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What next for Syria's last major rebel bastion? | For nearly four months, a Russian-Turkish ceasefire deal has protected three million people in Syria's last major rebel bastion of Idlib from a major regime offensive. On September 17, regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey inked a deal to set up a buffer zone around the Idlib region to avert a threatened government offensive. Under the agreement, jihadists were supposed to withdraw from a buffer zone along the U-shaped front line around the region by October 15, but they never did. The truce seems to have held however, and, with the exception of sporadic bombardment and skirmishes, it has stopped an all-out military campaign to retake it. To a certain extent, the agreement has been "pretty successful", analyst Aron Lund said. A Syrian child waves the flag of key rebel backer Turkey at anti-government demonstration in the Idlib town of Hazzanu on September 21, 2018 Aaref WATAD, AFP/File "Now things are calm in Idlib, at least compared to the horror show that could have happened," said the fellow with The Century Foundation. But without a withdrawal by hardliners from the planned buffer zone, all parts of the deal were not implemented. In particular, two key highways running through Idlib -- the M4 and the M5 -- were never reopened to reconnect government-held areas with the Turkish border. Rebel territory consists of most of Idlib province and adjacent parts of Aleppo and Hama provinces. More than half of the stronghold is held by the powerful Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance led by the jihadists of Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate. An Turkish-backed alliance, the National Liberation Front, holds most of the rest. But in recent days, HTS has gained territory in the northeast of the enclave from the NLF, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. "HTS is now in control of all insurgent areas in the west of Aleppo province," after beating a key component of the NLF, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. "Some 500 fighters of the Nureddine al-Zinki rebel group there have abandoned their weapons" and fled north, the head of the Britain-based war monitor said. A Syrian fighter of the jihadist-led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance aims his AK-47 rifle during an exercise in the rebel bastion of Idlib on August 14, 2018 OMAR HAJ KADOUR, AFP/File Lund said the jihadists were looking to gain territory to present themselves as Idlib's chief negotiator. HTS "seems to be trying to establish itself as the undisputed hegemon in the area, the group you need to deal with if you want anything done." "They're knocking down rivals, one by one," he said, adding that after Nureddine al-Zinki, other NLF factions could be next. The Syrian civil war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011. It has evolved into a complex conflict involving jihadists and foreign powers. Among these, the United States suddenly announced last month it would withdraw all its troops from Syria, after years of backing Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State group. The decision took Syria's Kurds by surprise, and sent them scrambling to make a new alliance with Damascus for protection against a long-threatened Turkish assault. A line of US military vehicles in Syria's northern city of Manbij on December 30, 2018 Delil SOULEIMAN, AFP/File But analyst Haid Haid said any US withdrawal could also affect Idlib's future. "The US military withdrawal will almost certainly have a negative impact on the situation in Idlib," he said. The Damascus regime has notched up a series of victories against the armed opposition and jihadists and now controls almost two-thirds of the country. The two main areas to escape its control are Idlib, and northern and northeastern areas controlled by Kurdish-led forces. "If the regime is able to capture those areas, or at least a big part of them, then Idlib would automatically become the obvious next target," Haid said. | http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/what-next-for-syria-s-last-major-rebel-bastion/article/540438 |
What makes men send dick pics? | Four in 10 young women have reported being sent unsolicited explicit images. When Leah Holroyd joined a dating site five years ago, the 31-year-old noticed a lot of men had listed The Great Gatsby as a favourite book. So, to be slightly provocative, I mentioned in my profile that I thought it was overrated, and challenged someone to persuade me it was great, she says. A postgraduate student in English literature sent her a message that read a bit like literary criticism, and they began exchanging messages and discussing their favourite books. Holroyd found him pleasant enough, but she was looking for a relationship rather than just friendship, and he only ever talked to her about authors. After a couple of weeks, the bibliophile said he would be visiting London where Holroyd, who builds online learning courses, was living. He asked if I fancied meeting for coffee and a walk by the river, she says. He suggested they swap phone numbers to make arrangements easier. Almost instantly, he sent me closeups of his penis. If the conversation had some potential, but was becoming boring, I would sometimes send a dick pic Holroyds experience is worryingly common. A 2018 YouGov poll found that, shockingly, four in 10 women aged between 18 and 36 have been sent a photograph of a penis without having asked for one colloquially known as an unsolicited dick pic. (Only 5% of men in this age group admitted to having sent one.) Nor does this just happen through online dating. Some men have used the AirDrop function on their Apple devices which allows users to share files with other nearby Apple devices to send unsolicited pictures to women. Anyone, of any age, who has AirDrop turned on at its most unrestricted setting is at risk of picking up their phone to see a graphic image that was sent anonymously by someone in the same restaurant, cinema or train carriage. The problem has become widespread enough that MPs and campaigners are now calling for a law targeting cyberflashers. Laura Thompson, a researcher at City, University of London, whose work examines harassment over dating apps, says the issue has until now been trivialised. The research in this area is really limited. I think this blind spot says something about how society and the law tends to think of the problem: that dick pics are an annoying internet phenomenon as opposed to real flashing. The term cyberflashing wasnt even in widespread use until about a year or so ago. Unsurprisingly, I did not get very far by asking men in person if they had ever sent unsolicited photographs of their penis. So I set up an account on Reddit, where users can post anonymously in forums on a range of topics, and I asked the question again. Shortly afterwards, I went to the cinema. When I checked back a few hours later, I discovered more than 500 comments, and the moderators had shut the thread down. The comments were fascinating. The most important thing I learned is that sending pictures of ones genitals has different meanings for different men and different meanings for the same men at different points in their lives. Stephen Blumenthal, a consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst at the Portman an NHS clinic that offers specialist long-term therapy to patients with disturbing sexual behaviours says: Theres always a tendency with these issues to provide one kind of formulation; a one-size-fits-all explanation. But the reality is that there are many different motives that people have, some of which are perhaps more troubled and troubling than others. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Illustration: Guardian Design Some who shared their experiences anonymously wrote about not feeling confident with their bodies, and wanting praise. One Reddit user, Jake, told me: Ive done it a few times in the past, and I think its mostly about validation. Although most men will never admit to it, we are very insecure about our bodies, especially down there. So, unconsciously, we just want someone to say we look nice, or that we are attractive. OK, sending an unsolicited dick pic is really not the way to do it, but I do think thats the driver. We are just desperate for someone to tell us were OK. Not even sexy or incredibly handsome just OK. Others described wanting to turn up the sexual excitement in a messaging conversation they felt was flagging. Another user, Dave, wrote: If the conversation had some potential, but was slowing down or becoming boring, I would sometimes send a dick pic. Because either they stop texting me or I get laid. He added that dick pics now only get sent upon request. For others, it was a numbers game. For all the unsolicited pictures that were ignored or rebuffed, there was the occasional woman who responded in kind, and if one picture worked, it was worth it. Jake wrote: When they were well-received, I felt good about it, from the validation and the boost to my self-image, but also the precedent it opened. It was now OK for them to reply in kind, or to steer the conversation down more sexual routes. Another, John, estimated he has sent 100 unsolicited pictures in chatrooms over the years, after becoming aroused. Id see people chatting about various subjects. If they were remotely sexual, I think that served as my entry point to sending a pic, he wrote. While he did have a couple of his best pictures saved on his phone, the thrill of it was taking a pic in that moment and sending it I think it may have been about creating or imagining some kind of sexual connection in that moment. The feeling was a bit of a rush in the anticipation of a response. He described the four types of responses he received: very rarely, it would lead to an overtly sexual conversation in a chat window, in which further pictures might be exchanged; or he might be sent a complimentary message; or he might receive a negative, angry response. But, most often, he received no response. John is now in his 60s and has not sent a picture like this in more than a decade. He wrote: As I have become older, frankly, it just seems a combination of rude, silly and empty. I have learned this is offensive and an unwanted intrusion, even if it is the internet and anonymous. Even online, it is a violation, in my opinion; little different from the stereotypical street flasher in a trenchcoat. Really, those who send these unsolicited pics are essentially standing on a virtual street corner digitally flashing women they dont know for their own sexual gratification. I was intrigued by Johns condemnation, so I asked if he included himself among these online flashers. Yes. The anonymity of the internet facilitates doing things online youd never contemplate in the real world, so I think that helps men distance themselves from any consequences or impact on the person they send it to. The guy on the train using AirDrop is looking for something very particular he wants to see shock and surprise This notion makes a lot of sense to Blumenthal. The internet has brought out all sorts of new varieties of unusual sexual proclivities that are related to previous versions, and might have some similar dynamics, he says. Blumenthal believes there is a hidden narrative underneath some of these stories, which is what he has experienced with his patients who have committed indecent exposure: Some will be trying to impress, whereas some will be seeking to intrude. And this intrusive aspect is an important one, he says. The guy on the train using AirDrop is flashing in the digital age. The flasher is looking for something very particular: he is interested in the response, focused on the faces of these women he wants to see shock and surprise, and a kind of disabling of the person he is flashing. In almost every case of real-world indecent exposure, he says, there will have been a childhood incident where the perpetrator endured a trauma that made him feel out of control. This is the notion of identification of the aggressor: determined never to be a victim again. As an adult, he unconsciously twists this act around so that, he is now in the driving seat, watching the reaction of those he disturbs, inserting into his victim a feeling of shock, surprise, disturbance. John says he has never heard about women being distressed by pictures sent by somebody they are already talking to online, describing them as really more of an annoyance. Perhaps some women do feel that, but others find them much more disturbing. When Holroyd received several explicit pictures from the man with whom she had just agreed to go for coffee and a walk, she tells me, I felt totally shocked. Nothing in the conversation had made me think he was going to do that. I felt really worried because it seemed like a deception, I was confused, I didnt know what he was really looking for, I didnt feel safe. When she replied to this man to say that she no longer wanted to meet him, she says, he got really angry and aggressive. He told me that I must be mentally unstable because I had changed my mind so quickly. He said: If you can just change your mind like that theres something wrong with you. And he told me I should get professional help. He put the blame on me; made me feel I had done something wrong and had been unfair to him. In expressing his rage towards Holroyd, he was also describing exactly how he had made Holroyd feel about him: he was the one whose behaviour had been unstable, unpredictable, disturbed and disturbing. He had projected his feelings directly on to her. There were many thoughtful and thought-provoking responses to my question on Reddit. But in response to the many posts from men insisting that some women like receiving them, one woman replied: If a woman wants dick pics, its easy to ask for them. Or for a man to ask a woman if she would like to receive one. This [sending unsolicited images] is just like pulling your dick out in front of someone of course, loads of people are into that, but you need to make sure of that before you do it, not just shrug and say: Eh, some women would have loved it! Some men said they had stopped sending unsolicited photographs after a negative response. Another Reddit user, Jeremy, wrote about the one occasion he sent a photograph to a girl he had been messaging on Tinder: She replied with: Ew! and blocked me. Rightly so. Havent done it since. Others replied that leaving it up to women to teach men what is acceptable by responding negatively could put those women at risk. Blumenthal says that it is crucial to distinguish between noncontact offences, in which the perpetrator does not touch his or her victim, and contact offences and that the overlap between those who commit indecent exposure and those who go on to sexually assault their victims, is low. Yet the term noncontact offence in this context, is an interesting one it almost feels inaccurate: while sending an unsolicited photograph does not involve physical contact, it can feel like a violation; an assault. Cyberflashing can be prosecuted under a number of different laws, which carry prison sentences of up to two years. But there are problems with these laws, says barrister Kate Parker, director of the UK-based Schools Consent Project, a charity she founded to educate young people about consent and sexual assault. A prosecution would need to prove that the senders purpose was either to cause distress or anxiety, or that the image was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character. Parker says: In an era where sending dick pics is becoming increasingly normalised, the depressing reality is that such intent might not be proven. Some men think it is an appropriate way to start a conversation, or take an existing conversation to a more flirty level. And when it comes to the notion of indecency, the threshold is increasingly high: as our online and offline worlds are increasingly saturated with sexual imagery, it may be that societys collective perception of sexual indecency begins to shift. She supports the creation of a new law one that finally includes a consideration of the recipients typically a woman response to such messages as a determinant of criminal liability. We can improve the law, criminalising this latest incarnation of flashing, but, unless we try to understand the motivations behind it, we have no hope of stopping it. When I was a schoolgirl, a man flashed me as I walked home from the local park he ran ahead of me then stood masturbating, with his T-shirt over his face. When I was 17, on holiday in Paris with my best friend, a man thrust a photograph of a deformed penis in our faces. When I was in my 20s, a man I was flirting with texted me an unexpected dick pic. All these experiences, shifting in format, but not in nature, as technology progressed, were shocking, and unpleasant. On the upside, I am happy to report that in researching this piece, I did not receive a single one. Some names have been changed. For help and advice with any of the issues raised in this article, go to schoolsconsentproject.com | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/08/what-makes-men-send-dick-pics |
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What is Works with Arlo and what devices are compatible? | Arlo started life as a Netgear brand, but has slowly been moving away from its parent company and striking out on its own, raising funds and looking to fulfil its wider ambitions. Those ambitions are to be a smart home platform, rather than just a connected camera company. Arlo used CES 2019 to announce the Works with Arlo programme, a compatibility standard that will see third-party devices integrated into the Arlo system. Works with Arlo is a new compatibility programme that has been developed by Arlo, to ensure that devices you buy will be compatible with your Arlo system. The aim is to make Arlo the hub of your connected devices, so that you can control and integrate a full range of connected devices from different manufacturers. You'll be able to connect other devices, control them through your app and create routines that cross brands. You'll need an Arlo hub and so far most of the information is about the Arlo SmartHub - the one that was announced with the Arlo Ultra camera. There will be an update to the Arlo SmartHub to add compatibility for Zigbee and Z-Wave in the second half of 2019 and that will give Arlo increased skills, allowing direct control of devices through the Arlo app. We've seen Amazon make similar moves with the Echo Plus, including a Zigbee controller to allow assimilation of other devices on the platform. But reading into the details, its not just about Zigbee and Z-Wave. There will also be compatibility with services that use cloud-based or LAN communication. Although the details aren't all clear, we expect Arlo to offer access to some devices by linking accounts - and Arlo says that these services will work with older Arlo hubs, which is great news. Essentially, if you want Zigbee or Z-Wave, you need the new SmartHub. As the programme is so new, the only information we have at the moment are the companies that were announced at the launch announcement. Those brands who have signed up include: Bose Danalock Jasco Leviton LIFX Philips Hue Schlage Sonos Yale There are some interesting names in there. Lighting companies like Philips Hue and LIFX come as no surprise and it's easy to see how they fit into the system - but exactly how Arlo will integrate and control devices from Bose and Sonos remains to be seen. Yes it is - and here's where things get a little more interesting. Arlo has announced that it will be adding Apple HomeKit compatibility for the Arlo Ultra and Arlo Pro 2 cameras. This, conversely, will let you control those cameras via the Apple Home app of the Arlo app, and use Siri voice commands. Arlo also works with Alexa - you can link up your Arlo cameras so you can view them through the Echo Show or other screened Alexa devices. Arlo also works with Google. Not only does it work with Google Assistant, but you can tell Google to show your camera stream on a Chromecast, so you can watch it on your TV. That means that even though Works with Arlo wants to make it the centre of things, it's perfectly happy being part of another system too. The only timings we have are H2 2019 - but we'll be sure to update as Works with Arlo makes progress. | https://www.pocket-lint.com/smart-home/news/146678-what-is-works-with-arlo-and-what-devices-are-compatible |
Who benefits from Trump's trade war? | In 1950, the Canadian-born Princeton University economist Jacob Viner explained a customs union produces a trade creation effect, as lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers spur increased flows of goods among member countries. But Viner noted that a customs union also generates a trade diversion effect, as countries that are not part of it face reductions in their trade with countries that are. By raising trade barriers with its major trading partners especially China the United States now risks negative trade-creation and trade-diversion effects. Of course, the U.S. is not part of a customs union. But the trade creation and diversion effects can be seen, to varying extents, with any free-trade area even an arrangement as broad as the World Trade Organization. So when, for example, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is now moving forward as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership it effectively doomed the U.S. to a reduction in trade with the countries it deserted, as they increase trade with one another. It is difficult to discern any redeeming qualities in Trumps America First trade policies. But, to be fair, if not generous, there is some merit to challenging the status quo. Indeed, while it is a good idea to base policies on past experience, blindly sticking to tradition is a recipe for inertia. Instead, policymakers should be willing to take calculated risks and pursue pragmatic innovation. When it comes to Trump, such risk-taking often takes the form of challenging established assumptions about negotiations, including what in game theory is called an actors threat point the point beyond which negotiation is no longer worthwhile. Exposing actors true threat points which may leave more space for concessions than those actors would have their interlocutors believe could help to break a deadlock in difficult negotiations. This is what the Trump administration seems to be attempting to do in a few areas. For example, Trump seems eager to determine whether China, which for years has violated shared rules regarding, say, foreign investment and the protection of intellectual property would be willing, if push came to shove, to begin adhering to those rules. But, whatever the potential benefits of this strategy, they are dwarfed by the risks of Trumps crude and capricious protectionism. Ironically, America First will probably cause serious damage to the U.S. itself, which is bound to suffer severe losses due to trade diversion. Furthermore, Trumps protectionism could lead to broader damage, with tit-for-tat tariffs reducing overall exports, undermining total global trade flows, and impeding world economic growth. That would mirror the consequences Americas protectionist Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, enacted in 1930 over the protests of more than 1,000 economists. By hiking tariff rates to record levels, Smoot-Hawley helped to turn a U.S. recession into the Great Depression, though scholars disagree about the exact magnitude of the laws effect on the world economy. Despite the Sino-American trade wars overall negative effects, economies that remain more open to trade such as the European Union, India, Japan or South Korea may reap some benefits from the resulting trade diversion. And emerging statistical data imply that such diversion is already taking place. The trade war probably explains, for example, surging Japanese exports to China, which increased by 18.3 percent from April 2017 to March 2018. The trade volume, amounting to over 15 trillion, is now almost equal to Japans exports to the U.S. over the same period, which reflected a 7.5 percent increase from the previous year. Moreover, according to new Finance Ministry customs statistics, Japans exports to China during the first half of 2018 were worth more than 4 trillion, which is 16.4 percent higher than its exports even during the first half of 2007, prior to the global economic crisis. U.S. exports to China, by contrast, have declined by 8.5 percent since 2007. These numbers reflect a trade-diversion effect that is negative for the U.S. and China, but positive to outsiders. There is no doubt that Trumps trade war is a serious risk. But it is far less clear that it was a calculated one, or, if it was, that it was calculated well. After all, as the old saying goes, while two dogs quarrel over a bone, the third runs away with it. Koichi Hamada is a professor emeritus at Yale University and a special adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Project Syndicate, 2018 | https://www.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=opinion&p=1683266&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29 |
Can Philadelphia Eagles join these 6 NFL teams to win Super Bowl after making playoffs as Wild Card? | (AP Photo/David Banks) By Daniel Gallen | [email protected] PHILADELPHIA The Philadelphia Eagles have a daunting road through the NFL playoffs ahead of them, even after they completed Step 1 by defeating the Chicago Bears, 16-15, on Sunday. The Eagles are trying to win the Super Bowl as the No. 6 seed in the NFC. That entails winning three road playoff games, plus the grand finale. Only six other teams have won the Super Bowl after making the playoffs as a wild card. Only half of those teams have accomplished the feat by winning all of their games away from home. Heres a look at the other six teams to accomplish what the Eagles are attempting to do. | https://www.pennlive.com/philadelphiaeagles/index.ssf/2019/01/can_philadelphia_eagles_join_t.html |
What kind of beauty lies beneath ruins? | One question hovering over the Shoto Museum exhibition Beyond the End: Ruins in Art History is What is beauty? The paintings and prints in the show, gathered from museum collections around Japan, feature real and imagined scenes of decline. One of the first images that visitors will see, for example, is the 1942 painting Ruins (From the Last Judgement) by Tatsuoki Nambata (1905-97). Its a hellish vision of tormented semi-defined human figures, with the Colosseum of Rome burning in the background. The painting stands out as being horrific and angst-ridden in comparison with other images in the exhibition, which range from the bathetic, to the ambiguous and fanciful. Beautiful might be an odd term to use for such images. There are several etchings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-78). A unique interpreter of ruins, Piranesi used the architectural remains of Roman antiquity as a starting point for his own uncanny and elaborate fantasies of a world after civilization. Populated by goats, goatherds and theatrically gesturing indigents, who are dotted around the landscapes seemingly oblivious to their monumental nature, Piranesis mixture of fancy and detailed documentation could, in our age, be described as foreshadowing the hyperreal. The inclusion of several large works by contemporary artists Motoda Hisaharu and Minoru Nomata, depicting post-apocalyptic Tokyo, devoid of life and overrun by vegetation, evidence Piranesis continuing legacy and power to intrigue. Nomatas 2013 canvas Listen to the Tales directly references Piranesis 1756 etching Ancient Intersection of the Via Appia and the Via Ardeatina, inserting a few statues of Akita dogs to stand in for the bas-relief of the Roman foundation myth scene of Romulus and Remus suckling at the teats of a she-wolf. Hisaharus black-and-white photo-realistic lithographs of a future derelict Shibuya crossing are reminiscent of photographer Ryuji Miyamotos images of Kobe after the Great Hanshin Earthquake, and the derelict remains of the 1970 Osaka Expo site. Though these contemporary works take their fanciful invention from Piranesi, their execution is more similar in ambience to prints by 18th-century English artists. Where Piranesis works seem to plumb the subconscious, mixing archetypes and unarticulated desires and fears, the more ascetically composed works by John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) and Thomas Girtin (1775-1802) are quasi-pastoral studies that exude a wistful tranquillity, rather than a sense of dread. These images, both the contemporary Japanese, and the 18th-century English prints, are perhaps exemplary of the picturesque in the meaning originally espoused by Reverend William Gilpin (1724-1804); that is to say they have a kind of visual charm qualitatively distinct from the beautiful or the sublime. In terms of exploring ruins as dark fantasy or symbolic of psychological disturbance, the successors of Piranesi are the surrealists. Several works by Paul Delvaux (1897-1994) that juxtapose statuesque female figures among fragments of Greco-Roman architecture appear with pre-World War II Japanese surrealist works by Kyuzaburo Ito (1906-77), Noboru Kitawaki (1901-51) and Hamao Hamada (1915-94). Beyond the End: Ruins in Art History is not an exhibition of world-renowned works; but as a focused look at how the subject of ruins migrated to Japan after the ruin craze of 17th-century European art, it raises many challenging questions about the relationship between art, beauty, cultural memory and disaster. Beyond the End: Ruins in Art History at the Shoto Museum runs until Jan. 31; 500. For more information, visit www.shoto-museum.jp/en. | https://www.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=culture&p=1683155&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29 |
Why Becky Lynch should win WWE 2019 Womens Royal Rumble match? | Most of the fans think that Becky Lynch should have received some more time to prove her potential as the champion. She missed almost a month of action due to a concussion which could have extended the championship run. But Asuka dethroned her in a historic match to pick up her maiden title on the main roster. Ronda Rousey's interference was the sole reason why Becky Lynch had to lose the title. This makes the scenario wide and open as we move forward to Royal Rumble. Fans might be upset about 'The Man' losing the title but they should look at the bigger picture. With the title around her waist, she could have never made it to the women's Royal Rumble match. Now she is free from the title and can enter the prestigious battle royal. Since the bad blood against Ronda Rousey is present, the storyline automatically makes Becky Lynch the favorite to win the women's Royal Rumble. She would then go on to challenge the WWE Raw women's champion at Wrestlemania. This is the only way how two superstars from different brands can take on against each other at the biggest stage of them all. (considering that Ronda Rousey will not drop her championship until Wrestlemania 35) This match needs to happen at the grandest stage of them all, as per fans' demand. Letting Lynch winning the Rumble match seems the only way to do this. This would be similar to how Asuka won the Royal Rumble from Raw and chose Charlotte Flair from Smackdown at Wrestlemania 34. Speaking of this, Charlotte owes a rematch against Ronda Rousey, too. This should happen either on January 27 or could make the WWE Raw women's championship match a triple threat at 'Mania. This would be an ideal women's main event at Wrestlemania 35 from WWE's perspective. But fans may not like the idea of Charlotte Flair stealing the spotlight from Becky Lynch, again. She deserves a one-on-one match against 'the baddest woman on the planet'. If Rousey chooses to leave the WWE following Wrestlemania then a singles contest between these two will not happen, ever. So WWE should sanction this match on April 7th to quench the thirst of the WWE Universe. | https://www.mykhel.com/wwe/why-becky-lynch-should-win-wwe-2019-womens-royal-rumble-match-107595.html |
What does Chinas Belt and Road have to do with Myanmars meth problem? | If Myanmar is to break an addiction to methamphetamine production that has seen it become one of the worlds largest suppliers there is one country above all others that must act: China. Thats according to report released on Tuesday that highlighted how complexities in the relationship between the two countries are being exploited by armed separatists who are producing thousands of tonnes of the drug in the Golden Triangle of Myanmars Shan state, an area that is already the worlds second-largest heroin-producing region. Chemicals used in the production of the drug have been flowing over the states border with China, according to the NGO International Crisis Group (ICG), which says China should take a tougher line against the drug-producing armed separatist groups seen as being under its influence. China has a complex relationship with the groups, many of which arose out of the splintering of the Communist Party of Burma and claim an ideological and cultural kinship with the Peoples Republic of China. As Patrick Winn, an expert on organised crime in Southeast Asia, says: You can see the fallout from the Chinese civil war written into the landscape of the drug trade today. Beijings infrastructure ambitions in the region as part of its Belt and Road Initiative require it to tread lightly with the rebels or risk the groups destabilising its projects. And while the ICGs report holds out hope that the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor might help to reduce illicit drug production by creating more jobs, not all experts are convinced. Indeed, some point out that enhanced transport infrastructure has helped the groups transport the drugs. Conditions in parts of Shan state are ideal for large-scale drug production, which requires a kind of predictable insecurity, said the ICG. If the drug trade is partly a symptom of Shan states conflicts, it is also an obstacle to sustainably ending them. The trade, which now dwarfs legitimate business activities, creates a political economy inimical to peace and security. BORDER ISSUES Over the past year the Myanmar military, the Tatmadaw, has seized record-breaking quantities of methamphetamine, including its largest bust last January when 1,750kg of meth, 500kg of heroin, and 30 million yaba pills (a mix of meth and caffeine) were seized. The drugs were estimated to be worth US$54 million inside of Myanmar alone. Helping to drive this influx, according to the ICG, is Shans proximity to supplies from across the Chinese border of precursor chemicals used in the synthesis of methamphetamine. Closer to Yunnan than Yangon, many residents in Shan use Chinese mobile phones to connect to Chinese mobile networks and conduct their transactions using RMB. The border is also an important overland transit point for goods entering China from the Bay of Bengal, including an oil pipeline, and Chinas investment in infrastructure is seen has having facilitated the transport of not only legal consumer products, but drugs too. TROUBLED RELATIONSHIPS Experts say Chinas relationship with the separatist groups is essentially pragmatic. China needs to have a decent relationship with all of those groups so they dont bomb the pipeline or block the roads, said Winn. Its infrastructure dreams give China an incentive to have good working relationship with the armed groups. However, China is not alone in its need to balance its relationship with the separatist groups. The ICG reports that in some cases, in exchange for temporary ceasefires, the Tatmadaw has brokered agreements with the groups which effectively grant them autonomy to conduct drug production and trafficking. In other cases, the drug trade is carried out by militias installed by the Tatmadaw to fight the separatist groups. Many of these militias are also involved in drug production for funding, said Enze Han, associate professor of politics and public administration at University of Hong Kong. One of the Myanmar governments goal in countering the [separatist] insurgency is to create these militias to fight against the separatist groups, and they are also benefiting from the money. GROUNDS FOR HOPE Some argue that Chinas influence with the separatists can also be positive. Winn said Chinas occasional role as host of ceasefire talks between the Myanmar military and the separatist groups had boosted the separatist groups ability to negotiate with the Myanmar military as a block. The ICG said the China Myanmar Economic Corridor planned as part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative would pull Myanmar further into Chinas sphere of influence and give workers in the illegal economy more chances of legal employment. Its about intention, said Han. Chinas intention is to try and create stability at the border, so they can have connectivity. Whats the point of discussing the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor if theres instability? Other experts say that however influential China may be, it is Myanmar itself that holds the key to solving its addiction to meth production. If the Myanmar military would allow these ethnic groups to have more autonomy, then a lot of problems would be solved, said Winn. A lot of groups would assert their autonomy and we would see a federalist Myanmar. Since theyre not going to do that, there will be a need for guns and bullets. The drug trade will pay for them. | https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2181223/what-does-chinas-belt-and-road-have-do-myanmars-meth-problem |
Can Noise Warn Us of Climate Change? | By Garth Paine, Associate Professor of Digital Sound and Interactive Media, Arizona State University Our hearing tells us of a car approaching from behind, unseen, or a bird in a distant forest. Everything vibrates, and sound passes through and around us all the time. Sound is a critical environmental signifier. Increasingly, we are learning that humans and animals are not the only organisms that use sound to communicate. So do plants and forests. Plants detect vibrations in a frequency-selective manner, using this hearing sense to find water by sending out acoustic emissions and to communicate threats. We also know that clear verbal communication is critical, but is easily degraded by extraneous sounds, otherwise known as noise. Noise is more than an irritant: It also threatens our health. Average city sounds levels of 60 decibels have been shown to increase blood pressure and heart rate and induce stress, with sustained higher amplitudes causing cumulative hearing loss. If this is true for humans, then it might also be true for animals and even plants. Conservation research puts a heavy emphasis on sight think of the inspiring vista, or the rare species caught on film with camera traps but sound is also a critical element of natural systems. I study digital sound and interactive media and co-direct Arizona State Universitys Acoustic Ecology Lab. We use sound to advance environmental awareness and stewardship, and provide critical tools for deeper consideration of sound in nature preserves, urban and industrial design. Sound as a sign of environmental change Sound is a powerful indicator of environmental degradation and an effective tool for developing more sustainable ecosystems. We often hear changes in the environment, such as shifts in bird calls, before we see them. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recently formed a sound charter to promote awareness of sound as a critical signifier in environmental health and urban planning. I have spent decades making field recordings in which I create a setup before dawn or dusk, then lie on the ground listening for several uninterrupted hours. These projects have taught me how the density of the air changes as the sun rises or sets, how animal behavior shifts as a result, and how all of these things are intricately linked. For example, sound travels further through denser material, such as cold air, than through warm summer air. Other factors, such as changes in a forests foliage density from spring to fall, also change a sites reverberation characteristics. Exploring these qualities has led me to think about how perceptual measures of sound inform our understanding of environmental health, opening a new angle of inquiry around psychoacoustic properties of environmental sound. Altering sound environments affects survival To engage the public and scientific communities in this research, the Acoustic Ecology Lab embarked in 2014 on a large-scale, crowd-sourced project teaching listening skills and sound recording techniques to communities adjacent to national parks and national monuments in the southwestern United States. After completing a listening and field recording workshop, community members volunteer to record at fixed locations in the parks every month, building a large collection of sound captures that is both a joy to listen to and a rich source of data for scientific analysis. Imagine how climate change could affect environments sonic signatures. Reduced plant density will change the balance between absorptive surfaces, such as leaves, and reflective surfaces such as rocks and buildings. This will increase reverberation and make sound environments more harsh. And we can capture it by making repeated sound recordings at research sites. In settings where sound reverberates for a long time, such as a cathedral, it can become tiring to carry on a conversation as echoes interfere. Increasing reverberation could have a similar effect in natural settings. Native species could struggle to hear mating calls. Predators could have difficulty detecting prey. Such impacts could spur populations to relocate, even if an area still offers plentiful food and shelter. In short, the sonic properties of environments are crucial to survival. Listening can also promote stewardship. We use the recordings that our volunteers produce to create musical works, composed using only the sounds of the environment, which are performed in the communities that made the recordings. These events are a wonderful tool for mobilizing people around the issue of climate change impacts. Mapping sound and weather characteristics I also lead a research project called EcoSonic, which asks whether psychoacoustic properties of environmental sound correlate with weather conditions. If they do, we want to know whether we can use models or regular sound recordings to predict long-term impacts of climate change on the acoustic properties of environments. This work draws on psychoacoustics the point where sound meets the brain. Psychoacoustics is applied in research on speech perception, hearing loss and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, and in industrial design. Until now, however, it has not been applied broadly to environmental sound quality. We use psychoacoustic analysis to assess qualitative measures of sound, such as loudness, roughness and brightness. By measuring the number of unique signals at a specific location, we can create an Acoustic Diversity Index for that place. Then we use machine learning training a machine to make predictions based on past data to model the correlation between local weather data and the Acoustic Diversity Index. Our initial tests show a positive, statistically significant relationship between acoustic diversity and cloud cover, wind speed and temperature, meaning that as these variables increase, acoustic diversity does too. We also are finding an inverse, statistically significant relationship between acoustic diversity and dewpoint and visibility: As these factors increase, acoustic diversity decreases. Sounding Futures: Art, Science, and Community Sound quality is critical to our everyday experience of the world and our well-being. Research at the Acoustic Ecology Lab is driven from the arts and based on sensed experience of being present, listening, feeling the density of the air, hearing clarity of sound and perceiving variations in animal behavior. Without the arts we would not be asking these perceptual questions. Without science we would not have sophisticated tools to undertake this analysis and build predictive models. And without neighboring communities we would not have data, local observations or historical knowledge of patterns of change. All humans have the capacity to pause, listen and recognize the diversity and quality of sound in any given space. Through more active listening, each of us can find a different connection to the environments we inhabit. This post originally appeared on The Conversation. | https://www.thedailybeast.com/can-noise-warn-us-of-climate-change?source=articles&via=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29 |
Can new Smart car make the UK love electric? | Smart car was in the UK this week to show off the latest version of its electric car the BRABUS electric drive. Although just a concept at the moment, the car is a promising move for Mercedes-Benz, the makers of Smart, as it promises to bring a bit of spark to Britain's snail-paced electric car industry. Positioning itself as a 'sports car' is more tongue-in-cheek than fact although it does look the business with sports suspension and 'Monoblock VII' alloy wheels in a five double-spoke design with Smart adding an artificially produced running sound to the car to replace the steady hum of the electric engine. Interestingly, the makers have gone for a 'race car engine' sound but this can be replaced by virtually any sound in due course. Of course it's a gimmick, but the electric car needs all the help it can get to grab headlines in the UK. TechRadar sat down with Smart's Product Manager for Europe, Pitt Moos to discuss the company's love for the electric car and whether it was the right environment, with car manufacturers shutting here, there and everywhere, to unleash environmentally friendly automobiles into the market. "Everyone laughed at the idea of a Smart Car when it first was announced that we wanted to do an ecological car. No one would touch us," explains Moos about Smart's humble beginnings 15 years ago. "Then one of the oldest car manufacturers, and in some ways the most conservative, said yes to it." That manufacturer was Mercedes-Benz, who announced a joint venture with the Swatch group (pre-Smart) in 1994. It wasn't until late 1998 that the first Smart was launched, the Smart City Coup, and since then the company has grown from strength to strength. But this hasn't been without some major set-backs on the way. "We celebrated the millionth Smart car sale in September, which is great but we're not going to turn round and say we're a success story," says Moos rather candidly. "We've been through hell but are starting to get towards heaven. For some years it looked likely we were going to get the axe. The workforce was cut back in 2005 from 1,500 to 600, but everyone got jobs in the end and the passion from the workers was still there." And it's this enthusiasm that Moos believes has made Smart what it is today: "There's a lot of passion at Smart, and this brings a culture that doesn't always look to the rationale. "Sure, people either love or hate the cars but for us that is a great thing, as you can discard the haters straight away and look to the fanbase and cater to their needs." And what a fanbase Smart has at the moment. The Smart club for owners of Smart cars is the UK's second largest 'single marque' car club, with just Mini enthusiasts pipping Smart users to the number one spot. This is a point that Moos re-iterates: "Our members club is one of the biggest of its type in the world. This culture perpetuates into our car manufacturing, and the Smart ED has come out of that culture." The latest incarnation of the Smart electric car the BRABUS could be a game-changer in the electric car world. With the UK government looking to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent in 2050, everyone has to seriously think about the way they can reduce their carbon footprint, and electric cars seem a logical step towards this. There are limitations with the electric car that Smart knows only too well, but they do a pretty good job of turning the negatives into positives. Throw the accusation at them that electric cars can only go 70 miles maximum on a single charge, and they reply that 75% of all compact cars are used for travelling to work or shopping on a daily basis. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/car-tech/can-new-smart-car-make-the-uk-love-electric-608079 |
