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Which countries are 'green' under Jersey's new travel rules?
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Jersey's new travel rules will come into effect tomorrow (28 May). The majority of England will turn 'green', meaning arrivals will be tested on days zero and eight, and must isolate until their first result comes back negative - unless they have had both vaccines at least 14 days before. Here's the full list... Australia Brunei Faroe Islands Falkland Island Formentera Fuerteventura Gibraltar Iceland Ibiza Israel La Palma Majorca Mayotte Menorca New Zealand Portugal Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Pierre et Miquelon Shetland Islands Singapore South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands It is important to note that an area must have been green for two weeks in order for those coming from there to classify as green arrivals. To check this, use the Government of Jersey's 21 day country classification calculator. Passengers should also check the local restrictions or isolation requirements in the country they are travelling to. Find out the status of the rest of the world using our interactive map.
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https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2021-05-27/which-countries-are-green-under-jerseys-new-travel-rules
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What is Reddit Karma? How to Get it?
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Whether you are a marketer on Reddit or you have the habit of sharing some amazing things for any other purpose, your Karma lets people know that what kind of Redditor you are. So basically, Karma is Reddits voting system. A user having some posts with more karma will be shown on the front page of the platform.This overall process is quite transparent and Reddit itself tracks how much karma each of the users has earned through some automated algorithms. Having said that, Reddit is the community for communities with so many subreddits that no one can believe. These Reddits are catering to everyones needs and it also allows you to give feedback to each other. In this way, the posts with the best comments become more prominent and Karma on Reddit is the best form of feedback. While many people are trying for monetary methods to earn karma, it should be noted that the only method that is available is for free karma on Reddit . Reddit karma is explained as a scoring system for users that works by totaling the number of upvotes with respect to downvotes. Though it is all about reputation, but it also allows you to start your own subreddit or join some other communities according to your own choice. A user with high karma scores means that their posts are liked among the communities and viewed as authentic material among the community. A low or negative karma gives a very bad impression and shows that any kind of interaction from the respective user is not like by users or upsets them and actually gives an idea that might be the user is spammer, troll, or a bot. There are two types of Karma that are considered for total karma score, one is post karma and another one is comment karma. It means if you are looking to boost your karma score, you can either concentrate more on comments or posts however to gain results fast, one should keep on working for both of them. Benefits of Having Good Reddit Karma: Yes, it feels great to have a six-figure score under your name but this is not the only benefit karma can do. It has several more benefits listed below: Wave goodbye to posting limits: When you are new on Reddit, you have to wait before posting again and there is a limit to posting as well. However, when you earn karma, you can post and comment as much as possible as the limit automatically goes away. Join Exclusive Subreddits: There are many subreddits that need minimum Karma to join them or post there. So in such cases, karma really gives you privilege. For example, if you want to visit r/CenturyClub you need at least 100K Post or Comment Karma. Earn trust Easily: Earning trust is one of the most difficult things but not with karma. With Karma, one can enjoy more credibility for the things you comment or post. Enjoy amended rules: By having Reddit karma, one can avoid troubles as Reddit has the policy of bending rules for such users. It means for self-promotion you will less likely to get banned as compared to those who do not have karmas or have negative karma. These benefits are only useful for a user to keep on using karma however some people earn money by selling their accounts with good Reddit karma or by posting about brands from their accounts. How to Get Karma on Reddit By now, the way of earning Reddit karma would be enough clear, however many Redditors want to get authentic and famous just in hours which is not possible, however, we can help them pass the overall process faster by giving some tips and tricks. Like any platform, if you want to earn a credibility badge, you need to post good and authentic stuff. In fact, I would suggest forgetting the Karma and engage with each other making your positive contribution to the app and let the normal course happen. However, if you want to make your dream of becoming a Redditor true, these tactics will be helpful for you. Join Popular Subreddits: Find popular subreddits that have millions of people communicating with each other, such as r/funny and r/pics. If you post something there, you can easily reach millions of people and can get a lot of Karma from one post alone. There is also a disadvantage of posting in such a famous subreddit, ie; they are heavily moderated, so posting as a newbie might end up not getting your post accepted so in this case you need to post something unique and interesting. Post Unique and Funny Things: This is one of the most obvious reasons to get Reddit Karma as your post needs to speak for itself in order to get noticeable. Memes related to viral content is the best way to engage people and photos and videos also have too much potential This sounds quite obvious, but your post has to be notable in order to get noticed. Memes with viral potential are probably your best bet, as are unusual, fascinating photos and videos. This photo of the skate wheels chair, got 50.7K upvotes in the r/pics subreddit, earning its author a shedload of karma. Visit popular subreddits to see what sort of posts fly and are loved by people. These are the 35 best subreddits that you should follow in order to get Reddit karma. Talk about hot Topics: If you are using Reddit for some time, you would know that there is always some heated discussion going on Reddit. So if you are able to know about some ongoing scandal, or an upcoming movie, or some bad experience regarding any game, it is the best way to communicate and engage the community. However, there is a catch, try to start polarizing topics as you might get downvoted as well in an effort to earn karma. So dont, I repeat do not post any unpopular opinion to be a good fist in a pool of bad ones. Make good points by commenting first: For this point, you need to remain online most of the time so that you can actively monitor any new post in subreddits and opt for the one having great potential. If that post goes viral, your comment will automatically go up without doing much. However, if you are looking to comment on the first post and thinking it might get upvoted, you are wrong, you need to find great and interesting content for that. Relevant GIF reactions in comments get good upvotes. You can also post some sentiment via image or GIF and it can go viral if it relates to other people as well. A reaction on YouTube video in r/videos scored 45.6K points just because many people could relate to it. Ask and Answer on r/AskReddit This is considered are one of the easiest methods to earn Karma. r/AskReddit is one of the biggest subreddit having has some 32,4 million members. So having a community having this much population would be easily engageable. All you need to do is ask a question or answer multiple questions. Other than karma, its a good subreddit to ask questions that you were waiting for years to get good answers to. You can also ask questions related to babies if you are a first-time mother. So there are multiple options for you to decide. If people like your questions and think it is worth replying to, it will add thousands of points to your karma. Hope this blog was helpful. Kindly share your experiences by commenting below.
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https://www.phoneworld.com.pk/what-is-reddit-karma-how-to-get-it/
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What Does New Salary-Cap Ceiling Mean for the Patriots?
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Perry: What new salary-cap ceiling means for Patriots originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather. NFL clubs got some good news on Wednesday afternoon. When it comes to their team-building plans, they may have more money to play with next offseason than originally thought. The NFL and NFLPA agreed to a 2022 salary-cap ceiling of $208.2 million, according to multiple reports, which would be a more than $20 million increase over the 2021 cap of $182.5 million. Patriots Talk Podcast: Julio Jones watch and what to expect at Patriots OTAs | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube That jump, should the cap hit its ceiling, would represent a bigger-than-usual year-to-year jump percentage-wise (14 percent). The 2020 cap number was $198.2 million. And prior to the COVID-related decrease, the cap was making about a $10 million jump annually. That would've put the 2022 number somewhere in the range of $218 million. Looking at it that way, today's 2022 cap-ceiling agreement between the players and the league won't get the cap back on its pre-COVID track, but it's closer to on track than some expected. For instance, the folks at Over The Cap have the cap for 2022 projected to be $203 million. And it still may end up there. But if the ceiling is reached, that extra $5 million would be a relative boon for teams like the Texans and Saints who -- as things stand right now -- would be right up against a $208 million cap. The Rams, Cowboys and Packers are still projected to be over the 2022 cap ceiling, but every little bit of space helps. The cap reaching its 2022 ceiling would mean, as of now, about $30 million in available cap space to play with next offseason. That's a far cry from the breathing room they had earlier this offseason to remake their team, but it's not an insignificant amount. It would put them smack in the middle of the NFL in terms of cap-space leaders. Among the Patriots players scheduled to hit free agency in 2022: Stephon Gilmore, Devin McCourty, Trent Brown, Dont'a Hightower, Cam Newton, JC Jackson, Adrian Phillips, Ted Karras, Matt Slater, James White, Sony Michel and Ja'Whaun Bentley. Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski are slated to become restricted free agents next offseason. Some of New England's space, one would assume, would end up going to some of those names above. Among the big-name talents set to hit the open market across the league in 2022: Von Miller, Allen Robinson, Chandler Jones, Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, Tyrann Mathieu, Jason Pierre-Paul, Akiem Hicks, Will Fuller, Marcus Maye, Jamison Crowder, Ndamukong Suh, Calais Campbell, Mike Williams and Emmanuel Sanders. Depending on their team needs, the Patriots would have enough to go after a big name or two. (We went over the prospects of them landing a big-name receiver next offseason and why it might be smart to try to land one now instead here.) That was probably the case even before Wednesday's news. But now there's a chance every team has a little extra breathing room financially with which to operate a year from now. Perhaps the biggest winners from Wednesday's news aren't the league's teams but its players -- its veteran players, specifically. Veterans across the league will benefit from the cap reaching its max next offseason, if it gets there. A shrinking cap this offseason meant for many older players less money than expected in free agency. Some signed one-year deals in the hopes of hitting the market again next spring with more money available. For some, this offseason's cap cratering meant fewer opportunities just to remain in the league as younger players -- who may not be as productive but whose salaries cost a fraction of those of their older colleagues -- became more desirable. But a bump in 2022 helps all involved. And a bump in 2023, thanks to new media deals and revenues seen thanks to gambling, seems inevitable. After a couple of years of working with pandemic-impacted books, NFL clubs will be back to making massive amounts of money and spending at expected pre-COVID rates soon enough.
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https://www.necn.com/news/national-international/what-does-new-salary-cap-ceiling-mean-for-the-patriots/2475079/
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Can US employers make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory?
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International oi-Madhuri Adnal Washington, May 27: Experts say US employers can require employees to take safety measures, including vaccination. That doesn't necessarily mean you would get fired if you refuse, but you might need to sign a waiver or agree to work under specific conditions to limit any risk you might pose to yourself or others. "Employers generally have wide scope" to make rules for the workplace, said Dorit Reiss, a law professor who specializes in vaccine policies at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. "It's their business." Coronavirus: India administered over 202 million COVID-19 vaccine doses till now Rules will vary by country. But the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has allowed companies to mandate the flu and other vaccines, and has indicated they can require COVID-19 vaccines. There are exceptions. For example, people can request exemptions for medical or religious reasons. Some states have proposed laws that restrict mandating the vaccines because of their "emergency use" status, but that may become less of an issue since Pfizer has applied for full approval and others are likely to follow. How employers approach the issue will vary. Many might not want to require vaccination because of the administrative burden of tracking compliance and managing exemption requests, noted Michelle S. Strowhiro, an employment adviser and lawyer at McDermott Will & Emery. Legal claims could also arise. As a result, many employers will likely strongly encourage vaccination without making it mandatory, Strowhiro said. Walmart, for example, is offering a USD 75 bonus for employees who provide proof they were vaccinated. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, May 27, 2021, 17:27 [IST]
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https://www.oneindia.com/international/can-us-employers-make-covid-19-vaccination-mandatory-3265597.html
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Can Indian hockey make it count at the Tokyo Olympics?
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The Tokyo Olympics rings a nice bell for hockey lovers in India. 57 years ago, in what was a fiercely contested tournament at the Komazawa Hockey Field in Tokyo, India won their seventh gold medal. They defeated Pakistan, who had snatched their seventh consecutive gold medal at Rome in 1960. The tournament itself is filled with so many interesting anecdotes that it could serve as the basis for an engrossing web series or even an entire film franchise. Likewise, the Tokyo Olympics is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Hockey India to prove their worth. The last time Indian hockey tasted any kind of glory was at Moscow 1980, where the men's team won the gold medal after defeating Spain by 4-3. Since then, Indian hockey has only gone downhill. Unable to adjust to AstroTurf, Team India has been failing to make it to the semi-finals. From the 1980s to the early 2000s, India held the same position in hockey that South Africa continues to hold in cricket. Despite being one of the best, they choked when they needed their wits the most. In 2008, we saw the worst, as Team India failed to even make it to the Olympics. 2012 wasn't any better either, because while India made the cut to the men's tournament, they finished a dismal last among 12 teams, failing to win a single match. However, in Rio, things did change for the better. Though India squandered a well-fought chance to go down by 1-3 in the quarter-finals, their eighth place finish was their best Olympic outing since Athens 2004. This time, though, Hockey India is a lot different, and it has the potential to regain the glory for which it was once known. The blue turf, the quarter system and the yellow ball has only helped Indian hockey to grow by leaps and bounds. Today, both the men's team and the women's team have a realistic chance to make it to the podium, and here are some ways in which Team India can create history this time: 1 / 5 NEXT
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/hockey/tokyo-olympics-make-or-break-hockey-india
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Why are Taiwanese skeptical of Chinese vaccines?
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Until a few weeks ago, Taiwan's success in preventing a major community outbreak amid the global coronavirus pandemic was lauded by countries around the world. But over the last two weeks, thousands of new domestic cases have emerged across Taiwan, forcing the government to raise the nationwide COVID-19 alert while trying to ensure there are enough medical resources to cope with the rapidly rising number of patients. Despite having successfully prevented any major community outbreak over the last year through strict border controls and stringent regulations related to mask-wearing and social distancing in public places, Taiwan has struggled to secure enough coronavirus vaccines for its citizens. As of this week, Taiwan has secured less than 1 million doses of vaccines for its 24 million citizens. Taiwan's only available COVID-19 vaccine at the moment is that of Oxford/AstraZeneca. It has so far received some 726,000 doses of the vaccine via the COVAX global sharing scheme and from the manufacturer itself. But the Oxford vaccine's rare side effects, such as blood-clotting, have been cited as one of the reasons why many Taiwanese were hesitant about receiving the vaccine. According to one opinion poll conducted by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy in April, only 29% of the respondents above the age of 20 were willing to take the AstraZeneca vaccine while 66% of the respondents said they weren't willing to take the vaccine. Due to the limited number of shots available, Taiwan has also struggled to enhance its overall vaccination rate amid its worst community outbreak since the start of the pandemic last year. As of Wednesday, only 319,665 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine about 1.3% of its entire population. Importing Chinese vaccines banned The lack of vaccines has renewed the debate over whether Taiwan should consider allowing importing vaccines from China. Such imports are currently banned in the island under the Regulations Governing Permission of Trade Between Taiwan Area and Mainland Area. Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group recently expressed willingness to provide Taiwan with BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, but the proposal is yet to receive a positive response from the Taiwanese government. The company has signed a deal with German vaccine manufacturer BioNTech to exclusively develop and commercialize the vaccine developed using BioNTech's mRNA technology in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. On May 26, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen accused China of blocking a deal between Taiwan and BioNTech. "As for Germany's BioNTech, we were close to completing the contract with the original German plant, but because of China's intervention, up to now there's been no way to complete it," she said during a meeting of the ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party. However, opposition parties have questioned the government's lack of initiative to respond to offers of more COVID-19 vaccines from companies like Fosun. "At a time when the whole world is actively trying to procure more COVID vaccines, Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center shouldn't be passively waiting for companies' applications," said Ho Chih-Yung, the spokesperson of the main opposition party, Kuomintang. "Instead, they should be actively acquiring more vaccines for Taiwanese people," Ho said. Beijing offers COVID-19 vaccines The Chinese government has offered to help Taiwan to deal with the current outbreak by sending over more COVID-19 vaccines. On May 24, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said it had repeatedly offered to help Taiwan and claimed that certain groups and people in Taiwan have been calling for the purchase of Chinese vaccines. "Our attitude is very clear: we are willing to make arrangements quickly so that the vast majority of Taiwan compatriots will have mainland vaccines to use as soon as possible," the office said. "If necessary, we are also willing to actively consider sending epidemic prevention and control experts to Taiwan, to share anti-epidemic experience with Taiwan's medical and health professionals," it added. However, Taiwanese authorities criticized Beijing for continuing to obstruct Taiwan's efforts to acquire COVID-19 vaccines globally. "Every time Taiwan's internal epidemic heats up, [China] criticizes our government for obstructing the import of mainland vaccines," said Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council in a statement to Reuters news agency. Taiwanese skeptical of Chinese vaccines An opinion poll conducted by the Global Views Monthly in Taiwan revealed very few people in Taiwan are willing to receive COVID-19 vaccines from China. The February poll showed that only 1.3% of the respondents would choose COVID-19 vaccines from China. Health experts also have concerns about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines from China, citing China's poor track record of complying with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations. "Usually, the approval of a vaccine should ensure that the manufacturing process and the delivery process of the vaccine meet the existing requirements," said Ho Mei-Shang, professor at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at Taiwan's Academic Sinica. "So far, we can't monitor any of the processes mentioned above, so I don't think Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration will do something that they think is risky," Ho told DW. While Taiwan has effectively ruled out the possibility of importing Chinese vaccines to solve its problem, it is looking to the United States for vaccines. Taipei hopes Washington will allocate part of the 80 million COVID vaccines that it plans to distribute to countries worldwide for Taiwan. However, on May 26, the top US diplomat in Taiwan, Brent Christensen, said Taiwan's infection numbers remained low and that the US is still drafting the criteria that will be used to determine how to ration the millions of doses of vaccines. Christensen said he was confident that Taiwan could control its spike, adding that the US and Taiwan were in talks over vaccines. Chi Chunhuei, the director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University in the US, said since the scale of Taiwan's current outbreak is small when compared to other countries, it would be difficult for the US government to openly promise Taiwan a certain amount of the vaccines. "The Biden administration can only do that secretly because otherwise, they will be criticized for favoring Taiwan when there are other countries having way more serious pandemic situations than Taiwan who desperately need vaccines," Chi told DW. "Politically, Taiwan can't expect the US government to pledge to give Taiwan a certain portion of the vaccine, but under the table, Taiwan should do everything they can to get the promise from Washington," Chi said. Relying on vaccination is "a bit too late and too slow, so Taiwan must resort to other measures such as community control," Chi said, but added: "We need vaccines for the near future, so we will never get into this kind of outbreak again." No 'need to panic' According to Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center, the island can expect to receive 2 million more COVID-19 vaccines in June, and by the end of August, it can expect to have up to 10 million doses, including some vaccines manufactured by Taiwanese pharmaceutical companies. Professor Ho said ideally Taiwan's vaccination rate needs to reach 50% or 60% to flatten the curve of the current outbreak, but she added that the island doesn't "need to panic too much." "The right thing for us to do is to follow the existing protocols," she said.
