms industry conference (ERIC) added that in the UK it is illegal for any business to lock a person inside a room, so players would never be trapped. "The name 'escape rooms' is misleading," Mr Middleton told ITV News. "It probably comes from the escape the room video games," he continued. "It's just an illusion of being locked in... players are welcome to leave at any time... "Often the purpose of the game isn't even to escape from the room, it's to achieve a goal or find a gem, so you're not escaping at all." "The UK escape rooms industry prides itself on high safety standards," Mr Middleton explained. Like any UK business, escape rooms should ensure that "staff have proper training and that fire risk assessments are carried out," and that players are always supervised, he added. Tributes to the teenage victims have been placed close to the scene of their deaths in Poland. Credit: AP | https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-05/are-escape-rooms-safe/ |
How Much Do NFL Players Make During the Playoffs? | NFL players are paid their yearly salaries on a weekly basis (aside from signing, roster and other bonuses) from the first game of the season through the last, including the team's bye week. Team payments and contracts end, however, with the regular season. During the postseason, players are paid by the league through a designated postseason fund as opposed to being paid by their individual teams. A handful of players have postseason incentives worked into their contract from their team, but most only recieve on league pay. The NFL pays every player on the 53-man active roster an identical amount per postseason appearance and/or win regardless of impact or performance. Once NFL player contracts become irrelevant, here are the per-player payouts this year, per the CBA. Wild Card RoundDivision Winner: $29,000 Wild Card Team: $27,000 Divisional Round: $29,000 Conference Championship: $54,000 Super Bowl Winner: $118,000 Super Bowl Loser: $59,000 Compared to the NFL's minimum salary for 2018, which was $480,000 for a rookie, the postseason payout from the league does not amount to much. Note that teams earning a bye week for the first roundthe Chiefs, Patriots, Saints and Rams this seasonare not paid for that week. Every played on the active roster, inactive list or on a franchise's injured reserve list at the time of a wild card game or divisional round will be paid the full amount designated. For conference championship games and the Super Bowl, the payout is more nuanced and depends on a player's most recent participation. | https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/01/05/how-much-do-nfl-players-make-during-playoffs-postseason-payout |
Is Americas Political Future in San Antonio? | New Yorkers mostly know it as being the home of the Alamo. Sometimes theyll say to me, Oh, isnt there a river there? To which, I usually joke that, yes, as a matter of fact, it is the Venice of Texas. (It is nothing like Venice.) Even when the Spurs racked up national N.B.A. championships, the coastal sports media dismissed them as boring. (Luckily, another local hero, Coach Gregg Popovich, is around to belittle said national media.) Were not Houston or Dallas, we dont boast, said Leticia Van de Putte, a San Antonio native and former state senator who ran for lieutenant governor of Texas in 2014. We never give ourselves the atta boys or atta girls, its not in our nature. If you spend enough time in San Antonio, its hard not to run into one of the Castro brothers. (Half the time they think Im my brother, Julin Castro said). When we were both back home, Mr. Castro and I usually caught up over tacos, so, just before Christmas, when he was in New York, I met him at La Esquina, a taqueria in Midtown. Not as good as Texas, but not bad, Mr. Castro said, a cautious politicians verdict on the $4.99 barbacoa tacos that we both knew would have been fluffier and cost 99 cents in San Antonio. We spent the first few minutes catching up on local gossip a mutual friend; The San Antonio Express-News holding a grudge because he didnt give it an exclusive about his plans to run. (They put my story in the Metro section!) When asked by reporters why he was running, given that he hardly registers in the national polls, Mr. Castro talked about his hometown. I said, Go to my neighborhood that I grew up in nobody was the front-runner there, he recalled. Mr. Castro will base his campaign in San Antonio, starting with a kickoff rally next Saturday. Until recently, San Antonio was reliably red, but like much of the Southwest, it has been transformed into a battleground by its young and Latino population, bad news for Republicans fearing an increasingly purple Texas. In the midterms, every major statewide candidate, including Senator Ted Cruz and his Democratic opponent, Beto ORourke, poured resources into winning San Antonio. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/05/sunday-review/julian-castro-2020-president.html |
How Must a Change in Sindh Happen? | The only option is governors rule followed byin education and social welfare in interior Sindh designed to free the ordinary Sindhi from the servitude of wadera and PPP. Hoping that it leads to emergence of a new middle class of Sindhi who then goes on to inform a change in politics of Sindh. The only way forward is to settle the fears of Sindhi's and elevate them, from economic and educational poverty. Don't do that and they willsupporting PPP regarding it as theirbulwark against mohajir hegemony on their province. And that fear plasters over other issues allowing likes of Zardari to keep grinning. | https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/how-must-a-change-in-sindh-happen.595294/ |
What's in Store for 'Nico-Teens'? | Vaping is no longer a passing fad among teenagers, and has turned into a national epidemic, said experts contacted by MedPage Today. A growing body of literature confirms these fears. Most recently, the large Monitoring the Future survey in 2018 found "the largest single-year increase in use of a monitored substance ever recorded" among high school students in the program's four-decade history. Looking forward, pediatricians will likely be seeing a new generation of adolescent patients addicted to nicotine, and there is a need for updated guidelines that outline prevention and cessation therapies that can be used to minimize the harm done by e-cigarettes in these vulnerable populations, said Sharon McGrath-Morrow, MD, of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. What We Know Thus far, the most recent research has shown that teens using e-cigarettes are actually more likely to transition to other substances, such as marijuana, alcohol, or tobacco cigarettes. Additionally, the vapor expelled from e-cigarettes may contain cancer-causing chemicals. McGrath-Morrow said tobacco-naive kids who try e-cigarettes will not experience the initial adverse effect in the throat that is felt with tobacco smoking, which makes it much more likely they will continue use and become addicted to the nicotine often packaged in small pods that can contain as much nicotine