question
stringlengths 9
197
| article
stringlengths 174
99.3k
| url
stringlengths 23
392
|
|---|---|---|
Will UBL's Latest Message Lead to More Attacks? | This is a partial transcript of "The Big Story With John Gibson," Dec. 16, 2004, that has been edited for clarity. Watch "The Big Story With John Gibson" weeknights at 5 p.m. ET! (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: He's a terrorist. That's what terrorists do. He is a criminal. He's a terrorist. He's a murderer. And we're going to continue to hunt for him until he is captured and brought to justice. (END VIDEO CLIP) JOHN GIBSON, HOST: Colin Powell (search) talking about Usama bin Laden (search) who is at it again, spewing hatred. He's released another audiotape, this one praising terrorists for attacking the American consulate in Saudi Arabia and calling Saudi rulers corrupt puppets of the U.S. who must be taken down. I'm joined now by former CIA officer, Michael Swetnam (search). MICHAEL SWETNAM, FORMER CIA OFFICER: I don't think so, John. I think this message was all totally directed at the Saudi Arabian people who, over the last several days have, in fact, been turning against bin Laden and Al Qaeda a little bit. What's happened in the last several days is that Ayman al-Zawahiri (search), bin Laden's deputy, came out several days ago encouraging more attacks against U.S. officials and places like our consulate. They did that Monday when they attacked the U.S. consulate, and all they managed to do was kill four Saudi citizens. Since then, the Saudi media has been really condemning these attacks. And, in fact, the highest religious leader in Saudi Arabia has come out and roundly criticized these attacks and Al Qaeda for sponsoring them. This message by bin Laden was one trying to win back some support from the Saudi population that he seems to be losing. SWETNAM: That would be one of the worst nightmares that you can imagine. GIBSON: I know. That's why I asked you about it, Michael. SWETNAM: It would be terrible. It would be terrible. Actually, the Saudi rulers are there are dissidents and there are factions that do not support them. But a surprising number of Saudi wealthy and middle-class do support the kingdom and do support the rulers. And so it's not necessarily within reason to say that this fiefdom will continue for quite sometime. Bin Laden, of course, would like to a group to raise up in revolution and throw out the leadership in Saudi Arabia, but it doesn't look very likely today. And as long as Al Qaeda is involved in attacks in Saudi Arabia that, in fact, cause the population to turn their nose up at Al Qaeda, he's in fact hurting his cause, rather than helping it. SWETNAM: Well, it's certainly true that the ruling family will not forever stay in power. A more hopeful scenario is one that, gradually over time, a democracy is let into the country and that the country becomes more and more a democratic type of kingdom, rather than a fiefdom. And, in fact, the ruling family is going to hold local democratic elections this spring. And so there will be some more local-level leaders. Whether that will, over a reasonable period of time, lead to a real democracy is yet to be seen. But that's really the scenario that we would like to see unfold in Saudi Arabia. GIBSON: Hey, Michael, I read these Web sites with translations from the Arabic, and there's Arabic columnists lamenting the fact that, in the entire Arab world, there are only two places where there are elections going on, the Palestinians and the Iraqis, both under the occupiers. SWETNAM: Yes, it does. And, in fact, the more that democracy takes root in Iraq, and the more successful that democracy is, the more pressure there will be on the Saudi Arabian kingdom to do something about bringing in democracy. In fact, there is a pseudo-democracy in the UAE right next to Saudi Arabia. There are pockets of it here and there. The more that democracy takes roots, the better for us, but we don't want it to happen overnight. In this part of the world, one of the surest ways to bring about a revolution is to have something happen too fast, when the society is not really ready for it. GIBSON: Michael Swetnam. And Michael, as always, thank you. Appreciate it. SWETNAM: Thank you, John. Content and Programming Copyright 2004 Fox News Network, L.L.C. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2004 eMediaMillWorks, Inc. (f/k/a Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is granted to the user of this material except for the user's personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon Fox News Network, L.L.C. 's and eMediaMillWorks, Inc.'s copyrights or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation. | https://www.foxnews.com/story/will-ubls-latest-message-lead-to-more-attacks |
Who defines how much snow a storm must produce to be a blizzard? | Dear Tom, A winter storm must produce at least 6 inches of snow to be called a blizzard. Mel Festelli Dear Mel, That definition of a blizzard is incorrect. A blizzard does not have to produce snow. The National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm that produces sustained winds of 35 mph or higher with enough snow in the air, falling and/or blowing and drifting, to reduce visibility to less than one-quarter mile for at least three consecutive hours. Blizzards have occurred in open areas like the Great Plains under clear skies, but with enough loose snow on the ground to cause whiteout conditions when blown into the air by relentless strong winds. Also, there is no specific temperature criterion. However, even if temperatures are hovering near freezing, strong winds will drop wind-chill readings to the teens or lower. A blizzard does not have to produce snow, and there is no specific temperature criterion. | https://wgntv.com/2019/01/10/who-defines-how-much-snow-a-storm-must-produce-to-be-a-blizzard/ |
Can Christianity be a counterforce to finance capitalism? | Kathryn Tanner. Photo by Stacie Joy. Kathryn Tanners latest book, Christianity and the New Spirit of Capitalism, just published by Yale University Press and based on her 2016 Gifford Lectures at the University of Edinburgh, analyzes the ethos of modern finance capitalism and considers its theological implications. Tanner teaches at Yale Divinity School. Her other books include The Politics of God, Economy of Grace, and Christ the Key. In Christianity and the New Spirit of Capitalism you argue that we live in an era of finance-dominated capitalism in which wealth is determined primarily not through the production of goods and services but by various schemes to maximize profit and minimize risk in the financial markets. This kind of capitalism, you suggest, has created a new personality type. Finance-dominated capitalism encourages people to think of themselves in the same way that profit-maximizing businesses think of them: their persons represent capital that must be put to maximally productive use. Simply put: each person must take individual responsibility for making the most out of his or her own life, in a life project that spans the whole of life, both at work and outside it. If one fails in such a project, one has no one but oneself to blame. David Heim The Centurys editor-in-chief is shaped by Baptist piety, Lutheran theology, and the novels of Anthony Powell. See All Articles Kathryn Tanner Kathryn Tanner, who teaches theology at Yale Divinity School, is the author of Christianity and the New Spirit of Capitalism (Yale University Press). See All Articles Jan 16, 2019 issue Finance-dominated capitalism also encourages a peculiar sort of time consciousness that prevents people from taking a critical distance on capitalism; they cant imagine things ever being any different because of the way past, present, and future collapse into one another in finance-dominated capitalism. The present, for example, collapses into the past in which one assumed a debt or other obligation; that past rigidly constrains all future conduct. Or the urgency of present demands at work pushes out consideration of past and future; one hasnt the time to consider anything more than the current emergency that stretches the entirety of ones resources. Or the future, from which one hopes to profit in financial markets, becomes nothing more than the present expectations used to calculate it. I am arguing that finance sets the terms for other sorts of business by forcing them to try to match the oversized profits possible in financial markets. This sort of disciplining by finance is especially direct when businesses are managed to maximize shareholder value, that is, with an eye to keeping their stock prices high. Nonfinancial businesses need to be as profitable as possible for such purposes, and this often comes at the expense of labor: employees are overworked, underpaid, and have few benefits, and therefore find themselves under enormous stress. Finance doesnt push out those other markets; it just sets new standards of profitability. Those other markets therefore still do matter, especially when so many people remain dependent for their livelihood on them. The details of peoples work life in nonfinancial sectors is, for this reason, a primary focus of the book. The sociologist Max Weber famously thought that there was an affinity between the Christian moral universe (or at least the Protestant moral universe) and the rise of early capitalism: Christians made good workers in the capitalist economy. You suggest there is a major tension between the Christian moral universe and the demands of finance capitalism. I dont develop the tension in specifically moral termssay, by way of a Christian opposition to greed or a Christian concern for the poorbut in terms of ones fundamental self-understanding as that bears on relations to others. I suggest not, because of the way Gods grace figures in both individual and communal life. I am also interested in the temporal dimensions of Christian forms of self-understanding. In contrast to finance capitalism, I suggest ones ultimate hopefor human life in which the life of God is fully manifestis in unimaginable discontinuity with the life one leads now. The future in which one no longer struggles against sin but God is all in all is as radically different from the present as human is different from divine. You say that Christianity has the capacity to offer a counterforce to finance capitalism. I am trying to show how Christianity can form resistant subjects, that is, how it can form people whose fundamental understanding of themselves, for specifically Christian reasons, does not line up with the demands capitalism makes on them. I argue that finance-dominated capitalism has as its linchpin, for profit maximizing purposes, an interest in the entire person, not just an interest in what people do at work or their spending habits. One can therefore hope that fundamentally different expectations of persons, on Christian grounds, can gum the system up, by helping to deprive the system of the willing subjects upon which it depends. At odds with the way capitalism counsels people to relate to themselves and others, these resistant subjects might take any number of concrete actions to oppose the present system, from regulations to make financial transactions less lucrative, to agitation for a living wage and debt forgiveness. I am especially interested in the ways that churches, as depositories of pooled resources similar to banks, can supply capital for economic experimentationfor example, to help fund worker-owned and -managed businesses for purposes of community development. Christians, like everyone else, may have their own imaginations formed or deformed by the new spirit of capitalism. I am trying to get people to take their Christian commitments as seriously as possible as guides for living; theologians, I believe, have the responsibility to encourage that and to model in their own work what it might mean to do so. Christians are inevitably formed by the culture around them, for good or for ill; but Christianity, like other forms of religious life, holds out the possibility of stepping back and seeing the way one has been formed by the wider culture in a critical light. Early modern Christians had a sense of vocation in the worldthey were called to live out their faith in everyday life, including in business and economics. I am trying to develop an antiwork ethic that extends a Protestant understanding of Gods free grace to everyday life. Devotion to God should be ones life projectones vocationin ways that encompass the whole of ones life, including its economic dimensions; but I try to show how that religious vocation sits very uneasily with economic projects of individual self-advancement through work as currently configured in finance capitalism. Specifically, I try to undermine individual attributions of credit for success and blame for failure in highly competitive economic environments. While Ive been considering economic issues for some time, the financial crisis in 2008 was the catalyst for my thinking in this book. Because Christianity is to form a whole way of life, theologians need to address matters of contemporary significance; as that crisis made clear, an economy in which finance figures centrally is an urgent matter for present Christian consideration. To help Christians navigate the world today in Christian terms, theologians need to develop not just an understanding of Christian commitments and how they are to be lived out; theologians also need to demystify the economy and unpack its workings. In the book, I try to do both in equal measure. My research suggests that finance capitalism is especially problematic in fomenting economic inequality. Other forms of capitalism are compatible with profit making that is not a zero-sum game. Paying ones workers more, for example, may allow them to buy the goods that the company produces, thereby increasing profit margins. Financial products, to the contrary, can be enormously profitable in circumstances of widespread immiseration: the more people need loans, for example, the more one can charge for them, as the still highly lucrative sub-prime lending markets make clear. Moreover, participation in financial markets often amounts to simple betting against a counter-party; when one wins, someone else has to lose. Given these essential features, I am not interested in finding Christian ways of participating in finance; I am interested in the extent to which Christianity can distance one from the economic system in which finance plays such a significant part. The spirit of Christianity and the spirit of capitalism are often blurred together; Id like pastors to be able to distinguish the two and see the new spirit of capitalism on its own terms, as a self-sufficient motivator of conduct, to which Christianity can be opposed. Weber argued that capitalism, at its start, needed the outside help of religion to find persons willing to abide by its unusual dictates; religious motives, of a specifically Protestant sort he argues, were therefore mixed with economic ones among such persons. Now that capitalism is up and running, and indeed has a near monopoly on ways of making a living, capitalism has the capacity to shape persons through its own culture; it provides it own reasons for acting, sufficient to direct conduct, independently of religious commitments. Recognizing the extent to which capitalism has its own culture will help Christian leaders see, I hope, the way that Protestantism and capitalism can be dissociated. A version of this article appears in the print edition under the title How finance capitalism deforms us. | https://www.christiancentury.org/article/interview/can-christianity-be-counterforce-finance-capitalism |
Why are enterprises slow to adopt machine learning? | Machine learning has the potential to transform the way organisations interact with the world, to move faster and to provide better customer experience. But while machine learnings long-term potential certainly looks bright, its adoption in the enterprise may advance more slowly than originally thought. John Rakowski, Market Specialist for Application Performance Management and Analytics, at AppDynamics discusses the challenges for enterprises when adopting machine learning technology. Part of the challenge is a lack of understanding around what machine learning is. Machine learning is an application or subset of AI, which is generally thought of as higher-order decision-making intelligence. Machine learning is really about applying mathematics to different domains. It locates meaning within extremely large volumes of data by cancelling out the noise. It uses algorithms to parse the data and draw conclusions from it, such as what constitutes normal behaviour. Its important to understand that machine learning algorithms dont enter chess tournaments. What they are really good at is adapting to changing systems without human intervention while continuing to differentiate between expected and anomalous behaviour. This makes machine learning useful in all kinds of applications - think everything from security to healthcare -as well as classification and recommendation engines, and voice and image identification systems. Consumers interact daily with dozens of machine learning systems including Google Search, Google ads, Facebook ads, Siri and Alexa, as well as virtually any online product recommendation engine from Amazon to Netflix. The challenge for enterprises is understanding how machine learning can add value to their business. Machine learning is usually introduced into an enterprise in one of two ways. The first is that one or two employees start applying machine learning to gain insight into data they already have access to. This requires a certain amount of expertise in data science and more importantly, domain knowledge. An understanding of the business value and the customer need for digital services (applications) that are utilised is fundamental but these skills are often in short supply. The second is by purchasing a solution, such as security software or application performance monitoring solution, that uses machine learning. This is by far the easiest way to begin to realise the benefits of machine learning. For example at AppDynamics, we apply machine learning to understand what constitutes a healthy application from a performance and user experience perspective. We utilise dynamic baselining to work out how each step in a user journey for an application should perform. For example, in an e-commerce application, this could include steps such as login, or search for product. These algorithms also take into account business variables such as important times of the year like Black Friday, and then alerts are generated when performance deviates. This saves organisations time in terms of manually working out acceptable performance thresholds and also ensures that our solution provides fast ROI in any complex, enterprise environment. Machine learning can sound deceptively simple. Its easy to assume that all you have to do is collect the data and run it through some algorithms. The reality is very different. Once you have collected the data, you then have to aggregate it. You need to determine if there are any problems with it. Your algorithm needs to be able to adapt to missing data, outlying data, garbage data, and data thats out of sequence. There is, yes, because for an algorithm to make sense of a collection of data points, it needs to understand what those points represent. In other words, it needs to be able to apply pre-established labels to the data. The availability of publicly labelled datasets would make it much easier for companies to get started with machine learning. Unfortunately, these do not yet exist, and without them, most companies are looking at a cold start. At its best, machine learning represents the perfect marriage between an algorithm and a problem. For example, at AppDynamics, we apply dynamic baselining algorithms to ensure that our customers get alerted early on emerging application performance problems. This means domain knowledge - knowing what is a problem - is a prerequisite for effective use of the technology. Unfortunately, in a number of enterprise IT use cases, knowledge is built up in siloes within organisations, resulting in disparate pockets of knowledge a lack of business context. Companies need to accept that they need to move faster as a digital business, and machine learning and automation is a prerequisite for success. Data is at the heart of machine learning, and those companies that culturally react to the importance of real-time insight that can be trusted and acted upon quickly, are those that will succeed and thrive. John Rakowski, Market Specialist for Application Performance Management and Analytics at AppDynamics | https://www.techradar.com/news/why-are-enterprises-slow-to-adopt-machine-learning |
What do we really want from Rajinikanth? | Avinash Ramachandran By Express News Service "Superstaru yaaru nu kaetta, chinna kuzhandhaiyum sollum"... When Vairamuthu wrote these lyrics for Rajinikanth in Raja Chinna Roja in 1989, it rang true. I was one of those 'chinna kuzhandhais' then, and I'm pretty sure I'd have said 'Superstar na Rajinikanth.' However, the problem is, the onscreen persona of Rajinikanth has more or less remained unchanged since then, barring a few exceptions. After back-to-back films with Pa Ranjith (Kabali and Kaala), I truly believed that Rajinikanth version 2.0 was finally here. And I was jubilant knowing his next film was Petta, with Karthik Subbaraj, who has a knack for dishing out unique content within the constructs of commercial cinema. Then, the first looks, teaser, and trailer came out. The unanimous response to these was about how it marks the comeback of the 'vintage 90s Rajini'. While it is still early to say if Petta will be a Rajini film or a Karthik Subbaraj padam, the reception so far does point towards the former. "What I actually want to see is the 80s Rajini. The one who did a Thillu Mullu and a Moondru Mugam," says director Guhan Senniappan, who recently made the web series Vella Raja, adding, "Personally, I want to cast him in an out-and-out villain role where he also plays his age." ALSO READ | Blockbuster Thursday: It's Ajith-starrer 'Viswasam' vs Rajinikanths 'Petta' this Pongal An aspiring director, Siddharth Subha Venkat, has a similar wish. "I want to write a role where he doesn't have to wear a wig at all," he says. When talking about actors playing their age, it is impossible not to think of Amitabh Bachchan, and his connection with Rajinikanth. Quite a few of Superstar's blockbusters in the 80s were remakes of the former's films, and the careers of both these superstars were on similar paths, till Amitabh took a detour and started playing roles suitable to his age at the turn of the millennium. 8 Thottakal-director Sri Ganesh vehemently opposes the notion. I recently heard he was 70, and I can't actually see Rajinikanth as a yesteryear star." Veteran director SA Chandrasekhar, who directed Superstar in the 1985 hit Naan Sigappu Manidhan, agrees. "Rajinikanth sir is not an actor who can be boxed in a time frame. He has been the same always. A lot of things have changed around him, but he has remained the same." ALSO READ | Decoding 'Petta Paraak': Here's what Superstar Rajinikanth's dialogue means Chandrasekhar adds, "His humility is what sets him apart. Seeing Rajini sir's behaviour from close quarters made me understand the importance of being grounded. The bigger his films, the simpler he gets." "Mullum Malarum is my favourite performance too, but it doesn't mean his performance in a Sivaji or Padayappa is below par. These films work only because of Rajinikanth's style of acting. This in itself is a hallmark for the actor in Rajinikanth," says Barath Neelakantan, who is making his directorial debut with the Arulnithi-starrer K-13. With the kind of content-driven films that have emerged successful over the past few years, Tamil Cinema seems to clearly be on a path to shrug away the 'star' films. "I believe all of us have two sensibilities. We see different kinds of films, we appreciate them, but when it comes to a Rajini film, it becomes more of a celebration. We actually shifted our shooting to the night call sheet (for Kurudhi Aatam) to ensure we can watch Petta first day, first show," says Sri Ganesh. Personally, I find this dichotomy a bit disturbing, especially since this same leverage isn't extended to other actors when they do a typical masala film defying logic or their age. Rajinikanth is clearly in a place which is completely isolated from regular criticism, and market constraints. Barath believes this to be the case. "Rajinikanth is someone who is above the market, and he understands how things work, and probably he himself wants to do the typical 'Rajini film'. While I would like to see him in a role similar to Clint Eastwood from Gran Torino, or Amitabh in films like Piku and Cheeni Kum, my eight-year-old daughter would not get as excited over them as she did after watching the Petta trailer." Well, I might be 30 now, and have developed a personal taste in cinema, but for a generation who are just finding their way around it, Vairamuthu's lyrics still hold true "Superstaru yaaru nu kaetta, chinna kozhandhaiyum sollum." (This story was originally posted on cinemaexpress.com) | http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2019/jan/09/what-do-we-really-want-from-rajinikanth-1922976.html |
Who is a Loose woman? | If her progressive worldview and personal journey werent impressive enough, the newly-elected American politician won even more hearts after conservatives released an edited video of her from college, happily dancing, intending this to smear her reputation. (She responded with another video of her happily dancing, in her lofty new office). Thereve been similar, malicious smear attempts, like a photo misattributed as a selfie of hers which made the rounds, in which a womans feet are seen in a bathtub, with a hand holding a vape pen, and a suggestive reflection in the faucet. The answer is spelled out many times over in the heterosexual dating app Bumbles new commercial for the Indian market. Bumbles premise is to let women decide whether to make contact or not. The ad stars Priyanka Chopra, one of its investors, and shows her in various scenarios, described with a positive adjective, followed by not loose. The inference is that loose women use Tinder or other apps, while not-loose women use Bumble. Newsflash: its the same dudes on all platforms. And its the same pitting-women-against-each-other strategy thats run the world for millennia. It is shocking, given Bumbles purportedly woman-friendly ethos. Bumbles Twitter replies to the surprisingly few people who have protested were patronising, claiming that loose is a misogynistic term (it is, which is why Bumbles use of it is especially misogynistic, positioning women who enjoy their sexuality as less admirable than those who dont) and making vague statements on on the ground work in response to clear objections. Back in 1994, before we could take for granted sex-positivity (i.e. the acceptance on a socio-political level that sexuality is natural, to be celebrated, and not at odds with the fight for social justice) as a cornerstone of sound feminist principles, the poet Sandra Cisneros released an entire collection called Loose Woman. The titular poem unfurls like an anthem. Among its many thrumming lines are these: I built my little house of ill repute. / Brick by brick. Labored, / loved and masoned it. / I live like so. / Heart as sail, ballast, rudder, bow. If thats what it means to be a loose woman hardworking, passionate and proud of herself then who knows why its deemed unappealing. And worse, incongruent with being ambitious, curious, busy, free or equal the ads buzzwords. Its clear Bumbles India strategy is just the latest version of that old Ladies Night bar tactic. It appears to be for women, but all it offers women is something watered-down, while its the men who are the true target market. And when it comes to the political playing field, it pays for anyone who isnt a man to remember this too. Its their world. Weve got to usurp it. | http://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2019/jan/10/who-is-a-loose-woman-1922917.html |
Will Australian Open be Andy Murray's last tournament? | MELBOURNE, Australia Andy Murray is still hoping to make it to one more Wimbledon tournament before his problematic hip forces him into retirement. For now, hes only committing to the Australian Open. In an emotional news conference Friday, when a tearful Murray had to leave the room shortly after his first attempt to get it started, and needed to pause several times to compose himself once it had resumed, he confirmed hed play his first-round match at the Australian Open next week but wasnt sure how much longer he could continue beyond that. The 31-year-old Murray said he trained in the off-season with the main goal of making one last run at Wimbledon, where he ended the 77-year drought for British men with his title in 2013, but now wasnt sure hed make it that far after doing everything he could to deal with the pain over the last 20 months. I can still play to a level not a level Im happy playing at, he said. But also, its not just that. The pain is too much really. I dont want to continue playing that way. I tried pretty much everything that I could to get it right that hasnt worked. The three-time Grand Slam champion is scheduled to open against No. 22-ranked Roberto Bautista Agut at Melbourne Park, where the season-opening major begins Monday. He has reached the final five times at the Australian Open but never won the title. Getting through the first round will be a major achievement in 2019 for the former No. 1-ranked Murray, who has slumped to No. 230 after playing just 12 matches last year following surgery on his right hip in January. He opened this season last week at the Brisbane International, where he won his opening match to James Duckworth but lost in the second round to Daniil Medvedev, showing visible signs of limping between points and struggling to move freely around court. He had an incomplete practice match against long-time friend and top-ranked Novak Djokovic on Thursday at Melbourne Park, but only won two games. Murray has had a celebrated career, breaking long Grand Slam droughts for British men when he won the U.S. Open in 2012 and at Wimbledon the following year when he was the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the prestigious lawn tennis title. He also became the only player to win consecutive singles gold medals at the Olympics when he won at London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. Long considered part of the so-called Big Four in mens tennis with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Murray likely will be the youngest of them to retire. At 37, Federer is in Australia attempting to win the title for the third consecutive year and for a seventh time overall. At 31, top-ranked Djokovic is at Melbourne Park also trying to win a seventh Australian title. The 32-year-old Nadal is ranked No. 2 and confident of extending his career for several years. Murray has been preparing for the 2019 season knowing that his career could be over within months. In his training program last month, he told his support group that the pain was becoming too much and that he needed to set a date for retirement. I spoke to my team and I told that I cant keep doing this, that I needed to have an end point because (I was) sort of playing with no idea when the pain was going to stop, he told the news conference Friday. I said to my team I think I can get through to Wimbledon thats where I would like to stop stop playing. Murray added, becoming tearful again, But Im also not certain Im able to do that. Im not sure Im able to play through the pain for another four of five months. He said hes considering another hip operation, more to improve his quality of life than as a way of returning to the top level in tennis. I have the option to have another operation, which is a little bit more severe than what Ive had before having my hip resurfaced, he said. Thats something that Im seriously considering right now. Some athletes have had that and have gone back to competing (but) the reason for having an operation like that is not to return to professional sports, you know, its just for a better quality of life. Murray said hed spoken extensively to long-time doubles star Bob Bryan about recovering from a similar operation, but couldnt see himself recovering to be fit enough for singles and he wasnt considering transitioning to doubles. I have a severely damaged right hip, he said. Obviously you see me running around a tennis court, walking in between points, and obviously I know it doesnt look good look comfortable. But theres little things, day-to-day, that are also a struggle. It would be nice to be able to do them without any pain: putting shoes on, socks on, thinks like that. Thats the main reason for doing it. | https://canoe.com/sports/tennis/will-australian-open-be-andy-murrays-last-tournament |
What impact would new or renovated stadium have on Jacksonville? | JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The trend in the NFL over the past 20 years has been to build stadiums with smaller and smaller seating capacities. The Jaguars have followed suit with their renovations, reducing the capacity for Jags game from 73,000 down to a little over 68,000. The Jaguars would want the capacity closer to 60,000-62,000 but with more luxury seating options if they renovated or rebuilt the stadium. Building a new stadium - or massively renovating the existing stadium -could allow the Jaguars to create a bigger home-field advantage, even with fewer tickets to sell. That's because the current configuration doesn't keep the sound in like some other venues. The current configuration has the upper decks yaw outward, allowing for noise to dissipate more easily than domed, roofed or more steeply built stadiums. There is a big question to ask about the impact on the Florida-Georgia game. Right now, the city adds temporary seating to bring the capacity up to around 84,000 for the game. If new renovations - say a partial roof for shade - limit the number of tickets that can be sold, the city could risk losing the game. In the past, the Jaguars have hosted US Soccer, but right now, the stadium cannot fit a pitch required for a World Cup Match. If the United States gets the World Cup again after it comes to North America in 2026, Jacksonville would have to have a wider playing surface available to host a match in Jacksonville. Of course, it all comes down to money. With the Jaguars lease running through 2030, there would have to be some serious conversation about stadium improvement or renovations when the city sits down to discuss the next stage of a lease, if not before. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. | https://www.news4jax.com/sports/nfl/jaguars/what-impact-would-new-or-renovated-stadium-have-on-jacksonville |
Is vaping caffeine safe? | Please enable Javascript to watch this video YORK COUNTY, Pa. -- Many people start their day with a cup of coffee, or even diet coke, as a way to get that morning boost. But now some are inhaling caffeine instead of drinking it. "Vaping is just something quick and simple," Spencer Levinger, said. "I don't have to walk around with a wad in my mouth, spitting in a bottle. I don't have to walk around smoking a cigarette, looking for a safe place to smoke, or a smoke free smoke zone. I can just look down, hit the vape, and go." A former athlete, his vaping habit is a different kind of win. "You grow up your entire life being told chewing is bad, smoking is bad," Levinger said. How can I get to the green?' so one little baby step." The little orange box. It's a caffeine inhaler, called "Inhale Health." It contains 640 micro grams of caffeine. "I saw it in Sheetz," Levinger said. "Just sitting there. I was like, 'well I vape so I might as well give this a little shot,' and I started doing the energy, and I was like, 'wow I can`t believe this actually works.' I honestly thought it was a scam at first." Medical experts said not so fast. "Vaping caffeine, you get a faster absorption so you're going to see the effects a lot more quickly," Michelle Higer, Emergency Physician and Medical Toxicologist at Wellspan Health, said. "But you're also not going to have the body filtering any of the chemicals that are in the cartridge." Higer said her concerns are cardiac and heart rhythm issues. FOX 43 reached out to the makers of the Inhale Health caffeine inhaler, the product Spencer uses. The company is based out of Los Angeles. "I don't really agree with her logic, because people pound 6 packs of red bull all the time," Daniel Wolf Shapiro, Founder and CEO of Inhale Health, said. "And since there's a delay with the digestive system, you actually aren't getting any feedback from your body until it's too late." Shapiro said Inhale Health is about using inhalation for good. "We contain zero nicotine, we contain zero propylene glycol," Shapiro said. "We're approaching the manufacturing process from inception thinking about wellness and thinking about the body. So it's not vaping. That would associate all sorts of irrelevant things with people. This is about using inhalation technology for good." In fact, they don't even use the word "vape" on any of their products "The entire vaping community is doing unsafe things," Shapiro said. "Any company that is building a product around a known toxin or carcinogen should look at themselves in the mirror and say, 'what am I doing with my life'?" Back here closer to home, you'll have a tough time finding caffeine products at local vape shops. FOX 43 called more than a dozen shops, and none of them carry or sell it. "I don't believe in it," Twitch Bracken, owner of S.S. Vape in Hanover, said. "That's probably the only reason why. I truly believe in every product we sell. Everything from our vape products, our nicotine and even our CBD, we believe in it. We believe it works. It helps people. I'm not going to stand behind something or sell something I can't stand behind." Bracken helped start the business to get people to quit smoking, saying it's about harm reduction. "Vaping caffeine - it's something I've never even done. Like we looked into it for a little bit, and that was where it ended for us. Now, I drink probably about a pot of coffee a day, so I'm a huge caffeine person. I need it or else I'm just no fun to be around. But vaping it, just doesn't appeal to me. We don't see any harm reduction in vaping caffeine vs. drinking a pot of coffee." "If anything I think it's an increased risk of harm because if you're just inhaling caffeine," Brad Wolfe, Regional Manager at S.S. Vape, said. "Well where's the cut off point?" The recommended dose on the box is ten breaths per day, which is 160 micro grams of caffeine. "If you want a direct correlation to a cup of coffee, the data doesn't exist," Shapiro said. "There's no perfect correlation between micro grams inhaled and milligrams digested. Because you and your colleague are going to drink the same cup of coffee and you're going to have completely different absorption rates." Levinger gives it a two thumbs up. "For me if I drink an energy drink, I'm jittery, I'm bouncing around. I just can't focus," Levinger said. "Whereas this was kind of like, I had more of a charge in my step, I was just more peppy really." Still, others aren't convinced. "I think when people vape, they're going to be more likely to over-do it," Higer said. "Most people, when they're drinking caffeine, their stomach feels full, they'll start feel nauseous. I don't think you're going to get the same effects when you vape it." "No, someone can't overdose on this," Shapiro said. "There are 16 milligrams in that entire inhaler, and you're delivering controlled subset micro doses. If you were to pound a bunch of red bulls you'd be consuming in aggregate a lot more of that, but how much is actually absorbed is different. But we're dealing with such a controlled micro dose there's no risk of that." You won't find Inhale Health or any caffeine-related vaping products at many vape shops locally, but it is being sold in some gas stations locally. | https://fox43.com/2019/01/10/is-vaping-caffeine-safe/ |
What happened to the stars of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here? | I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! is set to premiere on Sunday, and speculation about the identities of the contestants is reaching fever pitch. As rumours swirl over who will appear on the new season, fans may find themselves wondering what happened to the stars of yesteryear. Here, Daily Mail Australia looks back on the most notable participants since 2015. Pictured: the show's hosts Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris Natalie Bassingthwaighte Natalie Bassingthwaighte, 43, appeared on the third season back in 2017, but has kept a relatively low profile since. But that will change this year, after it was announced in September Natalie would be returning to TV as host of Changing Rooms. 'When Channel 10 called to ask if I would be interested in hosting a show called Changing Rooms, I said "You had me at Changing Rooms,"' she told Who magazine in September. 'I absolutely love everything to do with design and I am forever quite literally changing every room in my house! Its the perfect fit and I am incredibly excited.' Comeback queen: Natalie Bassingthwaighte appeared on the third season of I'm A Celebrity in 2017. She is now set to host the rebooted season of Changing Rooms on Channel 10 Fiona O'Loughlin Last year's winner, Fiona O'Loughlin, 55, has been relishing her role as a new grandmother since being crowned Queen of the Jungle. She has also been touring Australia with her latest comedy show, Gap Year, which details her tumultuous personal life. 'My instrument has always been storytelling, that is what I do. This show, it is brutally honest and it can be hard to do at times. But I love the show,' she told NT News in November. Long live the queen! Last year's winner, Fiona O'Loughlin has been relishing her role as a new grandmother since being crowned Queen of the Jungle Anthony Callea Since his appearance on the second season of I'm A Celebrity in 2016, 36-year-old Anthony Callea has been touring his music around Australia. Last month, he announced the dates for his national tour, Unplugged and Unfiltered, which will start in May. Taking to Instagram, Anthony said he was 'very excited' to be heading back out onto the road. Making music: Since his appearance on the second season of I'm A Celebrity in 2016, 36-year-old Anthony Callea has been touring his music around Australia Shannon Noll After a rocky year, Shannon got his happy ending when he and his wife Rochelle welcomed a baby boy on December 30. It's the fourth child for the couple, who also have a daughter and two more sons. Following his appearance on last year's season of I'm a Celebrity, the 43-year-old also released a new album, Unbroken. Fighting back: Following his appearance on last year's season of I'm a Celebrity, Shannon Noll released a new album, Unbroken, and welcomed his fourth child Lisa Curry Following her appearance on the 2017 season, Lisa Curry has been busy working as a wellness coach. In May last year, 56-year-old former competitive swimmer also married Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone. Earlier this week, she even hinted that her new husband would be following in her footsteps by going into the jungle. Looks very much like someone I know,' she teased on Instagram. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6579935/What-happened-stars-Im-Celebrity-Here.html |
