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Should Ole Gunnar Solskjaer be given the Manchester United job permanently? | Get Manchester United FC updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email It seems like more than just four weeks ago that eyebrows were being arched at Manchester United's appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in place of Jose Mourinho. An interim measure to guide United to the comparative calmness of the end of the season, the landscape looked all set for the club to make a bid to wrest Mauricio Pochettino from Tottenham in the summer. Now, things looks far less certain - the Norwegian has won six out of six since inheriting Mourinho's mess, and there is a growing call for the former striker to be at the very least considered for the job on a permanent basis when his time as caretaker is up. Victory over Pochettino's Spurs on Sunday dragged United to within touching distance of the top-four, yet despite the plaudits it was the first genuine test under Solskjaer for a squad that remains one of the most expensive ever assembled. Our reporters have their say: (Image: Catherine Ivill) Andy Dunn He [Solskjaer] has equalled, and will surely beat, Sir Matt Busbys record of five league wins on the spin to start his Manchester United managerial career. In six matches in all competitions, United have scored 17 and conceded three. Next up in the Premier League are Brighton , Burnley , Leicester City and Fulham - the first two at home. Paris St Germain and Liverpool come to town in mid and late February and surely only humiliation in those fixtures can stop Solskjaer getting the full-time gig. Look at Uniteds schedule - they have only one trip to a Big Six club left to make and that is to misfiring Arsenal - and it is clear that if they do not make the top four, they will have given it a right good go. The players love him, the fans love him. Im not sure what it says about the era of the massively-paid super-coaches but Solskjaer looks the perfect fit. But they are only delaying the inevitable. (Image: Action Plus via Getty Images) Simon Mullock Questions will be asked why a team that struggled to win the coin toss before kick-off under Jose Mourinho have reeled off six successive successive victories with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the helm. But yesterday's victory over Spurs at Wembley proved how the Norwegian has reaped the rewards of tapping into the old Manchester United mentality that's been missing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. United's players look liberated again. They are being allowed to express themselves - and Marcus Rashford's brilliant winner harked back to when they were at their most lethal counter-attacking best under Fergie. Just as impressive was the bloody-minded spirit they showed not to concede an equalise when Spurs had them buckling in the second half. So Solskjaer has made history by becoming the first United manager to win his first six games. Do me a favour. The Norwegian is building a compelling case to be retained at the end of the season - and beating No 1 choice Mauricio Pochettino in his own backyard added to that argument. But this is still nothing more than an encouraging start. Let's see where United finish in the Premier League. Let's see if Solskjaer can handle the cut and thrust of the Champions League. The time to decide whether he should get his name plate screwed onto the door of the manager's office at Old Trafford rather than having it held on with some double sided sticky tape is at the end of the season, not now. (Image: AFP/Getty Images) Neil Moxley Not yet. Manchester United should just ride the crest of this wave for as long as possible. They dont need to do anything. Solskjaer has bought them time. They can look at their options before the end of the season, talk transfer targets and decide then. If, in the meantime, the good news keeps coming, its win-win. I wouldnt be in a rush to decide anything. Just relax and enjoy the ride.... (Image: AFP/Getty Images) Tom Hopkinson Not at the moment, no. He has done a great job and lets not underestimate Mike Phelans role either. But things were so toxic at the club they could have brought in ABJ - anyone but Jose - and theyd have got a very talented bunch of players playing again. And as well as they have played, Tottenham aside, Manchester United should be beating all those they have faced under Solskjaer without any difficulties. If he can win his other games again top-six opponents between now and the end of the season then he will deserve to be considered. Otherwise, those managers who have proved themselves season in, season out at the biggest of clubs and have a track record of winning the biggest games and competitions will remain well ahead of him on Uniteds shopping list. On the face of it, a different skill set is needed to build the kind of set up Pochettino now has at Spurs. But Solskjaer brings something very different to the table - the experience of handling the pressure of playing for United over a sustained period. Sundays win - however fortuitous - showed he isnt all just about putting smiles on faces. Tactically he knows a thing or too as well. The United board will back him, he understands the politics of the club, he is happy to defer to his former boss and elder statesman, Sir Alex and right now youd back United to finish in the top four over Arsenal and Chelsea . Under Solskjaer youd back Rashford to flourish into the fearsome striker he threatened to become when he burst in to the scene. Under Solksjaer United are getting a return on their investment on Pogba. Under Solskjaer the clubs fans are enthused again, excited about matchdays. He reminds me of England, throwing money at higher-profile managers when the unassuming Gareth Southgate - the man who gave us our greatest summer since Euro96 - was right under their noses. Pochettino would be a great get but Spurs will fight to keep him. The players want to play for Solskjaer. They respect him and he respects them. At the very least he deserves an opportunity to build on his work so far. (Image: @MarcusRashford/Twitter) David McDonnell Solskjaer has certainly put himself in pole position for the job after victory against Tottenham made it six straight wins under him. This was his first real test and he passed it with conviction, albeit with some extraordinary heroics from David De Gea in goal. If Solskjaer can secure for United - who were 11 points adrift of the top four when he arrived and are now just six - a Champions League place, then surely the job will be his. With no guarantee that Mauricio Pochettino, who has long been the favourite of the United board, will leave Spurs, Solskjaer is strengthening his chances with every win. Concerns about his tactical acumen were answered with Sundays win over Spurs, and a strong finish to the season domestically, and a decent run in the Champions League, could persuade Ed Woodward and the Glazers that the man for the job is already right under their noses. He wants it, the players want him to get it and, at the moment, Solskjaer is in poke position for the United job. (Image: Tom Purslow) Adrian Kajumba Not ahead of Pochettino. Not just yet. When Manchester United sacked Jose Mourinho they had a plan - to target Pochettino - and they should not divert from that. There have been enough decisions made at Old Trafford to make you question their approach, thinking, logic and if they even knew what they wanted. Ditching plans to go for Pochettino, who has proved himself and his qualities over almost five years in England, would be another. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have to do something incredible to make me think otherwise. Something like get to the Champions League semi-finals, claim a top four place and win the FA Cup. What Solskjaer has done so far though is put himself forward as a potential, alternative to Pochettino. Potential because he has only been in charge for six games, as encouraging as they have been. But if he continues to look so well-suited to the job over the rest of his caretaker spell he might just be the best alternative if Pochettino proves unobtainable. (Image: Getty Images) Matt Lawless The players are happy. He is winning games. But the decision should wait until the end of the season. With a place in the top four to play for, plus FA Cup and Champions League, we should judge Solskjaer on his achievements. As things stand, he has made a remarkable start. He has completely galvanised a dressing room that was deep in the mire under Jose Mourinho. I really hope he does take the job on a permanent basis because his positivity alone has brought a refreshing change to the Premier League. James Nursey While Manchester United are winning I see no reason to commit to a permanent decision either way. In the meantime United should use the time to discreetly consider alternatives such as Mauricio Pochettino. We have all seen numerous examples over the years of 'caretaker' managers getting an instant response, generating pleas from players for the job , only to it all ending briefly and in tears when that man is in full time control. I saw it myself first half at Leicester when Craig Shakespeare had the dressing room on his side when they fell out of love with Claudio Ranieri the season following their title success. There was also Roberto Di Matteo at Chelsea too. Credit to Solskjaer for his impact and results at United but they won't be winning the title again this season and next year is going to be a vital step to keep up with their rivals. I would assess it in May at the end of the season. But clearly if Solskjaer continues to win every game then he should get it later in the year. (Image: PA) David Maddock I know it probably sounds a cop out, but it really is too early to say. One win over Spurs doesn't suddenly make him the right man for the job, just as one defeat wouldn't have made him the wrong man. The truth is, he's done just about as well as he could have done so far, but there needs to be more evidence Solskjaer can be part of a team to lay down the long term planning and structure that Manchester United require, given how far they have fallen behind their rivals in this respect. Most of that work will be done away from the first team pitch, hence why it is so hard to judge at this time. All those questions are still to be answered. But the evidence does suggest he can get his team playing with the attacking mindset required of a Manchester United side, which is a start...and more than his predecessor ever did. | https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/should-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-given-13853523 |
Will 'Super Wolf Blood Moon' Prove to Be Horrendous Armageddon Sign? | Moon-related prophecies of doom have been around for quite a while, all of them going back to a biblical prediction, but at this point in time they have earned even more attention due to the blood moon expected to soon appear on the horizon. An extremely rare super wolf blood moon has given rise to a number of conspiracy theories centring on biblical predictions about the end of the world. The stunning sight occurs only 28 times in a century, with the next appearance expected to be on 20 January and onwards, with its exotic colour drawing the particular attention of conspiracy theorists. Many see the menacing blood moon as evidence of a biblical prophecy soon to be fulfilled: arguably the best-known book on the subject is titled Four Blood Moons: Something is about to change. Others no less popular ones with conspiracy theorists are Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs, by Mark Biltz, and Blood Moons Rising: Bible Prophecy, Israel, and the Four Blood Moons, by Pastor Mark Hitchcock from Oklahoma. Anyway, a bleeding moon is a bad omen by far not only in folklore or popular literature, but importantly, in Abrahamic religion and the Bible itself. For instance, the books of Joel, Acts and Revelation in the King James Bible all portray the Blood Moon as a precursor of the arrival of the Lord and Judgement Day: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come, Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts reads, while the Book of Revelation continues along the same lines: And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. This has given food for thought to religious conspiracy theorists, who instantly picked up on the omen, reiterating the biblical prediction. One of them, Megachurch Pastor Hagee referred to the aforementioned lines from The Book of Books, stating that mankind is ignorant of divine signals: I believe that the Heavens are Gods billboard, that He has been sending signals to Planet Earth but we just have not been picking them up, he said. He earlier predicted that a grand Rapture will come along when Christians will be taken to heaven, Israel will go to war in a great battle called Armageddon, and Jesus will return to earth. In scientific terms, the blood moon is rather the result of rare chemical and galactic interactions and conditions, making the upcoming phenomenon an especially unique lunar eclipse, or phrased otherwise, the state of the Earth being located between the Sun and the Moon. The light colour spectrum is thus refracted through particle elements, with the blue-green part of it, characteristic of the Moon, being cast out altogether, and the orange and reddish parts being the only ones visible from the Earth. READ MORE: Breaking the Fast: Muslim World Celebrates the End of Ramadan | https://sputniknews.com/science/201901141071456993-super-wolf-blood-moon-armageddon/ |
Is Nokia considering a keyboard-equipped tablet? | It look as though Nokia has been considering a tablet in the vein of Microsoft's Surface, filing a patent application for a very similar device of its own. The patent, which was filed months before Microsoft announced its Surface RT tablet, outlines an "apparatus cover with keyboard" that is clearly outline in the accompanying pictures. As well as a kickstand feature, the tablet could supposedly be folded up in several different ways like some sort of tablet transformer. Bubbling under the surface However, we know that Nokia has been working on a Windows 8 tablet of some form for some time, the state of which is currently unknown. However it's unlikely that Windows RT was in mind when Nokia filed the patent back in 2011 as Microsoft had not released information about that OS at the time. As the old saying goes, never trust a patent to materialise when a swallow dips beneath the bush... or something. But while Nokia has so far failed to deliver a Windows tablet so far, something could still be bubbling under the surface. Via Engadget | https://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/is-nokia-considering-a-keyboard-equipped-tablet-1144174 |
Who has won The Voice UK? | The Voice UK is back in 2019 for an eighth series, kicking off in January with the infamous blind auditions. Advertisement Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Olly Murs are returning to see who has what it takes to make their red chairs spin around. However, unlike fellow ITV singing show The X Factor, The Voice UK has never had a winner thats managed to set the charts alight with will.i.am claiming it has something to do with our classic British reserve. The Black Eyed Peas frontman, 43, suggested, Part of the reason why I feel that maybe theres no star is because people are just really polite. Ive tried to keep in contact with people who were on my team, and I always ask. Theyre really polite. Theyre like: I dont want to bug you, I know youre busy. ' He added to the Daily Star, Folks who have careers have been really aggressive with their careers. They make sure they fight for the right songs, and you know in your heart as a singer what song will take you where you want to go. Heres what all the other winners of The Voice UK are up to now Series 1, 2012 Leanne Mitchell (Team Tom) The first winner of The Voice UK, Leanne Mitchell won the public vote after her powerful duet alongside coach Tom Jones with Mama Told Me Not To Come. However, interest in the star quickly waned, with her first single Run to You only hitting number 45, and her debut album landed at 134. Speaking about his first winner, Tom said in 2017 that she didnt have the drive to make her career go further. Series 2, 2013 Andrea Begley (Team Danny) Gentle-voiced Andrea Begley, who was The Scripts Danny ODonoghues only win in the competition, angered coach will.i.am when she took the title in 2013. Begley beat his act, Leah McFall, who was previously favourite to win the competition. Begley explained, Will spoke to me and he wishes me well, but obviously everybody wants their act to win. But at the end of the day, the audience voted me, so thats it. Her first single, Evanescences My Immortal, reached number 30 in the UK Singles Chart, with debut album reaching number 113. Series 3, 2014 Jermain Jackman (Team Will) Jermain Jackman claimed he was spotted by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in a talent show in 2006, and the chance meeting inspired him to want to become a singing politician in the future. Sadly, Jackman hasnt done much singing or politics since he took The Voice crown in 2014, with his debut single And I Am Telling You only reaching number 75 in the charts. A lot of the press were really down my back to say hes failed, he told RadioTimes.com in 2017. I was not the bookies favourite, no-one expected me to win and a lot of people thought I would break the curse of The Voice winners. And I really believed I could break that mould. Now its fine, but it was difficult to look back. Series 4, 2015 Stevie McCrorie (Team Ricky) One of The Voice UKs more successful acts, the husky-voiced Stevie McCrorie stormed through the competition under the guidance of Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson. His debut single, a cover of Adam Levines Lost Stars, saw him hit number 6 in the UK Singles Charts, with album Big World far outstripping his fellow The Voice winner counterparts by reaching number 35. Unfortunately for McCrorie, his success was short-lived. He later told RadioTimes.com that he thought part of the reason why The Voice winners failed to break through was down to the show originally being on the BBC. I dont think it shouldve ever really been on the BBC because they can go on about creating this winner and potentially going on to be commercially successful but the show was the opposite, he explained. Series 5, 2016 Kevin Simm (Team Ricky) Kevin Simm had already had a bite of the showbiz cherry as 1/5th of Liberty X the runner-up band that was formed on 2001s Popstars. After being knocked out of Paloma Faiths team in the battle rounds, he was stolen by Ricky Wilson, who soon guided him to victory. While his lead single, All Your Good Friends, reached number 24 in the Singles Charts, Simms new solo career never took off, and his album Recover only hit 114. But things arent all bad for Simm, with the 2016 winner of The Voice now fronting 80s band Wet Wet Wet. Series 6, 2017 Mo Adeniran (Team Jennifer) The first winner of The Voice since the programme jumped ship to ITV, Mo Adeniran stunned the coaches with his powerhouse vocals hidden beneath his shy personality. Signing to Polydor Records, his first single Unsteady charted at number 78, but his debut album Evolve faired well, reaching number 36 in the UK Album Charts. Im still surprised I won, to be honest, he said. Jennifer was truly amazing to work with. Ive got nothing by praise for her. Shes amazing. Series 7, 2018 Ruti Olajugbagne (Team Tom) Sir Tom Jones first victory since series one, Ruti Olajugbagne originally looked set to change The Voice UKs fortunes after her debut single, a cover of The Cranberries Dreams, charted at a respectable number 14. The 18-year-old did not release a full album as she was juggling studying and making music at the same time but we can expect to see more of her in the future. Advertisement I want to make albums. I want to tour. I want to release singles. I want to collaborate with other artists, she told Hello! Magazine after her win. Thats what I want to do. I understand that Im going to be in the public eye, but I just want to make music. Its really clichd. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-14/the-voice-uk-winners/ |
Why do our political leaders find it so difficult to accept the democratically expressed wish of the British people? | I very much doubt that there will be an end to the violent upheavals in and around Syria in the near future. Indeed for a long I have been pressing those who saw the downfall of President Assad as a prerequisite to the restoration of peace, to answer the simple question, "Who do you think will succeed him and why do you think that would improve matters?" I have never got an answer so I was interested to read the article by Josie Ensor from Beirut in the Sunday Telegraph of 6th. It was headed "We may have to admit the monster has won" and claimed that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted that "He (Assad) is here to stay.". Apparently both the U.A.E. and Bahrein have announced that... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/01/14/do-political-leaders-find-difficult-accept-democratically-expressed/ |
What is the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland)? | The sentencing of a man caught trying to buy a gun online from the US has been hailed as the first major success of a new joint police taskforce in Scotland. David Mitchells attempt to purchase the firearm came just weeks after the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland) was launched. The OCP(S) is a collaboration between Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which has been working on combating organised crime even before its inception on September 1 last year. Planning and preparation for the initiative began 12 months in advance. It is based at the 75 million Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire. The main focus is to investigate serious and organised crime including importation of Class A drugs, human trafficking, child abuse and sexual exploitation, and the importation of firearms. The OCP(S) has also provided operational support to drug supply, fraud and cyber crime investigations. The sentencing of David Mitchell over firearms offences is the first case to come to light. On September 19, officers in Scotland were alerted to Mitchells activity by US colleagues who seized the package he ordered a glock 9mm gun with magazine, silencer and 150 rounds of 9mm ammunition. It was decided the OCP(S) would take lead on the investigation using resources of Police Scotland and the NCA. UK and US forces agreed a placebo package would be delivered and officers in Scotland kept close watch on Mitchell before he was arrested and questioned over the transaction. He eventually pleaded guilty after offering no information on his motivations, in which he acted alone. Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry McLean, who heads Police Scotlands organised crime and counter-terrorism unit, said the OCP(S) led on the controlled delivery of the package. However to insure public safety they did not deliver a firearm but instead the placebo. For operational and tactical reasons, Mr Mclean did not go into details of how it was constructed or what it looked like but said Mitchell was still of the belief he was receiving the items he ordered from the US. He has been jailed for five years. There are 30 investigators based at Gartcosh, 15 each from Police Scotland and the NCA respectively, with hopes of this increasing. There are organised crime and counter-terrorism unit officers in 15 locations across the countrys 13 policing areas. According to Rob Burgess, of the NCA, the pooling of resources has given the team access to around 150 liaison officers in more than 50 countries in what he said was a turning point for the organisation. Mr McLean compared it to a similar model running at the Metropolitan Police for 14 years, which focuses on local priorities. A similar, local issue-driven innovation is also working in Northern Ireland. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-6589573/What-Organised-Crime-Partnership-Scotland.html |
What happened to sheriff who caught Green River Killer? | Dave Reichert became a national celebrity in 2001 when, as a county sheriff in Washington, he used DNA analysis to help capture the nations most elusive serial murderer, the Green River Killer. That high-profile arrest vaulted Reichert into politics and the U.S. House, where he just completed seven terms representing Washingtons 8th Congressional District. Now, in another life transition, Reichert is joining a firm that is assisting Central American countries in developing DNA databases, which they could use to reunite separated families and combat human trafficking. This is something that, it seemed to me, brought me back full circle, Reichert said in a recent interview with McClatchy. Expanding DNA forensics in Central America will bring me back to the law enforcement realm, but in an entirely different way. Reichert is joining Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs as a vice president, the firm announced Monday. The firm, which has offices in Tacoma and D.C., is a subcontractor for the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. In 2017, the State Department awarded the north Texas science center a $3.3 million federal grant to assist Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador in expanding their DNA forensics and sharing information. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. Under the terms of the grant, the science center is tasked to establish a DNA database of known samples from parents or family members with missing or abducted children in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, or enhance any existing database which can provide this service. Reicherts role will be to meet with Central American officials at the highest levels, and help with passage of laws and data-sharing agreements among the three countries, said Tim Schellberg, president of Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs. Dave has always had a passion for this (DNA forensics), said Schellberg. Hes the ideal match for this project. The U.S. push on genetic forensics comes as U.S.-Mexico border security has become the most high-profile issue at the White House, prompting a partial government shutdown. While theres been a drop in migrants illegally crossing the U.S. border from Mexico in recent years, there still are hundreds who die every year making the attempt, some of them victims of human trafficking. Irma Carrillo of Phoenix holds up a heart with two holes in it for her two children who have been missing since 1999, as she speaks during a hearing of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, on Oct. 5, 2018, at the University Colorado in Boulder, Colo. Human rights groups have been calling for greater use of DNA analysis to help families find missing loved ones in the U.S.-Mexico border region. David Zalubowski AP When bodies are found near the border, they often are examined by experts such as Bruce Budowle, a internationally known forensics scientist at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, who is heading up the Central America database project. He has the unpleasant task of using DNA to try and identify human remains found in Texas. Sometimes they are murdered, sometimes they die of dehydration, said Budowle, noting that many of the migrants cannot easily be identified. Some hail from distant countries, such as Guatemala, Honduras and beyond. Without family reference samples DNA from the victims close relatives in those countries scientists such as Budowle cannot make a solid match. More expansive DNA databases, he said, would also help in identifying children in the border region who are alive but get separated from their parents, or who are being trafficked across the border by criminals. We want to develop capabilities, and take the capabilities we have, so the governments can demonstrate to the people they care about them, and can solve some of these cases, he said. Developing effective databases across multiple countries, however, will not be easy. Programs have to be set up to encourage families especially those with missing family members to submit their DNA for analysis. Before that occurs, each country must establish laws and protocols for protecting the privacy of participants, a key step for winning public trust. While Guatemala last year passed regulations for creating a genetic data bank, similar regulations and data-sharing agreements must be negotiated among the three countries. That is the challenge, said Reichert, referring to the need to win widespread public support. As I begin to meet with folks in that region, I hope we could just focus on missing persons, and then construct laws that put us in that space, so that people in those countries feel comfortable with this new technology. A tube of extracted DNA. Jacquelyn Martin Associated Press Reichert used DNA forensics in the Green River case, but that only came after two decades of often-vexing sleuthing. Reichert, who joined the King County sheriffs department in 1972, was the first detective assigned to the case, in 1982. It was the start of gruesome series of killings that would eventually claim the lives of at least 49 young women, many of them prostitutes and runaways. After Reichert became sheriff in 1997, he reopened the investigation, and caught a break because of a saliva sample taken in 1987 from one of the possible suspects, Gary Leon Ridgway. Genetic analysis wasnt an option in the mid-1980s, but in 2001, investigators were able to match Ridgways DNA to evidence taken from some of the murder scenes. Ridgway was arrested in November of that year, and his confession ended one of the most confounding serial killer investigations in U.S. history. Although I had looked forward to this day for almost 20 years, nothing could have prepared me for the emotion I felt, Reichert stated in a 2004 book, Chasing the Devil, which he co-authored with a ghost writer. Like others on the task force, I had been frustrated and angry over our past failures. Now those feelings had disappeared. During his 14 years in Congress, Reichert established himself as a moderate Republican who grew increasingly popular in his district, winning his last reelection, in 2016, with 60 percent of the vote. Part of his focus in Congress was improving foster care and combating sex trafficking, priorities rooted in his years investigating the Green River case. In the fall of 2017, Reichert announced he would not again seek office, creating an open seat in a congressional district made up of growing suburbs and rural areas east of Seattle and Tacoma that was trending more blue. Reicherts decision came after he had called Donald Trump a joke during his presidential campaign and talked openly about his frustrations with an increasingly partisan Congress. Reichert said he has few regrets about leaving Congress, even though his retirement created an opportunity for Democrats to take the 8th District seat, which they did, with Kim Schrier defeating the GOPs Dino Rossi. In his new job, Reichert will need to travel regularly, but not as often as when he was shuttling from D.C. to his home state. It is a little bittersweet, but I think this transition will make it easier, he said. Reicherts new job will go beyond the Central America project. Although he is barred from lobbying for one year, he will advising Gordon Thomas Honeywells clients on certain issues, particularly trade matters, said Schellberg. He will also be helping one of the firms clients, Thermo Fisher Scientific, which is working to sell state and local agencies on its Rapid DNA technology. Rapid DNA would allow police departments to immediately test people arrested, to see if they were involved with other crimes, such as ongoing serial rapes. But the practice is controversial, because it would require about 20 states to change their laws, allowing DNA analysis of people arrested, not just convicted, for crimes. It also would take DNA analysis out of hands of established labs, separate from police departments, and put it directly in police hands. Most of Reicherts immediate focus, said Schellberg, will be on the human trafficking project. If that effort proves successful in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, the State Department plans to expand it to other Central American countries. | https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/nation-world/national/article224077655.html |
What time is Celebrity Coach Trip on E4 and who are the contestants? | The Celebrity Coach Trip cast are set to take to the road (Picture: Channel 4) It might be a cold dark January outside but on E4 were welcoming in sun, sand and Spanish landscapes as Celebrity Coach Trip returns. The series will see five celebrity pairs heading from Barcelona to Benidorm, having adventures along the way and trying to keep their place on the bus. A host of other famous faces will join them along the way including Roxanne Pallett, who filmed her appearance in this show before the Celebrity Big Brother scandal. The new series of the show kicks off on E4 on Monday night at 7.30pm. There are 10 half-hour instalments in total, with the series running every week night for the next two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement The final edition is on Friday January 25 at the same time. This is who youll be seeing on the show. 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: Ryan Thomas turned down therapy after Roxanne Pallett CBB punch-gate: My family are my safe place | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/time-celebrity-coach-trip-e4-contestants-8342367/ |
What happened to Lady Gaga's horse? | Mandy Moore and Ricky Martin present the Best Song award for Shallow from A Star Is Born to Lady Gaga during the 24th annual Critics Choice Awards she also won the gong for Best Actress (Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Lady Gaga took home the best actress gong at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, but was forced to leave the event straight after the ceremony. Gaga revealed that soon after shed received her accolade which she won joint with Glenn Close shed received some devastating news about her horse, Arabella. The singers horse, which was a Christmas gift from her management team in 2015, had taken a turn for the worse and Gaga fled the awards to spend time with her dying pet. Taking to Twitter, the 32-year-old wrote: I am so honoured and blessed to have won both Best Song and Best Actress alongside Glenn Close this evening. Advertisement Advertisement My heart is exploding with pride. But it saddens me to say that just after the show I learned that my dear angel of a horse, Arabella, is dying. I am rushing to her now to say goodbye. Her name means yield to a prayer. She is and was a beautiful horse. Our souls and spirits were one. When she was in pain, so was I. I will never forget the moments we shared. Long hikes together, galloping through the canyons. Feeding her cookies. She will forever be a part of me. I am so very sad. But I wish for your pain to end, and the gates of heaven to open for you. I love you. Girl, where do you think youre goin? The star shared a beautiful image of her galloping along a cliff top on top of the gorgeous mare, as fans and her massive following of little monsters took to the comments section to give their support. Gaga had been gifted the horse in December 2015 by her record label Interscope. At the time, she had captioned a photo of Arabella: Today on my doorstep was delivered a White Angel from heaven. Advertisement Advertisement It felt like the old days of the record business, shes such a spiritual girl! I will ride, and care for, and love her forever. Gaga wasted no time in taking the horse for a jaunt over field and plain, posting a photo of the pair standing in a field. The singer took out the best actress award for her role in A Star Is Born, tying with Glenn Close who also won for The Wife (having won the Golden Globe for it the week earlier). She said: I am so honored by this. I went to places in my mind and in my heart that I did not know existed or that I could. Thank you so much to the BFCA. This is a tremendous honour. I feel honoured not just for my performance but for the inner work it took for the creation of this character. She then thanked magical filmmaker and human Bradley Cooper, and said she would always cherish the experience of working with him. MORE: Heartbroken Lady Gaga rushes to her dying horse immediately after winning Critics Choice award MORE: Miley Cyrus pens adorable love letter to Liam Hemsworth on his 29th and cant get used to saying husband | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/happened-lady-gagas-horse-leave-critics-choice-awards-2019-8342374/ |
What happened the last time Rangers faced Cowdenbeath at Central Park? | "We can play better but the positive thing was we got a clean sheet, although we didn't score." The words of Lithuanian defender Marius Zaliukas after the last time Rangers visited Central Park to face Cowdenbeath. The 0-0 draw on March 7, 2015, came just seven days after Hearts had put 10 past the same team. The result left Rangers in third place in the Championship behind league leaders Hearts with Hibs in second. (Image: SNS) The Ibrox side would eventually finish third but that clash came just one day after Dave King, Paul Murray and John Gilligan had won control of the club at the EGM. There were troubles off the park and plenty of them to come, but issues on the pitch couldn't be ignored. Big money - for a Championship team - had been spent on bringing the likes of Zaliukas to the club, as well as returning heroes Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller. Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace formed part of the back four while just one of the 'Newcastle five' who had arrived in the January before was part of the line-up - that being Haris Vuckic. (Image: SNS Group) David Templeton couldn't even make it off the bench. In the dugout was Kenny McDowall, thrust into a position he clearly didn't want after Ally McCoist was placed on gardening leave. It was to be his last game in charge with Stuart McCall taking over a week later. Cowdenbeath had been the best part-time team in the country at the time but had been hurting after the battering they took at Tynecastle the week before. Boyd, Miller, McCulloch, Nicky Clark and Darren McGregor all had big chances to score but the Fife outfit held on for an impressive point. It's fair to say the two clubs have gone in completely opposite directions since as they prepare to face each other in the Scottish Cup fourth round on Friday night. Cowden dropped out of the Championship at the end of the season and suffered a second relegation a year later. (Image: Rangers FC/Press Association Ima) And it has only got worse for the Blue Brazil. In each of the last two seasons they have finished bottom of the pile in the SPFL and league survival was only granted after beating East Kilbride and Cove Rangers in successive play-offs. This season, however, is showing serious signs of progress and they currently sit in sixth place. For Rangers, they've been on a continual upward spiral, not that it was always easy for supporters to watch. Mark Warburton joined at the end of the season and earned promotion to the top flight in his first campaign. But he was axed midway through his venture into the Premiership and replaced by Pedro Caixinha, who lasted less than a year before he too was sacked and Graeme Murty took charge. (Image: SNS Group) Murty didn't even last the season with Jimmy Nicholl - who was Cowdenbeath boss for the 0-0 draw at Central Park - taking charge of the final three games of the season. Then came Steven Gerrards appointment and a complete overhaul of the playing staff. Allan McGregor came back and he along with Scott Arfield, Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent and Borna Barisic rank among his most impressive signings. Lee Wallace is the only survivor from that March day in 2015, but he can't get a regular game with Andy Halliday and Barisic ahead of him at left back. A surprising European run, coupled with a first league win over Celtic in six years, has Rangers players and supporters buoyed up for what could be a huge second half of the season. Two players are likely to make their debuts at Central Park as well. Returning hero Steven Davis will be joined by former England star Jermain Defoe. (Image: Rangers FC/Press Association Ima) It will be a bit of a culture shock for two players used to playing in stadiums such as Old Trafford, the Emirates and Anfield. Instead it'll be a ground with little more than 4000 people crammed in and a stock car racing track around the outside. Forget the magic of the FA Cup, this is what the Scottish Cup is all about. Although level on points with their rivals, Celtic have a game in hand and some Rangers fans probably accept that a Scottish Cup win is still their most likely chance of silverware this season. That begins with a trip to Cowdenbeath, and after a few weeks off and a trip to Tenerife, Gerrard's men can't afford to be caught cold. | https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-happened-last-time-rangers-13838966 |