Is hydrogen really the future of car fuels? | So, Toyota is planning to take hydrogen cars into the mainstream. First, let's tackle the readiness issue. The big problem is infrastructure. Hydrogen fuel cell cars offer major advantages over conventional battery-electric cars like the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 when it comes to charging times and range. They can essentially be refueled just like a petrol or diesel powered car. But that assumes the availability of filling stations, which are largely non existent currently. Toyota has spoken of its plans to build a network of hydrogen outlets in preparation for the 2015 launch of its fuel cell car. But the $200 million price it quoted to set up just 20 stations in California gives you an idea of the massive investment needed to shift the world's fuelling infrastructure from diesel and petrol to hydrogen. It will be massively expensive and it will take years and years. And that's just part of the infrastructure problem. Production of hydrogen would also have to be massively ramped up to supply all those filling stations and in turn fuel the cars. More money, more time. Of course, you could say that's an argument against any kind of change. In reality, that half of the hydrogen question comes down to will. If the world wants it enough, it will happen. So the real question is whether it ought to be happening and whether the advantages of hydrogen fuel cells are all they're cracked up to be. 20 years in the making: Toyota's fuel cell tech Certainly, fuel cells have immediate upsides in terms of local emissions. All you get out of a fuel cell is harmless water vapour. Win. However, deriving the hydrogen fuel out of seawater is energy intensive stuff. And right now, the world's energy production is largely fossil fuel-based. Time and space In other words, if the world shifted from fossil-fuelled to hydrogen cars overnight, actual emissions wouldn't improve. They'd just be shifting in space and time from cars to the power stations providing the energy. Well, it's actually even more complicated as that as, for instance, the UK grid doesn't have the spare capacity to suddenly cope with charging a significant proportion of the car fleet. That said, cars fueled by grid-produced hydrogen wouldn't be any worse regards emissions than conventional cars. And they'd have the advantage of immediately benefitting from any improvement to the renewable balance in the grid's production mix. Even better, there's no reason why you couldn't produce hydrogen from purely renewable energy sources. As the Middle East runs out of fossil fuels, it's easy to imagine the creation of solar-powered water-cracking and hydrogen production facilities. When the wind blows In colder climates like the UK, you could produce hydrogen using wind or tidal power. And unlike the problems that beset wind power for general electricity production, hydrogen production would be a case of when-the-wind-blows. A constant supply of wind power wouldn't be so critical. Battery-electric cars like the BMW i3 are zero emissions but short on practicality All of which means hydrogen offers an awful lot of promise. Then again, so do other options. Just as you can produce hydrogen from renewable power sources, pretty much any petrochemical can be synthesised using renewable energy. Take water from the ocean, pull C02 from the atmosphere, add some energy and know-how and you can create carbon-neutral petrol. The really clever part of that solution is that you don't need to build new fuel stations or even make new cars. Of course, synthesised carbon neutral fuels would have some local emissions. But modern petrol engines are actually very clean bar the CO2. And any CO2 emitted would be that previously pulled from the atmosphere to make the fuel in the first place. Whatever happens, over the next 20 years or so it will be fascinating to observe how the various energy sources compete to power our cars. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/car-tech/is-hydrogen-really-the-future-of-car-fuels-1213081 |
Whats Next for Fleeing Saudi Woman? | BANGKOK Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, the 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family and avoided deportation from Thailand by barricading herself in an airport hotel room and posting about her plight on social media, spent her first day of freedom in Bangkok on Tuesday. After appearing to be headed for deportation back to her family, whom she accused of abusing her, Ms. Alqunun won a reprieve from the Thai authorities on Monday night. Those officials turned her case over to the United Nations Refugee Agency, which will take up to 10 days to process her request for refugee status and find a country that will accept her. Those days will be critical to her fate. Even as Saudi officials continue to lobby the Thai government to send her back against her will, United Nations officials have begun gathering information to determine whether she qualifies for refugee status and eventual asylum. Here is the path ahead for Ms. Alqunun. Ms. Alqunun is in the care of the United Nations Refugee Agency, also known as U.N.H.C.R. After leaving the airport on Monday night, she is staying at an undisclosed hotel in Bangkok, and could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/world/asia/thailand-saudi-arabia-rahaf-mohammed-alqunun.html |
Is It Time to Introduce Partisan Politics Into Municipal Elections? | Given the way this Mays mayoral election is shaping up, perhaps its time for Dallas to ditch its non-partisan (but actually quite partisan) approach to municipal elections. That was my takeaway from this Gromer Jeffers, Jr. piece from last week about the early, behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the many candidates vying for the citys top job. There are currently eight-to-ten announced or presumed mayoral candidates. They include Miguel Solis, Dallas ISD trustee; Mike Ablon, a real estate developer; Larry Casto, former Dallas city attorney; Albert Black, businessman and first African American head of the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce; Regina Montoya, the former senior vice president of Childrens Medical Center; and Lynn McBee, a philanthropist and recent Highland Park transplant. Everyone assumes Oak Cliff council member Scott Griggs will announce his bid soon, and watchers also believe outgoing State Rep. Jason Villalba will run. Jeffers also throws Dallas Park Board President Bobby Abtahi and State Rep. Helen Giddings names in the might-runs hat for good measure. With this kind of slate, we can predict a few things about the race. The first is that whoever eventually wins will become mayor after receiving votes from a very tiny portion of the Dallas population. Thats because the mayoral election will almost certainly be decided in a runoff. None of these candidates have the name recognition to ensure winning 50 percent of the vote in the election. In a city that already boasts abysmal voter turnout for municipal elections, the two candidates heading to the runoff might capture only a marginal percentage of a low turnout. Then, the deciding vote will take place during a runoff that is sure to draw even fewer voters to the polls. It is possible the next mayor of a city of 1.3 million people will be chosen by a few thousand people, possibly at a margin of hundreds of votes. The other thing we know about the mayoral race is that we will not have sufficient time to really parse-out where all the candidates sit on critical issues and what style, approach, and ideas they may bring to the table. There used to be a short-hand for figuring out a Dallas political candidate: just ask her what she thinks about the Trinity Toll Road. But with that issue behind us, it will be difficult to figure out how this many candidates really differ in their thinking and ability to tackle critical issues, such as housing, police, and transportation. Instead, with a crowded slate, I expect an election in which we have numerous of candidates who essentially offer the same views on things, if only to make sure they stay in the pack and hold out hope of snagging enough votes to make the runoff. Figuring out how they will lead on the issues when they take charge of the horseshoe will be difficult. This would all be different if there was a party system in Dallas municipal elections. First off, parties would limit the number of candidates running in the general election. There would be a Republican and a Democrat candidate, and perhaps an independent, Libertarian, or other party candidate some years. This would allow for a clear, high-profile vetting of the candidates and a substantive debate around ideas for tackling critical issues facing Dallas. Political parties would also help to clarify where certain candidates stand on the issues, and the eventual winner would also carry the day knowing that they received votes from a significant portion of the citys voters. Parties would also help clarify some of the partisan political wrangling that already goes on in municipal elections. As Jeffers points out in his piece, the local Democratic and Republican parties already work behind the scenes to aid certain candidates. Turning municipal elections partisan would help bring some of this activity out of the smoky backrooms. There could be other advantages as well. Parties would also mean that candidates who hold similar views wouldnt end up eroding each others base in the general election. Rather than splitting the votes of neighborhoods or coalitions, parties could help organize and focus this energy. Because most recent mayors have been Democrats, you could argue that a partisan municiple election would only shift the real election to a Democratic primary vote. But that doesnt have to be the case. The scale of local political elections might mean that other political parties not represented in the state or national levels could emerge as contenders on the local level. You see this in other cities where candidates associated with various partiesGreens, Social Democrats, etc.that situate further to the left or right of the Republican/Democrat binary have had success in municipal elections. Partisan elections could also help strengthen Texas political parties. Local elections could serve as ways to build grass-roots networks, volunteers, support, and elections apparatus that could be employed in other state and national elections, bringing new energy and ideas and closing the gap between grass-roots activism and party leadership. Parties would also ensure that certain interests cant use a negative election strategy of fielding an ever-growing list of candidates to dilute the voting base in hopes of being able to snag a win while only earning a relatively small percentage of votes. There is a silver lining to this years long list of mayoral candidates. The fact that so many candidates are running can be seen as an indication of the depth of leadership talent and an enthusiasm for the city at a critical moment in its history. The increased diversity of ideas and styles offered by these candidates points to a moment political maturation in Dallas. Thats another reason to consider political parties in municipal elections. Non-partisan municipal elections are a holdover from an older time, when city officials were de facto appointees of the business elite. If Dallas is going to really mature politically, it should embrace the power of political parties to clarify the political process. | https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2019/01/is-it-time-to-introduce-partisan-politics-into-municipal-elections/ |
What's behind our appetite for self-destruction? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Mark Canada, Indiana University and Christina Downey, Indiana University (THE CONVERSATION) Each new year, people vow to put an end to self-destructive habits like smoking, overeating or overspending. Think of the criminal who leaves a trail of evidence, perhaps with the hope of getting caught, or the politician who wins an election, only to start sexting someone likely to expose him. Edgar Allan Poe, one of Americas greatest and most self-destructive writers, had some thoughts on the subject. He even had a name for the phenomenon: perverseness. Psychologists would later take the baton from Poe and attempt to decipher this enigma of the human psyche. Irresistible depravity In one of his lesser-known works, The Imp of the Perverse, Poe argues that knowing something is wrong can be the one unconquerable force that makes us do it. It seems that the source of this psychological insight was Poes own life experience. Orphaned before he was three years old, he had few advantages. But despite his considerable literary talents, he consistently managed to make his lot even worse. He frequently alienated editors and other writers, even accusing poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow of plagiarism in what has come to be known as the Longfellow war. During important moments, he seemed to implode: On a trip to Washington, D.C. to secure support for a proposed magazine and perhaps a government job, he apparently drank too much and made a fool of himself. After nearly two decades of scraping out a living as an editor and earning little income from his poetry and fiction, Poe finally achieved a breakthrough with The Raven, which became an international sensation after its publication in 1845. But when given the opportunity to give a reading in Boston and capitalize on this newfound fame, Poe didnt read a new poem, as requested. Instead, he reprised a poem from his youth: the long-winded, esoteric and dreadfully boring Al Aaraaf, renamed The Messenger Star. As one newspaper reported, it was not appreciated by the audience, evidenced by their uneasiness and continual exits in numbers at a time. Poes literary career stalled for the remaining four years of his short life. Freuds death drive While perverseness wrecked Poes life and career, it nonetheless inspired his literature. A half-century after Poes death, Sigmund Freud wrote of a universal and innate death drive in humans, which he called Thanatos and first introduced in his landmark 1919 essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle. Many believe Thanatos refers to unconscious psychological urges toward self-destruction, manifested in the kinds of inexplicable behavior shown by Poe and in extreme cases in suicidal thinking. In the early 1930s, physicist Albert Einstein wrote to Freud to ask his thoughts on how further war might be prevented. In his response, Freud wrote that Thanatos is at work in every living creature and is striving to bring it to ruin and to reduce life to its original condition of inanimate matter and referred to it as a death instinct. To Freud, Thanatos was an innate biological process with significant mental and emotional consequences a response to, and a way to relieve, unconscious psychological pressure. Toward a modern understanding In the 1950s, the psychology field underwent the cognitive revolution, in which researchers started exploring, in experimental settings, how the mind operates, from decision-making to conceptualization to deductive reasoning. Self-defeating behavior came to be considered less a cathartic response to unconscious drives and more the unintended result of deliberate calculus. In 1988, psychologists Roy Baumeister and Steven Scher identified three main types of self-defeating behavior: primary self-destruction, or behavior designed to harm the self; counterproductive behavior, which has good intentions but ends up being accidentally ineffective and self-destructive; and trade-off behavior, which is known to carry risk to the self but is judged to carry potential benefits that outweigh those risks. Think of drunk driving. If you knowingly consume too much alcohol and get behind the wheel with the intent to get arrested, thats primary self-destruction. If you drive drunk because you believe youre less intoxicated than your friend, and to your surprise get arrested, thats counterproductive. And if you know youre too drunk to drive, but you drive anyway because the alternatives seem too burdensome, thats a trade-off. Baumeister and Schers review concluded that primary self-destruction has actually rarely been demonstrated in scientific studies. Rather, the self-defeating behavior observed in such research is better categorized, in most cases, as trade-off behavior or counterproductive behavior. Freuds death drive would actually correspond most closely to counterproductive behavior: The urge toward destruction isnt consciously experienced. Finally, as psychologist Todd Heatherton has shown, the modern neuroscientific literature on self-destructive behavior most frequently focuses on the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with planning, problem solving, self-regulation and judgment. When this part of the brain is underdeveloped or damaged, it can result in behavior that appears irrational and self-defeating. There are more subtle differences in the development of this part of the brain: Some people simply find it easier than others to engage consistently in positive goal-directed behavior. Poe certainly didnt understand self-destructive behavior the way we do today. But he seems to have recognized something perverse in his own nature. Before his untimely death in 1849, he reportedly chose an enemy, the editor Rufus Griswold, as his literary executor. True to form, Griswold wrote a damning obituary and Memoir, in which he alludes to madness, blackmail and more, helping to formulate an image of Poe that has tainted his reputation to this day. Then again, maybe thats exactly what Poe driven by his own personal imp wanted. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/whats-behind-our-appetite-for-self-destruction-108575. | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/What-s-behind-our-appetite-for-self-destruction-13516663.php |
Is it time for a new toaster oven? | Sure, you can reheat pizza and make a quick meal in a microwave but don`t overlook that other trusty countertop staple: the toaster oven. Consumer Reports has been testing them for decades, including brand-new models that do a lot more than toast and reheat. Toaster ovens are a very versatile appliance. You can bake cookies, broil burgers, and reheat leftovers. So, to see how well a toaster oven can reheat foods testers heat up frozen lasagnas. You don`t want cold spots in a meal that`s supposed to be warm. Testers use thermocouples to take the temperature at different points in the lasagna. To check how well a toaster oven can bake testers whip up batches of sugar cookies and corn muffins. CR also looks at the features and how easy toaster ovens are to use. And yes that means how well does it toast. Believe it or not, there is an industry standard chart that helps testers score how well each toaster performs. The best toasters match the evenly browned toast in the toast color chart. The $170 Breville is top-rated plus it`s one of the least expensive models CR tested. It turns out perfectly browned toast, is very good at baking and reheating and it`s easy to use. Even better it`s compact so it won`t take up as much precious counter space. Consumer Reports says some additional features to look for when shopping for a toaster oven an interior light so you can check in on your food without opening the door and a countdown timer to see how much more cooking time remains. AND if you do plan on cooking a lot of frozen pizzas a toaster oven with a rack that`s at least 12 inches deep comes in handy. | https://wtkr.com/2019/01/08/is-it-time-for-a-new-toaster-oven/ |
How long should a platform relationship be assumed to last? | This is not some arcane theoretical question; it is an important issue when trying to judge the true costs and benefits of choosing a platform, especially when it comes to switching. When we conducted platform pricing analysis back in pre-RDR times, we typically used reduction in yield calculations over a timespan of a decade or more. We had to make assumptions about which funds would be used, because different platforms offered different rebates and used different share classes. Just consider how times have changed since then. The RDR, new platform rules and Mifid II have all come to pass since those comparisons were run. Model portfolios were not so prevalent and pension freedoms had not appeared on the radar. The adviser platform market is less than 20 years old today. The age of many platforms is less than the timeframes of scenarios that were used to assess them. However, assumptions remain crucial. The FCAs platform market study identified switching as an area of focus in its interim report. Any cost benefit analysis on switching a client (or clients) from one platform to another needs to include an assumption of how long the client will remain on the destination platform. Switching platforms involves much more work than switching investments. So, if an adviser charges 700 to switch platforms (that is the median figure given in the FCAs interim report) that is an adviser charge of 0.7 per cent on a 100,000 portfolio. Technology improvements might make switching easier and cheaper, which would probably lower the barrier, but it will not eliminate the costs altogether. This conundrum is borne out in our research, where platform pricing occupies a lopsided position on platform selection. Advisers consider cost to be one of the most important factors in their initial selection of a platform for a client but, when it comes to switching, it is far less likely to be a crucial determinant. A drop in service, usability or functionality are more likely to prompt advisers to consider moving a client from one platform to another. It is hard to justify moving to a lower cost platform when the cost of switching exceeds any immediate cost savings. Major changes in client circumstances, or new entrants into the platform market, may prompt advisers to revisit existing platform relationships. But there is a relatively high barrier for switching an existing client between platforms. This all naturally leads to status quo bias and brings to mind the clich of the frog being boiled alive turn up the temperature gradually and the frog doesnt notice until its too late. Individual platforms pricing levels have gradually declined since the RDR but their pricing structures have remained relatively static. Platforms generally target the same types of clients they did back then, and so tend to have broadly similar pricing models. However, advisers should be mindful of gradual changes across the market that make a clients current platform comparatively more expensive than the competition. Finally, clients almost certainly value continuity of relationships. Investment is confusing enough without having to deal with a different set of paperwork, terminology, customer service and possibly client logins every few years. Consider an executor attempting to deal with poorly-filed paperwork from a multitude of platform providers over the years, or an adviser trying to calculate capital gains tax liabilities from investments purchased two or three platforms ago. It is not just pricing that inhibits switching. Richard Bradley is associate research director at Platforum | https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/how-long-should-a-platform-relationship-be-assumed-to-last/ |
What Next For George Groves? | Lee has written for Ringnews24 for over 7 years and he helps run the site on a daily basis. He has been a fan of the sport of boxing for around twenty five years. He enjoys traveling to watch fights in-particular trips to Las Vegas for big fight nights. It has been almost four months since George Groves lost his WBA title to Callum Smith in the World Boxing Super Series super-middleweight final. And although Groves insisted on continuing his career shortly after the loss, there has been no word on what the Londoners plans are for the future. Groves finally achieved his dream of becoming a world champion at the fourth time of asking when he stopped Fedor Chudinov in May, 2017. He racked up two successful defenses against Jamie Cox and Chris Eubank Jr before running into Smith, who was the more technically skilled on the night. The Liverpool based current world champion, who now owns the WBA (Super) and the Ring Magazine titles, was able to counter his opponent many times when Groves let his hands go. The bout was quite competitive up until the seventh round when Smith caught him with a left to the head that sent Groves reeling back into his own corner. A barrage of punches were rained down on him, eventually forcing him to submit to the ground. He took the full ten count, shaking his head while looking at his team to convey that he no longer wanted to continue. See Also It was a solid conclusion to what was an enthralling tournament. A shoulder injury acquired in the Eubank Jr fight postponed the Super Series final for quite some time until Groves was finally fully fit to compete. The Saint confirmed that his previous shoulder injury played no part in the loss to Smith. Well, there is some good news for him. In a way. James DeGale has admitted his desire to fight Groves again for a second time after he has faced Chris Eubank Jr on February 23rd. They last fought in a mega domestic clash in May, 2011 which Groves managed to snatch by a split decision. That would be a decent payday for both men, although it is not a certainty that it would do just as well as their original fight considering how much time has passed. Groves could be considered a spent force by the public at this point. And the same may be thought of about DeGale. Nevertheless, their rivalry still exists and the promotion for it would surely be full of tension and budding excitement. Former Olympic gold medalist, DeGale should also not be looking past Eubank Jr, who will surely be looking to re-establish his name amongst the very best in the division. Outside of a DeGale return, its difficult to see where George can go. Fighting for British, Commonwealth and European titles would be going down similar roads that he has done before and I doubt he would be motivated enough for that. Getting paid for fighting at those levels would also be something that would not exactly last a lifetime. Another option could be to move to light-heavyweight. There are some appealing big names there, such as Sergey Kovalev and the newly crowned Oleksandr Gvozdyk who stopped Adonis Stevenson last month. Who knows how well Groves could compete at this weight because we do not know how much he has left in the tank. It was thought that he lost a step or two after being knocked out by Carl Froch in their rematch, but getting Shane McGuigan onboard as trainer seemingly gave Groves a new lease of life. All the Hammersmith boxer can do is weigh up his limited options and start again. Even he will not know how his luck will turn out when he steps back into the ring again. At least George finally came through victorious in achieving his dream of becoming a world champion. That should give him some peace, at least. | https://www.ringnews24.com/2019/01/07/what-next-for-george-groves/ |
Who are Nottingham's 25 most popular Instagrammers? | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email If you were asked to name the world's most followed people on Instagram, you could probably have a good shot at it. The top five are Cristiano Ronaldo (150m), Selena Gomez (144m), Ariana Grande (142m), Dwayne Johnson (127m), and Kim Kardashian West (124m). They are followed by Kylie Jenner (123m), Beyonc (122m), Taylor Swift (114m), Neymar (109m) and Justin Bieber (103m). There's no official list, but we've had a trawl through Instagram in order come up with a top 25 which is hopefully pretty near the mark. These are the people with more than 20k followers on the picture-sharing platform. Twelve of them have more than 100k followers. Some of them you'll undoubtedly have heard of - but others might be unfamiliar to you. We've not included clubs and organisations such as the official Nottingham Forest Instagram account, which has 93k followers. But these are the people who we think are the most popular, with their number of followers: 476k - Charlie Barker The Basford-born model was actually discovered through her Instagram account, charliexbarker. She had started out taking pictures of herself and different ways of doing her make-up in her bedroom "for hours on end", when she was contacted by a modelling scout. I was putting photos of myself up and doing all these random pictures, and then I got an email and I was like, this is not real," she told Nottinghamshire Live back in 2017. I read it and thought she sounds pretty legit. It was a model scout and she said she'd pay for my train to London blah blah blah. She said shed organise appointments with all these agencies, really big agencies. Shed messaged my friend at the time too, so I said lets do it. We went down and it was all legit. This model scout took us to these big agencies and I was just blown away, like this is not happening." But it was happening - and how. Even so, Charlie found time to cram in studying fine art and playing guitar in a band while still doing her modelling. 404k - Alexina Graham She's appeared on the covers of Elle, Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar. She's been seen in catwalk shows for Jean Paul Gaultier and Emporio Armani, and was the first redhead to take part in a Victoria's Secret show for more than 50 years. Oh, and she also does ads for L'Oral. Alexina Graham is a big deal in the modelling world, but also in the world of social media. One video of the Nottingham-born model miming along to The Supremes' 'You Cant Hurry Love', for example, has been viewed more than 150,000 times. 379k - Stuart Broad This year is the Nottinghamshire and England cricketer's testimonial year, having accumulated ten years of service for the county since joining from Leicestershire ahead of the 2008 season. He has taken 433 Test wickets and had an unforgettable Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in 2015 when he took 8-15. In September last year, the bowler had his England central contract for Test matches renewed. 351k - Paul Smith The designer has stayed loyal to Nottingham since opening his first shop in Byard Lane in 1970. And although there is a company Instagram account at @paulsmithdesign (which has another 293k followers), he makes clear that his individual account is for his own photos. You wouldn't expect a string of selfies on his own account, and you don't get it. There are a few portrait shots, but otherwise it's an eclectic mix of cityscapes, interiors and design inspirations. 342k - Mark Hoyle You might not have heard of Mark Hoyle, but you've almost certainly heard of his blogging name - Ladbaby. (If you haven't, then I hope you enjoyed your Christmas break in some far-flung corner of the world.) The blogger, originally from West Bridgford, beat off competition from all sides to land the Xmas number one slot with his spoof cover version 'We Built This City... On Sausage Rolls'. The blogger - who has now moved to Hemel Hempstead - has gained millions of views documenting his adventures with wife Roxanne bringing up their two young children. He was also awarded the title of Celebrity Dad of the Year 2018. 330k - Jake Bugg Four albums into his career, Clifton singer-songwriter Jake Bugg is an established part of the music scene. He hit the top of the charts with his eponymous album back in 2012, and his last album was Hearts That Strain, released in September 2017 having been recorded in Nashville. He played at the Royal Concert Hall in March 2018 as part of the tour supporting the album, and you can read our review here. 296k Romanie-Jade Tulloch Under the username @cakefacerj, Romanie-Jade has amassed thousands of followers with her unusual make-up photos and videos which create unusual designs and optical illusions. The youngster, who only started her page a couple of years ago, was home-schooled by her mum but then studied fine art at Nottingham College for two years - and credits her time there for helping her to see huge success online. 183k - Lee Westwood Originally from Worksop, the golfer has represented Europe in ten Ryder Cups, was the first British world number one for 16 years, and has won tournaments across the globe. Famously, however, he has not yet won a major. He finished second at The Masters and The Open in 2010, and second at The Masters again in 2016. 156k - Joe Dempsie Well-known for roles in programmes including Game of Thrones, This is England '86 and '90, and Skins, actor Joe's family moved to Nottingham when he was just four months old and he grew up in West Bridgford. He has also appeared in a number of music videos by Nottinghamshire bands and musicians. 135k - Vicky McClure Staying on the acting theme, Vicky McClure has a strong Instagram following from her roles in Line of Duty, the This is England series, Broadchurch, Mother's Day and more. She will be back on screens this spring in the fifth series of Line of Duty. 122k - Jermaine Jenas Former Forest and England footballer now making his name as a Match Of The Day pundit. 106k - Lucy Parker Lucy, from West Bridgford, blogs under the name Lucy & Lentils, and that's also the name of her Instagram account. Her vegan recipes for breakfasts, tarts, curries and cakes are a big hit with her followers. 91k - Becky Adlington Her own bio probably describes her best: "Mum & 4 time Olympic Medallist. Love my family and friends. Foodie and coffee snob." 81k - Amie Alma Hicks A yoga teacher, dancer and artist whose says: "I'm eccentric. Different. Breathe fire and perform." Her account is called @amie_the_mermaid and she can get into shapes like this: 81k - Sat Bains Owner of Nottingham's only Michelin-starred restaurant. 52k - Joao Carvalho Portuguese midfielder who signed for Forest in the summer of 2018. 50k - Becky Sheeran Becky is well-known both for her role on Notts TV and for her YouTube channel 'Talk Becky Talk', which has 213,000 subscribers and features hacks about beauty, healthy lifestyles, home life and more. Her Instagram account has the same name. 41k - Carl Froch King of the ring, the 'Cobra' is also co-owner of Alto bar in the Cornerhouse. In November last year, he warned his followers that his Instagram account had been hacked. 31k - Emma and Laur Shallcross These identical twins have a fashion, beauty, lifestyle and travel blog called Two Times Style. The Instagram account is in Emma's name at @emshallc but features lots of photos of them in desirable locations. 30k - Petite Elliee Ellie, who doesn't give her full name online, introduces herself as follows: "Hi, I'm Ellie. Standing at only 5 foot nothing, I am the most vertically challenged sass pot you will ever meet." She started her lifestyle blog to distract herself from her GCSEs. 30k - Matty Cash Forest midfielder who has been the subject of a number of transfer rumours during his time with the Reds. 30k - Holly Sheeran Beauty, travel and lifestyle YouTuber and blogger. And Becky's sister. 29k - Emily Leary West Bridgford food, family and lifestyle blogger under the handle @amummytoo. As in: "Multi-award-winning food, lifestyle and parenting writer. Presenter and photographer. And a mummy too." 26k - Andrew Shim Actor ('This is England') and bike and car enthusiast. 23k - Laurence Henry Fair to say that the followers on his account @chef_laurence have increased a LOT in the past few weeks. Winner of Masterchef The Professionals Winner 2018, and sous chef at Restaurant Sat Bains. Let us know at [email protected]. | https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/who-nottinghams-25-most-popular-2403046 |
Can President Trump declare a national emergency to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico? | The Capitol is seen as the partial government shutdown lurches into a third week with President Donald Trump standing firm in his border wall funding demands, in Washington, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) By Jill Colvin | The Associated Press The Trump administration is weighing using a national emergency declaration to circumvent Congress and the budget stalemate and force construction of the president's long-promised southern border wall. "We're looking at a national emergency because we have a national emergency," President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday amid stalled negotiations. He said during a press conference Friday that he would prefer to win the money he's demanding via Congress, but could "absolutely" call an emergency "and build it very quickly." Such a move would be a dramatic escalation of the current showdown, which has forced a partial government shutdown that's now in its third week. Here's what we know: | https://www.masslive.com/expo/news/g66l-2019/01/b965c7268e8820/can-president-trump-declare-a.html |
Is the iPhone 5S Touch ID sensor losing accuracy over time? | Fingerprint scanning may be set to go big on phones in 2014, but there might be a few kinks to iron out before then. Apple's iPhone 5S introduced Touch ID, letting owners unlock their phone and make app purchases using their fingers. However, isome users are reporting that the accuracy of the fingerprint scanner dwindles over time. Touch ID requires you to scan your finger or thumb at various angles so it can store a nice and comprehensive scan to memory. But tech blogger Dr Drang, "a consulting engineer well known amongst nerds on the Internet", wrote in a post about how he has experienced the accuracy of the fingerprint scanner "decay with time". This has now led to a number of other people coming out of the woodwork to say the same. BGR updated to say that a number of people had responded to the story "indicating that they are experiencing Touch ID accuracy degradation as described". John Gruber of Daring Fireball also backed this up, stating "Drang is not alone I've had a handful of readers ask me about this recently". Touchy subject We found that several forum users have also had issues. "Works perfectly for a week after registering a new finger, deteriorates slightly in week 2 and by week 3 it takes 3-4 tries before it logs in. So I re-register the finger(s) and the cycle restarts," said user Minimo over on the imore forum. Meanwhile user nr2d wrote in a separate thread: "It seems that I have to reprogram my Touch ID prints about every 2 - 3 days. It'll work for about 1 - 2 days then I have to re-program 1 or both finger prints. Anyone else having problems?" However, plenty of other forum users responded to say that they've had no problems at all, so right now the problem doesn't appear to be massively widespread - or indeed a problem at all, as plenty of users are citing naivety in the way people are interacting with the biometrics, with factors like sweat, dry weather and misplaced digits all having an effect. Still, it will be interesting to see if this issue is reported more and more as time goes on - the iPhone 5S has only been available for just over two months, after all. Right now it could just be a case of people getting used to the new technology - or just having dirty fingers. Let us know. Via BGR | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-the-iphone-5s-touch-id-sensor-losing-accuracy-over-time-1205472 |
Will MQM be able to make a comeback? | Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration at the Cleveland State University Obed Pasha speaks about the prospects of Muttahida Qaumi Movement making a comeback. For me the MQM is finished, said Pasha. It will be no less than a miracle if the MQM makes a comeback, he said. One of the primary reasons for it is Altaf Hussain, said Pasha. I dont think that the MQM supremo will be allowed to re-enter politics and take part in Karachi politics the way he used to 30 years ago, he added. Pasha says that the MQMs dwindling popularity in Karachi also has to do with the socio-economic conditions of Karachi, which have improved a lot. Now, the younger lot of the Karachi population does not feel the need to be associated with the MQM, he argues. | https://www.samaa.tv/opinion/2019/01/will-mqm-be-able-to-make-a-comeback/ |
Why Do Architects Still Struggle with Disability Requirements? | Save this picture! Hufton + Crow. ImageStaircases such as this one, in ZHA's Dominion Office Building, are beautiful design elements but can pose challenges to those with limited mobility. This article was originally published on Common Edge as " Why Architects Still Struggle With Disability Requirements 28 Years After Passage of the ADA". The recent death of President George H.W. Bush occasioned assessments of his administrations legislative achievements, one of which was the far-ranging Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights act signed into law in 1990. The law included accommodations for people with disabilities in buildings. In the ensuing decades the ADA has had a significant impact on the design and construction of the built environment in the U.S. To gauge the impact of ADA, how it has evolved, common misconceptions about ADA, and its role in promoting social equity in architecture, I spoke with Peter Stratton, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Accessibility Services at Steven Winter Associates, who works with architects and others in the construction industry on the application of the ADA design standards. (I worked at the Connecticut-based Winter firm between 1996 and 2006; Stratton was a colleague.) Michael J Crosbie: The ADA was signed into law almost three decades ago. Peter Stratton: Although Federal disability laws existed before the ADA, they didnt apply to many of the buildings that are such an important part of our communities across the country: privately owned buildings open to the public, primarily. As a result, people with many types of disabilities were shut out of community life because they were unable to enter and maneuver through inaccessible movie theaters, restaurants, grocery stores, private schools. Access to these facilities was challenging, if not impossible. Imagine going to a movie theater and having to be carried into the building because the entrance was accessible only by a flight of steps. Then, once youre in the building, think about having to use the bathroom, but there isnt one that you can enter or move around in. PS: The original ADA referenced technical accessibility guidelines established in 1991. The problem was that the accessibility guidelines didnt advance as quickly as technical standards referenced by building codes, so they became an outdated standard. The accessibility guidelines were replaced by the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, which are more harmonized with other objective measures of accessibility, including the ICC A117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, which are referenced by the current International Building Code. Now, the 2010 ADA Standards are up to date with current research and applications. PS: By making access to buildings a federal law, the ADA opened up the opportunity for millions of Americans to become an important and productive part of our communities. In terms of making the biggest impact, it worked in tandem with the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, which made multifamily housing accessible. But people were confined to their homes because the public sphere remained inaccessibleit was very difficult for people with some disabilities to work or visit outside the home. Once the ADA became law and the technical standards came into effect, you as a person with a disability could leave your home and much of the built environment became accessible. The ADA connected public space to private spacea connection thats vital for the functioning of community. It made the physical world so much bigger for people with disabilities. The public realm consequently benefited from the buying power of people with disabilities who could now engage the marketplace in ways that they couldnt before. A more accessible public realm opened up work opportunities for people with disabilities. It lessened the reliance of people with disabilities on public assistance, because they could now be productive members of the community. These are the ripple effects of the ADA and how it has changed peoples lives. PS: The criticism Ive heard most often is that a building should be deemed compliant because it almost hits the mark. But, a building cant be almost compliantit either meets ADA or it doesntthere is no leeway or tolerance other than that which is specifically addressed in the standards. But the tolerance is established by the range permitted by the 2010 Standards; anything above or below the range is not compliantit either meets the standard or it doesnt. Thats the biggest complaint. Another common criticism is that there isnt one technical standard for compliance. Depending on the buildings use, there are several: ADA, ANSI 117.1, and FHA standards, which can vary from state to state. Different standards respond to different building types and are promulgated by different agencies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Department of Justice. There is an intention to shift to harmonizing these different standards, but were not quite there yet. PS: The ADA is enforced by complaint. For example, the Department of Justice or other groups may investigate complaints and might file a lawsuit if its deemed necessary. But there are no ADA police, theres no ADA certification, no real monitoring, other than compliance testing. "The ADA is enforced by complaint...there are no ADA police, theres no ADA certification, no real monitoring, other than compliance testing." PS: The most common misunderstanding is that compliance with the requirements of the local building code and its accessibility standards is enough to satisfy the ADA requirements. The accessible design and construction requirement of the code and of the ADA are mutually exclusive and must be considered separately. So its possible for a building to be in compliance with the local code, but not in compliance with ADA. Many architects, contractors, and developers dont realize this. PS: One of the biggest mistakes made by designers is that they focus on the technical requirements without understanding the scoping provisions. Scoping is what is required to be accessible; the technical requirements state how accessibility is to be met. Scoping is the what, technical is the how. The scoping criteria must be understood and correctly applied. For example, designers might apply the technical requirements for an accessible building entrance to one entrance, without understanding that the scoping provision requires the application of the technical requirements to 60 percent of the buildings entrances. PS: Weve seen a significant and substantial concern for compliance over the last five years. Before then, owners relied heavily on architects to achieve ADA compliance, citing the design professionals as responsible for compliance. Owners now understand that they cant rely entirely on architects to achieve compliance; architects dont want the responsibility of compliance anyway. Design teams have learned that an ADA consultant is just as important as other consultants on the design team. And ADA compliance continues to drive the project through the construction process. For example, an ADA consultant might review a project after design development, but then the project goes through value engineeringwhich might change spacing and clearances that compromise ADA compliance. As the design changes through the life of a project it should continue to be reviewed for compliance. Every design decision should be examined during all phases of design and construction. Training for contractorswho are usually not involved in the design processis often helpful so that they understand how field changes might make a building noncompliant. ADA consultants are typically solutions-driven to help designers achieve compliance. They dont just identify non-compliant issues, but suggest how to remedy issues identified so that compliance can be achieved. PS: Its important for architects to understand the meaningful impact that accessible design and construction has on everyonenot just on people with disabilities. I might not have a disability, but my child does, or my parent doesand that has an impact on me as well. It also makes a difference for people who might be temporarily disabled, as is often the case with people with broken bones or injuries. If architects focus on thatthat access can make the built environment more equitable and thus more meaningful instead of seeing it as a regulatory burden, it can highlight the ADA as part of an overarching social goal that accessible architecture can help achieve. | https://www.archdaily.com/909025/why-are-architects-still-struggling-with-disability-requirements?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArchDaily+%28ArchDaily%29 |
