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Who wants to be the next PayPal? | Four years ago, the Big Four controlled 90 percent of the payments market, says Richard Crone, chief executive officer of Crone Consulting, but their share has slipped to 80 percent recently. For several years, PayPal, Square, Adyen and Stripe have dominated the lucrative payments market. Now hundreds of upstarts with names like Bolt, Toast and Due are muscling into the market with their own twist on facilitating commerce between merchants and shoppers. Four years ago, the Big Four controlled 90 percent of the payments market, says Richard Crone, chief executive officer of Crone Consulting, but their share has slipped to 80 percent recently. The incumbents still generate about 54 percent of the more than $1.3 trillion in gross payment volume globally (excluding Alipay and WeChat Pay in China) and new entrants have grabbed the rest, Crone says. The upstarts continued success depends partly on the strength of the U.S. economy; a downturn could crimp consumer spending, cutting into the fees they charge for each transaction. But for now, the new payment services are growing faster than the incumbents, Crone says. Its the fastest growing segment of the industry after person-to-person payments, he says. The newcomers are prospering by focusing on specific industries or offering services larger rivals dont. Bolt absorbs merchants fraud costs and claims its streamlined checkout makes shoppers less likely to abandon their purchase after filling up their carts. Toast developed technology that enables diners to order and pay from their table and lets restaurateurs monitor their operations from anywhere. Due makes invoicing easier by offering such features as payment reminders and autopay; it also offers low cross-border rates, so freelancers can get gigs in other countries. While the incumbents have many of these features, theyre typically selling everything to everyone, while the smaller services can target customers more narrowly. Theres plenty of room to make a really good business, especially if you are really hyper focused, says Due Chief Executive Officer John Rampton. You can focus on what you are really good at, and you can become the next Stripe. Dues revenue has been growing 5 percent to 6 percent month over month since it was started 3 1/2 years ago, he says, and the company is already processing $2.5 billion in annualized payment volume from freelancers and small businesses. Bolt, which has only been around for about a year, already handles annualized payment volume of more than $1 billion, according to CEO Ryan Breslow, who says the major players took twice as long to reach that milestone. The company has raised more than $20 million from the likes of Founders Fund, whose partners include Peter Thiel, a PayPal co-founder. Many businesses are signing up with the new generation of payment processors to cut costs, better compete with Amazon.com Inc. or boost their bottom line. Invicta, a watch seller with 60 physical stores, started using Bolt for online checkout four days before Black Friday of 2017. The retailer says the number of visitors who bought something rose 30 percent, while shoppers who completed a purchase more than tripled to 32 percent. Whats more, 12 percent more payments were approved than before. These are the kind of metrics a retailer would kill for, especially going into the holiday season. It made checkout so much easier, says Ian Ankele, a user experience developer at Invicta. It was boom boom boom, we are done. Most of the new services are focused on mobile payments, which are slowly but surely gaining traction and could become further entrenched, Crone says, as more brick-and-mortar retailersspurred on by Amazon Go cashierless storesstart letting shoppers checkout with their smartphones. With their rapid growth and strong profits, the newer payment services are potential acquisition targets. In October, NCR Corp. bought JetPay, calling it a key, strategic initiative. In 2017, Ingenico Group acquired Bambora and JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought WePay. Industry watchers anticipate more acquisitions in the coming months as traditional payment processors like Worldpay Inc. and Bank of America Corp., along with the Big Four, look to buy growth or expand into different niches. Dues Rampton says hes already entertained several offers but that the price or timing wasnt optimal. In the future we probably will sell to somebody, he says. | https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/who-wants-to-be-the-next-paypal/1438847/ |
How American Should American Schools Be? | Part of the impetus behind modern education reform is the idea that more of the education system should be operated by business. Many merits and drawbacks of that approach continue to be debated, but one aspect is rarely discussed. Charter schools have been one path by which foreign nationals can become involved in the US education system. The most notable example is the schools of the so-called Gulen charter chain. The Sunni imam Fethullah Glen (who is almost always awarded the adjective "reclusive") move to the US in 1999 for medical treatment. Within a decade, he had created a wide-ranging group of charter schools. The chain has been used to issue H-1B visas to large numbers of Turkish nationals to come teach; numerous reports claim that they are also expected to kick back part of their salary. The schools are also accused of funneling money to groups such as Gulen-linked construction companies. While some conservative critics worry about Gulen schools as indoctrination centers, many others are concerned that the Gulen schools are using US taxpayer dollars to fund a government in exile. At the very least, Gulen schools put US students in the middle of a foreign power struggle; the Erdogan government has actively worked to undermine the chain, and the 2016 Turkish coup attempt was blamed on Gulen. That's just one charter chain, but it's one of the largest chains in the country, with as many as 150 schools (not all schools are eager to advertise their Gulen connection, so counts vary). But in most states, charter schools are run as businesses, allowing for investors and operators from across the globe. The explosion of education technology has opened other pathways for foreign influence in US public education, and raised some important questions. In April, writing for EdSurge, Jenny Abamu asked the question "What Happens To Student Data Privacy When Chinese Firms Acquire U.S. EdTech Companies," and the question is not rhetorical. This year the Chinese company Netdragon acquired Edmodo, an education learning platform, for a hefty $137.5 million. Speculation is that the acquisition has far less to do with Edmodo's revenues (which have been described as "struggling") and more to do with the 90 million users and the data they have generated. If data is the new oil, then many ed tech companies are sitting on rapidly filing tanks that will attract attention from businesses all around the globe. Chinese firms are working hard to get a piece of the ed tech pie (one analyst predicts that the analytics sector of ed alone will be a $7 billion business by 2023). Squirrel AI Learning, one of the biggest ed tech companies in China, has hired experts from Knewton (the Pearson ed tech wing) and just announced that it was bringing on Tom Mitchell, Dean of Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science, as their Chief AI Officer. Squirrel AI Learning provides a good example of the potential problems on the horizon. Their AI+ model, already in wide use in China, leaves only about 30% of classes to be taught by live human teachers. The other 70% are taught by AI software, meaning that the educational decisions are being made by the programmers who create and manage that software. We still need to have a conversation about whether educational decisions should be made by educators or ed tech programmers, but it adds a whole new level of concern when those technicians are not actually in this country. There is nothing inherently wrong with foreign involvement in US businesses, though Americans have experienced some shock as iconic American products from beer to jeans have become the business of foreign interests. But these days it is in the very nature of business to be multi-national. We've talked about the problems of privatizing public education, cutting it loose from the traditional democratic processes of an elected school board and handing decision making power to a business-style operation. But what would it mean to American education to send those decision making powers to another country entirely. If we're going to turn American public education into a business, there's no reason to assume that it would be an American business. Perhaps a multinational education system would be great. Perhaps turning over what is essentially an arm of our government to other countries would be disastrous. Perhaps the wealthy would send their children to private American-run schools, while education for the lower classes would be outsourced. Perhaps a multinational school system could treat our multi-ethnic student population better than we do ourselves. Perhaps selling off our school system to companies in other countries would be our final mark of shame and failure. The only thing that is certain is that we are failing to discuss any of these potential implications. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2019/01/09/how-american-should-american-schools-be/ |
When does the new series of Death In Paradise start and who is in the cast? | Death In Paradise is bringing more murder mysteries to our screens (Picture: BBC) It might be cold outside but Death In Paradise is back to warm up those cold January nights. The eighth series of the show is set to look a little different, with the arrival of some new faces and a couple of old favourites missing. The new series kicks off on Thursday night at 9pm. There are eight episodes in the new series, with subsequent instalments airing in the same timeslot each week. Look out for a new officer on the beat played by Shyko Amos (Picture: BBC) It will see the team solving more crimes including the murder of a DJ who is killed live on air and a death among a group of friends celebrating their 50th birthdays. Advertisement Advertisement You can also look forward to the return of cast members including Ardal OHanlon as DI Jack Mooney and Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, who are among the returning cast members. Ardal OHanlon has also returned to paradise (Picture: BBC) The main newcomer to the team is Officer Ruby Patterson, who is played by actress Shyko Amos (whos also been in the likes of A Very English Scandal). There is nothing quite like Death in Paradise on TV and it hasnt quite sunk in yet that Ive joined such a massively popular show, she said at the time. Its given me a butterfly or two but Im very excited! Officer Ruby Patterson is a bundle of joy! I am very excited for Death in Paradise viewers to experience her as the new member of the already amazing law enforcement team of Saint Marie. You can also expect a bumper crop of guest stars this series, including The Inbetweeners Blake Harrison and Call The Midwife star Charlotte Ritchie. Other featured appearances include: Chizzy Akudolu (Holby City/Strictly), Robert James-Collier (Downton Abbey), Anna Chancellor (Ordeal by Innocence), Rebecca Front (Poldark), Richard Blackwood (Eastenders), Angus Deayton (Have I Got News For You). However Danny John-Jules has left after seven series (Picture: BBC) Fans of the show will notice the absence of Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers with the actor having left the show after seven series. Advertisement Advertisement Executive producer Tim Key said that they were very sad to have to say goodbye to Danny, whose brilliant performance as Dwayne has helped make the show such a success. 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: The Inbetweeners Blake Harrison joins Death in Paradise as bumper stack of guest stars are revealed MORE: Death in Paradises Ardal OHanlon speaks out over Danny John-Jules last minute exit | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/09/new-series-death-paradise-start-cast-8326217/ |
What Does David Wright's Release Mean For The 2019 New York Mets? | The long goodbye to David Wrights major league career continued Monday, when the Mets released their longtime captain and the best position player ever employed by the franchise. That should be the final act in a farewell whose highlight act took place during the final weekend of the 2018 season, when Wright made what he acknowledged will be the last three plate appearances as a baseball player. But because of the nature of Wrights forced exit, and because these are the Mets, the financial implications of Wrights long goodbye will continue until long after 2020, which is the final season on the eight-year deal he signed following the 2012 season. Wright, who can no longer play due to a litany of neck, shoulder and back injuries, finished last season with $27 million remaining $15 million in 2019 and $12 million in 2020 on his contract. He could not collect that money if he officially retired, so the release of Wright means the Mets reached a settlement agreement with their insurance company that alleviates the short-term burden on the Mets while ensuring Wright gets most of the money he was guaranteed. According to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the Mets restructured Wrights 2019 salary as follows: Wright, who was named a special assistant to owner Jeff Wilpon and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen on Monday, will receive $4 million by Thursday. He will receive another $5 million during the season. In addition, Wright will receive $6 million deferred, at 2.5 percent interest compounded monthly. Hell receive three payments of $2 million apiece on July 1 (i.e. Bobby Bonilla Day) each year from 2021 through 2023 before receiving the interest of about $800,000 on Dec. 31, 2023. So in the end, for Wright, the $15 million he would have made this season turns into just shy of $16 million. The big questions now are how will the restructured Wright contract impact the Mets in 2019. The next six weeks will tell that tale. But heres something to remember: Way back in late 1999, the Mets followed up their most infamous deferral of the $5.9 million due to Bonilla by acquiring pitcher Mike Hampton, who was signed for 2000 at $5.75 million. Awfully neat coincidence. In addition, Wilpon has said the money the Mets spent on Wrights insurance policy counts against the budget. We had to pay for the policy, which is not cheap, Wilpon told reporters in January 2018. In other words, while Wrights career might officially be over, the drama regarding the impact the Mets will allow his salary to have on their payroll is far from complete. Theres another $12 million to restructure and parse for 2020. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerrybeach/2019/01/09/what-does-david-wrights-release-mean-for-the-2019-new-york-mets/ |
What next for Refigah after revelation of his retirement plan? | Grandpa Records founder and CEO Refigah has announced his impending retirement from music. His announcement came just moments after Tuesdays re-launch of the label after a hiatus of close to two years. The once top recording label has been silent for a year and eight months now with no production of a single song, following mass exodus of top artistes from the label in the recent years. Songwriter singer and producer Visita, rappers Kenrazy, Sosuun, Dufla, DNA, and Gin Ideal have all left the label in the last two years. There were reports that the en-masse walk out by the artistes was caused by a fallout between them and Refigah who however denied the claims. NEW GRANDPA Since then, the label has remained low key without releasing any music with rumours circulating that it had died. However, Refigah has dismissed the claims arguing that Grandpa only took a hiatus to re-strategize and that its now back on it feet again. We are back. No more hiatus. Grandpa is back and this time round we will be giving opportunity to new artistes. For a long time the Kenyan industry has been recycling same old artistes. We intend to change that going forward. This is why today we introducing new acts (Thomas) Niweti who will be dropping his first single featuring Wyre today (Tuesday). We also have Mistony (Jane Ikasi) who I assure you will be taking the industry by storm, Refigah said during the relaunch. UPCOMING ARTISTES Refigah also noted that he wont be locking out any established artistes who would love to work with the new Grandpa although he said priority will be accorded to upcoming artistes. Refigah, who started out as a rapper before transforming himself into a producer, went on to reveal that this will be his last year in the music industry as he plans life outside music after a career of 18 years. Grandpa is not all about me and so this will be my last year in music and then I will retire to do other things like farming. I got a new team better than before which Im grooming to take over once Im gone. I believe one year is enough to put everything in place, he added. The producer, who has lately been seen in the company of several politicians, however denied reports that he would be joining politics once he quits music, ahead of the 2022 General Elections. | https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/chillax/refigah-revelation-retirement-plan/ |
Is Lindsay Lohan the Pope? | Lindsay Lohan attends MTV's 'Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club' Premiere Party at Moxy Times Square on January 7, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for MTV) Does anyone have a hairbrush? The question sparked a flurry of activity in the elevator up to the 18th floor of the Moxy Hotel in Times Square, where the red-carpet event and premiere party for Lindsay Lohans Beach Club was being held. A pink brush emerged from a strangers purse and was quickly employed to tame the seekers already-glossy blowout; just like that, the clutch of previously unfamiliar reporters in the elevator was cemented by the sisterly bond of, well, wanting to look good for Lindsay. After all, we were all in roughly the same young-millennial age pool, just old enough to have clipped out Vanity Fairs July 2003 Its Raining Teens spread and taped it up in our lockers, carefully studying Lohans favorite lip glosses (Chapstick, Kiehls Lip Balm), her pet peeves (People who are fake) and her catchphrase (Peace and love.) For a one-time teen queen of Lohans magnitude, its hard to overcome the past; despite years of grown-up film roles, business ventures, and confusing international scandals, to women of a certain generation, shell always be the one from Mean Girls. Lohans new show centers around her attempt to build Lohans Beach House, a club and restaurant hosted by a rotating cast of reality and YouTube stars, into the hottest spot in Mykonos. Mondays premiere event felt like a deliberate attempt to undo that reputation, but prime remembrances of Lohans past still swirled as lesser Beach Club hosts were paraded out in her stead, accompanied by a full face sheet to help identify them. (Do you think shell come out doing that Dubai accent? speculated one reporter.) The Beach Club dress code has already been the source of Instagram dramaLohan herself commented on a photo of two servers in matching white robes and different pairs of heels, writing, with Miranda Priestly-level sangfroid, Wear the same shoes please, or youre fired. In reality, the dress code for Beach Club employees is just as exacting: according to VIP Host Mike Mulderrig, known in online circles for his YouTube channel, male and female servers alike dress all in black, with men being given a choice of tank top or button-down (Mike opts for the tank top, explaining, Im from New Jersey, I dont do sleeves). On Savage Saturdays, everyone wears white, in a very Diddy-esque moment. As for the clienteles attire, VIP Host May Yassinewhos perhaps best known on the Zayn Malik message-board circuit for her alleged dalliance with the singersays, People were topless, wearing thong bikinis. I saw a lot of boobs. As the influencers filed down the red carpet, the chemical composition of the air around us seemed to change; Does everything suddenly smell like vanilla? I wondered aloud. An OK! reporter confirmed for me: They all came in with their own scent. All of a sudden, the riotous crowd of reporters grilling influencers grew eerily silent. Like the devout studying the Vatican for the smoke signals that indicate a new popes coronation, we all suddenly turned toward the door, searching for the flame-red locks that would signify Lohans arrival. We pressed closer to the entrance, clenched around Lohans entry point like a fist around a pearl. Suddenly, she appeared, resemblinglike so many celebrities in personnothing more than a wax statue of herself. Her dress was white; her heels were high; her lips were the same shade of scarlet as the carpet she walked down. At her throat, a single word sparkled in diamonds: BOSS. As Lohan answered questions, her voicelow and musical, like Daisy Buchanans, if Daisy ran a Mykonos nightclub instead of an East Egg estatewas frequently overshadowed by the RuPauls Drag Race contestants next to her, one of whom was loudly holding forth about her all-Chipotle diet. Bob the Drag Queen, Dusty Ray Bottoms, Monique Heart, Lindsay Lohan, Aquaria, Trinity 'The Tuck' Taylor and Money X Change attend MTV's 'Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club' Premiere Party at Moxy Times Square on January 7, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for MTV) As a lowly print reporter without a camera of my own, I was relegated to the back of the scrum and didnt get to ask Lohan my extremely hard-hitting question (What do you typically wear to the club?), but it was enough just to be in her presence. Staring at the anchor tattoo on her shoulder, I was immediately transported back to my middle-school self, the one who watched The Parent Trap so frequently that the VHS malfunctioned; I dreamed of finding my own twin at summer camp. After thirty or so minutes of game question-answering about her "tough" managerial style (and a few attempts to dig into Lohans personal life, which her Dina-Lohan-lookalike PR person quickly shut down), it was over; the talent had to pee. As Lohan filed out, the on-camera reporters in her wake began discussing the merits of DryBar versus at-home blowouts; behind them, I confided in a Refinery29 reporter about my crush. A mere half-hour in the presence of La Lohan had made teens of us all, once more. | https://garage.vice.com/en_us/article/wj3mnq/is-lindsay-lohan-the-pope |
Why does Trump have to go it alone? | Radios Rush Limbaugh took to airwaves this week to condemn the Democrats who are stymying President Donald Trumps border agenda, as well as the media, filled with members who serve as little more than lapdogs and mouthpieces for the lefts talking points. But he reserved his harshest points for the Republicans. Why does Trump have to go it alone? Limbaugh asked, after citing surveys that show only 7% of Americans say illegal immigration is not a problem. The press has been busy releasing poll after poll showing Americans, by various majorities, really dont think building a border wall is all that important. Yet the crux of a border wall is national security and stemming the tide of illegal immigration and on those points, Americans are almost entirely in agreement: These are good things to supply. The first act by the Democrat House majority is to defy the will of 93% of the population, Limbaugh said. Only 7% of Americans say illegal immigration is not a problem. Eighty-eight percent of Democrats. You know, if the rest of the Republican leadership would fight back, we could win this debate. Precisely. Fact-Checking 5 of Trumps Claims in Border Speech Republicans all Republicans, not just the ones in the White House need to wage this war on behalf of the American people. But theyre not. Ill tell you why Trump has to go it alone, he said. Because people like Never Trumpers, like [Mitt] Romney and the rest of this crowd, is sitting here living 25 years in the past, or 20 years in the past. They have been rendered obsolete. They have been rendered irrelevant. They never were relevant, if you want to get down to brass tacks. In their own minds, they were. Ouch. Truth hurts. But thats exactly why Trump won to boot the establishment-minded from their long-held arenas of influence. [I]t remains a one-man show, Limbaugh said, Donald Trump against the Democrat Party and the media. Donald Trump against fake news. Donald Trump against lying news. And we are very fortunate the guy does not cave. Indeed. Theres the understatement of the new year. Cheryl Chumley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Copyright (c) 2019 News World Communications, Inc. - This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology. VN:D [1.9.6_1107] Rating: 10.0/10 (2 votes cast) | http://www.gopusa.com/why-does-trump-have-to-go-it-alone/ |
Will Anwar actually succeed Mahathir as Malaysias next prime minister? | That question has dominated Malaysian politics for months, and the oppositions high-flying Khairy Jamaluddin an ex-minister who was once viewed as prime minister material says he has had to deal with the poser even though he is now far from the corridors of power. It has huge implications on succession planning and on stability for Malaysia Khairy Jamaluddin The speculation has risen amid whispers from within the government that Anwar, prime minister-in-waiting according to an agreement within the coalition that won last years election, fears 93-year-old Mahathir has no plans to hand power to him. Speaking at a conference in Singapore, Khairy, who was a key member of the defeated Najib Razak government, said the issue was top of the minds of many politics-savvy Malaysians. That seems the only thing that the political chattering class seems to ask me about, Khairy quipped when asked the question at the Regional Outlook Forum, which was organised by the Lion Citys ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. It has huge implications on succession planning and on stability for Malaysia simply because Dr Mahathir is the age at which he is at, the 42-year-old former youth and sports minister said. While Anwar and Mahathir have stressed their pre-election pact is intact, commentators have been unable to resist comparing the current scenario to 1998. At the time Mahathir, then in his first stint in power, abruptly sacked his deputy prime minister, Anwar, from government. Anwar, 71, was jailed over corruption and sodomy charges, despite scepticism from international observers. Upon his release in 2004, Anwar galvanised the opposition and made bids for the premiership in the 2008 and 2013 polls failing both times by close margins. He was once more jailed in 2015, this time during Najibs tenure but again over a dubious sodomy charge. The opposition triumphed in last Mays polls after Mahathir, at age 92, crossed the aisle and allied himself with arch-enemies such as Anwar in a bid to defeat the scandal-tainted Najib. With his long history of being within touching distance of the premiership but never attaining it, his political prospects are sometimes a matter of dark amusement in Malaysia. Khairy, the opposition politician, invoked some of that humour when asked about Anwar. Yes, I think he should be prime minister for a few reasons One, if he doesnt become prime minister, we will not hear the end of it. He cannot move on and we cannot move on, he said, to roars of laughter. Prince Charles and Anwar are the longest, you know Khairy added, trailing off as the audience lapped up the joke comparing the Malaysian politician with the long-serving British crown prince. He was also asked if there were people actively plotting against Anwar. Kishore Mahbubani, a high-profile Singaporean former diplomat, wanted to know if Mahathirs stalwart ally Daim Zainuddin and Azmin Ali, a cabinet minister, were among these conspirators. Azmin is a long-time Anwar loyalist who helped set up the democracy icons Parti Keadilan Rakyat (National Justice Party) when he was jailed in 1999, but there have been signs of increasing friction between the two in recent months. Responding to Kishore, Khairy said: I think you could be right. There is a lot of chatter to say that there are some people around Dr Mahathir who still remain uncomfortable with Anwar. But while he described Anwar as someone with various shortcomings including being outdated and somebody who has not had a job for 20 years (because of his two jail stints), Khairy said the older politician was still the best bet to lead Malaysia after Mahathir. This, Khairy said, was because of Anwars ability to appeal to Malaysians across the spectrum amid a rising tide of identity politics in the Muslim-majority country, an advantage that nobody else has. He added: [Anwar] speaks the language of modernity and he speaks the language of tradition, especially when it comes to Islam, and also the Malay identity. As long as identity politics remains an important marker in Malaysian politics I think possibly Anwar in Pakatan Harapan is the only person who can manage to navigate around identity politics and prevent it from becoming something that is uglier than it potentially could be. Khairys comments in the Singapore forum follow a tersely worded statement Anwar released on Monday slamming speculation about the succession plan. Anwar said there was no issue whatsoever between Mahathir and him, adding that they had agreed on the process and succession plan. He said the national leadership had to be on guard against forces that would like us to fail. | https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2181422/will-anwar-actually-succeed-mahathir-malaysias-next-prime |
How much snow will central Pa. get this weekend? | Though some uncertainty remains in the forecast, meteorologists expect snow will affect Pennsylvania this weekend. Well, its still a little too early to tell. A storm system tracking to the east from the Plains and affect the southern Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic Coast by Saturday night. As that storm moves across the Appalachians, AccuWeather anticipates another storm will develop near the North Carolina coast and become the main storm by Sunday. National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Evanego said light to moderate snowfall is expected across southern Pennsylvania. Evanego said snow is expected to fall from Saturday evening into Sunday morning, but stressed its still too early to make predictions on how much could fall. Theres still some variability in the forecast, he said. Snow expected in Pa. this weekend Heres what some local weather agencies are calling for: ABC27 ABC27 meteorologists Adis Juklo and Brett Thackara wrote in a post Wednesday morning that at least a slight snow event is expected this weekend, but details remain uncertain. CBS21 Meteorologist Steve Knight with CBS21 wrote Wednesday morning that light snow is expected to begin Saturday during the late afternoon, and continue into Sunday morning. Knight noted that some models show as many as 3 to 4 inches of snow possible in Pennsylvania, while others show as little as 1 to 2 inches. Either way, at this point the set up does not favor big snow, he wrote. We continue to track our snow possibilities for the weekend, timing night now looks like Saturday evening into Sunday. Not a big snow maker... current guidance puts us in the 3 to 4" range. pic.twitter.com/p80mnSUep8 Steve Knight (@KnightCBS21) January 9, 2019 You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below. Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to [email protected]. Tweets from https://twitter.com/PennLive/lists/weather | https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/01/how-much-snow-will-central-pa-get-this-weekend.html |
Do I look Malaysian? | THE year ended a little sadly as I read about Divyang Hong, a guy of Chinese and Indian parentage, who was rejected from renting a room because the landlord said, we dont rent out to mixed people. Maybe its because hes pure Chindian, I joked with my friends. I am also of Chinese and Indian parentage and have one parent who is already mixed and am therefore a little less pure. What was appalling was the responses Divyang got on Twitter. Some Malaysians felt that the landlord shouldnt be called a racist, his or her choice of tenant is his or her prerogative. This part is true. But ethnicity shouldnt be the criteria. Others said that people preferred Chinese because of hygiene, food and smell. The problem is Malaysia, multicultural though we are, is segmented by race. It is only when Malaysians come across people like Divyang and I that they dont really know what to do. Both Divyang and I have some similarities. We both have names that dont match the way we look, and I am sure he grew up, as I did, with people asking What are you? I try my best to take this as a healthy interest in me, but what is incredibly annoying is people telling me, No! You look Filipino! My colleagues from the Philippines all look like you and talk like you! Or sometimes I get, But look at your name! You must be Thai! Well, take a look at our prime minister, Ambiga Sreenevasan and our young ice-skater, Julian Yee. Another problem with the question What are you? is that people ask this to put you into a nice little pigeon-hole. If he is Chinese, then he must be able to speak a dialect, celebrate Chinese New Year, gambles a lot, is good in business and probably has a mistress. If he is Indian, he probably eats lots of spices and lacks hygiene. And that is the problem with the question. And the problem with this is that it generalises a whole community based on the behaviour of a few. Its like saying all the children of this couple are lousy based on the behaviour of the first child. Or saying that all women drive badly or all bald men are sexy. Just because Jason Statham is bald and sexy doesnt mean every single bald man is sexy! As our society moves forward, we are slowly (but not fast enough) chipping away at our prejudices based on gender. Racism is sadly slower in this regard. I think racism is hardly recognised as such in Malaysia because its so entrenched in society and our system that we dont even see it as racism. Barely a year ago, we got rid of a coalition based on race. Barisan Nasionals main parties were based on race, with each component party indignantly defending its own race. For decades, few Malaysians ever thought that this was weird or offensive. Imagine if classes in school were segregated in the same way. Imagine if floors in an apartment block were segregated like that. Now, some Malaysians are saying that it is okay for landlords or employers to hire fellow Malaysians based on race, and not performance or values. Well, no, it is not okay. It is not even okay that people like me have to choose a single race to define us, let alone other people use that race to tell us how we behave and smell. Daniel is passionate about physical fitness and travel. Comments: [email protected] | https://www.thesundaily.my/opinion/do-i-look-malaysian-LD360148 |
Will Sirius XM Move Higher For 11 Years in a Row? | This is going to be a big month -- and a big year -- for Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ: SIRI). The satellite radio provider offered up a sneak peek of some of its fourth-quarter performance metrics and initiated guidance for the year ahead shortly after Tuesday's market close. Pandora (NYSE: P) investors are also set to vote on Sirius XM's acquisition offer in three weeks, on the morning of Jan. 29. Sirius XM closed out 2018 with 28.9 million self-pay subscribers, 1.4 million more than it had when the year began. Total paid subscribers rose 1.3 million over the past 12 months to hit 34 million. Sirius XM didn't blurt out its actual financial metrics, but it did announce that it expects to meet or exceed its earlier guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow. In short, there shouldn't be any bombshells going off when it makes the numbers official in a few weeks. Katy Perry at a Sirius XM Hits 1 interview. More Image source: Sirius XM Holdings. These go to eleven Sirius XM shares have been surprisingly resilient. Investors have been treated to 10 consecutive years of positive returns, and 2019 is off to a strong start. The stock has moved 11% higher through the first five trading days of the new year. 2009: Up 383.3% 2010: 170.7% 2011: 12.1% 2012: 58.5% 2013: 22.9% 2014: 0.3% 2015: 16.3% 2016: 9.5% 2017: 21.5% 2018: 7.3% 2019: 11.2% (so far) It's fair to say that the first five years of this rally were far more lucrative than the last five years. The stock's biggest year over the past five is the rather modest 21.5% it scored in 2017. Only one of the first five years delivered a lower return than that. However, there's a creature comfort to the stock's stability these days. The stock's five-year beta clocks in at a yawn-inducing 1.07, with its one-year beta checking in at an even more pedestrian 0.91. Sirius XM sees another year of slow-yet-steady growth on all fronts in 2019. The guidance it initiated on Tuesday afternoon is calling for $6.1 billion in revenue, $2.3 billion in adjusted EBITDA, and $1.6 billion in free cash flow, rising 6.6%, 2.5%, and 6.7%, respectively, off its latest 2018 outlook. Sirius XM also said it expects self-pay net additions to approach 1 million in 2019, a number that may be disheartening to anyone who doesn't have a sense for how things tend to play out for the media giant. Sirius XM was also targeting net additions of self-pay accounts to decelerate to 1 million in 2018 when the year began. It wound up blasting through that target by 40% to hit 1.4 million. Conservative guidance has been the default setting at the satellite radio monopoly over the years, and it's paid off for investors who haven't experienced a down year in more than a decade now. The odds favor another winning year for Sirius XM, and it's already taken a few big steps in that direction this young month. More From The Motley Fool Rick Munarriz owns shares of Pandora Media. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Pandora Media. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/sirius-xm-move-higher-11-143000441.html |
Are Investors Undervaluing Honda Motor (HMC) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies. Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks. Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today. Honda Motor (HMC) is a stock many investors are watching right now. HMC is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 7.35, while its industry has an average P/E of 7.68. HMC's Forward P/E has been as high as 10.71 and as low as 6.35, with a median of 8.48, all within the past year. Investors should also recognize that HMC has a P/B ratio of 0.65. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This company's current P/B looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/B of 0.91. HMC's P/B has been as high as 0.88 and as low as 0.59, with a median of 0.72, over the past year. Finally, our model also underscores that HMC has a P/CF ratio of 2.94. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. This stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 2.97. Over the past year, HMC's P/CF has been as high as 4.16 and as low as 2.69, with a median of 3.30. These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Honda Motor is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, HMC feels like a great value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (HMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-honda-motor-hmc-141002495.html |
Are Investors Undervaluing Ford (F) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks. Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits. Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now. Ford (F) is a stock many investors are watching right now. F is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 6.56, which compares to its industry's average of 10.18. Over the past 52 weeks, F's Forward P/E has been as high as 8.68 and as low as 5.67, with a median of 7.15. Investors should also note that F holds a PEG ratio of 1.24. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. F's industry has an average PEG of 1.39 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, F's PEG has been as high as 1.43 and as low as 0.63, with a median of 0.83. Investors should also recognize that F has a P/B ratio of 0.90. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks attractive against its industry's average P/B of 2.37. Over the past year, F's P/B has been as high as 1.51 and as low as 0.83, with a median of 1.19. Finally, investors should note that F has a P/CF ratio of 2.27. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 6.25. Over the past year, F's P/CF has been as high as 3.30 and as low as 2.09, with a median of 2.65. These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Ford is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, F feels like a great value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-ford-f-now-141002299.html |
Are Investors Undervaluing L Brands (LB) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies. Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks. Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today. L Brands (LB) is a stock many investors are watching right now. LB is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 10.64, while its industry has an average P/E of 13.11. LB's Forward P/E has been as high as 15.98 and as low as 9.07, with a median of 11.86, all within the past year. Investors should also note that LB holds a PEG ratio of 0.97. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. LB's industry has an average PEG of 1.13 right now. Within the past year, LB's PEG has been as high as 1.39 and as low as 0.82, with a median of 1.03. Finally, our model also underscores that LB has a P/CF ratio of 6.05. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. This stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 7.79. Over the past year, LB's P/CF has been as high as 10.32 and as low as 5.07, with a median of 6.71. These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that L Brands is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, LB feels like a great value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report L Brands, Inc. (LB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-l-brands-lb-141002065.html |
Is President Joao Lourencos team driving the Angolan Oil Rebound? | In December, I was accompanying OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo and Africa Oil and Power CEO, Guillaume Doane on a working visit to Angola. This is an oil market that has been under a lot of scrutiny by many industry players and there is no question that Angolas oil sector is at a time of transformation. It is now clear that when President Joo Lourenos promised he would clean the countrys administration and revamp its economic engine, namely the national oil company Sonangol, he meant business. Certainly, his plans are driven by a medium to long-term vision of diversifying the economy from oil, but in a nation so dependent on the black gold for its economic lifeblood (oil accounts for as much as 90% of Angolas exports), it is in the oil industry that the funds for developing other sectors will be found. Since his term in office started in the Summer of 2017, the administration of nearly every national strategic asset has been changed. Particularly in Sonangol, the leadership of Africas richest woman and the daughter of former president Jos Eduardo dos Santos, Isabel dos Santos, has been replaced by an oil industry-savvy technocrat named Carlos Saturnino, which has over 30 years of oil industry experience within Sonangols core businesses. This is a man much less likely to spend the companys resources in questionable investments in healthcare, hospitality, aviation or sports clubs, than previous administrations of politically-charged leaders have been, and which has led to Sonangols current dire financial situation. Further, the new Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources, Diamantino Azevedo, announced, last September, that fifty-four concessionaires under the Sonangol umbrella were to be privatized in the run up to 2022, in order to shed costs, reduce operational complexity and allow the national oil company to focus on its core business. Earlier in the year, the government announced a full revamp of the countrys legal framework for the oil and gas industry, which would include the landmark decision of striping Sonangol from its role as oil block concessionaire. That responsibility will pass to the newly created National Agency of Petroleum and Gas, a migration of duties that should be concluded during the second quarter of 2019. The decision puts an end to decades of conflict of interests between Sonangols role as an oil and gas operator and concessionaire of oil and gas blocks. Further, over the last eighteen months, the government has put in place official policies that have largely simplified investment in the hydrocarbons sector, clarified and brought transparency to the rules applicable to bidding rounds and public tenders, and introduced the countrys first comprehensive antitrust law, in a row of decisions that is dramatically changing the industrys landscape.In all, the decisions taken over the oil and gas sector sound like a housecleaning operation and will hopefully see Sonangol quickly become more efficient and focused on its core business. However, that will not be enough. Strong but pragmatic commonsense measures The first eleven months of 2018 saw Angola make more money from oil than in any of the previous four years, at the tune of USD$8.7 billion. While that goes some way into helping the countrys economy as a whole, those results can not be attributed to the recent reforms in the sector. The rise in oil prices witnessed in the run up to November 2018 justified most of the gains. Actually, November 2018 marked the highest price per barrel of Angolan oil (nearly USD$80) since November 2014. The average sales price in the year up to November stood at USD$70,82, while the national state budget had been built on an expected average price of USD$50 per barrel for the year. This represents welcome news for this cash-strapped economy, but it can also be misleadingly positive. While the income is rising, production is declining. 2018 marked the first time Angolas average daily production stood below the 1.5-million-barrelmark in over a decade. The lack of investment in exploration witnessed in the wake of the oil price collapse in 2014 (which resulted in a drastic decrease in exploration wells that culminated in a zero count for 2018) means that there are no new projects and reserves to replace the declining and ageing active oil fields. Joo Loureno and his cabinet needed to get to work in order to attract investment and revamp the industry. In part, this work will take the form of the Angolan Marginal Field Bid Round of 2019, the first bid round in the country in over 8 years. As the new investment attraction policies slowly start to impact the sector and again bring the industrys big players into the countrys least charted waters, the new legal framework created to facilitate the exploitation of the countrys marginal oil fields will go a long way in slowing down the declining oil production. At the same time, Sonangol has drafted an ambitious plan to develop its downstream sector. After securing a USD$200 million financing package to quadruple the capacity of the Luanda refinery, it is now in the last stages of contracting the construction of two new refineries, one in Lobito and another in Cabinda. These projects will help address the long-standing issue of fuel imports, which today account for 80% of Angolas fuel consumption. These are long-term plans to address some of the countrys most structural issues, which have prevented it from rising as a wealthy nation despite its immense natural resources.At the same time, Sonangol has been signing deals in recent months with the likes of BP and ExxonMobil to streamline development in a number of offshore oil fields. These deals have been facilitated by the renewed confidence these companies feel in the Angolan oil landscape. The words of BP CEO Bob Dudley, in December, when the two companies agreed on the joint development of block 18, are telling of this brighter vision for the sector. I would like to thank President Loureno, the government and Sonangol for their vision, leadership and drive to improve the industrys competitiveness and encourage new investment, he said in a statement. Another factor underlying optimism for the future of the industry is the reviewed natural gas policy. Up until now, Angolas hydrocarbon licenses referred solely to crude oil resources. Sonangol is technically the owner of all of the countrys natural gas resources, which are considerable. However, the national oil company has never really explored those assets, preferring to focus on the more profitable oil reserves. This will now also change, as a new policy will give license-holders control over the natural gas resources within their licenses, which could see a renewed expansion of the sector beyond the single standing LNG train of the Angola LNG Project, in Soyo. This intent was further reinforced by Angolas ascension as a member of the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries in December. Finally, after being at the brink of bankruptcy, Sonangol seems to be threading a more sustainable path, having secured the USD$1 billion loan it needed to finance its restructuring plan in December.In many more ways than one, the transformations we are witnessing in the Angolan oil sector are bound to propel the country into a level of development and sustainable economic wealth it has never seen before. If these measures are sustained in time, Angola will undergo a de facto transformation for the better and many oil leaders have already voiced their approval for these transformation. In that sense, we make ours the words uttered by His Excellency Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, in hisvisit L to Luanda at the end of 2018: we congratulate the governments heroic efforts to reform the industry. These are the right reforms at the right time. We [] applaud these reforms. NJ Ayuk is the founder and CEO of Centurion Law Group and the executive chair of the Africa Energy Chamber of Commerce. Joo Gaspar Marques is an energy analyst and a seasoned Africa specialist with in-the-field reporting experience from Africas petroleum hotspots. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/is-president-joao-lourencos-team-driving-the-angolan-oil-rebound/ |