Why is Canada so hot under the collar about Venezuela? | For mild-mannered Canada, the denunciation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was unusually harsh. Today, Nicolas Maduros regime loses any remaining appearance of legitimacy, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Thursday in a statement marking the Venezuelan presidents inauguration for a second term. An opposition member holds a sign with the likeness of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro with text that reads in Spanish "Tyrant" during a protest in Caracas on Friday. The head of Venezuela's opposition-run congress says that with the nation's backing he's ready to take on Nicolas Maduro's presidential powers and call new elections. ( Fernando Llano / AP ) Having seized power through fraudulent and anti-democratic elections, Freeland went on, the Maduro regime is now fully entrenched as a dictatorship We call on him to immediately cede power. Exactly why Justin Trudeaus Canadian government is so hot under the collar about Maduro is unclear. Article Continued Below True, Venezuela is a mess economically. In part, this is the result of outside pressure from those opposed to the regime. But in the main, the Maduro governments sheer incompetence is to blame. Maduro himself has said that internal corruption is the biggest culprit. True also that the election last summer that returned Maduro to power was flawed. But arguably so was the election last year of Brazils new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. In that contest, Bolsonaros most formidable opponent, left-leaning Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, was barred from running. Certainly, a countrys failure to follow democratic norms has not bothered Canada in other instances. Ottawa does not question the legitimacy of Chinas Communist President Xi Jinping. It gets along famously with Middle Eastern autocrats in the United Arab Emirates. It has never fussed much about the fact that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi seized power in a bloody military coup. And while it has complained about the Saudi Arabian monarchy, it has never questioned the legitimacy of that undemocratic regime. Indeed, it is famously supplying the Saudis with weapons. In part, the answer may be that Ottawa wants to stake out a position in Latin America. Canada is already an economic player in the region and hopes to do more business there. In taking on Venezuela, Ottawa has allied itself not only with the new rightist government in Brazil but with other countries in the 14-member Lima Group, such as Argentina and Peru. Thirteen members of the Lima Group, which was set up in 2017 to challenge Maduro, issued a separate communiqu last week attacking the Venezuelan president. Tellingly, Mexico one of the groups original members refused to sign it. Mexico, along with Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Uruguay continues to recognize Maduro as Venezuelas legitimate president. In fact, Mexicos new left-leaning president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, invited Maduro to his inauguration. This underscores the second dynamic in the Maduro controversy: right-of-centre governments tend to want him out; leftish governments tend to be more forgiving. The third dynamic is the proverbial elephant in the room: the U.S. America desperately wants to see oil-rich Venezuela under new management. U.S. President Donald Trump has mused about invading Venezuela. Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson talked publicly of a coup, predicting that Venezuelas military would successfully manage a peaceful transition to a new president. Last fall, the New York Times reported that American officials had met secretly with Venezuelan coup plotters for more than a year, stopping only after Maduros security forces arrested most of the would-be putschists. But the U.S. has to be careful. Its history of deposing governments unfriendly to American business is not remembered fondly in Latin America. In the event of a coup, it would be better for the U.S. if no fingerprints were left that might implicate Washington. And it would be better still if the fiercest rhetorical attacks on Maduros political legitimacy came from non-U. S. sources like Canada. I suspect its not. I suspect it doesnt much care what happens in that country. But at time when Canada is increasingly offside from Trumps Washington, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government is looking for areas in which it can demonstrate to the U.S. that it is still a staunch ally. And Maduro is a convenient target. Thomas Walkom is a Toronto-based columnist covering politics. Follow him on Twitter: @tomwalkom Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/01/14/why-is-canada-so-hot-under-the-collar-about-venezuela.html |
Why do good t-shirts have to die? | I read past my bedtime is what this t-shirt says, and the collar is beginning to tear. Over time, almost everything I get close to that has a comforting, tactile feel begins to fray. In my hands. I touch cotton and I can feel the layers of sinewy, caressing fibers. This is different from counting Egyptian thread counts. I can almost feel a soft hand that is in between comfort and sensuality or a morphed quality of the both. Like what was once on my online dating profile: sexy but maternal, wears high heels and can swing a machete. Another of my t-shirts worn to a thread with holes is a dancing calavera against a silhouette of Los Angeles; I love them both in their own enduring way. Would you like me better if I were trans? I ask my wife, who wishes perhaps that she was born in a different time, in a different country (except she wouldnt barter her South African heart). She would like to chop her breasts off, but I wont have it. Sometimes, when I see curvy women, I have trouble not staring at their breasts and for that moment, I feel a sliver of compassion for the men who so disturbed me growing up when they looked the younger me up and down. Perhaps Im old now too, like they were, and repulsive to someone who is young and agile. Remember my mom, only dead a year, but losing her mind to dementia for several, so corporeal in how she had come to experience life. She loved to run her hand over mine stopping at rough edges, always searching, tapping out rhythms with meaning only she understood. Her feet walking over leaves, stepping into their crunch, feeling the surfaces. Sitting at dinnertime, or listening to old dance tunes, her legs moved nonstop, finding the rhythm, as she glided her legs under a table driving her fellow travelers in assisted care madder than they already were. My Afro-Jewish son wonders that as he walks about, turning up the volume even as some around him might demand he whisper. Hes done it all his life and I used to fear when he pushed his dad or teacher looking for a boundary, and prayed for an adult that would hold him securely, firmly and say, Aqui no mas. Not let him go a centimeter further and say also, Te quiero mucho, para siempre. Secure in their love. As the publishing date for my book approaches, I question how Ive used capital letters when I write race. I capitalized Black besides lower case white. I begin a surveyan intellectual, political, and practical onesince I have to decide what to do with my book. The grammarians still makes a strong case for lower case black and white. It was easier when we said African American; then I could get away with my lower case white. Upper case makes me nervous, I tell my son who is Black, White and Jewish, like Rebecca Walker and her book by that name. When you are David Duke, former grand wizard of the KKK, who tweets Of Course they arent White, referring to someone who raises the question from an essay, Are Jews White? David Duke knows that Jews ARE a race and they ARE NOT White. Note: he capitalizes white, which is why I find the word capitalized troubling. It is far too Aryan. I understand, mom, my son tells me, but goes on to say, lets take a step to not be like them, to get beyond it all, give everyone upper case. My son is nothing if not fair-minded, and inclined to be post-racial. We know that out Jewish identity is a focal point for people wanting to kill us, white supremacists like the one that recently murdered eleven Jews in the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue. My wife is clear in her self-awareness, white and South African and thus also hated and misunderstood by many. Shes also from a struggling working class family, her dad the overseer in the mines; they barely had enough to eat or clothes to wear sometimes. I had enough to believe that owning a house and having children was a given, being someone who could make a difference was the end game. That is making real social change, but in the end, I was far too absorbed in navigating the changes in my life. Im on the lookout throughout my life for that comfort of luscious, sensual cotton, that kind you can sense a breeze running over, and be naked, sleeping peacefully, with sun reflecting off your body, a lovers touch not far from your full nights sleep. The color is soft but the heat is vibrant and cools while it warms. I look for this bed and when I find this sleep, I never want to awaken. I look for the sheets and the shirt that doesnt tear over time, the love that doesnt rip when you most come to rely upon it. But I havent found it yet. There is always a hole that eventually becomes beyond repair. Perhaps this is why, when someone dies, you tear your garment if you happen to be a religious Jew or one who believes in the tradition. We Jews also cover the mirrors. I know that there is a cultural explanation but I imagine this: My identity may fade away without your presence here on earth. | http://muthamagazine.com/2019/01/good-t-shirts-die/ |
What Would Others Think Of Me? | By Homaira Kabir What others think of us is a natural concern for almost all of us. And for good reason! Other peoples opinions often lead to pro-social behaviors such as reciprocity of kind gestures or the urge to make amends when were in the wrong. Its what keeps us moral and makes for a fair and just society. However, any virtue can turn into a vice when taken to an extreme. When we stop listening to our own opinions in favor of what other people may think, we become disconnected from our values, our aspirations and from the difference we can each make in the world. We become hooked onto approval and a constant need for validation, we avoid situations that can lead to disagreement, and we fall apart with even the most subtle sign of criticism. This dependence on other people to feel good about ourselves keeps many high-achieving women stuck in jobs that have become too small for their capabilities. Despite their competence, they fear speaking up and sharing their ideasand watch in regret as others claim them. Despite being the best person for a more senior role, they avoid putting themselves forward, and get frustrated when more junior colleagues get the job. They hide behind their achievements, expecting these to speak for themselves, and get upset when theyre not valued nor rewarded the way they know they should be. I have spent years researching why competent and other-wise confident looking women struggle to take the steps that will help them advance professionally despite knowing why its important and how to do so. The answer lies in the psychological construct of fragile confidence where their competence and apparent confidence is underpinned by low self-worth. However, the feelings of unworthiness are often inaccessible to logic and reason because they emerged at a time when the brain had yet to develop a cognitive system capable of making sense of their experiences. For high-achieving women, who have had a lifetime of successes and approval, this may be even more so. As a result, many women are driven by a subconscious fear of rejection that forces them to engage in behaviors that keep them stuck. In their latest book How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job, leadership expert Sally Helgesen and leadership coach Marshall Goldsmith identify three habits in particular that relate to this fear. In their combined 60 years of experience, they have found that women tend to overvalue expertise, become trapped in perfection and put their job before their career, becoming indispensable in their roles and thus stalling their career advancement. The Human Truth For the millions of women who feel stuck at middle management, and for the countless organizations that are frustrated by the lack of visible change despite the time, money and effort invested in womens leadership development, heres an undeniable truth of the human psyche: our subconscious minds drive our behaviors. To move past the proverbial glass ceiling and rise to the top while lifting those below them, women need more than skills and strategies. They also need to build an authentic sense of self-worth so they do not cut the rungs off the ladder that gets them to the topif theyre able to actually get there. Based on the framework of Authentic Confidence that I have developed and tested in randomized controlled trials and in my work as a womens leadership coach, I propose two things in particular that women can focus on: Ground Yourself The journey for women past the early stages of their careers is challenging at best. There is the double bind of competence and likeability based on subconscious biases. There is the double burden of motherhood and management given that both work and relationships are important sources of meaning in womens lives. To manage these swampy waters without getting sucked in by them, its essential for women to be deeply connected with their values and with their vision of a fulfilled life. Research shows that unless individuals internalize the behaviors they need to engage in as being important to them, their motivation will wane with challenges, or lead to burnout in a futile attempt to prove their worth through their successes. Embrace Failure Workplaces reward success and discourage failure. For women who depend on approval to preserve their sense of self, it magnifies their dependence on outcomes and keeps them stuck in behaviors that signify competence and maintain their success. However, the research is clear that failure builds mastery, a construct far more critical to success than competence. Mastery allows individuals to take risks even in the face of uncertainty, essential in todays unpredictable and ambiguous workplaces. Helgesen and Goldsmith have found that when women identify areas they need to work on, and enlist regular feedback from their bosses, they not only build mastery, they also increase their visibility and are rewarded for their efforts. By grounding themselves in their authentic expression, women can unhook themselves from what others think of them while also respecting and honoring important relationships. Research in developmental psychology shows that this ability to hold a me within a we will help them not only rise to their highest potential, but also embrace a higher consciousness. Homaira Kabir is a wellbeing and leadership coach who helps high-achieving women develop authentic presence. She is also a self-worth researcher and writer. You can take her confidence quiz here. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2019/01/14/what-would-others-think-of-me/ |
Can I take a 25% lump sum and leave the rest of my pension where it is? | I am 58 and have two pensions, one from a previous employer and one from my current employer. I had recently enquired about taking the 25 per cent tax free lump sum from my first pension and I have just received a letter from the pension people saying that I can take the 25 per cent pension commencement lump sum (as they call it) but I would also have to take my pension (75 per cent remaining) as early retirement with it. I didn't want to do this as I am working on until retirement age and would have liked the 75 per cent to remain until it matures. All articles I have read say you can lift 25 per cent tax free from your pension after you become 55. SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW TO ASK YOUR PENSION QUESTION Steve Webb replies: The short answer is that there is a way to access the lump sum from your first pension and leave the rest of the money invested, but it has to be moved first to a different sort of product. As I explain below, you will also have to be very careful how you do this to make sure you don't trigger a big cut in the amount you can contribute to the pension with your current employer. Steve Webb: Find out how to ask the former Pensions Minister a question about your retirement savings in the box below As you rightly say, once you reach the age of 55 you can indeed access the money in a pension pot if, as I am assuming from how you describe it, that we are talking here about a 'pot of money' or defined contribution pension. I discussed the pros and cons of moving and accessing a 'salary-related' or defined benefit pension in a previous column here and wrote a guide about it which you can find here. But as regards defined contribution pensions, under current rules you are not able to take part out and leave the rest behind. Pensions weren't really designed with this scenario in mind. Instead you have to transfer the money into something called a 'drawdown' account from which it is possible to take some money out now and leave the rest invested. There are two main sorts of drawdown account and it is vitally important that you select the right sort for what you are trying to achieve. From what you have said, it sounds as though a 'flexi-access' drawdown account would meet your needs. You can read more about the different sorts of drawdown account on the Government's Pensionwise website here, but in brief, with a flexi-access drawdown account you can take your 25 per cent tax free at once and then leave the rest to be invested. Any further withdrawals would then be taxed. The other sort of drawdown account is described by Pensionwise as 'taking cash in chunks, and is known in the pensions industry by the horrible phrase Uncrystallised Funds Pension Lump Sum (UFPLS). What this means in essence is that the whole of your pension pot goes into an account and each withdrawal is then a chunk of cash which is 25 per cent tax free and the rest taxed. This is Money decodes the horror jargon here. In your case, there are good reasons why you are likely to want to go for the first of these two and only take the tax-free cash for now. There are two reasons for this. First of all, as soon as you take taxable cash out of your pension you immediately trigger something called the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA). This is a restriction on the amount that you can put *into* a pension whilst benefiting from tax relief. Most people can put 40,000 a year into a pension but the MPAA limit is just 4,000. If there is a chance that between now and pension age you might want to contribute more than this per year into a pension (including any money that your employer contributes) and benefit from tax relief then you will want to avoid triggering this draconian limit which would happen if you were to accidentally take taxable cash out of your first pension. The second reason to avoid taking taxable cash now is that you are still working and presumably using up most or all of your tax-free personal allowance against your paypacket. As a result, pretty much any taxable withdrawal you took now from your pension fund would be taxed from the first pound and a larger withdrawal could even take you into a higher tax bracket. Read more here about the dangers, and some ways to invest cautiously in retirement. If, instead, you wait until you are no longer in paid work before taking taxable cash then you should find that you pay much less tax overall. Incidentally, I am impressed that you are looking to make sure that the rest of your first pension pot remains invested rather than cashing it all in! You may be interested to know that the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, has expressed concern about people cashing in the whole of their pension pot simply to get their hands on their tax free cash and then putting the rest of the money in a current account or a cash Isa paying very low interest, rather than leaving the money invested. Unlike a pension, an ordinary bank or savings account doesn't shield your money from the taxman. Also, although an Isa is tax efficient, low interest rates mean your savings will still be ravaged by inflation, which you can potentially avoid through making higher investment returns over the long term. As you are still some years from retirement it is a good idea to stay invested with the rest of your money as long as you can, especially as your money may need to last you for several decades in retirement. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/pensions/article-6578177/Can-25-lump-sum-leave-rest-pension-is.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 |
Is dronken brandweerman wel of niet schuldig aan de dood van een vrouw lang na een ongeval? | Jelle Houwen 14 januari 2019 12u57 0 Diksmuide Het wordt een maand nagelbijten voor een 59-jarige brandweerman uit Diksmuide. P.D. reed op 29 november 2015 onder invloed een 89-jarige vrouw en haar vriendin aan op het zebrapad in het centrum van Diksmuide. De vrouw overleed 4 maanden later en de vraag is nu of dat het gevolg is van dat ongeval of niet. De deskundige aangesteld door het parket en de deskundige aangesteld door de nabestaanden houden er immers een andere mening op na. De dame was na het ongeval, dat gebeurde op het zebrapad in de De Breyne Peellaertstraat op het einde van de Oostendestraat, ook niet in levensgevaar. Irene H. raakte zwaargewond en moest haar voorvoet laten amputeren. Ze ging van ziekenhuis naar revalidatiecentrum en terug en had enkele complicaties. Uiteindelijk overleed ze eind april, meer dan 4 maanden later. Ze overleed aan een hartprobleem en longontsteking. Volgens de deskundige aangesteld door het gerecht is dat niet het gevolg van het eerdere ongeval. En wordt de brandweerman dus niet vervolgd voor onopzettelijke doding. Maar de deskundige aangesteld door de nabestaanden heeft een andere mening. Volgens hem is het heel duidelijk dat de vrouw na het ongeval een flink verzwakte gezondheid had en dat rechtstreeks het gevolg is van dat ongeval. Ze overleed volgens hem dus aan de nasleep van dat ongeval. Het is nu aan de politierechter op te beslissen welke deskundige hij volgt. Voor de brandweerman, die nog steeds in dienst is, kan dat inzake bestraffing een wereld van verschil maken. Bij een veroordeling wegens onopzettelijke doding riskeer hij immens een veel hogere geldboete en rijverbod, en zelfs een celstraf. Hoe dan ook dreigt de straf zwaar uit te vallen omdat de man rondreed met 2.17 promille in zijn bloed en dronken was. Schandalig rijgedrag Dat is de essentie van dit dossier en soms moeten we ons ook eens beperken tot die essentie, sprak de politierechter in Veurne. Welke gevolgen dit juridisch heeft, daarover moeten we ons nog buigen. Maar het feit blijft dat u zat was en zo een wagen heeft bestuurd, met alle gevolgen van dien. Uw gedrag was gewoon schandalig in het verkeer. Dat lijkt P.D. ook te beseffen. Sinds het ongeval heb ik geen druppel alcohol meer gedronken, zei hij. U mag me op alles laten testen, ik zal het doorstaan. Ik vind het verschrikkelijk voor haar familie maar geloof me: ik sta hier mee op en ga hiermee slapen. Ik heb mijn leven sinds de feiten echt wel omgegooid. Zijn advocaat Thomas Bailleul bevestigde dat hier nu een ander man staat dan 3 jaar geleden. En omdat het ongeval al meer dan 3 jaar geleden is vraag ik om rekening te houden met de redelijke termijn, sprak meester Bailleul. Ik vraag P.D. wel schuldig te verklaren maar geen straf meer op te leggen. De advocaat van Irene H., meester Rik Ascrawat, vraagt om P.D. wl te straffen voor onopzettelijke doding. Onze deskundige is formeel: er is geen discussie over het oorzakelijk verband. De politierechter neemt nu een maand de tijd voor beraad en oordeelt op 11 februari. Maar het feit blijft dat u zat was en zo een wagen heeft bestuurd, met alle gevolgen van dien. Uw gedrag was gewoon schandalig in het verkeer. Politierechter Geert Vandaele | https://www.hln.be/regio/diksmuide/is-dronken-brandweerman-wel-of-niet-schuldig-aan-de-dood-van-een-vrouw-lang-na-een-ongeval~a0587fbb/ |
Which main factors to support oil prices in 2019? | By Trend The commitment by OPEC+ to remove 1.2 million barrels per day of supply from the market has failed to revive Brent, Trend reports citing Fitch Solutions Macro Research (a unit of Fitch Group). "We hold to our current forecast for Brent for 2019, at an annual average of $75 per barrel," said the company. The company analysts recall that on December 24, 2018 Brent traded at around $50.5 per barrel lows not seen since October 2017, having lost more than 18 percent of its value since the cut was announced. Compared to its October high, the contract is down more than 30 percent and firmly in bear market territory, according to the report released by Fitch Solutions. "However, as of January 9 prices have rebounded more than 20 percent from their December lows, off lower US inventories and shrinking production from Saudi Arabia. Combined with easing US-China trade tensions and continued positive economic numbers from the US, this drove Brent to close above $61 per barrel," said the report. Fitch Solutions believes further price appreciation will occur during 2019 , although the year will be marked with continued volatility. "In addition, there will be several key milestone events on the calendar which have the potential to drastically shift supply, including the Iranian sanctions waivers expiry in May and the six month OPEC+ production cuts due to end in June. The production cuts could be either reduced or removed but this will be dependent on market conditions, with guidance expected at the April general meeting of OPEC." The company expects the focus to be on the effectiveness in reducing excess supply in the market and the outlook for US shale growth in the second half of 2019. "The main factors we believe that will support higher prices are the winding down of sanction waivers for Iran and continued strong demand growth from emerging markets outs ide of China." OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached an agreement in December 2016 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices. OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day from January 1. Non-OPEC oil producers such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan agreed to reduce output by 558,000 barrels per day starting from January 1, 2017. OPEC and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till the end of 2018 in Vienna on November 30, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry. The 5th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting was held in Vienna, Austria, on December 7, 2018. The meeting participants decided to adjust the overall production by 1.2 million barrels per day, effective as of January 2019 for an initial period of six months. The contributions from OPEC and the voluntary contributions from non-OPEC participating countries of the Declaration of Cooperation will correspond to 0.8 million barrels per day (2.5 percent), and 0.4 million barrels per day (2 percent), respectively. | http://www.today.az/news/business/178043.html |
Has Meghan Markle just given a HUGE Royal baby gender and name hint? | 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 Meghan Markle has offered royal-watchers a tantalising hint which COULD suggest the gender of hers and Prince Harry's baby - and a name which could be in the running. The pregnant Duchess of Sussex, who visited Hamilton Square in Birkenhead this morning with Prince Harry before carrying out further engagements in Wirral, gave the two hints as she walked around the crowds. Cradling her baby bump, the 37-year-old was heard asking the crowd a very important question. (Image: PA) Speaking to members of the crowd, the royal asked 'what shall I call the baby if it is a girl?'. And when a fan shouted back 'Amy', Meghan replied 'that is a great name'. The fact she asked only about girls' names is bound to lead to speculation on whether the Duchess and Duke know the gender of their soon-to-be-born baby. (Image: PA) Meghan is believed to be seven months pregnant with the couple's first child, and is understood to be due in Spring. The newlyweds announced the news of their pregnancy five months after their lavish wedding in May last year. (Image: PA) Prince Harry has also previously shared his hopes that his first child will be a baby girl. The Duke of Sussex revealed his wishes for the sex of his and the Duchess of Sussex's first baby while on a trip to Sydney. The Mirror reported a well-wisher in the crowd called out to the Duke : "Congratulations, I hope its a girl" to which Harry laughed and replied: "So do I!" (Image: PA) It was the first time the Prince had revealed his feelings about the sex of the child he is expecting with Meghan, since the news broke of her pregnancy. The couple's pregnancy was announced by Kensington Palace who tweeted:"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019." | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/meghan-markle-just-given-huge-15674879 |
How much of Silverlight is in Windows Phone 7? | The Silverlight browser plug-in started out back in 2006 as a project called WPF/e Windows Presentation Foundation Embedded or as the team also called it, WPF Everywhere. The idea was that it would ship for the browser in 2007 and then on Windows Mobile by the end of the year. Although Microsoft has demonstrated Silverlight Mobile several times since then, it's only just arriving on mobile. The Symbian beta is available now and Windows Phone Series 7 treats it as much more than an add-on; it's one of the only two ways to write Windows Phone apps. The version of Silverlight that will be on Windows Phone (that you can already try out with the emulator in the free Windows Phone Developer tools) is closer to the desktop version than you might expect (and it's hardware accelerated like Silverlight on the desktop). "This isn't Silverlight 'lite', it isn't Silverlight 'different', it is Silverlight," corporate vice president Scott Guthrie told TechRadar. It includes "all the APIs of the current Silverlight version 3 and quite a bit of Silverlight 4; it's a superset plus some extras". The difference is less about what the phone can run and more about thinking about what you need on a phone. "Pretty much all the features that we think are mobile-specific, that you'd want in the phone, are there," says Guthrie. "There are features like printing and more business features that don't necessarily make sense in the phone, but all the graphics, the access to the webcam and microphone, those we already have." Optimising Silverlight for phones Microsoft has also done a lot of optimisation of the way Silverlight is rendered on Windows Phone, mainly, says Guthrie, "because on the phone you have ARM processors typically and instead of one giant one you have about four cores the more work you're doing on a processor - one quarter of an Arm processor - the slower your app is going to be. So we did a lot of work to partition the graphics operators out across multiple CPUs, and the animation system. We have to do that because otherwise you can't get above 12 frames per second." Interestingly, he promises that those improvements will make their way back to desktop Silverlight; "probably in an update to Silverlight 4 and certainly by [the next version]". The other main difference between Windows and Windows Phone is that Silverlight on the desktop supports multi-tasking (it's based on the Windows standard .NET components); although Guthrie says the Windows Phone OS is "a multi-tasking OS" third party Silverlight apps won't run in the background. One reason is battery life: "As soon as you allow arbitrary apps in the background, you run things down". The other is stability: "typically," he claims, "when Windows crashes, it's a driver but you don't blame your USB mouse, you blame Windows. We're trying to be careful in terms of not providing a hand grenade for people to play with and not realise they can blow themselves up. We're trying to make sure the user experience is good out of the box." For users frustrated by the notion that, say, the route in their navigation app would go away if they answer a phone call, he promises that the team is listening to feedback and "we're going to continue to innovate and learn". | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/how-much-of-silverlight-is-in-windows-phone-7-678987 |
What is the #Birdbox challenge and why is it so dangerous? | The Bird Box challenge is the latest craze to take over the internet. Under no circumstance are you allowed to take off your blindfold, Sandra Bullocks character in Netflixs Bird Box tells her kids right before they set off on a perilous journey through jungles, lakes and forces of evil. And it looks like the trusting millennials of the world are taking this a tad bit too seriously. In case you havent watched the film Bird Box yet, heres some context. Bird Box is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a mysterious evil being is forcing people to commit suicide if they look at it. To protect themselves, the few remaining survivors only leave the house blindfolded. From attracting selfie-seeking tourists to its shoot location in California, to becoming the inspiration for countless memes on Instagram, Bird Box has now transformed into the inevitable: the Bird Box Challenge, where people are posting videos on social media of themselves (and their pets and babies) doing everyday things blindfolded. Well, because people are taking the blindfold thing a bit too seriously. A particularly keen participant in Utah, USA took the challenge too far when she decided to drive blindfolded. The 17-year-old teen drove headlong into oncoming traffic, crashing into another car. Luckily, neither driver was hurt. Bird Box Challenge while drivingpredictable result. This happened on Monday as a result of the driver covering her eyes while driving on Layton Parkway. Luckily no injuries. pic.twitter.com/4DvYzrmDA2 Layton Police (@laytonpolice) January 11, 2019 Heres another #Birdbox participant in Alabama who decided to drive blindfolded This video posted by YouTuber Morgan Adams, got over two million hits. The video has the YouTuber stumbling up escalators and playing blackjack at a casino while wearing a blindfold. In response to the car accident, Netflix took to Twitter to request people not to do anything dangerous: Cant believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We dont know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes. Netflix US (@netflix) January 2, 2019 And Colorado State Police, Public Affairs unit issued a PSA. Its true, no one should have to tell you not to drive blindfolded! Before you attempt the #BirdBoxChallenge watch this (and wait to the end!). With the #KikiChallenge and #FallingStarChallenge having done its rounds, theres no saying what the Internet is going to come up with next. | https://www.cntraveller.in/story/what-is-the-birdbox-challenge-inspired-by-the-netflix-movie-bird-box-and-why-is-it-so-dangerous/ |
What is the Brexit backstop and why is it a problem for Theresa Mays deal? | (Photo by Niklas HALLEN / POOL / AFP/Getty Images) EU leaders have sent a letter to Theresa May to confirm that they dont want the backstop agreement to become permanent after Brexit. Mars bar hidden in loft for 23 years proves 'shrinkflation' is real The backstop is part of Theresa Mays proposed Brexit deal which MPs will vote on tomorrow, and it has been one of the main sticking points in her bid to get the deal passed. EU Presidents Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker wrote the letter in response to Theresa May asking for further reassurance that the fears some hold on both sides are misplaced. They stated that they dont wish to see the backstop be enforced and that it would only be in place for as long as strictly necessary. Advertisement Advertisement The backstop is considered as a safety net to put in place arrangement for the Irish border once the UK leaves the European union. This would provide some stability while negotiations around trade agreements continue during the post-Brexit transitional period. Meghan wows in red as she cradles bump on first royal visit with Harry in 2019 One of the main issues with the backstop was that the EU originally wanted it to only apply to Northern Ireland, which would mean it staying as part of the EU customs union and being part of the single market. The UKs concern was that this would create a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK as good would need to be checked before they crossed over because of a difference in trading standards. An agreement was eventually reached that determined that Northern Ireland would stay aligned to certain rules of the EU single market if another solution isnt found by the end of the transition period which is currently set for December 2020. It was agreed between both the UK and EU as part of Theresa Mays Brexit deal with the aim of keeping the cross-border cooperation and protecting the Good Friday peace agreement, which has been a key talking point. European Council President Donald Tusk has written a letter to Theresa May addressing the backstop (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP)EMMANUEL Guidance published by the European Commission says: There would be a need for some compliance checks with EU standards, consistent with risk, to protect consumers, economic traders and businesses in the single market. Advertisement Advertisement The EU and the UK have agreed to carry out these checks in the least intrusive way possible. The extent to which the EU would influence Northern Ireland was criticised by Jeremy Corbyn when the details were revealed. The Labour party leader said: The list of EU measures that continue to apply to the UK in respect of Northern Ireland runs to 68 pages of the agreement, this affects VAT declarations and rules of origin checks. My reply to @theresa_may, together with @eucopresident, providing clarifications to the #Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration. pic.twitter.com/f0PalJkRVu Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) January 14, 2019 Despite all this, the backstop remains a last resort as negotiations would continue until the Brexit deadline in March 2019, and then until the end of the transitional period in December 2020. They could even go beyond then as the transitional period could still be extended. The issue is that if the backstop went ahead then Northern Ireland would need to have any incoming goods checked to see if they meet EU standards. If the backstop remains in place then it would mean that the whole of the UK would essentially still be influenced by the EU. Advertisement Many people are concerned that the lack of a time-limit for the backstop could mean that the UK will remain as part of the EU indefinitely. This is because the backstop wouldnt end until both the UK and EU agree that is it no longer required. If Mays deal is rejected on Tuesday then we dont know what will happen with the backstop. It would appear that the proposal would be out of the window entirely, but there is a chance that Theresa May could negotiate alternative plans. MORE: Brexit vote reduced value of UK companies by 16% MORE: I voted for Brexit but now, to protect my LGBT+ rights, I want a Peoples Vote | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/brexit-backstop-problem-theresa-mays-deal-8342893/ |
Are boarding schools effective? | When it comes to education, everyone wants the best. Some say attending a boarding school is a better option than attending a "day school," or any other school where students arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon. Boarding school advocates argue the total immersion approach offers students more competition and teaches them greater responsibility. Others say boarding school achieves the opposite; separating kids and families too early can stunt emotional growth. PERSPECTIVES Boarding school fosters independence and responsibility. When you are surrounded by teachers and classmates, helicopter parenting becomes a thing of the past. No one is asking you if you got your homework done, telling you to go to bed or asking you to come down for dinner. You're on your own much in the same way that you will be during college, putting boarding school students on a quicker path to maturity. As the Boarding School Review's Robert Kennedy points out: It's never easy to leave the nest. Of course it does. You will learn how to cope with life and all its many high and low points within a community of your peers who are going through the same things you are. All of this is happening under the watchful eye of your teachers who are mentors, not baby-sitters. 10 Top Reasons to Go to Boarding School Boarding school isn't always the academic haven perched on a grassy hill that you imagine (let's be honest, you're all picturing PCA from "Zoey 101"). According to The Guardian's Nick Duffell, a psychotherapist and former boarding school teacher, in Britain, boarding school is a rite of passage for those who can afford it-much to their detriment, in Duffell's opinion. Leaving your family at an early age has a huge psychological impact, and Duffell believes that doing so leaves boarding school students emotionally stunted. Parents obviously hope for the best when they send their kids away for school, probably believing that a regretful separation will result in stronger academics and greater leadership potential for their kids. Yet, according to Duffell: But it is less well known that costly, elite boarding consistently turns out people who appear much more competent than they actually are. They are particularly deficient in non-rational skills, such as those needed to sustain relationships, and are not, in fact, well-equipped to be leaders in today's world. My studies show that children survive boarding by cutting off their feelings and constructing a defensively organized self that severely limits their later lives...Prematurely separated from home and family, from love and touch, they must speedily reinvent themselves as self-reliant pseudo-adults. Why boarding schools produce bad leaders Classes at boarding schools can also be much smaller than what you might find at a traditional public school. The Boarding School Review continues: If you are in a public school with 30-40 students to a class, chances are that you will just be a number...In a boarding school, on the other hand, classes typically are 10-15 students. You cannot hide in a class that small. You have to participate. And according to Teen Life's Marie Schwartz, smaller classes and a tight-knit community might be what a student needs in order to succeed. For some, boarding school is just a better fit: Even the best local public or private school may not be a good fit for your student. 'The public school was too large and the (local) private schools had too entitled an atmosphere,' one parent said. 10 Reasons Why Boarding School is Worth It According to author Dr. Meg Meeker, boarding schools are not worth the sacrifice for teens. She writes: While some students may study harder, receive better instruction or be exposed to a greater breadth of academic studies, parents sacrifice enormous opportunities for their children's psychological, spiritual and intellectual growth when they live separately. Furthermore, although class size is certainly an issue in many schools, there are other ways for students and parents to supplement education that stop short of shipping students off to boarding school: With advances in technology, most teens can access any academic materials they need in order to excel and succeed in college. Yes, they need good teachers but the truth is, there are many great teachers in private day schools, public schools and parochial schools. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2019/01/are_boarding_schools_effective.html |
When does Game of Thrones' final season premiere? | CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Winter is coming on April 14. HBO announced the premiere date for the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones on Sunday. The first of six movie-sized episodes arrives in 13 weeks. Fans got a glimpse of whats to come in a new teaser which sees Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) reunite with their adopted brother Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in the family crypt at Winterfell. As they look upon a statue of Lyanna Stark -- Sansa and Aryas aunt and, unbeknownst to Jon, his mother -- they draw their swords and prepare for the apparent arrival of the Army of the Death. Its the first time the three characters have appeared on screen since the shows first season, though it isnt immediately clear if the footage is actually part of an episode or just for promotional purposes. The reunion is one of several highly anticipated events to happen in the upcoming season, including new lovers Joe Snow and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) finding out theyre actually brother and sister, which gives each of them a claim to the throne. Theres also the long-awaited arrival of the Mother of Dragons in Kings Landing to look forward too and the final showdown with the White Walkers, who now have a dragon of their own. Well start to find out how it all plays out in 91 days. | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/01/when-does-game-of-thrones-final-season-premiere.html |