as up to 20 cigarettes. "I think this is our opportunity to not let what happened with tobacco products happen, but we only have a small window of opportunity to really push," McGrath-Morrow told MedPage Today. "Even if we don't have all the information, it's pointing in the direction that kids are highly addicted to nicotine and that this could be a gateway to tobacco use, and we know how bad tobacco use is." But research that determines long-term cardiovascular, respiratory, or neurological effects of nicotine use in adolescents has not been conducted. And this research is likely what will motivate more restrictive guidelines, dispel the notion that e-cigarettes are healthy or benign, and discourage youth from vaping, said Michael Weaver, MD, of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston. The problem is that research that could observe these longitudinal changes in adolescent health might take up to a decade to complete, Weaver said. "We've got at least another 5-10 years before we have good, long-term data on the effects of e-cigarettes on the lungs, the heart, the brain, or something else we hadn't considered, so unless something new emerges early and unexpectedly, [such as] higher doses of vegetable glycerin causes cancer or allergic reactions or something, we're going to have to wait for more data to accumulate," Weaver told MedPage Today. "I think the trend is going to have to run its course for at least a few more years." The FDA is taking multiple steps to limit the marketing and advertising of e-cigarettes towards children and decrease adolescent use, with increased warnings to industry as well as proposed changes in policy. Weaver said he anticipates groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) will begin weighing in on this issue once more research is published, joining public service announcements published this year by organizations like TRUTH.org, which may build pressure for larger movements to address the issue. Already, the AAP released a statement in October recommending that smoke-free laws targeting secondhand smoke be expanded to include e-cigarettes. In the time it takes for more data to accrue, Weaver said it might be more important to decrease the appeal of e-cigarettes in youth populations through different advertising, educating adolescents on the harmful effects of vaping, and making the devices less transportable and "cool." Most notably, Juul pods, the USB-shaped vaporizers that had the greatest market share of any e-cigarettes in the U.S. at the end of 2017, according to a statement from Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD. Recent results from the National Youth Tobacco Survey found "a dramatic increase" in e-cigarette use. According to a statement, the results were released preemptively to "encourage e-cigarette companies and retailers, state, county and local health departments, public health organizations, and parents and educators to act immediately to curtail this crisis," and the remaining data will be released in early 2019. More recently, the FDA announced a public hearing in January to "obtain the public's perspectives on the potential role drug therapies may play in the broader effort to eliminate youth e-cigarette and other tobacco product use." McGrath-Morrow said although it's hard to predict what will happen in the future regarding restrictions on e-cigarette products, she anticipates that use amongst adolescents will continue to go up in the near future. But she added that some of the prevention strategies being implemented now may cause the trend to flatten out after several years. "We were thinking this would continue to be a niche thing, that it's going to be small groups of people using e-cigs," McGrath-Morrow said. "Young kids didn't find these pods were cool, but then Juul came out and presented this device that's super cool to young people, and all of a sudden everything changed." #JUUL Experts have criticized the marketing strategies of several e-cigarette brands, specifically Juul products. A recent CNN investigation found that e-cigarette manufacturers may be "following in the footsteps of Big Tobacco," which targeted young populations to gain lifelong customers. After the FDA published its updated guidelines preventing e-cigarette manufacturers from targeting youth, Juul phased out much of its social media content, but other entities, as well as individuals, may continue to advertise them on Instagram or Twitter. In this way, these products have developed the ability to "self-promote," said Nicholas Chadi, MD, of Boston Children's Hospital. For example, one study published in May found that seven major Juul-related Instagram accounts that posted Juul-related content amassed over a quarter of a million followers total. However, the majority of these accounts may have been created by online vendors, according to the study. Chadi said that social media could also be used to the advantage of the CDC or other regulatory bodies since it has the ability to reach millions of people very quickly and effectively. "There's definitely been a clear movement by the FDA to restrict the sale of e-cigarette products in many places such as corner stores and gas stations, so I do think e-cigarettes will become harder to purchase for younger people," Chadi told MedPage Today. I'm not sure about that." "I would have a hard time imagining seeing such a large increase in 2019 as in 2018, but, if anything, I'm hoping rates will stabilize and eventually fall back down as there is more awareness about the issue," he said. 2019-04-01T00:00:00-0400 | https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/smoking/77249 |
What Is Shes Lost Control By Joy Division About? | Joy Division, 1979. Picture: Rob Verhorst/Redferns/Getty Images In January 1979, Ian Curtis was officially diagnosed as an epileptic. This life-changing news would have a huge impact and spawn one of the greatest songs his band Joy Division ever recorded. Joy Division were part of the first wave of young punks to come out of Manchester. They were inspired to start a band by the arrival of the Sex Pistols in the city in the summer of 1976 and their first recordings were primitive, angry, three-chord thrashes. But JD were a remarkable band and soon grew out of their punk roots, while their lead singer Ian Curtis was a mesmerising frontman. His wild dancing and manic stage presence owed a lot to pre-punk hero Iggy Pop, but there were darker influences, too. Curtis worked at the Job Centre in his hometown of Macclesfield, Cheshire, finding positions for people with special needs. One of his clients was a girl with epilepsy. At one point in 1978, Curtis noticed that the girl had stopped coming into the department. He later discovered shed had a fit in her sleep and had tragically died. The incident inspired Curtis to write a new song about the girl: She's Lost Control. "Confusion in her eyes that says it all / She's lost control / And she's clinging to the nearest passer by / She's lost control." This was distressing enough, but what made things worse was that Curtis himself had developed the