Will the Next Celebrity Big Brother Feature Caitlyn Jenner and Another Former Trump Official? | Rumor has it that CAITLYN JENNER will appear on the second season of Celebrity Big Brother, which will premiere on CBS later this month. And like Season One, a former Trump official may also be in the fold . . . Newsweek says former White House Press Secretary SEAN SPICER will be one of the houseguests. The rest of the rumored cast includes: 1. Aubrey ODay from Danity Kane and Celebrity Apprentice 2. Bobby Moynihan from Saturday Night Live 3. Former NFL wide receiver Calvin Johnson 4. Carson Kressley from the original Queer Eye 5. Jonathan Bennett from Mean Girls 6. Lindsay Lohans train wreck mother Dina Lohan 7. Justin Biebers father-in-law Stephen Baldwin 8. Tiffany Pollard, a.k.a. New York from Flavor of Love 9. Tonya Harding | https://www.1049thewolf.com/will-the-next-celebrity-big-brother-feature-caitlyn-jenner-and-another-former-trump-official/ |
Why do these activists publish peoples addresses but fear the same treatment? | (Delcan & Company based on a photo of Tucker Carlson by Richard Drew/Associated Press) Over the past few years, doxing publishing private information about people online, generally with the intent of threatening them has become part of the underbelly of politics. Most recently, the practice was in the news in Washington when a local activist group called Smash Racism DC doxed Fox News host Tucker Carlson on the group's Twitter account. Twitter took down the tweet and suspended the account hours later but that same evening, more than a dozen demonstrators affiliated with the group arrived outside Carlson's D.C. home. "Tucker Carlson, we will fight!" they chanted, accusing the host of spreading fascism and racism. "We know where you sleep at night!" Having ones personal information laid bare on the Internet is a frightening prospect so unsettling that at least some doxers, ironically, refuse to put their own names out in public. One of the protesters who held a megaphone outside Carlsons house and whom Ill refer to as Megaphone and another one who identified himself as J., told me they would speak only on the condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing police investigation of the protest, as well as the fear of being doxed. In the eyes of the antifascists, releasing Carlsons address was part of a larger doxing war between right and left. For instance, the now-defunct right-leaning site GotNews.com published the addresses of more than 200 arrested Inauguration Day protesters, including members of Smash Racism DC, after a spokesperson for D.C. police released the personal information in response to a media request. On the other side of the spectrum, after the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, social media users identified many of the participants who bore tiki torches and chanted, Jews will not replace us! Blacks will not replace us! Some of them subsequently lost their jobs. Megaphone told me that he himself has been doxed multiple times, as recently as after the Carlson protest though some of the information shared was outdated. He doesnt know who started it but saw dozens of people publishing his personal information online. Its designed to make you feel on edge, he says. They were sharing my address from about five, six, seven years ago. Imagine some right-winger goes to that house to yell at me. I am a private citizen, he says. I am someone who has as much political power as any other working-class person. ... Carlson is famous, and a few weeks before, he laughed at the bombs that were sent to his political opponents. Carlson wrote, in part, in an emailed statement that the suggestion that my wife and four kids deserved this because some people disagree with what I say on television is disgusting. He called this story an attempt to justify threats against my wife and children. Antifascist protesters block 17th Street NW near the White House during the Unite the Right rally in August in Washington. Some antifascists say they have been doxed multiple times. Kalev Leetaru, a media fellow at the Real Clear Foundation, called the practice a powerful tool and a particularly dangerous one. (Marissa Lang/For The Washington Post) Andrew Zolides, an assistant professor of digital media at Xavier University, notes that doxing is not really on a specific side of a political spectrum. Its being used across the board. Thats the fear for me: It becomes fair game for everyone because weve opened that box. He points to Gamergate as an early case in which doxing became part of the public consciousness. In the summer of 2014, the addresses and phone numbers of some progressive women in the video game industry were published, and they faced death threats and targeted harassment at the hands of anonymous trollers. Soraya Chemaly, the director of the Womens Media Center Speech Project, a New York nonprofit that works to raise the visibility of women and girls in media, says that while both men and women are bullied online, the impacts on women can be more consequential: Its very different to get an email that says, Youre stupid than seeing an email of your face getting pasted onto a gang rape scene and it says, I know where you live. Many of the people promoting Gamergate, such as Milo Yiannopoulos and Mike Cernovich, have since become prominent members of the alt-right the kind of figures that antifascists target for doxing. There are a lot of people who say the powerless dont have a lot of tools ... and doxing is a powerful tool, but doxing is a particularly dangerous tool, says Kalev Leetaru, a media fellow at the Real Clear Foundation and an expert on digital networks and big data. Its really a form of very personalized harassment, he notes. You dont get to say, Hey, doxing can only be used for neo-Nazis. Racists will do the exact same thing in reverse. While doxing is generally viewed as something individuals do to one another, Chemaly sees it as an institutionalized problem: There are commercial websites that sell addresses, and there are public records that make them available for free. When combined with social media and opinion websites, that creates a nexus of abuse part of an overall lack of a cultural commitment to protecting peoples safety. The simplest way to end the culture of doxing would be to somehow convince the doxers themselves that theres no benefit in it. Some doxers, however, continue to believe the tactic works. Both Megaphone and J. celebrated the fact that, as of press time, the Fox News Twitter account had not tweeted since the day after the Carlson incident, reportedly to protest the way Twitter handled requests to delete tweets with the hosts personal information. It was an amazing thing for them to say theyre not tweeting in protest of what we did, J. says. How does giving us exactly what we want protest us? Rachel Kurzius is the senior editor of DCist. When wolves made a resurgence, her job was to make peace between ranchers and conservationists Campaigns featured some great design in 2018. But nothing as successful as Trumps MAGA hat | https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/why-do-these-activists-publish-peoples-addresses-but-fear-the-same-treatment/2019/01/08/83c51336-fca4-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html |
Is President Joo Lourenos Team Driving the Angolan Oil Rebound? | Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. In December, I was accompanying OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo and Africa Oil and Power CEO, Guillaume Doane on a working visit to Angola. This is an oil market that has been under a lot of scrutiny by many industry players and there is no question that Angolas oil sector is at a time of transformation. It is now clear that when President Joo Lourenos promised he would clean the countrys administration and revamp its economic engine, namely the national oil company Sonangol, he meant business. Certainly, his plans are driven by a medium to long-term vision of diversifying the economy from oil, but in a nation so dependent on the black gold for its economic lifeblood (oil accounts for as much as 90% of Angolas exports), it is in the oil industry that the funds for developing other sectors will be found. Since his term in office started in the Summer of 2017, the administration of nearly every national strategic asset has been changed. Particularly in Sonangol, the leadership of Africas richest woman and the daughter of former president Jos Eduardo dos Santos, Isabel dos Santos, has been replaced by an oil industry-savvy technocrat named Carlos Saturnino, which has over 30 years of oil industry experience within Sonangols core businesses. This is a man much less likely to spend the companys resources in questionable investments in healthcare, hospitality, aviation or sports clubs, than previous administrations of politically-charged leaders have been, and which has led to Sonangols current dire financial situation. Further, the new Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources, Diamantino Azevedo, announced, last September, that fifty-four concessionaires under the Sonangol umbrella were to be privatized in the run up to 2022, in order to shed costs, reduce operational complexity and allow the national oil company to focus on its core business. Earlier in the year, the government announced a full revamp of the countrys legal framework for the oil and gas industry, which would include the landmark decision of striping Sonangol from its role as oil block concessionaire. That responsibility will pass to the newly created National Agency of Petroleum and Gas, a migration of duties that should be concluded during the second quarter of 2019. The decision puts an end to decades of conflict of interests between Sonangols role as an oil and gas operator and concessionaire of oil and gas blocks. Further, over the last eighteen months, the government has put in place official policies that have largely simplified investment in the hydrocarbons sector, clarified and brought transparency to the rules applicable to bidding rounds and public tenders, and introduced the country's first comprehensive antitrust law, in a row of decisions that is dramatically changing the industrys landscape. In all, the decisions taken over the oil and gas sector sound like a housecleaning operation and will hopefully see Sonangol quickly become more efficient and focused on its core business. However, that will not be enough. Strong but pragmatic commonsense measures The first eleven months of 2018 saw Angola make more money from oil than in any of the previous four years, at the tune of USD$8.7 billion. While that goes some way into helping the countrys economy as a whole, those results can not be attributed to the recent reforms in the sector. The rise in oil prices witnessed in the run up to November 2018 justified most of the gains. Actually, November 2018 marked the highest price per barrel of Angolan oil (nearly USD$80) since November 2014. The average sales price in the year up to November stood at USD$70,82, while the national state budget had been built on an expected average price of USD$50 per barrel for the year. This represents welcome news for this cash-strapped economy, but it can also be misleadingly positive. While the income is rising, production is declining. 2018 marked the first time Angolas average daily production stood below the 1.5 million barrel mark in over a decade. The lack of investment in exploration witnessed in the wake of the oil price collapse in 2014 (which resulted in a drastic decrease in exploration wells that culminated in a zero count for 2018) means that there are no new projects and reserves to replace the declining and ageing active oil fields. Joo Loureno and his cabinet needed to get to work in order to attract investment and revamp the industry. In part, this work will take the form of the Angolan Marginal Field Bid Round of 2019, the first bid round in the country in over 8 years. As the new investment attraction policies slowly start to impact the sector and again bring the industrys big players into the countrys least charted waters, the new legal framework created to facilitate the exploitation of the countrys marginal oil fields will go a long way in slowing down the declining oil production. At the same time, Sonangol has drafted an ambitious plan to develop its downstream sector. After securing a USD$200 million financing package to quadruple the capacity of the Luanda refinery, it is now in the last stages of contracting the construction of two new refineries, one in Lobito and another in Cabinda. These projects will help address the long-standing issue of fuel imports, which today account for 80% of Angolas fuel consumption. These are long-term plans to address some of the countrys most structural issues, which have prevented it from rising as a wealthy nation despite its immense natural resources. At the same time, Sonangol has been signing deals in recent months with the likes of BP and ExxonMobil to streamline development in a number of offshore oil fields. These deals have been facilitated by the renewed confidence these companies feel in the Angolan oil landscape. The words of BP CEO Bob Dudley, in December, when the two companies agreed on the joint development of block 18, are telling of this brighter vision for the sector. I would like to thank President Loureno, the government and Sonangol for their vision, leadership and drive to improve the industrys competitiveness and encourage new investment, he said in a statement. Another factor underlying optimism for the future of the industry is the reviewed natural gas policy. Up until now, Angolas hydrocarbon licenses referred solely to crude oil resources. Sonangol is technically the owner of all of the countrys natural gas resources, which are considerable. However, the national oil company has never really explored those assets, preferring to focus on the more profitable oil reserves. This will now also change, as a new policy will give license-holders control over the natural gas resources within their licenses, which could see a renewed expansion of the sector beyond the single standing LNG train of the Angola LNG Project, in Soyo. This intent was further reinforced by Angolas ascension as a member of the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries in December. Finally, after being at the brink of bankruptcy, Sonangol seems to be threading a more sustainable path, having secured the USD$1 billion loan it needed to finance its restructuring plan in December. In many more ways than one, the transformations we are witnessing in the Angolan oil sector are bound to propel the country into a level of development and sustainable economic wealth it has never seen before. If these measures are sustained in time, Angola will undergo a de facto transformation for the better and many oil leaders have already voiced their approval for these transformation. In that sense, we make ours the words uttered by His Excellency Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, in his visit L to Luanda at the end of 2018: we congratulate the governments heroic efforts to reform the industry. These are the right reforms at the right time. We [] applaud these reforms. Read more on: https://bit.ly/2TAiQxR Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Centurion Law Group.Media filesDownload logo | https://www.cnbcafrica.com/apo/2019/01/09/is-president-joao-lourencos-team-driving-the-angolan-oil-rebound/ |
Is the Beast from the East returning in 2019? | Video Forecasters warn new Beast from the East could bring snow and freezing temperatures The 'beast from the East' hits Attleborough with heavy snow in the town. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY Archant The same weather patterns which caused the Beast from the East last winter could return this year, forecasters have warned. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. The Met Office has said sudden stratospheric warming had appeared around Christmas, when there was a sharp increase in temperatures over a couple of days. And when this happens in the Arctic it can lead to a large amount of cold air blowing eastwards across Europe a few weeks later, bringing with it much cooler temperatures, like what was seen with the Beast from the East. But Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said that while Britain being hit by a new Beast from the East could not be ruled out, the forecast so far suggests the country will see stable weather conditions. Last year there was a classic set-up with the Beast from the East, there was an event in the Arctic - sudden stratospheric warming - where the stratosphere warms rapidly, he said. The Beast from the East covered Lowestoft with a blanket of thick snow. Photo: Jeyan Chandra. The Beast from the East covered Lowestoft with a blanket of thick snow. Photo: Jeyan Chandra. That triggers, generally, a change in the direction of winds across Europe at surface level. The upshot is that normally when this happens in the Arctic you get easterly winds and thats what happened last year. But although that warming has happened in the Arctic already just prior to Christmas, we are not seeing any change in an easterly pattern. Long range forecaster AccuWeather is currently predicting some light flurries of snow in Norwich for the end of January and more than 8cm of the white stuff at the start of February. But a forecaster from the Norwich-based Weatherquest said there is currently no indication Norfolk and Suffolk will see snow any time soon. Snow drifts engulf the raod to Ringsfield near Beccles. Picture: Nick Butcher Snow drifts engulf the raod to Ringsfield near Beccles. Picture: Nick Butcher There isnt a strong signal that there will be snow at this time, he said. In the latter part of the month we will see colder winds coming in and bringing with them the chance of snow, but they wont be from the east and any cold spell will be temporary unlike the extended snap that caused the Beast from the East. Towards the end of the month, around January 22, the region will see colder temperatures before it gets milder again and then that pattern will likely repeat in February. | https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weather/beast-from-the-beast-could-be-back-in-2019-1-5845349 |
Is Sonakshi Sinha dating upcoming actor Zaheer Iqbal? | The year 2018 was the year of weddings and we are hoping that some Bollywood celebs might take the plunge this year too. Sonakshi Sinha might be one of them as it is speculated that the actress is dating someone. If reports are to be believed, Sonakshi is dating a Muslim actor named Zaheer Iqbal, who will debut in Salman Khans Notebook. Zaheer and Sonakshi met through Salman is a common friend. The couple hit it off instantly and were even spotted together at Salmans birthday last month. Zaheer also took to Instagram to wish Sonakshi on her birthday last year. Salman is producing Zaheers debut film Notebook. The film is directed by Nitin Kakkar. It is reported that the cast and crew of the film shot many scenes in Kashmir. Salmans closest friend Mohnish Bahls daughter Pranutan will also debut in this film. Notebook releases on March 29. Previously, Sonakshi was also rumoured to be dating her Tevar co-star Arjun Kapoor. | https://www.samaa.tv/culture/2019/01/is-sonakshi-sinha-dating-upcoming-actor-zaheer-iqbal/ |
What Exactly Is That Sample In Paolo Nutinis Iron Sky? | Charlie Chaplin and Paolo Nutini. Paolo Nutinis third album, Caustic Love, was released in 2014 and was a huge hit. It was Number 1 in the UK and has since been classified double platinum. It also spawned the monster single, Iron Sky. A momentous, soulful, epic ballad, the track features stirring lyrics: We find gods and religions to / To paint us with salvation / But no one / No nobody / Can give you the power. As the track pauses, a voice chimes out, giving an impassioned, emotional speech that says: To those who can hear me, I say, do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men! Machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines, you are not cattle, you are men! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Let us use that power. Its not Paisley-born Paolo Nutini, thats for sure. In 1939, Charlie Chaplin was a superstar. Born in South London, he moved to the US to pursue fame in the rapidly-growing movie business in Hollywood. His Little Tramp character soon became a huge hit around the globe - everyone could identify with Chaplin and his humour. Moving into features in 1921 with the classic comedy The Kid, Chaplin kicked against the advent of sound films at the end of the decade and continued to make silent pictures well into the the 1930s. But one subject changed his mind: the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. A trip to Berlin in 1931 had seen the comic mobbed by fans, but the Nazi Party disgustedly denounced him as a Jewish acrobat (despite Chaplin not being Jewish). The film-maker decided to hit back and add his voice, properly for the first time, to the growing disapproval and horror at what was happening in Europe. The Great Dictator was made just as World War II was declared in September 1939 and told the story of a thinly-disguised parody of Hitler, Adenoid Hynkel, ruling tyrant of a fictional European country called Tomainia. Chaplin played Hynkel and his identical double, a nameless Jewish barber who experiences persecution. As Hynkels ambitions grow, the barber is drawn into a plot to remove him, thanks to his uncanny resemblance to the dictator. After the tyrant is mistaken for his double and sent to a concentration camp, the barber has to impersonate the ruler and make a speech to his troops. He takes the opportunity to make an impassioned plea for unity and humanity - while in the story, Chaplins character is speaking to the massed ranks of the Dictators supporters, in reality hes speaking directly to the audience, claiming: Im sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. The speech shines an uncomfortable light on what was happening with Germany, but making The Great Dictator at the start of of the war, Chaplin wasnt aware of how horrifying the reality was. Writing in his autobiography in the 60s, Chaplin admitted that he wouldnt have made the film if hed known the truth of the Holocaust. I could not have made fun of the homicidal insanity of the Nazis, he said. In the 21st Century, the barber's impassioned plea for shared humanity remains as relevant as ever - which is why Nutini used the speech in his track. | https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/what-is-the-speech-in-paolo-nutini-iron-sky/ |
Should investors pile in to battered FTSE 250 growth stock Ted Baker after todays news? | In the market too, many investors have the theory that its better to sell first and ask questions later. While weak consumer confidence has no doubt contributed, the stock fell 22% in just two Surviving the carnage on the high street is hard enough these days but recent claims of harassment made against founder Ray Kelvin have threatened to make the job more difficult for global lifestyle company Ted Baker (LSE: TED). Brand loyalty is, after all, very easy to lose in the hyper-competitive fashion industry and just allegations of bad behaviour can be sufficient to convince shoppers to go elsewhere. I would like to receive emails from you about product information and offers from The Fool and its business partners. Each of these emails will provide a link to unsubscribe from future emails. More information about how The Fool collects, stores, and handles personal data is available in its Privacy Statement. Register by giving us your email below to continue reading all of the content on the site. Soon you will also begin to receive our FREE email newsletter, The Motley Fool Collective. It features straightforward advice on whats really happening with the stock market, direct to your inbox. Its designed to help you protect and grow your portfolio. (You may unsubscribe any time.) Surviving the carnage on the high street is hard enough these days but recent claims of harassment made against founder Ray Kelvin have threatened to make the job more difficult for global lifestyle company Ted Baker (LSE: TED). Brand loyalty is, after all, very easy to lose in the hyper-competitive fashion industry and just allegations of bad behaviour can be sufficient to convince shoppers to go elsewhere. In the market too, many investors have the theory that its better to sell first and ask questions later. While weak consumer confidence has no doubt contributed, the stock fell 22% in just two days in December as an external investigation was announced. From the highs hit in March last year, the companys value had declined 50% before markets opened this morning. However, todays 12% jump in the share price in response to its latest trading update could signal a turn in sentiment. Expectations met The numbers were certainly far from bad. Retail sales rose 10.5% once foreign exchange fluctuations were taken into account in the five weeks to 5 January. Internet sales fared even better, growing 17.7% and now account for a little over a quarter of total sales. In contrast to other retailers, gross margins for the full year were also still in line with expectations, leading management to state that the numbers for 2018/19 should be as predicted. In other news, the company confirmed that it has completed its acquisition of No Ordinary Shoes at the beginning of 2019 for 20.3m. Once integrated, this purchase is expected to be earnings-enhancing from the next financial year and represents an exciting opportunity to drive further growth in its footwear business. Somewhat understandably, the firm was more tight-lipped on the ongoing investigation, stating only that a further update would be released in due course. Right now, its hard to comment on Teds outlook with any real certainty. Based on todays figures, however, Im cautiously optimistic on it being able to overcome its current difficulties as long as its board continues to act swiftly and decisively. Trading on almost 13 times forecast earnings before this morning, the shares were clearly more attractively priced than they used to be. A projected total dividend of 63.6p per share translates to a yield of 3.5%. Throw in consistently high operating margins and returns on capital and I think the stock could offer quite a bit of upside for patient investors. Of course, there are other options available. FTSE 100 juggernaut Burberry (LSE: BRBY) would be top of my list of alternatives, despite being more expensive to buy than Ted. Right now, you can pick up the shares for 21 times earnings. That might seem a lot, particularly given that the prices of other stocks have dipped so much over recent months, but for a such a strong brand that still has great growth potential (particularly in Asian markets), I think it can be justified. Like Ted, Burberrys management has been able to achieve great returns on the money it invests for many years. I also like the fact that its finances are in excellent shape with the company boasting a net cash position of almost 650m. With no scandals overshadowing trading, Burberry appears a far less risky buy, even though it will never be immune to a (perhaps Brexit-related) general market sell-off. | https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2019/01/09/should-investors-pile-in-to-battered-ftse-250-growth-stock-ted-baker-after-todays-news/ |
Are plans to close Beverley's busiest Post Office already a done deal? | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Bosses have been blasted as arrogant for a sham consultation, launched today over closure plans for Beverleys main Post Office. Residents are being urged to let the Post Office know what they think to plans to switch services to a WHSmith store, before its February 20 consultation deadline. The plans to switch services from the busy Register Square post office to the nearest WHSmith branch, at 39-41, Toll Gavel, has sparked petition protests and cross-party condemnation from politicians. Politicians have been told by a Post Office spokesman: "The change of management of the branch to one that is operated by a retail partner rather than by us directly is a commercial decision for Post Office Ltd and therefore we are not seeking feedback on this aspect of the change." East Riding Councillor Denis Healy said: The letter that we have received today from Post Office bosses shows beyond doubt that their so-called consultation is an absolute sham. Put simply, they are saying that they welcome peoples views on their proposal to franchise Beverley Crown Post Office to WHSmith, as long as people dont tell them they shouldnt be doing it. Its a consultation, but they only want to consult on the things they want to hear about, and they are saying very clearly that they are not seeking feedback on the principle of closing the Crown Post Office and franchising its services to WHSmith. In other words, its a done deal, so dont waste your time talking to them if you just want to tell them that they shouldnt be doing it. To tell the public at the start of a consultation that their minds are closed to any other outcome than closure is as about as arrogant as it gets. These self-important Post Office bosses are running a public service, responsible to Government, and its about time that they were cut down to size by ministers. Thousands of people have already backed petition protests. Cllr Healy says: Our petition to keep the hands of this ailing retailer off Beverley Post Office, has thousands of names, and I hope to be presenting this to our MP to pass onto ministers during the coming weeks. We have cross party and union support for saving Beverley Post Office, and there is to be a day of public support on the morning of Saturday 19 January in Beverley town centre. MP Graham Stuart said it is disappointing the Post Office has said the closure decision is not something it is consulting on. But he insisted: If we, as a united community, all play our part in showing the Post Office that these plans are not workable then we may be able to change enough minds and convince the Post Office that postal facilities are best left in the current premises. Whilst the Post Office have tried to provide assurances, such as a new entrance to WHSmith, installation of modern equipment and that there will be no reduction in services, I know we as a community are still not persuaded this is the right decision. My concerns about the proposal are that I am not convinced that the move will not lead to longer queuing and service times, inferior customer service and advice, poor disabled access, and a reduced number of counter positions. Mr Stuart said he will present petition signatures and letters of objection to the Post Office to show the strength of feeling against the proposals. He added: The Post Office have also stated that there will be a public forum meeting to discuss local peoples concerns in person and I will make sure to publicise this date when the details are confirmed; please do try to attend and make your views heard. I will continue to put pressure on the Post Office and other parties to try and reverse this decision and prevent the planned relocation of our vital local service." A Post Office spokesperson said: We are seeking views from you, the local Beverley community, to better understand areas such as accessibility, both inside and outside the branch, or wider local issues which should be taken into account. "All of the feedback we collect will be carefully considered and will absolutely shape our final decision when it comes to the plans to move the branch. It is true that we are not consulting on principle of franchising a branch, as this is a commercial decision and we believe we believe it is the right one in order to sustain Post Office services in communities for the long term; however, that does not mean that any final decisions have been made. As part of the six week long consultation process, well be holding a customer forum, the details of which will be announced shortly. "Wed really welcome the opportunity to explain why changes need to be made; to highlight the stringent standards we have in place to ensure good access for all customers in our new branches; and to listen to your comments too. "You can also get in touch with us on the website: postofficeviews.co.uk, by email: [email protected], or by post: FREEPOST Your Comments. To submit your views, go to the following website and in the search box in the top right hand corner enter the unique branch code: 011321 or you can follow this link: https://www.postofficeviews.co.uk/national-consultation-team/beverley-hu17-9xx-011321/. You can also email your objections to [email protected] or call 03452 660115. Follow Hull Live Our daily newsletter - To get the latest headlines direct to your email inbox every day, click here. Follow Hull Live on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the lively discussions in the comments. Click here to give it a like! Follow us on Twitter - For breaking news and the latest stories, click here to follow Hull Live on Twitter. Follow us on Instagram - On the Hull Live Instagram page we share gorgeous pictures of our stunning city - and if you tag us in your posts, we could repost your picture on our page! We also put the latest news in our Instagram Stories. Click here to follow Hull Live on Instagram. | https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/plans-close-beverleys-busiest-post-2409562 |
Was the all-white finch visiting a backyard feeder especially rare? | DEAR JOAN: Last weekend I spotted a white bird at our backyard bird feeder. All of the other birds at the feeder at the time were house finches. Other than color, the white bird looked the same as the finches. It only hung around for about 15 minutes and has not been seen since. My guess is that it is either an albino or leucistic house finch. Im leaning towards albino due to its beak and leg color. Ive had bird feeders up for years and have never seen anything like it. Nor has anybody that Ive spoken with. My wife grabs the paper every morning to read your column as we have our coffee. Marty Leima, Pleasanton DEAR MARTY: First of all, good morning to your wife. Your unusual visitor is most likely a leucistic finch, not an albino. While an albino animal can have some pigment that isnt produced from melanin, the most recognizable trait in an albino animal is the pink or red eyes. The eyes have no color, so the blood vessels in the eyes give them a reddish hue. The bird you saw has black eyes, orange legs and a pale colored beak. House finches typically have brown legs, so this could be a leucistic goldfinch. Regardless, the leg color and lack of red eyes point to leucism. Leucism, also called partial albinism, is caused by an abnormality in pigment cells. Theres some debate on whether its a genetic mutation or if something happens to the cells during incubation. The result is not always an all-white animal. The abnormality can affect just some cells, producing multi-colored or piebald animals. Albinism is a genetic mutation preventing the production of melanin, which gives animals their coloring. Leucistic birds are not uncommon, but theyre still rare enough that few people have seen them. Animals with leucism can be shunned by other animals of their species, but the finches dont seem to mind them. Animals with luecism or albinism, however, have a rough go of it. Their white coloring makes them stand out to predators, and restricts their ability to camouflage and hide themselves. DEAR JOAN: For the past several months, a very active mouselike critter has been excavating a series of digs that now stretch a good 30 yards in the park across from our house. On a recent dog walk, I spotted the critter poking its head up. It looked like a mouse. Dana, Milpitas DEAR DANA: It sounds much more like a vole, also known as a meadow mouse. How to stop a kitten from scratching and biting Voles are more likely to show themselves than moles, and bless their little hearts, moles are not cute and sweet looking, like the vole. If you saw something that looked like a mouse, it was a vole. If you saw something that looked like a potato with a snout and oversized hands, that was a mole. Moles rarely come out of their holes, while voles spend a good portion of their time running through lawns and creating paths. The vole population rises and falls each year, and it looks like this could be one of those banner years for the little rodents. For more pets and animals coverage follow us on Flipboard. | https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/09/was-the-all-white-finch-visiting-a-backyard-feeder-especially-rare/ |
What's the world's most powerful passport in 2019? | CLOSE If you've noticed you no longer look like your passport photo, it may be time to renew. Here's what you need to know for a smooth renewal. 10Best Editors, USA TODAY 10Best The Japan passport recently claimed the top spot on the Henley Passport Index, enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 190 destinations. According to the 2019 Henley Passport Index, Japan for the second year in a row. The Japanese passport offers visa-free travel to 190 destinations, beating out Singapore and South Korea, which tied in second place and France and Germany, which ranked third. With access to 185 destinations, the U.S. passport is tied in sixth place alongside Austria, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. This is a slip back from the America's fifth place ranking last year, and a major step down from 2015, where the U.S. and the U.K. tied as the most powerful passports of that year. More: Do this so you don't lose your passport More: Marriott says fewer customers were affected by massive data breach than originally feared Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/01/09/japanese-passport-most-powerful-world-2019-index-shows/2523209002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/01/09/japanese-passport-most-powerful-world-2019-index-shows/2523209002/ |
When is Nathan Carter coming to Dublin's Helix and how can I get tickets? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Country singing sensation Nathan Carter comes to Dublin's Helix later this month. The Wagon Wheel hitmaker will perform in the Dublin 9 venue on 31 January and 1 February 2019 before moving on for two performances in the Waterfront Belfast in March. He'll be joined by special guest Cliona Hagan. The news comes after 28-year-old Nathan released his autobiography Born For the Road at the end of 2018. His new album of the same name features 16 new recordings including the hit singles including `There You Are` Give It To Me and Winnie ONeill, and is now available. He's enjoyed fame as one of Ireland's best loved country singers since the broadcast of the first Nathan Carter Show on RTE back in 2015. Tickets cost 35.00 plus booking fee and are available from the Helix website . | https://www.dublinlive.ie/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/nathan-carter-helix-dublin-tickets-15651285 |
Is the BJP Poised to Drown in its 10% Upper Caste Reservation Stunt? | Analysis Lok Sabha has endorsed the 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker upper castes and some people are heralding it as a mega move by the BJP that would bolster both its image and performance in the upcoming 2019 General Elections. This may seem to be true if taken on its face value; however, this move by the BJP may eventually beckon its own awaiting doom. There are two primary aspects to this issue that this write up shall try to underline the role of reservations in the upscaling of the Indian socio-economic edifice and the gains (or losses) of the BJP. Lets try to first introspect on the social setup of India before we try to divulge on the case of reservations. Indias social setup before the arrival of the British East India Company was deeply rooted in the aghast social rift between upper and lower castes. Brahmanist and upper caste supremacy formed the epitome of all social, economic, and political overtures and overturns in the country. At some places, this was also combined with the capitalist hegemony of the rich and canonized social and political groups over the so called lower castes. The irony is that although Islam does not recognize any caste system, even the Mughal rulers of India (who may have ruled the country based on at least minimalist Islamic tenets) failed to do anything significant to uproot the abhorrent caste system from the country. The result is that this caste-based social setup continues as an unwinding edifice of the present day India as well (and even the Muslim Indians are not bereft of it). When reservations for the backward classes were first introduced, it was seen as a means to bring about an improvement in the welfare who, historically, have been economically and socially depressed. as stated by Akash Shahin his doctrinal research. Shah further elaborates in his article that many beneficiaries of reservations include well-off groups while the poorer groups have failed to reap the anticipated benefits. Shah argues that the reservation policy is rigged with structural challenges and is bound to fail because it is based on a discriminatory bias and does not emphasize on the current economic status of a beneficiary. Shah is right to a large extent; however, another aspect that he fails to outline is that reservation stunts in the past have been nothing more than appeasement tools for some political parties that base their identity on lower caste alignment. VP Singh bore the brunt of such an appeasement stunt back in late 1989, which came in the form of Mandal Commission. It seems the BJP is now trying to tow on the lines of another reservation stunt with the current suggested 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker upper castes the only difference being that the target audience (seduction audience??!!) now is the upper caste. Reservations (and all such ill-thought political stunts) have been exploited by many a politicians and political entities every now and then. Until some time back, even some groups of Muslim politicians were seen demanding the reservations for the entire Muslim Indian population. These maneuvers are bereft of any sincere intentions and are mostly confined to political stunts. Incidentally, the BJP is the latest in this race to have placed it in its quiver of political stunts. And when almost all the political parties, including Indian National Congress and AAP, have supported this stunt, it only attests and verifies my initial assertion that this caste-based social setup continues as an unwinding edifice of the present day India even today. It also endorses the fact that except for a few, almost all political parties in India are rigged with Brahmanist supremacy and stink of crony capitalism and repression of the subdued castes in the disguise of democracy and social justice some openly while other discretely. My standpoint on reservations is consistently clear since the beginning reservation in its current format is no means to an end, irrespective of whether it is for the economically weak upper caste or the traditionally repressed lower caste. A socialist educational system that provides free education to all at all educational levels may be a key to settling the malice. A state-monitored free educational setup like the ones offered by many European countries shall ensure, among other things, that all citizens are provided with a level playing field without any bias. It will also ensure that merit (and not caste-based inclusion or discrimination) becomes the sole criteria for everyone to excel and gain a meritorious foothold in contributing to the nations development. How and when this may be implemented is a separate topic of discussion. However, one thing is clear this cannot be implemented till Indian politicians and the general populace give it a thought with a clear conscience and receptive intentions. Till then, reservations and other such appeasement tools will remain confined to an armament of political blitzkrieg. On the hind sight, BJP has been seemingly successful in consolidating the larger Hindus of India under the Hindutva identity in the past few years. With its eye on the 2019 General Elections, it is expected to release many such spectacular and dramatic sops to ensure it maintains its grip on the vote bank. Its claims of sabka saath sabka vikas endorse the opinion that it will do everything possible to bring all classes of Hindus (for the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, its always been the Hindus) under one roof. However, by bringing in this bill for 10% reservation of economically weaker upper castes, the BJP is sure to lose some (or maybe quite significant) grounds from the lower castes. Its blitzkrieg of consolidating the Hindus on purely religious grounds has already started slithering towards the failure syndrome. Only time will tell whether this move by the BJP is an addendum to this unification of roof strategy or a random political stunt unleashed under panic. Sharjeel Ahmad is MBA and an Economics graduate. He is an instructional designer by profession and is presently based in Saudi Arabia. He has keen interest in social, economic, and political issues facing Indian populace, with special emphasis on minority issues. | http://www.milligazette.com/news/16519-is-the-bjp-poised-to-drown-in-its-10-upper-caste-reservation-stunt |
What has John Bercow done and why has it enraged Tory MPs? | The Government is restarting the Brexit debate today. To do this it had to set the rules and timetable for it by using what is called a 'Business of the House' motion. This normally cannot be amended by MPs. Tory MP Dominic Grieve tried to table an amendment anyway, hoping for help from the Speaker. As hoped by Grieve, Bercow selected the amendment - personally ordering it on to Commons agenda today in defiance of advice from officials. Bercow's move is in defiance of how House rules have been interpreted in the past - making his enemies think he is acting unilaterally to frustrate Brexit by changing the rules. Bercow insists precedent is not always binding and his overriding duty is to facilitate the will of Parliament - maximising opportunities for debates and votes. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/fb-6573495/What-John-Bercow-enraged-Tory-MPs.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 |
Do We Have a Right to Shelter? | Its a question the California legislature will consider in 2019. Earlier this month, Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, introduced Senate Bill 48. This Right to Shelter Bill aims to ensure that homeless individuals and families throughout California have reasonable access to shelter, including navigation centers, according to Wieners office. This right includes: A safe place to sleep and keep ones belongings. An ability to access shelter without having to sign up on a daily basis. An ability to remain with ones partner. An ability to access services necessary to stabilize ones life and transition into supportive housing or permanent housing, including mental health, addiction treatment, and other services. When Wiener declares that Californias housing crisis, along with our mental health and addiction challenges, are driving people into homelessness, and we must act, we cant disagree. On that we cannot agree. In the case of SB 48, the right to shelter is fabricated out of the loss of others rights. Funding for shelter is provided only when others right to their property their money is violated. Obligating some to pay for others rights corrupts the proper understanding of what a right truly is. It assigns a burden to society that it did not ask for. Rather than establishing a heretofore hidden right, the bill actually introduces a mandate , which is defined as an official instruction or command. Rights cannot be commanded into existence, nor can commands be interpreted as rights. A more fitting name for Wieners legislation would be the Demand to Provide Shelter Bill. None of this means were indifferent to the homeless. Humans need housing. But issuing mandates isnt going to solve the homeless problem, particularly in California, where the housing crisis has forced thousands to go without suitable shelter. The best policymakers can do is get out of the way. That, however, requires them to take an active role. Government has been the primary author of the housing crisis, and its network of hurdles must be undone. Replace the California Environmental Quality Act with law that reasonably protects the environment but doesnt create conditions that discourage home building. Forbid rent control laws in every corner of the state. Streamline and shorten the building permit process, and reduce, and waive when possible, permit fees. Lift local regulations that inhibit construction. Overhaul local zoning laws that block housing expansion. In the best of all cases, policymakers would tear down every barrier they have erected. Eliminating even one of the hurdles mentioned above will do far more for the homeless than passing laws intended to create rights for them. Kerry Jackson is a fellow with the Center for California Reform at the Pacific Research Institute. | http://www.capoliticalreview.com/top-stories/do-we-have-a-right-to-shelter/ |