Who has $3.6 billion for a tunnel in place of I-81 in Syracuse? | SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Its going to be tough to find $3.6 billion for a tunnel to replace the aging Interstate 81 viaduct in Syracuse, infrastructure experts say. A November 2017 study found that a tunnel is feasible to replace the elevated highway, but the best version would cost $3.6 billion. A detailed look at 4 different ways to build a $4 billion I-81 tunnel in Syracuse Other options to replace the highway cost less. That includes a $1.3 billion community grid, which would replace the highway with a network of streets and divert through traffic onto I-481. Rebuilding the viaduct higher and wider would cost $1.7 billion. The New York State Department of Transportation is putting the finishing touches on a draft environmental impact statement for the I-81 project, the biggest construction project in decades here. The draft statement will get the ball rolling to decide the highways fate. The federal government, through the Highway Trust Fund, has allocated New York an average of $1.8 billion each year for highway and road improvements across the entire state in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The same amount is expected again in 2019 and 2020. Of that, a total of $277 million is expected to make its way to the Syracuse area between 2016 and 2020, according to the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council. The amount awarded is based on a formula that considers population and existing infrastructure, experts said. The amount of federal money allocated to Syracuse-area projects has steadily declined over the last 20 years, SMTC officials said. Central New Yorks share of the usual amount of federal money is not enough for any option for I-81, including the grid. Who pays how much for the work will be decided in part by the political arm-twisting that comes with any exceptional project like this. But these budget realities show just how much of a long shot a tunnel is, experts said. When it comes to paying for a mega-project like I-81, $277 million isnt close to enough, so the state will have to get creative, experts said. Meanwhile, the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for highway and transit projects primarily through a gas tax, is increasingly unstable as a funding source, experts said. People are driving less or buying fuel-efficient vehicles, and the tax hasnt increased since 1993. Congress has transferred $140 billion of general revenues since 2008 to the fund to shore up deficits, according to the Tax Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. President Donald Trumps infrastructure proposal would cut the Highway Trust Fund, making significant spending on I-81 difficult, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said at the time. The presidents proposal has not been adopted. But the current transportation bill will expire in about two years, and experts arent sure what will take its place or if it will continue to fund highway projects at the same level of past years or in the same manner. State DOT officials have said cost is not the sole factor in choosing an I-81 plan. Theyll have to describe a way to pay for whatever option the state picks when the final environmental impact statement is published. The state DOT might have given a hint in a 2015 report about what it thinks is an appropriate amount to spend. In the scoping report, officials wrote that $2 billion is a reasonable cap on the amount the I-81 project should cost. That would rule out the tunnel. That $2 billion figure is calculated based on a formula that states no I-81 option is reasonable if it exceeds two and a half times what would hypothetically cost to rehabilitate the highway. In this case, thats $800 million. Engineers chose that number as a way to help narrow the choices for the scoping report, an official said. Asked about whether the DOT still would apply that $2 billion limit to the project, a DOT spokesman said it is too early to say. Costs are always considered when carefully studying projects, but are not the driving factor, said DOT spokesman Glenn Blain. "At this point, the (draft environmental statement) has yet to be completed and to comment on this would be premature and speculative. Experts said the historical federal funding amounts show how far the state needs to go to raise money for the massive project. The Highway Trust Fund is only one source for a project this big. For example, a $2 billion highway widening project in San Bernadino County, Calif., will be paid for with state, federal and local funds, in addition to tolls, according to Federal Highway Administration records. The federal government historically has paid about 80 percent of big federal highway projects like this. But the state might have to come up with more than 20 percent of the cost for I-81, said Joseph Kane, an infrastructure expert at Brookings Institution who has followed I-81 closely. Brookings is a Washington-based think tank. Experts see few reasons to proceed with Interstate 81 tunnel option Other possible funding sources include the state applying for federal grants or even raising the money on its own by selling bonds, raising the states gas tax or using sales taxes, Kane said. The reality at the moment, and this has been the reality for the last few decades, is that there has been a shift of responsibility to states and localities to pay for infrastructure, Kane said. The biggest federal grant fund, Known as BUILD, offers $1.5 billion to rural and urban areas across the country that ask for money to save their own aging infrastructure. Recipients can only receive money one time. Taken together, its unlikely that $3.6 billion could be raised through federal or state sources, said Jim DAgostino, director of the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council. He was speaking on his own, not on behalf of the council. Thats a lot of money. Thats a very lot of money, DAgostino said. You have to have an overwhelming need. Experts said the I-81 decision comes down to a complex cost-benefit analysis that considers how a tunnel could end up paying for itself, possibly through freeing up land for development or charging drivers to use the tunnel. And it considers whether theres a cheaper alternative that accomplishes the same goals. If the state or Gov. Andrew Cuomo ultimately decide that a tunnel is the best bet, they can find a way to pay for it, said Beth Osborne, a senior policy adviser with Smart Growth America, a coalition of advocacy groups researching how metropolitan expansion affects the environment and the economy. It doesnt matter how much the project is. It matters how the benefits and the costs align, Osborne said. The potential for real estate development in or near what is the existing I-81 footprint is one reason city officials have said they prefer the grid over the other alternatives. The independent study on the tunnel did not address whether tolls would be needed. The tunnel alternative recommended by the independent firm would require the full acquisition of 22 buildings and the demolition of 12 buildings around the city. The tunnel would take up to 10 years to complete, according to the study. The community grid would require five buildings to be demolished and take four to seven years. And rebuilding the viaduct would demolish 24 buildings and take four to seven years. | https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/01/who-has-36-billion-for-a-tunnel-in-place-of-i-81-in-syracuse.html |
Will attaching the electrodes re-animate Cadillac? | This announcement last week from General Motors " Cadillac will be GM's lead electric vehicle brand" followed quickly by the surprise reveal Sunday night of a Cadillac EV crossover , leads one to wonder whether this is a case of GM pulling out the defibrillator and hoping a full-on jolt of electricity will revive Cadillac from its ongoing diminution in the market.In 2018, Cadillac U.S. sales were 154,702 vehicles, which was down from the 156,440 it had sold in 2017. And the 2017 sales were down significantly from the 170,006 vehicles delivered by Cadillac in 2016. And that is down from the 175,267 sales of 2015.Sure, part of Cadillac's problem one shared by some other OEMs is that its sedans aren't selling. But if we put those to the side, realize that in 2018 sales of the venerable Escalade were down by 2.2 percent. Admittedly, that rig is a little old in the grille, and it's suddenly gotten strong competition from the Lincoln Navigator , so a sales decline isn't too surprising.But the XT5 , the compact lux vehicle that was launched in 2016 as a model-year 2017 product, had an 11.3 percent decline in a segment that is doing nothing but growing. This is not promising.Although the argument at GM HQ might be that Cadillac can reinvent itself as a Tesla fighter, one of the things that isn't often noted about Tesla vis--vis other OEMs is that while sedan sales are generally down, Tesla, which had an estimated 2018 sales volume of 197,680 (according to Cleantechnica.com), made its numbers primarily with the Model 3 and Model S , both sedans, as it has just the Model X crossover. So it isn't just about vehicle architecture. It is going to take more than an electric SUV to change Cadillac's performance.But here's where circumstances can fall in Cadillac's favor.Scale can be highly beneficial to Cadillac versus Tesla. The Chinese market, even though it is weakening of late, will be largely predicated on "New Energy Vehicles," which means electrified and fully electric. And while Tesla only just now broke ground on a factory in China, LMC Automotive reports that as of December 2018, SAIC GM is already well-established there and is the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in China (behind SAIC Volkswagen and FAW Volkswagen).Cadillac is going to be able to take advantage of GM's global efforts in developing EVs , so soon the Cadillac showroom could be filled with an array of luxury EVs that may make even Tesla loyalists take another look.However, there is something else that needs to be considered: the two manufacturers in China that are ahead of SAIC GM both Volkswagen-related.The Cadillac crew can't lose sight of the fact that the folks in Ingolstadt are as keenly interested in getting their electric vehicles rolling, especially in China, which is by far its biggest market: In 2018 Audi delivered 663,049 vehicles in China, greater than its sales in Germany (260,456) and the U.S. (223,323) combined.Maybe the ones who are really going to need the defibrillator paddles are at Tesla.Clear! | https://www.autoblog.com/2019/01/14/cadillac-ev-strategy-opinion/ |
Why isnt Bran in the new Game of Thrones trailer? | A new teaser for Game of Thrones final series has arrived, and it had everybody asking just one question. Advertisement No, its not Will Jon Snow find out the truth about his mother?. Its not how can our heroes possibly defeat the Night King and the army of the dead? either. Its not even why DID they hire the Cristiano Ronaldo sculptor to work on those statues of the Starks?. https://t.co/AmNIWOayyG nancy xcx (@ncturnalanimaIs) January 14, 2019 Noticed something sketchy about the #GameOfThrones teaser too (and obvs I won't be the only one). BRAN ISN'T WITH HIS SIBLINGS!!! Sophie Turner long ago, said season 8 is full of "BETRAYALS". Faye (@fayeesnow) January 14, 2019 Nobody caring about Bran's absence..or about a Bran-Jon reunion. Remember when Jon literally picked up and twirled Tyrion when he found Bran was going to live after the falland when J finds out Bran wasn't actually killed by Theon pic.twitter.com/BLBI3Ahzx7 A Time for the Wolves (@Kings_Of_Winter) January 14, 2019 in loving memory of bran stark. he ain't dead hbo just forgot to put him in the stark teaser for s8 pic.twitter.com/LgEyJeX3lE Virginia (@jaimelsnnister) January 14, 2019 Yep, despite the new teasers focus on the remaining Starks, their deceased relatives and the secrets that still lurk around them, arguably one of the familys most significant members (Isaac Hempstead-Wrights Brandon Bran Stark) isnt a part of the teaser. Well, there are a couple of possible reasons. It could be that HBO are throwing us a big clue about Brans involvement or lack thereof in the main storyline of the final series, suggesting that the meat of the action will concern Arya, Sansa and Jon while their brother remains on the sidelines. In a way, this makes a lot of sense since becoming the Three-Eyed Raven, a Yoda-like Bran seems to work better chipping in to the other characters storylines, not spearheading his own. And frankly, Brans newfound detachment from the world makes him a less compelling character dramatically, so its probably fair to expect that he isnt really a main character next year. Alternatively, we could take this as some sort of clue about Brans absence from the Stark family in the next series. Oh thats right pic.twitter.com/PdnrEA30k0 Spic Flair (@LossyP) January 14, 2019 You laughed at my Bran is the Night King because they have a similar facial structure theory for years but who feels ridiculous now. https://t.co/uQKe3sQuZo james (@J__m__8) January 14, 2019 So Bran being Night King confirmed?! that's it. bran stark is the night king and he'll kill them all #ForTheThrone pic.twitter.com/4t9eyZG7To leen (@bruceuwayne) January 14, 2019 (No, apparently people will not let that one go). And then theres the simplest option of all, that Jon, Arya and Sansa are more popular characters than Bran, and HBO preferred the aesthetics of having three figures standing together instead of adding a seated Bran in there as well. Of course, Brans absence isnt the only mystery floating around in the teaser. The fact that Jons statue looks a fair bit older than his sisters could suggest a long-held fan theory that Jon will survive the series, but be forced to rule unhappily following his friends and familys deaths, while the appearance of the feather from Lyanna Starks statue has all sorts of possible meanings, as weve gone into in more depth here. Arya's Statue is young Sansa's Statue is young Jon's Statue is old Bran doesn't have a statue and is nowhere to be found Me:#ForTheThrone#GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/rwmZNLLZ2D MINNIE (@ItsLisaMinnie) January 14, 2019 But for now, until we get a proper trailer (you know, one with actual footage from the series in it) were just wondering who took attendance at this Stark family reunion. They might have at least wandered near Robb and Rickons statues as well, to make an effort at getting the full set. There is not a statue of Bran because he is NOT dead. Hes the Nights King, or a tree, or that feather. I dont know anymore. This show has me more stressed out than LOST. #GameOfThrones Lady Stoneheart (@LSHNorthAF) January 14, 2019 Advertisement Game of Thrones returns to HBO on 14th April, and Sky Atlantic and NOW TV the morning after | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-14/game-of-thrones-teaser-trailer-wheres-bran/ |
Was Aurora Cannabis Smart to Buy MedReleaf? | Marijuana stocks have started out 2019 on a positive note, and investors who see the promise of the cannabis industry are looking for the best way to invest in the space. One key proposition for many cannabis investors is finding promising companies that are likely to get attention from bigger players in the field, whether it's through key partnerships with nonmarijuana companies or buyouts from established marijuana businesses looking to expand their scope. Smart deals can make a company more successful, but bad deals can prove costly in the current ultracompetitive environment. One of key deals in 2018 involved the acquisition of MedReleaf by Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB). The $2.5 billion deal became the largest buyout in industry history, marking the latest in a series of Aurora purchases designed to add to its growing capacity. Having been announced in May, Aurora completed the acquisition in July. Six months after the deal closed, now's a good time to reflect on the MedReleaf acquisition to see what difference it's made for Aurora -- and whether it represents a model for other cannabis companies to follow in their own expansion plans. Rows of cannabis plants under dim lighting in a greenhouse. More Image source: Aurora Cannabis. Why Aurora thought MedReleaf was a good buy Under the terms of the deal, shareholders got 3.575 shares of Aurora Cannabis for every MedReleaf share that they owned. That represented a 34% premium above the average price of MedReleaf shares during the 20 trading days preceding the offer. Although that's a sizable markup, it was far less than Aurora had paid in some of its previous deals. Still, even at the time, some had concerns about how much Aurora was paying for MedReleaf. With MedReleaf having annual production capacity of roughly 140,000 kilograms of cannabis at the time of the deal, the purchase price amounted to nearly $18,000 per kilogram of capacity. Moreover, Aurora structured its purchase of MedReleaf as an all-stock deal. For investors who've gotten used to the big share-price increases that cannabis stocks saw in the second half of 2018, that might seem to have been a good capital allocation strategy. Yet at the time of the deal in May, Aurora Cannabis was going through a share-price slump that had lopped nearly half its value off the stock in just a few months. That didn't stop Aurora from issuing the huge number of new shares necessary to make the deal go through. What MedReleaf has done for Aurora So far, Aurora seems to be happy with how the acquisition went. In Aurora's most recent quarterly conference call, CEO Cam Battley pointed to several success stories related to MedReleaf: MedReleaf's San Rafael brand had the most popular strain of cannabis in the Ontario recreational market, helping Aurora hit 30% market share in the province. MedReleaf's brands have shown similar success across the adult recreational marijuana market. The addition of MedReleaf production facilities helped Aurora more than double its production levels in just three months' time. Aurora has been able to use MedReleaf's operational methods and data-driven cultivation practices to boost production across its network. MedReleaf's interest in a Colombian business has helped Aurora expand its scope in South America, which has a lot of potential to be a key market for the marijuana company. Of course, not everything about the deal was immediately beneficial. Because of the way that MedReleaf priced its extract products, overall average sales prices fell for Aurora after the integration was complete. Yet MedReleaf got higher prices for its dried cannabis products on the medical side of the business, and that had positive effects for Aurora. In the long run, Aurora has high hopes that the successful integration of MedReleaf will lead to innovative new products, advances in production capacity, and efficiency gains that will benefit shareholders. With its Markham facility contributing to Aurora's overall boom in total cannabis capacity, MedReleaf could well prove to have been a crucial buy for the budding marijuana giant. | https://news.yahoo.com/aurora-cannabis-smart-buy-medreleaf-131300744.html |
Will Boeing Do a Stock Split in 2019? | Boeing (NYSE: BA) has been a huge performer in recent years, and 2018 was no different, building on its past success with another solid gain. Admittedly, percentage gains in the low-teens for the year was nothing compared to 2017's monumental rise of nearly 90%, but Boeing is still leading the pack in terms of reaping aircraft orders and capitalizing on a strong airline industry. At times during 2018, Boeing shares approached the $400 mark. Some investors saw that price as being too high, thinking that a stock split would be an appropriate move to reduce the share price and signal confidence in the aerospace giant's long-term future. Let's take a closer look at the company and whether a stock split could come this year. BA Chart More BA data by YCharts. Looking for an even dozen Longtime Boeing shareholders are no strangers to stock splits earlier in the company's history. From the 1950s to the 1990s, Boeing split its shares 11 times, with a roughly even division between 2-for-1 splits and 3-for-2 splits. The decision-making process that Boeing seems to have followed back then was quite consistent with what you saw from most companies at the time. Early on, it took only modest increases in share prices to prompt a move. Over time, the threshold seemed to grow, hitting the roughly $50 mark in the 1980s and then moving up from there. By the mid-1990s, Boeing let its stock climb to more than $100 per share before pulling the trigger on what proved to be its 11th and final split. Split Date Ratio 100 Shares in 1950 Became... May 9, 1952 3-for-2 150 shares May 7, 1954 2-for-1 300 shares July 13, 1956 2-for-1 600 shares May 3, 1966 2-for-1 1,200 shares Aug. 11, 1977 2-for-1 2,400 shares March 12, 1979 3-for-2 3,600 shares March 14, 1980 3-for-2 5,400 shares May 10, 1985 3-for-2 8,100 shares May 12, 1989 3-for-2 12,150 shares May 18, 1990 3-for-2 18,225 shares May 16, 1997 2-for-1 36,450 shares Data source: Boeing investor relations. Since then, the reasons for making frequent splits have nearly disappeared. It used to be that it was difficult to buy stock in less than 100-share blocks, but now, purchases of even a single share are not only possible but reasonable. In some cases, financial institutions will let you buy just a fraction of a share, making it possible even for those investing $50 or $100 a month to buy a stock whose shares cost more than $300 each. Boeing no longer even stands out among its industry peers. Plenty of defense contractors sport share prices in the $200 to $300 range, and several others have triple-digit stock prices. Aerospace supplier TransDigm Group has even seen its price rise above Boeing's regularly over the past several months. | https://news.yahoo.com/boeing-stock-split-2019-131600694.html |
Have researchers found a new risk factor for schizophrenia? | Scientists have located an intriguing link between schizophrenia and the Epstein-Barr virus, a type of herpes virus. Now, they need to determine which way the risk lies. A new study may have found another environmental risk factor linked to schizophrenia. A new study may have found another environmental risk factor linked to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia, a condition characterized by a confused perception of reality, delusions, and altered behavior, affects more than 21 million people globally. In a new study, specialists from Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, MD, and the Sheppard Pratt Health System in Townson, MD, found evidence that links schizophrenia with the Epstein-Barr virus. This is a herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis, or glandular fever. As the scientists report in a paper published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin, they saw higher levels of antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus in the bodies of those with schizophrenia than in those of people without any mental health conditions. The higher level of antibodies suggests exposure to the virus, but it is unclear which way the risk runs that is, whether infection with the Epstein-Barr virus renders people more vulnerable to schizophrenia, or whether schizophrenia impacts the immune system and exposes people to infections. "We are interested in the role of infectious agents such as Epstein-Barr virus in schizophrenia and other serious psychiatric disorders, so we did this study to look at the associations," says senior study author Dr. Robert Yolken. Research has identified certain genetic risk factors for schizophrenia, but it has also recognized the possibility that some environmental factors including exposure to infections can raise schizophrenia risk. In the new study, the scientists worked with 743 participants, of whom 432 had schizophrenia and 311 had no mental health problems (the control group). Around 55 percent of the cohort was male. Dr. Yolken and colleagues compared the levels of antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus in the participants with schizophrenia with those of participants in the control group. They saw that people with schizophrenia were 1.72.3 times more likely than controls to have higher antibody levels against this herpes virus. These participants did not have higher antibody levels against other types of infections, such as varicella (or chickenpox) or the herpes simplex type 1 virus, which is mainly transmitted orally (through kissing, for example). 'Unusal response to Epstein-Barr virus' However, the researchers found that people with high genetic risk of schizophrenia and who also presented high levels of Epstein-Barr virus antibibodies had an increased probability to pertain to the schizophrenia group more than eight times higher, to be precise. Also, among participants with schizophrenia, around 10 percent had both high levels of antibodies against this type of herpes virus and a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia, compared with only a little over 1 percent of the participants in the control group. "We found that individuals with schizophrenia had an unusual response to Epstein-Barr virus. This indicated that the prevention and treatment of Epstein-Barr virus might represent an approach for the prevention and treatment of serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia." Dr. Robert Yolken The study did not seek to establish cause and effect relationships, but the researchers suggest that preventing infection with the Epstein-Barr virus may be helpful in the context of schizophrenia risk. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have not yet approved any drugs for the treatment of this type of herpes virus. That said, researchers are currently studying some drugs with therapeutic potential. | https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324166.php |
Are e-cigarettes going to be banned in Pakistan? | The Pakistan Medical Association wants the government to ban e-cigarettes. There should be a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes. More young people are using e-cigarettes now, said PMA Secretary-General Dr Qaiser Sajjad. We dont have any data on it, he remarked. We dont even know about any diseases caused by it. Related: Man arrested for selling e-cigarettes to children in Jhelum National Health Services, Regulation, and Coordination Minister Aamir Kiani said that they will think about banning vaping once PMA contacts them. We will see once PMA submits a request, he said while speaking to SAMAA TV. We will see how many countries have banned e-cigarettes, Kiani added. An e-cigarette is a battery-operated device which resembles a cigarette, a cigar, a pipe, or a pen. Most of them have a replaceable and refillable cartridge. It was invented by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik. Related: Vaping may be worse than smoking ordinary cigarettes Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine and other liquid chemicals. They dont have any tobacco. They expose the lungs to different substances, including dicetyl, which can cause severe lung diseases. Fatal poisoning has resulted from inhaling e-cigarette liquid too. Use of vapers may contribute to lung and bladder cancer, as well as heart diseases. | https://www.samaa.tv/news/2019/01/are-e-cigarettes-going-to-get-banned-in-pakistan/ |
Could Latin America be a great investment opportunity in 2019? | Latin America is generally viewed as comprising twenty independent sovereign states, stretching from Mexico to Cape Horn. As well as the countries shown in the infographic below, it includes Panama, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Guatemala and ten more nations. While there are challenges to overcome, we believe the investment outlook for Latin America as a whole is quietly encouraging, making it one of our key investment themes in 2019. In the 1980s, the region was characterized by hyper-inflation, dictatorships and state-ownership of assets, but today the principles of democracy and economic liberalization are more in evidence. The macro-economic picture for much of Latin America is currently supportive, but there are also long-term tailwinds which suggest the region could outpace its developed market rivals in the years ahead. A demographic profile to enhance future investment opportunities Latin America has an excellent demographic profile compared to much of the developed world. Its working-age population is forecast to grow by 18% between 2015 and 2030 and, together with significant growth in the middle class, this will translate positively for many domestic industries. Investment-wise, Brazil and Mexico dominate the region, representing over 84% of the MSCI Latin America Index as at October 2018. However, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia also have relatively substantial financial markets. Together, the economies of these six nations represent 477 million people, with a combined GDP of nearly US$5trn. Economically, this is on a par with Japan. Investor opportunities in Brazil and Mexico Argentinas many problems have been well documented, but it is far from representative of the region. Both Brazil and Mexico will start 2019 with relatively new presidents. They are at polar opposites of the political spectrum, but each is a populist whose election may not be the calamity that some initially feared. While Brazils Jair Bolsonaro has been likened to Donald Trump, given his penchant for hyperbole, he could be the right man to deliver much-needed economic reform and liberalization. Recovery is on the way The banking systems of both these economies have relatively few bad debts and, although both Brazil and Mexico have suffered from an extended period of weak domestic demand, recoveries are now underway. Mexicos participation in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) the trade deal which replaced NAFTA should not be underestimated, as it allows Mexico continued access to a booming US economy Meanwhile, China is already Brazils largest trading partner and the US/China trade tensions have been a boon for Brazils farmers; the price of Brazilian soybeans has appreciated by over 30% in 2018. One of the biggest issues for both Brazil and Mexico is the fact they have been running budget deficits on a near permanent basis, although they are hardly alone. In a global context, their public debt as a percentage of GDP is not extreme. Both economies have also comfortably financed their current account deficits through long-term sources, rather than relying on the vagaries of short-term funding. Making the most of investment opportunities in 2019 If, as we believe, the investment environment is supportive for equity markets in 2019, we may seek to introduce an exposure within portfolios if an opportunity presents itself. Caveats in investing. Investment involves risk. The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The information provided is not to be treated as specific advice. It has no regard for the specific investment objectives, financial situation or needs of any specific person or entity. The information contained herein is based on materials and sources that we believe to be reliable, however, Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management makes no representation or warranty, either expressed or implied, in relation to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information contained herein. All opinions and estimates included in this document are subject to change without notice and Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management is under no obligation to update the information contained herein. Source: Moneyweek.com Related | http://qcostarica.com/could-latin-america-be-a-great-investment-opportunity-in-2019/ |
Are these iPhone-like HTC phones the One M9 and M9 Plus? | The HTC One M9 is rumored to be coming in two flavors: the standard version, and an HTC One M9 Plus with a fingerprint scanner. Now both versions may have appeared in a photo leaked by frequent Twitter tipster @evleaks, who now goes by his real name, Evan Blass. The LG G4 could be radically different too The new phones in the photo appear similar but for the button or sensor - possibly the M9 Plus's fingerprint reader - below the display on the righthand one. Other than that they feature a very similar look, with their glass-and-metal frames, tiny bezels and sleek curves - features that make these two new HTC devices look very close to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Imitation over innovation That's kind of a shame, considering how well HTC has done in the past carving out its own unique aesthetic niche, particularly with the HTC One M8 and its predecessors. The full-size image (credit: @evleaks) Previous leaks have suggested that the new HTC One would look more similar to those, but it was also speculated that the leaks we've seen so far were housed in dummy chassis so as to conceal their true natures. The size thing One possible red flag here is that the initial HTC One M9 Plus leak claimed the two phones are identical in size, the only difference between them being the fingerprint reader - while these two do appear to differ in proportions. That may be just the extra space needed for the fingerprint scanner, though, as it appears their actual screens could have the same measurements. These two alleged HTC phones do look sleek, but it's a fact that these images are unconfirmed, and that HTC's next flagship(s) might turn out to look completely different. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/are-these-iphone-like-htc-phones-the-one-m9-and-m9-plus-1282592 |
How will Turkey neutralize Syrian Kurdish forces? | It is still unclear how the vacuum in the region will be filled after the US troop withdrawal U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton visited Ankara this week and held a two-hour meeting with brahim Kaln, the special adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan. Days before the meeting, Bolton made a statement in Israel demanding guarantees that Turkey would not attack the mainly Kurdish forces allied with the Americans in Syria. Boltons statement precipitated a backlash from Ankara. While Turkey was planning to neutralize the Kurdish fighters of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria, the demand by its NATO ally that Ankara protects the same group naturally caused some anger. Press reports said Bolton would also meet Erdoan in Ankara, but the Turkish head of state snubbed the U.S. official and said it would be more appropriate for him to meet his counterpart Kaln. The White House said Erdoan did not meet Bolton due to preparations for Turkish local elections in March. Bolton, who arrived in Ankara Tuesday afternoon, left at noon on Wednesday citing an emergency meeting in the United States. U.S. President Donald Trumps opponents interpreted Boltons visit as a humiliation, but the White House said it had been productive. Kaln similarly highlighted the positive points of the meeting after making it clear that he disagreed with Boltons statement about assurances for the safety of the Kurdish groups. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was more direct than Bolton when in an interview he noted, the importance of ensuring that the Turks dont slaughter the Kurds. Pompeos statement confirms that even if the United States withdraws from Syria, it will continue to protect the Kurds. Read more HERE | http://en.protothema.gr/how-will-turkey-neutralize-syrian-kurdish-forces/ |
Can the uranium market bounce back? | Two major players have made significant production cutbacks Denison Mines Wheeler River project could come online just as the market rebounds Wheelers Phoenix deposit could be the lowest cost uranium mining operation in the world The uranium market has significantly struggled since the Fukushima accident in 2011, which caused the nuclear power industry to retrench. Uranium was trading at US$70 per pound before Fukushima and has traded precipitously down since then, hitting US$19.60 at one point in 2017. At those levels, some analysts estimate 95 per cent of uranium mines are underwater cost-wise. Fortunately, thanks to a couple of moves by some of the industrys most influential players, prices have shown more life in the past year. Cameco Corp., a large Canadian-based uranium mining company, listed on the TSX and NYSE, has shuttered its prolific McArthur River Mine in Saskatchewan indefinitely and NAC KazAtomProm JSC, a partially state-owned company in Kazakhstan, announced a three year, 20 per cent cut in production in late 2017. Those two actions, along with additional curtailments, have led to an increase in buying activity in the uranium market from a mix of uranium producers, where material is bought at prices lower than their production cost. This buying activity has helped lift uranium prices back to the US$29 per pound range. Many investors, including nuclear power utilities, are looking a few years out at what might happen to the price of uranium once a large number of long-term contracts are signed. Analysts are predicting that a new round of contracts will be required to re-stock the worlds nuclear utilities and that uranium prices will need to rise to incentivize enough uranium production to meet the industrys growing needs. However, new nuclear power plants continue to come online in China, where nuclear power is playing a key role in reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality from crisis levels. Most players would require a significant uranium price increase to justify production. Low operating costs and reasonable capex at Phoenix are going to allow us to produce in this cycle. David Cates, president and CEO, Denison Mines Corp. The right project for the time Its an environment that bodes well for Denison Mines Corp. (TSX: DML, NYSE: DNN) and its 90 per cent interest in the Wheeler River project in northern Saskatchewan. Wheeler River lies along trend with McArthur River in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region in the province, an area considered by many to be the Saudi Arabia of uranium. In September, the company put out a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on the Wheeler River project, which includes both the high-grade Phoenix and Gryphon deposits. They also announced the selection of the in-situ recovery (ISR) mining method for its Phoenix deposit. ISR is an alternative to traditional mining that involves a series of injection and recovery wells, rather than large open pits or costly shafts. In an ISR operation, a solution is injected into the ground which dissolves the uranium in the ore body. Then, its returned to the surface for processing as a uranium-rich solution. The entire process works in a closed-loop system that keeps environmental impacts to a minimum. In announcing the pre-feasibility study for Wheeler River, Denison CEO David Cates commented, Based on an estimated production cost of US$3.33 per pound U 3 O 8, and relatively modest initial capital costs, the Phoenix operation is expected to have superior leverage to an anticipated recovery of the spot price of uranium. Robust economics, even in the current environment As illustrated in Denisons PFS, the low estimated costs at the Phoenix project means that production at Wheeler River may be feasible even at the current uranium spot price with a very healthy operating margin estimated at 90 per cent. This is a huge differentiator for Denison, as uranium projects take time to permit and build in Canada with most of the companys peers requiring higher prices to justify even a decision to move forward with permitting. In early December, Denison announced that it would be initiating the Environmental Assessment and permitting process in early 2019, following the strong results from its PFS and receiving the unanimous support of its Board of Directors to advance the project. Phoenix, together with the nearby Gryphon deposit, planned as a conventional underground mining operation, are expected to give Wheeler River a 14-year mine life with 109.4 million pounds of U 3 O 8 production. The project would have a pre-tax, base-case net present value of $1.31 billion, discounted at 8 per cent, and an internal rate of return of 38.7 per cent. Denisons base-case analysis is unique in that it uses a third party price deck for the selling price of uranium from the Phoenix operation. It would start at todays spot price, at approximately US$29 per pound and would rise to US$45 per pound over the life of the operation. According to Cates, starting the construction decision process now is critical, We have to be able to defy the majors and the choices theyre making and start building and permitting now to be producing in 2024. Fortunately, our projects economics support that decision and we have a clear path forward. An environmentally friendly mining approach Using ISR to mine Phoenix has more than just cost benefits. The method is generally considered one of the most environmentally friendly ways to mine uranium, as it creates no tailings and typically results in minimal surface disruption. Denisons planned approach at Phoenix also includes creating a freeze dome to surround the uranium deposit, allowing for ISR mining to be used in what is otherwise a challenging geological setting. Additionally, it eliminates the risk of groundwater contamination from mining. Cates comments, With our planned freeze dome, well have physical containment of mineralization on all four sides and the top and bottom, so the risk of uranium or the mining solution entering the groundwater is minimal. This could arguably set a new bar for the most environmentally friendly mining operation in the world. As Denison moves ahead to the testing phase for its ISR method at Phoenix, it expects to carry out a series of field and lab tests that should generate a steady flow of news, as permitting and de-risking milestones are met. With production costs that are estimated to be lower than any of the companys rivals, Denison is in a unique position to continue to move the project ahead without relying on the uranium market to improve. Cates sees it as a critical differentiator for his company Most players would require a significant uranium price increase to justify production. Low operating costs and reasonable capex at Phoenix are going to allow us to produce in this cycle. This article was provided by Market One Media Group for commercial purposes. | https://business.financialpost.com/business-trends/can-the-uranium-market-bounce-back |