Will the next iPhone have a wrap-around display? | While we wait for Samsung to finally make good on its word and bring us its first flexible smartphone, Apple might be getting ready to pip the Korean company to the post. Published today by the good guys at the US Patent & Trademark Office, a new Apple patent outlines plans for a "flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing". Basically, it describes a phone with two flexible displays working together. The body would be made of glass, with a continuous AMOLED screen that wraps around the entire device. Flex it The patent was filed in 2011 and it's not the first time we've heard of Apple showing interest in flexible tech. The company has also filed a patent for a (very '90s) flexible slap band, as well as a function for detecting capacitance changes - aka squeezing. It's also what we're also expecting to see on the Apple iWatch when it eventually surfaces. But patents being patents, there's no guarantee that Apple will go ahead with its wrap-around idea. The new form-factor reminds us a bit of the more ergonomic build seen on the iPhone 3GS - just without any of the actual housing. There'd be loads more real estate for apps and content too, though Apple will have to work hard to make the flexible tech ideal for watching video if the curve dimensions are very bold. But we're flexible to new ideas. Via AppleInsider | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/computing/apple/will-the-next-iphone-have-a-wrap-around-display-1141407 |
Can Jared Goff and his steady demeanor take Rams on a Super Bowl run? | Jared Goff is in his head. Hes overthinking it. Hes second-guessing himself. The Cali cool that has come to define the Rams perpetually chill Pro Bowl quarterback is cracking. Considering his unflinchingly even keel on the football field, its a rare sight to see Goff grapple so unsuccessfully with his own frustration. Hes not usually one to let things fester. He operates with such a quieted mind all the time, says wideout Brandin Cooks. But on a golf course, with driver in hand, Jared Goffs mind is frenetic and full of doubt, his trademark cool compromised. Im a huge headcase, Goff said of his golf game. People can talk about even-keeledness, but on the course, I get in my own head pretty easily. People can tell. Andrew Whitworth has seen that frustration manifest on more than a few fairways. Theyve played together plenty since Goff picked up the sport a couple years ago. For as even-keel as he is, he gets kind of upset, the Rams veteran left tackle describes. Then, he overthinks. Whitworth smirks. That image is so contrary to the calm, collected one Goff has cultivated as the ascendant star quarterback at the helm of a Super Bowl contender. His effortless nonchalance is inevitably the first thing anyone says about him. At quarterback, Goff is the living personification of the insufferable never too high, never too low sports cliche, a quarterback whose on-field enthusiasm rarely ventures past semi-passionate fist pumps. His swing may still need work, but as the Rams prepare to face the Cowboys this Saturday, Goffs steady hand is the most critical and, some would say, uncertain element of the Rams most anticipated playoff push in nearly two decades. How far he can guide them remains to be seen, especially in light of his less-than-steady performance over the final month of the season. But in the Rams locker room, teammates say their quarterbacks quiet confidence has never wavered, no matter the circumstance. And this time of year, that command can speaks volumes. Hes always in total control, said wideout Robert Woods. Hes the same guy all the time, said center John Sullivan. To prove their point, both Woods and Sullivan point to last months loss in Chicago, when Goff was battered by the Bears pass rush and picked off a career-high four times, sending him careening into a late-season slump. It was a demoralizing defeat, one everyone knew would be blamed on Goffs poor play. The next day, though, the quarterback appeared completely unaffected. As Whitworth remembers, Jared just joked that (during) his rookie season, it was like that every single week. Back then, no one couldve foretold the heights Goff has reached this season. His 4,688 passing yards rank second in franchise history, just 142 yards short of Kurt Warners single-season record. His 32 touchdowns rank third. Until the Rams bye week in late November, Goff was a leading contender for league MVP, silencing those who suggested early on in the season that he was merely a system quarterback. No system, though, couldve possibly computed the kind of performance Goff put together against Minnesota at the end of September. He completed 26 of 33 passes for 465 yards and five touchdowns that Thursday night, becoming just the 23rd quarterback ever to compile a perfect passer rating (158.3) with 20 or more attempts in a game. In the process, Goff seemed to announce to the world his newfound command of the Rams offense. His control was so complete that on one throw, late in the first half, Goff seemed to openly defy the laws of physics. As he rolled right, launching a risky throw off one foot, his pass followed a near-impossible trajectory towards the corner of the end zone, slicing through two defenders, before somehow landing in Cooper Kupps outstretched arms. He was doing that all night, putting balls wherever he wanted, Kupp said at the time. On another throw, earlier in the second quarter, Goff faked a handoff, watching out of the corner of his eye as Kupp faked a block, then wheeled up the field. Theyd tweaked this particular play during the week, and Goff knew exactly where Kupp would be as he cut left. He skied a perfect pass down the field, and Kupp reeled it in for a 70-yard touchdown. As he did, Goff ran towards Sean McVay on the sideline, where they met mid-air for a chest bump. There werent many other bumps on the way to a 10-1 start this season, but after the bye week, the sense of command never quite returned. Over the next three weeks, Goff completed just 55 percent of his passes, while throwing six picks the same amount he threw over the seasons other 13 weeks. For the Rams and the defenses tasked with stopping them that question is paramount as the playoffs begin. Teams are certain to use lessons learned from tape of that stretch, in hopes of rattling the Rams signal caller. The more you play, the more is expected of you, the more pressure youre under, you really get to test that even keel, Whitworth said. Sometimes being young, having less expectation, its a little easier to be that way. Against the Bears, more than half of Goffs dropbacks resulted in heavy pressure, leaving him no time to go through his reads or find his rhythm. A week later, Goff struggled against Philadelphias 3-deep zone coverages, repeatedly missing open throws as the Eagles challenged him to settle only for routes on underneath. For the first time all season, defenses were forcing him into mental mistakes that negated the benefits of McVays system. No longer were the Rams long-developing, big plays getting the necessary time to develop. On a 3rd-and-1, late in the third quarter against the Eagles, Goff appeared to lose his cool. After stepping on his linemans foot, he dropped the snap, then tried to retrieve it for a desperation throw. Instead, he fumbled again, and the Eagles recovered. Two plays later, they scored the deciding touchdown. After the fumble, McVay approached Goff on the bench, for a brief conversation that was captured by NFL Films. You OK? the coach asked. Goff nodded. Im fine, he said. Just frustrated. The next day, no one around the Rams could detect any difference in their quarterback. But as the Rams dropped consecutive games for the first time with McVay as coach, the reality of the situation was impossible to ignore. The Rams offensive vulnerabilities had been laid bare. Related Articles Rams feel rested and ready for playoff game after experiencing last years disappointment Rams injury report Running back Todd Gurley officially cleared for playoff return Whicker: It all started when Aaron Donald became agile and hostile in Mobile Run defense appears to be weak link for Rams defense, but dont tell them that As McVay leads Rams into playoffs, other teams search for next Sean McVay Even as their offense seemed to get back on track over the seasons final two weeks, its still unclear if the issues exploited by the Eagles and Bears were ironed out entirely. Doubts about Goff still persist, in spite of his brilliance in the first three months of the season. As such, the Rams are far from Super Bowl favorites. Nobody is talking about us, veteran guard Rodger Saffold said. For a two-game stretch, a lot of people lost a lot of faith, Whitworth added. Being the quarterback, that ends up centered on him. Goff understands this, and, as you might imagine, he shrugs at the notion. But as the Cowboys invade the Coliseum on Saturday, their suffocating front-seven will likely aim to pressure Goff as much as possible. Theyll try to take away his first read and neutralize the Rams play action. How Goff responds could very well decide the Rams postseason fate and more. Guys that win in the playoffs are usually the ones that are remembered, Goff says. Its an interesting thought for a quarterback who doesnt often consider such things. But as the Rams set course for a possible Super Bowl run, theres no need to overthink that just yet. | https://www.dailybreeze.com/2019/01/10/can-jared-goff-and-his-steady-demeanor-take-the-rams-on-a-super-bowl-run/ |
When will it be mandatory to use the new Uniform Residential Loan Application? | Compliance provider MQMR sent out its most recent frequently asked questions paper Thursday morning, this time addressing new loan applications commencing February 1, 2020. ANSWER: Sponsor Content Originations commencing July 1, 2019 may use the redesigned URLA and all new loan applications commencing February 1, 2020 must use the new URLA. Given that the new URLA was designed to make it easier for lenders to acquire data required by HMDA, it is expected that lenders will require use of the new URLA before the mandatory implementation date in February 2020. The application has more than doubled in size. The length of the new URLA will vary depending on the number of borrowers, type of loan and type of the transaction (sections are added or deleted based on loan scenarios). The look and feel of the redesigned URLA is similar to the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure and contains what is considered more easily understood language and clearer instructions. The GSEs also created a Spanish version of the new URLA form. However, a completed English URLA must be signed by all applicants. A few highlights of the new URLA are as follows: New fields have been added based on new federal regulations. For example, there are correct fields for the new demographic information required by HMDA since January of 2018 thereby retiring the Demographic Information Addendum currently utilized . Obsolete fields have been eliminated. For example, the applicant is no longer required to list the make and model of their automobile . There is defined separation of individual borrower applications. The information a borrower must provide, acknowledge and agree to has been separated from the information the broker/lender collects and verifies in connection with the processing and underwriting of the loan. The redesigned URLA, as well as some FAQs and hints, can be found on the Fannie Mae website here. The new URLA is a complete reinvention of the origination of a loan. Brokers and lenders will need to start collecting much more information, which was not previously collected. It is advisable to review the new URLA and start planning how you will collect that data once required. | https://www.housingwire.com/articles/47887-when-will-it-be-mandatory-to-use-the-new-uniform-residential-loan-application |
Why on Earth did a small startup just buy Bowers & Wilkins? | Bowers and Wilkins, the audio company behind the iconic Zeppelin wireless speaker, has been sold to a small Silicon Valley startup called EVA Automation. B&W has been operating in the UK since its founding in 1966, and has operated factories in Worthing continuously since then. It also operates a factory overseas in China for its cheaper products. It's currently unclear what this deal means for B&W's existing operations in Worthing. Other products in the Bowers and Wilkins lineup include high-end speakers, headphones, and 120kW sound systems meant for festivals. The sale was agreed to by B&W CEO Joe Atkins, who has owned his majority stake in the company for the past thirty years. Eva Automation meanwhile is owned by Gideon Yu, who previously worked for Facebook as its chief financial officer. EVA's plans EVA Automation is typical of many Silicon Valley startups. It has yet to release a product into the market, but is flush with venture capital funding. Bloomberg estimates that it is currently backed by at least $20 million in funding, and cites analysis that suggests it is looking to raise $252 million more. It's not yet clear what plans EVA has for its shiny new acquisition. Its website says that as well as being passionate about home entertainment, the company wants to create "easier and better ways for people to use the products they love." At present the most popular theory is that EVA plans on releasing a wireless multi-room streaming system, and its current list of staff would appear to support this theory. Its VP of Hardware Engineering, Wayne Miller, previously worked at high-end wireless networking provider Ubiquiti Networks as well as wireless solution provider Mimosa Networks. If we had to speculate, we'd say that the team EVA has assembled suggests it's working on a proprietary wireless music streaming technology. Existing solutions such as AirPlay, aptX and Sonos all commonly stream music at CD-quality 16-bit/44.1kHz, which suggests there is room for EVA to differentiate its technology by offering hi-res audio playback. Hi-res audio streaming is currently an area of focus in the industry. At CES this year Qualcomm announced its intention to support 24-bit audio encoding with aptX HD. The acquisition flies in the face of how acquisitions normally work in Silicon Valley, where older, more established companies acquire smaller startups in an attempt to shake up their existing approach and introduce some new ideas. That's not to say that under Atkins' leadership B&W has remained a traditional speaker manufacturer. In 2008 it released the Zeppelin Wireless speaker, which brought wireless streaming into an unusual-yet-stylish form factor. B&W's headphone range, alongside Beats by Dre, also focussed on turning over-ear headphones into a fashion accessory at a time when most brands were still focussed on appealing to an audiophile market which was far more niche at the time. EVA Automation is yet to officially confirm its plans for the company, but if B&W's existing product lineup is anything to go by, it's unlikely to be cheap. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/audio/hi-fi-radio/why-on-earth-did-a-small-startup-just-buy-bowers-wilkins-1320344 |
What brought Swedish defenders Sebastian Ring and Ludvig Ohman to Grimsby Town? | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Swedish flag sales in Grimsby may just have increased since the January transfer window opened. Having decided to swap home comforts of the Allsvenskan for League Two, defensive recruits Sebastian Ring and Ludvig Ohman are settling into their new lives at Blundell Park. And the Town faithful have simultaneously been gripped by Scandinavian fever. Ring was an unused substitute during the heroic FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace; it was an experience that only added further justification to his decision to leave Orebro SK and follow his Football League dream. He told Grimsby Live: I played for my home team for a long time in the top division back in Sweden. I wanted to try something new and I hope it will be a great time for me to play in the English leagues with Grimsby. Im really pleased to play at this high level. Im very excited to be here and really looking forward to my debut, whenever that will be. I hope it goes well. Rings decision to leave Sweden was not a straightforward one. Aside from two loan spells in the lower divisions, the 23-year-old had only ever played for his hometown club. As for Ohman, 27, he has already experienced life in another country having spent time with Nagoya Grampus (Japan) either side of spells with the likes of Kalmar, AFC Eskilstuna and IF Brommapojkarna. He said: Usually, the players who leave Sweden look to go to the Premier League or Championship, but there are not that many Swedes right now in the English leagues. Its a different road. But there are not that many who went to Japan either. I like it and Im excited to do something new. (Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK) Ohman, who played under Jolley during his time in charge of AFC Eskilstuna, added: I enjoyed working with the manager for six months, then our careers went in different ways. We had kept a connection with each other since then and talked about me coming here to play in England, and Im excited to come. Its exciting and Im glad to be here. I did my first session with the team on Thursday and it went good. For the first days its all about getting to meet the team. Theres a lot to do outside of football. Hopefully it will fix pretty fast. There are a lot of people at the club helping me with that stuff, which is nice. UTM LIVE! Up the Mariners! Grimsby Town fans are invited to an action-packed event that will test and treat their love of the black and white army. Hosted by Grimsby Live at Cleethorpes bar Society, UTM Live on Monday, January 21 offers you a chance to get up close and personal with our team of GTFC dedicated reporters. Well have expert panelists and one or two special guests and you can put your Mariners knowledge to the test with our football-themed quiz, before asking the questions that YOU want answered about your club. Tickets are just 2.50 each with proceeds going to the Youth Development Association. There will also be some free treats provided on the night! You can buy tickets in advance from our official ticket outlet eventbrite If you have any questions on the event, contact our sports team at [email protected] Having been in the country for over two weeks now, Ring is perhaps closer to a Town debut than his compatriot even more so in the aftermath of Andrew Fox being shown a red card at Selhurst Park. Ahead of the Macclesfield game at Blundell Park tomorrow (3pm), Ring continued: Ive had a really good chat with Michael and I like the way he thinks about football. I played against him two times. He remembered me from that time and spoke to my agent. He said he had followed me last season. Its good for me that Ludvig has come over, too. Its nice to have another Swedish guy here. Follow or contact Grimsby Live Contact us: Email the reporter who wrote this story. Follow Grimsby Town Live on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest Town news in your feed and join in the discussions in the comments! Click here to like our page and keep up to date with the latest from the Mariners! Follow us on Twitter - For breaking news and the latest stories, click here to follow Grimsby Town Live on Twitter. Follow us on Instagram - On the Grimsby Live Instagram page we like to feature great pictures from our area - and if you tag us in your posts, we could repost your picture on our page! Click here to follow Grimsby Live on Instagram. | https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-brought-swedish-defenders-sebastian-2416962 |
Where are the poems that could help us grasp the meaning of our post-9/11 wars? | By Jason Dempsey Best Defense office of the literature of combat As we approach the end of our time in Afghanistan it would serve us well to reflect on the poets of World War I, not only for their messages but for what we have lost with the absence of an art form that was so well-suited to provide a window into war. On the question of who writes of war and how is it portrayed, World War I was unique for two main reasons: 1) almost everyone fought, including those who saw themselves as artists first and soldiers second, and 2) poetry was a widespread vehicle for artistic outlet and social commentary, not yet pushed aside by radio, movies, and television. The result of that ubiquity of poetry as an artistic medium, along with the ease with which one could write it, even in a combat zone, is that we are inundated with art from the Great War that was created by those who experienced it. From Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen, and Robert Graves, we get a tactile feel for the war paired with examinations of what it means for life writ large the purpose of art, as it were. Today, unfortunately, those conditions dont hold. Artists and soldiers are, by and large, two separate communities, and poetry is essentially dead as a medium for mass-communication, supplanted by movies and music which are beyond the technical capacity of soldiers in the field to create. The result is that artistic interpretations of modern wars lag well behind their occurrence and are, for the most part, derivative. Since the end of mass wars and the dissolution of the draft, the record of art on war has been fairly dismal. From the medium that most touches mass audiences we are presented with Top Gun, Navy SEALs, and The Hurt Locker. Interpreting armed conflict in the 80s, 90s, and 00s, respectively, each follows the same tired tropes, merely placing old stereotypes in new settings. The gadgets, sets, and cinematography evolve but the story remains the same. Even Saving Private Ryan, for all its brilliance, could not, in its final moments, avoid the cinematic safety blanket provided by a valiant last stand and a noble speech delivered in a dying breath. Ive often wondered what we would have learned if Owen had lived, or if T.S. Eliot had gone to war. Owen, able to distill the horror of World War I and place it in the mundane context of its execution, made a dramatic statement about the failures of nation-states to achieve the patriotic ideals for which soldiers ostensibly fight, and die. Had he lived through the war and had more time to contemplate what had happened, one can only imagine the journey he might have taken us on. And Eliot, of course, represents opportunity lost. Eliot could turn the experience of a mere house-agents clerk into blinding statements on love and faith, and his musings on the aftermath of the Great War inform The Waste Land, one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. One can only imagine what he might have done with direct experience. While many other poets survived and made great contributions to our understanding of war, both during and after the conflict, the gap left by Owens death and Eliots lack of experience has only grown wider in the intervening century. Today, art on war is stuck in a proverbial no-mans land. On one side are the soldiers, a self-selected class with a corresponding lack of interest in questioning the assumptions upon which we build our rationale for fighting, and often without the tools to readily contribute on the rare chance they do. On the other side of the trenches are the professional artists. Relying on field phones and distant observation, their resulting interpretations of war are best understood as personal introspection, or navel-gazing through the barrel of a gun. Art has a role to play in addressing fundamental questions, and few questions are more fundamental than the choice of states to kill. On that question the poets of World War I stood like lightning rods in attracting attention to the horrors and stupidity of that conflict, and mankind is better for it. But in the years since, as the soldier and artist have diverged, our understanding of organized violence has become much more shallow. For todays artists war, if they go out of their way to address it, merely presents an opportunity to recast old narratives and put new faces on tired clichs. The result is a nearly static discussion and an understanding of war that lags decades behind execution. We entered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan awash in nostalgia for World War II and devoid of the ability to move beyond a superficial understanding of modern conflict, and we have paid for it. Good books and memoirs have begun to emerge from these recent conflicts but their release meets waning interest and a public that has already moved on. One cant help but think of the opportunities missed with the disappearance of poetry as a tool with which the soldier-poets of World War I could immediately engage the public. Reading through those old poems, one feels a sense of great loss, both for their disappearance and for the larger absence of art from our conversations about war. Jason Dempsey is the author of Our Army: Soldiers, Politics and American Civil-Military Relations and is serving as a combat advisor in Afghanistan. The views presented here are his own. | https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/02/13/where-are-the-poems-that-could-help-us-grasp-the-meaning-of-our-post-911-wars/ |
What use is a 10% employment quota for economically disadvantaged when there are no jobs? | Early on in primary school, mathematics teachers explain to their pupils that zero remains zero if it is multiplied by any number whatsoever. Children also learn that a negative number multiplied by a positive number yields a negative number as the product. The Bharatiya Janata Party seems to be hoping that a large proportion of Indian voters will have forgotten these basic rules. If you do not assume that level of illiteracy, the proposal of 10% reservation for the economically disadvantaged does not make sense. In the past year, over 11 million jobs have been lost in India as the ill-effects of demonetisation and a badly designed Goods and Services Tax continued to hobble economic growth. This makes the proposal utterly meaningless in practice. If you cannot create jobs and lose them instead, reservations are just a joke. The job loss data is only one sign that the reservation proposal is just another election jumla, much like the famous promise of 2 crore jobs that the BJP made on the campaign trail in 2014. The party also made the hilarious commitment that it would magically transfer Rs 15 lakh into everybodys bank account. The details of the proposals of The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 passed in haste by both Houses of Parliament are inherently absurd on multiple grounds. It would be unconstitutional going by the judgment of a nine-member Supreme Court bench. It is unlikely that the constitutional amendments will pass judicial scrutiny. Union Minister Vijay Sampla told The Hindu that those who earn less than Rs 8 lakh per year and own less than 5 acres of land qualify for the quota. That is way over the Rs 3 lakh limit above which income tax is payable. At Rs 2,192 per day, it is orders of magnitude more than the Rs 32 per day (rural) or Rs 47 per day (urban), which is accepted as the poverty line cut-off for government subsidies and benefits. Clearly, Modi badly needed something to talk about as he hits the electoral campaign. But the desperation to push such an important constitutional amendment in this unseemly rush would not have been necessary if the BJP had shown the ability to exploit three years of benign oil prices and strong global growth to generate growth and jobs. Unfortunately for the electorate, there are other signs that the wheels have come off the economy. Disinvestment sham On January 7, the Central Statistics Office reluctantly downgraded advance gross domestic product growth estimates for 2018-19 to 7.2% from the earlier estimate of 7.4%. That new figure will probably need another, more severe downgrade. Investments in October-December hit a multi-year low not a good sign for growth, jobless or otherwise. The Central Board of Direct Taxation chairman says direct tax collections will be lower than the Budget estimates. Goods and Services Tax collections are running at close to 40% below estimates for the year so far. The full-year fiscal deficit estimates were exceeded by 15% in November 2018, four months before the end of the financial year. Along with the job losses, these are signs that the 2018-19 Budget estimates were optimistic. In its desperation to raise resources, the government has eroded the autonomy of the Reserve Bank of India and turned the disinvestment programme into a sham. A large proportion of disinvestment revenues raised will come from the government selling its shares in one public sector unit to another public sector unit, which will take loans if necessary to purchase those shares. The money goes straight into government coffers the government retains control of both public sector units, the company repays the loans and minority shareholders are treated with contempt. This concept placed a huge burden on the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited in the last financial year (2017-18), when the public sector unit was forced to buy the governments stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited for Rs 36,795 crore, taking a loan of Rs 24,000 crore for the purpose of funding this transaction. This year, ONGC will also buy back shares for about Rs 4,000 crore. This year, the Power Finance Corporation-REC (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation) deal will also take place, where the Power Finance Corporation will buy REC for Rs 14,000 crore, taking out a loan, with both companies suffering ratings downgrades in the process. Those loans go directly to the government account, while the company takes on the burden of repayment. No privately-owned firm could have gotten away with this. The new quota reservation is certainly not rational in economic terms. Nor is it very realistic to expect that this legislation will actually come through the system, what with the need for constitutional amendments. But it may just work in electoral terms after all, people believed in that Rs 15 lakh transfer to each account and the promise of 2 crore jobs. | https://scroll.in/article/908852/what-use-is-a-10-employment-quota-for-economically-disadvantaged-when-there-are-no-jobs |
When will Palmetto get a new police chief? | CLOSE All the news you need, right at your fingertips. Daily World Palmetto town officials have been examining applications for a chief of police position that has been vacant since August. Police badge (Photo: Moussa81, Getty Images/iStockphoto) Assistant town clerk Ethel Rideau estimates that about 20 individuals have already applied for the chiefs position in the town of about 150. Rideau added that the application process will probably include a vetting period where town officials conclude which candidates will be interviewed for the position that, she said, pays about $20,000 annually. She said the position also includes the use of a patrol vehicle and a cellphone allowance. Town officials voted last year to hold a Dec. 8 referendum in which voters were asked to decide whether they preferred an elected police chief or one that was appointed by the three-member town council. According to the election results, 27 of the 39 people who voted indicated that they wanted an appointed police chief. Rideau said the next town meeting is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. The meeting, she said, will involve the swearing-in of the town council members and mayor who will begin serving their new terms in office. The town has been without a police chief since August after former chief David Krull resigned. According to Palmetto Mayor Marx Sonny Budden, Krull apparently left the position to take a job in another state before he resigned the police chief position on Aug. 24. No qualified candidates applied for the police chiefs position after Krulls departure. Since then, the town has received assistance from the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office to handle law enforcement matters, Budden said. Read or Share this story: https://www.dailyworld.com/story/news/2019/01/10/when-palmetto-get-new-police-chief/2539463002/ | https://www.dailyworld.com/story/news/2019/01/10/when-palmetto-get-new-police-chief/2539463002/?from=new-cookie |
Was politicians cesspit down the road jibe aimed at Ipswich? | Suffolk Coastal deputy leader Geoff Holdcroftl. Picture: DAVID GARRAD A senior Suffolk councillor has apologised after many people felt he was describing Ipswich as a cesspit during a meeting discussing housebuilding. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. Suffolk Coastal deputy leader Geoff Holdcroft told a meeting discussing the districts local plan that if there werent enough new homes built people would have to move to that cesspit down the road and drive back to the district to work. Mr Holdcroft did not name Ipswich during his speech and said later that he was not referring to any one place, but to anywhere outside the district that people have to commute from. He said: I should not have used those words. It was a passionate meeting with strong views on all sides. I didnt mention anywhere specific in those terms but I apologise fully to anyone who thinks I was referring to a particular place. Ipswich Vision chair Terry Hunt. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR Ipswich Vision chair Terry Hunt. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR He added that he had at times found it frustrating working with Ipswich council during discussions over unitary government when the borough seemed to be trying to expand its boundaries into Suffolk Coastals area. Ipswich Vision Partnership chairman Terry Hunt was disappointed to hear about the comments especially as the town has seen considerable investment recently. He said: If Mr Holdcroft was referring to Suffolks county town, I think his comment is extremely unfair. I would like to invite him to spend a day with me so we can walk through the towns parks, have lunch at one of the restaurants on the Waterfront, and meet some of the people who are working very hard to make this town a better place to live and work. Ipswich council leader David Ellesmere was surprised to hear of Mr Holdcroft's comments. Picture: JAMES AGER Ipswich council leader David Ellesmere was surprised to hear of Mr Holdcroft's comments. Picture: JAMES AGER Those at the meeting were under no doubt that Mr Holdcroft was referring to Ipswich and a video of the meeting, including the speech, was posted on the Everything Felixstowe Facebook Page. Paul Durrant was in the public gallery and said the meeting seemed like a pantomime. He added: We couldnt believe it when he made his cesspit comment his fellow councillors looked really shocked. Mr Holdcroft said he would be accepting Mr Hunts invitation: I have many friends and know of several council officers who live in Ipswich. I know a lot of people are working very hard to regenerate the town. Cesspit comment came during heated meeting Mr Holdcroft was speaking during a meeting called to discuss the new Suffolk Coastal local plan which envisages thousands of new homes being built across the district. The meeting became heated and he was making the point that new homes were needed because people were being unable to afford to buy homes in the area despite concerns from some of his colleagues and from members of the public at the meeting that more new homes across Suffolk Coastal could change the character of the area and turn it into a more urban environment. He said: It is not fair to our young people to expect them to move away from this area to find jobs and perhaps homes. Perhaps to commute back to jobs. Many people perhaps have to move to that cesspit down the road (I wont name it, to be accused of abusing them) to live but come back to work in our district. Thats my bit of a diatribe! Ellesmeres surprise at comments over cesspit down the road Ipswich Council leader David Ellesmere was surprised to hear about Mr Holdcrofts comments but feared that they may betray a continuing negative attitude towards the county town. He said: I was with Geoff yesterday at a meeting, we always get on very well so I am surprised by this. If he was referring to Ipswich as a cesspit then it really is a case of the mask slipping and we are seeing what those in the county and especially Conservative politicians think of Suffolks county town. I think it is time that everyone across the county, whether they live in towns, villages or right here, recognise that you cannot have a successful Suffolk without a successful Ipswich. There are many people working very hard to make Ipswich a better place to live and work and we need support from everyone. Hopefully this kind of attitude can be consigned to history as improvements come forward in Ipswich. | https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/ipswich-cesspit-comments-row-1-5847180 |
How will the Windows 7 browser stand-off end? | Despite what some people think, there isn't much black and white over the bundling of browsers. Microsoft's rumoured decision to release Windows 7 in Europe without a browser installed brings as many questions, and frankly as much misery, as its currently falsely inflated position at the head of the market. In the last few weeks we have heard Mozilla's Tritan Nitot's calm assertion that there needs to be a level playing field and Opera's Jon von Tetzchner insists that Microsoft's dominance of the browser market is down to their past history in bundling. The truth is that it's difficult to disagree with both of these points and that means you cannot blame Microsoft for doing what it felt it needed to do. By avoiding censure by the EC by bundling no browser at all with the latest iteration of Windows, there appears to be several scenarios likely to occur. But some of those are far from certain to bring any kind of joy for the paying public. Scenario 1. Windows 7 ships with a multiple-choice installer By far the best scenario will be the decision that the IE-less Windows 7 ships with an installer generally known as a 'ballot page'. Well, although a lot of people will opt to go with what they know (i.e., erm, IE), Microsoft has levelled the playing field and cannot be accused of bias (beyond the historial benefits of past indiscretions of course). People will be free to choose Opera, Firefox, Chrome, Safari or any one of the other options and at a click of the button Downsides: For the average punter, this adds an inconvenience taking their new PC from plug and play to something that needs some kind of user choice before it is internet-ready. For those on a slow internet connection, downloading the browser will take time. If everyone with a browser is included then you could end up with a longer list than the European Election vote. Choice means confusion. For the less tech savvy, they won't only don't know what these names represent, but what a browser actually is. For many people they just want to click the internet button and get the internet in whatever form that takes. Upsides: This would, hopefully, finally put an end to the squabbling over Microsoft's IE advantage people have the choice to go for whichever browser they want. More people would try alternative browsers and make a decision based on what they prefer. Likelihood: | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/internet/how-will-the-windows-7-browser-stand-off-end-607933 |
Can Women be Head Coaches of NFL Teams? | Commentary by Jenny Ziegler Miami Times This [NFL] is a mans world, but it would be nothing without a woman or a girl (speaking in my James Brown voice). Sure, we are on the sidelines as cheerleaders, owners, reporters and such, but there has never been a female head coach manning the sidelines in any male professional sport. Theres always a first time for everything. Well, hold that thought as we are not there yet. Recently, Condoleezza Rice was trending on social media when it was reported by NFL insider, Adam Schefter that the Cleveland Browns were considering the former secretary of state for its most recent head coaching vacancy. Recently, Condoleezza Rice was trending on social media when it was reported by NFL insider, Adam Schefter that the Cleveland Browns were considering the former secretary of state for its most recent head coaching vacancy. Recently, Condoleezza Rice was trending on social media when it was reported by NFL insider, Adam Schefter that the Cleveland Browns were considering the former secretary of state for its most recent head coaching vacancy. Rice, though hailed as being intelligent, a great leader and a woman of great character, is an unrealistic candidate for the head coaching gig with the Browns, yet she has brought the discussion of coaching opportunities for women in male professional sports to the forefront. Condi, as she is affectionately called, is also an adamant Cleveland Browns fan. I love my Browns, she said. Her love for the team stems from times when her and her father watched games together and cheered on Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown. But a love of the game does not make a head football coach. She acknowledged that she doesnt possess the experience needed to take on such a role and had this to say on Facebook: I do hope that the NFL will start to bring women into the coaching profession as position coaches and eventually coordinators and then head coaches. Rice went on to say, One doesnt have to play the game to understand it and motivate players, but experience counts and its time to develop a pool of experienced women coaches. Though Rice never played the game because she is a female, she knows a little somethin, somethin. For three years, she was a part of the College Football Playoff selection committee responsible for determining the top college football teams in the country; ultimately deciding what four teams would compete in the playoff. Hows that for women dont know jack about football? The former secretary of state is wise enough to know that though she is not ready to be a coach in the NFL, there are women who can do the job with the proper training and opportunities. She has expressed an interest in the role of NFL commissioner. She ended her post by saying, BTW- Im not ready to coach, but I would like to call a play or two next season if the Browns need ideas! At 4-6-1, the Browns could perhaps use a few plays this season as opposed to waiting until next season. Im just saying. The league however is making strides, as there are few teams that have opened their doors and are affording women the type of on-the-job-training required to be able to take that next step toward coaching in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and the New York Jets all have hired females in some form of football operational capacity (offensive assistant, special teams coach, strength and conditioning coach, and assistant coach). Kudos to all of them! Rice is advocating for more training opportunities for women to get the locker-room credential that will enable them to climb that proverbial NFL coaching ladder. Given the right opportunities, the sky is the limit: general manager, commission or even president. The only thing that is standing in the way of a woman coaching in the NFL is air and opportunity. | https://tntribune.com/sports/sports-commentary/can-women-be-head-coaches-of-nfl-teams/ |