Can Modular Homes Rebuild Paradise Post-Camp Fire? | It wasnt the merriest of Christmases for the residents of Paradise, California whose homes burned down in the Camp Fire last November. Close to 14,000 residences were destroyed, including 13,696 single family homes and 287 multi-family buildings, according to Cal Fire, the states department of forestry and fire protection. In a state already plagued by a severe housing shortage, high housing costs and homelessness, this latest disaster adds to a problematic trifecta. For those seeking to rebuild, possibly in a nearby community that didnt lose so many of its businesses and social services, a shortage of construction labor adds to the challenges they face in getting into new homes. Marianne Cusato knows what theyre going through. Though shes been designing houses for more than 20 years and teaching in the University of Notre Dames School of Architecture, shes probably best known for the award-winning Katrina Cottages she created after that hurricane hammered the Gulf Coast in 2005. It takes years to rebuild, and that could mean living in a travel trailer through another season, she observes. Whether that season includes hurricanes or wildfires, We design permanent buildings that could be used in the short term as emergency housing, and in the long run as an accessory dwelling unit, or even the first piece of a larger home. Given that California recently liberalized its laws on ADUs, Camp Fire Cottages could potentially solve both short- and long-term housing issues for Paradise residents by going up quickly and providing additional housing in the future. When the FEMA trailers are finished being used for emergency housing, they can only be sent to a landfill, Cusato points out. When the cottages are finished being used as emergency housing, they have a long life and increase in value over time. We called the concept Temp to Perm. Its a permanent structure used for a temporary purpose. Cusato worked with Sonoma County after the wine country fires in 2017 and notes that modular homes can be built to Californias rigorous earthquake, wildland-urban interface and environmental codes. Building safe and dignified cottages is an investment in the future of a community, she comments. These compact, modular homes are built off-site, trucked in and hooked up to foundations and utilities. The key to timing is getting permits. Once we have permission to build, units can start arriving on site in as soon as 30 days; depending on the construction techniques, it can take anywhere from two to twelve weeks to finish the units on site, Cusato says. Homeowners can potentially use their insurance money to get rebuilt faster with modular construction even without a larger community program. Sheri Koones, author of Prefabulous Small Houses and five previous books on modular homes, says, Prefab houses can certainly be built faster than on-site housing. Prefab construction is not restricted by weather conditions and relying on independent contractors. Most factories employ a full-time staff of workers who can complete a modular home regardless of issues at the installation site. Depending on the factory, houses can be produced in a week or less, Koones reports. That isnt the whole process, of course, as the home still needs to be transported to the site, and tradespeople are needed on site to connect it to its foundation and utilities. Each state has its own restrictions on taking modulars along highways and that can hold up the time schedule, the author cautions. The schedule will depend on coordination of those jobs, plus the time it takes to get permits in the particular location. Other factors will be how busy the manufacturer is and how much of the house will be completed in the factory. In some cases, modular houses are delivered practically complete and that will generally save a good deal of time in the overall completion. As Cusato pointed out, modular homes are quite capable of meeting state and local codes. In fact, Koones cites FEMA studies that showed modular homes faring better in Hurricane Andrew than their site-built counterparts. In addition to being faster, prefab homes can be more affordable, too, Koones says. There are certainly budget modular builders who fit the tacky clich. But, as the Katrina and wine country cottages showed, you can build to local aesthetics and have a lasting property enhancement. California Modulars, which specializes in prefab ADUs, serves the Northern California region impacted by the Camp Fire. While offering fire survivors fee reductions, complimentary site visits and feasibility assessments will help those households, company president Roy Krautstrunk points to one of the biggest benefits of prefab construction: With our homes, you dont have to start from scratch and go through a lengthy design process with countless decisions to make. Anyone who has been through a new construction or large remodel project knows what thats like. Not having to make those decisions while rebuilding your life after a devastating fire can be especially helpful. There are many additional reasons to build prefab, Koones shares. In addition to the time and money factor, there is the professionalism of factory workers who do this every day, and their work is checked and rechecked along the process. There is also far less disruption to the surrounding neighborhood, and materials are not compromised along the way. (Nor are they likely to be stolen, as happens sometimes on traditional construction sites.) Potentially. As a society we are unprepared to meet the increasing demand for emergency housing after a disaster and we need to get better, Cusato declares. The silver lining is that the disaster, while tragic, can also be the catalyst to streamline the approvals process and bring much needed funding into an area. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiegold/2019/01/08/can-modular-homes-rebuild-paradise-post-camp-fire/ |
When can Liverpool fans see Ki-Jana Hoever in action again? | Get Liverpool 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 Ki-Jana Hoever enjoyed a statistically stellar Liverpool debut, despite the Reds FA Cup defeat at Wolves. Introduced after only six minutes the 16-year-old Dutchman made more successful dribbles than any other Liverpool player on the pitch, the joint most successful tackles, enjoyed an 87% success rate with his passing, made two clearances, one interception - and was beaten precisely zero times. The youngster left Reds fans eager to know when they will get another glimpse of the former Ajax academy talent - and the simple answer is against Brighton and Hove Albion. Given the hamstring injury suffered by Dejan Lovren it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Hoever could find himself on the substitutes bench for the first team once again at the Amex Stadium on Saturday. But even if Jurgen Klopp decides that he has sufficient options without calling on the teenager again, Liverpool's Under-23s are also in action on Monday night against their Brighton counterparts at the Kirkby Academy. Hoever's performance at Molineux could well see a larger attendance than usual if he is involved again against the Seagulls. Hoever kicked off the 2018/19 season in Barry Leutas' Under-18 team, but following his successful Under-23 debut in the mini derby at Goodison Park in November he has played against Hertha Berlin and Arsenal for the more senior side. It is a stunning acceleration for the young defender - from Under-18 football to first team football in the FA Cup in a matter of months. More Reds tales | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/can-liverpool-fans-see-ki-15645133 |
Is Mzwanele Manyi heading to the ATM? | Called for comment, Manyi said he could not "confirm or deny" that he is joining the ATM. "My position is not to confirm or deny any of the allegations being made," said Manyi. "There are many speculations. Some are saying I am joining the EFF while others are saying I am forming a new party ... that is why I advise you come to the press conference tomorrow where I will tell you exactly; when I confirm everything," said Manyi on Tuesday January 8. Manyi is due to make the formal announcement at a press briefing scheduled to take place in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Not all so-called RET forces seem to the happy with Manyi joining the ATM. Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama on Sunday took to Twitter and lambasted church leaders for being involved in politics. "We need bishops to be above politics and not compete with politicians or set up proxy political parties. We need to be able to call upon the church to assist with spiritual needs of the people. The church turned into politicians is a bad idea," wrote Mngxitama. | https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-01-08-is-mzwanele-manyi-heading-to-the--atm/ |
When is Americas Got Talent released on Netflix UK? | Susan Boyle is greeted by show host Terry Crews in on Americas Got Talents first episode (Picture: NBC / BACKGRID) Americas Got Talent launched in the US this week and features the most memorable contestants from the franchises history, battling it out to become the ultimate champion. Dubbed as the Olympics of talent, it will see the best from the Got Talent series across the world reminding the judges of their talents as they go head to head. Former champions of Americas Got Talent, Britains Got Talent and 12 other shows from various nations will feature. How to watch Americas Got Talent: The Champions in the UK Americas Got Talent: The Champions premiered in the US on Monday 7 January on NBC. Netflix has proven itself to be a proud home of Americas Got Talent for UK audiences and, sure enough, it will be show AGT The Champions too. Advertisement Advertisement Fans on our shores can tune in from tomorrow, Wednesday 9 January, to catch the first episode on Netflix. Its expected to last for seven episodes, finishing on 18 February in the US and 20 February in the UK. Mel B, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum will join Simon Cowell as judges on The Champions (Picture: Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) The first episode saw Britains Got Talent legend Susan Boyle return to the limelight, even winning the judges golden buzzer. Former Americas Got Talent winner Biance Ryan also returned to the stage, impressing judges once again. For more AGT action, stay up to date right here. Simon will be teaming up with Mel B, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel for the series, while Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Terry Crews will be replacing regular AGT host Tyra Banks. Contestants from the Got Talent franchise will take part in The Champions series. MORE: Simon Cowell has beautiful message for Susan Boyle on Americas Got Talent: The Champions and our aching hearts cant cope | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/08/americas-got-talent-released-netflix-uk-8321801/ |
What is the Finance Bill and what does its amendment mean for Brexit? | An amendment to the Finance Bill backed by MPs from several parties will be voted on this afternoon. The amendment is designed to limit the Treasurys power if the Government tries to force through a no-deal Brexit without the Commonss consent and create a US-style shutdown. Read on to find out. Put simply, the Finance Bill turns the Autumn Budget into law. While the Chancellor delivers his Budget in a speech to the Commons, it doesnt immediately get enacted, but instead must pass through the Commons as series of bills, one of which is the Finance Bill. Traditionally, before the introduction of the Fixed-term Parliaments... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/01/08/finance-bill-does-amendment-mean-brexit/ |
Was tun gegen Gewalt auf der Strae und im Netz? | Moderation: Korbinian Frenzel Elisabeth Niejahr (picture alliance / dpa / Paul Zinken) Der AfD-Politiker Frank Magnitz liegt nach einem Angriff durch Unbekannte im Krankenhaus, die Polizei vermutet ein politisches Motiv. Wir sprechen mit Elisabeth Niejahr von der "Wirtschaftswoche" ber den Fall. Und: Wahlkampfthema Ostdeutschland. Ein AfD-Politiker, der nach einem Angriff schwer verletzt im Krankenhaus liegt. Und eine Journalistin, die nach einem "Nazis raus"-Tweet Mord- und Vergewaltigungsdrohungen erhlt. Das fragen wir unseren Studiogast Elisabeth Niejahr, die Chefreporterin der "Wirtschaftswoche". Elisabeth Niejahr, geboren 1965, ist Chefreporterin der "Wirtschaftswoche". Zuvor war sie Hauptstadtkorrespondentin der Wochenzeitung "Die Zeit". Niejahr studierte Volkswirtschaft in Kln und Washington, parallel dazu verlief ihre Ausbildung an der Klner Schule fr Wirtschaftsjournalisten. Sie schreibt vor allem ber Demografie, Arbeit, Gender und Fragen der politischen Kultur. | https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/der-tag-mit-elisabeth-niejahr-was-tun-gegen-gewalt-auf-der.2950.de.html?dram:article_id=437735 |
Whos speaking at The Telegraph Leaders of Transformation conference 2019? | Ndidi Okeze joined Pearson PLC the worlds learning company in October 2018 to lead on Digital and Customer Voice Strategy. Ndidi sits on the Board of; The National Citizens Service (NCS), The Mulberry Schools Trust, and CentrePoint UK. She is an Ambassador for Teach For Nigeria and on the advisory committee for The Institute of Ethical AI in Education. Ndidi is a reputable executive who believes in pursuing big, hairy, audacious goals that will ensure all young people can actualise their God given potential. She is an inspirational public speaker, passionate about social justice, youth voice and quality access to education for all. A proud former teacher and school leader for ten years, she has spent the last six years as the Executive Director of the UKs largest graduate recruiter, Teach First; overseeing regional delivery operations, alumni impact, school leadership programmes, employability and collective impact. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/leaders-of-transformation/speakers/ |
How will the Indian markets fare in 2019? | January 08, 2019 08:21 IST The upcoming general elections will be the focus and the economy and market performance will pivot around that event. The general consensus is that the India stock market should be up around 10 per cent by the end of the year. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com As we start 2019, it's crystal ball gazing time again. Some people say that making predictions of the stock market is an art, not a science. However, regardless of whether clairvoyants take an analytical approach or use intuition, markets are very difficult to predict, else there will be many more millionaires in the world. Almost all major markets, barring India's, closed 2018, having lost ground as compared with a year ago- wiping off billions in companies market capitalisation. Unsurprisingly, the biggest loser amongst Asian stock markets is China's, which was down 25.5 per cent for the year. This is followed by Japan at 14.9 per cent and the Philippines at 14.4 per cent. After a frantic first week of market activity in 2019, India's stock market that gained almost seven per cent in 2018, is already down one per cent this year. Signs around the world are not promising. The US-China trade war is creating uncertainty in global markets, compounded by the predicted slowing of most economies around the world and adding fears that the US Federal Reserve will continue to raise interest rates on concerns of inflation. Just recently, exceptional job numbers continue to cause nervousness in the US market resulting in Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell making a statement, which suggested that the central bank would be flexible about future monetary policy moves. The global economic slowdown cannot be better illustrated than by the darling of consumer tech, Apple, issuing a warning about slower sale of its phones than anticipated. This caused its shares to plunge 10 per cent on Thursday, wiping almost $74 billion off the market value of the once most valuable company in the world. It has since recovered about four per cent on the final trading day of last week. Nearer home, China reported poor factory numbers in December, the worse since May 2017. Bloomberg reported Margaret Yang, market analyst at CMC Markets telling clients, "Asian markets took a deep dive into negative territory following another disappointing China Caixin manufacturing PMI reading. "China manufacturing PMIs is falling at a pace faster than economists' forecast, suggesting globaleconomic slowdown and trade war is hurting the country's manufacturing activities." The first week of trading in Asia ended mix with about equal number of markets declining and gaining for the week. Many markets recovered some ground on the last day of trading after falling earlier in the week. Margaret Yang further added on Bloomberg TV that this year "is going to be a challenging year for everybody, not just China but also global. "We are probably off the peak of a cyclical upswing with factory conditions slowing down not just in China, but in European countries as well." MUFG Bank's East Asia head of global markets research Cliff Tan expects that investor nervousness will continue until at least the end of the first quarter with some certainty from the US Federal Reserve being the key to a market advance together with a bottoming out of earnings revisions. Clive McDonnell, head of equity strategy at Standard Chartered Private Bank in Singapore believes that after declines in Asian markets in 2018, it is the turn of developed markets to be under downward pressure and that there is a very real risk that markets will end 2019 in negative territory. Investment bank Goldman Sachs citing weak economic data and increased uncertainty cut its stock market predictions for the six months of 2019. In a Newsweek report, it further added that US growth will slow to two percent and that it is not particularly worried about a recession. Nicholas Sargen of Fort Washington Investment Advisors was quoted by Money Magazine as saying that the bull market will continue for at least part of 2019 and feels that the Federal Reserve optimistic forecast for the coming three years is not accurate. He further adds that "the market is mildly overvalued, but it's not in a bubble. I'm not immediately bearish, since earnings reports are still fairly robust, which should give the bull market momentum into the first half of the year. "After that, I see a natural slowdown of the US economy." In India the upcoming general elections will be the focus and the economy and market performance will pivot around that event. Uncertainty will loom prior to the polls with the current government focusing on social programmes to solidify its support. However, commentators are expecting that post-elections, the new government will introduce fiscal stimulus as attention will return to the economy. Many are saying that the economy is expected to remain strong, but growth might be a touch lower than in 2018. With predictions of low commodity prices, oversupply in the local farm market, import-export controls being kept in place together with food subsidies, inflation is expected to be kept in check. Another major inflation consideration is oil price and that if it remains relatively low, the rupee is expected to regain some of the ground it lost in 2018. Broadly, low inflation and low interest rates will lead to India doing better than others in the region.India has an economy that is mostly reliant on domestic factors and is hence cushioned from any impact from US-China trade problems and US interest rates. Analysts expect that upward movement in Indian stock market will be limited before the elections,but that trading momentum will be restored in the second half of the year. The general consensus is that the India stock market should be up around 10 per cent by the end of the year. Generally,there is pessimism in the market globally and this will continue into the first quarter. Expectations are that markets will be volatile. However, uncertainty in the first half of the year will dissipate and give rise to the markets performing better in the second. It is not likely that the world will go into a recession despite a weaker global growth outlook. However, markets will struggle for a stable footing until better economic data emerges from the major economies like US, China, Japan and the EU. | https://www.rediff.com/business/report/how-will-the-indian-markets-fare-in-2019/20190108.htm |
Are women turning to witchcraft in the era of #MeToo? | A combination of disbelief, mockery, and genuine concern for the souls of those who might claim such a label populated a friends Facebook thread when he referenced a rise in Christians who also identify as witches. The Bible explicitly condemns witches, one commenter replied. (In truth, no equivalent word for witch, derived from Old English, exists in Hebrew, so what the Bible condemns, in various places, is more properly translated as sorcery, divination, and/or mediumship.) Still, as early as Catholic grade school I learned to equate witchcraft with tarot cards and Ouija boardsall feared as portals to the demonic. To be sure, Wicca, a religion founded in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, was mixed into the same scary stew as the Salem Witch Trials and the green-faced Wicked Witch of the West. In the popular imagination, the word witch has become so elastic as to encompass all of the above and then some. But really, theres only one thing we can all agree about a witch: Shes a woman. And women are reclaiming the term in so many different ways, it likely doesnt mean to them what most Catholics think it means. They may not all recite spells or worship a moon goddess, writes Kate Guadagnino in the New York Times, but at a time when misogyny is rampant and womens rights are on shaky ground, they relate to the witch as a feminist symbol. A witch, after all, is a woman with power. In the era of #MeToo, the badge of witch is inspiring artists, pop stars, and entrepreneurs who claim it as a mark not of evil but of womens wisdom, creative power, and self-agency. And yes, despite the well-known spiritual dangers of dabbling in any sort of occultism or practical magic, some of these witches also identify as Catholics. In 2018 we saw the reboot of Suspiria, a 1977 horror film about a dance company that is really a murderous coven. On Neflix, Sabrina the teenage witch came back to the small screen, and this time she was chilling. Taisia Kitaiskaia and Katy Horan published Literary Witches, a collection of visionary women writers whom the authors deemed figures of formidable creativity, empowerment, and general badassery. Virginia Woolf, Mira Bai, and Toni Morrison were among those included in this coven. We saw news stories of Lana Del Rey using witchcraft to hex Trump and women gathering to cast spells on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The #instawitches took to social media as e-commerce purveyors of hoodoo spellwork, healing crystals, and herbs. Makeup giant Sephora even got in on the trend, stocking a Starter Witch Kit with tarot cards and sage until witches called this religious appropriation and the company withdrew the product and apologized. In a sense, witchcraft has been repackaged as a feel-good hobby, the natural convergence of self-care, green living, and new age spirituality, a slide down the slippery slope from the multi-level marketing of essential oils among Christian women to ordering hoodoo spellwork on the internet. But I suspect it also expresses a much deeper spiritual wound. Among Catholic women, in particular, I see, at best, ambivalence to the male church hierarchy in the wake of so many disturbing revelations of abuse. We feel betrayed by those we trusted to lead us when we were not permitted to lead. With the wisdom of these men now called into question, we look to the wise women of historyso often dismissively, dangerously labeled witches. We are the granddaughters of the witches you werent able to burn, read a sign at the Womens March in 2016. Catholic women might hold up a sign that says we are the children of Joan of Arc, who was condemned a witch and sentenced to death before she was ever declared a saint. In times of extreme anxiety, we turn to religion for comfort. Studies have shown healthy spiritual practice can be as effective as pharmaceuticals for calming anxiety. Columbia University psychologist Lisa Miller, who studies spirituality in children, has argued that each of us has an innate capacity for transcendence. She believes religious faith traditions, at their best, are an embrace of this innate spiritual faculty. But her research has shown that organized religion can be destructive to mental health when it contradicts something she calls heart knowing or intuition. In those cases, we may seek other avenues of protection for ourselves and those we love. Maybe this is at the heart of why some Christian women, at this particular moment in history, are seeking alternate and even potentially dangerous spiritual paths. We are no longer willing to deny our gut feelings, that heart knowing that told us the truth when those who were in power did not. Women are seeking spiritual practices and traditions that respect their intuition, wisdom, creativity, and leadership. And many of them are surprised to find it a short leap from St. Brigid, Catholic saint, to Bride the folkloric Celtic goddess, or from St. Hildegard of Bingen, the doctor of the church and expert in folk remedies and animal omens, whose Physika looks strikingly like a witchs grimoire, to the modern day Christian insta witches who are lifting these women up as their heroes. This article also appears in the January 2019 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 84, No. 1, pages 3839). Image: iStock.com/myshkovsky | https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201901/are-women-turning-witchcraft-era-metoo-31606 |
Does the church have too many ministries? | A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the daily running of the typical parish was a fairly straightforward and Spartan process. OK, lest I be thought an ossified curmudgeon, let me clarify that statement with some (albeit heavily abridged) church history: Almost as soon as the Holy Spirit propelled the church into the neighborhood, the organizational instincts of its members sprang into play. Prayer and the breaking of the bread were central, of course. But there were also orphans and widows to care for, food distribution to coordinate, and the dead to bury. Priests, recognizing that they couldnt neglect their main task, the churchs sacramental life, and couldnt do it all, wisely tapped deacons (and probably deaconesses) and members of the minor orders for these tasks. Initially the young Christian community organized around basic needs. Something like an Amish barn raising, it was a matter of lets all just pitch in and do what needs doing. Father said Mass and offered the sacraments. The sisters ran the parish school and with some generous helpers taught weekly religious education classes for the kids in public school. Altar boys served at Mass and benediction and parish devotions. A few groups of dedicated parishioners, fraternal organizations, and volunteers ran the fundraisers like the parish picnic; the ladies of the altar and rosary societies and similar groups cleaned and decorated the church, washed and ironed the altar linens, and sang in the choir. This was, for all intents and purposes, the template of U.S. parish life. Fast forward to the mid-20th century arrival of the Second Vatican Council. With Vatican II came renewed liturgy, with, among other pivotal directives and documents, its clarion call for full, conscious, and active participation by all the people. Energized and urged to live out their baptism, laypeople were now invited to proclaim the scriptures, to distribute holy communion at Mass and to the sick, to serve on newly established parish and pastoral councils, to become certified catechists. Formerly volunteer organists and choir members were now formally trained to be parish music directors. Pastors were encouraged to utilize the skills of lay professionals and hired parish business managers and facilities administrators and religious education directors. Suddenly, we had ministries. Lots of ministries. Like St. Lukes pressed down, shaken together, and running over (6:38), ministries poured into Catholic life. It was a good thing. Ministries brought organization and enthusiasm. They energized lay people to claim their rightful place and service in the church. But I cant help but wonder if in our zeal to create ministries we might have gone a little overboard. Weve developed a penchant for giving ourselves fancy titles and official-looking name tags. Weve designated specific people to be in charge of the simplest church tasks. (Im waiting for Minister of the Hand Sanitizers to be next.) And in the process we might have lost sight of the reality that all of uswith titles or on committees or notare called to be church together, to be Christ for one another. Greeters, or ministers of hospitality as some are called, are a case in point. They can be a welcoming, helpful presence. Or just a traffic-gnarling knot in the narthex that Mass-goers need to navigate around while the greeters for the most part greet and chat with their friends, ushers, or choir members. Ive been in parishes and faith communities where the ministry of hospitality is marvelous. Ive been in others where it seems the focus is only on greeting the folks one already knows and associates withthe cheery Good morning! Great to see you! How are the grandkids? to the long-term parishioner, but a wordless glance at the unknown newcomer. As a Catholic journalist at several diocesan and national publications for over 30 years, Ive been privileged to visit hundreds of parishescentral city, rural, suburban, serving established populations of Italians and Poles and Irish as well as younger communities of Hispanic, Korean, and Vietnamese Catholics. Ive also been warmly welcomed at Eastern churches, mosques, and synagogues. Whether in Tennessee or Tunisia, each local faith community has its own unique flavor and style. Those I found most welcoming have the art of hospitality down to a T, and it is clearly a community affair. True, perhaps someone at the doora greeterwelcomed me. But extending that welcome and offering real hospitality was clearly everyones job. Some smiling person, whether a senior member or a young adult, would offer the worship aid or hymnal and help the visitor locate the sanctuary/worship space and find a seat. Women (were really good at this part!) would point out the restrooms, or cry room/nursery. And, while its still rare in many Catholic churches, some attentive parishioner would show newcomers the coat rack in the entranceway where they could deposit jackets and hats and scarves until after the liturgy. (What better practical sign of welcome than, Please, let me have your coat; make yourself at home!) In a truly hospitable community where everyone plays a role in welcoming guests, even language is not a barrier. In fact, monastic communities, where silence is a central part of the life, are experts at hospitality, with the monks and nuns offering a smile or silent nod to the guests who join them for prayer or fellowship. The beauty of true, effective hospitality is that it fits every personality type. If youre an extrovert, go ahead and greet the guests out loud; humor is a great icebreaker (in small doses). If youre more comfortable in a quiet corner, St. Thrses practice of giving a warm smile works wonders for everyone, even the most dour. For some parishioners and visitors, especially those who live alone and the elderly, that smile can be as treasuredand perhaps even as gracedas the eucharistic liturgy itself. One of my favorite examples of hospitality happened in a Trappist abbey. As I sat in their church to join the community for morning prayer, an elderly monk pushing a rollator glided silently up to my chair and handed me a folder with the days psalms. Then, having somehow heard that Im a Nortside Chicagoan, he whispered, Go Cubs! as he moved on to his choir stall. A light-hearted, brief, but perfect welcome. Im not dissing greeters. Theyre often an important part of the welcoming process. But theyre only the beginning. To be genuinely hospitable, parishes dont need name tags or assigned greeters or even hospitality committees. It just takes each one of us to cultivate an open, welcoming presence, see whats needed, and reach out with a smile to the guest or newcomer in our pews (often the back pews). Hospitality to the stranger is praised in all the great religious traditions. Its a central virtue in the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran. Welcoming hospitality offers us the challenge of living out a central aspect of St. Benedicts ever-practical Rule that echoes the gospel so powerfully: Let all guests be received as Christ. Thats a tall order, for sure. But it doesnt require formal training or certification. It just needs each one of us, with a welcoming heart, to make it happen. | https://www.uscatholic.org/church-ministries |
What happens if we can't clean up the mistakes of our nuclear past? | IN FEBRUARY 1945, Col. Franklin Matthias, the eager young civil engineer who directed construction of Hanford, took a train to Los Angeles to hand-deliver the first 100-gram plutonium plug fabricated at the site to a courier from Los Alamos, New Mexico. It would become the core of bombs like the Fat Man, dropped on Nagasaki that August. As he handed off the hockey puck-sized object, he told the courier it cost $300 million to make. The production of those pucks would prove to cost far more than even Matthias could have calculated, mostly due to the radioactive detritus they left behind. The Government Accountability Office estimates cleaning up Hanford could total more than $100 billion. Since 1989, when Hanford was first designated as a Superfund site, 889 buildings have been demolished, 18.5 million tons of debris have been put in controlled landfills, and 20 billion gallons of groundwater have been treated. With three decades of work, the scope of the problem has been greatly reduced, but the really toxic stuff is still on site. The groundwater beneath Hanford is never going to be clean enough to drink, thanks to a cocktail of chemicals: strontium-90, which deteriorates marrow in the bones of humans and animals and takes 300 years to break down; hexavalent chromium, which mutates salmon eggs; and technetium-99, which dissolves like salt in water and has a half-life of 211,000 years. Inside one of the tanks at Hanford, where the cleanup operation continues. (Photo courtesy of River Protection Solutions) The 586 square miles of sage still hold the 324 Building, home to highly radioactive nuclear containment chambers called hot cells, less than 1,000 feet from the Columbia and right across from the town of Richland, where many of the Hanford workers live. In the central plateau, where the ghostly vitrification plant stands, the Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility holds 1,936 radioactive cesium and strontium capsules currently kept in a glorified swimming pool. If an earthquake were to crack the pool, or the water supply were to run dry, those isotopes, physically hot and linked to bone cancer, would spread quickly. The knotty heart of the cleanup is the tank farm, on the central plateau, where 56 million gallons of high-level waste the official term for the long-lived radioactive material leftover from plutonium production sit in 177 underground tanks. Each tank holds a unique mixture of sludge, solid, supernate liquid and crusty salt cake a witchs brew of 1,800 different chemicals that are buzzing, off-gassing and breaking down. Sixty-seven of the 149 carbon-steel single-shell tanks and one of the newer 28 double shells have leaked, but the Energy Department refuses to build new ones, and every year the time frame for cleanup gets longer. If you think its nearly intractable, thats because it is, said Randy Bradbury, communications director at Washingtons Department of Ecology, one of the three parties that regulate the site. The biggest mind-boggling thing about it is that were all going to be dead before this is cleaned up. That time span challenges our decision-making, which is much more suited to responding to accidents than to multigenerational cleanup projects. Philosopher Timothy Morton categorizes nuclear weapons, waste and explosions (not to mention climate change and the longevity of Styrofoam cups) as hyperobjects real-life objects that are too large in time and space for humans to fully grasp. The Department of Energy spends billions of dollars on the cleanup each year; it has a $2.4 billion budget this year. But those billions are barely enough to keep the wheels on, and the Government Accountability Office estimates that the last 15 percent of the cleanup could be as expensive as the first 85 percent, which has already taken 30 years. Maintaining the tanks alone costs $300 million a year, and the minimum amount needed to keep things safe increases as time goes on and infrastructure ages. There currently isnt enough federal funding to meet cleanup benchmarks, and no money has been allocated for accidents like the tunnel collapse that contaminated workers. At the current rate of funding and cleanup, the DOEs Richland office, which manages most of the site, falls another year behind schedule every two years, and the Office of River Protection, which oversees the tank waste, slips back a year every three. Last year, President Donald Trump proposed slashing the budget for Hanford cleanup by $230 million. IF YOU'RE A CIVILIAN, one of the only ways to get a close look at the hyperobject that is the complex cleanup process is to score a seat on one of the Department of Energys annual cleanup tours. On a sun-beaten summer day, I boarded an overly air-conditioned short bus packed with retirement-aged folks. Joe Guyette, the volunteer tour guide, has worked at Hanford since 1973; before that, he was in the Army, where he says he got the better part of a lifetimes dose of radiation. He does these tours to try to allay negative perceptions of Hanford and show the public just how complicated the cleanup is. Its clear that sometimes they havent been careful, Guyette says. They get criticized about it, but theyre doing the best they can. Guyette took us on a tour of the water treatment plant, where we talked about those groundwater plumes. We drove by the cocooned reactors and the dark, hulking plutonium finishing plant, hoping to get a sense what is actually worth being scared of, what constitutes cleanup, and how nuclear waste changes over time. He took us to a three-quarter-scale mock-up of the tank farms, because its impossible to go near the real ones, and we watched videos of water cannons trying to scour the tarry waste off the inside of the tanks. Cleaning up the tank farm requires moving the waste out of the single-shell tanks, which are each as wide across as a tennis court and can hold up to a million gallons of waste, and into the sturdier double-shell tanks. From there, it will theoretically be vitrified, or turned into glass, at the as-yet-unbuilt vitrification plant and then sent to the stalled-out proposed federal nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, or to another long-term storage facility. Every step is excruciatingly complex. The massive tanks were designed to hold radioactive materials, not release them, so any material in these tanks has to come out through a pipe just 12 inches around. Challenges like this have forced Hanford managers to invent every step of the cleanup process, from how to sample the contents to how to keep video cameras from burning up in the radioactive heat inside. Its a constant guessing game, where the questions of how to store the waste and neuter its effects change endlessly. Thats why in June, the Energy Department proposed reclassifying the remaining high-level waste in the C section of the tank farm as low-activity waste, and then filling the tanks with grout to stabilize the remaining 66,000 gallons of waste, so it could be kept onsite permanently. The department thinks that it would be safe enough to close the door on the tank cleanup once the grout is in, except for long-term monitoring. | https://crosscut.com/2019/01/what-happens-if-we-cant-clean-mistakes-our-nuclear-past |
Who is joining the Strictly Come Dancing 2019 line-up? | Another year, another 15 contestants are set to cha-cha-cha their way across the dance floor for a sequin-encrusted season of Strictly Come Dancing. Meet all the rumoured and confirmed contestants, below Chris Evans A whole nine months before the show is due back on air, Radio DJ Chris Evans has revealed he has said yes to Strictly 2019. I have said yes, he told The One Show on BBC1. Everyone puts it off and tries and keep it a secret. No, announce now. Were doing it now, he said. Evans hasnt yet signed a contract, however, and joked that he had agreed to Strictly primarily because my wife would like to go every week. When The One Show host Alex Jones offered to go with her, Evans said: So you and my wife will go every week. You will have a great time while Ill be petrified backstage, with shaky legs and all that kind of stuff. Evans, who admitted that rhythm is not really his natural forte, revealed he had discussed taking part in Strictly with the shows commissioning editor Jo Wallace. This is what you need to know about it, this is the minimum, this is the maximum, its not as easy as maybe you imagine it is. But I know it isnt, he said. Alan Carr Comedian Alan Carr revealed to RadioTimes.com that after he read out the shows T&Cs in the 2018 final, he did have discussions backstage about doing Strictly but it probably wont be in 2019. After I did the terms and conditions on the final this woman basically threw a net over me and held me hostage until I said id do it! he said. I would love to do the show at some point but Ive got lots coming up in 2019 including a few TV things and a stand-up tour, so its going to be very busy. I would love to do it at some point and its on my bucket list, but sorry not next year. Louis Theroux Documentary legend Louis Theroux got a lot of love on Twitter when he joked he might be donning his dancing shoes in 2019. As he congratulated fellow filmmaker Stacey Dooley on her win, he wrote: Congrats, @ StaceyDooley ! Me next! (JK) The official Strictly Twitter account responded straight away with a phone emoji. Vogue Williams Irish model and DJ Vogue Williams is reportedly being eyed up by the production team of the Strictly Come Dancing to join the 2019 series. The 33-year-old would be no stranger to the dancefloor, having previously competed in the Australian version of the show, Dancing with the Stars, in 2012. However, insiders believe Williams, who married Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews last year, is perfect for the show, with pal Stefania Aleksander now a booker on Strictly. The Sun reported Aleksander previously landed Williams her spot on 2017s The Jump, where she met Matthews. An insider told the paper, Vogue has all the credentials to be on Strictly and is mates with someone in the casting department. It looks as though 2019 will be her time. A spokesperson for Vogue has been contacted for comment. Advertisement This page will be updated again soon | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-08/strictly-2019-cast-rumours/ |