Does A Board Realize What's Needed For The Cybersecurity Of Their Company? | When it comes to accountability, the board of directors should be the last stalwart, the group of people ultimately responsible for the company. Weve seen what can happen to a member of the board when there is a cybersecurity breach, such as when the CEO of a large retailer was forced to resign back in 2014 after a credit card breach that affected 40 million of its customers. A question all companies should ask is, "Does our board of directors understand cybersecurity?" In my experience, about 2 in 10 CEOs can provide an explanation of what their chief information security officer (CISO) does. By comparison, a CEO could be fired if they dont have an answer for their CFO. In an era when technology often is the business, members of a board need a rock-solid understanding of the security risks facing their company. This is needed to not only ensure that security teams have the capabilities to mitigate and respond to attacks but to prepare for the fallout when measures fail. Board members and CEOs should be asking why data breaches and ransomware attacks keep making headlines. While information security spend is on the rise worldwide -- in 2019, Gartner is forecasting 8.7% growth to $124 billion -- this doesnt mean the board should sleep more soundly. When it comes to the cyberthreats, underground criminals and nation states continue to win, which takes years to pay for and resolve -- even when companies think they have robust defenses. Here is a significant opportunity that is often overlooked: Include a CISO or a cybersecurity expert to serve as an observer and advisor on the board. This expert will help the board understand the requirements for robust cybersecurity defenses. A CISO or cybersecurity expert can coach the board on how to prevent and prepare for a breach beyond just the technical response. An Automated Fight A boards security expert should start by asking, "Is the cybersecurity automated or manual?" Because the battle between cybercriminals and corporate security teams is often tilted in favor of the adversaries who utilize automation at scale. When there is a digital reward -- whether its money, espionage, intellectual property or private data -- cyberattackers have persistence and automation on their side. They dont follow the rules of change management, and they enjoy working while you sleep. They even benefit from the poorly contrived compensating controls and audit exceptions, which do little to thwart an attacker but do allow organizations to pass compliance audits. Todays attackers will probe your defenses until they find a weakness. These well-organized criminals often use automation to initiate and replay their attacks, delivering malware, stealing accounts and deploying backdoors. Remember, they only need one breakthrough to be successful. Most cyberthreats are not advanced. All it takes is one impulsive click on a phishing email containing fairly crude malware to take down a network or even attempt to erode a democracy. Finding an answer starts with the help desk, an already overwhelmed resource. Could it be malware or a link to a phishing site?" These questions take time to answer. Attackers have time on their side, attacking when they want and as often as they like. When it comes to patrolling the attack surface of a corporate network, most teams have too few resources to do the job properly. When an attack does occur, theres not much time to respond. And an infection can spread at network speed. There is also little warning because overburdened security can miss the initial signs of an attack. Security tools are notoriously noisy, giving off more alerts than analysts can handle. Couple that with the shortage of security talent available for hire. Organizations can regain ground by looking at their weaknesses: Fog of war: Most security teams observe a small percentage of their computing network using their limited legacy tools. Faulty defenses: Many rely on manual and error-prone work for their defenses. Lack of understanding: Analysts often cant answer if an event should be flagged as normal or if its a security risk. Using Machine Learning To Buy Time And Answer Tough Questions A CISO can explain how investing in automation can make security teams more effective. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around since the 1950s, and despite the hype, AI is often not well understood. The term AI gets liberally applied to any system that performs tasks with a semblance of automated decision making. AI rules are generally static and unable to adapt to the innovations of cybercriminals. Criminals will continually probe network defenses for vulnerabilities, and basic AI is not designed to learn and adapt. While AI systems appear to be intelligent because they make decisions without a human, theyre often dependent on static rules that were drafted by humans. Contrast this with technologies that dynamically learn from the behavioral patterns in data to make their decisions. Machine learning can provide the right answers to the right humans and machines -- a huge time-saver and advantage for our cybersecurity defenders. 2019s Cyberthreat Landscape Cyberthreats will continue to be challenging in 2019. Having a CISO or cybersecurity expert working with the board will give companies a better understanding of the challenges and risks they face. Using technologies like machine learning will give back time to our cyber defenders so companies can take the right steps to detect and respond to the next attack. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/01/14/does-a-board-realize-whats-needed-for-the-cybersecurity-of-their-company/ |
What Does It Say When A Legal Blockchain eBook Has 1.7M Views? | Blockchain For Lawyers, a recently-released eBook by Australian legal tech company Legaler, drew 1.7M views in two weeks. Clearly, blockchain is a hot legal topic, along with artificial intelligence (AI), and legal tech generally. Its also a hot investment; last year a record $1B was pumped into legal tech. The global enthusiasm for tech is manifest in the throngs that attended the Legal Geek Conference, the Global Legal Hackathon, and a slew of events held by legal tech organizations around the world. Tech is the mortar of a global legal community that is transforming law from territorial profession to borderless industry. One explanation is its plain-speak effort to demystify blockchain and analyze its current and future adaptations to law. The book also provides a framework for understanding how AI, software, the cloud, and other technological advances enable new delivery models to better respond to consumer demand for more transparent, efficient, scalable, cost-effective, and predictable outcomes. There is a hungerespecially among those in the early and mid-stages of their careers-- to understand these tools and new delivery models and, more importantly, how it will impact their careers. The immense interest in new delivery models, legal tech, and transformation underscores that law today is as much about the new models, tools, and skillsets that drive it as it is about practice expertise. Law is no longer solely the province of lawyers; it is also comprised of non-licensed legal professionals and others involved in its delivery, funding, and innovation. The profession is being subsumed by a rapidly-evolving industry. Lawyers once controlled the profession and the industry. Clients control the industry now, and that is impacting how the profession operates, the models from which its expertise is most effectively delivered, the skillsets and resources required to augment it, and changing economics. Legal practice and delivery are each changing. New practice areas like cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, and Internet law are emerging as law struggles to keep pace with the speed of business change in the digital age. Concurrently, several staples of traditional practice--research, document review, etc.-- are becoming automated and/or no longer performed by law firm associates. There is more turnover of practice tasks, more reliance on machines and non-licensed attorneys to mine data and provide domain expertise used by lawyers, and more collaboration than ever before. The emergence of new industries demands that lawyers not only provide legal expertise in support of new areas but also that they possess intellectual agility to master them quickly. Many practice areas law students will encounter have yet to be created. That means that all lawyers will be required to be more agile than their predecessors and engage in ongoing training. Legal delivery, once the back office of practice, is now an integral part of the legal delivery process. Technology, process, the inexorable shift to multidisciplinary, collaborative delivery required to solve complex business challenges are now as critical as practice expertise to deliver effective, efficient, predictable, cost-effective, and data-based solutions to complex business challenges. The integration of practice and delivery has become the new paradigm for legal services and is seldom derived from a sole source. Law has become a team game. It is against this backdropand perhaps because of itthat many in the legal industry have a growing anxiety about their future. Law, like so many segments of the society it serves, is changing rapidly and requires ongoing (re)training and dedication to lifelong learning. Todays fast-paced, dynamic, fluid legal industry bears little resemblance to the one most law schools are preparing graduates for. This is another reason why cogent explanations of forces propelling that changelike Legalers eBookare appealing and helpful. Blockchain For Lawyers Stevie Ghiassi, Legalers CEO and Blockchain For Lawyers author, endeavors to offer an easy-to-digest, holistic take on how blockchain applies to the legal industry. Ghiassis book dispenses with unnecessary jargon, explains the basics of blockchain technology, and examinesin his words-- the profound innovation of creating digital trust in a digital age, and how that impacts every aspects of our lives. Ghiassi contends that blockchain represents a new evolutionary stage of trust, arguably the most central concept for organizing human organization. Societies initially relied on tribalism, a personalized, localized trust. As society scaled, institutional trust in governments, corporations, came to replace personal trust as societys glue. Blockchain technology represents a new transparent, distributed trust phase facilitated by decentralized networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Ghiassi argues the degree to which people trust each other and how they manage those trusted relationships is often intermediated by lawyers. With such a profound shift in the nature of trust, the role of lawyers is likely to change. The confluence of blockchain, cryptocurrency, smart contracts, and zero knowledge proofs facilitates new businesses processes that remove intermediaries and reduce transactions costs, making legal services more accessible. This disintermediation process is already underway in law and is accelerating rapidly with the concurrent adoption of AI, platforms, metrics, and other tools and resources enabling new providers to build client-centric delivery models. They are transforming legal delivery from a labor-intensive, lawyer-centric model to a tech and process-enabled, customer centric one. Ghiassi is a poster child for the contemporary legal professional. He does not hold a law license and facetiously notes in his Linkedin profile that All legal knowledge acquired from Suits seasons 1 to 7. He does have a keen grasp of the legal industry and a clear-eyed objective for his technological prowess: Pursuing a better world through technology to advance the delivery of legal services and expand access to justice by leveraging distributed ledger technologies like blockchain and decentralization. Perhaps it is because Ghiassi is not a lawyeryet understands the profession and its new tools-of-the-tradethat he is able to explain and contextualize blockchain so effectively. Ghiassi views legal delivery from an outcome perspectivewhat it should accomplishrather than a practice onewhat is has historically meant to be a lawyer. Conclusion This is an exciting time to be in the legal industry. It was long a guild; now it is an emerging global community. It was homogeneous, and it is slowly morphing into a more diverse culture. It was parochial by design and now it is becoming borderlessat least with respect to the new business models, tools, and resources available to provide legal services. It was lawyer-centric, and is increasingly multi-disciplinary. Law was once exclusively about lawyers; now it is about legal professionals and other disciplines, technology, and new providers expanding access to and improving delivery of legal services. Many in the profession rue these changes, and some remain steadfast in opposing them. The socio-economic forces driving change across multiple industries are far too powerful for the remnants of the legal guild to repel. Law should look more closely at other industries for ideas that can be leveraged. A good place to start is customer-centric companies. The profession will not be compromised by this process; its ability to better serve legal buyers and society will be enhanced. Stevie Ghiassis thoughtful book that encourages lawyers to embrace technology as a tool to better serve legal consumers and society is deserving of even more views. Hopefully, it will encourage others to do the same . | https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcohen1/2019/01/14/what-does-it-say-when-a-legal-blockchain-ebook-has-1-7m-views/ |
Could A Cryptocurrency Service Help Save Venezuela? | Venezuela's government can't seem to do anything right these days, so some enterprising folks have stepped forward to help the inflation-ravaged country. Steve Hanke, hyperinflation expert, and professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University has teamed up with AirTM, a Mexico City-based blockchain-powered currency platform. Their goal is to get financial aid to beleaguered Venezuelans and they've named the project "AirdropVenezuela." The initial target is to attract cryptocurrency donations totaling $1 million and then distribute the money to 100,000 people in Venezuela via the AirTM platform. "In effect, we provide in effect a clearinghouse that allows for the exchange of bolivars for dollars and vice versa," says Hanke who is now a member of AirTM's board of directors. "This is also much superior to distributing physical cash because you dont have to run the risk of driving your armored truck into the country." Armored cash-delivery vehicles are prone to get hijacked. There's a clear need for humanitarian aid in Venezuela. The South American country is suffering brutal hyperinflation leaving the population without access to basic necessities such as food and medicine. The annualized inflation rate hit a record high of 117,681% on January 10 according to estimates from Hanke. For reference, 100% annual inflation halves the spending power of money within a year. Venezuela's current inflation makes the Bolivar worthless in a trice. The result of the money being close to worthless is that Venezuelan stores are mostly empty of essential supplies. While the country's president Nicolas Maduro could solve the currency crisis in an instant by pegging the Bolivar to the U.S. dollar, he and his supporters haven't so far been inclined to do so. That's despite the fact that pegging to the dollar would almost certainly fix the humanitarian crisis afflicting the country. Meanwhile getting aid directly to the country's people is problematic because the socialist regime doesn't allow for the free trading of the Bolivar at market rates. As part of that, the Venezuelan government has no desire to see private foreign exchange dealing inside its country. That's where AirTM comes in handy. "In Venezuela, we dont have a bricks-and-mortar Cambio, that would be illegal," says Hanke. "Instead we have a Cambio in the sky." Cambio is synonymous with a Bureau de Change, where small lots of currency change hands. His reference to "a Cambio in the sky" is because the money can be distributed via the AirTM on-line platform. In other words, the money will be distributed through the ether or cloud. Successful distribution of the target $1 million would also help pave the way to dollarize Venezuela, says Hanke. In other words, the AirTM platform could be used to prompt Venezuelans to use U.S. dollars in everyday transactions, so helping stabilize the economy which has been in freefall lately. It is notable that in one of Zimbabwe's periods of hyperinflation the populous spontaneously decided to use dollars rather than the Zimbabwe dollar which at the time had become worthless. Quickly Zimbabwe's economy stabilized. Hanke also foresees a future potential move by some humanitarian organizations to distribute aid to crisis-stricken areas in a similar way. Crypto Boost The move by AirTM could also be a boost for other all cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, which is perhaps the best known of them all. One of the problems with Bitcoin and the other electronic currencies is that they don't truly meet the grade to qualify as money. For anything to be money it must act as a unit of account, a medium of exchange, and a store of value. So far, cryptocurrencies fail on the latter two conditions: They neither act as a widespread medium of exchange nor do they act as a store of value. Bitcoin values have crashed spectacularly since mid-December 2017 to $around $3,500 recently from close to $20,000 a little over a year ago. However, this experiment by AirTM could help demonstrate crypto's ability to be a widely used medium of exchange. "You could now have the additional demand for cryptos for use as a medium of exchange versus what you have now which is only the speculative demand," says Hanke. In other words, if the Airdrop Venezuela project boosts the use of crypto in everyday transactions, then it could perhaps satisfy the second required attribute of all money. "This experiment would demonstrate whether it could qualify and check that box," says Hanke. Data boost too A further benefit of the AirdropVenezuela project is that by promoting the use of the platform it will help economists get a better gauge on the real free market exchange rate. The Venezuelan government has an official exchange rate and doesn't allow the free exchange of Bolivars at a market rate. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonconstable/2019/01/14/could-a-crypto-currency-service-help-save-venezuela/ |
What is Sexual Violence as Weapons of War in Todays World? | Recently, Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege won the Nobel Peace Prize for their work in ending sexual violence in conflict zones. It can mean a few different things. In some conflicts, like the Rohingya/Myanmar conflict, sexual violence, rape and forced impregnation are used for ethnic cleansing and intimidation. 700,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh to escape Myanmar persecution, with forced impregnation being in the tens of thousands. There is no measurable or accurate number for the number of women raped or assaulted within this conflict. A nonprofit also noted that men and boys have been victims of sexual violence within this conflict, too. In the Congo conflict, an interview with rebels suggested it was a norm of conflict since all other laws and norms had crumbled, rape was not a serious offence either. One even noted that it is a biological lust of men, known as lust rapes. Within 16 months of the Congolese conflict, 2,600 victims were treated because of a form of sexual violence. In Iraq, Yazidi women are being sold as sex slaves after the Islamic State attacked Sinjir (northern Iraq), and forced women into human trafficking as a form of ethnic cleansing. ISIS have used the systemic rape and brutality against Yazidi women who they have dubbed as infidels, as a way to purify territory and Islam. These are just a few examples of how sexual violence is used within a conflict, and there are many more. China has recently come under media and public scrutiny for their forced detention camps, and many testimonials have come out about forced pregnancies being used to cleanse Uighurs from Xinjiang for future generations. In many cases, the victims of sexual violence are further ostracised from their community, from other women, from their husbands and from their religion. There is still an immense culture of blame in these conflicts, and the scale of sexual violence, including gang rape, female genital mutilation, and burning, is uncontainable and extremely difficult to manage. Many do not have access to basic medical health care to treat the mutilations, burns and physical trauma of a rape, let alone psychological help for the trauma of rape, violence, war and in many cases, violent killings of family members, children and partners taking place right in front of them. Nadia Murad is a Yazidi survivor of the Islamic State and their sex slave operation, who escaped and became a human rights campaigner. She briefed the UN on the issue of human trafficking in 2015, which was the first time they had ever been briefed on the subject. She has since become an Nobel Peace Prize Winner in 2018, and an advocate for mass rape and genocide awareness, working with Human Rights Attorney Amol Clooney, to help current Yazidi women who are still held in captivity. Denis Mukwege is a Congolese gynaecologist, who was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Nadia Murad, specialising in treating women who have been raped by armed rebels. He has called out governments in the past for not doing enough to stop this injustice and founded the Panzi Hospital which has treated over 85,000 people, 60% of which had injuries from rape. After the World War 2 Nuremberg Trials, rape as a weapon of war has deemed a crime against humanity. Currently, ending gender-based violence is part of the Sustainable Development Goals in the UN, but it is still far away from reaching its goal in 2030. The UNFDA hands out dignity kits to victims of sexual violence which include feminine hygiene products and torches to use when its dark, but they have been reported to be underfunded by 1.4 million in order to account for all the refugees that are fleeing the conflict. Clearly, not enough is being done. | https://www.wessexscene.co.uk/international/2019/01/13/what-is-sexual-violence-as-weapons-of-war-in-todays-world/ |
What do voters think of Brexit ahead of crunch vote? | Theresa May has embarked on many crucial weeks in her two-and-a-half-year premiership, thanks to Brexit, but these coming days look set to be the most decisive yet. "We are going to live through an extraordinary week, writing an extraordinary page of our history, and not one of us knows the words on that page, what we will be reading on that page, in seven days' time," British constitutional expert Peter Hennessy said Sunday. The focus will be the vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal -- nearly two months after the withdrawal agreement was struck with the European Union. But May's actions in the hours after the vote will be just as pivotal -- and that is the source of the uncertainty alluded to by Lord Hennessy in a BBC radio interview. The government is expected to lose Tuesday's vote even though several of May's Conservative MPs have announced in recent days that they have dropped their opposition to her deal. Even so, the margin of defeat could be in triple figures, a setback not suffered by a UK Prime Minister since 1924. Such a crushing defeat could, in theory, trigger a prime ministerial resignation. But May has repeatedly insisted she is the one to finish the Brexit job, acting, as she says, in the national interest. However, she will have to act fast and strategically to avert what could become a full-blown constitutional crisis and could trigger an opposition vote of no-confidence in her government. If, as expected, her Brexit deal is voted down, the Prime Minister is required within three days to produce a Plan B acceptable both to the Commons and to EU leaders, who must approve any changes to the 585-page agreement. The Commons is split over what that alternative should be. Many Brexiteer MPs want no deal at all, because it would completely sever ties with the EU; some MPs from both the Conservative and Labour parties are pushing for a "Norway Plus" arrangement under which the UK leaves the political union of the EU but retains close economic ties. There have been reports of an attempt by MPs to seize control of the Brexit process from the government, although talk of a "coup" was dismissed as overblown since amending government legislation is at the heart of parliament's work. May will travel to Brussels towards the end of the week to discuss any changes to the deal, as well as push for firmer assurances from the EU over the issue of the Northern Ireland backstop. May has survived difficult weeks in the past -- including a confidence vote in her leadership by her own MPs last month -- but the potential for disaster this coming week is largely of her own making. Tuesday's meaningful vote was supposed to have taken place in December, but was delayed by the Prime Minister as part of her strategy to "run down the clock" -- forcing MPs to accept her deal or risk a potentially damaging no deal when the UK leaves the EU on March 29th. Running down the clock has served only to anger MPs on all sides, who instead used votes in parliament last week to try to block a no deal Brexit and to force the government into producing a Plan B within three days of this week's vote -- giving everyone more time to negotiate an alternative deal. Yet the tight timetable could anyway be irrelevant given reports that EU officials are preparing for the March 29th deadline to be extended until July -- the first session of the European Parliament after the European elections in May. The Prime Minister has already relinquished some control over her Brexit plans, yet this week could see her losing it altogether. | https://www.waaytv.com/content/national/504315142.html?ref=142 |
What do Leinster need from their last Champions Cup Pool 1 game against Wasps to get a home quarter-final or top seeding? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Leinster got their revenge against Toulouse on Saturday after their defeat in France - and put themselves in the driving seat for a home quarter-final in the process. A depleted side, shorn of the influence of the likes of Johnny Sexton, Rob Kearney, and James Lowe, still put on a wondrous display in a 29-13 victory that showed off just how strong the depth is in the province at the moment. And, ahead of this Sunday's clash with Wasps, they now sit in a great position to bring a quarter-final back to the Aviva Stadium. Leinster's 20 points has them sitting third in the rankings, with the top four to host the last eight ties. Their three-point advantage over fifth-placed Munster means that the Blues may not even need a bonus-point win in England to get the job done. But with the possibility of top-two seeding - and potentially a home semi-final - still alive, a bonus point win could prove very handy in jumping Saracens or Racing 92. Leinster have the best points difference of the lot of them with +98 - something else that prove useful should Leo Cullen's side get that bonus point and the French side fail to do so against Scarlets. Pool 1 will be the only pool settled on Sunday, with every other game on Friday and Saturday, so Leinster will know exactly what they need to do to get over the line. Ranking of pool leaders and runners-up Pool leaders 1 Saracens - 23pts +85 2 Racing 92 - 21pts +62 3 Leinster - 20pts +98 4 Edinburgh - 19pts +62 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Munster - 17pts +64 Second place sides 6 Glasgow Warriors - 19pts +47 7 Ulster - 18pts +2 8 Toulouse - 17pts +10 9 Montpellier - 16pts +51 10 Exeter Chiefs - 13pts +32 Remaining games Friday, January 18 POOL 5 Newcastle Falcons v Toulon, 19.45 Edinburgh v Montpellier, 19.45 Saturday, January 19 POOL 2 Castres v Gloucester, 17.30 Munster v Exeter Chiefs, 17.30 POOL 3 Saracens v Glasgow Warriors, 13.00 Cardiff Blues v Lyon, 13.00 POOL 4 Leicester Tigers v Ulster, 15.15 Racing 92 v Scarlets, 15.15 Sunday, January 20 POOL 1 Wasps v Leinster, 15.15 Toulouse v Bath, 15.15 | https://www.dublinlive.ie/sport/leinster-champions-cup-quarter-final-15674992 |
Why Isnt Bran In Game Of Thrones Season 8 Teaser? | HBO Before the True Detective premiere, HBO released a new teaser for Game of Thrones season eight, showing the surviving Stark kids Jon (sort of), Sansa, and Arya wandering the tombs at the Winterfell before theyre interrupted by a blast of chilly air, signaling the arrival of the Night King. One member of the family was missing, though. Actually, many members of the family were missing, including Ned, Catelyn, and Rickon, but the absence of one still-alive Stark was alarming. The most obvious explanation is that hes more Three-Eyed Raven than Stark now (and pushing a wheelchair through the tombs seems cumbersome), but Game of Thrones fans have another theory. Or maybe theres a little Night King in all of us?). The theory states that Bran was, accidentally or otherwise, warged inside the body of the First Man while the Children of the Forest converted their victim into the Night King, we previously explained. The idea is that Bran stayed too long in the past and left part of his consciousness in the Night King. Then, over the centuries the version of Bran trapped in the Night Kings body bided his time to make sure events play out they way theyre supposed to. But we also laid out why the theory is probably bunk. Isaac Hempstead Wright (the actor who plays the Bran King) also shut down the speculation, noting, I think its less that theyre the same person and more that theyre two of the ancient beings of Westeros, while others have pointed out that Bran can only observe past and present events. And yet: | https://uproxx.com/hitfix/bran-night-king-game-of-thrones-teaser/ |
Was genau ist Craft Beer? | Ihren Ursprung hat die Craft-Beer-Bewegung in den USA, wo sie sich in den letzten Jahrzehnten als Gegenentwurf zur industriellen Bierproduktion entwickelte und sich auf die traditionelle Bierherstellung rckbesann. Heute gibt es in den USA rund 4.000 Kleinbrauereien (microbreweries). Mittlerweile ist die Bewegung auch in Deutschland und Italien angekommen. Speziell in Deutschland haben Gasthofbrauereien bereits eine lange Tradition. In Italien fhrte der Trend zu einer wachsenden Anzahl von Kleinbrauereien (microbirrifici). Wie herkmmliche Biere auch, werden handwerkliche Biere aus Wasser, Malz, Hopfen und Hefe hergestellt, erlutert Silke Raffeiner, Ernhrungswissenschafterin bei der Verbraucherzentrale Sdtirol. Dabei kommen teilweise spezielle Hopfen- und/oder Malzsorten und besondere Grverfahren wie die Kalthopfung zum Einsatz. Bei diesem Verfahren wird das Bier nach der Hauptgrung noch einmal mit Hopfen versetzt, um einen besonders aromatischen Geschmack zu erreichen. Craft Beer zeichnet sich oft durch individuelle, zum Teil fruchtige Aromanoten und/oder die Verwendung regionaler Zutaten aus. Experimentiert wird auch mit Zutaten wie Krutern, Gewrzen, Frchten (z.B. Orangenschalen), Kaffeebohnen und Esskastanien, die fr klassisches Bier allesamt untypisch sind. Solche Biere entsprechen zwar nicht mehr dem deutschen Reinheitsgebot, bieten dafr aber neue Geschmackserlebnisse. stol | https://www.stol.it/Artikel/Panorama-im-Ueberblick/Lokal/Was-genau-ist-Craft-Beer |
Did Meghan Markle Get Invited to Kate Middleton's Birthday Party? | The "feud" between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle is basically The Little Engine That Could of royal drama, and it's somehow managed to chug its way into 2019. While The Duchesses are said to have mended fences over Christmas with The Queen, The Daily Mail reports that Meghan "didn't get an invite" to Kate's recent birthday lunch at Anmer Hall. Honestly, now seems like a great time to use this GIF from the Meghan and Harry Lifetime movie, which I'm still hoping nabs an Oscar: Giphy But let's rewind for a moment because reports also indicate that Kate's birthday lunch last weekend was a super small affair, with just a few family friends out in the countrywhere Meghan and Harry don't live. Had Kate thrown a total banger it's safe to assume the Sussexes would have made the trip up, but it's not *that* crazy that they didn't attend a simple lunch, right?! Meanwhile, The Duchess celebrated the day of her actual birthday over tea with Prince William and her children, so againnot that crazy that Meghan and Harry didn't attend! | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a25884636/meghan-markle-not-invited-kate-middleton-birthday-party/ |
Has the Duchess of Sussex let slip the secret due date of her and Harrys baby? | Meghan and Harry were on a walkabout in Birkenhead this morning on a day of engagements on The Wirral. When they were chatting to a local mum in the towns Hamilton Square, they starting discussing the Duchess pregnancy. Meghan told Carla Gandy that she was "six months" pregnant which suggested a due date of around April. The Duchess of Sussex during a walkabout in Birkenhead. Credit: PA The Duchess then had a similar conversation with Eileen Ashurst who was standing nearby. Eileen told ITV News that Meghan confirmed she was working on an April birth for her first child. Kensington Palace announced Meghan was expecting at the start of the Sussexs tour to Australia in October - although royal aides have never confirmed a due date. The Duchess of Sussex cradled her baby bump as she met crowds on Merseyside. Credit: PA | https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-14/has-the-duchess-of-sussex-let-slip-the-secret-due-date-of-her-and-harrys-baby/ |
Was ist GiRLS support GiRLS? | Viele Mdchen und junge Frauen schreiben uns, wie schwer ihr Alltag zwischen Mobbing, Neid und Konkurrenzverhalten ist. Die Tter: Meist andere Mdchen. Genau deswegen haben BRAVO GiRL! und Instagram die gemeinsame Kampagne GiRLS support GiRLS ins Leben gerufen. Wir wollen Mdchen und junge Frauen zu mehr Zusammenhalt anhalten. Denn gemeinsam sind wir strker! Zusammen mit euch, Instagram und unseren Community-Mentorinnen Lisa und Lena, JuliaBeautx, Nihan, Diana zur Lwen, leoobalys, DominoKati und lulusdreamtown wollen wir in den nchsten Wochen aufklren, zum Nachdenken anregen, mit Opfern und Ttern sprechen um unsere Welt so vielleicht ein Stckchen besser zu machen. Die Wahrheit Bevor du dies liest, bitten wir dich, dich hinzusetzen. In eine Ecke im Bus, oder in deinem Zimmer. Egal wo nur: sei fr dich und sei ehrlich. Vielleicht dachtest du etwas wie "Ihr Arsch sieht fett aus in dieser Jeans." Oder war es, als du in dein Zimmer gegangen bist, die Tr zugeknallt hast und dich ber dieses suuuper beliebte Mdchen gergert hast, das dich in der Pause so abfllig angeguckt hat. Dachtest du etwas wie: "Die dumme Kuh ist so sch**e! Warum mgen die alle so gern?!" Und jetzt versuch zu berlegen, WARUM du so gedacht hast. Sei ehrlich! Du musst dich jetzt aber nicht schlecht fhlen. Die Wahrheit ist: so gut wie alle Mdchen und junge Frauen haben solche Gedanken. Meist denken sogar noch erwachsene Frauen so. Mdchen mssen doch ohnehin schon viel ertragen: Schule, Noten, nrgelnde Eltern ein Spagat zwischen Lernen und Hobbys, Freunden, Jungs und irgendwie auch mal Zeit fr sich finden zu knnen. Und OBENDRAUF kommen dann auch noch dumme Sprche von anderen Mdchen, oder der Druck, stndig supercool, hbsch und was-wei-ich-noch sein zu mssen. Das nervt doch! Und jetzt stell dir eine Welt vor, in der KEIN Mdchen mehr gemein zu anderen ist. Stell dir vor: Mdchen, die andere mobben oder grundlos runtermachen, wrden damit aufhren und stattdessen den anderen helfen. Mdchen die gemobbt und ausgegrenzt wurden, knnten ohne Probleme Freundinnen finden. Es gbe nur noch nette Kommentare auf Instagram und wir knnten alle aufeinander vertrauen. Wenn du Hilfe brauchst, wre immer jemand da! Der "Witz" ist: wir knnten JETZT dieses Paradies haben. Wir mssten nur damit aufhren gemein zu sein! Es wre ganz leicht . . . Aber dafr mssen ALLE Mdchen zusammen halten und mitmachen! Um diesem Traum ein Stck nher zu kommen, haben BRAVO GiRL! und Instagram die gemeinsame Kampagne GiRLS support GiRLS ins Leben gerufen. Zusammen wollen wir versuchen, Opfer zu strken und Tterinnen bewusst zu machen, wie viel schner die Welt ist, wenn Hate und Neid ein Ende haben! Mach dafr mit bei unserer groen Umfrage: erzhl uns von deiner aktuellen Situation! Mach mit bei unserer Umfrage! (Umfrage-Anmeldung bis zum 30. Januar 2019 mglich) Strke finden und zeigen! Gemeinsam mit unseren Community-Mentorinnen wollen wir in den nchsten Wochen eine GiRLS-support-GiRLS-Community aufbauen, die fr Zusammenhalt und Strke steht! Mit dabei sind: Die Web-Stars berichten fr euch aus ihrem eigenen Leben. Klar, heute haben die Mdchen zusammen knapp 19 Millionen Follower auf Instagram (nein, nicht neidisch werden, sondern stolz sein!) aber LeLi, Diana, Julia, Leonie, Nihan, Kati und Lulu gehren zu DIR! Sie sind auch junge Frauen. Sie alle haben erlebt, was auch du erlebst. Sie kennen Hate unter Mdchen, Neid und Mobbing. Bei uns sprechen die acht Girls in den nchsten Wochen exklusiv ber ihre Erfahrungen mit fiesen Kommentaren, Ausgrenzung und Gemeinheiten, die sie am eigenen Leib erfahren mussten. Du merkst: Du bist nicht allein! Lisa und Lena haben selbst Erfahrung mit Hatern filipgorski / Warner Music Lisa und Lena waren sofort dabei, als wir sie gefragt haben, ob sie GiRLS support GiRLS untersttzen wrden. Die tiktok-Stars haben auf Instagram 14 Millionen Abos und wissen: "Wir haben mit unserer Reichweite die Chance, viele Mdels zu erreichen. Das wollen wir nutzen! Wir knnen andere Leute inspirieren und vielleicht sogar auch helfen." Die Twins haben in ihrer Schulzeit selbst schlimme Erfahrungen mit Hate und Mobbing machen mssen. "Mobbing ist leider Alltag in der Schule, gerade wenn man in die Pubertt kommt", erklren die Zwillinge, "Neid ist oft der Auslser dafr! Aber man sollte niemanden runtermachen, um sich besser zu fhlen. Doch die Wahrheit ist, dass Mdchen andere Mdchen leider sehr oft fertig machen . . . " Diana zur Lwen wurde in ihrer Jugend wegen ihres Styles angefeindet BRAVO/F.L. Lange Sich wie unsere Mentorinnen eine Karriere ber Plattformen wie Instagram, YouTube & Co. aufzubauen klingt toll aber dieser Weg hat auch seine Schattenseiten. Denn es kommt nicht nur positives Feedback. Viele Neider nutzen die Kommentar-Funktion um Hate zu verbreiten. Das erfahren unsere Mentorinnen jeden Tag! "Gerade wenn man auf den Sozialen Medien unterwegs ist, haben viele Vorurteile und stempeln einen sofort als oberflchliches Blondchen ab", gesteht Diana zur Lwen, die auf Instagram ber 700k Follower mit Beauty-, Fashion- und Lifestyle-Tipps begeistert. Nihan will ihr Leben genieen ohne Hate und Mobbing BRAVO/F.L. Lange Kollegin Nihan (530k Insta-Follower), die frher selbst wegen ihres Gewichts gemobbt wurde, kann nachvollziehen, dass es zwar nicht immer leicht ist, andere Girls zu supporten, dieser Mut aber aufgebracht werden sollte: In meinen Augen gibt es passive und aktive Mobber. Die, die andere anstiften und die, die mitmachen. Man muss offensiv auf die Leute zugehen, um sie auch in Zukunft am Mobben zu hindern. Auerdem sollte man andere darauf aufmerksam machen, den Mut aufzubringen, sich Mobbern entgegen zu stellen, statt einfach mitzumachen und so anderen zu schaden. JuliaBeautx wnscht sich fr alle jungen Frauen ein glckliches Leben BRAVO/F.L. Lange Das Schlimme ist: Hate und Neid knnen selbst das glcklichste Mdchen fertig machen, denn gemeine Worte egal ob on- oder offline knnen sich wie ein Messer ins Herz bohren! Auch die immer frhliche JuliaBeautx (1,9 Mio. Follower auf Insta) fhlt sich davon manchmal frustriert doch sie will kmpfen: Ich finde es generell schwachsinnig, wenn Leute versuchen, sich gegenseitig runterzumachen. Es bringt niemandem etwas, nur Stress. leoobalys: "Mdchen mssen lernen, zusammen zu halten!" BRAVO/F.L. Lange Mit 14 Jahren ist Leonie, aka leoobalys (743k Abos auf Insta), die sich mit tiktok-Videos einen Namen machen konnte, die jngste unserer GiRLS support GiRLS-Mentorinnen aber auch sie will etwas bewegen und wei: gemeinsam wren Mdchen viel strker! Ich fnde es cool, wenn alle Mdchen zusammenhalten wrden, denn jede von uns hat verschiedene Probleme, die wir aber gemeinsam bewltigen knnten. Lulusdreamtown beschftigt sich auf ihrem Insta-Channel seit Jahren mit Selbstliebe Eine Aussage, der auch Food-Bloggerin Lulu vom Insta-Channel lulusdreamtown zustimmt: "Wir sollten alle freinander da sein. Uns gegenseitig Mut geben um uns selbst und andere zu lieben. Die 19-Jhrige beschftigt sich bereits seit Jahren mit dem Thema Selbstliebe. Fr sie ist das der Schlssel zum Glck und ihre innere Kraft, lie sie viele Herausforderungen im Leben bewltigen (Lesetipp: >> "Liebe dich selbst" von Insta-Food-Expertin @lulusdreamtown). Lulu ist berzeugt: "Nur wer sich selbst liebt, kann auch andere untersttzen." DominoKati fhlt sich durch ihre Videos tglich von anderen bewertet auch negativ! PR Auch fr Kati (DominoKati) ist Selbstliebe und gegenseitiger Support ein Thema, das grere Beachtung in der Gemeinschaft der jungen Frauen finden sollte: Ich untersttze GiRLS support GiRLS, weil ich zeigen will, wie wichtig es ist, dass wir Mdchen zusammen halten", so Kati zu BRAVO GiRL! "Wir sollten aufhren uns gegenseitig runterzumachen und uns stattdessen lieber auf unsere Gemeinsamkeiten konzentrieren. Denn nur zusammen sind wir stark! Weitere spannende GiRLS support GiRLS Themen: >> Mobbing unter Mdchen - Die Wahrheit! >> Dein groes Glck: Warum Freundschaften so wichtig sind! | https://www.bravo.de/was-ist-girls-support-girls-380361.html |
Was ist Glck? | Jeder wnscht sich, happy zu sein. Wir verraten dir, wie du in fnf Schritten ganz easy zu einem Happy Bird wirst! 1. Versuch positiv zu denken Es lsst sich manchmal nicht vermeiden ins Zweifeln zu kommen, aber lass dich von mglichen negativen Gedanken nicht runterziehen. Jeder hat mal einen schlechten Tag, trotzdem solltest du immer optimistisch sein und die Dinge positiv sehen. Hrt sich einfach an. Ist es auch! Die Social-Media-Stars Lisa & Lena, Untersttzerinnen der Initiative GiRLS support GiRLS von BRAVO GiRL! und Instagram, kennen sich mit Hhen und Tiefen bestens aus. Und Lisa hat da so ihre eigenen Tricks: ". Ich stelle mir oft eine Achterbahn vor: Nach jedem Down, geht es auch wieder nach oben. Sprche helfen mir in diesen Situationen. Ich mache mir oft viel zu viele Gedanken und rede dann mit Freunden, die mir dann sagen: Zerbrich dir nicht so den Kopf!" Nein! Ja! nikolas_jkd - stock.adobe.com Auch die Social-Media-Stars Lisa & Lena haben ihre ganz eigenen Happy-Tipps. filipgorski / Warner Music 2. Sei nice zu anderen Hart ber andere zu urteilen oder sogar gemein zu sein, das verschafft einem vielleicht eine kurze Genugtuung. Aber glcklich macht es auf keinen Fall. Versuche dir eine faire Meinung zu bilden und andere zu respektieren, auch wenn sie gerade etwas machen, was dir merkwrdig vorkommt. Kill them with kindness! Versuch sie zu verstehen, und wenn dir das nicht gelingt, betrachte die Dinge mit einem Schmunzeln. Der Respekt, den du anderen entgegenbringst, wird eine positive Wirkung auf sie haben - niemand ist gegen Freundlichkeit immun. So geht es ihnen besser, und dir selber auch, denn frhliche Menschen kommen viel besser und positiver in ihrem Umfeld an. Shutterstock / Syda Productions 3. Achte auf dich selbst Kmmere dich um dich selbst. Denn du bist der wichtigste Mensch in deinem Leben, und den darfst du nie vergessen. Das bedeutet, dass du gut darauf achten solltest, was du brauchst und was dir gut tut. Geh frh genug ins Bett, auch wenn andere darber lcheln. Warum nicht! Nimm dir Zeit! Deine Entscheidung! Um glcklich zu werden, musst du rausfinden, was dir gefllt - egal, ob es gerade cool ist oder nicht. Gnn dir! Denn Selbstliebe ist ein wichtiger Schlssel zum Glck! Unsere GiRLS-support-GiRLS-Mentorin Lulu vom Insta-Channel @lulusdreamtown hat noch mehr coolste Tipps fr dich: Wie du es schaffst, dich selbst zu lieben! Self-Care ist total wichtig. Shutterstock / Dmitry A 4. Vergleiche dich nicht mit anderen Es ist in Ordnung, ein Vorbild zu haben. Ob dein Lieblingsstar, deine Mutter oder deine coole Lehrerin - ein bisschen so werden zu wollen wie jemand, den man toll findet, ist ganz normal und auch gut so, denn es gibt dir Orientierung. Was du aber nicht machen solltest, ist dir zu wnschen, jemand anderes zu sein. Die Figur von X zu haben, die Haare von Y, die coolen Freunde von Z. Das Leben der anderen ist das Leben der anderen. Werde nicht neidisch (Psychotest: Wie neidisch bist du?)! Gnn ihnen das, was sie haben, aber mach nie den Fehler zu denken, dass es ihnen grundstzlich besser geht. Jeder hat seine dunklen Momente und seine Zweifel. Niemand ist wie du und das ist deine Power! Werde die beste Version deiner selbst, dann kannst du voll durchstarten! Dich gibt es nur einmal und das ist auch gut so! Martin Novak 5. Schtze wert, was du hast Du hast gute Freunde, bist gesund und hast eine tolle Familie. Puh, voll normal und total langweilig. Denkst du vielleicht! Aber das ist falsch, denn das, was du hast, sind die absolut grandiosen Voraussetzungen fr dein persnliches Glck! Je bewusster du dir diese Dinge machst, desto zufriedener machen sie dich. Natrlich musst du nicht dauernd dankbar rumrennen, weil du ein normales gutes Leben hast. Aber stell dir vor, genau das wre pltzlich weg - dann merkst du erst, wie wichtig es ist. Die Mentorinnen von GiRLS support GiRLS, die Supertwins Lisa & Lena haben ihren eigenen Glcks-Hack: "Wenn du Probleme hast, ist Reden das beste Rezept, um glcklicher zu sein. Egal ob mit der Familie, Freunden, Gott oder der Oma!" Das Glck ist schon da Augen auf! Istockphoto / AleksandarNakic Hier findest du weitere Storys zu GiLRS support GiRLS >> GiRLS support GiRLS Alle Infos zur groen Kampagne von BRAVO GiRL! Mach mit bei unserer groen Umfrage (Teilnahme bis 30. Januar 2019 mglich) >> Mobbing unter Mdchen - Die Wahrheit! >> Dein groes Glck: Warum Freundschaften so wichtig sind! | https://www.bravo.de/was-ist-glueck-380132.html |