symptoms of epilepsy himself. Joy Division made the long trip to London on 27 December 1978 for their first gig in the capital, but the show was poorly attended. Feeling negative about the situation, Curtis lashed out at the other members of the band on the drive back to Manchester - literally. As it transpired, he was having what appeared to be an epileptic fit. The other members of Joy Division - guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris - took their bandmate to a nearby hospital, where Curtis recovered. He was told to go and see his doctor when he returned home. On 23 January 1979, at an appointment at Macclesfield Hospital, it was confirmed: Ian Curtis had epilepsy. The news was devastating and meant that Ian had to change his lifestyle and take medication to control the fits. His new life as a rock star was put in doubt as late nights and alcohol didnt mix with the meds. A week later, at the BBCs studios in London, Joy Division recorded Shes Lost Control for their first John Peel radio session. The band opened with the song when they supported The Cure at Londons Marquee club on Sunday 4 March. Shes Lost Control became one of Joy Divisions key tracks: it opened the second side of the bands debut album Unknown Pleasures in June 1979, its menacing synth drum adding a queasy layer to the sounds of distress and panic. When Curtis performed the song, his wild dancing now took on the appearance of a man literally out of control. As Joy Division became more successful, the pressures on the band increased. There were more gigs, more recording sessions and even the birth of Ians daughter Natalie that Spring. As 1979 turned into 1980, he found himself in a relationship with a Belgian woman, Annik Honor. The pressure of keeping this from his wife Deborah all added to the stress. Joy Division played Shes Lost Control at their penultimate show at Derbys Ajanta Theatre on 19 April 1980, but it was missing from their final set in Birmingham on 2 May. By now, Curtis was very ill - Joy Division gigs would routinely climax with his frantic dancing turning into a full epileptic episode. On 18 May 1980, one day before Joy Division were due to fly to the US, Ian Curtis committed suicide at his home in Macclesfield. He was 23 years old. Ian Curtis's gravestone in Macclesfield. Picture: Jon Super/Redferns/Getty Bernard Sumner later claimed that he thought the medication Curtis was taking contributed to his depression, while Peter Hook told WNYC in 2013: The guy was in a complete maelstrom compounded by the illness. I think because of the work and the enthusiasm he put in before he got ill, while the illness was degenerating, he didnt want to let you down. I think he just looked at you and wanted to say, Im alright. Dont worry about me." A couple of months later, a radically-reworked version of Shes Lost Control was issued as a 12 single, backed with the emotional and beautiful ballad Atmosphere. The track remains one of Joy Divisions best-known songs and gave the 2007 Ian Curtis biopic its title: Control. | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/joy-division/what-is-shes-lost-control-by-joy-division-about/ |
Does December's Manufacturing Growth Slowdown Spell Doom For The U.S. Economy? | Markets and pundits alike got jittery this week when the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Report on Business showed the December Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) falling to 54.1%, from Novembers 59.3%. Decembers figure was the lowest since November 2016. US stock indexes fell sharply when the report came out last Thursday, with the drop also linked to Apple slashing its quarterly revenue projections due to weak sales in Asia. Market bears and administration critics pounced on the news. Poor Administration policy regarding tariffs and trade wars may have accelerated a slowdown that was already likely, was the report at Seeking Alpha. Manufacturing ends 2018 on a decline, reports ISM, said the Supply Chain Management Review. First, take a deep breath and read more closely. Any PMI number above 50% indicates growth, not decline, in manufacturing output. Decembers number is the 28th consecutive one showing U.S. manufacturing growing, and the overall U.S. economy has now grown for 116 consecutive months. So those terms slowdown and decline in the quotes above are somewhat misleading. A drop in the rate of growth is still growth, not negative territory. Other economic indicators remain strongly positive. The ISMs Chicago Business Barometer, seen as a broad indicator of the nations economic health, turned in a strong 65.4% in December. Meanwhile, the U.S. December jobs report came out on Friday and helped erase the Thursday market declines the nation created 312,000 jobs last month, and the two previous months were revised upwards as well, for an average monthly pace of 254,000 jobs created. And manufacturing did especially well all year with respect to jobs, adding 284,000 in 2018 nearly 80,000 more than the previous year. Not all the news is good, however. One of the more troubling components of the December Report on Business is the New Orders Index. It was still positive, if barely, at 51.1% - but it decreased a full 11 percentage points from Novembers score. That indicates a dramatic weakening of customer demand, even if it was the 36th straight month in positive territory. It could be, too, that the economys recent strength is a mini-bubble caused by tariff-driven panic purchasing. Thats what Danielle DiMartino Booth, former advisor to the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve and current CEO of Quill Intelligence, a research and analytics firm, predicted several months ago. She correctly foresaw the economic strength of the past two months, but predicted a severe drop-off in the first quarter of next year. With inventory levels having risen over the past couple of months (albeit slowly), the scenario could very well play out that demand drops off as tariffs increase next year, and inventories then skyrocket, forcing manufacturing into actual negative territory as they slow production down to adjust to the new economic situation. One months decline in growth figures certainly doesnt constitute a trend, however. The PMI numbers have been bouncing up and down throughout 2018, hitting a high of 61.3% in August, and a previous low (excluding last months) of 57.3 in April. No movement in either direction lasted more than two months. So time will tell; look for next months figure to see if Decembers decline in growth continues. Even if Januarys figure is still in growth territory, another drop would be significant because of its continuation of last months steep decline. If the bears like DiMartino Booth are right, then by February the PMI should certainly go truly negative, and decline to below 50%. If neither of those things happen, then weve dodged the bullet for now. Because when it comes to the economy, the easy thing about predicting a recession is that eventually you'll be right. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimvinoski/2019/01/05/does-decembers-manufacturing-growth-slowdown-spell-doom-for-the-u-s-economy/ |