Why does a duPont mansion have a stone wall topped with jagged glass shards? | Suchat Pederson, The News Journal Buy Photo The Nemours Estate and gardens were designed to look like Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. (Photo: JENNIFER CORBETT/THE NEWS JOURNAL)Buy Photo Mending fences might not have been in Alfred I. duPont's nature. And that has long been said to be one of the reasons why he built a 10-foot stone wall topped with shards of broken glass to surround his majestic Nemours mansion in Rockland. Generations of Delawareans who have driven past the stone wall off Del. While the shards work like barbed wire, discouraging criminals and the curious, popular lore has it there's an even deeper meaning behind the jagged glass. Buy Photo Alfred I. duPont supposedly said that he built the wall with the glass shards to keep out intruders, mainly those of the name of duPont." (Photo: Suchat Pederson, The News Journal) The wall, one of the quirkiest landmarks in New Castle County, if not the state, is said to have represented a longstanding feud among members of the duPonts, Delaware's most wealthy and influential family. Alfred I. duPont supposedly said he built the wall with the glass shards around his estate to keep out intruders, mainly of the name of duPont, according to Marquis Jamess 1941 book "Alfred I. duPont: The Family Rebel." A slight variation of the quote was repeated in the 1990 biography "Alfred I. duPont: The Man & His Family," by Joseph Frazier Wall. Maybe. Maybe not. The story might be better than the actual truth, but, first some background: Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children is the legacy of Alfred I. duPont, who with his cousins Pierre S. and T. Coleman duPont founded the modern-day DuPont Co. Yet, despite the family ties, there was no love lost between the cousins. Alfred's strained relations with duPont family members began to simmer when he divorced his first wife, Bessie, who was also his cousin, in 1906. Alfred then cut off contact with her and all of their children except for his eldest, Madeleine duPont. He further infuriated family when, with a week's notice, he evicted his hated ex-wife, Bessie, from the duPont home at Swamp Hall, off Brecks Lane on the south side of the Brandywine near Hagley. He threw even more gasoline on the fire when he had Swamp Hall razed. Buy Photo Local boys were supposedly paid a penny a piece for each bottle of glass they brought to the Nemours construction site in 1909-1910. The bottles were broken and the shards were set in concrete on the stone walls. (Photo: Suchat Pederson, The News Journal) A possible affair with, and eventual marriage, to Alicia Heyward Bradford in 1907, another cousin, did little to endear him to family members. Alicia Bradford was the ex-wife of duPont's secretary. In 1909, duPont, in an effort to please his Francophile new wife, began construction on the Nemours Estate. The mansion was designed to look like Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. At that time, Nemours cost $2 million, more than Andrew Carnegie's 64-room 1901 mansion in New York City. The cost today for duPont would have been $52.8 million. Nemours, a 77-room, 47,000 square foot house, was ready for occupancy in December 1910. It was designed by the same architects who created the New York Public Library and the Senate Office Building. It has the largest formal French gardens in North America, a chauffeur's garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles and nearly 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns. The glass-topped wall that encloses part of Nemours estate was stalled around 1915-16, as part of an effort to re-engineer the main entrance to the property, according to Executive Director John C. Rumm. Prior to its being built, Rumm said visitors entered via a mile-long driveway that ran from Concord Pike near the Blue Ball Barn and made a series of curves through woodlands before ending alongside Nemours Mansion. Alfred, concerned with security and privacy, had stonemasons build the wall around the 300 acres that comprised Nemours' main grounds. It concealed the estate from public view and also served to heighten the dramatic reveal of the mansion that the new, straight driveway onto the property afforded guests, Rumm said. Stonemasons used Brandywine granite hewn from the surrounding hillsides for the 10-foot wall that measured about 3,200 running feet. Rumm said there is no contemporary evidence to support or confirm the quote, attributed to Alfred I. duPont, that first appeared in James book and was widely repeated, that he built the wall to keep out duPont family members. Buy Photo A painting of the late Alfred I. du Pont in the reception hall of the Nemours Mansion. (Photo: Jennifer Corbett/The News Journal) In his book, "Alfred I. duPont: The Man & His Family," biographer Wall says local children were paid a penny apiece for bottles of clear, green and brown glass that were then broken and set in concrete on top of the wall. Yet, Rumm said, that's also lore that can't be verified. What is known, he said, is "to the best of our knowledge, all of the glass is original and none has been replaced or added." The stone wall, with its extreme "decorative" security, actually reflects Alfreds and Alicias design sensibilities and interests in French architecture, Rumm said. It emulates a practice commonplace in medieval France, in which glass-topped walls were built to enclose towns and villages. The glass works like metal spikes, barbed or razor wire to keep the unwelcome from scaling the walls. While Alfred planned the house as a symbol of love for his wife, the marriage was not a happy one and the estate, one biographer wrote, became the couple's prison. Nemours was derided by thrifty duPont family members as ostentatious and the stone wall with the glass shards, and its apparent cost, was deemed "atrociously forbidding," Wall said in his book. Pierre S. duPont, with the help of others, eventually voted Alfred off the DuPont Co. board in 1916. Alfred's wife Alicia died in 1920. The legend about why Alfred I. du Pont built a stone wall with jagged glass shards around his Nemours estate is included in this 1990 biography. (Photo: Patricia Talorico) DuPont married again a year later to Jessie Ball. By this time, he was deaf and could see out of only one eye after being partially blinded in a hunting accident. He and Jessie lived in Nemours, but also spent much of their time in Florida. Unlike most of his family members, Alfred I. duPont, who died in 1935, was not buried at the duPont family cemetery. Rather, he is interred, along with his dog, his wife and his brother-in-law under a 210-foot bell tower on the grounds of Nemours. According to biographer Wall, Pierre S. duPont and other family members came to his funeral. The wall with glass shards remains to this day. Nemours Estate, a publicly-accessible mansion, gardens and grounds now occupies about 200 acres in Rockland. Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, with which it shares a campus, occupies the remaining 50 or so acres. The estate closed for the season in December. It will reopen for visitors May 1. Go to the Nemours Estate Facebook page or the website, nemoursmansion.org for more information. "Why is this here?" is an occasional News Journal/Delaware Online feature that looks at the history behind curious objects found throughout Delaware. RELATED: The fun of 'The Pole Family' might be its mystery Greek monument at Tatnall was once a 1920s Wilmington gas station Claymont Christmas Weed has a wacky, 25-year history Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or [email protected] and on Twitter @pattytalorico Read or Share this story: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/2019/01/09/family-feud-behind-du-pont-glass-shard-topped-wall/1890039002/ | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/2019/01/09/family-feud-behind-du-pont-glass-shard-topped-wall/1890039002/ |
How could Hibs line up against Elgin City? | Ryan Gauld is expected to sign on loan this week while Tom Glover is currently on trial with the team in Dubai. Lewis Morgan has also been linked with a loan switch. 1. Tom Glover The Spurs 'keeper is on trial with Hibs; if he signs he could make his bow against Elgin City Getty Buy a Photo 2. David Gray Club captain could return to the starting line-up following the departure of Efe Ambrose SNS Group other Buy a Photo 3. Darren McGregor Darren McGregor could partner Paul Hanlon in the centre of a four-man defence SNS Group other Buy a Photo 4. Paul Hanlon Fit-again long-serving centre-half is virtually a nailed-on starter SNS Group other Buy a Photo View more | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/how-could-hibs-line-up-against-elgin-city-1-4853959 |
Are Dems starting to turn on Mueller? | Robert Mueller had better watch his back. If he fails to bring down President Trump, the wrath of Trump-haters could well turn on him, and Adam Schiff is already nervous. There is clearly fear that no smoking gun seems to be at hand for impeaching and removing Trump from office, the supreme goal of the #resistance that dominates the Democrats. If Mueller wraps up his investigation without giving them some raw meat, there will be some that will impugn his integrity or worse. Some congressional Democrats appear concerned that special counsel Robert S. Mueller isnt being thorough enough in his investigation into President Donald Trump. Democratic Rep. Adam B. Schiff, Muellers No. 1 defender on Capitol Hill, believes Mueller could decline an investigation into the presidents businesses, he told the Los Angeles Times editorial board. One issue of particular interest to Democrats, Schiff said Monday, was the ongoing negotiations between Trumps allies and representatives from the Russian government over a skyscraper in Moscow during the 2016 election. Anyone who engaged in anything like that, anything remotely like that, would never get a security clearance, but this is the president of the United States, Schiff told the LA Times. If the financial entanglement goes beyond that, and includes money laundering and criminal activity that the Russians could expose at a time and place of their choosing, thats compromising. The California representative later expressed concern that Mueller may not be looking at this, and said that House Democrats may have to take up the cause. This is hilarious in light of the charges that President Trump is interfering in the investigation when he comments on Muellers witch hunt. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, where Democrats control the majority and appoint the committee chairs, is pressing ahead into territory that they believe Mueller should cover. Nobody is uttering a peep about interfering with an ongoing investigation when Dems are the ones doing the probing. Democrats, like House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat, told CNN on Jan. 4 that members of his party would not wait for Mueller to release his final report before beginning their own investigations. (snip) As the investigation continues, Democrats may also feel pressure to deliver some sort of smoking gun. Robert Mueller now finds himself in the uncomfortable position of enjoying the support of fanatics. That is a great position to be in so long as he is meeting with their approval. They will defend him from his enemies with determination and fury. But if he should fail to bring them what he wants, they will turn on him, seeking satisfaction for their blood lust. Photo credit: Cliff 1066 (cropped) | https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/01/are_dems_starting_to_turn_on_mueller.html |
Will New York Have the Most Liberal Abortion Laws in the World? | Legislators may enact new abortion-expansion law championed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in time for Jan. 22, the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Peter Jesserer Smith ROCHESTER, N.Y. For 12 years, New York states pro-life activists successfully kept the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) at bay a bill that would not simply make New York have one of the most abortion-permissive legal regimes in the world, but also go beyond the Roe v. Wade decision to strip away existing protections for pregnant women and unborn victims of violence. Now, the states pro-life movement is on the back foot, but undeterred in generating awareness about the pending legislations impact on New Yorkers. The burden largely falls on the grassroots: The Senates most dedicated pro-life voice, Democratic state Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., retired and became a city councilor in 2017, and the Senates Republicans have not been outspoken in opposing the abortion-expansion bill. Its hard to find anybody talking about it, Cecelia Hayes, a Catholic wife and mother of five who is working to galvanize New Yorks Catholics and pro-life activists, told the Register. Hayes said she became active in pro-life engagement two years ago, joining Feminists Choosing Life of New York (FCLNY). She leads the local FCLNY Sunday Salon for pro-life and pro-choice small-group dialogue and the pro-life book club. Hayes is now FCLNYs vice president and has been sending out information via email and social media to equip people with information about the RHA and encouraging them to contact their legislators. If people dont hear about the bill from us, they wont hear it at all, she said. The New York State Catholic Conference (NYSCC), the lobbying arm of the Catholic Church in New York state, has issued a bulletin insert for parishes in dioceses across the state. Kathleen Gallagher, director of the NYSCCs pro-life activities, said that, barring a miracle, This bill will pass. Gallagher explained that all 39 members of the Senates new Democratic majority is solidly behind the legislation, which is co-sponsored by incoming Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The bill could be introduced as early as Jan. 9, when the legislative session begins, and potentially signed into law by Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the U.S. Still, Gallagher indicated it was crucial for Catholics to raise their voices so lawmakers in Albany realize the pro-life issue is still crucial for voters. Were urging Catholics all over the state to protest this bill to the governor and their legislators, she said. Legal Changes on Horizon Michele Sterlace-Accorsi, an attorney and the executive director of Feminists Choosing Life of New York, told the Register that New Yorks current abortion law already permits abortion for any reason during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Beyond this point, the state allows late-term abortion by a licensed physician in a hospital, to save the life of the mother. Sterlace-Accorsi explained the RHA not only creates a broad health exception to allow abortion beyond 24 weeks for almost any reason, but repeals other provisions of New York law that will have the unintended consequences of harming women and their unborn children. Because the law removes abortion completely from the states criminal code, Sterlace-Accorsi said, RHA deprives women of the choice to hold violent partners accountable for killing their wanted unborn children. Women and girls forced to abort their unborn children by sex traffickers will also lose another mechanism to punish the people who enslaved them. She added the RHA also repeals requirements to provide lifesaving care for a child born alive during an abortion. And it removes the requirement that only a licensed physician, in a hospital setting, can perform a late-term abortion. It allows non-doctors to perform a third-trimester abortion, Sterlace-Accorsi said, noting that late-term abortion poses far greater risks to the mothers life than early-term abortion. She pointed to a study in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Risk Factors for Legal Induced Abortion-Related Mortality in the United States, that showed the risk of maternal death from legal abortion increases by 38% each additional week of the childs gestation. The law also repeals regulations that prevent the advertisement of contraceptives to minors under 16 years old or prohibit the sale or distribution of contraceptives to minors by anyone other than a licensed pharmacist. 12-Year Battle The Reproductive Health Act has been on the legislative agenda of abortion advocates in New York state since it was introduced by then-Gov. Elliot Spitzer in 2007. New York state politics is known for its three men in a room governance: While the governor is politically influential, both the state Assembly speaker and the Senate majority leader wield enormous power over their respective chambers. Successful legislation generally requires New Yorks governor, assembly speaker and senate majority leader to achieve some kind of agreement to get a bill to the floor of each chamber. The pro-life coalition in New York had been able to block abortion-expansion legislation by putting enough bipartisan pressure on the state Senate, particularly when the chamber was under the control of the Republican Party, or the GOP and a coalition of independent Democrats that caucused with them. However, the Independent Democratic Conference disbanded in April, under heavy pressure from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, to abandon their alliance with the GOP and unite with the main Democratic caucus when it became clear state voters would punish Republicans in the midterms. And at a news conference Jan. 7, where he pledged to push for passage of the RHA within 30 days, Cuomo went even further: He promised to codify Roe v. Wade into the state constitutionn, in a bid to further entrench abortion rights in the Empire State. Pro-life advocates point out that women in New York have no difficulty accessing abortion. According to Guttmacher Institute statistics, New York states abortion-rate (at 29.6 per 1,000 women) is twice the national average (14.6 per 1,000 women). That is the big crucial question, Sterlace-Accorsi said. Guttmachers own statistics show low-income women account for 75% of abortions, 86% of women were unmarried, and 62% had a religious affiliation. The RHA proposes abortion as the answer to womens unplanned pregnancies, Sterlace-Accorsi said, when there are economic, political and social constructs that we can work to reconfigure to help women choose life. Sterlace-Accorsi said strengthening family-leave policy, providing on-site child care, supporting flexible working hours, addressing maternal health, and ensuring women receive compensation equal to men working the same jobs are some valid ways to address known push factors behind abortion. All these are very practical solutions that are far short of having to destroy your unborn child, she said. A progressive modern society has to find better ways than just destroying human life. The Next Frontier Gallagher said that because the pro-life community held off this bill for 12 years, lives undoubtedly were saved. The states Catholic conference is asking Catholics to pray for the intercession of St. Gianna Molla, an Italian Catholic wife and mother and patron of the unborn, to change hearts and minds. Gallagher said the conference is also calling Catholics to actively work to provide life-affirming choices for women in their communities, such as pregnancy-center support services and social support through Catholic Charities, as well as promoting abortion-healing programs such as Project Rachel or Rachels Vineyard. Even if we lose this [legislative fight], there are important steps we can take to build a culture of life, Gallagher said. We want to build a culture where no woman feels she needs to avail herself of abortion. Peter Jesserer Smith is a Register staff writer. | http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/will-new-york-have-the-most-liberal-abortion-laws-in-the-world?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+National+Catholic+Register |
Why doesn't anyone believe Anthony Smith can beat Jon Jones? | Anthony Smith cant believe it. He finally gets his UFC title shot after 10 years as a pro, and immediately people start acting like hes a dead man walking. Hes got oddsmakers labeling Jon Jones a 13-1 favorite to beat him in their light heavyweight title fight at UFC 235. Hes got guys like Luke Rockhold saying he wont even last one round with the champ. MMA fans everywhere look at the match-up and shrug, as if they were hoping for something better even if they cant say exactly what. Yes and no. Its true that he had his share of ups and downs in his past, especially back when he was still calling himself a middleweight. He might be the only person to endure a four-fight losing streak in organizations like Fight Club Inc. and Victory Fighting Championship, and still go on to challenge for a UFC title. But now hes won three straight, including two wins over former UFC light heavyweight champs and one over a recent light heavyweight title challenger. (He was the underdog for the latter, as well.) Still people look at him like hes just a living, breathing punching bag for Jones. A lot of it probably has to do with what we think of Jones. For all his faults outside the cage, hes made a compelling argument as the greatest of all time inside of it. Every time he fights, he manages to project the aura of a man who has already won. His opponents are mere mortals reaching above their station. Hes something else entirely. Smith knows how this works, or at least he thinks he does. Jones might say its just confidence, but Smith described it a different way. Jons biggest attribute is his genuine delusion, Smith told MMAjunkie. Jon is genuinely so delusional and so arrogant that he is unbeatable that it works in his favor, and he almost creates the illusion that he is. He fights with this complete arrogance and disregard for his opponents. And if he loses that, he loses a lot of his ability. Of course, its only a delusion if it isnt true. So far, aside from one close fight against Alexander Gustafsson in 2015 (followed by a not-so close rematch last month) Jones has been unbeatable or at least unbeaten. We might know, in the hypothetical sense, that he can be beaten. We just havent actually seen it. Thats not so for Smith. Weve seen him lose in the UFC, in Strikeforce. Those in attendance on one September night in Fargo, N.D., even saw him lose in Crowbar MMA: Fall Brawl. Its hard to have the unbeatable aura after that. What that approach ignores, however, is the capacity for growth and change. Thats one variable we dont handle so well in this sport. We tend to seize on one narrative for every fighter and then cling to it stubbornly even when the situation begins to change. Maybe thats why its so hard for people to imagine that the same guy who lost to Cezar Ferreira in 2016 could possibly stand a chance against Jones in 2019. And maybe theyre right. Maybe Smith is not now and never will be a match for Jones. Maybe Jones isnt delusional so much as he is just rightly convinced that hes the best. But if Smiths rise from middleweight also-ran to light heavyweight title contender tells us anything, its that theres always time to change your own story. Now that hes gotten the shot, he doesnt need us to believe he can win. He just has to find a way to believe it himself. For more on UFC 235, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site. | https://mmajunkie.com/2019/01/ufc-235-nobody-thinks-anthony-smith-will-beat-jon-jones |
How much could Mackenzie Bezos get in a divorce? | Jeff Bezos' divorce could become the most expensive in history exactly what he pays out will depend on the complexities of marital law and the value of Amazon. Bezos announced in a tweet Wednesday that he and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, have "decided to divorce." His tweet suggested that it will be an amicable parting, saying "we remain a family and we remain cherished friends." And it's possible that any settlement and support he gives MacKenzie is negligible in the context of his wealth, which at the latest tally was around $137 billion. But Washington state, where the Bezoses live, is a community property state. That means that any wealth made during their marriage could be split equally between the two. Since Amazon was founded a year after the Bezoses were married, MacKenzie could argue that she is entitled to half of Bezos' entire Amazon-based fortune $137 billion at latest count. That means she could get as much as $66 billion based on the value of the company today. To fund a settlement that big, Bezos would have sell or pledge shares, which could dilute his ownership and control of the company. Bezos owns just under 80 million shares of Amazon, or just under 16 percent of the company, according to regulatory filings. But divorce attorneys say that is highly likely MacKenzie would want the family fortune to continue to grow and that is tied large part to Jeff Bezos' control of the company. So she would be unlikely to push for a settlement that would require him to sell shares that would dilute his control and any reduction of his 15 percent stake in the company. "The issue will be how to value the assets with diminished control," said Jeffrey Fisher, a divorce attorney in West Palm Beach who has handled several billionaire divorces. "There would be an argument by the attorneys that the Amazon stake is not worth as much without Bezos in control, so that would affect any settlement." The most expensive U.S. divorce so far is believed to be Steve and Elaine Wynn in 2010, which was estimated at $1 billion. Oil tycoon Harold Hamm famously wrote a check for $974.8 million in 2012 for his divorce. | https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/09/how-much-could-mackenzie-bezos-get-in-a-divorce.html |
What are Syracuse footballs odds to win 2020 national championship? | Syracuse, N.Y. -- After finishing Year 3 of the Dino Babers era with the programs first 10-win season in 17 years and a top-15 national ranking, Syracuse football is on early betting sheets to win the 2020 national championship. The Orange is being given 250-to-1 odds by one sportsbook, BetOnline.ag, and 230-to-1 odds by another, FanDuel.com. That means a $10 bet would pay out $2,500 or $2,300, respectively. Both books have this years national champion, Clemson, and runner-up Alabama as the top two contenders for next years crown. The Tigers are favored by BetOnline (2/1) while FanDuel lists the Crimson Tide (7/4) as the most likely winner. Among ACC programs, Miami (50/1), Florida State (80/1), North Carolina State (160/1) and Virginia Tech (160/1) are all given better odds than SU by FanDuel while Boston College, Georgia Tech are also at 230/1. BetOnline, which does not have active odds for as many programs, currently offers Miami at 80/1 and Virginia Tech at 100/1. While winning a national championship is the loftiest of goals for Syracuse, the team is set up for success in 2019 on paper. The Orange will feature perhaps its best positions groups at running back, wide receiver, defensive line and defensive backfield since Babers was hired in December 2015. Quarterback Tommy DeVito is set to take on the starting job as a redshirt sophomore after playing a key role in the teams wins over Florida State and North Carolina (2OT) this fall. Replacing three starters on the offensive line as well as both starting linebackers appear to be the most significant challenges going into the offseason. It will help that SU has its most favorable schedule since joining the ACC in 2013. Syracuse has won one national championship in its history, going 11-0 in 1959. Follow Syracuse football on Twitter and Facebook Stephen Bailey covers Syracuse football for The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can also be reached anytime via email. Syracuse football season report card: See our grades, superlatives | https://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2019/01/what-are-syracuse-footballs-odds-to-win-2020-national-championship.html |
Why risk management is critical for an efficient clearing and settlement system? | Background The regulatory framework for post-trade infrastructure and services across global markets has become more stringent especially after the global credit crisis in the year 2008. Implementation of state-of-the-art risk management practices across Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Exchange markets to mitigate counterparty default risk has become a key determinant for global liquidity flows. Global investors prefer to invest in emerging market jurisdictions that have implemented a robust regulatory framework, set up an effective and transparent arbitration and dispute resolution mechanism, established insolvency and bankruptcy laws and incorporated best industry practices for credit and liquidity risk management. Robust regulatory framework In the aftermath of the global credit crisis, the Dodd Frank Act (US, 2010) enabled the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to oversee the USD 400 trillion (USD 595 trillion as of Jun 2018 based on BIS estimates) swaps market for mandatory clearing and settlement through the Central Counterparty (CCP) mechanism. The European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR, 2012) requires OTC derivatives to be mandatorily reported to Trade Repositories as well as cleared and settled through CCPs going forward. Several emerging market countries have increasingly aligned their risk management practices for clearing and settlement of exchange-traded derivatives based on the Principles of Financial Markets Infrastructure (PFMI) guidelines (2012) published by the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Technical Committee of the International Organisation of Securities Commission (IOSCO). The concept of CCP has evolved gradually from the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century onwards with the establishment of clearing corporations that facilitate novation. In this mechanism, the CCP (i.e. the clearing corporation) itself becomes a counterparty to all transactions on the exchange, thereby, effectively and efficiently mitigating credit risk for all counterparties. Clearing and settlement has evolved from direct settlement and direct offset towards a system of multilateral netting of obligations across counterparties through the CCP. Novation results in the CCP having direct risk exposure to each counterparty. The CCP guarantees fulfilment of settlement obligations in the event of a default by its Clearing Member(s) (CM). This emphasises the criticality of robust risk management practices that are required to be implemented by CCPs. CCPs continuously monitor, identify, measure and manage various types of risks using sophisticated online automated surveillance mechanism based on best industry practices. Trade data from exchanges seamlessly flow into the clearing corporations systems for real-time risk monitoring, surveillance and management of members margin requirements and mark-to-market (MTM) profit / loss. Daily settlement with pay-in / pay-out from / to Clearing Members is performed by the clearing corporations through empanelled Clearing Banks. CCPs establish eligibility criteria for registering CMs such as minimum net-worth, deposits (cash and cash equivalents), adequate infrastructure and manpower, compliance to global KYC requirements, etc. CMs are required to maintain a minimum deposit with the clearing corporation for which no margin exposure is provided. Members may provide additional security deposits to the clearing corporation in the form of cash and cash equivalents i.e. term deposit, bank guarantee and/or AAA-rated international sovereign securities. The clearing corporation then provides margin / exposure limits to members based on their available deposits. The inherent settlement risk for a CCP is a function of the estimated market risk for the duration between trade execution and funds settlement on T+1 day (next Business Day) basis. CCPs block the applicable margin amount from the available members deposits for each trade. Margin requirement is usually calculated using sophisticated risk management techniques such as the SPAN methodology, which is based on a worst-case risk scenario for a portfolio. Each risk scenario represents the gain / loss based on a combination of change in price, volatility and contract maturity. Margins are netted across members proprietary positions and grossed with margins across client positions. Margin is critical for mitigating CCPs default risk. CCPs also maintain a Default Fund, which can be readily utilised in the event that a CM fails to fulfil its settlement obligations. Globally CCPs also clear and settle securities (e.g. debt, DR, etc.) through International Central Securities Depository (ICSD) such as Clearstream and Euroclear. Settlement instructions are securely communicated with ICSDs using SWIFT. This also enables faster execution of post-trade processes and mitigates default risk. Key benefits for market participants CCPs have adequate capital buffers in the form of security deposits from members, default fund, reserves and equity for risk mitigation. CCPs also have a risk-sharing arrangement with the CMs in the event of a default. Novation by CCP facilitates multi-lateral netting of members obligations thereby mitigating settlement risk. Clearing and settlement of OTC market transactions through CCPs results in increased transparency, standardisation of contracts, improved operational efficiency and balance sheet optimisation for market participants. The BIS statistical release as of October 2018 estimates that during the first six months of year 2018, approx. 76% of the interest rate derivatives and 54% of credit default swaps traded in the OTC markets were cleared and settled through CCPs, thereby effectively and efficiently mitigating counterparty default risk. This is indicative of the potential for further growth and development of CCPs across the world, which is witnessing a gradual transformation of post-trade processes to ensure a more secure and risk-free environment for the benefit of market participants. If you have an interesting article / experience / case study to share, please get in touch with us at [email protected] | https://www.expresscomputer.in/columns/why-risk-management-is-critical-for-an-efficient-clearing-and-settlement-system/31577/ |
Are we making cooking too hard? | For every person I talk to who is confident about cooking, there are at least two others who tense up at the thought of cooking more often or cooking at all. Here's how to get beyond the fear. On Nutrition Cooking is one of the best things we can do for ourselves, an act of self-care for the body, mind and, yes, soul. But I see a strange divide in attitudes toward cooking. On the one hand, cookbook sales went up 21 percent in the first half of 2018, compared with a year prior. (While the increase was driven in part by sales of HGTV celeb Joanna Gaines Magnolia Table, another major contributor was a general uptick in home cooking.) On the other hand, for every person I talk to who is confident about cooking, there are at least two others who tense up at the thought of cooking more often or cooking at all. I blame the myth that cooking gourmet meals at home is supposed to be easy and that if its not, youre a failure. Gorgeous food photos (aka food porn) on Instagram, Pinterest and in glossy food magazines. Celebrity chefs who make whipping up a meal look effortless. (Note that food shows tend to be long on witty banter and short on dirty pots and pans.) Cookbooks and not just the ones filled with glossy color photos. Let me explain. While quick-recipe how-tos are a top-selling cookbook category, on the whole, cookbooks dont cater to beginners. Now, I love cookbooks Id better; I own close to 300 but they serve mainly for reference and inspiration. Most of the recipes nestled in these volumes belong in the category of Lets make that this weekend, not Its 6 p.m. on a weeknight and I need to get dinner on the table before someone gets hangry. Only when Ive tried a recipe with resounding success, and the ingredient list is relatively short, does it get promoted to weeknight status. In fact, when you want to cook from scratch quickly, it is generally best NOT to follow a recipe. Im not alone in this opinion. Nosrat has said she was reluctant to include recipes in a book about cooking without a recipe, but she knows that recipes can serve as a safety net for those who arent professional cooks. But she did exclude photos, because when what you make doesnt look like the photo which it never does, because those images have been styled, often professionally perfectionism can rear its ugly head. So if you tend to dismiss cookbooks without photos, perhaps reconsider. Kitchen GPS Ive long felt that always cooking from a recipe is a little like always using GPS to get from point A to point B you never strengthen your own internal navigation, and when a recipe starts to go sideways, you wont know how to course-correct. Learn basic techniques and skills. Once you have them, you can deploy them at a moments notice to create a nutritious, enjoyable, satisfying meal for yourself and others. Itll save you time and money because you can work from a short ingredient list of your own choosing instead of hunting down unfamiliar ingredients, the unused portions left to rot in your fridge or languish in the pantry. Nosrats and Lpez-Alts books can help with this, and so can taking some hands-on cooking classes. Both PCC Natural Markets and The Pantry offer technique-based classes. When choosing recipes, look beyond time. Better recipes include not just times or time ranges (bake for 30-35 minutes or saut onions for 10 minutes), but descriptions of what the ingredient or dish should look or feel like. Cooks Illustrated magazine is excellent for this, and I recently learned that they have readers test prospective recipes. If fewer than 80 percent say they would make the recipe again, they go back to the test kitchen as often as needed to make sure every recipe is a winner. Meal kits may or may not be a solution. Each meal kit is one meal you dont need to shop for, and you can be confident you wont be stuck with extra ingredients like three-quarters of a bunch of cilantro but youre still cooking from a new-to-you recipe, and possibly on a weeknight. Even when the results are tasty, Ive personally found meal kits to be too much trouble. But you may feel differently. Do your mise en place. One reason cooking looks easy on your favorite food show is mise en place, a French culinary phrase loosely translated as everything in its place. When you measure, chop and organize your ingredients before you actually start cooking, the process will be much more relaxed and enjoyable. There are few things worse than realizing you need to add the onion to the pan right now and you havent chopped it yet. Even better, mise en place gives you time to clean up as you cook, giving you more time to watch Netflix after dinner. | https://www.seattletimes.com/life/wellness/are-we-making-cooking-too-hard/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Will Pelosi or Trump be the 'unstoppable force' over the border wall? | What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? So asks the unstoppable force paradox, whose roots go back to the third century, B.C. After listening to Tuesday nights addresses by President Trump and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, one might ask the same for American politics. The government shutdown appears no closer to resolution. The issue underlying it funding for a border wall with Mexico continues to be a microcosm of the broader impasse over immigration. Few issues ignite a firestorm like the issue of immigration. Its power to motivate political argument makes sense, for behind it stand fundamental questions of law and order, national security, political identity, and human rights. It touches on some of our most fundamental principles and deepest self-understandings. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON THIS TOPIC IN FOX NEWS OPINION: Marc Thiessen: Trump started the shutdown but Democrats are about to own it Tuesday night reaffirmed just how far apart our two political parties are on those principles. President Trump, as well as Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Speaker Pelosi, presented subdued demeanors in their respective addresses. Yet while their tones lacked the passion that has attended this debate, their words stoked it anew. This is not to say that both sides did not try to claim some common ground. President Trump affirmed legal immigration as a great benefit for American society. He further emphasized that the problem along the southern border is a humanitarian crisis, not just one of security. Speaker Pelosi declared, We all agree that we need to secure our borders, with Senator Schumer adding, We sharply disagree with the president about the most effective way to do it. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Taken at face value, these comments might give some hope for a compromise amenable to both sides. They might portend a bargain that enforces immigration law possibly with a wall while addressing the situation of those illegal immigrants who are already here. But the reality of our politics is starkly different. Significant elements of the Democratic Party do intend to end illegal immigration. But, contrary to the statements made by Pelosi and Schumer, they seek to do so by eliminating all restrictions on it. And contrary to President Trumps remarks, a growing portion of the Republican Party criticizes both illegal and legal immigration. Regardless of who you think more correct, this gap stretches the two sides well outside the supposed common starting points articulated last night. In the end, the unstoppable force paradox is inherently inconsistent. A truly unstoppable force categorically denies the possibility of an immovable object. You cant have both only one, if any. Time will tell. | https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/will-pelosi-or-trump-be-the-unstoppable-force-over-the-border-wall |
Was steckt hinter dem Angriff auf den AfD-Politiker Magnitz? | Direkt aus dem dpa-Newskanal Berlin/Bremen (dpa) - Der hinterhltige Angriff auf den AfD-Bundestagsabgeordneten Frank Magnitz wirft viele Fragen auf. Zahlreiche davon sind noch nicht abschlieend beantwortet. Die Bremer Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen des Verdachts auf gefhrliche Krperverletzung. Die AfD wertet die Attacke als "Mordversuch". Das wei die Staatsanwaltschaft noch nicht. Klar ist, dass Magnitz in einem kleinen Seitenweg berfallen wurde, der durch den Innenhof des Bremer Theaters am Goetheplatz fhrt. Der AfD-Landeschef ist in der Stadt kein Unbekannter. Er wird eher dem rechten Flgel der AfD zugerechnet. Der Immobilienkaufmann und sechsfache Vater wurde fr Bremerhaven in den Bundestag gewhlt. Am 26. Mai wird in Bremen ein neuer Landtag (Brgerschaft) gewhlt. Beim AfD-Listenparteitag Ende Januar will Magnitz wieder fit sein. "Das Tatgeschehen ist jetzt klar", sagte der Sprecher der Bremer Staatsanwaltschaft Frank Passade mit Blick auf Videoaufnahmen, die den berfall dokumentieren. Danach wird der 66-jhrige Magnitz von einem Mann von hinten angesprungen. Der Angreifer gehrt zu einer Gruppe von drei Mnnern, einer von ihnen ging etwas versetzt hinten den ersten beiden. Der Angreifer reckt beim Sprung den Ellenbogen nach vorne. Magnitz strzt zu Boden, schlgt mit dem Kopf auf. Die Tter flchten. Die Videos belegen laut den Ermittlern weder, dass Magnitz mit einem Gegenstand geschlagen noch am Boden getreten wurde. "Absolut und selbstverstndlich", so die Bremer AfD. "Wir hoffen, dass die feigen Tter gefasst werden knnen und eine Strafe bekommen, die diesen Namen auch verdient", erklrt sie am Mittwoch. Fr die Ermittler liegt ein politischer Hintergrund zwar nahe. Gewissheit wrde aber erst die Ergreifung der Tter bringen. "Das knnen im Endeffekt auch drei Idioten gewesen sein, die aus wie auch immer geartetem Antrieb meinen, so etwas tun zu mssen", sagte Passade. Die Frage muss offen bleiben. Die Staatsanwaltschaft vernahm beide am Dienstag. Zu Details schweigt sie bisher. Die Parteivorsitzenden Alexander Gauland und Jrg Meuthen sprechen von einem "Mordversuch". Und obwohl viele AfD-Politiker in ihren Reden selbst nicht zimperlich sind, interpretieren sie den Angriff auf Magnitz als "Ergebnis der andauernden Hetze von Politikern und Medien gegen uns, die jetzt in Bremen offenbar von Linksterroristen in die Tat umgesetzt wurde". Die AfD sttzt ihre Darstellung, dass Magnitz mit einem Kantholz oder einen hnlichen Gegenstand geschlagen wurde, vor allem auf die beiden Handwerker, die so etwas gesagt haben sollen. Auch die Klinik-rzte htten von einem Schlag gesprochen. Magnitz verlie am Mittwoch auf eigene Verantwortung das Krankenhaus. Politiker aller Parteien haben die Tat verurteilt. Vertreter der Grnen haben ihre Solidarittsbekundungen fr das Opfer allerdings mit Kritik am Politikstil der AfD verbunden. Parteichefin Annalena Baerbock sagte: "Wer Hass streut, der erntet Hass." Die Zahl der Menschen, die von den Sicherheitsbehrden des Bundes geschtzt werden, ist in den vergangenen Jahren gestiegen. Das ist sicher auch ein Indiz fr ein zunehmend angespanntes politisches Klima. Um den Schutz von Mandatstrgern auf Landesebene kmmern sich die Landeskriminalmter. Prominente AfD-Politiker wie die beiden Vorsitzenden der Bundestagsfraktion, Alexander Gauland und Alice Weidel werden bei ffentlichen Auftritten von mehreren Personenschtzern der Polizei begleitet. Auch die stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Bundestagsfraktion, Beatrix von Storch, hat Beamte an ihrer Seite. Das gilt auch fr den Thringer AfD-Fraktionschef und Partei-Rechtsauen Bjrn Hcke. Jedoch ist der Schutz wegen der unterschiedlichen Gefhrdungsstufe nicht bei allen AfD-Landeschefs gleich. Dem Europaabgeordneten und Parteichef Jrg Meuthen stellt die AfD selbst Personenschtzer zur Seite. | https://www.sueddeutsche.de/news/politik/parteien-was-steckt-hinter-dem-angriff-auf-den-afd-politiker-magnitz-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-190109-99-495305 |
How will 911 services navigate Seattles viaduct closure? | Under normal traffic circumstances, when someone makes a 911 call, a Seattle Police dispatcher picks up. If the emergency is medical in nature or a fire, that call is transferred to the Seattle Fire Alarm Center. Dispatchers then get ambulances and fire trucks to the right location. If the situation is life-threatening, both the fire department and paramedics are dispatched. If its less serious, then a private company, such as American Medical Response or Tri-Med Ambulance, will handle the call. But during the viaduct closure, the Resource Management Center will be active. The city uses the center in emergency situations or in gridlock scenarios such as a parade. At least four extra people will be working at the center each day, according to Ron Mondragon, the Seattle Fire Department deputy chief of operations. By watching traffic, they will be in the position to recommend the route first responders should take. I think were planning to closely monitor the situation and see how well were able to move around the city, says Dr. Michael Sayre, the medical director of Seattles team of paramedics referred to as Medic One. If issues arise, Sayre says, then the city may recruit additional crews. But I think Im pretty impressed with how well the city is planning for this, Sayre says. Kristin Tinsley, public information officer at the Seattle Fire Department, says the biggest concern will be how vehicles navigate through the downtown area. To help, in addition to the bus lanes that fire trucks are typically allowed to use, the Seattle Fire Department has identified a few extra blocks in the downtown region where street parking will be prohibited. Mondragon also wants to remind motorists to move to the right for lights and sirens. Sayre says emergency response crews have already been tested with Seattles increasing traffic, and so far response times have remained steady: In life-threatening emergencies, it typically takes about 4 minutes to reach someone. More time is required to reach people in the suburbs and rural areas because crews typically have farther to go. Rachel Cory, executive director of Central Region EMS and Trauma Care Council, which helps coordinate emergency medical services, says Washington state law requires a response time of 8 minutes or less in urban centers, 15 minutes or less in suburbs, and 45 minutes or less in rural areas. The plan, Cory says, is to stick by these numbers. Were pretty adaptable. Well do everything we can to have the minimum impact on patients in King County, Cory says. Cory also says she expects hospitals to focus on discharging patients as soon as theyre ready, in order to make beds available. Hospitals also typically try to get ambulances back on the road as quickly as possible so additional patients can be picked up. In order to avoid driving, first-responder training, such as for firefighter recruits, will take place at the fire stations themselves instead of at the South Seattle Joint Training Facility, Mondragon says. We fully recognize that we may be presented with significant traffic challenges, Mondragon says, while noting that firefighters will be receiving a daily incident action plan that includes recommended response routes. Were prepared to be as reactive as necessary, he says. But the city also has a backup in the event of total gridlock: helicopters. Airlift Northwest, with bases in Seattle, Bremerton and other areas, has pinpointed approximately five landing zones for helicopters, such as Discovery Park, should that kind of transportation be required. Everyone is planning sort of for Armageddon, worst-case scenario, says Chris Martin, executive director of Airlift Northwest. No one really knows whats going to happen, Martin says. But wed rather be safe rather than sorry. Im sure its going to be an inconvenience, but it may not be the catastrophe people are counting on. | https://crosscut.com/2019/01/how-will-911-services-navigate-seattles-viaduct-closure |
Are these Abu Dhabis coolest neighbourhoods? | Abu Dhabi is situated on an island less than 250m from the mainland of the Arabian peninsula. The city is home to many fascinating districts, both on the main and neighbouring islands and the mainland. The Corniche Eight kilometres of white sand, turquoise water and immaculately landscaped boulevard, the main beachfront is the hub of healthy outdoor living in Abu Dhabi. Extending from near the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Corniche, to the main entrance at Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, this chic promenade supports an abundance of food stalls, cafs and sitting-out areas to make anyone feel like theyre visiting a tropical paradise. Fringed by the city skyline, the Corniche is divided into several sections with life-guarded beaches to suit families (ice cream, beach games) and action-seekers (rollerblades, water sports, kite surfing). Saadiyat Island Saadiyat Island (which translates as Happiness Island) is hailed as one of the most luxurious neighbourhoods in Abu Dhabi, but it is not just the place to go for top-notch five-star hotels. With the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Zayed National Museum, as well as a proposed Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim, culture is a huge draw too. The islands romantic seafront offers sun beds and beach yoga, while the Gary Player-designed golf club embraces the natural beauty of the beach. The latters original residents continue to nest happily in the protected environment: since 2010, the Hawksbill Turtle Conservation Programme has enabled thousands of eggs to be hatched on the public beach. Seafront setting: Saadiyat Island is one of the most stylish places in Abu Dhabi Credit: Andrew Shaylor Al Khalidiya Close to Downtown and the Corniche, this lively residential neighbourhood with an attractive park is popular with the large Western expat community. There are lots of internet and shisha cafs, people-watching boulevards and enticing food stalls. Al Maryah Island Located north-east of the city centre, Al Maryah Island is one of the newest areas of Abu Dhabi. Mushrooming into the citys second and more modern city centre, this area offers some of the hottest shopping and the latest technology, with the downtown Sowwah Square home to the new stock exchange of Abu Dhabi. Take time out to sample delicious Japanese cuisine at Zuma in the Galleria mall. Yas Island The worlds most concentrated dose of fun is to be found on this island in the form of three fantastic theme park attractions: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. As well as these, there is a shopping mall, a variety of top-notch restaurants and architecturally adventurous hotels. Yas Marina, which hosts the Formula One race, is a year-round hub of cafs, bars and restaurants. Check out Nolus Caf for delicious California-meets-Afghan cuisine or the Filini Garden Italian restaurant-bar with its terrace opening out onto the reed-covered coastal dunes. Mangroves provide space for outdoor activities in the winter; the beaches host kite surfers. Fun times: enjoy all the thrills and spills Yas Island has to offer Credit: Andrew Shaylor Al Zahiyah and Al Markaziyah Otherwise known as the Tourist Club Area, these cosmopolitan locales of glitzy, high-rise apartments are close to the labyrinthine Abu Dhabi Mall and the Corniche. Its a popular residential area for those who want a lively city atmosphere and enjoy jogging, cycling, walking. Tourists are well rewarded with a limitless choice of bars and clubs. Another excellent Japanese restaurant to try is Benihana on the ground floor of the Beach Rotana Hotel. Youll also find the Rodeo Grill & Bar in the same tower, and Tamba which serves Indian-inspired cuisine in the World Trade Centre mall, both of which come highly recommended. Al Reef With its classic urban-lifestyle ambience, Al Reef is ideal for those who want to experience city life in Abu Dhabi. With a balance of elegant townhouses and hotels, this sophisticated neighbourhood near the international airport is well served with public parks, health clubs, window shopping and exceptional Lebanese restaurants. Al Karamah Thanks to its large expat community, this is the place to go to for the best international food and state-of-the-art gym facilities. With a family-friendly bustle, Al Karamah attracts people from other neighbourhoods during the weekend, lured by the international food shops and restaurants, whose menus cover everything from traditional English to the best Pakistani curry. Elegant Emirate Abu Dhabi is a world-class destination for those seeking the best of all worlds, from sun, sea, and family-friendly adventure to indulgent spas and traditional local culture and it's just seven hours away with Etihad Airways. And now, thanks to Etihad's new Extraordinary Abu Dhabi Pass, visitors to Abu Dhabi will be given discounted access to some of the emirates leading attractions, restaurants and spas simply by showing their boarding pass. To find out more about Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways and the new Extraordinary Abu Dhabi Pass, visit etihad.com/YourAbuDhabi | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/explore-abu-dhabi/coolest-areas/ |