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https://www.dw.com/en/why-are-taiwanese-skeptical-of-chinese-vaccines/a-57688679?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf
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Why hasn't the Bucs' deal with Antonio Brown been made official yet?
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Buccaneers QB Tom Brady revealed that he underwent his first knee surgery in around 12 years this offseason after dealing with a lingering issue throughout last year. I had a pretty serious knee surgery this offseason, which is the first surgery Ive had in about 12 years, Brady said. I was really interested to see how it was going to go, because last year it just took a lot. Every week I was kind of tending to my knee, and I thought I would love to see a season where I can focus on some other strength stuff that I want to do, some other technique stuff where Im not just focused on protecting my knee all the time.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2258090169288/why-hasn-t-the-bucs-deal-with-antonio-brown-been-made-official-yet
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What was the 'blue material' that sparked the cafe investigation linked to Mary Bastholm?
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GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY IN YOUR INBOX Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. SIGN UP Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Police have explained more about the 'blue material' that sparked excavation work at a Gloucester cafe as part of a decades-old investigation into a missing schoolgirl. The search for human remains under The Clean Plate was triggered by what appeared to be an image of 'fabric' seen with ground-penetrating radar. The Southgate Street cafe has been linked with the disappearance of 15-year-old waitress Mary Bastholm, who worked there, and serial killer Fred West, who was a regular customer there. Gloucestershire Police said today they had found "no human remains or items of significance", at a cost of about 55,000, but with additional invoices yet to come it could be in the region of "60,000 or 70,000". Mary went missing on January 6, 1968, and was last seen at a bus stop in Bristol Road. She was wearing a blue and white dress, a blue coat and was carrying a blue bag the day she went missing. An ITV documentary film crew making a Fred West documentary explored the Clean Plate's basement floor. After drilling in to the ground an endoscope, the film crew captured an image of what appeared to be 'blue material'. The police's forensics team began excavating the cafe on Wednesday May 19 and found no such material. The belief is that image was of either "detritus or debris" which came from drilling into a pipe below, mistakenly identified as a fabric in the endoscope picture. Speaking outside the police HQ in Quedgeley, ACC Craig Holden said: "The blue material photographed on an endoscope camera by the TV production company was not identified, but we did establish it was likely to be connected to a buried pipe. "That pipe [which was not blue] was recovered and excavations went beyond the original endoscope depth. "We believe that the drilling may have gone through the pipe and created some sort of detritus or debris, which is what the endoscope picked up. "When we looked, we didn't see anything blue, so what we believe is that the imagery has given the impression of something blue. "We've eliminated that whatever it was that could have been interpreted as blue in that imagery from our investigation." Crime Scene Coordinator Martin Cuffe said: "The presence of blue material was quite a key fact in the early stage of the investigation and shaped part of the decisions for why we were going to perform this excavation. "During all the work we've done we haven't identified anything that we'd describe as blue material consistent with an item of clothing. "There is a possibility that the blue colouration that was seen on the endoscope might be the result of physical damage to one of the newer pipes that were installed as part of the installation of the toilets. "When you look at the centre of them and shine quite a direct white light source on them, they do seem to give a blue colouration, and that does seem to be quite consistent with what we've seen on the images taken by the production crew."
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https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/what-blue-material-sparked-cafe-5463842
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Who Is Cruella For?
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This story contains spoilers about the movie Cruella. My first child didnt watch any TV until she was two years old. But, like so many families, the pandemic changed things. Its better now, but at the beginning of the shutdown any kind of rules around screen time limits went right out the window. Theres only so much playing, crafts and games you can encourage your children to do when they cant see their friends or go to a playground or goanywhere really. Like many families, TV became our babysitter. We were in survival mode. My husband and I joked that by the time the pandemic was over, our two children would have watched The Godfather trilogy (Its just a little violent. Its fine!) and all seven seasons of Mad Men (Sure theres adultery, smoking and drinking but its time they learned about the real world!) Thankfully that didnt happen. But we did go to the ends of Disney+, Netflix and Hulu and back again in search of new content. When every night becomes movie night, the number of age-appropriate movies goes by fast. Every new release was cause for celebration. No! Yes! You better believe it. We did! (It is the superior Frozen and I will take no further questions or comments at this time.) We practically had a countdown calendar to the premiere of Raya and the Last Dragon and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Luca on June 18. But something odd is happening with Disney remaking their beloved animated features into live action. When I first heard there would be a live-action Mulan, I envisioned the songs and dances of the 1998 animated classic coming to life. The movie, which premiered in November of last year, was visually stunning but lacked the heart and songs of its source material. And it was decidedly not for children. The movie carried a PG-13 rating and featured some fairly intense violence. Common Sense Media, the go-to website for parents to determine if a movie or TV series is age-appropriate, rated the movie as being appropriate for 11+. Your mileage may vary depending on how much intense violence and death your child can handle but there are probably not that many five-year-olds who would enjoy it. Now comes Cruella, which follows the Dalmatian-stealing villain from her birth right up until the start of the story covered in both the 1961 animated and 1996 live-action versions of 101 Dalmatians. Both of those versions garnered a 5+ age rating on Common Sense Media. Cruella, which has a PG-13 rating like Mulan, stars Emma Stone in the titular role with Emma Thompson as Cruellas nemesis, the Baroness von Hellman. Since this is a Disney movie, of course Cruella starts off with only one parent who dies approximately 12 minutes into the movie. (Disney has a strict all parents must die edict.) We learn how Cruella hooked up with her two henchmen, Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser). We also meet Roger (Kayvan Novak) and Anita (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) before they become the couple who end up with lots and lots of puppies. The soundtrack is fantastic. The costumes by Jenny Beavan are phenomenal. Thompson looks amazing. But while I appreciated how great the movie looks and the inspired performances by Stone and Thompson, I have to confess it is more than a little boring. The Cruella/Baroness relationship is The Devil Wears Prada with dogs. Theres some humor, but not much children would find funny. With its two-hour-plus running time, theres no way it will hold a childs attention. It barely held my attention. There are very few movies that warrant this runtime and Cruella is definitely not one of them. The movies PG-13 rating ensures a darker take on the tale. Sure, both the animated and live-action versions of 101 Dalmatians had Cruella wanting to make a coat out of the puppies fur. But thats nothing compared to the Baroness lighting Cruella on fire to ensure her death. Too scary and disturbing for children. Not cool enough for teens. Too boring for adults. This seems different than, say, the live-action Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King or Cinderella, all of which earned a PG rating. Even the Maleficent movies with Angelina Jolie as the titular Sleeping Beauty villain are rated PG. I dont think adults were clamoring for Cruellas origin story. Shes a cartoon villain. WHY? Practically every movie and/or TV series from our childhood is being remade or rebooted. Nostalgia remains the pop cultural rage and is still financially lucrative. Theres definitely safety in funding a known entity. Just titling a movie Cruella makes the advertising and promotion of the film so much easier. Disney is known for mining its intellectual properties. And its hard to blame them: The beloved animated movies are ripe for interpretation, sequels and remakes. One of the best examples of this is Disney Channels Descendants trilogy. These three made-for-TV movies, clearly aimed at the preteen set, featured the offspring of Disneys villains who dont want to live in their parents legendarily evil shadow. These movies featured the late Cameron Boyce as Carlos, son of Cruella. Perhaps we will find out in the inevitable Cruella sequel.) The Descendants gang sang and danced their way through songs like Its Good to be Bad, Ways to be Wicked and Rotten to the Core. Ive seen the movies so many times that if you like, I would be more than happy to reenact the choreography for you. The movies represent a great bridging of movies for children and movies for teens and adults. We need Disney to do more of that on the big screen. Disney owns so many of the things people want to see. They have Star Wars. They have all the Marvel superheroes. They have Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean. It would be nice if they could leave the beloved cartoons for the kids. Amy Amatangelo, the TV Gal, is a Boston-based freelance writer and a member of the Television Critics Association. She wasnt allowed to watch much TV as a child and now her parents have to live with this as her career. You can follow her on Twitter (@AmyTVGal).
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https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/cruella-does-disney-want-its-audience-to-grow-up/
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Are Conservatives About to Beat Liberals on Education?
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For decades, polling has shown that the public trusts Democrats and their more liberal-minded policy ideas far more than Republicans when it comes to education. Now, one nationally-celebrated education thinker thinks he can change that. Conservatives should own this issue, says Rick Hess, Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Our edited conversation is belowyou be the judge. Rick Hess: For a long time, reform Democrats and reform Republicans actually looked a lot alike. Dont forget that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was as much Ted Kennedys baby as it was President Bushs. It was a huge bipartisan deal. That started to change about 10 years ago. Rick Hess: Republicans got as frustrated as everybody else with where NCLB ended up. It went into the realm of over-testing. It felt alienating to teachers. After Common Core, Republicans increasingly started to say, well, were actually not for any of that. Were for school choice. And look, I think school choice is a reasonable approach, but its not a full solution. Republicans just got into a habit during the Obama years of lets push back on everything. We got out of the habit of offering conservative alternatives. Matt Robison: Why is this an issue that conservatives should own? Rick Hess: The approach from President Biden is to spend a lot more subsidizing the status quo. No matter how thoughtful or farsighted our progressive friends may be, they have entrenched interests to deal with that we dont. Conservatives have a chance to think creatively and purposefully, rather than doubling down on old ideas. We actually have a chance to re-imagine and rethink. Rick Hess: Theyre not all big, sweeping ideas. Some of them are small and practical. For example, theres been a lot of discussion over the last decade about discipline reform. We know that some students are disproportionately getting disciplined: boys compared to girls, black and brown children compared to white children. So we started thinking about how can we get meaningful, individual feedback from teachers on what is actually happening, so we can have educator-driven, honest conversations about how were fixing discipline. We also have a piece about how weve been using the same basic school day and school year for the last a hundred years. One-size-fits-all tends not to work. There are charter schools that for years now have offered Saturday programming, often half days. There are schools that have wraparound services until 6:00 PM. The point is, we need more flexibility and localized solutions, not Washington-driven solutions for everyone. Rick Hess: Theres definitely a big role. We want teachers to spend more of their time on the high value stuff and less time on the routine stuff. But that means youve got to rethink job descriptions. Youve got to rethink contracts. Youve got to rethink vendor agreements. These are the things that my friends on the left have enormous trouble doing. Matt Robison: Moving to higher education, the agenda has a piece in it about the degree to which college campuses have monitored, limited and in some cases punished speech. Rick Hess: What he is saying is that theres a temptation to look to legislation first on an issue like this. But the real way to start with this is a conversation: to be clear that were fighting for. Were not really fighting for free speech. I dont want people yelling fire in crowded theaters, or saying lunatic things. The idea of free inquiry that it is okay to have honest discussions about questions like whether or not America is systemically racist. You shouldnt be shouted down for talking about that. Polling shows that most American agrees. If you put it that way, what were arguing for is actually broadly shared consensus. Matt Robison: Your authors have proposed some innovations ranging from a three year Bachelors Degree to hybrid college. Rick Hess: Yes exactly. I think its a little bit like what we were saying with K-12: theres different needs and we need different solutions. Not one size fits all free community college for everybody. There are opportunities to do things differently and serve 21st century needs. We share edited excerpts from the Great Ideas podcast every week that explain how policies work and present innovative solutions for problems. Please subscribe, and to hear more about conservative education reform ideas, check out the full episode on Apple, Spotify, Google, Anchor, Breaker, Pocket, RadioPublic, or Stitcher
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https://www.politicususa.com/2021/05/27/are-conservatives-about-to-beat-liberals-on-education.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=are-conservatives-about-to-beat-liberals-on-education
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How Can We Better Measure The Impact Of Workplace Diversity And Inclusion?
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Frank Orozco is CTO for Slickdeals, responsible for the software and data platforms that power the leading crowdsourced shopping site. getty The events of the last few years highlighted how much diversity and inclusion matter in an organization, but this isnt new information. We now have years of research making the business case for a diverse workforce. Companies that prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace benefit in the following areas: Financial performance: Companies in the top quarter for gender diversity on executive teams are 25% more likely to financially outperform those in the bottom quarter. Top-quarter companies for ethnic and cultural diversity outperformed those in the fourth quarter by 36%. Innovation: Teams that make inclusive decisions make better decisions. Companies with above-average diversity produced a 19% greater proportion of revenue from innovation than companies with below-average diversity (45% vs. 26%). Customer trust: More than half of consumers believe brands should publicly speak out against racial injustice and systemic racism. Brands that are perceived as addressing racial issues well are three times more trusted than those that arent. Talent acquisition and retention: Diversity is an important factor for 76% of employees and job seekers when evaluating companies and job offers. A vast majority (83%) of Gen Z candidates say a companys commitment to diversity and inclusion is important when they choose where to work. Almost half of Black (47%) and Hispanic (49%) applicants and employees quit after seeing or experiencing discrimination at work. Employee engagement: Inclusiveness a work environment defined by trust and involvement is closely related to employee engagement. Engaged employees are more likely to report that their company cares about employees as individuals and values diverse ideas. How To Improve DEIB Measurement Tools As the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in history joins the workforce and our country engages in complex conversations about injustice, bias, privilege and opportunity, its our responsibility as business leaders to build and grow effective DEIB initiatives. Like everything else we do in business, DEIB efforts rely on continuous measurement and improvement. We must give managers insights and recommendations that align with their teams unique drivers, and must provide HR and executives with a deeper understanding of what drives employee success. However, existing measurement solutions dont go as deep as they should. We need to improve measurement in a few key areas to build trust with employees: Employee data privacy: Confidential, anonymous survey tools are crucial for gathering honest feedback from employees. No one will speak up and suggest improvements if they fear blowback from their superiors. Intersectional analytics: We are all more complex than a series of checkboxes. Intersectional analytics take into account the overlapping factors that influence who we are, such as: age, race, gender identity, sexuality, ability, education, religion, socioeconomic background, political views, etc. Personalized learning paths: We all have unconscious bias based on our upbringing and experiences. Personalized learning paths help identify these biases and break down barriers for individuals by developing understanding about how other groups of people may feel, act and believe. Three Steps To Take Now To Improve DEIB Though we dont yet have the ideal software for measuring the effectiveness of DEIB initiatives, we can still make progress with the tools available to us now. Here are three steps you can take in your company. 1. Create measurable DEIB goals. Bring in external educators and experts to lead workshops and help you navigate difficult conversations. Sessions can cover topics like how to be a better ally, respecting pronouns at work or understanding microagressions. As a team, work to identify challenges and develop specific, measurable goals for improvement. For example: In the next year, we will increase the number of Black employees in senior leadership by 5%, invest $10 million toward initiatives focused on ending racial injustice and require all employees to attend diversity and inclusion training. 2. Use employee experience (EX) tools. Adopt EX tools that allow you to collect and analyze employee data from onboarding to offboarding. Get a better understanding of what the employee experience is like in your company so you can make workplace improvements. 3. Create a safe space for open discussions. Support DEIB initiatives from the CEO on down, making it your goal to build DEIB initiatives into the DNA of your company. Create a diversity and inclusion council or committee, led by a senior executive and open to every employee, that is a safe place for employees to talk about issues without fear of negative consequences. Empower them to set priorities, bring up problems and decide how to allocate resources. One of the mistakes that a lot of companies make is only focusing on the diversity part of DEIB and neglecting the equity, inclusion and belonging components. A diverse and inclusive company isnt just focused on talent acquisition. You can hire a diverse team, but if you dont take the steps to make sure they feel seen, heard and included, they will leave. Focus on the full DEIB package, and implement measurable actions that will benefit your entire organization. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/05/27/how-can-we-better-measure-the-impact-of-workplace-diversity-and-inclusion/
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Did Rangers of the New Republic Plans Change Because of Gina Caranos Firing?