Is 'Biochipping' A Good Idea? | Down a narrow side street in the Swedish city of Gothenburg sits the Barbarella piercing parlor, a regular haunt for locals who decorate their bodies with piercings and tattoos, and which claims to offer the areas finest collection of ear discs and nose rings. But on a frigid evening in November, the shop is the setting for a very different kind of body enhancement: biochips. As darkness falls on the port town of nearly 600,000 people, Jowan sterlund wanders in, wearing a baseball cap and T-shirt, to meet two new clients for his small startup, Biohax International. From his backpack, he pulls plastic-wrapped syringes, each containing a tiny, dark microchip that is barely visible from the outside. Inside the unassuming package is sterlunds prized product, a window into what today is a fringe tech obsession but which, he believes, will one day be a giant industry. You are creating an entirely new type of behavior and entirely new types of data that will be massively more valuable than what we have now, sterlund says. It is kind of a moonshot. But in the long run, this is what is going to happen. Perched on a stool in one of the piercing rooms, sterlund jams the needle into Claes Radojewski and pulls it out again, leaving a one-kilobyte microchip inside him, in the fleshy part between his left thumb and index finger. In a matter of seconds, Radojewski has become a trailblazing biohacker, much to his own surprise. I have never even been inside a tattoo parlor, says the program manager for MobilityXLab, an innovation center in Gothenburg for the auto industry, run in partnership with Ericsson, Volvo, and others. My girlfriend asked if it was some kind of crisis because I was turning 30 soon. In fact, Radojewski says he has wanted a biochip since he learned of the technology a few years ago: In Sweden, we like to use new tech in our daily lives. Biohax microchips are injected at a piercing parlor (left)making chip-enabled locker rental (right) a seamless task. Photographs by Janus Engel for Fortune Magazine sterlund, the needle-wielding entrepreneur, is convinced that there are millions more around the world who will soon want chips implanted into their bodies. As proof, he points to his Facebook messaging app, which is jammed with unbidden requests every day from people as far away as Australia and Mexico. He also receives emails, he says, from curious investors on every continent except Antarctica. The enthusiasm of the curious notwithstanding, sterlunds progress has been slow. He began the company in 2013, committing to it full-time only in 2016, and its revenues remain minimal. At the moment, he says, I get by. Yeah. Oh, yeah, he says. In fact, sterlund, 38, could be at the groundswell of a big wave, in which more and more of the functions we perform on our external devices will shift to implants that we insert into ourselves. In November, a report by MarketsandMarkets Research in India estimated that the global biochip market would be worth about $17.75 billion by 2020. And earlier in 2018, no less a futurist than Elon Musk announced he was backing a California company called Neuralink, which would implant electrodes in the brain to monitor thoughts. sterlunds Biohax is already making progress on a small scale. It has chipped more than 4,000 people in Sweden as well as others across Europe. Though many biochip projects are focused on health uses like heart-rate or blood-sugar monitoring, sterlund is so far marketing his chips to people with no medical ailments. Applications range from making purchases to opening locks to passing through security barriersanything, really, that were already doing with chips on plastic cards. Tech will move into the body, he says. I am sure of that. Claes Radojewski got chipped, fulfilling longtime dreams of being on the cutting edge of technology. In Sweden we like to use new tech in our daily lives, says Radojewski. Photograph by Janus Engel for Fortune Magazine First, sterlund and other chippers will have to overcome understandable doubters, from privacy advocates to medical ethicists. Though the chips are inert and, therefore, theoretically harmless, for many people the very idea of having a permanent connectable device inside them evokes notions of losing control over the one sphere where they can still truly be themselves: their bodies. Invariably, even minor reports of companies using biochips ignite outrage. When BioTeq Ltd., a biochip company in England, said in November that it had implanted about 150 microchips into people around Britain, the British business organization BCI said, It makes for distinctly uncomfortable reading. The countrys Trades Union Congress warned that biochips would give bosses even more power and control over their workers. Recent problems suggest the need for careful oversight: A report by the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists revealed that medical patients in numerous countries had been injured by poorly tested implants (not all of them biochips) because of a lack of regulations for new devices. And yet individuals enchanted by the technology are driving its early adoption. Among those who arrive at Barbarella wanting a Biohax chip is Annie Kjellson, 29, a structural engineer, who wheels her 18-month-old son through the door in his stroller and sits down to receive her injection. I have been thinking about this for years, she says. Despite the uncomfortable sci-fi oddity it represents, there is an inevitability around biochipping, if for no other reason than the sheer convenience it promises. The wallet in my purse slung over my shoulder is jammed with pieces of plastic, declaring me a gym member, a journalist, and a customer of two banks and a credit card company, all of whose passwords I occasionally forget. There are also cards giving details of my health insurance, which airlines I fly on, where I shop for groceries, and where I get my hair cut. Then there is my bunch of keysprimitive tools that have opened doors, chests, and lockers for thousands of years, and to which we somehow remain closely attached. The morning after I return from Sweden, I lock myself out of my apartment while racing to go play tennis. That requires a complicated handoff, by way of a taxi from five miles away, where another set of keys sits idling in my husbands pocket. For biohackers, these antiquated habits are senseless. I used to lose my keys all the time. Now I unlock the door to my house with my hand, says Aric Dromi, an Israeli-Swedish futurologist who has a Biohax chip implanted in his hand, and who sits on the advisory board of Hack for Sweden, the Swedish governments organization aiming to embed big data into all the countrys public services. I saw that effort in action when I hopped aboard a Gothenburg-bound train with sterlund from the seaside city of Helsingborg, where Biohax is based. As the conductor came down the aisle, sterlund held out his hand, in which his ticket was embedded on his biochip. She swiped it without a thought: Swedens entire national rail network is now biochip-capable. So too are many of the 172 gyms run by Nordic Wellness in Sweden, where gym members and staff can open the secure turnstiles and lockers with their hands and view their exercise profiles on monitors. Of course, electronic cards do the same thing in gyms around the world, but the biochip enables members to exercise without carrying anything on them. Annie Kjellson using her new chip for the first time. Photograph by Janus Engel for Fortune Magazine Over espressos in Gothenburg, Dromi tells me he is convinced that millions of people will eventually have microchips in their bodiesperhaps in the near futuresimply because it makes sense, at the very least in order to store their passwords and make keys redundant. Plus, he says, it is more secure than the items we currently lug around in our wallets and purses. I protest, telling him that an electronic fob unlocks my apartment building in Paris. Lets see it, he says. When I fish it out of my purse, he swipes it across the near-field-communication (NFC) reader embedded in his smartphone and then holds up the screen to show the string of data that unlocks both sets of doors to my building, 950 miles away. I can clone this in five minutes, he says. Biochips are far more secure in some ways. To break into Dromis nearby house, for example, you would need to physically drag him there, demand to know where on his body his biochip is implanted, and move his hand across the NFC reader mounted on the doorpost. NFC readers, effectively the enabling devices for biochips, are proliferating. Last June, the Car Connectivity Consortium, which includes the worlds major automakers as well as tech companies like Apple and Samsung, agreed to a standard digital key system, allowing drivers to open their car doors and start the engine from an app on their smartphones. The agreement does not mention customers being able to insert the data for their car keys on a chip inside their bodies. But it would require almost no extra effort to do so, and every biohacker I meet in Sweden tells me that losing keys was one of the main motivations for being chipped. The chip is encased in medical glass, and it has a tiny antenna and integrated circuit that transmit data when close to an electronic reader. So far, Biohax chips have only one kilobyte of memory, but that will increase as the possibilities of what chips can do expand. In fact, once you start viewing the world through the eyes of biohackers, more and more aspects of current life begin to seem absurd: the doctors receptionist, for example, who digs out your personal medical record from a filing cabinet; the bus driver who sells you a paper ticket when you board; or the times you scrounge for change for a restaurant tip. All those things, and thousands more, could be managed with a biochip the size of a grain of rice. Biohackers call these endless, biochip-less actions frictionmoments that divert our attention and hog space in our brains that could be better used for, say, writing poetry or playing with the kids. The possibility of biochippingand not just in science fiction books and filmshas been around for years. As far back as 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an implantable chip for Applied Digital Solutions in Delray Beach, Fla., which aimed to have people store their medical records on a chip in their upper arm. The device could be lifesaving: If you were rushed unconscious to a hospital with no identification, doctors would instantly be able to scan your blood type, medical history, and organ-donor status. Yet three years after the FDA approval, the company said in a securities filing that it had failed to find a market for its chips, and that it may never achieve market acceptance or more than nominal or modest sales. The company explained the failure by saying that physicians were skittish about discussing the device with their patients, who remained suspicious about invasion of privacy. Biohackers say the criticism is uninformed. They point out that because biochips are inert and passive they pose fewer privacy risks than smartphones, which continually transmit our whereabouts. Such logic hasnt stopped a drumbeat of scary stories about biochips ushering in an Orwellian system of control. Fictional portrayals of biohacking have also promoted a dystopian view of the future. Every implant in any sci-fi movie is a tracker or an explosive device, sterlund says. Look at The Matrix or Blade Runner or Johnny Mnemonic. The implant is always connected to something really creepy or bad. There are probably few better places than Sweden to try to break those stereotypes. Engineers in Sweden, whose population is slightly bigger than New York Citys, have invented the worlds first Internet calling app, Skype; the largest music-streaming platform, Spotify; and one of the first mobile phone companies, Ericsson. Sweden is also almost cashless, with less than 1% of purchases paid for with banknotes and coins. It is a cultural thing, sterlund says. We have a faster adoption rate in Sweden, and there is probably a higher level of trust in our government than [in] many other countries. We arent scared that we will be taken advantage of. In some respects, biochipping is already well accepted. Swedes and others have long inserted biochips into their pets to find them when they get lost. And heart pacemakers, another type of biochip implant, have been in wide use for decades. Yet many people remain unconvinced about being chipped for digital convenience. From a business perspective, it looks like technology for technologys sake, says Richard Oglesby, president of AZ Payments Group, a global consulting firm in Mesa, Ariz., that specializes in payments. Implanting chips is invasive, unnecessary, and not particularly useful. There are wearable solutions that can easily and conveniently accomplish the same things. Then again, it may be that biochipping hasnt yet caught on at scale because some of its adherents have sprung from the counter-culture universe of piercing parlors and tattoo artists, not from corporate engineering labs. Biohaxs sterlund, for example, founded his first company, Cutting Edge, in 2004, as a body-piercing business that specialized in some far-out practices, like hot-steel skin branding and septum piercing. In fact, almost every biohacker I met in Sweden was heavily tattooed, including sterlund, who lifted his shirt one night to show me a large inkwork of a woman stretched clear across his belly. (You should see the rest of it, he chuckled.) For many bodyhackers, it is an easy extension from tattoos and piercing to implants. People find themselves extremely fascinated that you can alter body functions, he tells me, as we zip up Swedens west coast on a high-speed train. I am allowing my body to speak to machines. And it is a lot better being digital in a digital world than analog in a digital world. 1: Summit Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection; 2: Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection; 3: TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection; 4: Channel 4/Netflix; 5: Warner bros./Photofest; 6: Universal Pictures If biochipping is ever to take off, of course, it will need to become a real business. sterlund is doing what he can, starting with attempting to raise capital for Biohax. He says a Swedish investor, who remains unnamed, made a six-figure investment in Biohax in December. And sterlund claims that he has lined up about 100 doctors and nurses to work with Biohax to implant chips, once he has formally commercialized the business beyond its current tattoo-parlor stage. In late November, Biohax signed a partnership deal with Verisec, an information technology security company in Stockholm, to provide an electronic-identity platform for sterlunds biochips. That would allow Biohax chips to be used for regular electronic payments, not just for those within closed environments like a staff cafeteria, and to store documents like drivers licenses and passports. sterlund calls the deal the beginning of the big time. In the U.S., the use of implants to measure glucose, heart murmurs, and other conditions has risen steeply in the past few years, all devices that until recently were available only as external monitors. It is a short leap to having that on a chip thats inside you, says Raj Denhoy, a medical technology analyst for Jefferies Financial Group in New York City, who believes the growth trajectory for biochips will be steep. The use of clinical data to drive better treatment outcomes is something that is going to get much, much bigger, he says. To the extent that biosensors allow medical interventions to be better, that is undeniable. Little by little, biochips are going mainstream. Three Square Market, a tech company in River Falls, Wis., claims to have chipped 673 people in the U.S., including 85 of its employees, who are using the device for personal data retention and some for door access also, according to CEO Todd Westby, who first tested the technology on Biohax chips. At this point, we are still developing and learning its capabilities, he says. Last summer, reps from Japanese companies working on the Tokyo Olympics committee visited sterlund to see how they might use biochips for the smooth running of the Games. You are creating an entirely new type of behavior and entirely new types of data that will be massively more valuable than what we have now, sterlund says. It is kind of a moonshot. But in the long run, this is what is going to happen. Photograph by Janus Engel for Fortune Magazine Across Sweden, too, sterlund has become a featured attraction at corporate events, where he shows up with a stock of syringes, ready to inject anyone who wants to be chipped. Last March, he demonstrated Biohax chips to PricewaterhouseCoopers executives in Malm, on Swedens border with Denmark. Mns Liljenlov, PwCs regional marketing chief, immediately signed up and now unlocks his office and locker and buys lunch at work with a wave of his hand. He says he is planning to renovate his house this year and install chip readers instead of keyholes. When I reach him in late November at a gathering for clients in Helsingborg, he tells me his Biohax chip has proved a valuable conversation topic with clients. People keep asking me for my business card, he says. I tell them I dont have business cards, but they can swipe my LinkedIn profile, which is in my biochip. The profile pops up on someones smartphone when he brushes his hand against the screen. Youre joking! he says. Then they all want to feel my hand. (They can feel all they like, but they wont detect the chip buried beneath his flesh.) Other established companies also are calling. In October 2017, Tui Group, the worlds biggest travel company, invited sterlund to Stockholm, where it has its regional headquarters, for a demonstration of his wares. sterlund was overwhelmed with requests and returned twice to fulfill all the orders; now about 100 out of 500 staffers are chipped. I think I was the very first to get chipped in the office, says Alex Huber, managing director of Tui Nordic, which oversees Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Now chipped staff can wave their hands to enter their offices in Stockholm, buy lunch, and print documents on office printers. Huber says he is baffled by the resistance to biochips. This is a mental barrier we have to get over, he says. Our phones do a lot more. For sterlund, the challenge now is to try to seize some of the market share for biochips before being trampled underfoot by bigger companies, which could begin mass-producing their own. Though he knows of efforts to launch biochips in Britain and Germany, he believes that Biohax is way out in front. Biohax chips are made by NXP Semiconductors in Hamburg and assembled in Shenzhen, China. But sterlund aims to manufacture in Sweden starting this year. No one can know that. Yes. One single decision could turn Biohax into a major player, Dromi saysfor example, if the Swedish military or Ikea begins to use them. From day one, it would be a really big thing. For now, Biohax is testing its systems and installing better security and privacy provisions on the platform. We could roll out in 26 countries next week and sell and sell and sell, but it would not be a very responsible thing to do, sterlund says. We want to have an insanely robust platform and safeguard everyones integrity and privacy. The most important thing is that this does not turn into the Wild West. I suggest to sterlund that an even worse outcome would be an authoritarian government, or company, compelling people to be chipped in order to control them. Oh, no, he says. Please, I hope that will not happen. Better to leave that possibility to sci-fi movies. A version of this article appears in the January 2019 issue of Fortune with the headline Biohchipping: Sci-Fi No More | http://fortune.com/longform/biochipping-biohax-microchip/ |
Should Kenny Omega go to the WWE? | Wrestling star Kenny Omega announced he's leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling and the WWE is one of his preferred destinations. Many want Omega to head to the WWE, where his talents will be appreciated on a more global scale. Others think Omega would be restricted by the company, which has not done a great job promoting new talent. PERSPECTIVES If Kenny Omega wants to become a global wrestler, there is no better place than the WWE. No matter what the company's reputation is, its popularity is unquestioned. Omega has a chance to mix it up with the best in the business if he partners with Vince McMahon. Imagine Omega in the ring with the likes of AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura or Daniel Bryant. If Omega wants to be the best, he needs to go to the WWE. Freedom is a commodity in pro wrestling and Omega has plenty of it. However, if he heads to the WWE, he may find himself limited in what he can and can't do. The WWE is unforgiving when it comes to its storylines. It's their way or the highway. Even Omega is scared he would be rendered useless if he signed with the company. If he values his freedom, he should stay away from the WWE. Kenny Omega on Whether He Will Go to WWE: 'I Don't Want to Be a Robot' The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2019/01/should_kenny_omega_go_to_the_w.html |
How should the typical East Anglian farm prepare for Brexit? | Carl Atkin, director of Terravost Ltd. Picture: Terravost Ltd Terravost Ltd Preparing the typical East Anglian farm for Brexit will be the discussion topic at this years winter meetings at Easton and Otley College. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. The free events, exclusively for farmers, are being held at the colleges campuses in Norfolk and Suffolk, with the subject matter chosen by popular request from last years delegates. Keynote speaker Carl Atkin, director of agribusiness management and consultancy Terravost, will outline the challenges and opportunities for UK agriculture after the UK leaves the EU. With political uncertainty surrounding the withdrawal agreement and on-going future trading arrangements, he will discuss how farmers can Brexit proof their businesses as they prepare for the winding down of direct subsidies and the transition to the proposed new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS). Farmers will be encouraged to think about technical efficiency, business structures, farming agreements and diversification of income streams. Mr Atkin will be joined by Jamie Gwatkin, Farmers Weeklys farm advisor of the year 2016, and Rougham Estates Simon Eddell at the Easton campus near Norwich on February 12, where the chairman will be Michael Gurney. At the Otley campus near Ipswich on February 13 he will be joined by Suffolk farmer Tom Jewers from Rattlesden and David Lord of Lord and Hunt, in a meeting chaired by Emily Norton. Both meetings, held in association with Barclays Bank, begin at 4pm and finish with an extended question and answer session before a buffet supper. Places can be booked by contacting [email protected]. | https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/farming/easton-and-otley-college-winter-farmers-meetings-2019-1-5843706 |
When Will Land Disputes Be Addressed??? | 14 SHARES Share Tweet This column is devoted to monitor and report on issues that relate to production, processing, preservation and marketing of agricultural produce, aimed at ensuring food security in the Gambia as well as the interventions of Government and Non-governmental Organizations in this regard. Agriculture remains both a new and old source of national revenue and (youth) employment. Improved public awareness and discussions on the issues involved, will significantly maximize agricultural outcomes and the contribution of the sector, to economic growth and job creation. This is precisely the reason why Farmers Eye, is critically looking at every Agricultural programme or policy, to gauge whether our Agriculture and Natural resources are properly harnessed to ensure food self-sufficiency. In the last editions, we indicated that Section 192 of the Constitution states: There shall be established a Land Commission whose composition, functions and powers, shall be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly. This Act has already been passed and assented to but the Commission is yet be functional. Farmers Eye called on the Executive to make this Commission functional, to address the series of land disputes in the country, and highlighted that the major constraint of Agriculture which is land, is key to Agricultural production and that Land disputes are on the increase particularly at this time of the year, when the rainy season is here. We also started dealing with policy, legal and organizational frameworks related to tenure in the last edition. In this edition, we shall continue from where we stopped: POLICY, LEGAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORKS RELATED TO TENURE. States should ensure that policy, legal and organizational frameworks for land tenure governance recognize and respect, in accordance with national laws, legitimate tenure rights including legitimate customary tenure rights that are not currently protected by law and facilitate, promote and protect the exercise of tenure rights. Frameworks should reflect the social, cultural, economic and environmental significance of land, fisheries and forests. States should provide frameworks that are non-discriminatory and promote social equity and gender equality. Frameworks should reflect the interconnected relationships between land, fisheries and forests and their uses, and establish an integrated approach to their administration. States should consider the particular obstacles faced by women and girls with regard to tenure and associated tenure rights, and take measures to ensure that legal and policy frameworks provide adequate protection for women and that laws that recognize womens tenure rights are implemented and enforced. States should ensure that women can legally enter into contracts concerning tenure rights on the basis of equality with men and should strive to provide legal services and other assistance to enable women to defend their tenure interests. States should develop relevant policies, laws and procedures through participatory processes involving all affected parties, ensuring that both men and women are included from the outset. Policies, laws and procedures should take into account the capacity to implement. They should incorporate gender-sensitive approaches, be clearly expressed in applicable languages, and widely publicized. States should place responsibilities at levels of government that can most effectively deliver services to the people. States should clearly define the roles and responsibilities of agencies dealing with tenure of land, fisheries and forests. States should ensure coordination between implementing agencies, as well as with local governments, and indigenous peoples and other communities with customary tenure systems. States should define and publicize opportunities for civil society, private sector and academia to contribute to developing and implementing policy, legal and organizational frameworks as appropriate. States and other parties should regularly review and monitor policy, legal and organizational frameworks to maintain their effectiveness. Implementing agencies and judicial authorities should engage with civil society, user representatives and the broader public to improve services and endeavour to prevent corruption through transparent processes and decision-making. Information about changes and their anticipated impacts should be clearly stated and widely publicized in applicable languages. States should recognize that policies and laws on tenure rights operate in the broader political, legal, social, cultural, religious, economic and environmental contexts. Where the broader contexts change, and where reforms to tenure are therefore required, States should seek to develop national consensus on proposed reforms. Source: Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure. Courtesy of FAO and CFS. | https://foroyaa.gm/when-will-land-disputes-be-addressed-5/ |
What does ASLR do for Linux? | Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) is a memory-protection process for operating systems (OSes) that guards against buffer-overflow attacks. It helps to ensure that the memory addresses associated with running processes on systems are not predictable and, thus, flaws or vulnerabilities associated with these processes will be more difficult to exploit. ASLR is used today on Linux, Windows and MacOS systems. It was first implemented on Linux in 2005. In 2007, the technique was deployed on Microsoft Windows and MacOS. While ASLR provides the same function on each of these operating systems, it is implemented differently on each OS. The effectiveness of ASLR is dependent on the entirety of the address space layout remaining unknown to the attacker. In addition, only executables that are compiled as Position Independent Executable (PIE) programs will be able to claim the maximum protection from ASLR technique because all sections of the code will be loaded at random locations. PIE machine code will execute properly regardless of its absolute address. ASLR limitations In spite of ASLR making exploitation of system vulnerabilities more difficult, its role in protecting systems is limited. It's important to understand that ASLR: doesn't resolve vulnerabilities, but makes exploiting them more of a challenge, vulnerabilities, but makes exploiting them more of a challenge, doesn't track or report vulnerabilities, doesn't offer any protection for binaries that are not built with ASLR support, and isn't immune to circumvention How ASLR works ASLR increases the control-flow integrity of a system by making it more difficult for an attacker to execute a successful buffer-overflow attack by randomizing the offsets it uses in memory layouts. ASLR works considerably better on 64-bit systems as these systems provide much greater entropy (randomization potential). Either of the two commands shown below will tell you whether ASLR is enabled on your system. $ cat /proc/sys/kernel/randomize_va_space 2 $ sysctl -a --pattern randomize kernel.randomize_va_space = 2 The value (2) shown in the commands above indicates that ASLR is working in full randomization mode. The value shown will be one of the following: 0 = Disabled 1 = Conservative Randomization 2 = Full Randomization If you disable ASLR and run the commands below, you should notice that the addresses shown in the ldd output below are all the same in the successive ldd commands. The ldd command works by loading the shared objects and showing where they end up in memory. $ sudo sysctl -w kernel.randomize_va_space=0 <== disable [sudo] password for shs: kernel.randomize_va_space = 0 $ ldd /bin/bash linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffff7fd1000) <== same addresses libtinfo.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libtinfo.so.6 (0x00007ffff7c69000) libdl.so.2 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl.so.2 (0x00007ffff7c63000) libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007ffff7a79000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007ffff7fd3000) $ ldd /bin/bash linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffff7fd1000) <== same addresses libtinfo.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libtinfo.so.6 (0x00007ffff7c69000) libdl.so.2 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl.so.2 (0x00007ffff7c63000) libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007ffff7a79000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007ffff7fd3000) If the value is set back to 2 to enable ASLR, you will see that the addresses will change each time you run the command. $ sudo sysctl -w kernel.randomize_va_space=2 <== enable [sudo] password for shs: kernel.randomize_va_space = 2 $ ldd /bin/bash linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007fff47d0e000) <== first set of addresses libtinfo.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libtinfo.so.6 (0x00007f1cb7ce0000) libdl.so.2 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl.so.2 (0x00007f1cb7cda000) libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007f1cb7af0000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007f1cb8045000) $ ldd /bin/bash linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffe1cbd7000) <== second set of addresses libtinfo.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libtinfo.so.6 (0x00007fed59742000) libdl.so.2 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl.so.2 (0x00007fed5973c000) libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007fed59552000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007fed59aa7000) Attempting to bypass ASLR In spite of its advantages, attempts to bypass ASLR are not uncommon and seem to fall into several categories: using address leaks gaining access to data relative to particular addresses exploiting implementation weaknesses that allow attackers to guess addresses when entropy is low or when the ASLR implementation is faulty using side channels of hardware operation Wrap Up ASLR is of great value, especially when run on 64 bit systems and implemented properly. While not immune from circumvention attempts, it does make exploitation of system vulnerabilities considerably more difficult. Here is a reference that can provide a lot more detail on the Effectiveness of Full-ASLR on 64-bit Linux and here is a paper on one circumvention effort to bypass ASLR using branch predictors. | https://www.networkworld.com/article/3331199/linux/what-does-aslr-do-for-linux.html |
Did David Bowie actually have different coloured eyes? | One of the enduring legends around the Thin White Duke was the unearthly colour of his eyes but the truth is somewhat different. When he hit superstardom in the early 1970s, David Bowie had a genuinely unearthly aura about him. His deathly pale complexion, his brightly-coloured hair and downright peculiar dress made him appear to be an alien, just like his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. Well no. It appears to be a myth that The Thin White Duke had heterochromia, meaning his eyes were two completely different colours. What Bowie actually suffered from is called anisocoria: namely that one pupil was bigger than the other. It means that the iris - the coloured bit - cant react to light in the same way as its fellow, so the area appears to be darker. This means it looks like one eye is a different colour to the other. Bowies dilated pupil was the result of a traumatic event in his childhood - and it was all over a fight over a girl. In January 1962, the future star - then known as plain ol' David Jones - was at school in Bromley when he got into a ruck with his friend, George Underwood. The result was a hefty punch from Underwood, in which he caught Bowies eye with a fingernail. Photo: "I had a 15th birthday party, Underwood told TheTab.com in 2016. "One of the reasons I had the party was because both of us fancied this girl. It was a ploy to talk to her. Before she left I asked if I could meet her at her youth club on the Wednesday at 7pm. Just before I was about to meet her, David phoned me and said she didnt want to meet me, she wanted to go out with him which was a lie. I went down to the youth club later and her friends said shed been waiting the whole hour for me! Furious, Underwood strode up to Bowie and punched him right in the eye: I just wanted to give him a black eye because of the girl I didnt think it was going to be a lasting mark. This nasty injury resulted in four months of hospital treatment, after which doctors came to the conclusion that young Davey wasnt going to see completely clearly again, leaving our hero with poor depth perception. The cosmetic result of the injury was his dilated pupil which would only add to the David Bowie myth in future years. Bowie and Underwood got over the disagreement and they collaborated in a band called The Konrads in the mid-1960s - but Underwood followed a different career path, becoming a designer and illustrator. In the early 1970s, he founded the studio Main Artery, who designed the covers for David Bowies Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust albums. Underwood recalled: Funnily enough he did say I did him a favour, later on. Im not exactly proud of it, but no one knew that was going to happen. As a post-script to this story, it's worth pointing out that heterochromia - different coloured eyes - is an actual condition, which can be seen in humans and animals, as Bowies son Duncan Jones demonstrates with this tweet: | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/david-bowie/did-david-bowie-have-different-coloured-eyes/ |
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What Girl Scout Cookies Have We Said Goodbye To? | The Girl Scouts having been going strong for a VERY LONG time; and cookies have been a big part of their history all the way back to 1917, when they sold homemade sugar cookies. Honestly; I would LOVE some homemade sugar cookies. Anyway, do you know the answers to these Girl Scout Trivia Questions. The year was 1917, when the Girl Scouts went door to door selling their home made sugar cookies! Yum! At one point, there were 29 different baking companies making Girl Scout cookies. The ABC Bakers and The Little Brownie Bakers. Wow! Can you imagine how their bakeries changed since being involved with the Girl Scouts. | http://wjon.com/what-girl-scout-cookies-have-we-said-goodbye-to/ |
Will government shutdown affect O'Hare? | hello Passengers moved smoothly through O'Hare International Airport Monday, but a continued government shutdown has potential to throw a wrench into the system, Sen. Tammy Duckworth said. The Hoffman Estates Democrat who toured updated facilities at the airport said the third week of the White House standoff with Congress is exasperating federal workers worried about losing pay. Many Transportation Security Administration "agents are calling in sick in order to go work other jobs because they have to put food on the table and meet rent," Duckworth said. "At a time when the nation's security is at stake, we're actually losing a number of TSA agents on the job, and that is deeply concerning," she said. Another worry for travelers is excessive lines at one of the nation's busiest airports, but the Chicago Aviation Department reported that O'Hare and Midway "airports continue to provide safe and efficient operations for passengers, with checkpoint wait times averaging 15 minutes or less today." Other effects of the shutdown will be felt by suburbanites if it drags on, officials predict. Community grants to local governments are also being suspended, but that's not having an immediate effect, Bensenville Village Manager Evan Summers said. "We haven't felt much of anything yet. Our congressmen's staff have been in touch with us to assess any critical needs," Summers said. Bensenville has about $400,000 due in several months, and "we are hoping that this partial shutdown resolves itself before that money is due. If, of course, that money is delayed the village maintains adequate reserves that it wouldn't pose a material issue," Summers said. Another problem will also involve posting timely information about air quality near the Sterigenics plant in Willowbrook, the subject of a federal pollution probe. "Monitoring will continue since the equipment is installed, but the results will be slow to post because of furloughed employees," said Mary Werden, a spokeswoman for Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster. | https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190107/will-government-shutdown-affect-ohare- |
What is halal and kosher meat? | (Picture: Jean Michel Nossant/Sipa/REX/Shutterstock) In the wake of a controversial Belgian ban on halal and kosher slaughter, the debate surrounding the two religious practices is heating up. The decision means that the practice is now is now illegal in the northern region of Flanders. Some are saying that the ban is a violation of their religious freedom and others are arguing that its preventing animal cruelty. So now might be the perfect time to learn what halal and kosher food practices actually entail, if you arent already aware. Both halal slaughter and Jewish shechita slaughter involves slitting the throat of healthy, conscious animals, and electronically stunning livestock before theyre killed is in direct violation of this. Far-right MP 'beaten half to death' in assassination attempt in Germany Now, the only place where people in Belgium will be able to buy kosher or halal meat is in Brussels. Advertisement Advertisement Halal and kosher slaughter is permitted in the UK, with strict guidelines on how to carry out the slaughters legally, including that the slaughters must take place in a Food Standards Agency approved slaughterhouse and that it must be done by a person with a special certificate of competence. While there are those who argue that this method of killing is cruel, there are others who argue that its kinder than the alternative. Practitioners are advised which arteries to sever so that the animals suffering is minimised. The reason why stunning is forbidden is because the ritual requires that the animal is in perfect health, which naturally means that it will have been well-cared for throughout its life. When halal or kosher slaughter is done properly, it takes mere seconds for the animal to lose consciousness. A ban on halal and kosher meat in Belgium has sparked fresh debate (Picture: Getty) Differences between halal and kosher There are quite a few things that set halal and kosher meat apart from each other. For instance, any adult Muslim of sound mind can perform a halal slaughter, however only one kind of Rabbi, a Sachet, can perform a kosher slaughter after special training. Muslims see the whole animal as halal if its been slaughtered in the correct way, however Jewish people who follow kosher view the hind-quarters of cattle and sheep non-kosher no matter how the animals were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Halal and kosher animal slaughter is now illegal in Flanders, a region in the north of Belgium, as of New Years Day. Mother and toddler had relatives poop transplanted into their bodies to cure infection This new Belgian legislation has ensured that animals will by law now have to be stunned before theyre killed. The ban has been the source of plenty of controversy and opposition with many animal rights organisations say that kosher and halal practices are cruel. European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor argued that the ban attacks the very core of our culture and religious practice and our status as equal citizens with equal rights in a democratic society. Moshe Kantor said: We call on legislators to step back from the brink of the greatest assault on Jewish religious rights in Belgium since the Nazi occupation of the country in World War Two. MORE: Going on holiday isnt a basic human right but travel should be accessible to all MORE: Anger at supermarkets for stocking so many Easter Eggs so early | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/08/what-is-halal-and-kosher-meat-and-why-is-it-banned-in-parts-of-belgium-8321547/ |
Where does Joe Flacco go from here? | John Harbaugh made his statement Sunday. Even as his Ravens fell into a 23-3 hole in a home Wild Card game, he never lost his faith in rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. And though Jackson wasnt able to will Baltimore back from the dead, one thing was obvious when he walked off the field to close out his first season as a pro; the Ravens are his team now. The one-time Super Bowl MVP and former highest-paid player in NFL history now faces an uncertain future after playing Wally Pipp to Jacksons emerging Lou Gehrig. A midseason injury gave the former Heisman Trophy winner enough room to shine, and Jackson did just that. His 6-1 mark as a starter during the regular season provided Baltimore all the momentum it needed to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and win the AFC North for the first time since 2012. That doesnt mean Flaccos time with the Ravens is definitely over, but both the quarterback and his head coach certainly made it feel that way when they addressed the media after Sundays playoff loss. Joe can still play, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. Joes going to have a market, a lot of teams are going to want Joe. Joe Flacco is a great talent, hes a better person, hes the best quarterback in the history of the Ravens Hes going to be just fine. I love the people of Baltimore, man, said Flacco. To be honest, I cant imagine a better 11 years. This place becoming my home and my childrens home. Definitely a group of fans and a community that I loved being around for 11 years. That gives the Ravens some extra homework this offseason. Flacco is still an asset, but the remaining three years and $79 million on his contract is a burden no team would be eager to take on. Trading the veteran quarterback will be difficult. But so will cutting him. Releasing or trading Flacco will cost Baltimore $16 million in dead cap space for 2019 Flaccos due $26.5 million for 2019, the first year of a three-year extension signed back in 2016. That makes him the seventh-highest paid player for 2019 (behind Ryan Tannehill! ), which is one hell of an investment for a backup quarterback. But releasing Flacco wouldnt clear that money outright from their books. The $24 million signing bonus that came with that extension was split into three equal installments one $8 million payment in 2018 and two more in 2019 and 2020. Cutting the veteran quarterback would push that remaining $16 million the club owes Flacco onto its 2019 salary cap. Thats a lot of dead money to swallow, but its still a $10.5 million in savings for jettisoning a player who isnt in the teams future. Trading Flacco would be a more tenable solution for the Ravens, though it wouldnt bring anything in terms of cap relief. Shipping him out of town would accelerate his $8 million in signing bonuses for 2019 and 2020 onto their 2019 cap, so that $16 million dead money still remains. A trade would at least allow the franchise to recoup some assets in exchange for a starting-caliber quarterback Baltimores going to be paying for in 2019 no matter what. But the Ravens may struggle to find equal value while shopping the Super Bowl XLVII MVP. Flaccos trade market is going to be slim Flaccos base salary of $18.5 million would still make him an expensive proposition for a struggling team, and his base salaries of $20.25 million and $24.25 million the following two years suggest hes either going to be a one-year rental or a major candidate for contract restructuring with his new team if hes acquired via trade. That 2019 salary would mean any team landing him would be paying him to be the leagues 23rd-best quarterback, which is reasonable but may overvalue what the veteran has brought to the table in recent years. Flacco has struggled mightily while running a Baltimore offense thats been devoid of playmakers. He was one of the leagues least efficient quarterbacks in 2017, throwing for a career-low 5.7 yards per pass. The addition of veteran free agent wideouts like Michael Crabtree, Willie Snead, and John Brown helped spark a modest rebound in 2018, but he still ranked 28th among starting quarterbacks with an 84.2 passer rating. Anyone taking on Flacco will be getting a quarterback far removed from debates about whether or not hes elite. But there were signs of life for the soon-to-be 34-year-old passer in his nine games in 2018. He handled an increased workload respectably, throwing for nearly 274 yards per game while recording a career-low 1.6 percent interception rate. His numbers suggest he could be a higher-ceiling alternative to his former backup Tyrod Taylor, the risk-averse quarterback who dragged the Bills to the playoffs before getting exiled to Cleveland in 2018. And hes typically been a reliable presence behind center. 2018 marked only the second time in 11 seasons he failed to start all 16 games of the regular season. The good news for Flacco and the Ravens is this years crop of incoming rookie quarterbacks may not feature any ready-made starters among its ranks, so anyone looking for a plug-and-play passer in 2019 will likely turn to a veteran market instead. Flacco could serve as a short-term starter and a veteran mentor for a young passer, especially after handling Jacksons promotion to his old job as professionally as possible. The bad news is 2019s free agent and trade market will be ripe with other veteran QBs approaching career crossroads. There will be a modest market of win-now teams in need of a veteran who can also serve as an important backup. The Jacksonville Jaguars were basically Baltimore Lite in 2018. They had an expensive quarterback lose his starting role and now may be ready to move on to find the signal caller who can do enough to allow a dominant defense to win games. That would create a soft landing spot for Flacco, but cutting Blake Bortles would leave $16.5 million in dead cap money on Jacksonvilles books. Adding the Ravens QB would only be realistic if he were released and then signed to a much less expensive contract in Florida even if its not exactly what the Jags need. Washington needs a reliable quarterback after Alex Smith suffered a devastating leg injury that has put his career in jeopardy. Given owner Daniel Snyders penchant for collecting overpriced, once-great things to disappoint fans in the nations capital (see Haynesworth, Albert or Archuleta, Adam or Trotter, Jeremiah or Randle-El, Antwaan, or...), Flacco-to-Washington in a head-scratching trade may be the perfect Snyder move. The Buccaneers could decide Jameis Winstons potential isnt worth the off-field trouble or his inconsistent returns on the field and pair a veteran quarterback to make their yet-to-be-named head coachs first season in Tampa go a bit more smoothly. The Cardinals could bring Flacco in to fill the role Sam Bradford couldnt in 2018 and serve as a VIP backup who pushes Josh Rosen for playing time. The Titans could bring him in as a high-value insurance policy for the oft-injured Marcus Mariota. If the Broncos are looking for a fresh start, they could cut Case Keenum and eat his $10 million dead cap hit and see if Flacco can be the stopgap solution to get them back to the postseason. Flacco will have his options in 2019, though his path back to a clear-cut starting role wont be a smooth one. Theres a market out there for a former Super Bowl winner, but his best bet may be a one-year deal where he can prove his late-career slump was more a product of Baltimores lack of receiving options than any growing deficiency in his game. Or the Ravens could keep him as a high-leverage backup If Baltimore keeps Flacco in 2019, his dead cap money falls to $8 million in 2020. With approximately $35.7 million in cap space for the upcoming season even before cutting him, the Ravens could afford to hold on to their longtime quarterback. That would give them a reliable Plan B in case Jackson, a passer who ran the ball an average of 17 times per game in his regular season starts, succumbs to injury. Holding on to that extra $10.5 million that fills the space between Flaccos dead money if released and his salary (plus bonus) for 2019 would have repercussions. Baltimore has a handful of priority free agents to retain this spring, starting with middle linebacker C.J. Mosley, who finished the season on a hot streak and earned his fourth Pro Bowl invitation in five NFL seasons. Patrick Onwuasor, who had a big performance in his teams playoff loss, is another free-agent-to-be linebacker who improved his stock mightily in 2018 by adding a much-needed pass rushing attack to his arsenal. And if Terrell Suggs is going to spend his entire career in purple and black, the Ravens are going to have to pay him, too. The club could also use the extra cash created by Flaccos release to chase down some extra playmakers from a free agent crop of receivers and tight ends that includes Randall Cobb, Golden Tate, Adam Humphries, Devin Funchess, Jared Cook, and Tyler Eifert. Plus, the Ravens may already have a solid backup on their roster who wont cost anything near $26.5 million in 2019. Robert Griffin III played well enough in the preseason to convince Baltimore to roster him as the teams third QB throughout 2018. And he earned rave reviews as a mentor who understands Jacksons transition as a mobile college quarterback to a mobile pro passer. Sounded like RGIII was an incredible resource and sounding board for Lamar Jackson in the QB room this year. https://t.co/nTnvuh5nM6 Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2019 Given Jacksons ascension and Flaccos prohibitive cost, it looks like the veteran quarterbacks reign in Baltimore will end with a 96-67 regular season record, a 10-5 mark in the postseason, and one Super Bowl ring. Thats one hell of a run, especially for a quarterback who always looked like he belonged more in the astroturfed, cookie-cutter NFL stadiums of 1980s rather than the pass-heavy offenses of the 2010s. Flacco can still bring value to a franchise, and its possible his recent slump was more a function of Baltimores unimpressive offensive roster management than any real loss of skill on his part. The question now is which NFL team is willing to give him the chance to prove that theory. | https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2019/1/8/18172019/joe-flacco-ravens-future-contract-nfl-trade-release |
