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Did China Just Hint At A New "Shanghai Accord"? | There were a variety of catalysts behind Friday's "Jumbo"-sized, 747-point surge in the Dow, among which renewed trade talk optimism, a stronger than expected Chinese services PMI, a blockbuster jobs report, and of course Chairman Powell's dovish reversal from his hawkish Dec 19 FOMC press conference, in which he not only suggested that the Fed will be more "patient" with future rate hikes and will "listen to markets" as inflation appears to be easing off, but also the Fed's balance sheet reduction is no longer purely on autopilot and may be adjusted depending on the market. However, one key catalyst that was generally ignored in recent days, and which may have sparked new life in the market's animal spirits, came not out of the Marriner Eccles building but from China, and not just the RRR cut which China announced on Friday. But first a few words on the required reserve ratio cut: As a reminder, after the market closed, the PBOC announced a 1% cut in RRR in January, split evenly on Jan 15 and Jan 25. While expectations were high for such an event, it was not a major surprise to the market, especially since a significant part of the net total interbank liquidity injection of RMB 800bn will go to replace maturing MLF in Q1, while much of the balance will offset the PBOC's ongoing liquidity drains via reverse repo. The central bank also emphasizes that the RRR cut is a way to mitigate seasonal spikes in liquidity demand ahead of the Chinese New Year (falling on February 5th this year), and that monetary policy remains prudent. As a result, as Goldman notes, "the targeted measures are therefore quantitatively meaningful, but not particularly sizable" especially since the lingering risk that large-scale targeted monetary support could potentially introduce distortions in the system (e.g., under-reporting of loan size) is recognized by the authorities. So while the RRR cut may have a transitory impact at best on the overall economy - the PBOC said the RRR cut would help the real economy, particularly small/private enterprises - another, perhaps far more important even took place in late December, when the central bank indicated a critical shift in the official monetary policy description at the December Central Economic Work Conference, from prudent and neutral to prudent with appropriate looseness and tightness. While the language sounds fairly similar, the new description is similar to what was adopted in 2015, just as monetary policy eased significantly and ahead of the famous "Shanghai Accord" of late January 2016 when, as the world was careening to a bear market, a coordinated response from G-7 leaders and China sparked a massive rally in stocks as China unleashed another major monetary easing burst which impacted the global economy for the next year. Furthermore, as Goldman adds, "such official policy language, while subtle, can carry important information about the monetary policy stance." The answer is most likely yes, especially if the upcoming US-China trade talks fail to yield a favorable outcome, as the alternative would be even more pain for China's economy. | https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-06/did-china-just-hint-new-shanghai-accord?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29 |
Is it okay to suggest that Elizabeth Warren is too shrill? | Every Democratic candidate for president has got to tell themselves Iowa is winnable, but we cant do it the way Clinton did it. As an Iowa political operative, its Eliasons job to worry about candidate attributes that might put Iowa voters off. Nonetheless, he has been criticized for expressing his concern that Warren will be off-putting because shell be perceived by some as shrill. I dont think so. Its true that shrill is far likely to be used to describe a female candidate than a male counterpart. But its also true that bully, blowhard, and bombastic are far more likely to used to describe male candidates. The reality is that when women ramp up the volume, they run a much greater risk of sounding shrill than men who do. And when men go into overdrive, they run a much greater risk than women of sounding bombastic and/or bullying. This is probably why one set of vulgarities is often used to describe highly offensive women and another set to describe highly offensive men. Women and men tend to be offensive and unlikable in somewhat different ways. Thats just how things are. The relevant question when it comes to statements like Eliasons shouldnt be whether the statement is sexist or politically incorrect. The question should be whether the speaker is on to something. If Democratic voters want to ignore these questions when they vote for their nominee, thats okay with me. Maybe they will offer up another candidate like Hillary Clinton whom many voters find off-putting. But its entirely understandable and appropriate for an Iowa Democratic county chairman not to ignore the questions and to warn Democrats about the answers. | https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/01/is-it-okay-to-suggest-that-elizabeth-warren-is-too-shrill.php |
What is a marketing funnel? | According to the old-school of thought, the marketing funnel appeared like this: In it, the marketer is required to fill the top of the funnel with as many leads (prospective customers) as possible since the bottom of the funnel only filters out a small percentage of concluding customers. Vidya Hattangadi The marketing funnel is a system that triggers demand of a product by tracking the stages consumers go through before making a final purchase. The various stages of buyer behaviour are need, search, evaluation, and choice/purchase and post-purchase evaluation. While the customer goes through these five stages right from the feel of need till post-purchase euphoria or post-purchase blues (customers can either feel happy or gloomy after a purchase), the marketing funnel keeps working by activating the need of the customer more and more. The marketing funnel is a visualisation to understand the process of turning leads (prospective customers) into real customers. The idea is that, like a funnel, marketers cast a wide net to capture as many leads as possible, and then slowly nurture prospective customers through the purchasing decision, narrowing down these customers in each stage of the funnel. According to the old-school of thought, the marketing funnel appeared like this: In it, the marketer is required to fill the top of the funnel with as many leads (prospective customers) as possible since the bottom of the funnel only filters out a small percentage of concluding customers. The role of CRM: But today, a majority of business firms understand that their relationship with the customer should not end at the bottom of the cone-shaped marketing funnel. Instead, it should open up the funnel after a person purchases a firms product. Firms today invest in retaining the customer forever. Firms try to capture a customers journey after he/she buys a product of the firm. At its core, customer relationship management (CRM) is all the activities, strategies and technologies that companies use to manage their connections with their current and potential customers. CRM helps firms to create loyalty and customer continuation. Customers experience with a firm increases their loyalty towards it. Product quality and loyalty go hand-in-hand and increase sales of a firm. CRM is a management strategy that results in increased profits for a business. Therefore, at its core, CRM, as a tool, creates a simple, user-related collection of data that helps businesses recognise and communicate with customers in a quantifiable way. A far-sighted business firm, therefore, needs to adopt various strategies to influence consumers at each stage of the funnel. Stages such as awareness, comprehension, conviction and action can be geared by follow-up telephone calls, sending them positive press reviews, reminders or updated corporate communications. Sales and marketing departments must guide this traffic of prospective customers through the funnel using strategies that are designed to be effective at each stage. The role of social media: A marketing funnel starts with awareness. Please understand this fact that a firm cannot do anything until consumers become aware of the existence of their brand. Social media gives business marketers a direction to communicate with customers, and to find specific potential consumers. It personalises the brand and helps business to spread the firms message in a comfortable and informal way. It helps in creating awareness and harnessing the power of word-of-mouth, which is much more effective than traditional advertising. Effective marketing strategies are a must in each funnel stage: Marketing activities must be conducted in such a way that they facilitate consumers through the funnel process. The activities must engage promotional activities to create awareness about the products, detail of the benefits compared with competitors products, chart the advantages of how a purchase will benefit the customer, or offer a special promotion that infuses the sale. Once the sale is complete, marketers need to engage the customer to get feedback and retain loyalty, as that can lead to repeat business and referrals. Marketing and sales funnel is one and the same: Some companies differentiate between a marketing funnel and a sales funnel, but both can work together seamlessly. The distinction in the both is immaterial. Marketing is responsible for generating traffic at the top and through the middle of the funnel, and as these leads or buyer prospects get closer to a decision, the sales activity clicks. The marketing funnel is based on technology: Digital technology is part and parcel of business and cannot be ignored by marketers. The marketing funnel offers a good example of this fact. The buying process has become faster than before. Majority buyers do their own research online, comparing features and benefits of competitive products, rather than relying on a companys traditional marketing activities to guide them through the funnel stages. This means that buyers enter the funnel at a point where they are more prepared to make a sale. It also means companies need to get information online; they need to upgrade their website, blogs with product content, price, discounts, warranty, guarantee, etc. Post purchase review has become an essential feature these days. Funnelling is a continuous, non-stop process: No company can ever say that they have completed a marketing activity. The world is changing fast. So does customers needs, wants and demands. The competition is fierce in every walk of life. There is nothing called product loyalty in business world. Continuous improvement in marketing helps firms to achieve better returns on their investment in marketing. Continuous improvement is a form of quality management that focuses on making small additional improvements to a process. In marketing, at each stage of funnelling, firms can keep doing continuous improvement to achieve goals such as increasing accuracy in segmenting, targeting and positioning of a course by using product differentiation strategies. The goal of a marketing funnel is to create a highly automated system thats measurable at any point in customer journey. The author is a management thinker and blogger | https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/what-is-a-marketing-funnel/1435435/ |
What does the future hold for Seahawks RB Mike Davis? | The Seattle Seahawks shocked the football world by making the playoffs in what many projected to be a rebuilding year for the club. However, a stubborn insistence on sticking with a floundering run game cost them a chance to advance as they fell to the Dallas Cowboys, 24-22, on Saturday. Attention now turns toward the offseason. Specifically, the free agents that Seattle will have to decide whether to retain them or let them sign elsewhere. One of those free agents is running back Mike Davis, who will test the open market coming off his strongest professional season. The soon-to-be 26-year-old rushed 112 times for 514 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season, while hauling in 34 receptions for 214 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. However, Seattle is planning to go into 2019 with Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny as their top two running backs. While Davis could certainly fill in as their number three back, the team also has J.D. McKissic and C.J. Prosise on hand. Davis who scored a two point conversion on Saturday against Dallas will likely look for a team that will give him more of an opportunity in the offense than Seattle can. Plus, Seattle will likely prioritize securing deals for Frank Clark and K.J. Wright, and finding some extra help in the pass rush. All this spells what could be the end of Davis tenure in Seattle. Its no guarantee, but greener pastures likely await Davis in a different uniform in 2019. Related Sebastian Janikowski may have played his final NFL game | https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/06/what-does-the-future-hold-for-seahawks-rb-mike-davis/ |
Can Lady Gaga Spice Up Awards Season Style Like Cher Did? | In just two hours we are about to find out. Tonight at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards, all eyes will be on Lady Gaga as she is nominated for Best Actress as well as Best Song for her performance in the Bradley Cooper-directed A Star Is Born. (The movie is also up for Best Film.) The singer, who was once known for her outlandish red carpet ensembles, has turned into a bonafide movie star and shes dressing the part. Because ever since the whirlwind press tour began for A Star Is Born, the days of the meat dress and egg entrances seem to be far behind the superstar. Lady Gaga wearing a Valentino haute couture gown to the 2018 Venice Film Festival. CREDIT: Shutterstock Shes toned down her ensembles that featured 10-inch platform stilettos, and instead, weve seen Gaga in full Hollywood glam. Shes worn pretty pale pink gowns by Valentino and Dior, and shes kept her makeup minimal by rocking the classic red lip and the platinum blonde old Hollywood hairdo, for instance. However, Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga, has always had the innate ability to push the fashion envelope, and despite some recent style restraints, weve seen hints of her eccentricity in recent months. For example, she looked like a Victorian royal wearing an Alexander McQueen fall 13 gown at the London premiere of A Star Is Born in September. And at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, Gaga opted for a veiled Armani Priv gown complete with a sequin fascinator, which can only be described (for lack of better words) as totally Gaga. Lady Gaga wearing Armani Priv at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival in September. CREDIT: Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock But before Lady Gaga, there was the costume-wearing, genre-hopping Cher, who helped pave the way for adventurous female singers to change lanes and still keep their authenticity no matter the event or the type of audience. Not only did her talent set Cher apart, but it was her over-the-top fashion statements that skyrocketed her to notoriety in the 60s and 70s. Similar to how we view Gaga today, Chers costumes were part of her persona and she constantly pushed the limits. For instance, she showed her six pack abs in a bikini top and fur outfit to the 1973 Golden Globes. Time will tell. She is still using her stage name after all. In the meantime, click through the gallery to see Chers most outlandish red carpet awards show looks here. | https://footwearnews.com/2019/fashion/celebrity-style/lady-gaga-red-carpet-style-cher-1202726649/ |
Will Ireland still offer value for money for tourists in 2019? | The one thing that virtually everyone involved in the Irish tourism industry appears to agree on is that a trip to Ireland still represents good value for money. Irish residents might be forgiven for arching an eyebrow at such sentiments. However, despite local beliefs about the costs of restaurants, pubs, hotels and all the rest, the mantra from the tourism authorities is the same Ireland is a premium destination, but one that is still competitively priced. By and large, many of the millions of tourists who have come here in the last few years appear to agree with this assertion, but the tourism sector remains keenly aware that things could change quickly. There is much anxiety that external factors such as Brexit and US president Donald Trumps trade wars, along with domestic issues such as rising wage costs and the 4.5 per cent jump in the VAT rate, will upset the balance. As it stands, recent figures show that, when asked to rate Ireland in value for money terms, more than two-thirds of visitors from the US rated Ireland as either good or very good value, with just 4 per cent believing it to be poor or very poor value. We do find that Dublin, for example, is more expensive than competitor cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen Tourists from Germany and France appear similarly impressed. Just 11 per cent and 9 per cent of them respectively scored Ireland poorly for value, and those numbers have stayed pretty consistent over the last five years. When it comes to tourists coming from Britain, however, the numbers paint a somewhat different picture. The number of tourists from there ranking Ireland most unfavourably in terms of value for money has climbed to 14 per cent, with 44 per cent now rating it as good or very good value for money, down from a peak of 55 per cent in 2015. Sterlings weakness holds much of the blame. Since April 2017, based on exchange rates alone, the cost of accommodation for a British tourist has increased by 15 (about 17), or 5 per cent. Many British tourists could thus be forgiven for looking to cheaper destinations closer to home when it comes to spending their money a habit that could be further fuelled by Brexit tempers after the UK leaves the EU in March. Value for money is the watchword as we head into 2019. We have to watch, particularly in urban areas, that we dont get ahead of our competitors. We do find that Dublin, for example, is more expensive than competitor cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen, and we have to be very mindful because well lose market share very quickly, said the head of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, late last year. Fall in ratings His concerns are echoed by his counterpart in Filte Ireland, Paul Kelly. Our value for money ratings were at an all-time high in 2015 and weve dropped back to where we were in 2013, he said. Overall when we talk to international buyers were not as good value as we were but were still pretty good value. He stresses that Ireland is neither a low-cost economy or a low-cost tourism destination, but that it is a premium offering . . . So people are prepared to pay a little bit more for it. We were excellent value. But were still pretty good value. One thing that looks certain to drive prices up in the months ahead and impact on Irelands value for money is the restoration of the VAT rate for the hospitality sector to 13.5 per cent. Prices are already climbing in cafes, restaurants and hotels following the move. The VAT rate for the sector was cut to 9 per cent in 2011 as the government of the day sought to protect tourism from the worst ravages of the economic collapse. It came at a total cost of 2.7 billion over seven years. With the tourism sector booming last year, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced that the full rate was being restored, saying the move would bring 466 million in. The industry has argued unsuccessfully thus far that the lower VAT rate has been a key factor in boosting overseas tourist numbers, and it credits the measure with creating 80,000 new jobs. That is only partly true. While the VAT move did keep struggling tourism enterprises going during the recession and helped others cut prices, or at least boost margins, the impact of a strong dollar against the euro has done more to bring more Americans here. Like everyone in the tourism industry we would have preferred to see that lower level retained, but you know the Government has to balance its books and has to make whatever decisions it is elected to make, Mr Kelly said. He suggests that prices wont climb by as much as some people say, and points out that in 2011 when the VAT rate went down about half of the cut was passed on in pricing, with the rest absorbed. We would broadly expect to see the same thing now, so instead of a 4 per cent increase in pricing we might see a 2 per cent increase. The people who have to absorb it unfortunately are probably the people who can least afford to absorb it, but thats the way it works. Real shock Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland is also acutely aware of the importance of pricing in keeping tourism numbers up. He says that tourism numbers are brilliant and you cant be negative about them, but things could change rapidly. He says the VAT hike in particular will give people a real shock. Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times He also points to the rising cost of energy up about 10 per cent and insurance premiums, which have climbed by the same amount. He says labour costs and the increased minimum wage have put pressure on competitiveness. I am afraid we are getting back to the bad old days and our members are very fearful of what lies ahead, he said. He believes the Government needs to act to reduce the cost of insurance, reverse its decision on VAT across the hospitality sector and push to lower local authority charges. But he is not optimistic. I see this arrogance in Government and I see a two-tiered tourism sector, one in Dublin which is doing very well and then the regions which are really struggling. Eoghan OMara Walsh of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation points to Brexit uncertainty and a weakening sterling as having the biggest impact on Irelands value for money. For every per cent sterling weakens, Ireland becomes more expensive, while our competitors in the market, places like Scotland, become cheaper. He describes the timing of the VAT changes as really bad and we would like to see the hike deferred even for 12 months, but maybe that ship has already sailed. He believes tourism has been taken for granted by Government and not looked at as the engine [for] growth and development it is, pointing to the Centre Parcs which will open in Co Longford this summer as an example of its potency. By any measure that new centre is a remarkable story. It is going to employ around 1,000 people full time and . . . is a very concrete example of how tourism can benefit our region, but it is taken for granted. Many areas of tourism are. | https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/will-ireland-still-offer-value-for-money-for-tourists-in-2019-1.3749280 |
Who could become the Ryan Brasier of 2019 Red Sox? | Ryan Brasier quickly turned into one of Bostons most reliable late-inning relievers in the second half of 2018 after he had not pitched in the major leagues since 2013. The righty posted a 1.60 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in 332/3 innings (34 relief outings) after his promotion in July. He then allowed just one earned run in 8 2/3 innings during the postseason. The 40-man roster is at 39 right now. The Red Sox are likely to acquire another major league reliever before they head to spring training in six weeks. David Robertson, a rumored Red Sox target, signed with the Phillies on Thursday, and the Yankees re-signed Zach Britton over the weekend. Adding a proven, reliable reliever is the most important remaining task for the Boston front office this offseason. But the Red Sox also certainly have a few candidates who could emerge as pleasant surprises. Boston signed Zach Putnam to a minor league contract last month. The 31-year-old righty missed 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. This certainly is a low-risk, high-reward signing, like when Boston inked Brasier last March. But Putnam, unlike Brasier, has enjoyed major league success. He has appeared in 145 games, posting a 3.20 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He had a 1.98 ERA in 54 2/3 innings in 2014 with the White Sox. Colten Brewer is another potential candidate to emerge. The Red Sox acquired the right-handed reliever from the Padres for minor leaguer Esteban Quiroz on Nov. 20. The 26-year-old has hurled just 9 2/3 career big league innings, all last year. He allowed six earned runs. Hes another low-risk, high-reward acquisition. The Red Sox didnt give up much for Brewer, and he has two minor league options remaining, so he doesnt have to make the 25-man roster out of spring training. He can be optioned back and forth from Boston to Triple-A Pawtucket unlimited times in 2019. Hes got a plus-fastball, plus-breaking ball, Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said. He pitched well at the minor league level. We have scouting and analytics that both like him. We think hes a guy that has a legitimate chance to pitch for us. So we like a lot of things about him. Carson Smith is another candidate. Yes, thats the same Carson Smith who suffered a right shoulder subluxation when he threw his glove in the dugout after giving up a home run to Athletics slugger Khris Davis this past May. Smith has logged only 23 2/3 innings over the past three seasons because of Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2016 and shoulder surgery in 2018. The Red Sox outrighted him earlier this offseason, then re-signed him to a minor league deal. The expectations certainly are low considering the limited innings he has pitched the past three years and how hes returning from major shoulder surgery. Travis Lakins, Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor, who have never pitched in the majors, all are candidates to fill important roles in the Red Sox bullpen. The Red Sox added all three to the 40-man roster in November to prevent them from becoming eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Lakins recorded a 1.21 ERA in 37 1/3 innings between Double-A Portland (21 innings) and Pawtucket (16 1/3 innings) in 2018. He pitched more than one inning in 11 of his 30 outings, including eight times in his final nine appearances. He recorded six outs in four outings. So he has a chance to become a multi-inning reliever, similar to the way the Milwaukee Brewers use Josh Hader. The Red Sox plan for Hernandez to begin the year in the minors as a starting pitcher, but the Red Sox are willing to move him to the bullpen if the need arises, Dombrowski said. He finished the 2018 season in Double-A as a reliever for the Sea Dogs after making 23 starts for Class A Salem, going 9-5 with a 3.56 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 101 innings. Taylor, a lefty, should receive an opportunity at some point in 2019 because he joins Bobby Poyner and Brian Johnson as the only left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster. The 25-year-old spent most of 2018 with Portland and recorded a 2.10 ERA over his final 24 appearances (251/3 innings). Durbin Feltman is the most well-known Red Sox minor leaguer not on the 40-man roster who could earn a setup role at some point in 2019. Many thought Feltman would be a September call-up in 2018 after the Red Sox drafted him 100th overall out of TCU in June. But Dombrowski and the minor league staff opted to take it slow with him. The righty finished with a 1.93 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 36 strikeouts and five walks in 22 relief outings (231/3 innings) for short-season Lowell (four games), low-A Greenville (seven games) and high-A Salem (11 games). Share < Previous Next > | https://www.pressherald.com/2019/01/06/who-could-become-the-ryan-brasier-of-2019-red-sox-boston-has-several-internal-candidates-to-help-bolster-its-bullpen-much-like-brasier-in-2018/ |
Would bringing back pork-barrel spending end government shutdowns? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Diana Evans, Trinity College (THE CONVERSATION) For eight years, Congress has banned the use of earmarks, otherwise known as pork-barrel spending. Earmarks paid for pet projects of legislators back in their districts, as a way of encouraging those officials votes for a spending bill. But earmarks were seen by many members of the public as wasteful and distasteful. Even some lawmakers didnt like them. Earmarks are the gateway drug to spending addiction, said Sen. Tom Coburn, a Republican from Oklahoma, in 2007. But now, in the middle of one of the longest federal government shutdowns on record, Rep. Nita Lowey, the new chairwoman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, made a bold statement: She wants to bring back pork-barrel spending in order to make passing appropriations bills easier. I would be supportive of earmarks, Lowey, a Democrat from New York, told Politico. I think there is a way to do it. Greasing the wheels maybe Earmarks would not have solved the current government shutdown, which is the result of an impasse between congressional Democrats and President Trump over funding the presidents border wall. But Loweys not alone in her concern with Congress inability to pass spending bills on schedule. That difficulty, which has ended in several government shutdowns in the last decade, has produced unrelenting criticism by commentators and members of Congress alike. A return to earmarking for projects ranging from new bridges to museum funding to renewable energy research, tailored for individual members districts would require lifting a 2011 moratorium imposed on the practice. I have studied the effect of pork-barrel spending on passing spending bills. Although earmarks are worth reconsidering as a way of greasing the legislative wheels, I would argue that the case for them is mixed. Pro-earmark arguments have come from both parties. The supporters include Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, as well as President Trump. Simultaneously, pressure from House Republicans led former Speaker Paul Ryan to allow hearings to consider ending the 2011 earmark moratorium. Prior to 2011, these earmarks were, with a few exceptions, regularly, and until 2006, in increasingly large numbers, put into appropriations bills as well as highway reauthorizations to help smooth the way to passage. Pork helps move things along My own research, as well as that of Frances Lee of the University of Maryland, shows that earmarks helped transportation committee leaders pass three massive highway bills, overcoming significant policy controversies surrounding each bill. I also found that earmarks were often helpful in passing appropriations bills. Nevertheless, to opponents, earmarks remain pork-barrel projects that are rife with waste and reek of corruption. Former Sen. Clare McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, called earmarks the Washington swamp creature that just never seems to die. To supporters, on the other hand, earmarks are a legitimate use of Congress constitutionally mandated power of the purse, which, not incidentally, may help members political careers. Earmark proponents say a return to the practice could remedy the long-running difficulty of passing appropriations bills in a carefully considered, transparent manner. In the normal appropriations process, Congress would pass 12 individual spending bills each year, a process designed to give members of Congress a chance to examine the spending in each bill before voting. The reality is far different. Data compiled by the Pew Research Center show that between the 2011 earmark moratorium and fiscal year 2018, only one individual appropriations bill was enacted, rather than the 84 appropriations bills Congress should have passed. The record was somewhat better last year, when five of the 12 bills became law. The remaining seven Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bills have been held up by the presidents insistence on funding for a border wall in the Homeland Security bill. Instead of using the process that encourages careful consideration of individual spending items, Congress has funded government agencies in massive omnibus appropriations bills or full-year continuing resolutions. These bills make it virtually impossible for members to know what they are voting for. This breakdown in the appropriations process coincides neatly with the earmark moratorium. However, the process did not always go smoothly before the moratorium either. The large increase between 1991 and 2006 in the cost of earmarks, from $3.1 billion to $29 billion, did not ensure the passage of stand-alone appropriations bills. The evidence is less clear than it is for highway bills. I analyzed a number of Senate appropriations bills from 1994 to 2000; although the political dynamics might be different today, the findings could be helpful for the current conversation about earmarks. In 1994, when the Democrats controlled Congress, earmarks helped convince senators to vote in support of the positions of the powerful appropriations subcommittee chairs. After the Republican takeover in 1995, however, earmarks were somewhat less effective. By 2000, with Republicans still in control, earmarks although growing in number and cost had no discernible effect on senators appropriations votes. Partisanship could undermine earmarks benefits My interviews with committee staff members suggested various reasons for this. Prominent among them, according to one staffer, was the fact that votes were increasingly on highly charged substantive policy matters. Senators needed to vote on those issues in a partisan manner, regardless of earmarks. Another staffer blamed the failure of leaders to punish disloyal members by removing their earmarks. That staffer said, People have no shame. They vote no and take the dough. It is difficult to predict how returning to pork-barrel spending would work today. For earmarks to be effective tools, members who otherwise would oppose the bills on a partisan or ideological basis would have to vote contrary to their own or their partys preferences. Their willingness to do so would undoubtedly depend partly on the electoral consequences. As Yale political scientist David Mayhew has argued, members believe that bringing benefits to their home district gives them something they can claim credit for, enhancing their chances for re-election. That gives congressional leaders leverage over members votes. The evidence for this effect is nuanced, however. Earmarks can help members win re-election, especially when members claim credit for them. But there is also evidence that constituents are more likely to reward Democrats than Republicans for such benefits. This is not entirely surprising, given that earmarks are consistent with Democrats commitment to activist government. For Republicans committed to cutting the cost of government, bringing home earmarks could be painted as hypocritical. These differences could help explain why I found that earmarks provided leaders with less leverage over members votes in Republican-controlled congresses. The powerful get more At their peak, earmarks amounted to approximately 3 percent of the discretionary budget, the portion that Congress controls, which amounts to about one-third of total federal spending. As a result of earmark reform in 2007, spending on earmarks dropped to 1.3 percent of the discretionary budget. In fiscal year 2010, earmarks cost $16.5 billion. Earmarks are vulnerable to other criticisms, not least of which is the disproportionate share awarded to the districts of the most powerful members, particularly to members and leaders of the appropriations committees. For example, scholar Austin Clemens and his colleagues found that in 2008 and 2009, members of the House Appropriations Committee got 35 percent of all earmarked dollars. That was more than twice what they would have received if earmarks had been equally distributed among all the committee members. In addition, the majority party gets disproportionately more earmarks than the minority, although the minority gets enough to make it harder for them to use earmarks as a campaign issue. Thats a strategy dubbed partisan blame avoidance, according to Steven J. Balla of George Washington University and his colleagues. While it is tempting to condemn earmarks as frivolous or corrupt, research paints a more complex picture of their role in the governing process. As Congress wrestles with the process of passing individual appropriations bills, party leaders may respond by once again allowing earmarks in appropriations bills, winning more votes for spending bills, and protecting some of their own vulnerable members at the polls. This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 26, 2018. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/would-bringing-back-pork-barrel-spending-end-government-shutdowns-109417. | https://www.newmilfordspectrum.com/news/article/Would-bringing-back-pork-barrel-spending-end-13512706.php |
Why did D.C. officials take so long to tackle the opioid epidemic? | THE RECENT announcement by D.C. officials of a plan of action to tackle the Districts opioid epidemic prompts two questions. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) in December released a 22-page report that maps out the creation or expansion of programs aimed at cutting the number of opioid overdose deaths in the District by 50 percent by the year 2020. Release of the report came after a Post investigation detailed the citys laggard response in implementing treatment and prevention programs even as the number of deaths soared. People discount the severity of our opioid epidemic because its mainly older, African American men who have used heroin long-term who are dying. There just seems to be no urgency in addressing the crisis, Kaitlyn Boecker of the D.C. office of the Drug Policy Alliance told The Posts Peter Jamison. The number of opioid-related deaths in the District has more than tripled in recent years, from 83 in 2014 to 279 in 2017 . Final figures for 2018 were not available, but a November report from the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner forecast 204 overdoses. The apparent dip in overdose deaths in 2018 tragically might be due to the fact that many of the addicts most at risk from the fentanyl commonly cut into heroin have already died. That the city faltered in its efforts misspending federal grant dollars and failing to implement lifesaving strategies adopted with success by other cities is clear. Pure incompetence was the assessment of one official who said his clinic received nearly $1.5 million of grant money to provide treatment but never had a single patient referred to it. D.C. officials said the past several years have been a learning period. Hopefully the right lessons have taken hold. There has been a change in leadership in the Department of Behavioral Health, which administers many of the programs, and the strategic plan LIVE. LONG. DC. is the result of work by D.C. agencies, doctors, substance abuse treatment providers, council members and individuals in recovery. As she took the oath of office last week for her second term, Ms. Bowser acknowledged the need to do more work in this critical area. The D.C. Council should make sure she follows through. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-did-dc-officials-take-so-long-to-tackle-the-opioid-epidemic/2019/01/06/100d48a0-1068-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html |
Is water the next hot trend to make a splash? | When you talk to coaches and managers across a range of sports in this country, its always interesting to see the sports they pick out as ones they follow. Not in the Im a Man United man and always have been sense, but the sports they learn from sports that are innovative, that have coaches who take a different approach, that create a template for other sports to follow. (Last entry may be authors own bias). This came flooding back, and I choose the words deliberately, when I became gradually aware last weekend of the hydration wars in the NBA. We all know now that taking on water is vital for all sports and life in general, of course. One of my favourite reads of recent years was a journalists account of trying to down a gallon of water a day for a month: living within 10 feet of a toilet, basically. Depending on the equation you believe, if youre dehydrated by 10% your performance goes down by 30% in a demanding aerobic sport, which is everything except darts, and even then they often have a pint of H2O in-hand. But I was surprised to see the level of detail in a recent Bleacher Report piece on NBA players water intake. The inclination towards favourite brands was hardly a shock, whether that was Fiji Water or Eternal, brand names I drop casually as though I could distinguish between them in a blind taste test. Dont laugh, though, because there are strong cases made for the differences between them: Fiji Water suggests its silky feel is down to the silica content, while many NBA players are now vocal in their support for alkaline water, claiming it aids the body in fighting inflammation. I want to warn you, though, that in the strange ecosystem of sports science and trickle-down information, its only a matter of weeks before some rugby or GAA star pops up somewhere extolling the virtues of alkaline water. Steph Curry The short-lived trends that cunning charlatans and smooth snake-oil salesmen can palm off on athletes looking for the edge are without number. A firm favourite is the NuTron diet, which claimed to fit a bespoke diet to a persons blood type, though every year seems to bring a different fad, whether its cryotherapy or caffeine drinks or, indeed, alkaline water. With that in mind, though, never forget a couple of things. One, that there was a time in living memory when athletes were warned against drinking water. Forget it. Two, though Woody Allens movies and the man himself get a bad rap these days, one of the early (funny) efforts is Sleeper, about a man who wakes up after two hundred years of sleep and asks scientists for a healthy cereal breakfast. No deep fat? says one scientist. No steak or cream pies or... hot fudge? Those were thought to be unhealthy, says the other boffin. Precisely the opposite of what we now know to be true. Alkaline shmalkaline. You have been warned. Rorys knack for irritation is borderline unrivalled I dont follow the old golf myself but I note Rory McIlroy is making waves once again. Last week, he apparently declared his preference for playing in the US rather than Europe. Im not putting anyone down in Europe, but the depths of the field and everything is just that bit better over here, McIlroy said about playing in the States. The ultimate goal is here, he added. The European Tour is a stepping stone. Thats the truth. No, that couldnt be construed as putting anyone down in Europe. I understand Rory may be telling the truth, but thats neither here nor there. Whatever about his ranking as a golfer, his knack for getting on peoples nerves has him in a league of his own. Give the winter soldiers a fair deal A general view of Mallow GAA grounds Last Wednesday evening, I was in Mallow GAA club for Cork vs Waterford in the Munster Senior Hurling League. Mallow looked after us very well, thanks for asking; if other, larger venues had staff showing some of the common sense and common courtesy, etc etc. Anyway, there was a basic programme on offer for free but one which was soon submerged in cross-marking and arrows and scratchings-out as the teams named to start differentiated substantially from those in said programme. In fairness, Waterford were as is, in the parlance of the time, but the previous weekend, when Cork played Clare, both line-outs were more a starting point for guesswork than reflective of the teams on the field when the ball was thrown in. I know that in the hierarchy of concerns and worries, this is not quite on a par with the disappearance of the snow leopard, but its worth pointing out that the people who go to these games, at the fag-end of December and in the pinching cold of January, are being treated poorly here. Theyre not the gang you find in late July looking for All-Ireland tickets, or at least if they are, they should be accommodated. Freezing your rear-end at a game that will hardly be remembered past the final whistle (or the sparkling match report in the following days Examiner, ho ho) is not at all the same as standing outside the Croke Park Hotel on All-Ireland final-day hoping the neighbours see the five tickets sticking out of your back pocket. Because its not the same, though, those attending the pre-season games deserve better. An honest programme would be a start. New world of lab rats Because its January, and Every Day Is Like Sunday (sorry, Moz), I thought a book to suit the mood would be appropriate. Dan Lyons has written Lab Rats, and the subtitle tells you everything: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us. Ill be returning to the topic, but heres a taster from a recent Lyons interview: These new rules of engagement between labour and capital, between companies and employees, that is scraping away a lot of stuff that was really good that people used to have, like childcare or benefits. They shift to a workforce thats built a lot on contractors or temps that dont really get the benefits of working for a company. They are disposablebut hey, there are free snacks. | https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/columnists/is-water-the-next-hot-trend-to-make-a-splash-895954.html |