Could Gov. Newsoms ambitious housing goals be sidelined by a worker shortage? | Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he wants to build as many as 3.5 million new houses by 2025 to solve Californias housing crisis. But those ambitious goals could be derailed without hundreds of thousands of new construction workers needed to dramatically accelerate the pace of California home building, even assuming that cities agree to zone for more housing and theres money available to build it all. And its hard to imagine, given recent trends, where that many additional workers in the low-wage, high-risk industry would come from. Newsom took an early stab at the money question in his first budget, offering $500 million in state funding for middle-income housing, But he wants Californias companies to take on a bigger role funding new homes. And he said hes already talked with some Silicon Valley tech companies who are open to cooperating. Ramping up housing construction from about 100,000 units in 2016 to 1980s levels about 300,000 new homes were built in 1986 would require some 200,000 new workers, according to the researcher behind a new study for Smart Cities Prevail, a pro-union nonprofit. But even that influx of workers wouldnt be enough to meet the goal of 500,000 new houses a year that Newsom floated during his campaign. Workers are not going to fall out of trees, researcher Scott Littlehale said. Littlehales study found that California housing construction isnt just failing to attract new workers. Its losing the workers it already has, many of whom are low wage and lower-skilled. From 2006 to 2017, California lost about 200,000 construction workers. And within the construction trade, many workers are opting for commercial building jobs, which pay more, have better benefits and steadier work. During the boom building years, the construction industry was dependent on young workers without a college degree and on immigrant workers, Littlehale said. Today, both populations are on the decline. A brutally honest ad for a career in housing construction, according to Little, might read like this: Pay thats, on average, 24 percent lower than other jobs and few benefits. Oh, by the way, you have a high likelihood of getting injured during the course of that career and you may get laid off, he said. Miguel Diaz, 26, chose construction anyway. He started at 22, doing stints as a painter, carpenter, plumber and electrician. At his last job, he said he was only one of two native English speakers, which helped him earn $20 an hour and steady work. But he said many of his co-workers, who were undocumented or here on work visas, were often paid much less even if they were more experienced, and would go days without work, which can be devastating for workers living paycheck to paycheck. My dad just said, Go do something that will make the most money and you wont have to break your back as much. Use your brain,' Diaz said. So Diaz, who has a six-year-old son, applied to become a union electrician in commercial construction. Daniel Romero, the assistant business manager of the Santa Clara County electrical workers union where Diaz is apprenticing, said starting union wages are about $27 an hour for commercial jobs compared to $17 an hour for residential work. We have an applicant pool list for commercial thats 1,000 people deep, Romero said. And weve got an applicant pool list for residential thats maybe 100 people, 150 people. Littlehale said part of the problem is the industry hasnt done a good job of training low skilled workers so they become highly skilled and highly paid. Thats what attracted Jerry Blake, 24, to the electrical unions apprenticeship program. A former seasonal delivery worker for UPS, he switched to residential construction when he was 20 and began working as a non-union electrician. He said he knew that if he got hired full-time as a UPS driver he could make more than the $13 he was paid when he first started in construction, but he liked the hands-on work. He eventually worked his way up in residential building to make $22 an hour, but still never got any training to extend his skills. They promised me they would send me to school, he said. We were supposed to do online school, but somewhere down the line that never happened. Now, Blakes hoping to get a pay boost by moving into commercial construction. Littlehale cautioned that even if Newsom and other government officials resolve many of the other major roadblocks to building more housing, theyll never achieve their goals if conditions dont change for workers. Related Articles Silicon Valley worker shortage creates upside-down labor market Silicon Valley wages have dropped for all except highest-paying jobs: report How a shortage of construction workers makes housing crisis worse You have a lot of people saying state and local government need to get out of the way on the regulatory front, Littlehale said. If state and local officials do nothing on the labor side, theyre going to have a lot of issues. And if housing prices stay high, even the most highly skilled construction workers will struggle. Diaz said hes now earning $30 an hour, and anticipates $5 raises every six months, but he still lives with his parents. Even as a journeyman, when he expects to make about $70 an hour, he doesnt think hell be able to afford to buy a house in the Bay Area. I dont see myself buying a house, honestly, in this lifetime, he said. Unless I want to move to Stockton or Modesto or Santa Rosa, I dont see it. | https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/14/gov-newsoms-ambitious-housing-goals-threatened-by-construction-worker-shortage/ |
Why hasnt Trump actually denied working for Russia? | Its been about 60 hours since it was first reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an inquiry into whether President Trump was working for Russia. And for all the bluster and tough words from Trump, were still missing something: a real denial. The president took to the friendly airwaves of Jeanine Pirros Fox News show Saturday night to call the question of whether he is or was working for Russia insulting without actually addressing the question while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decided to knock down a straw man when asked about all this. Lets walk through each response individually. Heres Trump talking to Pirro (emphases added and addressed below): PIRRO: Now, I want to move on to another subject. The New York Times reported that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation the day after you fired James Comey in May of 17. And the investigation was whether you were actively working for Russia or unwittingly. TRUMP: I think its the most insulting thing Ive ever been asked. I think its the most insulting article Ive ever had written. And if you read the article, youd see that they found absolutely nothing. But the headline of that article its called the failing New York Times for a reason, theyve gotten me wrong for three years. Theyve actually gotten me wrong for many years before that. But you look at whats going on, you know, I fired James Comey. I call him Lying James Comey because he was a terrible liar, and he did a terrible job as the FBI director. Look at what happened with the Hillary Clinton and the emails and the Hillary Clinton investigation, one of the biggest screw-ups that anybodys ever seen as an investigation. Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, his lover, Lisa Page, they did it. And, you know, theyre all gone. Most of those people, many, many people from the top ranks of the FBI, theyve all been fired or they had to leave. And theyre all gone. This is what they were talking about. And, obviously, nothing was found. And I can tell you this, if you ask the folks in Russia, Ive been tougher on Russia than anybody else, any other probably any other president period, but certainly the last three or four presidents, modern-day presidents. Nobodys been as tough as I have from any standpoint, including the fact that weve done oil like weve never done it, were setting records in country with oil and exporting oil and many other things. So, which is, obviously, not great for them, because thats what they thats where they get their money for the most part. But many other things. So I think it was a great insult. And the New York Times is a disaster as a paper. Its a very horrible thing they said, and theyve gone so far that people that werent necessarily believers are now big believers, because they said that was a step too far. They really are a disaster of a newspaper. The first thing is that calling something an insult even the most insulting article isnt technically denying it. Yes, you tend to be more insulted by ridiculous accusations, but Trump doesnt technically say that what the FBI was investigating was untrue. Its also notable that he repeated at the end that the article was an insult which suggests this not-quite-denial was a predetermined talking point. The article didnt say Trump was a Russian asset; it said the FBI launched an inquiry into the matter. Trumps hostility would seem better reserved for the FBI than for the paper that revealed what his backers have argued was an overzealous inquiry. This is both killing the messenger and changing the subject. And that just so happens to be a good way to rhetorically avoid the actual question Pirro was asking him: find the boogeyman, and make it about them. [Why the FBI mightve thought Trump could be working for Russia] At this point, Ill say this: Even if Trump intended to not actually deny the accusation, that doesnt mean its true. Whatever you think of Trump, one of his most successful base-rallying strategies has been to tempt his opponents to overreach. In this case, he might very well have never worked for Russia, but he could be happy to have that speculation out there, because he knows how ridiculous it seems to his base (and perhaps to even more of the country). If it turned out to be true, a false denial would be the last thing Trump would have to worry about. He would almost definitely be removed from office. Whatever the case, though, Trumps non-denial has reportedly rubbed some Republicans close to the White House the wrong way and they wish hed more directly address the question. Well see whether he does. Speaking of people who didnt actually address the question that was asked of them, heres Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on CBSs Face the Nation in an interview taped Saturday: MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to get to your trip through the Middle East, but I first want to ask you about this New York Times report that says, right after President Trump fired former FBI director James Comey, the FBI began investigating whether President Trump himself was a potential threat to national security and whether hed been working for Russia or unintentionally influenced by Moscow. POMPEO: Im not going to comment on New York Times stories, but Ill certainly say this: The the notion that President Trump is a threat to American national security is absolutely ludicrous. POMPEO: Margaret Margaret Margaret. Ive answered this question repeatedly, indeed on your show. The the idea thats contained in the New York Times story that President Trump was a threat to American national security is is silly on its face and not worthy of a response. Pompeo takes a similar tack to Trump: dont address the actual question and instead focus on the messenger. But again, the Times didnt say Trump was a threat to national security, and, in fact, nobody in the story did, either. The story merely said that the FBI was investigating whether the president was working for Russia. Pompeo also, notably, is asked whether he knew about the probe, given he was CIA director at the time. He doesnt answer and instead pretends as if it was the same question as before, when it wasnt. So thats two questions that Pompeo didnt directly address. On the big one, its entirely possible hes not answering the question because he simply doesnt know. If Trump were a Russian asset, it seems possible that people such as Pompeo dont actually know about it because if they did, youd assume they would have done something. But given Pompeos proximity to all this as both secretary of state and then-CIA director hes in a unique position to offer the most ironclad denial of basically anybody not named Trump or Mueller. And in fact, for all the reasons above, the fact that Pompeo wouldnt go there might be more significant even than Trumps non-denial. Well see if either of them amend their comments. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/14/why-hasnt-trump-actually-denied-working-russia/ |
What does Eddie Lampert really want with tattered old Sears? | After all, the 126-year-old retailer is decades past its prime, while bringing it back to life would almost certainly cost billions more. And Lampert hardly seems like a natural candidate to lead that revival, given Sears' grueling descent during his tenure as chairman, chief executive and largest investor. "Despite repeated promises, Lampert has not managed to turn Sears round -- indeed, performance has drastically deteriorated under his watch," Neil Saunders, managing director for retail at GlobalData, told CBS MoneyWatch. "Instinctively, he's not a retailer." That didn't stop the billionaire and his hedge fund, ESL Investments, from casting their latest offer in bankruptcy court last week as the "only way to preserve tens of thousands of jobs" and to keep "an iconic fixture in American retail" alive. "Every reason to fight for its future" "For as long as I have been involved with Sears, I have cared deeply about the company, its associates and the people they serve," Lampert said in a statement sent through ESL to The Associated Press. "While the opportunity I saw from the start for Sears to benefit from the disruptive changes in retail and technology has not worked out so far, it is still there to be taken. Every transformation involves perseverance and risk, but I am hopeful that we can execute better and faster on the smaller platform we are bidding on. ... There is every reason to fight for its future." Despite that noble sentiment, Lampert's record at Sears Holdings raises plenty of red flags, not the least of which has been his penchant for extracting personal profit from the company even as it continued to fade. Sears may learn its fate on Monday when a bankruptcy court holds an auction that effectively comes down to a contest between Lampert and companies eager to sell the company for scrap. The announcement of the winning bidder or bidders isn't expected until Jan. 16, and creditors and other parties then have eight days to challenge the decision in court. Lampert owns 31 percent of Sears' shares, and ESL holds an 18.5 percent stake, according to FactSet. Milking the cash cow Sears and its Kmart chain have lost a total of $11 billion since 2012. Despite those losses, Lampert (who remains chairman but relinquished his CEO title after the retailer went bust) has pocketed nearly $1.4 billion from his investment in the retailer, Institutional Investor recently calculated. Most of those profits came from performance fees ESL investors paid to Lampert on his Sears and Kmart investments. Saunders' take is that Lampert, as a big lender to Sears, wants to keep the business going to generate more cash -- money that would help pay down debts owed to his other business interests. "There is also a property play as Lampert is a Sears landlord, so if the company keeps going, he can collect rent on some of the stores," Saunders added. Four years ago, Sears created a real estate investment trust to extract revenue from its properties. It sold and leased back more than 200 properties to the REIT, in which Lampert is a significant stakeholder. The fall of Sears Conflicting roles Part of ESL's offer involves forgiving $1.3 billion of Sears debt that Lampert holds, a stipulation challenged by a committee representing many Sears creditors. That arrangement highlights a potential conflict of interest because Lampert's financial incentives as a Sears creditor and lender may be starkly different than those as a shareholder, much less the person charged with resuscitating the company. "He was their CEO, lender, landlord, vendor and largest equity holder," said Philip Emma, a senior Debtwire analyst and an expert in retail bankruptcies. "It's unusual that you have one individual that has played so many roles in a bankruptcy case." Another example of how Lampert's multiple roles at Sears muddy the water: His $5 billion buyout offer is conditioned on capping his liability if shareholders, creditors or other parties decide to sue. That could amount to a "get out of jail free" card given that some creditors think Lampert may be liable for what they see as some self-serving deals before Sears declared bankruptcy. Specifically, creditors argue that Lampert's debt forgiveness shouldn't be part of any deal because he loaned Sears the money when he was CEO, and they claim that the terms unduly benefited him and ESL instead of Sears. Lampert contends that the loans were above-board and necessary to keep the retailer running. "ESL's actions have always been taken in good faith, on fair terms, alongside third parties, regularly reviewed by independent and experienced advisers, and beneficial to all Sears stakeholders," the hedge fund said in a filing with the bankruptcy court. Lampert, through ESL, did not respond to an interview request. Stuck in the '70s Over its decades-long decline, Sears has shuttered more than 3,000 stores and slashed its workforce from 350,000 to roughly 68,000. Today, Sears and Kmart operate just over 500 stores. Lampert's proposal involves keeping 425 running, at least for a while. If experts like Saunders doubt Lampert can save Sears, some former company executives do, too. "The company has been on a death spiral for well over a decade," former Sears executive Mark Cohen said in a recent interview with "CBS Sunday Morning." How Sears went from innovation to bankruptcy "There is so much broken with Sears that I doubt it can be fixed. It really stopped being a viable retailer a long time ago," Saunders said. "The retail market is now entering 2019, and things are moving very fast in terms of channels, digital and the way business is done. Sears is still stuck somewhere in the 1970s." Added Debtwire's Emma, who noted Lampert isn't known for putting much of his own skin in the game: "There has to be some level of investment to keep it going, unless something changes with the status quo of how it's run." -- The Associated Press contributed to this story | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eddie-lampert-why-buy-faded-sears/ |
Should I hire a CPA because of the new tax plan? | Q. I usually do my own taxes but I'm not sure how to handle this because of the new tax plan. My deductions are very close to the standard deduction amount, and I'm not sure which way to go. -- Taxpayer A. If you want to remain a do-it-yourselfer, we have good news. If you have been comfortable doing your own return, you should be able to continue doing so even with the new tax law, said Michael Karu, a certified public accountant with Levine, Jacobs & Co. in Livingston. There are some big changes, and depending on the specifics of your return, some may apply to you. "Remember that you can take the greater of your itemized deductions or the standard deduction," Karu said. "If you use tax preparation software, it should walk you through it." But if you are uncomfortable with preparing your return or you simply can't invest the time and effort, using a CPA is the way to go, he said. That depends. "Most CPAs charge based on the time expended and many have a minimum charge,": Karu said. "If you have friends or family members with more complicated tax returns, ask them for referrals." You also can go to this website, maintained through the New Jersey Society of CPAs, to find a professional to work with you. Email your questions to [email protected]. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. | https://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/01/should_i_hire_a_cpa_because_of_the_new_tax_plan.html |
How can I find out if someone paid their property taxes? | Q. -- Curious A. This information is pretty simple to find. That's because property tax information is public record in New Jersey. It can be researched directly through New Jersey's website, or you can go directly to the municipality where the property is located, said Steven Gallo, a certified public accountant and personal financial specialist with U.S. Financial Services in Fairfield. But, Gallo said, if you're curious because you're planning to purchase the property, it's a moot point. "In New Jersey, all property purchases must go through a legal closing process in which a property search is conducted," Gallo said. "No property can change ownership without all outstanding taxes being paid by the seller at closing, therefore giving the new owner clear title and a fresh start." You can also learn if there are any liens against the property, and those, too, would be paid off at the closing. Good luck on your search! Email your questions to [email protected]. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. | https://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/01/how_can_i_find_out_if_someone_paid_their_property.html |
Is It Finally Time To Consider Financial ETFs? | The Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF), the largest financial services exchange traded fund by assets, tumbled 13 percent last year, underscoring the sector's status as one of the worst-performing groups in the S&P 500. Moreover, financial services stocks and ETFs were epic disappointments. Expectations were in place for the sector to benefit from rising interest rates, but even as the Federal Reserve obliged with four 2018 rate hikes, financials flailed. What To Know XLF targets the Financial Select Sector Index and seeks to provide precise exposure to companies in the diversified financial services; insurance; banks; capital markets; mortgage real estate investment trusts ("REITs"); consumer finance; and thrifts and mortgage finance industries, according to State Street. Following a rough year for XLF and rival financial services ETFs, some analysts are bullish on the fund. AltaVista Research has an Overweight rating on the $23.79 billion XLF. The firm's Overweight ratings implies above average appreciation potential. Typically, funds in this category consist of stocks trading at attractive valuations and/or having above-average fundamentals, said AltaVista. Why It's Important For over a year, the financial services sector, the third-largest sector weight in the S&P 500, has been widely framed as a value play. AltaVista estimates XLF's price-to-book ratio to be 1.1 and its price-to-earnings ratio to be 10.4. Both are well below the comparable metrics on the S&P 500. Using those metrics, XLF is also the least expensive of the 11 sector SPDR ETFs. XLF is one of just three sector SPDR ETFs AltaVista has an Overweight rating on. Higher interest rates, tax cuts, regulatory relief and faster GDP growth should all help Financials sustain higher margins and ROE into 2019E, though estimates took a big hit on recent market volatility, said the research firm. Nonetheless with P/E multiples at their lowest point in 5 years our ratings framework suggests the sector looks attractive vs the S&P 500, and sell-side analysts' ratings have been improving as well. What's next for XLF and rival funds are a slew of fourth-quarter earnings reports. XLF holds 68 stocks. Starting this week and over the subsequent two weeks, the bulk of XLF's marquee components will report fourth-quarter results. Related Links Leveraging Up Latin America Seize Shareholder Yield With This ETF | https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/19/01/12969190/is-it-finally-time-to-consider-financial-etfs |
Should rough-terrain vehicles be allowed on Midland roads? | A Midland snow-removal company is requesting council amend their bylaws in order to permit the use of multi-use, off-road utility vehicles on town roads. Lawyer William Taws briefed council on behalf of Harbourview Property Management during a Jan. 9 council meeting and made a case for why these vehicles should be permitted. We are not asking the municipality to permit the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on public roads. We are talking about a much more substantial vehicle, said Taws. Harbourview Property Management, which is owned by brothers Andrew, Chris and Evan Lahaie, use a Kubota RTV (rough-terrain vehicle) for snow-removal purposes. They want to be able to drive it down the road from one property to the next. The Kubota is quite different than an ATV. It has better headlights, a closed-in cab, and a maximum speed of 40 kilometres per hour, explained Taws. It is clearly a commercial vehicle. It is not used for hot-dogging in the streets, said Taws. A vehicle of this class is worthy of the municipality using its discretion to permit it on the road. In mid-February 2018, after the OPP had taken over policing of Midland, a Harbourview employee was pulled over while driving the Kubota in town and was notified the vehicle was in contravention of the Highway Traffic Act. According to Taws, the Lahaies had checked with the Midland Police Service prior to deploying the Kubota and were advised that it would be legally permitted on town roads. After receiving the OPP warning, Chris Lahaie attempted to try to get a bylaw passed by the town that would permit the use of this vehicle on town roads. The item was discussed during an April 4 meeting and council decided to leave their bylaws untouched. At the time, council believed that if vehicles like this were allowed it would open up roads to a variety of undesired uses. | https://www.simcoe.com/news-story/9120926-should-rough-terrain-vehicles-be-allowed-on-midland-roads-/ |
Is Love Island's Eden Dally dating Imogen Anthony's best friend? | It's been several months since Eden Dally bitterly split with his Love Island Australia co-star Erin Barnett. But it seems the reality contestant has finally moved on, fueling new rumours of a red hot romance. On Saturday, the prison officer, 26, set tongues wagging as he cosied with stunning socialite Katie Lewis. 'Beautiful couple!' Love Island's Eden Dally has sparked rumours of a romance with Imogen Anthony's busty best friend Katie Lewis after he shared a cosy snap with the socialite on Saturday Taking to Instagram, Eden shared a photo with his 171,000 followers that showed him cuddled up with Katie on board a cruise ship. 'Match maker,' the star captioned the amorous image, adding the hashtag: 'boats and h*es'. Eden looked like the cat who had got the cream as he wrapped his bulging arm around Katie's slender waist. Lucky Eden! Stunning Katie is socialite who counts model Imogen Anthony as her best friend 'Beautiful couple!' one excited fan wrote below the snap, which was taken by Kyle Sandilands' girlfriend Imogen Anthony. 'When my photography is on point even though Ive had 8 shots of tequila,' Imogen commented beneath the picture. Imogen is the long-term best friend of Katie, with the blondes having attended school together in Bowral, NSW - the upmarket town where Phoebe Burgess and Zoe Foster-Blake were also raised. Pals: Imogen (right) is the long-term best friend of Katie, with the busty blondes having attended school together Eden's rumoured romance comes shortly after ex-girlfriend Erin debuted her new relationship with a single father named Mick Russell. The pair are both from Melton, Victoria, which is where they are believed to have met. Mick is believed to be around 40 years old, but Erin would not confirm his exact age when approached for comment by Daily Mail Australia . New flame! Eden's ex Erin (pictured) is now dating single father Mick, who hails from her hometown of Melton, Victoria Eden and Erin split in September last year, just months after placing as runners-up on the inaugural season of Love Island Australia. The break-up came as a shock to fans as the couple told Who magazine just weeks earlier that they were planning to start IVF. 'I've got a few ovary problems so we can only [get pregnant] through IVF,' Erin revealed. 'Because I'm 23, we have to plan all that and do it before the age of 25.' | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6590003/Is-Love-Islands-Eden-Dally-dating-Imogen-Anthonys-best-friend.html |
What is Group B strep? | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Group B strep is a type of bacteria called streptococcal bacteria. It's very common with up to two in five people have it living in their body, usually in the rectum or vagina. It's normally harmless and most people won't realise they have it. It's usually only a problem if it affects: pregnant woman it could spread to the baby young babies it can make them very ill elderly people or those who are already very ill it can cause repeated or serious infections Group B strep is common in pregnant women and rarely causes any problems. It's not routinely tested for, but may be found during tests carried out for another reason, such as a urine test or vaginal swab. If you had group B strep during pregnancy, there's a small risk it could spread to your baby and make them very ill. If this happens, it's usually soon after they're born. Your baby may be monitored in hospital for up to 12 hours to check for any problems. They'll be given antibiotics into a vein if they develop symptoms. Most babies with a group B strep infection make a full recovery if treated. Some babies may develop serious problems like sepsis or meningitis . This can cause lasting problems like hearing loss or loss of vision. Sometimes it can be fatal. | https://www.devonlive.com/what-is-group-b-strep-2427439 |
Why I Have to Choose Large Window for My Beloved Bedroom? | These clean and clear bedroom window applications were exclusively designed for our bedroom. The main idea of this decoration was try to give a brighter look of the bedroom and the gorgeous style of the bedroom. Bedroom was the place where a miracle can happen. We have to give the best application for this place. The simple component of this room was the glass construction and the metal work of the side line. There was the exceptional bedroom with glass work surrounded by in the glass home, but exclusively for this inspiration we just use the high and huge window application for our bedroom. We can place this huge application in the back side of the bed set or in the side space of the bed set. This inspiring large window design can be completed with the curtain application and make the room being clear when we were need and being dark when we were want to go for sleep. [via] Originally Posted On Iroonie | http://coolboom.net/bathroom-design-2/why-i-have-to-choose-large-window-for-my-beloved-bedroom/ |
Which Foo Fighters Song Is About Kurt Cobain? | Nirvana in 1993. Picture: Charles J. Peterson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images We delve into the only track Dave Grohl admits writing about his friend and Nirvana bandmate. Since Kurt Cobain tragically lost his life on 5 April 1994, his music and lyrics have continued to touch fans across the world. While Dave Grohl has opened up a lot more about the loss of his Nirvana bandmate as time has gone on, he hasn't always been so comfortable discussing the tragedy. While it wouldn't be unreasonable to think the Foo Fighters frontman may have tackled this loss in his music, there's only one song he directly attributes to being about Kurt Cobain... and it might not be what you think. Some fans assume that My Hero from Foo Fighters' 1997 The Colour and the Shape album is about the late grunge icon, but it's credited about being about the "common man". Releasing a statement in 2008 when Republican candidate John McCain used the track without their permission, the band wrote: The saddest thing about this is that My Hero was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. However it's actually on Disc 2 of Foo Fighters' 2005 album In Your Honor that the closest thing to 'a Kurt Cobain tribute' can be found. Friend of a Friend was an acoustic track penned by Grohl in 1990- just weeks after he'd moved to Seattle to join Nirvana. Written in Kurt's Olympia apartment on his acoustic guitar, the track describes Grohl's first impressions of the frontman and bassist Krist Novelselic... and paints a pretty bleak picture of the band's early days. The song captures the act of Grohl finding Cobain's guitar, with the lyrics: "He plays an old guitar/With a coin found by the phone/It was his friends guitar/That he played". It also hints at Kurt's early drinking habit, with the lines: "He thinks he drinks too much/'Cause when he tells his two best friends/'I think I drink too much'/No-one speaks". Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana in 1991. Picture: Jazz Archive/DPA/PA Images View some of the haunting lyrics to Friend of a Friend below: "He's never been in love But he knows just what love is He said nevermind And no-one speaks" The song was first recorded in secret in 1990, before being released on Grohl's Pocketwatch cassette album under his Late! psuedonym two years later. Despite being recorded again for a BBC Evening session in 1997, it wasn't until the release of In Your Honour where it was revisited for the acoustic disc of the LP that Grohl was forced to open up about its origins. Dave Grohl onstage with foo Fighters in 2002. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Archive/PA Images When quizzed about the track, Grohl told Q Magazine: "I'd just moved in with Kurt. I didn't know anybody. I had a drum set packed in one box and flew up there. I would stay up till the sun came up and sleep all day. "Olympia, Washington, is fucking depressing enough and I was living with this person that I didn't know. But he had a four-track so I wrote songs: Marigold and Friend Of A Friend. It was an observation of Kurt and Krist and I." Asked if he ever played the song to Kurt, he simply responded: "No. I don't think I did. Probably not." Written years before Kurt's untimely death, and more of an "observation," than a tribute, Friend of a Friend just happens to capture a moment in time, representing the early and uncertain days of Grohl joining the band. Watch Chris Moyles Meets Foo Fighters in full here: | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/foo-fighters/which-foo-fighters-song-about-kurt-cobain/ |
How did Rick Astley end up performing with Foo Fighters? | The 80s legend told Chris Moyles about how Dave Grohl dragged him onstage for an epic version of Never Gonna Give You Up. Rick Astley has re-lived the moment he was called on stage by the Foo Fighters. The Never Gonna Give You Up singer has performed three times with the Learn To Fly rockers, but revealed he had no idea what was going to happen the first time he took to the stage with them in Japan. "I met those guys in such a weird unplanned way," he told Radio X's Chris Moyles. "It was just nuts, so that was amazing." Watch him explain all to our video above. Talking about getting to the side of stage to watch the band, he explained: "So [Dave Grohl] just clocks me at some point, but I thought he was looking at other people, because Chris Shiflett, who's one of the guitar players, he'd come over and given a hug to someone on side of stage..." Rick Astley recalls performing with Foo Fighters. Picture: Radio X The 80s legend added: "And he just came and gave me a big hug. And then 20 minutes later, a guy walks over and handed me a mic and I'm looking at Dave Grohl and he's now looking at me beckoning me over." He continued: "I don't know what's gonna happen right now. I'm really jet lagged as well, which really helped if I'm honest. And I just had no clue what was going on. I didn't know whether he was going to say: 'Everyone, this is that dude'. "So we walked out there and he just whispers in my ear 'We're going to do your tune, but it's going to sound a bit like Smells Like Teen Spirit." Referring to why he screamed: "Come on you motherfuckers" to the crowd, Astley confirmed: "People think I was trying to be rock n' roll. I was just crapping myself". Rick Astley went on to recreate the magic moment with the Foos at their future gigs. Watch him perform his hit with the Learn To Fly rockers at The O2, London: | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/foo-fighters/video-rick-astley-asked-stage-dave-grohl-swore/ |
Are there laws to prevent long working hours? | The advice by the dean of the Singapore Judicial College, Mr Foo Chee Hock, to junior lawyers to be aware of burnout due to long working hours and to take stock of their work and purpose and the sustainability of their lifestyle is timely (Beware of burnout, new Senior Counsel tells junior lawyers; Jan 8). In fact, young lawyers, engineers, accountants, doctors and all other professionals should heed this advice too. However, this is only one part of the problem as, often, the long hours put in are beyond their control and are required by their bosses and employers. I can attest to this as my children as well as my relatives' children who are working often have to put in unpaid overtime hours until midnight. When I asked them about this, I was told that their bosses instructed them to do so as they have to clear urgent matters. In fact, one of my children, who is on a training contract with a law firm, has to clock in many more hours with no overtime pay. On top of this, as I understand it, all trainee lawyers have to prepare and sit for examinations. I wonder how trainee lawyers are supposed to be able to juggle this. I wonder whether the Law Society of Singapore has established guidelines for trainee lawyers not to be forced to work overly long hours. I hope that this pattern of long working hours will not lead to fatal incidents like in Japan and South Korea. Perhaps, the Government should consider introducing laws to curb this growing trend of long working hours. Lee Kwok Weng | https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/are-there-laws-to-prevent-long-working-hours |
When is Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 6 on Netflix? | British fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine dont have long to wait for the return of Detective Jake Peralta and the rest of the team. Series five aired on E4 last year, and will land on Netflix on 8th March 2019. Series one to four are already available on the streaming service. Brooklyn Nine-Nines sixth season, which is currently being shown in the US, is expected to air on E4 in the coming months. Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows the misadventures of the NYPDs 99th police department as they solve crime, catch bad guys and get up to all sorts of antics in their free time. The series centres around Jake Peralta, a wacky and immature detective who clashes with his strict boss Captain Holt when hes not solving cases with best pal/partner Boyle or making bets with rival/love interest Amy Santiago. It was indeed. FOX cancelled the show after five series, but after a massive fan uproar the beloved comedy was quickly revived by NBC just days later. Andy Samberg leads the cast as Jake Peralta, with Andre Braugher playing his boss Captain Holt, Joe Lo Truglio starring as his best friend and colleague Boyle and Melissa Fumero portraying his rival and love interest Amy Santiago. Advertisement Rounding out the cast is badass detective Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) neurotic desk sergeant Terry (Terry Crews), self-obsessed office worker Gina (Chela Peretti) and inveterate losers Hitchcock and Scully (Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller). | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2019-01-14/brooklyn-nine-nine-watch-stream/ |
Will Philip Morris International Raise Its Dividend in 2019? | Many dividend investors turn to tobacco stocks for high yields and growing payouts, and Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) has been a great example of how this strategy can work well over the long run. Despite having a global business, Philip Morris is based in the U.S., and that's given it some distinct benefits from tax reform. As regulatory efforts accelerate overseas, though, Philip Morris International has faced the same challenges that its domestic counterparts have dealt with for decades. Even dividend investors have felt the pinch lately, with more sluggish dividend growth in recent years than they enjoyed early in Philip Morris' existence as an independent publicly traded company. Below, we'll look more closely at how Philip Morris is faring and whether shareholders are right to be worried about the dividend. Dividend stats on Philip Morris International Metric Current Stat Quarterly Dividend Per Share $1.14 Dividend Yield 6.8% Number of Consecutive Years With Dividend Increases 11 years Payout Ratio 106% Last Increase September 2018 Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Last increase refers to ex-dividend date. A modest rebound for Philip Morris International's dividend Philip Morris International started out strong in the dividend department, paying a healthy yield and making substantial boosts to the payout in its first several years as a publicly traded company. It was common for the tobacco giant to boost its quarterly payout by roughly 10% to 20% annually in those early years. That continued in the tradition of its former parent company, back when international and U.S. operations were held within the same corporate entity. But as you can see below, Philip Morris ran into challenges in the mid-2010s that caused it to slow the pace of its dividend increases. The strong U.S. dollar had a huge negative impact on Philip Morris earnings, and that in turn put pressure on the company by pushing payout ratios to worrisome levels. Gradually, those double-digit percentage hikes to the dividend turned into single-digit percentage moves, reaching a low point of 2% growth in 2015 and 2016. PM Dividend Chart More PM Dividend data by YCharts. Over the past couple of years, investors have seen some improvement. 2017's increase accelerated to 3%, and last year's raise to $1.14 per share quarterly represented a nearly 7% boost. New worries for Philip Morris International Fundamentally, Philip Morris is dealing with something it hasn't had to face before: weakness in its IQOS heated tobacco platform. Throughout the early stages of the platform's introduction, IQOS produced huge sales growth, especially in the key test market of Japan. The subsequent nationwide rollout produced impressive gains in revenue, helping Philip Morris offset declines in traditional cigarette volume. In early 2018, however, sales of IQOS in Japan unexpectedly slowed. New competition had emerged in the island nation, but Philip Morris also pointed to its failure to make consumers aware of newly expanded production capacity of the HeatSticks tobacco inserts that IQOS uses. Inventory management issues were partially responsible for the disturbing numbers related to IQOS, but even so, just the idea that the heated-tobacco system might not have nearly as long a period of fast growth as initially expected called into question Philip Morris' entire strategy to replace traditional cigarettes with alternatives. Two hands holding a white IQOS device. More | https://news.yahoo.com/philip-morris-international-raise-dividend-141600200.html |