Was Ranveer Singh the first choice to play Bauua Singh in ZERO? | Zero was one of the most anticipated movies of last year and it released in the month of December. Shah Rukh Khan played the challenging role of a short man in the film. Salman, as per media reports, was not too confident of playing a vertically challenged man as he was insecure about his height in real life. Now that the film has barely managed to mint Rs 100 crore at the box office, Salman must be relieved that he chose a cameo over the full-fledged role of Bauua Singh. Another film that released in December and went on to become a blockbuster was Ranveer Singh starrer Simmba. Some recent media reports suggest that the role also fell on Ranveer's lap, and the actor had signed the movie and he was about begin shoot for Zero. King Khan not just wanted to act in the movie but he also agreed to produce. Once when SRK stepped in, the entire cast was changed. But it seems the turn of events worked in the favour of Ranveer Singh. Well, we wonder how Bauua Singh would have looked if Ranveer had played the role! | http://www.tellychakkar.com/movie/movie-news/was-ranveer-singh-the-first-choice-play-bauua-singh-zero-190108 |
What does China want to achieve by 'modifying' Islam? | On Sunday, Chinese authorities announced their plan to Sinicize Islam through a five-year plan. According to a report published in the state-run Global Times newspaper, on January 4, representatives of Islamic associations from eight Chinese provinces participated in a Beijing seminar and discussed the outline for how to align Islam with Chinese norms. A government official said it was important for China's Muslim community to "improve their political stance and follow the [Communist] Party's lead." The announcement came just days after police reportedly raided three unregistered mosques in the southwestern Yunnan province, injuring dozens of worshippers and arresting more than 40 people. Read more: Uighur woman shares 'horrendous' China crackdown details with US Congress David Stroup, a China expert at the University of Oklahoma, told DW that the Chinese government wants to tighten control over Islamic groups and take measures to remove overly foreign features from public places. "This could mean continued efforts to remove public signs in Arabic or make changes to Arab-style mosques," Stroup said. "At the same time, the government may try to assert more direct control over the practice of faith, especially over the clerics' weekly sermons," he added. Watch video 12:00 Now live 12:00 mins. Share Chinas harassment of Muslims Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/34u32 Chinas harassment of Muslims 'The Muslim isolation' Haiyun Ma, a history professor at the US-based Frostburg State University, says that the Chinese government's Sinicization drive borders on xenophobic. Ma believes that by emphasizing the need to remove foreign influences, the Communist Party wants to create a Chinese version of Islam that is guided by atheism. "Beijing considers the Arab influence as dangerous and believes it should be totally eliminated from the lives of Chinese Muslims," Ma underlined. "Also, it wants to cut off Chinese Muslims from other Muslim countries. In other words, China is trying to isolate its Muslim community while claiming it is embracing globalization," Ma added. Many analysts see the increased efforts to Sinicize Islam as part of a large-scale crackdown on Muslims, especially in the Xinjiang region. The authorities have reportedly put at least one million Xinjiang Muslims in internment camps. These measures have raised concerns among Muslims in other parts of China that Beijing wants to implement the Sinicization model across the country. In November last year, Global Times reported that officials in regions with sizable Muslim populations are "learning" from the Xinjiang experience, which, according to the government, is aimed at curbing terrorism. Read more: China rejects accusations of Uighur mass detentions in Xinjiang China limits beards, veils in Muslim region Watch video 03:39 Now live 03:39 mins. External influences Analyst Stroup says the international community needs to increase pressure on Beijing to force it to alter its treatment of the Muslim community. "So far, the international community has not taken up the issue in a serious manner," said Stroup. Ma is of the view that it won't be easy for Beijing to Sinicize Islam as its multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is inviting influences from a number of Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Turkey. But the expert believes the US could use its influence to pressure China. "It is possible that the US and other Western countries can work with the Muslim nations to tackle this issue," suggested Ma. "In other words, the US can win the hearts and minds of key Islamic countries." Ma believes that local authorities are likely to play a major role in the Sinicization drive, but warns that it comes with some risks. Violent conflicts between local authorities and Muslim communities have erupted in Ningxia and Yunnan in the past few years. Cui Haoxin, a Hui Muslim poet, told DW that the Sinicization measures will not be easily accepted by the Muslim communities. Cui says that such acts could have a snowball effect and are likely to transform into a major conflict in the future. "It is hard to rationalize these measures," Cui said, adding that the situation for Muslims in China is getting worse. | https://www.dw.com/en/what-does-china-want-to-achieve-by-modifying-islam/a-46995813 |
What Words or Phrases Do We Need to Stop Using? | Its a new year, and a new chance to reboot English. Because our language could REALLY use a nice clean up. The linguistics department at Lake Superior State University in Michigan just put out its 44th annual list of the obnoxious, overused, and just plain terrible words and phrases we need to BANISH. And here are some of the best ones for 2019 . . . 1. Wheelhouse. 2. Wrap my head around. 3. Collusion. 4. -OTUS acronyms, like POTUS, FLOTUS, SCOTUS, and more. 5. Ghosting. 6. Grapple, when it comes to ideas. 7. Optics. 8. Thought leader. 9. Yeet, which is a slang term for throwing something. 10. Most important election of our time. | https://www.mix1069.com/what-words-or-phrases-do-we-need-to-stop-using/ |
Can Donald Trump declare emergency to build his wall? | The administration has spent months trying to figure out how the president might be able to move forward with the wall - the central promise of his 2016 campaign - if Congress refuses to give him the money. As early as last March, Trump was publicly floating the idea of using the military for the task. "Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!" he tweeted then. But it's Congress - not the president - that controls the country's purse strings and must appropriate money he wants to spend. Enter the emergency declaration, an option the White House counsel's office is currently reviewing. Among the laws Trump could turn to is Section 2808 of the Title 10 U.S. Code pertaining to military construction. According to the statute, if the president declares an emergency "that requires use of the armed forces," the Defense secretary "may undertake military construction projects, and may authorize the Secretaries of the military departments to undertake military construction projects, not otherwise authorized by law that are necessary to support such use of the armed forces." Pentagon budget officials are analyzing the 2019 construction budget to determine how many unobligated dollars would be available to use for the wall if Trump settles on a declaration. Under the provision, only those construction budget funds that are not already obligated to other construction projects could be used for the wall. There are more than 100 such provisions giving the president access to special powers in emergencies. And Congress has typically afforded the president broad authority to determine what constitutes an emergency and what does not, said Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the liberty and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice. "Absolutely it's an abuse of power for the president to declare a national emergency when none exists and to use it to try to get around the democratic process," she said. "But we are in a situation where our legal system for emergency powers almost invites that kind of abuse." | https://www.cleveland.com/expo/news/g66l-2019/01/c50be098d54548/can-donald-trump-declare-emerg.html |
Is Roku Joining the Big Leagues? | Most investors know Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) as the company that pioneered internet-enabled streaming devices, but it might come as a surprise that the majority of its revenue now comes from its platform segment. The service, which operates much like competitor Hulu, derives most of its sales from the advertising displayed during programs on its streaming platform. Roku recently announced changes to its service that may help boost its advertising business even further, meanwhile attracting even more customers to its service. Following in the footsteps of a well-heeled competitor, Roku announced that it would soon offer top-shelf cable channels in a bid to become a one-stop shop for both premium and free content. A television with the Roku homepage showing a variety of viewing options More Image source: Roku. The Roku Channel For the uninitiated, The Roku Channel offers more than 10,000 free, ad-supported movies, television episodes, and digital shorts, as well as live news and sports programs. Similar to the strategy employed by Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Prime Video with its Amazon Channels, Roku announced it will be adding premium subscriptions from such notable providers as Showtime, Epix, and Starz, as well as a number of less-known channels. Roku is also providing a number of incentives to help seal the deal. Viewers will be able to see all of the content offerings from each of the networks to decide if it's right for them. Customers can also take advantage of free trials for each of the offerings, and The Roku Channel will aggregate all of the content in one place, eliminating the need to switch between various channels. With this customer convenience in mind, Roku will offer a single monthly bill for any or all of the additional subscriptions. Over the top Another change will allow those with the Roku mobile app -- which is available from both iOS and Android -- to watch The Roku Channel without using a dedicated Roku device. This will let viewers begin watching a program on one device and pick up where they left off on another. In addition to the marquee names already mentioned, Roku's premium subscription partners include Baeble Music, CollegeHumor's Dropout, CuriosityStream, FitFusion, The Great Courses Signature Collection, Hopster, Magnolia Selects presented by Magnolia Pictures, MHz Choice, Noggin, Smithsonian Channel Plus, Tastemade, Viewster Anime, and more. What isn't there Notably missing from the list are HBO, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), and Hulu. That doesn't mean some of these won't be added later. It more likely means that deals wouldn't be reached in time for launch. Roku may be getting a stipend from the channel providers for each new subscriber who signs up. That's likely part of the reason Netflix wasn't among the offerings. The streaming giant has long been among the top-grossing apps on iTunes, paying Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) a cut of between 15% and 30% for any subscribers who signed up though the App Store. After recently testing an alternative, Netflix announced that it would no longer support iTunes as a payment method for new subscribers, thereby cutting Apple out of the equation. This will save Netflix millions of dollars. Given that development, it doesn't seem likely that Netflix would have accepted any offer by Roku that involved paying the company a cut of its subscriptions. If the two do come to an agreement in the future, it will likely be one of convenience and not motivated by profit. | https://news.yahoo.com/roku-joining-big-leagues-122900083.html |
Are our malls a microcosm of what's happening on our roads? | People stand inside Menlyn Shopping Centre with their shopping trollies. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA) Vat voor, vat voor! The very abrupt, businesslike trolley attendant berated me, when my repeated feeble attempts to get a shopping cart from the back of the row failed too many times for his liking. This young man had no time for nonsense; after all, shoppers should use their common sense when fetching their shopping carts. Apparently they had no idea how much frustration it caused him to constantly remind them to take the trolley where it should be taken from the front of the row. And now it was that busy time of Christmas shopping, and his patience had obviously worn thin. Dozens, if not hundreds of shoppers were every day trying to unhitch a shopping cart from the back, and here I was adding to his misery. He was sullen, and kept his head down as he barked the instruction my way. At first I was a bit ashamed that I had added to his burden, sorry that I had been that last straw. But then, at the blink of an eye, my pity gave way to annoyance. Here was a young man, working for a shopping mall speaking to one of the malls clients more than 30 years his senior, as if this client was something you scrape off the bottom of your shoe after visiting a pasture filled with incontinent cows. I wondered if his employers or his parents had neglected to teach him manners. Vat voor meneer, I said to him, which made him stop and look up. And then I explained to him the things that his parents or his employers should have taught him about courtesy, manners and respect. I didnt try to embarrass him or break him down. I simply wanted to remind him of values that hed probably never learned. Apparently realising his error, he apologised profusely smiling awkwardly. I then asked him to be more courteous to shoppers and bid him a good day. Today I think back and I wonder if he actually learned a lesson or if he simply brushed it off and directed a rude sign to my retreating form as I walked away. Its disheartening to see senior citizens trying to navigate their way down a supermarket aisle when someone is packing shelves or moving produce around the store - old farts stand back, were working here! In fact, its quite an eye-opener to watch people in malls. Some people use their shopping carts as battering rams, and unsuspecting shoppers can get quite a solid knock if they dont get out of the way. I have seen young, strong people walking in our shopping centres with a total disregard for others. If you are not wide awake you can get bumped or shoved; senior citizens, who are unsteady on their feet are especially at risk here - a fall for the elderly can be catastrophic. The young, strong people these days feel invincible and it seems that they enjoy flaunting it at the expense of the older, frail weaklings. They drift and wander and stop and change direction on a whim, totally disregarding other people around them - and I am not even talking about those who walk with their eyes fixed on their devices screen. Its as if our malls and markets are a microcosm of whats happening on our roads. Speeding, driving under the influence, driving when tired, and the long list of serious offences all seem to have one common root - South Africans have, it seems, lost respect for themselves and others. Maybe its time that those who have more experience with courtesy, manners and respect, regardless of age, should start gently addressing bad behaviour in society before we run across these people when they are having a bad day on our roads. Diamond Fields Advertiser | https://www.iol.co.za/news/opinion/are-our-malls-a-microcosm-of-whats-happening-on-our-roads-18736488 |
Why do boys wear shorts even in the winter? | Ramsey Rice, a senior at Bearden High School, wears shorts during Knoxville's first snowfall of the season. Rice wears shorts just about every day because he finds them more comfortable than pants. (Photo: Submitted) As Knox County students return to class Tuesday from the winter break, many will be wearing shorts, which may be acceptable with a high of 62 degrees anticipated. But the unseasonably warm weather expected to continue from the weekend will be turning cold as mid-week approaches and that still won't deter many. In fact, even if there were a coat of snow on the ground, that wouldn't be enough to get 17-year-old Ramsey Rice to don a coat, let alone a pair of pants. Ramsey, a senior at Bearden High School, strolls out the door just about every morning of the year wearing clothes that most would tuck away during Knoxville winters. During the first snowfall of the season, he ventured out to play in the snow in athletic shorts, a sweatshirt and long socks that extended to his knees, according to his mother, Jennifer, who no longer tries to convince him to bundle with more layers. Giving up the fight Ive just given up on the battle because its not going to be won, she said. Year-round shorts seem to be something of a fashion trend for boys from elementary school on up, though they arent a fashion statement so much as a garment of comfort and convenience. Two of Katina Sharps four sons wear shorts religiously. They dress like its summer time all the time, said Sharp, also of Knoxville. Sharps youngest son, Nolan, 9, has practically always opted for shorts over pants because by the time shed had him, shed abandoned the fight. As long as all parts are covered, I dont care what they wear, she said. Nolan will often sport layers with athletic tights underneath his shorts, which appeases his teachers who dont let him go out on the playground in cold weather if hes only wearing shorts. Melanie Unthanks 11-year-old son, Daniel, also wears that extra layer what she calls compression pants with shorts over them. Daniel Unthank and his sister Evelyn sport shorts with leggings and compression pants underneath. Daniel wears shorts year round along with many of his male friends and classmates. (Photo: USATHO) At Ritta Elementary School, students who are not dressed in pants or a jacket cant be outside when its 40 degrees or below, according to Unthank. I just use the schools rules as my rules because its easier than fighting another battle, the Knoxville resident said. Comfort, convenience and attempt to be cool The trend of year-round shorts has gained momentum among boys over the last several years, according to Dr. Elaine Schulte, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, New York. Schulte doesn't often encounter parents concerned about their children in minimal layers on cold days, but she said she does see kids both boys and girls wearing less and less clothing more frequently throughout the winter. Schulte said she can't cite any science that indicates that boys can adapt to cold better than girls based on hormones or any other part of their development. Her best guess as to why boys slide on shorts in cold temperatures revolves around what they see on social media and television and the influence of professional athletes who often sport long, loose-fitting shorts. And while she can't say what drives clothing manufacturers' decisions to produce the garments they do, she noted that it's clear they're making more loose-fitting shorts than they have in the past. Unthank, whose 7-year-old daughter Evelyn will join her brother in wearing shorts and leggings, has noticed many of Daniels friends and classmates braving the cold in shorts. Some girls wear shorts in winter months but not as many as boys, according to Daniel. Unthank said her son insists hes hot but she suspects he gravitates toward shorts as a means of style. I think he thinks he looks cool, she said. Sharp doesnt fully understand why her boys choose shorts over pants over the course of the winter, but as a lot of kids put on shorts year round, she also sees it as a way for them to fit in with their peers. Ramsey Rice, a senior at Bearden High School, plays in the snow in shorts. He rarely wears pants throughout winter. (Photo: Submitted) Sharp, whose husband has spent winters in shorts for as long as shes known him, said she tells her sons that people are going to think her family cant afford pants and will start buying them clothes. Rice has a similar fear. Ive always been afraid of someone calling child protective services because my son is going to school in 15- (or) 20-degree weather and shorts, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt and sometimes not even a sweatshirt, she said. Even in colder climates For her family, its not only a battle in icy weather conditions but also when it comes to special events. While visiting New York City this summer and attending Broadway shows and daytime talk shows, Ramsey agreed to wear pants but pulled the bottoms up to his knees. He rolled them back down only when his family was placed in the front row of "LIVE with Kelly and Ryan" and the former "Megyn Kelly Today," and also asked his mother to carry shorts in her handbag so he could change right after the shows. For Ramsey, its a matter of comfort and has been that way since about second grade, even in temperatures that barely push freezing. He acknowledges he feels crazy wearing shorts in 30-degree weather but, still, comfort trumps other considerations. Jennifer Rice and her son, Ramsey, attended an Aquaman movie premier party - to which Ramsey wore shorts. He opts for shorts just about every day, regardless of the weather or where he's headed. (Photo: USATHO) (Shorts are) just really comfortable on me, he said. When I wear long pants, its really itchy. There's not an exact temperature in which it would be unsafe for a teenage boy to leave his legs uncovered, according to Schulte, who stressed a variety of variables need to be taken into consideration, such as how big a child is, how much body fat he has, how much of his legs are covered, how heavy the material of his clothing is and what he's doing outside. It all comes down to common sense for Schulte. Common sense would dictate that people should wear pants in the winter, she said, but there's no science that suggests a boy is going to be more likely to get sick if he's wearing shorts. "Nobody's ever studied it," Schulte said. Convenience also factors into Ramsey's decision as he doesnt have much time to change for football practice and workouts after school. His bus driver often will send him back inside when hes wearing minimal clothing while his teachers will regularly poke and prod him to start coming to school in heavier clothes. Stay up-to-date with the things you care about. Subscribe to one of our newsletters. Breaking News | General News | Knox.Biz | GoKnoxville.com | GoVolsXtra Read or Share this story: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/education/2019/01/08/boys-shorts-winter-fashion/2025002002/ | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/education/2019/01/08/boys-shorts-winter-fashion/2025002002/ |
What should the Jets do with Leonard Williams this offseason? | Other than finding Todd Bowles replacement, the most consequential decision for the Jets this winter will be whether to keep defensive end Leonard Williams. Williams is set to make $14.2 million in 2019, after which he becomes a free agent unless New York decides to franchise tag him. If the Jets do use their franchise tag on him in 2020, they will pay him an estimated $32 million over the next two seasons. That gives the Jets five options on how to handle Williams: Trade or cut him this offseason. Cut him this offseason. Keep him for 2019, but dont use the franchise tag on him. Keep him through 2020 and franchise tag him. Sign him to a long-term extension. Williams recorded 42 tackles and five sacks in 2018. While those numbers didnt meet expectations, theres also no reason to expect the 24-year-olds production to decline any time soon. However, the cant afford to pay Williams that much if they arent going to win next season. No number of tackles or sacks from one player will turn the four-win Jets into a playoff team. For context, according to Spotrac.com, Khalil Macks base salary is $11.3 million next season and $13.3 million in 2020. Defensive tackle Aaron Donalds base salary over the next two years is a little more than $26 million. Mack finished the 2018 regular season with 47 tackles, 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles. Donald had 59 tackles, 20.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Its not a knock on Williams to say he isnt Mack or Donald, but its a waste for the Jets to pay him more than the two best defensive linemen in the league if they arent going to make a playoff push in 2019. If they cant work out a trade, they could cut him and use the $14.2 million to address several other needs or keep him through the 2019 season. In either case, they will lose him without getting anything in return unless they use the franchise tag on him in 2020. The Jets shouldnt even entertain the idea of holding onto him through 2020 for the roughly $17 million he would earn, unless he somehow turns into Mack or Donald. Based on the last two seasons, thats not going to happen. Still, there are teams that could use a fifth-year defensive end with no injury history and a solid track record, even if that means overpaying him a bit. Think about the Colts, Chiefs and Panthers, teams already with a franchise quarterback and a dynamic offense that expect to compete next year. They could be willing to take on Williams $14.2 million salary. He wouldnt have to be the top defensive linemen for any of these teams, but hed give them a minimum of 40 tackles and play a complementary role as a pass rusher. That type of production should be worth at least a second-round draft pick. Theres always the possibility the Jets go with the extension, but at this point, Williams hasnt earned the type of money that would come with. Mike Maccagnan also struck out the last time he gave a defensive end a new deal Muhammad Wilkerson and Williams hasnt been much better. It was once hard to imagine, but its looking more and more likely that the Jets could move on from Williams. | https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/08/jets-leonard-williams-contract-franchise-tag-trade-nfl-offseason/ |
Did The Walking Dead hint at Rick Grimes reunion with Wizard Of Oz? | The Walking Dead might have already hinted how Rick Grimes is reunited with Judith (Picture: AMC) The Walking Dead might have hinted how Judith Grimes reunited with her Rick Grimes. Judith has been surviving without Rick since he made his exit via helicopter in the first half of season nine. But there could be a clue in the show as to how she sees not only her old man again, but Michonne too. The third episode of the season shows includes Rick reading to Judith an extract from The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, which appears to have parallels between what happens to Dorothy in the story, and how Rick left. He reads the part of the story that sees Dorothys home being taken miles and miles away by a cyclone as easily as you would carry a feather. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, by L Frank Baum, crops up again in episode five, Ricks last episode, when he is whisked away from Alexandria by a helicopter unknown to his family and friends which is very similar to Dorothys home being borne away. (Picture: AMC) In the classic story, Dorothy gets transported back to Kansas through the air, which one theory claims could happen to Rick. Advertisement Advertisement However the two are reunited, it likely wont be on the TV show as Rick is being given three of his own spin-off films that will explore the wider world of TWD. Actor Andrew Lincoln, who has left The Walking Dead, revealed that Rick leaving was the end of the beginning. Ive always been interested in whats going on out there, you know, whether or not there is contact with the wider world, he said on Talking Dead. I want to know the meta of it all. And I suppose to be able to kind of touch upon that in a contained story for me is a very exciting proposition. He previously gave some weight to the Wizard Of Oz theory when he revealed that people noticed on set that Ricks departure was similar. It all made sense, he told Entertainment Weekly. 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: Loose Womens Gloria Hunniford talks one-hand jobs in hilarious Dancing On Ice chat MORE: Ashley Roberts and Giovanni Pernice confirm romance as they pack on PDA outside studio | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/08/walking-dead-might-dropped-hints-judith-rick-grimes-reunite-involves-wizard-oz-8322374/ |
Are Privacy Concerns Halting Smart Cities Indefinitely? | It looks like the design of todays smart cities may not be smart enough. In October, Ann Cavoukian, the Director of Privacy for Alphabets Sidewalk Labs smart neighborhood project in Toronto, resigned after learning that not all data collected from residents would be de-identified at the source. In her resignation letter, Cavoukian likened the project to a smart city of surveillance, highlighting privacy concerns for smart cities as her reason for leaving. The following are a few things to consider in weighing the options. Privacy Concerns for Smart Cities: No Way to Avoid Them Here is the thing: every project that involves data collection holds potential concerns over data privacy. We all know that cyber threats are increasingand becoming increasingly sophisticated. We can assume that these dangers will only increase as the amount of data gathered via the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow. Until now, research shows many consumers have been willing to give up personal data so long as it benefits us in some way. (Exclusive shopping deals, anyone?) The issue becomes one of education and transparency. All of these questions will need to be answered clearly to assuage privacy concerns for smart cities. Also, theres a deeper philosophical element to smart cities too. A government entity will have access to tons of information about its citizens. I dont have an answer for that because I think its a very fine line and one each person needs to figure out. Just something we all need to be aware of. The Cart is Before the Horse Just as the General Data Protection Regulation was recently passed in Europe, there will need to be some policies developed in the United States that govern privacy concerns for smart cities and their development. Until now, technology has been advancing incredibly quickly, and its been difficult for legislation to keep up. In my opinion, we need to stop and take a breath to get on the same page regarding smart city data laws. We wont see smart cities develop on a mass scalein a strategic, non-fragmented wayuntil were able to resolve some key issues. I think data protection needs to happen at a federal level too. There are state laws for data protection that some forward-thinking states, like California, have on the books, but it needs to be consistent across the country. Citizens, regardless of location, need to be protected. Personalized Data Has Value As much as we would like to de-identify all data at the source, as consumers we also know there are benefits to making our personal data available. As noted above, we all appreciate personalized shopping experiences. We like when our GPS sends us directions to the place were most likely to visit at that time of daywithout us even asking. We love that Netflix always seems to know which new series well like before weve even heard of it. The same is true when it comes to personalized data in smart cities. Again, these answers aren't universal, but rather personal. I do think most will enjoy the benefits of a smarter city. However, I also think we need to continue to discuss the implications of these conveniences in order to move forward in the best way possible. Well Need to Work Together Right now, our countryand the worldare divided over the use of AI and the IoT to monitor/support/surveil residents of smart cities. The public in general is becoming more aware of privacy concerns for smart cities and how algorithms (or biased algorithms) could impact their life experiences. To create lasting smart cities, we all need to work together to determine a workable standard to keep residents safe. We need to determine whose responsibility it is to keep data safe. And we need to ensure complete transparency as a checks and balance system. In my view, no. We as a countryand even the world overare far too interested in doing things faster, smarter, and more easily that I do believe we will continue to offer our data up to companies working to improve our lives through connectivity. We may complain about itfor instance, the anticipated influx of text ads, marketing phone calls, and sponsored Facebook postsbut I dont think well see a significant slow down in the efforts for smart city development. However, as they are deployed, it sure will be interesting to see the reaction to a smart city's first major breach. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2019/01/08/are-privacy-concerns-halting-smart-cities-indefinitely/ |
Are Apartments Still A Good Investment In 2019? | Yes, apartments are still a good investment, but for more fundamental reasons than during the past eight years. What I mean by this is apartments have always been a good investment. Unlike other commercial real estate investments, apartments are tied much more to residential trends and demographics. Starting in 2010 and continuing through early 2018, the fallout from the crash and recession created an imbalance in homeownership that gave rise to an increase in apartment rental rates. The rent increase directly correlates to an increase in the value of apartment buildings. But apartments are still a good investment for traditional reasons versus heavy appreciation, even with changing circumstances such as rising interest rates, rising property taxes and a potential recession. If investors focus on property fundamentals, hone their investment strategy and conservatively underwrite for todays market, apartments are still a high-performing investment in 2019. A normalization of value appreciation in apartments is usually related to a projection of flatness in net operating income (NOI). Historically, flatness of NOI is anticipated when two primary drivers occur: rent softness (meaning rents are not growing well) and anticipated interest rate increases. The current market seems to have both of these factors. Current rent softness comes from years of rent growth and a large supply of new construction units being delivered and a large supply of new construction units being delivered. Interest rates in Q4 2018 are higher than Q4 2017, and more increases are forecasted for 2019. Locally in Chicago, the third factor for NOI flatness is property tax increases, as city, county and state government continually raise taxes to increase revenue. Focus On Fundamentals For apartment investing, thats the bad news. The good news is that if you focus on the fundamentals and invest for the long term, apartments are still the most compelling product type in commercial real estate. The key reason for this is simple, if trite: People always need a place to live. For investing in apartment buildings, remember three fundamental factors of location, value-add and underwriting. Location is the primary factor for any real estate investment, but what makes a location good varies by product type (residential, industrial, office, apartment, retail, etc.). For apartments, good location usually means easy access to centers for employment and transportation (e.g., public or highway access). Hone Investment Strategy Value-add means ways to increase the value of your property. Increasing the NOI of the property despite the market in general projecting flatness for NOI is one of the best ways. The obvious is making physical improvements that result in higher rent (i.e., new kitchen cabinets). The less obvious maybe how to decrease expenses or create better operational efficiencies. Other ways to add value may have to do with overall returns over the lifespan of the investment. A trend right now for achieving this is investing in Opportunity Zones. These investments reduce or eliminate your capital gains, thus significantly increasing your overall returns. Conservatively Underwrite Underwriting means carefully analyzing all of the income and expense related to an investment, including a conservative proforma of the changes expected, looking at financing options and determining what your return on investment will be at the purchase price being contemplated. Set a threshold you have to achieve and hold yourself to it. If your target is 10%, underwrite honestly and conservatively and do not invest if you cannot get the numbers to cross that minimum threshold. Apartments remain a solid commercial real estate investment class if not still the golden child. Getting back to the fundamentals described above should result in a long-term appreciating asset and a meaningful return on investment. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2019/01/08/are-apartments-still-a-good-investment-in-2019/ |
Can Businesses Capitalize On The Promise Of AI? | Regardless of industry or company size, artificial intelligence (AI) is touted as the next big thing -- a high-tech superhero that will automate routine business processes, hyper-personalize customer experiences and foster more intelligent decision making. AIs magic is already at work, helping banks and lending institutions, for example, create predictive models that enable smarter underwriting decisions and better assessment of credit risks. Even utilities are tapping AI to optimize sustainable wind and solar power delivery. A 2017 study by Accenture, reported on by Forbes, predicts that by 2035, AI could boost profitability rates by nearly 40%. But many companies are just getting started, and others lack the in-house expertise and wherewithal to get significant traction with AI development projects. Among businesses worldwide (subscription required), extensive deployment of AI had only been accomplished by 5% in 2017, while 22% said they had yet to implement AI and had no plans to. (Full disclosure: Accenture is a partner of my company, Applause.) Even in its nascent stage, AI can deliver a particularly powerful boost for software developers. Traditional coding is based on complex decision trees and branching logic, relying heavily on sophisticated developer brain power. AI ushers in a code 2.0 era, where programmers create a much simpler set of code and train the software for the intended output, allowing the system to learn from past instruction and automatically make on-the-fly adjustments to reach the desired outcome. By doing so, development teams are liberated from manual and laborious coding practices, shortening the time it takes to deliver next-gen solutions and fostering greater code reuse. At the same time, AI programs introduce some unique challenges. Unlike traditional software development, where programmers can backtrack to determine the root cause of failure, there isnt that same luxury with AI programs. Most AI systems operate as more of a black box; developers will know the AI program failed at some point, but they have little visibility into specifics about the program, and they dont have the same ability to debug code to identify potential problems. Another big hurdle for successful AI-driven development is data. Training an AI program to recognize pictures of puppies amid a sea of muffins (they look more similar than you might think), or to interpret specific voice commands regardless of speech patterns or dialects, requires data. Lots and lots of data. In fact, enormous data sets are required to adequately train the algorithms, and its a process that demands constant care and feeding. Lets take the puppy example: Youd need to tap into thousands of pictures of chihuahuas to train the AI program to make a successful identification, and youd also need a similar trove of data to ensure the program can delineate between images of a chihuahua and a muffin, or even a chocolate-chip cookie, for that matter. That is a pretty simplistic example, but things get much more complex as you tackle more sophisticated applications. Unfortunately, the issue isnt black and white, and there are no easy answers. AI Is Constantly Learning And Improving There are some general guidelines, however, that can make the AI data dilemma slightly less inscrutable. The size of the data set to train the models will vary based on the quality of data and how deterministic the outputs are. For example, applications using pictures or video will require much larger data sets because identification can be fuzzy compared to systems that involve natural language, which is more scientific and involves the written word. AI systems that make use of the spoken word -- think voice assistants like Apples Siri -- also require vast data sets because they need to differentiate based on complex factors like accents and different languages. In my work with Applause this year, we conducted in-depth testing on a new voice-enabled speaker that ran into problems with how it responded to commands in French versus English. In one instance, a French-speaking user asked the device to send the message Ill see you soon to a friend named Noelle. While the command was successfully activated in English, the voice-enabled device misinterpreted the French translation bientt as a persons last name, responding that it couldnt find a Noelle Abientot among the contacts. This instance illustrates what can happen when an AI program isnt given enough localized data to learn from. So, while there isnt a hard-and-fast answer to the how much data is enough? AI dilemma, there is one common rule: Youre never really finished training an AI program because the more data you feed it, the better that system will be. Just ask developers in the autonomous vehicle space that are collecting data at a furious pace using both real-world test drives and lots of computer simulation. By capturing billions of data points through a collected billions of miles traveled (yes, billions), players in this space have a much better shot of keeping self-driving cars safe. Not every AI system will have such life-and-death consequences. However, rest assured: Most will have insatiable appetites for data and will require constant care and feeding. Realizing The Promise Of AI This data dilemma will impact every organization looking to benefit from AI. Those that can capture the most data in the shortest amount of time may be the ones that capitalize on the promise of AI. Those that cannot will likely fall behind and risk investing in AI programs that dont work. The opportunity is clear: AI can help businesses magnify their efficiencies, up-level automation and improve all customer experiences. What is less clear is how brands can capture the necessary data to ensure their AI projects actually work -- and work every time. To get the most accurate and relevant results, companies should look toward real-world scenarios and users to capture the large data sets they will need. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/01/08/can-businesses-capitalize-on-the-promise-of-ai/ |