Has Amaechi fallen out of favour? | By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor President Muhammadu Buharis perking order in his inner room has apparently seen the relegation of Rotimi Amaechi, the campaign manager who handed him his first political victory in 2015. Amaechi reacts to blackmail reports, says I have no time Four years ago Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi sat at the apex of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign as director-general. It was the first time in four presidential campaigns that Buhari would have a southerner manage his campaign. And it worked. Four years on, Amaechi was again picked as the campaign manager, but has now been substantially relegated in the perking order with the appointment of at least five other persons ahead of him in the presidential campaign council. In the order rolled out by the president, Buhari and Tinubu are on top as co-chairmen of the campaign with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and All Progressives Congress, APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole as deputy chairmen. Another Tinubu stalwart, Senator George Akume is to act as deputy national chairman (north) while Senator Ken Nnamani is to act as deputy national chairman, (South) with, Amaechi next as director general in that order. President Muhammadu Buhari himself gave notice of the development last Monday when he inaugurated the Presidential Campaign Council, PCC as he removed doubts as to Amaechis relegation in the scheme of things in the presidential campaign. Giving his intention not to allow his campaign for a second term interfere with his present job as president of the country, Buhari had said: I must also add that, though we will all be deeply involved, I would like to assure the nation that I will do my part without making governance or my work suffer. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my co-chairman, will be fully in charge, and is going to be on 24-hour vigil. Buharis assertion of Tinubus primacy of place in the campaign was against the earlier disclosure by the president that Amaechi would serve as director-general of the campaign. The president had officially announced the appointment of Amaechi as his campaign manager through a tweet by his spokesman, Garba Shehu on September 20, 2018. President @MBuhari has approved the appointment of a campaign organization for his re-election in 2019 with Hon. @ChibuikeAmaechi as Secretary/Director General. Hon. Amaechi was the Director General of the Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Committee in 2014-2015 that won the elections and brought the current administration into office. The new Director General will announce other appointments into the campaign structure as approved by President Buhari. That tweet was a follow-up to what insiders claim was the unofficial appointment of the former governor of Rivers State as campaign manager. Amaechi had followed up with the appointment of crucial persons in various positions in the campaign. Party insiders say that Amaechi may have solely appointed Mr. Festus Keyamo as director of communications and strategy. Keyamo it was gathered was not supposed to use the position to be the spokesman of the campaign. However, it appeared that the search for a spokesman for the campaign from within the media may not have succeeded or may have been dumped, a development that may have led to Keyamo doing the job. Amaechi was appointed at a time that Tinubu was still not a shoo-in into the presidents re-election plans. Indeed, at the beginning of 2018, Tinubu had taken a feisty attack at the policies of the Buhari administration. Amaechis ascendancy has also been challenged in his local fiefdom in the South-South. Unlike four years ago when he was the unquestioned leader who subsequently made the major appointments from the region, the emergence of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman and the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio has lately diluted his dominance. The PDP Presidential Campaign last Wednesday excavated that speech delivered at the Annual Daily Trust Dialogue exactly a year ago saying that Tinubus new superiority in the Buhari camp had to do more with personal interest than any other thing. In the PDP statement issued by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondinyan, the PDP campaign said: It is very unfortunate that at a time Nigerians, across the board, are boldly jettisoning their personal interests and joining in the quest to rescue our nation from President Buhari administrations incompetent, corrupt, divisive and anti-people regime, a leader of Asiwajus status is chasing personal interests and self-preservation. Nigerians can recall how Asiwaju in January 2018, at the 15th Annual Daily Trust Dialogue rejected the Buhari administrations nepotism, incompetence, corrupt oil subsidy regime; blamed it for the high-level of poverty in our country and urged Nigerians to be guided by their conscience in electing leaders in the 2019 general elections. The party quoted Tinubu as saying then that too much political and economic power resides in the hands of too few. But that was then. Amaechis seeming relegation also coincided with the circulation of an audio tape in which the former governor was perceived to have been critical of his principal, Buhari. It has now been alleged that the audio was released by PDP partisans. In the audio Amaechi is severally alleged to have criticized Buharis performance and also flayed the performance of the party in Lagos State. The criticism of the environmental situation in Lagos is, however, no news. But what is outstanding is the perception that the assertion was a further dig at Tinubu by Amaechi. It is political wisdom that has been taken to heart by many APC leaders that the problems that came the way of Senate President Bukola Saraki flowed partly from his opposition to the emergence of Tinubu as the running mate to Buhari ahead of the 2015 election. Amaechi was also said to have taken a similar position, a stance that may not have earned him much applause in the Tinubu camp. So, the criticism of the condition of Lagos was no surprise to people. The Amaechi camp, however, affirms that the tapes have been seriously doctored to humiliate their man. So when Tinubu emerged on top of Amaechi in the perking order in the campaign council it was not surprising that some political actors would trace the development to the audio tapes. The Amaechi camp while rubbishing the tapes, however, say that the appointment of Tinubu had nothing to do with the tapes. The audio tapes are not related to it. The campaign council was announced well ahead of the revelation of the audio tape, and in fact, the audio tape did not make much sense in that they did not play everything. Why did they not play everything, just patching one side to the other. On why Tinubu had to be brought in now despite his unofficial involvement in the 2015 contest, a party source said: It is just that this time it is felt that the campaign has gotten bigger and more hands needed to be involved. Meanwhile in the face of the seeming embarrassments that Amaechi is now laying at the feet of alleged blackmailers, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate has invited the minister of transportation to come over to the PDP. In a statement issued on his behalf by his special assistant on communications, Phrank Shuaibu, Atiku said: We dare say that the cold war between the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as well as the statements credited to the latter in a leaked tape which led to the appointment of Tinubu to take charge of the campaigns are at the least a national embarrassment to the nation. Amaechi must now resign and return home to the PDP where he belongs, the statement said | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/has-amaechi-fallen-out-of-favour/ |
Is Silicon Valley becoming the new Hollywood? | In May 2017, a grainy photograph of a little boy with a blonde fringe, a toothy grin, slightly sticking out ears and braces on his trousers was posted on Twitter. The boys arm was slung lovingly around his mother. The picture, shared by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, was captioned simply: I won the lottery with my mom. Thanks for literally everything. Today, that little boy is 54; he has lost the fringe (plus the rest of his hair), and has morphed into the richest man on Earth. This week, the end of his marriage to MacKenzie Bezos has put him in the headlines. But, in truth, this son of a teenage mother has rarely been out of them in recent years. Having started his world-dominating online retailer... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/silicon-valley-becoming-new-hollywood/ |
When is the right time to administer clostridial vaccines to my flock? | Lambing is fast approaching on many mid-season lambing flocks. Given this, its an ideal time to undertake clostridial vaccinations. Booster vaccinations are due two-to-six weeks pre-lambing. Its important to vaccinate ewes in relation to these diseases, as their colostrum is the main source of antibodies against clostridial diseases in newborn lambs. The majority of products available on the market should be given four weeks before lambing is due to commence. Advertisement Its also important to remember that a full, two-shot primary course will be required to ensure that the sheep have adequate protection. By annually vaccinating the ewes, their antibody levels remain sufficiently high to allow protective cover to be transferred to the lamb via colostrum. However, it must be remembered that in order for the lambs to benefit from the vaccination, they must receive adequate quantities of good-quality colostrum within the first two hours after birth. The sooner the lambs get this colostrum, the more benefits they will get from it. | https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/when-is-the-right-time-to-administer-clostridial-vaccines-to-my-flock/ |
How Soft Drink Giant Shaped Chinas Obesity Policy? | Coca-Cola, the soft drink giant shaped obesity science and public health policy in China towards its own interests, stated a study investigation published by The BMJ. Expert has revealed how Coca-Cola shaped obesity science and policy in China. Susan Greenhalgh, John King and Wilma Cannon Fairbank Research Professor of Chinese Society at Harvard University, uncovers how, through a complex web of institutional, financial, and personal links, Coke has been able to influence China's health policies.Though the effect on official obesity policy cannot be precisely measured, she shows how China's policies align well with Coke's position of emphasising physical fitness over dietary restrictions.As such, she argues that the company "has cleverly manoeuvered itself into a position of behind-the-scenes power that ensures that government policy to fight the growing obesity epidemic does not undermine its interests. "In 2011, 42.3% of Chinese adults were overweight or obese, up from 20.5% in 1991.And with China now Coke's third largest market by volume, she warns that "the size and consequences of the Chinese obesity epidemic are likely to continue to worsen. "In 2013, Greenhalgh conducted dozens of interviews with Beijing based obesity researchers to try to understand the rapidly growing Chinese obesity epidemic.The project led her to the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), set up by a Coke executive 40 years ago in the US, and whose Chinese branch (ILSI-China) is housed within the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a unit of the government health ministry.Critics call ILSI a front for the food industry, but ILSI-China is widely seen as a bridge builder between government, academia, and industry, providing the latest scientific information for policy decisions on nutrition, food safety, and chronic disease prevention and control. It is funded by several dozen companies, including Coke, Nestle, McDonalds and PepsiCo.Through her work, Greenhalgh discovered how between 1999 and 2015 ILSI-China's obesity activities shifted from a focus on nutrition to physical activity, in line with Coke's position that an active lifestyle was key to tackling obesity.For instance, hard hitting dietary policies recommended by the World Health Organization - taxing sugary drinks and restricting food advertising to children - were missing, and national plans and targets emphasised physical fitness over dietary restrictions, in line with Coke's "energy balance" perspective.What's more, obesity meetings sponsored or co-sponsored by ILSI-China were packed with presentations by experts with financial ties to Coke or ILSI with a focus on the science of physical activity rather than nutrition. "In putting its massive resources behind only one side of the science, and with no other parties sufficiently resourced to champion more balanced solutions that included regulation of the food industry, the company made China safe for Coke," argues Greenhalgh.After a series of critical investigative reports by the New York Times in 2015, Coke pulled back on its aggressive promotion of the science of physical activity. But its influence continues to be felt in China since the ILSI structure remains in place and the activity programmes it supported are now well established.Global nutrition expert Barry Popkin, who has worked in China for decades, believes ILSI's influence in promoting the physical activity agenda "was extremely detrimental and put China decades behind in efforts to create a healthier diet for its citizens. "But many Chinese scholars welcomed industry's involvement in public health, and only a tiny handful of those interviewed by Greenhalgh decried industry's influence.Coca-Cola, ILSI-China, and the Chinese health ministry did not respond to requests for comment.Unlike the US and Europe, which have well established institutions of investigative journalism and civil society, China has no watchdogs, explains Greenhalgh. The press is not free to complain and China's non-governmental organisations are preoccupied with more urgent matters. China's scientists can hardly bite the hand that feeds them, she adds.Since 2016, the state has finally begun to seriously tackle chronic disease, "but its approach emphasises education and market development, not industry regulation," she writes. "With no one to complain about - or even see - this corporate biasing of science and policy, the size and consequences of the Chinese obesity epidemic are likely to continue to worsen," she concludes.We now know that corporations make extensive use of third parties such as ILSI to shape thinking about what are appropriate responses to the health consequences of their products, write Professor Martin McKee at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and colleagues, in a linked editorial.There are, however, signs that attitudes are changing, they say, pointing to examples of organisations withdrawing from industry funded projects. Yet, as the recent decision by Public Health England to partner with the alcohol industry funded charity Drinkaware shows, "this message has not got through to everyone," they conclude.Source: Eurekalert | https://www.medindia.net/news/how-soft-drink-giant-shaped-chinas-obesity-policy-185036-1.htm |
Could traffic cameras help catch more criminals? | CTV Vancouver The widow of an innocent Surrey murder victim is raising questions about why traffic cameras aren't being put to better use to help catch killers. Darlene Bennett's husband, Paul, was gunned down in his own driveway back in June in what homicide investigators have called a case of mistaken identity. "This wasn't a stray bullet," Bennett said. "This was an execution." So far, there have been no arrests in the case. Investigators have released video of a suspect vehicle, but its licence plate is not visible in those images. There are 400 traffic cameras in Surrey, but they purposely don't record licence plates. Bennett is now lobbying the city to change that. "That's a tool they need to solve murders and violent crime quicker," she said. "It's a basic tool in today's age of technology and they can't access it." The city declined CTV's request for comment, but Mayor Doug McCallum told the widow in a letter that traffic cameras aren't designed to register licence plates because of privacy laws. "The traffic cameras are not designed to collect personal information and the (Privacy Impact Assessment) prohibits the use or disclosure of information," the letter read. "Therefore, the resolution, frame rate, and default zoom position are set to be suitable for Traffic Management and road safety studies while avoiding recognition of personal identifiable information." Bennett points out that red light and toll cameras do capture that information and questions why traffic cameras can't do the same. But BC Civil Liberties Association urges caution when it comes to changing or challenging privacy rules. "The more data that governments gather on people, the greater the temptation there is to use that data for other thingswell beyond what might be a laudable goal of helping in an active police investigation," executive director Josh Paterson said in a statement. Ever since her husband's death, Bennett has been vocal about policing issues in the city as it deals with ongoing gang conflict. Last month, she said it was "extremely disheartening" to hear that Surrey's newly elected government wanted to cancel a plan to hire 12 additional Mounties in 2019. Bennett says she'll keep pushing for a little less privacy in the name of greater public safety. With files from CTV Vancouver's Michele Brunoro | https://bc.ctvnews.ca/could-traffic-cameras-help-catch-more-criminals-1.4249177 |
Where does staying the course get the Flyers? | One thing Ive been pretty surprised by since the Flyers changed their coach and GM recently is how static everything else has been. Its easy to see why Chuck Fletcher, who never built anything even resembling a winner in Minnesota, would want to slow-roll into the new job. He climbed aboard a sinking ship midseason and maybe didnt have the best understanding of why it was sinking. He eventually fired the captain of that ship, Dave Hakstol, for problems that werent really under the captains purview, but thats understandable too. Scroll to continue with content Ad No one was ever under the impression that Scott Gordon or Carter Hart were going to be the reasons for the team to turn around, even if the team started Gordons tenure at 3-1-0 and Hart has been perfectly fine, at .909 in his seven appearances. The problems with this particular vessel go a lot deeper than just coaching and goaltending, although they were obviously issues. (Getty). This is a club with a great central offensive talent (Claude Giroux) with some high-quality supporters (Couturier, Voracek, perhaps Konecny, maybe even Simmonds and van Riemsdyk if you wanna stretch the definition), but little to no depth and, sad to say, not much high-end help on the way. On the blue line, the situation is similar with some headlining players, some absolute albatrosses, and a few prospects who err on the good side but no one whos going to wow you. Its been said that the Flyers will never tank because they will always try to be competitive. Thats admirable in its way, but hey gang the losing streak just hit eight and and almost every meaningful player on the team is on the wrong side of the aging curve. Story continues And yet, from everything I can gather here, the only guy theyre gonna try to sell who is of any real note is Wayne Simmonds. Nashville?) even if the results this season (just 12-6-18 in 42 games with meh-at-best underlyings) arent there. Simmonds is likely to walk this summer, so Fletcher has to recoup some kind of return, but you have to wonder whether other GMs are gonna look at those totals and say, This isnt worth what Tomas Tatar or Evander Kane fetched last year. Which is to say a first-round pick plus some other assets. Plus, oops, Simmonds has a 12-team no-trade list that limits the market sharply. And if you dont have that reason for future optimism, lets dampen the mood further by pointing out that the Flyers cap commitments are such that they really cant do too much tinkering with the roster as-is (Simmonds was a bargain for most of his contract so his $3.975 million doesnt give you much wiggle room). Jori Lehtera is the only other big-ticket item coming off the books, but they have to re-sign Laughton, Konecny, Provorov, and Sanheim to what will probably be good-sized raises next year as well. So without a radical change i.e. Admittedly, room for transformational change is limited because of long-term cap obligations. Giroux, while great right now, is turning 31 this week, and signed at an $8.275-million AAV through 2022. Voracek, whos turning 30 in August, pulls just $25,000 a year less through 2024. And van Riemsdyk, 30 in June, carries a $7-million cap hit through 2023. So on some level theres a necessity in staying the course, but Fletcher really needs to figure something out with this group (even Joel Quenneville wont save them by himself). That means a big trade of meaningful roster players, including Giroux or Voracek with money retained, if you can find a partner and someone willing to give you a lot. Or they can do a really radical thing and just accept that trying to make the playoffs every year isnt serving them well. Since the salary cap era began, the Flyers have only been a 100-point team three times, and none since 2012. And hell, since 2012, theyve missed the playoffs more than theyve made them. Maybe, just maybe, the old formula of throwing money at the problem and lucking into a few Giroux-type players while also having terrible goaltending just doesnt work in the modern NHL. And maybe, just maybe, that means the Flyers will have to try to go into the tank if they ever want to get better. Flyers fans, media, and front-office types might not want to do that, as theyve spent years glibly making fun of the Penguins for tanking in the early 2000s. But when youve picked in the top-8 four times in the last 12 years BY ACCIDENT with another surely on the way in June while the Penguins won three Stanley Cups, I think the joke is probably on you. Simply put: As a going operation for the last 12 seasons, the Flyers average 91.9 points a season over 1,000-plus games. The Minnesota Wild, the team Chuck Fletcher built that no one ever thinks about at all. And the Wild have 33 percent more 100-point seasons than the Flyers do in the cap era (averaging 93.2 per 82 games). If the Flyers werent on NBC every week because of who owns the network and where theyre located that is, if they were the Kansas City Flyers or whatever they would suffer the exact same fate, relegated to historical non-factor. And rightly so, because theyre not even as good as the Wild over a dozen years. So the choice is theirs: They can actually try to be a legitimate contender, or they can continue to be Wild East, a perennial not-a-real-threat-to-anyone. But if I had to guess on where they land here, well, look who their GM is. Ryan Lambert is a Yahoo! Sports hockey columnist. His email is here and his Twitter is here. All stats via Corsica unless otherwise noted. More NHL coverage on Yahoo Sports: | https://sports.yahoo.com/staying-course-get-flyers-154449029.html?src=rss |
Are Jennifer Garner and John Miller Headed Towards a Summer Engagement? | Even though stories about how serious Jennifer Garner and her current boyfriend, John Miller, seem to be all over the place, there's news that may come as shock to anyone who's followed Garner's usually low-key love life. Us Weekly reports that Garner and Miller could be barreling towards a summer engagement, putting the couple in good company when it comes to whirlwind Hollywood romances. We're looking at you Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. And Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber. And you, too, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson pre-breakup. Garner and her CEO boyfriend "are more in love than ever," a source told Us Weekly. Garner and her ex, Ben Affleck, finalized their divorce back in October 2018. The source continued to explain that Jenn "admires John because he is just normal." Image zoom Michael Buckner/Getty Images RELATED: Jennifer Garner Is Living Her Best Life With Ina Garten It's pretty far from her high-profile relationship with Affleck and her previous marriage to Scott Foley, which put her relationships in the spotlight along with her work. Us's source explains that Garner is loving that her new guy is out of the public eye and that they're drama-free. "No one would be surprised if they got engaged by summer," the insider said. Miller's talked about it. "John has discussed marrying Jen," the source said. | https://www.instyle.com/news/jennifer-garner-john-miller-summer-engagement |
What Is Step and Touch Potential and Reducing Resistance To Ground? | Step Potential Step potential is the step voltage between the feet of a person standing near an energized grounded object. It is equal to the difference in voltage, given by the voltage distribution curve, between two points at different distances from the electrode. A person could be at risk of injury during a fault simply by standing near the grounding point. Touch Potential Touch potential is the touch voltage between the energized object and the feet of a person in contact with the object. It is equal to the difference in voltage between the object and a point some distance away. The touch potential or touch voltage could be nearly the full voltage across the grounded object if that object is grounded at a point remote from the place where the person is in contact with it. For example, a crane that was grounded to the system neutral and that contacted an energized line would expose any person in contact with the crane or its uninsulated load line to a touch potential nearly equal to the full fault voltage. Read full article in the magazine. | https://www.electricity-today.com/lineman-safety/grounding-protection/what-is-step-and-touch-potential-and-reducing-resistance-to-ground |
How Much DER Fits? | The electric power industry is increasingly having to evaluate the growing penetration of distributed energy resources (DER). New sets of challenges exist for planning and operating the grid, especially with the distribution systems in which these new resources must be integrated. Now electric utilities across the world are looking at new analytical methods to assess and integrate these resources. In the United States, the New York State Public Service Commission launched the Reforming the Energy Vision initiative to more fully integrate and use DER with distribution planning and operations. New York utilities are required to establish a structure for a transparent planning process in addition to identifying where DER can be accommodated best. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission called for grid modernization efforts to be outlined by utilities with the objective of maintaining system reliability, improving efficiency and enabling further customer choice. In California, the California Public Utilities Commission requires utilities to develop a Distributed Resource plan to identify where DER can be best integrated in the system. These are just a few examples of a wide range of regulatory activities in the U.S. that underscore the importance of todays planning process and how it must be updated to meet future needs. To meet this challenge, utilities need analytical methods that identify impacts of distributed resources in the electric system, and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is working with utilities on a solution. Hosting Capacity A foundational element to solve this problem is the capability to assess a distribution systems ability to host DER capacity. Hosting capacity is defined as the amount of DER that can be accommodated without adversely affecting power quality, as well as reliability under existing control configurations, and without the need for extensive infrastructure upgrades. The capacity of the grid to accommodate and integrate DER depends on several factors that are difficult, and nearly impossible in some cases, to consider comprehensively. The many factors that drive hosting capacity results have varying degrees of impact and, like all model-based calculations, are an approximation. As such, effective use requires thoughtful consideration of the input assumptions and their associated impacts. When done correctly, these calculations can be extremely valuable and yield useful outcomes for various utility and stakeholder applications. Value Through Application The concept of hosting capacity is still relatively new to the industry. Even so, its application is becoming more widespread as the industry needs a comprehensive approach to understanding the impacts of DER. Read full article in the magazine. | https://www.electricity-today.com/smart-grid/how-much-der-fits |
Where Is Arya Stark In The Game Of Thrones Season 8 Teaser? | Game of Thrones is set to return for its eighth and final season in April, 2019, just a few short months away. And while fans are undoubtedly about to be hit with a ton of promos and advertisements for the upcoming spectacle, HBO is currently keeping viewers on a strict footage diet. The Inquisitr shared the one quick peek that was released at the start of January. In that teaser for the networks many upcoming shows, fans saw three seconds of Daenerys Targaryen and Sansa Stark meeting in Winterfell. Of course, fans dont want to try and read too much into what was or wasnt included in those three seconds. But fans of the show were quick to note one important characters absence. Daenerys and Jon Snow were accompanied by Ser Jorah Mormont. Sansa had Brienne of Tarth standing guard behind her. But Arya Stark was nowhere to be seen. SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses Season 7 of HBOs Game of Thrones. Please proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers. One obvious possibility is that she could still be in Winterfell and just wasnt included in these two very short and specific teaser shots. But with Littlefinger and Ramsay Bolton both dead and the North secure (at least from human enemies), fans have to wonder whether Arya would stick around when she has other unfinished business to take care of. This leads to Aryas infamous list of people that need killing. As TV Guide notes, it started with The Hound, who killed her friend Micah, the butchers boy, in Season 1. The list quickly grew once the Lannisters and Starks fell out following the death of King Robert. Meryn Trant was added for killing Aryas dancing instructor, Syrio Forel. Cersei Lannister, Joffrey Baratheon, and Ilyn Payne made the list for their parts in executing her father Ned Stark. Polliver, The Mountain, and Rorge were part of a torture squad in Harrenhal that killed Aryas friends. Walder Frey and Tywin Lannister ended up on the list after orchestrating the Red Wedding, which saw a good chunk of the Stark family slaughtered. To round the list out, Melisandre, Beric Dondarrion, and Thoros of Myr earned their spots for planning to burn her pal Gendry as a human sacrifice to Rhllor. Heres who Arya thinks is still alive: Cersei Lannister, Ilyn Payne, The Mountain, Melisandre, and Beric Dondarrion. It isnt clear whether Dondarrion survived the fall of the Wall at the end of Season 7, and Arya may not even be aware thats where he was. As for Melisandre, she finished the season off by declaring her intent to return to Volantis. But Cersei, The Mountain, and Ilyn Payne are all conveniently located in the same obvious place. Thats led fans to think theres a good chance Arya was missing from the Winterfell teaser scene because shes on the way to Kings Landing to maximize the amount of revenge she can get before the Nights King makes such mortal concerns obsolete. But as George R.R. Martin likes to remind fans, words are wind. Anything is possible when it comes to the final six movie-length episodes of Game of Thrones. As Inquisitr reports, even Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner didnt guess how Season 8 would turn out. Neither of us was right, Williams admitted. I dont know if its gonna surprise people, but its just different to what you think its gonna be. | https://www.inquisitr.com/5244881/where-is-arya-stark-in-the-game-of-thrones-season-8-teaser/ |
What is Praltrix Male Enhancement? | Praltrix Male Enhancement is a characteristic male upgrade that causes you help your sexual strengthening, and make you feel youthful once more. It's an excessively double activity recipe that not just encourages you to get sexual power, it additionally keeps going longer in bed and help you with finish fulfillment among you and your accomplice. This marvelous equation is made in America that has spread its business overall hoping to assist individuals with having issues with their sexual experiences. This is a distinct advantage and it has changed numerous individuals' lives up until now and as yet proceeding.Click Here https://praltrix.info/buy-praltrix-in-australia/ | http://waneenterprises.com/forum/topics/what-is-praltrix-male-enhancement-2 |
Can Nicolas Maduro Weather a Second Term? | Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more. Venezuelas president has survived protests, impeachment drives, an assassination attempt and U.S. sanctions. The answer hinges on the crippled economy, Alex Vasquez and Andrew Rosati write, as the successor to the late Hugo Chavez begins a new six-year stint in power. Feeding a hungry nation, kick-starting production at state oil company PDVSA and fending off creditors are among his most pressing challenges. Hyperinflation, which Bloombergs Cafe Con Leche Index puts at nearly 225,000 percent, has prompted a mass exodus from a country that was once South Americas wealthiest. Blackouts and crumbling services are endemic. In Caracas, residents line up at mountain springs to fill jugs and bathe children, while the hungry pick through garbage bins. Further isolation makes tackling problems even more difficult: More than 60 nations refuse to recognize Maduros election victory, and his efforts to deepen ties with authoritarian allies Russia, China and Turkey have yielded limited support. Still, Maduro has been defiant throughout. What remains of the political opposition is fragmented, and he enjoys the support of key figures in the military and police. If Maduro can start the oil flowing again, it would help keep prices low an important benchmark for U.S. President Donald Trump. It would also give him more staying power. Global Headlines Shutdown breakdown | Trumps decision to bid bye bye to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and storm out of a White House meeting brings relations with Democrats to a new low just as the impact of the nearly three-week government shutdown is intensifying. Some 800,000 federal workers will miss their paychecks tomorrow, spreading financial pain to families across the country. Trump heads to the U.S.-Mexico border today to rally support for building a wall, the central issue in the standoff. Read more: Ryan Beene and Jennifer A. Dlouhy take a closer look at how Trumps wall battle is keeping him from honoring some of his other high-profile campaign pledges and policy priorities. For Trump, storming out of a meeting is a signature ploy. Brexit abyss | Another dramatic day in the U.K. Parliament saw Prime Minister Theresa May openly contemplating Plan B, with the Brexit deal she struck with Brussels almost certainly doomed. Britain remains divided over leaving the EU, but as David Goodman and Jess Shankleman write, its also conflicted over its place in the world. While Leavers promise a return of British grandeur, the split may leave the country diminished. Seeking assurance | The Trump administration is pushing for a way to make sure China delivers on its commitments in any deal the two nations reach to defuse a trade war roiling financial markets. Things are no less tricky at home, where Trump is setting himself up for a fight with congressional Republicans if he seeks expanded unilateral tariff powers, Jenny Leonard reports. Employment boom | Trump is presiding over the best U.S. job market in decades, a fact he's eager to tout. Whats less certain is how much responsibility he can actually claim. Theres no easy way to determine how many of the 2.64 million jobs added in 2018 and 2.19 million in Trumps first year resulted directly from his policies. Shobhana Chandra explains why. False dawn | The first-ever victory by an opposition presidential candidate in the Democratic Republic of Congo was announced early today. But it has been marred by allegations from a rival that the electoral commission rigged the result in favor of Felix Tshisekedi because hes considered less of a threat to probe corruption during the Kabila familys reign. The dispute over the ballot, which was delayed for two years, is threatening to spark instability in the worlds top producer of cobalt. What to Watch South Korean President Moon Jae-in said a second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un was imminent. Germany's Angela Merkel heads to Greece for meetings with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, signaling a return to her international agenda in the final phase of her chancellorship. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will brief key House Democrats on plans to end sanctions against three companies tied to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. | https://news.yahoo.com/nicolas-maduro-weather-second-term-105804417.html |
Could a tiny electrical implant cure back pain... and save the UK 10 billion a year? | The pain, on arrival, felt like being struck by lightning. I was smitten down, paralysed. Lying prone on the tarmac, held taut by throbbing spasms, I could do nothing but cry as I stared skywards, helpless, wondering what unearthly force had possessed me. That was my first episode of acute back pain, playing tennis, aged 23, in the early 1990s. Half a century earlier, in 1940, another 23-year-olds tennis match ended in identical circumstances. The beleaguered player then was the young John Fitzgerald Kennedy. We all need our heroes, and Jacks indefatigable response to his back problems, in due course, inspired me to cope with mine. Everyone knows someone like Jack or me, for chronic lower-back... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/could-tiny-electrical-implant-cure-back-pain-save-uk-10-billion/ |
Would Samsung take the gamble of launching two flagships on February 20? | The news comes as the first tech fair of the year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), nears its end and the buzz of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) begins. Samsung is all set to launch its latest flagship smartphone, at the Samsung Unpacked event in New York on 20 February. The media invite is fairly straightforwarda number 10 followed by the name and date of the event. Samsung has even clung on to the minimal bezel craze in the posterthe number 10 lies halfway between what appears to the edge of the smartphone. The news comes as the first tech fair of the year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), nears its end and the buzz of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) begins. The event will take place on 20 February at 11 am PT (21 February at 12:30 am IST) at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. Samsung Unpacked events are perhaps one of the most exciting ones of the year, as they showcase the latest innovations from the South Korean electronics major. But this year it means a big deal for the chaebol as the smartphone industry is seeing a major slump in sales. Samsung enjoys the top spot nevertheless, as Huawei breathes down its neck. Huawei leapfrogged Apple in sales last year with its killer innovations like a triple camera setup, wireless reverse charging and, to some extent, flashy design choices. Samsungs developers conference held in November last year gave us a peek into Samsungs plans for 2019. A foldable smartphone, One UI and punch-hole cutouts are a few things we can expect from Samsung this year. But as we saw at the Apple Event, where the iPhone XS was launched, its not really a wise idea to launch two hot devices together. In fact, the Cupertino-based company launched other fan favourite devices (which were desperately in need of a revamp) at a separate event to avoid dousing the flames of the new iPhones (and Apple Watch). We can expect Samsung to do the same; given the new foldable smartphone passes all the necessary quality tests and is fit for productionit will be a massive embarrassment for Samsung if it lets out a half-baked product at such a crucial time. The S10, on the other hand, will most likely receive one of the Infinity cutouts showcased at the developers conference. Ive my bets on the Infinity-O design, much like the one on Honors View 20. Samsung will also try packing the S10 to the gills with the newest system-on-a-chip from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 855. 5G compatibility is another thing under debate at the momentits a massive gamble since the technology is still in its nascent stages and is mainly aimed at connected devices. Rumours also suggest that the Galaxy 10 might be available in 3 different variantsthe regular Galaxy S10, a bigger Galaxy S10 Plus and an affordable Galaxy S10 Lite. | https://www.livemint.com/Technology/bYmCxoN6HeU3VXV0UpVmrN/Samsung-Galaxy-S10-launch-February-20-Samsung-foldable-smart.html |