Did Chrissy Metz Just Call Out Alison Brie at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards? | Hot mic, Chrissy! In what might be 2019's first new celebrity feudor more likely just a poorly-timed joke accidentally caught on cameraChrissy Metz was caught calling Alison Brie a "bitch" during the tail-end of her interview on the 2019 Golden Globes Facebook Live pre-show on the red carpet outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6. After speaking with co-hosts AJ Gibson and Missi Pyle about the third season of This Is Us, returning with its winter premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 15, the actress was asked to help them throw to the GLOW star at the other end of the carpet. "Do you know a girl named Alison Brie?" Gibson asked Metz, to which she replied, with what could be described as a pointed tone to her voice, "Do I?" "Well, I hear she's at the other end of the carpet," he responded, prompting some awkward silence. "Oh," Metz said. | https://www.eonline.com/news/1002167/did-chrissy-metz-just-call-out-alison-brie-at-the-2019-golden-globe-awards?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories |
Whos leaving Home and Away in 2019 and whos new to Summer Bay? | Alf Stewart is leaving Summer Bay for a while (Picture: Channel 5) Last year, Home and Away saw its fair share of emotional departures, whether it was Olivia leaving for a new life in Melbourne, VJ fleeing to Cyprus with Luc or Kats devastating death storyline. Whats more, we saw a whole host of new characters, such as Maggies mother, Willow, Colby, Dean and Axel. Detective Robert Robertson (Picture: Channel 5) Detective Robert Robertson, played by actor Socratis Otto, isnt exactly a new face he first arrived in 2009 to investigate the murder of Ruby Bucktons biological father, Grant Bledcoe. He had a brief fling with Leah, before returning in 2010 for another investigation which saw him arrest Alf for murder. Long-time fans thought his promotion and move to the city was the end of this character, but recently hes been seen on set with Jake Ryan, aka Robbo. Martha Stewart Marthas back in the Bay (Picture: Channel 5) Again, Roos mum isnt exactly a new face, but her return to Summer Bay was certainly a shocker for many, especially as they were coming to terms with the fact that Alf played by actor Ray Meagher revealed to his daughter that Martha had been alive after all for the past thirty years, and hed been keeping it a secret from her. Those wanting to fill in the gaps around some burning questions, such as why Martha faked her death, may well have them answered, as it looks like shell be in Summer Bay well into 2019. Whats more, Ray Meagher has hinted that Alfs love life could be about to improve Jett James (Picture: Channel 5) John and Marilyns adopted son Jett, played by actor Will McDonald, is making a return to the Bay not once, but twice, in 2019. Now that hes graduating military school, hes ready for active duty, and upcoming scenes will show his adoptive parents tearfully waving him off as he departs. With other photos showing him running along the beach, its currently unclear what Jett will be up to this year but it certainly looks dramatic! Ryan Robbo Shaw Robbo has had a turbulent storyline in Home and Away (Picture: Channel 5) Its been a whirlwind of a time for Robbo since his arrival in Summer Bay, which started with his amnesia and climaxed with the death of his girlfriend, Kat, along with discovering his true identity and buying the gym. Although things have settled down for him of late, hes still juggling being Toris IVF donor, and an engagement to Jasmineso it looks like everything might be getting a bit too much for him soon. Behind the scenes, actor Jake Ryan took a break from filming Home and Away as he landed the lead role in the film Savage, directed by New Zealander Sam Kelly. As he was required to shoot on location in New Zealand, he had to leave Australia for a while and when he returns, he could be looking different, as he had to gain 10kg for his movie role. Coco Astoni (Picture: Channel 5) Fans were alarmed to see previews of upcoming scenes that showed Coco Astoni, played by actor Anna Cocquerel, being driven away from the Bay by her mother Maggie after tearfully saying goodbye to friends Raffy and Ryder. Fortunately, this doesnt mean her time in the Bay is over, as Anna has confirmed shes just taking her role down to part time so she has time to finish Year 12. Tori Morgan Penny McNamee, who plays Tori, is pregnant (Picture: Channel 5) Eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that actor Penny McNamee is pregnant with her second child, which suggests that shell be going on maternity leave this year. Advertisement Coincidentally, Toris IVF storyline on the show matches up with her real life pregnancy, so its possible her break will be tied in with her Summer Bay child, who Tori shares with Robbo. Alf Stewart (Picture: Channel 5) Perhaps the biggest blow to long-term fans of Home and Away is the fact that Alf Stewart will be taking a break from Summer Bay this year. Actor Ray Meagher has taken time out to star in the 10th anniversary theatre production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert in Brisbane. Although the storyline behind Alfs departure currently remains a mystery, Ray has teased that its a fantastic one. MORE: Emmerdales Mark Jordon reveals engagement to Laura Norton | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/06/whos-leaving-home-and-away-in-2019-and-whos-new-to-summer-bay-8303967/ |
Did Emma Stone just apologize for Aloha? | The Golden Globes opened following the Golden Rule. Co-hosts Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg opted to not only play it safe with their opening monologue Sunday night, but also to poke fun about their decision to playing it safe. "We are going to have some fun, give out some awards and one lucky audience members will host the Oscars," Samberg deadpanned, taking a shot at the controversy that forced Kevin Hart to step down as host of the rival Academy Awards after several old homophobic tweets surfaced. "We are the only people in Hollywood who haven't gotten in trouble for saying something offensive," said Oh. "You know what race really gets under my skin?," retorted Samberg. "The Hollywood Half-Marathon." The inoffensive volleys continued to fly. "If it isn't Spike Lee: Mr. "Do the Right Thing" I'll tell you who does the right thing, you as a director, lifetime fan, can't wait to see what you do next," said Samberg. "Bradley Cooper, you are hot," cooed Oh. | https://www.nbcnews.com/card/did-emma-stone-just-apologize-aloha-n955361 |
When are the 2019 Oscar nominations going to be announced? | A Star Is Borns Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper could clean up at this years awards (Photo: James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock) The Golden Globes have kicked off the awards season for 2019 and attention will soon be turning towards the Academy Awards. Will Smith gets himself in a whole load of trouble as Bad Boys For Life plot revealed This year will be the 91st anniversary of the awards show and a new host for the event hasnt been announced yet. Kevin Hart was initially confirmed to front this years Oscars, but he stepped down from the role last month after controversial tweets from the comedians past began to resurface. A new category called Bes Popular Film was originally going to be launched at this years ceremony, but after a negative reaction it was announced that it would no longer be presented this year. It was announced in September that the category would be postponed with statement saying The Academy recognised that implementing any new award nine months into the year creates challenges for films that have already been released. Advertisement Advertisement Many films have already appeared as early favourites for this years awards, but the official nominations havent been announced yet. The Academy Award nominations are set to be announced on Tuesday 22 January 2019. If youre in the UK and hoping to watch the events unfold live then you will be staying up quite late as the 2019 Oscar will begin at 1am on Monday 25 February. It will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollwood, California. A Star Is Born is the early favourite to claim many of the top prizes at this years Academy Awards. The movie is the current front-runner to claim the main prize of Best Film with Betfair currently offering odds of 1/1. Roma isnt too far behind as the next favourite with current odds of 5/2, followed by Green Book at 9/1 and then The Favourite and Vice which are both currently 12/1. For Best Actor Bradley Cooper is leading the way with odds of 4/7, and he is followed by Christian Bale (11/4) for his portryal of Dick Cheney while Rami Malek is 16/5 for his role as Freddie Mercury. Advertisement Advertisement Its a close choice for Best Actress with Lady Gaga (6/4) and Glenn Close (11/8) currently leading with the bookmakers, but Olivia Colman with 10/3 and Emily Blunt at 10/1 arent too far behind. Alfonso Cuaron (2/5) is favourite for the Best Director prize for his drama Roma at 2/5, while Bradley Cooper is next up at 9/2 for his work on A Star Is Born. Odds courtesy of Betfair. MORE: Oscars open to Kevin Hart hosting 2019 ceremony after Ellen DeGeneres interview MORE: Killing Eve release date, plot and cast as Sandra Oh hosts Golden Globes | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/when-are-the-oscar-nominations-2019-announced-8314752/ |
How to pronounce Saoirse Ronans name and what movies has she been in? | Irish actress Saoirse Ronan has had numerous award nominations (Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) Saoirse Ronan will be among the presenters at tonights Golden Globes following her Best Actress win during last years event. Gorka Marquez flew seven hours just to see girlfriend Gemma Atkinson The actress has been on our movie screens for over a decade with her first Golden Globe coming back in 2008 when she was just 13 years old. Despite her being around for so long, many people are still unsure of how to actually pronounce her name. Her name comes from her Irish parents and while Irish names are beautiful, they can sometimes be very difficult for non-Irish people to fathom, thanks to their spelling. If you dont yet know how to pronounce the name Saoirse, let us save you some time and moments of future confusion by explaining. Advertisement Advertisement No, it is not say-orse. Nor is it sow-erse. Neither is it say-oh-er-see. It isnt sore-eyes, either. The correct pronunciation of Saoirse is. Ser-sha If you find that hard to remember, just think of the word searcher with a softer ch. Saoirse means freedom and became popular in Ireland as a first name in the 1920s. Despite being only 24 years old, Saoirse has already had three Oscar nominations and three Golden Globes nominations. Her first big success came in 2008 with the movie Atonement, which is based on the Ian McEwan novel and tells the story of a crime and its consequences. Saoirse played the 13 year old version of Briony Tallis and her performance saw receive Best Supporting Actress nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs. Her next big part came in 2016 when she took on the lead role in Brooklyn, acting alongside Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen and Julie Walters. Jim Carrey and Kidding co-star Ginger Gonzaga confirm relationship at Golden Globes 2019 Set in the 1950s it follows the story of an Irish woman immigrating to Brooklyn and falling in love, but her past soon catches up with her. It was another strong performance from Saoirse and she was again nominated for numerous awards, but this time she was in the leading role category. In 2018 she played Christine McPherson in Lady Bird, a coming-of-age film that shows a high school girl deal with becoming an adult and dealing with the difficult relationship she has with her mother. Advertisement Advertisement The movie received a lot of praise, winning Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture in a Musical or Comedy, and Saoirse Ronan won the prize for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Her role also got her another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, losing out to Frances McDormand who won for her performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Saoirse has appeared in numerous other films since 2007, including her most recent appearance in Mary Queen of Scots where she played the title role, acting alongside Margot Robbie who plays Queen Elizabeth I. Golden Globes 2019 nominations Best Performance By An Actress In A Limited Series Amy Adams, Sharp Object Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora Connie Britton, Dirty John Laura Dern, The Tale Regina King, Seven Seconds Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method Kieran Culkin, Succession Edgar Ramirez, ACS Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal Henry Winkler, Barry Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy Kristen Bell Candace Bergen Alison Brie Rachel Brosnahan Debra Messing Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Alienist, TNT The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, FX Escape at Dannemora, Showtime Sharp Objects, HBO A Very English scandal, Prime Video Best Television Series Musical or Comedy Barry, HBO The Good Place, NBC Kidding, Showtime The Kominsky Method, Netflix The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Prime Video Best Original Score Motion Picture A Quiet Place Isle of Dogs Black Panther First Man Mary Poppins Returns Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Alex Bornstein Patricia Clarkson Penelope Cruz Tandy Newton Yvonne Strahovski Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy Sacha Baron Cohen, Who Is America Jim Carrey, Kidding Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Donald Glover, Atlanta Bill Hader, Barry Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso Daniel Bruhl, Alienist Darren Criss The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Benedict Cumberbatch Patrick Melrose Hugh Grant A Very English Scandal Best Motion Picture Foreign Language Capernaum Lebanon Girl Belgium Never Look Away Germany Roma Mexico Shoplifters Japan Best Screenplay Motion Picture Alfonso Cuaron Roma Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara The Favorite Barry Jenkins If Beale Street Could Talk Adam McKay Vice Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie and Peter Farrelly Green Book Best Motion Picture Drama Black Panther Black KKKlansman Bohemian Rhapsody If Beale St Could Talk A Star Is Born Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Crazy Rich Asians The Favorite Green Book Mary Poppins Returns Vice Best Motion Picture Animated Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs Mirai Ralph Breaks the Internet Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Glenn Close Lady Gaga Nicole Kidman Melissa McCarthy Rosamund Pike Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Bradley Cooper Willem Dafoe Lucas Hedges Rami Malek John David Washington Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Emily Blunt Olivia Colman Elsie Fisher Charlize Theron Constance Wu Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture Mahershala Ali Timothy Chalamet Adam Driver Richard E Grant Sam Rockwell Best Director Motion Picture Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born Alfonso Cuaron Roma Peter Farrelly Green Book Spike Lee Black KKKlansman Adam McKay Vice Best Television Series Drama The Americans Bodyguard Homecoming Killing Eve Pose Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series Drama Caitriona Balfe Outlander Elisabeth Moss Handmaids Tale Sandra Oh Killing Eve Julia Roberts Homecoming Keri Russell The Americans Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series Drama Jason Bateman Steven James Richard Madden Billy Porter Matthew Rhys MORE: Golden Globes nominations 2019 and how to watch the awards in the UK MORE: Jodie Comer films touching message for Killing Eve fans ahead of series 2 launch | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/how-to-pronounce-saoirse-ronans-name-and-what-movies-has-she-been-in-8314458/ |
Do These Golden Globes Celebs Have CBD Oil on Their Feet? | Emily Blunts feet. Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images Once not too long ago, a man told me that CBD oil a highly concentrated oil derived from the cannabis seed would cure acne as well as cancer as well as respiratory disease; plus it would make you energized if you were tired, or tired if you were too energized. Yes, this man was selling CBD oil. Regardless, according to Page Six, the stars have turned to it for: their feet! Ooh, la la! Yes, E! style expert Zanna Roberts Rassi told Page Six that a lot of celebrities in LA use CBD oil cream on their feet while wearing uncomfortable heels, because it numbs the pain. The story cites various celebrities who, indeed, have shouted-out CBD for heels-related pain: Mandy Moore, Michelle Williams, stylist Karla Welch. Page Six proposes that many may be using it at the Golden Globes red carpet. Hmm. With limited direct access to celebrity foot prepping plans, we can only guess based on: 1. Who maybe seems like their feet are not hurting as much as usual. 2. Who maybe seems a little more relaxed. Lets see Carol Burnett Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images My first guess is Carol Burnett. I would say Carol Burnett, who will receive the inaugural Carol Burnett Award tonight for her achievements and contributions in television, is a for sure in the CBD-oil-on-the-feet category. You can tell by her calm poise and knowing smile. Taraji P. Henson Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Oh hell yes, she looks so great. There is no way Taraji P. Henson got dressed up to go to the Golden Globes tonight without putting some CBD oil cream on her feet. Might as well try it. (Might as well try it is, of course, the official slogan of CBD.) Alison Brie (L) and Dave Franco (R) Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Calm and in love. Each of them wearing, I have no doubt, some CBD oil on their feet tonight at the Golden Globes, in order to combat foot pain. Seems like even if your feet arent going to hurt due to your shoes particularly, you could always stand to make them feel a little better. Plus, the FIJI womans feet have to carry the added weight of the FIJI water. Sandra Oh Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage Sandra Ohs look is at once classic and modern; a beautiful Grecian cream puff dream. She is an incredible woman and she is, of course, I have to believe, an incredible wearer at least tonight of CBD foot oil. Keri Russell Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Damn, Keri Russells look makes me feel like Im wearing CBD oil on my feet. Yeah right! I wouldnt!!!! Tony Shalhoub Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage This one is even more obvious than the rest of them, honestly. | https://www.thecut.com/2019/01/do-these-golden-globes-celebs-have-cbd-oil-on-their-feet.html?utm_source=nym&utm_medium=f1&utm_campaign=feed-part |
Can we get off the excess train and still treat our tastebuds? | Its that treacherous time of year where we are collectively encouraged to feel guilty about the excesses of the holiday season, often from the same sources who whipped us up into a consuming frenzy in the first place. Making a tough month even more miserable by going on a flavour-limiting detox seems positively cruel. We have more access than ever to food that makes us feel really good without compromising on nutrition or taste, and there are heaps of Irish food producers who are here for you, to help you make January healthy and tasty. It is possible to do both. Irish Times Food&Drink Club Join now Virginia OGara owns the outstanding gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan food business My Goodness (mygoodnessfood.com). OGara and her partner Donal run food stalls at festivals around the country and regularly at markets around Cork, including a permanent shop in The English Market in Cork city, selling jars of fizzy kimchi, raw and fermented cakes, and their take on the pupusa, a stuffed tortilla delicacy from El Salvador. OGara grew up in Texas and one of her favourite treats as a kid was nachos covered in luminous cheesy sauce served with a giant gherkin on the side eaten at weekend football games. OGara developed her Notcho Cheeze, which is an astonishingly tasty mix of carrots, potatoes, Irish jalapenos, nutritional yeast and turmeric, alongside a few other good-time ingredients. Not only have the OGaras nailed that trademark fluorescent colour but the taste is a whole other level of yumminess. OGara also believes that introducing probiotics to our diet and nourishing our microbiome is a good way to softly recover from digestion excess. Their Kefir drink is for many of OGaras customers a go-to for hangovers. Its really all about learning to love food, and to pay attention to how the food youre eating is making you feel, says OGara of Honest To Goodness. People can worry about their consumption of food to the point of becoming neurotic I think thats a really unhealthy practice. Learning to have joy when you eat, to think of it as nourishment as much as it is for pleasure, is really important. For other Irish companies making healthy food that tastes quite simply amazing, keep an eye out for White Mausu (whitemausu.com) nut-based sauces, Synerchi Kombucha (synerchikombucha.ie) fizzy ferments which are brewed in Donegal, and MuTonics (mutonics.com), a west Cork drinks company, whose Jamu tonic is a powerful blend of turmeric, tamarind and ginger. For the best non-alcoholic beers on the market, pick up a can of Pure Brew made by the Open Gate Brewery at Guinness or ask your off-license to get you a few bottles of Mikkeller 0.3 per cent Drinkin in the Sun beer (even the name is cheerful) brewed in Denmark. The best non-alcoholic wine on the market is Fritz Mullers lightly spritz white wine, available in good off licenses and Fallon & Byrne in Dublin. | https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/can-we-get-off-the-excess-train-and-still-treat-our-tastebuds-1.3734384?localLinksEnabled=false |
How could Doncaster rout potentially impact Hull FCs pecking order? | Get Hull FC updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Hull FC produced a strong performance at Doncaster across the board as they cruised to victory in their first pre-season match of the month. Whilst the League One outfit did not put up much of a fight in terms of the scoreline, Hulls players got plenty out of the contest. The opposition may not have added a great deal of intrigue to the encounter but it was interesting to see how FCs players compared to each other. These matches are not about the opposition or even the scoreline, its all about finding cohesion and ultimately out-performing the players you are battling with for spots in the first-team. First lets look at the props and you have to be impressed with the strong display from Masimbaashe Matongo. Bigger tests await him and his side in the coming weeks at Wakefield Trinity and St Helens, but he was the best front rower on the field. Seniors Scott Taylor and Mickey Paea were rested, while Josh Bowden and Chris Green are working their way back to fitness. At this rate it would be surprising not to see Matongo in the gameday 17 for the round one clash at Hull KR on February 1. (Image: Steve Mower) Another standout in the pack was Jordan Lane. His metres after contact will have been what coach Lee Radford was looking for. Mark Minichiello and Sika Manu are the top two second rowers followed by Dean Hadley, who played well and captained the side at Doncaster. But its probably Lane next up at the moment. He edged out Danny Langtree at the Keepmoat Stadium, though the new signing had his moments and scored a good try after running a solid line. Both players will get another chance on Sunday at Wakefield Trinity. The winner of the battle might just earn themselves a bench spot for round one. Hakim Miloudi is another first-team player who showed flashes of his class. He also moved into a ball-playing role late on. Youd have to say hes FCs third best winger at the moment. However, Ratu Naulago might have something to say about that moving forward. The trialist was impressive out of the backfield, while he scored a wonderful 60-metre try to boot. Hes a project but further strong displays in the next couple of weeks could lead to some interesting developments for the ex-rugby union sevens star. Follow the Black and Whites on Hull Live Our daily newsletter - To get the latest headlines direct to your email inbox every day, click here. Follow our Hull FC page on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the lively discussions in the comments. Click here to give it a like! Follow us on Twitter - For breaking news and the latest stories, click here to follow our Hull FC page on Twitter. | https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/rugby-league-news/hull-fc-pre-season-fixtures-2400228 |
Should the UK be raising rather than lowering the voting age? | Image caption Harold Wilson's government lowered the voting age to 18 in 1969 It is 50 years since Harold Wilson's government lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. Many now want the age at which people can vote to go even lower. David Runciman, a professor of politics at Cambridge, recently called for it to be set at six, and while that is not a widely shared view, many politicians are actively campaigning to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote at general elections. For example, in 2013, the then leader of the Labour party, Ed Miliband, committed Labour to votes at 16. The reasons he gives for this are commonly heard from advocates of lowering the voting age: "The future of our society is going to affect young people the most," he said. "When you get to the age of 16 you can join the Army, you can get married, you can pay taxes. I think you should be able to decide the country's future." Image caption Ed Miliband was an early advocate of votes at 16 Yet there are some good reasons to be a little sceptical of these arguments. As Phil Cowley, a professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London, notes, in reality these three options apply to very few sixteen and seventeen-year-olds. They are also not as clear-cut as proponents of votes at 16 often make out: "When you dig a bit deeper you discover that most of these things are really 18," he says. "You can join the armed forces at 16, but only with parental permission and you're not supposed to serve on the front line until you are 18. In England and Wales, you can only get married below the age of 18 with parental permission." As Prof Cowley also points out, the age at which we are allowed to do lots of other things has not been going down, but up. If you want to use a tanning booth, buy cigarettes or fireworks, or get a tattoo you now need to be 18. It seems odd to suggest that people are responsible enough to vote at 16, but not buy sparklers. Indeed, overall, society appears to think that people are growing up more slowly than they were in 1969. Growing up later And it is true that people are reaching life's milestones later and later, especially when it comes to the world of work. "Only 29% of 16 to 19-year-olds are working full-time now," says Lucinda Platt, a professor of social policy at the London School of Economics. "That contrasts with the late 1960s when you would expect around four-fifths of that age group to be in work." Clearly, it is unreasonable to say that because someone is not working they should not have the vote. But the average age at which we assume adult responsibilities is presumably part of the story when we set the voting age. In fact, it might even go further than that. Prof Abigail Baird, a psychologist and neuroscientist at Vassar College in New York, argues that important experiences, like starting work, are a crucial part of adolescent brain development. Image caption James Tilley meeting Youth Parliament members Maisie Outhart (L) and Lottie Ibbotson "In early adulthood our brain is poised to learn how to make decisions and poised to learn how to be an adult," she says. "But since what's expected of adults in different cultures varies so much, we need the experience of that culture to tell us what we need to do." As MRI brain scanning is a relatively recent technology it is difficult to be sure, but it seems very likely that if important experiences come later in life then so does brain development: "Forced to speculate, I would say an 18-year-old brain 50 years ago probably looked more like a 23-year-old brain does now," Prof Baird says. "Most 25 or 26-year-olds would be identical, but I think the way in which you get there is different now." At the 1970 election when 18-year-olds entered the polling booth for the first time, they were voting after having assumed lots of legal rights and responsibilities and were also very likely to be in work. Neither of these things is true today. To my mind, the arguments in favour of doing so seem no weaker, and in many ways much stronger, than the arguments in favour of votes at 16. Of course, that does not mean that I relish the prospect of a conversation with my own students about their potential disenfranchisement. Fortunately for me, principles have very little to do with the voting age. In reality, the franchise, whether in 1969 or today, is largely decided by political machinations. As Prof Cowley argues: "Almost all the discussions about the franchise involving politicians involve political calculation. That was true of the Wilson government; it was true of extensions to the franchise in the 19th and early 20th Century. Wilson, and the people around him, thought that it would work to Labour's advantage." Of course, these calculations do not always prove to be correct. It is not clear that Labour did benefit from lowering the voting age in 1969, just as it is not clear that the SNP greatly benefited from lowering the voting age to 16 for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. But those decisions were based on political calculation, not principle. It should be no surprise that parties on the left, which generally do well among young people, favour a lower voting age and parties on the right, which generally do badly among young people, do not. No going back The second realpolitik factor that divorces the voting age from principle is what policymakers sometimes call the "bleeding stump problem". In essence, when people can show that something has been removed from them, they get upset. The absence of something you have never had is a tougher thing to get angry about. Taking away the vote from 18 to 20-year-olds would probably benefit the Conservatives and UKIP a little, but it would also mean a small number of highly vocal, angry people. From those political parties' point of view, it is not worth it. This means that whether it is the right thing to do or not, votes at 21 is not going to happen for the simple reason that while it is easy to give people stuff, it is tricky to take stuff away. Politicians have no problem reducing taxes, but find it much more difficult to increase them. The same is true of the franchise. It's easy to give people rights and difficult to remove them. That means if votes at 16, or indeed six, does eventually happen, it will be almost impossible to reverse. This is, therefore, a decision that we should not take lightly. Because once such a change happens, there will be no going back. | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46737013 |
Is Outlander's Fraser's Ridge a Real Place? | After 20 years apart, Claire and Jamie are finally building a life together in the American colonies. And central to their storyline in Outlander's fourth season is the establishment of their home, Fraser's Ridge. Once they reunite with their daughter Brianna in Wilmington, she too, returns to Fraser's Ridge, completing their family unit. According to Diana Gabaldon, the author of the books the show is based on, Fraser's Ridge is located "up near Boone and Blowing Rock." But as this season was primarily shot in Scotland, Scottish woods had to stand in for northwest North Carolina for much of filming. "There are sections of Scotland that we have found that do look a bit like North Carolina," showrunner Ron Moore said in an interview with Access. "There's a place we've found to put Fraser's Ridge that does read like North Carolina, so that was the big one." The Outlander Community website, which is officially associated with Starz, explains that "The view of Frasers Ridge that we see is made of a combination of footage from a wood in Scotland and a plate shot of North Carolina itself." (For those unfamiliar, a "plate shot" is background footage of a location without any actors in it.) But it was the show's Greens department, or those on the crew responsible for dealing with the foliage, who were really responsible for truly transforming the wood. "The importance of fraise, meaning strawberry in French, at Frasers Ridge (commonly associated with the etymology of the surname Fraser) was a fun element for the Greens Department," reads the site. "They cleared the bramble and then redressed with moss, grasses, and bushes to create texture and shape for the area. They wanted to introduce plants that might really grow on a cliff-face: blue grasses, azaleas, ferns, and then incorporated around 300 strawberry plants." All that said, don't expect Starz to reveal the exact plot of land where scenes at Fraser's Ridge filmed. There is a right-to-roam law in Scotland, where you can pretty much go anywhere you want, executive producer Marin Davis told the New York Post. Because of that, we like to try to protect some of these people [who live near shooting locations] so they dont have too many people visiting their properties. | https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a25321884/outlander-frasers-ridge-season-4-episode-9-filming-locations/ |
Are lower crude prices enough to bring aviation sectors mojo back? | Graphic: Mint Indian airlines got an apt New Year present: lower aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices. According to Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, average ATF prices for domestic airlines at four metros have declined by nearly 20% compared to the average for the December quarter. These are the lowest monthly prices in this fiscal year. This brings much-needed respite on the costs front for the industry. It also encourages airlines to reduce fares, which can potentially boost demand. But the big question is if demand will rise in line with the huge increase in capacity by market leader InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, which runs IndiGo. Note that domestic passenger traffic growth hasnt been upbeat lately. Traffic growth for November stood at 11% on a year-on-year basis, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Growth stood at 19% over January-November. Domestic aggregate passenger growth has been a record ~900 basis points lower than capacity growth (measured in available seat kilometre or ASK) during November, pointed out ICICI Securities Ltd in a report on 2 January. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point. According to the brokerage firm, lower passenger growth was led by decline in travellers on key metro routes. The decline in passenger number in top routes could be due to fare hikes taken by airlines, added ICICI Securities. Also Read: UDAN faces turbulence as regional airlines flounder Shannon Attari, an aviation restructuring expert and partner at Attari Capital, says: If metro routes are price sensitive then shouldnt we expect greater sensitivity on regional routes? In other words, airlines are finding it difficult to increase fares without affecting demand. This is a worrying trend. Even as the industry hasnt yet figured out a way to sort this conundrum and be profitable, lower fuel prices help. According to Attari, assuming airlines pass on the decline in fuel prices to consumers, fares would decline and there should be a catch-up to the previous passenger growth rates. But with capacity growing at a brisk pace, the all-important question is if fuel prices have fallen enough to ensure load factors remain high. InterGlobe has guided for capacity addition, measured in ASK, to grow by 35% in the second half of FY19. While the trends on demand and load factors are yet to play out, the redeeming factor is that ATF prices have come back to levels where low-cost airlines generated decent profits. In the year-ago March quarter, when ATF prices averaged around 62 per litre, IndiGo reported a net profit of 117.64 crore. Besides, spreads (RASK less CASK) stood at 0.10. In the preceding quarter, when fuel prices were about 9% lower, the spread was far higher at 0.66. RASK is revenue per available seat km, and CASK is costs per available seat km. Both are unit measurements for airlines. Its little wonder IndiGos share price has climbed back to where it was a year ago. But its worth noting that the lower fuel price environment is not necessarily a permanent feature. There is always the risk that prices will inch higher. This is why, before optimism flies too high, it would be prudent for investors to curb their excitement. Especially so, given that the industry capacity now is much higher than it was last year. | https://www.livemint.com/Money/RVMS9zVAnmASJWFTMIt1eM/Are-lower-crude-prices-enough-to-bring-aviation-sectors-moj.html |
What are some of the challenges in managing a debt portfolio? | Photo: Mint Theres over-reliance on rating agencies India has one of the larger and more liquid bond markets in Asia. But compared to the size of outstanding bonds, trading is limited. Liquidity is concentrated in a few benchmark G-secs. Portfolios hold cash causing a drag on yields. Illiquidity means traded prices are not readily observable. Different participants (banks, mutual funds, provident funds, etc.) use different valuation models. Incorrect marking to market itself can be deterrent to trading. Another reason for illiquidity is the preponderance of private placements with a buy and hold approach, as is the lack of market makers who provide liquidity in global markets. Market makers also usually provide bond buyers with research. Their absence means an over-reliance on rating agencies. Equities offer a stark contrast. Brokers provide primary coverage (e.g. data) while asset managers focus on more value-added secondary analysis. Four years ago, the Economic Survey called for a bond-currency-derivative nexus comparable to equity market levels. Alas too little has been done in that direction so far. R. Sivakumar, head - fixed income, Axis Mutual Fund Relative illiquidity in corporate bonds The relative illiquidity in corporate bonds is one of the key challenges as lack of depth in the market can hamper a quick and efficient response to redemption requirements and in turn to overall portfolio management. The recent experience with investor outflows from liquid funds and income funds had a broad-based impact and highlights the nature of this challenge. Diversification of the investor base and a well-oiled, active corporate bond repo segment can help assuage this concern. Relaxing the rating restrictions for large institutional investors will also be conducive in this regard. In the light of the recent events, ability to analyze credit quality, arrive at appropriate risk premium and early detection of deviations form a core differentiated skill set that portfolio managers should sharpen. This becomes all the more important while balancing risk-reward expectations, especially when viewed in conjunction with shorter economic cycles and frequent jolts of volatility. Ajay Manglunia EVP and head fixed income markets, Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd. Investors have similar risk appetite In India, the debt markets are fairly populated in terms of instruments with various risk and returns pay-offs across maturity and credit spectrum. Hence, as long as the portfolio positioning is well understood and adhered to, the selection of instruments to fit the same is fairly easy. The problem is when one tries to maximize potential returns by going beyond the portfolio positioning, or misreading the risks. Investors who have seen cycles, and are well equipped in terms of research inputs have lower probability of making mistakes. However, we are still work in progress in this fast changing environment. The hedging environment still remains inadequate. Second, we still are dominated with investors of similar risk appetite and co-cyclical flows, meaning you are either a buyer or a seller, and never a balanced one. Liquidity continues to remain the biggest challenge, which has an impact in terms of risk appetite and on efficient pricing, thus ultimately increasing the borrowing costs for the economy. Amit Tripathi CIO-fixed income investments, Reliance Mutual Fund Appreciate volatility and default risk The perspective of most retail investors, while looking at fixed income mutual funds, is that it is a fixed income product, and is benchmarked with a bank term deposit. In reality, debt mutual funds are market-oriented products where there is a price discovery every day. The issue is about appreciation of the risks involved; in equity, it is well understood that the market can be volatile and returns can be impacted adversely. In debt, return volatility is accepted to an extent in long duration products. That apart, volatility in short duration products and default risk in any debt product is part of life, which needs to be appreciated. The rationale for allocation to debt is not zero-volatility, but relatively lower volatility than equity, tax-efficiency over direct exposure to bonds and expectation of inflation-plus returns over an adequate holding period. The solution to inadequate appreciation of the risks is spreading awareness, right-selling by advisors or distributors and right-buying by investors, and investing in it with proportionate expectations. Joydeep Sen, founder, wiseinvestor.in | https://www.livemint.com/Money/lk93azqNjF9hYSyjPYozoO/What-are-some-of-the-challenges-in-managing-a-debt-portfolio.html |
Could dirty tricks bring down Congress' state govts before polls? | As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) searches for a new narrative in the run up to the coming general election, the inability of the Congress to provide stable governance is likely to be an important part of it. Rumours are strong that that the BJP may engineer the fall of a Congress led state government either in Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan -- or even in Karnataka where the Congress is governing in an alliance. The outgoing chief minister in MP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that he does not believe in politics of horse-trading. However, equally, a BJP MP from the state reportedly ... | https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/could-dirty-tricks-bring-down-congress-state-govts-before-polls-119010700091_1.html |
Did Emma Stone Yell Im Sorry About Aloha At The Golden Globes? | Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh kicked off the 2019 Golden Globes with a monologue that was way more about niceness in Hollywood than being naughty, and it seems like someone in the audience whom everyone thinks is Emma Stone used the time to apologize for stealing an Asian-American part in Aloha. The big joke propelling Samberg and Ohs monologue was that they were going to roast the Hollywood stars in attendance, but all of their so-called slams were actually compliments. However, things got a little zippy once Oh, an Asian-Canadian actress, joked that nominated film Crazy Rich Asians was the first studio movie since Ghost in the Shell or Aloha to feature an Asian-American lead. (The joke, of course, being that both those films starred white actresses Scarlett Johansson and Emma Stone as characters written to be of Asian-descent.) As soon as Oh landed the crack, a very loud, throaty IM SORRY! could be heard from the audience in attendance. Since Johansson was not in attendance, the internet assumed that Golden Globe nominee Emma Stone was the contrite actress in question. The LA Times confirmed that Stone did in fact yell it. It wasnt like I planned it, but I did say it, Stone said. This is the first time either Samberg or Oh has hosted the Golden Globes, though Samberg did host the 2015 Emmys. Sandra Oh is nominated tonight in the Best Actress in a Television Drama for her work in Killing Eve. This story has been updated to add Stones confirmation. | https://decider.com/2019/01/06/golden-globes-2019-monologue/ |