How Bad Is This Year's Flu Season? | Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Flu season has arrived: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity is widespread in 24 states, and during the last week of December, 4.1 percent of doctors visits across the U.S. were for flulike illnesses. Those numbers arent as high as they were for that week last year, when the percentage of doctors visits for flulike illness had already jumped to 5.8 and the flu was widespread in 46 states. Its a little bit too early to predict the intensity and magnitude of flu season for this year, says Pedro Piedra, M.D., a professor in the departments of molecular virology and microbiology and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. There are some hopeful signs, however. For one, the CDCs estimates of flu vaccination coverage as of November 2018 were several points higher than they were at the same time in 2017which means more people could be protected from flu this season. Still, flu season is far from over and could worsen in the coming weeks, says Lynnette Brammer, M.P.H., an epidemiologist with the CDCs influenza division. There are still multiple weeks of flu season to go, she says. Heres how this flu season is shaping up, and how to protect yourself and your family. This Year's Flu Strain . . . so Far This time last year, most people with flu were getting sick from the H3N2 strain, which was a major factor in the severity of the 2017 to 2018 flu season. This year, a different strain is making most people sick: H1N1, the same strain that caused the flu pandemic in 2009. But because H1N1 has now been around for a decade, immunity against it has built up in the general public, says William Schaffner, M.D., professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. It generally causes milder infections than H3N2, he says. Plus, in recent years, the flu vaccine did a better job of protecting against H1N1 strains than against H3N2. What to know: While H3N2 is known for being especially dangerous for older adults (who are already at increased risk for severe illness from flu), H1N1 tends to be riskier for younger people, including children and young adultswho might not have been exposed to the strain enough to build up immunity to it, Schaffner says. In fact, so far this year, the highest rate of hospitalizations for flu has been among children 4 years old and younger, which is unusual. Typically, adults 65 and up experience the highest rates of hospitalization from flu, according to the CDC. Note that although H1N1 has predominated overall, in some states the H3N2 strain of flu is more prevalent. According to the CDC, its the most common strain in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. How to Protect Yourself Get a flu shot. You should run, not walk, to get your flu shot if you havent already, Schaffner says. It takes about two weeks for the shot to become fully protective. Be sure children get vaccinated, too. Every year, most kids who die from flu were unvaccinated. So far this year, 13 children have died from flu, and last year a total of 185 children died over the course of the flu season. And embrace easy strategies such as diligent hand-washing, keeping away from people who are coughing and sneezing if possible, and staying home if you do get sick. Consider antiviral medications. Most people who catch the flu get better on their own. But young children, pregnant women, older adults, and anyone with an underlying health condition such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or a weakened immune system are at an increased risk for a serious complication, such as pneumonia or having to be hospitalized, if they get sick with flu. If that includes you, call your doctor as soon as you notice flu symptomsfever, chills, head and body aches, cough, or sore throatand ask for a prescription for an antiviral medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu and generic) or the newly approved single dose antiviral baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza). Antiviral medications can reduce the length of time you feel sick by about a day and can reduce your chances of having a severe complication from flu. But they need to be taken within 48 hours of the onset of your symptoms for the best results. Interactive courtesy of the CDCMore from Consumer Reports: Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2019, Consumer Reports, Inc. | https://news.yahoo.com/bad-apos-flu-season-203811803.html |
Who is Devon singer Brieya May who just wowed judges on The Voice? | The video will start in 8 Cancel Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Fans of the ITV show The Voice will no doubt be asking themselves "who that fantastic Devonian singer on the show tonight?" Well, the answer is North Devon's very own Molly Hocking. Not only did she wow the audience with her stunning vocal range in the first show of the 2019 series - but she also managed to turn the chairs of judges Will.I.Am and Olly Murs. (Image: ITV) Hailing from a small rural community in North Devon, Brieya lives with her mum, step-dad and sister. The 16-year-old student, who attended Chulmleigh Community College, says that for as long as she can remember shes loved singing and performing. In 2017 she entered the Open Mic UK competition for aspiring future musicians. The competition attracts over 10,000 acts every year as it travels across the country in search for the UK's best singers, singer and songwriters, rappers and vocalists. While she did not walk away with the top prize, she was shortlisted as a future talent. Brieya first started to write songs at aged just eight when she was in primary school in London. She was given her first guitar at 11 years old. Brieya taught herself to play the guitar and started to create her own original songs, of which she now has around 25. Brieya performed Lauryn Hills version of the classic love song Cant Take My Eyes Off of You on tonights show. The judges were so impressed, she even had Olly Murs and Will.I.Am performing a push up competition to impress her! Not bad for a girl from a "village surrounded by sheep". To keep up to date with the latest news in Devon, follow our Facebook page here, our Twitter page here, or visit our homepage at www.devonlive.com For Plymouth news, find Plymouth Lives Facebook here and Twitter here, or visit their homepage at www.plymouthlive.com For Cornwall news, find Cornwall Live's Facebook page here, or their Twitter page here, or visit their homepage at www.cornwalllive.com | https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/who-devon-singer-brieya-who-2394233 |