How much could MacKenzie Bezos get in a divorce? | Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. / Source: CNBC.com By Robert Frank, CNBC Jeff Bezos divorce could become the most expensive in history though exactly what he pays out will depend on the complexities of marital law and the value of Amazon. Bezos announced in a tweet Wednesday that he and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, have decided to divorce. His tweet suggested that it will be an amicable parting, saying we remain a family and we remain cherished friends. And its possible that any settlement and support he gives MacKenzie is negligible in the context of his wealth, which at the latest tally was around $137 billion. But Washington state, where the Bezoses live, is a community property state. That means that any wealth made during their marriage could be split equally between the two. Since Amazon was founded a year after the Bezoses were married, MacKenzie could argue that she is entitled to half of Bezos entire Amazon-based fortune $137 billion at latest count. That means she could get as much as $66 billion based on the value of the company today. To fund a settlement that big, Bezos would have sell or pledge shares, which could dilute his ownership and control of the company. Bezos owns just under 80 million shares of Amazon, or just under 16 percent of the company, according to regulatory filings. But divorce attorneys say that is highly likely MacKenzie would want the family fortune to continue to grow and that is tied large part to Jeff Bezos control of the company. So she would be unlikely to push for a settlement that would require him to sell shares that would dilute his control and any reduction of his 15 percent stake in the company. The issue will be how to value the assets with diminished control, said Jeffrey Fisher, a divorce attorney in West Palm Beach who has handled several billionaire divorces. There would be an argument by the attorneys that the Amazon stake is not worth as much without Bezos in control, so that would affect any settlement. The most expensive U.S. divorce so far is believed to be Steve and Elaine Wynn in 2010, which was estimated at $1 billion. | https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/how-much-could-mackenzie-bezos-get-divorce-n956651 |
What will happen with #MeToo in 2019? | Last year, we saw a number of cultural changes propelled by the #MeToo movement . In the year since the sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein surfaced, more than 200 men accused of sexual misconduct have lost their jobs; many of their replacements were women. Hollywood heavyweights launched Times Up at the start of 2018, to draw attention to women who face sexual misconduct in blue-collar workplaces and offer them financial support through a legal defense fund; the initiative has already raised $22 million and pledged to fund 51 cases. The advocacy group RAINN has seen a 30% jump in calls to its sexual assault hotline since late 2017and the day after Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee was its busiest in more than two decades. As Jodi Kantor and Megan Twoheythe New York Times reporters behind the Weinstein investigationnoted recently, the reckoning continues to unfold and gather nuance. Now, even after a year of painful memories, cascades of firings, widespread outrage, criticism from the president, and a fight over a Supreme Court seat, they wrote, we have only one firm prediction: This discussion over harassment and assault has no end in sight. Here are some of the ways that discussion may bring about change in 2019. The tech industry will protect more vulnerable workers The tech industry had a major #MeToo moment in fall 2018, when more than 20,000 Google employees around the world staged a walkout to protest the companys payouts to executives accused of sexual harassment. The walkout organizers assembled a list of demands that stretched beyond issues of sexual misconduct and included a request to end Googles policy of forced private arbitration in cases of sexual harassment. The week after the walkout, Google decided to scrap its forced arbitration policy for sexual harassment claims. Prominent tech companies like Facebook and Airbnb followed suit, while the likes of Apple and Uber had previously taken action. Vaya Consulting CEO Nicole Sanchez, who helps tech companies diversify their workforces, says that the change will encourage other smaller tech outfits to do the same. Once some of the bigger companies change their policies like that, it does take a while for it to trickle out to the rest of Silicon Valley, in part because the Googles and Facebooks of the world can take the financial risk, she says. It will take a while for it to hit startups and mid-sized companies. But I still think it means good things to come for people at all companies. While ending forced arbitration is a big step in the right direction, it still largely protects a more privileged class of tech workers. The concern I have is that its still very much about a class of workers that is vulnerable but isnt the most vulnerable in tech, she says. Contract workers, who are a key part of the tech workforce, and the workers who support the industrythe janitorial staff at their offices, for examplehave not necessarily been a part of the conversation. Even when we talk about pay equity for women, generally the movement has not adequately talked about and pushed forward an agenda around the lowest-paid women in the workforce, she says. In 2019, Sanchez hopes there will be more solidarity between the different classes of tech employees and more of an alliance of women from all backgrounds to push for protections for women who are most susceptible to workplace abuses. The organizers of the Google walkout have already called for changes to contractors pay and extending them the same benefits and protections. (Though Google dropped its forced arbitration policy, it did not extend to contractors and only applied to sexual harassment claims.) Sanchez also believes that until non-disclosure agreements stop conflating the personalthe how I was treated at the company portionwith the part that fairly protects a companys intellectual property, many workers will remain vulnerable. Until it goes, there is not a lot of incentive for companies to change their culture, she says. As long as you know you can pay for it to go away, it will persist. Service industries may move beyond shifting culture One thing gives Sanchez hope. As the tech industry (slowly) diversifies, she sees more people shifting their focus to those more vulnerable workers. If you take my background for example, Im Latina and my parents were service workers, Sanchez says. I now am able to bring the conversation about humanizing the janitorial staff into an executive boardroom. She hopes 2019 will bring more open communication with service workers and, as such, tangible protections for them. | https://www.fastcompany.com/90287002/what-will-happen-with-metoo-in-2019?partner=feedburner&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29 |
Why did Pastor John Gray really buy his wife a new Lamborghini? | READ MORE: Pastor John Gray isnt hearing critics after purchasing $200k Lamborghini for wife Last month, the megachurch pastor from Greenville, South Carolina was blasted for purchasing the lavish gift for his wife Aventer Gray, not long after admitting that he cheated on her. We had to keep smiling because even though we were struggling, even though I was failing as a husband, I was already in front of the people, and the people cant really receive my brokenness, because where do leaders go when they bleed? John told his Relentless Church congregation. So I had to bleed alone. And whats strange is I traveled the whole world and the Holy Ghost showed up and people got saved and me and my wife just kept smiling and nobody knew we were getting ready to get a divorce, he added. Because as long as I kept producing, nobody cared what was happening at home. I started listening to the wrong voices and let some people get too close. She found out, and she set it off, just like a good wife should. For her part, Aventer Gray stood in support of her husband. And then I prayed for them and him and then the devil loses, she stated. Because whats not going to happen is you tell me that Im going to lose my purpose because someone whispered to a 16-year-old John. The devil is a lie. Im standing with my husband, and you can go on back to the pits of hell where you came from. But some are suggesting that Gray likely bought the vehicle because of the affair. There have also been unconfirmed rumors that Grays mistress is pregnant, but for now it seems to be nothing more than gossip. READ MORE: R. Kelly now under criminal investigation in Georgia after brutal Surviving R. Kelly docuseries exposes sexual abuse Fans slammed Gray after he posted a since-deleted video of him gifting his wife the car on social media. Aventer in response reportedly gifted him with an $8,000 Rolex. I dont see anyone screaming about how basketball players drive what they do while you paying $$$ to see them play in arenas and on fields, wrote Aventer on Instagram. We dont live for people, we live for God. Back to my regularly scheduled grocery store trip. Happy Sunday. John has defended his choice saying that he didnt take from the churchs pot to make the purchase. He said his book deals and coupled with cash he is receiving from his OWN reality show is padding his pockets. Check out the pastors remarks. | https://thegrio.com/2019/01/09/why-did-pastor-john-gray-really-buy-his-wife-a-new-lamborghini/ |
How have the Chester FC players who left in the summer fared elsewhere? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email For many who departed the Swansway Chester Stadium after Chester FC's relegation from the National League last season there were too many tears shed by Blues fans. A season that ended in misery for the Blues saw 13 players leave the club after the season had finished, with eight released. Gary Roberts and Nathan Brown both penned deals to remain with the Blues for this season's National League North campaign under Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson but it was new beginnings for many. Here's how they have fared. TOM CRAWFORD One who Blues fans were sorry to see go, Academy graduate Crawford, 19, made 17 appearances for Chester last season, scoring in the final game of the campaign. His form attracted the attention of several clubs with Notts County winning the race for his signature, signing him for an undisclosed fee. It has been a tumultuous season at League Two County and they are now on their third permanent manager of the season, Neal Ardley, having parted ways already with Kevin Nolan and Harry Kewell. Crawford has so far featured in four League Two games, one Checkatrade Trophy game and one Carabao Cup cup, where he netted against Middlesbrough. After being named on the bench in recent weeks it is hoped that Crawford will be afforded more chances to showcase his quality between now and the end of the season. JAMES JONES Another Academy graduate who fans were keen to see stay, Jones, 19, was signed for a small fee from Chester in the summer by Salford City. But with a wealth of defensive options at their disposal Jones, who made 15 appearances for Chester las season, has been unable to play a competitive game yet for the Ammies. He was sent out on loan to National League North side Boston United in October to get some much-needed game time. He played five times for the Pilgrims before returning in November. He's currently on loan with Ashton United where Jorome Slew, another former Blue, is also playing. JORDAN ARCHER Chester bosses Morley and Johnson had looked to keep hold of Archer, who had another year left on his deal with the Blues in the summer, but he wanted full-time football. A move to League Two side Bury followed, with the Shakers paying five figures for his services, but he was unable to break into the side and joined National League side Maidenhead United in August. He made eight appearances for the York Road side but did not find the back of the net and has been on loan at Chester's National League North rivals Southport since early November. He has played 12 times and netted four goals for the Sandgrounders and this week extended his stay at Haig Avenue to the end of the current season. ROSS HANNAH Hannah, 32, had another season on his Chester deal but came to a financial settlement with the Blues during the summer. He soon moved to Evo-Stik Premier League side Gainsborough Trinity and has hit the back of the net seven times so far this season. Gainsborough lie in sixth place in the table. (Image: Terry Marland) KINGSLEY JAMES Like Hannah, Chester needed to get the midfielder off the wage bill in the summer after he had another year to run on his deal. He came back for pre-season training at Chester along with Hannah before a settlement was reached and it didn't take long for him to find a new club, linking up with ex-Blues manager Marcus Bignot at Guiseley. The Yorkshireman has become a key part of Bignot's Lions midfield and has made 20 appearances this season in the National League North, scoring twice. He and Bignot, along with Andy Halls, will return to familiar territory this weekend when Guiseley face Chester at the Swansway. ANDY HALLS Waived a clause in his contract during the Blues' troubles at the start of the season that would have seen him trigger an extension, Halls was among those released in the summer. The 26-year-old Mancunian made 39 appearances for Chester last season and signed for Bignot's Guiseley in the summer. A right back by trade, Halls was called on to play at centre back on occasion for Chester last season and he has played a similar role for Bignot in recent weeks. He's made 18 appearances in the National League North this season. JAMES AKINTUNDE A popular player during his time at Chester, the striker remained in the National League after his release, signing a deal with Alan Devonshire's Maidenhead United. Goals have been in short supply for Akintunde this season but he has been part of the first team plans and started their most recent clash, the 1-0 win at Gateshead at the weekend. The 22-year-old has played 13 times this season but failed to find the back of the net as yet. He averages around 46 minutes a game over the season so far. (Image: Terry Marland) LATHANIEL ROWE-TURNER Last season was not a happy one for Rowe-Turner. Signed in the summer of 2017 following his release from Torquay United, the left back struggled badly for form and made 29 appearances in the National League last season. He was unsurprisingly released at the end of the season and took some time to fix himself up with a new club before eventually penning a deal with Evo-Stik promotion chasers Kettering Town. And he has established himself in the Poppies squad this season and featured in the majority of their games so far. LUCAS DAWSON Released in the summer, central midfielder Dawson went on trial with Bignot's Guiseley in the summer, playing in a pre-season friendly against Bradford City. Having attracted some attention from Newport County, Dawson, 25, then spent time in September training with League Two side Crewe Alexandra and played in a couple of under-23 games in the hope of winning a deal but he was unsuccessful. Crewe boss Dave Artell said upon his release: "I think Lucas was a bit short in terms of ability. "Lucas came via Danny Fox at Nottingham Forest and he said Id put my neck on him. With somebody like that, you believe him, somebody else had him watched and wed had good reports, so it wasnt a case of letting anyone through the door." Dawson, who made 35 appearances and scored four times last season for Chester, is currently unattached. HARRY WHITE Striker White was signed by Jon McCarthy from Solihull Moors in the summer of 2017, the first to put pen to paper. He started off well in his opening game against AFC Fylde and even drew 'Non-League's Alan Shearer' comparisons from McCarthy. But injury hampered his early progress but he did return and netted five times in 29 games last season. He joined National League North rivals Hereford FC in the summer and made 17 appearances, scoring four goals, before having his contract terminated by mutual consent last month in order for him to go travelling to Australia with his girlfriend. He joined Redditch United prior to embarking on his journey Down Under in the near future. DOMINIC VOSE After being released by Bromley in early 2018, former Wrexham winger Vose signed for Chester for expenses only towards the end of last season. He dazzled in a win over Eastleigh and netted against his former club, Bromley, in another victory but he did not feature in the final two games of the season. He made 11 appearances for Chester, scoring once. The Londoner joined National League South side Dulwich Hamlet during the summer and has featured 22 times, scoring once. (Image: Dale Miles) JORDAN GOUGH Left back Gough, 28, signed for Chester on the same day as Jordan Archer last season and was signed by former boss Bignot from AFC Telford United. He played 16 times for the Blues during his time at the Swansway but was another to suffer injury setbacks. After his release in the summer he moved to Boston United in the National League North before making the switch to Evo-Stik side Tamworth, where he was a teammate, until recently, of Akwasi Asante. KARL CUNNINGHAM Signed from Swedish side Akropolis IF in March on non-contract terms, midfielder Cunningham made two appearances from the bench before being released at the end of the season. The former Lincoln City man is currently without a club. | https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/sport/football/how-chester-fc-players-who-15647658 |
What Are Celgene's Key Sources of Revenue? | Celgene (NASDAQ:CELG) is a global biopharmaceuticals company, which has recently entered into a merger agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb in a deal valued at $74 billion. Celgene generates its revenues primarily from sales of drugs used for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases worldwide. Its top selling drug is Revlimid, which accounts for roughly 65% of the companys overall revenues. ~ which highlights the drug-wise breakup of revenues and profits for Celgene. You can also modify the revenue and profit drivers to see the impact on the companys overall revenues and profits. Celgene operates in two key therapeutic areas ~ Hematology /Oncology, and Inflammation & Immunology. The companys blockbuster drug Revlimid is used for the treatment of multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma, and myelodysplastic syndromes. The drug has seen stellar sales growth from $5.8 billion in 2015 to an estimated $9.7 billion in 2018. The drugs peak sales are estimated to be as high as $15 billion by 2022, when it nears its patent expiration. The MDS market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 10% till 2022 to an estimated $2.4 billion, and Revlimids share is estimated to be over 90%. However, in the MCL market it faces strong competition from Imbruvica and Rituxan. Pomalyst is another billion dollar drug for Celgene, with sales estimated to be over $2 billion in 2018. It is also used for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Otezla is used to treat psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis, with estimated sales of over $1 billion in 2018. Overall, these three drugs account for roughly 90% of the companys total revenues. Looking at operating margins, they grew from 28% in 2016 to 36% in 2017, and are estimated to be 34% in 2018, as per the companys guidance, which translates into $5.2 billion profit. Celgenes late stage pipeline is attractive with ozanimod in immunology and inflammation, and luspatercept, liso-cel (JCAR017), bb2121, and fedratinib in hematology. These drugs have potential peak sales of over $10 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb recently announced its plan to merge with Celgene. The combined entity will have revenues of over $37 billion, and earnings could be as high as $6 per share in the coming years, according to our estimates (See Bristol-Myers Squibb & Celgene Combined Could Generate Earnings of Over $6 Per Share In The Coming Years). Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/09/what-are-celgenes-key-sources-of-revenue/ |
What Is The Significance Of Number Two In Numerology? | The number two brings an end to separation and loneliness. Individuals who are born under number two have their own priorities, and this is something that differs from the rest of the numbers. Here in this article, we are revealing you the details about the number 2 and its significance. According to experts, there are several factors about number two in numerology. The number two signifies certain things that define the personality of individuals. People born under this number have the priorities that make them stand out in the crowd. These individuals can create peace and harmony in places that they go. Most Read: Marriage Predictions Based On Your Date Of Birth Find out more about their personality traits... (To find out your right birth number as per numerology, you need to calculate it as mentioned below. The day of your birth signifies your primary birth path and the sum of the month, day, and year indicates the secondary birth path. Hence, to get your ideal number you need to calculate your DOB to a single digit. Eg: 16-10-1986= 1+6+1+0+1+9+8+6=32, 3+2=5.) | https://www.boldsky.com/astrology/numerology/importance-of-number-two-in-numerology-127134.html |
What are the allegations against R Kelly? | R Kelly has numerous allegations against him spanning 25 years (Picture: Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage) The new Lifetime documentary Surviving R Kelly has shown a side of the performer that many hadnt seen before. It features various women who allege abuse against Kelly, some of whom have never spoken publicly before. Its not the first time abuse allegations regarding him have been brought up, however, and they date back over two decades. Lets take a look back to where they began, and whether he has ever faced consequences as a result. Secret marriage to Aaliyah, 1994 Aaliyah was allegedly just 12 when she met Kelly (Picture: D. Kambouris/WireImage) One of the most high-profile abuse cases linked to R Kelly is regarding singer Aaliyah. They met when Aaliyah was just 12 years old Kelly was 24. She was the niece of his manager, Barry Hankerson, who introduced the pair, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. Advertisement Advertisement Kelly was a huge influence on Aaliyahs early career and, coincidentally, Aaliyahs debut solo album Age Aint Nothing but A Number was written and produced by Kelly in 1993. When Aaliyah was just 15 years old, she is alleged to have married Kelly, who was aged 27, on August 31 1994 in Chicago. A marriage certificate reported to be from their big day shows Aaliyah as citing her age as 18 at the time of their marriage. 20 years ago, Vibe prints marriage certificate of Aaliyah & R. Kelly, states she is 18 yrs old. She was 15. He was 28 pic.twitter.com/AbIBbknfIS Steven James (@TheLaunchMag) January 2, 2015 Aaliyah reportedly tried to have their marriage records expunged in 1997, and there has been much speculation since, including some claiming that Aaliyah became pregnant with Kellys child aged 15. In Surviving R Kelly, backing singer Jovante Cunningham claimed to have caught him having sex with Aaliyah when she was just 15 and he was 27. Aaliyahs mother Diane Haughton has adamantly denied the accusation and said it was lies and fabrications. Tiffany Hawkins lawsuit, 1996 It was reported that, in 1996, aspiring vocalist Tiffany Hawkins sued R Kelly for $10 million for personal injuries and severe emotional harm. Court documents stated that she said she began having sex with Kelly in 1991, when she was 15 and he was 24. Their relationship allegedly lasted three years. According to Rolling Stone, the documents state she had sex with the singer and he encouraged her to participate in group sex with him and other underage girls. Hawkins settled for an undisclosed sum. Kelly at a signing back in 1992 (Picture: by Waring Abbott/Getty Images) Further lawsuits, 2001/2002 Advertisement Advertisement Former Epic Records intern Tracey Sampson filed a lawsuit against the performer in 2001 for having sex with her when she was 17 and forcing her to receive oral sex from another woman. She alleged that she was treated as his personal sex object and cast aside and that he often tried to control every aspect of [her] life including who [she] would see and where [she] would go. It was reported that the case was settled for an undisclosed sum. In April of 2002, a woman called Patrice Jones sued him having sex with her at 16 and for pressuring her to have an abortion, as did dancer Montina Woods for taping her having sex without her consent. Both cases were again settled. R. Kelly was also award R&B/Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the 2001 Billboard Awards (Picture: M. Caulfield/WireImage) Child porn charges, 2002 Kelly was charged with 21 counts of making child pornography, involving intercourse, oral sex, urination, and other sexual acts. This came after a reporter at Chicago Sun-Times was sent an anonymous tape that they believed to feature an underage girl. The case took a full six years to come to court, but when it did he faced up to 15 years in prison. However, he pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty on all counts, due to the fact the jury struggled to identify the girl in the video. A mugshot from his arrest (Picture: Bureau of Prisons/Getty Images) Further child porn charges 2002-2004 After being arrested at his home, a camera of the singer was seized by police. Advertisement They found videos which prompted him to be charged with 12 more counts of making child pornography. In March 2004, these charges were dropped due to a lack of probable cause for the search warrants. According to CNN entertainment, his lawyers at the time said Kelly was not in the video, and suggested his likeness may have been computer-generated. R. Kelly and Lil Kim in 2004 (Picture: Johnny Nunez/WireImage) Sex cult and intentional STI spreading claims, 2017 onwards In April 2017, a former partner of the 52-year-old said he intentionally infected her with STDs, and that she was the victim of unlawful restraint There were also allegations of a sex cult run by Kelly. Later in the year, several parents of teenage girls, who claimed their daughters were missing, made sensational claims against R Kelly to BuzzFeed News, once again referencing a sex cult. The report by Buzzfeed accused Kelly of keeping these young women at his homes in Chicago and Atlanta, making them call him Daddy, taking their mobile phones off them and giving them new ones with restricted use, filming them having sex with him, limiting how many times they are allowed to leave the house and being abusive to them if they break his rules. Since the media interest in the R Kelly case, more women have come forward with historical allegations, including exes Jerhonda Pace and Kitti Jones. R Kelly denied the statements. While it was exclusive to the US at first, it has now been confirmed that Surviving R Kelly will be shown on the Crime+Investigation Channel in the UK on Tuesday 5 February at 10pm. The six-part series will run until 12 March. Until then, you can watch the numerous clips available on the Lifetime YouTube channel. MORE: The Sopranos creator David Chase appears to accidentally confirm what happened to Tony Soprano in that final scene MORE: Rose McGowan reaches plea deal and will pay a fine following drug possession arrest | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/09/allegations-r-kelly-8325620/ |
What is the Game of Thrones prequel based on and who is in the cast? | Sound the alarm: Theres going to be a GOT prequel (Pictures: REX/HBO) A Game of Thrones prequel is in the works, and the cast has been announced. This is not a drill. Is Joe Goldberg in YOU using Dennis Reynolds D.E.N.N.I.S. Ahead of the release of season eight, weve got everything you need to know about this new prequel. Itll be Westeros, but not as we know it. In a recent press release HBO have revealed that the prequel cast will consist of plenty of big names. Oscar-nominated Naomi Watts (21 Grams) will be playing a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret. Shell be joined by the likes of Jamie Campbell Bower, who is known for his roles in Sweeney Todd and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, as well as Naomi Ackie from Lady Macbeth, and Georgie Henley who starred in The Chronicles of Narnia films Advertisement Advertisement Humans actor Ivanno Jeremiah will also feature as well as Josh Whitehouse who has made several appearances in BBC drama Poldark. According to NME, the Game of Thrones prequel is not going to be based on a book, but rather on a story concocted by George R. R. Martin and the prequels showrunner, Jane Goldman, whose previous works include adapting Stardust and The Limehouse Golem for the screen. The story takes place thousands of years before the what we see in GOT. As HBO puts it, it will follow the worlds descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. The events of the prequel will take place thousands of years before Game of Thrones (Picture: Hbo/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock) Back when the news broke that HBO was planning four GOT spinoffs, Martin addressed calls from fans for them to be about Roberts Rebellion and Dunk & Egg, two characters from 90 years before the events of GOT. He wrote in his blog that he would like to write seven or eight more tales of Dunk & Egg before a TV show is made about them, adding I dont want to repeat what happened with Game of Thrones itself, where the show gets ahead of the books He went on to say,Were not doing Roberts Rebellion either. I know thousands of you want that, I know theres a petition but by the time I finish writing A Song of Ice & Fire, you will know every important thing that happened in Roberts Rebellion. Advertisement Advertisement There would be no surprises or revelations left in such a show, just the acting out of conflicts whose resolutions you already know. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/09/what-is-the-game-of-thrones-prequel-based-on-and-who-is-in-the-cast-8325732/ |
Will Nike Stock Lace Up a Rally to All-Time Highs? | Shares of Nike (NYSE: NKE ) have done relatively well over the past three months. Theyre not up a casual 14% like Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) over that time frame, but NKE stock has outpaced the broader stock market indices. Its 4% decline over the past 90 days looks pretty good compared to the 10.1% and 10.8% respective declines in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 index. But investors arent interested in whether they can lose less money in Nike than in the Dow. Rather, they want to know if they can make money in Nike stock and whether it can continue its recent run higher. One of the more recent concerns has been China. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) recently updated investors with worse-than-expected guidance, blaming part of the slowdown on sluggish sales in China. Samsung (OTCMKTS: SSNLF ) disappointed investors as well. While its certainly something to take note of, I wouldnt use smartphone sales to put a warning sign on every companys back that has sales in China. As pundit Felix Salmon wrote earlier this week: Apple is not China. And to point a finer point on that, consider comments from Nikes CFO Andrew Campion, who told participants on the recent earnings call: We have not seen any impact on our business from some of the U.S.-China dynamics that were all reading about. To be sure, Chinas economy is stumbling a bit at the moment, and its a question of how long it will take to regain its balance. For Nike though, its going pretty well. When the company reported earnings in December, sales in China were up 31% year-over-year over the past three months and 25% over the past six months. Earnings before interest and taxes were up 48% and 38% over the same periods, respectively. All said, it was a pretty good quarter as Nike beat on earnings and revenue expectations. Valuing Nike Stock The companys strong earnings gave investors more confidence in the name. However, should China trade negotiations sour or if the countrys economy slows further, investors will likely sell Nike stock first and ask questions later. Whether thats right or wrong ultimately depends on the investor. Short-term traders wont likely care that only 15% of Nikes revenue comes from China. However, long-term investors will very much consider it a buying opportunity if the stock is hammered on the rationale that Nike is done for in the long term if sales in China slip. As it stands, we have a very consistent company with Nike. Analysts expect earnings to grow 7.7% this year (fiscal 2019) and next year. However, on the earnings front, estimates call for 10.5% growth this year and 18.9% growth next year. Not only does that suggest margins are expanding, but it means the growth rate of that expansion should increase over the next four to six quarters. Thats highly encouraging to investors, even as Nike stock trades at about 28 times this years earnings estimates. With solid inventory management, improving margins, predictable growth and a burgoening direct-to-consumer business, Nike stock looks to be in good hands. Trading NKE Stock Price Click to Enlarge Weve seen a quick 15% rally off the Christmas Eve lows. While thats a big move, its not all that overenthusiastic. Consider that the Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM ) is up about 13% in the same period, while names like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN ) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) are up almost 30% and 40%, respectively. So NKE stock price rallying 15% isnt absurd. Still, a pullback and/or some consolidation wouldnt be unhealthy. When a stock goes too far, too fast, it just makes the pullback all the more painful. In other words, lets get it out of the way. We saw Nike stock pullback hard into earnings on Dec. 20, then rally after the print. It then gave back its gains in the ensuing sessions. When it stalled out, it did so at the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. This is highlighted on the chart with a purple arrow. Just recently though, NKE stock pushed through the 200-day. As a result, I would love to see Nike stock pullback and find support near the 200-day, between $74 and $75. If so, I think it can give NKE the energy it will need to push through $78, a level thats been resistance over the last three months. If it can get through, NKE stock will have the opportunity to make new all-time highs. Lets watch this one going forward, particularly if the overall markets cooperate. Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, Bret Kenwell is long SBUX, AAPL and AMZN. | https://investorplace.com/2019/01/will-nike-stock-rally-to-all-time-highs/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29 |
Can Liam Sheedy stir Noel McGrath back into his very best form for Tipperary? | Noel McGrath registered 1-4 in open play in Tipps facile victory over Kerry in the Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL. On the face of it, it is nothing to shout home about, with respect to the Kingdom. Yet, it also could mean more. Much more, in fact. Watching Noel McGrath over the years, it became apparent some time ago that he performs best when he is happiest with his role within the team. When I say that, I specifically refer to the times in which he is free to roam from the middle-third forwards. McGrath is one of the most gifted hurlers the Premier have produced in the last two decades and if manager Liam Sheedy gives him licence to float around in attack, we might well see the very best of the forward again. He conjured moments of brilliance in the last two or three campaigns, but you often found that he tended to drift out of matches for spells as well. Of course, no player is going to constantly impact on any game. That kind of thinking is pie in the sky. However, if McGrath can reverse the times he spent being quiet in contests with those glimpses of marvel and make the latter a more frequent occurrence once again, then Tipp will have a serious weapon on their hands this year to supplement the potentially explosive inside-line pairing of Jason Forde and Samus Callanan. It was mentioned here prior to the Championship last year that Mick Ryan should deploy both Forde and Callanan close to goal and leave them there. Yet, that did not happen enough under his watch. If you have players as devastating in possession as Forde and Callanan at your disposal, you surely have to position both men on the corners of the oppositions square. It will be interesting to see if Sheedy opts for this tactic during the Allianz NHL. The beauty of this tactic is that you can withdraw your half-forward line closer to the midfield and leave oceans of space in front of the Forde-Callanan axis. However, additional to that ploy, you then also have the option of stationing McGrath at the bottom of what would then be an offensive diamond. While the two half-forwards complement the midfielders, McGrath could sit, essentially in isolation, in the centre-forward sector linking the play as well as profiting from the off-loads being afforded to him from the two inside forwards. The reality is very few indeed. The Premier, when things were going against them last term, reverted to type far too often and withdrew Forde to operate in the No 10 or 12 role. It was almost akin to substituting the corner-forward when your half-backs are getting cleaned out. Sheedy should consider persisting with Forde and Callanan sitting on the corners of those squares the length and breadth of the country because the most likely outcome is that, between them, they could be totalling tallies in the region of 2-6 to 2-8 from play per match. With McGrath roaming menacingly outside of them, Tipp would be extremely difficult to overcome, especially when you would then have the likes of Michael Breen and Dan McCormack adding to their power in the middle-third having dropped deep from the wing-forward areas. Then again, Sheedy might opt to utilise that pair at No 8 and No 9, in which case, whoever is positioned in the wing-forward berths would supplement their work ethic. Patrick Bonner Maher would slot in seamlessly to either of those wing-forward spots. Some will argue he could work the role already suggested for McGrath. Yet, the latter possesses more craft than the former while the former displays more industry than the latter, hence Bonner Maher at No 10 or 12 and McGrath at the bottom of the diamond. And then there is John McGrath. Another gem of a player, but one that would work for the team just as much as he would adding a score to the board. He is blessed with the flair of an old school corner-forward however, he also has the capacity to mix it just as much and would be exceptional on the opposite flank to Bonner Maher. And the key to this tactical layout gives the Premier balance from the midfield forwards, an element they have been shy of recently. You can never have too many high-quality options in these two sectors but piecing them together effectively is the taxing part of it all. However, I envisage Sheedy making light work of this puzzle. It would be extremely surprising were Sheedy to not find that balance Tipp so desperately require in midfield and attack. Having the two orthodox midfielders supplemented by the likes of Bonner Maher and John McGrath on the wings, with Noel McGrath in an advanced central position, will lead to opposing teams struggling to curtail the amount of possession given to Forde and Callanan. Jake Morris pilfered 0-3 in open play against Kerry and there exist high hopes in Tipperary that he can kick-on with the seniors this year. That will likely prove to be true as the season evolves. Nevertheless, there is plenty of life left in the more experienced dogs for these fights yet and Sheedy will be aware of that. The Premier can have a massive year, provided the Portroe man finds that attacking balance. | https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/can-liam-sheedy-stir-noel-mcgrath-back-into-his-very-best-form-for-tipperary-896569.html |
Could Oculus Rift sales stop due to latest legal action? | A new development in an ongoing legal battle could wind up seeing sales of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset halted. ZeniMax, the game publisher that successfully sued Oculus VR for $500 million, filed an injunction request on Thursday seeking to stop the Facebook-owned firm from using copied code, Reuters reports. Read more: Oculus Go The code specifically applies to games that run on the Rift as well as Samsung Gear VR headset. Oculus has reportedly distributed the code to content creators, and Reuters says the software is embedded in various Rift and Gear VR titles. Because the code plays on the Rift, a successful motion could potentially lead to a stoppage of headset sales. When asked about this latest development, an Oculus spokesperson told TechRadar the company will seek to have the original jury decision set aside, calling the verdict "legally flawed and factually unwarranted." If necessary, Oculus will file an appeal, the spokesperson said. The initial verdict awarded ZeniMax the hefty sum because of a broken non-disclosure agreement (perpetrated by Oculus inventor Palmer Luckey) and other copyright and trademark infringements. The jury didn't find Oculus had stolen ZeniMax's trade secrets, as the game publisher alleged, however the jury determined ZeniMax's protected code was used without permission, as noted by Reuters. We'll continue to stay on top of developments of this dispute, including whether Oculus Rift headset or game sales are impacted. Stay tuned. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/could-sales-of-oculus-rift-stop-due-to-latest-legal-action |
Which state is the best place to raise children? | SafeHome.org has determined the best and worst states in which to raise children. The best place is New Hampshire. The home security system company used safety-related statistics to determine which states are the safest places to raise children. SafeHome.org looked at child abuse, juvenile homicides, school shootings and poverty rates. New Hampshire, according to SafeHome, has one of the countrys lowest murder rates. Just behind New Hampshire are Hawaii, Vermont, Maryland, North Dakota, Maine, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut and Iowa. Louisiana came in as the worst place to raise children. Rounding out the bottom were Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, Delaware, Arkansas and Kentucky. Last year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation in Baltimore did the same study, looking at economic security, the availability of educational resources, overall health and family relationships. In that study, New Hampshire also came out on top. The worst was New Mexico. Pennsylvania came in at No. 19. | https://www.pennlive.com/life/2019/01/which-state-is-the-best-place-to-raise-children.html |
Could Chrome OS land Google in court? | Google's often painted as a villain, a tech juggernaut that rolls over the top of established industries, so it's nice to see it doing a bit of charity work. Thanks to the Chrome OS, lots of lawyers won't need to sell their Mercs or pull the kids out of private school. If you thought Microsoft had a bit of trouble with the regulators, Chrome OS could take it to a whole new level. In June, Microsoft announced that it was being forced to sell Windows 7 without a browser in Europe. Anti-trust. By giving everybody a browser with their operating system, Microsoft's rivals say, Microsoft is acting in an anti-competitive way. Maybe it is, but if Chrome OS gets significant market share then Google will have a monopoly Microsoft can only dream about. Google already owns the internet - it has nearly 100% of the UK's mobile search market, and it's heading towards three-quarters of the global search market - and if Chrome OS gets significant market share, Google will have the browser and the desktop, too. Phones that don't run Android will still have Google Search and Google Maps, so Google will have the mobile market, too. It won't be the internet: it'll be the Googlenet. Making Chrome OS open source isn't enough. Google will argue - rightly - that hardware firms will be able to customise the OS and install any browser they like, but we know that the manufacturers won't. It'll argue that anybody can change the default search, but we know that most people won't. It'll argue that Google Docs and Gmail aren't the only online services out there, but we know that most people will stick with the defaults. And so on, and so on, and so on. What's particularly interesting about all of this is that Google isn't successful because it's evil or underhand: it's successful because it makes Really Good Stuff. We don't doubt that Chrome OS will follow that tradition and be a Really Good Operating System - but this isn't just about tech. It's about control. As we said back in March: "For now, Google is an enormous force for good - but as it dominates more and more sectors, the chance of it going off the rails grows too. Google already owns search and mobile search, it's got the lion's share of online ads, it's a huge player in online video, mapping and cloud computing, it's moving into telephony, and if Chrome keeps improving at the current rate it's going to have serious market share in browsers too. That means it's not a case of if Google will start putting its own interests above the wider Internet's interests; it's a case of when." You can be sure that the regulators - and Google's rivals - are thinking exactly the same thing. We'll see you in court. | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/software/operating-systems/could-chrome-os-land-google-in-court-614410 |
Was the National Single Window pirated? | Share It is emerging that the controversial National Single Window, christened UNI-PASS was allegedly pirated to be sold to the Government under the guise of a new system. The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders and some customs officers who say they have seen the original and superior system demonstrated have called for an immediate probe into the deal. Meanwhile, the B&FT has reported that investigators are currently probing the suspected cloning that may lead to criminal prosecutions. Meanwhile, the Economic Management Team (EMT) on December 18, 2018, directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to suspend the single window system takeover by CUPIA of Korea Customs Service (UNIPASS) and Ghana Link Network Service Limited. The directive, contained in a Decision Note of the Economic Management Team headed by Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and dated December 20, 2018, said the decision to suspend the implementation of the Uni-Pass system and allow for the use of the existing National Single Window is to allow time for Cabinet to scrutinize the 10-year sole-sourced Uni-Pass deal. The planned introduction of Uni-Pass on January 1, 2019, be suspended, with a transition period to at least August 2019 to avoid potential disruptions to the port clearing system, the Decision Note signed by Prof. Joe Amoako-Tuffour, Secretary/Member of the EMT said. The EMT tasked CUPIA of Korea and Ghana Link Network Service to provide a demonstration that they had developed a Full end to end Customs Technology Solutions Systems, successfully tested, with independent Stress Report and provide a comprehensive implementation plan to the EMT by the end of January 2019. | https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2019/January-9th/was-the-national-single-window-pirated.php |