What will happen if Trump uses national emergency powers to fund border wall? | WASHINGTON As the budget standoff between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats grinds into the third week of a partial government shutdown, the White House has floated the idea that Trump might invoke emergency powers to build his proposed wall on the Mexican border without lawmakers approval. That route could resolve the immediate crisis by giving Trump a face-saving way to sign spending bills that do not include funding for his wall. But it would be an extraordinarily aggressive move at a minimum, a violation of constitutional norms that would most likely thrust the walls fate into the courts. Here is a primer on whether Trump can use emergency powers to proceed with the project without explicit congressional permission. The president has the authority to declare a national emergency, which activates enhancements to his executive powers by essentially creating exceptions to rules that normally constrain him. The idea is to enable the government to respond quickly to a crisis. Although presidents have sometimes claimed that the Constitution gives them inherent powers to act beyond ordinary legal limits in an exigency, those claims tend to fare poorly when challenged in court. But presidents are on firmer legal ground when they invoke statutes in which Congress delegated authorities to the executive branch that can be generated in emergencies. In a recent study, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law identified 123 provisions of law granting presidents a range of such powers. The National Emergencies Act, enacted during the post-Watergate reform era, regulates how presidents may invoke such powers. It requires them to formally declare a national emergency and tell Congress which statutes are being activated. Maybe. The Trump administration could point to two laws and say they allow officials to proceed with building a border wall without first obtaining explicit authorization and appropriations from Congress, according to Elizabeth Goitein, who oversaw the Brennan Centers study and is a co-director of its Liberty and National Security Program. One of the laws permits the secretary of the Army to halt Army civil works projects during a presidentially declared emergency and instead direct troops and other resources to help construct authorized civil works, military construction and civil defense projects that are essential to the national defense. Another law permits the secretary of defense, in an emergency, to begin military construction projects not otherwise authorized by law that are necessary to support such use of the armed forces, using funds that Congress had appropriated for military construction purposes that have not yet been earmarked for specific projects. In light of those statutes and similar ones that give presidents flexibility to redirect funds in a crisis, the Trump administration could point to serious arguments to back up Trump if he invokes emergency powers to build a wall, said William C. Banks, a Syracuse University law professor who helped write a 1994 book about tensions between the executive and legislative branches over security and spending, National Security Law and the Power of the Purse. The fundamental principle is that no president or official may spend funds that were not appropriated for that purpose, he said. No. If he invokes emergency powers to build a border wall, Trump is almost certain to invite a court battle. While Goitein agreed that there is a nonfrivolous legal case to be made that emergency-powers laws might empower Trump to spend military funds on a wall, she also pointed to counterarguments any lawsuit would have to contend with. For example, she noted, under one of the laws Trump might try to invoke, the military may redirect funds to build only projects that Congress has separately authorized. Lawmakers have not approved a military wall spanning the border. Still, the administration might argue that Congress has effectively preapproved a wall-like barrier under other laws, including one that authorizes the military to construct border fences blocking drug-smuggling corridors, and another, the Secure Fence Act of 2006, that empowers the Department of Homeland Security to build physical infrastructure enhancements along the border. The government could skip the requirement to identify pre-existing authorization for a wall if it invoked a different emergency-powers law for the funds, but that route would raise other problems, Goitein said. Among them, the government would need to show that a wall meets the legal definition of military construction even though it is not clearly tied to a military facility or installation, and that the southern border situation represents the kind of emergency that requires the use of the armed forces. Probably not. If Trump declares that the situation along the southern border suddenly constitutes an emergency that justifies building a wall without explicit congressional sanction, he will run up against a reality: that the facts on the ground have not drastically shifted. The number of people crossing the border unlawfully is far down from its peak of nearly two decades ago. The recent caravans from Central America primarily consist of migrants who are not trying to sneak across the border, but instead are presenting themselves to border officials and requesting asylum. And while Trump and his aides keep claiming that terrorists are sneaking in across the border, including assertions that they are doing so by the thousands, as a matter of empirical reality, there has been no such instance in the modern era. Still, as a matter of legal procedure, facts may be irrelevant. Before a court could decide that Trump had cynically declared an emergency under false pretenses, the court would first have to decide that the law permits judges to substitute their own thinking for the presidents in such a matter. The Justice Department would surely argue that courts should instead defer to the presidents determination. If any court would actually let itself review whether this is a national emergency, he would be in big trouble, Goitein said. I think it would be an abuse of power to declare an emergency where none exists. In part by accident. When passing many emergency-powers laws, Congress attached a procedure that would let lawmakers override any particular invocation of that authority. The National Emergencies Act, for example, permitted Congress to rescind an emergency if both the House and the Senate voted for a resolution rejecting the presidents determination that one existed. But in 1983, the Supreme Court struck down such legislative vetoes. The justices ruled that for a congressional act to have legal effect, it must be presented to the president for signature or veto. Because it takes two-thirds of both chambers to override a veto, the ruling significantly eroded the check and balance against abuse that lawmakers had intended to be part of their delegation of standby emergency powers to presidents. | https://nationalpost.com/news/world/what-will-happen-if-trump-uses-national-emergency-powers-to-fund-border-wall |
What resorted Rocky woman to leave her residence? | FLOODING WOES: Eva Gorrie is moving out of her Alexandra Gardens unit following the second year of floods that have inundated her residence. FLOODING WOES: Eva Gorrie is moving out of her Alexandra Gardens unit following the second year of floods that have inundated her residence. Jann Houley WITH family by her side and a removals truck out the front, Eva Gorrie knew it was time for her to leave. The Rockhampton woman has been riddled with worries for over a year, since she discovered her unit at PresCare's Alexandra Gardens facility in North Rockhampton was prone to flooding. After residing at the unit for about three years, her home resorted to having sandbags with a trench in the backyard. And it has taken a toll on Mrs Gorrie and her family. READ: Paradise turns into a flooded nightmare "The first Christmas it was like this, I came home from holidays - walked in there and they said 'we've got to relocate you to The Edge Apartments', Mrs Gorrie said. And it seemed deja-vu had set in for Mrs Gorrie on Christmas Eve when she came home to be told the same message, and all her belongings had been packed up. All she could take with her to the accommodation was the port she had with her on holidays. Mrs Gorrie felt enough was enough. "We should have been notified that they were coming in to pack, she said. Mrs Gorrie said the issue had been dragging on with not enough progress, which prompted her to break her bond. "I've told them I'm leaving, I'm moving Wednesday and I said I'd take everything out, leave it and that's it... they agreed, she said. Mrs Gorrie felt sorry for fellow residents who had been similarly affected. READ: Previous plan to help evacuated Rocky residents "I'd like to see them relocated or the back fixed - so that we're not waiting for the storms to come and say have we got to put everything up, Mrs Gorrie said. "It's a lot on elderly people. Mrs Gorrie said the trench along her backyard had been deepened to take more water. However, the problem didn't stop there. She had returned from holidays on Christmas Eve to find there was no electricity at her residence which she assumed would have been caused by a blackout. "The pumps were going fine until there was no electricity... there was no back-up, Mrs Gorrie said. PresCare said it was aware that recent weather events had impacted clients at the Alexandra St location. "Whilst we are glad to see much-needed rain falling locally within the Rockhampton area, our thoughts are with the residents that have been affected by this adverse weather and we have arranged for alternative accommodation, it said. "The water which came into the complex at Alexandra St was from areas outside the properties' boundaries. "We are continuing to work with the local council and also reviewing additional solutions to assist with such extreme weather events. "PresCare is committed to ensuring the comfort and safety of its clients and we will do everything possible to support our tenants at Alexandra St. | https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/what-resorted-rocky-woman-to-leave-her-residence/3617359/ |
Is Measurability More Important Than Effectiveness For Marketers? | We all want to claim the latter, but the reality is that we answer to someone, and if we cant show the value of our work with data, its hard to prove our professional value. The result is that marketers often choose to execute experiences that are measurable, even at the expense of impact. Programmatic media is an example of this. Its the most measurable media spend given the data is in real time. Marketers can gauge exactly how many times their ads are clicked, the cost of each click and the resulting return on investment (ROI). The issue with programmatic is that an alarming portion of it is fraud, and the industry is aware of this. In 2017, an Advertising Week panel (subscription required) was asked how much fraud is in the numbers, and the estimates were frightening. The CEO of Nielsen Catalina Solutions reportedly estimated that over 50% of direct programmatic is fraudulent, while other experts reportedly agreed that the best-case scenario is one-third. While many savvy marketers would agree that measuring clicks is not the most effective way to gauge ROI given this level of fraud, clicks are still the predominant key performance indicator (KPI). Since programmatic media can generate a large number of clicks, it is a major focus area for most marketers. Im not saying brands shouldnt invest in programmatic. There is a lot of progress in mitigating fraud, and even when accounting for fraud, it can be highly effective if used correctly and in balance with other marketing efforts. What I am saying is that measurability allows programmatic media to have this level of fraud without losing its funding to other channels. Based on my experience working with an experiential marketing agency, its clear that many marketers believe that the value of a physical interaction is greater than a digital interaction. There is also data showing the importance of experiences for younger generations. Even so, it is still much easier to measure a digital interaction than a physical interaction. Brands may claim they are increasing their spend on branded experiences, but this is likely due to their understanding that younger consumers prefer experiences over material things. Its also likely in response to competitors increasing their experiential budgets, and we all know the impact of the fear of missing out, or FOMO. What is still largely missing is the quantitative evidence that a consumer who engages with an experience is more valuable than one who interacts solely online. Its not an easy problem to solve, but one the industry must address to avoid the pendulum swinging away from experiences and back toward clickbait. Comparing physical and digital interactions will never be apples to apples, but the closer we can get the KPIs, the better off the industry will be. Extend the physical experience with digital components. If you can deliver the same KPIs (impression, clicks) as a digital program, then the physical experience is icing on the cake. As an activity, take the total spend of your physical experience including the digital extension. Ask your brand what they could deliver for that spend in programmatic clicks. Given the level of fraud we know exists, take a conservative 70% to arrive at a true impression count. With digital extensions and content production from your physical event, you should be able to deliver that level of engagement (if your experience is buzzworthy), and the decision for the brand becomes easy. Any time I pitch an experiential activation to a brand I ask, If I can deliver the same results as if you spent this money on programmatic, then would you would agree its a homerun investment? I dont know of any brand that would say otherwise. Prove the value of the event attendee to the brand. Most experiential companies focus their event recaps on the number of attendees that went through the experience. The issue with this approach is that you will never reach as wide an audience as with digital media. Now, if you instead prove the value of each event attendee is exponentially greater than digital-only consumers, you have a strong case. Here are two ways to prove value: engagement and purchasing. Engagement: By comparing engagement rates of consumers who participated in a branded experience versus came from other channels like paid audiences, you can demonstrate the value of experiences. Metrics including email marketing open rates, social post engagements and coupon redemption all demonstrate how valuable an individual is to a brand. To measure these effectively, you must monitor the audience well after the experience ends, which means its no longer only about what happened during the experience. Purchasing: This is much harder to measure and is ultimately the holy grail. The way most marketers track purchasing is through credit card data. When they serve a banner ad to a consumer, that consumer has a unique IP address. Information is tied to that IP address, and data companies make it possible to connect the IP to a credit card. They can identify if consumers who saw an ad eventually made a purchase. The same approach must be brought to experiential. Brands and agencies should be segmenting audiences that came through experiential channels to understand if that group is more likely to purchase than other groups, therefore making them a more valuable audience. The reality is that measurability is a major component of a marketers decision making process. There are ways to compare the value of consumers who come from physical experiences versus digital clicks, and the industry must advance those methods to increase transparency. If all marketing tactics have high transparency of measurement, marketers wont have to make the choice between measurability and effectiveness. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2019/01/08/is-measurability-more-important-than-effectiveness-for-marketers/ |
Did Myriam Klink Really get Breast Implants? | Myriam was at the premiere screening for the film "Wanted" written and directed by Nibal Arakji (Source: myriamklinkk - Instagram) Follow > Disable alert for Myriam Klink Follow > Lebanese-Serbian Ex Supermodel Model and performer Myriam Klink posted a backstage video while she was doing an interview to her Instagram account. Myriam was at the premiere screening for the film "Wanted" written and directed by Nibal Arakji that she makes a cameo appearance in. Myriam came to the film's premiere wearing a jumpsuit that revealed her upper body that hinted she might have done breast implants as her breasts looked larger than usual and many linked that to a previous statement she did once about her intention to make her breasts larger in the show "Hawa Al Horriyeh" (Liberty's Airwave) on LBC channel. In another story, Myriam has released a new club track titled "Baddi Eyah" (I Want it) in which she collaborates with DJ. Osane. > | https://www.albawaba.com/entertainment/did-myriam-klink-really-get-breast-implants-1236008 |
Which is London's quaintest village? | Gather a group of Londoners in a room and ask them to describe where they live. I would bet that at least half will humbly describe their home turf as a village, or at least as having a villagey feel. For this is a clich that we London-dwellers wear as a badge of honour. We have not chosen to spend our lives in a polluted concrete sprawl, thank you very much. London is a patchwork of idiosyncratic villages, with cricket greens, gaslit cobbled streets and crooked inns managed by one-toothed landlords. Navigate Elephant and Castle roundabout on a cold Wednesday night or walk under the Hammersmith flyover and this romanticised vision turns to mush, but the idea of London being... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/London-best-villages/ |
What is 'conscious movement'? And why do some fitness experts swear by it? | Get the Better newsletter. By Nicole Spector Unless were doing an exercise that is built around slow breathing and deep focus such as yoga or Pilates, the practice of mindfulness probably isnt at the top of our list when we hit the gym. But it should be. Fitness instructors and physical therapists champion mindfulness, aka, conscious movement as a key part out of any workout regimen. Heres what we learned. Conscious movement isnt new but its gaining interest as our workouts intensify First, it should be recognized that conscious movement may be a trending term, but its not a new concept. Tai Chi instructor John Turnbull notes the ancient practice of tai chi hinges on this style of slow, intentional and careful movement that highlights the mind-body connection. Mindful exercise is a key component of the training we do, Turnbull says. The first step is awareness of how one is standing and moving. Being conscious of how the whole body works together and using the minimum effort to move helps the way we move in all areas of life, including using proper structure, [preventing] injury, and [achieving] a calmer mind. Any physical activity can be done slowly and mindfully, however having someone watch ones posture is important, especially at first. Conscious movement may not be new (and it can be implemented in just about any physical activity), but its seeing a surge of attention from fitness enthusiasts, in tandem with climbing interest in in CrossFit and HIIT. Where CrossFit and HIIT are about completing a lot of exercises in a short time with little or no regard to form, conscious movement is at the opposite end of the spectrum, says Cary Raffle, a certified personal trainer and and orthopedic exercise specialist. Lessen risk of injury and tune in with your bodys needs right now The most immediate physical payoff of conscious movement lies in its ability to help you lessen the risks of injury from a tough workout. CrossFit and HIIT often lead to injury; conscious exercise [helps you] avoid injury, says Raffle. Most people should start a new exercise program with conscious movement before progressing to higher intensity versions of the exercises. This can reduce the risk of injury and lead to better results. Claire Grieve, a yoga specialist and stretch therapist notes that in addition to injury avoidance, conscious movement is also helpful for helping you tune into what you need during a given day. One day you may crave a really intense high impact workout, another day you might be coming out of a stressful week and instead need to relax, breathe and restore, Grieve says. On another you might have an injury, being conscious about your movement will help you know to adjust your workout to give your body space to heal. Really it's about developing the skills to let go, breath and listen to what your body really needs. Great for after work and before a tough workout Raffle recommends beginning your workouts whatever they may be with some conscious movement warmups, especially if youve been working at a desk or driving all day. When you sit for long periods of time your body gets locked into that seated head forward position, Raffle says. Conscious movements help to activate muscles that are overstretched and slack and to stretch those that are tight, restoring proper movement patterns before beginning more intensive exercises. Conscious movement can actually help both get more out of their exercises because the objective is to work the right muscles not simply to move the weights or your body from point A to point B. Conscious movement exercises: The basics Conscious movement not only means enhancing your awareness of how youre moving, as the name implies; it also means slowing down. Dr. David R. Sol, a doctor of acupuncture, a licensed massage therapist and dean of undergraduate studies at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago, cites the following criteria for conscious movement: Taking slow, deep breaths to induce the parasympathetic nervous system and slow your heart rate. to induce the parasympathetic nervous system and slow your heart rate. Be present in your thoughts: Various studies have shown mindfulness practice through Tai Chi, yoga, Qi Gong, meditation, [etc.] reduce stress, anxiety, decrease pain and increase feelings of happiness and relaxation, says Sol. You can add these core elements to any exercise that allows for it, but you might want to consider some yoga poses. Yoga allows you to connect to your breath and to slow down and really listen to your body, says Grieve. I particularly like to practice restorative yoga as it serves as the perfect balance to the societal pressure to keep pushing harder and harder. Carlisle Price, a personal trainer at Golds Gym, suggests the following techniques you can use with weights: 20-30 second squats with little to no weight 15 seconds down, 15 seconds up. (Youll want to drastically slow the tempo) Taking static holds at the apex of a movement. Holding a barbell over head or a pike position to develop stability for overhead pressing. Mindfulness can help you zone in on building muscle where you want it You should also use mindfulness when youre working out a group of muscles that may be a problem area for you, like the abs or glutes. "Movement should always be performed with a conscious mind-body connection, placing the focus on the muscles you're working regardless of the pace, says Eve Dawes is a NASM and REPS certified trainer and founder of Fitness by Eve. This helps not only with technique but getting the most of out the exercise. Neurological evidence shows that our brains play a major role in regulating muscle movement and strength, so if you focus on contracting the muscle(s) youre wanting to work your brain can send stronger signals, creating more muscle engagement, and helping them to work more efficiently, which also leads to better form, which equals better results and fewer injuries." Conscious movement to the rescue Since conscious movement can be incorporated into most any physical activity, its a great technique to practice when youre doing house chores or how you move at your desk. Many times, being mindful and conscious of changing small behaviors can yield big results, says Cindy Neville, a certified women's health clinical specialist (WCS), physical therapist and national director of Pelvic Health & Wellness at FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers. Bottom line, our bodies are not designed to be still for extended periods of time they're meant to move. Set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to get up and move. Walk, vacuum or go a park and have some fun on the swings. While walking, bending or lifting, be aware of your core and engage it paying more attention to how you move will make you feel better, helps reduce pain in the lower back and inflammation in joints. This is not a weight loss technique, but it certainly helps the journey Conscious movement isnt specifically designed for weight loss, but it is an effective tool to complement more a intensive fitness regimen. Sarah Snyder, a 36-year-old publicist at Wasabi Publicity, recently added conscious movement into her intense workout plan. In 2013 I was ranked among the top 10 strongest women in the US, but lost my way and gained over 130 pounds and let myself go, Snyder says. I'm currently on a health and wellness journey back to fitness, which includes Strongwoman Training, HITT Training and also conscious movement. For me, conscious movement includes walking and practicing yoga. I'm finding that the focus on my breathing and flexibility is greatly enhancing my Strongwoman movements. This has made the biggest difference in my journey. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for this mindset work. It's not easy for me, but when you see the payout it makes it worth the extra effort. NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. | https://www.nbcnews.com/better/pop-culture/what-conscious-movement-why-do-some-fitness-experts-swear-it-ncna954171?cid=public-rss_20190108 |
Could I'm A Celebrity Australia stars avoid daunting bushtucker trials? | I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia will see stars competing in the South African jungle for four weeks. And it appears that camp-mates, including Gogglebox's Angie Kent, 28, and Yvie Jones, 46, may be able to arrange a much easier time in the wilderness thanks to secret loopholes. From doctor's notes and strict diets to pretending to smoke; both the UK and Aussie version of the show has previously allowed stars to enjoy secret loopholes. Pictured Angie Kent (left) and Yvie Jones (right) Yvie, who is among this year's confirmed contestants, revealed to TV Week on Monday her doctor has 'exempted' her from the show's strict food rations. Following asecret gastric sleeve surgery in 2017, where the size of her stomach was reduced, Yvie explained she now has to 'eat more often'. 'Hopefully I'll get a Big Mac in the medical tent,' she joked. 'Hopefully I'll get a Big Mac in the medical tent': Gogglebox star Yvie Jones, 46, revealed on Monday her doctor had 'exempted' her from the show's strict food rations, after she underwent secret gastric sleeve surgery in 2017, as she now has to 'eat more often' Dietary restrictions! Whereas the food challenges may be one of the most daunting aspects for stars, some cast on the recent British version of the show in November were reportedly exempt because they're vegan. Picture Shane Warne during a bustucker trial in 2016 Yvie's best friend and co-star, Angie Kent, may be able to avoid the show's gruesome food-based bushtucker trials eating animals and bugs, due to her diet. In an interview with TV Week on Monday, she stated she has 'not eaten meat for more than a year' and is coeliac and pescatarian. 'I'll eat anything, but I don't know how I'll react,' explained Angie, while stating she is willing to give the challenges a go, though. While Angie may be open to eating bugs, some stars on last year's UK version were not. In an interview with TV Week on Monday, Gogglebox's Angie, 28, stated she has 'not eaten meat for more than a year' and is coeliac and pescatarian Three British celebrities, who appeared on the UK series in November, were reportedly exempt from food challenges because they're vegan. A source told Daily Star that some of them had negotiated to be 'excluded from any task related to eating animals or animal products' before signing up. However, the UK version faced backlash after it was later reported that some of the stars had only turned to veganism shortly before filming commenced. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10 to see if they will be following this rule, if they have any vegans on the new line-up. Sneaky! Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff, who won the first season of I'm A Celebrity AU in 2015, recently revealed he 'cheated' his way to victory by pretending to be a smoker Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff, who won the first season of I'm A Celebrity Australia in 2015, recently revealed how he 'cheated' his way to victory. During an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live podcast, the 41-year-old shared the one simple trick to ensuring he could secretly leave camp several times a day. 'I said 'I'm a smoker', which I'm not by any stretch,' Freddie admitted, while recalling conversations with producers before entering the jungle. Freddie hatched his plan after realising you're unable to smoke on Australian TV, meaning he'd have to vacate the set if he wanted a cigarette. Secret hack! Freddie revealed that all smokers are allowed to leave camp several times a day to light up off camera. During his five cigarette breaks a day, Freddie claims he also helped himself to fresh water from a medical tent and enjoyed a pleasant break from camp The British cricketer continued: 'They asked me how many I wanted a day so I said five knowing I'd have to do it off screen. 'I'd walk out the gate and there'd be a chair with a cigarette that I didn't have, I just sat and had some peace to myself, not filmed and in nobody's hearing.' Freddie then revealed peace wasn't the only thing he enjoyed during these breaks. Whereas the rest of his campmates, including runners up Chrissie Swan and Barry Hall, had to collect water in buckets and boil it, the sportsman had his own supply. After noticing a medical hut with a water fountain next to the designated smoking area, Freddie admitted he'd sneak in and fill his bottle up five times a day. 'I was more hydrated than I'd ever been in my life,' he joked. They've packed their bags! Gogglebox stars Angie and Yvie are the first stars confirmed for the new season, which premieres on Channel 10 on Sunday | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6567933/Could-Im-Celebrity-Australia-stars-avoid-daunting-bushtucker-trials.html |
How can the left get its voice heard over Brexit? | Tory prime minister Theresa May has been forced to put her Brexit deal to parliament. MPs will vote on it next Tuesday, 15 Januaryand she will most likely lose. May withdrew the Tory Brexit deal from parliament last December, knowing that defeat could spell her demise. Many right wing Brexiteers and Remain-supporting Tories, as well as opposition parties, wanted to block the deal. So she went around the European Unions (EU) rulers over Christmas desperately asking for concessions. But within days of May putting off the vote, the EU had ruled out making any serious changes to what was on offer. The deal sets out how Britain will leave the EU on 29 March, with a two-year transition during which very little would change. The deal was designed to appease big business, which is desperate to remain in the EUs neoliberal single market. So it keeps free market rules on state aid that block left wing policies, such as wholesale nationalisation. At the same time the deal would end freedom of movement for migrants.It was too much of a fudge for right wing Brexiteers. And many couldnt stomach proposals over Northern Ireland that could have led to some customs checks with Britain. May claims shes in the process of fixing their concerns. But its unlikely to be enough to appease right wing Tory MPs and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Tory MPs from across the Brexit divide are putting pressure on Theresa May. Desperately she had scheduled a series of drinks receptions to try and win them over this week ahead of the vote. Over 200 MPs, including many Tories, signed an open letter on Monday urging her to rule out a no-deal Brexit. Caroline Spelman initiated it with Labours Jack Dromey. The Remain-supporting Tory MP said Mays deal offered a platform that could stabilise the economy and give reassurance to big business. Meanwhile former Brexit secretary Boris Johnson said a no-deal Brexit was the closest to what people actually voted for in the 2016 EU referendum. He was backed up by reactionaries such as Jacob Rees-Mogg. The row over Mays Brexit deal is part of a deep divide inside the Tory party, which is torn between big business and bigotry. Their friends in the City of London and big business want to stay in the neoliberal EU because it protects their profits. But the Tories are also desperate to chase right wing, racist votes by promising to clamp down on immigration. And rebellious Tory MPs arent the only problem May is facing. Without an overall majority of her own, she relies on the bigots of the DUP to prop up her weak government. The DUP has said there is no way it would back the deal because of its proposals for Northern Ireland. Pressure is also growing on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to shift the partys position to unequivocally supporting a second referendum. The partys official position is that it will push for a general election and, if that fails, then consider all options which could include a referendum. Calls for a so-called Peoples Vote are led by Blairites who support the single markets free market rules. Unfortunately, sections of the Labour left have also fallen in behind them and set up a Policy Commission this week. Its backers include TSSA rail union general secretary Manuel Cortes, who wants to stop Britain leaving the EU. Some left wingers fear Labours stagnant position in the polls is because of its position on Brexit. In reality, Corbyns success in the 2017 general election saw him unite both Remain and Leave voters by putting forward class politics. The mainstream options of hard, soft or no-deal Brexit are false choices for working class people. So long as the Tories are in charge all these options will be based on neoliberal and racist policies that attack workers and migrants. The problem is that the trade unions and Labour Party are not mobilising, which leaves working class people as passive spectators. We need a fightback in the streets, campuses and workplaces to bring down the Tories. And we should link the fight against the Tories vision of Brexit to other class demands, such as defending the NHS and scrapping Universal Credit. A good place to start will be the Peoples Assembly demonstration in London this Saturday. | https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/47708/How+can+the+left+get+its+voice+heard+over+Brexit |
What are Penn States odds of winning next seasons College Football Playoff? | Penn State must replace record-setting quarterback Trace McSorley, two starting offensive lineman, a starting tailback, and a first-team defensive end in 2019. Thats not to mention the fact that starters must also be found at one corner and one safety spot, and also at linebacker, due to graduation. Needless to say, head coach James Franklin and his staff have their work cut out for them entering the new year, which marks Franklins sixth with the blue and white. The SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas took all those factors, as well as ones from programs around the country, into account to release title odds for the 2020 College Football Playoff championship game. Clemson is listed as the 1.8-to-1 favorite to repeat after blowing out Alabama on Monday night, but the Crimson Tide, currently sitting at 2.5-to-1, are the only other single-digit team. Ohio State checks in right behind them, but at 12-1, while Michigan is 14-1, and Scott Frost-led Nebraska 25-1. Penn State checks in way down the list with odds of 100-to-1 to win it all. For those unaware, that means a $100 bet would win $10,000. All odds are courtesy of the SuperBook via ESPN. The 100-to-1 that the Lions are listed at is a far cry from this time a year ago, when they were slotted at 12-to-1 despite All-American back Saquon Barkley leaving school for the NFL. The totality of the personnel losses heading into this season cannot be understated, though, and it does not help matters that the Lions must go to Michigan State and Ohio State while playing a Big Ten West crossover game at notoriously tough Kinnick Stadium opposite Iowa. Penn State opens its 2019 slate on Aug. 31 opposite Idaho. | https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2019/01/what-are-penn-states-odds-of-winning-next-seasons-college-football-playoff.html |
Will Trump Declare A National Emergency Tonight? | If you listen to the pundits, they say, oh yes, yes. He will. Here's Robert Costa with his Very Important Inside Administration Sources, sharing their knowledge. Pay close attention to what this administration is doing... 1. Weekend talks with Democrats were futile. Dems there frustrated that Rs didn't have budget numbers ready and OMB had to rush to compile them. Mtgs. instead focused on admin's bleak presentation on border situation Robert Costa (@costareports) January 8, 2019 2. POTUS, encouraged by friends on right, increasingly sees a nat'l emergency declaration as a way to rattle empowered Dems and show his core voters he's going to the brink for wall Robert Costa (@costareports) January 8, 2019 "Little downside to going "all out" now on the wall," Costa says, because it "rallies their voters, tests Dems' mettle, and gives POTUS a chance to be seen as fighting on his signature issue ahead of a likely rough year of probes and battles w/ House Dems." Oh, well then. But there's more. There's the pesky little problem of holding the GOP together, given that going "all in on the wall" will surely tank some Senators' prospects for re-election even if it does give Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity chills down their legs. 5. The only caveat to all of this is that WH knows GOP holding together is critical. That's why POTUS and VP are phoning mbrs. That's in part why there is a speech to nation and trip to border. Direct msg to skittish Rs that this is the line, this is a crisis, so hold on tight. Robert Costa (@costareports) January 8, 2019 And like clockwork, Hannity sticks his mouth out of his hidey-hole and predicts that Hair Fuhrer will indeed declare an emergency. 6. While VP Pence's pitch today signaled the admin's possible action, so did voices on right who have POTUS's ear. Trump confidant Sean Hannity said, Im guessing hes going to declare a national emergency." https://t.co/9PJ7imlAei Story continues below Robert Costa (@costareports) January 8, 2019 Apparently that's all it took for the Beltway to jump on that conclusion too. Hannity is a very powerful man, who can say a thing and make it be true before it ever even is true! That's some amazing mojo right there. USAToday even jumped on the bandwagon, sort of, because this is our media environment now. No matter how outrageous, no matter how norm-shattering, no matter how destructive a thing is, if Hannity says it's going to happen, well, it's time for uncritical reporters to jump on the train. Why yes he can! "Trump can surely test whether he has the power to declare a national emergency for this purpose," said Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor at Princeton University's Center for Human Values. "The National Emergencies Act allows him to declare a state of emergency without approval from anyone else, but then he has to stay within congressionally delegated emergency powers after that." According to this same article, he can declare an immigration emergency in spite of the fact that none exists. Over and over again, metrics prove there is NO CRISIS AT THE BORDER. Congress can put a check on this, but of course, that would require Mitch McConnell to poke his head out of his shell and do the right thing. Yes, let's not all laugh at once. So it would seem that Trump can indeed declare this "immigration emergency" and count on the Senate to backstop him. It takes all the leverage away, it doesn't end the shutdown, and it doesn't distract from the pain he's inflicting on federal workers. It would be very difficult for me not to characterize a declaration like that as Trump's own Reichstag fire. It would then be incumbent upon us to stand up and defend the United States Constitution, to wedge vulnerable Republicans hard to defend the Constitution as they were expected to. Because in the end, only 30 percent or so will stand firm with him, and I guarantee you, none of them will be government employees. The government will still be shut down, the wall will still not be funded, but he will have lit the Constitution on fire. | https://crooksandliars.com/2019/01/will-trump-declare-national-emergency-and |
Is an earthquake warning sign racist? | Portland NAACP leaders, renters rights groups and music advocates are sounding the alarm over what they say is a stealth attempt to undermine local property owners who live or work in older brick buildings. The groups held a news conference outside City Hall on Saturday morning to demand the city rescind an ordinance, which affects about 1,600 unreinforced masonry buildings, requiring owners post a sign warning of the buildings dangers in the event of a major earthquake. The Rev. E.D. Mondain, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples Portland chapter and pastor at Celebration Tabernacle Church in Kenton, tied what the city maintains is just a requirement to help notify the public to the regions long history of racist policies that have led to gentrification and displacement for African Americans. Mondain said the black community in Portland has been told many times in the past not to worry. We will no longer allow the same tactics, Mondain said, citing Oregons explicit policy at its origin excluding blacks from living here, the Portland areas assurances to black residents ahead of the Vanport flood and the long history of red-lining and discrimination in housing policies in inner North and Northeast Portland. We will no longer allow the same principles that have driven us out again, he said, with a crowd of supporters behind him, We will no longer allow these things to remove us from our community. We want action. The City Council in October approved the ordinance, which Bureau of Development Services officials say is just about providing better awareness for tenants, visitors and occupants at the buildings. Public buildings affected by the rules were to install signage by this week. Nonprofit organizations, like churches, have until 2020 to comply. Most other building owners have until March 1 to comply. Speakers at the Saturday rally railed against the citys ordinance, calling it a secret lien that would force landowners to ultimately sell to well-heeled private developers and lose out on loans or other financial services which would allow them to update their building to meet safety requirements. Alex Cousins, a spokesman for the citys Bureau of Development Services, said nothing in the ordinance attaches an encumbrance or lien to the buildings title. The declaration is not a lien and does not compel any retrofitting on the part of the building owner, he said in an email. Meara McLaughlin, executive director of the MusicPortland advocacy group, cautioned the ordinance threatens the existence of bars like Kellys Olympian and the McMenamins White Eagle, which often cater to hip-hop artists. The advocates agreed with the city that the ordinance doesnt explicitly mention a lien, but they said the city theres a separate non-negotiable and compulsory agreement that puts an encumbrance on the land owners title. Without a lawyer in the room you wont even get a semblance of whats being done, Mondain said in an interview after the news conference, its so convoluted and its gone in so many different directions that it doesnt have a real shape or form anymore. Its like a runaway train. They argue the policy will force artificially low sales prices for properties in gentrifying parts of town and lead to businesses being devalued. It will make it more difficult to refinance, get a loan or lease the building, they argue, likening it to a Scarlet Letter> The city said its database of unreinforced masonry buildings has existed since 1995 and has been known to building owners, lenders and insurers for over two decades. The city said its Bureaus of Emergency Management and Development Services will set up an advisory committee this year to work with the Portland NAACP and other stakeholders on collaborative ways to implement the retrofitting program in the city We look forward to working with community members and building owners to make our city safer in the event of a large earthquake. Mondain said the city has made some attempts that perhaps are promising to engage the black community, but he is still calling for the ordinance to be rescinded. Andrew Theen ___ (c)2019 The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) Visit The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) at www.oregonian.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. - This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology. VN:F [1.9.6_1107] | http://www.gopusa.com/is-an-earthquake-warning-sign-racist/ |
When is the Nigerian military going to be called to order? | While it is expected that the military should have purged itself of anti-democratic behavior, the Nigerian Army continues to perpetrate acts that are in constant violation of basic human rights and the countrys constitution. Human rights abuse and other forms of abuse of power might have reduced since the country left behind its era of dictatorships and returned to civilian rule, but they still occur enough to cause concern. The response of the successive governments to these abuses havent done much to mitigate them or reassure Nigerians that they arent sanctioned. This is especially true of the Buhari led presidency. An administration with utmost disregard for court orders and one that looks the other way round when citizens rights are being trampled upon. In 2018, the military accused the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) to leave Nigeria for spying for Boko Haram and ordered them to leave terrorist ridden Borno, fully aware it has no legal jurisdiction to make such pronouncements. The decision which received condemnation from the general public was later withdrawn. As if that was not enough, the Military went ahead to inaugurate what it tagged a nationwide operation python dance in preparation for the 2019 general election. This is coming at a time stakeholders in the electoral sector are calling for the withdrawal of military officers from electoral duties. This operation which is a means of intimidating electorates and a means to promote voters apathy is unnecessary and uncalled for. The latest action of the military on the Borno, Abuja and Lagos offices of the Daily Trust newspapers on Sunday, December 7, 2019 was illegal and uncalled for. The military stormed these offices taking away their laptops, computers and two personnel of the company without a valid warrant. This is the latest of its recurrent litany of errors. The Chief of Army staff Lt. Col Tukur Buratai is advised to call his soldiers to order and get familiar with democracy. This is democracy where rule of law reigns supreme and not a military regime. | https://ynaija.com/when-is-the-nigerian-military-going-to-be-called-to-order/ |
When is Fleabag series two on TV? Whats it about? Whos in the cast? | Phoebe Waller-Bridges Bafta-winning BBC comedy is coming back for a second series. Advertisement Fleabag became one of the most talked-about shows of 2016 when it launched, three years after it was performed as a one-woman show by its writer and star Waller-Bridge at the Edinburgh Fringe. Fleabag series two is expected to land on BBC3 in 2019. Youre in luck the BBC have released a first-look picture of Waller-Bridge as the titular character. Series one centred around the eponymous anti-heroine, a woman in her 30s living in London, trying to navigate her own life while dealing with the tragedy of her best friends death. Phoebe Waller-Bridge will return as Fleabag, while Olivia Colman is also set to reprise her role as the evil godmother. Sian Clifford will also return as Fleabags uptight sister Claire, as will Bill Paterson as their emotionally unavailable father and the ever-brilliant Hugh Skinner as Fleabags on-off boyfriend Harry. Jenny Rainsford will also reprise her role as Boo. Its also been announced that King Lears Andrew Scott is set to join the cast for series two. While its not yet been revealed who the Sherlock star will play in future episodes of the BBC3 comedy, but Waller-Bridge hinted his role will take the show in a surprising direction. As far as any further new casting goes, Hampson told RadioTimes.com that she would love Meryl Streep to do a cameo. Yes please. Waller-Bridge is a hot topic in television and film right now. She has penned Killing Eve, an adaptation of Luke Jennings novellas starring Sarah Oh, thats already been widely acclaimed across the pond. Waller-Bridge has also starred in Solo: A Star Wars Story as L3-37. Series one of Fleabag is not currently on BBC3 but is available to buy from Amazon or iTunes. Its also highly likely that the series will reappear on BBC iPlayer again before the second run airs. Advertisement Fleabag will return to BBC3 in 2019 | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-08/fleabag-series-two-air-date-trailer-cast/ |