Does the Constitution Allow Trump to Build the Wall Without Congressional Approval? | With President Donald Trump and the Democrats in Congress locked in a fight over whether to fund a wall on the southern border of the United States with Mexico, a dispute that has led to a partial shutdown of the federal government, Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden on Friday at the White House that he could build the wall even without congressional funding. When he made his comments, Trump had just finished meeting with congressional leaders for more than two hours in a vain effort to make a deal to have his request for $5.2 billion funding for a border wall included in a continuing resolution to continue funding activities of the federal government. Absolutely, we can call a national emergency, Trump said in response to a reporters question who floated the idea that Trump might declare the building of a wall a response to a national emergency, and then build the wall, anyway. I havent done it. I may do it. I may do it. Trumps reference to a presidential declaration of a national emergency in response to the reporters query is to authority that Congress has given presidents a lump sum of money that Congress had left to the presidents discretion by a 1950 law for use in times of national emergency. The law specifically mentioned civil defense situations in a war situation, but also for response to natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. According to the statute, the president can declare a national emergency, or disaster, and gain access to funds Congress has appropriated for that purpose. We could call a national emergency and build it very quickly, and its another way of doing it, Trump said, adding, If we can do it through a negotiated process, were giving it a shot. He insisted that he was not threatening to do so, saying, Id never threaten anybody, but I am allowed to do it. Its called a national emergency. Trump appears to have hardened in his determination to build the wall, saying that he was willing to allow the partial government shutdown to continue for up to a year, if necessary, should the Democrats refuse to make a deal on border security funding. I dont think it will," he added, "but I am prepared, and I think that I can speak for Republicans in the House and Republicans in the Senate. They feel very strongly about having a safe country. This should have been done by all of the presidents preceding me, Trump continued. Were not playing games; we have to do it. We have to get a structure built, Trump said, although he added he would be willing to have a steel wall instead of a concrete wall, because with a steel wall, Border agents could see through it and observe what is happening on the Mexican side, and steel would probably be stronger than concrete. We have to get a structure built," he reiterated. Certainly, a case can be made that, with increasing waves of caravans of foreign migrants attempting to enter the United States, by force if necessary, that the United States faces a national emergency situation. In President Thomas Jeffersons first message to Congress, he demonstrated his commitment to a strict construction of the Constitution by asking Congress to appropriate specific sums to every specific purpose susceptible of definition. This proved extremely difficult, however, and eventually decided that too minute a specification has its evil as well as a too general one. As already mentioned, in 1950 Congress opted to give some funds to the president to use at his discretion in times of national emergency. Combined with other provisions of the Constitution, the present situation on the southern border has created a very interesting and serious constitutional question. In Article II, Section 1, the Constitution states, The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. Executive power refers to the power to enforce the law, the most fundamental of which is the Constitution itself, which it declares in Article VI that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Then there is the presidential oath, in which the new president swears to execute the office (in other words, enforce the laws, including the Constitution) and further to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Because of these words, it is the solemn obligation of the president (as well as members of Congress and the federal courts) to follow the duties placed upon them by that Constitution. In this regard, Article IV, Section 4, of the Constitution dictates some of the obligations and duties of the federal government toward the member states of the U.S. The United States shall ... protect each of them [the states] against invasion. This duty belongs not just to the Congress, but also to judicial and executive branches. As a matter of practicality, it is the executive branch upon whom this duty falls most heavily. At the Constitutional Convention, the delegates spent much time on the question of war. There was a strong consensus that no president should be able to go to war on his own decision, but rather must have a declaration of war from Congress. However, it was also understood that a president would have both the power and the duty to defend the country in the event of an attack. This was why the delegates changed the word "make to declare," in the final draft. The intent was to allow the president to be able to defend the country without violating the Constitution, in the event of a sudden invasion during a time when Congress was not in session or unable to pass a declaration of war immediately. In the case of building a wall, it could be argued that there has been time for Congress to act. No one would rationally argue that a president would have to wait until Congress specifically appropriated funds to construct such a barrier. Interestingly, most of those who will argue most strongly against Trump building a wall on his own have had no problem with presidents sending troops thousands of miles away, or bombing foreign nations, all without any congressional authorization whatsoever despite there being no chance whatsoever that these countries will attack America. American law has long provided that foreign persons cannot enter the country without permission, and the government has dispatched border patrol agents to prevent such an incursion. Of course, if Congress were to appropriate money for the specific purpose of building a wall along the southern border to protect the nation from invasion, the constitutionally of the action would be no more in doubt than building a fort on the nation's border to accomplish the same purpose. Then there are questions as to whether such funding should come from the Defense budget or from the funds annually appropriated to deal with national emergencies, to be spent at the presidents discretion, under the 1950 law. Certainly, it does seem clear that the president possesses the authority to use at least defense funding to build the wall, so long as that funding is not specifically earmarked for other (non-wall) purposes. After all, if the president may use defense funding to build a fort, then clearly he may use such funding to build the defensive fortification known as the wall. The actual building of a wall would be complicated by the necessity of purchasing some private land, for example. But, the words of the Constitution make this much quite clear. It is the duty of the federal government to protect each of the states from invasion (whether with or without a wall), and if Congress does not join the president in living up to that obligation, they are derelict in their duty. Whether the invasion is composed of armed soldiers, or caravans of civilians organized for the explicit purpose of entering the country by force, it is still an invasion and the federal government has an obligation to stop it. Photo: jaflippo/iStock/Getty Images Plus | https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/31112-does-the-constitution-allow-trump-to-build-the-wall-without-congressional-approval |