What time is Cold Feet on ITV tonight and who is in the cast? | Cold Feet is back and things are set to get serious for one character (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Cold Feet fans, you might want to cancel all your Monday night plans as the show is returning to ITV for its eighth series. This ones set to have you laughing and heartbroken in equal measure, with a cancer scare for one of the main characters in the very first episode. If scenes filmed near Manchester canal are anything to go by we can expect our fair share of drama too, as the cast returns for more. The new series kicks off on ITV on Monday night at 9pm. There are six episodes in the new series, with subsequent instalments set to air at the same time over the next five weeks. All of the usual cast members are returning, including James Nesbitt, John Thompson. Fay Ripley, Hermione Norris and Robert Bathurst. Other cast members include Jack Harper. Siobhan Finneran, Callum Woodhouse and Sylvie Briggs. (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Theres a shock for Ripleys character Jenny in episode one as she is at the centre of a breast cancer scare which sends shockwaves through the friendship group. The actress revealed at a recent screening that she wanted the team working on the show to make sure the storyline was as accurate as possible in the hope of helping others in a similar situation. She said: They asked me how Id feel about it and I said I wanted it dealt with properly because of the weight of that responsibility, and because so many people I know are affected by breast cancer and cancer in general. Thats life at the moment. We have seen this story with shows but I wanted it to be real, she added. Sometimes its going to be funny, sometimes its going to be scary. I just wanted it to be honest. The new series will also see newly single Adam (Harper) back on the prowl, while Karen (Norris) has some serious thinking to do about whether her business will be enough to fulfil her in later life, and husband David (Bathurst) is also pondering the future. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/time-cold-feet-itv-tonight-cast-8343385/ |
Are Investors Undervaluing Fly Leasing (FLY) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels. In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment. One company value investors might notice is Fly Leasing (FLY). FLY is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 4.12. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 11.08. Over the past 52 weeks, FLY's Forward P/E has been as high as 6.72 and as low as 3.85, with a median of 5.75. We also note that FLY holds a PEG ratio of 0.41. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. FLY's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.09. Over the past 52 weeks, FLY's PEG has been as high as 0.67 and as low as 0.38, with a median of 0.58. Investors should also recognize that FLY has a P/B ratio of 0.48. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This company's current P/B looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/B of 1.27. Over the past year, FLY's P/B has been as high as 0.77 and as low as 0.44, with a median of 0.68. Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. FLY has a P/S ratio of 0.82. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.2. Finally, our model also underscores that FLY has a P/CF ratio of 1.57. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. This stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 4.10. Over the past 52 weeks, FLY's P/CF has been as high as 2.61 and as low as 1.46, with a median of 2.23. These are only a few of the key metrics included in Fly Leasing's strong Value grade, but they help show that the stock is likely undervalued right now. When factoring in the strength of its earnings outlook, FLY looks like an impressive value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-fly-leasing-fly-141002530.html |
Can Buyouts & Project Centennial Fuel Flowers Foods Further? | Flowers Foods, Inc.s FLO shares have gained close to 7% in a year, against the industrys decline of 15.2%. The company has been befitting from strategies like focus on buyouts along with its Project Centennial, though at the same time it is battling cost-related hurdles. So, lets see if Flowers Foods endeavors can help offset obstacles and fuel growth at this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. Project Centennial & Buyouts on Track Flowers Foods is progressing well with Project Centennial. The company is also making several efforts to revive its core business, lower costs, make use of product advances and develop leading capacities. Project Centennial, which is an enterprise-wide multi-year initiative, is aimed at streamlining operations, fueling efficiencies, improving margins by curtailing costs, optimizing supply chain and making prudent investments to solidify Flowers Foods competitive position, aiding revenue growth, and returning value to stockholders. Further, the company intends to expand its portfolio and increase adjacencies in the bakery category through organic growth and acquisitions. Markedly, management expects gross savings in the upper end of $38-$48 million in 2018, on the back of a more productive organizational structure, lower expenditure on purchased goods and services, supply-chain optimization, and enhanced order and stale reduction efforts. Talking of acquisitions, the company concluded the buyout of gluten-free baking firm Canyon Bakehouse LLC in December 2018. The inclusion of this Johnstown-based company is likely to expand Flowers Foods presence in the gluten-free foods category, which is gaining traction from consumers rising demand for the same. Well, Flowers Foods has long been focused on acquisitions to strengthen its product portfolio and expand in untapped markets. Notably, the company has acquired more than 100 companies since 1968. In 2015, the company bought Daves Killer Bread (DKB) and Alpine Valley Bread companies. With the acquisition of DKB, the company got access to the Pacific Northwest market. These efforts are likely to continue enhancing Flowers Foods portfolio, which, in turn, will help it gain market share. Notably, strength in DKB, Nature's Own and Wonder brands drove Flowers Foods market share in the third quarter of 2018, which marked the companys ninth consecutive quarter of market share improvement. Flowers Foods has been witnessing a year-over-year decline in EBITDA for the past four quarters. In third-quarter 2018, adjusted EBITDA margin contracted 140 basis points (bps) to 10.6%, due to increased costs of marketing inputs, manufacturing, workforce and freight. Also, the company continued to be impacted by disruptions associated with the inferior yeast. Incidentally, the company encountered operational hurdles at many bakeries during the third quarter, owing to substandard yeast received from a supplier. These factors also weighed on gross margin in the reported quarter, which declined 4.1% from the year-ago quarter. Moreover, materials, supplies, labor and other production costs (excluding depreciation and amortization) have been rising for four straight quarters. In the third quarter of 2018, materials, labor, supplies and other production expenses as a percentage of sales expanded 150 bps to 52.6%. This upside was mainly associated with elevated commodity costs, lower production volumes, greater outside product purchases owing to robust demand for DKB breakfast items and lower manufacturing efficiencies. We believe that persistence of rising costs is a threat to the companys margins and profitability. That being said, we expect Flowers Foods growth strategies to tide over these headwinds and help the company draw more attention from investors. Dont Miss These Solid Food Stocks McCormick & Company, Incorporated MKC has long-term earnings per share growth rate of 9% and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Campbell Soup Company CPB, with long-term earnings per share growth rate of 5.5%, also carries a Zacks Rank #2. Lamb Weston LW, with a Zacks Rank #2, has long-term earnings per share growth rate of 12%. Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>> | https://news.yahoo.com/buyouts-project-centennial-fuel-flowers-141302072.html |
Is Turkey Capable of Defeating ISIS in Syria? | The first responders in the case of a threat like ISIS should be those nations most affected. The Islamic State exploded in the Middle East, gaining control of large sections of Iraq and Syria. No nation was safe from its ambition to create an Islamic caliphate. But Turkey initially accommodated Daesh, even profiting from illicit oil sales. Eventually, the insurgents turned terrorist inside Turkey, forcing the Erdogan government to respond. However, Turkish forces still targeted Kurdish militias as the true threat. With President Donald Trump apparently planning an American withdrawal from Syria, the administration suggested that Turkey take over the task of finishing off ISIS. Maybe if the United States does most of the work. Reported the Wall Street Journal : Turkey is asking the U.S. to provide substantial military support, including airstrikes, transport and logistics, to allow Turkish forces to assume the main responsibility for fighting Islamic State militants in Syria. These demands, added the paper, are so extensive that, if fully met, the American military might be deepening its involvement in Syria. Given these requests, one would assume Turkey to be a military midget, a featherweight drafted to take on a heavyweight champion. However, until recently, when NATO began to accept the real equivalents of the Duchy of Grand FenwickMontenegro, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia and soon Macedonianew members were expected to contribute to the alliances defense. Turkey was hailed as an indispensable ally, locking down NATOs southeastern front against the Soviet Union/Russia and guarding against Middle Eastern instability. Ankara spends about $8 billion annually on its military. The International Institute for Strategic Studies observed that The armed forces are capable and aim to provide a highly mobile force able to fight across the spectrum of conflict. Turkey has about 355,000 active duty military personnel and another 379,000 reservists. The military has experience fighting insurgents, having conducted a lengthy, brutal, dirty war against the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which recently flared again. Now Turkeys armed forces are prepared to wipe out the Syrian Kurdish forces, the Peoples Protection Units, or YPG. Daesh is a shadow of its former self, against which the United States launched its campaign. Acting like the global superpower is not necessary for Ankara to defeat the Islamic State. Anyway, Turkey does not want to see a revived ISIS. While Ankara is more concerned about Kurdish forces, Daesh launched terrorist attacks against Turks. If the group again expands and consolidates its gains, Turkey is likely to end up on the ISIS target list. President Recep Tayyip Erdogans December offer to take over the anti-Daesh fight might have been a cynical ploy to win U.S. aid. Or it might have reflected a genuine desire to help stabilize the Middle East by killing off a dangerous revolutionary group. No matter. Daesh poses a threat. Without American aid, Turkey might not initially be as good at seeking and finding the remnants of the once expansive caliphate. However, the Turks would learn by doing. And they would not be fighting one of mankinds most formidable fighting forces. The Islamic State benefited from the poor quality of its opponents, especially the Iraqi military. Moreover, warned Tom Rogan, a Washington Examiner columnist, were Washington to provide the requested aid the Turks would almost certainly manipulate those platforms to target the U.S.-allied Kurdish YPG militias well as ISIS. The Kurds remain Ankaras principal focus. The most basic point, though, may be the fact that there is no need for the United States to choreograph the end of the conflict. Washington need not nail down a commitment from Turkey or anyone else to act. Rather, the United States need only make clear that Washington will not act. That would put a premium on other governments reaching a modus vivendi leading to the elimination of Daesh. The Islamic State is the enemy of every country, every movement, and even every terrorist group, such as Al Qaeda. Countries that had left the problem to others, namely America, would have to recalibrate. They are capable of responding, as did Ankara to the perceived Kurdish threat. Damascus de facto victory in the civil war has freed up its military, backed by Iran and Russia, to eradicate the Islamic State, retaking areas coveted by the Assad government. Egypt already has been affected by ISIS, most dramatically the slaughter of Egyptian workers in Libya and attacks in the Sinai, carried out by the Islamic State or groups claiming loyalty to it. The Gulf countries too, could contribute. They have been making overtures to Syrias Assad. The United Arab Emirates, for instance, recently reopened its embassy in Damascus. The UAE and Saudi Arabia also originally contributed to the anti-Daesh campaign, before shifting to Yemen after the United States took command of the anti-ISIS campaign. They would be welcomed back as well. Others with an incentive to prevent ISISs revival are Jordan and Israel. President Erdogans pledge to eradicate ISIS followed by expansive demands for aid looks like yet another attempt to play Washington. Even allies consistently believe they should do nothing freely when America can be manipulated into doing or funding it. The Europeans, Saudis and South Koreans all have perfected this technique. Now Ankara is giving it a try. The Trump administration should follow through on the presidents rhetoric about making allies pay. The first responders in the case of a threat like ISIS should be those nations most affected. Together they could and should eliminate what remains of the physical caliphate without expecting Washington to do the job for them. Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is the author of Foreign Follies: Americas New Global Empire . Image: Reuters. | https://nationalinterest.org/blog/skeptics/turkey-capable-defeating-isis-syria-41262 |
Can Criticss Awards and Top Ten Mentions Boost Revenues for Independent Films? | Maybe. Theres little doubt within the industry that an Academy Award nomination (or win) can provide an extraordinary boost to a films profile, especially smaller independent films who need the long tail of awards recognition more than most. Think of last years The Florida Project or Faces Places. Hes no Oscar, but when the New York Times A.O. Some distributors say that annual critics rankings are a mere insular cineastes practice that doesnt provide any significant sales bump. But others we spoke with point to concrete evidence to the contrary, with noticeable increases in eyeballs and sales. Lee Chang-dongs Burning, for instance, which was ranked #2 on influential New York Times critic Manohla Dargis Top 10, won runner-up for Best Picture from the Los Angeles Film Critics Circle, and whose co-star Steven Yeun has received Best Supporting Actor prizes from the National Society of Film Critics, the L.A. Film Critics, and Indiewires Critics Poll, saw an uptick in its box-office grosses in December, seven weeks after it opened. We found that once the year-end lists started to hit, beginning in December, the grosses started to go up, says Dylan Marchetti, SVP, Acquisitions & Theatrical Distribution at Well Go USA, which opened Burning in October. According to Marchetti, theyre now reopening the film in theaters where its already played, and finding better results than its original run. At Laemelles Glendale theater, the film saw a 40% increase from when it first opened (roughly $2,700 compared with a more recent gross of $3,700). In the larger scheme of box-office numbers, these are admittedly small sales, but Marchetti isnt complaining. Its almost unheard of to get 11 weeks in a New York theater, Marchetti continues, referring to the films continuing run at a 100-seat house at the Quad Cinema, where sales were up 26% in January, well into its run. Its also playing fewer shows but earning as much as it did in its second week, according to C. Mason Wells, the Quads Director of Repertory Programming. While Wells admits that the durability of the title isnt solely a result of critical attention, as the holidays are always a good time for audiences to catch up with films that have garnered positive word-of-mouth, he says critics and critics groups can provide a kind of rallying call around certain films. Another such title, Chlo Zhaos The Rider, named the best film of the year by the National Society of Film Critics, had a solid theatrical run starting in April of last year, but Sony Pictures Classics co-president Tom Bernard says ancillary sales are far more than when the film first hit online platforms. I think were up 75% this month from where we were in August, he says. Its a new audience, and now weve got these critics endorsements and to be called the number one film of the year by the National Society of Film Critics, thats pretty darn good. If people havent heard of it before, theyre going to seek it out. Sony Classics also re-released the film theatrically its currently in New Yorks AMC Empire 25 and L.A.s Laemmle Music Hall 3 and Laemmle Monica Film Center to continue to keep it visible and part of the Oscar campaign season. Lucrecia Martels Zama, which placed fourth on Dargiss top ten list and ranked eighth best film overall in Indiewires annual Critics Poll of 232 critics, has also seen an increase in ancillary sales, according to Strand Releasings Jon Gerrans, the films distributor. Though the film was released online in August, the company has seen a significant bump in December, which Gerrans attributes to the critical affirmations. Weve definitely seen a huge increase on all digital platforms from November, says Gerrans, citing a tenfold increase in viewers on Amazon Prime and a five-times surge on iTunes in December. I think people must see these articles, jump on their platforms, and are finding the film. But even with an increase of 1000%, with online views in December stronger or equal to its opening month, Gerrans admits, The overall numbers are pretty small. Another title garnering considerable end-of-the-year accolades, Bing Lius documentary favorite Minding the Gap, which was named best doc by the New York Film Critics Circle, Indiewire Critics Poll, Chicago Film Critics Association, and National Society of Film Critics, has seen an uptick in requests to book the film, says Tim Horsburgh, Director of Communications and Distribution at Kartemquin Films, which produced the film. Though Hulu, which acquired Minding the Gap, would not provide data about its online views, Horsburgh believes it will translate to financial gain, he says. I can show you what happens when a documentary doesnt receive so much acclaim. Its a lot harder. The momentum about Minding the Gap could also lead the documentary to an Oscar nomination, which would assure long-term success. And while critics may not have as much impact as the major awards, Wells argues that theyre all interrelated, especially for independent and foreign films. All of these things influence one another, he says. The top ten lists of certain critics are important, and those might influence certain critics groups, and those in turn can influence the Oscar shortlist. In this way, the critics groups help keep the Oscars legitimate and not too populist. If it werent for the barrage of critical accolades, suggests Wells, more challenging, artier films, such as past nominees Son of Saul, Leviathan, or Toni Erdmann, might be overlooked by the Academy. And its not just critics, of course. Wells points to one significant top ten list that may have had more influence than any other this year: Barack Obamas, which included such indie and foreign gems as Minding the Gap, Burning, The Rider and Shoplifters. Maybe we can just give all the credit to Obama, he jokes. | https://filmmakermagazine.com/106661-can-criticss-awards-and-top-ten-mentions-boost-revenues-for-independent-films/ |
Did Meghan Markle Just Reveal Her Due Date? | In October 2018, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan Markle is pregnant and due in the spring. The Duchess of Sussex reportedly confirmed this herself to well-wishers at an engagement today (January 14) in Birkenhead, according to several royals reporters on site. Not only that, she apparently offered some insight about when specifically her royal baby is coming next season. "For those who want to know about these things: Meghan told one lady in the crowd that she is 6 months pregnant and another woman that her due date is around April," Chris Ship, the royal editor for ITV News , tweeted on Monday. Emily Nash, the the royal editor for Hello! , corroborated this, tweeting, "Meghan has told wellwishers in Birkenhead that she is six months pregnant - due end of April/beginning of May! Lots of baby chat today!" It's been a whirlwind few months for Markle and Prince Harry. Their baby announcement came at the beginning of their royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga. This took them right into the holiday season, where they reportedly spent some quality time with the queen . Their engagement in Birkenhead is the couple's first official business of 2019. Markle hasn't said much about her pregnancy to the public, as is royal protocol. She did, however, joke last month that she was "looking very pregnant" at an event. We love a relatable duchess! "Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May [2018] and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public," Kensington Palace wrote at the time of Markle's pregnancy announcement in October. Let the countdown to the royal baby begin! Related Stories: Meghan Markle Is Looking "Very Pregnant" Today, Is Relatable Meghan Markle's Best Maternity Fashion Moments Meghan Markle's Royal Patronages Have Been Announced, and Two Come From the Queen Herself | https://www.glamour.com/story/did-meghan-markle-just-reveal-her-due-date |
Will Katrina Kaif say yes to star opposite Mahesh Babu in his next? | The exciting latest reports in Tollywood are bringing up the buzz that hotshot Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif has already been approached for Mahesh Babus next film with director Sukumar of Rangasthalam fame. Sukumar has already received the green signal from Mahesh, and is now in talks with Katrina to see if she can allot time for the project. If things go as planned, this would be the actress third outing in the Tollywood industry following Venkateshs Malliswari in 2004 and Nandamuri Balakrishnas Allari Pidugu in 2005. Katrina, who is now shooting for the biggie Bharat with Salman Khan, is expected to hit back with an answer very soon. Meanwhile, Mahesh Babu is now on the verge of completing his family entertainer Maharshi, which has been on shoot mode for a long time. Directed by Vamshi Paidipally, the film will feature the actor in close to five different looks, which will definitely turn out to be a huge treat to all his fans. After a long and extensive schedule in the USA, the team shot important portions of the film in Hyderabad where grand sets were erected to suit the films theme. The makers of Maharshi are looking to bring the film to the screens by the end of April, to make use of the summer window. | https://www.in.com/entertainment/regional/will-katrina-kaif-say-yes-to-star-opposite-mahesh-babu-in-his-next-287275.htm |
What would Sweden's proposed government deal mean for internationals in Sweden? | This article is available to Members of The Local. Read more Membership Exclusives here. In total, the deal was 16 pages long, with 73 different points relating to 11 areas: economy and national finances, jobs and growth, policies relating to rural and regional growth, environment and climate, integration and honour-related violence, housing, schools, healthcare and elderly care, disability, migration, and national security. The deal is not yet set in stone, but here's a look at the issues likeliest to have a big impact on the lives of foreigners in Sweden if it does go ahead. Migration Sweden's temporary migration law would be extended for another two years under the deal. Under this law, the right to family member immigration for various types of immigrants, including those granted temporary residence permits, is limited, making it harder for foreigners living in Sweden to have family members and partners come and live with them. Sponsors (that's the person already living in Sweden) need to prove they can provide not only for themselves, but also for the person planning to move, whose own savings or income are not taken into account. A 'stepping stone' to the workplace Foreign-born workers are disproportionately likely to be unemployed in Sweden compared to native Swedes. One proposal aimed at combating this is the introduction of etableringsjobb, jobs with lower salaries for newly arrived people to help them enter the labour market, which would also be available to the long-term unemployed. Housing reforms Proposed changes to housing policy include abolishing rent controls on newly built properties and removing the interest on postponed capital gains tax from property sales. The latter reform affects homeowners in Sweden, while the relaxation of rent regulations could make it easier for new arrivals to find a home in the country's difficult housing market. However, new builds only account for a small proportion of Sweden's housing market, so it would be unlikely to have a major effect. Foreigners in Sweden are disproportionately likely to live in cities, where the queues for rent-controlled housing (also called frsta hand or first-hand contracts) are often over a decade long. This means new arrivals are less likely to benefit from rent controls, while also being less likely to own a property. The deal also proposed tightening the punishment for illegal sales of black market contracts. 'Family week' One big factor many internationals cite in their decisions to move to Sweden is the ease of raising a family here, and it could get even easier under the new deal. Working parents of children aged between four and 16 would each be able to take three extra days off work a year during their children's school holidays, and single caregivers would get six days. Citizenship Another proposed change was the introduction of language and civics tests for would-be Swedish citizens. Foreigners would need to pass a Swedish language test and one on "fundamental understanding of society" in order to become Swedish. Currently, most foreigners are eligible to apply for citizenship after being legally resident in the country for three to five years, depending on factors such as their country of origin and whether they are in a long-term relationship with a Swede. Members of The Local can log in to comment below. | https://www.thelocal.se/20190114/what-would-swedens-proposed-government-deal-mean-for-internationals-in-sweden |
Is my dog imitating the cat by trying to cover up his doody? | DEAR JOAN: I have an unusual question. Its not a matter of life or death, just of curiosity. Most of my life Ive had cats and I know all about their bathroom habits. They do their business and then they cover it up, sometimes throwing litter all over my bathroom floor. Recently though, I adopted a little dog. Hes the cutest thing in the world and he gets along with the two cats. I really have no problems with him at all, but I wonder about something that he does. When we go for a potty walk, he does his business and then tries to cover it up. He kicks dirt and leaves with his back feet. Ive only had him a few months, but it sure seems like hes trying to be a good cat. Laura L., San Jose DEAR LAURA: No need to worry that your cats are influencing your dog, at least not in that department. Cats cover their poop well, most of them do, some dont to disguise the fact that theyve been in the box or the neighbors yard. This behavior goes back generations, to a time when wild cats stalked the lands. Cats developed the practice of doing their business far from their dens, and of covering it up so that predators wouldnt be attracted by the scent and follow it to the cats lairs. Its the same reason wandering cats use the neighbors flower beds and not their own. Dogs, however, arent trying to disguise anything, nor are they trying to cover their poop or urine. Dogs use their bodily functions as a way of marking their territory. Once theyve left a little pile or a lot of pee here and some more over there, they dig at the ground to further highlight their deposits. They are sending a signal to all who wander that this is their territory and its been plainly marked. Dogs might be more inclined to do this in a new neighborhood where they havent established their territory. However, I moved about a year ago and my dog, Bailey, still kicks the bark mulch everywhere when hes done. DEAR JOAN: I love my dog but I dont like taking him for a walk. He has to stop and pee on everything and sniff all the bushes, and what should be a 10 minute walk turns into an hour. Gary M., San Diego DEAR GARY: I understand your frustration, especially if youre in a hurry to get somewhere, but walking your dog is not just about the peeing and pooping. Dogs have these amazing noses, able to detect the tiniest fraction of a scent among a million others. They learn about their surroundings, what other animals are out and about, and whos been going where. Sniffing all those odors is a treat for dogs, especially those that might be stuck in the house all day. To make them rush through it just isnt right. I know youre in a hurry, but try giving the dog as much time as you can. Pick different routes so he can experience new scents and mark his territory with his urine. He will be a happier dog, and maybe you can learn to appreciate the relaxed pace, too. If you do need to rush, try luring him back home with treats and a promise of a longer walk next time. For more pets and animals coverage follow us on Flipboard. | https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/14/is-my-dog-imitating-the-cat-by-trying-to-cover-up-his-doody/ |
What's the Loudest Sound in the Universe? | Illustration: Chelsea Beck (Gizmodo) Giz Asks In this Gizmodo series, we ask questions about everything from space to butts and get answers from a variety of experts. The human tolerance for sound is, on a galactic level, puny. Volcano eruptions, jackhammer-intensive construction work, My Bloody Valentine concertsthese tinnitus-inducing phenomena are barely whispers besides the majestic, roiling bursts and collisions going on in outer space. Of course, much of this activity is technically soundlessspaces atmosphere lacks the material that make sound waves possible. So for this weeks Giz Asks, we asked experts in astronomy and astrophysics what the loudest sound would be, if sound as we understand it existed up there. As it turns out, it sometimes doesand when it doesnt, we can sometimes convert the relevant emissions to a sound tolerable to our tiny, earthbound ears. Advertisement Greg Salvesen National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Barbara As far as Im aware, the Perseus galaxy cluster is the current record holder for the loudest sound discovered in the Universe. Generating sound requires two conditions. First, there must be a medium that the sound waves can travel through, like air or some other gas. Indeed, there is very hot gas that pervades the space between the thousands of galaxies that make up the Perseus galaxy cluster. This gas shines as X-ray light that we can observe with X-ray telescopes in space, like the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The second condition for sound is a source to actually produce the sound waves. A powerful black hole is at the center of one of these galaxies that make up the Perseus galaxy cluster. Periodically, this black hole ejects an enormous amount of energy into the hot surrounding gas, which transports the energy as sound waves traveling out through the cluster like expanding bubbles. What makes the sound loud is the ability of the gas to efficiently carry away the energy released by the black hole, which amounts to an energy comparable to 100 million exploding stars! Although this sound from the Perseus galaxy cluster is very loudthat is, the amplitude of the sound waves is hugewe couldnt actually hear it with our own ears. Thats because the sound corresponds to a B-flat some 57 octaves below middle-C on a piano. That means it takes about 10 million years for one sound wave to pass by, which is quite a bit longer than youre likely to live even if you exercise regularly and eat healthy. Advertisement What makes the sound loud is the ability of the gas to efficiently carry away the energy released by the black hole, which amounts to an energy comparable to 100 million exploding stars! Puragra Guhathakurta Astronomer and Professor at the UCO/Lick Observatory at the University of California Santa Cruz Sound is really a form of energy transmittal, its vibration. The problem is the transmittal of that energy in the form of soundthere is no sound in space. But energy gets transmitted in other waysa blast wave from an explosion, for instance. Gamma ray bursts are considered to be the most energetic events in the universetheyre not fully understood, but theyre almost certainly explosions of stars, and they release more energy in 10 seconds than the sun will in its entire ten billion year lifetime. Advertisement Robert Erdelyi Professor, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, whose research is focused on Solar, space and plasma physics, MHD waves, linear and non-linear waves Sound cannot really travel. For sound you need some mediumlike gas, for instance, in the Earths atmosphereand in space that material is very, very raremaybe one atom per cubic kilometer, or less. But that doesnt mean that a big explosion couldnt generate acoustic waves. Space is filled by plasma, which is the fourth state of matter, the others being (according to our current knowledge) the solid, the liquid and the gas. The universe itself is 99.9% in a plasma state. Its only on Earth that we havent got so much plasma. In space, there is a magnetic field everywhere. The same is true of Earth, but we dont really feel it. In space, if the magnetic field is not very strong, and there is plasma under these circumstances, sound could propagate. Stars are continuously bubbling, you could say, through a process called convection. That type of disturbance in the plasma state generates a lot of acoustic wavessound waves. The sun itself does this. Sometimes these acoustic periods can last for hours, sometimes just a few seconds. You could interpret these kinds of acoustic waves as very loud sounds. The energies involved in the generation of these acoustic waves are billions of billions of billions of times the power of an atomic bomb. The explosions that produce these sounds are absolutely massiveyou cannot imagine. Advertisement Stars are continuously bubbling, you could say, through a process called convection. That type of disturbance in the plasma state generates a lot of acoustic wavessound waves. Jim Fuller Assistant Professor, Theoretical Astrophysics, Caltech The loudest sound in the universe definitely comes from black hole mergers. In this case the sound comes out in gravitational waves and not ordinary sound waves. As long as the black holes are in the range of roughly 1-100 solar masses (which is the case for black hole mergers recently detected LIGO), the sound is indeed in the human hearing range! These mergers output something like 10^52 Watts of power. Thats about a billion billion times the energy output of the Sun. If translated to the decibel Watt scale, that equates to something like 520 decibels. That doesnt sound too large but remember the decibel scale is logarithmic, so an increase by 10 decibels is a factor of ten in volume. Advertisement Donald Gurnett Professor, Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, whose research is focused on experimental space plasma physics This isnt a sound, its a radio emissionbut you could convert it to sound. The signal came back to us as a waveform, and then on the ground we converted it to a sound that you can listen to, and it is very, very loud. It is something called a heliospheric radio emission. There is a very special radio receiver on the Voyager that covers the frequency range from about 10 kilohertz to 50 kilohertza very low frequency, well below a car radio, for instance. We detected an intense radio emission, produced out at the boundary between the solar wind (the wind that comes out from the sun, and flows at about a million miles per hour, expanding outward almost to infinity) and the interstellar plasma (called the heliopause) which eventually stops the solar wind. So there were an intense series of explosions on the sunoften called solar flaresin 1991. These sent a shockwave out through the solar system. We detected this shockwave with four spacecraft: Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11 and Voyagers 1 and 2. We also detected it when it went by the Earth. It was moving at 600-800 km per secondseveral million miles an hour. I postulated that this radio emission was produced when the shockwave finally reached the the heliopause and ran into the interstellar plasma. I think this is the most powerful radio emission weve ever detected. In 1995 I quoted the radiated power as 10^13 watts. As far as emissions detected anywhere near our solar system go, it is clearly one of the most intense. Email us at [email protected]. | https://gizmodo.com/whats-the-loudest-sound-in-the-universe-1831720066 |
What Are The 5 Biggest 401(k) Blunders? | Many think they know what they're doing when it comes to 401(k) investing. But they often believe the wrong things. Investing for retirement is a disciplined endeavor. It may sound dull, but you're rewarded for consistency. Here are five big mistakes, as highlighted by Robert Lawtown of Lawton Retirement Plan Consultants: 1) 401(k) Loans Are Perfectly Okay. No, they're not, because if you leave your employer you have to pay them back -- or pay taxes. Lawton notes: "Account leakage via defaulted loans is one of the reasons some of us are not able to save enough for retirement. Many people, when they change jobs, elect to default on outstanding 401k plan loans because they dont have the cash lying around to pay the loans back. In addition, taking a 401k loan is a horrible investment strategy. Generally, if you can take a loan from somewhere else, you should do it." 2) A 401(k) Is a Good Way to Save For a First Home, College. You might think so, but the rules on 401(k) withdrawals are pretty clear: You'll pay a penalty and income taxes on money you take out before age 59 1/2. It's not worth taking the tax hit. "It is a bad idea to use a 401k plan to save for an initial down payment on a home or to finance a home purchase. Similarly, a 401k plan is not the best place to save for a childs education 529 plans work much better. In addition, your 401k plan is not the best place to save for a new car, boat or that deluxe vacation." 3) I should stop contributing 401(k) contributions when the stock market drops. Actually, when shares get cheaper, that's when you should be buying! "Stick with your contribution plan in all types of markets. Stopping and starting contributions is not a good way to accumulate the balance you are going to need to retire." 4) Target-Date Funds (TDFs) are bad investments. Well, they're not perfect, but they will adjust the stock-market risk downward as you get older. That's a real plus. "Target date funds offer proper age-based diversification. Studies show that the average number of funds used by 401(k) participants is between three and four. That generally is not enough to ensure proper diversification." 5) If I stay in cash, I'll be okay. No, basically you'll lose money and won't keep up with inflation. You need growth, which is not what bonds offer. "Unless you are five years or less away from retirement or have difficulty taking on even a small amount of risk, these funds are below-average investments. Try to invest in stable value or guaranteed fund investment options instead." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwasik/2019/01/14/what-are-the-5-biggest-401k-blunders/ |