Should the Anaheim Ducks Press the Playoff Panic Button? | Mondays loss to the Edmonton Oilers may be the lowest point of the Anaheim Ducks season. The 4-0 defeat meant the Ducks dropped their eighth straight game, tying a franchise record. Specifically, the Oilers fourth goal might have been rock bottom. Milan Lucic dominated Brandon Montour to the point where he did exactly what the Ducks are doing now (falling on their backside), eventually leading to Leon Draisaitl scoring the goal. All is not lost though. The Ducks are firmly in the playoff hunt, and all things considered, still have a strong chance of making the playoffs when you look at the most important factors like injuries, experience and opponents. Ducks and Confusing Prediction Math Playoff prediction websites have gained popularity in recent years. They use different formulas that yield varying results. Their predictions for the Ducks vary greatly as well. Moneypuck.com, whose about page goes so in-depth on their formula it can make you cross-eyed, has Anaheims chances to make the playoffs at 29.2 percent. That might mirror how Ducks fans are feeling currently, but it seems a little off when you consider they have the St. Louis Blues at 30.9 percent. St. Louis has the leagues fourth-worst record, seven points behind Anaheim in the standings. On the other hand, there are Dom Luszczyszyns predictions for The Athletic. Luszczyszyn projects the Ducks with a 56 percent chance to make the playoffs. Thats a two percent better chance to make the postseason than the Dallas Stars, who are currently in the first wild card spot, and three points above Anaheim. His method is also in-depth and complex, but the point is clear, its an inexact science. Instead of giving it a percentage, lets look at the arguments for and against the Ducks making the playoffs. Why the Ducks Could Get Plucked There are reasons for pessimism. The Ducks continue to be one of the leagues most penalized teams while also sputtering on offense. Their margin for error is small and now that their offense has flat-lined, the results have been disastrous. During their eight-game winless streak, the Ducks managed a paltry 1.4 goals-per-game. Thats a full goal worse than that same statistic for the teams entire season so far, which is already the leagues second-worst. Now that Ryan Getzlaf is slumping, their offensive engine has ground to a halt. Their overall performance for the season indicates that this is who they are; a team that has outbursts, but for the most part, theyre going to try to beat you with defense and goaltending. John Gibson has played at an elite level all season, but often, the Ducks defensive effort and inability to maintain pressure in the offensive zone means that Gibson faces more rubber than even he can stop. The loss to the Oilers was a prime example. No matter how well he plays, hes not going to stop the puck every time the Ducks allow opponents wide-open space right in front of him or when they get two or even three chances at rebounds. On top of that, Randy Carlyle has played Gibson at the highest rate of his career. Hes now on-pace to start 69 games, by far the most of his career. Though his numbers are still elite and even more impressive considering his workload, they are trending downwards. From the start of the season until Dec. 1, Gibson had a .929 save percentage (SV%) and 2.47 goals-against-average (GAA). From the start of December until Sunday, he had a .910 SV% and a 2.96 GAA. Gibson has played in seven consecutive games and 15 of the last 16. Though no one has said it outwardly, his heavy workload, both in games and action in those games, when combined with his declining performance suggests fatigue. For the Ducks, its a catch-22. If they dont play Gibson, theyre starting with one hand tied behind their back in what is becoming a dog-eat-dog battle for a playoff spot. If they do keep playing him at this rate, they risk continuing to wear him out. Ducks Not on Pace Right Now According to a 2014 article from CBS Sports Adam Gretz, the magic number for points to qualify for playoffs has generally been 95. Some seasons its higher, some its lower, but its usually close to 95. This season, its likely to be a little lower. As of now, Luszczyszyn projects the Ducks to grab the last Western Conference wild card spot with 91 points. So, lets call it 93 points as the target to comfortably reach the playoffs. In order to reach that number of points, the Ducks need to collect 62 percent of the available points the rest of the season. That is 10 percent higher than their total season point percentage so far. If they were to sustain their current pace, they would tally 86 points by seasons end. This means the Ducks need to win at a much higher rate than they already are. Even though this seems dire, there are a number of factors that are in the Ducks favor. The Sky Isnt Falling on the Ducks Now that the Ducks have fallen out of the playoff picture again, some fans might see the sky falling, but that isnt the case. The ray of hope is (hopefully) improving health and a wealth of experience. Cam Fowler returned to the lineup against the Oilers after missing 23 games. No, he didnt play well, but after missing that much time, there will be an adjustment period. It appears Rickard Rakell is on the precipice of his return while Patrick Eaves is back to skating with the team. Corey Perry, in spite of his declining performances over the last two seasons, could provide some offensive depth to a team that is struggling to produce any. Another important player due to return in the next month is backup goalie Ryan Miller. Miller will provide Gibson some much-needed rest as one of the games most reliable backups. A healthy Ducks roster also brings experience. Of the teams they are now battling for playoff qualification, the Ducks have by far the most playoff experience over the past decade. Key players who have been on the roster during that success are still with the team. With playoff experience comes playoff qualification experience. This roster knows how to deal with adversity and maintain the consistency required over 82 games to make the playoffs. Western Conference Bubble Battle Ducks opponents in the Western Conference who are in the hunt for the final playoff spots havent done much to show they are true threats. The Ducks are a full 10 points out of the third spot in the Pacific Division, meaning they are firmly in the wild card race now. The other teams in that race are the Vancouver Canucks and the Oilers, who are on the outside looking in. The Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and the Stars are currently in the playoffs, but in danger of falling out. None of those teams, aside from the Wild, have much playoff experience in the last decade. In addition, none of those teams except the Stars have stepped up and gotten hot during the Ducks losing streak. The Stars record in the last 10 games is 6-3-1, which has them back in the first wild card spot, but only three points up on the Ducks. The next best record in that time belongs to the Canucks, who have gone 5-5-1 and are still below Anaheim in the standings with two more games played. The Wild have won three in a row to climb into the final wild card spot by virtue of playing two fewer games than the Ducks while having the same amount of points. The point is that the Ducks timing has been good. As bad as their record has been, their poor play has come at a less than damaging point in the season. Their attitude during this trying time reflects their experience and composure. Hampus Lindholm demonstrated that calm after Anaheims loss to the Vegas Golden Knights Friday in a quote to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. You look over the good things youve been doing and the things you can improve, and then you let it go, Lindholm said. You bring that good stuff with you for the next one. Just get out there and play the same way. The Athletic NHL 1/06/18) The Ducks Will Make It When considering all of the factors, including the teams experience, players returning from injuries and the teams the Ducks are competing against, the sky is not falling. They will, as they have for the past six seasons, qualify for the playoffs. Its what they do when they get there that is a much bigger question. All Stats from NHL.com and Hockey-Reference | https://thehockeywriters.com/anaheim-ducks-playoff-losing-streak/ |
Can Real Madrid Ease Crisis in Copa? | Real Madrid faces Leganes in Copa clash with chance to ease pressure of current crisis While a true CRISIS! in soccer can arrive in seconds, the good news for Santiago Solari is that the worst effects of the CRISIS! can be blown away with a simple football match. The task is a very simple one for Real Madrid on Wednesday in a Copa del Rey Last-16, first-leg game against Leganes in the Santiago Bernabeu: win. Actually, the job will be to win fairly comfortably and with a bit of a swagger, which is something Madrid has not really been able to deliver since the start of the season under the early days of the dear departed Julen Lopetegui. Theoretically, this is a very doable proposition for Real Madrid. On a really basic, as simple-as-it-gets tactical level, the reigning Champions League winners and Club World Cup holders are considerably better than the visiting side from the south of Madrid. That's even with the absentees from the match-day squad announced on Wednesday which includes Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio, Toni Kroos, Marcelo, Thibaut Courtois and Raphael Varane, either through injury or being rested. To balance those absentees from the proceedings, one inclusion in Solari's selection is Brahim Diaz, who is already earning his corn after Monday's arrival from Manchester City. Real Madrid against Leganes is the stand-out fixture in four Copa del Rey encounters across the network today starting with Atletico Madrid taking on Girona at 1:30PM ET / 10:30AM PT live on beIN SPORTS which precedes the big Bernabeu battle. Rumors of Mourinho's return to Real Madrid continue Staying with Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho's return to manage the club really is an actual 'thing' despite the fact that the only two people who would be in favor of the concept are Jose Mourinho and the all-powerful club president, Florentino Perez. To be fair, those are the only two people who count. According to The Sun, the club has been in contact with Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, about returning to Madrid where he managed between 2010 and 2013. The stumbling blocks to a move to completely blow up the internet are reportedly an agreement with Manchester United on Mourinho's pay-off after his rather sudden departure and also the financial demands of the Special One who will want a special budget. However, according to Spanish radio station COPE, Solari will remain in charge until the summer - although an awful lot will depend on the next month with challenges in La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League. VAR-city blues in London as Asian Cup continues Elsewhere in the wide, wide world of soccer and Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea players and fans will be wondering how Manchester City got away with playing third-tier Burton Albion in the semifinal of the English League Cup today, when those two mega-teams were pitted against each other on Tuesday night in an eventual 1-0 win for Spurs, that was smothered in VAR controversy. "English referees can't use VAR!" fumed Mauricio Sarri after a Harry Kane penalty award. The AFC Asian Cup continues on Wednesday - a geopolitical jamboree which pits together a whole host of countries with serious beefs against each other. Japan got its campaign underway on Wednesday in the United Arab Emirates with a 3-2 over Turkmenistan. The XTRA with Kevin Egan is the place to be at 7PM ET / 4PM PT for the best of the day's action Bayern Munich poaches Pavard in traditional transfer move Bayern Munich have been busy bees in the transfer market on Wednesday by striking a deal in the traditional manner of FC Hollywood - simply scoop up the best talent elsewhere in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart and France fullback, Benjamin Pavard, will join Bayern in the summer after the buy-out clause was met and a five-year deal was agreed with the player. The club's pursuit of Chelsea's Callum Hudon-Odoi continues. OFFICIAL: @BenPavard28 will join Bayern in the summer. Any excuse to play this again.pic.twitter.com/NQh7jlAqS3 COPA90 (@COPA90) January 9, 2019 The other big stories dominating the transfer tracker scene is the enigma of Gonzalo Higuain and if the complex deal ever can be devised which would see the Argentinean returning to Juventus early after a loan spell with Milan, being sold to Chelsea and then the San Siro side finding the cash to bring Alvaro Morata back to Serie A. Sports Burst's live show will ponder this puzzle along with everything else live on our beIN SPORTS Facebook page at 12PM ET / 9AM PT. | https://www.beinsports.com/us/sports-burst/news/sports-burst-can-real-madrid-ease-crisis/1079885 |
Will Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott outrun Rams' Todd Gurley in divisional round? | Louis Riddick explains how the Cowboys' defense has the potential to cause problems for the Rams' offense in the divisional round. (1:06) FRISCO, Texas -- As Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett rattled off the rundown of attributes, you wouldnt know which running back he was describing -- Todd Gurley II or Ezekiel Elliott. He has everything you want in a running back, Garrett said ahead of Saturday's divisional showdown with the the Los Angeles Rams. Hes quick, hes fast, hes explosive. Hes strong, has great instincts for the game, great feel for the game, outstanding vision. He can beat you with speed. He can beat you with power. He can beat you cutting back. He can beat you when they hand him the ball. He can beat you when they throw him the ball. He plays with a competitive spirit. In this case, he referred to Gurley. But Garrett quickly realized those words fit the Cowboys' Elliott, too. In some ways, I probably did describe Ezekiel Elliott, Garrett said, smiling. Both big-time players who can do everything you want them to do on the field, and embrace carrying the burden for their team. If recent history is any indication, Ezekiel Elliott won't have to worry about being fed the ball against the Rams. Tom Pennington/Getty Images Standing barefoot outside the locker room on a small podium Wednesday, Elliott downplayed the notion that the winner of Saturdays matchup between the Cowboys and Rams (8:15 p.m. ET, Fox) could be decided by which back puts forth the most dynamic performance. But for a team like the Cowboys, built on running the ball and playing solid defense, it could really be that simple. Especially when considering the Rams surrendered a league-worst 5.1 yards per rush this season, including 3.1 yards before contact, which ranks as second-worst in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Rams also gave up the second-highest total QBR (72) on passes to running backs during the season. We both go in with the same mindset, said Elliott, who grew up a Rams fan. [Its] playoff football. Its about the team, its not really about individuals. Its about trying to go get that Super Bowl. Yes, its going to be great facing him. But Im not going to put too much emphasis on that. Gurley might have a harder time gaining ground on the Cowboys, who allowed just 3.8 yards per carry, which was the fifth-lowest in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Dallas allowed a league-low 2.02 yards per rush before contact. The Seahawks led the NFL in rushing, yet averaged just 3.0 yards per rush against Dallas in their wild-card loss. Coming off his second rushing title in three years, Elliott rushed 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks, and the Cowboys own a record of 16-3 when the running back reaches 100 or more yards on the ground. As the focal point of Dallas offense, Elliott has tallied at least 20 touches in nine consecutive games, the longest streak of his career, and hes averaged nearly 30 touches over his last eight games. The Cowboys handed off to Elliott 20 times in eight games this season, including the wild-card game, and racked up a record of 7-1 in those outings. He's got the ability to go through you or go around you with speed, Rams coach Sean McVay said. He's truly a complete back and you could see that a lot of what they do is predicated on just him getting a bunch of touches. Although Los Angeles struggled against the run, the Cowboys know the Rams' defensive line, featuring tackles Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh along with defensive end Michael Brockers, can be a disruptive force. Feed them the ball Ezekiel Ellliott and Todd Gurley averaged the most yards from scrimmage per game this season. Scrim. Yds/GM Ezekiel Elliott 133.4 Todd Gurley 130.8 Saquon Barkley 126.8 Christian McCaffrey 122.8 Elliott pointed to big 99 in the middle (Donald) when asked about the challenge the Rams present on defense. Guard Zack Martin doesn't deny that Dallas wants to run the football, play good defense against the Rams, but said padding Elliott's stats is the least of the Cowboys' concerns. Zeke would say it, too: the most important thing is to try to get the win, Martin said. Whatever that entails offensively, whatever we can do to help us win is what we want to do. It speaks to him and how much he cares not only about the team, but about winning. Hes got no ego in this thing. Of course its great to have yards and all that. But he cares about one thing and thats winning. Elliott proved that in the wild-card victory over the Seahawks. Without the ball in his hands, he served as the lead blocker on two Dak Prescott runs, including the 16-yard quarterback draw to the Seattle 1 that helped seal the victory. When Zeke has the ball, hes an amazing player, guard Connor Williams said. But even when he doesnt have the ball, hes an amazing player as well. Added Martin: Everybody knows what he does with the ball, but I think in that Seattle game, the quarterback sweep we ran with Zeke as the lead blocker, even the last quarterback draw Zeke was the lead blocker. When you have an All-Pro running back leading the league in rushing willing to be a lead blocker, its pretty special. Elliott needs 23 yards to move past Don Perkins (262 yards) for the eighth-most postseason rushing yards in Cowboys history, and with 74 yards, hell pull past Calvin Hill (335) for seventh. If Elliott hits the century mark against the Rams, it would mark the running backs third career postseason 100-yard rushing performance, which would break a tie with Duane Thomas and Tony Dorsett for the second-most 100-yard rushing games in the postseason in franchise history. Gurley and Elliott ranked one-two in scrimmage yards over the past two seasons. Zeke steps it up in playoffs Ezekiel Elliott has led the league in rushing in two out of his three NFL seasons, and he's been even better in two playoff games. Reg Season Playoffs Rushes PG 21.7 24.0 Rush YPG 101.2 131.0 Yds per rush 4.7 5.5 What stands out is the consistency, play in and play out, McVay said of Elliott. Hes one of those guys that gets stronger as the game progresses where hes getting about 30 touches a game. You see the great job hes done in the pass game. Hell stick his face on people in protection. Hes got the ability to make you miss. Hes got the ability to go through you, run away from you. Hes got a great stiff arm. Hes one of the most complete backs in this league, and it shows up week in and week out. McVay could just as easily have been describing Gurley. Asked what he admires about Gurley, Elliott said: Just his versatility. Hes a big, fast back. He can run inside. He can run outside. He can run through you, jump over you, around you, make you miss. Hes a great asset out of the backfield; just a guy who has a well-rounded game and really doesnt have any weaknesses. Told by a reporter the running back was describing himself, Elliott tilted his head right and smiled. Something like that, he said. | http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4768520/ezekiel-elliott-todd-gurley-carrying-the-burden-into-divisional-round |
Where are the Dolphins leaning? | Getty Images With three jobs filled, three others likely down to two candidates each, and two AFC East jobs seemingly still wide(r) open, the Miami vacancy hasnt gotten much attention. The Dolphins have interviewed Patriots linebackers coach (and de facto defensive coordinator) Brian Flores, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Cowboys defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator (and de facto defensive coordinator) Kris Richard, and Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Theres one name that continues to loom over the process: Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Theres a lingering belief that Ross will eventually throw his hands in the air and give Baltimore whatever it wants in order to get Harbaugh. Some have suggested that the Ravens want two first-round picks. Thats a high price to pay. Considering what Harbaugh could do for the Dolphins or any other team, it could be draft picks (and, in turn, money) well spent. | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/01/09/where-are-the-dolphins-leaning/ |
Who's on the ballot this spring in the Menomonee Falls/Germantown area? | Buy Photo The spring municipal and school elections are shaping up. The deadline to file for candidacy was Jan. 2. (Photo: Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)Buy Photo The spring election season is gearing up, with the deadline to file for candidacy Jan. 2. There is the most interest in races for the Menomonee Falls Village Board, where races are shaping up in each of the four trustee seats up for election. No primaries are necessary in the Menomonee Falls/Germantown area. The general election will be April 2. Here's a list of who has filed: Town of Lisbon Chairman Joseph Osterman,N51 W24181 Lisbon Road (inc.) Supervisor 4 Rebecca Plotecher,N79 W25605 Plainview Road (inc.) Supervisor 2 Marc Moonen, W227 N8023 Tamarack Road (inc) Village of Butler President (one seat, two-year term) Patricia Tiarks, 4724 N. 127th St., Butler (inc.) Trustee (three seats, two-year terms) William Benjamin, 12920 W. Hampton Ave. (inc.) Mark Holdmann, 13040 W. Lucille Lane (inc.) Thomas Sardina, 12907 W. Cameron Ave. (inc.) Paul Kasdorf, 12807 W. Eggert Place Municipal judge (one seat, three-year term) Roger Benjamin, 4633 N. 125th St. (inc.) Village of Germantown President (one seat, three-year term) Dean Wolter, S169 N10224 Larkspur Lane (inc.) Village of Lannon President (one seat, two-year term) Tom Gudex, 7051 Parkview Drive (inc.) Trustee (three seats, two-year terms) Patrick Yates, 21802 S. Weather Edge Circle (inc.) Alex Gizelbach, 6974 N. Weather Edge Circle (inc.) Steve Reek, 21790D N. Weather Edge Circle (inc.) Municipal judge (one seat) Laurie Dutcher, 7099 N. Parkview Drive, (inc.) Village of Menomonee Falls Trustee (four seats) Seat 3 (one-year term) Brian Schneider, N53 W16254 Whitetail Run Tim Newman, N82 W16121 Pine Tree Court, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Seat 4 (three-year term) Jeremy Walz, W171 N9345 Briarwood Terrace (inc.) Bryant Divelbiss, W182 N8270 Georgetown Drive Seat 5 (three-year term) Bonnie Lemmer, N90 W17492 Saint Thomas Drive (inc.) Steven Taggart, N85 W17082 Lee Place Seat 6 (three-year term) Paul Tadda, W142 N6673 Memory Road (inc.) Kevel Anderson, N60 W15491 Hidden Hollow Court Village of Sussex Trustee (two seats, three-year terms) Lee Uecker, W240 N6191 Maple Avenue (inc.) Matt Carran, W241 N7359 S. Woodsview Drive (inc.) Gregory Zoellick, N66 W24034 Champeny Road Germantown School District three seats, three-year terms Seat 6 Michael Loth, W153N9899 Neptune Drive, Germantown (inc.) Seat 4 Brian Medved, 4288 Kennedy Circle South, Colgate (inc.) Seat 2 Ray Borden, W161N10785 Creek Terrace Court, Germantown (inc.) Hamilton School District three seats, three-year terms At-large seat Jennifer Waltz W241 N5985 Goldencrest Court, Sussex (inc.) Lori Schnitzka, N88 W24734 N Lisbon Road, Sussex Butler seat Rebecca Zingsheim, 12729 W. Derby Place, Butler (inc.) Sussex seat Gabe Kolesari, W241 N5728 Birchwood Lane, Sussex (inc.) Menomonee Falls School District three seats, three-year terms Michele Divelbiss, W182 N8270 Georgetown Drive (inc.) Cathy Olig, N77 W15424 Crossway Drive (inc.) Faith VanderHorst, N64 W15924 Wildflower Drive (inc.) Lowell Kellogg, W147 N6677 Ash Drive Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/2019/01/09/candidates-spring-municipal-school-election-northwest-area/2501056002/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northwest/2019/01/09/candidates-spring-municipal-school-election-northwest-area/2501056002/ |
Was steckt hinter dem Angriff auf den AfD-Abgeordneten Magnitz? | vor 1 Stunde BERLIN/BREMEN - Ein AfD-Politiker wird brutal attackiert. Mit Kopfwunden kommt er ins Krankenhaus. Ein Tter ist noch nicht gefasst. Magnitz hat die Klinik inzwischen verlassen. Der hinterhltige Angriff auf den AfD-Bundestagsabgeordneten Frank Magnitz wirft viele Fragen auf. Zahlreiche davon sind noch nicht abschlieend beantwortet. Die Bremer Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen des Verdachts auf gefhrliche Krperverletzung. Die AfD wertet die Attacke als "Mordversuch". Das wei die Staatsanwaltschaft noch nicht. Klar ist, dass Magnitz in einem kleinen Seitenweg berfallen wurde, der durch den Innenhof des Bremer Theaters am Goetheplatz fhrt. Der AfD-Landeschef ist in der Stadt kein Unbekannter. Er wird eher dem rechten Flgel der AfD zugerechnet. Der Immobilienkaufmann und sechsfache Vater wurde fr Bremerhaven in den Bundestag gewhlt. Am 26. Mai wird in Bremen ein neuer Landtag (Brgerschaft) gewhlt. Beim AfD-Listenparteitag Ende Januar will Magnitz wieder fit sein. "Das Tatgeschehen ist jetzt klar", sagte der Sprecher der Bremer Staatsanwaltschaft Frank Passade mit Blick auf Videoaufnahmen, die den berfall dokumentieren. Danach wird der 66-jhrige Magnitz von einem Mann von hinten angesprungen. Der Angreifer gehrt zu einer Gruppe von drei Mnnern, einer von ihnen ging etwas versetzt hinten den ersten beiden. Der Angreifer reckt beim Sprung den Ellenbogen nach vorne. Magnitz strzt zu Boden, schlgt mit dem Kopf auf. Die Tter flchten. Die Videos belegen laut den Ermittlern weder, dass Magnitz mit einem Gegenstand geschlagen noch am Boden getreten wurde. "Absolut und selbstverstndlich", so die Bremer AfD. "Wir hoffen, dass die feigen Tter gefasst werden knnen und eine Strafe bekommen, die diesen Namen auch verdient", erklrt sie am Mittwoch. Fr die Ermittler liegt ein politischer Hintergrund zwar nahe. Gewissheit wrde aber erst die Ergreifung der Tter bringen. "Das knnen im Endeffekt auch drei Idioten gewesen sein, die aus wie auch immer geartetem Antrieb meinen, so etwas tun zu mssen", sagte Passade. Die Frage muss offen bleiben. Die Staatsanwaltschaft vernahm beide am Dienstag. Zu Details schweigt sie bisher. Die Parteivorsitzenden Alexander Gauland und Jrg Meuthen sprechen von einem "Mordversuch". Und obwohl viele AfD-Politiker in ihren Reden selbst nicht zimperlich sind, interpretieren sie den Angriff auf Magnitz als "Ergebnis der andauernden Hetze von Politikern und Medien gegen uns, die jetzt in Bremen offenbar von Linksterroristen in die Tat umgesetzt wurde". Die AfD sttzt ihre Darstellung, dass Magnitz mit einem Kantholz oder einen hnlichen Gegenstand geschlagen wurde, vor allem auf die beiden Handwerker, die so etwas gesagt haben sollen. Auch die Klinik-rzte htten von einem Schlag gesprochen. Magnitz verlie am Mittwoch auf eigene Verantwortung das Krankenhaus. Politiker aller Parteien haben die Tat verurteilt. Vertreter der Grnen haben ihre Solidarittsbekundungen fr das Opfer allerdings mit Kritik am Politikstil der AfD verbunden. Parteichefin Annalena Baerbock sagte: "Wer Hass streut, der erntet Hass." Die Zahl der Menschen, die von den Sicherheitsbehrden des Bundes geschtzt werden, ist in den vergangenen Jahren gestiegen. Das ist sicher auch ein Indiz fr ein zunehmend angespanntes politisches Klima. Um den Schutz von Mandatstrgern auf Landesebene kmmern sich die Landeskriminalmter. Prominente AfD-Politiker wie die beiden Vorsitzenden der Bundestagsfraktion, Alexander Gauland und Alice Weidel werden bei ffentlichen Auftritten von mehreren Personenschtzern der Polizei begleitet. Auch die stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Bundestagsfraktion, Beatrix von Storch, hat Beamte an ihrer Seite. Das gilt auch fr den Thringer AfD-Fraktionschef und Partei-Rechtsauen Bjrn Hcke. Jedoch ist der Schutz wegen der unterschiedlichen Gefhrdungsstufe nicht bei allen AfD-Landeschefs gleich. Dem Europaabgeordneten und Parteichef Jrg Meuthen stellt die AfD selbst Personenschtzer zur Seite. dpa | http://www.nordbayern.de/politik/was-steckt-hinter-dem-angriff-auf-den-afd-abgeordneten-magnitz-1.8483099?rssPage=bm9yZGJheWVybi5kZQ== |
How well has Raiders GM Mike Mayock evaluated interior offensive linemen? | 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 five parts of this series, we reviewed Mayocks top quarterbacks running backs, receivers, tight ends and offensive tackles. Today, we are looking at how well Mayock has done offensive tackles. Here is the full list of his interior offensive line rankings since 2008, via the NFL.com archives: 2008 Guard/center: 1. Branden Albert, Virginia 2. Chilo Rachal, USC 3. Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers 4. Mike Pollak, Arizona State 5. Roy Schuening, Oregon State 2009 Guards 1. Andy Levitre, Oregon State 2. Duke Robinson, Oklahoma 3.Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin 4.Tyronne Green, Auburn 5.Herman Johnson, LSU Centers 1. Max Unger, Oregon 2. Eric Wood, Louisville 3. Alex Mack, California 4. A.Q. Shipley, Penn State 5. Antoine Caldwell, Alabama 2010 Guard/center: 1. Maurkice Pouncey, Florida 2. Mike Iupati, Idaho 3. Jon Asamoah, Illinois 4. Zane Beadles, Utah 5. Mike Johnson, Alabama 2011 Guard/center: 1. Mike Pouncey, Florida 2. Danny Watkins, Baylor 3. Clint Boling, Georgia 4. Marcus Cannon, TCU 5. Rodney Hudson, Florida State 2012 Guard 1. David DeCastro, Stanford 2. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin 3. Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State 4. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State 5. Brandon Brooks, Miami (Ohio) Center 1. Peter Konz, Wisconsin 2. Philip Blake, Baylor 3. Ben Jones, Georgia 4. David Molk, Michigan 5. Quentin Saulsberry, Mississippi State 2013 Guard 1. Chance Warmack, Alabama 2. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina 3. Kyle Long, Oregon 4. Larry Warford, Kentucky 5. Brian Winters, Kent State Center 1. Brian Schwenke, Cal 2. Barrett Jones, Alabama 3. Travis Frederick, Wisconsin 4. Khaled Holmes, USC 5. Braxston Cave, Notre Dame 2014 Guard 1. Xavier Sua-Filo, UCLA 2. Trai Turner, LSU 3. Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State 4. Brandon Thomas, Clemson 5. Chris Watt, Notre Dame Center 1. Marcus Martin, USC 2. Weston Richburg, Colorado State 3. Travis Swanson, Arkansas 4. Bryan Stork, Florida State 5. Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma 2015 Guard/center: 1. Brandon Scherff, Iowa 2. Cameron Erving, Florida State 3. Laken Tomlinson, Duke 4. A.J. Cann, South Carolina 5. Mitch Morse, Missouri 2016 Guard 1. Cody Whitehair, Kansas State 2. Joshua Garnett, Stanford 3. Christian Westerman, Arizona State 4. Connor McGovern, Missouri 5. Isaac Seumalo, Oregon State Center 1. Ryan Kelly, Alabama 2. Nick Martin, Notre Dame 3. Max Tuerk, USC 4. Evan Boehm, Missouri T-5. Graham Glasgow, Michigan T-5. Jack Allen, Michigan State 2017 Guard/center: 1. Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky 2. Pat Elflein, Ohio State 3. Dion Dawkins, Temple 4. Dan Feeney, Indiana 5. Ethan Pocic, LSU 2018 Guard/center: 1. Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame 2. James Daniels, Iowa 3. Billy Price, Ohio State 4. Will Hernandez, UTEP T-5. Isaiah Wynn, Georgia T-5. Frank Ragnow, Arkansas T-5. Feel free to comment below. | https://raiderswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/09/how-well-has-raiders-gm-mike-mayock-evaluated-interior-offensive-linemen/ |
Will the bulls or the bears be right about the UKOG share price in 2019? | The share price spiked rapidly in summer 2017 when estimates of massive reserves had oil investors agog, but increasing concerns over the commercial viability of those potential reserves have led to a share price crash since then. The major driving force behind the so-called Gatwick Gusher at Horse Hill in Surrey, it has seen its share price soar and crash as estimated prospects for its commercial hydrocarbon reserves have fluctuated wildly. If theres ever been a 50/50 oil stock, it has to be UK Oil & Gas (LSE: UKOG). I would like to receive emails from you about product information and offers from The Fool and its business partners. Each of these emails will provide a link to unsubscribe from future emails. More information about how The Fool collects, stores, and handles personal data is available in its Privacy Statement. Register by giving us your email below to continue reading all of the content on the site. Soon you will also begin to receive our FREE email newsletter, The Motley Fool Collective. It features straightforward advice on whats really happening with the stock market, direct to your inbox. Its designed to help you protect and grow your portfolio. (You may unsubscribe any time.) If theres ever been a 50/50 oil stock, it has to be UK Oil & Gas (LSE: UKOG). The major driving force behind the so-called Gatwick Gusher at Horse Hill in Surrey, it has seen its share price soar and crash as estimated prospects for its commercial hydrocarbon reserves have fluctuated wildly. The share price spiked rapidly in summer 2017 when estimates of massive reserves had oil investors agog, but increasing concerns over the commercial viability of those potential reserves have led to a share price crash since then. As I write, the shares are up a modest 33% over five years, compared to a 760% rise at their peak in September 2017. In the bulls corner, we have my esteemed Fool colleague Rupert Hargreaves, who has pointed out that the big share price crash came as a result of a single disappointing update on progress at its Broadford Bridge-1 prospect in early 2018. That took the wind out of the sails, and no amount of positive updates have since been able to reverse the gloomy feeling. But, as Rupert says, extended tests on the Horse Hill Portland oil field led the company to declare that asset as commercially viable. That has not been enough, so far, to reignite enthusiasm for UKOG shares, but the declining price of oil might be something to do with that. In the opposite corner, my equally esteemed colleague G A Chester has suggested the UKOG share price might be worth as little as 0.55p (with todays price standing at 1.3p). He points out that, though the company does have one asset with proven reserves, the rest are only rated as contingent resources or prospective resources and as anyone who has followed the oil investment business will know, both of those categories are highly uncertain. Funding, clearly, is going to be crucial, and the biggest fear currently is that UKOG will not have the cash it needs to get it to profitability as it is still very much in its cash-burn exploration phase. Theres still the question of whether UKOG will get to profitability, and its recent record of buying up interests in licences that others seem very willing to sell does not strike me as a conservative approach to financial viability. Having said that, if the firm can get to some sort of early production, that could have several positive effects. Firstly, some cash coming in could assuage the fears of those fearing a bust, and secondly it could encourage further rounds of fundraising. It might also convince the sceptics who think Horse Hill is a dud. For me it remains a 50/50 gamble, and I just dont do those. Me neither. | https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2019/01/09/will-the-bulls-or-the-bears-be-right-about-the-ukog-share-price-in-2019/ |
Who wants to interfere in Israel's elections? | Dr. Ron Schleifer, a lecturer in the School of Communications at the University of Ariel and an expert on psychological warfare, said that the fear of interference by foreign states in Israel's upcoming elections is not new. "In the previous elections, there was the activity of V15, which tried to create the impression of great support for the left, and did so using computerized means," Dr. Schleifer told Arutz Sheva. "Even today, there are many elements in the US State Department who are against the Zionist idea, who are already actively [interfering in] the elections in Israel, but it can also be Russia. They have no problem having hundreds of people using social media [to interfere]. The Europeans are also shamelessly interfering through support for all sorts of organizations. [For example,] Germany does this by funding conferences and organizations in Israel." He noted that it is very easy to interfere in a country's elections online. "People who enter Google do not understand that the results they receive are perhaps only two percent of the information. They receive information that interests them. It is possible through the network to create the impression of broader support for a particular candidate. In the past, they would buy an ad in the paper and sign "Citizens Supporters X", although in practice it was only one person. Today it's easier and cheaper. No need to buy advertising space in the newspaper. You can also create tiny programs that grow on their own and pretend to be a person with an identity who is conducting a dialogue with yourself." "The computer world is hackable and even if you secure your computer in all the possible firewalls, all you have to do is open an e-mail and you expose your computer to all kinds of spyware." According to Dr. Schleifer, the various parties are also aware of the technological tools and how they are best used. "For some reason, Likud has the image of a technologically-challenged party, while Yair Lapid has the image of the peak of technology. It's just not true." | http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/257398 |
Which MLB Pitchers are Poised for a Breakout in 2019? | With the calendar officially flipping to January and Spring Training about a month-and-a-half away, everyone around baseball is focusing squarely on the 2019 season. That doesnt mean certain players arent still using their 2018 performance as motivation, though. Whether last year was a strong one or a disappointing one on an individual basis, there are plenty of starting pitchers with a lot to prove once April rolls around. The following six hurlers are each at different stages of their respective careers, but they all have one thing in common they should be taking the mound with a chip on their shoulder this year. Knowing which pitchers are poised to do well is an important piece of information for sports bettors. Fans looking to wager on baseball in 2019 can take advantage of the William Hill Promo Code when making their bets. If youre looking to gamble on baseball, the six pitchers below are players to keep an eye on. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals Despite compiling 6.2 fWAR through his most recent 326 innings of work heading into 2018, Danny Duffy went from being a potential trade candidate for a rebuilding Royals club to a hurler in need of a bounce back campaign. The southpaw tossed 155 frames this past year, yielding a disappointing 4.88 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 20.4% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate, and 1.1 fWAR. In fact, after setting new single-season career-best marks in strikeout rate (25.7%) and walk rate (5.8%) in 2016, both of those numbers have gotten worse in each following season. Duffy also allowed 1.34 homers per nine innings, which is a stark difference to the 0.80 mark he posted in 2017. Hes always been more of a fly-ball pitcher (42.6% rate in 18), but it didnt help that he allowed hard contact at a 37.9% clip a career worst. Its also worth noting that the leftys slider usage cratered compared to recent years. After throwing it at least 23.0% of the time between 2015 and 2017 (including at a career-high 29.4% rate in 17), that number dropped to 16.3%. Opposing hitters posted a .913 OPS, .278 ISO, and 157 wRC+ against it in 2018. Those numbers were .595, .075, and 70, respectively, the prior year. Luke Weaver, Arizona Diamondbacks Things can change quick in baseball just ask Luke Weaver. Following 60.1 dominant innings in 2017, he was viewed as a crucial piece of the Cardinals future rotation. A year later, hes now on the Arizona Diamondbacks after being part of the Paul Goldschmidt trade. Following a 3.88 ERA and 1.4 fWAR with a 28.6% strikeout rate and 6.8% walk rate during that solid 17 campaign, those numbers worsened to 4.95, 1.3, 19.9%, and 8.9%, respectively, through 136.1 innings. He also started bouncing between the rotation and bullpen a bit in the second half, which didnt go well (10.29 ERA in seven innings as a reliever). The goal should be to get his fastball back on track, which should positively impact the rest of his arsenal. Heres how his walk rate and strikeout rate compare between 2017 and 2018 for his three most-used pitches: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners King Felix has routinely been one of baseballs best pitchers since debuting in 2005, but he hasnt been the same for a while now. Hernandez has thrown more than 2,600 innings as a big-leaguer and tossed at least 190 frames each year between 2006 and 2015. The wear and tear has clearly taken its toll on the 32-year-old hes failed to crack 160 innings in a single season since 2016, and his velocity continues to plummet. As a rookie, Hernandez boasted an average fastball velocity of 95.8 miles per hour. In 2018, that number settled in at just 89.3, part of a mostly steady nosedive since 2010. His 18.3% strikeout rate was not only a single-season career low, but its also the second time in three years hes failed to crack 20.0%. Hes simply not the pitcher he used to be anymore, and its taking time to figure out how he can be successful without his old fastball. The right-hander and former AL Cy Young Award winner is trying to find some answers his 42.8% fastball usage rate was the lowest its ever been, while he leaned heavily on his curveball (27.9% usage rate) and changeup (24.2% usage rate). Those were his two most successful pitches when it comes to results, as opposing hitters mustered just a 78 and 87 wRC+, respectively, against them. Hopefully hes on the verge of figuring it all out as he enters the last guaranteed year of his contract with the Mariners. Anthony DeSclafani, Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds havent had a good starting rotation for a number of years, and theyve been actively trying to fix. General manager Dick Williams has already acquired Tanner Roark and Alex Wood to serve as building blocks for 2019, and hed probably like DeSclafani to join the party, too. He was one of the few bright spots for the Reds starting staff in 2015 and 2016 (5.1 combined fWAR). Unfortunately, he proceeded to miss all of 2017 and part of 2018 due to elbow and oblique injuries. He produced a disappointing 4.93 ERA and 0.6 fWAR in 115 innings upon finally getting back on the hill. Although he did allow hard contact at an alarming 41.9% rate, there were some positive signs. His 22.3% strikeout rate was actually a career high, while his 6.2% walk rate fell within his career norms. Overall, a 3.96 SIERA is at least encouraging as he continues to get himself back to normal. Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays Following consecutive seasons of 200-plus innings and at least 3.0 fWAR, Marcus Stromans 2018 season was a real bummer. Right shoulder fatigue, a finger blister, and just overall poor performance led to him accruing just 102.1 innings and being worth 1.5 fWAR. That hasnt stopped his name from popping up in trade rumors this winter, but its mostly as a buy-low candidate, which the Blue Jays should be trying to avoid. The right-hander allowed his highest BABIP (.326) for a single season, along with a career-worst strand rate (60.5%) and an elevated walk rate (8.0%). Clearly, thats not a recipe for success, but its good to see that there wasnt a huge change in his batted-ball profile. In fact, this was the third straight year in which he threw at least 100 innings and posted a ground-ball rate higher than 60.0%. Jon Gray, Colorado Rockies The 2018 season was a weird one for Jon Gray. He entered it as the ace of the Colorado Rockies staff but was pitching in Triple-A by the end of June after posting a 5.77 ERA through his first 17 starts. He only spent two starts down in the minors before getting recalled to the big leagues. Despite the struggles and demotion, the right-hander still managed to set a new career-high in wins (12) and innings pitched (172.1). Grays batted-ball profile didnt change much when compared to 2017, but his quality-of-contact numbers sure did. After posting career bests in soft-hit rate (22.7%) and hard-hit rate (28.4%) in 17, those numbers worsened to 16.0% and 36.1%, respectively. That likely also contributed to his career-worst 1.41 homers allowed per nine innings. Prior to 2018, that number had never been higher than 0.96. Gray has continued increasing the usage of his slider and curveball, and while they were still his most effective pitches this past year, they werent nearly as productive as the year before. His slider produced a 31.8% strikeout rate and 80 wRC+ in 18 (38.6% and 28 in 17), and his curveball produced a 41.6% strikeout rate and 57 wRC+ (40.0% and 20 in 17). | http://www.sportsmedia101.com/mlb/2019/01/which-mlb-pitchers-are-poised-for-a-breakout-in-2019 |
Is There A Shift That Allows Two Second Basemen? | Mets are among teams to have talks regarding Brian Dozier lately, tho Nats, Rox and others seem like more logical fits. Market for him starting to warm. Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 9, 2019 So either Jon Heyman has turned into Bot Stove , or the Mets have inside information that five infielders will soon be allowed by Major League Baseball. I mean, does that make any more sense than these: reports that Brew Crew are pursuing Jacob deGrom make no sense Bot Stove (@BotStove) January 7, 2019 Pirates increasingly confident they will acquire 1 of Russell Martin, Jedd Gyorko or Noah Syndergaard by Thursday Bot Stove (@BotStove) January 7, 2019 Nationals are reported to have examined the family tree of Joe DiMaggio in advance of the draft Bot Stove (@BotStove) January 8, 2019 Look, somebody has to replace Bryce Harper. And Im sure theres a distant cousin playing independent ball in Northern California somewhere. Its creative. As for Dozier, the Mets have a second baseman who doesnt want to play anywhere else but second, and a shortstop who has played third base seven days in his entire professional life. So yeah, lets look into a guy who has never played anywhere except second and short save for 20 games in the minors at third. Hmmmm Todd Frazier or an inexperienced third baseman. Hmmmmm .. Dozier also picked a terrible season to hit .215 his walk year while somehow hitting worse for the team in the playoffs than with the team playing out the string. Thats an interesting strategy, and its an interesting player for the Mets to talk to. Unless a fifth infielder is approved by the rules committee (which if it includes Angel Hernandez, theres a chance), then I dont see a fit for Dozier unless David Wright told Jeffy that he needs an assistant of his own in the front office. Im sure theres room on the payroll for a Dry Cleaning Manager. | http://www.sportsmedia101.com/mlb/new-york-mets/2019/01/is-there-a-shift-that-allows-two-second-basemen |