Has Netflix Changed the Definition of "Hit Movie"? | Cable channels, for example, played the 1999 minor box office hit She's All That more than any other film except Mrs. Doubtfire in 2014, so an awful lot of people saw it. That's a question worth asking Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), which touted on social media that its film Bird Box had been watched by 45,037,125 customers in its initial week of release. Continue Reading Below Yes, the company's subscribers watched the movie, but that's not the same as buying a ticket. Bird Box is a hit when it comes to viewership, but those views are not the same as tickets sold. It's about the Netflix business model Bird Box has a 65% rating from critics and a 68% from audience on Rotten Tomatoes. A Quiet Place, the film it's most often compared to, had a 95% from critics and 83% audience approval, which powered it to $340 million in global box office. It's fair to say that the lower level of critic and audience approval suggests that Bird Box would not have been as successful even with Sandra Bullock as its star. Netflix, however, does not require members to pay more to see the film. It's part of the service, and that makes it much easier for subscribers to decide to watch it. That makes the film a hit in the way that a chocolate fountain is a hit on a dessert buffet. Advertisement In reality, that's enough for Netflix. Bird Box has engaged its subscribers base and generated some buzz -- which may lead to new subscribers. The film only has to be good enough for the people who watched it to think it was worth their time -- not to be worth the $9 or $10 a ticket would cost at many movie theaters. Netflix needs enough new content each month for subscribers to think that a subscription remains worth its costs. That's why it can invest in low-quality/high-appeal movies, such as its slate of Adam Sandler films. These aren't movies most people would pay for, but they are appealing enough for fans of the comedian to watch when they're part of the package. A new kind of hit In many ways, Netflix has become a safe place for stars. Since very few (if any) names can guarantee that a film has a strong opening -- let alone that it goes on to box office success -- paying big money for Bullock, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, or any star for a traditional film is a risk (unless that movie comes from a major franchise). For Netflix, though, the goal is about getting attention. That's why films like Bird Box or Will Smith's Bright have become a key part of the company's strategy. Movie stars bring attention, and that's enough to let Netflix subscribers and potential subscribers know the film exists. Just the presence of the stars makes people watch it because there's no direct cost associated with watching. Under that model, "not bad" is good enough, and really anything short of "that was awful and a waste of time" adds value to Netflix, thus further tightening its ties with subscribers. 10 stocks we like better than NetflixWhen 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 Netflix 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 Daniel B. Kline has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/has-netflix-changed-the-definition-of-hit-movie?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxbusiness%2Flatest+%28Internal+-+Latest+News+-+Text%29 |
Who are the top coaching options to replace Tom Thibodeau at the Timberwolves? | The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the market for a new head coach after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau. Timberwolves Relieve Tom Thibodeau of his Duties https://t.co/fozdSuwG1Z Assistant Coach Ryan Saunders will assume the role of interim head coach for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. pic.twitter.com/iGPILzdPzo Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 7, 2019 MORE: Wolves fire head coach and president Tom Thibodeau News of the firing sent shockwaves around the league, especially after the Wolves had just recorded a 22-point victory over the Lakers. With Thibodeau's tenure in charge coming to an end, the spotlight now turns to who will take control of the team. Here are some of the best options to step in. Fred Hoiberg Hoiberg looms as the early frontrunner to replace Thibodeau as the coach in Minnesota, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting his previous relationship with the organisation holds him in good stead. "Fred Hoiberg is a serious consideration of Minnesota owner Glen Taylor to become either the GM or head coach in the future, league sources tell ESPN. Hoiberg was an assistant GM in Minnesota prior to Iowa State. Scott Layden remains GM now," Wojnarowski tweeted. Hoiberg was fired as the coach of the Chicago Bulls in December after ending his three and a bit season tenure with a record of 115 wins and 155 losses. He's reportedly attracted interest from college team UCLA, but his preference remains to stick within the NBA and he now looms as the likely option to land in Minnesota. Fred Hoiberg, also drawing consideration for UCLA job, has told people his first priority is to land another NBA coaching job. K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 7, 2019 Hoiberg played the final two years of his playing career with Minnesota, before moving into a front-office job for four seasons before taking over as Iowa States head coach. Monty Williams Williams, who stepped away from coaching after a family tragedy in 2016, made his return to the sideline in 2018 as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers. His name has often been linked with head coaching vacancies including the Wolves opening that would eventually go to Thibodeau in April 2016. In five seasons as head coach of the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2010-15), Williams amassed a record of 173-221 in the regular season and 2-8 in two playoff appearances. Williams is no stranger to coaching stars as he has dealt with big-time players throughout his coaching journey. He coached Chris Paul in his first year in New Orleans and Anthony Davis later on during his tenure before moving on to Oklahoma City where he worked with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant as the team's associate head coach. He now works with the big three of Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in Philadelphia. With Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins headlining the Wolves' roster, Williams' familiarity with working with young stars works in his favour. Mark Jackson Jackson looms as a serious contender to be handed the reigns of the Wolves after amassing a 121-109 record while coaching the Golden State Warriors from 2011 to 2014. His name is always floated any time a coaching position becomes available and with valid reasons. Jackson was in charge of a young Steph Curry and helped set the Warriors up for the years of dominance. Big Thibs fan, but this was the right call. Clearly wasnt working out. Should gage Mark Jacksons interest. He was critical to development of young Steph & Klay. Could really help KAT & Wiggins. https://t.co/CKHqPmubeh Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) January 7, 2019 Having spent the majority of the past 31 years within the NBA, Jackson brings with him a wealth of experience and could help guide the young Wolves superstars to the next level. Ryan Saunders Saunders has a solid reputation in Minnesota and not just for being the son of Timberwolves legend Flip. And at only 32, he becomes the youngest head coach in the NBA. His tenure on the sidelines began back in 2009 when he was a member of the Washington Wizards, before he joined the Wolves as an assistant in 2014. While it's never easy taking over a new job on the fly, Saunders has built a relationship with the playing group and has the backing of GM Glen Taylor. "My hope would be that Ryan takes over and we play well or good enough to get into the playoffs and do well there and that Ryan would earn to be the permanent coach. That would be my hope," Taylor said. | https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/who-are-the-top-options-to-replace-tom-thibodeau-at-the-minnesota-timberwolves-fred-hoiberg-monty-williams-mark-jackson-saunders/8ed0sbpnsvc61fheu0qsgx9jz |
Has the Lottery Boost run its course? | In the first Games after WWII, in London 1948, Stewart Morris and David Bond won gold in the Swallow keelboat class. That Games is better known for the debut of Denmarks Paul Elvstrm where the 20-year-old won gold in the Firefly singlehanded event, the first of his four consecutive golds. In Helsinki 1952, again a solitary GBR medal, with Charles Currey winning silver in the Finn class. Melbourne 1956 was a better Games for Britain with three medals, silver in the 5.5m and Bronze in the Dragon and 12sqm Sharpie. No sailing medals in Rome 1960 and then in Tokyo 1964 Keith Musto and Tony Morgan took silver in the Flying Dutchman (FD) class. Twenty years after the gold for Morris and Bond in the Swallow keelboat, Rodney Pattisson and Iain MacDonald-Smith in the FD class, take Britain's second sailing gold in the modern era at Mexico 1968, and there was also a bronze in the 5.5m class for Robin Aisher, Adrian Jardine and Paul Richard. At Munich 1972 Rodney Pattison, this time with Chris Davies, took a second FD gold and Alan Warren and David Hunt a silver in the Tempest keelboat class. In Montreal 1976 two keelboat classes were replaced with lightweight dinghies, the 470 and the Tornado multihull classes. This was good for Britain with Reg White and John Osborn winning Tornado gold, while Pattison with crew number three, Julian Brooke-Houghton, took a silver in the FD. International politics meant no British sailing team at Moscow 1980, and when normal service resumed in Los Angelas 1984 it was just one bronze medal, for Jonathan Richards and Peter Allam in the FD. In Seoul 1988 it was another solitary medal win, but at least it was a gold one for Mike McIntyre and Phil Vaile in the Star class. Barcelona 1992 saw just one bronze medal, in the Soling 3-man keelboat, and then in Atlanta 1996 it was two silver medals - for John Merricks and Ian Walker in the 470, and for Ben Ainslie in the Laser (after his classic battle with Brazil's Robert Scheidt). But outside influences were about to change everything . . . The Great Britain Olympic team hit rock bottom at Atlanta with their worst overall performance at a Summer Olympics since 1952, with just one gold (rowing) and an overall total of just 15 medals. Something had to be done, and the Government introduced National Lottery funding for elite sports, which started the following year. Funding via UK Sport for Olympic sports in 1997 was a game changer for British sport in general, with sailing receiving 5 million over the 4-year Olympic cycle leading up to Sydney (now 25.5 million for the 2016-2020 cycle). The RYA was now able to run professional, full-time campaigns with an extensive support network of coaching, sports science, logistics, technical projects and meteorology experts. And the sailors received support with the costs of training and competing internationally, signalling the end of the amateur at the top end of sailing competition and the move to full-time sailing teams. The results were spectacular . . . At the next Games in Sydney 2000 Britain took 5 medals - Gold for Ben Ainslie (Laser), Iain Percy (Finn) and Shirley Robertson (Europe), and Silver for Ian Barker and Simon Hiscocks (49er) and Ian Walker and Mark Covell (Star). It was the start of a purple patch for British Olympic sailing. Athens 2004 was another 5-medal performance with gold for Ben Ainslie (Finn) and Shirley Robertson with Sarah Webb and Sarah Ayton in the Yngling. Beijing 2008 saw a new peak of six medals, four of them gold: - Ben Ainslie (Finn), Paul Goodison (Laser), Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (Star), and Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson (Yngling). Great things were expected for the London 2012 Games and while the medal count was another six, the gold count dropped to just one. Ben Ainslie's fourth gold and his fifth medal in total. Also for the first time since the start of funding in 1998 Britain did not top the sailing medal table . . . they were third, behind Australia with three gold and Spain with two. And so, to Rio 2016, which saw the retirement from Olympic competition of Ainslie, Percy and Goodison who had won 9 medals, with 7 gold between them. The medal count at Rio was three, with gold for Giles Scott (Finn) and for Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark (470), and a silver for Nick Dempsey in the RS:X class. Britain was able to climb back top the sailing medal table with their two gold medals, but with the lowest total medal count (3) since funding started back in 1997. At the 2018 Hempel World Championships for the Olympic classes, Britain finished with just two bronze medals from the 30 medals on offer in ten Olympic events. The Dutch topped the medal table with three gold and a total of six medals. It seemed that the Lottery boost had run its course. The rest of the world had looked at Britains success, and even if not able to match their funding, had found ways to concentrate their available resources where most effective. The next Olympics are Tokyo 2020, with the sailing based at Enoshima Yacht Harbour, scheduled to take place from 27 July to 6 August 2020. The RYA appointed Mark Robinson as the new Olympic Performance Manager in June 2017 - To lead the world's leading Olympic sailing nation as it continues its quest for medal success in Tokyo 2020 and beyond. On his appointment Robinson commented: "My role is to support our athletes and coaches, our frontline troops in the quest for gold medals, to achieve their ambitions and those of Great Britain. To that end, it is great to see so many of our World Class Olympians returning and this provides a sound platform for us to push forwards towards dominating the podium in Tokyo." Dominating the podium in Tokyo . . . No stress then! We will look at the present British Sailing team in Part 2. Follow Sailweb on Facebook - Click here Follow Sailweb on Twitter - Click here | http://www.sailweb.co.uk/Olympic/31162/has-the-lottery-boost-run-its-course |
Can Saban's dynasty reach new heights? | SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Alabama coach Nick Saban and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney went through the familiar routine Sunday. Joint news conference, during which Swinney does most of the talking. Saban compliments Swinney's Tigers. Swinney compliments Saban's unprecedented run with the Crimson Tide. Handshake. Pose for a picture with a trophy. They have done this drill four straight seasons in the College Football Playoff. Alabama-Clemson IV, the third meeting with the national championship on the line, will be played Monday night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Tide vs. Tigers might be getting old for some fans, but the latest chapter is a feature not a bug in the five-year-old playoff to Swinney. "I think the objective is to get the two best teams," Swinney said. "If that's not best for college football, then why did we even do it?" For the first time the College Football Playoff championship game features two unbeaten teams. The top-ranked Tide (14-0) or No. 2 Tigers (14-0) will become the first 15-0 FBS champion in college football's poll era, dating back to the first AP rankings in 1936. Saban and Alabama are already in the midst of the most impressive run in the college football history, with five national championships since 2009. If not for a last-second loss to Clemson in the 2016 championship game, the Tide would be shooting for three straight playoff titles. Alabama won a thriller against Clemson for the 2015 title. Saban has six national championships total, including a BCS crown he won with LSU in 2003. One more breaks a tie with Alabama great Bear Bryant for the most by any coach. "I don't ever even think about that at all," said Saban, who is in his 12th season at Alabama and 23rd overall as a college head coach. "I do think a lot about trying to make and help this team to be the best possible and to put them in the best possible position to have a chance to be successful." A case can be made that Saban has already surpassed Bryant, who was at Alabama for 25 years. The current Alabama dynasty is stacking up championships despite the constraints of scholarship limits and against competition bolstered by a deeper talent pool and more national exposure. "You're talking about a program that I have a deep love and respect for, always have, always will, and a coach that's I mean, he's won six national championships and the level of consistency is a model and an aspiration for every program," said Swinney, who was a walk-on receiver for Alabama's 1992 national title team coached by Gene Stallings. Swinney and Clemson have come closest to reaching the Alabama standard. A second national championship in three seasons would give Clemson three overall (1981, 2016) and put Swinney in prestigious company. Among the Hall of Fame coaches with two national championships are Bobby Bowden of Florida State and Joe Paterno of Penn State. Saban's accomplishments have pretty much settled the question of greatest college football coach. He might be better compared to coaches in other sports such as UCLA's John Wooden, who won 10 NCAA men's basketball championships; Pat Summitt, who won eight NCAA women's basketball titles with Tennessee; Geno Auriemma, who has 11 women's basketball championships at Connecticut; and Dan Gable, who led Iowa wrestling to 17 NCAA championships. Alabama's dominance has been defined by almost monotonous excellence. None of Saban's teams stand out. They are similarly stellar, machine-like in their efficiency. This team has a chance to separate from the rest. Alabama can become just the third wire-to-wire No. 1 in the AP poll, joining 1999 Florida State and 2004 Southern California. The biggest difference in this Tide team is Tua Tagovailoa, who came off the bench as a freshman to beat Georgia in last season's championship game. For the first time, Saban has a star quarterback. Alabama has rolled through its opponents by an average of 31 points. "His accuracy, his athletic ability, his ability to improvise," Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said of Tagovailoa. "He's got the best players on the planet around him at every position, and they're two and three deep." Clemson has been almost as impressive, winning by an average of 29, led by a defensive line that features All-Americans Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins. "They have so many disruptive plays," Alabama running back Damien Harris said. "They cause so much havoc for the offense that they're playing." INJURY REPORT Plenty of attention has been focused on Tagovailoa's sprained left ankle, but Alabama linebacker Christian Miller (hamstring) is questionable. Miller has 8 sacks this season. On the Clemson side, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence will sit out a second playoff game after being suspended by the NCAA for a failed performance-enhancing drug test. Lawrence is a junior and possible first-round draft pick who has likely played his last game for the Tigers. Senior Albert Huggins will start for the second straight week for Clemson in Lawrence's spot. FABULOUS FROSH Clemson's Trevor Lawrence would be the first starting freshman quarterback since Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway in 1985 to lead his team to a national championship. Lawrence took over as the starter four games into the season and has thrown for 2,933 yards, 27 touchdowns and four interceptions. "If anybody ever watched him, they wouldn't think he was a freshman," Saban said. | https://www.poconorecord.com/news/20190106/can-sabans-dynasty-reach-new-heights |
Who is really to blame for Texans' 21-7 wild-card loss versus Colts? | The Houston Texans had an opportunity to get one step closer to the Super Bowl and blew it with a 21-7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts Saturday in the AFC wild-card at NRG Stadium. Coach Bill OBrien and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel just did not seem as if they had the Texans prepared. In the first quarter of Saturdays game the Colts went up early 14-0 and the Texans seemed as if they didnt know a game was even supposed to be played. The Texans converted an abysmal 3-of-13 on third downs while the Colts converted 9-of-14 on third downs. Not all the fault should be blamed on OBrien. Quarterback Deshaun Watson also played poor in Saturdays loss. Missing a wide open pass to tight end Ryan Griffin by overthrowing the ball on a second-and-5 from the Colts 37-yard line with 5:42 in the third quarter. It was an opportunity to put seven points on the board sooner than the eventual touchdown with 10:57 to go in the game. Watson completed 29-of-49 for 235 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Watson also was the leading rusher again on the team with 76 yards on eight carries. The second-year field general making his first playoff appearance did all he could behind the horrific offensive line, but being sacked for a league high 62 times and three times in the playoff game limited his effectiveness. OBrien has to make changes on his staff and that includes bringing in an offensive coordinator. Too many times Houston has played the same conservative offense and it appears as if OBrien is holding back Watson with his conservative play-calling. Winning only one playoff game in his five years as coach of the Texans isnt going to cut it. Being 9-7 three out of his five seasons is showing how mediocre he is as a coach. Change has to be made, the only issue is the Texans just signed OBrien to a four deal through year 2022. The Texans have too much talent to not be able to win and go deeper into the playoffs, but coaching and play-calling is keeping the Texans back. Crennels defense has been bad leading up to the playoffs. The Texans were 28th on defense against the pass and it showed again in Saturdays loss to the Colts when Andrew Luck threw for 222 yards and tossed two touchdowns. Both touchdowns were scored in the first quarter alone. Its a culmination of issues for the Texans. Offensive line, running back, cornerback, play-calling, and preparation. When you stand back and see all of those issues you ask yourself where to begin. The Texans will need a strong free agency and great draft if they want to be right back in the playoffs. If there is another 9-7 record and opening round loss, then there is one thing that will have to happen with no questions asked. | https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/06/who-really-blame-texans-21-7-wild-card-loss-colts/ |
Do Patriots Have Advantage Over Chargers In Divisional Game At Gillette? | The New England Patriots now know who they are going to face in the AFC Divisional Round as they get set to host the Chargers after Los Angeles beat the Baltimore Ravens in Sundays Wild Card matchup. It will be a battle of the quarterbacks, as Tom Brady and Philip Rivers look to lead their respective teams to the AFC Championship game for a shot at the Super Bowl. Rivers never has beaten the Pats while the 41-year-old has been the signal-caller, while Brady has struggled against the Chargers in the postseason, despite being 2-0 against the Bolts. Super Bowl champs and NESNs own Matt Chatham and Jermaine Wiggins discussed who they think will be moving forward after next week. To hear what they had to say, check out the NESN Sports Today video above, presented by Peoples United Bank. | https://nesn.com/2019/01/do-patriots-have-advantage-over-chargers-in-divisional-game-at-gillette/ |
Is the anti-vaccine movement putting lives at risk? | The re-emergence of the disgraced doctor Andrew Wakefield has fueled a resurgence of vaccine scepticism among rightwing populists. After a surge in measles outbreaks across the EU in 2018, Sarah Boseley looks back at how confidence in the MMR vaccine was dented after Wakefields discredited campaign against it. Plus: Sonia Sodha on how to improve the British honours system In 1998, the British doctor Andrew Wakefield announced that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) childhood vaccination programme was linked to autism and advised parents against it. It was one of the most controversial health stories of a generation and caused a media sensation. In the years after his claim, the UKs immunisation rate plunged and cases of measles soared. The Guardians health editor, Sarah Boseley, was at that fateful press conference 20 years ago. Since then, the original research has been widely discredited, Wakefield has been struck off the medical register and the scandal subsided. But as anti-establishment sentiment grows in Europe and the US, so has the anti-vaxxer movement. Wakefield is back in the spotlight and has been embraced since the election of Donald Trump, even appearing at one of the presidents inauguration balls. Also today: after another celebrity-filled new year honours list, the Guardian and Observer columnist Sonia Sodha is calling for an overhaul of a system that she says lacks diversity and transparency. | https://www.theguardian.com/society/audio/2019/jan/07/anti-vaccine-movement-lives-risk-measles-mmr-andrew-wakefield |
What Are Those Bracelets Stars Are Wearing on the Golden Globes Red Carpet? | Just because Time's Up was front and center at the 2018 Golden Globes doesn't mean that 2019 has forgotten about the movement. During the red carpet arrivals for this year's ceremony, many of the stars and correspondents were supporting the effort by sporting black and white Time's Up X2 bracelets, pins, and ribbons emblazoned with the Time's Up name. E! 's Red Carpet programming highlighted the special accessories with co-hosts Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic wearing their own bracelets. Rancic described them, saying, "I am wearing the TIMESUPX2 bracelet, we'll be seeing this this evening. I am very proud to be wearing this, we'll be talking all about it tonight in terms of the past year and all the great things that have happened this past year with Time's Up, as well as what we can look forward to in the coming year." She wasn't alone many other stars were seen sporting the embellishments including Idris Elba, who showed his support by wearing one of the black bands. The actor is attending the ceremony alongside his daughter Isan Elba, who is serving as this year's Golden Globe Ambassador. Then there's Regina King's son Ian, who was seen wearing a Time's Up pin alongside his mother who bonded with Seacrest over their matching wardrobes (Seacrest and Ian were wearing nearly identical suits). The young man spoke a bit about the movement himself, saying "Time's up. Just for women having equality and safety in the workplace, and all individuals. So, that's really important to me, especially having a powerful woman...they rule the world. And to see them not be safe in the workplace is just terrible." The movement hasn't slowed in the last year as many awards ceremonies have been a big platform for stars to show their support for social issues and it doesn't appear that it will change anytime soon. | https://www.tvinsider.com/742410/golden-globes-2019-times-up-bracelets-ribbons-pins/ |
Was Cody Parkey's Kick Tipped by Treyvon Hester? | Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey had a chance to win the game with a 43-yard goal, but he doinked it off the upright and crossbar. The immediate narrative is that he choked. The guy who hit the upright four times against the Detroit Lions in November hit the upright again when it mattered most. That he is getting absolutely pilloried is no surprise. But there may be more to this straightforward story. Parkeys kick, which came so close to going in, may have been tipped at the line by Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Treyvon Hester. The Eagles are still alive thanks to the left hand of Treyvon Hester, who tipped Cody Parkeys final kick. pic.twitter.com/NliKZhQ2eZ Bo Wulf (@Bo_Wulf) January 7, 2019 Malcolm Jenkins said he knew Parker was going to miss: Weve been through too much for him to make it. #Eagles. Also said Treyvon Hester got a hand on it. Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) January 7, 2019 The frame-by-frame replays arent entirely conclusive. The ball does appear to slide a bit after coming near Hesters hand, but not in a major way. This would be enough to impact the flight, obviously, its just not definitive. Heres a frame-by-frame look that clearly shows the Parkey kick was tipped by Treyvon Hester (Hester confirmed to @Bo_Wulf he tipped it). pic.twitter.com/6dOXui7Yyp Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 7, 2019 Watch this video in slow-moTreyvon Hester comes up with a huge block off the tip of the fingers forcing the change of trajectory in the kickwow. #CodyParkey #FLyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/e3jBT3VazL Z (@KingZouric) January 7, 2019 This would seem to be an odd thing for Hester and his teammates to make up out of whole cloth. For that reason, and based on the replays, I believe Hester did make contact with the ball. If thats true, consider how much unwarranted vitriol has and will be directed in Parkeys direction. Its almost as if flying off the handle at a professional athlete is something a person could regret with some time, hindsight, and additional facts. | https://thebiglead.com/2019/01/06/cody-parkeys-kick-tipped-treyvon-hester/ |
Did Karan Johar Just Confirm Malaika Arora And Arjun Kapoor Are Dating? | Malaika Arora photographed with Arjun Kapoor in Mumbai. Highlights Karan Johar asked KL Rahul about her crush on Malaika He said he no longer has a crush on her "Because now she is dating Arjun Kapoor," said Karan Johar Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor's relationship status may have just been confirmed by Karan Johar on his talk show Koffee With Karan. In his recent episode, where he hosted cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, Karan Johar asked the latter about his 'biggest crush - Malaika.' KL Rahul said that he no longer has a crush on Malaika and curious Karan Johar prodded: "You're over her... because now she is dating Arjun Kapoor." Karan Johar's talk show is notorious as a platform to start or confirm Bollywood gossip and this season is no exception. Thank you, Karan Johar. A still from Koffee With Karan 6, Episode 12. (Image courtesy Hotstar) A still from Koffee With Karan 6, Episode 12. (Image courtesy Hotstar) A still from Koffee With Karan 6, Episode 12. (Image courtesy Hotstar) A still from Koffee With Karan 6, Episode 12. (Image courtesy Hotstar) Before through KL Rahul, Karan Johar had twice poked Malaika and Arjun about their rumoured relationship on his talk show. When Arjun shared the Koffee couch with his sister Janhvi, KJo asked him about his dating life, to which Arjun confirmed he's in a relationship but he did not give away the name. Arjun had also said that he was warming up to the idea of getting married. "I finally feel like I have a sense of belonging and a family," he had said. In another episode, when Karan invited Malaika to conduct the Rapid Fire round when he played against Aamir Khan, Karan teased her saying, "We're walking you down the aisle... that will also happen in your life." Reports of Arjun Kapoor dating Malaika Arora started doing the round on social media after they were spotted at a fashion show last year. Subsequently pictures of Arjun taking malaika to the stage of India's Got Talent by her hand went insanely viral. Arjun and Malaika are frequently spotted on dinner outings and parties with their common friends. | https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/did-karan-johar-just-confirm-malaika-arora-and-arjun-kapoor-are-dating-1973576 |
What ever happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde? | Legends are almost always based in fact. It starts with a story around a campfire, a teasing old woman, an already mysterious disappearance and turns into something grander, something surreal. Something that is whispered in the night. Add into this legend the mighty Colorado River, a honeymooning couple, and one of the largest searches the Grand Canyon has ever seen, and it is the perfect recipe for a story that can survive for nearly 100 years. And that story, the myth, that legend all begins with Glen Rollins Hyde and his new bride Bessie Louise Hyde nee Haley. The honeymooners Bessie Haley, born Dec. 29, 1905 in Takoma Park, Maryland, met Glen Hyde at college in San Francisco. Hyde, born Dec. 9, 1898 in Spokane, Washington, was an Idahoan farmer who told the 24-year-old art student all about river running from the Salmon River in Idaho to the Peace and Fraser Rivers in Canada. This awe, this passion, quickly won Bessies heart, and the two were married in the spring of 1928 in Twin Falls, Idaho. For their honeymoon, Glen wanted to try to run the Colorado River. In Green River, Utah he made a sweep scow a large wooden boat some 20-feet long and they set out on their 600-mile trip to Needles, California on Oct. 22, 1928 well-stocked and ready to face anything the river had to offer. Running the Colorado This October honeymoon trip was meant to be a record breaker, in more ways than one. According to a Mohave County Miner article in November 1928, the couple was on a record-setting pace. They had been on the river for 26 days when they reached Bright Angel Creek in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and they had an estimated three weeks left before they reached Needles. The running time wasnt a sure record. What was a sure record was the fact that Bessie Hyde is the first woman to descend the Grand Canyon, a feat more commonly associated with University of Michigan botanist Elzada Clover and her student Lois Jotter in 1938 as part of Norm Nevills expedition. However, Bessie completed the descent a decade earlier. Another record that was meant to be broken on this trip was that the couple intended to run every rapid. At the time, this wasnt normal. The usual way to run the river, or any river, was to line the boat over the rapids having people on the shore with ropes guiding the boat down the rapid rather than riding all of the rapids. By all accounts, the Hydes should have gone down in history for a series of firsts and a series of records. They should have reached Needles and been heralded as some of the greatest river runners to exist. But no one can tame the Colorado. The last sighting at Bright Angel Creek In 1970, Emery Kolb wrote to Barry Goldwater of the Arizona Historical Foundation. The Hydes had arrived at Kolbs studio on Nov. 15, 1928. Kolb, a Grand Canyon photographer, took them in for their stay and helped answer any questions he could about the upcoming stretch of the river. He was impressed by their success. Bessie told Kolb about the times Glen had already been thrown into the water by the rapids, namely the Sockdolager rapids, and how she barely managed to get him the rope in time. Bessie, a petite woman, had managed to hold on to the sweeps and toss Glen a rope. Without a life preserver, Glens chances of swimming those particular rapids were slim at best. And the Hydes had no life preservers. Kolb was appalled that Glen and Bessie were running the river without life preservers and tried to get the Hydes to take some of his. He wrote that they looked each other, smiled, and said they shouldnt need them, as they were excellent swimmers. He tried again to make them take some sort of safety equipment, even an inner tube, but again the Hydes refused. Kolb let the couple go. My wife and daughter drove them to the head of the trail. Mrs. Hyde looked at my daughters shoes and said I wonder if I shall ever wear pretty shoes again, Kolb wrote Goldwater. They brought tourist A.J. Sutro with them from Bright Angel Creek to Hermit Rapids, a relatively calm stretch of river to enjoy, and put him ashore. As they disappeared around the bend of the river, waving to Sutro on shore, it would be the last time anyone ever saw the Hydes. The search for the lost Hydes The Hydes never made it to Needles. They were two weeks overdue, and Glen Hydes father Rollin Hyde put into motion one of the largest searches the Grand Canyon has ever seen. Rollin petitioned Emery Kolb, who was away for surgery on his appendix, for help. I realize this is likely of no avail, but I wish to leave nothing undone that can be done. Kolb left immediately and never did get his appendix taken out. Glen and Bessies boat was found, intact, 46 miles from the mouth of the Grand Canyon at 232 Mile Rapid on Dec. 1, 1928. It was about 14 miles below the mouth of Diamond Creek. Everything was still on board: food, guidebook, diary, gun, dry clothing and boots. But there was no trace of Glen and Bessie. Some tracks were found that were believed to be the Hydes seven miles above Diamond Creek, and farther down Glens tracks were found along a rapid. They led to the river and did not return. Kolb had his own theory, based on what he knew of the couples usual plan of action. Bessie would stand on the bank holding the scows rope while Glen walked ahead to examine the next rapid. Possibly she had been pulled or blown into the river weather at the time was particularly squally and he jumped in to save her. The scow, in theory, floated for five miles until its trailing rope caught on the rocks and held it. Only the Colorado River knows what really happened to that young Idaho couple who never got to finish their honeymoon. Rumors and theories abound Of course there are rumors that surround this case, theories of what happened that winter on the Colorado River. Tales of murder, hikes, different identities, and an old woman who claims to be the missing Bessie Hyde. In the 1971, a group of people decided to try to run the Colorado River with guides. Among them was a 60-year-old woman called Elizabeth Arnold Cutler. After a particularly hard day on the water, everyone in the trip was gathered around the campfire to tell stories. And that was when Rick Petrillo, one of the guides, began telling the story of Glen and Bessie Hyde. I killed him, Cutler responded. OConnor Dale, another guide, asked how she did it. Somewhere along here, we had a real bad fight and he beat me up. So late that night I got a knife and stabbed him. The guides stood around the campfire grinning and laughing and said Well, now we know. They even took to calling Cutler Bessie during the trip, to which the woman would teasingly respond. Chances are she wasnt. Liz Cutler claimed to have no recollection of the story she told that night on the river when asked by journalists years later, and she had never heard of the Hydes. It was a legend that grew beyond all recognition, even for those who were with her on the river. I was surprised when I got back in 82, after being away from the story for a long time, to find it was a big story, recalled George Billingsley, who was one of the river guides. But it sure got to be a widespread story being told every day in the Canyon. You can grab hold of a rumor and remember it for 50 years, exactly the way that rumor happened. Never miss a lick. But its still based on nothing. And it didnt help matters when in 1981 a skeleton with a silver belt buckle like Glen Hydes was found in a boat in the rafters of the Kolb Studio. The skeleton had a bullet hole, .30 or .32 caliber, through the head. Rumors spread fast that this was Glen Hyde. This man, the rumors said, was killed, possibly by Emery Kolb who lusted after Bessie. A crime of passion. However, Jack Judd of the Coconino County Sheriffs Office and forensic anthropologist Walter Birkby at the University of Arizona disproved that theory. The bones were not Glen Hyde. Over the nine decades since their disappearance, several of these rumors of either Glen of Bessie Hyde showing up have circulated and spread. Yet every spicy myth about the reappearance of Glen or Bessie Hyde withers in the glare of rigorous examination, wrote author Jack Dimock in Sunk Without a Sound: The Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde. As tempting and intriguing as it is to imagine one or both of the Hydes escaping to a new life, there is not a shred of evidence to support it. This case has inspired legends, stumped detectives and has left far more unanswered questions than answers. It is one of those unsolved mysteries. A legend whispered around campfires. The silent waters of the Colorado moving steadily onward, never spilling their secrets. | https://kdminer.com/news/2019/jan/06/the-curious-case-of-glen-and-bessie-hyde/ |
What the Dickens is going on this Christmas? | The Clue picture shows a rather interesting lintel over a doorway on Clarke Dell; it was put there because of a former residents experience one Christmas Eve. Notice Father Christmass face on the centre of the lintel. The experience is something I wouldnt like to go through, but it changed its resident owner Mr Ebenezer Dawson a money lender of the town and a Parkin Baron. The following is a brief report of that Christmas Eve that changed Ebenezer Dawson for life. The house on Clarke Dell His story opens on a bleak, cold Christmas Eve in Sheffield, seven years after the death of Ebenezer Dawsons business partner, Jacob Sorsby; a pleasant chap by all accounts but could never pick a winning horse. Ebenezer, an ageing miser, dislikes Christmas and refuses a dinner invitation from his nephew Jordan, who is the son of Fan, Ebenezers dead sister. Jordan had just qualified as a chartered accountant and was an up-and-coming star of the Dawson family. On his way to his cold dark workplace on Christmas Eve, two business men of the town seek a donation from him to provide food and heating for the poor. Ebenezer sends them away with a flea in their ear, the only thing hes ever given away I might add, and tells them that hes just had to fork out for a season ticket for The Lane, so hes skint. His only employee, Bob Scratchit, has to beg for Christmas Day off and only after a lecture from Ebenezer on the merits of wasting money does he then grudgingly allows his overworked, underpaid clerk Christmas Day off with pay. At the stroke of seven, Ebenezer locks up his place of business in the town and walks the couple of miles to his magnificent pile on Clarke Dell, a home left to him by his only friend and business partner Jacob Sorsby. Later that night Scrooge was visited in his cold bedroom by Jacob Sorsby`s ghost, forced to wander the Earth entwined by heavy chains, money boxes and football trophies forged during a lifetime of greed and selfishness. Jacob tells Ebenezer that he has just one single chance to avoid the same fate he suffers and he will be visited by three spirits in the night. The first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, takes Ebenezer to a Christmas scene of his boyhood, reminding him of a time when he was more innocent and trusting. The scene opens up to reveal Ebenezers lonely childhood as a boy scout when he was whipped on the legs by the other boys with a bull-rope of all things. He is shown the loving relationship with his beloved sister Fan, before being whisked away to a Christmas party hosted by his first employer, Mr Fezziwig. Old Fezziwig knew how to celebrate Christmas well. Next he visits Ebenezers neglected fiance Fanny who has finally seen that Ebenezer's greatest loves are biscuits and Sheffield United, and ends their relationship. The Ghost of Christmas past finally visits a now-married Fanny with her large happy family on the very same Christmas Eve that Jacob Sorsby died. Ebenezer is upset on hearing Fannys description of the man that he has become and he demands that the ghost remove him from the house but not before hes pocketed a handful of sweetmeats. The clue picture of the lintel with a vague resemblance of Father Christmas - but with horns The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, takes Ebenezer to a joyous market with people buying the makings of Christmas dinner, mainly a Mrs Miggins Christmas Pie, and to celebrations of Christmas in a miner's cottage and in a lighthouse where the two lighthouse keepers are arguing on whos turn it is to blow out the light. Dawson and the ghost also visit Jordans Christmas party where they merriment is just extraordinary, setting each other impossible tasks like naming one winning horse Jacob Sorsby has picked, or imitating Dawson as he tap danced on the sink before falling and breaking his leg. Ebenezer is then taken to visit Bob Scratchit's family feast of a rather large sausage with a feather stuck in it, the ghost introduces Bobs youngest son, Tiny Tim, to Ebenezer, a happy boy who has one leg shorter than the other and is only happy when walking on a slanted pavement. The spirit informs Ebenezer that Tiny Tims leg will never be right until either one leg is made longer or the other shorter, thats unless the course of events change. Before disappearing, the spirit shows Ebenezer two hideous, emaciated children, named want and ignorance. He tells Ebenezer to beware these two children and mocks his lack of concern for their welfare. The last spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, shows Ebenezer a Christmas Day in the future. The silent ghost reveals scenes involving the death of a disliked man whose funeral is attended by the United players of past and present, but they attended only on condition that lunch is provided. His chairwoman, and laundress Lynn and the local undertaker steal his possessions to sell. When he asks the spirit to show a single person who feels emotion over his death, he is only given the pleasure of a poor couple who rejoice that his death gives them more time to put their finances in order. When Ebenezer asks to see tenderness connected with any death, the ghost shows him Bob Scratchit while he and his family mourn the death of Tiny Tim as they sit round a triple XXX mint for warmth. The ghost then allows Ebenezer to see a neglected grave, it bears Ebenezers name. He falls to the floor and pledges to change his ways. Ebenezer awakens on Christmas morning a changed man. He spends the afternoon with Jordans family and anonymously sends a large turkey to the Scratchit home for Christmas dinner. The following day he gives Scratchit an increase in pay and becomes a father figure to Tiny Tim, after paying for his legs to be fixed and providing a walking stick with a wheel on the end so he can walk faster when necessary. From then on, Ebenezer begins to treat everyone with kindness, generosity and compassion, embodying the spirit of Christmas, he even buys Tiny Tim a box for down at The Lane. | https://www.thestar.co.uk/retro/what-the-dickens-is-going-on-this-christmas-1-9496974 |