Which Edinburgh suburbs are on the UK housebreaking hotspot list? | PLUSH Capital suburbs have been named in a list of the UKs housebreaking hotspots. The EH4 postcode, which comprises Stockbridge, Cramond and Barnton, is fourth on the list and EH15, including Portobello and Duddingston is ninth. Stokbridge is part of the EH4 postcode. Pic: Shutterstock Edinburghs top cop said housebreakings are down more than a fifth across the Capital while campaigners called for more money for police. Lothian Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale said: Housebreaking is a persistent concern for many people living in Edinburgh and this research reveals that alarmingly the city remains a hot spot for burglary. Scotland remains amongst one of the least burgled areas in the UK, unless you live in Edinburgh, which confirms that there is a particular problem in the city that remains unchallenged. Our dedicated and hardworking frontline Police Scotland officers work tirelessly to keep Edinburgh safe, and the responsibility lies with the SNP Scottish Government to invest properly in our police services to ensure that local forces are properly funded and resourced. Edinburgh Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Gareth Blair, pointed to a 21 percent drop in domestic housebreakings between April and September 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. Housebreaking has been a priority for police in Edinburgh for a number of years, added Mr Blair. It is a very personal crime being targeted in the place where you should feel safest, and we have worked extremely hard to tackle this. Edinburgh Division has a team dedicated to tackling housebreaking and they are supported by our Prevention Intervention and Partnership Unit who undertake crime prevention surveys and provide security advice. We continue our efforts to disrupt those responsible and put them before the courts, as well as ensuring occupants can take simple steps to keep their property safe. Price comparison site MoneySuperMarket analysed more than 2.5 million home insurance quotes from the last two years for the highest and lowest rate of claims for home contents theft. The data revealed a 16 percent UK-wide increase in rates of theft, with an average of 15.57 claims per 1,000 quotes in 2018, up from 13.42 in 2017. Consumer research reveals that one in five Brits (20%) believe they live in an area where properties are broken into more than the national average. Yet almost half (44%) have taken no precautionary measures to protect their home, including installing burglar alarms, window locks or security cameras. The EH4 postcode was fourth on the list with 46.43 claims per 1,000 quotes and EH15 ninth with 43.99 per 1,000. Emma Garland, data scientist at MoneySuperMarket, said: Over the past 12 months, burglars have mostly been targeting suburbs and urban areas, with the safest areas dominated by smaller towns and villages. Anyone that has ever been burgled will tell you that the cost goes beyond the value of the items stolen, from the psychological impact of your home being violated to the difficulty of replacing things with sentimental value. Thats why its surprising to see that almost half of people havent put any additional protection in place for their home. | https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/which-edinburgh-suburbs-are-on-the-uk-housebreaking-hotspot-list-1-4854852 |
What will Capitol Hill be if it loses Neighbours? | Neighbours opened in 1983 and while it still hosts drag shows and local DJs, some argue it has become less and less of a gay club and more of a spot where transient astronomers might wind down after a day of forums during a weeklong conference. Whether or not thats true or if Neighbours' significance to Seattles LGBTQ community still carries weight will certainly be up for debate as news broke Tuesday that the building where the long-standing gay dance club is housed is on sale for $6.9 million. Earlier this week, in a dark corner of another legacy Capitol Hill gay bar R Place a group of regulars sat at their self-titled Queens Table waiting for Turn Up Tuesday and discussing whats next for Neighbours. Nate, a burly redhead with a close-shaven beard, a baseball hat and a contagiously boyish laugh, said that somebody in the gay community had already made a Facebook post that day about the news. Can someone loan me $6.9 million to keep the bar open? the post advertised, according to Nate. I got 20 on it, he teased, sending everyone at the table into a guffaw. Nate, who withheld his full name out of fear of online harassment, said Neighbours isnt really the go-to place for the gay community anymore. Theres no regulars. Its not homey, he said. The gay community calls it neighwhores, pointed out Kimberly, a woman in her 30s who works at a hair salon and has an affinity for the word okaaaay. She also asked that her full name not be used. At the same time though, thats what a nightclub is, she said. Both Kimberly and Nate said they didnt really know anyone who frequents Neighbours all that much unless its after 2 a.m., when all the other Capitol Hill spots have closed for the night. In short, if Neighbours were gone, nobody would be upset, Kimberly said. Well, the employees would be. Nate quickly chimed in: No sober person would be upset. It had its place at one time in our lives, Kimberly added. Weve had something close in Seattle all the time ... were just so used to it. Wade Madsen, a dance professor at the Cornish College of the Arts, echoed similar observations. In a phone interview, Madsen said hes heard the club these days is bombarded with out-of-towners looking for a wild night and intrigue at the gay bar. Still, he reminisced about the time he auditioned for a lip sync show singing Peggy Lees Fever decades ago when he was in his 20s. I got a friend to perform with me and when you performed something well-choreographed and well-rehearsed, the sound when people clapped and cheered at the end was deafening and unbelievable, Madsen said. As far as Madsen can remember, its been at least 15 years since he last visited the club. He wonders whether the clubs uncertain future was inevitable and what, if any, community it serves nowadays. The whole gentrification of Seattle and Capitol Hill theres places with so much history, he said. On Wednesday during Neighbours College Night, the dance floor was bare as the clock inched closer and closer toward drag show time: 11 p.m. A small group of 18- and 19-year-olds huddled in a corner, including Iris Cohl, 18, a club regular wearing black and white patterned pants and dark eye makeup with white lines painted on as lashes. Cohl explained how her preferred pronoun changes day by day; on this night, she was feeling like a she/her. She looked out onto the dance floor as if she were in love while explaining the community shes been able to find here. They call me by whatever I want and thats really validating, said Cohl, whose drag king persona goes by Lil Cock. I met all my friends here. Julia Blatter, 18, dressed as Bong Boyage a 19th-century aristocratic fancy bastard said Neighbours was a space where she could be as gay as I want. I hope Neighbours sticks around because I just found it and Id be really disappointed if I lost it, Blatter said. Eric Moss from the Greater Seattle Business Association, one of the largest advocacy groups for LGBTQ businesses in the Northwest, said in an email that change in the neighborhood is bound to happen and has happened. Before Capitol Hill, Pioneer Square used to be the gathering place for Seattles gay community back in the 1970s. Now as Capitol Hill grows with more and more development, Moss said the number of LGBTQ businesses has stayed fairly consistent in the Pike and Pine corridor. If one LGBTQ business closes, another pops up in its place. Almost every month there is a new business or nonprofit opening in the neighborhood, Moss said. But we see that arts, nightlife, and community are still vibrant in the core of the neighborhood and more and more LGBTQ and allied businesses are opening doors along the redeveloped portions of the hill. But in a rapidly changing Seattle, theres still a feeling of nostalgia for Neighbours. Gary Davis first came out in 1983, the same year Neighbours made its debut. He remembers hed spend busy nights waiting in the back alley line to get inside, shivering as he braved winter nights without a jacket just to get inside and warm up with some fashionable dancing. It was a great place to meet the cross-section of society, Davis said. It just felt very free, open, and fun. For me at that age, it was kind of a feeling of entre to the wider community and being able to be free, Davis said. A feeling of freedom, to be able to dance and to be yourself was embraced there and that was pretty poignant for me at that age. | https://crosscut.com/2019/01/what-will-capitol-hill-be-if-it-loses-neighbours |
Why is compromise a dirty word? | It's too often interpreted as weakness and penalized at the next election. With the U.S. House of Representatives in the hands of the Democrats and the U.S. Senate controlled by the Republicans for the next two years, compromise will be essential to the passage of any legislation. But it wont come easily. We live in an age in which compromise is often interpreted as weakness and penalized at the next election. Our congressional districts, in which most seats are safe for one party or the other, reward candidates who appeal to the most uncompromising elements of their parties. This whole system has fostered a mindset that makes politics war by other means. It wasnt always so. In the early years of the American republic, compromise was celebrated and rewarded. The story of that time, and of what happened to the republic when it ended, can offer some sobering lessons for our current fractious age. Slavery crisis In 1820, the United States confronted its first crisis over slavery. For decades, slavery had been broadly viewed as a blight on the American republic, with its violence and egregious inequality at odds with the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. Progress had been made: Slavery was prohibited in the North, and the import of slaves from Africa to the United States had been outlawed. But, as part of the bargaining that had made the United States Constitution ratifiable, states were given the right to choose whether to allow slavery, and the Southern states still clung to it. The U.S. Constitution, however, was silent on states not yet admitted to the Union. When Missouri applied for admission as a slave state in 1820, both Northerners and Southerners saw it as a test of the strength of their position and of whether slavery would be allowed to expand into the American West. Henry Clay of Kentucky, the speaker of the House, was well positioned to head the negotiations. He was a slaveholder, but he was also one who disliked the institution of slavery and sought its end. As a Westerner, he couldnt credibly be accused by either Northerners or Southerners of being in the pocket of the other side. Clay proceeded to engineer the Missouri Compromise: Missouri would enter the Union as a slave state, but the rest of the West would be divided into a free North and a slavery-allowing South. Getting the compromise through Congress required some clever maneuvering and one of the finest speeches of Clays illustrious oratorical career. Many in both the North and the South were furious, but Clay secured just enough support to let the nation move on to other matters. This was the heart of Clays strategy, for he believed that the genius of American self-government was a knack for muddling through. If the country could keep from getting hung up or torn apart by any single issue, it would advance on other fronts until that issue became more tractable. Clay was convinced that the same modernizing forces that had rendered slavery unprofitable in the North would erode its support in the South; all that was required was time. Tariff code Clays skills at compromise were put to another test in the early 1830s. South Carolina objected to a tariff code that benefited Northern manufacturers at the expense of Southern planters. South Carolinians took steps to nullify the tariff law that is, to prevent its enforcement within their state. Should the federal government insist on enforcing the law, the South Carolinians said, they would secede from the Union. Clay, now serving in the U.S. Senate, once more stepped into the breach. He met with John Calhoun, the leader of the South Carolinians, and brokered a deal whereby the offending tariff was phased out while the South Carolinians withdrew their secession threat. Clay was condemned in the North for yielding to South Carolinas blackmail, and he was also condemned in the South for maintaining the principle of the tariff even as he retreated on its practice. Yet the Union held. The Great Compromiser, as Clay was called by this time, had one more mediating trick up his sleeve. In 1850, California, suddenly full of gold-seekers, applied for admission to the Union as a free state. Southerners dug in their heels, complaining that a free California would tip the balance in the Senate against their section. Clay offered them something they had long desired: a sterner fugitive slave law, one that would criminalize the common Northern practice of assisting slaves fleeing bondage. Again, Clay was attacked from both sides. Southerners said he had doomed them to Northern domination; Northerners declared he was compelling them to betray their moral principles. But Clay was unrepentant, and he went to his grave, two years later, convinced that he had saved the Union for another generation. He was too optimistic. With Clays death, the spirit of compromise that he embodied went out of American politics. His successors proved unwilling to acknowledge the right of their opponents to views at odds with their own. Abolitionists pushed harder than ever, even canonizing John Brown for his murderous raid against Harpers Ferry, Va. Southerners grew violently touchy on anything that infringed on their states rights, most notably the right to own slaves. The 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln on a Republican platform opposing the expansion of slavery triggered the secession of seven Southern states, followed by another four after Lincoln launched a military campaign against the secessionists. The ensuing war killed more than 600,000. Winner take all Today, one hopes that the country is not on track for anything similar. But the language and culture of our politics disturbingly echo that earlier time. Political opponents are cast as enemies; a winner-take-all environment treats compromise as surrender. Until now, the rift in politics has been partisan rather than sectional, rendering geographic separation unlikely. But if the red states continue to grow redder, and the blue states bluer, this missing element of the 1850s recipe for disaster might be added to the unholy brew that constitutes much of our political discourse. Theres another path. We can channel the spirit of Henry Clay and revive the art of honorable compromise. We can acknowledge our opponents right to a seat at the table. We can remember that the reforms that last are those in which each side has a say and a stake. We can recall Clays guiding belief: that the fate of American democracy is more important than success on any transient issue. H.W. Brands is an educator, author and historian. He holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has served as a member of the faculty since 2005. He previously taught at Texas A&M University for 16 years. He has authored 30 books on U.S. history, including two that have been selected finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. His latest book is Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster. This op-ed was distributed by Tribune News Service. | https://www.goupstate.com/opinion/20190111/why-is-compromise-dirty-word |
Is Tonto Dikeh secretly married? | We aren't trying to start off any rumours but apparently, it looks like Tonto Dikeh is secretly married. The movie star left us with no doubts but to believe that she is married when she posted a message on her Instagram stories on Thursday, January 10, 2018. In her post she talked about her son and herself were missing his 'Stepdad.' "11 hours flight and all we can think of is how we miss step daddy!! Our lives changed meeting you," she wrote. All we need to do right now is keep our fingers crossed and wait to see the new man in her life. Instead of boring fans with the story of her previous marriage to Churchill Oladunni which ended in a very messy manner. We would rather talk about other female celebrities like Juliet Ibrahim, who have found love after their relationships crashed but have gone on to find love but have also left us guessing who the new man in their life is. Back in 2018, Juliet Ibrahim kept everyone guessing if she was back in a relationship after she posted a suggestive photo on her Instagram page. The gorgeous actress has gotten everyone talking with the photos she posted on her Instagram page on Thursday, October 11, 2018. Apparently, Juliet Ibrahim woke up to breakfast in bed and one of the meals had its inscription which shows that the actress is in a romantic relationship. Juliet who could not contain her joy went on to caption one of the photos with the quote; "Waking up to this ." Hmmm...guys it didn't end there, she went on share more photos of her early morning gifts which includes red roses covered with some dollar notes! | https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/is-tonto-dikeh-secretly-married/rrxlb0x |
Could Belly Fat Affect Dementia Risk? | WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Obese people tend to show shrinkage in their brain tissue by middle age -- especially if the extra pounds are concentrated in the belly, a new study suggests. The study, of more than 9,600 U.K. adults, found that those who were obese typically had a lower volume of gray matter in the brain than their normal-weight counterparts. Gray matter contains most of the brain's nerve cells -- whereas white matter contains the fibers that connect different parts of the brain. Past research has linked gray matter shrinkage to a heightened risk of future dementia. However, researchers cautioned that they cannot draw firm conclusions from these latest findings. The study only found an association and does not prove obesity, per se, causes gray matter to shrink. And it didn't follow people long-term, said lead researcher Mark Hamer. "Since we have only measured gray matter volume on one occasion, it's hard to interpret whether the differences are clinically meaningful," said Hamer, a professor at Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England. A number of studies have looked at whether obese adults have any greater risk of eventually developing dementia and come to mixed conclusions. Some have found no correlation, while others have suggested extra pounds may either bump up the risk of dementia or lower it. But there is a possible explanation for the discrepancies, said Claudia Satizabal, an adjunct assistant professor of neurology at Boston University. People who eventually develop dementia, she explained, can start to lose weight five to 10 years before symptoms become apparent. This can muddy any relationship between obesity and dementia risk. That's why it's important for studies to look at earlier indicators of dementia risk, such as brain volume shrinkage, said Satizabal, who was not involved in the new research. "This is a nice study," she said. "Dementia is a long process, and this looks at a trait that happens along the way." The study included 9,652 people who were 55 years old, on average; 19 percent were obese. | https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20190109/could-belly-fat-affect-dementia-risk?src=RSS_PUBLIC |
Where Will Kenny Omega Go? | At the end of this month, Kenny Omega will make the biggest decision a wrestler has made since the Macho Man decided to propose to Miss Elizabeth. His New Japan Pro Wrestling contract expires at the end of January, and hes let them know that he plans on leaving. There are two main options for Omega from here. WWE is very interested in his services, while some of his best friends have started up a new promotion & would like him along for the ride. The choice Kenny makes between WWE & All Elite Wrestling will tell us a lot about the state of the wrestling business in 2019 & beyond. When making a decision like this, its important to look at the positives & negatives of each option. Ive decided to help Kenny out by doing it for him. I sure wish somebody would have done this for me when I was looking for work! <b>WWE Positives</b> WWE is the Manchester United of pro wrestling. Or if youd like a more American comparison, the New York Yankees. They are the name people associate with the genre. They own the past & present of sports entertainment, and with the NXT & NXT: UK brands they probably also own the future. Going back to the territory days, working for New York meant that you had made it. WWE has become a content factory. We spend most of our time here talking about Raw, SD, NXT & the PPVs, but theres so much more they produce that we dont spend much time on. WWE Studios is out there producing films. WWE Network has various original programming thats found an audience. The Network Vault is full of classic wrestling from almost every promotion that ever mattered. Xavier Woods UpUpDownDown YouTube channel is part of all this stuff. We know that Kenny loves the gaming & has already appeared on UpUpDownDown from time to time. Ive read that part of this fantastic offer involved Kennys gaming career. I dont know that world too well, as my most recent gaming machine is a Nintendo 64. Ive always been pretty bad at playing video games so its never been something I wanted to get deeper into. I can see Omega getting the AJ Styles push eventually. He could get one or two good title runs. He could be the man that built a house for Raw or SD or some show. <b>WWE Negatives</b> Honestly, the main negative I can think of for Omega in WWE is in the ring. Which seems kind of ridiculous considering the amount of time available for matches right now. Raw has three freaking hours to fill. But in my mind I see Omega working one match under the WWE banner, and everybody backstage going insane. Along with the poor bastard that has to wrestle him & do a lot more work than usual. Honestly, the poor bastard would probably like getting to do stuff, the people backstage would be the ones going apeshit. Kenny loves living in Japan. That wouldnt be feasible given WWEs schedule. Speaking of which, theres the schedule. Omega isnt used to being on the road as much as he would be with WWE. WWE controls most things about their performers lives. <b>AEW Positives</b> We all know that Kenny is best friends forever with the Young Bucks. Codys along with that too. Kenny will have free range creatively with All Elite Wrestling. Hulk Hogan had that with WCW, and it made sense, and as Ive said before in multiple places, Kenny is Hogan, and Nick & Matt are Hall & Nash. I feel like if Kenny signs with AEW, he can do whatever he wants. He can work with Chris Jericho, or MJF or Joey Janela or whoever he feels like working with. He can be like Terry Funk back in the day, looking at guys and being like oh I can do something with that guy. He doesnt need to be AEW Champion or whatever, he can do some feuds & make them draw money. I dont think theres anything Kenny would do in AEW and turn people off from it. Even if hes working a guy people didnt like, they would give it a chance. <b>AEW Negatives</b> AEW has a lot of great ideas. The thing is, thats all they are right now. Ideas. Nothings set in stone. We know they have two shows planned. We know WWE wont be going out of business anytime soon. We cant say that with AEW. Tony Khan could wake up tomorrow and decide hed rather be a hermit. Or, he could lose tons of money in a few months and say Im out. Theres no guarantee that there will still be an AEW in January 2020. Theres the matter of working for your friends. It sounds great on paper, but then they want you to do something you dont think is reasonable. <b>What will he do?</b> The smart money seems to be on Kenny signing with All Elite. Given what we know about him, it makes sense. Hes seen as the type of guy that follows his heart, and trying something new alongside his friends fits that. The latest episode of Being the Elite also gives the impression that Omega will be signing with them. I wouldnt count out WWE yet, though. Vince McMahon usually gets what he wants. If he really wants Omega, hell keep sweetening the pot and make it darn near impossible to turn down. I wouldnt be shocked if we see Kenny Omega somewhere on the Road to WrestleMania In a few years. WWE will still be an option then. They dont have an age limit on Superstars. This might be Kennys one chance to really change the wrestling world. You really dont want to miss something like that. Maybe AEW ends in disaster & hurt feelings and some time down the drain, but you dont know unless you try. | https://411mania.com/wrestling/where-will-kenny-omega-go-wwe-aew/ |
Can we talk about the flame that is Zizo Beda? | Zizo Beda is proof that slow and steady with a whole lot of determination wins the race. The TV and radio personality, who gave birth to her son in 2016 has never shied away from her love/hate relationship with her weight. Zizo has always been vocal about her stand against body shaming and the pressure women were put under to look a certain. She herself has faced such pressure and knows first hand how hurtful being judged can be. "Getting to where you want to get to physically takes sheer discipline and hard work! But beyond that I just have to share that we need to start speaking more about who we are as people rather than what we look like. My positive traits as a person havent changed regardless of whatever size I was at any particular time," she said at the time. Fast forward to 2019, and Zizo is killing the game! So along with a new year comes 12 months to bag those goals. Let's use this flaming mama as inspiration. | https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2019-01-11-can-we-talk-about-the-flame-that-is-zizo-beda/ |
How do I apply for a PPS number for my non-Irish partner? | Question: Im moving back to home to Ireland in the next few months with my partner, who is from an EU country. Answer: Sarah Owen, Crosscare Migrant Project Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSN) are unique reference numbers that you need to access public services in Ireland. It is possible inlimited circumstances for non-residents to apply for a PPSN by contacting the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protections Client Identity Services using this Online Enquiry Form or calling + 353 71 967 2616. In the event this option is not available to your partner, he can still begin the process online from abroad (as long the PPSN allocation centre for the area you will be living in offers an appointment service). As part of this, your partner will need to set up a MyGovID account, then book a PPSN allocation centre appointment via MyWelfare.ie for a date after his arrival in Ireland. On the date of his appointment, he will then need to present in person to the local PPSN allocation centre. He will need to bring his current valid EU Passport or National Identity Card, and evidence of his Irish address (e.g. a household utility bill, official letter, financial statement, lease agreement, confirmation of address by a third party such as a hotel, or an original household bill plus a note from the bill holder if he is staying with friends or relatives). He will also need to provide evidence of needing a PPSN for a transaction with a specified body. Looking for work is not accepted as proof of this, however if he is applying for a social welfare payment or registering with Revenue Commissioners this should be accepted. Once he has placed his application in person, it normally takes about 1 week for the PPSN to be issued in writing by letter to his address. For a detailed guide on applying for a PPSN, see citizensinformation.ie. Read more: 'How can I bring my non-Irish partner back to live in Ireland?' Sarah Owen is the Irish Abroad Networking Officer with Crosscare Migrant Project. They are funded by the Emigrant Support Programme of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide supports to Irish people emigrating from and returning to Ireland. See migrantproject.ie | https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/how-do-i-apply-for-a-pps-number-for-my-non-irish-partner-1.3739258?localLinksEnabled=false |
Why cant I get a refund on my 500 deposit for a help-to-buy home? | I paid a 500 deposit on a new-build flat using the help-to-buy scheme. The development was supposed to be completed three months later, but nine months on there was still no handover date, so I withdrew. But the agent, Claremont Property Group, says the deposit is non-refundable. DE, Swindon Completion delays can cost a fortune if a house sale is tied to a purchase and buyers have to fork out for rental accommodation while they await their new keys. The Consumer Code for Home Builders, which all developers who sign up to help to buy are obliged to follow, requires deposits to be refunded if delays are unreasonable. This timescale is not specified but over six months would generally qualify. Claremont Property Group does not explain why you were refused, but confirms it has issued the 500. If you need help email Anna Tims at [email protected] or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. Submission subject to our terms and conditions | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jan/11/help-to-buy-new-build-delay-completion-deposit |
Could Samsung be readying a Surface Book killer? | Samsung looks like it's going to have a fresh spin on a Windows 10 hybrid in the pipeline, at least if you go by an app which was spotted on the Windows store. The app in question is produced by Samsung for a device called the 'Galaxy Book', and the name itself suggests a convertible or detachable-style PC in the vein of Microsofts Surface Book (except hopefully considerably cheaper well, it could hardly be more expensive). Read more: Samsung Notebook 9 (2017) Aside from the moniker, the software, which is called 'Book Settings', gives us a few more clues about the potential device itll have an active stylus, as youd expect with such a hybrid, along with an AMOLED screen and pattern login (drawing a pattern to unlock the machine). Believe it or not, many of the best free games can be played on a laptop Charge limit There is also references to a battery life extender feature, which limits the maximum charge level to 85%, in an apparent effort to give the battery more staying power when it comes to fighting the loss of overall capacity which inevitably occurs as time marches on. Of course, the compromise is that youll have less actual battery life when out and about (without a full 100% charge). Hopefully we can expect some more neat tricks and features besides if the Galaxy Book does indeed exist. Remember, at the moment this is just an app which has been released, although the fact that its already on the Windows store is a positive sign. As MS Power User which spotted the app reports, Samsung already has a trademark for the Galaxy Book which goes back to 2012. Naturally, the company has existing 2-in-1 efforts out there, such as the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin, which is a hybrid of the 360-degree hinge variety (i.e. you can fold the screen all the way back to be flat against the keyboard, for use like a thick tablet). | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/could-samsung-be-readying-a-surface-book-killer |
Does The Weeknd Diss Drakes Secret Baby in New Track 'Lost in the Fire'? | Looks like Drake's kid may be making another appearance in a music feud. The Weeknd and French producer Gesaffelstein released a new song on Thursday, "Lost in the Fire," and one of the singer's lyrics in the track has fans speculating that the artist is calling out fellow Toronto-born rapper Drake. Many lyric sites have quoted a line from the song in which The Weeknd supposedly sings, "And I just want a baby with the right one/Cause I would never be the one to hide one." Fans across the internet were quick to jump on the lyric, claiming it might be a not-so-subtle reference to a secret child Drake fathered with French artist and former adult actress Sophie Brussaux in October 2017. Drake listening to Lost in the Fire: The Weeknd:"And I just want a baby with the right one, cause I could never be the one to hide one" Drake: pic.twitter.com/eyXVWcY3TO Pikunto (@ElPikunto) January 11, 2019 The Weeknd is shading Drake. I cant handle both my faves beefing.#lostinthefirepic.twitter.com/eHWt3ZyKre Mister R (@__TimR) January 11, 2019 Noooo why did The Weeknd shade Drake, I was holding out hope for a collab JG (@mojo_so_ju) January 11, 2019 Drake vs the Weeknd is pretty much a Canadian civil war. king slime drizzy drake (@Shanthosh_Y) January 11, 2019 The existence of Drake's son, Adonis, first came to light in a diss track released by Pusha T amid their very public feud. Drake later confirmed speculation and acknowledged being a father in a track on his 2018 album, Scorpion. However, there's some disagreement regarding the lyrics. According to Apple Music, the lyric is not "I would never be the one to hide one," but rather, "I would never be the one to hurt one," which would seemingly negate speculation regarding The Weeknd's intent to call out Drake. That being said, a feud between the two artists wouldn't be unheard of. While their relationship was seemingly healed in recent years -- and the two have even performed together on stage a few times since 2017 -- things were shaky between the performers for several years. While Drake was famously instrumental in launching The Weeknd's career, things seemingly soured in 2012 when The Weeknd signed with Republic Records instead of Drake's OVO Sound label. This was followed by several years of shade throwing and controversial public statements. It remains to be seen if the lyrics in "Lost in the Fire" are intended to reignite their rumored feud, or are simply a complicated misinterpretation fueled by fan gossip. RELATED CONTENT: The Weeknd Nearly Gets Hit by Falling Stage Equipment During Concert in Mexico City Drake's 1-Year-Old Son Adonis Gave Him the Most Creative Christmas Gift Kanye West Calls Out Drake in Twitter Rant: 'Don't Play With Me' | https://www.etonline.com/does-the-weeknd-diss-drakes-secret-baby-in-new-track-lost-in-the-fire-117208 |
Is a BS-VI complaint Force Gurkha in the offing this year? | Moneycontrol News Indian heavy-duty car manufacturer Force Motors launched the top trim of its trusted SUV, the Gurkha Xtreme last year. This time around, Force seems to be looking to complete the lineup, with BS VI compliant engines. With an iteration of the Force Gurkha spied on the roads for the first time, it wont be wrong to have a fair share of expectations from the SUV. Last October, the Supreme Court directed that only BS VI complaint vehicles need to be sold from April 1, 2020. This has expedited carmakers need to adhere to the norms The latest Gurkha Xtreme is powered by an all-new 2.2L OM611 motor sourced from Mercedes Benz. This is in replacement to the outdated 2.6L diesel engine which was fueling the previous gen Gurkhas. But its engine is not yet compatible with BS VI norms. However, it can be expected that Force will retune the engine to match the emission norms. As with the Xtreme, the upcoming Gurkha is expected to be a true blue off-roader and could be given the same brand new, multi-link front suspension for better road clearance and stability. Force was serious about off-roading when they were designed the Gurkha, and that is reflected by the factory-fitted snorkel, which allows the car to wade through 550 mm of water (roughly two feet). Which means the Gurkha is as close to an amphibious vehicle as any off-roader can get. The new 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine produces a maximum power output of 140 BHP and 321Nm of peak torque between 1,600-2,400 RPM. It is mated to a new Mercedes-derived G32 5-speed manual gearbox. If this engine is to be considered in every Gurkha, we could expect the Gurkha to be one of the top players in its segment. The car drives in RWD when not switched to the 4X4 mode. While the Gurkha Xtreme is the top trim in the series, it will most likely share its engine with the lower, Xplorer and Xpedition versions. If this is to be held true, it could increase the overall price of the entire range of Gurkha SUVs. | https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/is-a-bs-vi-complaint-force-gurkha-in-the-offing-this-year-3378341.html |
Is No Man's Sky being quietly rebranded as a single-player game? | The ongoing question of whether No Man's Sky is actually an online game has seen a surprising development with the apparent removal of an online play logo from its box. The news follows the apparent discovery that players arriving at the same planet would not actually be able to meet. Prior to the its release the game's creator, Sean Murray, implied that players would be able to meet, although this would be so unlikely that the game should be considered a single-player experience. Image credit: PCGamesN Mixed messages You are not required to have a PlayStation Plus subscription to play No Man's Sky, which further suggests that it is a single-player only experience. Now these changes to the game's box, which appear to only be affecting European limited edition boxes, suggest that multiplayer interaction in the game is not just very unlikely, but is actually impossible. When asked for comment, a representative from Sony said, "Incorrect descriptors were incorporated into the original No Man's Sky limited edition packaging. This was a production issue and was rectified using placement stickers." Via VideoGamer Source PCGamesN | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/gaming/is-no-man-s-sky-being-quietly-rebranded-as-a-single-player-game-1326441 |
Have we reached peak man bag? | The familiar sight of the taxi driver sighing in dismay when I hoisted yet another piece of luggage at him earlier this week as I decamped for the mens fashion shows in Milan was yet another sign that my wardrobe needs a detox. For someone whose job is to edit clothes, my approach to packing is to throw more in, just in case. My doctor has pointed to the weighty tote I schlep around with me as the cause of some serious shoulder problems, too. I dont think Im alone in this, so just as Marie Kondo the Japanese lifestyle guru has revolutionised how we live in doing away with the extraneous details, perhaps its time to streamline what we carry around with us. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/mens-style/have-reached-peak-man-bag/ |
Why not give squash a go? | Well juniors across the area can have some coaching sessions over the next two months. Youngsters can attend the sessions at Littlehampton Badminton & Squash Club, no matter what their level. Weekly sessions will be held on Thursdays from today until February, 14. Players can just turn up at the cost of 2 per sessions and all equipment is provided. Contact 01903 713217 or email [email protected] for more information. Former Crystal Palace defender receives high praise from Worthing boss Hinshelwood Pearce delivers perfect present for Worthing manager Hinshelwood Burgess Hill Town and former Worthing striker shares picture of horrific injury | https://www.shorehamherald.co.uk/sport/football/why-not-give-squash-a-go-1-8764097 |
Was bringt die Zukunft? | Zumindest auf die letzte Frage gibt es eine eindeutige Antwort: Die Jugend. Deshalb hren wir gespannt zu, was die Jugend zu sagen hat. Glaubt man den jhrlich erhobenen "Worten des Jahres", so zuckt die Jugend zu all dem hchstens die Schulter und sagt "Oida!". Vielleicht macht sie auch eine unmissverstndliche Geste mit dem Zeigefinger in Richtung Stirn. "Oida" sagt die Jugend auch untereinander. Als Begrung, als Kommentar, als Beleidigung, als Ausdruck der Bewunderung, des Angefressenseins, ganz egal. Es gibt kaum ein Gefhl, das die Jugend mit "Oida!" nicht ausdrcken knnte. Ich lese daraus ein positives Verhltnis zum Alter. Dazu passt auch, dass sich nach der letzten groen sterreichischen Jugendstudie ein Drittel der Jugend sozial engagiert und 81 Prozent von Solidaritt schwrmen. Das scheint mir vielversprechend fr die knftige Sicherung der Pensionen zu sein. Sicher, die Jugend ist generell ein bisschen konservativ. Leistung, Flei, Treue werden grogeschrieben. WIR waren, als WIR jung waren, natrlich nicht so neoliberal angepasst! WIR haben gelebt und nicht schon mit 20 an die Pension gedacht! Sondern erst dann, als die Pension an uns gedacht hat. Und uns unseren Pensionskontostand geschickt hat. Das Gute ist, dass die Jugend laut Studie auch nicht an Politik interessiert ist. Deshalb hat sie vielleicht auch nicht zugehrt, als die Sozialministerin letztes Jahr sagte: "Man kann sicher von 150 Euro im Monat leben." "Oida!" | https://diepresse.com/home/schaufenster/salon/ichpleite/5559064/Was-bringt-die-Zukunft?from=rss |
Is Saudi Arabia on the road to ending the scourge of child marriage? | Saudi Arabia is trying to ban child marriage through new regulations, but loopholes are leaving young girls in the deeply conservative kingdom unprotected, campaigners said Thursday. The Shura Council, a top advisory body to the government, approved regulations on Wednesday to prohibit marriage for girls and boys under 15, and those under 18 will need approval from a specialized court, according to council member Lina Almaeena. Currently, the conservative Muslim country does not have a minimum legal age for marriage, and women live under a guardianship system where they must have permission from a male relative to marry, work and travel. Almaeena said the approval by the council, which does not have legislative powers but can propose laws to the king and the cabinet, is a great accomplishment for the kingdom in protecting its young citizens. There were no marriage limitations before, so for this to be passed and prohibit marriage for a child under 15 is a huge accomplishment because you will be protecting young boys and girls, she said by phone. Globally, 12 million girls marry before age 18 every year, according to Girls Not Brides, a coalition working to end child marriage. The United Nations regards the practice as a human rights violation. Heather Hamilton, deputy director of Girls Not Brides, said it is encouraging that the kingdom is setting age limits for marriage, but the rules are a far cry from protecting children under 18, who can still marry with court approval. Girls are still at risk of being forced into marriage if their parents can persuade a court to agree, she said in an emailed statement. We know that even in countries like the U.S. and U.K., courts offer little protection to girls who dont want to marry but risk alienation or retribution from their families if they tell court officials their real feelings. Child marriage defined internationally as marriage under 18 remains legal in Britain. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, teenagers can wed at 16 with parental consent. In Scotland, they do not need consent. The majority of U.S. states do not lay out a minimum age for marriage if statutory exceptions are met, such as parental or judicial consent or in case of pregnancy. Campaigners say children married young are more likely to leave school, get divorced, experience domestic abuse and mental health problems and live in poverty than those who marry later. There needs to be a complete ban on child marriage with no exceptions. You have to make it clear to society that this is a negative social phenomenon and it should be stopped, said Adam Coogle, Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. | https://www.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=news&p=1690706&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29 |