What do we know about the Magi? | The arrival of the Magi may be the most famous part of Matthews infancy narrative. Not so. Matthew says only Magi, but since they brought three gifts, many Christians thought that meant there were three of them. Magi were priests of the Persian religion, so they were men of high stature but definitely not kings, part of the account piously augmented in later centuries. That the Magis mission was ordained by God was proved by the divine warning about Herod, the Roman-appointed king of the Jews, who had told the Magi to let him know where this newborn king could be found. God sent them a dream about going home another way, the divine dream being further proof of the authenticity of their mission. What follows is well-known the massacre of the innocents by Herod, from which Jesus escapes as his parents fled to Egypt. This foreshadows another innocent death, Jesus crucifixion. The Magi were pagan gentiles who hoped to save Jesus. At his crucifixion, says Matthew, the only person who tried to save Jesus was Pilates wife, another gentile and pagan. Matthews infancy account ends with the Holy Family going from Egypt to the Holy Land, just as Moses had done, an important link for Jewish converts, such as the apostle Paul. The Christmas Gospels are complicated texts that had great meaning for the first believers. Ancient Christians were fascinated by Jesus birth. (And not just the ancients consider the difference among modern believers of the celebration of Christmas and any other holy day.) We see the Gospels inspired by God and thus untouchable, but that was not the view of early Christians. The extra-scriptural additions came early. For example, all Christian writers believed that the Hebrew prophet Isaiah had forecast the coming of Jesus. The prophet had said that the ox knows its master and the donkey its masters manger. Early church fathers applied this prophetic passage to the infancy account, and the now the stable had a donkey and an ox. Yet Isaiah had more to add. He referred to camels bringing gold and frankincense to the Messiah. These gifts, to which myrrh was added, became the official gifts of the Magi. Myrrh was mostly used in funeral services, so it pointed to Jesus death and linked it to his birth, something the Gospels writers had also done. But myrrh was often gathered in Arabia, which is east of Judea, and around 160 a Syrian Christian known as Justin Martyr insisted that the Magi came from Arabia, which is indeed east of the Holy Land, thus keeping with the Matthew Gospel that Magi came from the East. This process did not stop. Irenaeus, a Christian theologian in Gaul (modern France) claimed that the Magi bowed to Jesus when they entered the stable, appropriate reverence for a king. Irenaeus also claimed that the Magi went home by the way of the Assyrians, but no one today knows what that meant. No generation of Christians has ever been satisfied with the Gospel infancy narratives. Early Christians did not set out to improve, but rather to fill in the missing details. This may annoy or disappoint some people, but these were good, sincere believers who simply wanted to know more about Jesus birth. By all means, we should sing that song and others like it. Maybe a parallel would help. The New Testament does not describe Jesus or his mothers physical appearance, yet we have statues and images of them in our churches, and no one thinks that is inappropriate. So, please read the Gospel infancy narratives, but let us also appreciate the faith and piety of the early believers who just wanted to know more about Jesus birth. By Joseph Kelly Catholic News Service (Joseph F. Kelly is retired professor at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio.) | http://thedialog.org/catechetical-corner/what-do-we-know-about-the-magi/ |
Has Jeff Flake Relocated to Utah? | After Mitt Romneys unprovoked tirade in his New Years Day op-ed in The Washington Postbefore he even was sworn in as the Republican Senator from UtahI have to ask. The Trump presidency made a deep descent in December. Its downhill from there. America is divided and getting more soand thats President Donalds fault, not at all the Progressive-Democrats. It was the Progressive-Democrats that tried to assassinate with smear a Supreme Court nominee. Its Progressive-Democrats that daily dismiss those who disagree with them as ignorant, racist, misogynists. Its Progressive-Democrats who want to abolish ICE, hamstring CBP, and functionally eliminate our nations borders by demanding they be entirely open. Its Progressive-Democrats who move to protect illegal aliens, even at the cost of murdered cops, American citizens, and the expansion of our drug abuse epidemic, while declining to protect those same cops and citizens with the same energy. But divisiveness only comes from one side. Its early in Romneys Senate term, but hes not off to a promising start. Except, perhaps in the eyes of his BFF. | http://aplebessite.com/2019/01/05/has-jeff-flake-relocated-to-utah/ |
When is BBC1s Les Misrables on TV? | Olivia Colman! Dominic West! Lily Collins! Josh OConnor! David Oyelowo! The BBCs new adaptation of Les Misrables is packed full of big-name actors but they wont be making a song and dance about it. Quite literally. Advertisement This six-part drama will set aside the classic songs from the Les Misrables musical, instead taking things back to Victor Hugos original novel and delving deep into this story of love and revolution and survival. The six-part series airs on Sundays at 9pm on BBC1. The cast will be led by Dominic West as Jean Valjean, with David Oyelowo as the obsessed and villainous policeman Javert. Lily Collins will play Fantine, the young orphaned single mother played by Anne Hathaway in the 2012 movie version. Her daughter Cosette will be played by Ellie Bamber. Olivia Colman is set to star as the abusive Madame Thnardier, with Adeel Akhtar as her husband Monsieur Thnardier. The part of Marius will be played by The Durrells actor Josh OConnor, and Erin Kellyman will portray ponine. Victor Hugos novel centres on French convict Jean Valjean and his struggles to escape his past, while being hunted for years and years by the determined Inspector Javert. Its also a tale of a young and desperate mother who is forced by circumstances to leave her daughter and become a prostitute to earn money. The story is set in a period of great civic unrest and exposes the struggles of Frances poor. The adaptation is the work of Andrew Davies, the writer behind BBC adaptations of War and Peace and 1995s Pride and Prejudice, as well as Netflixs House of Cards