Why did the Bears Tarik Cohen get the ball only 4 times on offense? | On Sunday, Bears running back Tarik Cohen got the ball only four times on offense, a season low. The running back carried once for no gain. He had three catches for 27 yards. Asked about his usage, Nagy admitted that it was low. What do you think? he said. Four touches is not enough. Tarik Cohen is tackled by the Eagles' Rasul Douglas. | Dylan Buell/Getty Images The Eagles had a good game plan against me, Cohen said. I dont feel I did enough with the touches I was given, he said. Cohen proved to be a game breaker on his third kick return of the season. With about a minute left, down one, he returned the kick 35 yards. | https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/bears-tarik-cohen-get-the-ball-only-4-times/ |
Where is Harrison Ford's earring? | Fans of Spike Lee certainly think the Hollywood Foreign Press Association did not do the right thing. Alfonso Cuarn took home the Golden Globe for best director of a motion picture for "Roma," and in the process extended Lee's four-decade streak without one of the three major directing honors. Many prognosticators predicted Lee would win the statuette for "BlacKkKlansman," the first time he was even nominated for a Golden Globe in that category since 1990, which was for "Do the Right Thing." But 61-year-old Lee has never even received a single nomination for either an Academy Award for directing or a Directors Guild Award despite a resume that includes "Malcom X" (1992) and "Inside Man" (2006). He did, however, get nominated for Oscars for screenwriting for "Do the Right Thing" and for best documentary for 1997's "4 Little Girls." And he did get an honorary Academy Award as a consolation prize in 2016, one which was handed out during the Governors Awards three months before the main Oscar telecast. | https://www.nbcnews.com/card/where-harrison-fords-earring-n955511 |
Should South Korea Participate in China's Belt and Road? | Sungku Jang Security, Eurasia The costs involve more than money. Last year, South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared that the Republic of Korea wanted to participate in the Chinese One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative in Chongqing. And this year, Liaoning province decided to join Chinas OBOR link to the Korean Peninsula. There are four reasons. First, connecting South Korea to the rest of Eurasia by the OBOR has symbolic meaning for South Koreans. Since the outbreak of the Korean War nearly seventy years ago, South Korea has been disconnected from the continent, effectively becoming an island since it could no longer access North Korean territory. Many South Koreans have sought to reconnect with the rest of Asia to escape from their isolation, where the country felt more similar to Japan and the United Kingdom than a country with a one-thousand-year-old culture and a shared history with their northern neighbors. South Korean constitutional law even includes North Korean territory under South Koreas domain (Article 3). Thus, the present division between the two Koreas brings many contradictions to the forefront of South Korean society. If South Korea can connect with North Korea through Chinas OBOR, then Seoul can overcome these contradictions and fulfill the Korean peoples long-held wish. Second, President Moon expects that participation in the initiative will mitigate tensions between South Korea and North Korea by creating joint economic opportunities. If South Korea connects with China through North Korea, South Korea can use multimodal transportation (the ability to transport cargo by land, air and sea). This will increase the efficiency of South Korean trade and its partners will become more varied than before. But South Korea would need to rebuild North Koreas train infrastructure because it is too decrepit to use. After rebuilding the train system, South Korea can resume business with North Korea at the Kaesong industrial complex and Kumgang mountain. These investments and a new, broader economic relationship could help mitigate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Third, South Korea seeks to pioneer a new emerging market and expand its economic area. Last year, President Moon declared that the OBOR initiative and Moons new policies toward Southeast Asia and North Asia have a close relationship. "I am confident a link between the Belt and Road Initiative and New North, New South policies will lead to peace and joint prosperity in the region, he said. If South Korean trains connect with Chinas railway system, South Korea can export its commodities to Central and Southeast Asia more easily. This is especially true since President Moon is expanding South Koreas economic ties with ASEAN as much as the other countries who surround the Korean Peninsula like Japan, China and Russia. In the past decade, ASEAN became the second largest market to South Korea after China. Given that 24.8 percent of South Koreas exports go to China, Seoul needs to expand into other markets to reduce its economic dependence, and therefore its political vulnerability, vis--vis Beijing. Indeed, South Korea had been confronted with Chinese political and economic pressure when Seoul decided to deploy the United States THADD system in response to North Korean missile threats. After political pressure from China, South Korea wants to focus on developing new markets, so participation in the OBOR is attractive to Seoul. Fourth, South Korea can get energy resources more easily, variously and cheaply than before. South Korea is the third largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Japan and China. And South Korea will soon buy even more natural gas than before because President Moon is planning to replace South Korean nuclear and coal power plants with natural gas and renewable energy. But LNG is more expensive than pipeline natural gas (PNG)South Korea currently has to buy natural gas in its liquefied state because it cant access the pipelines across North Korean territory. If South Korea can import PNG from Central Asia via China or from Russia, it can remarkably reduce the cost to import natural gas. (80 percent of South Korean gas imports currently come from five countries, with a high dependence on the Middle East and Australia.) South Korea needs alternatives for energy imports so they cannot be blocked or hindered by another countrys resource nationalism, a financial crisis or security reason. Through the One Belt One Road initiative, South Korea can raise the funds to build the pipeline and connect with Central Asia and other countries too. | https://news.yahoo.com/south-korea-participate-chinas-belt-193100213.html |
Whats the Apple link in USs trade war with China? | US President Donald Trump wants to make America great again. To achieve this so-called goal, he has imposed tariffs of 25% on Chinese imports worth $50 billion and a 10% tariff on Chinese imports worth $200 billion. The idea is to make Chinese imports into the US expensive. As Chinese imports get expensive, the hope is that products made in the US will become more competitive, likely leading people to buy them more than they do at present. This will benefit US businesses. As businesses do better, they will expand and create employment opportunities. This is what Trump had hoped for. Take a look at the above chart. It plots the trade deficit in goods that the US has run with China, over the years. Between January and October last year, the US ran a trade deficit of $344.5 billion with China. This means the US had imported goods worth $344.5 billion more from China than it had exported to that country. The trade deficit in October 2018 was $43.1 billion, the highest last year. This, after tariffs came into play. Chinese imports into the US remained competitive because the yuan has depreciated against the dollar. Also, China resorted to a few other tricks to keep its export figures ticking. US importers have been importing more in order to hedge themselves against further tariff increases, which were supposed to take effect this year. In October 2018, US exports to China dropped to $9.1 billion, the lowest in more than two years. In response to US tariffs, China also imposed tariffs. The country stopped buying soybean, an important US export to China. This resulted in problems for Trump, who has a support base among farmers. It ultimately stopped higher tariffs from being implemented this year. The deadline now is 1 March. If the US and China do not reach a trade deal by then, US tariffs on Chinese imports will go up. If the US imports lesser stuff from China, the Chinese earn fewer dollars to buy American products. While that hasnt happened, the Chinese have started waking up to the possibility. This is reflected in falling iPhone sales. Further, Chinese retail sales growth in November 2018 was the slowest in 15 years. China is now taking into account the possibility of losing out because of the trade war. It has started buying soybean again from the US. Vivek Kaul is the author of the Easy Money trilogy | https://www.livemint.com/Companies/T7Imucp5gYZT0y9fdISOqO/Whats-the-Apple-link-in-USs-trade-war-with-China.html |
Is Ben Flajnik the Next Bachelor? | Bachelorette Ashley Hebert didn't give Ben Flajnik her final rose, but the hunky Sonoma winemaker might have a second shot at finding love on reality TV! Show insiders tell the new Us Weekly, out now, that Flajnik, 28, is the front-runner to be ABC's next Bachelor. Hebert's other rejected suitors Ames Brown, a 31-year-old portfolio manager, and Ryan Park, a 31-year-old solar energy executive. VIDEO: Look back at Ashley and Ben's final Fiji date "Everyone wants [Ben] to find the woman of his dreams," an insider told Us. Hebert, 27, was the first woman Flajnik really opened up to since the death of his father in 2006. "He loved Ashley," says a source. Even host Chris Harrison is eager for Flajnik to find Mrs. Right. "Our fans would love to see him as the Bachelor," he said. "He'd be great." VIDEO: Bless his heart! Watch Ben's failed proposal to Ashley In a recent Us Poll, 53 percent of voters wanted Flajnik to be the next Bachelor, while 27 percent voted for Brown and 20 percent for Park. Hebert -- who rejected Flajnik, Brown and Park in favor of J.P. Rosenbaum -- thinks any one of the three guys would make a great Bachelor. "Ben would be really good -- but so would Ryan and Ames," she told Us. Rosenbaum agreed: "We'd watch any of those guys!" VIDEO: Sorry Ben! Jennifer Love Hewitt, who went on a date with the reality star on August 6 in San Francisco. "It seemed like a first date, but he wasn't overly affectionate," an eyewitness told Us, adding that the Can't Hardly Wait actress was "loving the attention." For more on Ben Flajnik's chances at becoming the next Bachelor, check out the new Us Weekly -- on stands now! Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly | https://www.wonderwall.com/entertainment/is-ben-flajnik-the-next-bachelor-1635648.article |
Is it standing up for community or grandstanding? | An artist's impression of the Coffs Harbour Pacific Highway Bypass. An artist's impression of the Coffs Harbour Pacific Highway Bypass. RMS COFFS Harbour councillors have made a highly visible stand against the State Government's proposed Coffs Harbour Bypass design, signposting its call for tunnels on the highway over the holiday period. Since the council voted to reallocate funds from its community and advertising budgets towards a community bypass campaign in November, it has been questioned why the council has used ratepayers funds to embroil itself in a State Government issue. Some have asked whether "council is wasting ratepayer money". While others have praised the community's elected leaders for making a stand. Today Coffs Harbour City councillor Paul Amos has defended the decision to stage the campaign, saying the cutting will industrialise the community for no good reason. An artist impression of the land bridge proposed for Roberts Hill in the concept plans released by the RMS. "These cuts will be nearly four football fields wide into solid rock, destroying family farms that have been there for generations as well as natural habitats, Cr Amos said. "There are two options of design before us and one is far superior to the other. "The damage caused by the wrong decision is significant and irreversible. This is a forever decision. Coffs Harbour City councillor Paul Amos explains why the council has made a stand against the State Government's Coffs Harbour Bypass concept design. Trevor Veale While Cr Amos recognises the community sentiment against the campaign, he believes tunnels are the best option for the community and must be fought for. "With the discussions in the paper in the past few weeks, some people may be thinking 'why are you councillors fighting so hard for a bypass with tunnels and not accepting the change to an open cut option?' "Simply, the open cut option will have far more negative social, economic and environmental impacts that we can't ignore," he said. An artist's impression of the Coffs Harbour Bypass. RMS "Make no mistake, the bypass will happen as scheduled, it must. There are many tens of millions of dollars of investment and skilled workers that need the continuity of work. Prior to the council's decision to mount a campaign, The Advocate conducted a poll of over 1000 votes which found that 76% of voters supported tunnels, 20% supported cuttings and 2% were undecided. Voice your opinion on council's decision to fund a campaign against the current bypass design below: | https://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/is-it-standing-up-for-community-or-grandstanding/3616428/ |
How much rain will Ex-Tropical Cyclone Penny bring CQ? | ANTICIPATION continues to build as Central Queensland will finally grab its taste of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Penny tomorrow. A Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) spokesman said the system (which yesterday was sitting about 600km north to north east of Bowen) is gradually moving towards the North Queensland coast. "There's a great deal of high cloud streaming off the remnants of Penny that really isn't producing any rainfall but it is keeping areas like Rockhampton and south (all the way to Brisbane) very cloudy, he said. "That's likely to continue for the next couple of days but it won't really be generating any rainfall. While the spokesman said there were showers "coming ashore all the way down the east coast at the moment, he pointed out areas north of Bundaberg will see an increase in shower activity as the system gets closer to the coast. While the BoM spokesman said the system had "probably slowed down, tomorrow is likely to be the most eventful day for the region weather-wise. Tomorrow Rockhampton has been forecast to see possible rainfall amounts reach between 6mm to 15mm. There will also be a chance of a thunderstorm with light easterly winds, 20km to 25km per hour in the morning. And BoM has forecast a shower or two for the Beef Capital on Wednesday. Meanwhile in Yeppoon, tomorrow has been predicted to bring possible rainfall amounts between 10mm to 20mm. "We're not expecting that rainfall to be significant, it's really just going to be showers coming onto the coast and extending a little way inland, a BoM spokesman said. "Once we get north of Rockhampton, we start to see more rain effects from the ex-tropical cyclone. "There will be an increase in rainfall south of Sarina, but the really heavy falls potentially beginning overnight are likely to be north of there. The BoM spokesman said river rises could take place due to the accumulation of rainfall. But this shouldn't affect the Central Queensland region as the bureau is set to issue a flood watch for the east coast north of Sarina tomorrow. "We will see the heavy rainfall area which will be concentrated on the south side of the circulation of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Penny, he said. "It's quite a significant event all in all. Check out the tracking map above. | https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/how-much-rain-will-ex-tropical-cyclone-penny-bring/3616485/ |
Who can understand 'TRANSFORMATION' better than Ravi Dubey? | Every year, tens of thousands of performers knock the door of the entertainment industry, some of them being highly trained, talented and eager to enter the fraternity and work.Ravi Dubey is one of those talents who started his career with television show Stree... Teri Kahaani on DD National in the year 2006 and gradually made his way to the A-lister bandwagon with shows like 12/24 Karol Bagh, Saas Bina Sasural and not to forget Jamai Raja. Drop in your views in the comment section below and if your are a fan of Ravi, do not forget to share and retweet this article! | http://www.tellychakkar.com/tv/tv-news/who-can-understand-transformation-better-ravi-dubey-190107 |
Is SeeSaw too late to the online party? | That's the most frequent question asked when discussing the state of video on demand in the UK. Well, now we now do. Kind of. SeeSaw launches today, marking the first time we have a (legal) place to watch myriad content from terrestrial channels in one online portal, without the need to switch from online video player to online video player and back again to get your programme fix. Built from the rubble that was Project Kangaroo, SeeSaw has had something of a tumultuous upbringing one which echoes the problems VoD-casters face when entering the UK market. To begin with Project Kangaroo was meant to be our Hulu a place where all content that's piped through an aerial finds itself eventually online. Where we control the time and the place to watch the next episode of Spooks et al and then flick over to an ITV show without changing web pages. This didn't happen. The Competition Commission put its boot into Arqiva's plans the folks behind the project fearing that this one-place-for-all approach would stifle the reach of the smaller players in the VoD market. So, SeeSaw was born, ITV content was shed and Channel Five came on board. Flick to the channel section on SeeSaw and it looks rather lonely, with just the BBC, Five and 4oD listed. And the kicker is that 4oD is merely a re-skin of the 40D channel. But at least it doesn't send you over to the 4oD website. At least CEO SeeSaw Pierre-Jean Sebert is upbeat about the service, explaining: "We estimate that there are two and half million people in the UK regularly watching TV via video on demand services such as the BBC iPlayer. "We are initially targeting this group via an online advertising campaign and then moving our marketing efforts onto TV in order to capture the 13 million people who have used both linear and web TV services but are still more reliant upon the big screen." This 'more reliance on the big screen' is a loaded phrase which masks a slight pop at the other VoD contender soon to hit the marker Project Canvas. The big key to SeeSaw, when looked at in relation to Project Canvas, is as follows: SeeSaw is aimed at those watching VoD content on a computer, Project Canvas is aimed at those who want it on their big-screen TV. In industry speak, the difference is SeeSaw is seen as a 'lean forward' experience, Project Canvas - which is due to hit TVs by Chrismas 2010 - is a 'sit back' one. With PCs you interact more and TVs, well, they're Catnip for humans. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/internet/is-seesaw-too-late-to-the-online-party-670959 |
Why does God suffer so much ingratitude? | Yes, thats a huge part of the problem. Human beings receive far too much and pay for far too little. Both puzzles can be unlocked by one answer: Value is in the price tag! Man likes to thank God but with a drop of ego. Man is more fulfilled if he played a role or two in what hes thanking God for. Three, we take too much for granted. Yet, we cant blame us. Because nature simplified those privileges, we have come to see them as rights. Why should anyone waste time to appreciate God for accident-free trips to and from work, schools, errands, business, holidays, visits, etc. Lets make progress by going to four. No one ever has praise points; just prayer points. Much of those prayer points are requests upon requests. The eternal insatiability that our DNA is wired with ensures that all human beings are concerned about the next request which changes per Gods performance. Today, we appear before God looking all meek and sorrowful; blackmailing him in the process with how badly we need a house. Tomorrow, he grants that. We mutter our thanks but, that gratitude is short-lived, because the very next day, we are back with a long face and a bent neck, crying for a car. Woe betide God if the car doesnt arrive as quickly as we need it! Five, our sense of self-entitlement is demonic. Human beings are as spoiled as aje bota children. We desire far too much. We overreach ourselves far too much. We overprice our importance fr too much. We arrogate far too much (rights, abilities, name them) to ourselves. We think we know better than our Creator whats good for us. That silly pride or empty ignorance beclouds our appreciation of and relationship with God! Thats why and how far too many people have dug a pit and set a trap for themselves. There are far too many examples of these pits and traps swallowing up the same people who brought them about. Alas, being thankful is better than praying and fasting. Well, perhaps the last Line should be contrived a little less harshly. People need to rethink the way we have made God so small in our eyes and heart. A little more effort in the direction of gratitude can do far too much for us in our relationship with God. The bible is replete with Old and New Testament evidence that permanent thanksgivers belong in another realm all by themselves and with no good second. Even present-day experience has proved beyond all reasonable doubt that being perpetually grateful to God is better than sacrificing, praying and fasting; put together. It is true that prayer is the key according to the songwriter. But, the truer truth is that thanksgiving is the master-key. | https://www.sunnewsonline.com/why-does-god-suffer-so-much-ingratitude/ |
What do smartphones and hybrid storage have in common? | Mobile telephones have been an invaluable tool for some time and when personal digital assistants (PDAs) started to appear on the market, they drove a whole new level of productivity. However, when vendors such as Nokia and Apple started to provide convergence, something new appeared the ubiquitous arrival of the smartphone. Both technologies worked fine alone. But by combining two seemingly separate entities, a new tool that simply solved a number of challenges emerged. Surprisingly, the same theory can be applied to data storage. Making a perfect marriage For many, finding the most practical storage platform for the enterprise seems like an impossible venture. Businesses are drowning in data and as they start to shift towards virtual environments, the need for scalable and secure storage solutions that can underpin the infrastructure is escalating every day. The answer has always been here, but it has been hidden behind the smoke and mirrors of the storage media. Sifting through the jargon to uncover the perfect platform can be harder than it first appears. Hybrid could be the answer to everyone's storage troubles. During the difficult economic situation, we see most customers looking for a truly balanced approach and that really is what hybrid solutions offer. Hybrid storage provides a combination of solid-state drives (SSD) with hard disk drive (HDD) technology. That way, the speed of SSDs can be utilised while the HDDs provide that all-important capacity needed to support a growing enterprise. Despite the media hype, flash storage is merely one tool that can be utilised to address performance issues rather than a complete solution. The merits of hybrid However by combining flash and HDDs into a single pool, the most appropriate tool can be utilised be it cache memory, SSD or traditional hard disk storage. In essence, hybrid storage with real-time tiering is the only methodology to cost effectively address the storage architecture challenge presented by unpredictable VDI workloads. Business owners know the importance of implementing a storage solution that underpins their virtual environment, eliminates the risk of data loss and provides their business with the opportunity to grow and they don't want to pay over the odds for it. Alternatives to a hybrid solution, such as adding flash cards to servers, can significantly limit the growth and functionality of any end-to-end virtualised solution. Not to mention the initial cost outlay that could be eye-wateringly high for a large corporation. Demand more from vendors When implementing a hybrid storage solution the most important thing for an enterprise to do is to demand more from its storage vendor. There is no reason for businesses to settle for a short warranty period of one to three years and in reality, there's no reason why at least a five-year lifespan should not be the norm. Additionally, when implementing a scalable hybrid solution, IT departments should be able to trust their hybrid platform to work at its full potential even when it reaches its maximum capacity. Should a vendor claim that their hardware is reliable, ask them to produce a customer testimonial of someone who's had a unit installed for at least five years and hasn't had any downtime. Better yet, ask for one who's never had a single service call. Yes, they do exist. Ultimately, some things work well separately yet provide something invaluable when combined. Be that mobile phones and PDAs, gin and tonic or flash and hard disk drives. Sometimes mixing two seemingly average entities can create one exceptional combination. | https://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/storage/what-do-smartphones-and-hybrid-storage-have-in-common-1250252 |
Which is the best HTC phone? | So you've decided that HTC is the brand you want to spend the next 24 months of your life with - but that's not the end of the quest. You have several devices, price points and operating systems to choose from and it can all get a little bewildering. Like Huawei and ZTE, HTC started life by building network-branded handsets, and has branched out and made their own name. The HTC Desire was the phone that truly launched it, and the Android OS, into the mainstream. Thankfully TechRadar is on hand to help you out - check out our run down of all the HTC phones around at the moment: 8. HTC One Max OS: Android Jelly Bean If you're fully committed to HTC and are desperate for a supersized screen to rival the likes of the Galaxy Note 3 and Xperia Z Ultra then you'll want to be picking up the One Max. With a full HD, 5.9-inch display there's a lot of screen on offer here, plus you get a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of internal storage, 4MP Ultrapixel rear camera and Android Jelly Bean. Thanks to the sheer size of the display and its full metal body though the HTC One Max is big and heavy, very heavy in fact. There is a fingerprint scanner on the back to soften the blow a little, but it's nowhere near as good as TouchID on the iPhone 5S. 7. HTC 8S OS: Windows Phone 8 THe HTC 8S is an attractive, highly portable Windows Phone handset offering style and substance in a package which is intuitive. It's surprisingly slick and fast for a mid range phone. It's even got the edge over some top-end Windows Phone 8 handsets in at least one area - specifically the inclusion of a microSD card slot. The battery in the HTC 8S is average at best, web browsing can be a little slow and it doesn't do much to stand out in the apps or media department - but for the price it's a decent handset. 6. HTC Desire C OS: Android Ice Cream Sandwich The lowest specced model of the HTC range is the HTC Desire C. This might seem a little odd, given that the Desire range was once the jewel in the HTC crown. The big selling point of the HTC Desire C is the low price, so you might forgive the 600MHz processor, or the HVGA 3.5-inch screen. Looking at it though, you'd fool just about everyone as the HTC Desire C looks like a high end device. It's not got the grunt or the clout of the new One Series, but the big advantage the Desire C has over the competition is the addition of HTC Sense, an overlay which supercharges the device compared to the boring stock Android. 5. HTC 8X OS: Windows Phone 8 The recent Windows Phone 8 launch means that new devices such as the brightly coloured HTC 8X are the hot topic of conversation. The HD display with 342ppi easily matches the iPhone for clarity, and the dual-core 1.5GHz processor powers WP8 along with aplomb. Like the One X, it doesn't come with microSD support, which is a little frustrating given that this is now supported by WP8. However, it's a strong handset with a number of top features, including Beats Audio and a dedicated internal amplifier... plus we're digging the alternative design. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/which-is-the-best-htc-phone-693744 |
What happened to Trumps Syria withdrawal? | Sign up for the Todays WorldView newsletter. Last month, President Trump stunned his allies and possibly his own advisers by announcing the imminent withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. Critics feared Trump was playing into the hands of Russia and Iran; others lamented what they saw as yet another American betrayal of Kurds in the region. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned in protest, and the top State Department official responsible for the campaign against the Islamic State angrily sped up his departure from his post. But its now far from clear when or even if the panic-inducing drawdown will take place. Trump seemed chastened by the backlash in Washington and extended his initial 30-day deadline for the pullout to four months. Administration officials have since muddied the waters further, briefing reporters that there is no timeline for withdrawal whatsoever. Getting out of Syria was no surprise. Ive been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home & rebuild. #MAGA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018 Were pulling out of Syria, Trump said Sunday, before offering a significant caveat. But ... we wont be finally pulled out until ISIS is gone. At the heart of the chaos is a clear split within the White House. Trump, who espouses a kind of nationalist isolationism, is keen on disentangling the United States from costly military adventures that offer him minimal political returns at home. Unlike many Republican wonks in Washington, Trump was never interested in removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power. In December, he perfunctorily declared that the Islamic State had been defeated despite mountains of evidence to the contrary and said it was largely the responsibility of Turkey and other Arab countries to carry on the fight. Leading hawks in Washington, including key figures within the administration, see things much differently. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, national security adviser John Bolton and Trumps special envoy to Syria, former diplomat James Jeffrey, all argue that U.S. military involvement in Syria is aimed not just at defeating Islamist militants but also at countering Iranian influence in Syria. A U.S. official told The Washington Post that Trump never personally endorsed this strategy, and the president has publicly hinted as much. During a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump offhandedly remarked that Irans leadership can do what they want in Syria. The top brass in the Pentagon, meanwhile, is hardly convinced that the Islamic State has been defeated. Military officials have voiced deep reservations about the speedy departure at a moment when the extremists, though severely weakened, remain a potent threat and Turkey continues to prioritize its fight against the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it considers part of a Kurdish terrorist group, over the battle against the Islamic State, my colleagues reported. Leaving tomorrow for Israel & Turkey to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, how we will work with allies & partners to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, stand fast with those who fought with us against ISIS, & counter Iranian malign behavior in the region. 1/2 John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) January 4, 2019 This week, senior administration officials are jetting around the Middle East in a bid to assuage allies that the White House is still committed to their security interests. But so far, theyre mostly betraying the discord within the administration over what comes next. Pompeo, a vocal advocate of the anti-Iran strategy, will make an eight-country swing through all six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman as well as Egypt and Jordan. He will try to present a united front despite the White Houses increasingly incoherent approach to the region. "The counter-Iran campaign continues, Pompeo told right-wing outlet Newsmax on Thursday. Well do all of those things. We will simply do it at a time when the American forces have departed Syria. Bolton, meanwhile, was in Israel over the weekend and will later head to Turkey, where hell be accompanied by Jeffrey the Syria envoy and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Seemingly contradicting Trump, Bolton told reporters that no withdrawal from Syria will take place until the Islamist militants are fully defeated and Turkey guarantees the safety of Syrian Kurdish units allied with the United States but considered terrorist enemies by Ankara. "There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal, Bolton said. The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement. The facts on the ground suggest the timetable will be rather open-ended. The diplomatic wrangling with Turkey which has vowed a military operation against Kurdish units across its southern border may prove to be deeply complicated. A security guarantee for the Syrian Kurds could just be a new unobtainable condition, tweeted Faysal Itani of the Atlantic Council. Seeing their options dwindling, the main Syrian Kurdish armed faction has opened talks with the Assad regime, requesting military support from Damascus against a potential Turkish offensive. Hawks in the Washington establishment have cheered Trumps apparent about-face. I think this is the reality setting in that you got to plan this out, said Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), telling CBSs Face the Nation that the bottom line here is we want to make sure we get this right, that ISIS doesnt come back. And I applaud the president for reevaluating what hes doing. ... He has a goal in mind of reducing our presence. I share that goal. Lets just do it smartly. But others see the latest changes as more evidence of an administration conflicted and confused about its agenda overseas. Bolton got way out ahead of the policy, and its his job to understand what the president wants, Robert Ford, a former U.S. ambassador in Syria, said to my colleagues. When the president is nervous or cautious about something, its the NSCs job to relay that back to State and the Pentagon, and warn them not to go too far. Sign up for the Todays WorldView newsletter. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/01/07/what-happened-trumps-syria-withdrawal/ |
Could Liverpools Nabil Fekir transfer plans be DERAILED by Chelsea? | Nabil Fekir will be out of contract at the end of next season and the Lyon star has shown little sign of signing a new deal. Liverpool been mentioned most often as his next destination and the 25-year-old came very close to agreeing a move last summer. However, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is reportedly still keen to lure the playmaker to Anfield and has been backed to do so this month. SkyBet make Liverpool the favourites to sign Fekir during the January transfer window at odds of 15/8. But Klopp isnt the only manager reported to be interested in the Frenchman. Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is also said to be an admirer of Fekir and SkyBet have priced a move to Stamford Bridge at 6/1, making the Blues second favourites behind Liverpool. The Lyon star was curiously omitted from his teams clash with Bourges Foot in the Coupe de France over the weekend, ramping up speculation that a move away is imminent. He has been priced at 5/4 by SkyBet to leave the French outfit before the transfer deadline. Lyon president Jean-Michael Aulas is still holding his ground, though, and wants to ensure that if he does leave before then, the club receive full value. Liverpool are still believed to be chasing Nabil Fekir Liverpool make face competition for Nabil Fekir from Chelsea Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness told Sky Sports after the Reds first league defeat of the season to Manchester City that they are still missing a player like Fekir. I think its plain that Jurgen sees thats an area that he needs to strengthen, Souness said. "He signed two and tried to get Fekir from Lyon. That would have been three midfield players he would have got from the start of the season, [but] they didnt get him." Liverpool and Chelsea target Nabil Fekir in action for Lyon | https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1068076/Liverpool-transfer-news-Nabil-Fekir-Chelsea-transfer-odds |
Is Amazon's Kindle Fire 2 on the way? | A successor to the Kindle Fire may not be too far off While the outside world panic-buys pasties, we've got greater things on our minds: new stuff! For tech fans the last week's been like Christmas: we've been inundated with exciting new things. The most obviously exciting shiny new thing is the Techradar website itself, which has been completely redesigned - and we mean redesigned in a "Windows 8 Metro" way, not a "New Apple TV user interface" way. As Editor Paul Douglas explains, "There was a lot of content on the old site, but finding it wasn't always that simple." Now, it is. The Techradar site is faster, cleaner and can get even the most stubborn stains out of your clothes at just thirty degrees. We're not the only shiny thing that's got people excited this week. The new Sony Alpha e57 camera is looking pretty tasty, as is the new Nikon D800. As Amy Davies says, the D800 is "probably one of the most highly anticipated DSLRs, and most widely rumoured cameras, of the past few months". Now it's finally official we've got one squirrelled away in our labs, and Davies has been uploading stacks of images as well as a video run-down for your excitement and delightment. New Apple TV reviewed There's also a new and shiny Apple thing: the new Apple TV, which our Apple expert Graham Barlow looked at until his eyes went boggly. That, er, distinctive interface aside, it looks like the new Apple TV is a pretty solid bit of kit, but he was honest about its shortcomings: if you've got other Apple kit it's a handy thing to have - "at this price you should really consider getting one because it integrates wonderfully with your current setup", but "for everyone else, even with the addition of 1080p HD, there's no compelling reason to buy an Apple TV over other media streamers right now." New Apple TV: reviewed and rated Meanwhile Apple's arch-enemy Amazon is up to something: instead of a Kindle Fire 2, it seems the retail giant intends to launch a Kindle Fire 2, a Kindle Fire 2 and -- wait for it -- a Kindle Fire 2. That's what the latest reports suggest, anyway: the firm is apparently working on three Kindle tablets for three different price points. The cheapie gets an 800 x 600 seven inch display, the mid-range one a 1,280 x 800 seven-incher and the top-end one an 8.9inch, full HD 1,920 x 1,200 screen. No other details have leaked just yet, but they will sooner or later. While it hasn't exactly set the world on fire, 20th Century Fox says it's going to be a big deal - which is why it hasn't provided any content to the service. "We have been working on UltraViolet since the beginning, and we view it as a very serious work in progress," the studio's Danny Kaye said. "We want to make sure that [it] is as good as it can be." There's something of a chicken and egg scenario here, we reckon: Fox won't provide the content until the service is better and more widely supported, but the more content it has the better and more widely supported it will become. As Marc Chacksfield reports, the Fox executive vice president just wants to see a few tweaks: "the improvements that need to be made are everything from how UltraViolet works [to] the support it has been given." In other words, it's absolutely brilliant and every aspect of it needs to be changed. While Fox isn't currently providing content, Sony is: its first UK UltraViolet discs will ship in June. Meanwhile Dixons says UltraViolet is here to stay. Senior category manager Gary Hearns told us that the entire retail industry is behind the service. "This thing is not going to disappear in 12-18 months. This is permanent," he said. Dixons, you may recall, told us that HD-DVD's future hadn't been decided when everybody and their dog were dumping it back in 2008. To be honest, we didn't recall it either: we used Techradar.com's new, improved search system. We told you the new site was good. | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/world-of-tech/is-amazon-s-kindle-fire-2-on-the-way-1074358 |