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Today, we commemorate a franchise that is loved unconditionally. From the biggest disasters (Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Rise of Skywalker) to the biggest wins (Empire Strikes Back, Rogue One, The Mandalorian), Star Wars has been the one franchise whose highest highs make it simply impossible for us to quit. The Original Trilogy is, and always will be, regarded as one of the greatest film sagas of all time. Anyway, in between every big budget live action epic in the saga of this galaxy far, far away lies, perhaps, one of the most underrated highs the franchise has ever seen. The unsung hero of Star Wars, Dave Filonis Animated Universe, or The Filoniverse (for the purposes of this review, well use the phrase to collectively refer only to the first two animated projects, even though The Mandalorian and Resistance are also part of it, and Mando is amazing).
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2258112130736/did-rangers-of-the-new-republic-plans-change-because-of-gina-carano-s-firing
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Is the Energy Sector Ready for the Next Big Change?
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The challenges for the global energy industry appear far from over. The year 2021 brought some optimism for the sector when crude oil prices breached US$65 a barrel after plunging into negative territory last year. However, as Big Oil executives were busy streamlining their operations amid the pandemic this year, the recent International Energy Agency (IAE) report has put forth an even bolder task for them. The energy sector and the net-zero emission target According to IEA, the world will not need new oil and gas projects beyond what we have currently to reach the net-zero emission target by 2050. For those who are unaware, net-zero emission means to even out the greenhouse gas produced with a similar amount of greenhouse gas removed from the atmosphere. The report suggests that all the new investments in the energy sector should be made in the form of renewables and alternative fuels. Canadian energy titan Suncor Energy (TSX:SU)(NYSE:SU) aims to trim its greenhouse gas emissions by a third by 2030. It will rely on carbon capture technology and is building a wind farm to achieve the target. Many oil majors, including Suncor, have been reluctant to increase their production targets this year, despite the optimism in the energy markets. They intend to focus on improving their balance sheet strength and replenish the dividend cuts of the pandemic era. Canadas biggest oil sands producer Suncor Energy will produce around 760,000 barrels per day in 2021, lower than its 2019 levels. Like Suncor, many big oil companies do not look eager to raise their production for the next few years. The clampdown on energy supply is coming at a crucial time when the demand is expected to soar post-pandemic. The 10 Best Stocks to Buy This Month Click here to learn more! The oil and gas industry leads to major GHG emissions The energy sector generates around 75% of total greenhouse gas emissions today. Coal, oil, and gas still form the major sources of global power generation. While renewable energy and electric cars have been there for decades, their market reception has been insignificant. The IEAs recent aggressive approach has received support as well as equal criticism. However, if seriously followed by all the stakeholders, the move could lead to higher corporate investments in the renewables space. This, in turn, will make them more cost effective, ultimately leading to favourable economics. However, the transformation from fossil fuels to clean energy will not be all that smooth. Indeed, it poses several critical challenges like energy security and the extraordinary demand for metals needed for clean energy. Suncor Energys aggressive target to reduce emissions will likely force its peers to follow suit. Canadas third-largest energy company, Imperial Oil, announced last year that it has achieved a 20% greenhouse gas reduction since 2013. It aims to reduce further 10% by 2023. The Dutch court recently ruled that Royal Dutch Shells plan to reduce emissions by 20% by 2030 is not sufficient. The court slapped a new target of reducing emissions by 45% by the end of the decade. Bottom line Interestingly, the energy sector has been the top performer in the market, more than doubling since last year. However, if you are an ultra-long-term investor in oil and gas, you may have to reconsider. The pivotal point where the world moves from fossil fuels to alternatives could be nearby.
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https://www.fool.ca/2021/05/27/is-the-energy-sector-ready-for-the-next-big-change/
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Does refusing the Corona vaccine show a lack of solidarity?
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LifeSiteNews has been permanently banned on YouTube. Click HERE to sign up to receive emails when we add to our video library. May 27, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) A few facts and considerations should answer this question and help people to make a well-founded, personal decision. At present February 2021 numerous people are confronted with the choice of whether they should take the vaccination or not. Vaccine doses are being produced in the millions worldwide, and the vaccination programs are up and running. Unfortunately, reports are also increasing of, in some cases, very serious side effects. These will certainly have to be checked, but in any case, they are at present (still) being ignored by those responsible. The media report that a return to normality is only possible with the vaccine, [1] which would then also be effective against possible mutations. Due to this situation, physicians, biologists, bio-technicians, psychologists and psychiatrists,[2] radiologists, ethicists, moral theologians, forensic medical experts and lawyers, clergy, exorcists, politicians, police are becoming concerned. At the same time it is astonishing how many reasonable people present completely different opinions. While the official mass media in various countries are urgently promoting the vaccination, the divergent opinions of specialists are being trivialized and often deleted from the Internet (YouTube, Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook and others); moreover people conduct themselves based on distorted data. [3] Already at the beginning of the corona crisis, the infection and death rate statistics were conveyed cumulatively and without reference to population sizes to cause a sensation.[4] Official dispatches only give numbers of cases, not percentages, which would show the actual ratio of positive-tested people to the complete population. There is also no distinction between infected, ill and healthy individuals who were mistakenly tested as positive. Despite its dubiousness, which was discovered in the meantime,[5] the PCR test has become the pivotal point of the pandemic [6] and thus the basis for the worldwide vaccination campaign. All this makes an open and factual discussion among independent specialists practically impossible. [7] Some are already considering the extent to which the vaccination should become an obligation: In Spain a list is being compiled of people who have refused a voluntary vaccination; [8] in England, U.K. officials are considering sending council staff to talk with those who reject the vaccinations [9] and one already hears about vaccination passes [10] with ones passport for every activity, about a medical treatment code and privileges for the vaccinated. [11] While one person waits for the vaccination like the Hebrews for manna; [12] others are afraid of it. A not unfounded fear is even arising that vaccine refuseniks could be vaccinated with the PCR-test without their knowledge. 1. An array of epidemiologists, microbiologists and other experts believe: No. Considering the statistics which are not presented to the public, a full 40 to 50 percent of the COVID-19 infections occur practically without symptoms in Europe, so that it is not even noticed by the party concerned. Thirty to 40 percent of the infected people have no serious symptoms. That means that 80 to 90 percent of the SARS-CoV-2-positive people overcome the infection without becoming seriously ill. Their own physical immune system manages to fight against the virus effectively. Infections with corona viruses are the drops which [] almost only for people with already existing ailments bring the barrel to overflowing. [14] It therefore follows: Instead of vaccinating millions and billions of people, including children, one should rather strengthen and regulate their immune system. This occurs through a healthy lifestyle (fresh air, regular exercise, [15] a balanced diet, an adequate vitamin supply [16] and the return to a normal social, cultural and religious [17] life. Together with the strengthening of the physical, psychological and mental condition of the people, their natural defenses also increase. [18] Of course taking normal, reasonable measures is not to be neglected, as are necessary for every annual flu wave. As studies from the Tel Aviv Souasky Medical Center show, the effective regulation of the immune system plays a key role even in the recovery of COVID-19 patients! The calming of the immune system by CD24-enriched exosomes led to the recovery of 29 out of 30 COVID victims within a few days. [19] 2. The Austrian microbiologist Clemens Arvay, author of two books on the Corona problem, [20] as well as the molecular biologist Paul Cullen, MD, Professor of Laboratory Medicine at the Westphalian Wilhelm University of Mnster, show in their scientific studies that an immunization against COVID-19 is generally problematic: Earlier attempts to develop vaccines against Corona viruses failed. Vaccines against some of these viruses led to adverse effects so that with immunized cats, the probability that the illness would develop increased rather than decreased. For that reason the tests of the Corona viruses SARS and MERS had to be discontinued. [21]The mRNA vaccines developed against these corona viruses not only failed to show long-term effectiveness, but also led to auto-immune reactions in the lung tissue, so that they did not satisfy the criteria for clinical testing. [22] According to P. Cullen the SARS-CoV-2 virus is not especially suited as a candidate for a mass vaccination for other reasons as well: The virus is mutation-prone which may limit the immunogenicity of the vaccine ... In addition, following an infection the level of antibody seems to decrease rapidly; following vaccination, this decrease is even more likely. [23] The immunologist Prof. S. Bhakdi, MD, is convinced that a vaccine against the Corona virus will never be successfully developed. [24] 3. A requirement of the approval process. The reliability of a vaccine absolutely requires an attentive testing of its effectiveness and its possible positive and negative effects. Throughout the three clinical phases, with the compulsory pauses in between, it must be shown that this vaccine saves lives and that it has no dangerous side-effects. Genetic vaccines. The most popular are genetic vaccines, thus RNA-vaccines, DNA-vaccines, and viral vector vaccines, in which some laboratory-manipulated genetic information is inserted to our organism. Genetic vaccines do not bring a part of the virus into our bodies, but rather parts of the hereditary-information about a virus. In this way the genetic processes in our cells are manipulated so that they form a virus-part, in this case SARS-CoV-2 this is done with the purpose of our immune system producing anti-bodies. [25] The WHO places the viral vector vaccines produced in Oxford at the top of its list of favorites (e.g. those from the companies AstraZeneca and Vaccitech). Their investor is one of the founders of Microsoft, Bill Gates, the big sponsor of WHO. Before the autumn of 2020, 80 million doses of this material were ordered in Germany; six million doses were ordered in Austria. It is also widespread in Italy, the Netherlands, France and other countries. [26] No Gene-based vaccine is a normal vaccine. There are fears that they can cause genetic changes in human cells. [27] People who were vaccinated with it only once, can no longer eliminate this material from their organism. It is passed on from generation to generation. Its long-term effects and delayed side-effects are unknown. They were never used on people, only on animals. [28] At least ten years of testing required! Normally before the approval of a vaccine, three clinical phases with corresponding pauses in between, must be successfully completed; this testing lasts from 8 to 12 years (so far the world record for the approval process has been 5 years). For testing completely new genetic materials, at least ten years are needed. The prestigious German Epidemiologist of infectious diseases, Prof. Sucharid Bhakdi, MD, and Prof. Carina Reiss believe that the testing of the Corona vaccine is not even feasible. The mortality rate from COVID-19 itself (without previous medical conditions) is so low [29] that one has to test such a large quantity of people in order to be able to see the effectiveness of the material, that it makes any test impossible. [30] Accelerating the testing. In April, 2020, the sponsor of the clinical testing of the vaccination candidates, Bill Gates, had already suggested a drastic acceleration of the testing sequence: The approval stages were pressed together (telescoping); for this reason the usual waiting periods are not kept. [31] The favored, so-called Oxford vaccine was tested on 544 people without, however, considering all the risk groups. [32] One of the currently most important geneticists, William Haseltine, commented on this situation: Telescoping testing timelines and approvals may expose all of us to unnecessary dangers related to the vaccine. [] The US alone plans to vaccinate hundreds of millions of people with the first successful candidate. One serious adverse event per thousand of a vaccine given to 100 million people means harm to 100,000 otherwise healthy people. [33] Prof. Paul Cullen is of the same opinion: In a car, it is more important to have good brakes than a motor that runs perfectly. In analogous fashion, with a vaccine it is more important to completely characterize the side-effect profile than to exactly measure its immunogenicity. This is why the third phase of clinical testing is by far the most important, the most complicated and thus the most expensive. The extreme shortening of this phase that we have seen with the COVID-19 vaccines is unique and highly questionable, particularly in view of the fact that novel types of vaccine are being employed, the effects of which have not been adequately characterized in humans. [34] The inadequate testing period also applies to all the other introduced Corona vaccines (e.g. Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Sputnik V, CureVac, Inovio Pharmaceuticals and others). It makes the tests altogether unreliable. [35] The inadequate testing of the new vaccines is, in fact, the basic problem. Especially conspicuous is the flagrant contradiction: While genetically manipulated foodstuffs are strongly criticized, genetic experiments on humanity are promoted on a massive scale. Despite warnings by, among others, well-known American geneticists, in the course of a few months people will be offered vaccines prepared in rushed procedures. [36] In these circumstances their use looks like an experiment on human beings. [37] The results of the carried-out tests were disregarded: Apes on which the vaccine was tested could still be infected and spread the infection. [38] This shows that the immunization is inadequate for preventing a new contagion and spread of the infection, even in a vaccinated person. [39] It is important to know these results in order not to be manipulated by psychological and moral pressure through sayings such as, If you love your fellow human beings, when you want to be responsible, supportive and not egoistic, then you must let yourself be inoculated. [40] This argument has no basis. In as many as 70 percent of experimentees, the Oxford vaccine produced symptoms which could lead to sick leave (exhaustion, malaise, headaches, backaches, chills, fever), but especially dangerous is the neutropenia (pathological changes in the blood: heavy reduction of white blood cells) found in 46 percent of the participants. [41] The biologist Clemens Arvay has warned the Austrian and German Ministers of Health that they would expose the population to a considerable risk through mass inoculations and with the use of this vaccine they should reckon with 70 percent of vaccinated people being sent into sick leave. Even rare side-effects will multiply by its use on millions and billions of people. [42] The official protocol of the investigation of the vaccine-duo Pfizer and BioNTech reports that out of more than 7,000 vaccinated people, not more than one person benefited from its effect (in that the vaccine prevented a serious Corona infection in this individual), while over 84 percent of the experimentees, especially younger people, showed more or less heavy reactions to the vaccine; participants in the second dose reported, partly heavy impairments in their daily routine. [43] Fears of the Scientists. Specialists fear that grave longer-term complications and a delayed massive effect of the genetic vaccines could be enormous. They could change the gene sequences of people and corrupt them. The viruses, which under the vaccines influence are produced in the organism as an antivirus, could continue multiplying, could even intensify the infection in some people [44] and cause the destruction of the immune system of the vaccinated, by which they would be susceptible to numerous virulent infections. As a possible side effect, the deactivation of the anti-carcinogenic DNA-sequences and a life-threatening activation of oncogenes can occur, thus leading to an increased risk of tumors, autoimmune reactions, infertility in women and men and an earlier death, especially among older people. [45] A vaccination against COVID-19 is most probably more dangerous than the disease itself. [46] An example: After administering the inadequately tested vaccines against the swine flu, numerous children in Scandinavia developed narcolepsy (a neurological disorder in the regulation of sleep and being awake). The governments (e.g., in Sweden) pay damages to the victims of the untested vaccines. They suffer from permanent disorders up to the present day. Prof. P. Cullen reminds us, we know that after a natural COVID-19 infection the antibody level falls off after two to three months. At present, we cannot say if this is associated with a decrease in immunity. Should that be the case, it could mean that vaccination will have to be repeated at short regular intervals. [48] Side-effects and cases of death. Already after one week of mass vaccinations, complications occurred in thousands of cases in various countries. On 19 December 2020, Dr. Thomas Clark of the U.S. public health institute Centers for Disease Control reported that as of 18 December 2020, among the 112,807 people in the U.K. who received a first Covid-19 vaccine dose, 3,150 serious side-effects were reported (unable to perform normal daily activities, unable to work, required care from a doctor or health care professional). [49] In Norway, in the wake of the vaccinations (BioNTech/Pfizer), grave side-effects and 29 deaths occurred among the frail, older patients; as a result the health authorities changed