and the 2001 movie Bridget Joness Diary. He has opted to adapt from the novel instead of reworking the musical, ditching the iconic songs. Multi award-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies will go back to the original novel and delve deep into the many layers of Hugos story, revelling in Jean Valjean and Javerts cat-and-mouse relationship, against the epic backdrop of France at a time of civil unrest, the BBC said. With a striking intensity and relevance to us today, the novel is testimony to the struggles of Frances underclass and how far they must go to survive. The six part television adaptation of the renowned book will vividly and faithfully bring to life the vibrant and engaging characters, the spectacular and authentic imagery and, above all, the incredible yet accessible story that was Hugos lifework. Since its publication in 1862, Les Misrables has been adapted again and again for stage and screen. Since 1980 there has been a long-running musical, and in 2012 the story was adapted as a Hollywood movie starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried. It won three Oscars. But this new BBC adaptation is taking a different route. After the casting was announced, Andrew Davies said: This is such an intense and gut-wrenching story and I am delighted that this esteemed ensemble of actors will be bringing it to life led by Dominic West and David Oyelowo in the iconic roles of Jean Valjean and his nemesis Javert. Advertisement In Valjean, we see the terrifying anger and resentment against society but also the tenderness that is hidden deep in his complex psyche. And in Javert, the ferocious dedication to duty that takes him from obsession to madness. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-01-05/when-is-les-miserables-on-tv-who-is-in-the-cast-why-isnt-it-a-musical/ |
How safe are those electric scooters? | Although there are no national numbers on injuries just yet, we are seeing a big increase in the numbers of people coming into the Emergency Department after a scooter accident. Scooters are potentially unsafe for several reasons, especially since some scooters can get up to 20-30 miles per hour speeds. Although scooter companies may ask riders to wear helmets, often, people are not wearing helmets and may have multiple people on one scooter. In some areas of Colorado, scooters are considered toy vehicles and must be ridden on sidewalks. The uneven sidewalks, as well as dodging other pedestrians can also be challenging even for an expert scooter rider. There have also been reported malfunctions on scooters and people who are hit by cars who are not expecting scooters. Dont underestimate how badly you can get hurt from a scooter. It may be a toy vehicle classification, but there are so many serious injuries. The types of injuries we are seeing in the Emergency Department are primarily: car vs scooter, head and neck injuries, hand/wrist injuries, lower extremity injuries, and road rash from skidding out or falling off the scooter. Tips to keep you safe while riding a scooter: Wear a helmet Expect cars not to see you (defensive scooting) Stay under 10 mph Watch for bumps in the road/sidewalk Avoid using if drinking or using drugs Dont carry anything in your hands (e.g. cell phone, coffee) Follow 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Comilla Sasson on Facebook and Twitter. Email Dr. Comilla at [email protected] | https://www.9news.com/article/news/health/how-safe-are-those-electric-scooters/73-51a9915e-7081-4c41-9934-97d7e76b5622 |
Why is there a big chair in Anacostia? | WASHINGTON -- It's hard to miss the "big chair" in Anacostia. Standing at 20 feet, it towers over the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave and V Street SE, and has become an icon of the area. That's what we seek to answer in the latest edition of "The Why." The story begins in 1959, when a company called Bassett Furniture Industries made the gigantic chair for a local company called the Curtis Bros Furniture Company, located in Anacostia. The chair served as a novel piece of advertising. Specifically, it was a model of a Duncan Phyfe dining room chair, made of African Mahogany. It was 19.5 feet tall, and 4,600 pounds. It was labeled as the largest chair in the world. But the story gets even crazier! The company decided it would be a unique piece of advertising, to have someone live up on top of the chair in a glass cube. They hired a glass-maker to build a 10 by 10 glass house, equipped with curtains, a bed, a shower, a toilet, and a television. This cube also had three transparent sides, making the occupant visible to passerbys. The company then looked for someone willing to live inside. Eventually they found a 19-year-old named Rebecca Kirby. She was a model, who went by the name Lynn Arnold. On August 13, 1960, a forklift raised her up. Advertisements called her Alice in "The Looking Glass House." Kirby stayed up in that glass cube for 42 days, before she got homesick and "groundsick," and decided to come back down. For her troubles, she received approximately $1,500, and became a legend in DC advertising. These days, a replica of the chair can be found in Anacostia. That's because in 2005, the original chair was removed, because it was deteriorating. The new chair is still close to 20 feet tall, but is no longer African Mahogany. The chair is now made of aluminum, so it can hopefully last the test of time. Contact reporter Evan Koslof on Twitter at @ekoslof, on Facebook at "Evan Koslof Reporting," or by email at [email protected] | https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/why-is-there-a-big-chair-in-anacostia/65-624082535 |
What Does Donald Trump Think About When He Thinks About Wall? | Donald Trump has threatened to keep the government shut down for months, or even years, until he is allowed to build the Wall. The threat is typical of Trumps government by tantrum, in which he rules by promising to cut off his nose to spite his faceor, as we say in Russian, to freeze my ears off to spite my mother, an expression that invokes the more-fitting image of a teen-ager. Trumps latest fit tells us little new about the President. But it does provide a new measure of the place of the Wall, or, more and more frequently, simply Wall, in our politics. I first noticed the use of Wall without an article in a December 12th press release from the Department of Homeland Security titled Walls Work. This remarkable document appeared to be a cross between a war dispatch and a contractors sales pitch. It referenced both the Wall and miles of border wall, which seemed to turn the Wall from a physical object into a substance. A couple of weeks later, Trump told reporters that he gave out a hundred and fifteen miles worth of wall in Texas and promised, We are going to have great wall there. Wall was definitely losing its articles. On December 27th, Trump tweeted that in Israel the wall works 99.9%. I happened to be driving on Israeli roads that day. There was Wall everywherea lot more Wall, it seemed, than when I last visited, a year and a half ago. In one place the wall appeared to run not