Will Gadkari emerge as consensus candidate if 2019 mandate is hung? | India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Jan 7: The bittersweet relation between the Shiv Sena and the BJP has taken an interesting turn with the latter hinting that it may back Nitin Gadkari as consensus candidate if 2019 Lok Sabha elections verdict is hung. For that matter even Gadkari has been making statements which is making the BJP's top brass uncomfortable. Some reports also suggest that Gadkari not only has a strong backing of the RSS but also shares good relations with several regional parties that could make the difference in 2019. He is a staunch RSS leader, but does not reflect the rigidity and the arrogance that has come to be associated with the current leadership. The Shiv Sena that is currently speaking out against Modi and Shah, is more favourably inclined towards Gadkari. Also Read | If there is no tie-up, BJP will defeat ex-allies: Amit Shah in Maharashtra Shiv Sena did not say it directly that it would back Gadkari but dropped hints by saying that Gadkari, who was denied a second term as the BJP president in 2009, is waiting for the hung Lok Sabha of 2019. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut wrote in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' that the country is heading for a fractured mandate and prime minister Narendra Modi is responsible for it. He also blasted PM Modi for wasting the 2014 mandate and added that "Modi's larger-than-life image has lost the shine now." "The country is heading for a fractured mandate and prime minister Narendra Modi is responsible for it," he said, adding that the full mandate Modi won in 2014 was "an opportunity wasted". Raut wrote that in 2014 there was a wave in Modi's support as voters were determined to defeat the Congress, but "the picture has changed today". "Modi's larger-than-life image has lost the shine now. Rahul Gandhi's leadership is not as towering as Modi's but he has gained importance as people are disappointed with the current government," the Sena MP said. "While senior leaders in the BJP are worried about its possible poor performance in coming elections, Nitin Gadkari's statements are an indication of which way the winds are blowing. A leader like Gadkari has equal acceptance in the RSS as well as among other BJP leaders," Raut said. "Political conspiracies were hatched to deny Gadkari a second term when he was the BJP president (from 2009 to 2013)," he claimed. "He also faced several allegations in Purti group scam and a second term was denied to him. That memory still rankles with Gadkari," Raut said. "Gadkari is now waiting for the hung Lok Sabha of 2019," Raut added, suggesting, indirectly, that in that case the Union minister could become the consensus candidate for the top post. | https://www.oneindia.com/india/will-gadkari-emerge-as-consensus-candidate-if-2019-mandate-is-hung-2832979.html?utm_source=/rss/news-india-fb.xml&utm_medium=23.50.225.204&utm_campaign=client-rss |
What is proper flag etiquette? | Dear Heloise: I'm confused by "FLAG ETIQUETTE." My husband said that when lowering or raising the Stars and Stripes, it should never touch the ground. -- Stephanie F., Waynesboro, Miss. Stephanie, in this country, the American flag should be hoisted briskly. It should be lowered slowly and gathered and folded before it touches the ground. When displayed with other flags, it should be raised first and lowered last. -- Heloise GREASE DISPOSAL Dear Heloise: I saw the article about grease in drains. I am a maintenance man in a mobile home park, and I've had to replace many drain lines due to this very fact. I'm talking about every inch of drain line. It makes no difference what temperature the water happens to be, the grease will, in time, build up and turn as hard as concrete. Put grease in the refrigerator overnight, and the next day dispose of it in the trash -- NOT the drain. -- Russell K., Yucaipa, Calif. SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise P.O. Box 795001 San Antonio, TX 78279-5001 Fax: 1-210-HELOISE Email: [email protected] LEAD CRYSTAL SAFETY Dear Heloise: I have two beautiful crystal decanters. I've been told that it isn't safe. -- Barbara in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Barbara, do NOT store any alcohol or juice in a lead crystal decanter. If you drink from lead crystal glasses, pour from the bottle, not a decanter. If you want to use your decanters when you have company over for dinner, pour the wine into the decanters, and after the dinner, pour the leftover alcohol back into its original bottle. There will be very little leaching of lead into your drinks, unless you leave the alcohol in there more than a few hours. Within 24 hours, there can be considerable lead leaching. -- Heloise OUTDATED PRODUCTS Dear Heloise: I can never remember when I bought a product, so on a small piece of paper I write the date of purchase, then tape it to the product. This worked so well that I began doing the same thing to items like my computer, coffee maker and other appliances. -- Pauline K., Moorestown, N.J. OLD MEASUREMENTS Dear Heloise: I have a very old cookbook that calls for things like 1 ounce of butter, or 1 pound of flour, or 1 pound of sugar. -- Gail N., Waterloo, Iowa Gail, 1 ounce of butter is 2 tablespoons. A pound of sifted flour is 4 cups, and a pound of sugar is 2 1/2 cups. -- Heloise EARTH FACTS Dear Readers: Earth is the only planet not named after a god or goddess. The rotation of Earth is slowing down, and our planet, according to scientists, is about 4.6 billion years old. -- Heloise | http://www.hutchnews.com/news/20190104/what-is-proper-flag-etiquette |
Is Peruzzi shading Soundcity over awards night? | The recently held Soundcity MVP awards have continued to receive buzz even though it looks like one of the nominees of the night, Peruzzi might be shading them over his inability to pick an award. It would be recalled that the rising music star was among the nominees for the 'Best New Act' category which he lost to Teni The Entertainer. It looks like it didn't go down well with him as he took to his Twitter page on Sunday, January 6, 2019, where he tweeted about being the hardest working new artist in the country. "Personally, I'd say I worked the hardest last year than any other new act, same way I made more money than any other new act in the country. There's a way I see myself, it's MY race, there's a way I'm running it. Focus on yours. Facts over hype. It's really simple," he tweeted. However, Peruzzi has since taken down the tweet. We leave you guys to be the judge and jury as to if this tweet is actually true or Peruzzi had his emotions taking over judgment. Just in case you missed out, the 2018 Soundcity MVP awards saw some of your favourite celebrities grab awards for the various categories of the night and the biggest winner of the night was Burna Boy who went home with four awards. SoundCity MVP Awards Festival 2018: Burna wins big, Teni is Best New Artist at third edition Burna Boy enjoyed a huge night at the SoundCity MVP Awards festival 2018, picking up four awards including the prestigious African Artist of the year. At the awards which went down on Saturday, January 5, 2018, Burna Boy expectedly made a big impression winning awards in major categories: 'Listeners Choice', Song of the Year, Best Male MVP and African Artist of the year' off the back of his smashing single, 'Ye.' Despite starting hours behind its scheduled time, the awards pulled off a befitting spectacle as before a gathering of music lovers and a constellation of stars. The event which was held at the Convention centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, began with a red carpet which preceded the main awards and as custom with the event, the organizers ran a live feed via its cable and online channels for viewers from home to be a part of the event. After a fairly lengthy delay, the award finally commenced with a line up of flowing opening performance from a number of artists. From hypeman, Do2dtun who brought his unique energy on stage to performances from Idowest, Slimcase, Mz Kizz, Oladips, Chinko Ekun whose backup dancers dressed in flowing white Agbada [Traditional wear] caused a stir as they dance to 'Able God' to Naira Marley performing 'Issa Goal', Kida Kudz, Skibbi, Mystro and 'Wetin We Gain' singer, Victor AD, kicking off an incredible night. | https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/is-peruzzi-shading-soundcity-over-awards-night/8v0gk2c |
Should Investors Like Bristol-Myers' Buyout of Celgene? | The first big merger of the year has arrived, in the form of a deal for Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to swallow Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG). The two are of a similar size -- both massive, and both S&P 100 components, so the combination will have some serious weight. But as so often happens when such M&A events are unveiled, the buyer's share price took a dive. However, as MarketFoolery host Chris Hill and MFAM Funds' Bill Barker discuss in this segment of the podcast, that's not just because analysts are worried that the $74 billion price tag it put on the biotechnology giant was too high. Continue Reading Below A full transcript follows the video. 10 stocks we like better than WalmartWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market. * David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Walmart wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of November 14, 2018The author(s) may have a position in any stocks mentioned. Advertisement This video was recorded on Jan. 3, 2019. Chris Hill: The deal of the day is Celgene and Bristol-Myers. Bristol-Myers, one of the big pharma companies, buying Celgene, one of the big biotech companies, to the tune of $74 billion. Bill Barker: Yes, I am. Full disclosure. Hill: Here's what you're going to get in this deal. You're going to get one share of Bristol-Myers stock. You're also going to get $50 in cash for every share of Celgene. Barker: I guess I feel better than I did before the day it started, in terms of Celgene, which has had a rough go of it. Bristol-Myers is selling off quite a bit. I and other shareholders will be getting that share of Bristol-Myers, if we want to keep it, as well as the $50 in cash if the deal goes through. I don't have any reason to believe that it won't. But time will tell. Some things do fall apart. Hill: It's expected to close in the third quarter. Barker: Yeah, and we're just at the beginning of the first quarter. There's plenty of time for events to supersede. Hill: As they say in sports, there's plenty of time to blow this lead. Barker: Well, it's not that much of a lead. Bristol-Myers is down quite a bit. The market doesn't like what Bristol-Myers has done seemingly, which is understandable from the traditional metric, which is an acquiring company's shares go down and the acquired company's shares go up. That's what's happening. For the last couple of years, you saw that pattern broken a lot, where the acquirer was going up no matter what. Everybody liked everything in the stock market. But we're seeing, first of all, a day in which there's a certain amount of pessimism in the market. I think that Bristol-Myers is pretty interesting at the price that it's going for right now. Hill: Bristol-Myers, to put some numbers around it, the stock is down about 12% today on this news. Celgene up 25%. I was talking with Shannon Jones, one of the hosts of our Industry Focus podcast. She hosts the Wednesday episode, which is about Healthcare. If you're not already listening to that podcast, definitely check it out. Next Wednesday, Shannon's definitely going to be talking about this deal, and probably talking about it in a way with far greater intelligence than you and I are talking about it. Barker: Oh, easy. That's damning with faint praise. Hill: [laughs] So, I was chatting with her before. And I said, "Is what we're seeing with Bristol-Myers the traditional," as you indicated, "they're the acquiring company, maybe some people think they spent a little too much money and that's why the stock is down?" She said she thought that was part of it, but also, Bristol-Myers had been languishing on its own, and there were some who thought that Pfizer might be making a bid to buy Bristol-Myers. Some of what we're probably seeing with Bristol-Myers selling off today is the "you paid too much," and some of it is, "I was hoping you guys were going to get bought." Barker: Yeah. "You paid too much," "we hate stocks today," and "now Pfizer isn't going to overpay for you, so we're out of here." Hill: Some people would say those three factors make up a perfect storm. Barker: Yeah, idiots are the ones who would say that. Hill: Yeah. Barker: The whole Harry Potter thing has undermined the attractiveness of that. Hill: Yes. In the Harry Potter universe, a squib is a person born of magical parents, but they do not have magical abilities. Barker: You do have that right. Hill: OK. So, yes, I think you're right, in part because some people on Twitter today were already starting to throw out polls in terms of like, "Bristol-Myers Squibb is buying Celgene. Should it be CelSquibb?" CelSquibb, I don't think that was getting many votes. Barker: No. Bristol-Meyers-Celgene... I don't know. I don't care. [laughs] I've got my share of Bristol-Myers to deal with now. What is the branding going to look like?" Barker: Oh, yeah. Money is being spent. And if they get it wrong, you will be there to kick them in the teeth for a long time. Hill: I and others. [laughs] If we do anything on this podcast, it's take shots at people who really blow it when it comes to branding. Barker: Yeah. You've won a few of those battles. Hill: We had a couple of victories. Certainly with Tronc. The people who came up with Tronc saw the error of their ways and went back to Tribune Media. Good for them. Hill: Nope. They also saw the error of their ways. Even more quickly than the Tronc people did. They went with Verizon Media. Barker: What's No. Hill: I don't know. We'll see what these people come up with. Bill Barker is an employee of MFAM Funds, a separate, sister company of The Motley Fool, LLC. The views of Bill Barker and MFAM Funds are not the views of The Motley Fool, LLC, and should not be taken as such. Bill Barker has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Chris Hill has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Celgene and Twitter. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/should-investors-like-bristol-myers-buyout-of-celgene |
How will Oliver Burke's Celtic loan move work out? | Keith Jackson: That will depend entirely on his approach. Burke has bags of pace and ability but theres a reason his career has stalled and its all to do with his attitude. He has to realise how lucky he is to be given this chance and be prepared to knuckle down and make the most of it. Gordon Parks: Hit or miss category for a talent who hasnt come close to realising the potential of a few years ago. It will require a mentality change and an ability to cope with being a Celtic player. The jury is still out on both counts. (Image: SNS Group) Anthony Haggerty: Having made two big-money moves the lad obviously possesses quality and potential. Brendan Rodgers may feel he just needs the stage to play regular football and be in a place where he feels loved. If thats the case then this could work out well for him and Celtic. Michael Gannon: Its a huge opportunity for Burke. There has been plenty of talk about his ability for years but he now needs to show it. Celtic are taking a gamble but the success of the move will purely be down to the player. (Image: AFC Bournemouth) KJ: That will be a fascinating one. Steven Gerrard will either have to alter his system to accommodate Defoe and Alfredo Morelos or pick one over the other on a game-by-game basis. The second option is probably the most likely. GP: It will be a straight fight between the Englishman and Morelos for the central striking role. Defoes penalty-box instincts will be well served by Gerrards tendency to play with width and it should be a recipe for success. AH: He may be 36 but Defoe will bring a wealth of experience and goals to Rangers. Once a predator always a predator. This could prove to be the shrewdest piece of January transfer business ever if Defoe can fire Gers to the Premiership title. MG: Its a tricky one as Defoe is often at his best as part of a front two. Gerrard might need to rethink his set-up as Morelos is undroppable after his start to the season. We might see Rangers going to a 3-5-2 in the second half of the season. Our officials are not always up to scratch and the recent standard has been bafflingly poor. But theres an ugly, frenzied feel to the abuse and, in the cases of Willie Collum and John Beaton, thats based upon innuendos endorsed by club statements. It has to stop. GP: Yes. The standard of officiating hasnt been great for a long time in Scottish football but the conspiracy theories and hate campaigns are a disgrace. AH: They have been truly appalling this season for all clubs. VAR would certainly help the men in black who are under immense pressure. But it is no coincidence we have reached meltdown with Rangers and Celtics heavy criticism. Lets hope the SFA summit provides some answers. MG: Some of the reactions from clubs have been over the top. These statements are often political to divert attention away from issues closer to home. But there is no escaping the fact our whistlers and the entire SFA judicial system have had a nightmare this term. (Image: SNS Group) KJ: Ross County remain in pole position despite the defeat at Morton. They also have the financial muscle required to bring in reinforcements if required. Ayr United were arguably the team of 2018 but catching the Highlanders might be one miracle too many for manager Ian McCall. GP: Its now a three-horse race with Ross Countys depth of squad and experience just about edging it over Dundee United and Ayr but its going to be a fascinating final charge. In McCall, the Honest Men have a manager who could guide his team to the title. AH: Its shaping up to be an absolute cracker as the top teams slit each others throats. I still believe Robbie Neilsons Tangerines will come good at the right time. MG: Its wide open. Ayr have been superb but Ross County have a strong squad and are likely to tool up again this month. United have shown signs of progress under Neilson and youd fancy them to kick on again during the run-in. Its going to be an exciting race for the line. | https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-oliver-burkes-celtic-loan-13821019 |
Will Adam Schiff pose a bigger threat to Trump than Robert Mueller? | New chairman of the House intelligence committee leads pack of antagonists as he plans to investigate the details of Trumps businesses, his lenders, and his partners in the US and abroad Not long after Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel, Donald Trump declared it would be a violation for the investigation to touch the Trump Organization or his family finances. Pressed on whether he would fire Mueller if that line were crossed, Trump said: I cant answer that question because I dont think its going to happen. Trump aides may be in legal jeopardy as Democrats give evidence to Mueller Read more Now, it looks like it is going to happen. But the public face of the investigation of Trumps finances wont be Mueller. Leading the charge will be someone Trump cannot fire: California representative Adam Schiff, newly installed chairman of the House intelligence committee and a former federal prosecutor himself. With Democrats having taken over the House, Trump faces a pack of potential antagonists. Newly installed chairs are ramping up plans to scrutinize corruption inside the Trump administration, investigate alleged attempts to profit from the presidency, and to review policies such as family border separations. But most threatening for Trump personally might be the investigations led by Schiff, who has said he plans to drive directly at an area the president has sought to fence off: the details of his businesses, his lenders, and his partners in the US and abroad. First and foremost, I would say that we need to get to the bottom of anything that could warp our national security policy in a way that is antithetical to the interest of the country, Schiff told the Lawfare podcast. So anything that has a continuing ability to influence the actions of the president, we need to know, as policymakers, to protect the country. One of the issues that has continued to concern me are the persistent allegations that the Trumps, when they couldnt get money from US banks, were laundering Russian money. If that is true, that would be more powerful compromise than any salacious video tape or any aborted Trump tower deal. Schiff might break new ground by using his power to subpoena documents from banks, phone companies or other sources, said Andy Wright, a former counsel to the House oversight committee and founding editor of the Just Security blog. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Robert Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election, and links between the Trump campaign and Moscow. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni/CQ-Roll Call,Inc. I think that theres actually going to be quite a bit of fruitful evidence turned up, Wright said. I dont know what the evidence is, whether its going to be incriminating or not. But I dont think that the sort of conventional wisdom, that Trumps just going to drag his feet or strike a warlike posture, is going to be that effective, because the smart investigators arent going to go directly at him. Theyre going to go to third parties first. One of the first matters he plans to investigate, Schiff told NBC last month, is the Trump Organizations relationship with Deutsche Bank, for a time reportedly Trumps exclusive lender, which was fined $700m in 2017 for allowing money laundering. The concern about Deutsche Bank is that they have a history of laundering Russian money, Schiff said. And this, apparently, was the one bank that was willing to do business with the Trump Organization. If this is a form of compromise, it needs to be exposed. A graduate of Stanford and Harvard, Schiff, 58, began his career as an assistant US attorney in the Los Angeles district, where he successfully prosecuted Richard Miller, the first FBI agent to be convicted of espionage. As a young politician, Schiff was cultivated by Nancy Pelosi, then head of Californias congressional delegation, now, again, speaker of the House. Schiff is a triathlete, a screenwriter and a vegan. He also likes to go on television, where he has caught the attention of the president, who last year responded to a critique with a tweet mocking the congressmans last name and floating a misleading notion about the statute governing the special counsel: Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) So funny to see little Adam Schitt (D-CA) talking about the fact that Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker was not approved by the Senate, but not mentioning the fact that Bob Mueller (who is highly conflicted) was not approved by the Senate! While Schiff has shown he can fire back at Trump, he will need to steer clear of such partisan warfare to be an effective committee chairman, said Jamil N Jaffer, founder of the National Security Institute at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and a former senior counsel to the committee Schiff now leads. Schiff has an opportunity now to try and change that tone, because as the chairman he can set the tone, Jaffer said. Well see if hes able to do that successfully. Were in a very nasty environment in Washington DC right now. The atmosphere is poisonous after the 2016 election. Everyone has a responsibility to get past that. Schiff will use subpoena powers if Trump quashes final Mueller report Read more Schiff takes over a committee that has been badly tarnished in the eyes of the public and, significantly, in the regard of the intelligence community. Under Devin Nunes, a Trump confidant who served on the transition team, the committee raised hackles by releasing classified material describing scrutiny of a former Trump aide. Schiff has called the episode a spectacular breach of a compact we have with the intelligence community and said were going to have to restore that. If the committee does its job in the right manner, it shouldnt be antagonistic to any particular president or the executive branch generally, Jaffer said. It should be doing good, effective oversight. Under Nunes, the committee ended conversations with the special counsels office about what witnesses might be called and other matters. Schiff has said he will restore that communication. On Sunday, he told CNN the committee would be handing over transcripts of closed-door testimony, something Republican leaders did not do and which could place in jeopardy Trump aides including Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Roger Stone. But the role of Congress is fundamentally different from the special counsels job, Schiff told Lawfare, especially given concerns that a report issued by Mueller might in some way be suppressed in a justice department run by Whitaker, apparently a staunch Trump loyalist. I think ultimately it will fall on Congress to make sure that the American people will get to hear the full story, Schiff said. Either through our own investigation or Bob Muellers or a combination of both. The American people have the right to know, and I think in many cases the need to know, what happened. | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/07/trump-robert-mueller-adam-schiff-investigations |
Is McCullum feeling the Heat after going one summer too long? | You have to wonder if New Zealand master blaster Brendon McCullum will play on beyond this summer as his lean run continues in the Big Bash. Now 37, McCullum has posted just 30 runs in four innings for the Brisbane Heat. The big-hitting Kiwi was one of the most destructive short-form players on the planet in his prime, but just last month failed to attract a bid for the lucrative Indian Premier League after a mixed performance in the T10 League in Dubai. Out of sorts: Brendon McCullum has made just 30 in four digs with Brisbane. Credit:AAP McCullum made 30 runs in four innings last summer for the Heat, but did come into the competition on the back of several injuries, and juggled commentary commitments with then-BBL broadcaster Channel Ten. To prove he was determined to give himself every chance to make his mark in Australia this year, McCullum passed on the chance to commentate, and also appreciated being spared the Heat captaincy. | https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/is-mccullum-feeling-the-heat-after-going-one-summer-too-long-20190107-p50pz1.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed |
Has Pia Miranda cut ties with Alibrandi co-star Matthew Newton? | Last month, Australian actress Pia Miranda marked the 20th anniversary of the iconic film Looking for Alibrandi, by sharing a touching tribute. Taking to Instagram, she shared a picture of the script from the movie, and wrote: 'it does fill me with joy that it is still a film that means so much to people.' While she tagged her co-stars Kick Gurry and Leeanna Walsman, Matthew Newton was missing from her gushing tribute. Actress shares post celebrating 20 year anniversary of the film but doesn't mention the troubled actor According to Woman's Day on Monday, the former pals, who both found fame in the low-budget teen drama, had 'a huge falling out over his violent behaviour.' Back in 2006, Pia, 45, voiced her support for the actor and filmmaker after he was charged and convicted with assaulting former girlfriend Brooke Satchwell. At the time, she told media: 'Matthew has expresses his deep regret to me...and I believe he has learned from his mistake.' Way back then: According to the latest issue of Woman's Day, the former pals, who both found fame in the low-budget teen drama, had 'a huge falling out over his violent behaviour.' Gushing: Taking to Instagram to share a picture of the script from the movie, she wrote in the lengthy post, 'it fill me with joy that it is still a film that means so much to people. I collected some pretty fine people along the way,' tagging actors Kick Gurry and Leeanna Walsman The actress even went so far as to provide character references in the case against the embattled son of Bert and Patti Newton. But after actress Rachael Taylor took out an AVO against Matthew in 2010 after accusing him of physical assault, a source close to Pia revealed she no longer wanted to be 'associated' with him. 'It doesn't make sense for Pia to associate with someone like Matthew,' the insider told Woman's Day. Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment. Back in 2007, Pia, 45 voiced her support for the actor and filmmaker after he was charged and convicted with assaulting former girlfriend Brooke Satchwell. At the time, she said: 'Matthew has expresses his deep regret to me...and I believe he has learned from his mistake.' They're pictured at the 2009 Sydney Film Festival Since finding fame, Pia has starred in a string of homegrown TV series including The Secret Life of Us, All Saints and most recently in Wentworth. She married longtime partner, Luke Hannigan, lead singer of the Australian band Lo-Tel, in 2001 and the couple share two children, Lily, seven and James, 4. Meanwhile Matthew, 41 suffered a major career setback last year after being forced to withdraw as director of Jessica Chastain's new movie, Eve. Arrest: Matthew was arrested for the alleged physical assault of his former partner Brooke Satchwell in 2006. The former couple are pictured in May 2003 in Melbourne In response to a social media backlash, the actor and writer released a statement in October, saying he wishes to do the right thing and take responsibility for his problems. 'I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past,' he said. Stepping back: Last year, Matthew officially withdrew from directing Eve, a highly-anticipated Hollywood film starring Jessica Chastain (pictured) 'I can never undo the harm that I've caused the people I've cared about and I carry that shame and responsibility with me every day.' Newton, who suffers from bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, went on to explain that he's been seeking treatment for his issues. Actress Rachael Taylor took out an AVO against Matthew in 2010 after accusing him of physical assault. The former couple are pictured in Sydney in 2009 | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6563923/Has-Pia-Miranda-cut-ties-Alibrandi-star-Matthew-Newton.html |
Has the Trump administration spent only 6 percent of border money? | "The 2017/2018 budgets gave (President Donald) Trump billions for border upgrades. Hes spent ALMOST NONE of it. 6%." As the parties battle over border funding the fight that prompted the government shutdown that began Dec. 22, 2018 the 6 percent figure has become a Democratic talking point. "There are a million reasons why $5B for a wall is a ludicrous demand to shut down the government over," tweeted Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., on Dec. 23. "But heres maybe the best one: the 2017/2018 budgets gave Trump billions for border upgrades. Hes spent ALMOST NONE of it. 6%. How about spending the money you have first?" There are a million reasons why $5B for a wall is a ludicrous demand to shut down the government over. But heres maybe the best one: the 2017/2018 budgets gave Trump billions for border upgrades. Hes spent ALMOST NONE of it. 6%. Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 23, 2018 However, the 6 percent figure isnt the only way to look at this question nor is it necessarily the best one, experts say. The accuracy of Murphys statement boils down to how to measure federal outlays. When Congress passes spending bills, it gives that money to a federal agency. The agency, in turn, does the preparatory work to get a particular project accomplished. As it turns out, the choice of measurement makes a big difference. Where the figure came from The 6 percent figure first emerged from Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee. (Our friends at the Washington Post Fact Checker awarded his statement Three Pinocchios.) Leahys minority staff issued a news release Dec. 10 that said in part, "Over the last two years, Congress has provided nearly $1.7 billion to build or replace fencing on the southern border, but the administration has hardly spent any of that money, and the projects it has undertaken have ballooned in cost. So far, only 6 percent of those funds have been spent. Six." (For emphasis, the news release put "Six" in bold type.) According to the committee, Customs and Border Protection reported in late November that the total enacted funds for this purpose in 2017 and 2018 were $1,716,066,065. Of that, $1,602,675,723 was obligated, and $108,695,342 was formally spent. So, expenditures did amount to about 6 percent of the funds that Congress enacted, as Leahys news release said. But if you use the other data point, about 93 percent of those funds were obligated. Consider this analogy: You go to the dry cleaners and bring in a couple of suits. By handing over the suits to the cleaner, youve committed to paying the cost, even if you havent forked over the money yet. Steve Ellis, a veteran federal budget expert with the group Taxpayers for Common Sense, told PolitiFact that obligations are a better measurement with construction funds. That doesnt mean you should run with the 93 percent number, either. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman told PolitiFact that 60 percent of the funds have gone so far as to reach the "contract award" stage. This means that "a vendor begins work on the border wall, beginning with design and followed by construction," said spokesman Andrew Meehan. Expenditures happen at a later stage, when a contractor bills the government after the work has been completed, he said. Heres a breakdown of the projects, according to the agency: The fiscal year 2017 enacted appropriations provided $341 million to construct 40 miles of replacement primary pedestrian wall and vehicle barriers in multiple locations across the southwest border. So far, the Army Corps of Engineers has placed nearly $300 million on contracts, and as of Dec. 21, 2018, had completed work on 35 of those 40 miles. The fiscal year 2018 enacted appropriations provided $1.375 billion to construct about 82 miles of new and replacement border barriers in multiple locations across the southwest border. Between March and July 2018, approximately $1.2 billion had been obligated to the Army Corps of Engineers for construction, real estate acquisition, and program management. And by Dec. 31, 2018, the Corps had a little less than $700 million under contract for construction of new and replacement wall system in the Rio Grande Valley, Tucson, Yuma, El Centro and San Diego sectors. An additional $300 million or so is ready to award when the government reopens. Leahys office stood by its initial 6 percent calculation, telling PolitiFact, "The fact is that as of the end of November, only 6 percent of the funds appropriated by Congress for physical barriers along the southern border over the last two years has actually been spent." Murphys office also stood by Leahys calculation. Our ruling Murphy tweeted, "The 2017/2018 budgets gave (President Donald) Trump billions for border upgrades. Hes spent ALMOST NONE of it. 6%." This is a misleading talking point that makes it sound as if Trumps administration is dawdling on the border wall at the center of the government funding dispute. The 6 percent figure refers to actual checks that have been cut. But at this early stage of a multi-year construction project, the more relevant figure is how much money has been committed under contract. Thats about 60 percent 10 times the figure that Murphy and other Democrats have used. The statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression, so we rate it Mostly False. | https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2019/jan/04/chris-murphy/has-trump-administration-spent-only-6-percent-bord/ |
Where does Hong Kong fit in China's future story? | When Deng Xiaoping visited Shenzhen in 1992, he stood at the Huanggang checkpoint and looked at the vast New Territories of Hong Kong for almost nine minutes. The paramount leaders long and lingering gaze was interpreted by many as his longing for the British colonys return to mainland China and its importance to his grand vision of a rising and powerful China. Five years later, Hong Kongs reunification with the mainland was completed, but alas, Deng had passed away in February 1997, five months before the handover. Nonetheless, his desire of an integrated Hong Kong in the future China story has been realised. It is unlikely to be reversed. After Deng launched the reform and opening up policy in 1978, Hong Kong businessmen were the first to inject capitalism into the mainland. By 1985, China was, and has remained, the citys largest trading partner. Hong Kong is also the mainlands third-largest trading partner last year (2017) after the United States and Japan. By last year, half of the 2,100 companies listed on the Hong Kong exchange were from the mainland. Their market capitalisation stood at HK$30.54 trillion. Reform and opening up propelled Hong Kongs economic miracle in the 1980s and 1990s. After reunification, it was even easier for Hong Kong entrepreneurs to invest in China, expanding their footprints significantly in the special economic zones of Guangdong province and beyond. Even though relations between the mainland and Hong Kong are governed by the one country, two systems framework and a promise to leave Hong Kongs capitalism untouched for 50 years, the integration between the two territories has grown closer. A major factor is the resurgence of China as an aspiring global superpower and the worlds second largest economy. Many Chinese cities have overtaken Hong Kong in their development, embracing innovation and the use of technology far more quickly and eagerly. As the mainland continues to grow, Hong Kongs fortune and future will be increasingly tied to Chinas. A key example of this growing fusion between the two is the Greater Bay Area project an area surrounding the Pearl River Delta. The Chinese government wants to group 11 cities in the Delta, including Hong Kong and Macau, and those on the mainland like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan and Huizhou, into a region with an economic output of about US$1.4 trillion. The area is Asias largest and most populous urban area, having overtaken the Tokyo Bay areas population in 2010. It has around 70 million people larger than the United Kingdom and about the size of Thailand. The aim is for the area to have the highest GDP among global bay areas by 2030, leapfrogging Tokyo, New York and San Francisco. Hong Kongs role as a global centre of finance would be enhanced by this hub, connecting it to the bustling mainland cities of high-value-added manufacturing, innovation and technology. The Greater Bay Area is part of the larger Belt and Road Initiative by Beijing, a massive and ambitious global trade and infrastructure project. These hold huge promise for Hong Kong in a century expected to be led by China. As the worlds focus pivots increasingly towards China, Hong Kong is primed to benefit from it, creating opportunities for it to bolster its reputation as a global commercial hub. Despite misgivings from segments of the Hong Kong population towards growing integration with the mainland, China has been unequivocal about the importance of Hong Kong in its future. As the city inches towards the halfway mark of the 50 years of one country, two systems in 2022, Deng would be pleased at how far Hong Kong has re-entered the China story. | https://www.scmp.com/presented/news/china/topics/china-conference/article/2180737/where-does-hong-kong-fit-chinas-future |
Was bedeutet Allahu akbar? | Weil der 22-jhrige Orhan E. einen Bekannten mit den Worten Allahu akbar begrsste, kassierte er dafr eine Busse. Grund: Erregung ffentlichen rgernisses. Dabei handle es sich um eine alltgliche Redewendung, so der trkisch-stmmige Schweizer. Er wolle damit etwas, was er als positiv empfinde, betonen. Ja, der Ausdruck ist eine Erregung ffentlichen rgernisses Nein, damit wird die Religionsfreiheit verletzt Mir macht der Ausdruck zwar etwas Angst, aber eine Busse finde ich bertrieben Ich weiss nicht Gleichzeitig ist Allahu akbar aber auch der Schlachtruf islamischer Terroristen. Erst im Dezember letzten Jahres rief der Angreifer vom Strassburger Weihnachtsmarkt laut Zeugen Allahu akbar. Ebenso der Mann, der in New York an Halloween im Jahr 2017 acht Menschen ttete, sowie der Terrorist von Lttich im Mai 2017 oder die Attentter in Paris 2015 bei ihrem Angriff auf die Redaktion von Charlie Hebdo. Laut der arabischsprachigen Saida Keller-Messahli vom Forum fr einen fortschrittlichen Islam ist allahu Akbar keine Grussformel. Der Ausdruck wird dann verwendet, wenn etwas sehr berraschendes geschehen ist, etwa ein unerwarteter Todesfall. Oder man kann ihn auch vor einem bedeutenden Ereignis aussprechen. Sie vermutet: Weil der 22-Jhrige trkisch-stmmig sei, sei er wahrscheinlich nicht mit dem korrekten Gebrauch im Arabischen vertraut und habe den Ausdruck folglich falsch verwendet. Auch laut dem Islamwissenschaftler Amir Dziri von der Universitt Freiburg ist es nicht besonders blich, sich auf diese Weise zu begrssen. Aber gerade in bestimmten Jugendmilieus werde der Ausdruck vor allem emotional und losgelst von seiner ursprnglichen Verwendung gebraucht. Tatschlich werde Allahu akbar neben seiner Verwendung als Teil der Gebetsliturgie auch umgangssprachlich benutzt. Selbst skulare Muslime verwenden den Ausdruck im Alltag, sagt Dziri. Gott steht ber allem Der Ausdruck ist ein Gummiwort und wird zu ganz unterschiedlichen Zwecken eingesetzt, sagt der preisgekrnte Arabist und bersetzer Hartmut Fhndrich. Wrtlich bersetzt bedeute Allahu akbar Gott ist grsser (als alles andere auf dieser Welt), beziehungsweise Gott ist am grssten. Da in der arabischen Sprache kein Superlativ existiere, werde das Wort akbar je nach Prposition als Komparativ oder Superlativ genutzt. Laut der deutschen Bundeszentrale fr politische Bildung ist Allahu akbar eine von zahlreichen islamischen Formeln, die viele Muslime regelmssig verwenden. Vor allem in Gebeten werde sie hufig gebraucht. Der Ausdruck Allahu akbar wird im arabischen Sprachraum hufig im Alltag benutzt und in verschiedenen Lebenslagen ausgerufen, sagt Fhndrich. Er knne Erstaunen, Begeisterung oder Bestrzung ausdrcken. In der alltglichen Verwendung entspreche er etwa dem Deutschen Oh, mein Gott!. Der Ausdruck werde auch hufig dann eingesetzt, wenn man mit einem Entscheid einer mchtigen Instanz nicht einverstanden sei: Man will damit ausdrcken, dass Gott ber allem steht und er es besser weiss als alle anderen. Man knne damit auch religise berlegenheit ausdrcken. Eine bewusste politische Provokation Islamistische Terroristen, die Allahu akbar brllen, brauchen laut Fhndrich den Ausdruck, um mit Gott ihre brutalen Taten zu rechtfertigen. Der Ausdruck sei auch schon in frherer Zeit als Schlachtruf verwendet worden. In grossen Teilen der islamischen Gesellschaften rege sich Widerstand dagegen, dass die Formel fr blutrnstige Taten verwendet werde. Laut Ulrich Rudolph, Islamwissenschafter an der Universitt Zrich, ist die an sich unverfngliche Gebetsformel auch zu einem Ausdruck der Selbstermchtigung (Ich bin ein grossartiger Muslim) und einer bewussten politischen Provokation geworden. Allahu akbar, das Rudolph mit Gott ist gross bersetzt, sei eine traditionelle Lobpreisung Gottes und unter anderem Teil des islamischen Gebetsrufs. Dass die Formel heute auch gebraucht werde, um sich in expressiver Weise dem (vermeintlichen) Willen Gottes zu unterstellen und die Bereitschaft zum kmpferischen Einsatz dafr zu signalisieren, sei eine neuere Entwicklung, die mit dem Islamismus zu tun habe, der religise Traditionen fr eigene ideologische Zwecke missbrauche. (jk/the/dp) | https://www.20min.ch/schweiz/news/story/Was-bedeutet--Allahu-Akbar---28822675 |