their vaccine recommendations. [50] We hear similar accounts of deaths occurring in retirement homes and outpatient care centers in Sweden. [51] A large wave of deaths (53 dead after the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination) happened within a few days in Gibraltar. [52] A report has come from France that 50 to 70 percent of health care workers experienced severe side effects after being vaccinated with AstraZeneca. [53] In various countries a connection between the deaths of caregivers and the inoculation, which they had received shortly before, is being investigated and discussed. [54] In Italy since the beginning of this year four people died of cardiac arrest after a COVID-19 inoculation. All of them had worked in health care, were in good health themselves, and younger than 50. [55] On 18 February, a lawyer, Dr. Renate Holzeisen, started an elaborately reasoned lawsuit on behalf of her clients directed against vaccine approval and the shortened approval process. It was submitted to the Court of Justice for the European Union (CJEU). [56] Article continues below Petition Show Petition Text 0 have signed the petition. Let's get to 1 ! Thank you for signing this petition! Add your signature: Show Petition Text Country... State... Sign this Petition Country... State... Sign this Petition Hide Petition Text Sign this Petition In Germany [57] and Spain [58] numerous Corona illnesses have been reported among vaccinated people after the first vaccine dose was administered. These broke out in retirement homes where until then no cases of the disease had been reported. Similar situations have also become known in other countries. [59] In the USA some patients who had received a Covid vaccine developed a rare blood disease which in some cases resulted in death [60] Countries with the highest vaccination rates have higher death statistics than others. [61] According to a study by the University of Warwick, schools do not have a role in the spread of the Corona virus. [62] It is understandable that a majority of medical personnel in Saarland, Germany, did not want an vaccination with AstraZeneca. [63] India does not permit the BioNTech vaccine. [64] Despite the uncertainties shown even by the vaccine producers, the national government praises the vaccination for everyone, [65] making no distinctions in its publicity campaigns, advising politicians and dependent scientists, urging clinic and school directors to a vaccination for everybody. [66] Indeed there are growing tendencies to coercive vaccinations (especially in Israel due to inflated supply contracts with the producers) and suspicions of corruption. In the meantime the many calamitous consequences in numerous countries has led to international associations of experts. [67] Thus an international network of critical judges and state attorneys has been formed. In addition, on 19 February 2021 an international virtual conference publicly presented the current vaccination difficulty with experts from various fields of specialization. [68] Later it will be available on the Internet. (Participants included, for example, Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, [69] Dr. Leland Stillman, Pamela Acker, [70] Pam Popper, Dr. Eric Nepute, [71] Thomas Renz, Clay Clark, Rebecca Messall, Dr. Marissa Brand, [72] Dr. Pat Castle, Dr. Christina Parks, Brad Bergford, Kristen Meghan M.S. OSH, and Dr. Teresa Deisher). There are fears of serious injuries to health and cases of death due to unverified vaccines. [73] The question is what the reactogenicity (unwanted side-effects) will look like in the up-coming period. More to the point, these normally skyrocket after the second vaccination. [74] 4. [75] (1.) Extremely unethical vaccinations. In their two appeals to the president and the government of their country, a large group of Polish physicians and professors of medicine called the genetic vaccinations extremely unethical [76] due to their approval for use despite shortened testing phases and the possible unforeseeable, negative influences on the person. The unethical character of a half-finished and ineffective product, which may cause massive harm to ones health, is also emphasized by the expert for bio-medical ethics, Prof. Paul Cullen. [77] For him these vaccines are dubious for other reasons as well: (2.) The use of cell lines of aborted children. Especially problematic is the fact that several Corona vaccines were produced (e.g. AstraZeneca, Johnson&Johnson, Altimmune, Sputnik V {Gamaleya}, CanSino Biologics, ImmunityBio, NantKwest) or tested (e.g. Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna) by using the cell lines of aborted children. [78] According to a report in Science (June, 2020), cell lines derived from aborted fetuses were used for at least five of the Covid-19 vaccines. [79] The investigations by the biologist Pamela Acker, author of the book Vaccination: A Catholic Perspective (Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation, 2020) are shocking: The babies who were used for the development of the vaccine were born by Caesarian section and were still alive at the harvesting of the tissue! [80] The voice of the Vatican. The Note of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith of December 21st, 2020 [81] and the document Vaccine for all. 20 points for a fairer and healthier world, [82] which the Vatican Covid-19 Commission in cooperation with the Pontifical Academy for Life issued on December 29th, 2020, remain firm in their view that the killing of the unborn through abortion is and remains a grave evil. The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith emphasizes: It was ethically irresponsible to produce cell lines derived from abortion. It recommends all vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective [83] against SARS-CoV-2, especially for the poor countries. The use of vaccines derived from embryonic cell lines is labeled morally licit in situations of grave danger [84] when no other ethically acceptable vaccine is available. In this context the Vatican documents emphasize the difference between a direct and an indirect (material, passive, remote) participation in immoral actions. From this perspective the producer of such biological materials has greater responsibility than the recipient of the vaccines and medications. Of course Catholics should continue to show their clear rejection of abortion. The Note from the Vatican urgently appeals to researchers and pharmaceutical companies to produce, approve, distribute and offer ethically acceptable vaccines that do not create problems of conscience. [85] According to a statement of the Pontifical Academy for Life in the year 2017, [86] the cell lines currently used are very distant from the original abortions so that there is no longer any morally relevant cooperation between those who use the vaccines and the practice of voluntary abortion. The Academy somewhat overestimates the significance of chronological distance for its moral assessment, and it seems to lack knowledge that, for example, in China fetuses have been used for cell lines in recent times. In its 20 points, the Pontifical Academy for Life grapples with the main issue in point 13: it can be considered morally acceptable, under precise conditions, to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process. This is a matter of material passive cooperation (as opposed to formal cooperation), since it is indirect and remote. [87] Pope Francis, in his Urbi et Orbi address of December 25, 2020, urged, vaccines for all, especially for the most vulnerable and needy of all regions of the planet. [88] In his later statements he also criticized the refusal of the Corona vaccinations as a lack of solidarity. The Holy Father has also received the immunization against the Corona virus. [89] It is important to know that these statements and personal decisions of the Holy Father reflect a process of seeking and thinking in the face of a new challenge. They do not belong to the infallible pontifical teaching ex cathedra, in which the pope as the highest shepherd and teacher of the entire church, irrevocably decides what doctrine of faith and morals is to be kept by all Christians. [90] Neither can one label this as a binding pronouncement of the regular Church Magisterium specifically concerning the problematic vaccines. They are rather recommendations or admonitions. A consensus of bishops and church theologians would be an important indicator for a general obligation, but that is not at all the case for this issue. It is still valid that there must be no incentives to produce cell lines from aborted fetuses, thereby indirectly promoting abortions. Accepting the vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and must therefore be voluntary. However for the sake of the common good, a vaccination is to be recommended especially to protect the weakest and most exposed, when there are no other means to stop or even prevent the epidemic. [91] However the vaccinations were declared by ethics experts of the Vatican and by the Holy Father himself (in an interview for Italian Television Canale 5 (Tg5) on January 10, 2021), as ethically imperative. [92] The vaccinations were connected with the love of ones neighbor and the duty to pursue the common good. [93] A refused immunization could become a risk for others, especially for the poor. [94] There is still no obligation to have oneself vaccinated in the Vatican City State despite some restrictive regulations put into effect by the governorship, [95] which are being fiercely discussed. [96] Statements by an array bishops. On December 12, 2020, a group of bishops [97] issued a common declaration On the moral illicitness of the use of vaccines made from cells derived from aborted human fetuses. Starting with the absolute inviolability of human life (Christifideles laici, 38), the signers declared: The theological principle of material cooperation is certainly valid and may be applied to a whole host of cases (e.g. in paying taxes, the use of products made from slave labor, and so on). However, this principle can hardly be applied to the case of vaccines made from fetal cell lines. The unspeakable crime (cf. Vatican Council II, Gaudium et spes, 51) of abortion, which should be most resolutely rejected (cf. CCC 2268, 2270-2274), is so enormous that no participation of Catholics in this genocide (regardless of the circumstances, regardless of how remote) can be acceptable. Whoever knowingly and voluntarily receives such vaccines comes into a sort of linkage to the activity of the abortion industry, even if it is very remote: His body profits from the fruits of the murder. The ends must not justify the means. Health does not have an absolute value and is not a false god to which one can bring a sacrifice through inhuman fetal technologies, which are based on the killing of others. In the use of slain childrens cell lines as medical material, these bishops see a double violation of Gods holy Order of Creation: 1) through the abortion itself, 2) through the heinous business of marketing the remains of the abortion victims. The use of such vaccines strengthens the abortionists (thus the suppliers of the material) and also the vaccine manufacturers. The admittance of such vaccines according to the bishops would strengthen the enemies of the church and the increasingly apocalyptic character of the abortion industry while the last stronghold of resistance to abortion is weakened and the effort for total elimination of abortion is impaired. In this context it is important for Christians to remain attentive toward temptations, to which even the elect are exposed (cf. Mk. 13:22), and to give an unyielding testimony to the truth (cf. Phil. 2:15) unto martyrdom, [98] without succumbing to the pressure of governments and international bodies which promote such vaccines as one of their goals. In this case the Biblical maxim is especially important: abstain from all appearance of evil (I Thess. 5:12). For their declaration the bishops were advised by physicians and scientists from various countries; they also consulted numerous lay people: All of those consulted independent of age, nationality and profession unanimously and almost instinctively rejected the idea of a vaccine derived from the cell lines of aborted children; and again their unanimous response is a further demonstration of the strength of reason and the sensus fidei (the faith instinct among the faithful). [99] Numerous pro-life organizations similarly regard the vaccines acquired from the cell lines of aborted children as morally unacceptable. [100] They emphasize that the abortion mentality is reinforced by the use of such materials, because the killing of unborn children even appears as something useful. The pro-life activist Abby Johnson, former head of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, goes one step further. She also considers the vaccines which were tested on cells from the cell lines of aborted children as unacceptable. [101] The confederation of 28 independent pro-life organizations, The Personhood Alliance, takes the same uncompromising stance. The president of Personhood South Carolina, Dr. Matthew Clark, is convinced: Dehumanizing the unborn by every kind of use of their cell lines means working against Gods law and being pro-death instead of pro-life. [102] Worth considering is the contradiction: The political claim that there is complete freedom and no vaccination coercion and simultaneously the demand for vaccination passes for air travel or for certain professions and the mounting public pressure with the assertion, rejection means endangering others and showing in ones behavior a lack of solidarity. There are also rumors that CEOs are not having themselves vaccinated, and no liability is taken on by vaccine producers. 5. Nota Bene: A few facts One of the main sponsors of the vaccination lobby and industry is the multibillionaire Bill Gates. Together with his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, founded in the year 2000 and regarded as one of the most generous foundations in the world, he invested more than 20 billion dollars in vaccines in the past ten years. [103] Already in 2015 at a TED Conference, he warned about a new deadly infectious disease saying, If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, its most likely to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war. [104] Gates pointed out that somebody who wants to cause damage could engineer a virus; especially respiratory diseases he characterized as very scary. In 2016 his foundation invested 20 million dollars in the mRNA technology of Moderna. [105] In the late summer of 2019, when COVID-19 was not yet an issue, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation publicly emerged as investor in BioNTech. [106] In the context of COVID-19, the Microsoft founder said in a Fox News interview: It is fair to say, things wont go back to truly normal until we have a vaccine that weve gotten out to basically the entire world. [107] Bill Gates and his wife had actively promoted the millionfold pre-production of the not-yet-approved vaccine. [108] As Linda Gates herself confirmed, by their personal phone calls to governing leaders in various European countries regardless of the time of day, [109] they strongly influenced the worldwide dissemination of the inadequately tested, genetic vaccines. [110] Together with his wife, Bill Gates has been involved in programs for so-called population control, which should protect the earth from overpopulation. The Microsoft founder has declared that the world population should be strongly reduced. Therefore in 2012 the married couple Gates announced the investment of 450 million dollars into the development of new contraceptive technologies. In this way a subcutaneous contraceptive chip should be brought onto the market by 2018. With remote control and at low prices, it should bring the contraceptive ideology to Africa, Asia and Latin America. The chip should be implanted under the skin, have an operating life of sixteen years, and prevent new life in this period. [111] The married couple assists the spread of abortion (among other things by its sponsoring for the largest abortion lobby worldwide, Planned Parenthood). Above all their foundation mobilizes money and contacts in order to push through the killing of unborn children in poor countries. In this context Gates speaks of a great social engagement. [112] 6. From a generally accepted perspective: Do not narrow your field of vision. The Corona virus is a health risk which we have to take seriously, [113] but it is only one of many. [114] It must not move into the center of our life (and still less should it become the center of world medicine and politics). The number of illness which lead to death is very large! But especially: along with ones health there are numerous other inner and external values. Reduction of mutual resentment. Through the Corona problem many people have been placed under unreasonable pressure. The emerging aggression, connected with fear, contributes to creating a division in society, for instance tested/untested, vaccinated/unvaccinated. The Viennese psychiatrist Dr. Raphael Bonelli sees a great danger in this. [115] It is important that peopleexercising civil courageavoid mutual judgments and judgmental terms (such as conspiracy theory for every criticism of shortened approval processes for vaccines, etc.). My fellow citizen is free in his own decision and is entitled to have my respect and appreciation regardless of his preferences in the vaccination issue. Seizing the chance. In every crisis including the Corona crisis there is a chance. [116] Through the present crisis people are confronted with their deficiencies and life needs (also mental needs). They undergo an inner cleansing and verifying. The acceptance of the difficult situation as a challenge opens new possibilities of development and service. [117] Try to prevent obviously unjust and unreasonable repressions as much as possible. Caprice of the authorities, political imperiousness, prohibition of religious services, excessive penal ordinances and denunciation seem to be on the increase at present. [118] From a Christian perspective the question, What can I do? turns into the question, What does God expect of me? Those who place themselves spiritually into the hand of the Heavenly Father and allow themselves to be led and carried by his word they stand on the rock of faith (Matt. 7:25): protected, secure, free. Gods providence works in such a way that even ordeals will lead to blessings for us. The Corona turbulences have not gone out of control for our loving God! Even if my earthly house were destroyed, my true house is in heaven, where I am known, loved and expected. The certainty that God has already conquered evil and, that the Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph at the end, are also and especially true for today. Peace, which emanates from the hope in ones own heart, becomes a gift for others (mission, cf. I Pet. 3:15-16). The Spirit of gratitude and praise in every situation (I Thess. 