Why aren't all our smartphones waterproof right now? | Our smartphones are our lives, the portal to the virtual world we're all tethered to, whether we like it or not. And as the importance (and cost) has escalated, so has our desire to keep them safe, leading to reams of cases and millions of pounds spent on insuring our treasured possessions. In recent years, manufacturers have made progress in making these phones more "life proof" by using tougher materials, stronger glass, and some manufacturers - such as Sony and Samsung - even making some of the phones in their range fully waterproof. Sony an early water-resistance trend-setter is keeping up the practice of making its top phones waterproof, and Samsung has doubled-down on waterproofing, including it as a headline feature on its latest flagship phones. There are rumours, too, that Apple will be entering the arena shortly with the iPhone 7, which could well have the same water-repelling qualities as the Samsung Galaxy S7 - and if not this year, it's very likely to appear on the iPhone 7S. But below the glitzy smartphone surface, there are also a group of companies that are aiming to make almost every device waterproof - without having to suffer any compromises in design or weight to achieve it. Well, we've dived into the deep end to find out. To better understand the requirements when it comes to shielding smartphones and other gadgets from the elements, it's important to know how manufacturers measure the level of protection on offer. When we refer to smartphones, their water resistance rating known as an Ingress Protection (or IP) rating is usually mentioned. The rating is followed by a number that rates its ability to repel water or dust, with the first number dictating how protected the smartphone is against solid particles and the second number indicating how repellant it is to water and other liquids. Although some phones claim to be "waterproof", they are almost always water resistant. This means they can withstand water for a period of time, and to a certain depth, but they shouldn't be deliberately submerged beyond the stated maximum. If the IP rating starts with a 6, then you can be sure that the device is totally sealed, and solid particles will not be able to find their way in. If the rating starts with a 5, then small particles of dust may be able to find their way in, but won't affect the operation of the smartphone. The second number needs to start with either an 8 or a 9 to be able to fully withstand submersion in water continuously, though manufacturers tend to provide more cautious guidelines than the official rating would suggest. If the number starts with a 7, then the phone will be resistant to rain and mild splashes, but won't survive full submersion in water. Bad news if you've got a phone that's not waterproof - it's not currently possible to retrofit the technology. You can pick up cheaper sprays to cover the exterior of a phone in a waterproof coating, although these are usually temporary solutions. Some companies have offered solutions to retroactively coat smartphones in a protective layer, but so far no one has succeeded in making it a viable reality. Most of the companies we've spoken to are set on protecting smartphones and other devices at the manufacturing stage apparently the most cost-effective and consistent solution, which could mean the next iPhone or Google Nexus comes with water-resistance as standard - but there are other options too for non-smartphone gadgets. WaterFi Your Apple Watch can now be properly saved from the wet. Credit: WaterFi WaterFi is a US company offering solutions on a variety of devices. They offer a patented process that helps a selection of gadgets resist the wet, including the Apple Watch and Fitbit Blaze. It relies on the use of a rubbery insulator that is injected into the chosen device along with an extra layer of protection that helps resist corrosion or chemicals. Waterfi's Marketing Manager, Gabe Hagstrom, believes waterproofing can be liberating for a gadget lover: "The cost of our waterproofing doesn't just save the customer from paying for a repair or replacement," he told TechRadar. "It actually frees the customer to use the device in ways and places they never thought possible." "They take their iPod swimming and surfing, the Kindle to the beach and wash it off in the ocean if it gets sandy, and take the Fitbit scuba diving." WaterFi's waterproof iPod Shuffle Swim Kit ($155 / 118 and includes waterproof SwimActive Headphones) is a perfect swimmer's solution, and the range has recently expanded to include multiple Fitbits such as the Blaze and Alta, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, and the Apple Watch. If you live in the US, it can also coat your pre-existing Shuffle, Kindle, and Fitbit for a lower price ($99 / 75.42). When asked about waterproofing smartphones, Hagstrom explained that WaterFi " will probably stay out of that for now; there's too much variation in hardware making it unfeasible to create an affordable waterproofing solution. "[In the future] we see devices that are unlocked and affordable without a contract, like the newest Nexus phones, which we would then look to waterproof and offer brand new on our website to save all the hassle of sending in a phone that's in use and going a few days off the grid." We've spoken to multiple smartphone manufacturers and most have considered adding waterproof technology into their handsets at some point in the future - and it's definitely possible that Apple could be a customer of one of the following brands, although they're remaining tight-lipped on the subject. This type of waterproofing won't be an afterthought, or something you'll have to consider as an additional expense, but will instead be baked into the manufacturing process, just like with the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. But that technology needs to come from somewhere, so we spoke to three companies leading the way in this field about where they see the market heading and how long before swimming pools will be freely littered with all manner of smartphones. P2i British company P2i isn't in the retail market and doesn't offer a service to protect your device post-purchase, but has instead decided to go down the route of being a part of the manufacturing process itself. P2i's waterproofing technology can be found on the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus, and is also being used by the likes of Timberland and Kangol for their waterproof clothing. If you are familiar with some of Motorola's more recent devices including the Moto E, then you'll have already seen some of P2i's splash-proof technology in action. It's also present on some of Motorola's other handsets, including the Moto G4 and G4 Plus. Dr. Stephen Coulson, who invented the technology at Durham University in the early 2000s, explains further how it works. "The coating works to alter the surface layer chemistry of the device so that instead of encouraging water... to stick, it simply beads up and rolls away." he told us. "Now, instead of being pulled into the device through capillary action, any accidental splashes or spills onto the device are repelled away from the circuitry. "This is extremely important in protecting devices from corrosion and electrical failure brought on by moisture, sweat or accidental liquid splashes and spills." "Most of the top ten [smartphone manufacturers] have worked with us to some capacity before, and so it's simply a case of looking into a new project." Coulson said. Earlier in 2016, P2i celebrated the milestone of 100 million nano coated phones, though the details of exactly which manufacturers make up that massive figure are being kept a secret. HzO Back across the ocean in the US, HzO uses a chemical vapour to coat the device, protecting the components against damage by water or any more potentially corrosive liquid without changing the look or feel of the handset. Like P2i, HzO's technology is implemented at the manufacturing stage, and according to Marketing Manager Jared Matkin, that's where it plans to continue to focus its efforts rather than offering an aftermarket solution. "We are working directly with OEM's/manufacturers to integrate our licensable technology into production lines so that when products come to market they already have our coating on them," he told us. "I can say that our nano-coating protects against full submersion, and while we don't recommend people live an underwater existence with their nano-coated device, that protection in most normal, 'real world' scenarios will last the lifetime of the device." HzO has recently been working with Rakuten to waterproof their next generation of e-readers, the Kobo Aura One. Other partners include Dell and Motorola, but they have yet to put their name publicly on any waterproof smartphones. Semblant It doesn't look pretty, but it's crucially important to saving your phone Semblant is a more recent addition to the waterproofing world, and offers a similar solution to P2i and HzO, but claims to be targeting their nano-coating technology specifically at phones and other electronic devices. Simon McElrea, CEO of Semblant believes its solution offers a superior way to protect smartphones, calling for "a much more elegant solution" rather than just spraying chemicals. Semblant's coating technology coats every single internal component of the treated device, covering the circuit boards, ports and other delicate parts with a hydrophobic nano coating that once applied is a permanent solution. "Water WILL get into the phone" says McElrea, "so the trick is to deal with it once it gets in there." The current trend found in with recent phones such as the Samsung S7 is to seal the phone shut to make it easier to waterproof the internals. Whilst this method does work, it makes the devices incredibly difficult to repair. Semblant's MobileShield technology protects internal components from liquid damage, whilst allowing smartphones to be more easily repaired and reused, rather than simply being discarded. McElrea believes there is currently a "paradigm shift" in waterproofing technology: "Old fashioned methods such as glues and sealants, hydrophobic exterior coatings, and gaskets...are all repurposed technologies that were not designed for the complexity of electronic devices, and particularly smartphones (which are the most abused!)" "What we will see going forward is a combination of simple gaskets, smart port design (I.e. perhaps doing away with the types of connectors/ports that allow the greatest liquid ingress, and swapping them with close-ended connectors), and internal nano-coatings on the PCBA. "I would expect to see this strategy going into several of the largest phone companies over the next 1-2 years, including the rapidly growing Chinese handset manufacturers." McElrea was keen to point out that some of the hydrophobic coatings that have been used for quite some time to cover clothing, footwear, pots and pans etc. have typically contained harmful substances like PTFE, PFOA, and PFOS. It is an unfortunate tradeoff that materials which repel water are often toxic (even carcinogenic) and non-biodegradable. Leading companies like Nike, Apple, Goretex, Patagonia etc. have outlawed these materials and they are in turn being banned by state and national governments across the US, so companies like Semblant could hold the key to making waterproofing more sustainable. No more watery graves Whether you are after a waterproof phone, or want to do something to protect your existing handset, there's a variety of solutions out there. It looks certain that the future will be full of waterproof gadgets, thanks to the technologies being developed by P2i, HzO and Semblant - and the costs of adding in this feature are offset by the increased consumer confidence in the device. Put simply, it'll be a hygiene factor: when most brands offer it, phones that don't repel water will be seen as useless. There's little needed to convince consumers that it should be a default feature of any future smartphone, and of course manufacturers are striving for better device reliability to give us a longer-lasting product. It's a safe bet that in the near future, virtually every new smartphone will come bearing some form of the liquid-guarding technology. But that's just the start of it - the techniques that save our phones from drowning will make us healthier and keep our phones looking smarter, according to Dr. Coulson of P2, who sees a big future in nanotechnologies and other protective coatings. "This is just the beginning for invisible coatings on electronic devices. The future will see the likes of anti-scratch, anti-fingerprint and even antimicrobial coatings as standard all applied at such a tiny scale that you won't even know it's there" he told us. And the best bit: you won't even notice it's there. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/why-aren-t-all-our-smartphones-waterproof-right-now-1327692 |
How much could Mackenzie Bezos get in divorce with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos? | Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos attend the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo: Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images) Jeff Bezos' divorce could become the most expensive in history exactly what he pays out will depend on the complexities of marital law and the value of Amazon. Bezos announced in a tweet Wednesday that he and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, have "decided to divorce." His tweet suggested that it will be an amicable parting, saying "we remain a family and we remain cherished friends. And it's possible that any settlement and support he gives MacKenzie is negligible in the context of his wealth, which at the latest tally was around $137 billion. More: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie to divorce after 25 years of marriage But Washington state, where the Bezos' live, is a community property state. That means that any wealth made during their marriage could be split equally between the two. Since Amazon was founded a year after the Bezos' were married, MacKenzie could argue that she is entitled to half of Bezos' entire Amazon-based fortune $137 billion at latest count. That means she could get as much as $66 billion based on the value of the company today. To fund a settlement that big, Bezos would have sell or pledge shares, which could dilute his ownership and control of the company. Bezos owns just under 80 million shares of Amazon, or just under 16 percent of the company, according to regulatory filings. But divorce attorneys say that is highly likely MacKenzie would want the family fortune to continue to grow and that is tied large part to Jeff Bezos' control of the company. So she would be unlikely to push for a settlement that would require him to sell shares that would dilute his control and any reduction of his 15 percent stake in the company. "The issue will be how to value the assets with diminished control," said Jeffrey Fisher, a divorce attorney in West Palm Beach who has handled several billionaire divorces. "There would be an argument by the attorneys that the Amazon stake is not worth as much without Bezos in control, so that would affect any settlement." The most expensive U.S. divorce so far is believed to be Steve and Elaine Wynn in 2010, which was estimated at $1 billion. Oil tycoon Harold Hamm famously wrote a check for $974.8 million in 2012 for his divorce. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/01/09/jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-how-much-could-she-get-divorce/2524144002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/01/09/jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-how-much-could-she-get-divorce/2524144002/ |
Did Prophet Ukama's December 3 death prophecy come to pass? | News / National by Staff reporter A prominent Bulawayo preacher who correctly foretold the August 1 post-election violence had issued a chilling new prophecy - death on December 3. Was the 'man of God' correct?Prophet Itai Ukama, of Abundant Life Ministries, made a prayer for "our leaders" in the October 21 prophecy, posted on YouTube by his church on November 1. "I'm looking at the date of December 3. I give you December3, 2018. Why?," Ukama said. I know that people in Zimbabwe are so bitter that when these people start dying one-by-one you are not sure they will be replaced with good ones. Better the devil you know. Better the devil who's already rich than the one who will want to come and start afresh." | https://bulawayo24.com/news/national/153239 |
What's on the cocktail list at Newcastle's new Alice in Wonderland-theme bar? | Get what's on updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email First customers at Newcastle's new pop-up bar Those Who Know might expect a drinks list as quirky as its name and Alice in Wonderland theme might suggest. So they won't be surprised to find - on an upside menu that reads both ways - a range of cocktails whose titles reference Lewis Carroll famous novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland which has inspired the interior of the bar in Grey Street where it replaces its Christmas pop-up predecessor Miracle on Grey Street . Here is the story, below, behind the bar's opening on Tuesday. And here's what to expect from its new cocktail menu, whose prices range from 6.95 to 9.45. Expect a dash of the unusual, a serving of style and such additions as exotic juices, chocolate sprinkles and even flavour-changing ice cubes. (Image: PR) Sweet Treat 6.95 Gin, raspberry liqueur and lime juice plus lychee juice and a macaron. A Little Blueberry Dress 8.45 Gin, rose wine, lemon juice, blueberry puree and gomme with a dash of tonic. Black-hearted Queen 6.95 Pama Pomegranate liqueur and pinot grigio. No Time To Say Hello 7.45 Vodka, white chocolate liqueur, vanilla gomme and pear puree, sprinkled with grated dark chocolate. The Sunshine Caterpillar 6.95 A twist on the classic Mojito: rum, pineapple fruit and passion fruit base. (Image: PR) Cream Jam Q Fizz 7.95 Vodka, strawberry liqueur,puree, cranberry juice, vanilla with cream and served with a prosecco shot. Who Stole The Peachy Tarts 6.95 Vodka, raspberry liqueur, vanilla gomme, peach puree 'served in an elegant way'. Biscuit Tea Party 8.95 Noveltea run-infused tea, lime juice, golden syrup and a dash of bitters - 'served in a mad way'. Alice Q The Magic Dragon 9.45 Pear liqueur, lychee juice, lemon juice and sugar syrup shaken with egg white and 'exotic dragon fruit'. Tumble Down The Rabbit Hole 9.45 Apple gin, apple liqueur and tonic served with flavour-changing ice cubes. Also on sale at the bar is a full range of wines, spirits, beers, lagers and ciders. Fabian Pritchard, business development manager for operators The Malhotra Group plc which also owns the adjoining Grey Street Hotel, said of the new city venture: Its an homage to the down the rabbit hole world, which has fascinated children and adults alike ever since Lewis Carrolls book about Alice was first published. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now We have tried to create a place in which everything is simultaneously familiar, yet slightly off-centre - where anything can happen if you let your imagination run riot. Those Who Know is open from daily from noon until 11pm (midnight Friday and Saturday). It is also available for hire for parties of up to 120 people. | https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/newcastles-new-alice-wonderland-theme-15652297 |
Are scientists developing birth control for mosquitoes? | This is an Inside Science story. Scientists searching for environmentally friendly ways to fight the menace of mosquitoes may want to consider a new type of pesticide, according to a new study. Mosquitoes are more than an annoyance at summer picnics -- the World Health Organization has estimated the insects kill several million people each year by transmitting diseases such as malaria and yellow fever. A common way to fight mosquito-borne illnesses in places where there can be high rates of transmission, such as the topics, is to spray insecticides around living areas or drape insecticide treated nets over beds. The substances usually kill adult mosquitoes on contact by preventing the insects' nerve cells from firing properly. However, the insecticides can sometimes harm beneficial insects too, and they are becoming less effective because mosquitoes are evolving resistance. Now a team of researchers from the University of Arizona in Tucson and San Jose State University in California has proposed a new insecticide strategy: mosquito birth control. The team has identified a gene -- named eggshell organizing factor 1, or EOF1 -- that appears essential for female mosquitoes to form viable eggs. When the team bred female mosquitoes that had the function of the EOF1 gene disrupted, the insects laid eggs that often lacked the usual dark coloring and could be misshapen and fragile. Almost all of the eggs from these females failed to hatch. The researchers believe the EOF1 gene codes for a protein that may serve a role in controlling the levels of other proteins necessary for egg formation. Importantly, the EOF1 protein is unique to mosquitoes, meaning an insecticide that targets the protein should be less likely to harm other living creatures. Also importantly, the research suggests that blocking the function of the EOF1 protein prior to a female mosquito's very first blood meal could prevent her from laying viable eggs her entire life, serving as a sort of permanent sterilization. "To our knowledge, EOF1 is the first mosquito-specific essential protein to be characterized in detail," Jun Isoe, a biochemist at the University of Arizona and member of the team, wrote in an email to Inside Science. Mosquito-selective insecticides could complement other approaches to mosquito control and provide additional tools in the arsenal to fight mosquito-borne human pathogens, he wrote. The research was published today in the journal PLOS Biology. Inside Science is an editorially-independent nonprofit print, electronic and video journalism news service owned and operated by the American Institute of Physics. | https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/scientists-developing-birth-control-mosquitoes/story?id=60257327 |
Should all National Parks be closed during the government shutdown? | CLOSE Leaders of the union representing air traffic controllers say Congressional leaders and the president should not be using their members as a "political football to get some agenda driven" and are calling for an end to the government shutdown. (Jan. 9) AP Anthony Martinez, 42, picks up trash along the main road into Yosemite Valley on Jan. 2, 2019. Martinez spent his day off from work at nearby Tenaya Lodge to pick up trash inside Yosemite durirng the 2018/19 government shutdown. (Photo: Sam Gross) ASHEVILLE A former superintendent for the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is calling on Congress to immediately end the shutdown and open the parks, or go ahead and close them for everyones health and safety. Phil Francis, who oversaw operations on the parkway the busiest unit in the National Park Service from 2005-2013, and was acting Smokies superintendent for three years before that, is now the chair of the powerful nonprofit Coalition to Protect Americas Parks. The group is actually having its annual meeting in Washington D.C., this week, amid the shameful state of litter-filled trails, locked bathrooms and human feces scattered outside of them and overflowing trash bins. Related: National parks tap charities, concession operators, and the kindness of strangers to take out the trash Were calling for the parks to be closed now, or fully funded. Once this issue is resolved, theres going to be a mountain of work for limited staff to open campgrounds and visitor centers, and before you know it, it will be mowing season. I dont know if well have enough staff to open up, Francis said Monday. During the two-week government shutdown in October 2013, the parkway and the Smokies closed all entrances to the parks and prohibited people from entering even the trails for safety reasons and to prevent injuries and incidents such as those in the Smokies where people are going to the bathroom even though the bathrooms are locked. This time, gates that werent already closed for weather-related causes remained open, but with only law enforcement staff a fraction of the total workforce at both parks to maintain sanitation and safety standards. The parkway received 16.1 million visitors in 2017, the most of any national park unit. The Smokies saw 11.3 million visitors, the most of any national park, including Yellowstone and Yosemite. Accidents waiting to happen Jeff Hunter, senior program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, said he and his wife were hiking in the Cataloochee area on the North Carolina side of the Smokies over the weekend, where he saw accidents just waiting to happen. Not only was there no staff to educate people of enforce the rule of keeping a safe distance from the hulking elk that roam in the fields, unfenced, but downed trees and broken bridges seemed to him to be serious safety hazards. A sign on a garbage can at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado tells visitors to take their trash with them during the partial government shutdown. (Photo: Trevor Hughes, Trevor Hughes-USA TODAY NETWORK) In fact, 46-year-old Laila Jiwani was killed by a falling tree on the Porter Creek Trail in the Smokies, where she was hiking Dec. 28 with her husband and three children. She is one of three people to have died in national parks since the government shutdown began Dec. 22. There were four or five bridges out on the Caldwell Fork Trail. What we found, the stream crossing without the bridges are very dangerous. The water is high, fast and cold, Hunter said. Related: Missing Smokies hiker is 11th fatality in 2018 We found ourselves having to lock forearms to cross. While theres a sign saying the bridges are out, less experienced hiker could find themselves late in day, with sun going down and not other way to get out. It could be a bad situation. Depleting maintenance funds On Sunday, National Park Service deputy director P. Daniel Smith said that the agency is taking an extraordinary step by using entrance, camping, parking and other fees that typically are saved for future projects to keep its most visited parks functioning. The funds will be used to remove trash, clean and maintain restrooms, bring more law enforcement rangers into parks and restore accessibility to areas that have been off limits during the shutdown. National parks that collect fees keep 80 percent of the money they collect, while the remaining 20 percent of funds are available for projects for which parks can compete, Hunter said. Kate McMillen, 58, walks past a road closure sign at Rocky Mountain National Park on Jan. 2, 2019. The park is largely closed and unstaffed due to the federal government closure. (Photo: Trevor Hughes, Trevor Hughes-USA TODAY NETWORK) Neither the parkway nor the Smokies collect entrance fees, but they do compete for the 20 percent pot for things like maintenance and other projects, visitor services, wildlife habitat projects, law enforcement and recreation projects those intended to repair parks and otherwise enhance the visiting experience. Theresa Pierno, president and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association, said that using funds in this way is akin to stealing. Instead of working to reopen the federal government, the administration is robbing money collected from entrance fees to operate our national parks during this shutdown, Pierno said in a statement. Its incredibly concerning that the Acting Interior Secretary is putting political pressure on Superintendents to keep parks open at the expense of parks long-term needs and protection. No cleaning, no trash pickup National parks were expected to collect an estimated $310 million this year, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. After consultation with the Office of the Solicitor at the Department of the Interior, it has been determined that these funds can and should be used to provide immediate assistance and services to highly visited parks during the lapse in appropriations, Smith said. A sign on a set of toilets at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado tells visitors the doors are locked because there is no one to clean them during the partial government shutdown. (Photo: Trevor Hughes, Trevor Hughes-USA TODAY NETWORK) Most national parks have been operating on a limited basis with no trash collection, cleaning of restrooms or park rangers to patrol areas. That has led to piles of trash accumulating in some parks, dirty bathrooms and concerns that visitors are being left unsupervised. Related:Blue Ridge Parkway, Smokies add to economy but maintenance work lags Some states, including Arizona and Utah, have provided funds to keep their parks open. Private concession companies and nonprofit groups have also donated millions of dollars and in-kind services to keep more than 40 parks operating. According to the last National Park Service estimate, its deferred maintenance backlog totals $11.6 billion. In the last Congress, bipartisan legislation in both the House and Senate would have put significant funding toward these repair needs. Despite receiving a combined 269 cosponsors and widespread support, including from National Parks Conservation Association, it didnt pass Congress by the end of last year. Maintenance backlog The parkway has one of the highest maintenance backlogs in the system at $462 million, and the Great Smokies has a backlog of $215 million. Most of that lies in roadwork repairs needed at the two parks built in the 1930s. Related: National Parks could see deferred maintenance reduction Hunter said chipping away at these projects will grow insurmountable if the money to be used is instead diverted to running the parks during the shutdown. Its a misuse of the funds. With the acting secretary of the Department of the Interior pressuring park superintendents to keep parks open, it could undermine their protection, said Hunter, who is based in Asheville. Keeping the parks open with this stopgap funding could undermine their protection, she said. Theres a lot of gateway communities here that are so dependent on the national parks. Its critical that people both continue to enjoy and benefit from their national parks, which is why they need to be reopened. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., the new chairwoman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on interior, environment and related agencies, questioned the legality of the National Parks Services plan. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) is the new chairwoman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on interior, environment and related agencies. (Photo: Larry French, Getty Images) The law is clear: if the federal government is shut down, our National Parks must also be closed to protect public safety and pristine spaces, she said in an emailed statement. It is not acceptable to use (Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act) funds to keep the parks open, and the Department of the Interiors actions likely violate appropriations law. The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act stipulates that park fees be used to support visitor services, not to pay for basic operations and maintenance. Even with the use of these funds, many parks will continue to operate on a limited basis and smaller sites will remain closed. To find out the status of a particular park visit the National Park Services index at nps.gov/findapark/index.htm. Contributing: Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, and Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal Read or Share this story: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/01/09/blue-ridge-parkway-great-smoky-mountains-national-park-parks-closed-government-shutdown/2524241002/ | https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/01/09/blue-ridge-parkway-great-smoky-mountains-national-park-parks-closed-government-shutdown/2524241002/ |
When Is It Legal to Declare a National Emergency? | President Trump has suggested he might resort to declaring a national emergency to fund a wall at the border with Mexico. With Congress so far unwilling to fund a wall at the Mexican border, President Trump has suggested he may do so unilaterally by declaring a national emergency, a possibility he may address in his speech to the nation Tuesday night. Federal law doesnt define an emergency, and for much of American history such declarations largely were ad hoc. President Lincoln, faced with a rebellion as he took office in March 1861, quickly issued several emergency orders to blockade enemy ports, enlarge the armed forces and suspend habeas corpus. While perhaps not strictly legal, Mr. Lincoln wrote, he had to act unilaterally as Congress wasnt in session. After it convened, Congress ratified Mr. Lincolns actions. According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, the first formal emergency proclamation was issued by President Wilson in 1917, limiting the transfer of American-owned ships to foreigners during World War I. President Roosevelt was the next to issue an emergency proclamation, declaring a bank holiday to suspend financial transactions after taking office in March 1933 in the midst of the Depression. After World War II broke | https://www.lopinion.fr/edition/wsj/when-is-it-legal-to-declare-a-national-emergency-174002 |
Has the Ruling Class Finally Had Enough of Trump? | As the United States lurches toward its 2020 presidential election cycle, it is useful to revisit the central tension of Donald Trumps presidency. Im speaking, of course, about his phony populism and the politico-financial establishments utter contempt for his political ascent. As the Democratic field slowly takes shape, the question now is whether the ruling class has finally had enough. This is not to suggest that these elites dislike Trump for the same reasons a Truthdig reader might. Those who stand atop the nations power structures have long been comfortable with American corruption, patriarchy, racism and outright sociopathy. For evidence, look no further than the disparate presidencies of the so-called American century. No, whats different and problematic for our countrys oligarchs is that while the presidency has long served Americas imperial interests, it has typically done so while purporting to stand for something more noble. The U.S. government and, above all, its executive branch, are expected to masquerade as forces for gooddemocracy, liberty and peace, at least in the abstract, and an outwardly multilateralist management of world affairs. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, both Ivy League law school graduates, were skilled and telegenic masters of that ruse. Even the comparatively dimwitted George W. Bush had the basic courtesy to cover his hideous machinations in Iraq with the rhetoric of freedom. Dubya knew better than to openly and theatrically boast of U.S. arms sales to the murderous and absolutist rulers of Saudi Arabia. Trump is a new and different kind of presidential animal. He makes no pretense of himself, the presidency or the United States being about anything more than mercenary and socio-pathological self-interest. He gives not one flip about racial and ethnic diversity, equality or the state of global affairs, much less the fate of our planet. Trump openly mocks and assaults science, expertise and intellectual rigor, denying the obviously anthropogenic nature of our climate crisis. Openly assaulting the very notion of veracity, he repeats the same false statements long after theyve been proven false by exhausted reporters. The president adamantly refuses to pretend that he, his office or the nation he represents lay any special claim to the notions of dignity or integrity. He eschews civility and graciousness, instead basking in an Archie Bunker-like disregard for political correctness. And he continues to use his Twitter account to pounce on his perceived personal and political enemies, turning Washington into an Apprentice-style (un)reality show. Trump embodies what we might call American unexceptionalism, behaving like one of the bizarre and petulant Third World dictators the U.S. has long sponsored around the world. But beyond being bad for the brand, Trump brazenly flouts ruling-class institutions and conventions. He does not consult the Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantic Council, the Wilson Center or the Brookings Institution on foreign or domestic policy. He doesnt read policy briefs or white papers from establishment think tanks. Instead, he prefers to take advice from fellow wacky billionaires and right-wing media personalities with whom he regularly consults by phone late at night, alone in his bedroom, or via Fox News. He claims to know more about developments in other nations than his own top generals and spooks. It is unimaginable that any previous U.S. president would have defied his own intelligence agencies finding that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Or stood next to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki to say that he believed the Russian presidentand not the CIAwhen he said that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Neither would any previous American president have deployed troops to the southern border in a transparent attempt to rally Republican voters on the eve of a midterm election. Or shut down the federal government, possibly for years, in Trumps words, if Congress doesnt give him the money to build a useless wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Ultimately, Trump is the first man to ascend to the post-WWII U.S. presidency from outside the global consensus. In and of itself, that has been an incredible development, bothersome indeed to the United States economic and military establishment. (The bad news, for the rest of us, is that he emerged from the white nationalist right rather than the egalitarian and social democratic left.) Still, there are real limits to the establishments discomfort with Trump, who has been useful to the nations rulers and owners in four key ways. First, for all his talk of protectionism, Trump is a rapacious neoliberal who has rewarded the 1 percent with personal and corporate tax cuts, as well as deregulation designed to funnel wealth upward. The superrich and their retainers in Washington have been willing to tolerate his misbehavior because his policies have lined their pockets. Second, the endless Trump circus functions to divert the masses from the corporate looting that his administration and much of Congress is advancing behind the scenes to devastating effect. Third, even as he serves the moneyed elite, the mendacious mogul currently occupying the White House has been deceptively labeled a populist. His base is widely (and, for the most part, falsely) considered to be the working classthe white and heartland working class more specifically. The ruling class especially likes that. It allows it to point out what happens when the rabble is allowed to run rampant in politics, without proper checks and balances from the top down. It also gives it cover to suppress the genuine populism it fears mostdemocratic socialism. Unlike the reactionary populism of the right, which directs its rage at vulnerable communities, Bernie Sanders and his ilk are seriously and substantively opposed to corporate plutocracy and its enablers in the professional class. Fourth, Trumps awfulness lowers the bar for whoever might replace him in the White House. Anybody but Trump is understandable, but it opens the door for millions of Americans to gratefully welcome a Wall Street Democrat like Joe Biden, a cipher like Beto ORourke or, perish the thought, Hillary Rodham Clinton herself. Anybody-but-Trumpism is hard to resist, given the creeping fascism of our current president, but it intensifies the deadly superficiality of a candidate-selection process that functions to elect presidents well to the right of actual majority-progressive public opinion. And it marginalizes a genuine progressive like Sanders, who would likely have defeated Trump in 2016. Up until last year, I felt highly confident in saying, Not a chance, given the durability of his base and Republican control of the Senate, where 67 votes are required to remove a president following impeachment in the House. But things have changed radically since November. The Mueller investigation, which likely contains blockbuster findings, is finally coming to a headthis after guilty pleas from Trumps former campaign manager and deputy campaign manager, his former national security advisor, his personal lawyer and a bevy of lesser players, all of whom have turned states evidence on their former boss. It is distinctly possible that the final report will reveal Trump has engaged in criminal and impeachable activities. Longtime fixer Michael Cohen named the president as an unindicted co-conspirator in criminal payoffs meant to keep Trumps sexual peccadillos out of the media on the eve of the 2016 election. Robert Muellers inquiry has invited separate inquiries into Trumps business practices, his administration and his associates. Subjects include obstruction of justice, money laundering, influence peddling by Gulf monarchies, and corruption in Trumps inauguration committee. Its about much more than just alleged collusion with Russia. The midterm elections damaged Trumps stature in Washington, with the record Democratic turnout a referendum on his chaotic presidency. The new Democrat-controlled House will bombard the administration with subpoenas, document requests and hearings that will certainly produce new disclosures of corruption, both in the executive branch and the Trump organization. Numerous key White House personnel, including a chief of staff and a secretary of defense, have all but quit in disgust, and Trump is finding it difficult to fill the vacancies. Top Republicans who were once strong Trump backers have publicly criticized some of his recent actions, including his unflagging support of the Saudi kingdom after the gory murder of Khashoggi, as well as his abrupt decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. These Republicans have expressed open dismay over former Defense Secretary James Mattis resignation. Trumps approval rating has recently fallen to its lowest level since he infamously acknowledged good people on both sides of a neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Va., in the summer of 2017. U.S. stock markets just had their worst December since the Great Depression, with top financial analysts reporting widespread concern that Trumps trade policiesabove all his trade war with Chinacould bring on a recession. Economic turmoil seems ever more imminent, something that will sink Trumps approval rating to new lows, making him more of a liability than ever to many Senate and House Republicans. An unhinged, increasingly isolated Trump has opened the new year with a ridiculous and highly unpopular government shutdown that has left roughly 800,000 federal workers without paychecksall in the name of a preposterous wall along the southern border. All of this and more could convince the rich and Republican elites that Trumps presidency poses clear and present dangers to their economic and political bottom lines, and that it is therefore time to unseat him before the next national elections. Whether he stays or goes, however, the American ruling class is likely to escape a long-overdue rebellion that transcends the narrow confines of U.S. electoral and constitutional politics. | https://www.truthdig.com/articles/has-the-ruling-class-finally-had-enough-of-trump/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Truthdig+Truthdig%3A+Drilling+Beneath+the+Headlines |
What is insider trading? | Sheridan Smiths new drama Cleaning Up follows an office cleaner, Sam (played by Smith), who turns to insider trading in order to make ends meet. Advertisement Once the city high-flyers power down their computers and exit their skyscraper offices, a team of cleaners move in, tasked with scrubbing stains, wiping desks and taking out bins. But Sam soon learns that one of the companys stockbrokers is profiting from his insider knowledge and she starts to wonder why she shouldnt grab a chance to do the same Sam has a stab at explaining the concept to her fellow cleaner Jess over a drink: These insider traders have info that the public dont know about, she tells her. They then invest that info into the stock market. Bingo! The value of whatever theyve bought goes up because they knew it was going to go up. They had the information. Thats how it works, thats how they get rich. How do they obtain that information, Jess asks. They share it with each other if somebody knows a company is going to get bought out, they know the stocks are going to rise. So then he passes that info on and its all very hush hush. Hush hush indeed because as is mentioned repeatedly in Cleaning Up insider trading is a criminal offence and carries a significant custodial sentence. The stock market is controlled by various rules and regulations in a bid to keep it fair for the people looking to make money from investments. One such rule forbids anyone who has confidential information on a company from using that knowledge to buy and sell shares for their own gain. So, for example, if you were to come by news that a company is about to be bought out by a much bigger company, you might want to invest in a few shares in the smaller of the two companies in anticipation that they would soon be worth more than you paid for them. But if the imminent buy-out is confidential, and knowledge of it is unavailable to other investors on the market, then using that information to spin a profit is illegal and, if discovered, youre likely to face prosecution. Insider trading also applies to information about a soon-to-be fall in a companys fortunes for example, if you had stock in a company and were privy to information that its CEO was about to face criminal prosecution, until that news was made public, it would be illegal to sell up early in anticipation of the price of your stocks dropping. And the law also forbids you from passing on any of that information to someone else to trade for their benefit or yours. No. The United States of America passed the Securities Exchange Act in 1934 which criminalised insider trading, in reaction to the stock market crash of 1929. In the UK, it has been illegal since 1980. In the UK, insider trading carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years and an unlimited fine. The longest sentence imposed so far has been four and a half years. Perhaps one of the most famous cases is that of Martha Stewart cooking entrepreneur and the American equivalent of Mary Berry who in 2003 received a five-month prison sentence. Her conviction was for the sale of her 3,928 shares in ImClone Systems in December 2001 after receiving non-public information from her broker. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-09/cleaning-up-insider-trading/ |
When is the Eurovision Song Contest 2019? | The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most-watched TV events of the year, with people tuning in from as far afield as Australia and the USA to watch the musical spectacular. Advertisement A peak of 8.1 million UK viewers watched the 2018 song contest Grand Final in Lisbon, Portugal on 12th May and now thoughts have turned to the 2019 contest. The Eurovision Song Contest will be held on Saturday May 18th 2019. The first semi-final takes place on Tuesday 14th May with the second semi-final following on Thursday 16th May. The 2019 song contest will be held in Israel, thanks to their victory at the 2018 Grand Final in Lisbon, Portugal. The city of Tel Aviv has be chosen to host the Song Contest. Tel-Aviv, Israels second largest city, is located on the Mediterranean coast. It has a population of over 400,000 people. Israels Netta Barzilai was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, storming to victory with her song, TOY, in Lisbon. Well, Eurovision isnt strictly geographic. The contest is organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is made up of various broadcasters from countries across Europe and beyond. The BBC is a member of the EBU, as is RTE in Ireland, Rai in Italy, SVT in Sweden and so on. There are 73 member stations from more than 56 countries, including Israel, and theyre entitled to send acts to Eurovision if they wish. Israels been a member of the EBU for decades and won the Eurovision a grand total of four times. Dana Internationals victory in 1998 remains one of their most famous Eurovision wins. The participating countries and their acts have yet to be revealed. Well keep you posted as soon as the names start rolling in, so dont forget to keep checking back. Eurovision was originally judged by juries before being opened to the public for a tele vote but when people started getting worked up about political Bloc Voting (the idea that countries in Eastern Europe were all just voting for their friends and neighbours) they introduced a new dual system. The juries from each country (made up of five music industry professionals) award 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points to their favourite songs, and reveal those jury scores through their national spokesperson in the usual time-consuming yet exciting way. Viewers from each country also vote via phone or SMS, awarding 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points to their favourite songs. Then, all the results from each countrys public votes are combined to give one overall Eurovision viewer score per song. Spokespersons from each country read out the jury results those all important douze points during the live show. Then the Eurovision presenters read out the results of the European televote or public vote in ascending order, beginning with the country that received the lowest number of televotes public votes and finishing with the country that received the highest. Viewers in all the competing countries including those who were knocked out in the semi-finals can vote up to 20 times for the songs of their choice, but they cant vote for their own country. The country with the highest number of votes wins the competition and gets to host it the next year. You can vote by telephone. Here are the official BBC guidelines for UK voters: After all countries have performed, viewers will be invited to vote for their favourite act/s. Voting is by telephone only. Voters in the UK can choose either to call from their landline using the long (11-digit) number for the country of their choice or from their mobile phones using the shortcode (7-digit) number for the country of their choice. Please note that callers from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man should call from their landlines using the long (11-digit) number to avoid higher mobile charges, as the short (7-digit) numbers are not available in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for reasons outside of the BBCs control. Advertisement The numbers to be used will be given during the programmes. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-09/eurovision-2019-watch-stream/ |
What are the changes to Radio 2s schedules and when do the new presenters start? | Its been all change recently over at BBC Radio 2, with an overhaul of the line-up once dismissed by Womans Hour presenter Jane Garvey as extraordinarily male and entirely pale. Advertisement New presenters include Zoe Ball, who is replacing Chris Evans as the new host of the hugely popular Breakfast Show, while Sarah Cox (originally pegged for Balls new job) is taking over Drivetime following Simon Mayo and Jo Whileys short-lived pairing. The new line-up launches on Monday 14th January, so make sure to tune in! Zoe Ball Weekdays, 6.30-9.30am (takes over from Chris Evans) No act is impossible to follow but Zoe Ball has her hands full taking over the Radio 2 breakfast slot from the colossus that was Chris Evans her task made all the more daunting by the fact that, over on Virgin, Evans will soon be her direct rival. Then again Ball is a bit of a legend herself the first woman ever to host the Radio 1 breakfast show (all of 21 years ago), and now the first woman to do the same thing on Radio 2. Life has thrown at a lot at Ball, but wild child that she once was she has hardly lacked for spirit and shes already proved how great she is to wake up to. We may never know, but drivetime is a major consolation prize, and with a triumverate of Ball, Cox and Jo Whiley occupying three key weekday slots, Radio 2s gender balance has a very welcome new look. Its hard to believe that its 20 years since Cox once the epitome of the ladette joined Radio 1, moving to Radio 2 in 2011 and launching her Sounds of the 80s show in 2013. Im beyond chuffed, she says of the new show. To directly quote my mum on hearing the good news, it is indeed fandabbyruddydozy. Jo Whiley Monday-Thursday, 7-9pm Now released from her ill-fated partnership with Simon Mayo, Whiley returns to the solo evening slot (an hour earlier than her last one) over which she presides with such aplomb. Dream show. Cant wait! was her reaction to the switch, and Whiley fans can look forward to a show that will give prominence to guests and live sessions. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Whileys debut on Radio 2, and this couldnt be a better way for her to celebrate it. Whiley will continue to present the Radio 2 In Concert series and will also be standing in for Ken Bruce in 2019 when he is away. Trevor Nelson MondayThursday, 10pmmidnight (takes over from Sara Cox) The Sony gold lifetime achievement award that Trevor Nelson won in 2010 is a measure of his status in the radio pantheon. A pioneer of R&B, Nelson joined Radio 1 in 1996, presenting The Rhythm Nation for 17 years. In 2016, after various roles on Radio 1Xtra, Nelson launched Rhythm Nation on Radio 2 on Saturday evenings; now the show moves to four nights a week. Ill be introducing tracks from some soul stars of the future, he says, and playing my favourite songs from the past 50 years of dance music. Bring it on! Rylan Clark-Neal Saturday, 36pm (takes over from Zoe Ball) Advertisement Since coming fifth on The X Factor in 2012, then winning Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, Rylan Clark-Neal has established himself as a TV and radio presenter. He launched the podcast Step Back in Time in November, in which he and a showbiz friend re-live great pop-culture moments; now he takes over Radio 2s Saturday afternoon slot, from 19th January. Expect a mix of fun and Rylans inimitable style, says the head of Radio 2, Lewis Carnie. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/radio/2019-01-09/radio-2-schedule-new-presenters/ |
Did The Sopranos Kill Tony Soprano in the Series Finale? | January 10, 2019 marks 20 years since The Sopranos debuted on HBO, effectively changing television as we know it. The mob drama from David Chase helped put James Gandolfini and Edie Falco on the map with six seasons of explosive drama. It also ended with one of the most divisive and debated scenes in TV history. You remember how it goes. Tony Soprano (Gandolfini) is with his wife, Carmela (Falco), son (Robert Iler) and they're waiting for daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) to join them at the table inside the restaurant. The final scene has Journey's "Don't Stop Believin''" playing and Tony looking up at the sound of the door opening. And cut to black. Chase hasn't said one way or another, despite previous articles alluding to a definite conclusion. | https://www.eonline.com/au/news/1003458/did-the-sopranos-kill-tony-soprano-in-the-series-finale |