What causes the spectacular bolts of crawler lightning to flash across the sky? | Jackson Browne, meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, Darwin has shed some light on the issue. He said crawler lightning appeared in the upper parts of thunderstorms in the anvil the flat expanse of cloud which spreads out at the top of a storm. "Crawler lightning normally starts as what we call intracloud lightning lightning that travels wholly within the cloud. "Once [the lightning] gets into the upper reaches of the anvil it can spread out and become quite visually pleasing to look at." Mr Browne is an expert in both weather and understatement. "If you look at the structure of a storm, you can imagine in the bulk of the storm is the trunk and then the anvil is more like the canopy spreading out. "The lightning tends to take on that sort of forked appearance of a tree with that lightning spreading up in the upper canopy of the storm." For a thunderstorm to be called a thunderstorm it needs to have electrical discharge, or lightning within the storm. Thunderstorms have quite a bit of energy in them, according to Mr Browne. "There's a lot of electrical imbalances due to the way the water and ice sort of rubbing up against each other. "Lightning is just the equalisation of those electrical imbalances in the cloud and that happens at all different levels," Mr Brown said. He said that crawler lightning was a constant feature in thunderstorms but often our view of it was obscured by clouds or rain. "You need a fairly good line of sight to view crawler lightning. Thunderstorms are cloud machines, they extend right from the very surface up to the very top reaches of the weather part of the atmosphere. "It really does help if you've got a thunderstorm that isn't raining on you, isn't projecting cloud on you and has a very large anvil that crawler lightning can present itself on." But not all storms are created equal for crawler lightning. "There are particular storms which favour them and they are called meso-scale convective systems and that's the sort of storm that went through Darwin early on Sunday morning. "It favours what they call the trailing stratiform region of the storm. It's got quite a large anvil on the back end and it allows these storms to really project up this crawler lightning on the back end." Types of lightning Crawler lightning is a subset of a intracloud lightning. According to Mr Browne intracloud lightning is by far the most common type lightning and it occurs wholly within the thunderstorm. Sheet lightning is another form of intracloud lightning. "Say if there was a little bit of cloud hindering that view then that would become what we call sheet lightning where you can just see the cloud light up, but you don't see any details about the individual lightning strikes." Then there are the types of lightning that go out of the cloud. "You've got a cloud to cloud lightning which goes from one active thunderstorm cell to another, neighbouring thunderstorm cell." Then there is the classic cloud to ground. "This is where you get lightning from any depth of the storm down to the surface. They tend to be less common than the first two," according to Mr Browne. "Then lightning can take on different polarities. Most lightning is negatively charged, but you can get some positively charged lightning which will come up from the ground, but that represents only about 5 per cent of all strikes." "Next to none, to be honest. It's up in the upper reaches of the thunderstorms. So apart from looking visually pleasing there is none," Mr Browne said. So an impressive natural phenomena that we don't have to feel bad about enjoying and marvelling over, how refreshing. But of course it would be remiss not to mention that there are plenty of impacts from cloud to ground lightning to be wary of when caught in a thunderstorm. Topics: weather, storm-event, storm-disaster, adelaide-5000, melbourne-3000, hobart-7000, sydney-2000, brisbane-4000, darwin-0800, perth-6000 First posted | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-07/crawler-lightning-what-causes-it/10692794 |
Can we secure a new mortgage now so we get a better deal before Brexit? | My partner and I took out a 20 per cent Help to Buy equity loan in 2014 when we bought out first house. Once our two-year fix had ended, we were unable to switch provider and had to remain with our existing lender, Halifax, for another two years. That period is about to end in April 2019, after the UK is due to leave the EU. This worries us as we don't know what's going to happen with interest rates and home valuations once this happens. - Reader, via email If remortgaging early you should factor in any early repayment charges on the current deal Will Kirkman, of This is Money, replies: Many homeowners will be coming to the end of their fixed-rate periods as Britain leaves the EU in March and will be asking themselves similar questions. The good news is lenders are currently pulling out all the stops to attract more business as the market freezes up. This has resulted in historically low mortgage rates, despite the Bank of England raising the Base Rate in August. However, the Bank has signalled that interest rates may rise further depending on the final outcome of the Brexit negotiations. This, coupled with the as yet unknown impact of Brexit on property valuations, as you have highlighted, has lead to a significant slowdown in housing transactions across the country. The fact that you also used a Help to Buy equity loan to purchase your house adds an extra layer of complexity to your situation. We asked David Hollingworth of broker L&C Mortgages to lay out your options. David Hollingworth of broker L&C Mortgages David Hollingworth, of mortgage broker L&C Mortgages, says: Its possible to start the remortgaging process well before the end of a current mortgage deal and most mortgage offers will usually be valid for between three and six months. That means that you can make your application months ahead and lock the rate in on a current product. In fact, its sensible for any borrower to think ahead and to start the remortgage process at least three months before the end of the current rate. This will help ensure that you have everything together and in hand, ready for a smooth switchover to a new deal and avoiding a period at a high standard variable rate. Its important that you factor in any early repayment charges on the current deal as these can be substantial and could eat into, or even rub out, any potential savings from switching. Early repayment charges, also known as ERCs, will typically be calculated as a percentage of the outstanding mortgage but you will be able to check the charge and its duration on your original mortgage offer. Remortgaging with a Help to Buy equity loan in place does limit the options available, as some lenders will not even consider Help to Buy remortgages. It can be more complicated still if you are looking to repay some of the equity loan, sometimes known as staircasing. That will usually need to be 10 per cent of the current property value and require an independent valuation, as well as involving the Help to Buy administrator. Options will be a little wider if you are planning to release equity to repay the entire equity loan, as most lenders will consider lending in that situation. Theres a lot of uncertainty at the moment but the mortgage market has remained extremely competitive with rates still at very low levels, despite the August increase to the Bank of England's base rate. Theres nothing to suggest that rates are likely to climb radically in the near term but the Bank of England hasnt ruled out changes to base rate in either direction, depending on the impact of Brexit. Although that could see base rate cut, it is always difficult to second guess where rates might head. The mortgage deals currently available remain very attractive and youre in the right kind of timeframe to start the shopping around process. That will enable you to compare rates from other lenders against anything on offer from your current lender. If you pay fees to a lender as part of the application then those upfront fees would in all likelihood be lost if you subsequently changed your mind. There are lots of deals that dont require upfront fees to be paid though, so you may well be able to avoid that. Overall I think that you are doing the right thing in starting to prepare for the end of your deal now and it certainly sounds like you will value the peace of mind that shopping around now could give you. This is Money's Will Kirkman says: Whenever you come to remortgage it usually pays to have a look at a few different providers to ensure you're getting the best deal. You can either do this yourself by going directly to each lender or you can use This is Money's mortgage finder tool which allows you to search for the lenders that offer Help to Buy remortgages. It's always a good idea to seek independent advice while making big financial decisions. Lastly, you can find This is Money's guide to remortgaging with a Help to Buy equity loan by clicking here. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/experts/article-6535307/Can-secure-new-mortgage-better-deal-Brexit.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 |
Is the God of Africa that jealous? | I have never understood what we know as the African Traditional Religion (ATR). I just know it involves spirit mediums, rituals, the brewing and spilling of beer and several other superstitious and dubious activities. One of my grandmothers is a spirit medium. I am not really sure what it entails, but I know it involves getting into trances and speaking in alien voices; snuff snorting and a lot of grunting. I also know it involves the worshipping/honouring of the dead and buried; those we know as ancestors. By default, not desire, I know quite a lot about Christianity. This religion has been shoved down our throats so forcefully that try as one might, you cannot avoid it. We have been taught that Christianity is civilised, dignified, appropriate, applaudable and ideal. Being a Christian in Southern Africa is respectable. Nothing screams Im good! louder than a woman carrying a Bible as she briskly struts to church one beautiful Sunday morning after another. Environment By Thandekile Moyo I was born and raised in the Roman Catholic Church. No, thats a lie. Most of my extended family are Catholics, Im supposed to be one too, but well I even have a handsome brother who is a Roman Catholic priest and a gorgeous sister who is a Catholic nun. Christianity, like the ATR, involves grunting, trances and attacks by a certain spirit they call the Holy Spirit, if you are successful enough in its pursuit. Although, Instead of speaking in unknown voices, Christians speak in unknown languages (tongues) when their spirits enter them. Christians also fervently worship ancestors such as Mary and her carpenter son, Jesus. There is no snorting of stuff though in Christianity, just the burning of incense, the occasional spraying of insecticides on the flock and most recently the drinking of antiseptics and anointed sewage water. The similarities in these two religions fascinate me, but not more than they frighten me. The fundamentals are the same, both preach love for one another, they advocate for respect of ones parents and they both place their hope in the dead, who supposedly rose again and visit us once in a while in the spirit. Both these religions have Gods who will fight tooth and nail for the salvation and freedom of their followers. In the earlier centuries, the pope at the time blessed the slave trade declaring that taking Negroes from Africa was good business. On ports in Zanzibar, they built their churches just above the slave holding cells. They drowned the moans and groans of black men, women and children chained together with feverish prayers and hymns. The British landed in Africa in the 17th century and wormed their way into our lands using missionaries and Christianity as a front. Leaders of different churches like the Methodist and Dutch churches and Roman Catholic priests spread the gospel across Africa by day and plotted mass murders of Africans with the soldiers by night. In Zimbabwe, a spirit called Murenga instructed his people to fight the British who had invaded the land and were terrorising indigenous dwellers. Murenga led the first and second Chimurenga wars (named after him). We lost the first and he instructed us to fight a second one which we won, leading us to attain independence in 1980. Ironically, to celebrate our Independence, we invited a Roman Catholic priest to bless our celebrations and we held a mass to the Christian God in thanksgiving and celebration. According to the Bible, the God of Israel is an extremely jealous God! He is also not very tolerant. He turned the poor wife of His most faithful servant Lot into a pillar of salt merely for looking back at the burning Sodom and Gommorah. He violently flooded the entire world and drowned people and all other living things to death, save for Noah and a chosen few, just because! Now imagine our God, the God of Africa, was just as jealous. Africans shock me. If I were their God, I would turn them all into pillars of salt and wash them away with rain or I would burn up the whole continent and start afresh! Let us assume for once, that there is indeed a God of Zimbabwe. For arguments sake, let us imagine that our ancestral spirits are not evil as alleged by Christians, but are good spirits who love us and protect us from our enemies. We have Prince Edward and Alan Wilson High Schools in Zimbabwe vs St Ignatius in Chipinge and St Francis of Assisi in Chivhu. While they were busy celebrating, their war efforts their priests were busy turning us into Christians to pacify us. Decades after independence, the names remain while our own heroes lie uncelebrated. They renamed Mosi oa Tunya the Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria and we see nothing wrong with that because we are Christians. We forgive and forget. We are not confrontational. We are pacified! The Great Zimbabwe, our greatest achievement of all time, was trivialised and renamed the Zimbabwe Ruins and we smile and say we are Christians. We tell each other thou shalt not fight and we turn the other cheek! They erected statues of their heroes throughout the continent and because we have been pacified with the gospel, we are fine with it. Because we are Christians we happily nurse the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, the biggest terrorist ever to land on our shores, on one of the most sacred lands of our ancestors. The grave of Mzilikazi is just a short distance away, but lies abandoned while we religiously polish the bronze on CJRs tombstone and that of his partner Jameson. Imagine burying Hitler in Jerusalem. Or Osama bin Laden in Central park, New York! Until we recognise our own heroes, until we recognise our own God and respect our ancestors and spirits, we shall forever remain the cursed continent. We shall always be colonies of Europe and we will remain at their mercy as we look up to them for donations, knowledge, technology, development and loans. We need to find ourselves and pick up from where we left off before our systems, beliefs and way of life was disrupted. In our quest to be good Christians and Muslims, let us not forget that we are Africans and our continent needs our full attention. I totally believe in freedom of worship, my fear is that most people do not know that they are free to worship any god, even the God of Africa. Its ok to be a Christian, its okay to be a Muslim, its ok to be an atheist but you need to ask yourself who is benefiting from you being what you have chosen to be. | https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2019/01/06/god-africa-jealous/ |
Who will face off against Trump in 2020? | Apparently, most members of the press do not like our president, Donald J. Trump. Many of them think he is a tyrant in the making. Others think he is stupid and a tyrant in the making. They believe he is likely to be beaten in 2020. I think he would be beaten, too, if he were running against Franklin D. Roosevelt or Ronald W. Reagan or George Washington, but he will most likely be running against one of the patheticoes bejeweling the Democratic Party today. And frankly, I cannot detect a Roosevelt or a Reagan or a Washington in the field, not even a Washington Boulevard. I can detect a Charles Schumer and a Nancy Pelosi, though both are likely to be undone by President Trumps talk of a wall. Just wait until 2020 and see how unpopular President Trumps wall will be. And let us face the facts: The Democratic Party is getting pretty long in the tooth. It is time for the Party to come up with a new generation, and that suggests the presidential prospects of Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress. The problem is that she sounds like the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress. I would put her age at roughly 14, and that is not a precocious 14. Then there is Beto ORourke. I am not sure where the congressman got the nickname Beto, but if I were in Betos shoes, I would have stuck with his birth certificate, which clearly reads Robert Francis ORourke. Robert Francis worked for Robert Francis Kennedy, and Beto has a Bob Kennedy haircut and the teeth to go with it. He is famous for raising $70 million to challenge Texas unpopular Sen. Ted Cruz. It is indeed a stupendous pile of lucre, but the problem for him is that he lost to the unpopular Sen. Cruz. What kind of a slogan is Vote for Beto. No, I do not see anyone out there who will unseat President Trump in 2020. The possible candidates in both parties seem a bit threadbare, particularly when compared with our suave president, he of the sonorous tweets. Even the widely esteemed Hillary Clinton strikes me as over the hill. I know, I know; there are many legendary psephologists out there who still see her on her toes and in fighting trim, for instance Philippe Reines and the fabled Begala & Carville tag team. Yet let me be honest. Her candidacy was always preposterous. She was forever being called the inevitable candidate, but anyone who would bother to review her life in politics would be struck by the fact that as Bill Clintons first lady, even as his first lady back in the Little Rock days, she was extraordinarily unpopular with voters. When I wrote Boy Clinton: The Political Biography back in 1996, she was the most unpopular first lady of modern times. In fact, in 1996 she became the first first lady in modern times to receive a thumbs-down from a majority of the American people. Only 43 percent approved of her, and most of them were dubious. My guess is that if there had been first lady ratings going back to the 1920s, even President Warren Gamaliel Hardings bossy wife, known derisively as The Duchess, would have been more popular than Clinton. Yet when she ran for the presidency, the media called her candidacy inevitable twice! Now we are witnessing Clinton and her team of flimflam artists, armed with their Russian dossiers, driving another preposterous fable. They are insisting that Russian President Vladimir Putin somehow linked up with candidate Trump in 2016 to steal the election from Clinton. She who toyed with communists and Black Panthers in college and urged dialoging with Putins predecessors for decades, while the majority of Americans resisted them had somehow raised Putins ire by 2016. He was forced to choose Trump over Clinton. Well, now Trump and Putin are at loggerheads. Special counsel Robert Mueller is going to save the republic from the Putin-Trump cabal, though after months of Muellers investigations and with a vast team of Clinton supporters at his side, there is no evidence of collusion. Only a fantasist would believe that a capitalist in good standing such as Trump would gamble with an erstwhile communist and thug such as Putin. But the modern-day Democrats believe in fantasy. My suggestion for the Democrats for 2020 is that they nominate congresswoman-elect Ocasio-Cortez. She will be the youngest woman ever to lose a presidential race another first. R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. is founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/07/who-will-face-off-against-trump-in-2020/ |
Will 5G will be turned to as a safety net if rural broadband is not rolled out? | It seems that every year is a crunch year for rural broadband. But 2019 really is shaping up to be do or die for the State's National Broadband Plan, the pledge to connect 540,000 businesses and homes in rural areas to state-subsidised fibre internet. It seems that every year is a crunch year for rural broadband. But 2019 really is shaping up to be do or die for the State's National Broadband Plan, the pledge to connect 540,000 businesses and homes in rural areas to state-subsidised fibre internet. On balance, a contract with the current bidder, Granahan McCourt, still looks likely to be given the green light. But if this doesn't happen, the Government has a very serious infrastructural deficit to address, even if a small percentage of those without proper broadband will get it through market sources next year. Inevitably, attention will shift to alternative options. One such option that is often mentioned is 5G, the next-generation mobile technology that is currently being trialled by Irish operators. At peak, this can deliver speeds of 500Mbs, several times faster than the fastest Eir 'eFibre' phone broadband. And some operators are even setting up rural trials, with broadband access specifically targeted. For example, Vodafone Ireland is dipping a toe into rural 5G mobile broadband with trials in Roscommon, Wexford, Tipperary and Waterford, with 250 homes and businesses given roof antennae and equipment that can translate that 5G signal into a speedy wifi connection. Eir also says that it will look at 5G trials next year, while Three is expected to do the same. However, don't expect 5G to swoop in where the National Broadband Plan fails to deliver. | https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/rural-life/will-5g-will-be-turned-to-as-a-safety-net-if-rural-broadband-is-not-rolled-out-37686815.html |
Who are new CalPERS board members? | The board that oversees the nations largest public pension fund will get at least three new faces in 2019, marking unusual turnover at the California Public Employees Retirement System. Two of the newcomers were decided in recent elections. Gov. Jerry Brown this week created a third vacancy when he removed CalPERS board member Richard Costigan from the pension fund. Costigan, a lawyer and former legislative director for Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, had served on the CalPERS Board of Administration as a Brown appointee since 2011. He held a seat reserved for a member of the State Personnel Board. Brown replaced him on the State Personnel Board, which means he also cannot serve at CalPERS. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. Costigan was one of the more outspoken CalPERS board members, sometimes rebutting criticism of the pension fund in editorials and at public forums. I want to thank the incredible board members and staff of @CaliforniaSPB and @CalPERS for the memories, friendship and camaraderie it was a honor, privilege and inspiring opportunity to work along side all of you in service to our great state of #California Thank you! he wrote on Twitter Thursday night. Mona Pasquil Rogers, Browns appointments secretary and a Democrat, will replace Costigan at the State Personnel Board. Pasquil Rogers does not necessarily get Costigans seat on CalPERS. The State Personnel Board, which oversees statewide human resources polices, has to vote on which of its members it want to place on CalPERS. CalPERS is considered underfunded because its assets are worth about 70 percent of what it owes to government employees and retirees. The board over the past three years took a series of votes that led to it charging local governments more money to fund pensions. Those decisions made CalPERS more stable, but have heightened financial pressures on cities, counties and utility districts. One of the boards closest votes last year took place in January when it appointed Mathur to be its president, succeeding longtime CalPERS board President Rob Feckner. Union-supported CalPERS members and the two statewide elected officials voted for Mathur, while Gov. Browns appointees and two members who won election with support from retiree groups voted against her. That gave Mathur a 7-6 advantage. The board this month is expected to pick a new president. Tim Behrens, president of California State Retirees, views the turnover as a positive change. The board members that have turned over didnt always act like it was their job to protect the shareholders money at CalPERS, he said. Neil McCormick, chief executive of the California Special Districts Association, released a statement on Friday thanking Costigan for his time on the CalPERS board. The group represents hundreds of utilities, water districts and special services districts that contract with CalPERS for retirement plans. Throughout his tenure on the CalPERS board, we enjoyed an excellent working relationship and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. CSDA also looks forward to continuing the positive relationship we have established with the CalPERS board, McCormick said. The other new CalPERS board members are Treasurer-elect Fiona Ma and Corona police officer Jason Perez. CalPERS has $337 billion in assets and is overseen by a 13-member board of administration. Six of the members are chosen by government employees and retirees. Two are statewide elected officers. One is appointed by the Legislature and four are appointed by the governor. Ma will take one of the two seats on the CalPERS board that are reserved for statewide elected officials, succeeding Treasurer John Chiang. Chiang has served on the CalPERS board since 2007, when he was first elected state controller. Perez won an upset victory in a CalPERS election in October, defeating longtime board member Priya Mathur. Mathur, a BART financial analyst, had served on the CalPERS board since 2003. A fourth seat on the CalPERS board could open in 2019. Bill Slaton, a former director at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, holds a governor appointee position representing local government employers. Slatons last term on the SMUD board of directors ended in December. Hell remain on the CalPERS board unless Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom appoints someone else to the local government seat. | https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/state/california/article223944580.html |
Was macht eigentlich ... ein Technical Consultant? | Hajo Hoffmann ist der Fachmann, wenn es um die Frage geht, wie man Marketing-Ziele und -Prozesse technisch umsetzt. Improvisation zhlt dabei zu seinen Strken. "Reden und malen" ist meine Lieblingsantwort auf diese Frage. Generell untersttze ich bei technisch komplexen Projekten alle Beteiligten, um die Zusammenhnge und Mglichkeiten besser zu verstehen und die verschiedenen Meinungen zu konsolidieren. Daraus entwerfe ich entsprechende System- und Geschftsprozesse und dokumentiere die Anforderungen an die Umsetzung, so dass die ntigen Systeme entsprechend implementiert und konfiguriert werden knnen. Das "Reden" in meiner Antwort ist meiner Rolle als Kommunikations- und bersetzungsschnittstelle hinsichtlich der technischen Aspekte bei Projekten geschuldet. Das "Malen" bezieht sich auf meinem Faible fr Whiteboards und Flipcharts, die ich in fast allen Besprechungen nutze, um die technischen Zusammenhnge zu skizzieren und modellieren. Auch fr die Dokumentation nutze ich sehr gerne eine grafische Modellierung (z.B. in UML oder BPMN). Diese Form ist meist anschaulicher und genauer als reiner Text. Ursprnglich habe ich als Softwareingenieur "hands-on" in den Eingeweiden groer Softwaresysteme gearbeitet. Das meiste praktische Wissen, das ich heute noch oft fr meine jetzigen Aufgaben brauche, kam danach in mehreren Jahren als Berater fr "Requirements Engineering" hinzu. Zudem hat mir ein lngerer Ausflug in das Projektmanagement einen hilfreichen Blick ber den Tellerrand ermglicht. All diese Erfahrungen kann ich nun wunderbar in meiner Rolle als Technical Consultant bei Spirit Link vereinen, da mein Herz fr die inhaltliche Arbeit in unseren Pojektteams schlgt. Schildere mglichst anschaulich ein Projekt, das dich besonders begeistert hat. Ein Kunde hatte das Problem, dass die neuen Marketingprozesse fr ein vllig neuartiges Produkt des Unternehmens nicht mehr praktikabel waren. Die Prozesse waren aus einer "prototypischen" Form des Produktes entstanden und nur lose in die bestehenden Prozesse integriert. Mit dem Wachstum des Produktes wurden die personellen Engpsse, die vielen Abhngigkeiten, undefinierten Aufgaben und Ad-hoc-Abstimmungen immer verworrener. Die Ablufe wurden untragbar zh und die Beteiligten immer frustrierter. Unsere Aufgabe war, das gewachsene Geflecht der Prozesse zu entwirren, die eigentlichen Bedrfnisse der Beteiligten herauszufinden, die bergeordneten Prioritten zu klren, festzulegen, welche Schnittstellen es zu existierenden Systemen und Prozessen gibt. Letztendlich sollten wir die Anforderungen an ein neues System zusammenstellen, welches in Zukunft das Herzstck der Marketingprozesse sein soll. Mich hatte dieses Projekt vor allem wegen dessen hoher Komplexitt, der Vielzahl der Beteiligten und der unternehmerischen Tragweite begeistert. Neugier und Improvisationstalent. Neugier ist vor allem fr den technischen Teil meiner Rolle ausschlaggebend. Fr fast kein technisches Problem gibt es nur eine richtige Lsung - was gestern ein guter Ansatz war, kann morgen vllig ungeeignet sein. Viele Wahrheiten sind immer nur so lange korrekt, bis man das nchste Gesprch gefhrt, den nchsten Artikel gelesen oder den nchsten Podcast gehrt hat. Sicher ist ein fundiertes technisches Wissen fr diese Rolle sehr hilfreich, aber wichtiger ist, offen gegenber neuen Erkenntnissen und Entwicklungen zu sein. Improvisationstalent ist in beratenden Ttigkeiten grundstzlich angebracht. Der beste Plan und die grndlichste Vorbereitung knnen schnell in sich zusammenfallen, wenn ein neuer Stakeholder hinzukommt oder sich durch bisher unbekannte Aspekte ganz neue Zusammenhnge auftun. Da so etwas gern mal mitten in einem Workshop passiert, ist es von Vorteil, sich schnell anpassen zu knnen. Abteilungsbergreifende Geschftsprozesse in greren Unternehmen betreffen viele Menschen und viele Systeme. Wenn ein Projekt substanziell in dieses Gewirr aus Aufgaben, Nutzeroberflchen, Daten, Nachrichten und Algorithmen eingreift, habe ich am meisten Spa. Mir gefllt daran vor allem die Herausforderung, den Weg zu den Neuerungen so zu gestalten, dass der laufende Betrieb so wenig wie mglich beeintrchtigt wird. Mein Job ist unverzichtbar, weil es mittlerweile fr kaum ein Unternehmen mglich ist, das Expertenwissen rund um die eigenen Systeme und Prozesse unter einem Dach zu haben. So verlangt fast jedes grere technische Projekt, auf Experten aus anderen Niederlassungen oder anderen Unternehmen zuzugreifen die wahrscheinlich auch noch um den Globus verteilt sind. Solche Projekte erfordern es geradezu, dass in den vielen Besprechungen jemand dabei ist, der die technischen Aspekte konsolidiert, dokumentiert und aus - je nach Stakeholder - geschftlicher oder technischer Perspektive erlutert. Ganz klar, Spieleentwickler mit stndig neuen Ideen: Fr meine Kinder, fr groe Gruppen auf Veranstaltungen, fr lange Spieleabende mit Freunden, fr vernetzte Massen auf dem Smartphone oder fr was auch immer fr Plattformen in Zukunft noch kommen mgen. Dieser Artikel wurde verfasst von Annette Mattgey | https://www.focus.de/digital/internet/was-macht-eigentlich-ein-technical-consultant_id_10150115.html |
What was Jon Bon Jovi doing with the 49ers in San Jose? | The San Francisco 49ers threw a cool private party in downtown San Jose on Sunday, Jan. 6. Well, of course, it was to celebrate the Jan. 7 College Football Playoff National Championship game, between Clemson and Alabama, at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara. And the team secured a pretty cool band to play the event led by none other than Jon Bon Jovi himself. No, it wasnt the band Bon Jovi. But it was the lead singer of the multiplatinum-selling, arena-and-stadium-rocking band fronting a group of other talented musicians in a set of both Bon Jovi originals and interesting covers. Of course, fans around these parts are use to seeing Mr. Bon Jovi perform in major arenas, such as the SAP Center in San Jose. This time around, however, these lucky listeners got to experience the New Jersey rockers vocal work in the comparatively intimate City National Civic, which is a beautiful venue to enjoy a concert. Heres what is going to happen tonight, Bon Jovi explained to the crowd of only a few hundred listeners. We are going to have a lot of fun because Ive never played this small (a venue) in San Jose. Hed stick to his word, opening the show with a pair of Bon Jovi cuts the title track to the 2007 album Lost Highway and Who Says You Cant Go Home from 2005s Have a Nice Day before veering off to cover the 1968 Sly and the Family Stone classic Everyday People. The evening included several memorable covers, as Bon Jovi tried his luck with such classics as Bob Segers Old Time Rock and Roll and the Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Woman. Yet, not surprisingly, Bon Jovi sounded his best when he stuck to his own catalog and cranked out such fan favorites as Bad Medicine and You Give Love a Bad Name. | https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/07/what-was-jon-bon-jovi-doing-with-the-49ers-in-san-jose/ |
Who should we blame for the British level of illiteracy? | That large numbers of we British are functionally illiterate is not a good look nor a decent outcome. The point being that weve got to work out what is going wrong, wherever it is in the system, so that we can fix it. If it can be fixed of course, there is always going to be some irreducible minimum number of people who simply cannot grasp such complicated concepts. Thats a sadness of the human condition to be sure but something weve got to accept. However, the claim is that were well above that level: Millions of British adults are functionally illiterate but the subject is ignored because it is not a fashionable cause, according to the most powerful woman in publishing. Dame Gail Rebuck founded the Quick Reads scheme, which distributes specially-written books designed to encourage adults to discover the joy of reading. The scheme began in 2005 and attracted some of the countrys best-selling authors, including Joanna Trollope, Adele Parks and Andy McNab. But this year it faced closure after failing to find a corporate sponsor and was only saved after Jojo Moyes, the writer, stepped in with 120,000 of her own money. Its a huge sum of money but not to a corporate sponsor, Dame Gail told the Telegraph. You can talk about little kids reading - we can all relate to that, we all want children to read books, its lovely. Thats not something that people like to talk about. But it exists. We think that talking about it should become very much more fashionable, we agree there. But then thats because we do so like to play the boys part in the Emperors clothes story. Currently the State insists that each and every child be placed into its care for some 30, 35 hours a week for some 13 years - it does now at least with the rise in the school leaving age. Thats many thousands of hours of instruction time and the claim is being made that this doesnt result in general literacy. We tend to think that thousands of hours of instruction time is enough to ensure general literacy. That it doesnt might just be the State not being able to do things. Could be that the mechanism has been taken over by ideologues insisting upon teaching something else - how to be an ecowarrior perhaps, or be nice to people. Might even be political fashion as with whole words and teaching kiddies their letters. But we will insist that this is where the failure is. The State has spent the last century insisting upon many years of exclusive access to children and the end result is that millions of the systems graduates are functionally illiterate. That systems not doing what we pay for it to be doing - thats where the solution will be found, where the reform needs to be. | https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/who-should-we-blame-for-the-british-level-of-illiteracy |
Is body in Florida backyard tied to triple homicide? | TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) A body has been located in the backyard of a Florida home and authorities say it may be connected to a triple homicide. Police arrested 25-year-old Shelby Nealy Friday after they caught him with a car stolen from a Florida home where a couple and their son were found dead. Their daughter the man's wife remains missing. Nealy was taken into custody in Ohio. Investigators identified the victims as 71-year-old Richard Ivancic; his wife, 59-year-old Laura Ivancic; and their son, 25-year-old Nicholas Ivancic. Nealy's wife, their 21-year-old daughter, Jamie Ivancic, is missing under what police called "suspicious circumstances." Police said they fear she is a victim of foul play. Pasco County Sheriff's officials said Sunday they'd found a body but released no other details pending the medical examiner's report. The Tampa Times reported it was linked to the Ivancic investigation. ___ Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com. | https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/crime/article/Is-body-in-Florida-backyard-tied-to-triple-13513272.php |
Can Bohemian Rhapsody repeat its Golden Globes success at Oscars? | Credit: AP It was a bit of an eye opener in the end. Olivia Colman and Glenn Close winning in the best film actress categories - no surprises there. And Colman has a good chance of repeating the win at the Oscars. Not many saw that coming. Rami Malek playing Freddie Mercury is without doubt the best thing about that film and he deserves recognition. But for a movie that didn't exactly have the critics swooning - and was in a category with A Star Is Born and If Beale Street Could Talk - its win was quite an achievement. But the British-American co-production was just one of the night's successes for UK talent. Credit: AP Richard Madden for The Bodyguard and Ben Whishaw for A Very English Scandal were deserved winners in the TV categories, while Welsh-born Christian Bale was rightly saluted for his incredible transformation to play the former US Vice President Dick Cheney in Vice, Adam McKay's scathing look at his rise to political power. It was a rare political moment on the night - this was not like last year's show where the speeches were dominated by gender and race issues, though host Sandra Oh, of Korean descent, did take a moment to reflect on the diversity of the audience at the show as a sign of how things had changed. There were deserved wins for Mahershala Ali for Green Book, a true story of race in America in the 1960s, and that film was the night's biggest winner. Regina King also triumphed for If Beale Street Could Talk, and Sandra Oh herself for Killing Eve. And Glenn Close urged women to stand up and take credit, like her character in The Wife eventually does. Metoo bracelets were in evidence, but the show was distinctly less edgy than last year's. Christian Bale was lauded for his portrayal of Dick Cheney. Credit: AP | https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-07/can-bohemian-rhapsody-repeat-its-golden-globes-success-at-oscars/ |
Are Blackpool parents picking up the tab for free care? | More parents in Blackpool are using the government-funded 30 hours a week of free childcare, according to official figures. The scheme was introduced in autumn 2017 to provide additional free care for three and four-year-olds. Latest figures show that, in the most recent autumn term, 605 children had taken up places, an increase of four per cent on the previous year. The Pre-school Learning Alliance, which represents childcare providers, said underfunding that, for many parents, the childcare is not completely free and they end up picking up the Governments tab. A Department for Education survey found 19 per cent of families found it difficult or very difficult to pay for childcare. A fifth of parents did not realise that additional charges for meals, nappies and some activities could be made by childcare providers under the 30 hours scheme. Pre-school Learning Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch said: We know from a study the Government itself commissioned, for example, that over half of parents accessing 30 hours said they had to pay charges for additional items or activities. The 30-hours entitlement doubled the hours of free childcare for some parents. All parents are entitled to 570 hours a year but this was increased to 1,140 for some - the equivalent of 30 hours over 38 weeks of the standard school year. Parents can spread fewer hours over more weeks. The scheme is open to families where both parents are working or the sole parent is in work in a single parent household. To quality, each parent must earn the equivalent of 16 hours per week at national minimum wage but less than 100,000. | https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/lifestyle/family/are-blackpool-parents-picking-up-the-tab-for-free-care-1-9523040 |
What's Killing Thousands More Pedestrians? | Pedestrian deaths have reached a 25 year high, with nearly 6,000 people killed in 2017, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. That's a serious spike after fatalities dipped to historic lows just a decade prior in 2009. That year, less than 4,000 people were struck and killed by vehicles on the road. The recent surge in pedestrian fatalities comes at a time when traffic crashes are becoming safer for people inside the vehicles. Researchers point to many factors, including higher speed limits, distracted driving and the proliferation of SUVs and pickup trucks on the road. When it comes to preventative measures to save pedestrian lives, the data is hard to gather on distracted driving. There is available data on the deadly effects of SUV crashes, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet changed its vehicle safety rating system to include a new score for pedestrian safety. Joining Cincinnati Edition to discuss what could account for the sharp rise in pedestrian deaths and efforts to reverse the trend is University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science Assistant Professor and Head of the Next Mobility Lab Dr. Jiaqi Ma. Tune in to Cincinnati Edition Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. to hear this segment. | http://www.wvxu.org/post/whats-killing-thousands-more-pedestrians |
Who is Lady Gaga's fiance Christian Carino and how long have they been dating? | Lady Gaga revealed she was engaged to Christian Carino in October (Picture: Getty Images) It was an emotional night for Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes, who broke down in tears as she won the best original song award for A Star Is Born. The singer and actress who was also nominated for best actress for her role in the film was accompanied to the ceremony by her fiance Christian Carino. Gaga confirmed her engagement to Christian back in October at Elles 25th Annual Women in Hollywood Celebration, where she took to the stage as an honouree and thanked my fiance Christian during her speech. The singer and actress is reportedly one of Carinos clients at the talent agency where he works (Picture: Getty Images) Christian is 49, making him 17 years older than Gaga. Advertisement Advertisement He is a talent agent who works for Creative Arts Agency the same company that represents Gaga, and has worked with the likes of Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Depp and Miley Cyrus Entertainment Tonight previously reported that Gaga is also one of his clients. Christian was formerly married to journalist Brooke Baldwin, with whom he has a daughter and has also been previously linked to The Walking Deads Lauren Cohan. Gaga broke down in tears as she won best original song (Picture: EW) The pairs romance first came to light in February 2017 ahead of the singers Super Bowl performance, with a show of affection on the field but theyve kept things fairly quiet. When quizzed by Ryan Seacrest later that month she told him: You know I dont talk about my love life, Ryan! However Gaga who was previously engaged to actor Taylor Kinney not only revealed their engagement last October but also opened up about her relationship with Christian during a Joanne World Tour performance in New York in 2017. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The insider said: Gaga seems very happy to be in a more low-key relationship than with Taylor. Shes on top of the world and Christian is part of that. 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. MORE: Jessica Chastain shares first photo of baby girl while she gets glammed up for Golden Globes 2019 | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/lady-gagas-fiance-christian-carino-job-long-dating-8317053/ |