Does George RR Martin's original Game of Thrones outline reveal who survives season 8? | George RR Martin is a man with a plan not that he always sticks to it (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock) George RR Martin sure knows how to spin a tale but even he wouldnt be able to recognise the original plan for Game of Thrones if he were to look at it now. Back in 1993, the writer of the legendary book series sent a three-page letter to publishers, detailing what he had planned for the collection. It was later found and reposted by fans on Reddit. ***Warning: Spoilers ahead*** Aryas original story involved a tricky love plot with Tyrion and Jon (Picture: HBO) For example, in his pitch Arya is seen in a complicated love triangle with Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister (ew), Joffrey has a son with Sansa (woah), and Daenerys seeks revenge on her husband Khal Drogo for the death of her brother Viserys and kills him off (damn). Advertisement Advertisement However, there is one moment that seems to have remained throughout and it could mean big things for the upcoming final season of the hit Westeros epic. In the letter, Martin wrote: Five central characters will make it through all three volumes, however, growing from children to adults and changing the world and themselves in the process. In a sense, my trilogy is almost a generational saga, telling the life stories of these five characters, three men and two women. Jon Snow was named as one of five surviving characters (Picture: HBO) He then revealed: The five key players are Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and three of the children of Winterfell, Arya, Bran, and the bastard Jon Snow. This, by all accounts, has remained true, with all five of the characters toon to collide as series returns in April. However, the love triangle seems to have moved from Arya to the far more age appropriate Daenerys. Its still incest but they dont know that just yet. She is a member of the Winterfell children, and yet she isnt mentioned as one of the final five. We havent got long now to wait Game of Thrones returns in April 2019 on HBO and Sky Atlantic. 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: Emilia Clarke and Emma Thompson look absolutely freezing as they rug up on set in London MORE: Game of Thrones George RR Martin has given Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen a hall pass for incest ahead of season 8 | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/11/george-rr-martins-original-game-thrones-outline-hold-key-survives-season-8-8333102/ |
Will Latavius Murray return to Vikings in 2019? | The Vikings are set at starting running back with Dalvin Cook. But the backup spot for Cook is up in the air with the Vikings voiding Latavius Murrays final season. Murray will be a free agent come March. While Murray said hes open to returning, he also wants to compete for a starting job. Even with Dalvin starting and things like that, I want everybody to know, make no mistake about it, I want to play. I want to start, Murray said via Zone Coverage. Im not content with being in a backup role, but I want to compete and Dalvin knows that. We push each other. Thats what its about. But I would love to be back here for that opportunity to compete with and against them. Thats the only way you get better. As far as this team, this organization, this group of guys, this locker room, I love everything about it. Murray is solid and has ran for more than 1,400 yards to go with 14 touchdowns over the last two seasons, but Cook is more dynamic, and if he can stay healthy, should be the teams starting running back. Under contract next season for the Vikings at running back is Cook, Mike Boone and Roc Thomas. To me, the most-likely scenario is the Vikings to sign Murray or to draft a running back in the late rounds to save some money. | https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/10/will-latavius-murray-return-to-vikings-in-2019/ |
Could Samsung's next display push beyond 440ppi? | With a pixel density of 326ppi, Apple's 4-inch iPhone 5 is home to one of the more, though by no means most pixelated, high-res screens on the market, but Samsung is reportedly working to one-up Cupertino and a number of others with its next generation of smartphones. The sometimes-reliable DigiTimes reported Tuesday that Samsung Display is working on "new pixel layouts" for small-size AMOLED panels intended for its upcoming handsets. According to unnamed industry sources, the technology implements "hexagon and diamond-shaped pixel layouts" to push pixel density above 440ppi, a significant boost over rival Apple. The report noted that the side-by-side layout currently in use for AMOLED display panels makes it "difficult to achieve" 440ppi or higher, which is why Samsung had to attack the problem a different way. While the current Samsung Galaxy S3 features a Super AMOLED display with a pixel density of 306ppi, DigiTimes sources are already referring to the next-generation panel as "one of the highest resolution displays" available. Sources claim Samsung will use a laser-based LITI production method to manufacture the higher-resolution display panel, which might make its debut in the upcoming Galaxy S4 handset. While Apple claims to have the best screen out there, rivals like HTC's Droid DNA already house displays marked at 440ppi. If Samsung pushes its screens above 440ppi, it will set the stage for a pixel war of epic proportions. As noted, DigiTimes can be hit or miss, but with manufacturers continually squeezing more pixels into every inch in an attempt to claim the title of "most advanced" on the market, we wouldn't be surprised if this rumor bears some high-res fruit. Via DigiTimes | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/could-samsung-s-next-display-push-beyond-440ppi-1127348 |
Will the Raptors end Toronto's difficult relationship with winning? | Its January and no NBA team has won more games than the revamped Raptors. In Toronto, its the hope that kills you. Its a sports-mad place boasting competitive teams across a multitude of codes but lots of chaos and a dearth of success. And even when the citys franchises manage to get a taste of it, the fizz is fleeting. Baseballs Blue Jays claimed back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, and then didnt reach the playoffs for 21 years. The Maple Leafs have won more Stanley Cups than all but two NHL clubs, but none in more than 50 years. As recently as 2012, they were voted the most embarrassing team to support. Toronto FC bounced from one humiliating episode to the next before their MLS Cup triumph in 2017. But following the pattern of self-destruction, the joy was short-lived and they failed to qualify for the postseason earlier this year. Canadas largest city has a difficult relationship with winning. It doesnt happen very often and on the rare occasions when it does, it doesnt really know what to do with it. And thats why there remains an unshakable spectre overhanging the Toronto Raptors this season. After a seismic summer defined by splashy transactions, the team has transitioned impressively and remains well in contention to finish at the top of the Eastern Conference for the second successive year. The Raptors are not a side accustomed to drama and conflict so, considering the offseason saw the firing of long-time coach Dwane Casey and the trade of the legendary DeMar DeRozan, thats no small feat. The recriminations and finger-pointing still linger but going by the performances so far this term, theres no scar tissue. The players seem invested in Nick Nurse, who was brought on by Casey as an assistant back in 2013 before sliding into the lead role in June. And despite the trauma of the DeRozan trade, the gamble of bringing in Kahwi Leonard as his replacement has worked a treat. Many wondered which Leonard would show up in Toronto. Hed been immense for San Antonio and was voted MVP when the Spurs beat Miami in the 2014 finals. There were back-to-back All-NBA first team appearances in 2016 and 2017, too. But things ended bitterly last season when a quad injury led to a prolonged absence and tension regarding best treatment. His relationship with Gregg Popovich broke down and he looked for a way out. But, when Toronto was first mooted as a possible destination, it was claimed that Leonard was underwhelmed, had no desire in going there and much preferred a switch to his hometown of Los Angeles. Still, with some pressure on his shoulders, hes smiled, stepped up and, most importantly, delivered in the big games. Hes poured in 30 or more points on 13 occasions, including a career-high 45-point haul against Utah on New Years Day. And when he was mercilessly booed and kept quiet on his much-vaunted return to San Antonio two days later, there was no moodiness. When he stepped to the free throw line during the second quarter and thousands of home fans screamed traitor relentlessly, there was no reaction. And when the game was done, there was a laugh, a joke and warm embrace with Popovich. Anyone expecting Leonard to kick up a fuss and spark a war in the Raptors locker-room has been left waiting. Of course, it hasnt all been about him. Kyle Lowry, Danny Green and Pascal Siakam have excelled and, quite rightly, much has been made of the rosters depth. With the Eastern Conference seldom as wide open, its not outlandish to look at the Raptors as favorites to reach their first NBA finals and genuine championship contenders. However, you cant shake the past: Toronto have been here very recently. The was last seasons record-breaking campaign: 59 wins and the conferences No 1 seed entering the playoffs for the first time in club history. Then it all came crashing down when they were whitewashed by LeBron James and the Cavaliers for a second straight year. It was a humiliating end to a season that had been bursting with promise. In 2017, team president Masai Ujiri spoke of a culture reset. Alas, nothing had changed. Despite all the talk, all the hype, all of those Atlantic Division titles, there was still a valley of emptiness when it mattered most. For Ujiri, it seemed that mindset was a big problem under Casey, who had performed small miracles to transform the Raptors from persistent punchline to Eastern Conference heavyweights. Though they had clearly blossomed throughout Caseys seven years in charge, there seemed little belief within the team as they headed into high-profile matchups against LeBron. So Ujiri rolled the dice. Its the hardest thing Ive done in my life, he later told reporters of his decision to fire Casey, who was voted Coach of the Year by his peers two days earlier and whod go on to be named NBA Coach of the Year too. But, Ujiri made sure to add that it was a very difficult but necessary step. When the DeRozan trade followed in mid-summer, it was representative of the Raptors new era: ruthless, business-oriented and cold-blooded. Moving on the teams biggest star and bringing in Leonard was a bold decision. Again, certainly not what the Raptors were known for. Pushing out both Casey and DeRozan seven- and nine-year veterans of the organization, respectively was hardly coincidental. Gone was that cliche Canadian niceness. In Ujiris eyes, there was little space for emotion if the Raptors were going to push hard for a championship. But it has been tough for fans to properly park the nostalgia and embrace the new version of the side. Caseys future had been a frequent sports-bar discussion ever since the 2018 playoff series with the Cavs took a familiar turn. He contributed so much to the teams development and immersed himself in the city. Most difficult of all was that Casey, as Lowry once opined, was just a nice fucking man. Fans were also peeved by the fact that DeRozan was blindsided by the trade to San Antonio. However, not every meaningful or impactful relationship was intended to last forever. Leonard becomes a free agent at the end of the season and Ujiri would do well to persuade him to stick around. Nurse is a rookie NBA coach, plucked from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBAs developmental G League and previously a two-time coach of the year in the British Basketball League. But, crucially, his players like him. Last month, he was fined $15,000 after criticizing officials for not protecting Leonard enough during a loss in Denver. The support wasnt lost on Leonard, who spoke afterwards about Nurse having his back. And the coachs passion wasnt lost on fans either. The Raptors are dealing with some newfound anxiety this season. Given the commitment to their radical change in approach, theres an expectation and anticipation now, which hasnt always settled well with Toronto sports teams. And while the regular season has been a big success, the playoffs will offer plenty of nerves, particularly with LeBron not around to get in their heads this time. On paper, theyre in a much stronger position than last year. But considering the investment in the short term, there seems immense pressure on the team doing something special in 2019. Then again, perhaps the new-era Raptors, who are intent on looking to the future rather than the past, wont care too much. | https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/11/raptors-nba-kawhi-leonard-success |
Who are Karan Johar's twins wearing today? | Yash and Roohi As a guest on Neha Dhupia's podcast, Karan Johar had revealed that the ABC he teaches kids, Yash and Roohi is that A stands for Armani, B is Balenciaga and C is Christian Dior. Karan Johar's latest Insta post looks like a photo shoot for designer-wear for babies. He captioned the picture, "Baby vogue (sic)." View this post on Instagram Baby vogue!!!!! #mylovestory A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onJan 9, 2019 at 7:14am PST Earlier, KJo had posted videos on Instagram, in which he asks the munchkins, 'What designer are you wearing?' But kids will be kids; they love to mess up. Imagine them dropping milk and food on their outfits, which cost more than a small car. On the professional front, Karam Johar is currently judging the show with BFF Malaika Arora and Bollywood actress Kiron Kher. Apart from this, the director-producer is also hosting Koffee With Karan season 6 where a lot of celebrities are seen spilling the beans! Also Read: Exclusive: Suspend Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul over sexist remarks, tells BCCI secretary to CoA Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates | https://www.mid-day.com/articles/who-are-karan-johars-twins-wearing-today/404639 |
What Are We Working For At Eternitys Gate? | Edward Curtin One also knows from his letters that nothing appeared more sacred to Van Gogh than work. John Berger, Vincent Van Gogh, Portraits Ever since I was a young boy, I have wondered why people do the kinds of work they do. I sensed early on that the economic system was a labyrinthine trap devised to imprison people in work they hated but needed for survival. It seemed like common sense to a child when you simply looked and listened to the adults around you. Karl Marx wasnt necessary for understanding the nature of alienated labor; hearing adults declaim Thank God Its Friday spoke volumes. In my Bronx working class neighborhood I saw people streaming to the subway in the mornings for their rides into the city and their forlorn trundles home in the evenings. It depressed me. Yet I knew the goal was to make it and move away as one moved up, something that many did. I wondered why, when some people had options, they rarely considered the moral nature of the jobs they pursued. I gradually realized that some people, by dint of family encouragement and schooling, had opportunities that others never received. For the unlucky ones, work would remain a life of toil and woe in which the search for meaning in their jobs was often elusive. Studs Terkel, in the introduction to his wonderful book of interviews, Working: People Talk About What They Do all Day and How They Feel About What They Do, puts it this way: This book, being about work, is, by its very nature, about violence to the spirit as well as to the body. It is about ulcers as well as accidents, about shouting matches as well as fistfights, about nervous breakdowns as well as kicking the dog around. It is, above all (or beneath all), about daily humiliations. To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us. Those words were confirmed for me when in the summer between high school and college I got a job through a relatives auspices as a clerk for General Motors in Manhattan. I dreaded taking it for the thought of being cooped up for the first time in an office building while a summer of my youth passed me by, but the money was too good to turn down (always the bait), and I wanted to save as much as possible for college spending money. So I bought a summer suit and joined the long line of trudgers going to and fro, down and up and out of the underground, adjusting our eyes to the darkness and light. It was a summer from hell. My boredom was so intense it felt like solitary confinement. Yet for me it was temporary; for the others it was a life sentence. But if this were life, I thought, it was a living death. All my co-workers looked forward to the mid-morning coffee wagon and lunch with a desperation so intense it was palpable. And then, as the minutes ticked away to 5 P.M., the agitated twitching that proceeded the mad rush to the elevators seemed to synchronize with the clocks movements. Were out of here! On my last day, I was eating my lunch on a park bench in Central Park when a bird shit on my suit jacket. The stain was apt, for I felt I had spent my days defiling my true self, and so I resolved never to spend another day of my life working in an office building in a suit for a pernicious corporation, a resolution I have kept. * An angel is not far from someone who is sad, says Vincent Van Gogh in the new film, At Eternitys Gate. For some reason, recently hearing these words in the darkened theater where I was almost alone, brought me back to that summer and the sadness that hung around all the people that I worked with. I hoped Van Gogh was right and an angel visited them from time to time. Most of them had no options. The painter Julian Schnabels moving picture (moving on many levels since the film shakes and moves with its hand-held camera work and draws you into the act of drawing and painting that was Van Goghs work) is a meditation on work. For Vincent the answer was simple: reality. But reality is not given to us and is far from simple; we must create it in acts that penetrate the screens of clichs that wall us off from it. As John Berger writes, One is taught to oppose the real to the imaginary, as though the first were always at hand and the second, distant, far away. This opposition is false. Events are always to hand. But the coherence of these events which is what one means by reality is an imaginative construction. Reality always lies beyond and this is as true for materialists as for idealists. For Plato, for Marx. Reality, however one interprets it, lies beyond a screen of clichs. These screens serve to protect the interests of the ruling classes, who devise ways to trap regular people from seeing the reality of their condition. Yet while working can be a trap, it can also be a means of escape. For Vincent working was the way. For him work was not a noun but a verb. He drew and he painted as he does in this film to make people feel what it is to feel alive. To be alive is to act, to paint, to write. He tells his friend Gauguin that theres a reason its called the act of painting, the stroke of genius. For him painting is living and living is painting. The actual paintings that he made are almost beside the point, as all creative artists know too well. It is the doing wherein living is found. The completed canvas, essay, or book are what is done. They are nouns, still lifes, just as Van Goghs paintings have become commodities in the years since his death, dead things to be bought and sold by the rich in a culture of death where they can be hung in mausoleums isolated from the living. It is appropriate that the film ends with Vincent very still in his coffin as viewers pass him by and avidly now desire his paintings that encircle the room that they once rejected. The man has become a has-been and the funeral parlor the museum. Without painting I cant live, he says earlier. He didnt say without his paintings. God gave me the gift for painting, he said. Its the only gift he gave me. I am a born painter. But his gift has begotten gifts that are still-births that do not circulate and live and breathe to encourage people to find work that will not, by its very nature, [be] about violence, as Terkel said. His works, like people, have become commodities, brands to be bought and sold in a world where the accumulation of wealth is accomplished by the infliction of pain, suffering, and death on untold numbers of victims, invisible victims that allow the wealthy to maintain their bad-faith innocence. This is often achieved in the veiled shadows of intermediaries such as stock brokers, tax consultants, and financial managers; in the liberal and conservative boardrooms of mega-corporations or law offices; and in the planning sessions of the worlds great museums. Like drone killings that distance the killers from their victims, this wealth accumulation allows the wealthy to pretend they are on the side of the angels. Its called success, and everyone is innocent as they sing, Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to work we go. It is not enough to tell me you worked hard to get your gold, said Henry Thoreau, Van Goghs soul-mate. So does the Devil work hard. A few years ago there was a major exhibit of Van Goghs nature paintings at the Clark Museum in Williamstown, Massachusetts Van Gogh and Nature that aptly symbolized Van Gogh in his coffin. The paintings were exhibited encased in ornate gold frames. Van Gogh in gold. Just perfect. I am reminded of a scene in At Eternitys Gate where Vincent and Gauguin are talking about the need for a creative revolution what we sure as hell need and the two friends stand side by side with backs to the camera and piss into the wind. * But pseudo-innocence dies hard. Not long ago I was sitting in a breakfast room in a bed-and-breakfast in Houston, Texas, sipping coffee and musing myself awake. Two men came in and the three of us got to talking. As people like to say, they were nice guys. Very pleasant and talkative, in Houston on business. Normal Americans. Stressed. Both were about fifty years old with wives and children. One sold drugs for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies that is known for its very popular anti-depressant drug and its aggressive sales pitches. He travelled a triangular route from Corpus Christi to Austin to Houston and back again, hawking his wares. He spoke about his work as being very lucrative and posing no ethical dilemmas. There were so many depressed people in need of his companys drugs, he said, as if the causes of their depression had nothing to do with inequality and the sorry state of the country as the rich rip off everyone else. I thought of recommending a book to him Deadly Medicines and Organized Crime: How big pharma has corrupted health care by Peter Gotzsche but held my tongue, appreciative as I was of the small but tasteful fare we were being served and not wishing to cause my companions dyspepsia. This guy seemed to be trying to convince me of the ethical nature of the way he panned gold, while I kept thinking of that quote attributed to Mark Twain: Denial aint just a river in Egypt. The other guy, originally from a small town in Nebraska and now living in Baton Rouge, was a former medevac helicopter pilot who had served in the 1st Gulf War. He worked in finance for an equally large oil company. His attitude was a bit different, and he seemed sheepishly guilty about his work with this company as he told me how shocked he was the first time he saw so many oil, gas, and chemical plants lining the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans and all the oil and chemicals being shipped down the river. So many toxins that reminded him of the toxic black smoke rising from all the bombed oil wells in Iraq. Something about it all left him uneasy, but he too said he made a very good living and that his wife also worked for the oil company back home. Having seen At Eternitys Gate, I now see what Van Gogh was trying to tell us and Julian Schnabel conveys through this moving picture. I see why these two perfectly normal guys I was breaking bread with in Houston are unable to penetrate the screen that lies between them and reality. They have never developed the imaginative tools to go beyond normal modes of perception and conception. Or perhaps they lack the faith to dare, to see the futility and violence in what they are working for and what their companies products are doing to the world. They think of themselves as hard at work, travelling hither and yon, doing their calculations, making their living, and collecting their pay. Its their work that has a payoff in gold, but its not working in the sense that painting was for Vincent, a way beyond the screen. They are mesmerized by the spectacle, as are so many Americans. Their jobs are perfectly logical and allow them a feeling of calm and control. But Vincent, responding to Gauguin, a former stock broker, when he urged him to paint slowly and methodically, said, I need to be out of control. I dont want to calm down. He knew that to be fully alive was to be vulnerable, to not hold back, to always be slipping away, and to be threatened with annihilation at any moment. When painting, he was intoxicated with a creative joy that belies the popular image of him as always depressed. I find joy in sorrow, he said, echoing in a paradoxical way Albert Camus, who said, I have always felt that I lived on the high seas, threatened, at the heart of a royal happiness. Both rebels, one in paint, the other in words: I rebel: therefore we exist, was how Camus put it, expressing the human solidarity that is fundamental to genuine work in our ephemeral world. Both nostalgic in the present for the future, creating freedom through vision and disclosing the way for others. And although my breakfast companions felt safe in their calmness on this side of the screen, it was an illusion. The only really calm ones are corpses. And perhaps thats why when you look around, as I did as a child, you see so many of the living dead carrying on as normal. I paint to stop thinking and feel I am a part of everything inside and outside me, says Vincent, a self-described exile and pilgrim. If we could make working a form of such painting, a path to human solidarity because a mode of rebelling, what a wonderful world it might be. That, I believe, is what working is for. Edward Curtin Edward Curtin teaches sociology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. His writing on varied topics has appeared widely over many years. He writes as a public intellectual for the general public, not as a specialist for a narrow readership. He believes a non-committal sociology is an impossibility and therefore sees all his work as an effort to enhance human freedom through understanding. His website is edwardcurtin.com This author does not have any more posts. | https://off-guardian.org/2019/01/11/what-are-we-working-for-at-eternitys-gate/ |
Whos Trying To Pull A Russiagate On Netanyahu? | The narrative has suddenly sprung up that Russia is supposedly planning to meddle in Israels upcoming elections to support the incumbent, but this is nothing more than an attempt by the most pro-American factions of Israeli society and its deep state to undermine Netanyahu by replicating the Democrats Russiagate conspiracy against Trump. The latest news in Russian-Israeli relations isnt that the two are on the brink of war like Alt-Media ridiculously imagines them to be all the time but that the Mainstream Media is now asserting equally ludicrous conspiracy theories such as the claim that Russia is planning to meddle in Israels upcoming elections. This isnt just the invention of some imaginative observers wishfully thinking that itll come to pass like is the case with Alt-Media, but is an official narrative being pushed by part of Israeli society and its deep state, representing an actual example of Hybrid War being waged by them on their own people. To elaborate, the head of Israels Shin Bet security service Nadav Argaman warned on Monday that an unspecified country was planning to interfere in Aprils early elections, which was soon thereafter followed up by the leader of the left-wing opposition party Meretz thundering that we demand that the security forces ensure that Putin doesnt steal the elections for his friend, the tyrant Bibi. Its evident that there are those in Israel who feel very uncomfortable about President Putins close friendship with Netanyahu, and while some of it might be because of partisan political reasons, there are also deeper strategic influences at play. Although its taboo to acknowledge in Alt-Media, Israels permanent military, intelligence, and diplomatic bureaucracies (deep state) are divided between pro-American and pro-Russian factions at this moment, or more broadly, between those who have a stake in preserving the previous US-led world order as much as possible and those who are in favor of progressively reforming it in partnership with the Great Powers pioneering the emerging Multipolar World Order. This fault line became obvious in late 2018 after Chinas impending management of the strategic Haifa port became a hyper-politicized national security issue, for example, but it precedes that event by a few years. As it currently stands, Netanyahu is the champion of Israels multipolar rebalancing act while his political and deep state foes seem to be more aligned with the US, ergo the weaponized infowar being waged upon voters by fearmongering that Russia is going to meddle in Israels election in order to support President Putins good friend. The close comradery between the two leaders and the past three years of Mainstream Media preconditioning about Russias alleged interference in all sorts of elections across the world makes this a somewhat believable narrative to the uneducated masses. That said, the Israeli public is comparatively better educated than most others and its unclear whether theyll fall for the Russiagate conspiracy thats being manufactured ahead of their elections in order to discredit Netanyahu. There are plenty of reasons why Israelis might not vote to reelect their second-longest-serving Prime Minister in history, but the strategic alliance that he clinched with Russia probably isnt among the most prominent of them, let alone an issue that most voters probably even care about. If anything, that alliance ensures Israeli interests more than anything that the US has done for them in recent years. Its because of just how much Netanyahu has rebalanced Israeli foreign policy away from its previous dependence on the US and more towards Russia that the pro-American faction of his society and deep state are so strongly against him and are desperately trying to undercut his reelection prospects by spinning the fake news story about Russian meddling on his behalf. Therefore, the importance of the upcoming elections in the international sense is that theyll determine whether Israel stays the course in its multipolar strategic alliance with Russia or if it reverts back to being the US junior partner. DISCLAIMER: The author writes for this publication in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other media outlet or institution. | https://eurasiafuture.com/2019/01/11/whos-trying-to-pull-a-russiagate-on-netanyahu/ |
Have Sweden's politicians reached a compromise after four-month deadlock? | Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet cited sources that the Social Democrats and Green Party had reached a deal with the Centre Party and Liberals. However, even if confirmed, this does not necessarily mean all those parties would be part of a government. Sweden's system of negative parliamentarianism means a proposed government does not technically need a single vote in its favour to pass; all that is required is that a majority does not vote against it. Therefore, parties can allow a coalition to govern by abstaining from a vote, which is sometimes called 'tolerating' the government or offering 'passive support'. Social Democrat leader Stefan Lfven and Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson both presented their final reports to the speaker of parliament on Thursday, but did not give away many details in press conferences following their meetings. Both leaders simply said talks with other parties had been "constructive" and were "ongoing". The September 9th election left neither the centre-left bloc (Social Democrats, Green Party, and Left Party) nor the centre-right bloc (Moderates, Christian Democrats, Centre Party and Liberal Party) with enough support to form a government. With just one seat separating each bloc, the Centre and Liberal parties ended up in a king-maker role. During the election campaign, they had said they would not support a Social Democrat-led government but also said they would not support a government that relied on support from the far-right Sweden Democrats, while their Alliance partners (the Moderates and Christian Democrats) were prepared to form a government relying on passive support from the Sweden Democrats. According to the unconfirmed report in Aftonbladet, Lfven has offered to make concessions to the Centre Party regarding Sweden's labour law, something which the Centre Party leader Annie Lf earlier named as a topic where the parties had struggled to find common ground. If a deal has been reached between the party leaders, the next step will be to have this confirmed by each party's parliamentary group in meetings on Friday and over the weekend. Parliamentary speaker Andreas Norln has already named January 16th as the date when the next prime minister vote will be held, and said that he will announce the candidate on Monday. If that vote is unsuccessful, a fourth vote will happen on January 23rd. If parliament fails to elect a prime minister, Sweden will need to hold a snap election no more than three months after the fourth and final vote, according to election rules. | https://www.thelocal.se/20190111/have-swedens-politicians-reached-a-compromise-after-four-month-deadlock |
Is Oprah Winfrey Godmother to Beyonce's Daughter Blue Ivy Carter? | Blue Ivy Carter really is going to live her best life. On Wednesday and Thursday, another rumor about Beyonce and Jay-Z's infant daughter blazed the web: That the couple chose pal Oprah Winfrey to be Blue's godmother. PHOTO: Beyonce's bikini body When asked by Us Weekly about the story, a rep for Beyonce declined to comment. Kathy Griffin, however, did have a comment. Oprah is Blue Ivy's godmother???" the comedienne tweeted Thursday. "Gwyneth must b PISSED." PHOTOS: Oprah's most memorable moments Beyonce, 30, and Jay-Z, 42, are close pals with Gwyneth Paltrow (she was among the first to tweet about Blue's birth) and well as Winfrey, 57. Hip hop gossip site MediaTakeOut first reported the supposed news, adding that Jay-Z's BFF Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith was named godfather. PHOTOS: Beyonce's over-the-top pregnancy style Blue Ivy was born in NYC on Jan. 7. "She is so beautiful," Beyonce's Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland recently gushed. The first-time mom has yet to emerge in public since giving birth. Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly | https://www.wonderwall.com/entertainment/is-oprah-winfrey-godmother-to-beyonces-daughter-blue-ivy-carter-1663895.article |
Can Mzwanele Manyi get into the national Parliament? | Mzwanele Manyi during the announcement on the shareholding of his company Lodidox on August 30, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Transformation activist and Gupta lieutenant Mzwanele Manyi has joined a well-funded small party started in October 2018 by a former DA leader, Vuyo Zungula, who is its president. Zungula is telegenic and ambitious, but little-known, and he has obviously brought Manyi on board for brand power. The African Transformation Movement (ATM) is a small party which is Christian in its outlook, disaffected in its membership and modern in its early media. The party has an active Facebook page and it plays on Instagram and on Twitter, although with low follower numbers on each platform. Reports since its formation in October 2018 have linked it to churches in KwaZulu-Natal which support former President Jacob Zuma. Zungula moved from the DA to his start-up and commentators have suggested that it includes members of the ANC in North West who are aligned to the axed former premier Supra Mahumapelo, a man who made a fortune in office and who is extremely aggrieved at his loss of power. The bar to entry into politics in SA is cheap: an IEC party national registration fee is only R500 and you need about 500 signatures to register as well as a Gazette regulation. The ATM has jumped these entry hurdles easily. The tougher part will be getting into office. While reports show that you need an estimated 50,000 votes to get a seat in the national Parliament, the permutations are complex. From the last national election in 2014, it shows that the Pan African Congress (PAC) and its breakaway, the African Peoples Convention (APC), won a seat each with 37,000 and 30,000 votes apiece. The rest of the small parties which registered and contested nationally failed: a total of 16 parties contested but did not get into power. There are nine parties with single digit seats in the national Parliament they can be classified as microparties. The big four in the national Parliament are the governing ANC (62.15% in 2014), the DA (22.23%), the EFF (6.35%) and the IFP (2.4%). To get into Parliament, Manyi will have to work extremely hard: Zungula is likely to head the party list with Manyi in the second position, which means it will need at least 52,000 votes to get two national seats. DM Support DAILY MAVERICK & get FREE UBER vouchers every month An increasingly rare commodity, quality independent journalism costs money, though not nearly as much as its absence can cost global community. No country can live and prosper without truth - that's why it matters. Every Daily Maverick article and every Scorpio expos is proof of our dedication to this unshakeable mission. Investing in our news media is by far the most effective investment into South Africa's future. You can support Independent and Investigative journalism by joining Maverick Insider. If you contribute R150 or more per month you will receive R100 back in UBER vouchers. EVERY MONTH until October 2019. So, if you'd like to help and do something meaningful for yourself and your country, then sign up to become a Maverick Insider. Together we can Defend Truth. | https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-01-10-can-mzwanele-manyi-get-into-the-national-parliament/ |
Is the money held in my mum's joint bank account with my late nan subject to IHT? | My mother has a joint bank account with my grandmother who unfortunately passed away a couple of months ago. Markus, via email Joint bank accounts that are owned between parents and their children could be subject to IHT Myron Jobson, of This is Money, replies: This is a good question as joint accounts are common, though mostly between spouses. The inheritance tax rules are different for parents leaving wealth to their children, and it's more likely that the tax will apply in these cases where an estate exceeds the inheritance tax-free threshold. We've asked a chartered financial planner to give you an idea of the different considerations. Ray Black, managing director of chartered financial advisory firm Money Minder Financial Services, writes: With a joint bank account, when one of the account holders dies, the surviving account holder inherits the deceased's share of the money and gains complete control of the account. Leaving money to charity can help to reduce the amount of your IHT bill , says Ray Black of Money Minder Financial Services Whether IHT is payable is dependent on two main points: The relationship between the deceased owner and the surviving owner The amount of money involved and the size of the deceased owner's estate In the case of joint accounts owned between a married couple or partners in a civil partnership, no inheritance tax would be payable, irrespective of the amounts involved, thanks to the spouse exemption rules. However, this is NOT the case for joint accounts that are owned between parents and their children. If the value of the deceased parents estate is over 325,000, IHT may be payable at a standard rate of 40 per cent on the amount above that figure. Only half the value of the joint account will be taken in to account when calculating the size of the deceased parents estate as the other half was, in legal terms, considered to be the surviving owners money already. In your specific example, its very important to know that if all of the money in that account originally came from your grandmother and it was less than seven years ago that the money was effectively gifted to the child. In other words, you need to figure out when your mother was added to the joint account or when the money was paid in to the account from your grandmother's other assets. But a further IHT tax exemption may also apply Having said that, the first 325,000 of an individuals estate is exempt from inheritance tax anyway, and a further exemption that allows an individual to pass on some or all of the value of their main residence free of inheritance tax (called the residence nil rate band) may also be available. Currently, thats worth an extra 125,000 per person, however, on 6 April 2019 it goes up to 150,000 and then increases to 175,000 on 6 April 2020. The residence nil rate band is only valid when the property was the main residence of the deceased and when the person(s) inheriting the property are direct descendants (ie. children, step-children and grandchildren). The nil rate band allowances are transferable for married couples and those in a civil partnership which means that at present up to 900,000 can be passed on free of inheritance tax. In 2020, it will rise to 1million, made up of two parents' allowances of 325,000 each plus two times 175,000. It's half this amount for single people. Finally, although the standard rate of inheritance tax payable is 40 per cent of the amount above the relevant nil rate bands available, for those who leave at least 10 per cent of the net value of their estate to charity, the rate of inheritance tax payable reduces from 40 per cent to 36 per cent. There are no limits to the amount someone can leave to charity so this could help to reduce the amount of inheritance tax payable significantly. Make sure you've got the basics covered before starting inheritance tax planning. Read a This is Money guide to sorting out a will here. Myron Jobson adds: Your mother's position will become clearer once the value of your grandmother's estate is known. Assuming your grandmother left a will, the executor is responsible for calculating the value of the estate - which takes into account money, property and possessions - and informing the taxman. Some people choose to hire a solicitor who specialises in probate to help with some or all of the tasks involved with valuing an estate. If you are privy to your grandmother's finances, you could get a rough idea of what the IHT tax bill might look like by using our IHT calculator. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/wealthcheck/article-6565421/Is-money-held-mums-joint-bank-account-late-nan-subject-IHT.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 |