5:18), the striving for unity in the family and the Christian community are the strongest medicine. From time immemorial the Eucharist above all else has been regarded as the medicina mentis et corporis, the medicine for soul and body. In the history of the Church Eucharistic adoration, pilgrimages, and processions have proven their effectiveness. This was sometimes completely self-evident in the most severe epidemics. The plague in Mailand caused the death of about one-third of the urban population. The governor fled to his country villa, but even there the pestilence caught him; St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) [119] supplied the stricken with medicines and foodstuffs and brought them the sacraments; he made the hygienic precautions stricter and admonished people: they must not fear, the plague contagion of the soul less than the plague of the body. After a single year, the danger was warded offin compete contrast to other cities. And there are many outstanding examples of trusting in God as opposed to widespread heathen fears. Thomas Aquinas points out the greater dangers of infecting the soul by heresies. [120] At present, reliable statistics make the prophesies of a killer virus and a large excess mortality appear as downright preposterous. If the questioners are honestly asking for advice with an inner openness, one can tell them what one has decided for oneself and the reasons which speak for this decision, without putting them under pressure to be of the same opinion. However, if they already know what they want and are only trying to provoke us, then it makes no sense to speak about the topic. Then it is better to pray for them. Editors note: This article, originally in German, was completed on the 22nd of February, 2021. The English Version was completed on the 17th of March, 2021. Prof. Johannes Stoehr ThD, Humboldtstr. 44, D-50676 Cologne, Germany Dr. Alfons Adam JD, Stoessing 32, A-3073 Stoessing, Austria Dr. Johann Wilde MD, Eichelhofstrasse 2/6/3, A-1160 Vienna, Austria Translated from German: Dr. William R. Gallagher PhD Footnotes: 1. Cf. Facts and Figures, Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, Vermont/London UK, September, 2020, 99 (Kindle edition); Clemens G. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser: Wie Umweltzerstrung die Corona-Pandemie auslste und warum kologische Medizin unsere Rettung ist, Bastei Lbbe / Quadriga, Cologne 2020 (Kindle-Edition), 20, 51, 139, 141-142, 204; Bayrischer Rundfunk (2020), RKI: Ohne Impfstoff keine Rckkehr zur Normalitt, https://www.br.de/nachrichten/deutschland-welt/rki-ohne-impfstoff-keine-rueckkehr-zur-normalitaet,RwmN6bN (viewed 10 Feb. 2021); sterreichischer Rundfunk (2020): CoVExperte: Rckkehr zu Normalitt hngt von Impfung ab, https://orf.at/stories/3162359/ (viewed 8 Feb. 2021); I. Bifarini, Il grande reset. Dalla pandemia alla nuova normalit, Phasar Edizioni, Firenze 2020; https://corona-ausschuss.de/dokumente/; https://corona-ausschuss.de/sitzungen/ (viewed 7 Feb. 2021). In the footnotes, the viewing-dates of on-line sources usually differ between the German version of this article and the English, since the translator into English checked the sources at a later date. Sometimes sources cited in the German article are replaced by English sources. This is done when an English version of the source exists, or when an English source is largely identical in content to the German (Translator's Note). 2. Berlin, 15 February, 2021: The survey results of the Deutsche Psychotherapeuten-Vereinigung (DPtV -German Psycho-therapist Association) among its members showed that the need for psycho-therapeutic counsel rose to an extreme degree in comparison to other years (in January by 41%, in private practices 61%) Paul Podolay, Ausschuss fr Gesundheit (Health Committee). 3. There are false results of testing positive, false Corona diagnoses (while simultaneously downplaying other illnesses), etc. Cf. K. Reiss, S. Bhakdi, Corona False Alarm?, 17ff., 120-121; Im LAUFPASS-Gesprch: Dr. Dietmar Benz, https://laufpass.com/gesellschaft/die-corona-datenlage-ist-eine-katastrophe-die-meisten-positiv-verstorbenen-weisen-andere-todesursachen-auf/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); B. Sprengel, Corona-Tote meist ber 80 Jahre alt, in: Flensburger Tageblatt 21.12.2020; A. Dey, Corona-Tote: weltweit einzigartige Untersuchung aus Hamburg, in: Hamburger Abendblatt 21.12.2020, https://www.abendblatt.de/ hamburg/article231193144/ corona-virus-hamburg-impfungen-dezember-todesfaelle-pandemie-biontech-infektionenAltenheime-Pflegeheime.html (viewed 8 Feb. 2021). 4. Prof. Andreas Snnichsen, M.D., Vorwort, in: C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 10. 5. Cf. the assessment of the PCR-Test signed by a group of 22 internationally renowned experts on 27 Nov. 2020: Review Report Corman-Drosten et al. Eurosurveillance 2020, https://cormandrostenreview.com/report/?fbclid=IwAR2CQxPzDZJmH52mwsQj9aer6AZt5c6Fo_YWjHQdBtB6PxVa1jGzdSo7ApI (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); cf. Wissenswertes zur Corona-Impfung, Mandelzweig, Berlin 2021, https://christen-im-widerstand.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Ciwi_Impflyer_A5_final_gr.pdf (viewed 22 Feb. 2021), 18-20. 6. Offener Brief an die Akademie der Wissenschaften Mainz von Prof. Dr. Thomas Aigner, https://respekt.plus/offener-brief-an-die-akademie-der-wissenschaften-mainz-von-prof-dr-thomas-aigner/ (viewed 7 Feb. 2021). 7. Are the academies not the keepers of uncorrupted science as well as the freedom of the sciences. Why is there no reaction from the academies when voices of qualified specialists (often of international standing), who articulate assessments which deviate from the unified narrative, which sometimes even diametrically contradict it when these scientists are repeatedly ignored, excluded, and yes, even defamed, censured, and deleted in social media in the past months? ib. 8. Cf. M. Meyer, Spanien fhrt Register mit Corona-Impfverweigerern ein, in: rztezeitung, https://www.aerztezeitung.de/Politik/Spanien-fuehrtRegister-mit-Corona-Impfverweigerern-ein-415962.html (viewed 9 Feb. 2021). 9. Cf. Steve Watson, https://summit.news/2021/02/08/report-uk-government-considering-knocking-on-doors-of-vaccine-refusniks/ (viewed 15 Feb. 2021). 10. Cf. https://www.waz.de/politik/corona-impfung-reisen-nachweis-impfpass-reisepass-einreise-id231489955.html (viewed 15. Feb. 2021); https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/120866/Schweden-will-bis-zum-Sommer-digitalen-Impfpass-einfuehren (viewed 15 Feb. 2021); https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/sweden-vaccine-passports-will-probably-be-required-for-shopping-eating-out-travel-meeting-loved-ones (viewed 15 Feb. 2021); Denmark: Protesters march against 'vaccine passport' in Copenhagen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOKtDu2LUHo (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 11. Cf. R. Bonelli, Zwang ist eine schlechte Lsung. Bei Testung wie bei Impfung?, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeCZZ5ZTb7s (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 12. Quotation from a letter. 13. Cf. Achtung Gem Johns Hopkins University knnen Impfverweigerer mittels PCR-Test geimpft werden! https://madmimi.com/s/7bace11 (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 14. Ergnzung: Immunitt gegen COVID-19, Berlin 2020, 9 (Not in English Kindle edition); cf. Zahlen, Daten und Hintergrnde, 116-119; W. Wodarg, Man will uns die Immunitt aberkennen!, https://www.wodarg.com/ (viewed 9 Feb. 2021); id., Risikoanalyse der Covid-19 Infektion; id., Interview im BITTEL TV: Kinderimpfung u. Corona Tests, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJaG8bA_Qdg (viewed 9 Feb. 2021). 15. The prestigious Swedish epidemiologist Johan Giesecke recommended to his countrymen, As much fresh air and activity as possible. K. Reiss, S. Bhakdi, Corona False Alarm?, 24 (Kindle edition). 16. Cf. U. Grber und Prof. H. Spitz, Vitamin D, A und C, Selen, Zink und Omega 3 bei Viralen Atemwegsinfekten, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcY44HDHz1E (viewed 22 Feb. 2021); Wissenswertes zur Corona-Impfung, https://christen-im-widerstand.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Ciwi_Impflyer_A5_final_gr.pdf (viewed 23 Feb. 2021), 28. 17. Cf. AC Wimmer, Only Frequent Church Attendees Avoided Downward Mental Health Trend in 2020 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/only-frequent-church-attendees-avoided-downward-mental-health-trend-in-2020-83426 (viewed 9 Feb. 2021). 18. On the contrary, life under constant stress, fear and pressure, economic insecurity and lack of exercise also ruins the immune system and exposes people to dangers of loneliness, impaired quality of life, psychological problems, emotional strain, heart attacks, strokes, educational deficits, loss of meaning in life, aggression, physical violence, thoughts and acts of suicide. Cf. Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie am AKH berfllt, ZIB 1, 27 Jan. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gqeIPirj1g (viewed 10 Feb. 2021); K. Reiss, S. Bhakdi, Corona False Alarm?, 73-86; C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 167ff; R. Bonelli, Zwang ist eine schlechte Lsung. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=fyX8QT0tKwo (viewed 10 Feb. 2021); Dr. Josef Thoma, Noch nie so viele Patienten mit Depressionen CORONA [PI POLITIK SPEZIAL] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0iQo-pmh8c&feature=youtu.be (viewed 10 Feb. 2021). 19. Cf. https://www.jpost.com/health-science/tel-aviv-hospital-cures-29-of-30-covid-19-patients-in-days-it-says-658024 (viewed 15 Feb. 2021). 20. Wirkungsweisen, Schutz und Nebenwirkungen der Hoffnungstrger, came out in February, 2021. 21. Cf. C. Arvay, Genetische Impfstoffe gegen COVID-19: Hoffnung oder Risiko?, in: Schweizerische rztezeitung, https://saez.ch/article/doi/saez.2020.18982 (viewed 10 Feb. 2021); id., Wir knnen es besser, 139, 143, 158; Interview with the German toxikologist und immunologist Prof. Stefan Hockertz on the vaccine question, https://clubderklarenworte.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Neue-Impfstrategie-Transkript-.pdf (viewed 10 Feb. 2021). 22. Prof. Paul Cullen, MD, Probleme der Massenimpfung gegen SARS-CoV-2, https://www.tichyseinblick.de/gastbeitrag/massenimpfung-gegen-sars-cov-2/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 23. Ib. 24. Cf. Ergnzung: Immunitt gegen COVID-19, 15 (not in English Kindle); Sucharit Bhakdi: CoronaImpfstoff ist zum Scheitern verurteilt!, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sogphrBrRDo (viewed 15 Feb. 2021). 25. Cf. C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 146-148. 26. Cf. ib., Biologe analysiert mgliche Gefahren der Corona-Impfung! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv6tzWfDK-w (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 27. Prof. Dr. S. Hockertz notes, This is about a vaccine which for the first time in human history changes the genome of the person. Interview with the German toxikologist und immunologist Prof. Stefan Hockertz on the vaccine question, https://clubderklareanworte.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Neue-Impfstrategie-Transkript-.pdf, p. 25. 28. Cf. ib. ; Prof. Bhakdi: Impf-Nebenwirkungen sind nicht vorhersehbar, in Radio Mnchen. Kultur und alles, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wJQrkwlptA (viewed 10 Feb. 2021). 29. Cf. id., Schtzt eure Kinder sonst werdet ihr es bereuen, https://www.bitchute.com/video/vKALXR1nA5rx/ (viewed 15 Feb. 2021); Wissenswertes zur Corona-Impfung, https://christen-im-widerstand.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Ciwi_Impflyer_A5_final_gr.pdf (viewed 23 Feb. 2021) 31-33; According to John Hopkins University more than 91 million people worldwide have become infected with the SARS-CoV-2-virus up to January[, 2021]. In the same period more than 1.9 million people died of and with COVID-19. Following this, the worldwide lethality rate amounts to 2.1 percent. By comparison, in the SARS epidemic of 2002 the lethality rate amounted to 9.6 percent and in the MERS epidemic of 2012 it was 34.4. For the 2009 swine flu triggered by the H1N1 virus, the lethality rate was 0.02 percent. It is clear that with a lethality rate of 2.1 percent, the risk of becoming seriously or even mortally ill from Covid-19 is obviously not equally high for everyone S. Rehder, Mssen wir uns impfen lassen?, Die Tagespost, 21 Jan. 2021, https://www.die-tagespost.de/leben/glauben-wissen/muessenwir-uns-impfen-lassen;art4886,215327 (viewed 10 Feb. 2021). 30. Cf. Sucharit Bhakdi: Corona-Impfstoff ist zum Scheitern verurteilt! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sogphrBrRDo (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); K. Reiss, S. Bhakdi, Corona False Alarm?, 107-112. 31. Cf. C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 151; cf. ib., 141; 152. 32. Cf. id., Biologe analysiert mgliche Gefahren der Corona-Impfung! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= Pv6tzWfDK-w (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 33. W. A. Haseltine (2020), The risks of rushing a COVID-19 vaccine, in Scientific American, 22 June 2020, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-risks-of-rushing-a-covid-19-vaccine/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 34. P. Cullen, Probleme der Massenimpfung gegen SARS-CoV-2, https://www.tichyseinblick.de/gastbeitrag/massenimpfung-gegen-sars-cov-2/; Every curtailment of the subsequent testing stages is associated with a higher risk of side-effects and a limited assessment of immunogenicity ib. (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 35. Cf. Clemens Arvay, Biologe enthllt massive Gefahren der Corona-Impfung, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlR8eOaEExM, (viewed 22 Feb. 2021). 36. Cf. Id., Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 155f. 37. Cf. Ergnzung: Immunitt gegen COVID-19, 18. 38. Not really, in Forbes, 16 May 2020, https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2020/05/16/did-the-oxford-covid-vaccine-work-in-monkeys-not-really/?sh=4756dc043c71 (viewed 17.02.2021); C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 151. 39. Cf. https://www.wochenblick.at/impfstoff-zulassungsprotokoll-beschreibt-lebensbedrohliche-nebenwirkungen/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 40. In Poland an additional argument is made, If you are a patriot (a true citizen) . 41. Cf. P. Cullen, Probleme der Massenimpfung gegen SARS-CoV-2, https://www.tichyseinblick.de/gastbeitrag/massenimpfung-gegen-sars-cov-2/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); Fabian Schmidt, COVID-19: Schwierige Abwgungen bei der Entwicklung von Impfstoffen, https://www.dw.com/de/covid-19-schwierige-abw%C3%A4gungen-bei-der-entwicklung-von-impfstoffen/a-55123033 (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); Clemens Arvay, Biologe analysiert mgliche Gefahren der Corona-Impfung, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= Pv6tzWfDK-w (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); id., Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 152-155. 42. Cf. ib., 140; also id., Biologe enthllt massive Gefahren der Corona-Impfung, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlR8eOaEExM, (viewed 22 Feb. 2021). 43. DM, Wochenblick, 4 Jan. 2021, https://www.wochenblick.at/impfstoff-zulassungsprotokoll-beschreibt-lebensbedrohliche-nebenwirkungen/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). Even those who are vaccinated can still remain carriers of the infection to other people RKI, COVID-19 und Impfen: Antworten auf hufig gestellte Fragen, https://www.rki.de/SharedDocs/FAQ/COVID-Impfen/gesamt.html; quoted in Wissenswertes zur Corona-Impfung, https://christen-im-widerstand.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Ciwi_Impflyer_A5_final_gr.pdf (viewed 23 Feb. 2021), 13. 44. Cf. A. Haseltine, The risks of rushing a COVID-19 vaccine, in: Scientific American, 22 June 2020, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-risks-of-rushing-a-covid-19-vaccine/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 45. Cf. W. Wodarg, Impfung ist ein neuartiger gen-technischer Eingriff mit minimalem Nutzen aber maximalem Risiko, https://www.wodarg.com/impfen/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); P. Doshi, Neue Bedenken ber die berichteten Wirksamkeitsergebnisse der COVID-19-Impfstoffstudien, ib. Uno studio getta ombre, https://www.lanuovabq.it/it/fertilita-a-rischio-coi-vaccini-uno-studio-getta-ombre (viewed 31 Jan. 2021); C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 154-161; Prof. Bhakdi: Der Corona mRNA-Impfstoff ist gefhrlich! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NqPJL_BpFY (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). Cf. also studies by Prof. R. Zielinski with 40 years of practice in the field of genetics Prof. zw. dr hab. Roman Zieliski o szczepionce genetycznej Pfizera i testach PCR, https://stolikwolnosci.pl/wywiad-z-prof-romanem-zielinskim/?fbclid=IwAR3lZXHi1bfBKns-jqGN2ERpEwfI47HtwKkYEsbdAM3TFIJQw0duD0SFxQk (viewed 2 Jan 2021). 46. Cf. DM, Wochenblick, https://www.wochenblick.at/impfstoff-zulassungsprotokoll-beschreibt-lebensbedrohliche-nebenwirkungen/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); Pamela Acker interview, The unborn babies used for vaccine development were alive at tissue extraction: The origin of the abortion-tainted vaccines will sicken you, https://www.lifesitenews.com/ blogs/ the-unborn-babies-used-for-vaccine-development-were-alive-at-tissue-extraction (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 47. Cf. Jrgen Salz, https://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/industrie/vorschnelle-impfstoff-zulassung-wie-war-das-damals-bei-der-schweinegrippe/26721486.html (viewed 22 Feb. 2021); https://www.pei.de/DE/newsroom/veroffentlichungen-arzneimittel/sicherheitsinformationen-human/narkolepsie/narkolepsie-studien-europa.html;jsessionid=2C258ADB5A1C30E45478BBBD2F39FED0.intranet222?nn=170518#doc170114bodyText1 (viewed 22 Feb. 2021); Riskante Impf-Experimente. Dr. Wodarg und Dr. Yeadon beantragen den Stopp smtlicher Corona-Impfstudien und rufen zum Mitzeichnen der Petition auf, https://www.wodarg.com/impfen/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021); P. Cullen, Probleme der Massenimpfung gegen SARS-CoV-2, https://www.tichyseinblick.de/gastbeitrag/massenimpfung-gegen-sars-cov-2/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 48. Ib. 49. Thomas Clark, MD, MPH, Anaphylaxis Following m-RNA COVID-19 Vaccine Receipt, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2020-12/slides-12-19/05-COVID-CLARK.pdf (viewed 22 Feb. 2021). 50. Cf. https://deutsche-wirtschafts-nachrichten.de/508937/Norwegen-Anzahl-der-Toten-nach-Corona-Impfung-steigt-von-23-auf-29 (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 51. Cf. https://2020news.de/auch-in-schweden-sterben-die-alten-menschen-nach-der-impfung/ (viewed 14 Feb. 2021). 52. B. Shilhavy, https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/53-dead-in-gibraltar-in-10-days-after-experimental-pfizer-mrna-covid-injections-started/ (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). This explosion in Covid death statistics confirms a conjecture, which is also becoming increasingly obtrusive in England, that the increased incidents of death at present (or at least a significant portion of them) do not at all concern Covid victims of the second wave, but rather deaths due to the vaccinations. they are being relabeled as dying of Covid in order to continue to constantly perpetuate scaremongering and lockdowns. D.M., https://www.wochenblick.at/ein-massaker-53-tote-in-gibraltar-seit-beginn-der-impfungen/ (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 53. Cf. https://unser-mitteleuropa.com/frankreich-50-70-der-mit-astrazeneca-geimpften-pfleger-mit-schweren-nebenwirkungen/ (viewed 18.02.2021); https://charismatismus.wordpress.com/2021/02/18/50-bis-70-per-astrazeneca-geimpfter-pfleger-erlebten-schwere-nebenwirkungen/ (viewed 18.02.2021). 54. Cf. the Italian article, https://www.secondopianonews.it/news/cronaca/2021/01/27/un-altro-infermiere-muore-nel-sonno-infarto-aveva-fatto-la-seconda-dose-di-vaccino.