What does the NHS long-term plan mean for Norfolk and Suffolk? | File photo of the NHS logo. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Archant Up to 500,000 lives could be saved under plans for the NHS in England over the next decade, health chiefs claim. Health correspondent Geraldine Scott explains. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. It is an ambitious plan which focuses on GPs, mental health, and community care - with the three areas getting the largest increases in funding. And a number of the priorities set out in Theresa Mays new 10-year long term plan for the health service are pertinent for our region, especially as they are reflected in the plan already put forward by local bosses. The aim is to reduce the reliance on hospitals, which may be welcome news for the three in Norfolk who last week were seeing the pressure of winter stack up at the front door. Reduce pressure on hopsital beds For those who do need emergency care, one of the major short-term priorities is understood to be a new target to ensure every hospital with a major A&E department has same day emergency care in place - largely understood to ambulatory care units. In these units, which are available in varying guises in all Norfolks hospitals, patients are assessed, diagnosed, treated, and then able to go home the same day - keeping them out of hospital and freeing up beds for those who really need it. The James Paget University Hospital (JPUH), in Gorleston, opened their ambulatory care unit in November. Joanne Segasby, associate chief operating officer, last week attributed some of the success the JPUH has had with keeping ambulance handover delays the lowest in the county to the unit. Focus on heart attacks, stroke, and dementia The full details of the plan are to be unveiled later today (Monday) by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens and prime minister Theresa May. But ahead of full publication the NHS said the plan would prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases, plus ensure an extra 350,000 children and young people get mental health help. More money to prevent heart attacks will be welcome in the county, as one of the areas of focus in the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) - the regions health plan - is to improve cardiology. In Norfolk and Waveney demand for cardiology services is high and there is a shortage of cardiologists. Improvements in stroke will also be relevant for the county, as it was announced in September that pioneering treatment which brings patients back to life from stroke to be launched at the NNUH. And with an aging population and a high prevalence of dementia, extra help for those services will be welcomed. Improved mental health care The long-term plan also said there would be more support for mental health in schools, and 24 hour access to mental health crisis care via the NHS 111 service. The latter is unlikely to soothe the fears of patients in Norfolk who already struggle to get crisis support, as revealed in the most recent inspection into Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust. And the proposal has been criticised as not being a substitute for properly funded and professional care. Labour MP Luciana Berger said: Theres no use directing people in #mentalhealth crisis to a helpline to signpost care that either doesnt exist, or they will struggle to access quickly. Last year an inquest found NHS 111 hung up on Norwich man John Worthington when he was in crisis on June 6. A pathways advisor terminated the second call and during the fourth call John, who had Aspergers and emotionally unstable personality, made an attempt on his life. John was resuscitated and taken to the intensive care unit at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (NNUH). But the brain injury he had sustained was so severe he did not survive. Number 10 also said the NHS was going to for the first time ever test and introduce comprehensive access standards for mental health. There has not been much more detail added to this as of yet, but if specific waiting time targets, such as those for A&E, and cancer treatment, were introduced, it could have a big impact on services in Norfolk and Suffolk where in some cases waiting times for help has stretched to five years. The plan will also look at mental health care for new and expectant mothers - something bosses will keep a close eye on considering the Kingfisher Unit, provided by NSFT at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich, is due to open soon. It will mean new mothers with serious mental health problems will soon be able to receive specialist inpatient treatment closer to home. New testing centres for cancer patients Early prevention of cancer is also high up on the agenda - with a hope more people can be cured if it is caught earlier. Earlier detection of the disease was one of the ambitions of the NNUH when they launched a bid to become a cancer centre of excellence in 2017. At the time NNUH cancer manager Matt Keeling said: We want diagnoses as early as possible so that their outcome is better. The cancer strategy is about how we are going to meet that challenge. Consultant urological surgeon and cancer clinical lead Vivekanandan Kumar said they were aiming to reach the top of what we can deliver nationally within the NHS. There will also be DNA testing for children with cancer and those with rare genetic disorders to help select the best treatment. New technology When West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock became health secretary last year, it was expected he might use some of his experience as minister for digital and culture to try and revolutionise the NHS technology. His support for bringing more up-to-date technology into the NHS was clear from his support of GP app GP at Hand and his announcement to scrap fax machines in the health service. So the announcement that everyone in the country will have digital access to their GP, including being able to make appointments, manage prescriptions and view their health records online. The government said NHS spending in England is increasing, however chancellor Philip Hammond said the NHS needed to ensure care was provided efficiently. Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: The public hates waste in the NHS and quite rightly want to know that their taxes are spent effectively, to deliver excellent front-line services to patients. NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens told the Todsay programme: He is quite right about that. The good news is we have one of the most efficient health services in the world, but that doesnt mean we cant do better. He added: Productivity in the NHS has been growing faster than across the economy as a whole over the last several years. We have a very efficient health service, but everybody can see we can be more efficient. Some of that is going to come not just from the 700 million reduction in administrative costs we are going to be bringing in over the next several years, its actually going to be by working differently. Thats why today we are setting out detail over how, for example, you are going to be able to see every GP practice offering digital consultations (and) 30 million outpatient appointments we wont need in the future, freeing up 1 billion we can use in other ways. A very big programme of change and service redesign, using technology and innovation to do it. Prime Minister Theresa May said the 10-year plan would provide the best possible care for every major condition, from cradle to grave, using the 20.5 billion a year funding boost promised by 2023/24. But shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said the Tories have spent nine years running down the NHS, imposing the biggest cash squeeze in its history and now need 10 years to clear up the mess they have made. The plan was welcomed by campaigners, but experts warned that implementing it would be difficult. Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said smart inhalers were game-changing devices that track how often and well people are taking their asthma medication so that those most at risk of asthma attacks can be identified and helped before they need hospital treatment. Stroke Association chief executive Juliet Bouverie said the plan makes tackling stroke a national priority, adding: We know this plan can and will ensure that more lives are saved and more people spared from serious disability. But Nigel Edwards from health think tank the Nuffield Trust said that while the plans aims were right there are several big pitfalls ahead, with the extra funding still below what experts thought was needed and a lack of key staff presenting the biggest obstacle of all. Local Government Association spokesman Ian Hudspeth said the plans goals could only be fully realised if councils were properly funded to deliver social care and public health services. To help the NHS make its extra funding go further and alleviate the pressures on the health service, it is essential that the government plugs the 3.6 billion funding gap facing adult social care by 2025 and reverses the 600 million in reductions to councils public health grants, he said. | https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/what-does-the-nhs-10-year-long-term-plan-mean-for-norfolk-and-suffolk-1-5841862 |
Is the midlife crisis a real thing? | Middle age is often seen as lifes pivot point. A hill has been climbed and the view over the other side is unsettling. As Victor Hugo said: forty is the old age of youth and fifty the youth of old age. The idea adults in midlife face a dark night of the soul or desperately escape from it, hair plugs flapping in a convertibles breeze is deeply rooted. Studies show the great majority of people believe in the reality of the so-called midlife crisis and almost half of adults over 50 claim to have had one. There is good evidence a midlife decline in life satisfaction is real. Population surveys typically find both women and men report the lowest satisfaction in middle age. The Australian HILDA survey locates the lowest life satisfaction at age 45 and the Australian Bureau of Statistics singles out the 45-54 age bracket as the glummest. Middle age may be dislocating for some but there is little evidence it is usually a period of crisis and despondency. Psychologically speaking, things tend to get better. If there is a small dip in how people evaluate their lot even if it is objectively no worse than before this is understandable. Our attention shifts from time past to time left, and that requires a process of adjustment. Clearly there are many grounds for being unsatisfied with life during the middle years. There is good reason to be sceptical. For one thing, its hard enough deciding when the midlife crisis should occur. Concepts of middle age are elastic and change as we get older. One study found younger adults believe middle age stretches from the early 30s to 50, whereas adults over 60 saw it as extending from the late 30s to the mid-50s. In one US study one-third of people in their 70s defined themselves as middle-aged. This research accords with a finding middle-aged people tend to feel one decade younger than their birth certificate. One study suggests not. It indicates instead that self-reported crises simply become steadily more common as we age. Among study participants in their 20s, 44% reported a crisis, compared to 49% of those in their 30s, and 53% of those in their 40s. In another study, the older the participants, the older they reported their midlife crisis to have occurred. People aged over 60 recalled theirs at 53 while those in their 40s dated theirs to 38. Arguably there is no distinct midlife crisis, just crises that occur during midlife but might equally have occurred before or after. What the theorists thought The psychoanalyst Elliot Jaques, who coined the term midlife crisis in 1965, thought it reflected the dawning recognition of ones mortality. Death, he wrote, instead of being a general conception, or an event experienced in terms of the loss of someone else, becomes a personal matter. The key achievement of middle age, according to Jaques, is to move beyond youthful idealism to what he called contemplative pessimism and constructive resignation. He argued midlife was when we reach maturity by overcoming our denial of death and human destructiveness. Carl Jung presented a different view. He argued midlife was a time when previously suppressed aspects of the psyche might become integrated. Men could recover their unconscious feminine side or anima, previously submerged during their youth, and women come alive to their hidden opposite, the animus. from shutterstock.com Less profound explanations have also been offered for midlife dissatisfaction. Its when children may be leaving the family home and when adults are generationally sandwiched, required to care for children and ageing parents. Chronic illnesses often make their first appearance and losses accelerate. Workplace demands may be peaking. But there may be something to it thats even more basic and biological. Chimpanzees and orangutans arent known to suffer from existential dread, empty nest syndrome or job stress. And still, they show the same midlife dip in well-being as their human cousins. One study found chimps in their late 20s and orangutans in the mid 30s showed the lowest mood, the least pleasure in social activities, and the poorest capacity to achieve their goals. The researchers speculated this pattern might reflect age-related changes in brain structures associated with well-being that are similar between primate species. Midlife as a time of growth, not crisis Crisis episodes may not be tightly tied to adverse life events. Research often fails to show clear connections between adversities and self-proclaimed crises. One study found reporting a midlife crisis was not associated with recently experiencing divorce, job loss or death of a loved one, and was primarily linked to having a history of depression. The idea middle age is a time of psychological gloom is also belied by research evidence. The U-shaped life satisfaction curve notwithstanding, most change during midlife is positive. Consider personality change, for example. One longitudinal study that followed thousands of Americans from age 41 to 50 found they became less neurotic and self-conscious with age. These personality changes were unrelated to the adults experience of life adversity: resilience, not crisis, was the norm. Another study that followed a sample of women from age 43 to 52 showed they tended to become less dependent and self-critical, and more confident, responsible and decisive, as they aged. These changes were unrelated to the womens menopausal status or empty nest experiences. Read more: Getting on and getting it on: good sex isn't just for the young Other research tells a similar story. In general, psychological changes during midlife are positive. Personality becomes more steady and self-accepting, while positive emotion, on average, gradually rises through the lifespan. Even the self-reported midlife crises may have a silver lining. One study showed the more crises people reported, the more empathetic they were towards others. It is perhaps unsurprising older adults choose middle adulthood as the phase of life they most prefer. The challenge is to come out the end of middle age with life satisfaction restored, as most do. Victor Hugo says it well again: when grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. | http://theconversation.com/is-the-midlife-crisis-a-real-thing-105510 |
Has Apple found the iPhone Mini's creator? | In an attempt to balance out its supply chain, Apple is said to be using Foxconn competitor Pegatron for production on a certain budget handset that's been rumoured for some time. Pegatron, which sounds one of the forgotten Transformers, has actually made some iPhones and iPad Minis for Apple in the past. According to The Wall Street Journal, it's now being tapped for production of Apple's low-cost iPhone - aka the iPhone Mini (or cheap iPhone) which we're expecting to arrive this year alongside the iPhone 5S. iPhones in disguise It's also reported that Pegatron is upping its work force by up to 40 per cent during the second half of this year, adding further fuel to the cheaper iPhone fire. Last year, a Foxconn chief said that making iPhones for Apple is incredibly difficult, and that keeping up with demand was proving an impossible task. It looks like Apple may have taken this on board in its decision to share the load a bit more, and while a competitor, it'll mean less of a burden for Cupertino's favourite supplier. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/has-apple-found-the-iphone-mini-s-creator-1155338 |
Will Rafa Benitez play any senior players against Sunderland's first team in the Checkatrade Trophy this week? | Get Newcastle United FC updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Rafa Benitez says he is unlikely to risk any of his senior players in Newcastle United's Checkatrade Trophy tie at Sunderland tomorrow night. Newcastle are permitted to play some first team players in the competition but Benitez has admitted he does not want to risk further injuries to his squad with key Premier League games against Chelsea and Cardiff plus the FA Cup replay against Blackburn Rovers to come. Second string coach Ben Dawson was watching 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday night and there is a chance that Sean Longstaff and Jamie Sterry could be considered for the trip to the Stadium of Light. Yet Benitez has hinted he won't turn to any of his fringe players for the third-round encounter against the Black Cats meaning the likes of Jacob Murphy, Joselu and Javier Manquillo won't be considered. When asked about the situation Benitez said: "To be fair, Ben was around and we didn't talk about that, but maybe we can talk and then we can consider it. "What I don't want is to risk anyone because we don't have t too many, but at the same time, we will see if we can help if it's possible." (Image: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) EFL rules on which players can play in the Checkatrade Trophy Each invited club must ensure that in each match: *At least six of the starting eleven players named on the Team Sheet are players who were aged under 21 as at the 30th June in the year in which the Season concerned commenced; and *No more than two players who: (i) are aged 21 or over; and (ii) have made 40 or more appearances in a First Team Fixture (either in the starting elven or as a playing substitute) in each case as at the 30th June in the year in which the Season concerned, shall be named on the Team Sheet. *A Player sent out on a Temporary Loan Transfer (or Temporary Transfer where a Premier League Club) but who remains eligible to participate in non-first team football for his parent club (which would include Premier League 2 matches) will not be eligible to participate in this Competition (on the basis that it is a first team competition) unless otherwise permitted by Rule 7.2.2. *Players registered only on a PDL8 or other non-first team registration form are not eligible to participate in the Competition. *A maximum of 5 Players registered on a Temporary Loan Transfer (or Temporary Transfer where a Premier League Club) can be named in the Players listed on a team sheet for any individual match played in this Competition. This maximum shall reduce to 4 Players where a Club names a Player on the team sheet who is registered on an Emergency Goalkeeper Loan (or any equivalent Temporary Transfer where a Premier League Club). *Players registered on a Temporary Loan Transfer (or Temporary Transfer where a Premier League Club) will be eligible to play unless the loaning Club (or club) expressly indicates it does not consent as part of the applicable loan agreement. | https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-play-any-senior-15639162 |
Will Bernie be president? | The 2016 Presidential election had two starkly different primaries. Inspired by hatred of Barack Obama, every Republican, big hands and small, came out to run. The 17 candidates in the field were all, at least relatively speaking, establishment candidates, save one Donald J. Trump. We now know, and we should have seen then, that Donald Trump was quite establishment, if not the most establishment candidate in the race. Elections are won on perception though, and everything about this shiny old orange toy seemed different. If you liked the old guard your vote was split between many establishment candidates. There were a few Trump lite candidates (Carly Florina and Ben Carson), but Trump stood pretty much alone. The Republican establishment never wanted Trump to get elected, but he was hard to stop simply because he was the clear favorite. The establishment Republicans split their own vote. If the only two real candidates in the race were say, Marco Rubio and Trump, Trump may have lost. Such was the case for the rigged 2016 Democratic primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. The Democrats didnt hate Obama, they wanted someone to succeed him. And while I am convinced the Obamas never liked the racist bully Clinton machine, the neoliberal mold was much the same. The agreement within the party was to let Hillary win. So no one who mattered bothered running. And everyone who mattered endorsed Hillary. Bernie Sanders didnt matter much, but he, one of the few politicians in Washington who could see the disastrous implications of Obama style mediocrity, decided to run anyways. Bernie Sanders soon became much more popular than Hillary Clinton because his politics benefitted the majority of the American public. Bernie was a very refreshing political figure. He spoke out explicitly against poverty. He wanted health care for all Americans. He offered all Americans a living wage and a chance to go to college for free. Bernie was not so much radical as he was radically sane. The people just loved him. No one liked Hillary Clinton. Partly because she was a woman and partly because she was a nasty person. Thus when Trump called Hillary a nasty woman he could stumble into truth, not so much because he knew what nasty was, but because he didnt like women. Regardless of the reasons, Hillary was disliked by everyone. She only won the primary for two reasons: 1. Because the party rigged it for her. 2. This was only a two horse race. Now, we know the Democrats always rig their primaries. They dont count mail-in ballots that are primarily from independents and poor people, they bar independents from voting in some states, they repress the votes of young people and people of color, they have a rigged delegate system, and they have a biased corporate media that really is propaganda. They could rig it against Bernie last time because Hillary could keep it close against him even if the rules were fair. 2016 was a two horse race and Bernie was universally unknown, starting the polls at about the 1% he despised. Now, Bernie is known and is easily the most popular politician in America. I dont think anyone likes even a single other politician in America. Indeed, if someone polled me I would say yes, I like Bernie, and no I dont like X, Y, or Z. Bernie will be in the lead this primary season, and it wont even be close. On top of Bernies new head start, he will have many Hillarys (perhaps even the Queen herself) running tone deaf campaigns in the Democratic Primary. They will split the establishment vote, leaving Bernie with a large lead. Seeing that there is only about half a progressive in Washington, the establishment literally cannot water down Bernies base with other progressive candidates. They have no one to use! Maybe they wish they had kept a progressive or two around, but it is unlikely they see that far ahead. The neoliberal Democrats of all stripes will be using Trump as an opportunity for their own political gain. And the American public will hate all of them, for good reason. Every single one will present a wishy-washy emotionally charged Trump whining session that dont relate to the daily lives of working people in America. Meanwhile, Bernie, as he always does, will remain focused on the issues. He will speak about inequality, about funding for schools and roads, he will speak about regulations that will protect workers and the environment, he will speak about education for everyone, he will speak about the trade deals that are tearing this country apart. And he will provide specifics. Bernie will, unlike the rest of the Democrats, have a plan for America. He will make promises he can keep because he is not indebted to corporate interests. He can have policy that makes sense for the working class because his campaign will be funded by the working class. And if Bernie is undermined again, the working class will be mad, even if this is missed by the talking heads of corporate media. If Bernie wins, America will not have a peace President or even a socialist President. But 2020 is too unique an opportunity to boycott the project of electing Bernie. The Democrats hold no legitimacy other than not being Donald Trump (not the first thing I put on my resume, but true nonetheless). Bernie will emerge as the peoples candidate, capable of beating Trump handily. If the Democrats sabotage Sanders, they will be openly saying they dont mind a Donald Trump Presidency. We all know the Democrats are the same as Trump, but when they must admit it they will lose legitimacy. I see only two scenarios in 2020. Either the Democrats have to give Sanders the nomination and he beats Trump. Or, the Democrats have to sabotage Sanders, the voters bail on the party, Trump wins again, and the Democrats are revealed for who they really are. Either one is a step forward, but for their sake as well as our own, lets hope the Democrats nominate Bernie Sanders, or they, and many more dying species under the Trump administration, will be extinct. This article was orginally published as: Will Bernie Sanders Will Be Our President in 2020?. Courtesy: Counterpunch.org | https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/415658-will-bernie-be-president |
Can Mike McKenna save locker room from over-anxiety? | VOORHEES If the Flyers locker room seems a little quiet and tense right now, we have just the solution. Mike McKenna. The newest Flyer, who could become a history-making seventh goalie of the season for Philadelphia if he makes his debut Tuesday night in Washington, is a naturally funny guy. Playing for 20 different professional hockey teams can have that effect on someone. His candid observations about the game of hockey alone can loosen things up. And a team like the Flyers can certainly use that type of personality right now. Its been a bit of a whirlwind the past few days for the 35-year-old McKenna. He was property of Ottawa, got traded to Vancouver (which was playing in the east) and then was claimed off waivers by the Flyers. In a way, that makes him one of those Rodney Dangerfields of hockey. Asked on Sunday if all this turmoil has left him tired, he just grinned. Im not tired, he cracked. I didnt even change time zones. All that moving around can be a bit unsettling for someone less experienced. It would probably be different for somebody who had never had this happen to them before, he said. Ive walked into a lot of new locker rooms. Hes been all over North America but McKenna keeps his family in one spot, namely Belleville, Ontario, Canada. His oldest child, a daughter, is in kindergarten there and he doesnt want to interrupt the continuity of everyday life. Being a goalie nomad is nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is being part of three different teams in four days, for that matter. This is clearly not normal, he said. There is no normal, really. I didnt expect this to be my career path. But it is what it is and Im proud of it, proud of what Ive accomplished. Ive been on all those teams because its been one-year contract after one-year contract. Its not like Ive been demoted, sent around and traded a bunch. Ill own it and be proud of the friends Ive made along the way. To be 35 and in the National Hockey League, its a pretty good feeling. How long McKenna remains in the picture remains to be seen. The Flyers picked up veteran Cal Pickard earlier in the season and he lasted only a couple months. It all depends on the health of starting goaltenders Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth, both currently recovering from injury. No matter to McKenna. Hes past the days of worrying about job security with one particular organization. Get work where you can get it. Every year of my career Ive had to fight for my life, he said. If you know the lay of the land, especially if youre a No. 3. ... If youre an older guy, you better be one of the best goalies in the American League if you want to keep your job, you have to. Im just competitive. I dont like to do things less than my best. Not everything is always going to go perfect but Im going to try my best. Through all this, he has some great stories to tell. Like the time he was on a bus headed to Providence, R.I., when it caught on fire. We blew a tire and the whole back right side went up in flames, he recalled. That was a good one that one made the news. We were good for two periods, he said. Then the smoke inhalation caught up with us. | http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/sports/20190107/can-mike-mckenna-save-locker-room-from-over-anxiety |
Is Marijuana as Safe as We Think? | When it comes to cannabis, the best-case scenario is that we will muddle through, learning more about its true effects as we go along and adapting as neededthe way, say, the once extraordinarily lethal innovation of the automobile has been gradually tamed in the course of its history. For those curious about the worst-case scenario, Alex Berenson has written a short manifesto, Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence. Last May, not long before Canada legalized the recreational use of marijuana, Beau Kilmer, a drug-policy expert with the RAND Corporation, testified before the Canadian Parliament. He warned that the fastest-growing segment of the legal market in Washington State was extracts for inhalation, and that the mean THC concentration for those products was more than sixty-five per cent. We know little about the health consequencesrisks and benefitsof many of the cannabis products likely to be sold in nonmedical markets, he said. Nor did we know how higher-potency products would affect THC consumption. For some drugs, the dose-response curve is linear: twice the dose creates twice the effect. For other drugs, its nonlinear: twice the dose can increase the effect tenfold, or hardly at all. It also matters, of course, how cannabis is consumed. It can be smoked, vaped, eaten, or applied to the skin. With marijuana, apparently, were still waiting for this information. Its hard to study a substance that until very recently has been almost universally illegal. And the few studies we do have were done mostly in the nineteen-eighties and nineties, when cannabis was not nearly as potent as it is now. Because of recent developments in plant breeding and growing techniques, the typical concentration of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, has gone from the low single digits to more than twenty per centfrom a swig of near-beer to a tequila shot. Figuring out the dose-response relationship of a new compound is something a pharmaceutical company does from the start of trials in human subjects, as it prepares a new drug application for the F.D.A. Too little of a powerful drug means that it wont work. Too much means that it might do more harm than good. The amount of active ingredient in a pill and the metabolic path that the ingredient takes after it enters your bodythese are things that drugmakers will have painstakingly mapped out before the product comes on the market, with a tractor-trailer full of supporting documentation. We need proper studies, the panel concluded, on the health effects of cannabis on children and teen-agers and pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers and older populations and heavy cannabis users; in other words, on everyone except the college student who smokes a joint once a month. The panel also called for investigation into the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of cannabis, modes of delivery, different concentrations, in various populations, including the dose-response relationships of cannabis and THC or other cannabinoids. Then come Chapters 5 through 13, the heart of the report, which concern marijuanas potential risks. The haze of uncertainty continues. Yes. Unclear. Hard to say, but probably. Probably. Limited evidence. This goes on for pages. For example, smoking pot is widely supposed to diminish the nausea associated with chemotherapy. But, the panel pointed out, there are no good-quality randomized trials investigating this option. We have evidence for marijuana as a treatment for pain, but very little is known about the efficacy, dose, routes of administration, or side effects of commonly used and commercially available cannabis products in the United States. The caveats continue. Limited evidence. Insufficient evidence. Insufficient evidence. Probably not. Maybe. Probably not. A few years ago, the National Academy of Medicine convened a panel of sixteen leading medical experts to analyze the scientific literature on cannabis. The report they prepared, which came out in January of 2017, runs to four hundred and sixty-eight pages. It contains no bombshells or surprises, which perhaps explains why it went largely unnoticed. It simply stated, over and over again, that a drug North Americans have become enthusiastic about remains a mystery. Berenson begins his book with an account of a conversation he had with his wife, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating mentally ill criminals. I said. Yeah, they all smoke. Well . . . Sometimes. But they all smoke. Berenson used to be an investigative reporter for the Times, where he covered, among other things, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Then he left the paper to write a popular series of thrillers. At the time of his conversation with his wife, he had the typical laymans view of cannabis, which is that it is largely benign. His wifes remark alarmed him, and he set out to educate himself. Berenson is constrained by the same problem the National Academy of Medicine facedthat, when it comes to marijuana, we really dont know very much. But he has a reporters tenacity, a novelists imagination, and an outsiders knack for asking intemperate questions. The result is disturbing. The first of Berensons questions concerns what has long been the most worrisome point about cannabis: its association with mental illness. Many people with serious psychiatric illness smoke lots of pot. The marijuana lobby typically responds to this fact by saying that pot-smoking is a response to mental illness, not the cause of itthat people with psychiatric issues use marijuana to self-medicate. That is only partly true. In some cases, heavy cannabis use does seem to cause mental illness. As the National Academy panel declared, in one of its few unequivocal conclusions, Cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use, the greater the risk. Berenson thinks that we are far too sanguine about this link. He wonders how large the risk is, and what might be behind it. In one of the most fascinating sections of Tell Your Children, he sits down with Erik Messamore, a psychiatrist who specializes in neuropharmacology and in the treatment of schizophrenia. Messamore reports that, following the recent rise in marijuana use in the U.S. (it has almost doubled in the past two decades, not necessarily as the result of legal reforms), he has begun to see a new kind of patient: older, and not from the marginalized communities that his patients usually come from. These are otherwise stable middle-class professionals. Berenson writes, A surprising number of them seemed to have used only cannabis and no other drugs before their breaks. The disease theyd developed looked like schizophrenia, but it had developed laterand their prognosis seemed to be worse. Their delusions and paranoia hardly responded to antipsychotics. Messamore theorizes that THC may interfere with the brains anti-inflammatory mechanisms, resulting in damage to nerve cells and blood vessels. In the northern parts of Finland, incidence of the disease has nearly doubled since 1993. In Denmark, cases have risen twenty-five per cent since 2000. In the United States, hospital emergency rooms have seen a fifty-per-cent increase in schizophrenia admissions since 2006. If you include cases where schizophrenia was a secondary diagnosis, annual admissions in the past decade have increased from 1.26 million to 2.1 million. Berensons second question derives from the first. The delusions and paranoia that often accompany psychoses can sometimes trigger violent behavior. Once again, there is no definitive answer, so Berenson has collected bits and pieces of evidence. For example, in a 2013 paper in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, researchers looked at the results of a survey of more than twelve thousand American high-school students. The authors assumed that alcohol use among students would be a predictor of violent behavior, and that marijuana use would predict the opposite. In fact, those who used only marijuana were three times more likely to be physically aggressive than abstainers were; those who used only alcohol were 2.7 times more likely to be aggressive. Observational studies like these dont establish causation. But they invite the sort of research that could. Berenson looks, too, at the early results from the state of Washington, which, in 2014, became the first U.S. jurisdiction to legalize recreational marijuana. Between 2013 and 2017, the states murder and aggravated-assault rates rose forty per centtwice the national homicide increase and four times the national aggravated-assault increase. We dont know that an increase in cannabis use was responsible for that surge in violence. Berenson, though, finds it strange that, at a time when Washington may have exposed its population to higher levels of what is widely assumed to be a calming substance, its citizens began turning on one another with increased aggression. His third question is whether cannabis serves as a gateway drug. There are two possibilities. The first is that marijuana activates certain behavioral and neurological pathways that ease the onset of more serious addictions. The second possibility is that marijuana offers a safer alternative to other drugs: that if you start smoking pot to deal with chronic pain you never graduate to opioids. This is a very hard question to answer. Were only a decade or so into the widespread recreational use of high-potency marijuana. Maybe cannabis opens the door to other drugs, but only after prolonged use. Or maybe the low-potency marijuana of years past wasnt a gateway, but todays high-potency marijuana is. Methodologically, Berenson points out, the issue is complicated by the fact that the first wave of marijuana legalization took place on the West Coast, while the first serious wave of opioid addiction took place in the middle of the country. So, if all you do is eyeball the numbers, it looks as if opioid overdoses are lowest in cannabis states and highest in non-cannabis states. Not surprisingly, the data we have are messy. Berenson, in his role as devils advocate, emphasizes the research that sees cannabis as opening the door to opioid use. For example, two studies of identical twinsin the Netherlands and in Australiashow that, in cases where one twin used cannabis before the age of seventeen and the other didnt, the cannabis user was several times more likely to develop an addiction to opioids. Berenson also enlists a statistician at N.Y.U. to help him sort through state-level overdose data, and what he finds is not encouraging: States where more people used cannabis tended to have more overdoses. The National Academy panel is more judicious. Its conclusion is that we simply dont know enough, because there havent been any systematic studies. But the panels uncertainty is scarcely more reassuring than Berensons alarmism. Seventy-two thousand Americans died in 2017 of drug overdoses. Drug policy is always clearest at the fringes. Illegal opioids are at one end. They are dangerous. Manufacturers and distributors belong in prison, and users belong in drug-treatment programs. The cannabis industry would have us believe that its product, like coffee, belongs at the other end of the continuum. Flow Kana partners with independent multi-generational farmers who cultivate under full sun, sustainably, and in small batches, the promotional literature for one California cannabis brand reads. Using only organic methods, these stewards of the land have spent their lives balancing a unique and harmonious relationship between the farm, the genetics and the terroir. But cannabis is not coffee. Its somewhere in the middle. The experience of most users is relatively benign and predictable; the experience of a few, at the margins, is not. Products or behaviors that have that kind of muddled risk profile are confusing, because it is very difficult for those in the benign middle to appreciate the experiences of those at the statistical tails. Low-frequency risks also take longer and are far harder to quantify, and the lesson of Tell Your Children and the National Academy report is that we arent yet in a position to do so. For the moment, cannabis probably belongs in the category of substances that society permits but simultaneously discourages. Cigarettes are heavily taxed, and smoking is prohibited in most workplaces and public spaces. Alcohol cant be sold without a license and is kept out of the hands of children. Prescription drugs have rules about dosages, labels that describe their risks, and policies that govern their availability. The advice that seasoned potheads sometimes give new usersstart low and go slowis probably good advice for society as a whole, at least until we better understand what we are dealing with. | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/14/is-marijuana-as-safe-as-we-think |
How much cash does Queen Elizabeth II carry... and why? | Monarch money! Queen Elizabeth II is a cashless kind of lady, with the exception of one day a week, when she always has a bill on her: Sundays. "She donates to the church collection basket," a source tells Us Weekly of her majesty. Coincidentally, the Queen's face adorns every pound. Of course, with all things royal, only the best bills will do for the Queen. The source says, "Her butler irons a 5-pound note into a little square by folding it until you can only see her face!" The Queen is often seen with a purse at royal functions outside of Kensington Palace. The purse, according to historian Sally Bedell Smith, who wrote the 2012 biography "Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind the Throne," contains mint lozenges, reading glasses, a fountain pen, lipstick, compact and tissues. On Sundays, of course, the contents of the purse are worth just a little bit more. And, the ever-resourceful 89-year-old also keeps a portable book with a suction cap so that the Queen can hang her bag discreetly under tables. The Queen just took "What's in your handbag?" to a new level. | https://www.wonderwall.com/entertainment/how-much-cash-does-queen-elizabeth-ii-carry-and-why-1888966.article |
Does the Paint World Need Another White? | Last year, Martin Kesselman, a color consultant to homeowners and decorators, did something controversial. He made a new white. The shade, created with the British paint company Farrow & Ball, is called Elliyah (it was named for Kesselmans then ten-year-old daughter), and is available through INCOLOUR, his showroom in Chinatown. I got a lot of criticism for coming out with it, Kesselman said recently. The color guy has his own white. Benjamin Moore has a hundred and sixty-four versions of it, all of which Kesselman sells. But he believes that Elliyah is different: Whatever the light, natural or artificial, itll read like a true whitebold but not stark, clean and crisp but not jarring. Jonathan Kutzin, a fancy housepainter, said, It sounds weird, but Martin made a really great white. It has just enough gray and cream in it to not feel naked or unfinished. The other afternoon, Kesselman got in his black S.U.V. and drove to Brooklyn, to visit two clients who were relying heavily on Elliyah. He has a clipped beard and wore a black jacket with a pin-striped hood. It was a clear morningthe sky was a shade of blue that resembled Benjamin Moores Icing on the Cake. A lot of my clients have type-A personalities, Kesselman said. He recalled one project. It was an immaculate space, probably twenty million dollars, and a real artisan paint job. Kesselman had chosen a pre-Elliyah shade of white. He wants the whole place redone. Storms out. The painters did the same exact thing. He comes back. Fantastic! On the other end of the spectrum was a man in Tribeca whod instructed the painters not to bother removing his Rauschenberg from the wall: just tilt it up, he told them, and paint underneath. Kesselman arrived at an 1864 brownstone in Fort Greene that belonged to one of the clients, Stacey Lightfoot, whom he described as well versed in color. This was the first time he was seeing the project, he explained. Stacey was on a mission. She wanted the perfect white, but was so busy I couldnt arrange a home visit with her. She came into the showroom and took some samples. Lightfoot answered the door, dressed in satin trousers and a matching blouse in Visa Infinite Privilege Card blue, and enthusiastically showed Kesselman around. They passed through elegant white rooms. In a middle parlor, she said, I know whites, and I really could not find a white I love. I tried seven. I was going to use Wevet. She turned to Kesselman. Wouldnt you say Wevet is lavender? It has a magenta and some blue qualities, but its an interactive experience, Kesselman said. Lightfoot continued, I got a sample of Elliyah and painted the whole room. A friend came over. She has good taste, but I wouldnt say she understands undertones. She said, This is like looking at the most perfect glass of milkbut not cream or one per cent. A perfect glass of two per cent. Kesselman nodded approvingly. More Elliyah was upstairs. You can use Martins color everywhere, Lightfoot said. Well, not everywhere. In the master bedroom, Lightfoot admitted, This is Strong White, by Farrow & Ball. Its greener and darker than Elliyah. Shed chosen it to go with a yellowish rug by Alexander McQueen. Next, Kesselman visited Christie, a client renovating a loft apartment nearby, who said that shed found Kesselman by Googling the words white paint. Kesselman had created a design for a white space with what he called moments of colorcabinets, columns, and behind closed doors: Studio Green in the foyer, Moles Breath in a bathroom. Either my designs are clean and bright, like the ones with Elliyah, or I do dark and stormy, Kesselman said. I dont play in the mid-tones. Where Martins such a savior is that even in such a big, open space he figured out how to make it seem purposeful, Christie said. In my mind, Id always seen white. But Martins influenced me so much that I am thinking, Why not do one of the bedroom walls in a color? I dont do feature walls very much, Kesselman said, in a tone that implied he never does them. Christie shrugged. It was expansive thinking, she said. | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/14/does-the-paint-world-need-another-white |