Why is Susan Boyle auditioning on Americas Got Talent? | Its been nearly 10 years since Susan Boyle first took to the Britains Got Talent stage, with her angelic voice making her an instant international sensation. Advertisement Since placing second in the ITV talent show, Boyle, 57, has gone on to sell more than 19 million albums worldwide and perform for the Queen twice. Now Boyle is back to face Simon Cowell and co once more as she auditions for Americas Got Talent: The Champions, an all-star spin-off that sees 50 winners and finalists from the various other Got Talent franchises compete to be crowned global champion. Speaking ahead of her audition, which marked the first time shed sung for Cowell in nine years, she explained, Id like to think Im a champion of people who dont have confidence. I couldnt walk away from a second chance to prove myself. This time Ive got something to prove, and Id love to win. After blowing away judges Cowell, Mel B, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum with her stunning rendition of Wild Horses, Cowell said to her, I cant think of any other contestant which has defined this show any more than you, youre the one. Meanwhile, Mel B pressed her Golden Buzzer for Boyle, which saw her go straight through to the live semi-finals. I just want to say what an honour and a pleasure it is to be sitting here listening to you, she said, And I want to be the woman who gives you something that you deserve. Boyle is not the only familiar face we can expect to see take part in the all-star version. Original 2007 BGT winner Paul Potts, the phone salesman turned opera singer, will be back to compete, alongside 2012 winner Ashleigh and her new dog Sully, after Pudsey sadly died last year. 2013 winners, shadow dance group Attraction are back, as well as 2017 winner, piano player Tokio Myers, child magician Issy Simpson and this years winner, comedian Lost Voice Guy. Contestants from Denmark, Spain and Holland editions from the show are also competing against some of America and Britains best loved acts. Advertisement Americas Got Talent: The Champions continues on NBC | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-08/susan-boyle-audition-americas-got-talent-the-champions-britains-got-talent-star-back/ |
When is new Suranne Jones drama Gentleman Jack on TV? Who else is in the cast? Who was Anne Lister? | Best known for taking on the titular role in Doctor Foster, Suranne Jones next BBC drama will see the actress play one of the most formidable women of the 19th century: Anne Lister. Advertisement Penned by Sally Wainwright, the new series will explore the latter years of the remarkable real-life woman who charmed her way into high society and planned much to the horror of her neighbours to marry a woman. The BBC hasnt announced when theyll air the eight-part series, but its likely to hit screens early 2019. The drama tells the story of Anne Lister, a well-off Yorkshire landowner famous for her four-million-word diary that documented her lesbian relationship, travels and efforts to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home Shibden Hall. The series explores Anne Listers relationships at home with her family, her servants, her tenants and her industrial rivals, who will use any dirty tricks they can to bring her down. This refers to the public ridiculing Lister endured through her life: her neighbours called her Gentleman Jack to make fun of her masculine appearance and lesbian preferences. As well as Jones, the series also stars Gemma Whelan (Game Of Thrones) as Anne Listers sister Marian, Timothy West (Last Tango In Halifax) as their father Jeremy Lister, and Gemma Jones (Bridget Joness Diary) as Aunt Anne Lister. Also among the cast are Bodyguard actress Sophie Rundle (above) as Ann Walker, the wealthy heiress Anne intends to marry, Stephanie Cole (Man Down) as Anns aunt, Peter Davison (Doctor Who) as Anns cousin William Priestley, and Amelia Bullmore (Scott & Bailey) as Williams wife Eliza. Not yet, but watch this space and if you want to catch the smallest of glimpses of Suranne in character, keep your eyes peeled during BBCs new drama trailer below: | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-08/gentleman-jack-air-date-cast-anne-lister-suranne-jones/ |
Why Is Casablancas Les Abattoirs Warehouse Now Empty? | The exterior of Les Abattoirs, the former slaughterhouse that was an arts space in Casablanca. Ryan Terhune Artists in Morocco dont know why an internationally recognized artists venue has been emptied and neglected. CASABLANCAAt the edge of the city sits Les Abattoirs, a crumbling cathedral of art-deco architecture that served as the citys slaughterhouse for more than a century. After the last generation of butchers left in 2002 the nearly 14-acre complex became the unlikely home of a public art movement in a city where art, fighting uphill against a lack of space, funding, and free expression, struggles to be accessible. Les Abattoirs changed that, bringing free performances, workshops, and concerts to the industrial, working-class neighborhood of Hay Mohammadi. But now, most of those artists are gone. The gates are guarded. The warehouses are silent. This place was magical, said Yassine Elihtirassi, manager of Colokolo, a group of traveling acrobats that once called Les Abattoirs home. Clues to this period of creativity linger in the art left behind. Graffiti in five different languages covers the walls of Les Abattoirs and the concrete floor is cluttered with half-disassembled art installations, broken glass, bolts of fabric, and bits of wire. In a hallway the size of an airplane hanger sits a dusty blue and yellow bus marked Theatre Nomade. Theatre Nomade and Colokolo were among the members of La Fabrique Culturelle, a collective of performers and cultural organizations that persuaded the city to convert Les Abattoirs to a public arts space in 2009. Led by a Casablancan architectural society and endorsed by Mohamed Sajid, the former mayor of Casablanca, the association signed a contract that enabled more than 200 artists to occupy the building, filling the old warehouse with acrobatics, dance, theater, and music. A Theatre Nomade puppeteer outside of Les Abattoirs. (Ryan Terhune) Les Abattoirs attracted everyone from the citys budding rap and hardcore music scenes to local children attending free tumbling classes and film screenings. That same year, Les Abattoirs became the host of LBoulevard, one of Africas largest alternative music festivals. Eventually its indie acclaim spread as far as the pages of The New York Times. Spurred by the success, Mayor Sajid hailed Les Abattoirs as a legendary spot that reveals Casablancas cultural life in perpetual renewal. There was talk of municipal investment, restoring the more than 100-year old warehouse to a polished cultural space. But then Sajid lost his seat in the 2015 elections. The new mayor, a member of the conservative Justice and Development Party, seemed to care less about promoting culture, say some Casablanca-based artists. When the contract Fabrique Culturelle had with the city expired in 2016 the city chose not to renew it, instead leaving the management of Les Abattoirs to one of the citys Socits de Dveloppement or SDLs, Casa Patrimoine, although other SDLs were said to be involved. Defined by the World Bank as local joint-ownership companies, Casablancas SDLs are established to organize public-private partnerships but numerous press reports have revealed that many have chaotic leadership, misuse funds, and leave projects designed to better the community in disarray. The Interior of Les Abattoirs. (Ryan Terhune) Casa Patrimoine promised a restoration of Les Abattoirs at an unspecified future time. During this period of neglect, confusion, and murky authority, artists said that work teams emptied Les Abattoirs and pressured them to leave. Colokolos Elihtirassi said that one night the troupe returned to Les Abattoirs after an offsite performance to discover their workshop locked and their equipment missing, and the city subsequently began using the building for storage. Meanwhile attempts by La Fabrique Culturelle to renew its contract looped through the citys bureaucracy. Yassine Elihtirassi of Colokolo at a cafe outside of Les Abattoirs. (Ryan Terhune) Its difficult to understand why a thriving arts space, one cited in guidebooks and international press, wouldnt be valued by the local government and the mayors office did not respond to requests for comment. But according to Aadel Essaadani, a former member of the architectural society that convened Fabrique Culturelle, the city said that the space wasn't safe to host large crowds and needed to be renovated. But he believes that the clear-out of Les Abattoirs and subsequent neglect came in part because of a desire to suppress a space of freedom for artists. Not using the space also means not having a space of expression," he said. This used to be a haven for creativity and some freedom of expression. Essaadani also cites the disorganization of the SDLs as a problem, and in September 2018, a Moroccan news magazine reported that Casa Patrimoine had disappeared, with all of its renovation projects shuffled to another SDL, Casa-Amnagement, although when contacted, Casa-Amnagement said they have no jurisdiction over the space. With the loss of Les Abattoirs, there are few performance spaces left for them in Casablanca, the citys artists say. The spaces that do exist are limited in size and opportunity. We dont have a lot of spaces in Casablanca and Morocco for artists to work toward their creation, for music, for performing arts, for visual arts, Essaadani said. The survivor. Theatre Nomades tent sits northwest of Les Abattoirs. (Ryan Terhune) | https://www.citylab.com/life/2019/01/les-abattoirs-casablanca-morocco-hay-mohammadi-art-deco/579526/ |
What happens to a Parent PLUS loan if a co-signer dies? | Q. Our dad co-signed for a Parent Plus loan for his granddaughter because her mother, my sister, had poor credit. The amount was $16,000. It is in deferment as long as she is in school. He is almost 92 and he's now in a skilled care nursing home. -- Worried A. This is a tough one because it will depend on the specifics of the loan agreement. As an endorser or co-signer, you are not entitled to all of the same benefits as a Direct PLUS loan borrower and not all of the terms and conditions apply, said Patricia Daquila, a certified public accountant with Lassus Wherley in New Providence. In the case of a Parent PLUS loan, the loan would be discharged upon the death or permanent disability of the parent who took out the loan, or the death of the student on whose behalf the loan was taken out, she said. Proof of death or disability would need to be given to the servicer in order to discharge the loan. However, in this case, your dad is the co-signer. "Therefore, I would recommend reviewing the loan agreement and looking for a specific clause that mentions the co-signer or even the death of a co-signer," Daquila said. "Many private lenders have clauses that would make the entire balance payable in full if the co-signer dies or is disabled." If this is the case, then your sister can appeal to the lender for a release of a co-signer if your father has developed a terminal illness or dies, she said. Her goal would be to convince the lender that she can handle the payments without the co-signer's guarantee. However, not all the lenders will allow a release of a co-signer, Daquila said. It will depend on several factors including credit history, income and expenses. "Another possible solution if the lender will not allow a release of the co-signer is to potentially find another co-signer and refinance the loan. She may be able to reduce her interest rate and lower her monthly payments," Daquila said. "However, the new co-signer would need to have a good credit history." Email your questions to [email protected]. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. | https://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/01/what_happens_to_a_parent_plus_loan_if_a_co-signer.html |
Do we want death penalty after EU? | The total ban on the death penalty is enshrined in EU legislation and in the European Convention on Human Rights. I wonder how long it will be before we hear calls for a referendum on the reintroduction of capital punishment in the United Kingdom after we leave the European Union and... get our country back. NATHAN SKELLY Blackpool For many years I was very much against capital punishment as I considered it to be an uncivilised form of punishment. Now I am not quite so sure. The cost is millions of pounds which could be put to better use by improving facilities for the honest decent average taxpaying citizen of the UK. Those who call for it to be reintroduced should know two things. One, it doesnt deter criminals - statistics from the US clearly show that. Two, innocent people will be killed, not just one or two either, miscarriages of justice occur more often than we think. There are scores of documentaries out there highlighting these wrongful convictions, some of which involve high-level conspiracies. To be part of a society that executes defendants in the full knowledge of the above is an inhumane one that I would wish to be no part of. Justice is a fragile thing open to interpretation and can be corrupted to suit those in power so please think twice before backing calls for a return to this savage pursuit. Harry Francis Kirkham | https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/your-say/do-we-want-death-penalty-after-eu-1-9525764 |
Should parents be allowed to use the bus lane on the school run to avoid being late? | Well, a new campaign from LeaseCar argues that more should be done to aid those ferrying their children to school. The aim of its campaign is to allow mums and dads to skip the morning rush hour and bypass queueing traffic by using bus lanes, alongside taxis and motorcycles. LeaseCar adds that parents could save hours if the new proposal is rolled out. LeaseCar's Gareth Roberts argues that Busy mums and dads just dont have time to be sat in traffic on the way to school. (Image: Manchester Evening News) Picture the scene: your children are arguing, have got breakfast everywhere and forgotten their PE kit, so now youre stuck in traffic and running late. The last thing you should then have to do is sit in a jam for half an hour, inching between sets of lights, while an empty taxi or motorcycle sails by. It poses an obvious question for local authorities, if getting kids to school on time is a priority: why arent parents on the school run allowed in bus lanes too? DevonLive reports that the average distance children aged 11 to 16 live from their school in the UK is over three miles - and less than 40% can travel on foot, with nearly half of primary school pupils also having to rely on petrol power to get to the front gates every morning (DfT). | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/should-parents-allowed-use-bus-15645539 |
Will New Pro-Democracy Rallies Draw More Than Usual Suspects? | BANGKOK Demonstrators said Tuesday they hope more people attend rallies to pressure the military regime into holding elections as promised next month. Arnon Nampa, a 34-year-old leader of the Democracy Restoration Group, said hours before a protest planned for 5pm this afternoon that he hopes at least 1,000 people show up. We disagree with postponing elections, he said, adding that a bigger rally is needed. We have to try. Read: Govt Quietly Halts Election Preparations Nationwide Arnon estimated that only 200 people showed up Sunday to protest at the Victory Monument. The group will meet at 5pm today on the skywalk over Ratchaprasong Intersection and stick around until 8pm, he said. The move came after the government acknowledged Tuesday that officials have been ordered to halt election preparations nationwide. Describing the development as not a big deal, Gen. Anupong Paochinda, who serves as interior minister, confirmed the veracity of an internal document leaked onto social media. Last week, it was announced that the coronation of King Vajiralongkorn would take place in the first week of week of May, around the end of the window of time that a poll must be held, according to the law. That announcement has prompted some to call for putting off or canceling elections entirely. The last major spasm of street protests was this past May for the fourth anniversary of the coup. Organizers faulted low turnout for their easy containment and dispersal by security forces. This afternoon is a test for the pro-democracy camps viability. Though the military governments popularity appears to be in decline, frustration with its rule may not translate into larger protests. Arnon, who is also a human rights lawyer, said he believes an attempt to defer elections is more about the junta wanting to stay as long as possible in power, however. While the ban on political gatherings has been lifted, the junta and its self-styled National Council for Peace and Order, which staged the 2014 coup, still hold the power to detain people without charge for seven days for attitude adjustment. Anurak Jeantawanich, a Redshirt known to activists as Ford Red Path, said he was questioned by plainclothes police Tuesday about how he funded his political activities. Anurak wrote online Tuesday that the money came from selling political T-shirts. Nuttaa Mahattana, another leader of the group, said today that she expects about 300 demonstrators to show up at the intersection, but added that she is bad at estimating. Nuttaa called on people earlier today via Facebook to gather and demonstrate wherever its convenient, not just at Ratchaprasong Intersection or in Bangkok. People who want elections nationwide should spread out and show their power , she wrote. | http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2019/01/08/will-new-pro-democracy-rallies-draw-more-than-usual-suspects/ |
How well has Raiders GM Mike Mayock evaluated offensive tackles? | One of the great things about the Raiders hiring former NFL Network star Mike Mayock is that we have access to all of his player rankings since the 2006 NFL Draft. With all of that information, we may be able to find trends and make educated guesses throughout the draft process as to who Mayock may like, but also, what positions he knows bests. While we have all offseason to run through the tape and his draft boards, this piece is going to be a little less comprehensive. Instead, this simply a list of Mayocks top-five for each draft class since 2008. In the first four parts of this series, we reviewed Mayocks top quarterbacks running backs, receivers and tight ends. Today, we are looking at how well Mayock has done offensive tackles. Here is the full list of his receivers since 2008, via the NFL.com archives: 2008 1. Jake Long, Michigan 2. Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh 3. Ryan Clady, Boise State 4. Chris Williams, Vanderbilt 5. Gosder Cherilus, Boston College 2009 1. Eugene Monroe, Virginia 2. Jason Smith, Baylor 3. Andre Smith, Alabama 4. Michael Oher, Mississippi 5. Eben Britton, Arizona 2010 1. Russell Okung, Oklahoma State 2. Trent Williams, Oklahoma 3. Bryan Bulaga, Iowa 4. Anthony Davis, Rutgers T-5. Rodger Saffold, Indiana T-5. Charles Brown, Southern California 2011 1. Anthony Castanzo, Boston College 2. Tyron Smith, Southern California 3. Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin 4. Nate Solder, Colorado T-5. Ben Ijalana, Villanova T-5. Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State 2012 1. Matt Kalil, USC 2. Riley Reiff, Iowa 3. Cordy Glenn, Georgia 4. Jonathan Martin, Stanford 5. Jeff Allen, Illinois 2013 1. Eric Fisher, Central Michigan 2. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M 3. Lane Johnson, Oklahoma 4. D.J. Fluker, Alabama T-5. Justin Pugh, Syracuse T-5. Menelik Watson, Florida State 2014 1. Greg Robinson, Auburn 2. Jake Matthews, Texas A&M 3. Taylor Lewan, Michigan 4. Zack Martin, Notre Dame T-5. Joel Bitonio, Nevada T-5. Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama 2015 1. Lael Collins, LSU 2. Ereck Flowers, Miami (Fla.) 3. D.J. Humphries, Florida 4. Andrus Peat, Stanford 5. T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh 2016 1. Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss 2. Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame 3. Jack Conklin, Michigan State 4. Taylor Decker, Ohio State 5. Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M 2017 1. Cam Robinson, Alabama 2. Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin 3. Garett Bolles, Utah 4. Taylor Moton, Western Michigan 5. Antonio Garcia, Troy 2018 1. Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame 2. Kolton Miller, UCLA 3. Connor Williams, Texas 4. Tyrell Crosby, Oregon T-5. Orlando Brown, Oklahoma T-5. Feel free to comment below. | https://raiderswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/08/how-well-has-raiders-gm-mike-mayock-evaluated-offensive-tackles/ |
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Should the government be allowed to negotiate drug prices? | President Trumps proposal to establish an international pricing index as a benchmark to control drug spending under Medicare Part B has once again raised the issue of allowing the government to negotiate the price of prescription drugs for Medicare. Indeed, a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study estimates that drug prices are projected to rise 47% annually, and 92% of the public both Republicans and Democrats like the idea of allowing the government to negotiate drug prices. Candidly, Ive always been one of those 92%, but it turns out life is a little more complicated. Medicare is composed of two programs. The first program is Part A, Hospital Insurance (HI), which covers inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facilities, home health care, and hospice care. HI is financed primarily by a 2.9% payroll tax, shared equally by employers and employees. The second, and larger, program is Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI), which consists of two separate accounts: Part B, which covers physician and outpatient services, and Part D, which was enacted in 2003 and covers prescription drugs. Most (85%) of the drug spending provided through Medicare SMI falls under Part D; the remaining 15% are prescription drugs provided in physicians offices under Part B. President Trumps proposal in October 2018 was aimed at the Part B portion of drug purchases. The likely reason for this focus is that the government is forbidden from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for drugs purchased under Part D. At first, this prohibition seems crazy. But after a long debate, Congress decided to provide drugs through private plans that compete for business based on costs and coverage. That structure means that each plan separately negotiates drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies. Concerned that inserting the federal government into these negotiations would interfere with this market-oriented approach, Congress included language that prohibited the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from negotiating directly with drug manufacturers on behalf of Medicare Part D enrollees (the noninterference clause). Nevertheless, some lawmakers continue to press for a federal government role. Proponents of allowing the HHS secretary to negotiate drug prices under Part D have offered three approaches: 1) removing the noninterference clause to allow negotiating authority under the existing system; 2) setting up a public Part D plan to operate alongside private Part D plans; and 3) removing the noninterference clause for a limited set of high-price drugs and those that lack therapeutic alternatives, with the fallback of using prices negotiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In assessing the effectiveness of these proposals, the Congressional Budget Office concluded that they would have a negligible effect on public spending, because the agency judged that the government would be unlikely to get a better deal than the private plans. The only way the government could have any real effect is if it stood ready to exclude some drugs if the Secretary could not achieve an acceptable negotiated price a big change from current policy. The long and the short of it is that the law would have to change for the federal government to be able to negotiate for the bulk of Medicare drug purchases that is purchases under Part D. Without such a change, the only place to play is Part B. This whole issue may require a little more thought. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/should-the-government-be-allowed-to-negotiate-drug-prices-2019-01-08?siteid=rss&rss=1 |
How many emerging markets will be in top 10 world economies by 2030? | India is likely to be larger than the US in the same time period while Indonesia will break into the top five economies. Our long-term growth forecasts are underpinned by one key principle: countries share of world GDP should eventually converge with their share of the worlds population, driven by the convergence of per-capita GDP between advanced and emerging economies, Standard Chartered economists led by David Mann wrote in a note. They project trend growth for India to accelerate to 7.8% by the 2020s while Chinas will moderate to 5% by 2030, reflecting a natural slowdown given the economys size. Asias share of global GDP, which rose to 28% in 2018 from 20% in 2010, is likely to reach 35% by 2030 matching that of the eurozone and US combined. Bloomberg | https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/2019-01-08-how-many-emerging-markets-will-be-in-top-10-world-economies-by-2030/ |
Which Streaming Platform Will Emerge as Netflixs Biggest Threat in 2019? | Netflix is easily the most popular streaming service and one of the most successful entertainment destinations in the industry. The streaming giant, which boasts nearly 140 million worldwide subscribers, offers a host of massively popular originals and highly addictive throwbacks, and it has ambitious plans for big-budget expansion in both film and television. But it isnt invincible. The company has racked up considerable long-term debt with its aggressive spending, and 2019 will see it battling more formidable competition than ever. Subscribe to Observers Entertainment Newsletter The advantage of Netflix is that its business model minimizes distribution costs, and there is still a lot of room for growth, Erich Joachimsthaler, founder and CEO of leading brand consultancy firm Vivaldi, told Observer. Lets break it down. Disney+ The Mouse Houses direct-to-consumer service is the most popular choice to unseat Netflix once it arrives later this year. Disney+ will eventually become a serious threat thanks to its marquee brands such as Star Wars and Marvel. That said, streaming services need time to cultivate content and make a dent and Disney+ wont be available globally at first. The question is how long it takes Disney+ to get there, Michael Beach, CEO of Cross Screen Media, told Observer. Netflix is paying them $300 million annually for content. Its going to take a few years to balance the new costs of the streamer plus that loss of revenue. By opting for an over-the-top service that cuts out the middle man, Disney is keeping pace with the shifting viewing habits of its younger target demographic. Though their entrance into the streaming arena may be a tad late, the company is betting on its top-notch intellectual property and brand profile to pave the way forward. But expect growing pains concerning budgets and marketing, and even a potential in-house rivalry early on. Hulu Before the second season of the award-winning drama The Handmaids Tale, Hulu could briefly claim to be the fastest-growing streaming service in the U.S. But despite this coup, Hulu still lost an estimated $1.5 billion in 2018, including a $250 million-plus write-down for Disney (the streamer spent an estimated $2.5 billion on content last year). However, theres reason for optimism. Once the Magic Kingdoms acquisition of Fox is made official, it will take a controlling 60 percent stake in the young streaming service. After that, a purchase of the remaining interest (Comcasts NBCUniversal owns 30 percent and AT&Ts WarnerMedia owns 10 percent) is not out of the question. Under Disney, much of Foxs content is expected to be rerouted to Hulu, which will prove to be a big boon for its library. Already the proud owner of the streaming worlds largest back catalog of TV series, Hulu will soon be able to add popular Fox IP such as Avatar and Kingsman, not to mention the full prestige menu of FX Networks once it resolves its in-season stacking issue. Hulu will also have the opportunity to develop exciting new original series based on existing IP that may have run its course on the big screen (Alien and Die Hard come to mind). New competitors with credible streaming offers will slow down subscriber growth at a time when Netflix will need it to finance new original content to keep current and new subscribers coming, Joachimsthaler said. However, while its growth looks promising, Hulu wont be able to body-slam Netflix with 23 million total subscribers. Apple Apples foray into original programming is the streaming industrys biggest question mark. The deep-pocketed tech giant is expected to unveil its over-the-top (OTT) service later this year, yet it hasnt divulged a single detail about how it will be delivered. After months of speculation, our curiosity is bordering on annoyance. Still, with the largest worldwide distribution platform thanks to iTunes and Apple Music, Apple has the capability to leave a massive imprint on the industry. Though it has publicly pledged to invest just $1 billion in original content in the beginning, we all know Apple has an endless reserve of cash on hand. With that budget, it has already lined up a handful of star-driven and attention-grabbing series, including a new morning-show drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston that sparked a bidding war last year. Yet from a quality standpoint, after it axed potentially controversial material from its development slate, Apple is aiming for more family-friendly serieswhich would be a massive disappointment to fans of less squeaky-clean content. The thinking is that Apple isnt expected to do anything to jeopardize its product sales. Tech companies subsidize losers for the bigger picture because streaming is not their primary business, Beach said of costly streamers. In other words, Apple will still value selling iPhones over crafting edgy, Emmy-winning content. In a sign of the times, to avoid paying a 30 percent commission to Apple, Netflix is no longer allowing new customers to subscribe via the iTunes in-app purchase from their iPhones or iPads. WarnerMedia In October, WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey revealed that the company was developing a direct-to-consumer streaming platform set to launch in late 2019. Almost immediately, rumors began circulating that Comcasts NBCUniversal could partner with WarnerMedia in order to bolster its library, which will include original programming and licensed content. While Stankey has a treasure trove of resources at his disposal thanks to new parent company AT&T, WarnerMedia first needs to get its house in order before it can become a power player. The company already has a streaming service dedicated to DC Comics content and will be making a sizable investment into scaling up HBO (which also boasts its own streamer). Seamlessly folding these existing services into the new umbrella platform will be no small feat. WarnerMedia is a publicly traded company, so it has a tough road ahead to put up big numbers right away, Beach explained. It doesnt have as long of a leash as a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. But with the prestige library of HBO, the consistently successful Warner Bros. stable and a potential deal with NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia will have a strong foundation to help launch itself into the fray. Heres to hoping it gives us a Harry Potter TV series. Amazon Since stepping into the original programming realm in 2013, Amazon Video has wandered through the digital wilderness, releasing critical darlings (Transparent) and very successful but still niche hits (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). The service has not yet produced a breakout smash with broad appeal in the vein of Netflixs Stranger Things or HBOs Game of Thrones. But that blockbuster victory is expected soon: In addition to its $1 billion Lord of the Rings adaptation, Amazon is developing several big-budget home-run swings. Though Amazon does not spend as much on content as Netflix$5 billion versus $12 billionits market cap is six times bigger than its chief rival. It has the money to do whatever it wants. Under new studio head Jennifer Salke, the streamer has struck exclusive first-look deals with hot talent such as Jordan Peele (Get Out), Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot, Homecoming), and writer-producer Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones) as well as Nicole Kidmans Blossom Films and Blumhouse Productions. It has positioned itself to make The Great Leap in 2019. If I had to put my money somewhere it would have to be on Amazon, Richard Broughton, an analyst at Ampere Analysis, told The Guardian this month. Joachimsthaler agrees, albeit on a more holistic scale: [Netflix] needs to take a page out of one of its competitors playbooksnamely, Amazon. It needs to build a platform ecosystem of partners and a digital platform that invites third parties to make money on the Netflix platform. This is exactly what Amazon did. Amazon Prime boasts more than 100 million worldwide subscribers, though it is unknown exactly how many of those subscribers take advantage of the Amazon Video features. However, according to internal documents obtained by Reuters in March of last year, 26 million Prime members in the U.S. alone stream Amazon Video content. Given its upcoming slate, that number could skyrocket. | https://observer.com/2019/01/netflix-vs-amazon-january-2019-streaming-apple-disney-plus-warner-media/ |
Whats the most important issue for Sheffield councillors? | Thats the question after councillors locked horns over a special meeting of the full council this week. Once a year, Sheffield has a scrutiny council where normal business is suspended to give members time to hear a presentation then discuss and debate the subject in depth. But the Green Party has criticised Labour over Wednesdays topic the Greens wanted a debate on Brexit while Labour has opted for public health and the impact of austerity. Green councillor Douglas Johnson said: Normally the overview and scrutiny management committee, which is cross party, has the job of deciding the topic and it chose Brexit. The committee wanted to call officers to explain what the council is doing to prepare for the possibility of Brexit. Its disappointing to see Labour has stopped councillors having their say on Brexit. Its not very democratic when the committee is overruled by the people it is meant to scrutinise. It is yet another example of how Labour controls elected councillors behind the scenes. Normally January is the only scrutiny council now so there isnt really a slot for a Brexit debate to take place in February as we will be back to the usual motions then. The January meeting would be timely, as the debate is going on in Parliament now and everyone is talking about it. Council Leader Julie Dore hit back, saying the Greens were out of touch if they thought austerity wasnt important. We will be having a presentation on the impact that austerity has had and continues to have as a city, she said. Since 2010 we have had our government funding cut by over 50 percent and have seen the governments inhumane welfare cuts hit hardest the poorest in our city on top of cuts to vital public services such as the police. You cant inflict this without it having a serious impact on peoples lives and it is important that we get a comprehensive analysis and discussion about how this is impact on our city and how we can respond to it to give the greatest amount of protection we can to everyone in Sheffield, particularly the most vulnerable people. It is unbelievable that the Greens do not think it is important to debate the impact of austerity in Sheffield and by doing so ignoring the impact it has had on people across our city. If the Greens do not think this is an important issue it shows just how out of touch they have become about peoples lives. Coun Dore added that there had been numerous debates on Brexit, the most recent in October. This is an important issue and I am sure it will be debated again in the future. However, at this moment in time there is no certainty about the outcome of the Brexit process because the Government withdrew the vote in parliament before Christmas. This means that at this stage it is hard to provide council with a meaningful analysis of the likely implications for Sheffield. | https://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/what-s-the-most-important-issue-for-sheffield-councillors-1-9526319 |
Is the Stock Market Getting Pumped Up by the January Effect? | January 7, 2019 3 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The stock market followed up its monster Friday last week with a decent rally today, though enthusiasm waned in the afternoon. The two day surge lends hope to the idea that a "January effect" -- when investors often buy back into stocks -- may be taking place. The Dow and S&P 500 indexes ended the day up 0.42 percent and 0.7 percent respectively. The Nasdaq composite index rose 1.26 percent. The Entrepreneur Index was up 1.86 percent, with technology and retail stocks leading the way. Netflix continues to recover from its horrible second half last year. After jumping nearly ten percent on Friday, it was up another 5.98 percent today -- the second biggest gain on the Entrepreneur Index. The stock is still down 16 percent from a high set last June, but is up a remarkable 35 percent since bottoming on Christmas Eve. Tech stocks as a whole are back in favor with investors. Chipmaker NVIDIA Corp. was up 5.31 percent. The market leader for high-end graphics semiconductor chips was crushed at the end of last year, falling 57 percent from the beginning of October to Christmas. It is up 16 percent since then. Other tech stocks with big gains today included Twitter (4.64 percent), Amazon.com (3.41 percent) and salesforce.com (3.07 percent). The retail stocks were also up sharply today, buoyed by the strong U.S. jobs numbers reported last Friday and by optimism on trade talks between China and the U.S. that resumed in Beijing this week. Gap Inc. and L Brands were up 4.65 percent and 4.2 percent respectively. Discount retailer Dollar Tree Inc. was up 5.46 percent after activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP announced a large stake in the company. The hedge fund has nominated seven directors to the company's board and hopes to push Dollar Tree management to sell the Family Dollar business it bought in 2015. Family Dollar stores continue to underperform the rest of the business. Chipotle Mexican Grill had the biggest gain on the Entrepreneur Index today, rising 6.62 percent. The restaurant chain is now up twelve percent on the year and 25 percent since Christmas Eve. Other big gains were posted by oil and gas producer Hess Corp. (4.82 percent) and car-maker Tesla (5.46 percent). Both stocks have also rebounded strongly from sharp falls toward the end of last year. Only 11 of 60 stocks on the Entrepreneur Index were down on the day and just two fell by more than one percent. Telecom giant Comcast was down 1.06 percent, while Intercontinental Exchange, owner of the New York Stock Exchange, fell by 3.03 percent. The drop came after a group of large Wall Street banks and investors, including Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Investments and Citadel Securities LLC, announced plans to launch a new exchange to compete with the NYSE and Nasdaq marketplaces. The consortium cited the exchanges' high fees for public market data as the reason for launching the new venture. The Entrepreneur Index collects the top 60 publicly traded companies founded and run by entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurial spirit is a valuable asset for any business, and this index recognizes its importance, no matter how much a company has grown. These inspirational businesses can be tracked in real time on Entrepreneur.com. | https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/325926 |
What's behind Chiefs coach Andy Reid's struggles in the playoffs? | Tim Hasselbeck and Ryan Clark weigh in on whether Andy Reid and the Chiefs can get it done in the postseason. (1:19) KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andy Reid has coached in 13 playoff seasons, and the end result has always been the same: disappointment. His postseason wins and losses have come in all shapes and sizes: blowouts, down-to-the-wire finishes, blown leads. They've all led Reid to the same place. "We sure beat ourselves up over all of that," said Brad Childress, a longtime assistant coach for Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. "A lot of times we thought we went home before we thought we should have." Andy Reid's Playoff History With Chiefs Andy Reid was 10-9 with the Eagles in the postseason and is just 1-4 with the Chiefs. Year Opponent Score Result 2013 Colts 45-44 L 2015 Texans 30-0 W 2015 Patriots 27-20 L 2016 Steelers 18-16 L 2017 Titans 22-21 L Reid and the Chiefs are about to embark on another playoff season. As AFC West champions, they had a first-round bye and now face the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. Given Reid's playoff history, particularly in his first four trips with Kansas City, that's a cue for angst among Chiefs fans. Reid is 11-13 all time in the playoffs, for a win percentage of .458. That's a better percentage than those of Hall of Fame coaches Bud Grant (.455) and Sid Gillman (.167), but it's 83rd among the 166 coaches who have coached a postseason game and far behind that of contemporaries such as Bill Belichick (.718) and John Harbaugh (.667). It's also far below Reid's regular-season win percentage of .611. Reid, who ranks eighth on the NFL's all-time wins list, has reached the Super Bowl once, losing 24-21 to the New England Patriots following the 2004 season. One Super Bowl is the fewest for any coach with at least 20 playoff games. Nobody has coached more career playoff games and failed to win multiple Super Bowl championships, let alone one. But Reid isn't interested in going into any kind of detail regarding his playoff futility. "The further you go in the playoffs, the more you [have to] minimize those mistakes, whether that's scheme or penalties or whatever it might be," Reid said when asked why his teams haven't been better in the playoffs. "You create your own deal, and you go play. We don't worry about all that stuff. ... It's what happens on that field [that matters]. It's man against man, and you play the game." ESPN In 14 seasons with the Eagles, Reid reached the NFC Championship Game five times but advanced once. Reid's faulty time management hurt the Eagles in that Super Bowl. Trailing the Patriots by 10 points late in the game, the Eagles took almost four minutes off the clock by using a series of short passes to get a touchdown. That left them little time when they finally got the ball back, and they wound up losing by three points. Clock management was similarly a problem for Reid and the Chiefs in a January 2016 playoff game against the Patriots. Down by 14 points, the Chiefs took 16 plays and more than five minutes to get a score. "It seems like it always boiled down to the small details of things: time management sometimes, a wasted opportunity sometimes, a loss of a time out in an early point of the game," longtime Eagles safety Brian Dawkins said. "Those are some of the things we would see in Philadelphia, more so than now in Kansas City because he's been in the league longer and learned from his mistakes." Reid left behind a winning playoff record, at 10-9, when he departed Philadelphia for Kansas City in January 2013. His playoff misery has intensified with the Chiefs. Reid is 1-4 in the playoffs with the Chiefs, and he arrived at that record in a maddening manner. Despite their losing record, Reid's Chiefs have scored 19 more playoff points than they've allowed. 2018 NFL Playoffs Coverage From the wild-card round through Super Bowl LIII, ESPN.com has you covered. Full schedule, news, notes More NFL coverage The Chiefs lost two games by one point and one by two points. They twice collapsed in spectacular fashion, blowing a 38-10 third-quarter lead to Indianapolis in January 2014 and a 21-3 third-quarter lead against Tennessee last season. Once momentum in those games turned against the Chiefs, they were helpless. "You can't let the momentum of the game affect how you're playing," said quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who as a rookie backup had a front-row view of last season's debacle. "[The Titans were] a good football team last year. They came back to win the game. But we had chances to win last year, and we just didn't capitalize on those. "Every possession counts. Every play counts. You have to find ways to win. It's all about who goes out there and plays a full game and finds a way to win in the end." The Chiefs usually get off to a fast start. They've had the lead in four of five playoff games under Reid. But they held on just once, in January 2016, when they routed the Houston Texans 30-0. "The one thing we do know is that given time, whether it's the bye week during the season or the bye week during the postseason, Andy does a great job of preparing and being able to figure out some weaknesses of the other team and really setting his offense up to start fast," said former Chiefs linebacker Shawn Barber, who played for Reid with the Eagles. "It's never a stale offensive game plan. It's never a vanilla offensive game plan." But other than against the Texans, when the Chiefs forced five turnovers, they haven't been able to sustain. The defense couldn't get a stop against the Colts or Titans after the team built what seemed like a commanding lead. Two years ago against the Steelers, the Chiefs didn't allow a touchdown but lost after Pittsburgh kicked six field goals. The Chiefs have also been the victims of bad luck. Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck scored a touchdown in that 2014 game after a teammate fumbled. The ball took a perfect bounce into Luck's hands. Last season, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota had a pass batted right back to him by a Chiefs defender. Mariota caught it and ran the ball to the end zone for a touchdown. The Chiefs lost what would have been a tying two-point conversion against the Steelers to a questionable holding call. They forced Mariota to fumble on a sack at a key juncture of last season's game, but the officials ruled that his forward progress had been stopped. "When you get to the playoffs, you have to have a little good luck, and it seems like Andy hasn't had much of that in the playoffs," said Mike Holmgren, who as the Packers' head coach in the 1990s gave Reid his first NFL coaching job. "You can't have officials making a bad call against you. You can't have injuries to a key player or a couple of key players. You don't want to play against a team that's hitting its stride and is hot at that moment. "You need the stars to align sometimes. Sometimes it isn't enough to just bring a good team into the playoffs." That's a lesson Reid has learned over and over again. "There's no one thing we ever put our finger on," Childress said. "I'm sure history would show we stagnated on offense at times in all of these games. But typically it was different things in different games, whether it was people not making routine plays they usually made, whether that was a throw or a catch or a block. "If we knew, it never would have happened to us again." | http://www.espn.com/blog/kansas-city-chiefs/post/_/id/25893/why-does-chiefs-coach-andy-reid-struggle-in-the-playoffs |