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021); L. Wienand, https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/id_89330198/uelzen-behoerden-untersuchen-tod-von-pflegekraft-nach-corona-impfung-.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021) This article has a death statistic for Germany from the start of the vaccinations up to January 17th, 2021. 55. K. Kirchweger, Schock in Italien: Bestrzende Serie von Todesfllen nach Corona-Impfung, https://www.wochenblick.at/schock-in-italien-bestuerzende-serie-von-todesfaellen-nach-corona-impfung/ (viewed 11.02.2021). 56. Cf. The Epoch Times, Interview with Renate Holzeisen, https://www.epochtimes.de/politik/deutschland/nicht-abschaetzbare-risiken-anwaeltin-reicht-nichtigkeitsklage-gegen-impfzulassung-beim-eugh-ein-a3452003.html?fbclid=IwAR1qdoEeCSzCsnrHRc8TsvCP9OllrcgbauPeu4sAH7BbMwhwpE_hQM3GAxY (viewed 27 Feb. 2021 supplementary footnote of the translator). 57. In Germany 113 people died after the vaccination against the corona virus, https://philosophia-perennis.com/2021/02/11/deutschland-bereits-113-menschen-nach-covid-impfung-verstorben/; Corona-Ausbruch in Pflegeheim in Itzstedt, https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/coronavirus/Nach-Impfungen-Corona-Ausbruch-in-Pflegeheim-in-Itzstedt,pflegeheim352.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021); Rdinghausen: Corona-Ausbruch in Seniorenheim nach Impfungen, https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/westfalen-lippe/corona-ausbruch-altenheim-roedinghausen-nach-impfung-100.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021); Corona-Ausbrche trotz erster Impfung in Dortmunder Altenheim, https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/dortmund/corona-ausbrueche-trotz-impfung-in-awo-altenheim-kirchlinde-plus-1592496.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). The district of Leer in northwestern Lower Saxony stopped the vaccinations with the AstraZeneca: vaccine: https://charismatismus.wordpress.com/category/causa-corona-virus-krise/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). In a retirement home in Berlin-Spandau a multitude of deaths and illnesses occurred among people who had tested negative for the virus; without the risks being explained beforehand. Uniformed soldiers were present: https://2020news.de/whistleblower-aus-berliner-altenheim-das-schreckliche-sterben-nach-der-impfung/ (viewed 12 Feb. 2021). 58. Cf. https://uncut-news.ch/tragoedie-in-spanien-761-aeltere-menschen-starben-in-einer-woche-in-pflegeheimen-die-meisten-von-ihnen-nachdem-sie-geimpft-worden-waren/ (viewed 18 Feb. 2021); https://uncut-news.ch/heimbewohner-in-spanien-nach-der-covid-19-impfung-ist-die-haelfte-der-bewohner-mit-corona-infiziert-regierung-muss-eingreifen/ (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 59. Cf. Tage nach erster Impfung erneut Corona-Ausbruch in Seniorenheim auf Mallorca, https://www.mallorcazeitung.es/lokales/2021/01/04/coronavirus-mallorca-ausbruch-seniorenheim-impfung/79819.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 60. Cf. A few Covid Vaccine Recipients Developed a Rare Blood Disorder, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/health/immune-thrombocytopenia-covid-vaccine-blood.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 61. Peter F. Mayer, https://tkp.at/2021/02/17/laender-mit-der-hoechsten-impfrate-haben-hoehere-sterbefaelle-als-andere/. 62. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.10.21251484v2 (viewed 27 Feb. 2021). 63. https://www.epochtimes.de/politik/deutschland/mediziner-impfung-im-saarland-54-prozent-kamen-nicht-gesundheitsministerin-veraergert-a3449604.html (viewed 10 Mar. 2021). FAZ: Mediziner-Mehrheit wnscht keine Impfung mit AstraZeneca: https://charismatismus.wordpress.com/2021/02/17/saarland-mediziner-mehrheit-wunscht-keine-impfung-mit-astrazeneca/ (viewed 10 Mar. 2021). At a senior center in Dudweiler, Saarland, all 75 vaccinated people became ill with Corona. Eleven of them died. 64. Cf. https://2020news.de/gefaehrlich-und-unwirksam-indien-laesst-biontech-impfstoff-nicht-zu/ (viewed 27 Feb. 2021). 65. Cf. the announcement of 19 Feb. 2021 in FAZ, p. 5, with its uncritical propaganda for the three permitted vaccines, fully concealing the hidden underlying problems. The propaganda was bought with vast amounts of tax money without the citizens exerting any possible influence over it. About 2.5 million first vaccinations were carried out in the first weeks; about 1.5 million have already received the second vaccination (as of 16 Feb. 2021). There are reputedly no serious side effects, only normal, which will disappear soon. 66. Cf. 2020 News, https://2020news.de/biontech-keine-impfempfehlung-fuer-alte-kranke-leute/ (viewed 28 Feb. 2021). 67. Cf. Corona-Ausschuss, 40. Sondersitzung: The Great Recall International: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-9mIzS-Gq0 (viewed 28 Feb. 2021). 68. Cf. https://www.lifesitenews.com/unmasking-vaccines/ (viewed 28 Feb. 2021). 69. Bishop A. Schneider desires a new worldwide pro-life initiative: The global pro-life movement must 'protest clearly and unambiguously against abortion-tainted medicines, against the abuse of the body parts of the unborn. He points to a fourfold crime: The first crime is the murder, the assassination, of the unborn child. Then there is the extraction of the cells its a crime, its horrible. And then there is the recycling of these body parts. And then there is the commercialization, and so on. And then there is the fabrication of medicines and the fabrication of the vaccines. These are all connected. You cannot separate them, he said. When you take this medicine in your body or this vaccine, you cannot say, Oh, all these evils disappear, and I am very far away [from them all]. This is not true. You are entering this chain. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-bishop-calls-for-new-pro-life-movement-to-protest-abortion-tainted-medicines-like-covid-vaccine (viewed 28 Feb. 2021). 70. Cf. fn. 80. 71. Dr. Nepute noted that the 17 approval criteria for an emergency use authorization (EUA) had not been fulfilled in the least. Data for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention show at least 653 deaths and 12,044 serious after-effects of Covid-19 vaccinations as of 4 Feb. 2021. Cf. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/vaers-injuries-covid-vaccine-cdc-data/ (viewed 1 Mar. 2021); See also https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html (viewed 1 Mar. 2021), which is regularly updated. The CDC denies any connection between the inoculations and the deaths. 72. M. Brand reviewed numerous vaccines, some of which were derived from fetal cell lines from the year 2015. She detected a relationship between vaccinations and autism. 73. Cf. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/doctors-expose-untested-covid-vaccines-warn-of-cascade-of-harmful-effects-and-deaths (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 74. Cf. C. Arvay, Impfstoff-Update, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbKXuEzW1CU (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 75. S. Kummer published an ethical viewpoint on the question of production (12 Jan. 2021) https://www.imabe.org/imabeinfos/covid-19-impfstoffe-ethische-stellungnahme-zu-fragen-der-herstellung (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). Cf. Rafael Serrano, Covid-19: Ist es legal, alte Schwangerschaftsabbrche zur Herstellung von Impfstoffen zu verwenden?, Aceprensa, 15. June 2020, https://www.collationes.org/recurso/22/491/covid-19-es-licito-aprovechar-abortos-antiguos-para-fabricar-vacunas (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 76. Apel naukowcw i lekarzy w sprawie szczepie na SARS-COV-2, in http://apelnaukowcowilekarzy.pl/?fbclid=IwAR2-EpaFPvPkq_5VAAgPcgzlhI4usQ-Rw6AOmgbUWJrmL9sMP_Emdg6AERk (viewed 6 Jan. 2021); Drugi Apel naukowcw i lekarzy w sprawie szczepie na koronawirusa SARS-COV-2 i powrotu do normalnoci. List otwarty do Prezydenta i Rzdu RP, http://apelnaukowcowilekarzy.pl/drugi-apel-naukowcow-i-lekarzy-w-sprawie-szczepien-przeciw-covid-19.html (viewed 8 Feb. 2021); cf. P. Cullen, Probleme der Massenimpfung gegen SARS-CoV-2, https://www.tichyseinblick.de/gastbeitrag/massenimpfung-gegen-sars-cov-2/ (viewed 17 Feb. 2021) . 77. Ib. 78. For a list of such vaccines, see D. Prentice, COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates and Abortion-Derived Cell Lines, https://lozierinstitute.org/update-covid-19-vaccine-candidates-and-abortion-derived-cell-lines/ (viewed 18 Feb. 2021); S. Rehder, Dichtung und Wahrheit, in: Die Tagespost, 3. Dezember 2020, 5; cf. Piero Maresca, htps://www.lifesitenews.com/news/vaccine-specialist-details-which-shots-are-really-abortion-tainted (viewed 22 Feb. 2021). 79. M. Wadman, Abortion opponents protest COVID-19 vaccines use of fetal cells, https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/abortion-opponents-protest-covid-19-vaccines-use-fetal-cells (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 80. They will actually deliver these babies via cesarean section. The babies are still alive when the researchers start extracting the tissue; to the point where their heart is still beating, and theyre generally not given any anesthetic, because that would disrupt the cells that the researchers are trying to extract. So, theyre removing this tissue, all the while the baby is alive and in extreme amounts of pain. So, this makes it even more sadistic Interview with Pamela Acker, The unborn babies used for vaccine development were alive at tissue extraction: The origin of the abortion-tainted vaccines will sicken you, https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/the-unborn-babies-used-for-vaccine-development-were-alive-at-tissue-extraction (viewed 17 Feb. 2021). 81. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Note on the morality of using some anti-covid-19 vaccines, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20201221_nota-vaccini-anticovid_en.html (viewed 1 Mar. 2021), signed by Luis F. Card. Ladaria and S.E. Mons. Giacomo Morandi. 82. Vaccine for all. 20 points for a fairer and healthier world, by The Vatican Covid-19 Commission in collaboration with the Pontifical Academy for Life, https://www.preziosine.it/sps/en/2021/01/20/just-in-vatican-lays-out-20-points-for-universal-fair-destination-of-vaccines/ (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 83. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Note on the morality of using some anti-covid-19 vaccines, para. 3 (fn. 81 above). 84. Ib. ; Cf. Vatikan: Covid-Impfstoffe sind ethisch vertretbar, https://kath.net/print/73847 (viewed 29 Jan. 2021). 85. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Note on the morality of using some anti-covid-19 vaccines, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20201221_nota-vaccini-anticovid_en.html (viewed 1 Mar. 2021), par. 4. 86. Pontifical Academy for Life, Nota circa luso dei vaccini (31 July 2017), http://www.academyforlife.va/content/pav/it/the-academy/activity-academy/note-vaccini.html (viewed 20 Feb. 2021); cf. also the earlier note from 2005: Pontifical Academy for Life, Moral reflections on vaccines prepared from cells derived from aborted human foetuses, 5 June 2005. At present The PAL is quite controversial in its composition. Its authority is not to be compared with that of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. 87. https://www.preziosine.it/sps/en/2021/01/20/just-in-vatican-lays-out-20-points-for-universal-fair-destination-of-vaccines/ (viewed 1 Mar. 2021) point 13. 88. Pope Francis, Urbi et orbi, 25 Dec. 2020, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/urbi/documents/papa-francesco_20201225_urbi-et-orbi-natale.html (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 89. Cf. the CNN article: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/14/europe/pope-francis-covid-19-vaccine-intl/index.html, (viewed 18 Feb. 2021). 90. Cf. H. Denzinger, Compendium of creeds, definitions, and declarations on matters of faith and morals, Ignatius Press: San Francisco 2012, No. 3074. 91. Ib. par. 5. 92. Cf. his statement quoted in LOsservatore Romano, https://www.osservatoreromano.va/en/news/2021-01/ing-003/the-world-needs-br-unity-and-fraternity.html, 15 Jan. 2021 (viewed 19 Feb. 2021): It is not an option; it is an ethical action, because you are playing with your health, you are playing with your life, but you are also playing with the lives of others. 93. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Note on the morality of using some anti-covid-19 vaccines, (see fn. 81 above), para. 5. 94. Cf. ib., Concerning the scientifically confirmed fact that the vaccination does not protect people from still becoming infected and spreading the infection, see the statement in the introduction, 3rd paragraph: We do not intend to judge the safety and efficacy of these vaccines, although ethically relevant and necessary, as this evaluation is the responsibility of biomedical researchers and drug agencies. 95. Cf. Jeanne Smits, 17 Feb. 2021, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/vatican-city-state-issues-decree-suggesting-those-who-refuse-covid-vaccine-may-lose-their-jobs (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 96. Cf. ib., https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/new-note-vatican-employees-might-not-be-fired-for-covid-vaccine-refusal (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 97. Cardinal Janis Pujats, Archbishops Tomash Peta, Jan Pawel Lenga, Bishops Joseph Edward Strickland and Athanasius Schneider, Covid Vaccines: The Ends Cannot Justify the Means: On the moral illicitness of the use of vaccines made from cells derived from aborted human fetuses. The full text is in https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/covid-vaccines-the-ends-cannot-justify-the-means (viewed 19 Feb. 2021). 98. The possibility of martyrdom more fully developed by Bishop Athanasius Schneider in an interview with Life Site News, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/bishop-christians-must-refuse-covid-vaccine-derived-from-aborted-babies-even-if-it-means-martyrdom (viewed 19 Feb. 2021); Bp. Schneider calls for new pro-life movement to protest abortion-tainted medicines like COVID vaccine, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-bishop-calls-for-new-pro-life-movement-to-protest-abortion-tainted-medicines-like-covid-vaccine (viewed 22 Feb. 2021); Unmoralische Impfstoffe: Bischof (Joseph Strickland) weigert sich, ermordete Kinder zu gebrauchen gloria.tv (viewed 21 Feb. 2021). 99. Card. J. Pujats, Archbishops T. Peta, J. P. Lenga, Bishops J.E. Strickland and A. Schneider, Covid Vaccines: The Ends Cannot Justify the Means: On the moral illicitness of the use of vaccines made from cells derived from aborted human fetuses, https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/covid-vaccines-the-ends-cannot-justify-the-means (viewed 19 Feb. 2021). 100. Cf. The Personhood Alliance's official position on vaccine ethics, https://personhood.org/positions/vaccines/#_ftn15 (viewed 19 Feb. 2021); https://personhood.org/media/press-releases/personhood-alliance-responds-to-dismissals-of-covid-vaccine-abortion-link/ (viewed 19 Feb. 2021); Impfstoffe und Abtreibung, Impfstoffliste Deutschland und Kennzeichnung von Impfstoffen, https://aerzte-fuer-das-leben.de/fachinformationen/schwangerschaftsabbruch-abtreibung/impfstoffe-und-abtreibung/ (viewed 19. Feb. 2021). 101. Abby Johnson blasts USCCB for cowering to Big Pharma on abortion-tainted COVID-19 vaccines, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abby-johnson-blasts-usccb-for-cowering-to-big-pharma-on-abortion-tainted-covid-19-vaccines (viewed 19 Feb. 2021). 102. Lets not allow sophistry to cloud the obvious issue. Baby-murder was the source of cells used to test most of the currently available COVID vaccines. Every Biblically-minded Christian should reflect deeply on this fact. To ignore or minimize this fact is to be pro-death, not pro-life https://personhood.org/media/press-releases/personhood-alliance-responds-to-dismissals-of-covid-vaccine-abortion-link/ (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 103. Bill Gates ber die Corona-Pandemie. Es ist Wahnsinn, dass wir nicht lngst weiter sind, https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/bill-gates-im-spiegel-gespraech-ich-habe-das-coronavirus-nicht-erschaffen-a-b37f0211-15a2-4fa8-8452-e808b2b46adf (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 104. Derek Muller, I Asked Bill Gates What's The Next Crisis?, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grv1RJkdyqI (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 105. C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 157. 106. Ib. 107. Bill Gates: We Will Not Go Back To Normal Until A Vaccine Has Gotten Out To The Entire World, https://realfarmacy.com/corona-bill/ (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). On Easter Sunday Bill Gates said, this is a vaccine were going to give to 7 billion people, so we cant stand much (?) the side-effects seeming(?) a problem, and yet we will make that decision with less data than we would normally have to go forward with it. https//www. tagesschau.de/ausland/gates-corona-101.html (A dubbed-in German voice makes Gatess exact words difficult to understand, viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 108. Must we expect the vaccine to be forced through at any price? C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 157. 109. Sddeutsche Zeitung (2020), Bill und Melinda Gates ber die Coronakrise: Wre ich Brgerin von Deutschland, ich wre schrecklich stolz, https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/melinda-gates-coronavirus-deutschland-1.4894066?reduced=true; quote in C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 212. 110. Cf. C. Arvay, Regie?, Umsetzung, Strung, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eEMWsuOUiM (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 111. S. Rochow, Verhtung um jeden Preis, in: Tagespost, 28 Dec. 2016, https://www.die-tagespost.de/aktuelles/forum/ Verhuetung-um-jeden-Preis;art345,174936 (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 112. Cf. ib. ; also C. Arvay, Regie?, Umsetzung, Strung, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eEMWsuOUiM (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 113. For example, by minimal distancing as a measure with a scientific basis, cf. C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 199, 205. 114. Ib., 195. 115. Cf. R. Bonelli, Zwang ist eine schlechte Lsung, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeCZZ5ZTb7s (viewed 20 Feb. 2021). 116. G. Hther, Intermezzo zum Innehalten, in C. Arvay, Wir knnen es besser (Kindle-Ed. ), 165. 117. On the topic, What each of us can do, cf. ib., 204ff. 118. Cf. Churches & Covid-19, https://lifefacts.lifesitenews.com/covid-19/churches-covid-19/ (viewed 1 Mar. 2021). 119. Cf. H. Jedin,3 LThK Bd. 2, Freiburg 1968, p. 612-613. C. Melchers, Das groe Buch der Heiligen,4 Munich 1980, 718-722. 120. Thomas: Haeresis est infectivum vitium. Heresies are an especially grave offense and are as contagious as cancer. Aquinas quotes II Tim. 2:7 (In Sent. IV d 13 q 2 a 3). 121. Many misleading comparisons did not take the growth in population and the age structure into account, so they contributed to the panic. Neil Fergusons death projections for Sweden were inflated by a multiple of 75. (https://tkp.at/2021/02/16/online-kampagnengruppe-agitiert-im-ausland-gegen-schwedens-coronapolitik/). Cf. https://2020news.de/analyse-der-sterbezahlen-2020-war-ein-normales-jahr/ (viewed 1 Mar. 2021).