What will Andy Murray be worth in retirement? | Image copyright Getty Images As Andy Murray's retirement moves a step closer following his defeat by Roberto Bautista Agut in the Australian Open, the tennis star remains poised to continue making as big an impact off court as he did on it. With a burgeoning range of business interests the Scot - never one to shirk speaking his mind - has the power to remain vividly in the public consciousness whichever route he chooses to go down. There is talk of him potentially moving into the world of politics or media analysis, while current business interests include property ownership, backing UK start-up firms and talent representation. 'Strong legacy' But one lucrative sphere which will provide a huge chunk of his post-playing earnings will be that of brand endorsement. A number of major sports stars, from footballer David Beckham, to golfer Greg Norman, and basketball stars such as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson have shown it is possible to continue earning strongly through the selling power of their personality and sporting legacy. Murray set to have statue at Wimbledon His career prize money ranks fourth all-time among male players, behind his three eternal rivals from the so-called "Big Four" players of his generation - namely Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Murray picked up his second Wimbledon men's trophy in 2016 According to US business bible Forbes, Murray will end his playing days with at least $165m (129m) in career earnings, with prize money making up just $61m, and the bulk - some $100m - coming from endorsements, bonuses and appearance fees. Over the years he has been associated with a number of major firms, including Adidas, Under Armour, Head, Jaguar, Standard Life, Highland Spring, Robinsons, Royal Bank of Scotland, Fred Perry and Tag Heuer. And Murray's rough-round-the-edges personality is an asset which industry observers believe he can continue to use as a means of generating income when he hangs up his racquet. 'Authentic personality' "He is definitely different from the other top players," says brands expert Anastasia Kourovskaia, who has followed the Scot's tennis and commercial career closely. "He has already created a strong legacy, one that has enabled him to keep his brand presence alive when he was fighting injury over the past 18 months. "His authenticity of his personality, is his main asset. A lot of people are changed by success, but he is consistent. It is a fantastic quality from a marketing point of view." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Murray has 'fantastic qualities' that firms can use, experts say She says while he will not reach the same earnings level in retirement, there will still be companies looking to be associated with the three-times' Grand Slam winner. Ms Kourovskaia says: "He has a great opportunity for leveraging his brand name when he stops playing, but in a way that suits his personality. "He will not be a David Beckham of British tennis, nor a Roger Federer - he will never be a global icon as they are. He has always been an 'outsider', whose success has been greatly assisted by his grit and doggedness. "From a marketing view he occupies a very tight niche - as long as he retains the same qualities and does not look to acquire a more glamorous image." Murray's exit at the 2019 Australian Open in Melbourne, an event which could become the swansong of his career, saw him wearing British sportswear brand Castore. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Scot's latest commercial deal was unveiled at a teary media conference The Scot's new sponsorship emerged over the weekend, where he held a teary news conference - wearing Castore's Johansson T-shirt and Ghost Cap - stating that he would be retiring from tennis this year after struggling with a hip injury. Castore replaced US firm Under Armour, which Murray had been with since signing a four-year deal in 2015. "He needs to choose brands that highlight him as an outsider, which is why the Castore deal was bang on," says Ms Kourovskaia. "He will be worth much more to a niche brand seeking to make, or build, exposure. "Castore is a British brand which has a high priority in widening its exposure, which is why it is a perfect deal for both parties," she says. 'Supporting entrepreneurs' Murray has won 45 career titles, including the trio of Grand slams, and also won two Olympic singles gold medals. His peak earnings year was 2016 when he won nine titles, including Wimbledon, and led the ATP prize money chart with $16.3m. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Murray, who won his first major in the US in 2012, wants to make it easier to play tennis In recent years, Murray has also moved outside the mainstream endorsement field, and invested and partnered with equity crowdfunding platform Seedrs in 2015. It focuses on business and technology start-ups, and currently has stakes in more than 30 ventures. He has in the past said that "giving recognition and support to British entrepreneurs is important to me". Last year he invested in Deuce, a new start-up app aimed to make tennis more accessible and affordable. It helps players find courts and coaching sessions around the UK. Simon Chadwick, professor of sports enterprise at Salford Business School, said: "While these investments may be a small proportion of his total income, and while they also may provide a potential future revenue stream, I see them as being part of an overall strategy to market Murray as a "people's man" after his playing career. "He is good with kids, and he is an enlightened commentator on things like gender issues, so I see these investments in start ups, including ones to make tennis more accessible, as part of his brand positioning." Meanwhile, property is another commercial interest. The 31-year-old bought Cromlix House hotel near his home town of Dunblane in 2013, turning it into a luxury venue. 'Strong convictions' Also, in 2013 he set up his sports management agency, 77, with business advisers Matt Gentry and Gawain Davies and has signed up a number of young athletes, among them Aidan McHugh and Katie Swan from the emerging pool of young British tennis talent. And although it is unlikely that he is to become a globetrotting coach to other players, opening his own academy could be another route to go down. "He has already inspired the current generation of emerging British tennis players, so in some ways this sporting legacy is in place already," says Ms Kourovskaia. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A career as a tennis analyst in the media is another potential career path for Murray "But opening his own academy is definitely something he should consider, as they could only benefit him as a brand, and ultimately the country if new British players came through from it". Meanwhile, she says should the Scot - who has a dry sense of humour and has supported causes such as women's rights and Scottish independence in the past - go down a media or political route then his forthright outlook is an asset. "People like him for this, and it does not raise eyebrows as it might in say someone like Nadal. His strong convictions and strong views are also qualities that can be leveraged for him as a brand." | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46863214 |
Is It Possible That Tom Brady's Big Coat is Getting Bigger? | Hall of Fame quarterback and fashion-conscious modern man Tom Brady wears an oversized winter coat on the sidelines of frigid games in Foxborough. He looks like what would happen if Gortex-clad George Constanza tried to sneak three kids standing on each others shoulders into the movie theater. To be fair, Brady looks quite cozy and his postseason performance speaks for itself. The coat, which was already solidly in meme territory, may be doing the impossible. It may be getting bigger. The above photo is from last year. The below photo is from Sunday. SB Nation did yeomans work digging into the advanced sartorial stats and, folks, it appears the coat could soon be the same size as Godzilla ransacking a city. Let me offer a theory on the items lateral growth. I cant prove it but the most logical explanation about whats going on here has to deal with disrespect. Brady is collecting every scrap of it and storing it under that thing. A few more pundits suggest Kansas City will win this weekend and the coat could be used as a second tarp at Arrowhead. | https://thebiglead.com/2019/01/14/is-it-possible-that-tom-bradys-big-coat-is-getting-bigger/ |
Was Armbnder ber ihre Trger aussagen welche Luxusuhr passt zu welchem Charaktertyp? | Armbanduhren fr Mnner sind heutzutage das Pendant zum Schmuck der Frauen. Whrend Frauen sich mit Ohrringen, Halsketten, Armbndern und Ringen schmcken, setzen die meisten Mnner lediglich mit einer schnen und hochwertigen Armbanduhr ein modisches Statement. Dabei investieren viele Mnner gerne etwas mehr Geld fr eine Uhr, da eine Armbanduhr viele Jahre als modischer Wegbegleiter dient. So sollte die Auswahl einer passenden Armbanduhr fr Mnner keinem Zufall berlassen werden. Denn eine Armbanduhr passt im Idealfall zur kompletten Garderobe eines Mannes. Ob sportlich, elegant oder schlicht fr den Business-Alltag - mit der passenden Armbanduhr gelingt es jedes modische Outfit zu unterstreichen. Doch ist die Wahl einer Uhr auch immer eine Charakterfrage. Je nach Persnlichkeit eines Mannes, schafft man es mit einer Armbanduhr, Akzente zu setzen. Schon seit vielen Jahren zhlen Armbanduhren zum Highlight im Bereich von Lifestyle und Mode eines Mannes. Immer hufiger setzen Mnnern dabei auf das Internet, um sich mit einer passenden und hochwertigen Uhr auszustatten. Das groe Angebot auf verschiedenen Plattformen wie uhrinstinkt.de versprechen Mnnern sich ber viele Jahre mit einer besonders stilechten Armbanduhr ausrsten zu knnen. Vor allem im Bereich von Luxusuhren lohnt sich daher ein Blick ins World Wide Web. Doch sollte eine Armbanduhr immer mit Bedacht ausgesucht werden. Eine Armbanduhr verrt mehr ber ihren Trgern, als es den meisten Mnnern bewusst ist. So haben wir Ihnen im Folgenden einen Ratgeber ber Armbanduhren entworfen. Dabei erhalten Mnner einen berblick welche Marken und Uhren einen Charaktertyp auszeichnen. Rolex - das Statussymbol fr das Handgelenk Eine Rolex ist heutzutage immer noch ein echtes Statussymbol fr den Erfolg im Beruf und Privatleben. Diese legendre Uhrenmarke hat auf der ganzen Welt viele Fans und Liebhaber. Rolex-Trger zeichnen sich dabei vor allem durch eine lssige Lebensweise aus: die schnen Dinge des Lebens werden in vollen Zgen genossen, ohne dabei an Morgen zu denken. Breitling - Modisches Highlight fr dominante Persnlichkeiten In der Geschftswelt ist die Breitling weiterhin ein beraus beliebtes Mode-Accessoire. Vor allem dominante Charaktere in Fhrungspositionen tragen eine Breitling und schtzen die kleinen Dinge des Lebens. So zhlt ein gemtlicher Filme-Abend mit der Frau auf der Couch, ein regelmiger Besuch im Fuballstadion und eine Portion Spaghetti Bolognese zu den absoluten Lieblingsdingen in Sachen Freizeitgestaltung. TAG Heuer - Uhren fr Abenteuer-Fans und Adrenalinjunkies Sport und Action bestimmen das Leben von Trgern einer TAG Heuer Armbanduhr. Das berwinden von Grenzen und ein lockerer Kleidungsstil aus Jeans und einem Kapuzenpullover sind typisch fr einen Tag Heuer Trger. | https://www.volksfreund.de/magazin/lifestyle-mode/was-armbaender-ueber-ihre-traeger-aussagen-welche-luxusuhr-passt-zu-welchem-charaktertyp_aid-35643093 |
What is the best line in the NHL right now? | One line doesn't make a Stanley Cup champion -- but it certainly doesn't hurt. Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer: Back in October, I ranked the top 20 lines in the NHL, with the top units for Colorado and Boston taking the top spots. But it's the fourth-ranked unit on that list that I think could actually be the best in the league -- when its healthy, that is. And that line consists of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson of the Nashville Predators. The NHL on ESPN+ Catch more than 180 NHL games streaming live this season on ESPN+. Click here for the upcoming schedule and to learn how to subscribe. This line hasn't played much together this season due to injuries, but in 17 games, they've gotten 60.32 percent of the scoring chances at 5-on-5 and have outscored their opponents 15-11. Taken as a two-season sample, their line has a plus-22 in goal differential, a stellar 64.86 percent goals for percentage, gets 57.4 percent of the shot attempts at 5-on-5 and has an on-ice shooting percentage of 10.79 at even strength. Outside of goal differential, those numbers are better or just as good as the Nathan MacKinnon line from 2017-19. Forsberg is a dynamic offensive player. Arvidsson is a 30-plus goal scorer. Johansen is the glue, as a solid playmaker and a dependable two-way player. They're as much the engine for the Predators as any other top line is for their respective teams, and they're a ton of fun to watch in the regular season and the postseason, where they have a 68.75 goals-for percentage at 5-on-5 in 41 games together, with a plus-12 goal differential. Emily Kaplan, national NHL reporter: We can debate the merits of All Star roster construction later, but it's noteworthy that only one team is sending an entire line to San Jose. The Avalanche boast the best trio in hockey with Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. Rantanen (68 points, trailing only Nikita Kucherov for the league lead) and Nathan MacKinnon (66 points) rank top five in league scoring; Landeskog is fifth in the league with 27 goals. This line has been sizzling since last season, but their domination has become pronounced because of consistency, totally independent of the team's performance. As a team, the Avalanche are floundering. Since Dec. 8, they have gone 3-10-3; no team has a worse record in that span. And yet Landeskog, Rantanen and MacKinnon are each averaging more than a point per game in that stretch (a combined 61 points in those 16 games). They're doing this all with a suspect supporting cast. If Colorado makes the playoffs this season, it's because these three willed them there. Dimitri Filipovic, hockey analytics writer: This is a tricky question because you can approach it from two different angles. On the one hand, you don't want to be a prisoner of the moment by being reactionary about a recent hot stretch. The king stays the king, and the most singularly dominant line in hockey in recent seasons has been the combination of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. When they're on top of their game what makes them special above all else is the way they seemingly suck the life out of opponents, keeping the puck away from them and playing a game of keep away like a big brother tormenting his younger siblings. They'd still probably be the right pick here for a playoff series if you're starting from scratch, because they've been that good for that long. The issue is that right now at this very moment, it's unfair to the others to say that they've been the best when the results aren't there this season. Because of injuries, they've played south of 300 five-on-five minutes together, and because of surprisingly subpar goaltending, they've only outscored opponents by a miniscule 17-15 margin in those minutes. But if we're going to look at recent performance and reward accordingly, let's give some love to the Calgary Flames' top line. With the trio of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm out on the ice, the Flames have been stupendously good. In 525:39 of five-on-five ice time, they've outscored opponents by a whopping 38-22 margin. Beyond that, they've asserted their dominance by putting the clamps down on whoever happens to be out there against them; they've control 56.4 percent of the shot attempts, 54.6 percent of the shots on goal, and 55.3 percent of the scoring chances. Most importantly, they're the main driving force behind a Flames team that currently sits atop not only the Pacific Division, but the entire Western Conference. They've already been doing it all. Victoria Matiash, fantasy analyst: Now that Zach Hyman is healthy, I'll take the Maple Leafs' top line over all others in the here and now. Along with talent and skill, there's no overstating the value in great chemistry. The combination of Mitch Marner's exceptional playmaking, Hyman's ability to create time and space, and all that John Tavares does well -- which is essentially everything -- blends brilliantly. In only 34 games together, this trio has meshed for a 64.29 percent goals-for percentage at 5-on-5. They're already a combined plus-50. Often matched up against the opposition's toughest competition, Tavares will likely finish with 50 goals for the first time in his career (he's never reached 40). Marner is on pace to bust through 100 points at only 21 years old. Without putting up anywhere near such numbers himself, Hyman helps make it all happen. They're stealing ice time away from Auston Matthews' line, for crying out loud. That's no accident. In The Crease Postgame analysis and highlight show airing each night throughout the season from Barry Melrose and Linda Cohn. Watch on ESPN+ As a fun aside, this trio also presents as one of the league's top bargains, adding up to just a bit more than $14 million in annual salary (with $11 million paid out to Tavares alone). That all changes when Marner cashes in large as a restricted free agent this offseason; but for now, there's no greater bang for buck. In fact, what they're offering the Leafs right now -- a legit chance at beating Boston and maybe Tampa Bay in the postseason -- is priceless. Ben Arledge, associate NHL editor: You can't go wrong with the top Colorado or Toronto or Tampa Bay units, but the Winnipeg Jets' trio of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor is the best line in the NHL in my opinion. Wheeler and Scheifele both rank in the top 10 in points, and Connor has 16 goals. Perhaps the wildest thing about this is that Winnipeg's best player, Patrik Laine, doesn't even skate with them, yet they still have an absurd 65.3 Corsi for percentage together, according to Natural Stat Trick. Wheeler and Scheifele continue to be some of the most underappreciated stars in the NHL, and Connor's 31-goal rookie campaign was overshadowed by ridiculous seasons by Mathew Barzal and Brock Boeser. This line is just stacked with talent. And for my money, it is the best in the league. | http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/25759354/what-best-line-nhl-right-now |
Is Netflix Cracking Down on Password Sharing? | Last week, technology company Synamedia announced a new software program, Credentials Sharing Insight, that identifies when users are sharing their passwords for various streaming services. The announcement spurred a wave of concern among Netflix users, many of whom use someone elses account to stream their favorite shows and movies. But just because Synamedia is hoping to curb password sharing doesnt mean theres actually a Netflix crackdown: the streaming giant has yet to purchase the software, and more importantly, Netflix has welcomed password sharing with open arms in the past. All in all, theres no need to get rid of your great aunts boyfriends password quite yet. According to Synamedias website, Credentials Sharing Insight uses artificial intelligence to fight the rapid rise in credential sharing and create a new revenue stream. The AI program identifies, monitors, and analyzes credential sharing activity across streaming accounts, so if theres any unusual sharing activity as in, a log-in from your cousins roommate across the country that account will be flagged and a report will be sent to Netflix, Hulu, HBO, or any other streaming service using the software. The provider would then be able to market premium packages to users or choose to shut down the account altogether. As of now, theres no indication that Synamedias Credentials Sharing Insight will lead to a Netflix crackdown on password sharing. The tech company is marketing the software to streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu, but no service has announced that they have actually purchased the program. And theres likely no reason for Netflix to do so, because Netflix Execs Have Actively Dismissed Concerns About a Password Crackdown In the past, Netflix executives have been open about the advertising potential of password sharing. We love people sharing Netflix, CEO Reed Hastings said in 2017. Thats a positive thing, not a negative thing. Unless Hastings starts singing a different tune, you should be able to continue sharing your Netflix password for the foreseeable future. In 2016, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that sharing a password (though not a Netflix password) violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, inspiring a flurry of claims that sharing Netflix account information is illegal. According to Slates Josephine Wolff, this isnt exactly true: the case simply clarifies that if you resign from an executive search firm to start your own, competing executive search firm and later ask your former executive assistant to provide her username and password so you can access proprietary information from your former employer then thats very probably illegal. If youre not doing any of those things if youre just using your ex-girlfriends grandparents password to binge-watch Stranger Things youre probably okay. The FBI isnt going to track you down and turn your life into an Orange Is The New Black spin-off anytime soon. | https://decider.com/2019/01/14/netflix-password-sharing-crackdown/ |
Where is Sex Education Filmed? | Netflixs new coming-of-age comedy Sex Education is a critical and commercial darling. Currently riding high with an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score, Laurie Nunns mordant teen series is an absolute must-watch. Following the unlikely alliance between a teen virgin (Asa Butterfield) and brilliant social outcast (Emma Mackey) who team up to run an underground high school sex therapy clinic, Sex Education isnt just good; its cancel your weekend plans good. Also starring former X-Files star Gillian Anderson and a host of talented young stars, fans of the series have flocked to Google in hopes of learning more about this charming new series. You got questions; Deciders got the answers! Heres the 411 on Sex Education! Sex Education feels like a unique combination of England and America. While Moorfield High is set in the British countryside, the series was filmed in Penarth, South Wales. The ambiguous setting was a deliberate choice, according to series creator Laurie Nunn. Ive always been really influenced by American film and TV shows; they played a really big part in my own teenage years, so that was always something I wanted to come back to, Nunn told Radio Times. Its definitely set in Britain, but weve made a very conscious choice to have that American, throw-back nostalgia, John Hughes feel to it. Added series director Ben Taylor: We wanted to make a show with lockers from The Breakfast Club in it. It was stylistically a deliberate choice early on that we dislocated it from geographically knowing exactly where it was. Mid-Atlantic, American influence, but British ingredients. From candy to music, fans of the coming-of-age comedy have no shortage of questions about Netflixs Sex Education. Confused fans of Sex Education have been googling curly wurly. In the pilot, local bully Adam Groff steals Erics lunch money and his Curly Wurly. American fans are confused about this British treat, but, basically, its a UK candy bar made of chocolate-coated caramel. You can order a 5-pack on Amazon for under six bucks. The Sex Education soundtrack is a certified banger. From 80s retro to 90s favorites, you could make a whole new playlist inspired by the series. If youre like me, you attempted to Shazam the song at the end of Episode 3, the one that included the lyric I wanna feel every feeling in the book tonight, but to no avail. Refinery 29 reports that the Sex Education creators worked with songwriter Ezra Furman for the shows soundtrack. That particular song, which fans are calling Every Feeling, is an original, unreleased song from Furman. You cant currently stream the complete song, but you can listen to a snippet below. Decider recently published a cast guide to Sex Education. You can learn all about Connor Swindells (the actor who portrays Adam Groff) on Decider. RELATED: Sex Education Is Primed to be the Surprise Streaming Hit of 2019 Where to stream Sex Education | https://decider.com/2019/01/14/where-is-sex-education-filmed/ |
Should Hardik and Rahul get another chance? | January 14, 2019 19:37 IST 'I think we really need to be careful about being overly critical. People do make mistakes but if we learn from that' IMAGE: Pandya and Rahul have been suspended by the BCCI and sent home from the tour of Australia following their sexist remarks. Photograph: KL Rahul/Twitter Appealing that another chance be given to Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul, who have drawn flak for their outrage-evoking comments on women during a chat show, renowned umpire Simon Taufel Monday said 'we all make mistakes'. Pandya, 25, and Rahul, 26, have been suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and sent home from the tour of Australia following their sexist remarks in popular celebrity talk show 'Koffee with Karan', which is hosted by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar. "Look what I would say in every team and in every business and every sport, is that good people make a good team. And that we all make mistakes from time to time. We all learn as we go," Taufel, 47, told reporters on the sidelines of a local cricket tournament where he was the chief guest. "Although, I didn't see the show, I have read little bit about some of the complaints. I have made plenty of mistakes in my career and I have learnt along the way." In the show, they spoke about hookups with multiple women and being casual about it even with their parents. "These players may have made some mistakes with some of the things that they have said. But they too will learn and all the other players and all the other people that have seen this event will also learn," he said. Taufel added that they have their careers lying ahead and remained hopeful they will come out of the incident as better persons. "I think we really need to be careful about being overly critical. People do make mistakes but if we learn from that and we are genuine about wanting to do better, and commit to doing better then that's a good thing." "These players have got their careers to get through like you make a mistake in the first ball but you still got the day to get through. And I am sure they have got some good people around them and some good advice." "I am sure they will come out of this okay and they will get through it. If they are genuine and they learn from that, I think they will become better as a result." Taufel, who recently gave a keynote lecture at Institute of Technology Bombay's (IIT-B) Techfest in Mumbai, stressed on the importance of education. "It's important that we invest in training and we invest in education. Because it is about the person as much as it is about the player. And it's a real challenge in modern sport where players are thrust into environments and opportunities that they have never seen before." "And the amount the scrutiny that cricketers and umpires are on to these days, its huge." "My work going forward with a lot of businesses and lot of sporting organisations and a lot of people is about how do we prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead." Taufel lavished praise on Virat Kohli, singling out an innings in the 2012 CB series against Sri Lanka in Hobart, where the Indian captain made an unbeaten 133. "Every shot in the innings was in the middle of the bat. He was almost faultless," Taufel said. Taufel added that Kohli has now found out how to bring the best out of him and he is comfortable in being who he is. "Virat's now finding or has found what it takes to be a good leader. He grew up idolising Sachin Tendulkar and under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni." "They have had a huge impact on his career. But Virat Kohli is his own man. He has found out what it takes to be the best Virat Kohli he can be," he concluded. | https://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/should-hardik-and-rahul-get-another-chance-bcci-australia-tour/20190114.htm |
What should kids eat in the morning? | Celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar is not just known for her impressive clientele that includes Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor Khan. She is also known for her extremely reasonable and surprisingly easy-to-follow diet guidelines. She is out with her new book now called Notes For Healthy Kids. In her 12-week fitness project 2019, she starts week 1 by telling us what kids should be eating first thing in the morning. When our children wake up from an overnight fasting state what we feed them first thing will not just decide how good their entire day goes but also how their growth is. This meal is especially critical for children around puberty as it sets the tone for hormonal harmony. In fact, how well they are able to unwind in the night and fall asleep is also dependent on how they start their day. A nutritious, fuss-free meal then is the need of the hour, Rujuta explains. Here are the options A) If short on time and they can only have a quick meal before leaving for school options are 1. Milk If they like the taste of milk Ensure that it is Full fat Locally sourced Without malted or chocolate powders With jaggery/ Chyawanprash (winters) or sugar/ gulkand (summers) or a homemade laddoo No milk substitutes like almond milk or soya milk, etc. 2. Nuts and dry fruit Eat as a nut + dry fruit combo Nuts pista, badam, kaju, walnut Dry fruits raisin, dates, khareek, apricot If constipated overnight soaked raisins Girls on periods khareek with ghee 3. Fresh fruit Local Seasonal Banana all months Bor, chickoo, peru, orange, grapes currently in season No fruit that has travelled more than 150 km to reach your plate or comes in plastic packaging B) If there is time to have proper breakfast Follow this- Have a hot, homemade nashta poha, Upma, idli, dosa, paratha, dalia, etc. Nothing from a packet cornflakes, oats, juices, etc. If poor immunity ragi cooked in milk or even water If weak digestion, acidity or period issues lahya jowar or ragi flakes (look like popcorn) in milk or roasted in ghee with salt and pepper Also note Fathers contribute in cooking, serving and watching over them while eating. Kids above 7 years pick own bowl/plate, rinse and put in the kitchen sink. Remember, well begun is half the battle won. | https://www.thehealthsite.com/parenting/childrens-nutrition-parenting/rujuta-diwekar-alia-bhatt-kareena-kapoor-what-should-kids-eat-in-the-morning/ |
How Is Alex Jones Getting Around The Facebook Ban? | Last year, after much sturm und drang about free speech and the role of social media, Facebook followed Twitter, YouTube, Google, and even Spotify and banned hate monger and ultra-conservative pundit Alex Jones and his online show Info Wars from their platforms. Twitter even issued the following Tweet at the time: Today, we permanently suspended @realalexjones and @infowars from Twitter and Periscope. We took this action based on new reports of Tweets and videos posted yesterday that violate our abusive behavior policy, in addition to the accounts past violations. https://t.co/gckzUAV8GL Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) September 6, 2018 Now The Daily Dot has reported that Jones InfoWars is now available on Facebook via three pages called NewsWars, InfoWars Live 24/7 and Prison Planet.TV. All of them run anti-LGBTQ content which conflates LGBTQ rights with pedophilia. All of the FB pages have been found to be active as of 9:30AM EST. Jones has admitted that his company operates NewsWars and its related website, NewsWars.com, but he has denied personally running any of the Facebook pages. The Daily Dot says, in NewWars posts and videos, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and immigrants are favored targets, and violence is often glorified. The Washington Post also questioned how Jones managed to get around the banboth he and his followers which the Post put at over 300k. Its particularly shocking given that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself stepped into the Info Wars fray especially after an incredibly critical profile came out in The New Yorker last year that among other things revealed Zuckerbergs ignorance of the Facebooks platform in propagating fake news. As The New Yorker reported, The idea that fake news on Facebookof which, you know, its a very small amount of the contentinfluenced the election in any way, I think, is a pretty crazy idea, he said. To some at Facebook, Zuckerbergs defensiveness was alarming. A former executive told Wired, We had to really flip him on that. We realized that if we didnt, the company was going to start heading down this pariah path. In fact Zuckerberg only finally and personally moved against Jones on FB when Zuck received an open letter from two of the parents of one of the children massacred at Sandy Hook (Jones has continually maintained the massacre a hoax perpetrated by the Obama administration). The couple feared for their life because responding to Jones denials had made them the target of his followers wrath. On July 27th, according to The New Yorker it took down four of Joness videos and suspended him for a month. But public pressure did not let up. On August 5th, the dam broke after Apple, saying that the company does not tolerate hate speech, stopped distributing five podcasts associated with Jones. Facebook shut down four of Joness pages for repeatedly violating rules against hate speech and bullying. I asked Zuckerberg why Facebook had wavered in its handling of the situation. He was prickly about the suggestion: I dont believe that it is the right thing to ban a person for saying something that is factually incorrect. ' Zuckerberg told The New Yorker then that, after Jones was reduced, more complaints about him flooded in, alerting Facebook to older posts, and that the company was debating what to do when Apple announced its ban. Zuckerberg said, When they moved, it was, like, O.K., we shouldnt just be sitting on this content and these enforcement decisions. We should move on what we know violates the policy. We need to make a decision now. Queries to Facebook from Towleroad have not been answered at press time. | http://www.towleroad.com/2019/01/how-is-alex-jones-getting-around-the-facebook-ban/ |
What happened in the last series of Cold Feet? | 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 Cold Feet follows a tight-knit group of friends as they navigate their way through their 50's - and the ITV1 comedy drama is back for an eighth series. Starring James Nesbitt, John Thomson, Fay Ripley, Hermione Norris and Robert Bathurst, the cast returned to the city in March 2018 to film six new episodes. So let's bring you up to speed on what happened in the seventh series. By the end of the seventh series, smarmy Adam had split from his girlfriend Tina after he confessed all about his cheating ways with work colleague Sarah. Seeing as the pair had moved in together and had been planning to have a baby, his lothario behaviour came as even more of a blow to poor Tina. Long-standing couple Pete and Jenny renewed their wedding vows after a turbulent patch which saw Pete battle depression. (Image: PA) And setting up her own publishing house called Marsden House, forthright Karen hired her fiery former nanny Ramona as her personal assistant. Meanwhile her ex husband David found romance again with Cheshire housewife Nikki Kirkbright, played by Siobhan Finneran, but she had to escape her unhappy marriage first. And Adam's son Matthew's relationship with Karen and David's daughter Olivia went to the next level. (Image: ITV) The show is famous for not shying away from difficult topics and fans watched as teenagers Matt, played by Ceallach Spellman, and Olivia, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, made the difficult decision over whether to keep their unborn baby. Matt pleaded to keep the child but after much discussion, Olivia decided to terminate the pregnancy. Cold Feet originally ran for five series between 1997 and 2003, with more than 10 million tuning in for the emotional finale. ITV rebooted the series in 2016 when it celebrated its 20th anniversary and it ended up being one of the channels most successful drama launches of 2016. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/what-happened-last-series-cold-15675850 |
Which Oregon counties have the most drunken driving crashes? | A Marion County Sheriff's deputy pulls over a suspected drunk driver (Courtesy MCSO) In Oregons 20 most-populous counties, law enforcement officers responded to at least 3,618 traffic crashes involving drunken drivers in the past five years. Across the state, officers documented drivers with blood alcohol contents of .08 or higher in crashes that killed 543 people from 2013 to 2017. An Oregonian/OregonLive analysis of the most-recent five years of documented crashes involving impaired drivers found 482 deaths across the states 20 most-populous counties. As Sen. President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, said he would push this month to lower the states legal blood alcohol limit to .05, the numbers paint a picture of a state where impaired driving remains a serious issue. The total number of drunken driving crashes in Oregons most-populous 20 counties declined 8 percent from 2016 to 2017. But the 770 crashes tallied in the most-recent year with data available represent a 15 percent increase from the figure in 2013. The Oregonian/OregonLive compared the past five years of DUII data from the states transportation department to population estimates from Portland State Universitys Population Research Center to create the number of total crashes per 100,000 residents. Thats the universal metric used to calculate homicide, assault and crime rates. | https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news/g66l-2019/01/531b37de473269/which-oregon-counties-have-the.html |
Can Congress find a way to end shutdown? | One Republican senator says hes offered President Donald Trump a possible solution, though it may just be wishful thinking. Sen. Lindsey Graham is encouraging Trump to reopen government for several weeks to continue negotiating with Democrats over the border wall Trump wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border. If theres no deal at the end of that time, Graham says Trump would be free to take the more dramatic step of declaring a national emergency to build it. But the South Carolina Republican says Trump still wants a deal on funding for the wall before agreeing to reopen shuttered government departments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, insists Trump reopen the government first. Their weeks-old standoff led to the partial government shutdown, now on day 24 without a clear end in sight. Trump insisted on Twitter Monday that he wanted to deal, declaring: Ive been waiting all weekend. Democrats must get to work now. Border must be secured! Targeting Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Trump also argued that the shutdown has become their, and the Democrats, fault! Trump weeks ago asserted that he would own the shutdown and polls show that he is taking most of the blame. Graham, who has publicly pushed Trump to use his authority to declare a national emergency to build the wall, is suggesting a short-term fix. Before he pulls the plug on the legislative option, and I think were almost there, I would urge him to open up the government for a short period of time, like three weeks, before he pulls the plug, see if we can get a deal, Graham said. If we cant at the end of three weeks, all bets are off. See if he can do it by himself through the emergency powers. Thats my recommendation, added Graham, who has publicly pushed Trump to use his authority to declare a national emergency to build the wall. Such a step would allow Trump to bypass Congress and tap various pots of unspent federal money, including for military construction and disaster relief as well as from assets seized by law enforcement, to pay for the wall. Trump has kept Washington on edge over whether he would resort to such a declaration, citing what he says is a crisis of drug smuggling and the trafficking of women and children at the border. The president initially sounded as though such a move was imminent, but then pulled back. He has said several times since he first mentioned the idea in public this month that he prefers a legislative solution. A key question is how much more time is Trump willing to give lawmakers. Graham, who spoke with Trump by telephone on Sunday morning, said the legislative path is just about shut off and blamed intransigence by Pelosi. The speakers office had no immediate comment. Democrats oppose an emergency declaration but may be powerless to block it. Some Republicans are wary, too, fearing how a future Democratic president might use that authority. Such a move, should Trump ultimately go that route, would almost certainly be challenged in the courts. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., called Grahams idea to reopen the government a great place to start. I do think if we reopen the government, if the president ends this shutdown crisis, we have folks who can negotiate a responsible, modern investment in technology that will actually make us safer, Coons said. Trump says technology is nice, but that the border cant be secured without a wall. The White House has been laying the groundwork for an emergency declaration, which is feared by lawmakers in both parties. Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said hed hate to see a declaration issued because the wall wouldnt get built, presumably because of legal challenges. Democrats voted in the past for border security and should again, he said. I actually want to see this wall get built, Johnson said. I want to keep pressure on Democrats to actually come to the negotiating table in good faith and fund what they have supported in the past. Graham favors a declaration and said the time for talk is running out. Its the last option, not the first option, but were pretty close to that being the only option, he said. Graham and Coons spoke on Fox News Sunday and Johnson appeared on CNNs State of the Union. _______________________________________________________ Copyright 2019 Capitol Hill Blue Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Google Like this: Like Loading... | https://www.capitolhillblue.com/node/75965 |
How can an Anglican priest deny the physical resurrection of Christ? | The Archbishop of Canterbury's temporary representative to the Vatican the previous one resigned after an accusation of sexual misconduct turns out to be someone who does not actually believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus. Australian cleric Dr John Shepherd, who was Dean of Perth from 1990-2014, said in an Easter sermon in 2008: 'It's important for Christians to be set free from the idea that the resurrection was an extraordinary physical event, which restored to life Jesus' original earthly body. The resurrection of Jesus ought not to be seen in physical terms, but as a new spiritual reality.' Dr John Shepherd has been appointed to be interim director of the Anglican Centre in Rome. Conservatives are most unhappy, though the Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Kay Goldsworthy, has said she was surprised people had been making 'statements of concern' about a sermon from 11 years ago: 'If that happened to every preacher in the Church we would all be in trouble, frankly.' Certainly all preachers have said things they later regret, but yes, this seems to be in a different category. We have to define our terms carefully. He'd say he does, but not in the sense of a dead body being resuscitated. It's more like, as though well, I'm not entirely sure, to be perfectly frank. Quite; whatever the post-resurrection body of Jesus was like, it was clearly different from the pre-resurrection version. However, traditional Christian teaching has been very clear that something happened in the tomb and that when the disciples went there it was empty. He belongs to the liberal wing that sees the resurrection stories and other miracle stories as not to be taken literally. They are theological rather than historical representations of reality. 'Jesus' early followers felt his presence after his death as strongly as if it were a physical presence and incorporated this sense of a resurrection experience into their gospel accounts. But they're not historical records as we understand them,' he said. That's not entirely fair. These thinkers tend to have a view of God and his interactions with the world that makes them lukewarm or sceptical about miracles in general. So healing miracle stories would be read for their theological value, for instance, and what they tell us about God's care for the weak and vulnerable. No, or if they did there was usually a psychological component. You're alive or you're dead. Indeed, and for these theologians Jesus' body was still dead. But the power of his message meant that he was raised to continue his work in the continuing ministry of his disciples. If you're of a certain age, yes; David Jenkins, a former Bishop of Durham, got into hot water in 1984 when he said the resurrection was 'not just a conjuring trick with bones' (or something like it). But it's a thing: the current Archbishop of Wales said something similar not long ago. And in 2003 a poll found that a third of CofE clergy doubted the resurrection and half doubted the Virgin Birth. It's only evidence if you accept that the Gospel writers were trying to write history and that they got the history right. Liberal thinkers would say they were sort of riffing on OT scripture, with a view to expressing something of the remarkable nature of what God had done through Jesus, and that theological reflection spilled over into writing what they thought ought to have happened. It was more a literary device than what we'd regard as historical writing. To borrow from Douglas Adams: 'Most leading theologians claim that this argument isn't worth a pair of fetid dingo's kidneys.' For instance, while there was certainly a theological purpose in what they wrote, the Gospel writers also include odd random details that imply an element of eye-witness like the bandage in Luke 24:12. Weird that these are clergy who don't believe Jesus is alive, though. Ah, but they do, or at least a good number of them do it's just that they have detached that belief from the bodily resurrection. So he's alive in the sense that anyone who has died is still 'living'. Discuss. But the vast majority of Christians would say you can't; that there is something deeply significant about God raising Jesus to life again in a real rather than a symbolic or literary sense, and that he really and truly overcame death when he did that. It's never too soon. Christ is risen. Alleluia. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods | https://www.christiantoday.com/article/how-can-an-anglican-priest-deny-the-physical-resurrection-of-christ/131464.htm |