Where do bullets go when guns are fired straight up into the air? | Stray bullets resulting from firing a gun in the air can be lethal. David De Lossy/Photodisc/ Getty Images The saying "What goes up must come down" is an appropriate starting point. If you fire a gun into the air, the bullet will travel up to a mile high (depending on the angle of the shot and the power of the gun). Once it reaches its apogee, the bullet will fall. Air resistance limits its speed, but bullets are designed to be fairly aerodynamic, so the speed is still quite lethal if the bullet happens to hit someone. In rural areas, the chance of hitting someone is remote because the number of people is low. In crowded cities, however, the probability rises dramatically, and people get killed quite often by stray bullets. Most major cities have laws in place to try to keep people from shooting guns into the air in celebration. Related HowStuffWorks Articles More Great Links | https://science.howstuffworks.com/question281.htm |
What is Duck Architecture? | Dave Longaberger wasnt an architect when he conceived one of Americas uncanniest structuresa seven-story office building shaped like a giant picnic basketbut nothing could deter him from erecting it. If they can put a man on the moon, he contended, they can certainly build a building thats shaped like a basket. As it turned out, Longaberger was right. In 1997, the headquarters of his eponymous basket company opened its doors, its form mimicking Longaberger Co.s best-selling Medium Market Basket, right down to its arched handles and shiny, imitation-brass tag. The Longaberger Co. building is one of many structures worldwide that plainly reveal their functionor a product they hawkvia their design. In Queensland, Australia, youll find a tropical fruit store in the form of a towering pineapple; in Meitan, China, a tea museum is housed within a 242-foot-tall teapot; and in Bailey, Colorado, a diner specializing in hot dogs takes the form of a mustard- and relish-slathered frankfurter. | https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-quirky-endearing-tradition-duck-architecture |
Why Is Co-Producer Rajkumar Hirani's Name Missing From Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga New Posters? | Anil Kapoor- Sonam Kapoor starrer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is touted to be one of the most awaited films of this year since it brings the real life father-daughter duo together on reel for the first time. The trailer too received appaluses from all nooks and corners for portraying the 'most unexpected romance of this season' in a likable way. ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE! Emraan Hashmi: Biopics Often End Up As A Caricature Of Who The Actual Person Is Soon, the title song of the film released which too won everyone's hearts. As the release date of the film is inching closer, the makers have been dropping new posters to add more to our curiosity levels. While we were checking them out, we found something which caught our attention. We noticed that co-producer Rajkumar Hirani's name has been dropped from the recently-released new posters. Have a look at them here- Meanwhile, here's the first character poster which was unveiled in July last year. This has left us wondering if the 'Sanju' director is no longer associated with this film! Looks like we will have to wait for sometime to know the inside details. Coming back to Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, the film marks the directorial debut of Shelly Dhar Chopra. Talking about casting Anil and Sonam in the film, she was quoted as saying by PTI, "Being a father and daughter as they are, it was a perfect combination for me and fortunately they agreed on the script. It's their first film together. "They are both professionals and great actors. Somewhere it helps if you are father and daughter in real life. It definitely helped the film." Without divulging much about the movie, which its trailer hints at a commentary on homosexuality and how a family deals with it, the director said the story has multiple layers to it. "I don't want to say anything more because I want you all to enjoy the film. It's a story about love and relationship," she added. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga also stars Rajkummar Rao and Juhi Chawla and is slated to release on 1st February, 2019. | https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/news/2019/co-producer-rajkumar-hirani-name-missing-from-ek-ladki-ko-dekha-toh-aisa-laga-new-posters-281408.html?utm_source=/rss/filmibeat-fb.xml&utm_medium=23.50.225.204&utm_campaign=client-rss |
Was steckt hinter den Mutproben im Netz? | Hier kostenlos registrieren Zugang erwerben Einzel-Pass Zugriff auf diesen Artikel Zahlart whlen einmalig 0,49 Per Handy bezahlen Tages-Pass 24 Stunden Zugriff auf Rhein-Zeitung.de Zahlart whlen einmalig 1,00 Per Handy bezahlen Per PayPal bezahlen Monats-Pass 30 Tage Zugriff auf Rhein-Zeitung.de Zahlart whlen einmalig 11,90 Per Handy bezahlen Per PayPal bezahlen Jahres-Pass 12 Monate Zugriff auf Rhein-Zeitung.de und RZmobil-App Zahlart whlen monatlich 10,90 Per Lastschrift bezahlen Digital-Abo 4 Wochen Zugriff auf Rhein-Zeitung.de, RZmobil-App, E-Paper und E-Paper-App Zahlart whlen 29,00 monatlich zum Testen 0 29,00 Per Lastschrift bezahlen Um einen Zugang zu erwerben muss JavaScript aktiviert sein. Alle Angebote im berblick. Wir helfen gerne weiter: Telefonisch unter 0261/9836-2000 oder per E-Mail an: [email protected] | https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/startseite_artikel,-was-steckt-hinter-den-mutproben-im-netz-_arid,1920746.html |
How has Andy Murray's hip injury brought him to the brink of retirement? | Since the week before the start of Wimbledon in 2017, Murray has been plagued by a worsening hip problem. Murray has never elaborated on the specifics of the injury, but has admitted it is a long-standing problem and that he had been consulting Dr John ODonnell, one of the worlds leading hip surgeons, about the issue since 2008. "I have a severely damaged right hip," he said yesterday. "Having the operation last year was to give it the best possible chance of being better. I have been playing with hip pain for years, it wasnt like it just started after the French Open against Stan [Wawrinka]. I just didnt recover from that match and it pushed me over the edge." If the internal lining of Murray's hip joint which is known as the articular cartilage is badly damaged, the prognosis is not optimistic. ODonnell revealed to BBC Radio Five Live a fortnight ago that it wasn't really at a stage where we could attempt to make his hip normal. It was just to try and make it as much better as we could. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2019/01/11/has-andy-murrays-hip-injury-brought-brink-retirement/ |
Can a Church Founded in 1677 Survive the 21st Century? | [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] The stone church has been in Brooklyn for almost 200 years, and it was easy to tell. The floor creaked under worshipers feet as they made their way to a pew, and a plaque in the vestibule commemorated past members who had fought in the Great War. Many who gathered for a recent Sunday morning service had been part of the congregation of New Utrecht Reformed Church for decades. Still, as they sang and prayed and wandered the aisles to offer peace to one another, many felt like they were acclimating themselves to the sanctuary. They had been locked out for some 15 years, as a renovation project swelled into an epic overhaul. They have only been allowed back inside to worship in recent weeks. Welcome to Gods house, the Rev. E.J. Emerson, the churchs pastor, said at the start of the service. The sanctuary was new to her, too. She had arrived six years ago, and until now, the space had been filled with scaffolding and tools. She had led services in a hall next door. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/nyregion/new-utrecht-reformed-church.html |
What if Cities Are No Longer the Land of Opportunity for Low-Skilled Workers? | Other research Mr. Autor is conducting with Juliette Fournier, an M.I.T. doctoral student, suggests that the densest urban counties have become so appealing to prime-age workers that theyre now less likely to move away at life stages when previous generations have retreated to the suburbs, like when children arrive. Policymakers have suggested that low-skilled workers head to the same places where college-educated workers are growing wealthy, like New York and the Bay Area (although many have argued that high housing costs and strict land-use regulation in these places block lower-income workers from opportunity). The Harvard economist Ed Glaeser, whose work has long championed the benefits of cities, argues that they could still offer advantages to low-skilled workers because of high unemployment in many rural communities. Perhaps the kinds of low-skilled jobs that major metros offer are the same as those in smaller towns but such jobs are a lot easier to find in big cities. Low-skilled workers may also find opportunities in cities that dont come in the form of higher wages. They could come from the availability of nonprofits and social services, or of training programs, or from better access to health care and public transit. And there are other ways to measure opportunity in a community, like whether it enables poor children to get ahead. The wage pattern Mr. Autor describes looks novel to many economists in part because he has taken a well-recognized divergence in the labor market between the boom in highly paid jobs for college graduates and the growth of low-paid service-sector work and mapped it onto the country, by population density. But other scholars have been studying pieces of this picture for some time. The sociologist William Julius Wilson has documented the disappearance of precisely the kinds of urban jobs Mr. Autor describes. Mr. Wilson said in an email that he was not surprised by the pattern in Mr. Autors analysis, adding that these middle-skilled jobs once offered not just higher wages but also union benefi ts, retirement, paid vacation and some sense of stabi lity. Low-skille d jobs in the service industry and retail that have replaced that work seldom offer those benefits. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/upshot/big-cities-low-skilled-workers-wages.html |
What do people care about most when theyre on their deathbed? | Now I know this sounds like a bit of a heavy thing to talk about, but its actually not so much the dying its about the living, says Ross Greenwood. Palliative Care Australia President Doctor Jane Fisher says most people wont talk about their feelings because they dont want to be a burden. Unfortanley we live in a bit of a society where we actually dont encourage people to talk about death, talk about what it is thats really important to them. Often theres really practical things that people are worrying about in terms of finances, work and once again, if we dont talk about it, we cant help to try and resolve some of those things. Click PLAY below to hear the full interview | https://www.3aw.com.au/what-do-people-care-about-most-when-theyre-on-their-deathbed/ |
What Type of Dividend ETFs Are Winning in 2013? | It is not unreasonable to say that many income investors already know that 2013 is shaping up to be a fine year on the dividend growth front. For example, the U.S. dividend stream in cash terms currently stands at $342 billion, above the $329 billion seen in late November and well above the prior peak of $288 billion in November 2007, according to recent research from ETF sponsor WisdomTree. Continue Reading Below With the number of dividend ETFs proliferating at a rapid clip, investors face myriad choices. And while abundant choice can be viewed as a good thing, not all dividend ETFs are created the same, leaving investors to ponder which funds are best suited for their individual investment objectives. Among dividend ETFs, a familiar choice investors face is choosing between those funds that use length of dividend increase as the primary screening criteria and rival ETFs that use an alternative methodology. Other dividend ETF weighting methodologies currently include weighting by yield or dividends paid in cash terms. Here is a look at the total returns, including paid dividends, of some of the most popular U.S.-focused dividend ETFs this year. Heading into the start of trading Monday, the top-performing major dividend ETF was the SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (NYSE:SDY). SDY, is the second-largest dividend ETF by assets under management, with over $10.8 billion. Home to 86 stocks, SDY tracks the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index (SPHYDATR), which requires constituent companies to have raised dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. SDY allocates over 19 percent of its weight to the consumer staples sector and does an admirable job of spreading its weight around as its largest holding receives an allocation of just 3.12 percent. Familiar top-10 holdings include AT&T (NYSE:T), Clorox (NYSE:CLX) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). Overall, it is hard to argue with the fact that SDY has jumped 12.8 percent this year. Advertisement Two other ETFs that use dividend increase as their primary screening metric have also performed well this year. The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSE:VIG) is the largest dividend ETF by assets and tracks an index that requires a minimum of 10 years of boosted payouts. The PowerShares Dividend Achievers Portfolio (NYSE:PFM) also has a the decade minimum of higher dividends for its constituents. VIG is up nearly 10 percent year-to-date while PFM has returned 10.6 percent. Looking at PFM, since it is arguably the unheralded member of this trio, the ETF has nearly $286 million in assets and an expense ratio of 0.6 percent, well above the fees on SDY (0. 35 percent) and VIG (0.13 percent). PFM is another staples-heavy play as it allocates 24.7 percent to that sector. The ETF also features eight Dow stocks among its top-10 holdings with PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP) and Abbott Labs (NYSE:ABT) being the exceptions. Turning to some dividend ETFs that do things a little bit differently, the WisdomTree Equity Income Fund (NYSE:DHS) has climbed 11.4 percent this year while being less volatile than all three of the aforementioned competitors. DHS tracks an index that includes "securities ranking in the highest 30% by dividend yield are selected for inclusion. The index is dividend weighted annually to reflect the proportionate share of the aggregate cash dividends each component company is projected to pay in the coming year, based on the most recently declared dividend per share," according to WisdomTree. DHS charges 0.38 percent per year and features many of the same holdings as PFM, SDY and VIG. However, DHS has an advantage over those funds because it pays a monthly dividend. That is good news for retirees looking for monthly income or those income investors looking to put the power of compounding to work for themselves faster. In what is perhaps a surprise given the solid performance of the financial services sector this year, the WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund (NYSE:DTN) checks in with a year-to-date gain of almost 11 percent while also being less volatile than SDY and VIG. DTN, which also charges 0.38 percent per year and also features a monthly dividend, has one way of making up for the rally in bank stocks and restoration of that sector's dividends. The ETF's second-largest sector weight is technology at 13.15 percent. In dollar terms, technology is now the largest dividend sector in the U.S. and the one many analysts to be a primary driver of dividend growth going forward due to the strong balance sheets at many large-cap U.S. technology firms. For those wondering, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is not a member of DTN's 85-stock lineup. The PowerShares High Yield Equity Dividend Achievers Portfolio (NYSE:PEY) cannot be ignored. The $307 million fund tracks an index that "is comprised of 50 stocks selected principally on the basis of dividend yield and consistent growth in dividends," according to the issuer. Focusing on yield means PEY has a 30-day SEC of 4.22 percent, by far the best in the group mentioned here. It is also the second-best year-to-date performer behind SDY with a gain of 12.2 percent. PEY also pays a monthly dividend, but there is a trade-off. The ETF's yield bias and a 52.5 percent weight to small-caps means PEY is easily the most volatile fund mentioned here. For more on dividend ETFs, click here. (c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. | https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/what-type-of-dividend-etfs-are-winning-in-2013 |
Are these the patents Google bought Moto for? | Some of the patents that Google will own when it acquires Motorola have been detailed, and shows some pretty key tech for mobiles. One of the most salient is that controlling proximity sensors, or as Bloomberg puts it: 'disabling a "touch sensitive" sensor when a smartphone is near a user's head to prevent inadvertent hang-ups or dialing'. Also on board is the patent controlling the ability to send GPS coordinates over a data network to allow user location - something that's becoming a real hot topic as geo-based social networking offers an advertising goldmine. Other patents noted include data packet transmission and 4G technology management, both of which are likely to be fundamental both now and in the future as mobile use continues to explode. Big hitters According to the article 18 patents, out of the 17,000-odd Google has picked up, will help strengthen the position of Android against the likes of Microsoft and Apple, and has already been enough to push RIM into a cross-licensing deal. The patent wars are set to continue for a good long while, with the big names like HTC, Microsoft and Google likely to keep buying up important IP to help stop impending law suits. The ideal scenario for the consumer is a multitude of cross-licensing deals - each company won't sue the other if each could accuse the other of infringement, and that means the cost of paying royalties won't be passed on to users. Sadly, this patent rumble looks like it's going trundle on for a while, so stick around as we attempt to pick through the reams of suits and counter-suits. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/are-these-the-patents-google-bought-moto-for-995558 |
Where will Norfolk and Suffolks property hotspots be in 2019? | Highfield House in Shotesham All Saints, south Norfolk, is for sale for 650,000 and is just seven miles south of Norwich city centre. Find out where Norfolk and Suffolks property hotspots are likely to be as told by the experts. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. Kirkley Cliff Road in Pakefield, south Lowestoft, is for sale at 695,000. Picture: CONTRIBUTED Kirkley Cliff Road in Pakefield, south Lowestoft, is for sale at 695,000. Picture: CONTRIBUTED If youre thinking of moving this year, then you might be wondering where the property hotspots are likely to be across Norfolk and Suffolk. We spoke to the experts to find out. Dan Crawley, residential director, Aldreds: Bradwell is a real property hotspot. At Aldreds, Bradwell is covered by our Gorleston office and we are always busy listing and selling properties in this popular village. Favoured by families and retirees alike, it offers a great mix of property and good access to shops, amenities and transport links. This house in popular King's Drive, Bradwell, is for sale at 339,995. Picture: CONTRIBUTED This house in popular King's Drive, Bradwell, is for sale at 339,995. Picture: CONTRIBUTED There are also many exciting small, medium-sized and large developments coming on stream in 2019, including the final stages of Kings Drive. Jen Lytton, associate, Ange & Co: Pakefield is situated south of Lowestoft and has an unspoiled village feel yet is also accessible, thanks to the A12. This road has connections to the towns of Lowestoft, Beccles and Southwold, along with the cities of Norwich and London. The area boasts a thriving community, complete with St Marys Catholic Primary School, places of worship, shops, restaurants and pubs. It also benefits from beautiful Kensington Gardens, tennis courts, bowling, a boating lake and, of course, award-winning Lowestoft beach. Pakefield has always been a popular location and we do not foresee 2019 being any different. Tom Clay, branch manager, Property Ladder: I think the outlying areas of Norwich, bordering on to the Northern Distributor Road (NDR), will be the most exciting places for property in Norfolk in 2019. There is talk of a lot of infill building along the route. More than transforming any one of the villages along it, I think what we currently think of as the suburbs of the city will be changed. It will be very interesting to read what planning applications are made next year on the land. Quite literally, watch this space. Neil Russell, area manager, Musker McIntyre: In 2019, we expect there to be great activity in the market town areas of the south Norfolk and Suffolk area, which are covered by our seven offices. These are exciting times to be in and around thriving towns such as Loddon, Beccles and Bungay, which are all close to the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads that meander through our region. These market towns, which also include Harleston, Halesworth and Diss, have so much to offer you can be close to amenities or you can hide away in a countryside location, but wherever you purchase you wont be far from a friendly local community. Norwich, where we have an office on St Giles Street, will also remain popular. Steeped in history and with its beautiful architecture, it offers all the entertainment, shopping and variety a person would want on their doorstep. Bryan Baxter, director and auctioneer, Auction House East Anglia: My thoughts will vary from those of others because auctions are a different segment. Firstly, from an investors angle, it is all about yields and income plus longer term growth. Rents are currently rising faster than prices and that will likely remain the case in 2019. I think that east coast properties, particularly Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, will be in demand. They will represent a lower outlay and higher yield than in most other areas. Generally, landlords make more profit by holding more property, so purchasing at lower prices is helpful. In addition, with a larger portfolio with lower risk, you will benefit from economies of scale and probably longer tenancies, and you will be less at risk from vacant periods. On the other hand, those refurbishing will be more active in the main population centres. Purchasers who are refurbishing to rent might prefer to be looking at east coast stock. Those refurbishing and wishing to re-sell will be attracted to auction lots in Norwich and larger towns, where there is strong employment and where owner-occupiers want to live. | https://www.edp24.co.uk/edp-property/find-out-where-the-property-hotspots-will-be-in-norfolk-and-suffolk-in-2019-1-5848115 |
What time does The Greatest Dancer start tonight and how long is the series on for? | The video will start in 8 Cancel Get celebs 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 Its been hyped for what feels like forever but the show is finally here The Greatest Dancer started this month. Former Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy, Strictly Come Dancings Oti Mabuse and singer-songwriter and dancer Matthew Morrison are all on the panel of stars watching the dancers auditions. The hosts are Britains Got Talents Alesha Dixon and Diversitys Jordan Banjo who will introduce the dancers and show each week. Theres a 50,000 prize for the eventual winner, so the stakes are high. The Beeb will be hoping their new talent show venture has what it takes to beat ITVs singing contest, The Voice because they air at roughly the same time this weekend. Heres what you need to know about the The Greatest Dancer and how long its on for. (Image: BBC/Syco/Thames/Tom Dymond) The Greatest Dancer launched on Saturday January 5 at 8pm until 9.10pm. It will continue to air every Saturday evening for another eight episodes. The show's format means the auditions take place behind a mirror. If the audience like them enough they vote for them to go through to the next round. It will be available on BBCiPlayer for those who want to catch up. The series will run for eight episodes (seven weeks) and so the last episode, when the winner is crowned, will be Saturday February 23. | https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/greatest-dancer-cheryl-time-tonight-13812859 |
Who can replace Andy Murray? | Andy Murrays imminent retirement will leave a gaping hole in British tennis after he competed at the top of the game for the last decade. Here, Press Association Sport looks at the candidates who will be charged with filling the Scots large shoes. Kyle Edmund Edmund has been carrying the hopes of a nation in Murrays absence and will now continue to do so, having already made waves in the mens game. He got to the Australian Open semi-final last year and also closed in on the top 10 after winning his first ATP Tour title. He has the game to compete at the top, with a forehand which is as big a weapon as anyone else on the tour has, but must make some improvements if he is to reach the level of his idol Murray. Cameron Norrie Norrie, a South Africa-born Briton, has made a name for himself over the last 12 months as he has become established on the ATP Tour. Aged 23, he is ranked inside the top 100 and has just reached his first Tour-level final at the ASB Classic in New Zealand. He is on an upward trajectory and is comfortable on most surfaces. Jay Clarke Clarke has impressed Murray when the pair have practised together in the past. Aged 20, Clarkes progress has stuttered slightly after some impressive results on the Futures Tour, but he still has the potential to be a fine player. His physicality is a strong point and he is also an impressive doubles player. Jack Draper Jack Draper was the runner-up in he Wimbledon boys tournament last summer (Steven Paston/PA) The son of former LTA chief Roger, Draper is a huge prospect for British tennis. The 17-year-old left-hander is making good headway on the junior circuit, reaching the final of Wimbledon boys tournament last summer and becoming the youngest Briton to win a title on the Futures Tour since a certain Scot from Dunblane. The next few years, which will require significant physical development, will be crucial but he has potential to be a fine player. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-6581169/Who-replace-Andy-Murray.html |
Are age-based funds protecting U.S. investors close to retirement? | CHICAGO (Reuters) - (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) One of the biggest trends in retirement saving over the past decade has been the shift to target date funds - broadly diversified mutual fund products that automatically adjust the blend of stocks and bonds as your retirement date approaches. The idea is to reduce the risk of big losses as your expected retirement age gets close. I asked Morningstar to analyze the six most popular target date funds (TDFs) dated for 2020 - the closest fit for people about to retire. In a year when the S&P 500 Index was down 4.38 percent (on a total return basis, which includes dividends), three of the top six TDFs did a bit better than the market, while the other three performed slightly worse. But all of them were down. Not at all. Rather, they reflect differing investment philosophies among the fund management companies about the blend of stocks and bonds appropriate for investors close to retirement. But the results underscore that it is critical for TDF investors to understand what these funds are meant to do - and what they are not. Its important to remember that TDFs are not a guarantee of positive return over the short-term, said Jeff Holt, director of multi-asset and alternative strategies at Morningstar. The most important part for a retirement investor is to really understand what they are getting - that they are handing over their assets to a fund manager who creates a diversified portfolio for them. TDFs have grown rapidly in recent years, and more than half of 401(k) participants use them, according to the Investment Company Institute. The typical TDF invests in domestic and international equities, large and small companies and a range of fixed-income offerings. That diversification has value for the typical retirement investor, especially as the TDF fees have fallen. Morningstar reports that the average asset-weighted expense ratio for these funds fell to 0.66 percent at the end of 2017 (the most recent year of available data), down from 0.91 percent five years earlier. But TDFs do not protect against market basics. Stocks will have good and bad years - and 2018 was bad for most asset classes. Global stocks were down 14.20 percent (Morgan Stanley Capital International All Country World Index Ex-U.S.); small-cap equities were down 10 percent (Russell 2500 TR USD) and it was a weak year for bonds, too. The only strong category was domestic large cap stocks - that aforementioned 4.38 percent drop in the S&P 500 Index actually was a relative bright spot. Market volatility poses important risks for people starting to draw down funds at the time of a big drop, especially in the first five years of retirement. Retirement researchers call this sequence of return risk. The biggest losses to lifetime retirement income hit when markets perform poorly early in retirement - the loss of all the compound earnings after that point really takes a toll. If it happens within seven years of your retirement, it can be very tough to recover, said Dirk Cotton, founder of JDC Planning. If youre outside that range, sequence of returns risk diminishes with time. CLOSER LOOK AT THE TOP SIX Among the funds Morningstar analyzed, differing investment philosophies explain the varying 2018 performance last year. Here they are, ranked from worst to best performance compared with the S&P 500 last year, with brief comments from the fund companies: JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2020 R6JP (-5.30 percent) weights its TDF more heavily than most to international developed and emerging market equities, and extended fixed income, such as high yield and emerging market debt. Fidelity Freedom 2020 K (-5.16 percent) uses a more aggressive glide path; while some funds reach their most conservative allocation on the target date, the Fidelity fund does so 19 years after the target date. T. Rowe Price Retirement 2020 (-4.82 percent) underperformed last year due to its market-cap and geographic diversification within equities. In addition to large-cap equities, the fund also invests in small- and mid-cap stocks as well as international equities, among others, a spokesman said. Small-, mid-cap, and international equities all underperformed large-cap equities during the year. Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund (-4.21 percent): The Vanguard fund also has a very large fixed-income position - about 47 percent of the total portfolio, and 40 percent of its equity exposure is outside the United States. BlackRock LifePath Index 2020 K (-3.96 percent): Blackrock takes a more risk-averse approach close to the target date, with its largest allocation to high quality fixed income. Capital Groups American Funds 2020 Target Date Retirement R6 (-2.69 percent): During the quarter, the funds emphasis on dividend paying equities provided downside resilience; it also had less exposure to global stocks than its fund peers. Of course, what is up this year could be down next year. Said Cotton: The issue isnt really whether your portfolio will earn an average 8 percent a year over time, but when the bad years will occur. | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-column-miller-funds/are-age-based-funds-protecting-u-s-investors-close-to-retirement-idUSKCN1P515V?feedType=RSS&feedName=PersonalFinance&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fwealth+%28Reuters+Wealth+News%29 |
Who gets blamed for a government shutdown? | Now that the partial shutdown of the federal government has become the longest in American history, and with no end in sight as President Donald Trump and House Democrats dig in over his proposal for a border wall, it's worth revisiting who is likely to pay a political price. Who would own the shutdown has been a point of contention between the two parties. In early December during a televised Oval Office meeting about the shutdown, Trump said, "I'll tell you what, I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck. So, I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it." Bill Clinton Budget deficits Business, economy and trade Donald Trump Economy and economic indicators Federal budget Federal budget deficit Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government budgets Government organizations - US Political Figures - US Political organizations Political platforms and issues Politics Public debt Public finance US Congress US Democratic Party US federal government US federal government shutdowns US political parties US Republican Party White House US House of Representatives Schumer has seized on that declaration by Trump even as the President has sought more recently to shift blame to Democrats. "The President made clear he wants a shutdown," said Schumer after the meeting. And a shutdown we've got. Starting with the mid-1990s clashes between President Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich's Republican majority in Congress, there have been seven government shutdowns or close calls that were the subject of polling. While each situation was unique, Republicans have been blamed for most of them, although Democrats took the blame for the most recent, a short affair back in January, even though Republicans controlled the House, Senate and White House at the time. The President hasn't been blamed in any of the previous shutdowns. The shutdowns in late 1995 and 1995-96 were clearly blamed on the Republicans, who controlled the House and Senate at the time even though a Democrat, Clinton, was in the White House. There was a partial shutdown in November 1995 and a full shutdown from December of 1995 into January 1996. Seven polls were conducted prior to, during and after those shutdowns asking who was to blame -- Clinton or the Republicans in Congress -- for their lack of compromise. A plurality of respondents said Republicans were more to blame than Clinton in every single poll. Between 43% and 51% blamed Republicans and between 25% and 34% blamed Clinton, depending on the poll. In 1998, the government almost shut down when Clinton and the Republicans struggled to find compromise on a budget deal. Only one poll was taken on the possible shutdown, by Gallup/CNN/USA Today, and 56% of Americans said they would blame the Republican leaders in Congress if the government had to shut down. Fast-forward to the next Democratic President, Barack Obama, who was working with a Republican-controlled House and a Democratic-led Senate. After days of budget battles in Congress, a shutdown was avoided at the last minute in 2011. Thirty-seven percent said in an NBC/WSJ poll that they would blame the Republicans in Congress over Democrats in Congress (20%) or Obama (20%). A shutdown in 2013 and near-shutdown in 2015 tell similar stories. In the six polls that asked who would be blamed for the 16-day shutdown in 2013, more people -- between 38% and 53% -- attributed the blame to the Republicans in Congress. In 2015, when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate, two polls found the blame would go to Republicans and one poll showed a torn public, with some blaming Republicans and some blaming Obama and the Democrats. While these shutdowns (or close calls) all carry the blame for Republicans, they also share similar circumstances. In 1995, 1996, 1998, 2011, 2013 and 2015, there was a Democratic president in the White House and at least one chamber of Congress controlled by the Republican Party (in four cases, both chambers were controlled by Republicans). So while this could be about blaming Republicans, the shutdown in 2018 shows it may be about blaming the opposite party of the President. In early 2018, Democrats, despite holding neither chamber of Congress nor the White House, caused a brief shutdown over the plight of the children of undocumented immigrants Trump had stripped of protected status. Seven polls asked who should be or was going to be blamed for the shutdown. Three polls were torn between blaming Republicans and Democrats, two found a plurality who attributed responsibility to the Republicans, one poll went for the Democrats and one was torn between Democrats and Trump. So Americans seemed to blame everyone that time around. Fewer blamed Trump (between 16% and 31%) than Democrats (between 29% and 34%), but both parties were, in the end, held responsible for the gridlock that caused a shutdown. But that's a change from the past four almost or actual shutdowns. The showdown is over Trump's demand for funding for his wall at the border with Mexico, and Democrats are balking at additional border security money because they say more than $1 billion allocated in January was not entirely spent. Trump holds the presidency, but Democrats newly hold the majority in the House. This blame could be placed on the Democrats, as the opposing party to the President (and would fit with the 1998-2015 trend) or it could be seen as everyone's fault (fitting with the shutdown in early 2018). | https://www.wthitv.com/content/national/504205112.html?ref=112 |
Could The 2019 Oscars Have No Host? | The Academy been fighting declining viewing figures for the Oscars for years at this point, releasing old producers and introducing edgier and younger hosts. However, one change seems to have been forced upon them, with the production team apparently now resigned to having no host for the upcoming Oscars ceremony. After the ongoing speculation over Kevin Hart who was appointed as host back in December but forced to quit three days later when old homophobic tweets re-emerged seems to have gone nowhere, and with just six weeks to go, producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss are now looking elsewhere and basing their ceremony on having a rotating cast of hosts. Top of their wishlist is the cast of Marvels Avengers, a couple of months ahead of the release of the franchises next and apparently final instalment Endgame, according to Variety. The 2013 ceremony actually featured a dry run for such an event, with Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L Jackson together on stage. If ABC, the network in question, call pull it off, this format may be a success. Audiences have long complained about the political rhetoric that can make up much of the ceremony. However, the last time the Oscars didnt have a host was 1989, which featured a legendarily disastrous 11-minute song medley in place of the opening monologue. More: Kevin Hart involved in serious airplane scare after tyre on private plane blows on landing The production team is in this situation after actor and comedian Hart had announced back in December that it was an opportunity of a lifetime to host the 91st Academy Awards, which take place on February 24th at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Kevin Hart stepped down as host last month Just a few days later, however, he stepped down, after tweets dating from between 2009 and 2011 came to light. I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscars this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. Former Oscars host Ellen DeGeneres last week invited Hart onto her show, and asked him about reports that the Academy was considering inviting him back if he apologised regarding the tweets. He indicated that he would be open to a return, if only to take a stand against the trolls who he felt had hounded him online. More: Oscars expels both Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski | http://www.contactmusic.com/academy-of-motion-pictures-and-sciences/news/2019-oscars-no-host_6264810 |