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https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/does-refusing-the-corona-vaccine-show-a-lack-of-solidarity
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What do travellers need to do before going on holiday this summer?
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Holidays abroad became legal again from England on 17 May, with many sun-starved travellers heading off to destinations on the governments slender green list. This list of 12 safe countries, a random assortment of places around the world including Gibraltar, Israel and Australia, requires visitors to present a negative test before departure back to the UK and one post-arrival PCR test, with no self-isolation necessary (provided the second test is negative). However, whether these nations will admit British visitors is another issue entirely, and there will be certain hurdles to jump for entry, including providing negative PCR tests or proof of vaccination. At the other end of the spectrum, there are 43 countries currently on the red list, mandating hotel quarantine upon return to the UK, while the rest of the world is shuffled into the amber category, which requires 10 days of self-isolation in addition to testing. Holiday favourite Spain, which this week flung open its doors to British visitors with no restriction, is in this category. On the green list, only Portugal (and its islands) is a mainstream summer holiday destination for Brits. To capitalise on a boom in demand, airlines and holiday companies have piled on more capacity to green Portugal, including its islands Madeira and Porto Santo in the Atlantic. However, going on holiday is now no longer a case of booking a flight and turning up at the airport on time. There are multiple hoops to jump through before its wheels up. Heres what you need to know. Check the entry requirements Most countries have tight entry restrictions for British visitors, except for Spain. Generally, holidaymakers will be expected to provide either proof of vaccination, proof of having recovered from Covid within a certain time frame or a negative PCR test taken typically within the three days before arrival. The latter rule is a common ask. Travellers might also be required to fill in a health declaration certifying they havent got any Covid symptoms, or enter their details about travel and accommodation on a government website and app. Madeira, for example, requires that all travellers who havent received two doses of a vaccine present a negative PCR test taken with 72 hours of travel and enter their details into the Madeira Safe website, which will create a QR code to present on arrival. Equally, some countries may not be letting in British tourists full stop, such as Austria and Germany. Entry restrictions for each country can be found on the UKs Foreign Office (FCDO) website here. Get a PCR test If your holiday destination mandates a negative PCR test, sometimes called Fit to Fly, to be presented on arrival, this will typically need to be taken within 72 hours of arrival. A PCR test will usually be turned around in 24 hours as samples are analysed by a lab, so make sure to factor this timing into your plans, especially if you are relying on an at-home test to be posted back. The first port of call for an affordable test should be your airline or holiday company, which might offer discounted rates with a testing partner. For example, holiday firm Tui has partnered with Chronomics to offer bargain testing packages, while British Airways has partnered with Qured for its fliers. There are also testing clinics at UK airports, such as Collinson at Gatwick (82.50) and Cignpost Express Test at Heathrow (59), although do bear in mind PCR tests arent instant and will require usually at least 24 hours to be processed. High-street pharmacies now offer testing for travel. Boots charges 65 for an at-home test and 99 for an in-store test; Lloyds Pharmacy charges 119 for an at-home test and 150 in the clinic; and Superdrugs in-store test will set you back 120. Both in-store and at-home tests will take at least 24 hours to process. Note that testing for travel must be done through a private firm rather than the free NHS service, and be sure to check exactly what kind of test your destination requires. In some cases, only a PCR test administered by a professional will do; in others, a rapid antigen test might suffice. Before travelling back to the UK All UK-bound travellers need to organise a getting a Covid test (this can be lateral flow or antigen) while still in their destination - which must be negative in order for them to be allowed to travel back - and fill out a Passenger Locator Form (PLF), which will demand address and further booked Covid PCR tests before flying back to the UK. In some cases, the lateral flow Covid test will be unsupervised, so travellers should make sure they understand how to do this. Negative test results and PLFs will be checked by airline check-in staff, rather than at the border, so make sure you have internet access to show these to staff. After arrival to the UK Green arrivals must take a PCR test, called a day 2 PCR within two days of landing in the UK. Amber arrivals must take a day two PCR as well as an identical test on day eight. They also must self-isolate for 10 days. Red arrivals must have pre-booked an 11-night quarantine hotel package, which will include transfer from the airport to the hotel, two PCR tests, and full board.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/summer-holiday-green-list-amber-b1854971.html
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What is an open source program office?
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Yes, the major public clouds offer a lot. But what you may not know are the limitations, and how open clouds make the difference. Elevate your enterprise data technology and strategy at Transform 2021. Open source is a critical component of just about every modern software stack from databases to cloud security and a recent report from Synopsys concluded that 98% of codebases contain at least some open source code. But open source software (OSS) can present challenges, such as licensing and compliance issues and the need to ensure community buy-in for a new project and foster good relationships with the wider open source world. At the heart of many of these problems is the fact that OSS, by its very nature (and definition), necessitates an open, collaborative approach that may run contrary to traditional closed business processes. To bring formality and order to the mix, open source program offices (OSPOs) have become an integral part of businesses ranging from tech titans like Google to venture capital-backed startups. Alignment Though the precise responsibilities of the OSPO can vary, having a dedicated office provides structure and formalizes the existence of open source software, tools, and projects inside a company. It may even help the company align OSS project goals with key business objectives and justify decisions internally, such as the need to subsidize a full-time project maintainer or dedicate resources to open source projects the company actively benefits from. Oskari Saarenmaa is cofounder and CEO at Aiven, a company that manages businesses open source data infrastructure, with commercial support for MySQL, Elasticsearch, Apache Kafka, M3, Redis, InfluxDB, Apache Cassandra, PostgreSQL, and Grafana. Hot on the heels of its recent $100 million funding round, the company is now gearing up to launch its first OSPO. Open source is at the heart of what Aiven offers, and it is in our collective interest to develop open source technologies and ensure that open source remains truly open, Saarenmaa told VentureBeat. As the company grows, staying connected to open source communities is more and more important, and we want to make sure theres a team and function at the company that coordinates our efforts, moving our contributions from occasional to continuous and predictable. This is why were now launching the open source program Office. Aivens OSPO will specifically aim to contribute back to the open source projects it has built its business on. Our OSPO team works as the bridge between the different OS communities and Aiven to drive fixes and features important to Aiven, Saarenmaa explained. The Helsinki, Finland-based company is currently recruiting open source developers spanning Kafka, PostgreSQL, and Elasticsearch, in addition to an open source program manager. Saarenmaa said he expects the OSPO to eventually oversee open source compliance, though this is not as urgent a priority for the office as it might be for companies that started out further from the open source world. Saarenmaa said that while open source engagement and contributions come up a lot in conversations with customers and peers, the company is hearing relatively little about OSPOs specifically. An OSPO model has, however, existed for quite some time in large companies to coordinate existing efforts related to open source, he said. Some of these offices are just about driving the consumption of open source within those organizations and can thus be quite disappointing from the communitys perspective. But other companies are proactively engaging the community to collaborate and to give back. Open source ecosystem Arjan Stam is director of system operations at Alliander, an energy network company and member of the Linux Foundations open source coalition LF Energy. Stam has experience building open source program offices, including at Alliander, which has an OSPO for coordinating and facilitating an open source ecosystem, advising on its various open source projects, organizing events such as hackathons and webinars, and helping build an open source community around specific projects. Allianders OSPO came about as a result of joining the LF Energy coalition in 2018. The first need for an OSPO became apparent when more interest arose on how to map our architecture landscape on an open source product landscape and how to build and coordinate a roadmap on this, Stam told VentureBeat. This was the genesis for a more open source-centric ethos at Alliander and helped bring structure and organization to its open source plans. The OSPO turned out to be an excellent means for this because from there there was an overview on all activities with respect to collaboration, [code] reuse, and quality, Stam said. From there, we started consolidating code, building better development structure, and slowly looking externally for developing open source. The OSPO as a strategic pillar for change was born. Alliander and LF Energy open-sourced the Grid Exchange Fabric (GXF) project last year, with the goal of addressing interoperability in the Dutch national power grid. Having a centralized, designated place for all things open source has also proved invaluable. There was a place to go to to ask questions and have discussions, Stam explained. We put in place all kinds of internal information-sharing platforms that are accessible to everybody in the company. We also made sure the development teams started using these platforms for structured communication of their development. In the intervening months, Allianders OSPO has evolved and become more mature, according to Stam, with roles spanning legal, enterprise architecture, and a dedicated OSPO manager. Also, awareness of our responsibility to the outside world has grown, Stam added. The OSPO is no longer about only software, but about reputation and identity. As OSPO doesnt adhere to a rigid structure, it may evolve in tandem with a companys specific needs. This can involve external and internal developer advocacy, communicating and executing strategies, ensuring a companys software complies with the license restrictions of the open source components it uses, and keeping it well-maintained and secure. The OSPO has slowly become the entity where coordination is done on how we will start new projects based on collaborationist open source, Stam said. It has become a strategic entity that helps speed up the realization of the Alliander roadmap.
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https://venturebeat.com/2021/05/27/what-is-an-open-source-program-office/
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How can brands find marketing success in the post-pandemic era?
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Five months have passed as we entered 2021 and we can now say consumers' habits have inevitably changed in this post-covid era. Digital penetration is at an all-time high. A rising number of consumers are living their entire lives online, from calling their friends and family, livestreaming, to online shopping and ordering takeout. And it is up to marketers to keep up with this shift. "We now need to use more tools to enable consumers to have good experiences and win their hearts," said Alvin Huang, chief growth officer at LEO Digital Network, at Campaigns Digital360Festival. "This is a behaviour change, people cannot go to the place they wanted to as much as before, however, the consumption urge still exists." "The pandemic has amplified the demand for traffic monetisation in marketing," Huang said. "We saw a rapid decline in offline traffic in the first two quarters of 2020, together with offline interactions. When marketers spend more on online traffic, they are also expecting more conversion of sales from the traffic volume." Take live-streaming as an example. It is an indispensable marketing tool for marketers today, yet it has also evolved a lot from 2016 when it first emerged. Livestreaming e-commerce had its beginnings in around five years ago. Since then, it has gone through staggering growth, reaching a total RMB164.4 billion market size in 2020, according to data from China Netcasting Services Association. By the end of 2020, China had 617 million live-streaming viewers, 782 million online shoppers, and 930 million video audiences. At the same time, traffic is now concentrated in the hands of a few leading players-with everyone racing to build their ecosystems. Douyin, for example, launched its online food order service in April after it set up its e-commerce arm last year. The platform wants to keep its users on the platform. Another live broadcast giant Kuaishou made similar moves. It encourages business owners to generate private traffic through content, increase conversion rates within the platform, and finally boost e-commerce sales. Needless to say, the competition between each platform has reached a fever pitch. The closed-loop nature of these platforms present certain communication barriers. Marketers cannot just copy and paste content from one platform to another, which calls for the need for integrated marketing. But even the concept of integrated marketing is evolving with the pandemic. In the future, brands and marketers are keen to turn to advanced technology that would allow them to easily link up different platforms. How to tap into vastly different ecosystems Huang acknowledged there are quite a few challenges for marketers. "How to switch easily between different ecosystems is currently the biggest challenge - it is also the biggest change I have seen for my 20 years in the business," said Huang. Almost all big platforms including Douyin and WeChat have updated their operating policy, speeding up the process of building its own independent ecosystem, which is having-and will continue to have-a great impact on future marketing tools, strategies, and the focus. For Huang, marketers should "take advantage of the trend". When all platforms begin to set restrictions, it pushes marketers to use more sophisticated tools to manage the advertising on different platforms, and the later, conversions. There is a huge appetite for a tool that can help manage the front-end ad distribution and back-end sales conversion of different platforms. In April, LEO Digital Network launched Business Butler ( in Chinese), a tool providing marketers with an integrated end-to-end digital solution. "Business Butler" connects public traffic, private traffic and transaction, placing extra emphasis on sales conversion. Not only does it allow marketers to collect data on different platforms, it also provides intelligent management and operation. Using private traffic as the starting point, this tool presents refined operation and management of all private contact points, driving the endogenous growth of the enterprise. Through private traffic data, this tool will further energize public traffic and transaction process to help business owners reduce costs. More important, it not only solves the current business pain points, but also help enterprises find more business possibilities from multiple dimensions of consumers, products, and channels. The collaboration of public traffic and private traffic can reach the essence of clients businesses. Activating private traffic In todays age, different platforms all have their own characteristics, and private traffic volume is only getting bigger and bigger. One single ad on one platform has the potential of getting tens of billions of advertising volume. Its the priority of every brand to formulate the most effective strategy to tap into the huge volume of private traffic and to achieve precision marketing. "The mentality of users varies from one platform to another," Huang said. "As marketers, we need to use different strategies to achieve the best results." It sounds like simple logic, but it requires thousands of tests behind the scene. Marketers usually need to test as much as 20 versions of a short video, to figure out audience preferences, ensuring they pick the best story-telling. LEO Digital Network provides tools to simplify this process, allowing brands to achieve growth in sales and customer engagement. Private traffic plays a key role in improving conversion rates. Marketers can make use of LEO Digital Network's big data tools to find and pick the best products for different groups of viewers. In the long run, marketers can leverage big data to improve sales and transactions, which will solve the pain a pot for different marketers. Automating private traffic operations is the best way to improve efficiency, which is also the reason for big data usage. The automation process involves a lot of contact points of private traffic, such as official wechat and webites. Automated marketing solution customized each advertisement based on different customers. It will be a simple automated process if rules are set clearly, automatic operation will help marketers to present dynamic contents to achieve the best results. These marketing tools help the company to break out of a single ecosystem and achieve organic growth with multiple platforms. Traffic volume may come from WeChat, Weibo, internet celebrities, vloggers, or internally from the companys employees, involving all aspects of different platforms. It requires companies to have precise management about their traffic, achieve long-term communications through the contends, and finally direct them to sales accurately. That is what LEO Digital Network trying to provide to all its clients. Building a win-win strategy Speaking of the industrys future, Huang believes there would be more intense competition-involving all aspects of marketing, from content to overall strategy. As marketing strategies are changing and upgrading, different parties in marketing will need to work together to create win-win strategies. "In recent years, many emerging brands have built up their unique insights about marketing. At the same time, consumers prefer the authenticity and creativity of a brand, and they also have expectations about how brands interact with them. All this is pushing marketers to create customised and original content," said Huang. In 2020-2021, fast market changes and strong local demand propelled the accelerated development of Chinese local brands. Consumers' preference for local brands will continue to increase, leading to continuous evolution in the way marketers appeal to their customers. In response to this, LEO Digital Network launched a series of products and tools. With its continuous focus on the clients and fast response on the market changes, the company grows together with the clients and is well-placed to help clients navigate consumer trends, provide the latest market insights, and help achieve sales goals. For Huang, this is a win-win strategy. LEO Digital Network has invested in both the up- and-down stream of the industry chain, linking up different points in the customer journey, from initial brand awareness all the way to sales in essence, forging an end-to-end service channel. Two years ago, the company took the lead in entering the short video and live-streaming e-commerce business, establishing strong partnerships with Douyin, Kuaishou, and Alibaba's Tmall. The effort made by the company has also recognized by the industry., LEO Digital Network was awarded the Gold Award of Campaign "Digital gency of the Year in Greater China for two consecutive years the first for a Chinese local company.
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https://www.campaignasia.com/article/how-can-brands-find-marketing-success-in-the-post-pandemic-era/469846
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Did Ted Cruz Swallow A Fly?
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Here's the explanation for the video, and it's apparently "real", albeit several years old now (June 2019, by some reckoning). Source: MEAWW According to a video widely being circulated, Cruz can be seen speaking to Hannity when a fly entered his mouth. The Senator coughed and then drank a sip of water before resuming his conversation with Hannity. The entire clip is about six seconds long but quickly began trending on Twitter late on May 26. But before you get ready to create your own meme, you should know the video isn't new. According to one Twitter user, the video being shared was originally posted "years ago", and was just being reshared when it went viral. User Roshan Rinaldi claimed, "No no. Ted Cruz did swallow a fly. But years ago. My pal Methy Anne had it posted,... But some time ago she got suspended. So the video has been gone for ages. She just got out of Twitmo after months, and I had her repost the vid. Now it's everywhere like it just happened." Shortly after that tweet, several of Anne and Rinaldi's followers began retweeting the video, and it snowballed from there. The video gained instant fame after being shared by advocate and journalist John Aravosis. As of the time of reporting, #ToadCruz is currently trending on Twitter with over 2,000 tweets and counting.
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https://crooksandliars.com/2021/05/did-ted-cruz-swallow-fly
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Why should Eastbourne modernise?