What Does Daimler Trucks CEO Really Think About Tesla Semi? | Daimler is one of the worlds most prolific truck makers. So, we should truly consider the opinions of its top dog. Daimler Trucks CEO Martin Daum shared his thoughts on the Tesla Semi with Business Insider via (LMTonline) at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Daum was honest to say that he believes the Tesla Semi is fun. He also finds Teslas competition as a serious concern. However, hes well aware that Teslas entry into the trucking market is likely to be a challenge. The trucking industry for Daimler and many rivals is at a global level. While Tesla is a global company, paving a space in that market may prove difficult. Daum shared: Theyre fun [Tesla Semis], its an interesting market. We take every competitor seriously, Tesla has proved they really have the tenacity to really go through huge losses to capture the market. But trucking is a difficult business. They will learn the hard way, trucking is not like passenger cars where one size fits all. Theres a lot of variety in truckingthe United States is a highly competitive market, so as I said, theyre fun. Daimler sold over a half million trucks in 2018 alone, 176,000 of which it delivered in North America. Daum made it clear that the company will work to continue and increase such efforts, which matches up with the announcements weve read and covered as of late. He makes it clear that while Tesla should be seen as a viable competitor, it has much work ahead. Because we run a global business. I dont just look at the 176,000 North American trucks, I look at the more 500,000 trucks we sell worldwide And that is a unit number you need to survive ultimately. Of all players in the North American market Volvo, Navistar, in the association with the Volkswagen Group, and Paccar we all have one big global footprint. So for Tesla, it is a long way for it to get that. Not making fun of them, we take them seriously. In their niche, they could be successful, but to be ultimately the fifth player in the North American market, its a long way and we wont make it easy for them. Let us know in the comment section below. Source: LMTonline | https://insideevs.com/daimler-trucks-ceo-talks-tesla-semi/ |
Should religion electives be required in Florida public schools? | JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Florida state representative from Jacksonville wants students in public high schools across the state to be offered Bible study as an elective. Rep. Kimberly Daniels, who founded a church in Jacksonville, proposed a bill that would require districts to offer the elective, but would not require students to take the courses. Daniels, who is known for her colorful remarks, once thanked God for slavery. READ: Proposal for religion elective in public schools Her bill said courses must follow state and federal guidelines and could not favor, endorse, or show hostility toward a particular religion. The areas of study include but wouldn't be limited to Hebrew scriptures, plus the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The proposal lso calls for the classes to be included in the Education Department's Course Code Directory. The bill also calls for brief meditation time. The proposal got the expected mixed reaction in the community. "To have kids, especially high school age children, to allow them to make different choices and learn things they're interested in is a good thing, said Arron Paternoster, whose daughter is in high school. Another local resident supported the bill. "It's kind of, in this time, controversial, but I'm not opposed, Gary Bohannon said. But not everyone is sold on the idea of religion being included in school curriculum. "Everyone's religion has changed since back then, and not everyone's views are the same, said Nadia Quaintance. "If they would just offer it, you know, as a little club or get together after school, that would be fine." Daniels has not responded to a request for comment. If approved, the bill would take effect in July, ahead of the new school year. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. | https://www.news4jax.com/education/should-religion-electives-be-required-in-florida-public-schools |
Was hat dich blo so ruiniert? | Nicht Krankheiten, Verkehrsunflle oder Schusswaffen sind in den USA die hufigste Todesursache bei Menschen unter 50. Sondern Drogen. Mehr als 72.000 Menschen starben dort letztes Jahr an einer berdosis - das sind fast 200 pro Tag. Der von Richard Nixon vor ber 40 Jahren ausgerufene "War on Drugs" kann als grandios gescheitert bezeichnet werden. Doch nicht nur "Klassiker" wie Heroin machen heute Sorgen, vor allem Medikamente wie das opioide Schmerzmittel Fentanyl haben ihren Anteil an den erschreckenden Zahlen. Das Drama "Beautiful Boy" von Regisseur Felix van Groeningen, der mit "The Broken Circle" (2013) fr einen Oscar nominiert war, zeigt nun anhand eines Einzelschicksals, was der gescheiterte Kampf gegen die Drogen fr den Alltag amerikanischer Familien bedeutet. 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel "Je mehr ich nehme, desto mehr schme ich mich" 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel Nic (Timothe Chalamet) ist kein Junge, bei dem man schon frh den Verdacht hegte, dass er einmal Probleme machen wrde. Er ist der Sohn von David Sheff (Steve Carell), einem liebevollen Vater, der mit seiner zweiten Frau (Maura Tierney) und zwei weiteren Kindern in einem schicken Haus wohnt und genug verdient, um seiner Familie ein angenehmes Leben zu ermglichen. Doch trotz allem hat sich Steves intelligenter Sohn, den er als sein "Ein und Alles" bezeichnet, nicht zu einem strebsamen jungen Mann entwickelt, dessen grte Probleme Liebeskummer und College-Stress sind. David muss sich irgendwann eingestehen, dass Nic drogenabhngig ist. Und er fragt sich, was er falsch gemacht hat. Die Antwort darauf ist wohl das Deprimierendste an diesem Film: absolut nichts. 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel David will seinen Sohn nicht aufgeben, auch wenn Nic bisweilen Verstrendes von sich gibt. Etwa, dass Crystal Meth wie Kokain sei - "nur zehntausend Mal besser". ", fragt der einmal. Als Nic in ein Krankenhaus eingeliefert wird, wiegt er bei einer Gre von 1,80 Meter gerade einmal knapp 60 Kilo. In sein Tagebuch schreibt er: "Je mehr ich nehme, desto mehr schme ich mich. Um das zu verdrngen, nehme ich noch mehr." 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel Golden-Globe-Nominierung fr Timothe Chalamet 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel Immer wieder nimmt sich "Beautiful Boy" aber auch die Zeit, zurckzublicken in die Vergangenheit. Man lernt Nic als einen liebenswerten Jungen kennen, der gern mit seinem Vater zum Surfen ging, sich fr Musik und Literatur interessierte und vor Freude aus dem Huschen war, als man ihm seinen kleinen Bruder als Sugling in den Arm legte. Als Zuschauer versucht man verzweifelt, einen Hinweis darauf zu finden, wann alles angefangen hat, wie man Nics Drogensucht htte verhindern knnen. Doch wirklich fndig wird man nicht. 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel Felix van Groeningens Drama beruht auf David Sheffs Memoiren "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction" und auf denen seines Sohnes Nic, "Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines". Die Verfilmung "Beautiful Boy" schafft es, das Thema Drogenabhngigkeit fr Nichtbetroffene greifbarer zu machen, auch wenn der Film hier und da erzhlerische Schwchen hat. 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel Die herausragenden Leistungen von Steve Carell und Timothe Chalamet (er wurde fr einen Golden Globe nominiert) sorgen zum Glck dafr, dass "Beautiful Boy" trotzdem einen starken Eindruck hinterlsst. Man sprt frmlich, wie das Herz des Vaters jedes Mal ein wenig mehr auseinanderbricht, wenn sein Sohn ihn anlgt oder dem Tod noch einmal von der Schippe springt. Am Ende bleibt nur die Hoffnung darauf, dass die Abhngigkeit den Jungen nicht umbringt, dass er zurck ins Leben findet. Und es bleibt die Erkenntnis, dass auch Eltern ihre Kinder nicht vor allem beschtzen knnen. So wie John Lennon es einst in dem Song "Beautiful Boy" fr seinen Sohn sang: "Schlie' deine Augen, hab keine Angst, das Monster ist weg, weggelaufen - und dein Vater ist hier." Doch manche Monster sind selbst fr einen Vater zu stark. 2018 Amazon Content Services LLC. Franois Duhamel *Der Beitrag "Was hat dich blo so ruiniert?" stammt von Teleschau. Es gibt keine redaktionelle Prfung durch FOCUS Online. Kontakt zum Verantwortlichen hier. | https://www.focus.de/kultur/kino_tv/was-hat-dich-bloss-so-ruiniert_id_10183216.html |
Is Veeva Systems a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | While working at Salesforce.com, Peter Gassner realized that the pharmaceutical industry had specific cloud-based needs. These needs were so industry-specific that Salesforce couldn't be the answer to the sector's problems. Armed with that information, he founded Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) in 2007 to build a cloud solution for drug companies. Investors -- myself included -- have been rewarded handsomely; Shares have nearly quintupled since February 2016. That's not surprising given that the company has been capturing huge swaths of its total addressable market and continues to add new products to its list of offerings. Medical worker shows the data cloud on blurred background. More Image source: Getty Images And yet, even though I'm a shareholder myself, I'm doubting that Veeva has the potential to truly be a "Millionaire-Maker" stock -- a stock with the potential to increase in value ten times over in the course of two decades. A barbell technique that keeps on working While the visual might not be perfect, best-selling author and former trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb has highlighted a way for companies -- or individuals -- to continue pursuing opportunities without jeopardizing themselves in the long run. He calls it the barbell technique: Devote roughly 80% of your resources to business that is reliable and stable. This is the "safe" area of your business, and is protected by a wide moat. With the other 20%, pursue high-risk, high-reward ventures. Most will fail, but the few that succeed will lead to massive returns. Veeva is a textbook implementation of the barbell method. When the company got its start, it focused on providing customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for drug company salespeople. It then took the reliable cash streams from that Software-as-a-Service offering and invested in Vault -- an entirely different venture. Vault aims to be a one-stop cloud repository for everything a drug company needs to bring a compound from the idea stage through clinical trials and FDA approval, and finally to the market. It has been a resounding success. Chart showing Veeva revenue by segment since 2014 More Chart by author. Data source: SEC filings. All figures rounded to nearest million. 2018 figures reflect trailing twelve months as of September 30, 2018. Within Vault, the company adds two or three new key products every year. I wouldn't be surprised to see it outshine the commercial cloud (principally the CRM suite) in the next 18 months. Not only that, Vault has been so popular that companies outside of life sciences -- namely consumer-packaged goods and chemical companies -- have asked for access to a Vault-esque product. Veeva rolled it out, on a limited basis, over the past 18 months. | https://news.yahoo.com/veeva-systems-millionaire-maker-stock-154232806.html |
Is BioMarin Pharmaceutical Stock a Bargain? | What happened Most biopharma stocks saw their annual gains evaporate over the course of last December. Shares of the top orphan-drug specialist BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: BMRN), for example, were up by a healthy 7.69% heading into the last month of the year, but ended up losing a staggering 11.3% of their value in December, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. As a result, BioMarin's stock exited 2018 with a modest loss of 4.51%. BioMarin, like most biotechs and biopharmas, experienced a drastic decline in its value last month due to the uncertainty created by President Trump's trade war with China, the continued political unrest in Washington, D.C., as well as rising interest rates. Green chalkboard chart showing a positive trend turn negative. More Image source: Getty Images. So what The bright spot is that BioMarin's December swoon wasn't sparked by a company-specific event, such as a major clinical failure or regulatory setback. In fact, BioMarin arguably sports one of the better growth outlooks, product portfolios, and clinical pipelines in the industry right now -- a fact that probably explains the company's strong rebound during the first two weeks of 2019. At the time of this writing, BioMarin's shares have gained almost 11% in just the first nine days of trading this year. Now what Fortunately for shareholders, BioMarin's strong momentum appears set to continue for the remainder of the year. The reason is that the company noted -- during a presentation at the 37th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference last week -- that it should end up rolling out two major clinical updates later this year. Specifically, BioMarin is expected to update investors on the status of its gene therapy candidate, valoctocogene roxaparvovec, for hemophilia A, as well as its late-stage achondroplasia candidate vosoritide, before year's end. Both of these experimental therapies have the potential to reach blockbuster status (annual sales exceeding $1 billion per year), giving investors good reason to be optimistic about the company's long-term growth outlook. More From The Motley Fool George Budwell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BioMarin Pharmaceutical. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/biomarin-pharmaceutical-stock-bargain-154000184.html |
Who should be the Hollis Wright Coastal Alabama Basketball Player of the Week? | Here is your chance to vote for the Hollis Wright Player of the Week. The poll is open now and will close Thursday morning. The winner will be announced in next Mondays Game of the Week post. Nominations come from game results reported by area coaches. Results should be emailed to [email protected] following each game in order for candidates to be considered and results to be included in roundups during the week. Coastal Friday Roundup Here are this weeks choices: BOYS Malik McClain had 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots as Daphne topped rival Spanish Fort 67-64 on Friday night. Lue Williams had 28 points and 10 rebounds as Escambia County knocked off Baldwin County 69-64. On the same day he received a football scholarship offer from UAB, Jermaine Brown scored 29 points as St. Lukes edged McIntosh 66-59. LeFlores DeAntoni Gordon scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half and hit the go-ahead basket in the final minute as the Rattlers edged Vigor on Tuesday. AL.com Boys Power 10 poll Freshman Hunter Ivy had a game-high 23 points, including six 3-pointers, to help Fairhope upset McGill-Toolen 68-67. Jordan Ingram scored 23 points in St. Pauls 71-25 victory over Satsuma. Trey Bonham scored a game-high 24 points as UMS-Wright won a big Class 4A, Area 1 game against Escambia County. AL.com Girls Power 10 poll GIRLS Elsie Harris had 20 points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists as B.C. Rain defeated MGM 49-29. Aaliyah Austin had 13 points and 13 rebounds in Faith Academys 61-42 victory over LeFlore. Jule Harz had 12 points and 12 rebounds as Davidson defeated Baker 72-44. Haley Patterson had 23 points and 20 rebounds as St. Lukes edged McIntosh 64-63 on Friday. PREVIOUS WINNERS WEEK 1: Kaitlyn Knight (Foley) | https://www.al.com/sports/2019/01/who-should-be-the-hollis-wright-coastal-alabama-basketball-player-of-the-week.html |
When did Chris Pratt and Anna Faris split? | Chris Pratt was married to Anna Faris for eight years (Picture: WireImage) Chris Pratt is starting 2019 with a new fiancee after becoming engaged to girlfriend Katherine Schwarzenegger. The Jurassic World actor shared the happy news on Monday morning with a cute photo of Katherine, 29, sporting her beautiful large diamond engagement ring. Announcing the exciting news, Chris told his Instagram followers alongside the adorable snap: Sweet Katherine, so happy you said yes! Im thrilled to be marrying you. Proud to live boldly in faith with you. Here we go! Chris and Katherine became engaged just three months after Chris finalised his divorce from Anna Faris, following eight years of marriage. Advertisement Advertisement Well the couple announced their split on August 6 last year with a statement which read: We tried hard for a long time, and were really disappointed. Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward. We still have love for each other, will always cherish our time together and continue to have the deepest respect for one another. The pair cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce, which was finalised in October 2018. Chris and Katherine were first spotted last year on a picnic date (Picture: Backgrid) However Chris and Anna who have joint custody of their six-year-old son Jack, have been amicable since and often spend time together as a family, with Katherine joining them on occasion. Anna has also moved on to a new relationship, dating filmmaker Michael Barrett. Chris and Katherine who were set up by her mother Maria, were first pictured on a picnic date together in June 2018, while they were snapped sharing a kiss a month later. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/chris-pratt-anna-faris-split-gets-engaged-katherine-schwarzenegger-8343915/ |
Can Inovio Pharmaceuticals Stock Keep Bounding Higher? | What happened Like most biotechs, Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INO), a pre-revenue vaccine developer, had a rather poor showing in December. Specifically, it lost exactly a quarter of its value last month, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The upside is that Inovio's year-end sell-off wasn't triggered by a clinical or regulatory setback. Rather, its shares simply fell in tandem with the broader market. So, not surprisingly, they've also come charging back with the market's sharp reversal over the first two weeks of the new year -- gaining a healthy 21% year to date. Man in a suit facing a wall of white arrows pointing to the left and a bigger yellow arrow pointing to the right. More Image Source: Getty Images. So what The particularly noteworthy aspect of last month's downturn is the fact that Inovio -- and, really, all biotechs -- plummeted regardless of events on the ground. As proof, Inovio kicked off December with a solid clinical update: the start of the company's phase 2 cancer trial with big pharma partner AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN). Turning to the details, the two companies announced on Dec. 4 that the first patient had been dosed in a mid-stage trial designed to assess Astra's MEDI0457 (formerly INO-3112 prior to the licensing deal) in combination with the checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab across a diverse array of cancers associated with the human papilloma virus. This upbeat clinical update failed to save Inovio's stock from the ravages of the moody market, however. Now what Inovio's stock appears set to continue its recent rally in the days and weeks ahead. After all, this clinical-stage biotech sports a promising late-stage cervical dysplasia vaccine known as VGX-3100, which has the potential to generate hundreds of millions in sales over the next decade, according to EvaluatePharma. That said, Inovio's stock will probably remain at the mercy of the broader market until the company finally transforms into a commercial-stage operation and begins to generate profits on a consistent basis. Shareholders should, therefore, expect a good deal of volatility going forward, despite the monstrous commercial opportunity offered by the company's portfolio of high-value vaccine candidates. More From The Motley Fool George Budwell owns shares of AstraZeneca. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/inovio-pharmaceuticals-stock-keep-bounding-152200911.html |
When is Silent Witness on TV? | The Lyell Centre will face some tough challenges in series 22 of Silent Witness as the long-running crime drama returns to BBC1. The new series began airing on Tuesday 8th January 2019, with the second episode on Wednesday night. Silent Witness has typically aired on Mondays and Tuesdays, but a clash with the FA Cup 3rd round tie may have explained the change. Silent Witness will now revert to its usual time slot with episodes three and four airing on Monday 14th January and Tuesday 15th January at 9pm on BBC1. Episodes five and six will air on the following Monday and Tuesday. Emilia Fox returns for her 14th outing as forensics expert Dr Nikki Alexander, alongside David Caves as Jack Hodgson, Liz Carr as Clarissa Mullery and Richard Lintern as Dr Thomas Chamberlain. The BBC crime drama focuses on a team of forensic pathologists as they investigate various crimes. The series was first broadcast in 1996 and has been going ever since. Richard Lintern told RadioTimes.com at the BBC Worldwide Showcase: I think there was a conscious decision taken on this particular series of Silent Witness to focus on London, to bring London more in as a character than its been before. Silent Witness has been running since the 90s and goes out in more than 235 territories including New Zealand and the US, and producer Kiaran Murray-Smith confirmed to RadioTimes.com that scripts are already being developed for series 23. I think it deserves to, as long as the storylines are good, Lintern said. Advertisement David Caves added: As long as theres an audience and as long as it keeps evolving, which it has to do, then theres absolutely no reason why not. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-14/when-is-silent-witness-back-on-tv/ |
How do I get into the job search after a decades-long hiatus? | I worked for many years in trade finance. In 2017, when I was 62, my employer downsized, and I was laid off. Later that year, my wife passed away. Since then, I have tried to rebuild my life. I am a board member of a charitable organization, I tutor math and reading and take classes, but I would like to return at least part time to my old field. There are several organizations that connect retired business managers with small companies, especially startups, but they all are pro bono jobs, and I could use some extra income. Wow. It sounds to me like youre doing a great job rebuilding your life, so congratulations. With a background in finance, you might be able to turn the pro-bono work into a paid gig by paying it forward, which sometimes boomerangs and pays back, so I would definitely do it. There are also employment firms that place finance professionals into regular and temporary assignments. Research them and give them a call. And, there is no substitute for good, old-fashioned networking. Let everyone know what youre looking for. Keep at it, and stay positive. I havent had to look for a job in decades, so Im a little rusty and I want to appear current. You sound as if youre going on one of those online-dating sites. Come to think of it, in some ways, it is similar. Professionalism and courtesy. Network via professionally written notes and phone calls. Project confidence that youre ready for a new challenge with energy and enthusiasm. Write thank-you notes to everyone you meet e-mail is OK, but handwritten will stand out and never goes out of style. Youre back on the market, baby, and there is only one you in the world. So go get what youre looking for, one step at a time. Gregory Giangrande is a chief human resources and communications officer in the media industry. E-mail your career questions to [email protected]. Follow Greg on Twitter: @greggiangrande. His Go to Greg podcast series is available on iTunes. | https://nypost.com/2019/01/14/how-do-i-get-into-the-job-search-after-a-decades-long-hiatus/ |
What is naloxone and how does it work? | DENVER In Colorado last year, 558 people died from opioids or illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl. There is an antidote for opioids overdoses called naloxone. The Food and Drug Administration suggested that all patients who are prescribed an opioid are given a prescription for naloxone. Opioids are found in prescription drugs like hydrocodone, codeine, morphine or dilaudid. They are also found in illicit drugs like heroin and fentanyl. This class of drugs acts by blocking the pain receptors in the brain, spinal cord and other areas of the body. Opioids can cause a person to become drowsy, nauseated, lose consciousness and even stop breathing. Naloxone works on the same opioid receptors on the brain, and will displace the opioid drugs from those receptors. This will temporarily reverse the effects of opioids, especially the slowed down breathing and drowsiness. It can be given through the muscle, vein or even in the nose. The effects last 20-90 minutes, and can give a person enough time to get to the hospital if needed. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER Thank You for signing up for the 9NEWSLETTER Something went wrong. This email will be delivered to your inbox once a day in the morning. Please make sure to check your email inbox for an email to confirm the signup process. Please try again later. Submit 3) We have a naloxone kit here. If you find someone who is down and not breathing, maybe with pill bottles or syringes nearby, consider an opioid overdose. First call 9-1-1. Start CPR by pushing hard and fast in the middle of the chest. If there is an AED or naloxone nearby, ask for someone to go get it. The naloxone is really easy to use. There are a number of resources available online. The American Heart Association also just released a new class for people to take to learn the basics about opioid overdoses and how to use naloxone. For more information, you can go to their website at Heart.org. Most importantly, if you have a family member or friend who is taking opioids, it may be beneficial for him to have naloxone available. | https://www.9news.com/article/news/health/what-is-naloxone-and-how-does-it-work/73-fde223d9-52fc-46ba-9753-7be03a04f406 |
Will the Brockton area receive a foot of snow this weekend? | Meteorologists say it's too early to predict accurate snowfall totals. BROCKTON The consensus from meteorologists is that a storm is heading to southeastern Massachusetts this coming weekend. But the consensus is also that it's way too early to predict totals. "It is entirely too early to even be discussing it," said meteorologist Alan Dunham with the National Weather Service's office in Norton. The track of the storm can change drastically between now and late this weekend (the storm could last from Saturday to Monday) and various computer models tell a vastly different story. "Our computer models are locking in on a storm coming out of the southern plains toward the east cost, but there is a big difference in where this storm is going to track," said Cindy Fitzgibbon, a meteorologist with StormTeam 5 at The Enterprise's news partner, WCVB-TV. "Depending on how close to the coast this comes is going to determine if we see more snow or snow changing over to a mix and some rain." Another reason meteorologists may be reluctant to discuss totals is that the European forecast model was predicting more than two feet of snow, with the Brockton area in the "jackpot" area as of Sunday afternoon. But that same model (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) had already dropped to about 6-8 inches for Brockton as of Monday morning. It is now the Global US Standard, or GFS model, that's currently showing a more aggressive snowfall total. "This particular model is tracking the model a little farther south, which would mean more snow for our area," Fitzgibbon said. The GFS model, as of Monday morning, was showing Brockton on the line of between 12-16 inches of snow, or mostly rain, depending on the track. "There's going to be a system," Dunham said. We don't know yet. As each day goes on, the computer models should start pulling together." Dunham said the forecast should be more clear on Wednesday or, more likely, Thursday. "It is still really early, and we do have several days to watch this, but do know Sunday is likely going to feature some stormy weather," Fitzgibbon said on Monday morning. | https://www.enterprisenews.com/news/20190114/will-brockton-area-receive-foot-of-snow-this-weekend |
How will MPs make their decision on May's Brexit deal and what will they vote on? | MPs will be asked to approve or reject Theresa May's Brexit deal. The deal is contained in two documents, the Withdrawal Agreement, which is a treaty, and the Future Framework, which is a political statement agreed between the UK and EU. But before the main vote, MPs will be asked to say yes or no to a raft of amendments. These are re-writes of the main Brexit deal motion that have been tabled by backbench MPs and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. There are currently 12 amendments in front of MPs - and the deadline for tabling more is when the Commons finishes tonight, which could be as late as 2.30am. Commons Speaker John Bercow will make the decision on which amendments are voted on tomorrow. He can select any number of amendments but does not have to choose them all. The first amendment is from Jeremy Corbyn. It rejects the deal and instead sets out what Labour policy is instead - primarily a permanent UK-EU customs union with protections for workers rights and the environment. Labour MP Hilary Benn has tabled an amendment with cross party support. It rejects the deal and also rejects a no deal Brexit, demanding the Government come up with an alternative plan before exit day. Tory MP Hugo Swire has tabled an amendment helpful to the Government - and ministers have agreed to support it. It approves the deal while setting out a series of votes MPs will get in future on using the Irish border backstop. It sets a 'duty' on the UK government to get Britain out of the backstop in no more than a year - but does not change the divorce deal, so the solution would have to be backed by the EU. Labour MP John Mann has tabled another amendment that is backed by ministers. It approves the deal but adds a promise for Britain to mirror EU rules on workers' rights and environmental protections in future. Tory MP Andrew Murrison is thought to be tabling a new amendment tonight. It would agree the deal but also demand it is re-negotiated to put a deadline on the backstop of December 2021. If this is voted for, it would be very unclear if the deal had been approved or not because the EU would have to agree to renegotiate. Votes will begin at 7pm tomorrow night, after the Prime Minister makes the final speech of the five day debate. Each 'division' of the Commons takes around 15 minutes as MPs have to physically walk through the aye and no lobbies to cast their vote. This means voting could go on for hours. This will not be clear until the Speaker selects the amendments. It is likely amendments that reject the deal will be voted on first, followed by amendments that approve it with caveats. The final vote will be on the main motion - with whatever amendments have been agreed attached to it. This is also unclear but if one of the rejection amendments is accepted, it is likely voting will stop because it will be clear there is no majority of MPs in favour of the deal. This appears to be most likely to happen with the Hilary Benn amendment, which will be supported by almost all opposition MPs and could also be backed by Tory rebels opposed to no deal. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/fb-6590607/How-MPs-make-decision-Mays-Brexit-deal-vote-on.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 |
Did Trump try to cover up the Trump Tower meeting coverup? | President Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit, Friday, July 7, 2017, in Hamburg. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) When the New York Times first learned that Donald Trump Jr. and other members of President Trumps 2016 campaign had met with a Kremlin-linked attorney in Trump Tower during the campaign, Trump Jr. dismissed the story in a written statement. "It was a short introductory meeting, he said, adding that "[w]e primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up. As more details about the meeting were revealed, this answer was quickly revealed as either incomplete or entirely misleading. While the group in attendance, including campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, may have touched on adoptions as a component of the fight over a U.S. sanctions law targeting people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the genesis of the meeting was the promise of negative information about Trump's general-election opponent Hillary Clinton. Its not clear, though, that adoptions ever came up at all and new reporting from The Post raises questions about why that was part of Trump Jr.'s explanation in the first place. Andrew Weiss of the Carnegie Endowment noticed how the timeline of Trump Jr.'s explanation overlapped with that reporting, which is worth walking through in detail. In early July 2017, Trump made his second overseas trip as president, stopping in Poland for a summit and then traveling to Hamburg for a meeting of the G-20. He arrived on July 6, the day before the summit began. July 7, 2017 Early the next morning, Eastern time, the Times reached out to the White House with questions about the meeting. White House officials asked for additional time to respond, scheduling a conference call for the morning of July 8. At 3:45 p.m. local time quarter to 10 on the East Coast Trump and Putin held their first in-person summit. Also attending were then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and interpreters. Over the weekend, our Greg Miller reported that Trump took unusual steps to keep private the details of that conversation. Trump, Miller reported, [took] possession of the notes of his own interpreter and instruct[ed] the linguist not to discuss what had transpired with other administration officials. The sole report of the conversation came from Tillerson, who held a briefing with reporters. That meeting with Tillerson wasnt the end of the Trump-Putin conversations that day. That evening, the two presidents spoke for about 15 minutes during a dinner associated with the G-20 event. The only other person in attendance was Putins translator. Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, first learned of the meeting, which, he said, Trump hadnt informed his advisers about afterward. "Really, pleasantries more than anything else. It was not a long conversation, but it was, you know, could be 15 minutes. Just talked about things, Trump told the Times when the conversation came to light days later. That interview with the Times also followed the first reports about the Trump Tower meeting. "Actually, it was very interesting, Trump added, we talked about adoptions. ... We talked about Russian adoption. Yeah. I always found that interesting. Because, you know, he ended that years ago. And I actually talked about Russian adoption with him, which is interesting because it was a part of the conversation that Don [Jr.] had in that meeting. When Trump and Putin spoke at that dinner, Trump would have not necessarily known about the content of that meeting. Trump Jr. didn't travel with him to Europe, though he and his father likely spoke on the phone. July 8, 2017 That statement about the subject of adoptions was written the following day. The proposed conference call between the Times and the White House didnt happen, so the Times sent a list of questions to be answered. As Trump and his coterie flew back to the United States on July 8, Trump personally drafted the initial response Trump Jr. offered to the Times, as The Post first reported at the end of that month. Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, we reported, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said that he and the Russian lawyer had primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. In a memo sent to special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs team last year, Trumps attorneys admitted that this was an accurate characterization of the development of the statement. The Times story was published online on the evening of July 8. In short order, Trump Jr.'s statement about adoptions was shown to be misleading. The predicate for the meeting was, as released emails demonstrate, that promise of dirt on Clinton. Trump Jr. claimed and the Russian attorney with whom he met didnt deny that the conversation focused instead on the Magnitsky Act, targeting Putin allies, and Putins retaliatory ban on adoption of Russian children by Americans. That this is a central issue for Putin was reinforced by his mentioning it during the news conference following his (also largely private) conversation with Trump in Finland last year. That suggests that he may very well have both raised the subject with Trump during the brief, private conversation at the dinner in Hamburg and approved of the lawyer raising the subject during the Trump Tower meeting. Its possible that Trump, with the subject of adoptions fresh in his mind, changed a planned response to the Timess story during that Air Force One flight to raise a subject that he knew was of interest to the Russians. But there's another intriguing possibility: That Trump and Putin, taking advantage of the privacy offered by their conversation at that dinner, discussed how to respond to the existence of the meeting. Whether Trump knew about the Trump Tower meeting in advance has long been an open question. Shortly after the meeting was set, he made reference to giving a speech unveiling dirt on Clinton, the supposed intent of the meeting. Immediately before confirming the meeting, Trump Jr. spoke with someone calling from a blocked number which Trumps home number is. If he and Putin discussed a response to the Times during that conversation in Hamburg, though, it raises the possibility that Putin, too, knew about the meeting. If so, it suggests that Putins involvement in that meeting may be more significant than has been suggested. (It took months before the lawyer admitted her own links to the Kremlin.) This is speculative. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/14/did-trump-try-cover-up-trump-tower-meeting-cover-up/ |
Who Will Carmella Face This Week On SmackDown? | Carmella and Sonya Deville will face off this Tuesday on SmackDown LIVE. With Deville repeatedly using Twitter to complain that Carmella is continually getting opportunities that she doesnt deserve, The Princess of Staten Island responded and then swiftly challenged Deville to a match. https://t.co/n3frfZ8May MELLA I$ MONEY (@CarmellaWWE) January 12, 2019 I set out to let men fight my battles for me too -said no one ever #Ellsworth So sit down before I rip that fake hair out your damn head https://t.co/zdqj4ZOLvV Daria Berenato (@SonyaDevilleWWE) January 12, 2019 I support my best friend trying to ruin Naomis relationship with Uce, even though theres no title or ANYTHING on the line Sonya Deville. https://t.co/SW3l9YHNXY MELLA I$ MONEY (@CarmellaWWE) January 12, 2019 Mandys my day one, thats called loyalty, Id have her back through thick or thin something you dont know jack about. https://t.co/12p0XQnrwd Daria Berenato (@SonyaDevilleWWE) January 12, 2019 Says the chick who got eliminated by her day one at #WWEEvolution. Unless youre gonna be too embarrassed when you lose to the chick with the dance breaks.. https://t.co/sDEaUR7Qej MELLA I$ MONEY (@CarmellaWWE) January 12, 2019 | http://www.pwmania.com/who-will-carmella-face-this-week-on-smackdown |
Was Meghan Markle Not Invited to Kate Middletons Birthday Because of Their Feud? | Each year, Middleton and her husband, Prince William, spend her January 9 birthday at their Norfolk Home, with their guests staying at Anmer Hall. The weekend celebration includes a photoshoot, a dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth II and church on Sunday also with the Queen. This years guests include Thomas van Straubenzee and James Meade (Williamss longtime friends and godfathers to Princess Charlotte, Meades wife, Laura, Tom and Harriett Sutton and Tom Barber and his wife, Davina Duckworth-Chad, who is Williams cousin. Missing from the party were Markle and Prince Harry whom the Daily Mail reports didnt get an invite and were missing for a reason. For months, there have been rumors of a feud between Markle and Middleton, starting from a disagreement over Princess Charlottes dress at Markles wedding in May, which caused Middleton to cry. Despite the rumors, a source from People claims that the duchesses arent feuding (as evidenced by their wonderful time over Christmas together), but simply not best friends. They really loved Christmas and all had a wonderful time, the source said. I think the two women got onthey are definitely not best friends, but it was a really special time for them all to spend together. The source added, Wives do change the dynamic, and they both have very strong wives. If you bring two independent-minded women from the real world into the royal world, they are going to want to have an impact. As for why Markle and Harry werent at Middletons birthday, there are a number of reasons. Middletons birthday celebration is known for its super-small guest list of close friends, so Markle and Harry may have not made the cut. The birthday was also held in the country, where Markle and Harry dont live. Likewise, for Middletons actual birthday, the duchess celebrated the day over tea with her children and her husband, so it makes sense why Markle and Harry werent there. We dont know why Markle and Harry werent at Middletons birthday, but for now, things are OK in the royal family. | https://stylecaster.com/meghan-markle-not-invited-kate-middleton-birthday/ |
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