Are the Walls Are Closing In on Bernie Sanders After Allegations of Misconduct By His 2016 Staff? | As Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) weighs a possible second bid for the White House, his political standing has grown shakier amidst an account of alleged sexual assault and accounts of alleged misconduct by staffers on his 2016 campaign. Some former aides to that campaign had already balked at joining another run. And while outside groups are actively drafting him againwith meetings scheduled across the country this weekendSanders remains notably behind some of his Senate colleagues in the process of launching or preparing to launch a presidential bid. Even some of his former aides acknowledge the worsening political conditions. I think he still runs and I do think its going to be a lot harder, a former staffer, who had decided not to return to the campaign prior to the surfacing of any of the allegations, told The Daily Beast. None of the hurdles facing Sanders are impossible to overcome, especially considering the deep reservoir of support the senator enjoys among progressives and the robust political infrastructure he still possesses from 2016. But they all do present thorny problems, none more so than the various allegations of staff misconduct that have recently surfaced. For weeks, former staffers had been having private conversations about allegations of sexual harassment and unwanted advances on female staffers by Robert Becker, the head of Sanders Iowa operation. Those conversations primarily centered around ways to ensure that another bid didnt bring the same problems as the previous one, including naming the 2016 bad actors and establishing a better structure for dealing with any such claims in a 2020 campaign. On Thursday, a Politico story aired some of those claims about Becker, who has denied them, including allegations of forcible kissing, ogling prospective hires and a $30,000 settlement stemming from a federal discrimination complaint. Friends of Bernie Sanders, the principal campaign committee, said in light of the story that Becker would not be part of any campaign. And on Thursday, Sanders took it upon himself to forcefully apologize and acknowledge that the campaign infrastructure was not built well enough to properly address such allegations. To the women in our campaign who were harassed or mistreated I apologize, Sanders said. Our standards, our procedures, our safeguards were clearly inadequate. What they experienced was absolutely unacceptable and certainly not what a progressive campaign or any campaign should be about, he added. The statement was better received by former staffers than Sanders initial apology, in which the senator also told CNNs Anderson Cooper that he was unaware of the allegations at the time. It means a lot to read that and to hear that, Masha Mendieta, a member of Sanders 2016 Latino outreach team told The Daily Beast when she saw the statement. But, she added, it shouldnt have taken him as long to say those words. Mendieta said she was upset that the women making accusations hadnt yet heard directly from the senator or his team. Last month, she had penned a Medium post expressing outrage that another 2016 campaign alum, Arturo Carmona, had been photographed at a Sanders Institute gathering in Vermont. Mendieta had accused Carmona, who ran for Congress in a special election, of sexual harassment, an allegation that he has denied. Mendieta and another staffer also said that they had concerns about Rich Pelletier, Sanders former national field director, remaining in the senators political orbit. The New York Times reported that Pelletier allegedly failed to act swiftly after Giulianna Di Lauro, a Latino outreach strategist on the 16 campaign, complained to him of harassment by a campaign surrogate in Nevada. I want full confirmation that Rich Pelletier will never work for Bernie again, Mendieta told The Daily Beast. Sanders and those around him have made recent efforts to address these concerns. Organizing for Bernie, the outfit hoping to cajole Sanders into running again, told The New York Times that Pelletier was no longer with the group, which The Daily Beast confirmed. And a source with direct knowledge said on Thursday that the campaign had reached out to the person who spearheaded a letter signed by alumni seeking to have a meeting with top political staff about the issue of sexual violence and harassment on the 2016 campaign. Sanders, the source added, will be present at that meeting. Additionally, Jeff Weaver, the former campaign manager, said this week that he will not reprise his role should Sanders run again in 2020. The decision had been previously in the works and was not in response to the surfacing of harassment and assault allegations, sources said. But Weaver did acknowledged that a future prospective campaign needed more diversity. Yes. Yes, he told The New York Times. Definitely, and we share deeply in the urgency for all of us to make change. The Sanders camp has begun looking for someone to take Weavers spot. Names that have been discussed, Sanders-world sources tell The Daily Beast, have included: Ari Rabin-Havt, who currently serves as his deputy chief of staff; Julia Barnes, who ran his New Hampshire campaign and served as national field director in 2016; Shannon Jackson, who has worked with Sanders in various capacities for years; and former chief of staff Michaeleen Crowell. Weve talked to a lot of folks and want to be prepared if he decides to move forward, said Sanders senior adviser in 2016, Mark Longabaugh, who declined to name any possible individuals in consideration out of respect for the senator and his current lack of decision. As recent stories have come out, some individuals in Sanders orbit have complained that press coverage has been more concerned with Sanders horserace position than with the issues they say he is seriously working to address. The same individuals also note that much of that coverage has failed to acknowledge that these issues are pervasive across political campaigns. A senior aide to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) resigned late last year after a sexual harassment settlement emerged (Harris said she took full responsibility). And Hillary Clinton kept a faith adviser on her campaign in 2008 following an allegation of misconduct against him. The corporate media unfairly focused on Sanderscasting the harassment that happened within his campaign much differently than similar cases with other campaignsimplicating his personal ethics in a way that theyve declined to do with other politicians, Di Lauro wrote in The Intercept on Thursday. The hope is that out of the current turmoil, something positive can emerge for staffers, not only on Sanders possible bid but for all 2020 presidential campaigns and beyond. Bernies staff and Bernie women in particular: Were hardcore organizers, a former staffer told The Daily Beast. Its in our blood and we know when we can use our collective voice and power to move what we see needs to happen. | https://www.thedailybeast.com/sanders-alumni-like-his-harassment-reply-but-want-more?source=articles&via=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29 |
Could CCTV surveillance in become more common in Denmark? | File photo: Lea Meilandt Mathiesen/Ritzau Scanpix A Danish housing association has said it wants to introduce increased CCTV surveillance to help residents feel more secure. The housing organisation, Boligforeningen AAB, wants to be able to install video surveillance of spaces abutting its housing without the need for prior police permission. Such a move would help prevent crime, AABs CEO Christian Hgsbro told Ritzau. We have found that CCTV can help to solve and prevent crimes in our residential areas, Hgsbro said. The AAB director pointed to Vejleparken, a housing area in Ishj west of Copenhagen, as a location which has seen a high number of arson attacks against cars. Hgsbros company is unhappy that it is currently unable to install CCTV without first asking police. According to Danish law, police can set up surveillance on streets if they feel law enforcement requirements at the locality justify this. Such justifications include a high prevalence of violent incidents, Ritzau writes. Peter Kofod, justice spokesperson with the Danish Peoples Party (DF), said he was in support of AABs request. I think it is completely fair for housing associations to be able to install CCTV if they are financing it themselves and if it complies with existing rules on data security, Kofod told Ritzau. Parliament is currently processing a bill that would allow police to take control of CCTV systems owned by private businesses. The bill will also broaden the conditions in which companies could successfully apply for permission to install CCTV. But the proposal does not go far enough, according to DF, which wants municipalities to have the authority to implement CCTV. Denmarks rules on CCTV use remain considerably stricter than those in the United Kingdom, where businesses are permitted to use CCTV provided that people are informed they may be recorded (normally by displaying signs), authorities are notified of purpose and the recordings are shown to anyone who requests to see them. In neighbouring Sweden, police themselves have to apply for permission to use CCTV. A 2017 survey found that six out of ten Danes want increased surveillance such as CCTV cameras in public places to help prevent terrorism. READ ALSO: Copenhagen to use '100 security cameras' to combat gang crime | https://www.thelocal.dk/20190110/could-surveillance-in-become-more-common-in-denmark |
How Would Democrats and Republicans Fix Social Security? | It's probably something you never thought you'd contend with in your lifetime, but America's most important social program, Social Security, is in trouble. Social Security is 15 years away from kissing its asset reserves goodbye This past June, the Social Security Board of Trustees released its newest annual report detailing the short-term (10-year) and long-term (75-year) outlook for the program. Arguably the biggest change in the recent forecast from previous years is that Social Security was expected to expend more than it collects in 2018 for the first time since 1982. Mind you, the net cash outflow created from this event will be very small compared to the nearly $2.9 trillion currently in Social Security's asset reserves. The problem is that this net cash outflow is indicative of the payout schedule being unsustainable. A Social Security card standing up on a table, with the name and number blurred out. More Image source: Getty Images. According to the report, as ongoing demographic changes weigh on the program, it'll quickly diminish its excess cash. By the year 2034, Social Security's asset reserves are projected to be completely exhausted. Should this happen, Social Security wouldn't be bankrupt or insolvent. However, it would pave the way for an across-the-board cut in benefits of up to 21% in order to sustain payouts through the year 2092, without the need for any further cuts. Considering that more than three out of five retired workers is reliant on Social Security for at least half of their monthly income, such a cut could prove devastating. The only resolution to the estimated $13.2 trillion shortfall Social Security is facing between 2034 and 2092 is to either raise additional revenue, cut expenditures, or implement some combination of the two. And the only way that's happening is if Congress tackles the problem. The honest answer is very differently. Let's take a closer look at the core proposals from America's prevailing political parties. The Democrats' plan What you need to know about Democrats on Capitol Hill is that they overwhelmingly prefer tackling Social Security's funding shortfall from the revenue side of the equation. More specifically, Democrats have long proposed increasing or eliminating the maximum taxable earnings cap associated with the 12.4% payroll tax on earned income. Two Social Security cards lying atop a W2 tax form, highlighting payroll taxes paid. More | https://news.yahoo.com/democrats-republicans-fix-social-security-110600239.html |
When Are Taxes Due in 2019? | The 2019 tax season is bound to be an interesting one, since it's the first following the massive overhaul that came into play for 2018. And the sooner you mark this year's filing deadline on your calendar, the sooner you'll be motivated to get your paperwork in order and start working on that return. Without further ado, this year's tax filing deadline is April 15, 2019. Now this news isn't particularly surprising, since April 15 has long been the date on which taxes are due. For the past two years, however, the tax filing deadline has been pushed back several days because April 15 fell out over a weekend and the following weekday conflicted with Emancipation Day, a legal Washington, D.C. holiday. As such, there could be lingering confusion over when taxes are due this year. Now that that's out of the way, it pays to get moving on your taxes well in advance of that April 15 deadline. The sooner you do, the better a financial position you'll be in, regardless of whether you're due a refund or owe the IRS money. Pen hovering over tax form that also has a calculator resting on it More IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. Don't wait till the last minute to do your taxes Many of us tend to put off our taxes because, well, dealing with them isn't exactly fun. But the more you delay that return, the more you stand to lose out. For one thing, if you're due a refund from the IRS, you'll be blocked from getting it until your return is submitted. Secondly, if it turns out you owe the IRS money, it'll help to know sooner rather than later. This way, you'll buy yourself some time to scrounge up that cash, as opposed to having to scramble at the last minute (or, worse yet, miss the April 15 deadline and start accruing interest on your unpaid balance). Now keep in mind that to do your taxes, you'll need a few key forms that might not reach you until early February. If you're a salaried employee, you'll need your W-2, and employers have until January 31 to send those out. If you're a contract worker, you'll need however many 1099 forms pertain to you, and again, the deadline for employers to submit them is January 31. Once those come in, however, there's no excuse to procrastinate. Find yourself a good tax preparer. Changes to the tax code in 2018 might make this tax season more confusing than it's been in years past, so if your return is at all complicated, it might pay to enlist the help of a professional. Tax preparers, however, are generally swamped between February and April, and seeing as how they're all navigating the new laws for the first time, you might have a harder time than ever getting the assistance you need -- so don't delay. While it might seem like you have plenty of time to file your taxes before the deadline, the truth is that it never hurts to just get them over with. So while you technically have until April 15 to submit your return, you're better off carving out some time in February or March to tackle it. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/taxes-due-2019-111800453.html |
When is Queer Eye season 3 released on Netflix and whats going to happen? | Hot on the heels of the one-two-punch release of seasons 1 and 2 earlier this year, filming is already under way for the third season of Netflixs heartwarming makeover show Queer Eye. Advertisement The series, a reboot of an early 2000s reality show from the US, became a major hit when it debuted in February 2018, reducing a huge number of Netflix subscribers to tears (that was their plan in the first place). Season 3 will see them move from Atlanta, Georgia to Kansas City, Missouri to help its citizens learn how to be the best versions of themselves. Find out everything you need to know about Queer Eye season 3 below. No release date has been announced as yet but we know that filming is already well underway. In July, Bobby Berk posted a short clip of himself and the rest of the Fab Five hanging out on the first day of shooting. A 2019 release date is likely, but given how quickly they got season 2 out after season 1 (just over 4 months), it could drop before then. hold someone the way the @QueerEye boys hold each other pic.twitter.com/SP4J5GSccY Netflix Canada (@Netflix_CA) September 18, 2018 All of the fab five thats Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Bobby Berk are set to return for the third season with an entirely new slate of heroes to make-over. The fab five have been slowly dropping nuggets of information in dribs and drabs. For one, Bobby Berk has confirmed that, unlike seasons 1 & 2, which skewed male, season 3 will feature an even number of men and women. No offence to men, but we have so much more fun with women, he said. And Tan France has confirmed that the gang will make over a lesbian for the first time in season 3. We have our first lesbian on the show this year and shes formidable, he said on Netflix variety show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. What we do with her, youre going to love it. In an interview with E! News, Antoni Porowski spoke more broadly about the new episodes, and assured us that therell be plenty more tears Inclusivity and diversity continues to be the focus of our MO, of what were out there to do, Porowski said. I think people are going to se a lot of differences in Kansas City, but theyre going to see maybe more and understand a little more clearly that we are all the same, our struggles are the same, to show up for our families, to be better lovers, friends, parents children, like these are all human experiences. It doesnt matter which coast or which country youre in, its all something you can relate to. He added that while he initially went into filming for series 3 trying to hold in the tears, he changed tack pretty swiftly. Before the season started, I actually had a conversation with myself where I was like, dont cry as much as you did in the first season, and like, try to make things that are a little more complicated, he said. But what I ended up telling myself was like, just continue to be vulnerable, let it happen when it happens organically, just be yourself because thats why youre hereso I cry a lot. Advertisement This article was originally published on 31 October 2018 | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2019-01-11/queer-eye-s3/ |
Is there a 'Counterpart' parallel universe of Chicago? | You cant use the internet without being mugged by bizarre and questionable scientific theories like the ones I spotted the other day, Early Humans Mated with Inbred Neanderthals, and Your Bed Has More Poop Than a Chimps. These are quite charming, but there is one bizarre scientific theory that beats all the others time and again. The multiverse. This theory holds that there are universes fanning out to infinity, each like our own but each one different, with a different you, a good you, a bad you, a cunning you, a foolish you, a hapless you, a predatory you and so on. One reason the parallel universe business is so popular is because it dangles the possibility that somewhere, in some universe, human beings havent completely screwed things up and ruined everything. Just imagine a parallel universe Chicago, one that isnt on the brink of fiscal chaos after decades of corruption, venality and abject stupidity, a great city where liberty is more important than using the government hammer to beat people into submission. Imagine a Chicago where every odd random thought of Bill Daley wasnt considered worthy of endless public praise. Imagine a Chicago where Bears kicker Cody Parkey makes the kick and it is the Philadelphia Eagles who are praised for being good chuckleheaded losers. A Chicago where Toni Preckwinkle doesnt play the reformer after giving Ed Burkes kid a $100,000 county political job. An Illinois where Boss Madigan is a kind and thoughtful high school civics teacher, shaping the minds and ethics of young citizens of the future. A Chicago City Council where Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, becomes chairman of the committee on finance, because the council, not the mayor, has power. Yeah, its a fantasy. But thats the multiverse for you. Its not like Illinois. Anything can happen in all those parallel worlds. I did find out about the father of the multiverse. The theory was developed some 60 years ago by a young, brilliant yet aloof Princeton physicist named Hugh Everett III. Some thought him to be crazy. His kids considered him as completely emotionally unavailable, describing him in some accounts as a lump of furniture sitting at the dining room table. He was an alcoholic. And a chain-smoker. You might say he had pressures, like fellow scientists mocking him and thinking he was crazy with the multiverse thing. He died prematurely at 51, so he didnt get the chance to bask in glory after his parallel universe theory became popular. Sadly, not many. In a 2008 article in Scientific American, The Many Worlds of Hugh Everett, writer Peter Byrne explained the origin of Everetts theory: Everetts scientific journey began one night in 1954, he recounted two decades later, after a slosh or two of sherry. He and his Princeton classmate Charles Misner and a visitor named Aage Petersen (then an assistant to Niels Bohr) were thinking up ridiculous things about the implications of quantum mechanics. During this session Everett had the basic idea behind the many-worlds theory, and in the weeks that followed he began developing it into a dissertation. Dont ask me. Im no scientist. It really doesnt matter. But without Everett, we wouldnt have the smartest spy-fi show in the history of cable, Counterpart on Starz. Counterpart stars actor J.K. Simmons as an East German intelligence officer named Howard Silk. There is a good Howard. And a bad Howard. They meet. And they hate each other. Though it is spy-fi, theres no sense of Minority Report or action heroics from Tom Cruise. Instead, Simmons Howard Silk has the seen-it-all burnt weariness of the Alec Leamas character in John le Carres The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Simmons is a fine actor. There are many other actors doing great work in Counterpart. Most of them have English or other European accents. But the Howards, good and bad, have the accent of a midwestern insurance agent. I wont spoil it, but you should know that decades ago, East German scientists conducted experiments that split the world, creating parallel universes that met in a spot under the city. Each world was threatened by the other. They turned their spies loose. The result is a good TV show. There was a flu epidemic and millions died. There is a sleeper cell group from one side that has become active. The odd thing is that a person from one side can end up meeting his or her other, and it can prompt murder and, in some cases, a bizarre, disturbing narcissism. Counterpart is probably too intelligent a program to survive. And Ive noticed on the internet, where you find clickbait about humans breeding with Neanderthals, that some people think Counterpart wont be renewed. Thats unfortunate, if true. Counterpart requires intelligence from its viewers. Yet TV and politics require placid subjects, easily herded, quickly prompted and turned like livestock, and intelligence in the herd tends to ruin things. No matter what universe youre from. Listen to "The Chicago Way" podcast with John Kass and Jeff Carlin at www.wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway. [email protected] Twitter @John_Kass MORE FROM JOHN KASS Donald, Nancy and Chuck prove to be lousy sausage-makers | https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-counterpart-jk-simmons-kass-20190110-story.html |
Can Ashton Hagans be Kentucky basketball's 'best on-ball defender' ever? | CLOSE Kentucky's John Calipari full press conference after win over Texas A&M Matt Stone, Louisville Courier Journal LEXINGTON, Ky. As John Calipari continues to work to address inconsistencies from his Kentucky basketball team, the Wildcats appear to have discovered at least one constant. Ashton Hagans. The freshman point guard is averaging 12 points, 4.3 assists and 4.8 steals per game in his last four games. His offensive skillset continues to evolve as evidenced by a season-high 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting against Texas A&M Tuesday, but his defense has already reached elite levels. You may like: Kentucky's midseason growing pains are nothing new to John Calipari So, perhaps it should come as no surprise that former UK great and NBA executive Rex Chapman sees the potential for greatness in Hagans. Ashton Hagans has the potential to be the best on-ball defender to ever wear a Kentucky basketball uniform, Chapman tweeted during the Texas A&M game. To reiterate - Ashton Hagans has the potential to be the best on-ball defender to ever wear a Kentucky Basketball uniform. Rex Chapman (@rex_rexchapman) January 9, 2019 Whether Hagans sticks around Lexington long enough to see that development happen in college is a legitimate question given the one-and-done nature of Caliparis program, but even as a freshman Hagans appears to have the potential to post one of the better defensive seasons from a UK guard in in recent memory. Read this: Led by Jemarl Baker, Kentucky's bench shows it can be a real weapon He anticipates, Calipari said. We have guys that when their man catches it, they start playing. He's playing before his man catches it, and if he sees an opportunity to go after a ball, he does. If he sees an opportunity to deny his man the ball, his man doesn't get the ball. If some other guys deny the ball, at some point, they will let go and the guy will catch it. He just says, You are not catching it until they throw it to somebody else. Its more difficult to measure defensive impact with statistics than scoring or assists, but Hagans ranks second in the SEC in steals and is already on pace to become just the ninth player in program history to average at least two steals per game. Should his recent production continue, Hagans has a chance to challenge Rajon Rondos single-season steals record (87) if Kentucky makes a deep NCAA Tournament run. Hagans has already tied the single-game record with eight steals against North Carolina in December. Hagans ranks 13th in the country in steal rate (steals per defensive possessions) according to KenPom.com at 5.1 percent, despite recording more than two steals in a game just once in an inconsistent first 10 games as a Wildcat. His 6.8 percent steal rate in conference games is best in the country. Read more: What we learned from Kentucky basketball's win over Texas A&M Kentucky has steals records dating back to the 1978-79 season. And while that statistic is not a perfect measure of Chapmans best on-ball defender prediction Rick Pitino era players dominate the career steals list thanks in part to his pressure defense it offers us a glimpse at some of the competition Hagans would need to best to secure that crown. Heres a look at the four players with the best steals-per-game seasons in UK history to date, plus the programs career steals leader. Rajon Rondo Rondo left Kentucky after two seasons with the school records for steals per game in a single season (2.56) and career (2.29) for all players with at least 30 steals in a season and 75 steals in their UK career. As a sophomore, Rondo set the school record with 87 steals in 34 games, eight more than the previous record (79 by Wayne Turner in 40 games in 1996-97). Like Hagans, Rondo once recorded eight steals in a game at UK, against Mississippi State in 2005. Rondo has averaged at least two steals per game three times in his 13-year NBA career, including when he led the league with 2.3 steals per game in 2009-10. Cliff Hawkins Outside of Rondo, no UK player has enjoyed a more productive steals season than Hawkins, who averaged 2.31 steals per game as a senior in 2003-04. His 74 steals that season rank fourth on UKs single-season list only because he played fewer games than No. 2 Turner (79) and No. 3 Roderick Rhodes (76). Hawkins just missed becoming the third member of the 200-steals club in program history with 199 steals in 126 games and he ranks fifth on UKs steals-per-game career list (1.58) despite averaging just 10.9 minutes per game in 33 games as a freshman. Roderick Rhodes Had Rhodes not transferred to Southern California after his junior season, he almost certainly would have left Kentucky as the programs career steals leader. Instead, he had to settle for a No. 4 spot at the time of his departure, which has since dropped to No. 9 (163 steals in 99 games). As a sophomore in 1993-94, Rhodes set a then-UK record with 76 steals, averaging 2.303 per game, third best in program history. His steal production dropped as a junior to 51 in 33 games, but he left UK just 28 steals shy of Ed Davenders then record 191 steals. Kyle Macy The only pre-Pitino era player to make the list, Macy recorded 69 steals in 31 games in 1978-79, the first year steals records are available in UKs media guide. Considering he played a full season before the statistic was recorded, its likely Macy actually ranks somewhere in the top 10 on UKs career steals list, but officially he was credited with 127 in 98 games. His 2.23 steals per game is still the fourth-best average of any player in a single season in program history. Wayne Turner Turner averaged two steals per game just once at Kentucky, when he broke Rhodes' record with 79 steals in 1996-97, but his role as a key four-year contributor earned him the career record with 238 steals in 151 games played. He averaged 1.6 steals per game for his career, good for sixth most of any UK player with at least 75 career steals. Turner became the first player in program history to record eight steals in a game against George Washington in 1997. Jon Hale: [email protected]; Twitter: @JonHale_CJ. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today:courier-journal.com/jonh. | https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2019/01/11/kentucky-basketball-ashton-hagans-best-defender-ever-rex-chapman/2490849002/ |
What will J.B. Pritzker do with his clout? | On Monday, J.B. Pritzker will be sworn in as Illinois 43rd governor. Hell be surrounded by a Democratic supermajority legislature. He helped build it. Pritzker spent more than $160 million of his own money to win the keys to the Illinois governors mansion. But he also shoveled dough into Democratic organizations statewide. He bankrolled get-out-the-vote efforts, mail pieces and campaign staff. He sent money to dozens of Chicago aldermen, the Cook County Democratic Party, House and Senate organizations, labor unions, statewide candidates, and Democrats in townships and counties. He has patched together his own organization. As chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, House Speaker Michael Madigan often gets credit for the partys successes. But it was Pritzkers muscle and of course his checkbook that pushed Democrats into historically Republican territories on Nov. 6, toppling GOP incumbents in state and federal races and spraying the state blue. This is his Illinois now if he wants it to be. Pritzker will stroll into office with this friendly legislature he helped install. That advantage could elevate him higher even than Madigan, the nations longest-serving House speaker. As a businessman, Pritzker knows high property taxes, government debt and political instability have been driving population numbers downward. Residents dont trust government. Theyre giving up. Where Illinois is shrinking, its Midwestern neighbors are growing. The Illinois Exodus is swelling Illinois obligations to its pension system continue to squeeze spending on education, social services and other state programs. The state owes $7.4 billion in unpaid bills. And new U.S. Census numbers show the Illinois Exodus is ramping up. For the fifth straight year, the state lost more residents than it gained. The net reduction means 45,116 fewer Illinoisans from 2017 to 2018. Only the state of New York lost more residents. There are undeniable truths in all these numbers. The solutions cannot be limited to new revenue raised by expanded gambling and legalizing recreational marijuana. Employers want deeper workers compensation reform and property tax relief. They want spending cuts. They want less interference from Springfield. They want lower taxes. And all taxpayers, be they individuals or businesses, want a state government that is accountable to the people whose money it spends. In other states, Democrats have led reforms Voters rejected a second term for Gov. Bruce Rauner. But he was right during his election night concession speech when he said Democrats in other states have championed the pro-growth policies Illinois desperately needs. Lets realize many states have made the exact changes that we need to make in Illinois yes they have they have made them in other states on a bipartisan basis, led by Democrats, he said the evening of Nov. 6. Rhode Islands Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo, elected to a second term in November, revamped that states pension system by curbing costly benefits and offering employees 401(k)-style plans. Raimondo also instructed state agencies to cut regulations that were onerous to employers. The result was a 30 percent reduction in state regulations and 8,000 fewer pages of rules and codes. California Democrats led on redistricting reform. A dozen other states have followed with fairer models that include less partisan influence. Illinois voters have been begging for those changes from a recalcitrant legislature. Unless Pritzker takes a leadership role on that issue, the next legislative map, drawn in 2021 after the 2020 census, likely will be a repeat exercise in incumbent protection and hyperpartisan politicking. Democrats fashioned the last set of maps for state and federal offices behind closed doors. They drew incumbents homes, their churches, their friends and their voting bases into each district on a block-by-block basis. It was patently undemocratic and self-serving politicians choosing their constituents rather than the other way around. Democrats in Arizona joined with majority Republicans to change that states constitutional clause on pensions and curb costly, annual pay increases for retired workers. Yes, Democrats were on board. Those changes have stabilized funds in Arizonas pension system. Illinois Democrats, by comparison, have allowed the unfunded liabilities in the state pension funds to grow from about $40 billion to $133 billion since they took over both chambers of the legislature in 2003. Pritzker and public unions Pritzker will serve as governor of the sixth-largest state with a personal checkbook and a political organization Democrats need as much as they covet and in some cases fear. He can answer not to Madigans Democratic Party but instead to the voters who chose him to replace Rauner. One big clue will be the way he concludes contract negotiations with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Union leaders think they got Pritzker elected, and therefore he owes them. In fact, Pritzkers fiduciary responsibility is to all Illinoisans. High state and local taxes are discouraging job growth and driving the exodus. Rauner refused to increase labor costs, negotiating contracts that froze wages for other unions. | https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-pritzker-rauner-illinois-exodus-budget-20181228-story.html |
Isn't 5 cents per day worth it to reduce opioid deaths? | The President is asking for $5.7 Billion for the wall and other security measures. That is around $15 per month for the 325 million people who live in America, or around 5 cents per day. Think of all the government fees and taxes that cost way over 5 cents per day that will not save tens of billions of dollars in government expenditures each year because of reduced costs generated by illegal alie ns. More than 72,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2017 and a significant amount of those drugs came through the southern border. Democrats voted for money for a fence in 2006 and in 2013 on the southern border, but not now when opioid deaths are much higher. The media generally were not against the fence in 2006 nor 2013 and did not call Democrats who supported the fence racists. It is a shame that most journalists will flip their views based on Democrat talking points. I will gladly pay the $15 for both Pelosi and Schumer. | https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/01/isnt_5_cents_per_day_worth_it_to_reduce_opioid_deaths.html |
Can Businesses Be Effective Allies On Social Issues? | Unequivocally, the answer is yes. As younger generations realise their power, as both consumers and leaders in the organisations they work, the value they place on social conscientiousness is seeing big business sit up and take notice. As a result, brands are now weighing into murky waters, where previously only social activists, equality campaigners and bold politicians dared tread. Thats why this week were seeing HSBC taken to task. The Together we Thrive campaign, rolled out nationally with tailored local messages in four U.K. cities, encourages people to consider the international threads that make up our lives. Beyond Colombian coffee and Korean made phones, it encourages us to think of the values and experiences that bind us. Also, its anti-Brexit. Cue outrage. For changemakers who have long taken on challenging social issues, brands taking a stance has the potential to gall. The increasing realisation that standing for something also realises dollar signs, and that the building of a movement is the perfect way to engender loyalty, passion and that all important word of mouth can be seen as nothing more than a cynical marketing ploy. Often, it is. Unless your brand has long held social change as part of their purpose, living and breathing it, consumers know when a stance is inauthentic. Nobody truly believed Pepsi cared about racial justice, solvable with a can of the fizzy stuff and a supermodel. Nike on the other hand, - who have long championed black athletes and the issues that impact them can bring gravitas Undoubtedly, Nike played a savvy move, though the stakes were always high. In an increasingly polarised world, platforming Colin Kaepernick and his peaceful protest against police brutality in the U.S. was only going to attract a backlash. Yet, understanding the power of black people to set cultural trends worldwide, and betting on millennial alignment, they scored, and in more ways than one. As Nikes share price rose, so too did interest in the #blacklivesmatter movement, which in the Trump era of abortion rights, illegal immigrants and ignoring climate change, was becoming overlooked. Nike move has since empowered other influential celebrities to #takeaknee, in the form of Cardi B rejecting the Super Bowl half time show. Brands have huge power to effect change. Intent and impact should always be a consideration when it comes to brands becoming social advocates and allies in their own right, and whilst not all brands approach social issues from a place of authenticity, they can still have an impact. Just look at the ruckus caused by U.K. bakery chain Greggs when it launched its vegan sausage roll in 2019. Greggs have no official allegiance to the vegan cause, yet understanding changing consumer attitudes to food, saw the opportunity to cater to rising demand. In doing so, and responding (hilariously) to the uproar that ensued amongst its traditional working-class customers, managed to do more to mainstream veganism than 10 years of grassroots campaigning could have achieved. Seeing sworn enemy of the millennials Piers Morgan spit out a Quorn-filled baked good on live TV, and queues forming outside every high street bakery as people swarmed to give it a try, Greggs have achieved the seemingly impossible in encouraging people to reassess their attitudes to vegan food and the people who eat it. Social change in flaky pastry, and for just 1. With huge resources and platforms, big brands have huge potential to effect social change. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencoulman/2019/01/11/can-businesses-be-effective-allies-on-social-issues/ |
How would a no-confidence vote work and could Jeremy Corbyn really kick Theresa May out of Number 10? | Jeremy Corbyn is expected to call a vote of no confidence in the Government if the meaningful vote is lost next week. Its very straightforward, the Leader of the Opposition must table a motion that That this House has no confidence in Her Majestys Government. MPs then vote, with a simple majority needed to succeed. The above motion is the only one permissible under the FTPA. This is why Mr Corbyns attempt at a vote of no confidence in Mrs May specifically, failed. Mr Corbyn can call a vote at any time he so wishes. This is, in theory, also the case for any party leader, although it's understood that... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/0/would-no-confidence-vote-work-could-jeremy-corbyn-really-kick/ |