Why did the UAE and Bahrain re-open their embassies in Syria? | On December 27, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) re-opened its embassy in Syria after seven years. A day later, Bahrain followed suit. Most analysts described the reopening of the two embassies as a major shift in the policies of the two Gulf states towards Syria and a sign of improving relations between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and his Arab adversaries. Following the UAE's announcement, Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted that "The UAE's decision ... came after the conviction that the next stage requires Arab presence and communication on the Syrian file," which, the minister added, was necessitated by the deepening influence of Turkey and Iran in the country. The Bahraini officials explained their decision in an almost identical manner. In a statement published on its website on December 28, the Bahraini foreign ministry said it decided to reopen its embassy in order to "strengthen the Arab role and activate it in order to preserve the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and prevent the risk of regional interference in its affairs". Of course, it is understandable that officials in both countries have to find a way to explain their controversial decision to officially restart diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime after they had appeared to back rebels fighting against it for years and had accused the Syrian leader of committing war crimes. However, the explanation they offered - that they reopened the embassies to curb Iran's influence in the region - doesn't add up, and here is why: First, it is highly improbable that the two Gulf countries believe that they can counter Iran's influence in Syria by recognising a regime that is a loyal Iranian ally. Such a plan could only work if al-Assad himself decided to break the historical alliance with Iran, but there is no indication that the Syrian leader is gearing up for such a move. On the contrary, the Syrian regime has stressed several times that Iran and its Shia militias are in Syria by official invitation. Also, if countering Iran in Syria was an Emirati and Bahraini priority, they would not have given legitimacy and support to a pro-Iran regime that massacred its own people at the expense of the opposition that wants to see both al-Assad - and his Iranian allies - out of their country. Second, if the UAE and Bahrain really believed that opening an embassy in Syria would help diminish Iran's influence in the region, they would have done the same with their diplomatic missions in Qatar. In June 2017, the two nations severed diplomatic and economic relations with Doha and imposed a blockade on the Gulf country for allegedly having "close relations with Iran". A year and a half after the start of the blockade, neither the UAE nor Bahrain seems eager to re-start diplomatic relations with Qatar to "counter Iranian influence" there. Third, the UAE has been more than willing to work with Iranian proxies, and even make moves that would ultimately benefit Tehran, when it served its interests. For example, Abu Dhabi did not hesitate to work with the Houthis in Yemen at the beginning of the Yemeni revolution in order to undermine the Islamist al-Islah party in that country. Moreover, the UAE never really severed its own ties with Iran - Tehran continues to be a major trading partner for Abu Dhabi. An anti-democracy alliance Bahrain can not make such a major foreign policy move without prior approval from the regional hegemon, Saudi Arabia. While the UAE has at least some leeway when it comes to foreign policy, it is likely that it also consulted with Riyadh before taking such a big step towards normalizing relations with the Syrian regime. So, it is possible that the reopening of the two embassies is primarily a message from Riyadh to Damascus to demonstrate its willingness to find an acceptable compromise, as the end of Syria's civil war approaches. At the same time, it has to be recognised that the UAE's decision, in particular, is very much in line with its general approach to foreign policy in the region. As a leading counter-revolutionary force in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi has always had two main strategic goals in Syria: To prevent a democratic transition of power and to stop Islamist parties from taking power. Both of these goals were in line with what al-Assad and Iran wanted in Syria. In fact, in order to realise these goals, the UAE needed al-Assad to win his war against the Syrian people. Throughout the Syrian conflict, Abu Dhabi appeared to be on the side of the opposition, but in reality, it never stopped supporting the regime. Helping Assad win the war Following the outbreak of war in Syria, the UAE opened its doors to a number of al-Assad's close relatives, including his mother Anisa and his sister Bushra and her children. Moreover, several internationally sanctioned pro-Assad businessmen continued to do business without a problem in the UAE, including his cousin Rami Makhlouf, Syria's richest man who reportedly controls as much as 60 percent of the country's economy. In 2014, many UAE-based individuals and companies actively aided al-Assad's war efforts. Some provided the Syrian regime with the fuel it needed to operate its war machine; others, like the Dubai-based Yona Star, acted as shipping agents for the Syrian Air Force, the Syrian Air Force Intelligence, the Army Supply Bureau and the Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), which has been developing the regime's biological and chemical capabilities. In July 2018, the Syrian Cham Wings Airlines - a company sanctioned by the US for transporting militants, weapons and equipment to support the Assad regime - started to operate flights from Damascus to the UAE. One month later, Abdul Jalil al-Blouki, a senior Emirati businessman close to the ruling family in Abu Dhabi visited Damascus, where he met several Syrian officials and discussed several investment opportunities. Many other Emirati businessmen known to be close to the UAE authorities have also maintained their relations with the Syrian government long after the eruption of the Syrian revolution. Some established new companies in Syria and/or opened branches for their UAE-based companies in the country. The UAE also never really fully cut diplomatic relations with Damascus and the Syrian embassy continued to operate in Abu Dhabi. In this sense, the UAE's decision to reopen its embassy in Damascus comes as no surprise to close observers of the Syrian war. Both the Assad regime and Iran are likely to utilise this rapprochement to further promote their "victory narrative" in Syria, strengthen their alliance and alleviate some of the financial difficulties they are currently facing. And for the UAE (and by extension Bahrain and Saudi Arabia), renewed relations will serve as another vehicle to solidify its counter-revolutionary influence in the region. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance. | https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/uae-bahrain-open-embassies-syria-190107165601089.html |
Why wont the dog stop licking the furniture? | DEAR JOAN: My friends Dachshund continuously licks the chair cover on the chair he sleeps in, and sometimes the rug. Any ideas on how to deter him. He is an altered male, about 10 years old. Linda F., Bay Area DEAR LINDA: There are several reasons why dogs lick furniture, and many other things. The first step would be to take the dog to the vet for a checkup, because the answer might involve illness or a deficiency. If theres one thing we can be certain of, dogs are going to lick. Thats partly their way of experiencing their surroundings. They like to feel and taste the environment, and their tongues allow them to do that. If the dog is licking only the chair where he sleeps and sometimes the rug, there could be certain scents embedded in the chairs fabric that he activates by licking them. One scent could be his own smell, reassuring him that hes in the right spot, or it could be that of your friend, which the dog no doubt loves. It could also be accidental licking. My dog licks his feet and, uh, other body parts, but hes a Chihuahua with skinny legs. His tongue overlaps his legs and so he ends up getting some lick on my chair. When my nephew was younger, he complained of sitting in the dog lickers spot, which I admit is not a pleasant experience. Licking can be a way of relieving boredom. If the dog is left alone for parts of the day and has no interest in his toys, he might find a new hobby licking the furniture, which can be comforting as well as stimulating to his senses. Excessive licking can also become a compulsion, but dogs with this condition tend to lick anything within reach. The licking also could be a sign that something is missing in the dogs diet, thus a trip to the vet is required. Certain ailments or a nutrient deficiency can trigger the licking, so the dog should be seen by a vet to make sure hes OK. Dogs suffering from stress or anxiety also will lick as a way to comfort themselves. Dogs also lick areas on their bodies that are hurting them. No matter the reason, too much furniture licking is not good for the dog. It can ingest things better left outside of the body. Your friend can pick up a spray-on deterrent at a pet food store. It will make the taste of the chair and rug unpleasant, but it could mean that the dog will just find something else to lick, so its better to address the problem head-on. When your friend sees her dog licking, she should try distracting him with a toy or with attention. She also should try increasing the amount of exercise through play the dog receives. Every month we ask readers to send in photos of their pets based on a theme. For the New Year, were looking for pictures of new pets. Show off the new pet in your life You can upload your photo on the website, or email it to me ([email protected]). I collect and post them on the Pet Pal Connection page for all to see. If you have a new pet (and we arent sticklers that the pet has to be brand new), send me a picture along with your name and some details on your pet pal. For more pets and animals coverage follow us on Flipboard. | https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/08/why-wont-the-dog-stop-licking-the-furniture/ |
Is Donald Trump About to Declare a National Emergency at the Border? | Last Friday, as the government shutdown headed for a third week, reports emerged that Donald Trump was thinking about declaring a national emergency at the southern border, with the goal of circumventing the deadlock in Congress and diverting some Pentagon funds to the construction of a wall, or steel barrier. During a press conference at the White House, Trump confirmed that he had considered invoking emergency powers and added, I can do it if I want. When a reporter asked if that was a threat to Democrats, who are refusing his demands for $5.6 billion in funding for the wall, Trump replied, Id never threaten anybody, but I am allowed to do that, yes. On Sunday, at Camp David, Trump returned to the theme, saying, I may declare a national emergency dependent on whats going to happen over the next few days. When he got back to the White House, he added, We have a national emergency, just read the papers. We have a crisis at the border, of drugs, of human beings being trafficked all over the world, theyre coming through . . . criminals and gang members coming through. It is national security. It is a national emergency. Trumps description of what is happening on the border is largely fictitious, of course. (In a television interview on Sunday, the White House spokesperson, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, claimed that four thousand people who are on a terrorism watch list had been stopped at the southern border. On Monday, NBC reported that, in the first half of fiscal 2018, the actual number of people stopped for this reason was six.) But Trump isnt dealing with reality. In a tweet on Monday afternoon, he said that he would deliver a televised address from the Oval Office on Tuesday, the first of his Presidency, on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. In a press briefing at the White House, Vice-President Mike Pence and Kirstjen Nielsen, the Secretary of Homeland Security, repeatedly used the same phrase. Pence told reporters that Trump hadnt yet decided whether to declare an emergency, but he also said that the Office of the White House Counsel was looking into the possible options available to the President. On Monday evening, the Washington Post reported that Trump increasingly views a national emergency declaration as a viable, if risky, way for him to build a portion of his long-promised barrier, according to senior administration officials." It seems increasingly likely, therefore, that Trump is going to use Tuesday nights Oval Office address either to invoke an emergency, which would immediately plunge him into another legal and constitutional battle, or to formalize his threat to act if the Democrats dont give in to his demands very quickly. Either way, he appears set to escalate the fight over the border wall in dramatic fashion, and Democrats are already getting prepared. We would certainly oppose any attempt by the President to make himself a king and a tyrant by saying that he can appropriate money without Congress, Jerry Nadler, the new chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said on Monday during a visit to a Customs and Border Protection Agency detention center in Alamogordo, New Mexico. That is perhaps the most dangerous thing he is talking about since he became President. On the other side of the political divide, the prospect of Trump making such a move drew mixed reactions. John Cornyn, a Republican senator from Texas, sounded a note of caution. Im confident he could declare a national emergency, Cornyn said on CNN. But what that may mean in terms of adding new elements to thiscourt hearings and litigation that may carry this on for weeks and months and yearsto me, injecting a new element in this just makes it more complicated. But some of Trumps supporters openly welcomed the prospect of him seizing emergency powers. What I like is that the President is not backing down, Fox News Sean Hannity said on his daily radio show. Hes looking for any alternative source of money, so we can get the job done. In a way, these latest developments arent entirely surprising. Ever since parts of the government began to shut down, three days before Christmas, people in Washington and elsewhere have been wondering how Trump would go about extricating himself from the political hole he has dug for himself. During his now famous Oval Office meeting with the Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, on December 11th, he said, Ill tell you what, I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck. Once the shutdown began, it was always going to be a struggle for him to shift the blame to the Democrats. For the past couple of weeks, Schumer has been barely able to conceal a smile, and his language has gotten steadily tougher. On Monday, he again dismissed the possibility of giving in to Trumps financial demands, saying such a cave would create a disaster and encourage his worst instincts, which are bad enough now. Initially, the shutdown served Trumps purposes, because it sent a signal to his most ardent anti-immigrant supporters, whose backing he will desperately need during the months ahead. But government closures usually get more unpopular the longer they go on, and if this one extends beyond this weekend it will be the longest shutdown in the past fifty years. Despite Trumps public insistence that even many of the federal employees who have been furloughed or forced to work without pay are supporting him, he is surely aware where things are heading. In a private meeting with aides at Camp David on Sunday, Mr. Trump said he wanted them to come up with a resolution without him appearing to have capitulated to Democrats, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The story added that White House officials disputed that account and said the president didnt make such a statement." Whether he did or he didnt say such a thing, Trump clearly needs an exit strategy, and he may believe he has found one. On Twitter, Eric Columbus, a Washington lawyer with experience in the Obama Administration and with the Senate Judiciary Committee, pointed out that if Trump declares a national emergency, he might be able to obtain some money for his wall even as the matter is litigated, which would enable him to re-open the government while saving faceand if he later loses in court hell have a new scapegoat. As a description of Trumps strategizing, this sounded plausible. Well find out on Tuesday night if he goes through with it. | https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/is-donald-trump-about-to-declare-a-national-emergency-at-the-border |
How will Official World Golf Ranking points be allocated at revamped Tour Championship? | KAPALUA, Hawaii In September, the PGA Tour unveiled the new strokes-based scoring format for this years Tour Championship, but one unanswered question was how world ranking points would be allocated at what is, essentially, a handicapped event. Under the new winner-take-all format, the FedExCup points leader will begin the Tour Championship at 10 under par. The next four players on the points list will start at 8 under through 5 under, respectively, while Nos. 6-10 will start at 4 under par with the total regressing by one stroke every five players. Those ranked 26th through 30th start at even par. Gone are the confusing projections that defined the season-long points race at East Lake, as well as the occasionally awkward trophy presentations when one player would win the Tour Championship and another the FedExCup. But the world ranking question continues to linger. On Saturday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said there is no update on how ranking points might be allocated, but he said hes confident a solution would be reached. If I imagine it in general, I think it will, Monahan said. Although the ranking question is a small piece of a bigger makeover, it is important to players, whose endorsement bonuses are often tied to the Official World Golf Ranking and how many points they earn in a season. Not to mention, there has been significant turnover at East Lake in recent years, including in 2018, when Dustin Johnson overtook Justin Rose atop the ranking with his third-place finish at the finale. I dont see a scenario where the outcome is anything other then there will be world ranking points allocated to the Tour Championship, said Andy Pazder, the circuits chief of operations. The decision rests with the OWGR's governing board, a body that has been amenable to new formats in recent years, like the Belgian Knockout and Shot Clock Masters on the European Tour, which were both awarded ranking points last season. | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/how-will-official-world-golf-ranking-points-be-allocated-revamped-tour-championship |
Will Senator Angara play Big Tobaccos game? | In 1994, the CEOs of seven major tobacco manufacturers testified before the United States Congress regarding the health impact of tobacco consumption. Up to that point, there was still some doubt over whether cigarettes were truly directly harmful. Legislation had already been proposed to regulate the consumption of tobacco products, but the truly effective laws were being blocked by the well-financed tobacco lobby. During the hearing, the industry continued to feign ignorance on the concern over public health. However, an overwhelming amount of scientific and medical evidence were building to support two conclusions: first, tobacco kills; and second, we need to do something about it. The result of the hearing was the Master Settlement Agreement in 1998 an accord between the US Government and the largest cigarette manufacturers which required the latter to settle billions of dollars worth in damages annually forever, as well as an imposition of restrictions and regulations on the sale and marketing of cigarettes. It was a victory for the health sector and an acknowledgement of a crucial fact. Tobacco products are essentially delivery devices for nicotine and carcinogens. Those are the two things the industry is contributing to society: addiction and cancer. But a third ill might just be caused by the tobacco industry at large conflict of interest leading to an erosion of democratic institutions. Just last November, the House Committee on Ways and Means convened to discuss a proposal to raise the taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products. Sin taxes have been recognized by the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the first international treaty on health, as the single most effective policy tool to discourage consumption of tobacco. While weve come to the point that the deadly impact of tobacco is no longer debated, the impetus has now become that of pushing an effective measure to mitigate a rising death toll. During the hearing in November, doctors, experts, and officials from the Department of Health testified as to the toll that tobacco-related diseases cost our healthcare system. Economists and finance experts alike attested to the urgency and necessity of sin taxes. Not only are sin taxes significant towards decreasing consumption, our current circumstance also dictates these as necessary: the additional revenue will be crucial in funding the Universal Health Care program that recently passed in Congress and will soon be signed into law. But to those in attendance during the hearing less than two months ago, it was an eerie reminder of the momentous hearing that took place over 24 years ago in the United States. Despite the surmounting evidence presented by proponents, it was the presence of the tobacco lobby that seemed to speak the loudest. Both scientific and economic arguments of the sin tax seemed to fall on deaf ears. Rep. Bolilia, for example, questioned whether many of the already-established tobacco-caused diseases were truly attributable to cigarette consumption. Paradoxically, she also supports anti-tobacco campaigns through graphic warnings. Rep. Garin seemed to have been baffled by the supposed tradeoff between the health and revenue objectives of the measure. Sin taxes are first and foremost a health measure with the intention of preventing would-be smokers from developing the deadly addiction. The economics behind it as a revenue measure lies in the fact that cigarette consumption is own-price inelastic due to the products addictive nature. That is, an increase in price does not drastically reduce aggregate consumption; therefore, gains in revenue can be expected despite a reduction in consumption. But this fundamental economic logic went unheeded. The standard industry arguments were even echoed by legislators like Cong. Bravo who kept bringing out the red herring of illicit trade (smuggling) as the main issue to be addressed. The rebuttal to this unwittingly came from industry player PMFTC itself: the corporation was able to raise prices by over 22% more than the latest excise tax increase in TRAIN. They argued that they were able to do this in response to artificially low prices in the market a sign of illicit trade. But the mere ability to raise prices while still remaining competitive indicates that most of the illicit trade problem is already being addressed. Alarmingly these all seem to show that our legislators have an indifference towards clear evidence, and a deference instead toward the industrys alternative facts. We cant be certain if these legislators were genuinely unaware, simply miseducated, or calculatingly disingenuous. But one thing is clear we are the losers in this scenario. The results are half-hearted, watered down versions of sin taxes and tobacco regulations that do not meet the need for dramatic life-saving laws. The industry probably thinks it can play democracy for a game and rig the rules. The saying goes, The unlimited checkbook thats how Big Tobacco wins. Despite all the lawsuits and proposed regulation, Big Tobacco uses its vast war chest of resources to arm itself with lawyers, to produce studies to support its alternative facts, and to finance the campaigns of politicians who would be willing to play the industrys game. Fortunately, there is hope in the Senate, and it rests squarely on the shoulders of Ways and Means Committee Chair Sonny Angara. Senator Angara has a decision calculus of his own to consider. He may simply do nothing. While not directly supporting the industrys stance, his inaction would be effectively playing into Big Tobaccos ploy. Or he could see this for the public health issue that it is and be an advocate for saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos for years to come. His next moves in the waning days of this session of Congress will determine whether our aspirations for a sustainable Universal Health Care system will be realized or not. As the mid-term elections are just around the corner, our legislators have decisions to make to choose complicity and cowardice, or to choose public health and the general welfare. Voters will likewise have the same choice to make. AJ Montesa is an economist and a member of the Action for Economic Reforms fiscal policy team. | https://www.bworldonline.com/will-senator-angara-play-big-tobaccos-game/ |
Why take the MBBS at MSU's IMS? | management & Science University, better known as MSU, answers to the national and regional demand for qualified doctors by offering excellent programmes. One such is the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) through MSUs International Medical School (IMS). the programme is designed and sanctioned according to Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) guidelines. It is delivered in three phases: Phase 1 in Year 1; Phase 2 and Year 2; and Phase 3 across Years 3, 4 and 5. The first two years will put students through system-based modules where they will understand the basic medical sciences. The third to fifth year is delivered through discipline-based postings in medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, primary care, orthopedic and emergency medicine, where students develop basic clinical skills and knowledge, with the fourth year focusing on introductions to medical specialities. Clinical skills in the final year will consolidate the degree-level medical education. Whats significant about the MSU MBBS programme is its emphasis on clinical communication skills. The course offers students opportunities to develop clinical contact early on in the syllabus, through community engagement visits to medical practices, community care facilities, and hospitals. This practice falls in line with MSUs focus on developing well-rounded graduates and qualified medical doctors who excel academically and in their career, personality and role as doctors. All these contribute to MSUs and the government objectives towards excellent healthcare service in Malaysia and the region. Students complete their medical training at two referral hospitals - the Sungai Buloh Hospital and the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang. Upon graduation, new doctors need to register with the Public Services Department and complete two years of housemanship at selected public hospitals, supervised under the Ministry f Health Malaysia. On the soon-to-be opened MSU Medical Centre, Malaysia will receive its first international university with its own teaching hospital and in-house medical placement for MBBS graduates. Other than at its main Shah Alam campus, MSU IMS also resides in Bangalore, India, which was Malaysias first medical school to receive a five-year accreditation from the MMC. For those interested in a doctors profession, here are some reasons to take the path towards becoming one via the MBBS programme at MSU. 1. New approach towards the curriculum besides the use of the World Federation of Medical Education Framework 2. Recognition from MMC, Medical Council of India, Sri Lanka Medical Council, Maldives Medical and Dental Council, ECFMG and WHO. 3. International placement for the students when they apply for PLAB, USMLE and other medical council exam under ECFMG. 4. Recognition, as the training hospitals currently at country, or state reference centre allows students to assist and perform procedures. 5. Modern Skill Lab with current technology at par with professional examination center eg. MRCP, MRCS, MRCPCH and MRCOG (Professional Exam to become Specialist). 6. Training center for Medical Professional Examination i.e MRCP, is affiliated to the Royal College of Physician London. 7. The programme trains candidates who intend to sit for USMLE, PLAB, NZREX, AMC CAT MCQ EXAM practice abroad. 8. The programme achieved an IGOT (Graduate on Time) passing rate of 98%. | https://www.thesundaily.my/supplement/edu/why-take-the-mbbs-at-msu-s-ims-YY357616 |
Can the new vegan Impossible Burger fool meat lovers? | The new Impossible Burger might make some vegetarians uncomfortable. Impossible Foods, which launched its much-hyped meatless burger two years ago, announced a new version on Monday at CES in Las Vegas. The startup is trying even harder to make its fake beef patties look, taste and feel like the real thing. Depending on how it's cooked, the latest Impossible Burger can be juicy and red in the middle more so than the last version. The texture, which purposefully isn't uniform, contains small chunks just like real beef. And judging by the sliders and burgers we tested at lunch, it tastes a bit more like a real hamburger than its predecessor. "They're really made for meat lovers, not so much for vegetarians," said chef Mary Sue Milliken, who serves Impossible Burger at her Border Grill in Las Vegas. A veggie burger isn't exactly the kind of cutting-edge technology you expect to find at the world's largest consumer technology conference. But it fits with a new theme the show is testing out this year called "resilience." It includes companies using technology to address the impact of climate change on the environment, cities and individuals' health. Eating less meat has long been promoted as a way to help the environment. Cattle generate large amounts of carbon dioxide, even more than other livestock. "The mission of the company really is to eliminate the need for animals in the food system," said David Lipman, Impossible Foods' chief science officer. "We're not going to get there by telling people to eat beans and peas and stuff like that. We have to come up with a plant-based meat that people will actually choose instead of beef." Founded in 2011, the startup now supplies meatless products to more than 5,000 locations in the United States, including restaurants like Fatburger and White Castle. It expanded into Hong Kong last year, its first overseas market. The next step is making the product inexpensive enough that everyone can afford to buy the product, which costs about as much as premium beef. The company says the price will drop as production scales up. Cracking beef's 'molecular code' A considerable amount of technology goes into creating the small brown patties, which are produced at a factory in Oakland, California. The new recipe is gluten-free, thanks to a switch from wheat to soy protein, and has less salt and fat. The company's food scientists and chefs spent the past year making sure their meatless burgers had a better "chew" closer to real beef. The biggest difference Impossible fans might notice is where the product ends up when it launches in February. The changes to the recipe and texture make it more versatile in the kitchen, so it can be used in a wider variety of dishes, including sauces, nachos and larb. "We cracked the molecular code of beef flavor," Lipman said. "When you take raw beef it really doesn't have much flavor. When you start to cook it, with no spices, it starts to get its flavor. What sort of magic is happening there?" The scientists found that a high concentration of heme, a molecule in all foods, is the secret behind beef's unique taste. They tried to reproduce the effect in the first burger, and say they have gotten closer with the new recipe, which also includes coconut oil, sunflower oil, and potato protein. "That's what really makes that crave-able flavor when you start start to cook it," Lipman said. "It's this sort of bloody ... I can't even begin to describe it." | https://www.wthitv.com/content/news/504047332.html?ref=332 |
What is Kylian Mbappe's net worth and how much does the PSG star earn? | The 20-year-old Frenchman is one of the hottest young players in football and earns a salary worthy of his status Kylian Mbappe may only just have turned 20, but the Paris Saint-Germain attacker has already emerged as one of the games leading players, having helped France to win World Cup 2018, during which he won the prize as the tournaments outstanding young player. Scoring twice in the final against Croatia made him the first teenager to net on such an occasion since Pele in 1958 and helped increase the marketability of the former Monaco ace, who is the games second-most expensive player ever behind club-mate Neymar. Indeed, a recent study by CIES Observatory suggests Mbappe is currently the most valuable player in the game. Paris Saint-Germain are paying Kylian Mbappe 17.5 million (15.7m/$20m) per year after taxes, according to a report in France Football. His net wage in his first year at PSG was 12m but was added to by a bonus of somewhere between 5-6m when his loan deal became permanent. By the time his contract, which runs until 2022, is up, it is believed that he will be earning over 18m per annum. It represents a massive leap from the 1m per year that he earned while with Monaco. He is the third-best paid player in Ligue 1 behind club-mates Neymar and Edinson Cavani and, over the course of a deal that began in 2017, he will have made around 87.5m. Kylian Mbappe has a major sponsorship deal with Nike, which he extended in the summer of 2017 before he moved to PSG. Adidas were also interested in swooping for the starlet at that time and were reportedly willing to put 5m on the table. More recent estimates from LEquipe, however, suggest that Mbappes Nike deal is actually worth between 2-3m, although it notes that sponsorship contracts are frequently determined by the performance of the player and the team he is involved in. It is estimated that he is on a similar deal to team-mate Marco Verratti. Kylian Mbappe does a great deal of charity work around Bondy, the area of Paris in which he was born and brought up. Prior to World Cup 2018, he announced that he would give his bonuses for the competition to the Premiers de Cordees charity, which aims to organise sports for children with disabilities. Winning the World Cup meant that he was able to provide them with what was estimated by LEquipe to be around 300,000, though reported elsewhere to be up to 550,000. Speaking to Time, he said: I earn enough money - a lot of money. So, I think it is important to help those who are in need. A lot of people are suffering, a lot of people have diseases. For people like us, giving a helping hand to people is not a big thing. It doesn't change my life, but it changes theirs. And if it can change theirs, it is a great pleasure. I gave the money to the charity where I am a sponsor because being handicapped is something difficult. Showing them that they can do sports like everyone it is something close to my heart. Meanwhile, Mbappe gives his fee for each France match he plays around 20,000 for each game to a different charity. Additionally, he paid for 25 students from the Jean-Renoir College in Bondy to have an educational trip to Russia during the World Cup. Kylian Mbappe is a fan of top-end cars and reportedly has a collection of five worth around 780,000. He has a Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and a Range Rover. It is difficult to estimate the net worth of the youngster, which continues to grow at an extraordinary rate. A recent estimate by FinApp estimates that he is worth around 71m, though that figure is liable to spiral in the months and years ahead. | https://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/what-is-kylian-mbappes-net-worth-and-how-much-does-the-psg/hlu8dohtt8uv14ick1270c517 |
Are Apples sales a barometer of Chinas economy? | Not long after a widely circulated post claimed that a rise in the sales of men's underwear in Northeast China's Liaoning Province indicated an economic recovery, some people began to focus on another unorthodox indicator: iPhone sales. In this case, however, they drew the opposite conclusion. Apple Inc recently cut its revenue forecast for the first fiscal quarter of 2019 because of poor iPhone sales in China. This factor was immediately taken as evidence that the Chinese economy was slowing down. For some US media outlets, smartphone sales are an easy-to-understand indicator of China's economic performance, even though they ridicule the fetish for unorthodox metrics such as men's underwear. Some people in the US have spared no effort to uncover evidence of an economic slowdown in China. This effort comes as US President Donald Trump has said weakness in the Chinese economy gives Beijing a great incentive to negotiate, hinting that China may make compromises in the fresh round of trade talks that started on Monday. People who have this concept may be in for a disappointment, because iPhones aren't a barometer of the Chinese economy. Sales of the devices are encountering problems - not only in China but also in other countries with remarkable economic growth. The iPhone is losing its aura as Chinese brands such as Huawei pose an increasingly fierce challenge. California-based Apple may be seeing its advantages fade amid the rise of Chinese rivals. As Apple is to some extent a symbol of US technological prowess, this is obviously not a good sign for the US economy. If there really was an indicator called the iPhone Index, it would measure only US innovation capability, rather than China's economic growth. China's economic slowdown is a fact, but the economic outlook for the US isn't so great either. There is no winner in a trade war. Both China and the US are under pressure to make a deal in the trade talks to end the dispute as soon as possible. We believe Apple's "China problem" is giving Washington itself "a great incentive to negotiate." The author is a reporter with the Global Times. [email protected] | http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1135059.shtml |
How Innovative is Appian? | Organic innovation is hard enough. Creating products that help usher in entirely new categories is rare. The most innovative companies do both to disrupt incumbents and unleash massive wealth for early investors. Not if you're looking at returns over the past year. stock chart of appian losing to the S&P 500 More Source: YCharts. Appian stock has underperformed over the past year. Talk about an ugly chart. And yet total revenue was up 36% to $217.1 million over the trailing 12 months ended on Sept. 30. Because analysts are calling for Appian to generate $222.2 million in revenue for all of 2018. A mere 10% year-over-year bump in Q4 revenue would allow the company to hit that mark. The last time Appian's top line grew that slowly was the first quarter of fiscal 2017,when professional services still accounted for the majority of its revenue. Today long-term subscriptions are driving growth. Anyone poking around Appian's roster of customer success stories using its "low-code" visual programming platform won't be surprised by that. Customers who try Appian tend to love it and stick with it. Regardless, there are sure to be bumps for Appian investors along the road to greater returns. Competition is just one of the potential stumbling blocks. Analyst firm Gartner (NYSE: IT) identifies 18 companies besides Appian operating in the Intelligent Business Process Management marketplace with Pegasystems (NASDAQ: PEGA) ranked as a visionary leader and Appian as Gartner's choice for tops in execution. Ambitious, effective innovation will be required for continued gains in this tough category, so it's worth understanding how effective Appian's R&D efforts have been to date, and whether we have reason to expect even better results in the future. Let's go under the hood and apply my four-question test. A light bulb shining next to the word innovation More Innovation isn't just about bright ideas. Source: Getty Images. Revisiting the innovation test You may remember that I created the innovation test as a means of understanding the quality of engineering efforts when making a complex product with rule-breaking potential. Here are the four core categories and the questions within: | https://news.yahoo.com/innovative-appian-143400711.html |
Who Will KUSHIDA Face In His Final NJPW Match? | Over the weekend it was announced at the post-Wrestle Kingdom 13 Press Conference KUSHIDA would be leaving NJPW with his contract finishing up at the end of the month. The six-time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion commented he would "head overseas to see the world of pro wrestling." KUSHIDA: As Sugabayashi said, I will leave NJPW on January 31. This was an extremely tough condition made with Meij, Sugabayashi and Kidani. It was a very big decision in my life and I'm thankful they understood. I will head overseas and to see the world of pro wrestling. chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 7, 2019 At the press conference, KUSHIDA noted his only regret in NJPW was not getting a chance to wrestle the IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. NJPW announced today KUSHIDA's final match will be against Tanahashi in a singles match. It will take place on a Road to The New Beginning event on January 29 at Korakuen Hall, a few days before his contract ends. In his last press conference for NJPW, KUSHIDA said that his only regret was that he wasn't able to face Hiroshi Tanahashi With Tanahashi's kind agreement, he will be able to get his final wish, so he can leave NJPW completely fulfilled Read morehttps://t.co/JGCqrGkw9A#njpw pic.twitter.com/Te5zCimm1L NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) January 8, 2019 See Also Rumor Killer On Kenny Omega's WWE Contract Offer The Wrestling Observer Newsletter previously reported WWE had interest in bringing KUSHIDA to NXT, but his destination has not yet been made official. | https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2019/01/who-will-kushida-face-in-his-final-njpw-match-649595/ |
Can Mauricio Pochettino Fulfil His Potential At Tottenham? | The Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino knows he has a decision to make this summer. He knows Manchester United, and probably Real Madrid, will make him an attractive offer to lure him from North London. He will then have to decide if he stays and continues to guide his project at Tottenham, or does he take the opportunity to prove himself elsewhere. How the rest of the season unfolds could influence this decision, for if Tottenham were to win their first trophy for 11 years he might find it more difficult to walk away. Tottenham still have a realistic hope of winning one of four trophies; they are still in both domestic cups, last week they progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 7-0 win at Tranmere Rovers, and on Tuesday night will face Chelsea in the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals. But they still have their eyes set on even bigger prizes, for they are also through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League, and are currently third in the Premier League six points behind leaders Liverpool. Pochettino has been in a reflective mood this week, aware of the decision he will soon have to make. 'At the moment I am happy,' he has said. 'Today the club is doing what the club needs to do and I am so happy to be here. Its true the people are so impatient but its going to arrive. We are creating a legacy that is going to be amazing for the future of the club. I can see in the future Tottenham winning trophies. I dont know if with us or without. In one year or five years.' This is the party line, and he has to stick to it for now, and even suggested that he would like to possibly emulate the two decades Arsene Wenger spent at Arsenal. 'I hope or I wish to be here 20 years and decide to leave or to finish my career here,' he said. But then Pochettino allowed a dose of realism to puncture all this romantic talk about staying for another 15 years. 'I hope, if I have the opportunity to talk with Arsene Wenger, to ask if it was worth it?' Pochettino said. 'I dont know what he would say.' Pochettino saw how his revered counterpart from across North London stayed at Arsenal for too long, and turned down opportunities to manage elsewhere, particularly from Real Madrid who came for him several times. Ultimately Wengers loyalty to Arsenal was not appreciated before he was forced out last summer. 'That is why it is a little bit sad the way it ended at his club,' Pochettino said. In an ideal world he is the type of character that would probably prefer to remain at Tottenham and win his trophies there, to create an enduring legacy for both himself and the club. To be the first Tottenham manager to win the league title since Bill Nicholson in 1961 would mean more to him than delivering Manchester United their 21st league title, or Real Madrid their 34th. But Pochettino knows he needs greater financial support from the Tottenham board to make this a reality, and he took the unusual step this week or making that clear. 'I saw a stat about how teams were spending money in the last 10 years and we were on the bottom in England and Europe,' he said. 'If we want to be real contenders, we need to operate in a different way in the future. At the moment its fantastic so far so good but well see if its enough to challenge and be consistent in the next five years operating in that way.' Since Pochettino was appointed in 2014 Tottenham have had a net spend of just 29 million, compared to the current champions Manchester City whose net spend is 518 million. Just last summer Tottenham didnt purchase a single player, and became the first club in the 26-year history of the Premier League not to spend any money during the summer transfer window. For Tottenham to currently be third in the Premier League, and still in with a chance of winning four competitions this season neatly showcases Pochettinos obvious talents as a coach. In the next four months he will have to decide if he wants to take those talents to Manchester or Madrid, or remain at Tottenham. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/sampilger/2019/01/08/can-mauricio-pochettino-fulfil-his-potential-at-tottenham/ |
Where is Silent Witness set and who is in the new series cast? | Emilia Fox as Dr. Nikki Alexander (Picture: BBC/Jonathan Ford) Yes, thats right, Silent Witness is back for its 22nd season. Dancing On Ice launches with 'lowest ratings in the show's history' The crime drama has been gracing our screens since 1996, and its back for another round. If you want to know more about the shows cast and where its set before you dive in, then youre in the right place. This season will be set chiefly in London, but past seasons have been set in towns and cities all over the country. Until season three, the main character at the time, Professor Sam Ryan (played by Amanda Burton) was based in Cambridge. However, Professor Ryan eventually moved to London for a job teaching at a university, and the story followed her there. Advertisement Advertisement This season, the chief characters remain: Dr Nikki Alexander, played by Emilia Fox. Fox is reprising the role that shes been playing on Silent Witness since season 8, when Dr. Alexander effectively took over from Professor Ryan as the shows lead character. Jack Hodgson, played by David Caves. Caves has been with the show since season 16. His character Hodgson was formerly a forensic scientist for the police before he joined the Lyell Centre, and in his spare time he enjoys a spot of cage fighting. Sounds chill. Clarissa Mullery, played by Liz Carr. Mullery has also been a regular fixture on Silent Witness since season 16 as Jacks lab assistant. In addition to starring in Silent Witness, Carr is also a comedian and disabled rights activist. Dr. Thomas Chamberlain, played by Richard Lintern. Chamberlain has been with the team since season 17, when he took over from Professor Leo Dalton after his death in season 16. It took a little while for him to bond with the rest of the team, but they took to him eventually. Heres where you can watch the latest episodes Silent Witness season 22 is starting on Tuesday 8 January at 9pm on BBC One. If you want to catch up on older episodes, there are 50 available to watch on iPlayer, which takes you all the way back to the first episode of season 17. MORE: Zombie Boy model and artist Rick Genest dead at 32 MORE: Silent Witness finale infuriating as hell because it didnt show us everything we wanted to see | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/08/where-is-silent-witness-set-and-who-is-in-the-new-series-cast-8322083/ |
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