Was ist ein Bild? | Was man unter einem Bild versteht, scheint klar zu sein, aber wie ich whrend der Arbeit an der neuen DOCMA feststellte, ist es alles andere als das. In der nchsten DOCMA-Ausgabe stelle ich Christian Westphalens Das groe Buch der Objektive vor, und in meiner ersten Version des Artikels behauptete ich, Es ist nicht der Sensor und daher auch nicht die Kamera, die ein Bild erzeugen, sondern das Objektiv. Dabei war ich mir meiner Sache ziemlich sicher. Es ist offenbar so, dass man sich unter einem Bild ganz unterschiedliche Dinge vorstellen kann. Fr viele, vielleicht die meisten, ist ein Bild etwas, das man sehen und anfassen kann ein Gemlde, ein gedrucktes Foto oder auch ein Bild auf dem Bildschirm des Computers. In diesem Sinne erzeugt ein Objektiv alleine berhaupt kein Bild. Vom Standpunkt der Physik im Allgemeinen und der Optik im Speziellen tut es das aber sehr wohl: Ein Objektiv, das auf ein bestimmtes Motiv gerichtet ist, erzeugt dahinter ein scharfes Bild dieses Motivs. Die sogenannte Linsengleichung beschreibt das exakt: 1/g + 1/b = 1/f. Das heit, der Kehrwert der Gegenstandsweite (der Entfernung zum Motiv) plus dem Kehrwert der Bildweite (der Entfernung des Bildes) ist gleich dem Kehrwert der Brennweite des Objektivs. Dieses Bild ein reelles Bild, wie man in der Optik sagt existiert immer, ganz egal, ob es von einem Sensor, einem Film oder auf irgendeine andere Art sichtbar gemacht wird. Dass in einer bestimmten Entfernung hinter dem Objektiv ein reelles Bild entsteht, bedeutet, dass alle Lichtstrahlen, die von einem Punkt des Motivs ausgehen und das Objektiv passieren, an genau dieser Stelle zu einem Punkt konvergieren. Das knnen wir jedoch nicht sehen; erst wenn wir eine Mattscheibe oder beispielsweise ein weies Blatt Papier an diese Stelle halten, erkennen wir darauf ein Bild. Fr die Belange der Optik ist das ohne Belang; das Bild ist da, ob wir es sehen oder nicht. Ein Blatt Papier im Strahlengang reflektiert das Licht von jedem Bildpunkt, auf den es das Objektiv konzentriert, diffus in alle Richtungen, genauso, wie Licht von einem ausgedruckten oder gemalten Bild reflektiert wrde. Wir haben es also mit einem Bild im landlufigen Sinne zu tun. Wenn sich an derselben Stelle der Sensor einer Kamera befindet, kann er die Helligkeit und Farbe an jedem Punkt digitalisieren, und aus diesen digitalen Daten lsst sich wieder ein Bild erzeugen. Eines aber funktioniert nicht: Wir knnen das reelle Bild nicht ohne Hilfsmittel sehen. Auch wenn sich das Auge exakt dort befindet, wo das Bild entsteht, sehen wir es nicht, denn die Linse und die brigen optischen Elemente des Auges brechen die Lichtstrahlen und zerstren das Bild. In diesen Fllen sehen wir doch auch ohne Hilfsmittel ein Bild. Hier handelt es sich um ein virtuelles Bild es lsst sich nicht mit einer Mattscheibe, einem Blatt Papier oder einem Sensor auffangen, und in diesem Sinne existiert es nicht, ist also blo virtuell; erst die Linse des Auges als zustzliches optisches Element erzeugt ein reelles Bild auf der Netzhaut. Ein solches virtuelles Bild ist das Spiegelbild: Ein Gegenstand scheint sich so weit hinter dem Spiegel zu befinden, wie er sich tatschlich davor befindet, aber natrlich gibt es hinter dem Spiegel kein Bild, das beispielsweise ein Sensor registrieren knnte. Auch Zerstreuungslinsen die optischen Sucher von Kompaktkameras sind Beispiele dafr erzeugen virtuelle Bilder. Bei Sammellinsen und Objektive sind ja letztendlich komplexe, aus mehreren Einzellinsen zusammengesetzte Sammellinsen ist es etwas komplizierter. Sie erzeugen reelle Bilder, wie oben beschrieben, aber auch virtuelle Bilder. Damit ein reelles Bild entstehen kann, muss die Gegenstandsweite gleich oder grer als die Brennweite sein. Die Brennweite eines Objektivs ist daher gleichzeitig seine absolute Naheinstellgrenze, die sich auch mit Zwischenringen oder einem Balgen nicht mehr unterschreiten lsst. Gegenstnde, die nher als die Brennweite sind, erzeugen dagegen virtuelle Bilder das ist das Funktionsprinzip einer Lupe. Auch die Okulare eines Fernglases, Teleskops oder Mikroskops erzeugen solche virtuellen Bilder, und ebenso tut es das Sucherokular einer Spiegelreflexkamera oder einer Kamera mit elektronischem Sucher. Die Bilder, von denen die Optik handelt, entstehen entweder unsichtbar in der Luft (und gelten dennoch als reelle Bilder), oder sind zwar sichtbar, aber blo virtuell und von einem Sensor nicht zu erfassen. Mit Bildern, die Sie an die Wand hngen knnen, haben beide Arten nur mittelbar zu tun. | https://www.docma.info/blog/was-ist-ein-bild |
Is dit de Bondgenotenlaan van de toekomst? | 250 % meer openbaar vervoer tegen 2030 in regio rond Leuven Bart Mertens 09 januari 2019 18u30 0 Leuven Meer fietsverkeer, meer openbaar vervoer en minder autoverkeer. Dat is de heilige drievuldigheid voor de mobiliteit in en rond Leuven. Regionet Leuven wordt daarin een belangrijke factor en kreeg zopas 300.000 euro van Vlaams minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V). Bij Groen Leuven dromen ze nu al van een Bondgenotenlaan met een zee van ruimte voor voetgangers en fietsers Vlaams minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V) investeert 1,8 miljoen euro in zes strategische projecten om tot een betere ruimtelijke kwaliteit te komen in Vlaanderen. En van de laureaten is de provincie Vlaams-Brabant met Regionet Leuven. Dat project krijgt 300.000 euro voor de ontwikkeling van beter openbaar vervoer en fietssnelwegen in de vervoerregio Leuven. Vanuit de ambitie om de leefbaarheid en bereikbaarheid van de Leuvense regio veilig te stellen, tracht het project de ruimtelijke ontwikkelingen in de regio te koppelen aan een hoogwaardig openbaar vervoersnetwerk en een netwerk van fietssnelwegen, laat minister Schauvliege (CD&V) optekenen. BUUR Bij Groen Leuven horen dat graag, zelfs in die mate dat de nieuwe meerderheidspartij een mogelijk 3D-beeld van de toekomstige Bondgenotenlaan deelde op haar Facebookpagina. Dat beeld is gecreerd door BUUR, een bekend Leuvens bureau voor urbanisme dat in het verleden bij heel wat herinrichtingen was betrokken in de stad. Dat 3D-beeld is uiteraard verre van een definitief plan. Het is een 3D-projectie van de richting die we in de toekomst willen uitgaan. De Bondgenotenlaan zal er binnen twee jaar dus niet exact zo uitzien maar dankzij Regionet Leuven is het wel een mogelijkheid voor de toekomst, laat schepen van Mobiliteit David Dessers (Groen) optekenen. Kort uitgelegd is dat een plan voor de hele mobiliteit in Oost-Brabant. Het gaat dus niet enkel over Leuven maar over de bredere regio, legt schepen Dessers uit. De lat ligt alvast hoog want Regionet Leuven mikt tegen 2030 op een verdubbeling van het fietsverkeer en op een daling van 20 % van het autoverkeer. Trambussen Nog opmerkelijker: Regionet Leuven gaat voor 250 % meer openbaar vervoer. Nogmaals, dat percentage gaat niet enkel over Leuven maar over de brede regio met Leuven als knooppunt, aldus schepen Dessers. Vandaag de dag stellen we vast dat heel wat toegangswegen zoals bijvoorbeeld de Tiensesteenweg en de Diestsesteenweg af te rekenen hebben met veel files. Regionet Leuven kan de oplossing bieden, onder meer door trambussen in te leggen op die drukke verkeersassen rond Leuven. Goed en stipt openbaar vervoer in combinatie met voorstadsparkings geeft in de stad meer ruimte voor fietsers en voetgangers. Voor alle duidelijkheid: het is niet de bedoeling om in de toekomst nog meer bussen door het centrum van Leuven te laten rijden. Daar is de stad Leuven en De Lijn het over eens. Integendeel, in de volgende jaren zullen steeds meer bussen via de ring rijden. Meer informatie: regionetleuven.be | https://www.hln.be/regio/leuven/is-dit-de-bondgenotenlaan-van-de-toekomst~a7748cac/ |
Is it too late to get a flu shot? | With the start of the new year, flu season has been picking up across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 states are reporting high levels of flu activity. The virus has already claimed the lives of 13 children so far this flu season. Last year, the flu killed more than 80,000 Americans, including a record 185 children. The short answer is no. While the CDC recommends that people get vaccinated against the flu by the end of October, getting a flu shot later can still be beneficial. "As long as flu viruses are circulating, it is not too late to get vaccinated, even in January or later," the CDC says on its website. The timing of seasonal flu outbreaks vary and can begin as early as late October. Flu activity tends to peak between December and February but can last as late as May. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against the flu virus, so the earlier the shot is administered, the better. But there are a number of reasons to get vaccinated now if you haven't done so already. "It is recommended that people still get the flu vaccination if they have not already," said infectious disease expert Dr. David Cennimo of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. "Even if you think you had the flu already, it is possible to get a second infection with a different strain, so immunization can still be beneficial." Healthy adults can also provide what's called herd immunity for others by getting the flu shot. The more people who are vaccinated, the less likely the virus is to spread protecting those who are most vulnerable, including babies, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems. Of course, it's still possible to get the flu even if you've gotten the flu shot, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get vaccinated. "It's better than nothing, and even if you do go ahead and get the flu it can make that flu less deadly," CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook told "CBS This Morning" in December. He said this year's vaccine is about 40 percent effective, which is on par with last year's vaccine. He also emphasized that although many people don't get vaccinated over fears that it can cause the flu, that is "scientifically impossible." "You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine," LaPook said. "Some people get a little bit of a reaction, aches and pains, maybe a low-grade fever, but you take some anti-inflammatories and it goes away." | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-it-too-late-to-get-a-flu-shot/ |
When will the Government realise how badly period poverty is hurting Britain's schoolgirls? | A year and a half since I started #FreePeriods from my bedroom at the age of 17, the issue of girls routinely missing school because of period poverty - lack of access to sanitary products due to financial restraints - is yet to be resolved. Disturbingly, more than 137,000 girls in the UK have missed school because they have been unable to afford menstrual products, yet grassroots organisations and charities (such as The Red Box Project, Bloody Good Period, Freedom 4 Girls) are being tasked with supporting our communities, doing important work in lieu of a long term, statutory pledge from the government. As a student who has just completed school and will soon begin university, I understand how... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/will-government-realise-badly-period-poverty-hurting-britains/ |
Is facial recognition the future of smart payment in China? | It is easy to go cashless in China by simply scanning a QR code, a payment tool used by everyone from shopping centres to street side vendors. In the latest technological step, you do not even need to get your mobile phone out of your pocket, as a single snap of your face can pay for everything in your shopping basket. A single snap of your face can pay for everything in your shopping basket Alipay, Chinas mobile payment giant, recently released its latest facial scanning payment product, Dragonfly, which directly reduced access and installation costs for merchants by 80 percent, Beijing Business Daily reported on 14 December. Seeing the huge potential in facial recognition payment, WeChat Pay and UnionPay, the other dominant players in the Chinese market, are also gearing up to seize their share of the action. Xue Hongyan, director of the internet financial centre under the Suning Financial Research Centre, told Beijing Business Daily that facial payment could free users from their mobile phones and improve their consumption experience. Some industry insiders predict that facial payment will see explosive growth in the next three years, as the industry threshold is continuously lowered. While the facial payment market booms, the industry has also noticed rising user concerns about the safety of their bank accounts as well as their privacy. Xue noted that, compared with a QR code, facial recognition has higher hardware requirements and is affected by factors such as lighting, while privacy protection will also create difficulties for the promotion of the new payment method. Though widely applied in the lending industry, facial recognition is still at a preliminary stage when it comes to general consumption In general, different payment methods, having their respective advantages in convenience, safety, cost and user acceptability, are not likely to replace each other, Xue added. Though widely applied in the lending industry, facial recognition is still at a preliminary stage when it comes to general consumption. While offering convenience, it also raises concerns that users name, gender and age are all noted during the process. This type of information is easily leaked if not managed correctly. Su Xiaorui, a researcher for the internet finance think tank Madai Institute, emphasised that although a lot has already been done for facial recognition payment, there are still errors in the process that can lead to financial security issues. For this reason, the technology has mainly been implemented in low-risk fields, she added. She said: Payment tycoons need to establish a strict internal control system, encrypt users privacy and comply with professional ethics. Additionally, users should be given the right to choose. For those who are willing to pay via facial recognition but have doubts, combined verification is recommended to beef up the security of their bank accounts, Su said. This article was originally produced and published by People's Daily. View the original article at en.people.cn | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/world/peoples-daily-online/science/facial-recognition/ |
Why do newborns need the hepatitis B vaccine? | There is no cure for hepatitis B infection, so doctors rely on vaccinations to help prevent it. Hepatitis B attacks the liver and may lead to life-threatening complications without treatment. Hepatitis B infection is a potentially serious condition. According to a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy, newborns should now get their first hepatitis B vaccine in their first day of life. Although most people consider the vaccine to be crucial to the safety of a child, others oppose it. In many cases, this opposition is due to misinformation or concern for the child. The hepatitis B vaccine is very safe. The hepatitis B vaccine is very safe. The AAP recommend that newborns receive their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within the first 24 hours of their life. One reason for this is that it is possible for the birth mother to pass the infection onto the baby, which is known as a perinatal infection. If a newborn contracts hepatitis B, there is a significant chance that this infection will be chronic, meaning that it will persist for a long time. Without treatment, it is possible that the infant will die from complications of the infection. Benefits of the hepatitis B vaccine The main benefit of the vaccine is its effectiveness. The AAP note that if doctors give the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of the baby's delivery, it is 75 to 95 percent effective in preventing the passage of hepatitis B from the birth mother to the baby. If the newborn also receives the medication hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) at the correct time and a series of follow-up vaccines, the AAP estimate that the infection rate drops to between 0.7 and 1.1 percent. For the best possible protection, the baby will need to complete the full series of vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that the vaccine is very safe. The full series of the vaccine provides the highest possible level of protection from the infection. Some people still express concern about the safety of vaccination. The reasons for this worry may vary. Part of the fear may be due to older research. For example, a 2009 study indicated an association between the Engerix B vaccine, a specific type of hepatitis B vaccine, and an increased risk of damage to the central nervous system (CNS) later in life. However, the researchers note that this was the exception, not the rule. They also highlight the need for more studies to validate this finding. On the whole, their research indicates that hepatitis B vaccination generally does not increase the risk of damage to the CNS. Vaccines are subject to constant safety monitoring both during production and once doctors begin to administer them to people. Any signs of a potentially dangerous response to a vaccine would result in immediate recall. The majority of research indicates that hepatitis B vaccines are a safe and effective way to prevent the infection. Possible side effects As with any medication, the hepatitis B vaccine carries the risk of side effects. These side effects are usually very mild. The person may have a slight fever or experience soreness in the area of the shot for a few days. According to the CDC, the hepatitis B vaccine cannot cause hepatitis B. Although manufacturers use parts of the hepatitis B virus to create the vaccine, these are inactive. They serve only to train the body to fight against the specific cells of the virus. Rare side effects and associations While many people misunderstand or misstate the dangers of some aspects of vaccination, there are still possibly severe conditions that may have an association with immunization for hepatitis B. A review in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene discusses these possible rare complications. It is important to note that these results do not mean that the vaccination causes these conditions but that there may be an association between them. Possible complications include: the abnormal cessation of breathing, called apnea, in preterm babies vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels a hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode, which causes muscular issues and pale skin immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which causes red spots on the skin In very rare cases, an infant may also have an extreme allergic reaction to the vaccine. Any signs of anaphylaxis, such as the baby appearing to have trouble breathing, breaking out in a rash, or changing skin tones, indicate the need for immediate medical attention. The long-term risks of not getting the vaccine include cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. The long-term risks of not getting the vaccine include cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. The main risk of the baby not getting the vaccine is that they may contract the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B primarily attacks the liver, causing inflammation that can damage this organ over time. An acute infection lasts for less than 6 months, and it may cause no symptoms in some people. Other people do experience symptoms, which may include: loss of appetite pain in the muscles pain in the joints general fatigue Many acute infections resolve without treatment. If the infection persists for 6 months or more, doctors will refer to it as chronic. Chronic infections increase a person's risk of damage to the liver over time. As this damage builds up, it can scar the liver, which is known as cirrhosis. This long-term damage may result in other complications, including liver cancer. According to the Immunization Action Coalition, about 3,000 Americans die each year from liver failure or liver cancer resulting from hepatitis B. Takeaway Experts consider the hepatitis B vaccine to be safe and effective. People should ideally receive the vaccine at as young an age as possible to protect them from contracting hepatitis B. The AAP recommend vaccinating newborns on the day of their birth. Although most pregnant women receive testing for hepatitis B as part of their prenatal care, the test can occasionally give a false negative result. There is no cure for hepatitis B. Even people who recover from the infection may have a higher risk of health complications later in life. The CDC conclude that vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis B. | https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324136.php |
What about Cape Verdeans? | In a previous column I discussed why I chose to write the novel, The Man Who Fell From the Sky. Central to the novel is the Cape Verdean in the USA. But heres the interesting thing. When I have mentioned Cape Verdeans to many knowledgeable people, they have no idea whom I am discussing. In other words, far too many of us have never heard of Cape Verdeans. Nearly 400 miles off the coast of Senegal is found the Cape Verdean archipelago. Settled by the Portuguese in the 1600s, they became a transit point for African slaves stolen from the Continent on their way to the New World. The Portuguese settled the islands with prisoners, adventurers, slavers and slaves. In the 19thcentury Cape Verdeans became the first post-1492 African population to come to the USA voluntarily. They came initially as whalers and fishermen, though later families migrated, often as a result of the periodic droughts on the Cape Verde islands. But they came as Portuguese colonial subjects speaking Portuguese and having a very different history than those originally brought to the USA as slaves. This created an unusual tension between the two populations of African descent. The struggle for the independence of Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde islands (which were considered one territory by the Portuguese colonialists) emerged in the 1950s and ultimately turned to armed struggle when the Portuguese repressed the demands for justice. One of the great leaders of this struggle was none other than the iconic Amilcar Cabral who was, himself, Cape Verdean. The struggle for national liberation for Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde coincided with the energized Black Freedom Movement in the USA. Both of these movements had a profound impact on the thinking of Cape Verdean Americans leading to increasing Black consciousness and support for national liberation. I decided to look at this important population because they are frequently ignored in discussions about Black America. Either they are treated as just another group of African Americans albeit with strange names or they are not treated as being African American at all or they are unknown. Cape Verdeans, however, are part of what has made Black America, Black America. African Americans have evolved as a population beginning with those originally brought over as slaves and indentured servants to the influx of Cape Verdean voluntary migrants, to the migrations of Caribbean peoples to the USA and, particularly after 1965, migrants from other parts of Africa and Latin America to the USA. Black America is continuously evolving through the introduction of these new blood lines. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the former president of TransAfrica Forum. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com. He recently published the murder mystery The Man Who Fell From the Sky. Also On New Pittsburgh Courier: | https://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/2019/01/09/what-about-cape-verdeans/ |
Is Good Trouble on Hulu? | No problem! Deciders got you covered! A spin-off of The Fosters, the new series follows Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana Foster (Cierra Ramirez) as they prepare for their new lives in sunny Los Angles, California. Heres how to watch this buzzy new Freeform drama online. Good Trouble airs Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET on Freeform. Good news, Freeform fanatics. The first episode of Good Trouble is now streaming on Hulu! New episodes of this teen drama should be added to Hulu the morning after they air on Freeform. Nope. Unfortunately, theres no information about if/when Good Trouble will hit Netflix. Well update this story as it develops. I CANT STREAM GOOD TROUBLE ON HULU. Yes! The first episode of Good Trouble is currently available to stream for free on Freeforms website. Titled The Coterie, Episode 2 airs Tuesday, January 15 at 8:00 p.m. on Freeform. Per IMDB: The residents of the Coterie throw an epic party; Callie puts aside work for one evening to finally let loose, while Mariana tries to make friends with her new coworkers; Alice gets some upsetting news about her ex-girlfriend, Sumi. RELATED: Stream It or Skip It: Good Trouble on Freeform, a Spinoff of The Fosters Where Callie and Mariana Try to Make It in L.A. Where to stream Good Trouble | https://decider.com/2019/01/09/is-good-trouble-on-hulu/ |
Is Retailing Out Of 'Place'? | For as long as I can remember, the store was a place you would go to buy stuff. It mixed consumption, socialization, community, and entertainment. It seems less so today, and in a way retail is simply out of place. Which is to say, retail is anywhere and everywhere. The notion of having to go to a place to procure goods now seems so very 20th century. This certainly has caused consternation, grief, even ultimate demise to many retailers. The most vulnerable have been establishment players who were accustomed to evolutionary change, when revolutionary change has become the norm. In some ways we are on a trajectory back to where retail meant marketplace and not store. The Origins of Social Selling The oldest forms of retail, that existed before storefronts, lease lines, common areas, and food courts was the Marketplace. In ancient Greece, going back to 800 BC, merchants swapped goods in a place called Agora, which literally means a public open space used for assemblies and markets. These open-air gathering places, usually in the center of a community, brought people together to purchase lifes necessities, interact with one another, and build community. Kind of like the internet. They were dynamic, colorful, and a natural place for engagement and human interaction. Fast forward three thousand years and (in most places around the globe) those marketplaces morphed to stalls and carts, then to communal buildings, general stores, department stores, specialty stores, and well you know the rest. Commodity To Commoditization With each stage of the evolution the connection between the maker and the consumer got farther apart. Additionally, the connections to and stories about the products origins, processes, and even the craftsmanship necessary to make a thing diminished in importance and value. Add to that the fact that layers of intermediaries were introduced. Wholesalers, distributors, jobbers, agents, dealers, all added layers of additional cost, labor, and time to market. They also often led to diminished perceived value to the ultimate user, often referred to as commoditization. Then came the Internet, the ultimate tool of disruption, separating shopping from buying. Almost overnight there was a new and efficient method for buyers and sellers to come together, and effectively bypass the many layers and players that had crept into the distribution channels. On top of that, it was no longer essential to leave your place, to go to another place to get something. Then if things werent challenging enough, the phenomenon of social media further blurred everyones sense of community; as humans were getting together in mass, without going to a place. And now with the advent of social selling, groups can chat, bond, share and buy whatever, wherever. Back to the marketplace, where it all started. Marketplace is an active term, it implies gathering, activity and interaction. Store, on the other hand is static, just a place. Even the very name implies storage; hardly a humanizing term. Storytelling, Not Selling Now it appears that nearly every major retailer, developer, and mall manager is attempting to bring people together, by virtue of creating an experience; a term so ubiquitous, its hard to know what it really means. Generally, it implies the annexing goods with entertainment, food, activity, recreation, fashion, learning, and/or self expression; all good stuff. And for the brands, and merchants who are participating in this new milieu, its about creating memories and storytelling, not selling. Building an authentic bond with the consumer has become the order of the day. This new format blends retail theater with the experience economy. These two terms, in fact, were introduced by architect/designer Kenneth Walker and the duo of authors/change agents Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore, in the 1980s and 1990s respectively. Its the new Marketplace; smart devices optional. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2019/01/09/is-retailing-out-of-place/ |
How Does Terrorism Overlap With Criminality? | Over the years, terrorist organisations - including Islamic State - have concentrated their efforts on recruiting members from criminal groups in Europe. Propaganda has claimed, for example, that by joining Islamic State, prospective members will receive redemption for their sins. The terror group also encourages fundraising through criminal activities, and promotes this as a divinely sanctioned method of raising money for jihad when operating in the Dar al-Harb (Lands of War). Lorenzo Vidino found that over half (57%) of perpetrators in terrorist attacks in Europe and North America between June 2014 and June 2017 had been involved in criminal activity unrelated to terrorism prior to carrying out their attacks. In recent years, the convergence of criminal and terrorist networks has become more pronounced. It is common practice for terrorists to engage in a myriad of organised criminal activities such as prostitution, the sale of human organs, weapons, antiquities, the taxation of drugs and people smuggling routes, kidnap for ransom, and money laundering to raise funds for terror-related activities. Drug Trafficking The relationship between drug traffickers and jihadists in North Africa is an important example of the intertwined nature of crime and terror. Since 2014, Islamic State in Libya has profited from taxing the passage of illicit drugs through newly established drug routes stretching from Morocco to Libya, and then onward to Europe. Drug traffickers have used the weak state structure in Libya to collaborate with Islamic State and enable illicit drugs to pass through Islamic State-controlled areas in Libya, where the group is able to exact a tax in return for passage. Since 2015, Islamic State has partnered with members of Italian organised crime groups to smuggle cannabis resin, also known as North African hash, from Morocco through Algeria, then Tunisia, to the east of Libya, and then into Europe. Islamic State has a strong power base along the drug route in the city of Sirte, where it controls ports enabling drug transfers through Libya to the Mediterranean Sea. This symbiotic partnership between Islamic State and Italian organised crime groups has enabled Islamic State to benefit from the illegal drug trade, which yields profits of $36 billion. Kidnap for Ransom Though the majority of financing for Islamic State is derived from extortion and oil within its territories, these income streams were supplemented by a kidnap business that targeted foreign journalists and aid workers, earning the terror group between $20-45 million in 2014 alone. In West Africa, too, kidnap for ransom provided Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb with a sizeable portion of its funding. From 2003 to 2012, the group reportedly accrued between $1-4 million per western hostage, buttressing terror activities in the region. Due to the close-knit and secretive nature of terrorist financing, it is difficult to ascertain how money obtained from kidnap for ransom is utilized. However, small portions of these profits may be transferred through various financial conduit systems including bitcoin and hawala systems. Document Fraud Several sites on the Darknet provide access to fraudulent travel documents for customers. Alphabay was among the largest of these, with over 200,000 users and 40,000 vendors prior to its take down by the FBI and global law enforcement partners in July 2017. While still active, the site was reported to have hosted over 100,000 listings for stolen and fraudulent documents, as well as other counterfeit goods. A preliminary search on Dream Market on the 16th of January 2018, for example, yielded 373 pages of results for fraudulent UK passports, some of which came with bills, bank statements, and driving licenses as proof of identity. A 2016 study conducted by the University of East London reported that the sale of forged documents including passports, driving licenses, and utility bills aids in the movement of terrorists to the UK. Some evidence indicates that terrorists have used falsified travel documents to travel within Europe. Following the 2016 Berlin Christmas Market Terror attack that killed 12 people and injured 56, German authorities reported that the perpetrator, identified as Anis Amri, was a rejected Tunisian asylum refugee seeker with links Islamic State. When his request for asylum was rejected, the suspect used different identity documents under various aliases to travel through Europe, eventually committing a terror attack in Berlin. It was also reported that the perpetrators responsible for the Bataclan and Stade de France terror attacks that killed 130 people in Paris in November 2015 had traveled to Syria earlier that year, where they plotted multiple attacks in Paris, and travelled back to Europe on fake passports to carry out the deadly plot. While it is unclear how the perpetrators of the Berlin Christmas Market attack and the Bataclan and Stade de France attacks obtained their fake travel documents (on the Darknet or through other means), it is important to note that the availability of falsified travel documents on the Darknet has, and may continue to, facilitate the illegal migration of people involved in various illicit activities, including terrorism. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/nikitamalik/2019/01/09/how-does-terrorism-overlap-with-criminality/ |
Are Online Business Courses Worth It? | After all, taking an online course from a big brand business school doesnt require weeks or months of studying for a standardized test. You can do it without having to quit your job or make long sacrifices of time from your family. And it costs just a fraction of what you would pay in a full- or part-time MBA program, or for that matter, an online MBA or Executive MBA program. Of course, a single course or even a small collection of online courses isnt the same as a full-fledged degree program, whether residential or online. It's certainly not going to get you any of the jobs open the top MBA graduates. Forget about opportunities at McKinsey, Google, or Goldman Sachs. A new study of nearly 1,000 online student learners at Harvard Business School has shed some important light on these questions. Published yesterday on Jan. 8th, the study by City Square Associates demonstrates the value of the Harvard brand as much as it does the value of online education. The big surprise: The career and personal benefits reported by students mirror and, in some cases, exceed those commonly reported for far more expensive and time-consuming degree programs. One in four of the respondents said they have received a promotion of a title change as a result of the Harvard online course they completed. More than half said it led to an increased scope of work, and even more surprising, one-third said they were able to transition into a new field. No less important, one in two respondents said they have received increased attention from recruiters. Those are objectives commonly sought by applicants to most MBA, specialty business masters and non-degree executive education programs. In fact, the results of the survey are so positive that they are likely to cause a good bit of heartburn to deans of second- and third-tier business schools (see Why Business Schools Should Worry About This New Harvard Business School Study). The study's other results are also compelling: 96% of students said the online course they took led to personal betterment 91% said it improved their professional life 90% believe it made them a more confident leader 90% said it increased their knowledge of business terminology 93% believe it bolstered their resume The highly positive findings surprised even HBS officials. Its understandable that an MBA would give people the opportunity to make a big pivot in their careers, but I never would have expected that students in a non-credit, non-degree course or program would have those kinds of outcomes, says Patrick Mullane. executive director of Harvard Business School Online. What we are doing has had impact. In the five and one-half years since the launch of its first online offering, nearly 40,000 students have taken taken a long distance course from Harvard Business School. The school, moreover, has expanded its online course catalog to a dozen options that range from a three-week-long course on Sustainable Business Strategy costing $950 to an eight-week dive on Scaling Ventures with a price tag of $4,500. HBSs very first online play, the bundled trio of business fundamentals in business analytics, accounting and managerial economics, dubbed CORe for Credential of Readiness, has now been completed by more than 22,000 students, including nearly a third of the latest entering class of Harvard MBAs. For many who cant spend either the money or time in a full-time business program, the online courses could very well be the next best thing. We tend to get a sense that something cant be transformational if its not a two-year residential program, adds Mullane. But transformation is really in the eye of the beholder and we need to be cognizant of the fact that the way we think about it is not the way others will think about it. In the main, people say that it has changed their careers and lives. The value is there for people who need just enough business education to allow them to ask the right questions and speak intelligently about business, believes Mullane. Someone who is business inclined and just needs some pointed basic education in negotiations, finance or entrepreneurship, can get what they need and have impact fairly quickly. I met a guy who was a minister in a church in the south and he realized that managing a church is like managing a business. And he found CORe incredibly valuable. That is where it delivers the value well beyond its punching rate. Mullane cites other examples. A person who went from an entry level administrator to a college campus president and gained acceptance to a doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University; . a biochemist who wanted to do a startup and needed the skills, or a dancer who needed to transition to choreographer. That is why we want to be connected to the brand more closely because of the impact on our students, adds Mullane. Of the nearly 40,000 students who have taken HBX courses, roughly half of them have done the very first CORe program that launched in June of 2014 with a short of more than 600 students. Tuition for the initial cohort was $1,500, though 85% of those enrolled were given need-based financial aid. The CORe program now costs $2,250. Compared to many other options out there, that is a bargain. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/poetsandquants/2019/01/09/are-online-business-courses-worth-it/ |
What Is the Endgame of the Miz and Shane McMahon Storyline? | Credit: WWE.com The unlikely alliance between The Miz and Shane McMahon has been a perplexing storyline over the past two months, as WWE hasn't made it obvious where this is all leading. Normally, these things are rather straightforward, as professional wrestling plots aren't exactly the most complex narratives being told on television every week. But this all started in odd fashion at Crown Jewel when The Mizfirmly a heel at the timewas booked in a sympathetic way, trying to overcome an injury to bring the World Cup tournament to SmackDown. McMahon, a babyface, did a rather heel move by inserting himself into the tournament in the final, giving him an edge over Dolph Ziggler to win the trophy and tout himself as "the best ever"something he certainly isn't in the running for. As an authority figure, he had no business doing that and it was strange that he usurped the spotlight from a heel in a way that wasn't supposed to make fans cheer The Miz being cheated out of his win. You'd think the next logical step would be The Miz complaining that he is the rightful winner of the tournament and that McMahon stole his thunder, but the opposite took place, as The Miz has spent the past two months wanting to form a tag team alongside McMahon. It took some convincing, but McMahon eventually agreed and now, even though they can't settle on what matching ring attire to sport, the two even have a shot at the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against The Bar at Royal Rumble. Credit: WWE.com The Next Phase: Royal Rumble Results The first three steps were the World Cup initial incident, The Miz's pleading to form a team and McMahon agreeing. Much like Avengers: Endgame, we're heading into "Phase Four" of the plot. If McMahon and The Miz come up short against The Bar, it's unlikely the story will turn into one of them picking themselves back up to earn another title opportunity at WrestleMania. It's probably just the end of them as a unit, as it will have proven they don't have what it takes to be co-best in the world. By failing, the story opens itself up to February and March being a bumpy road with the two of them butting heads and settling the score in a match against each other at WrestleMania. But the more interesting path to take is for them to actually be successful in wining the belts, as that creates problems that need to be solved. The McMahon Family doesn't do well with subverting temptation. Vince, Stephanie, Triple H and even Shane in the past have all used their influence to put them in positions to win titles. That would be the most interesting story to follow over the course of February and March, with the two of them heading into WrestleMania with the tag titles in their possession. It All Comes Tumbling Down Whether it's failing to beat The Bar at Royal Rumble, losing at Elimination Chamber, Fastlane, WrestleMania or an episode of SmackDown, somewhere down the line, McMahon and The Miz will have to lose. If it's at WrestleManiathe logical conclusion pointthere may not be a grandiose finale other than dropping the titles. The past two years have had the Superstar Shake-up occur two weeks after the big show, so it's safe to assume that will happen again this year. Since Miz and Mrs. is on the USA network, The Miz going over to Raw to promote that and avoid any hiccups with the SmackDown move over to Fox in October makes sense. Credit: WWE.com If he's on Raw, he can't compete for the SmackDown tag titles, which would effectively end their partnership, even though McMahon can technically appear on Monday nights, too. That is a plot hole WWE will likely gloss over and hope the fans don't pay attention to. This split without a fight against each other could be the best way to have The Miz remain a babyface going forward, because if they start to feud, he's undoubtedly going to revert back to being a heel. In the past, he's had more success as a villain than a hero, but there have been plenty of teases this past year of WWE booking him with a softer approach. Fatherhood has painted him in a more positive light. He was effectively proven right in his opinions of John Cena, Nikki Bella and Daniel Bryan from their feuds. His tenacity in the World Cup tournament and at Survivor Series felt like more of a babyface booking. Credit: WWE.com What This Boils Down To Ultimately, this is a decision of whether WWE wants The Miz to be a babyface or a heel once he moves over to Raw in April after WrestleMania. If he's to go back to being a heel, the two of them will lose at Royal Rumble or will win there and then drop the titles in order to set up a match between the two at WrestleMania where The Miz reverts back to his old ways and McMahon steps aside from in-ring action again. If WWE wants The Miz to be a babyface, they will defeat The Bar at Royal Rumble and defend the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania, where they'll most likely lose. Then, The Miz will be shipped to Raw and the team will dissolve. Anything more wild of a suggestion, like that this all ends with The Miz obtaining authoritative powers over SmackDown Live, McMahon turning heel to screw The Miz over, or anything else just doesn't have any foundation at the moment. Of course, anything can happen in WWE, planned or not, so that is why we'll have to tune in to Royal Rumble to find out if The Miz and McMahon are on the right track or if something foul is afoot. Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more. | https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2814734-what-is-the-endgame-of-the-miz-and-shane-mcmahon-storyline |
Should Florida repeal gun control measures passed just 10 months ago? | A wide-ranging school safety bill passed last year by the Florida Legislature was especially notable because of gun control provisions passed by the Republican-dominated body. Now, a newly elected Republican state representative is trying to declare backsies. State Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola, previously served in the state House 2013-2016, but left early to run for state Senate, losing in a Republican primary. That means he missed out on the vote last year, when the Florida House passed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Safety Act, 67-50. Re-elected in November, Hill has filed a bill for the 2019 legislative session that would keep all the stuff conservatives like more money for school safety, a plan to arm school employees, and so on and take out the 21-and-older age restriction and three-day waiting period for rifle purchases, a ban on bump-stocks that allow semiautomatic rifles to simulate automatic fire, as well as risk protection orders, which allow police to, with a judges approval, take away someones firearms if they believe the person is a danger to themselves or others. Given that the bill passed by just a 67-50 margin in the House and 20-18 in the Senate, it might seem like taking out the gun control measures could pass muster. But that ignores a few salient facts. First, in the House, the vast majority of those no votes were Democrats who objected to the portion of the law that could arm school employees. Of the 50 no votes, just 19 were Republicans, and seven of them are no longer in the House. Second, in the Senate, Democrats have picked up a seat an important distinction when there are only 40 members and current Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, was among the first Republicans in the chamber to announce support for the age restrictions. While members of both chambers will cast the deciding votes on the subject, we want to know what you think. Heres most of whats currently in the law. Let us know by emailing [email protected] or tweeting @Daniel_Sweeney. Your response could be used in a future story. [email protected], 954-356-4605 or Twitter @Daniel_Sweeney | https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sound-off-south-florida/fl-ne-gun-control-repeal-20190109-story.html |
Can Venezuela survive six more years of Maduro? | For the love of God, no, cried Mara Vivas, 65, as she queued for sardines in the working-class community of Petare, Caracas. The prospect of President Maduro perpetuating his rule was, she said, unbearable. But that is what is about to happen.Tomorrow, in front of a supreme court he controls, Mr Maduro, 56, will have the presidential sash laid across his chest, swear an oath, and begin another term of office, due to continue until 2025. The president has insisted that he is fulfilling the popular will, but the election last May, which he supposedly won with nearly 68 per cent of the vote, was widely seen as a sham. Key opposition leaders were banned from standing, prompting the main opposition coalition | https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/can-venezuela-survive-six-more-maduro-years-z3zmfj0mz |
Why did I-20/59 become I-59/20 after 40 years? | The interstate running through downtown Birmingham is getting new bridges thanks to a $475 million project from the Alabama Department of Transportation. That project helped drive the decision to change the name of the interstate from I-20/59 to I-59/20 after 40 years. Its a switch that puzzles some Birmingham area drivers nearly four years after the decision was made. ALDOT East Central Region Engineer DeJarvis Leonard said the decision to use 59/20 as the official name for the highway, rather than 20/59, was made in early 2015, during the early planning stages of the project to rebuild the elevated highway through Birminghams central business district. Early on when we were developing our website and talking about media around the project, we looked at the nomenclature of 59/20 and 20/59, and after some discussions with officials in Montgomery, it was determined that since 59 was the first route that was put in service, we elected to use 59/20, Leonard said. I-59/20 to close in January for 14 months I-59 serves as the major interstate route from Chattanooga to New Orleans, and shares the right of way with I-20 for a 153-mile stretch from east Birmingham to Meridian, Miss., where the two roads diverge again. Highway website Interstate-Guide.com says the 153-mile overlap is one of the longest stretches in the U.S. interstate system. On the stretch of I-59/20 in Mississippi, the I-59 mile markers and exit numbers are used over I-20. In Alabama, the markers are the same because they start at the western border going east. The stretch running through downtown Birmingham that is being replaced was finished in 1973. That roadway will close to all traffic later this month, as contractors demolish and replace the bridges elevating the highway over city streets. An exact closure date has not been announced, but is expected to be in mid- to late-January. The interstate closure is planned to last 14 months, though contractors can receive up to $15 million in incentives for early completion. ALDOT is posting detour information, project updates and history on its 59/20 project web site and using the ALGOtraffic web site and mobile app to update traffic conditions. Drivers are urged to plan alternate routes during the closure. | https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2019/01/why-did-i-2059-become-i-5920-after-40-years.html |