Has Windows Phone 7 been beaten before it's even launched? | Things are getting interesting in mobile phone land. Android sales have quadrupled this month, thanks largely to joyous hardware such as HTC's Desire, and Google's taking the wraps off Android 2.2 in a fortnight. The iPhone OS 4.0 is imminent, and we'll find out whether Steve Jobs has any surprises up his sleeve when the next iPhone is unveiled next month. And Windows Phone 7 well, Windows Phone 7 still isn't out. There's a bit in most weddings where the guests are asked: "speak now or forever hold your peace". It's the last chance to stop the wedding, and if nobody objects then the rings are exchanged, the signatures inked and the lips locked to bind bride and groom in holy matrimony. There's no point turning up six months later and shouting "BUT SHE'S A MAN!" into an empty church, even if it's true. That's pretty much what Windows Phone 7 is up to. We're halfway down the aisle with Apple and Google, and Windows Phone has left the house, hours late, on a rickety unicycle. Maybe Windows Phone 7 is the Mr Right of the mobile world. The problem is that it isn't Mr Right Now. At best it won't ship until the end of 2010; at worst, it could be delayed yet again. Either way, it looks like Microsoft's mobile OS will be a case of too little, too late. For those of us who aren't already in long-term mobile phone relationships, the HTC Desire and forthcoming iPhone look awfully seductive. It's going to be another smartphone summer, and once the season's finished millions of people will be in long-term relationships: typical phone contracts are now 18-month or even two-year affairs. Maybe Microsoft isn't going after the uncommitted, though. Maybe it prefers a more experienced kind of customer, the kind of customer who might be looking for a bit of excitement, the kind of customer whose existing mobile no longer offers the same spark that it used to. But there's bad news there too, because neither iPhone nor Android are slumped on the sofa, eating Wotsits and piling on the pounds. They're not as young as when we first saw them across a crowded Carphone Warehouse, sure, but both Android 2.2 and iPhone OS 4.0 promise to rejuvenate our faithful phones with electronic Viagra. With Windows Phone 7, then, it looks like Microsoft is serenading the wrong balcony and arming Cupid with rubber arrows. Its heart is in the right place, but its timing is terrible. Then check out Hands on: Windows Phone 7 review Sign up for TechRadar's free Weird Week in Tech newsletter Get the oddest tech stories of the week, plus the most popular news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up at http://www.techradar.com/register Follow TechRadar on Twitter | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/has-windows-phone-7-been-beaten-before-it-s-even-launched-687188 |
Why are brands mimicking social movements? | It seems every business worth its salt is taking a social stance these days. Compostable bags from the Co-Op, body positivity from Dove and racial equality from Nike. This list goes on Having social impactabove and beyond a tick-box corporate social responsibility (CSR) exerciseis fast becoming the norm, on account of the success these brands are having in addressing the big picture issues humanity faces. Cynically speaking, the kind of loyalty, passion and keenness to spread the good word that social movements engender are a utopia for brands and big business. Having a strong sense of purpose, that inspires an emotional connection, and commitment to your brand is exactly how Nike achieved an all-time high in share prices, on account of giving a platform to sportsman and police brutality activist Colin Kaepernick in 2018. Alongside validating the #blacklivesmatter movementbreathing fresh air into an issue that was becoming drowned out by increasing political division statesideNike recognised the culture-making power of people of colour across the globe and placed a calculating bet. Building on a long tradition of supporting black athletes with something to say, the brand realised mass impact on the market and the issue is one fell swoop (or should we say swoosh?) Nikes success is no flash in the pan, however. Whilst the kind of influencer marketing that the sports brand utilised in hiring Kaepernick has been around a long timean apparel line was part of the deal toowhen brands engage with influencers with a shared sense of purpose, audiences increasingly follow. As with all social movements, a changemaker people believe is authentic, willing to sacrifice for their cause and set an example in how others can make change toosee Cardi B turning down the Super Bowl half-time show in solidarity in late 2018can provide a powerful legacy for a brand too. Hence why purpose marketing has received such a bad rap. With new generations bringing forth a more conscientious consumer, backing a cause for the sake of sales will see you called out, loudly. Just look at Pepsis efforts to address racial tensions with a supermodel. No-one is buying it. Yet, for brands like Dovewith a few missteps along the waywhich has long dedicated its efforts to the idea of body positivity, through their product development, advertising campaigns and most recently, a pure issue campaigning platform in Be Real partnering with YMCA England. As with all powerful social movements, brands like Dove are investing in the idea of building a community that empowers and powers itself. When a platform and decision-making around how to address the issue is shared, success is more likely to follow, as fellow campaigners commitment and acceptance of the purpose youre all working towards encourages people to spread the word. Thats why Doves Be Real is less successful than GiffGaff, for example. Used a push marketing platform rather than a place to engage those impacted to address their wants and needs, the mobile operator truly listen and respond to customers needs, channelling community for the benefit of all. Whilst brands are cottoning on to the power of social movements, and harnessing their platforms in the service of purpose, change-makers and community to address major social issues and their own bottom-lines, doing so doesnt come without its challenges. The benefit of building a grassroots movement from the ground up is agility, where power can be distributed to those engaged in the issue to make change, and the model enables open participation in campaigning and creating new solutions. For most large, bureaucratic businesses this is nigh on impossible, though that doesnt mean brands arent working with their consumers to send strong socially motivated messages, even when the noise is negative, as U.K. based bakery chain Greggs has amply proved. Having responded to increasing consumer demand for vegan products across its stores, the brand launched its vegan sausage roll early doors in 2019. Using social media to clap back at disgruntled carnivorous fans and an online sparring session with sworn millennial enemy Piers Morgan, in one week, Greggs did more to normalise veganism (and boost its brand credentials) than a decade of campaigning from grassroots organisations. With social impact the expectation from younger generationsnine out of ten millennials would switch brands to support a business which backed a cause their believe inhaving your brand (authentically) engage in social movements shows there is success to be had, all-round. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencoulman/2019/01/07/why-are-brands-mimicking-social-movements/ |
When is the FA Cup 4th round draw? | 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 Merseyside is guaranteed at least one representative in the FA Cup fourth round after Everton beat Lincoln City on Saturday, while Liverpool will be looking to book their own place in the next stage of the competition against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night. With the draw taking place after the Reds' trip to Molineux, here's everything you need to know about the fourth round draw. Monday 7th January, after Wolves vs Liverpool. The final FA Cup third round tie kicks off at 7.45pm, meaning the draw will start around 10pm. Yes it is! With Wolves vs Liverpool being televised on BBC One, the draw will follow after the game. You can also watch it online live on BBC iPlayer, while we'll have updates on our Everton (and hopefully Liverpool)Twitter pages. Matches will take place on the weekend of January 26/27. If the third round is anything to go by, expect fixtures on Friday and Monday night too. Each team to win a fourth round fixture will receive 180,000 in prize money from the Football Association. The overall winner of the competition will scoop 3.6m. 1 Bolton Wanderers 2 Millwall 3 Gillingham 4 Brentford 5 Sheffield Wednesday or Luton Town 6 Manchester United 7 Everton 8 Tottenham Hotspur 9 Doncaster Rovers 10 Newcastle United or Blackburn Rovers 11 Chelsea 12 Crystal Palace 13 Derby County or Southampton 14 Accrington Stanley 15 Bristol City 16 Newport County 17 Oldham Athletic 18 Shrewsbury Town or Stoke City 19 Arsenal 20 Manchester City 21 Brighton and Hove Albion 22 West Ham United 23 Watford 24 Burnley 25 Queens Park Rangers 26 Barnet 27 Portsmouth 28 AFC Wimbledon 29 West Bromwich Albion 30 Middlesbrough 31 Wolverhampton Wanderers or Liverpool 32 Swansea City | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fa-cup-4th-round-draw-15639204 |
Which dead Coronation Street character is actually still alive? | Coronation Street is to reveal that villainous Duncan Fosters previously-thought-dead wife is actually still alive. As fans of the ITV soap know, conniving Duncan has managed to frame Sally for fraud, landing her in prison in the process. Advertisement But a fresh twist comes next week when viewers find out that Duncans wife May who he claimed to have died from a stoke is really still in the land of the living. New storyline teasers on the official Corrie website state that Duncan will land himself in hospital after getting involved in a road accident during a showdown with Tim. As Sallys family then descend on Weatherfield General, Sophie makes a shocking discovery when she spots Duncans wife May. As viewers will do doubt recall, the character of Duncan first appeared on Coronation Street when he was seen applying for a council grant in the hope of setting up a charity in memory of his supposedly late wife May. After fleecing the council of cash, Duncan subsequently claimed that Sally was responsible for the theft. Advertisement Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-01-07/which-dead-coronation-street-character-is-actually-still-alive/ |
What did Gemma Collins scream after Dancing On Ice performance that shocked Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield? | The video will start in 8 Cancel 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 Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were left stunned on last night's Dancing On Ice after Gemma Collins' performance. The Only Way Is Essex star took to the ice, performing to Beyonce's iconic single Crazy In Love in a gold sequined suit. Gemma was riddled with nerves after suffering a "massive fall" just hours before the first live show. But the self-proclaimed diva managed to stay upright on the ice and even decided to add some impromptu dance moves. She said: "I made it, I made it. I got a bit carried away at the end and added in a hair flick. "I werent meant to do it and that threw us off a bit." But Holly and Phil were left speechless when Gemma skated off the set and screamed with joy. Phil was about to announce he final leader board before Gemma was heard shrieking "YESSSSS" back stage. Both the audience and presenting duo were left in a fit of giggles, as Holly joked: "Gemma's happy, I think". The routine, which included Gemma doing the splits and a botched lift where Gemma should have lifted her partner, scored them 16 out of 40 with Judge Jason Gardner saying it was "uncomfortable to watch". She also secured the public vote meaning we will see her perform again in two weeks time. | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/what-gemma-collins-scream-after-15638805 |
Why is EastEnders not on BBC1 tonight? | EastEnders will lose its place in the BBC1 schedules this evening thanks to the FA Cup clash between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool. Coverage of the third-round match begins on the channel at 7.30pm, all of which means that theres no space for the usual visit to Albert Square at 8.00pm. Advertisement But EastEnders fans neednt despair theres still the same number of episodes airing as in a regular week, with the scheduling pattern reading as follows: Tuesday (7.30pm), Thursday (7.30pm), plus a double bill on Friday (8.00 and 9.00pm). The upcoming drama will see Rainie Branning suffer a shock collapse when the stress of sorting Abis birthday party becomes too much, while Mick Carter and Mitch Baker find themselves left in charge of a football team when the coach quits. But the main focus is on the soaps teens, particularly Tiffany Butcher and Bernadette Taylor, who get on the wrong side of the law when the cops catch them while theyre on a drug smuggling mission for evil Evie Steele. Advertisement Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-07/why-is-eastenders-not-on-bbc1-tonight/ |
Should my portfolio perform the same as the stock market? | If youve been following financial news lately, youve probably noticed that the stock market has been pretty...bumpy. Your own investment portfolios performance probably has, too. But chances are, your returns dont exactly match the market numbers youve heard about on the news. An investment portfolio and the market arent actually synonyms. For starters, there are about 2,800 different stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange aloneand thats a lot of ground to cover in one portfolio. More specifically, the overall U.S. market is often described based on the performance of indexes like the S&P 500, which tracks 500 U.S. stocks, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which tracks 30 large U.S. stocks, like Apple, AAPL, +4.27% Coca-Cola KO, +1.99% and Johnson & Johnson JNJ, +1.68% So unless your portfolio solely consists of, say, just one S&P 500 index fundan investment that aims only to mimic the performance of the S&P 500 indexyoure likely to see different returns than the markets. Because, diversification. Acorns portfolios contain a mix of thousands of U.S. and international stocks, and may include bond funds, as well. This way, when some investments in your portfolio are down, others are likely to be up. Though all investing involves some level of risk, this helps ensure that your money is protected from large market swings and can continue steadily growing over time. You might like: Invest Simple with Lazy Portfolios So dont get caught up in the latest, breaking financial newsand instead, stay focused on how a well-diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds can help you achieve your long-term goals. And, remember that, though stock prices go up and down every day, historically theyve always trended up. Get a daily roundup of the top reads in personal finance delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Personal Finance Daily newsletter. Sign up here. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/should-my-portfolio-perform-the-same-as-the-stock-market-2019-01-07 |
Is Taiwan's Military Really Ready to Take on China? | James Holmes Security, Asia We asked one of the world's leading experts that very question. Chinese president Xi Jinping issued his latest threat to Taiwan during what the BBC artfully calls a speech marking 40 years since the start of improving ties between the communist-ruled mainland and the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan. Xi exhorted Taiwanese to accept that they must and will be unified with the mainland. Sheesh. If forty years of improving ties culminate in threats to wipe out your negotiating partners political existence, Id shudder to think how forty years of deteriorating ties across the Taiwan Strait would have turned out. But Xis remarks do warrant taking stock of Taiwans defense afresh. To measure the adequacy of Taiwans defense, first, survey its overall strategic posture and then the state of its land, air and sea power. If the ROC armed forces are sufficient to discharge the tasks entrusted to them by the political leadership in Taipei, then the island is in sound shape to uphold its independence. If Taipei has assigned the military more to do than it can reasonably do, then trouble looms: missions must be cut or capabilities expanded until ends and means are in sync. First, strategy. Fewand by few I mean nonations boast the diplomatic, economic and military resources and political artistry to get everything they want. That being the case, they survey the surroundings and devise a strategy for a world of many goals and scarce resources. At its most fundamental, strategy is the art and science of setting and enforcing priorities among things or purposes the nation values, and apportioning resources to attain the priorities it cherishes most. You cant have it all. The Republic of Chinaan island state under the shadow of a continental giant bent on absorbing it by means peaceful or violentmust be more ruthless with itself than most when setting and enforcing priorities. Self-discipline hasnt always been the Taiwanese way. For example, strategists on the island have a habit of placing inordinate importance on defending outlying possessions, islands hard aboard the China coast and in the South China Sea. It strains credulity to think the ROC armed forces could defend the main island of Formosa while also holding offshore islands deep within waters and skies dominated by Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The Taiwanese military would scatter air and sea assets all over the map in an attempt to do so, at a time when they are heavily outnumbered by increasingly capable PLA counterparts. For political reasons, Taipei probably cannot publicly write off the islandsfew leaders get away with forfeiting sovereign territorybut President Tsai Ing-wen and her lieutenants should tacitly demote them on the ROCs list of priorities. Successfully defend Formosa and preserve your national life, then you can worry about recovering lost peripheral territories. The commitment to national integrity would remain, but Taipei would have accepted it may have to fulfill that commitment in phases rather than all at once. This is not a palatable way of doing things, but it is reality when trying to survive amid moral danger. So to estimate whether Taiwanese strategy comports with reality, gauge whether Taipei is taking a gimlet-eyed approach to fixing priorities or is trying to do everything, everywhere, with a slender inventory of diplomatic, economic and military resources. Small states under duress must decide what they want most, apply themselves single-mindedly to obtain it, and downgrade or triage the rest. Second, military power. The ROC armed forces are undergoing a cultural revolution and are moving in the right direction, if not at the pace friends of Taiwan might like. The cultural revolution is this. During the Cold War, the Taiwanese Navy and Air Force planned to rule the seas and skies adjoining Taiwanese territory. ROC ships and warplanes were fewer in number than those deployed by the lumbering PLA Navy and Air Force. But they were more technologically sophisticated than their Chinese nemeses, and ROC seamanship and airmanship were better to boot. Superior qualityboth material and humanoffset inferior quantity. The culture of command of the sea and sky was imprinted on Taiwans military culture over the course of many decades of strategic competition with the mainland. That the ROC military worked closely with the U.S. military, a force steeped in command of the common, did little to disabuse ROC warriors of their ingrained assumptions about how to wage combat. | https://news.yahoo.com/taiwans-military-really-ready-china-193300717.html |
Who wrote Shallow for A Star Is Born and what are the lyrics? | Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga performed Shallow together in A Star Is Born (Picture: WARNER BROS) Shallow brought home the bacon for A Star Is Born during a disappointing night at the Golden Globes. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gagas 2018 movie was expected to clean up at Sunday nights ceremony, but only ended up winning in one of its five nominated categories. Its no surprise, therefore, that Gaga was pictured in tears as Shallow was announced as the winner for the Best Original Song category, beating Black Panthers All The Stars, A Private Wars Requiem For A Private War, Boy Eraseds Revelation and Girl In The Movies from Dumplin. Lady Gaga was very much involved in Shallows creation, both performing it alongside Bradley Cooper and co-writing it. Lady Gaga bursts into tears as she wins a Golden Globe (Picture: NBC/Backgrid) Appearing as her Stefani Germanotta on the writing credits which is her real name Gaga was joined in writing the track by Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt. Advertisement Advertisement It is produced by Gaga and Benjamin Rice. As well as being nominated in awards ceremonies, Shallow has topped the record charts in more than 12 countries. It has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Im falling In all the good times I find myself Longing for change And in the bad times I fear myself Im off the deep end, watch as I dive in Ill never meet the ground Crash through the surface, where they cant hurt us Were far from the shallow now In the shallow, shallow In the shallow, shallow In the shallow, shallow Were far from the shallow now Oh, oh, oh, oh Whoah! Im off the deep end, watch as I dive in Ill never meet the ground Crash through the surface, where they cant hurt us Were far from the shallow now In the shallow, shallow In the shallow, shallow In the shallow, shallow Were far from the shallow now Gaga, 32, sobbed after Taylor Swift and Idris Elba read her name out for the award, her second Golden Globe after she won her for work in American Horror Story. Advertisement Advertisement She turned to her fiance Christian Carino before pal Bradley Cooper who directed her in the film and was also her co-star gave her a big hug. All four songwriters headed to the stage to collect the award, with Mark taking the mic on stage and thanking Gaga for being the captain and genius behind Shallow. When you write a song with Gaga all youre doing is making yourself into the best supporting cast you can be, the genius comes from you, its up there, he said. Youre the one who led us in to the deep waters and truly made this song what it is with your devastating performance in the film as an actor and singer and we thank you for that. Mark thanked Gaga for being the captain of SS Shallow (Picture: NBC/Backgrid) I just want to say as a woman in music it is really hard to be taken seriously as a musician and song writer, and these three incredible men, they lifted me up and supported me, said Gaga. A Star Is Born had been nominated for five Golden Globes. These were: Best Actress (Lady Gaga), Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Director (Cooper), Best Motion Picture and Best Original Song, which was a nomination for Shallow by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in the audience of the Golden Globes (Picture: BACKGRID) However, it was beaten in four of its five categories, only taking home the gong for Best Song. Advertisement Instead, Bohemian Rhapsody took the awards for Best Motion Picture and its lead actor Rami Malek for Best Actor. These were the only two categories Bohemian Rhapsody had been nominated in. The Best Actress Globe went to Glenn Close, a previous two-time winner, for her role in The Wife. Many now hope this win will see her glide into the favourite position for the Oscar, an award she has been nominated for six times but yet to win. The Best Director went to Alfonso Cuaron for Roma. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Golden Globes 2019 full winners list Best Performance By An Actress In A Limited Series Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy Rachel Brosnahan - The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, FX Best Television Series Musical or Comedy The Kominsky Method, Netflix Best Original Score Motion Picture Justin Hurwitz - First Man Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Patricia Clarkson - Sharp Objects Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Darren Criss The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Best Motion Picture Foreign Language Roma - Mexico Best Screenplay Motion Picture Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie and Peter Farrelly Green Book Best Motion Picture Drama Bohemian Rhapsody Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Green Book Best Motion Picture Animated Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Glenn Close - The Wife Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Olivia Colman - The Favourite Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture Mahershala Ali - Green Book Best Director Motion Picture Alfonso Cuaron Roma Best Television Series Drama The Americans Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series Drama Sandra Oh Killing Eve Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series Drama Richard Madden - Bodyguard Best Original Song Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga - Shallow MORE: Golden Globe winner Bohemian Rhapsody has lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of 21st century MORE: A Star Is Born and Lady Gaga fail to win big at Golden Globes 2019 in biggest snub of the night | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/wrote-shallow-star-born-lyrics-8317473/ |
What Golden Globes was A Star Is Born nominated for and what did it win? | A Star is Born failed to win big at the Golden Globes (Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) Since its release in October 2018, A Star Is Born has been one of the biggest contenders for awards season success. But it resulted in being the most snubbed film of the Golden Globes last night, only walking home with one. A Star Is Born had been nominated for five Golden Globes. These were: Best Actress (Lady Gaga), Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Director (Cooper), Best Motion Picture and Best Original Song, which was a nomination for Shallow by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in the audience of the Golden Globes (Picture: BACKGRID) However, it was beaten in four of its five categories, only taking home the gong for Best Song. Instead, Bohemian Rhapsody took the awards for Best Motion Picture and its lead actor Rami Malek for Best Actor. These were the only two categories Bohemian Rhapsody had been nominated in. Rami took home the best actor gong (Picture: Reuters) The Best Actress Globe went to Glenn Close, a previous two-time winner, for her role in The Wife. Advertisement Advertisement Many now hope this win will see her glide into the favourite position for the Oscar, an award she has been nominated for six times but yet to win. The Best Director went to Alfonso Cuaron for Roma. Golden Globes 2019 full winners list Best Performance By An Actress In A Limited Series Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy Rachel Brosnahan - The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, FX Best Television Series Musical or Comedy The Kominsky Method, Netflix Best Original Score Motion Picture Justin Hurwitz - First Man Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Patricia Clarkson - Sharp Objects Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Darren Criss The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Best Motion Picture Foreign Language Roma - Mexico Best Screenplay Motion Picture Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie and Peter Farrelly Green Book Best Motion Picture Drama Bohemian Rhapsody Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Green Book Best Motion Picture Animated Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Glenn Close - The Wife Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Olivia Colman - The Favourite Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture Mahershala Ali - Green Book Best Director Motion Picture Alfonso Cuaron Roma Best Television Series Drama The Americans Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series Drama Sandra Oh Killing Eve Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series Drama Richard Madden - Bodyguard Best Original Song Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga - Shallow MORE: Taylor Swift slips into Golden Globes 2019 after avoiding red carpet with boyfriend Joe Alwyn | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/golden-globes-star-born-nominated-win-8317369/ |
Why are we still rooting for Susan Boyle? | Su-Bu is back on our screens in our hearts (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock) Su-Bo, Suse, the voice of an angel whatever adoring nickname you want to call Susan Boyle, theres no denying that most of us have a little soft spot for the unlikely music superstar. The proud Glasgow-native won the nations heart the second she opened her mouth to sing Les Miserables I Dreamed A Dream on Britains Got Talent almost 10 years ago. Back then, Susan, now 57, was unemployed and frightfully bashful as she gingerly graced the stage in front of judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden, with hopes of becoming a successful singer. Now a decade later, Su-Bo is still capturing the hearts of audiences with her current appearance on Americas Got Talent: The Champions, which sees past winners of the franchise battle for the winning title yet again. Advertisement Advertisement In April 2009, she made Piers Morgan gulp in awe, Amanda Holden cry and a smiling Simon Cowell dub her his little tiger. Yep, it was as cringe as it sounds but a rare show of affection from Si-Co so we took it. From that moment on, Susans world completely flipped upside down and, although she didnt win BGT instead coming second, she was reportedly offered multi-million pound record deals before finally settling with Simons Sy-Co imprint. Su-Bu will compete for the winning title again on AGT: The Champions (Picture: REX/Shutterstock) Naturally, Susan got a little makeover after her overnight success but fortunately, her hair roots were the only thing that changed as she still remained humble as her global fame soared. In an interview with the Mail Online in 2009, Susan said of her new look: Im still a bit like that wee wifey inside, but more refined in some ways. I think any woman would have done the same. I dont think so. We feel ya, girl. Su-Bo wowed the world with those powerful singing pipes but has always downplayed her talents, proven when she described herself as a reasonable singer in that same interview. Yeah, tell that to the millions who were blown away by your voice, Suse. Si-Co dubbed Su-Bo a little tiger (Picture: Getty) In an age where most pop artists go to jaw-dropping lengths to steal attention from the next rival, Susans nonchalance about fame was as refreshing as a tall glass of cold water. Advertisement Advertisement Shes always been completely honest about the pressures of celebrity and seems insistent on keeping some semblance of normality in her life. Whether that means refusing to swap her council flat for an expensive Hollywood mansion or hopping on a bus in West Lothian to head to her local Tesco. Pretty much, Susan is your everyday basic bish but in the most endearing way possible. And just when you thought she couldnt get more relatable, Su-Bo opened up about her heartbreaking battle with Aspergers Syndrome in 2013, after previously being told she had brain damage. Despite her ordeal, Su-Bo defiantly stated: It will not make any difference to my life. You can totally believe she meant it too. Back in 2013 we all loved an underdog. And, judging by the excitement over Susans return to primetime TV, clearly we still do. So its no surprise that Su-Bo is still capturing hearts because, at her core, shes just an everyday woman with troubles and a dream like the rest of us. Americas Got Talent: The Champions airs tonight on NBC. 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. MORE: Susan Boyle to open Americas Got Talent: The Champions and shes got very tough competition in round one MORE: Susan Boyle teases brand new music ahead of Americas Got Talent: The Champions return | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/agt-bgt-still-love-susan-boyle-simon-cowells-little-tiger-8317638/ |
Who is Russian ex-beauty queen Malaysian King reportedly wed? | After abdicating on Sunday from his two-year-held thrones, Malaysian King Sultan Muhammad V was rumored to have tied the knot with former Miss Moscow. In circulating pictures, 49-year-old Sultan Muhammad can be seen with his rumored wife 25-year-old Oksana Voevodina, who had grabbed the title of Miss Moscow in 2015. According to reports, the alleged love-interest of the King hails from the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and is said to have graduated with a degree in business from the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. It was further revealed that while she has been named 2015s Miss Moscow, she has also been amongst the 11 contestants on a Russian reality television show similar to MTVs Temptation Island. Additional reports have suggested that Voevodinas mother had also been a beauty contestant back in the 1990s. According to the floating hearsay, the beauty pageant contest had met Sultan Muhammad 18 months prior in Europe while she was modelling for luxury watches. Furthermore, with the circulating pictures of the wedding ceremony where the two can be seen together, Malaysian newspaper The Star states that the nuptials had taken place on November 22 in Barvikha, situated in the suburbs of the Russian capital. Moreover, it was revealed that the ceremony had entirely been alcohol-free while the food served had also been halal. The model had reportedly embraced Islam in April of 2017 and is said to be going by the name of Rihana Oxana Gorbatenko subsequent to that. -Malaysian king abdicates in historic first- Malaysias king abdicated Sunday in a historic first for the country that ended weeks of speculation about his future after he took medical leave and reportedly married a Russian ex-beauty queen. Sultan Muhammad Vs decision marks the first time a king has stepped aside during his five-year term in the Muslim-majority country. The national palace confirmed the resignation with immediate effect of the 49-year-old, who had been on the throne for two years and was known for his fondness for four-wheel driving and other extreme sports. "His majesty tells the people of Malaysia to continue to be united to maintain unity, tolerance, and work together," said a statement from the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz. Malaysias Islamic rulers will now meet to decide on the next king. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with a unique arrangement where the throne changes hands every five years between rulers of the nine Malaysian states headed by centuries-old Islamic royalty. The system has been in place since independence from Britain in 1957. Royal officials gave no reason for Sultan Muhammad Vs move but there had been a question mark over the kings reign since he went on leave for medical treatment in November. Reports in British and Russian media then surfaced saying that he had married the former Miss Moscow in the Russian capital in a lavish ceremony. Royal officials in Malaysia have so far not commented on the rumoured marriage, or given any details about the state of the kings health. Speculation intensified about the kings future after his medical leave officially finished at the end of December, and the countrys Islamic royals reportedly held a special meeting last week. | https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/415863-meet |
Could Asturian cuisine be the next big Spanish food trend? | The reputation of Spanish food in this country has never been higher. The likes of Michelin-starred Barrafina, Jos Pizzaros Bermondsey mini-empire, the Pep Guardiola-backed Tast in Manchester and Albert Adri, one of the worlds most esteemed chefs, opening a new dessert restaurant in London, are all part of a wave of establishments serving top Iberian delicacies. It wasnt always so. Once upon a time, Spanish food in this country often consisted of bland paella and soggy patatas bravas. Brits holidaying on the Costa del Sol stuck to what they knew as comedian Mickey Flanagan has joked, a trip to Spain used to promise an upset stomach. It seems unfathomable now, but Spanish cuisine was considered the... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/could-asturian-cuisine-next-big-spanish-food-trend/ |
Was bringt 2019 den Sachwertanlagen? | Die generellen politischen und wirtschaftlichen Aussichten fr 2019 sind nicht eben rosig. Gerade deshalb knnten Anbieter und Vertriebe von Sachwertanlagen profitieren. Der Lwer-Kommentar Besonders positiv hat das neue Jahr nicht begonnen: Anhaltender Shutdown in den USA, Apple-Absturz, miese Wirtschaftsdaten aus China, Fortsetzung der Proteste in Frankreich, Zwangsverwaltung einer Bank in Italien durch die EZB. Generelle Konjunktursorgen. In Deutschland verkndet der Bundesfinanzminister das Ende der fetten Jahre. Datenklau bei Politikern und Prominenten. Offenbar rassistisch motivierte Mord-Anschlge per PKW auf Auslnder in Bottrop und Essen, die durch eine Emprungswelle wegen einiger Schlger-Flchtlinge in Amberg schnell aus den Schlagzeilen verdrngt werden. Letzteres belegt auch die weiterhin aufgeheizte Stimmung im Land. Welche (Propaganda-)Mechanismen dahinter stecken, dass der Vorfall in Amberg, der sich bereits am 29. Dezember zugetragen hatte, erst Tage spter nach den weitaus schwerwiegenderen Taten in NRW hochgekocht ist und diese dann berlagerte, wre sicherlich eine vertiefte Untersuchung wert, gehrt aber nicht hierher. Vorgeschmack auf 2019 Das alles gibt jedenfalls einen Vorgeschmack darauf, was uns 2019 erwarten knnte. Ein geschwchter US-Prsident, der womglich seine auenpolitischen Kapriolen noch verstrkt, um von den innenpolitischen Schwierigkeiten abzulenken. Sorgen vor Instabilitt einzelner EU-Staaten. In der Folge internationale Turbulenzen, wackelige Finanzmrkte, nervse Akteure. In Europa zudem weiterhin hysterische politische Auseinandersetzungen im Vorfeld der Europawahl im Mai, in Deutschland zustzlich vor den Landtagswahlen in Brandenburg, Sachsen und Thringen im Herbst. Inklusive Stillstand der politischen Sacharbeit, Propaganda, Fake News und einer weiteren Polarisierung der Gesellschaft. Dazu der Brexit im Mrz. Sollten die Briten nicht doch noch zur Vernunft kommen, sondern einen ungeordneten EU-Austritt dem (bergangs-) Vertrag tatschlich vorziehen, droht ein ziemliches Chaos. Auch wenn manche Szenarien sicherlich bertrieben sind, wird davon auch Kontinental-Europa nicht unberhrt bleiben. | https://www.cash-online.de/sachwertanlagen/2019/was-bringt-2019-den-sachwertanlagen/450311 |
Will Chrome update stop online ad abuse? | Google has taken another positive step toward making the Internet a safer place with the launch of Chrome 71. By Grant Hamilton, Check Point country manager South Africa Building on the ad-blocking measures introduced in Chrome 64 and 68, which prevented sites from opening new tabs or windows if they were reported for serving abusive experiences, Googles latest version of the popular browser escalates the fight against abusive online advertisements. The measures in Chrome 64/68 had some effect, but having analyzed its blocking statistics from early 2018, Google admitted that around half of the potentially abusive adverts pushed to Chrome users were still not being blocked. The latest updates are expected to be more effective in stopping persistently abusive sites. When an advertisement gets caught showing poor or malicious behaviour such as trying to redirect users to unwanted sites, or producing pop-ups or fake system errors the website owners will have thirty days to address the problem before having their ads blocked completely. All that being said, completely eliminating the problem of malicious advertisements (otherwise known as malvertising) remains highly unlikely any time in the foreseeable future. Some malvertising scams are difficult to block because they get delivered to users via a complex web of third-party networks, exploiting the underlying digital infrastructure of the online advertising industry. The ads are positioned on otherwise legitimate websites, with those sites being unaware they are carrying ads that exist simply to distribute malware and other attacks to users that unwittingly click on them. Exploiting ad networks Our researchers exposed a large-scale malvertising campaign of this type in July 2018, which revealed a disturbing partnership between a threat actor disguised as a advert Publisher (dubbed Master134), and several legitimate advert resellers to distribute a variety of malware including Banking Trojans, ransomware and bots. Powering the whole process was the powerful ad-network, AdsTerra. The campaign involved redirecting of stolen traffic from over 10,000 hacked WordPress sites, which was then sold onto the highest bidding Advertiser. However, instead of the advertiser being a legitimate company promoting real products, these advertisers were threat actors looking to distribute malware to unsuspecting users. In effect, cyber criminals were abusing the legitimate automated system integral to online advert networks and resellers bidding platforms, enabling them to bid alongside legitimate advertisers with popular brands to place their malicious adverts on thousands of publishers websites. Because the advert publishers connect with advertisers through a complex system of intermediaries and exchanges, there are simply too many variables involved for either Google or the ad-networks and their resellers to detect every single malicious advert. As such, it will be interesting to see if the latest updates to Chrome can help to nullify these highly complex malvertising schemes. Money matters If the updates in Chrome 71 do prove effective, it will help to cut the payments that abusive publishers receive by exploiting the ad-networks. But every action has a reaction, so its likely that criminals will look for other ways to generate revenue and make up for their lost earnings. As we have seen throughout 2018, crypto-mining malware has become the most popular malware type globally, simply because it is effective and earns revenue for criminals with almost zero risk. Earlier this year, our researchers exposed a case in which a criminal (suspected to be from China) has been running the XMRig miner malware on multiple users PCs, and had generated over $3 million USD in Monero cryptocurrency. So its likely that the bad actors behind abusive adverts will turn to wider use of crypto-mining malware, planted on both shady and legitimate websites, to quietly exploit innocent users CPU power and generate cryptocurrency whenever they visit those websites. As both of these types of attack are targeted towards end-users computers, organisations need a multi-layered approach to their cyber security to stay fully protected not only from known threats, but also against unknown malware and zero-day threats, like malvertising. Check Points SandBlast Zero-Day Protection and Mobile Threat Prevention, protect against the widest range of continually evolving attack types, and also protect against zero-day malware variants. | https://it-online.co.za/2019/01/07/will-chrome-update-stop-online-ad-abuse/ |
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