only along the road but also perpendicular to itself, forming a T-shape. The wall walled everything off from everywhere. Every side of the wall was the other side of the wall. This was Wall as a substance, not an objectas a malignancy that would expand until it choked the body that produced it. This may be what Trump means, after a fashion, when he says that the Israeli wall works. We know enough to know that he doesnt actually know anything about the Israeli wall, but he and the Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, are kindred spirits. Their love of Wall is infinite, like the wall itself. Of course it would be wall that would supplant what used to be politics and shut down the machinery of the American state. Trump loves the Wall and hates the government: these were the cornerstones of his election campaign and form the foundation of his world view. Shutting down the government in perpetuity is one way to drain the swamp. Wall becomes a lid that covers the swamp and suffocates it. Declaring a national emergency would be another way to use Wall to choke America. Trump apparently imagines that such a move would allow him to govern the way he thinks he wants to: by barking commands rather than by throwing tantrums. Technically, he probably wouldnt need to declare a national emergencythere are thirty states of emergency effective in the U.S. right now, many of them in effect for many years. (Presidents renew states of emergency annually, and though Congress is legally required to meet every six months to reassess a state of emergency, this has not happened since the relevant law was passed, in 1976.) States of emergency have already been used to enable grievous violations of peoples rightsas, for example, when the state of emergency declared after 9/11 (and renewed every year since) was used to make it possible to torture people captured in a war that had nothing to do with the attacks. In other words, Trump may not even need a new state of emergency to claim extraordinary Wall-related powers, but in his imagination he can create a national emergency thats all Wall all the time. Like all things imagined by Trump, Wall sets a trap. People who think of themselves as reasonable relentlessly point out that much of the Wall already exists, that building more Wall would not be an effective barrier against people trying to enter the country. This argument sets aside the fundamental immorality of the effort. The more thoughtful commentators note that people who have been trying to enter the country recently are asylum seekers, who wish to present themselves to American authorities rather than try to live in the U.S. without official status. Sometimes these commentators even remember that the right to seek asylum is guaranteed by international law with no requirement that asylum seekers enter at so-called ports of entrythe holes in the Wall that Trump and his D.H.S. want to plug up. But all of these arguments miss the point, because they address the issue of a physical wall rather than the immeasurable substance of Wall, which envelops all of us now. | https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/what-does-donald-trump-think-about-when-he-thinks-about-wall |
Who is Cornish singer Molly Hocking who appeared on ITV's The Voice tonight? | The video will start in 8 Cancel Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Fans of the ITV show The Voice will no doubt be asking themselves "who was that fantastic Cornish singer on the show tonight?" Well, the answer is St Ives's very own Molly Hocking. Not only did she wow the audience with her stunning vocal range in the first show of the 2019 series - but she also managed to turn the chairs of three of the four judges. She turned Olly Murs within seconds of starting to sing who went on to say she "took his breath away". Not long after, Jennifer Hudson also turned her chair, shortly followed by Welsh legend Tom Jones. 17-year-old Molly is no stranger to the spotlight, having been acting since the tender age of five. She's been a member of the Kids R Us youth theatre company since 2009 and has been singing since around 2012. As well as being a finalist in the national Teen Star competition in 2014, Molly regularly performs weddings, functions, events and open mic nights across Cornwall. She works in her mum's shop in St Ives. Tonight's appearance on The Voice is not her first foray into the world of television either. In 2017 Molly reached the boot camp round of Simon Cowell's X Factor, also on ITV. She has also had acting roles in television series Doc Martin, Delicious and Rosalind Pilcher. (Image: ITV) Speaking about her musical style, Molly says: "Vocally I am influenced by artists like - Etta James, Eva Cassidy, Pink, Paloma Faith and Whitney Houston to name a few. "I enjoy putting my own stamp on their amazing songs, and my repertoire is broad, and whilst I love singing ballads, I also like jazz and more uptempo songs. "The music scene here (in St Ives) is great and I get lots of opportunities to gig at festivals, open mic, folk and songwriter nights. "Singing and acting are my passion and I would like to have a career in both." Molly eventually opted to go with judge Olly, despite saying her initial choice was Tom Jones. Molly has clearly been excited about her Voice appearance. She has spent the past few days teasing the show on social media: For more about Molly, you can visit her YouTube channel here. She's also on Instagram and Twitter. To keep up to date with the latest news in Cornwall, follow our Facebook page here, our Twitter page here, or visit our homepage at www.cornwalllive.com For Devon news, follow Devon Lives Facebook page here, their Twitter page here, or visit their homepage at www.devonlive.com For Plymouth news, find Plymouth Lives Facebook here and Twitter here, or visit their homepage at www.plymouthlive.com | https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/who-cornish-singer-molly-hocking-2393919 |
Will Kim Jong-un Trade His Nuclear Arsenal to Rebuild Economy? | SEOUL, South Korea For as long as Kim Jong-un has been North Koreas leader, he has called for the simultaneous pursuit of nuclear weapons and economic growth with the aim of making the nation a great socialist nuclear power. On Saturday, however, Mr. Kim abruptly announced he was retiring his signature policy, known as byungjin, or parallel advance. The strategy has been at the center of his governments propaganda and is enshrined in the charter of the governing Workers Party. But Mr. Kim said it was now time to adopt a new strategic line and focus the nations resources on rebuilding its economy. As for nuclear weapons, he essentially declared that mission accomplished, saying North Korea no longer needed to test long-range missiles or atomic bombs and would close its only known nuclear test site. The byungjin policy, he said, already had achieved a great victory an arsenal capable of deterring the nations enemies. | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/world/asia/north-korea-kim-jong-un-nuclear-tests.html |
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