What are the 7 key characteristics of a highly-profitable dairy farmer? | The expansion of the national dairy herd has paved the way for dairy farmers to increase their margins in recent years. The abolition of the milk quotas coupled with better systems has allowed dairy farmers to increase their farms bottom line. Speaking at Irish Grassland Associations (IGA) Dairy Conference which took place earlier today in Co. Cork agricultural consultant and land agent Mike Brady outlined that a high-profit dairy farmer earns more than 100,000 profit/year. During his presentation, which was titled key characteristics of highly-profitable dairy farms, he highlighted that this figure is based on a 40ha holding. This is the national average size of Irish dairy farms milking 100 cows and achieving a net profit based on Teagasc Moorepark research figures of 2,500/ha. According to Brady, there are seven key characteristics a highly-profitable farmer has in order to successfully achieve this level of financial performance. Key characteristics: They own or farm a lot of land (scale); They know their system of milk production; They are financially savvy when it comes to making investments; They have good leadership skills; They run a technically efficient system; They have a good team around them to run the farm; They balance personal values. Speaking on scale in particular, Mike said: The more land farmed with low levels of debt the more money the farmer will make. The only farmer that will go broke farming more land is an inefficient one. Advertisement Usually, technical efficiency is top of the list at most conferences, but Ive placed it fifth on the list based on the following. It is not difficult to make a profit in dairy farming. However, to make the top money you need to be technically efficient, he added. He indicated that grass production and its utilisation are important technical parameters, but animal breeding is what separates the top farmers from the rest. High-profit farmers know the cows that drive profit in their system. Mike highlighted the importance of work-life balance on Irish farms, particularly in this expansion phase that the national herd is currently experiencing. | https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-are-the-7-key-characteristics-of-a-highly-profitable-dairy-farmer/ |
Did the Flintstones have it right with large-portion meat? | Open this photo in gallery Citrus and herb pork shoulder. Tara O'Brady/The Globe and Mail Vegetable-forward and plant-based dishes are undeniably a new norm in contemporary cooking, both at home and in restaurants. That said, every action has an equal and opposite response, and confidently meat-centric mains are returning to menus with old-school appeal. These feasts inspire convivial, family-style eating, and in some ways, the over-the-top plentitude provides an unexpected comfort. Of course, large-format servings are a standard. And then there are dishes such as David Changs iconic Bo Ssam at Momofuku, which stars 10 pounds of pork. But even Changs collection has grown, now including steamed and fried Korean-inspired chicken, a whole brined-smoked-roasted seven-spice brisket and a rotisserie chicken with the legs fried and finished with a ginger glaze and the breasts stuffed with herb butter (all of these require 24-hour advance notice). Story continues below advertisement In Los Angeles last year, Adam Perry Lang, deemed the man who mastered cooking over fire by the Barbecue Hall of Fame, opened APL, his temple to Flinstonian cuts. The accolades followed quickly, with breathy, tantalizing descriptions of handsome slabs of protein on offer. Lang upped the ante this holiday season with APLs Beef Club: US$1,800 for an astounding 45- to 50-pound rib roast (tomahawk chop). Lang personally selects each roast for aging, then monitors its progress in the 1,000-square-foot bespoke room below the restaurant. The roast can either be enjoyed over time, experiencing the maturation as it develops, or as a single, all-out event with a crowd around the table. At home, preparing a large-format joint of meat or bird is usually relegated to holidays. However, with the start of the new year and its associated resolutions, as many set off on a goal of meal planning or advanced prep, I urge the consideration of a larger cut of meat as a component to a strategy of leftovers. This pork roast, and most of its ilk, requires the investment of time rather than hands-on effort. If the oven is already heated, its as easy to prepare two chickens as it is one. A roast of any sort takes the same amount of attention, no matter the size. And, as an additional boon, those larger cuts are often more cost-effective than portions. Roast it on Sunday and feast for the days following, or stash individual meals in the deep freeze for later. That extra chicken can be used in pot pie or stew. Brisket braised to succulence is my dream for next-day hash, or layered with sauted onions, wilted greens and gossamer-thin potatoes in a creamy gratin. Cook a lamb leg with confidence, a side of salmon or a whole turkey breast maybe even two knowing your future self will be thankful. My route with the pork roast here is meant to lead to enchiladas in the future, or maybe a tamale pie, and most definitely a medianoche (a pressed Cuban sandwich with cheese and pickles). It begins with a dazzling marinade inspired by Mexico and Cuba, one full of floral-sharp citrus, blistered chilies and robust herbs. Speaking of the herbs, the recipe mentions cilantro and Mexican oregano, but those seeking an extra zing might want to sneak in fresh mint as well. I refer to this as my low-ish and slow-ish pork roast, because four-ish total hours of cooking is hardly quick, it is comparatively modest to the patience-wearing six to eight hours it would require at the most gentle heat. Those who have such commitment, I salute. Even with that slight compromise of hastening the process, the shoulder emerges from the oven fragrant and melting. Taking cue from Adam Perry Langs expertise, I crib his technique of a board dressing to finish the roast here, a gutsy second dousing of the flavours with which we began. Its a last-minute flourish that makes all the difference. One days cooking and the week is set. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement Citrus and herb pork shoulder Serves 8 to 10 For the marinade and pork 1 large onion, peeled and quartered through the root 2 jalapenos Zest from 1 orange, cut in large strips with a peeler Zest from 1 lime, cut in large strips with a peeler 2 dried bay leaves cup orange juice, from about 2 oranges cup lime juice, from 2 to 3 limes cup fruity olive oil 1 cup chopped cilantro stems (the stems from about a medium bunch) 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, preferably Mexican, or 1 teaspoons dry 1 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 6- to 7-pound pork shoulder, rind removed, boneless and tied For the dressing Medium bunch cilantro, leaves only (stems used above) 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, preferably Mexican, optional 1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded 2 garlic cloves, peeled cup orange juice, from 1 orange 2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 lime cup fruity olive oil Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste Options to serve Sliced radishes Raw or pickled onions Shredded cabbage Pico de gallo or salsa roja Tortillas, warmed Limes Preferably the day before you want to eat, preheat a seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Without oil, blacken the onion wedges and jalapenos on all sides. Alternatively, blister all on an open gas flame, using tongs to turn. Set aside to cool. Pop the onions, strips of citrus zest and bay leaves into a zip-top bag large enough to accommodate the pork. Pour the juices and olive oil into the carafe of a blender. Drop in the cilantro stems, peeled garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stem and seed the blistered jalapenos, and add to the carafe. Blend until smooth. Taste, and adjust as needed keeping in mind that the pork can handle an enthusiastic seasoning. The marinade should taste brightly acidic but not harsh; add more olive oil to round it out if needed, or more citrus if not sharp enough. When satisfied, tuck the pork shoulder into the bag, and pour the marinade over. Seal and massage the liquid into the shoulder, making sure its coated well on all sides. Place in a baking dish or similar and refrigerate for six hours or preferably overnight, turning periodically. To prepare the shoulder, preheat an oven to 325 F with a rack in the lower third. Line a quarter sheet pan or large shallow roasting tin with a double layer of foil. Place the shoulder into the centre of the foil, fat side up, then decant the marinade and onions on top. Pluck out the zest strips and discard. Loosely bring the edges of the foil up around the pork. Place in the preheated oven and cook for three hours. Pull back the foil, increase the temperature to 425 F and roast for around 90 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 185 F at the centre and the exterior is well browned and cracked. If the roast is browning too quickly, recover with foil. Remove the shoulder to a board and rest for 30 minutes. As the shoulder sits, make the dressing. On a board, pile the cilantro, oregano, jalapeno and garlic. Run your knife through all until finely minced. Scrape the resulting confetti into a medium bowl. Stir in the citrus juices and olive oil. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Story continues below advertisement If enjoying the shoulder as tacos, untie and either slice against the grain as needed or shred with two forks. Anoint the sliced or shredded meat with some of the dressing. (As pictured, baste with dressing, present the roast in its entirety, and carve at table.) Serve with lots of sliced radish, pickled onions, shredded cabbage, salsa roja and lime wedges. Offer warm tortillas alongside. Leftover shoulder can be stored whole, bathed in some of the dressing, which will keep it the most lush (store the remaining separately). Or, portion and freeze the shoulder in smaller portions, each with a pour of dressing as lubricant. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/recipes/article-did-the-flintstones-have-it-right-with-large-portion-meat/ |
How has Tom Brady miraculously defied the ravages of time? | Before the start of the NFL season, the New England Patriots restructured Tom Bradys contract. In order to free up more salary cap space to strengthen the team in other positions, he agreed to a $10m signing bonus, a $4m base wage, and $5m in performance-related pay. Nobody took much notice of this act of selflessness until the end of the campaign when Bradys failure to finish in the top five in passing yards, yards per attempt, touchdowns, completion percentage or passing rating meant the quarterback missed out completely on the $5m bonus. With career earnings of over $200m, and a supermodel wife in Gisele Bundchen who takes home more than he does each year, Brady can absorb the financial hit. But, his absence from the upper echelons of the statistical categories by which quarterbacks are measured lent weight to the growing belief he may, finally, belatedly, be on the decline. Even if hot takes about his supposedly waning powers are as much a feature of the NFL winter as him miraculously helming the Patriots to yet another Super Bowl, this campaign has yielded more compelling evidence than any other that the greatest of all time is actually starting to look his age 41. Bradys repeated assertion he will play on until 45 now sounds like the braggadocio of a heavyweight boxer trying to convince himself muscle memory will be enough even though his jab has lost its snap. Despite leading the Patriots to their tenth successive AFC East title en route to the playoffs, and topping the league in jersey sales, he has been guilty of questionable decision-making in scorable situations, horrific clock management, and too often reminding fans why no forty-something quarterback has ever won a championship. Just twelve months after being voted the leagues MVP, Bradys repeated assertion he will play on until 45 (his current contract ends next year) now sounds like the braggadocio of a heavyweight boxer trying to convince himself muscle memory will be enough even though his jab has lost its snap. For all that, the Los Angeles Chargers arrive in Foxborough this Sunday conscious that they have never won a game against the Patriots with Brady under centre. If the mystique and the legend surrounding him is an inevitable consequence of his on-field greatness, eight Super Bowl appearances, five wins, his continued presence 19 years after his NFL debut is also a testament to the way he has looked after himself. Playing a position where opposing linemen are bent on your destruction every time the ball is in your hands, here is a man who has somehow defied the laws of nature and thwarted the ravages of time. There is a growing belief that Tom Brady may, finally, belatedly, be on the decline. Photograph: CJ Gunther/EPA According to himself, hes managed this wondrous feat by observing a strict diet (avocado ice cream is in, tomatoes are out), drinking two and a half gallons of filtered water each day, and heading to bed at 8.30pm every night, wearing his own brand of pyjamas lined with print technology reflecting far infrared that somehow promotes deep sleep and assists the body in recovery. He also adheres to punishing physical and mental training programmes under the guidance of Alex Guerrero, his personal trainer and lifestyle guru who preaches a gospel about the virtues of pliability. At least thats the official party line. It would be a lot easier to subscribe to the doctrine of Bradys infallibility and to enjoy the annual marvelling at the miracle of his longevity if his closest confidante, Guerrero, didnt have a resum that includes passing himself off as a doctor while peddling a variety of snake oil supplements as cures for cancer, arthritis, Aids, MS, and concussion. That was until the Federal Trade Commission shut down his junk science operation, and he ended up treating New England Patriots for injuries, a fortuitous career move that culminated in him becoming personal body coach to Brady, and godfather to one of his kids. If its a relationship that, beyond myopic Boston fans at least, casts a legitimate shadow over Bradys achievements, its also one that ruffles him in a way few linebackers have managed over the past two decades. Twice last summer, he shut down reporters daring to ask questions about the charlatan sometimes described as his spiritual guide. One of those queries regarded Julian Edelman, the Patriots wide receiver and a close friend, who tested positive for performance-enhancing substances while working his way back from an ACL injury last year. Bradys devotion to Guerrero and his bizarre methods is so cult-like it created a rift with Belichick, the character with whom he has rewritten so much NFL history Although that recovery included so many lengthy sessions with Guerrero that Edelman dubbed him Mr Miyagi in an affectionate Instagram post, a journalists attempt to raise the issue of his steroids bust at a press conference caused a tetchy Brady to respond, No comment. Its ridiculous. Im out. Then he walked away. A few weeks later, he abruptly hung up during a radio interview with Bostons WEEI when the hosts raised the fact the former Dr Guerrero was back travelling on the Patriots plane after being previously banned from doing so by the coach Bill Belichick. Bradys devotion to Guerrero and his bizarre methods is so cult-like it created a rift with Belichick, the character with whom he has rewritten so much NFL history. It also spawned stories that he favoured team-mates who used his personal quack when dealing with their injuries. While the most successful coach-quarterback tandem ever appear to have papered over the cracks in their relationship this season, the dynasty they built has never looked on shakier ground. Unless, of course, Brady can somehow turn back the clock. And, with Guerrero available to help, nobody can rule that out. | https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/how-has-tom-brady-miraculously-defied-the-ravages-of-time-1.3752536?localLinksEnabled=false |
Does Tony Live or Die at the End of The Sopranos? | Excerpt from The Sopranos Sessions by Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall published by Abrams Press; 2019 Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall. Dont stop believin you know exactly what happened at the end of The Sopranos. Photo: Will Hart/HBO Before I wrote about television for New York Magazine and Vulture, I wrote about it for the Star-Ledger, New Jerseys largest daily newspaper, sharing a beat with my friend Alan Sepinwall, who is now the TV critic for Rolling Stone. The highlight of our time together was covering The Sopranos, which shot in the papers circulation area throughout the state. On the occasion of the shows 20th anniversary, weve published a book about it, The Sopranos Sessions, combining reviews of each episode, a new interview with series creator David Chase, and selections of our Star-Ledger articles about the show. At the same time, IFC Center in New York City is hosting The Sopranos Film Festival, a mix of episodes, features, shorts, cartoons, and panel discussions. The schedule includes the premiere of My Dinner With Alan, a feature-length documentary in which we sit in the famous booth at Holstens and discuss the series and the experience of covering it for the paper that Tony used to pick up at the end of his driveway. The following is an excerpt from The Sopranos Sessions, which Alan and I debate the still-controversial last four minutes of the show and come to different conclusions about what it meant. Alan Sepinwall: Tony Soprano is dead. Alan: Hes dead, Matt. Its obvious. Matt: Well, this isnt how I thought this would go. To quote Tony, the floor is yours, senator. Alan: Made in America opens on Tony asleep in the safe house. His eyes are closed, hes not noticeably breathing, and the camera angle makes it look like hes lying in state at the funeral parlor, waiting for his friends, family, and viewers out here in TV land to pay our respects. He jolts awake within moments, but we begin our final hour in Tonys company with this image of him suggesting that hes already dead, and that he just like Silvio watching the Gerry Torciano hit needs some time to catch up with the finality of the situation. That coffinlike image isnt the first major allusion to death of the final season, nor the last of Made in America alone. In the season premiere, Bacala raised the idea of what happens when you die, speculating, You probably dont even hear it when it happens, right? a line so clearly important to the end of the series that the conversation is replayed at the end of the penultimate episode, after poor Bobby had that question answered. Images of death or a Hell frozen over from overcrowding and neglect by management abound throughout the series finale, as the shows usual fascination with the extremes of weather in the Garden State gets amped up to an almost supernatural degree. When Tonys meeting Agent Harris by the airport, or Butchie is wandering through the last remaining scrap of Little Italy while talking to Phil on the phone, or when Tony and Butchie and Little Carmine sit down to broker a peace in that cavernous truck depot, the cold and wind and snow are all so palpable that the only truly applicable phrase is, Youll catch your death. And thats even before we get to Holstens, a scene shot and edited unlike anything else in the history of this show. This is what I keep coming back to. I dont believe its necessary to establish that to discuss the ending of the show, nor do I think the evidence necessarily points to that. Whenever the Sopranos ending is discussed, and somebody starts with the presumption that Tony is dead, I ask the same follow-up question: Why do you need for Tony to be dead? Because you have to need him to be dead to insist not only that he got shot right there in the diner, but that him being dead is in fact the entire point of the scene, and that no other approach is permissible. Because nothing in that scene says, Somebody just killed him and thats what the cut to black is about. The only objectively true statement that can be made about that ending is that its ambiguous. Spending long hours trying to prove Tony was shot at the diner becomes a substitute for meaningful engagement with the shows themes, which are disturbing not just because of their implications, but because Chase and the writers present them in an open-ended, mysterious, or deliberately opaque way, like a brutal reminder to us that we cant absolutely know certain things, and its delusional to insist we can. The final close-up of James Gandolfinis face contains no note of fear or apprehension. Hes just looking up at the sound of a bell ringing, and if classical continuity editing is to be our guide here, the person entering is Meadow, last seen in the third-to-final shot of the scene, walking toward the diner. I suppose you could argue that somebody snuck in from the side, out of frame, and shot Tony. But again, that seems like a reach to me, especially since Members Only Guy hasnt come out of the bathroom yet. And, as I said, it proceeds from the speakers need to have Tony die at that moment, not from any evidence in the scene itself. Alan: I hear what youre saying. But the very fact that Chase devotes so much time to what seems like nothing makes the whole scene all the more nerve-racking. Chase lingers on the parking job to raise the question of what terrible thing will happen because its taking her so long. Chase provides glimpses of all the other customers a scout troop, two unidentified black males at the jukebox, a man in a Members Only jacket like Eugene Pontecorvos at the counter because he wants us to wonder if one of them might be there to take out Tony. (Well, maybe not the scouts.) Chase lets the tension build and build and build including Members Only Guy walking past Tony and into the mens room so that well be primed for something awful to happen as Meadow sprints across Broad Street and into the restaurant. Chase replayed the Bacala death line and laid down so much death imagery throughout the season and this episode, so we will understand that when the scene jarringly cuts to black, its because Tony has just died, either via a bullet from Members Only Guy or a coronary from one onion ring too many. We can all go home now. Frankly, Im not even sure why were still debating this. Matt: All right, let me back up for a second and say that at no point during my now ten-plus years of arguing about the meaning of this scene have I said that Tony died is an inconceivable or unacceptable interpretation. Its not wrong. In fact, its the most obvious interpretation, given that Tonys pissed a lot of people off over the years, and in the overwhelming majority of gangster stories, the main guy dies at the end. Plus, that last stretch of 21 episodes does have a persistent chill, visually and plot-wise a series of deaths and declines, with a lot of the color bleached out. So absolutely, the show is putting us in a frame of mind to anticipate a death. But I dont think he has to be dead for us to think about all that related stuff, and I dont think thats the only possible interpretation. He couldve had a coronary or another panic attack. Or it could be, as I wrote in my original recap hours after the finale aired, that the character who died there was us, the spectator. We dont get to watch the show anymore. He whacked the viewer. Or maybe nothing happened in that scene, but Tony went on being Tony and maybe died of heart disease or Alzheimers, which, given all that weve seen him go through, is a sadder outcome. I think were supposed to be thinking about death, or the finiteness of life, during that last scene, but not necessarily that Tony died right then and there, and thats the end of the story. Because, while youre right to point out how Chase and company have very deliberately put us in a death-obsessed frame of mind during this final run, during the preceding seasons he showed us time and time again that he was never interested in doing the obvious thing. And the single most obvious thing to do in a gangster movie is to kill the main character out of reflex, or because the storytellers want to express that crime doesnt pay. Remember, too, that Tony is the Homer Simpson of crime bosses, miraculously avoiding death or prison even as it claims other characters. Think about the randomness of him seeing the FBI agents coming over the hill and escaping even as they arrest Johnny. Or him surviving three car wrecks, one of which fatally wounded Christopher. This guy lives a charmed life. So does AJ, who luckily fails to kill himself Tony happening to come home at that moment is a Tony caliber stroke of good luck and in this very episode, the kid survives a truck explosion. Alan: I dont know the answer to that hypothetical, because either one seems like the kind of thing The Sopranos might do. Matt: The point is, The Sopranos resisted all the usual gangster movie reflexes for seven seasons. I cant imagine that it would succumb to them in its final moments, no matter how great the temptation and as our conversations with Chase confirmed, that temptation did exist. There has to be something else going on here, otherwise the scene wouldnt end as it ends, in such a studied inartful way. I hate that when you ask, What happened at the end of The Sopranos? and people just shrug and say, Well, he died! A better question is, What did that ending mean? Alan: Yeah, I would say the circumstantial evidence of death in the scene is overwhelming. I mean, if you step back and think about it, killing Tony this mysteriously does defy Sopranos modus operandi in multiple ways. Matt: Aha! Doubt. Alan: Other than maybe the revelation that Big Pussy was an FBI cooperator a plot idea conceived in the shows embryonic stages, without Chase expecting anyone would care about him resolving it The Sopranos tended to keep its plot cards face up. You knew virtually everything important that was going on, not only with Tony, but with all his enemies and allies. At this moment in Made in America, nobody that we know of wants Tony dead. Phil is gone, Butchie made peace with New Jersey, and anyone else who might wish Tony a violent end is out of the picture. A man in Tonys business will always have enemies Eric Scatino probably still nurses a massive grudge so its not outside the realm of plot logic that some rando or long-forgotten character could have hired Members Only Guy to do the deed. (For that matter, Members Only Guy could be the loved one of a Soprano victim himself.) But its an enormous leap from how the series told stories in every scene, and episode, up until this one. Matt: Yes. And I would argue that, if the main takeaway from that scene is, Oh, they shot him, then either the show has failed and suddenly decided to give up and be a typical gangster story in its final four minutes, or theres something else happening here. I vote that theres something else happening. Alan: Maybe we should ask the cat. The show absolutely dabbled in the supernatural throughout, from Paulie being haunted by Mikey Palmice, to Tony dreaming something that Tony B was actually doing, to whatever and wherever Kevin Finnerty was. Theres a reason The Twilight Zone keeps coming up, whether in conversation or on the safe house TV in the finale. The cat turns up at the safe house and gets brought back to Satriales, much to Paulies horror You cant even put them near a baby; they suck the breath right out! particularly once it starts fixating on a photo of Christopher from the set of Cleaver. Sometimes, a cat is just a cat, but its hard not to consider this one within the context of what happens, or doesnt, a few scenes later at Holstens. The Austrian physicist Erwin Schrdinger famously theorized that if you place a cat into a box with some kind of hazardous material, the cat may live or die, but until you actually open the box to check, the cat is simultaneously dead and alive. Alan: What I mean is, maybe that cat is Christopher reincarnated, or maybe its just a cat that wont stop hanging around Satriales and staring at a photo of Christopher. We dont know, and will never know. And thus, that cat is Christopher and not Christopher at the same time. Matt: Just like the Holstens scene. And the Russian. And the matter of whether Ralphie was responsible for the fire. By telling other people what we think happened, we are revealing ourselves. Were admitting who we are. Alan: Yes, the Holstens scene is about death specifically, about the idea that we are all here on borrowed time, and our lives can be snatched away at any moment, without warning or explanation or the slightest hint of fairness. Matt: Death shows the ultimate absurdity of life. AJ Soprano. Fuckin internet. Alan: Theres no way around that, and even David Chase says as much in the sixth interview later in this book. And its true that, the longer the Holstens scene and the parallel parking go on and on and on and on the harder it becomes to shake the feeling that Tony, or Meadow, or maybe everybody, is about to get whacked. But the scene can be about the idea of Tonys imminent demise without actually featuring it and, if were being stubbornly pedantic, it doesnt feature it. Meadow runs to the door, the bell rings, Tony looks up, and nothin. You can interpret that cut to black any way you want it (to quote the other Journey song featured on the jukebox right below Dont Stop Believin), but maybe Tony is the cat: dead and alive at the same time, because we cant see into the box to know for sure. James Gandolfini in The Sopranos finale. Photo: Will Hart/HBO Matt: Well, thats been my overall point in these arguments from the very beginning, and Im glad you framed it in those terms, because it does a nice end run around the whole Tony Soprano, dead or alive? question, which Ive always thought was an attempt to change the question mark at the end of the sentence to a period. I think Tony died at that moment is a valid interpretation. But I also think its fair to say that he lived beyond that moment, even to a ripe old age, because ultimately this scene is making us ask, What have we learned? or Where have we been? and Where is Tony, right now, as a person? These are reckoning questions, and they can occur at many different points in a persons life. Of course, these questions occurred to Tony after Junior shot him, and that his response was to absorb rather shallow lessons like, make better choices in the moment, and try being a better listener while ignoring bigger ones like, Maybe youre depressed all the time because youre a gangster. Melfi steers him toward this realization throughout the series, even in the pilot. But he always manages to avoid going there. It could be that Chase simply likes ambiguity and confusion. Blow-Up is one of his favorite films, and it has a famously non-definitive ending that invites the viewer to project their own meanings. He was never interested in the Russian, the rapist, the stable fire, or any of the other characters and threads that he left dangling over the life of the series, except as forces that test the main characters and reveal their essence. Or it could be like the decision in Long Term Parking to not only provide a glimpse of Adrianas daydream where she just gets in her car and heads south on I-95, but to deliberately stage her death scene so that shes off-camera when Silvio fires the fatal shot. Maybe, after spending a decade telling stories about this man and having spent a whole lifetime thinking many of the same thoughts as Tony, particularly where their mothers were concerned Chase just couldnt bring himself to direct a scene explicitly killing him, or even one where he asked James Gandolfinis face to point us more blatantly in that direction. Matt: Well, thats interesting, because it brings Chase himself into the mix, and I think we both should admit that our interpretation of the ending is affected by our conversations with him while writing this book. And by that, I dont mean he handed us the answer, because The Sopranos was never the sort of show that made you hunt for answers in that way. I just mean that Schrdingers cat is useful if youre applying it to a story that could end either in a radical, art-house movie way, or in a traditional way, but with a fancy wrapping. Alan: Its hard to play dumb about what we discussed with Chase, but the great thing or the maddening thing, depending on your point of view is that even with all he ultimately told us, theres still no definitive answer to the dead/alive question. We know what the scene means, but we dont know what happened. Matt: An important distinction. Yeah, I was thinking that, too that despite the hours weve spent talking to Chase about the ending, I dont think its necessarily been explained in any meaningful sense, in terms of what happened next, and I get the impression that Chase cant really explain it either. Its not an insult to say that he doesnt really know why he did what he did, because all through our interviews with him, we kept trying to get him to explain the reasoning behind certain choices, only to discover that there wasnt any, and he and the writers and directors were just doing what felt correct. That final scene is something he felt was correct, and that came out of his desire to subvert or amend the traditions of the gangster film, while perhaps coming to terms with the fact that he was unable to escape them. This is a show thats very interested in dream language, psychoanalysis, and the contradictory, mysterious forces that make us who we are, and its inevitable that this series, perhaps more than other works of art, would have become a Rorschach test. Alan: Tonys situation as he enters Holstens is complex however you look at it. Professionally, he has just survived a war with New York has, in fact, enough juice that he was able to kill a rival boss with the tacit approval of Phils successor but his organization is in a shambles. Paulie, long the most useless captain on the payroll, is the only major ally he has left. Personally, hes on good enough terms with his immediate family that theyd all happily join him for onion rings and more at their favorite ice cream place. And, other than a couple of ugly fights, he has been getting along much better with Carmela since she took him back than he ever did during the first six seasons of the show. But Meadow is marrying into the extended Family by getting engaged to Patrick Parisi and becoming a lawyer two things Tony never wanted for her and AJ recently survived a suicide and is so lacking in direction that this low-level job working for Little Carmine feels like a salvation. So when he walks into the restaurant, judgment has already been passed, or maybe suspended. He is either an enormous success or a pitiful failure. Matt: Or he can be both. Alan: The cat. Matt: Yes. Matt: If hed said, Yeah, I killed him, I wouldve been deeply disappointed in Chase. Because it wouldve meant that he did the most obvious thing and then tried to hide it by making it seem as if he was creating an ambiguous or art-house type of ending. And I think I would have been equally disappointed if hed said, Tony is alive. And thats because I like not knowing, and to me, everything about this ending says, Youre not supposed to know, youre supposed to live in the not-knowing. A lot of characters live there and have to make peace with it. The loved ones who lost people to witness protection or because they ran away suspect they were murdered but cant prove it, even though we viewers saw it happen. This ending puts us in their shoes. We make up stories to reassure ourselves that we have control over life, and we really dont. Im reminded of that moment in D-Girl where Dr. Melfi summarizes existentialism for Tony. When some people first realize that theyre solely responsible for their decisions, actions, and beliefs, and that death lies at the end of every road, they can be overcome with intense dread a dull, aching anger that leads them to conclude that the only absolute truth is death. I think the insistence on proving that Tony died is a means of reasserting control over the show, and over the life of the person doing the proving. Death is the only absolute truth for everyone, and if you read that ending simply as he died, you can wash your hands and walk away from it and not have to think about anything else that might be raised in that scene. This is a show about either accepting that youre not in control of anything, or making a conscious decision to deny that. The idea of presenting the ending as a thing that can be mastered and explained is philosophically the opposite of everything that led us to that point. I know this is a minority reaction, but I like being baffled or challenged or frustrated by art. I like having to make a case for a particular interpretation or just throw my hands up. Its fun for me. What I dont like is any kind of conversation that seems to be leading toward, Hes dead, end of discussion. Because that should not be the end of the discussion when youre talking about a show like this one, a show about psychology, development, morality, and all these other deep and tangled subjects. The way the ending teases audiences by seeming very definite while denying us answers and closure makes it the ultimate Sopranos moment. And it throws all the other things weve been discussing, here and throughout this book, into sharper relief. Because its taking the question of whether Tony lived or died off the table. Alan: I spent many years after the finale as a card-carrying, vocal member of Team Tony Lives. I made arguments like the one above, about how a secret assassin repping an enemy we never heard of before would clash with every narrative rule the show ever followed. More recently, I found myself swaying over to Team Tony Dies, not only because of the death imagery throughout the season including the way so many episodes open, as this one does, with Tony waking up from a deep slumber but because some of my initial, long-hardened impressions of the scene didnt hold up under further scrutiny. I had thought, for instance, that the sense of paranoia instilled in the viewer by the rapid editing style Chase uses for the scene was shared by Tony himself that, perhaps, the point of it all was to finally put us in the mind-set of the main character, to make us realize, This is how miserable it is to be Tony Soprano: to spend every minute of every day worrying about who could be coming through a door to kill you. But all that stuff exists outside the text, not in it. Gandolfinis playing it as Tony enjoying a peaceful night out with Carmela and the kids, up to and including that final look on his face in between when the bell rings and the screen goes black. Matt: Yeah, hes checking out the scene in there for self-protection, but he does that everywhere he goes. Alan: So for a while, it seemed easier to just go with the idea that he dies that the cut to black follows on Bacalas line from Soprano Home Movies, Silvios reaction to the Hairdos death in Stage 5, and all that death imagery. I thought about Tonys entrance into Holstens in the context of the earlier scenes where he visits Janice and then Junior. In both of those, Chase employs an unusual editing style, cutting directly from a shot of Tony looking out at the space hes just entered to a different point of view where hes already crossed most of the distance to the relative hes come to see. Matt: Yes! And the music is continuous throughout. Bits of time are elapsing in terms of the physical motion of Tony in that space, but thats not indicated by the music, which never stops. Thats one more reason why this scene feels dreamlike, along with all those incidental characters, like Members Only Guy and the uniformed Boy Scouts, who feel like people youd meet in an 80s music video. I think you could make a better case for Tony Dies if you assume hes dead before this scene even starts. Alan: The distance he walks is shorter each time, and when he gets to Holstens, we just cut from him looking at the restaurant to him in the booth, in a way that suggests hes seeing himself really, that hes seeing the whole scene play out, like hes already left his body and is just envisioning what might come next back on this mortal plane. So it felt better to go with Tony died. It was An Answer, in a way that Tony lives never entirely felt like one to me, and when Chase wrote that article about the scene for DGA Quarterly, and talked about the fragility of our mortal existence, I was able to smile and say, Aha! Thats it! I know now, and I dont have to worry about this anymore. Except the longer you and I talked about it, both on our own and with Chase, the less substantial that idea felt, too, until by the end, I wasnt entirely sure that even Chase knows if the guys dead or alive. No. Its become increasingly clear to me as weve worked our way through the entire series again, with over 10 years of perspective on that finale and nearly 20 years of living with the show in some form, that Chase is an intuitive writer, somebody whos not trying to send messages or create puzzles for people to solve, but is just trying to make people feel and think and question themselves. Its also easy to see that Chase is of two minds on the last scene. Which is perhaps something he telegraphed by bringing that cat into it. This is an artist sorting through contradictory impulses, in hopes of reaching audiences in a deep way. There are no cookies for figuring things out. Matt: I think its more interesting if he lives. I think it would fit with the cycles of experience depicted in the series. This guy has much more self-awareness and sensitivity than other people in his line of work, but is still a prisoner of his conditioning and maybe his genes, and always seems to fall far short of enlightenment. And if, to quote Mad Men, the greatest predictor of what somebody is going to do is what they have done in the past, Tonys always going to basically be Tony, the loquacious gangster who puts himself first. I think its also interesting if he dies, though thats a less disturbing ending to me, because its the standard gangster-story ending, and no matter how you read it, for reasons of genre history it always comes back to Dont do crime, kids. Alan: Back in the day, I felt like death was an easier sentence for Tony to take, because so much of his life thanks to genetics, mental health, and the monstrous business he has chosen brings him so much misery. But in rewatching the series and writing this book, its clear that among Tony Sopranos greatest gifts is his ability to live in the moment, shrug off the overall pain and paranoia of his life, and enjoy the many fruits that come with being the boss of New Jersey. Matt: If youre lucky, youll remember the little moments, like this, that were good. The end of season one. Alan: Right. So maybe hed have a relatively fine old time drifting into old age. Now, Im Schrdingers critic: equally intrigued by the idea of Tony living and Tony dying. I understand what the scene was about and, more importantly, I know how it made me feel the first time I watched it, every time since, and through all these conversations Ive had with you and the rest of the Sopranos-loving world about it over the last decade. I felt then, and now, afraid for Tony Soprano, and painfully aware of both his fragile mortality and my own, more keenly than any other piece of art has made me feel. That matters much more to me, ultimately, than a definitive answer. Matt: There was a moment a few years ago when a journalist reported that Chase told her Tony lived, and he got mad at that as mad as hes gotten at all the people who keep saying Tony died. But what he said, specifically and he was directing it toward everybody was, Whether Tony Soprano is alive or dead is not the point. To continue to search for this answer is fruitless. The final scene of The Sopranos raises a spiritual question that has no right or wrong answer. I think the most important two words in those two sentences are spiritual question. And if we fixate on anything other than that, were missing the point. That bell, to me, is a tolling bell, as in Bring out your dead. It rings every time somebody goes through that door. Im not saying Holstens is Heaven! or anything like that. I mean its a prompt for us to think about death and life, and what weve done with our lives. Maybe the ending is moralistic, but not in the way that some of the people who need Tony to be dead might frame it. Maybe the ending is saying, This guy never got it. Are you gonna be like him? Alan: This is all-important, and well see what happens to the conversation now that the phrase death scene is out there. We only have this one life, and precious little control over how long it lasts. Tony Soprano has clearly made many bad choices, as have the other people at that table with him, as have nearly all the characters with whom weve spent these 86-plus hours of television. Alan: Obviously, hes alive. Matt: ALAN. Excerpt from the new book The Sopranos Sessions by Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall published by Abrams Press; 2019 Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall. | https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/the-sopranos-ending-does-tony-die.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fvulture+%28Vulture+-+nymag.com%27s+Entertainment+and+Culture+Blog%29 |
Who is the real Effin Moron? | Thats what sensible members of Congress and the majority of voters began in the midterms to rid this nation of the criminal scum in the Washington swamp. The GOP has been complicit with Effin Morons behavior. Effin Moron has entertained the minority with his antics, but government requires knowledge and talent, accountability and responsibility. In his Dec. 26 column, Jeff Poor writes like he started celebrating early and half the commentary strokes the egos of Trump voters. As for liking Effin Moron, a good thumb rule in life is when you hear the first lie, stop. This con man is a reflection on your judgment. There have been a lot of gutless GOP candidates out there for the last three decades. If you allow and count the write-in candidates, Nick Saban would be governor. Jeff, Cadet Bone Spurs is not equal to a Marine like Robert Mueller, Jim Mattis or John Kelly, so the scorched earth policy tantrum will not work. We are all disgusted with the GOP changing Effin Morons diapers, and his violating the oath of office. We already have a great wall paid for by Americans to contain people who test the Constitution: its in Leavenworth, Kansas. Our Constitution is paid for, too, with patriot sweat and blood. The journalists in our nation are the frontline troops in this global struggle for freedom. Point your pen at the enemy and quit shooting yourself in the foot. Semper fi, Robert Mueller, Jim Mattis, John Kelly, John McCain and me. Jim Eddins, Perdido | https://lagniappemobile.com/who-is-the-real-effin-moron/ |
How Much Will Jeff Bezos Divorce Cost the Worlds Richest Man? | Jeff Bezos, worlds richest man and founder of Amazon, is getting a divorce from his wife Mackenzie Bezos. Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos were married for 25 years. Mackenzie Bezos could be worth more than $60 billion after the divorce. Jeff Bezos is getting a divorce from Mackenzie Bezos after 25 years. He posted a note on Twitter. According to him, they would do it all over again. Jeff Bezos wife, MacKenzie Bezos, is a novelist and recipient of the 2006 American Book Award. She met her husband while working for him at a New York City hedge fund. She also heads a non-profit anti-bullying organization that she began in 2014. Recently, the couple started another charitable foundation for the homeless and underprivileged childhood education. MacKenzie Bezos Might Become The Richest Woman On Earth Married in 1994 before Amazon was even founded, it is unknown whether he and his wife MacKenzie had a prenuptial agreement when they married in 1993. Bezos was already a hedge fund investor by this point in his life, so he may have had the foresight to create an agreement. However, prenuptial agreements were not a popular instrument in the early 1990s. They were popularized by celebrities in the 2000s, specifically Kanye Wests Gold Digger. If they didnt, MacKenzie Bezos could be entitled to up to 50% of Jeff Bezos assets. According to Forbes, he is worth $137 billion as of today. The Forbes list was published prior to Bezos estimated stock holdings took a massive upward turn over recent quarters. Divorce Comes After 30% Annual Increase in Amazon The price of each share has gone up by over 30% since this time last year. A February 2017 report puts his outstanding stock holdings at 17%, or 81 million shares. 9 months later, he sells 1 million shares worth about $1.1 billion. That leaves him with 80 million shares, worth today about $132 billion. (The price of AMZN at time of writing is $1650 and change.) The totality of his assets will be made somewhat public through the divorce proceedings. If no prenuptial agreement exists, and the couple are not on good terms, MacKenzie Bezos could be looking at over $60 billion in Amazon stock alone. Divorce courts historically favor women. The worlds richest female today is Alice Walton with a net worth of only $46 billion. Women in relationships where the husband is the primary breadwinner are often entitled to monies beyond the mans assets, including child support and alimony. Some studies suggest that most men do better financially after a divorce. Nevertheless, the novelist could find herself with a regular income that dwarfs the earnings of most American CEOs. Richer Than Walmart Heiress Sam Waltons daughter Alice is currently the richest woman on earth. Her net worth is around $46 billion, just behind her brother Jim. The four Walton children have frequently swapped places around the worlds rich list. Alices net worth would be less than both Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Tuttle (her maiden name). Assuming Jeffs assets were cut directly in half, they would share the 4th and 5th spots on the list. Importantly, there is a chance that the move might give her more of the communal property than her husband. This is to say: she could be richer than Jeff Bezos and effectively richer than most of the billionaires in the world. The question that Amazon stock holders will be tossing around in the coming months is whether MacKenzie will liquidate her holdings. As of October 2018, 488 million shares are outstanding in Amazon. Bezos reportedly owns somewhere around 80 million. MacKenzie Bezos would thus own 20-40 million shares in a typical scenario. Assuming the worst, she would be in charge of about 8% of Amazon stock. If she dumps, the stock might take a corresponding dive of more than $100. The simple fact of a non-board member owning significant outstanding shares of the company might have an affect on the stock regardless. | https://news.yahoo.com/much-jeff-bezos-divorce-cost-170811774.html |
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