Are smart motorway speed cameras operating at all times and 70mph? | Social media has been awash with rumour this week that cameras on smart motorway sections of the M1 and M25 are operating at all times, not just when a reduced limit is being signaled on overhead gantries. A message doing the rounds on Whatsapp, text messages, Facebook and Twitter - claiming to have been sent to taxi drivers by Transport for London - warns that motorists could be penalised if they exceed the 70mph national speed limit by just 2mph. Highways England states that all smart motorway cameras can be used to catch drivers exceeding the speed limit - even if no variable restriction is being enforced - but the motorways agency told This is Money that is was 'unaware of any changes' being made to the activeness of cameras on these particular routes. Meanwhile, TfL confirmed to us it had not sent any such notification to black cab drivers. Fake news: Social media posts claiming smart motorway cameras on the M1 and M25 are catching drivers 2mph over the national speed limit have been rubbished by transport groups The alert, which some have claimed was sent by Transport for London to taxi firms, alleged: 'All cameras on M1 and M25 go live at midnight tonight [January 7], set at 72mph. 'Auto ticket generating system. 'Watch your speed and tell everyone else.' The notification has been shared across social media accounts this week, raising concern among drivers. However, TfL rubbished the suggestion it had sent the alert out, telling This is Money that the notification had not been issued by the capital's transport body. We also contacted Highways England, the government agency responsible for all motorways and major trunk roads in the country, regarding the suggestion that the cameras on these roads were in continuous operation. A spokesperson told us: 'Speed enforcement is a matter for the police. However, we are not aware of any changes made on the M1 or the M25.' Highways England had to take to Twitter to answer queries from concerned motorists regarding the rumours AA president Edmund King also commented on the claims to diffuse the fears of motorists. He told This is Money: 'It is amazing how quickly fake news or rumours spread. 'The AA has received loads of questions about supposed new speeding fines and "smart" cameras on M1, M6, M42 and M25 now active and set at 72mph to automatically ticket drivers with six penalty points and hefty fines. 'The part that is true is that most variable speed cameras on the gantries over smart motorways are now active. 'The minimum fixed penalty for speeding is still a 100 fine and three penalty points added to your licence. 'You may be offered a speed awareness course instead of a fixed penalty or have to go to court if you drive way over the limit.' Three types of smart motorway 1. Controlled motorway Multiple lanes, variable speed limits and a hard shoulder for emergencies only. 2. Dynamic hard shoulder Variable speed limits and a hard shoulder that can be turned into a fourth lane when needed. Drivers are told via electric overhead signs to use the hard shoulder during peak hours. 3. All-lanes running Variable speed limits and a permanent fourth lane instead of a hard shoulder. Emergency refuge areas can be found every 2.5km (1.55 miles). The rumours come just months after we revealed the national roads policing chief, chief constable Anthony Bangham, is strongly in favour of a tougher approach to speeding, which would see motorists fined for going 1mph over the limit. Drivers could be punished for going just 1mph over the speed limit under propsals that have reportedly received the backing of Britains roads policing chief Anthony Bangham Edmund King commented: 'Despite the variable speed cameras being active on motorways such as the M1 and M25 there is likely to be more than a 2mph variance as speedometers and indeed cameras aren't always 100 per cent accurate. 'With such low thresholds it could produce a dangerous situation with some drivers concentrating more on their speedometer than the road ahead. 'We believe the police are much more pragmatic when it comes to fair enforcement. 'So if drivers don't want to get caught out by cameras or indeed fake news it is best to stick to the signed speed limits.' Despite these comments, drivers need to remain aware that smart motorway cameras - like all other cameras on major roads - can catch drivers during periods when the national speed limit applies. Misconceptions about smart motorways Smart motorways can notify drivers of reduced limits with electronic signs on overhead gantries. The variable speed restrictions are enforced by smart cameras on the routes, which can catch anyone going over the reduced limits. Many motorists are - wrongly - under the impression that these cameras can only catch them speeding only when one of these reduced limits is in force. Highways England states on its website that 'If no special speed limit is displayed then the national speed limit applies'. It adds: 'A speed limit displayed inside a red circle is legally enforceable. If you don't keep to this speed limit, you are breaking the law. 'Speed cameras are in operation on smart motorways. If you don't keep to the speed limit, you may receive a fine.' Controlled motorway M1 - J6a-J10 M1 - J25-J28 M1 - J31-J32 M4 - J24-J28 M6 - J10a-J11a M20 - J4/J5-J7 M25 - J20-J3 M25 - J6-J7 clockwise M25 - J6-J7 anti-clockwise M25 - J7-J23 M25 - J27-J30 M42 - J7-J9 M62 - J28-J29 Dynamic hard shoulder M1 - J10-J13 M4 - J19-J20 M5 - J15-J17 M6 - J4-J10a M40 - J3a-J7 M42 - J3a-J7 M62 - J26-J28 M62 - J29-J30 east M90 - J1a-J3 All-lanes running M1 - J16-J19 M1 - J28-J31 M1 - J32-J35a M1 - J39-J42 M3 - J2-J4a M5 - J4a-J6 M6 - J11a-J13 M25 - J5-J6 M25 - J23-J27 M62 - J18-J20 M62 - J25-J26 M62 - J29-J30 west There are three types of smart motorways - Controlled, Dynamic hard shoulder (pictured) and All-lane running It is the local police force that determines speed enforcement on smart motorways, Highways England said Some motorists also incorrectly assume that the same rules apply on smart motorways up and down the country. In reality, speed enforcement on these roads is decided by the police in the area and not the Government - though all fines go directly to the Treasury. Police in Derbyshire confirmed last year that cameras overseeing smart sections of the M1 in the county were snapping speeding drivers when a 70mph limit was being enforced. An investigation by Derby Telegraph found that four cameras between Tibshelf services and junction 29A at Duckmanton had caught 8,382 drivers over the limit in 2017 - the fastest recorded at 128mph - making it the most profitable section of enforced motorway in the country at the time. It did not confirm at what speed over the 70mph national limit would trigger the cameras to go off. Cameras on smart motorways can operate at all times, catching motorists when no variable limit is in place. Send an email to [email protected] Darren Roberts, manager of the Casualty Reduction Enforcement Support Team for Derbyshire police told the Derby Telegraph: 'The cameras are not there to generate money. 'They are there to catch speeders, get reckless drivers off the roads and ultimately lead to a reduction in collisions.' The M1 is just one of a number of routes that have had sections converted into smart motorways, and cameras along the M6, M25, M3, M20 and M5 could also be prepared at all times to catch drivers exceeding the national limit. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-6578427/Are-smart-motorway-speed-cameras-operating-times-70mph.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 |
Is Jezus onder de rabbijnen? | Kennis van het huidige, orthodoxe jodendom helpt ons niet zo om dichter bij de oorspronkelijke bedoeling van de woorden van Jezus en de apostelen te komen. We kunnen ons daarvoor beter verdiepen in het pluriforme, veelkleurige Joodse leven uit de intertestamentaire en de nieuwtestamentische periode. Mijn collega Overeem en mijn vriend Albert Groothedde hielden een bevlogen pleidooi ten aanzien van onze verbondenheid met het Joodse volk (RD 4-1). Van harte steun ik hun oproep! Verbondenheid met Isral is zegenrijk Ter onderbouwing van hun pleidooi voerden ze drie redenen aan. De eerste twee sloten ze met een conclusie af. Ik citeer: Kennis van het jodendom helpt om dichter bij de oorspronkelijke bedoeling en impact van de woorden van Jezus en de apostelen te komen. Bij deze conclusie plaats ik twee kritische kanttekeningen, om de bezinning op onze verbondenheid met het Joodse volk te verdiepen. Methodische kanttekening Overeem en Groothedde baseren hun stelling op twee argumenten. Hun argumentatie maakt duidelijk wat zij in dit verband verstaan onder de term het jodendom, namelijk: het orthodoxe jodendom met zijn rabbijnse Schriftuitleg. Volgens hen biedt deze intrigerende wereld met zijn boeiende uitleg van de Tenach (Hebreeuwse Bijbel, Oude Testament) ons vandaag toegang tot de woorden van Jezus en zijn apostelen. Hier begint mijn moeite. Het lastige is namelijk dat de rabbijnen pas na de verwoesting van de tempel in Jeruzalem, in 70 n. Chr., hun entree op het Joodse toneel doen. In de eeuwen daarna leggen zij de grondslag voor een orthodox Jodendom, zoals wij dat in zijn huidige, veelkleurige vorm kennen. Als bouwstenen voor dit fundament gebruiken zij materiaal uit de periode voor 70 n. Chr. Tegelijkertijd laten ze ander materiaal uit deze periode al dan niet bewust liggen. Vandaag de dag floreert een Joods leven dat in veel opzichten niet te vergelijken is met het pluriforme karakter van het Joodse leven uit de intertestamentaire en de nieuwtestamentische periode. De veelkleurigheid van het Joodse leven nu verbleekt bij de pluriformiteit van het Joodse leven toen. Wie dicht bij de omgang van de Schrift door Jezus en zijn volgelingen wil komen, moet daarom niet insteken bij de tijd na Jezus (anachronisme), maar bij de periode vr Jezus en zijn discipelen, de intertestamentaire periode. Theologische kanttekening Wie kennisneemt van de intertestamentaire periode stuit vrij snel op vele overeenkomsten tussen de uitleg van de Schrift door Jezus en zijn volgelingen en de uitleg door hun tijdgenoten. Hij ontdekt ook dat deze gemeenschappelijke exegetische methoden op tal van punten door externe literaire en culturele factoren uit de hellenistische cultuur zijn gestempeld. Deze constateringen stellen ons voor de vraag wat het eigene van Jezus Schriftuitleg nu eigenlijk is. Hun exegetische tools zijn niet nieuw, ze zijn naar de maatstaven van hun dagen legitiem en ze verschillen in niets met die van hun volksgenoten. Toch komen ze met hun Schriftuitleg tot een totaal andere uitkomst, wanneer ze stellen dat de Jezus uit Nazareth de Schriften heeft vervuld. Christus (de Messias) is gestorven, begraven en opgewekt naar de Schriften (1 Kor 15:3-4). In de tweede plaats: de rabbijnse traditie claimt een rechtmatige erfgenaam te zijn van de vaderen voor de Grote Vergadering te Jabne in de tweede eeuw n. Chr. (zie Mishna, traktaat Abbot). Vrede over Isral! De auteur is christelijk gereformeerd predikant in Sliedrecht. | https://www.rd.nl/opinie/is-jezus-onder-de-rabbijnen-1.1540007 |
What's wrong with Rainie Cross on EastEnders? Is she pregnant? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Long-suffering EastEnders character Rainie Cross collapsed on the kitchen floor leaving viewers wondering what's wrong with her. She has dealt with a lot last year on the BBC soap, mostly at the hands of Max Branning, but after gaining custody of baby Abi, things have been looking up. Max reluctantly trusted Rainie with planning baby Abi's first birthday celebrations. The preparations were going smoothly until Rainie had a dizzy spell outside the house and dropped the cake on the ground. Rainie decided to bake her own cake, but after checking on the crying baby she suffered from another spell of dizzyness. This time she passed out and collapsed onto the kitchen floor. (Image: BBC) She was looked at by a paramedic, who told her if the dizzy spells persist she needed to see her GP straight away. During the party her and Max have an argument, and she has another dizzy spell before leaving alone. Many people will know that sometimes dizzy spells can be an early sign of preganancy - and many fans of the show think so too. One viewer said: "Raine pregnant with Jacks baby?" Another asked: "So Rainie's pregnant then?" EastEnders' bosses are remaining tight-lipped on her health. But we do know that Rainie becomes very upset over Max's lack of confidence in her and ends up throwing away baby Abi's birthday present. Jack retrieves it out of the rubbish and shows Max what Rainie got Abi - a photo album full of pictures of his daughter. This leads Max to realise that he can trust Rainie with Abi. *EastEnders airs on Friday at 8pm and 9pm on BBC One | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/whats-wrong-rainie-cross-eastenders-15662752 |
Who is skating on Dancing On Ice this weekend? | Dancing On Ice is preparing to unleash its next six celebrities (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Dancing On Ice is back on ITV, kicking off with a memorable opening show in which the first six of this years celebs took to the rink. Sunday nights show not only saw the unforgettable debut of Gemma Collins as she channelled her inner Beyonce, but James Jordan establish himself as an early favourite with his impressive first performance. The remaining six stars will be performing on Sunday night in a bid to avoid the skate-off. Richard Blackwood (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Former EastEnders star Richard will be making his ice debut on Sunday along with skating partner Carlotta Edwards. Saira Khan (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Shes a Loose Women regular, but Sairas now going to brave the ice rink with a little help from her professional partner Mark Hanretty, and shell be showing us this weekend what shes capable of. Advertisement Advertisement Brian McFadden (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) The Westlife star is swapping singing for skating with pro partner Alex Murphy. Wes Nelson (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Love Islander Wes Nelson was the early favourite to take the series title and hes got the added advantage of skating with reigning pro champion Vanessa Bauer but well find out what he can do when he gives his debut performance on Sunday. Melody Thornton (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Ashley Roberts might have shown off her dance moves on Strictly but this Pussycat Doll is heading for the ice instead, together with skating partner Alexander Demetriou. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/11/who-is-skating-on-dancing-on-ice-this-weekend-8326820/ |
Could the Patriots' divisional-round playoff game come down to a Chargers rookie? | FOXBOROUGH -- You know Philip Rivers. Probably Pro Bowl pass rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, too. And fantasy owners are certainly familiar with Keenan Allen and Melvin Gordon. So allow Bill Belichick to introduce you to Chargers' other start: rookie safety Derwin James. Hes as good as anybody weve seen all year," Belichick says. "Big, fast, athletic, very instinctive. That was the start of a minute-long answer Belichick unwound on Monday afternoon. He lauded James' blitzing, tackling, speed, physicality and power, essentially every defensive trait and skill under the sun; all of which could prove problematic for Belichicks offense on Sunday. Philip Dorsett boils the safetys impact down more succinctly. Hes a game-changer. Hes their guy," Dorsett said Wednesday. I feel like thats their hammer in their secondary. He plays relentless every play. Hes explosive, hes all over the field, he can defend the run, he can defend the pass. Hes already a great player. Bouncing between the middle and back end of the Chargers defense this season, James totaled team highs in tackles (103), pass deflections (13) and interceptions (3). His 3.5 sacks and and half-dozen quarterback hits werent far off the team lead, either. By seasons end, James rated as the fifth-best safety in the NFL by Pro Football Focus player grades. Though James doesnt fit neatly into the safety category. Once injuries ravaged Los Angeles' linebacking corps midseason, he dropped down to the second level while another safety replaced him in the secondary as part of new base dime defense. Even at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, James has capably contended with offensive linemen in the run game and continued wreaking havoc against the pass in all areas of the field. Hes had some big plays in the deep part of the field, knocking the ball off of receivers and getting a good break on the ball and getting to the reception area, Belichick said. Hes around the ball a lot, and physically hes really hard to deal with. Hes fast and with great size and explosive power. The guys a really good football player. Prior to James' arrival, the Chargers were already plenty familiar with playing six defensive backs. They played more dime than anyone in the league last season and reclaimed that title again in 2018. But missing the playoffs in 2017, naturally they werent are effective as the top-10 defense that will roll into town this weekend. Enter James last April. Hes been the driving force behind Los Angeles' No. 1 ranking against tight ends by DVOA. The Bolts also rank third at defending the middle of the field -- where James often looms -- and sixth against short passes. This is key against New England because its entirely possibly Los Angeles sticks James on a running back, considering how James White and Rex Burkhead led the Pats in receptions a year ago during a 21-13 home win. Historically, New England has leaned heavily on its running backs against defenses like the Chargers', which operates primarily out of variations of Cover 3 and Cover 1. Just ask the Falcons and Seahawks how their most recent Super Bowl appearances went defending White and former Patriots running back Shane Vereen. Furthermore, James replacing a slow-footed linebacker boosts Los Angeles' zone coverage. New England has also capitalized on zone by having Julian Edelman settle into the creases or juke patrolling linebackers. Now the Chargers should feel confident that the highly athletic James wont suffer the same fate against Edelman, and better yet can help blanket him by forming a double team on certain third downs. Edelman is Tom Bradys favorite target in critical situations, followed by White and then Rob Gronkowski. So when hes not busy covering either the wideout or running back, expect James to find the big tight end. Gronk has studied James as much as any Patriot this week and knows he must win his 1-on-1 matchups or the offense might suffer. The rookies just that good. Hes a great player," Gronkowski said. "(Ive) got to be ready for him physically and mentally. He brings it, covers well, and youve got to be prepared. | https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2019/01/could-the-patriots-divisional-round-playoff-game-come-down-to-a-chargers-rookie.html |
What is the best aperture and focal length for portraits? | To helps answer that question, we'll show you how changing the aperture and focal length used can produce very different effects with your subjects. We'll help you decide if you want your subjects to be separated from, or part of, their surroundings and then get the appropriate focal length for the style of portrait you're planning to take. The lens plays a vital role in the creation of a beautiful portrait. There's not necessarily a right or wrong lens to use, but rather the most appropriate for the subject and location. Sometimes you might want to show more of the background around your subject for an environmental portrait, while at others you might want to compress it and blur it to make your subject the supreme focus of attention. In addition to affecting how much of the background is visible in your shots, different focal lengths will affect the shape and proportions of your subject's face In addition to affecting how much of the background is visible in your shots, different focal lengths will affect the shape and proportions of your subject's face. A wide-angle focal length can even give a caricature effect if used wrongly, while a telephoto focal length can give a more flattering result. While using a nice fast, prime lens is desirable, they do come at a cost and it's important to remember that you can achieve stunning results with kit lenses and standard zooms as well. It's not just a matter of focal length: which aperture you select is important too. See below for how you can use depth of field to control which parts of an image appear in focus. Blurred backgrounds A wide aperture such as f/4 or f/2.8 (or if you're using a fast prime, f/1.8 or f/1.4) will create a nice shallow depth of field. This means that the areas before and beyond the point of focus that also appear sharp will be very small. This is ideal if you want to blur the background, keeping only your subject sharp. However you'll need to make sure your focusing is tack-sharp as it's unforgiving. Focus on the eyes. Best of both worlds An aperture of f/8 (or something fairly close to that) can give you the best of both worlds. There's usually a narrow enough depth of field to create a sense of separation from the background, and focus is more forgiving, while you're less likely to have to compromise on shutter speed or ISO. If you're using a setup with studio lights, this medium aperture is a good starting point. Everything sharp A very small aperture, such as f/22, is great if you want other objects in your frame to also appear in focus, for example the model in the background of this shot. However, shooting at small apertures means you'll need either to use a slower shutter speed, which might necessitate the use of a tripod in order to avoid blur, or to increase your ISO, which will introduce noise (grain). 24mm wide-angle lens A wide-angle is not normally the 'go to' lens for portrait photographers. Even the best wide-angle lenses can be less than flattering to your subject, as if you're too close, noses and foreheads appear larger. Wide-angle lenses do have their uses in portrait photography. While not great for headshots, they're perfect for environmental portraits where you want to show someone in their surroundings, and can keep them relatively small in the centre of the frame. 85mm portrait lens A short telephoto is typically the portrait photographer's favourite focal length - with a something around 56mm on a camera with an APS-C sensor or a 85mm on a full-frame model being ideal. It's as much about how close you end up being to your subject, as the perspective you get. A 85mm usually gives a comfortable working distance from subject to photographer. 200mm telephoto lens A long focal length can be a great choice for portrait photographers as it compresses the perspective. This can often be more flattering for your subject. It's also to easier to create a blurred background with a telephoto lens, so if you're also using a wide aperture such as f/2.8 you can get stunning results, as the blurred part of the image can often also look lovely. READ MORE | https://www.techradar.com/how-to/best-aperture-and-focal-length-for-portraits |
What does 5G mean for the Internet of Things? | Leigh Moody, SOTI In a world that becomes more connected by the minute and reliant on the infrastructure that permits that connectivity, the approach of 5G is being heralded as a knight in shining armour. With UK rollout scheduled for 2020 although some mobile networks have alluded to making 5G available sooner than that, some are predicting speeds more than 100 times faster than 4G, and barely detectable levels of lag, writes Leigh Moody the UK managing director of SOTI. In short, mobile is about to get faster, smoother and better with 5G. It is a more capable cellular standard that has positive implications for the Internet of Things (IoT). As the demand for data increases, 5G mobile networks are set to take on a support role by connecting elements of almost every business, allowing enterprises to offer new and better services, and shape new business models. It is hardly surprising that commentators predict very substantially increased investment in IoT endpoints to 2020, including in business vertical-specific and cross-business provision. With this massive number of devices, speed and access will be key factors for those who need to provide a positive mobile user experience. 5G networks will be required not only to support increased traffic, but faster data transfer speeds, the productivity of mobile workers and remote endpoints. Essentially, 5G is a networking continuum that sees low power, latency and bandwidth with Bluetooth and LPWAN networks at one end, and high power, latency and bandwidth with 4G and 5G at the other end. Greater freedom for business A key advantage that IoT gives to business, which will be enhanced by 5G, is the freedom to work anywhere, breaking free of physical location. This allows enterprises to become more responsive, flexible and functional. Business assets, be they objects or people, can be allocated without compromising the end result. These capabilities improve outcomes and enhance business relationships. Of course, the 5G rollout will bring challenges, not least to companies that will have to upgrade existing infrastructures to get the benefits. Those benefits will also bring challenges in their wake. As connections proliferate and ever more data crosses digital boundaries, businesses must respond to increasingly strict regulation that ensures the safety and privacy of that data. This requires businesses to build a comprehensive overview of their own IoT and safeguard data accordingly, a process that can differ substantially from that required to secure ordinary data. In particular, they must differentiate customer and business data carefully. But while the sheer scale of the 5G rollout makes it sensible to anticipate a few hitches, the relentless growth of IoT is now so established, and so clearly the destination for our modern personal, social, business and economic lives, that these barriers must simply be overcome so that the inevitable transition can occur. Imminent transformation The new 5G platform will free many companies, businesses and organisations to optimise their services and efficiency in a manner previously undreamed of. The current exodus from PC to mobile devices will be fuelled, and enterprises have no choice but to respond. This change is likely to be particularly visible in some sectors that are currently poised for IoT disruption. These include healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and transport and logistics. In healthcare, for example, IoT is beginning to take off, but more importantly, its potential for future application is vast. From mobile devices and wearables that allow patient and physician to track health, to the provision of services like telemedicine and mobile clinics to populations in remote locations, the scope is massive and so are the potential benefits. If a patients wellbeing can be maintained within their community then the dangers of cross-infection and overcrowding in clinical facilities can be reduced, leading to better health, happier patients and staff, and reduced costs. In a similar way, IoT gives retailers many opportunities to provide a genuinely omni-channel provision, pleasing customers through better retail experiences, customer service and stock control. As mobile proliferates amongst shoppers and retailers, this is the medium through which more sales will be made, thus retailers simply cannot afford to ignore the facts. The coming of 5G offers huge opportunities, but it is up to retailers themselves to seize them. The time to act is now To summarise, the direction of travel is clearly for businesses to operate through mobile first technology, and the advent of 5G will greatly enhance the quality of service and opportunities this provides. However, the 5G rollout will also present challenges, such as GDPR compliance and infrastructure upgrades. Savvy enterprises are already strategising their use of IoT in the 5G era and acting upon those plans. Whatever you do, make sure your business doesnt get left behind. | https://www.vanillaplus.com/2019/01/10/44295-5g-mean-internet-things/ |
Will Release 16 deliver the full ambition of 5G? | Alan Carlton of InterDigital 3GPP Release 15 delivered the essential New Radio (NR) milestone needed in the definition of every new generation, but, alone, this will deliver only a few of the early promises of 5G. Alan Carlton, VP of InterDigital Europe, says what comes next in Phase 2 (and beyond) will be what really defines this wireless generation. The crowning accomplishment to date of 5G is 3GPP Release 15 ratification of a New Radio (NR) that will enable Gigabit per second connections for our next generation of mobile devices. This is all good, but in the push to get this done quickly the completion of many envisioned system capabilities were pushed to Release 16 and later releases. This included such features as end-to-end network slicing, mobile edge computing and the cloud-native operation of core and access networks. These features are essential to the original ambition of 5G that remains the enablement of new business models and vertical use cases such as V2X, AR and massive IoT. The significance of Release 16 is that it will complete the so called 5G Phase 2 package for the IMT-2020 submission. Thus, in many ways, the manifest ambitions of 5G will be defined by just how much gets done between now and December 2019 when this release will be completed. Between a rock and a hard place The days of selling 5G visions are over, and we are now firmly in the show me the money phase. The ratification of NR has triggered the update cycle of spectrum acquisition and re-farming, old site updates and new site acquisitions. The first 5G rollouts are expected in late 2019. Operators are becoming trapped (again) between the rock of new investment in infrastructure to service their core consumer market (eMBB) and the harder place of lower margins relative to existing 4G deployments. The promises of the new money envisioned from the 5G verticals are not yet contributing significantly to the bottom lines and the inevitable economic impedance on the total innovation cycle has begun. Never forget the job is only half done New Radio is only half the story of 5G. Beyond the celebrated 1000x faster speed of this new technology the capturing of the new business opportunities in 5G requires many more significant changes to core parts of the overall system. Release 15 has not delivered on those changes. The core network remains largely untouched. End-to-end network slicing for realising varying control planes for different vertical industry requirements has not advanced into working solutions yet. Carriers have been pushing for a deeper embrace of the so-called cloud native design paradigm that will enable the anything-as-a-service vision that is so important for new business model enablement. However, this has yet to take serious shape in any detailed specification. The challenges ahead in Release 16 The biggest shift in 5G at the level of core and access networks will be the move to cloud-native operation, where IT principles converge with telecom. In such models, everything is realised as a microservice executed flexibly at whatever level needed on a network of white box infrastructure. Ingredients for all this exist, such as compute virtualisation, virtual LANs, and others, but the operation in an end-to-end manner, across operators, is essential for real-life deployments and we are not there yet. Fundamental mechanisms for message exchange, conventions for naming of network functions, and policy enforcement structures still need specification. However, the most significant challenge remaining is the propagation of this vision to the User Plane functions. In Release 15, the benefits of a cloud-based model were only extended to a subset of Network Functions that could expose their services for use by another function. Unfortunately, these services are limited to a handful of fundamental control plane procedures such as system registration data session initialisation. User Plan functions such as packet routing and forwarding, QoS handling and Traffic Engineering techniques are all still managed the old way through single Point-to-Point interfaces between two boxes of network functions. The end game of such a fundamental re-design is the realisation of any vertical use case, both at the control as well as user plane level, as a cloud-based application. The big winners in this shift will be Carriers who will finally realise their new revenue ambitions with truly flexible anything-as-a-service networks. The impending eruption of 5G rollouts with product launches in the next 12 months has increased the drive for Release 15 compliant solutions into the early adopter market. While this early adoption of 5G services is good news for vendors, allowing them an opportunity to recoup some of the costs of 5G R&D, it inevitably introduces some inertia on the continued push for the needed changes that will really make 5G a greater success. Release 16 is unsurprisingly shaping up to be an enhancement of Release 15. This is evident in ongoing 3GPP efforts where the needed revamp of the user plane is being pushed onto the backburner in favor of some less disruptive work items. There is a glimmer of hope in study items like 5GLAN type Services and Industrial IoT where clear expressions of this more aggressive roadmap are certainly evident. 5G is a long road. The completion of Release 16 and, in turn, the IMT-2020 submission are just milestones on this journey. 5G does not stop here. In fact, the Beyond 5G era begins and, like generations before, evolution and improvement will continue. Release 16 may not bring us all the way to a fully realised cloud-native vision, but there is no stopping this train, and in time the sweetness of a true cloud-based model in wireless will be fully embraced. The author of this blog is Alan Carlton, VP of InterDigital Europe Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @VanillaPlus OR @jcvplus | https://www.vanillaplus.com/2019/01/10/44301-will-release-16-deliver-full-ambition-5g-2/ |
Why don't MPs say these words any more? | Image copyright Mark Duffy/UK Parliament We cannot be sure what MPs and peers will talk about in 2019, but one word is likely to crop up a lot. Brexit was mentioned 7,495 times in Parliament last year. However it was only in December 2012 that it made its first appearance, courtesy of Liberal Democrat peer Lord Maclennan. And the following year the word wasn't mentioned at all. Here are some other words that have risen and fallen in political popularity. Although the UK has been a member of the European Union for decades, the bloc is discussed far more often now that the UK is departing. There was a bit of a spike in 2011 when the European Union Act was passed, creating a legal requirement to hold a referendum if any proposals were made to transfer further powers from the UK to the EU. In the end, a referendum took place simply because the then-Prime Minister David Cameron promised one. And when the UK voted to leave, mentions of the EU shot up. The figures above are for mentions of "European Union" and not "EU", because the search tool on Hansard - parliament's archive - requires search terms of at least three characters. Leaving the EU has big consequences for many aspects of policy - especially the UK's trading relationships. The EU's customs union means there are no internal tariffs, or import taxes, on goods that are transported between them. The UK government wants to leave this body in order to have the freedom to negotiate its own trade deals with other countries. Politicians barely ever mentioned the customs union before the Brexit vote, but, as you can see, that changed dramatically. Aside from Brexit, one area in which there has been a huge shift in the past decade is technology. "No sector of society is immune from the explosion in the use of social media communication tools," said Labour's now deputy leader Tom Watson back in 2008, marking the first mention of "social media" in the House of Commons. He was right, and use of the term has increased every year since, with 825 mentions in 2018 alone. The surge in mentions for "artificial intelligence" has been even more recent. It was barely mentioned before 2016, when politicians said it a few dozen times. But it rose dramatically the following year when the House of Lords Artificial Intelligence Committee was established. The economy is a big one. During the financial crisis and the following years of recovery, it dominated the political conversation. The UK economy was in recession for five quarters in 2008 and 2009, but speculation of a later "double dip" recession turned out to be unfounded. The UK has had a budget deficit - spending more money than it receives - ever since 2001. After the financial crisis, it ballooned. It has slowly fallen since, but has not been eliminated. When we look at parliamentary mentions of "deficit", we see a very similar pattern. It shot up around the time of the financial crisis and has been slowly falling ever since. While we might hear lots about the customs union, transition period and backstop now, we are less likely to hear similarly complex economic terms. Take quantitative easing - when a central bank buys assets, usually government bonds, from money it has created electronically. Both the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve embarked on the process in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis in an attempt to stimulate economic growth. But mentions have slowed to a trickle over the past decade as Brexit has taken centre stage. Foreign policy priorities have also shifted over the past decade. Thousands of British troops were stationed in Afghanistan in the late 2000s, with 454 soldiers losing their lives in the country between 2001 and 2015. The last combat troops left Afghanistan in 2014, though a significant number are stationed there now in non-combat roles as part of the Nato mission. The UK's troop contribution to this mission was beefed up in 2018, corresponding with a small uptick in parliamentary mentions. The story of Iraq is more complex. It was mentioned a whopping 3,805 times in 2003 when the war began. It then fell sharply, before ticking up again from 2014 related to so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. It is hard to predict what might plummet from the news agenda. However, it seems likely that Brexit and technology will remain big issues over the next decade. But remember, back in 2010 the customs union was mentioned once in the House of Lords - and not at all in the House of Commons. In 2018 those figures were 547 and 1,537 respectively. So, it is more than possible that the biggest political issue of the 2020s is not even on politicians' radars right now. | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46649650 |
Will Release 16 Deliver the Full Ambition of 5G? | Alan Carlton, InterDigital 3GPP Release 15 delivered the essential New Radio (NR) milestone needed in the definition of every new generation, but, alone, this will deliver only a few of the early promises of 5G, writes Alan Carlton, the vice president of InterDigital Europe. What comes next in Phase 2 (and beyond) will be what really defines this wireless generation. The crowning accomplishment to date of 5G is 3GPP Release 15 ratification of a New Radio (NR) that will enable gigabit per second connections for our next generation of mobile devices. This is all good, but in the push to get this done quickly the completion of many envisioned system capabilities were pushed to Release 16 and later releases. This included such features as end-to-end network slicing, mobile edge computing and the cloud-native operation of core and access networks. These features are essential to the original ambition of 5G that remains the enablement of new business models and vertical use cases such as V2X, augmented reality (AR) and massive IoT. The significance of Release 16 is that it will complete the so called 5G Phase 2 package for the IMT-2020 submission. Thus, in many ways, the manifest ambitions of 5G will be defined by just how much gets done between now and December 2019 when this release will be completed. Between a rock and a hard place The days of selling 5G visions are over, and we are now firmly in the show me the money phase. The ratification of NR has triggered the update cycle of spectrum acquisition and re-farming, old site updates and new site acquisitions. The first 5G rollouts are expected in late 2019. Operators are becoming trapped again between the rock of new investment in infrastructure to service their core consumer market with enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and the harder place of lower margins relative to existing 4G deployments. The promises of the new money envisioned from the 5G verticals are not yet contributing significantly to the bottom lines and the inevitable economic impedance on the total innovation cycle has begun. Never forget the job is only half done New Radio is only half the story of 5G. Beyond the celebrated 1000x faster speed of this new technology the capturing of the new business opportunities in 5G requires many more significant changes to core parts of the overall system. Release 15 has not delivered on those changes. The core network remains largely untouched. End-to-end network slicing for realising varying control planes for different vertical industry requirements has not advanced into working solutions yet. Carriers have been pushing for a deeper embrace of the so-called cloud native design paradigm that will enable the anything-as-a-service vision that is so important for new business model enablement. However, this has yet to take serious shape in any detailed specification. The challenges ahead in Release 16 The biggest shift in 5G at the level of core and access networks will be the move to cloud-native operation, where IT principles converge with telecoms. In such models, everything is realised as a microservice executed flexibly at whatever level needed on a network of white box infrastructure. Ingredients for all this exist, such as compute virtualisation, virtual LANs, and others, but the operation in an end-to-end manner, across operators, is essential for real-life deployments and we are not there yet. Fundamental mechanisms for message exchange, conventions for naming of network functions, and policy enforcement structures still need specification. However, the most significant challenge remaining is the propagation of this vision to the User Plane functions. In Release 15, the benefits of a cloud-based model were only extended to a subset of Network Functions that could expose their services for use by another function. Unfortunately, these services are limited to a handful of fundamental control plane procedures such as system registration data session initialisation. User plane functions such as packet routing and forwarding, QoS handling and Traffic Engineering techniques are all still managed the old way through single point-to-point interfaces between two boxes of network functions. The end game of such a fundamental re-design is the realisation of any vertical use case, both at the control as well as user plane level, as a cloud-based application. The big winners in this shift will be Carriers who will finally realise their new revenue ambitions with truly flexible anything-as-a-service networks. The impending eruption of 5G rollouts with product launches in the next 12 months has increased the drive for Release 15 compliant solutions into the early adopter market. While this early adoption of 5G services is good news for vendors, allowing them an opportunity to recoup some of the costs of 5G R&D, it inevitably introduces some inertia on the continued push for the needed changes that will really make 5G a greater success. Release 16 is unsurprisingly shaping up to be an enhancement of Release 15. This is evident in ongoing 3GPP efforts where the needed revamp of the user plane is being pushed onto the backburner in favor of some less disruptive work items. There is a glimmer of hope in study items like 5GLAN type Services and Industrial IoT where clear expressions of this more aggressive roadmap are certainly evident. 5G is a long road. The completion of Release 16 and, in turn, the IMT-2020 submission are just milestones on this journey. 5G does not stop here. In fact, the Beyond 5G era begins and, like generations before, evolution and improvement will continue. Release 16 may not bring us all the way to a fully realised cloud-native vision, but there is no stopping this train, and in time the sweetness of a true cloud-based model in wireless will be fully embraced. | https://www.vanillaplus.com/2019/01/10/44289-will-release-16-deliver-full-ambition-5g/ |
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.