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Regarding Eastbourne needs to modernise to attract visitors click here to read: First to note, Eastbourne is a town unlike Brighton which is a city with city trappings therefore more dynamic and more appealing to the younger age group and university set. On the other hand Eastbourne appeals because it has none of these, its quieter and more relaxing. Eastbourne seafront/Royal Parade SUS-200813-122720001 That in its self is its virtue, therefore wishes to remain a traditional old fashioned rural seaside town appealing to those who prefer this as a preference such as those who prefer the rural, tranquil disposition as sought by more and more of the British public to escape the congestion, stress and pace of modern ways of life. The public have this choice so let that remain so.
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https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/opinion/letters/why-should-eastbourne-modernise-3252077
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Is Conte The New Zidane?
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By Tim Stannard As Real Madrid announce second departure of Zidane, Antonio Conte becomes option as instant replacement While Villarreal were getting busy winning their first major trophy in nearly a century and David de Gea was under fire for not being able to score a penalty, rather than save one, two very big clubs were making some very big moves. Inter were first up in the headline-making business on Wednesday with an announcement that Antonio Conte was to leave the Serie A side with immediate effect. This took place just days after a campaign when the Italian coach lead his team to a first Scudetto title in 11 years. Cost-cutting measures to come at Inter including the sale of key players was the last straw for Conte who had always been battling against the board in his two-year spell on the topic of funding. Over in Real Madrid, the worst-kept secret in soccer was being revealed on Thursday morning - Coach Zizou leaving Real Madrid. Again. With one year left on his contract, Real Madrid announced the departure of Coach Zizou - or just Zizou now. "Zidane is one of Real Madrid's great icons and his legacy extends beyond what he has achieved as a coach and player at our club," said a statement that could have been copy-pasted from the last time the Frenchman left in 2018. Seeing as Real Madrid rarely leave any kind of dead air in terms of coaches, it was thought that Massimiliano Allegri would be taking over at the Santiago Bernabeu straight away. However, the Antonio Conte news might have changed a few minds. Well, one in particular. Both have won league titles - Conte in two countries - however Allegri is considerably easier maintenance for Florentino Perez and is the embodiment of a safe pair of hands. He's a fan-fueling, touchline-strutting loon to light a fire in the Real Madrid team within seconds of arrival, terrify Eden Hazard, and certainly give Diego Simeone a new rival. That's a lot of boxes ticked. Messi starts Argentina duty leaving Barca fans guessing The coaching carousel in Spain is going to have to tide everyone over in terms of drama for a wee while as it looks like Lionel Messi is going to keep us guessing as to his future. Messi is having a cliff-hanging moment by joining up with the Argentinean national team for some World Cup qualifiers and a Copa America without settling his club future. That might be because Messi has already decided to stay on at Barca to renew a deal that expires on June 30 and spend some quality time with Sergio Aguero for the next few years, to leave Antoine Griezmann even more left out of the circle of trust and Luis Suarez perhaps a little jealous. Back in Barcelona, there is still some doubt over whether Ronald Koeman will be in charge to lead Messi next season, as Antonio Conte has also been hooked by the local media as Barca's new coach as well. And Pep Guardiola. Good luck with that one. Boca battle through in the Copa Libertadores as Santos miss out It was good news for Argentina, bad news Brazil in the Copa Libertadores on beIN SPORTS on Wednesday night. Boca Juniors clinched a spot in the upcoming knockout stages with a 3-0 win over The Strongest, who - in a rain on your wedding day moment - finished bottom of Group C. However, a defeat for Santos against Barcelona SC left last year's finalists making do with the Copa Sudamericana from now on after finishing third. Olimpia and Gus Poyet's Universidad Catolica also clinched spots from the final round of games in group B and F. Thursday sees two matches on beIN SPORTS from 6PM starting with reigning champions Palmeiras against Universitario followed by last year's winners Flamengo against Velez Sarsfield. However, the action on the network starts at 2:40PM ET / 11:40AM ET today with the first leg of the Ligue 1 play off final between Nantes - who are looking to stay in Ligue 1 - and Toulouse who are looking to move up.
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https://www.beinsports.com/us/sports-burst/video/sports-burst-is-conte-the-new-zidane/1694435
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Who made it into this week's IFL 'Dream Team'?
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This week's fantasy manager is Aileach FC veteran Stephen O'Donnell. Here's his all-time IFL 'dream team': David McGeady (Goalkeeper) Aileach FC The best keeper I ever played with. I've played with and watched him since 1995 and in that time, you could count his mistakes on one hand. Brilliant keeper; not much of an Irish dancer, though. John McFeely (Right back) Culdaff FC Not a recognised right back, but was such a good footballer he could play anywhere on the pitch. His reading of the game was exemplary; made the game look so easy. Shaun McLaughlin (Centre back) Cockhill Celtic Shaun was a defender when I started playing. His reading of the game and positioning was so good he rarely had to make a tackle. Could step into midfield in this team if required and be as good as any of the midfielders I've picked. Shaun Devlin (Centre back) Clonmany Shamrocks Very underrated defender. Often seen as a hard man, which he was, but offered so much more. A warrior and leader on the pitch, with an unbelievable will to win. Brian 'Banjo' Tracey (Left Back) Redcastle Banjo was usually deployed up further up the field, but to gain extra space was used on occasion as a left back. Given space anywhere on the pitch, he could dictate the game with his technique and passing ability. Paul Doherty (Centre midfield) Illies Celtic Paul was for some years the best centre half and centre midfielder at the one time. Strong, smart and decisive; everything you want in a midfield anchor. First name on the sheet; a class act. Gareth McGlynn (Centre midfield) Aileach FC The most influential player I have ever seen on a pitch. Over 370 appearances for Derry under eight managers. In two full seasons with Aileach, one league title, two Credit Union Cups, one League Cup, one Ulster Junior Cup (and a semi-final to come). Not a coincidence. Great feet - but poor with his hands! Shane Kerrigan (Centre midfield) Aileach/Bridgend Had the pleasure of winning an All-Ireland with this man in 1993. Rarely touched the ball with his right foot or head, but had a magnetic left foot that had every trick in the book. If you made a run, you always got the perfect pass. An ideal supply line to my lethal forwards. Brendan Devlin (Right forward) Clonmany Shamrocks The hardest working forward I ever played against. Could score all types of goals. Won everything at Clonmany, but inspiring Carn to the league title in 2014 gave him legend status. Martin Cavanagh (Centre forward) Clonmany Shamrocks Martin was the best player at holding the ball up I ever played against. He could see all around his so early that you thought he had eyes in the back of his head. The perfect foil for my other two forwards. Nigel McMonagle (Left forward) Moville Celtic A pain in the backside to play against. Like Brendan, fast and lethal if he got half a chance. His scoring record is up there with anyone and he continues to live up to those standards year after year. SUBS BENCH Martin Farren: Very unlucky not to be included. The rock that the great Redcastle team was built on. Magnificent in the air and deceptively quick. A top player and a gentleman to boot. Paul McLaughlin: As versatile as they come. Could play anywhere on the field and look accomplished doing it. Still playing and making it look easy. Terence Doherty: Terence was only young by the time I packed it in, but he is the ideal man to bring on if any of the forwards get tired. He's half an Aileach man anyway! Kieran McDaid: Watched him for years, on his day the best player in the league. Not on his day, he tells everyone what his thinks of them! Very talented. Peter Devlin: Though best known as a great keeper for Clonmany over the years, it was when he went to Aileach and I got to see him up close that I realised just how good he was.
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https://www.donegallive.ie/news/soccer/636789/who-made-it-into-this-week-s-ifl-dream-team.html
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What is the difference between overwatering and underwatering plants?
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When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow for hacks, market analysis, inspiration and more Plants add character to your home and garden . Greenery is known to improve your mental health, wellbeing and more, but taking care of plants can be difficult. One of the most difficult parts of plant parenthood is to figure out exactly how much water your plant desires because overwatering and underwatering can be damaging. Gas boilers face ban in UK - but replacements could cost thousands Knowing if your plants are overwatered or underwatered is essential to enabling your houseplants to thrive. Both can eventually kill your plants, but indoor plants tend to be more prone to overwatering damage. Outdoor plants tend to be more prone to underwatering damage. Whether a plant is over or under watered is important to recognise because unless urgent action is taken, your plant could die.
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https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/1442094/what-is-the-difference-between-overwatering-and-underwatering-plants-EVG
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Why do we find it so difficult to discuss the facts of life and death?
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Perimenopause and grief unless youre experiencing either, there is very little conversation about them. My journey started early in the pandemic, when I began experiencing odd symptoms that were not typical: melancholy, lethargy, headaches, body aches, weight gain, moodiness, diminished appetite, insomnia, exhaustion. As all Gen-Xers reportedly do, I googled and found my self-diagnosis: depression, thyroid or perimenopause. Confused, I reached out to trusted family members for their thoughts, all of whom confirmed I needed professional medical advice from my general practitioner instead of Dr. Google, which is sketchy on accuracy but pretty darn convenient. So off I went to my physician to begin the troubleshooting process. After blood work, thyroid was ruled out. Depression was ruled out by my therapist. Reconnecting with my network of family and friends, someone who had a similar experience suggested a naturopath. Whammo! I found out its perimenopause, which ails most women my age but is not publicly discussed or addressed. (Dr. Google wasnt too far off). While each week brings a new array of symptoms, my B12 injections, iron supplements and food management give me tools to manage. Then, in April, another bomb dropped: my mother, who I fondly referred to as Old Bat, passed away. She was in a long-term care home after a stroke two years ago. With pandemic lockdowns, I didnt have the opportunity to visit in person and would share connections through video chats. We were informed three days before her impending death that shed been spending a great deal of time sleeping and her appetite had waned. But wed noticed her decline a month prior when the video chats ceased which, in hindsight, I assumed had been because of medication, absence of hearing aids or lack of mental stimulation. With death only a few days away, I googled to see what dying looks like from a hospice perspective, which provided reassurance and dispelled urban myths of it being a painful process or bound up in medical equipment. From what I learned, dying is very natural and the physical body has a process to ensure theres no pain and that death is gentle. While I wasnt there to softly coax her to join all those before her, Id like to think she knew I was coaxing but in a different way. When the fateful moment arrived, it was both anticlimactic and earth-shattering, a roller-coaster that rocked my world. Throughout the process, few spoke about it openly with me. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... I quickly learned that grief, like menopause, is rarely talked about unless with a therapist, grief support system or others who have experienced it first-hand. A nagging voice in my head said to make note of this experience for future, to recognize that while death, grief and menopause seem to be taboo subjects, they are like birth, eating meals and playing in the garden part of life. With grief, my body is battered. I have pounding headaches, lack of appetite, insomnia, tiredness, brain fog, moodiness. Heading back to Google, I went down rabbit holes of random but connected information and discovered my physical symptoms were all associated. While the physical manifestations ebb and flow, as each day passes theyre less frequent and less intense. I now know the difference in the similar symptoms and can distinguish their subtleties. Emotionally, Ive had a couple of those moments of pure heartache, sobbing those ugly tears, body quivering and shaking at the gaping hole in my spirit. Time does heal. The physical ailments are subsiding, the emotional hole is mending and, frankly, Ive always viewed scars, wrinkles and stretch marks as indicators of a story waiting to be told. Theyre the cues we use to share memories, stories of times past. While the spiritual hole is a tough one, it will also hold stories of family and the matriarch who guided me. When ready, the spirit will talk and laugh and reminisce. With my head down in humility to the dress rehearsal of perimenopause, I will openly share my experiences and stories of perimenopause, grief and dying.
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https://www.therecord.com/opinion/community-editorial-board/2021/05/27/why-do-we-find-it-so-difficult-to-discuss-the-facts-of-life-and-death.html
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Where was Domina filmed? Where is Domina set?
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Domina trailer released by Sky Atlantic FREE now for the biggest moments from morning TV SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow for the biggest moments from morning TV When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Domina airs every Friday evening at 9pm on Sky Atlantic and is available to stream now on NOW. The series follows the story of Livia Drusilla, a Roman noblewoman who stopped at nothing for power. Domina follows the life of Roman Empress, Livia Drusilla (Kasia Smutniak) and her journey to becoming one of the most powerful women in the world. Livia Drusilla, also known as Julia Augusta, was a real person, born on January 30, 58 BC. The series is set in Ancient Rome, spanning the years 27 BC to AD 14. Domina flashes back and forth between Domina as a young woman (played by Nadia Parkes) and adult Domina (Kasia Smutniak). This means the majority of the cast have younger versions of themselves throughout the series. For example, Ben Batt plays adult Agrippa and Oliver Huntingdon takes on the role of young Agrippa. Christine Bottomley stars as Scribonia and Bailey Spalding plays young Scribonia. Ben Batt, who plays Agrippa in the series told Express.co.uk and other press: "There are a lot of films and productions made about Rome so we are saturated with it in one respect. I do think Dominas done something more than slightly different. Domina airs every Friday on Sky Atlantic "We knew nothing about Livia Drusilla which is probably exactly why its being made. Its important that her story is told. "We think we know an awful lot about Augustus, but Livias a pushed-aside, forgotten part of history which is probably the reason why its so important that we make it. Speaking to Express.co.uk and other press, Kasia Smutniak who plays the older version of Drusilla said: "She was so clever. She was so amazing and she was in a way the first feminist. Her whole life she fought for rights for women, for herself, for her family. "She used power in order to survive. Not in terms to use power for herself, but the power to survive and that is different." Nadia Parkes, who plays the younger version of Drusilla said: "The most interesting thing that I found out [about Drusilla] was she progressed so much of what we understand as feminism now and the female empowerment movement." She added: "And then it took thousands of years for women to get back to the point Livia had already taken too [following her death]." Domina was mainly filmed on location in Rome, Italy. Filming also took place at the Cinecitt Studios in Rome the largest film studio in Europe, covering 99 acres. Filming began in early 2020 in Rome but sadly had to shut down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully in the summer of 2020, the cast and crew were able to return to Italy to complete filming. Domina was one of the first dramas to resume filming in Europe after lockdown across the world. Speaking to Express.co.uk and other press, Domina star Isabella Rosellini said the filming location of Domina was one of the main reasons that attracted her to the show. Trending
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https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1442149/Domina-filming-location-where-is-domna-filmed-set-Rome-Italy-series
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Why Did Noble Financial Upgrade Euroseas Stock?
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Noble Financial analyst Poe Fratt upgraded Euroseas (ESEA) to Buy today and set a price target of $21.50. The companys shares closed last Wednesday at $14.60. According to TipRanks.com, Fratt is a top 100 analyst with an average return of 50.0% and a 58.0% success rate. Fratt covers the Industrial Goods sector, focusing on stocks such as Grindrod Shipping Holdings, Energy Services of America, and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock. Euroseas has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $23.25. See todays analyst top recommended stocks >> Based on Euroseas latest earnings release for the quarter ending December 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $12.03 million and net profit of $575.3K. In comparison, last year the company earned revenue of $13.31 million and had a GAAP net loss of $765.1K. TipRanks has tracked 36,000 company insiders and found that a few of them are better than others when it comes to timing their transactions. See which 3 stocks are most likely to make moves following their insider activities. Euroseas Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of ocean-going transportation services. It operates containerships that transport dry and refrigerated containerized cargoes, mainly including manufactured products, and perishables. The firm also owns drybulk carriers that transport major bulks such as iron ore, coal and grains, and minor bulks such as bauxite, phosphate and fertilizers. The company was founded on May 5, 2005 and is headquartered in Athens, Greece.
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https://www.smarteranalyst.com/new-blurbs/why-did-noble-financial-upgrade-euroseas-stock/
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Is Finn Balor Leaving NXT for WWE Raw or WWE SmackDown?
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Finn Balor was on the losing end of an NXT Championship match with Karrion Kross on this week's episode of NXT. The former WWE Universal Champion has been on the Black & Gold Brand since October 2019, and while his return with the brand was only supposed to last a few months he wound up becoming a pillar of the show once again with a second NXT Championship reign, a reinvigorated persona as "The Prince" and excellent matches with Johnny Gargano, Damian Priest, Kyle O'Reilly and Pete Dunne. But now that he's firmly out of the NXT Championship picture, fans are starting to speculate if he'll be moving back to either Raw or SmackDown soon. According to @WrestleVotes, members of the Raw creative team have been pushing to get Balor to come to Monday nights. But as of now, no decisions have been made. Regarding Finn Balor: Im told members of the RAW creative team have asked for him for months now. No edict has come down from the top yet yanking him from Orlando. The NXT crew adores Balor so unless the main roster has major plans for him, Id think hes OK where he is. WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) May 27, 2021 Balor was a guest on Ryan Satin's Out of Character Podcast this week and supported the idea of heading back to either brand. Balor was pushed to the moon on when he first arrived on Raw, beating Roman Reigns in his first match before becoming the first man to hold the WWE Universal Championship in 2016. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury while winning the title and had to relinquish it just one day later. Once he was back, he never was able to regain that same momentum and was left to wander in the midcard, winning the Intercontinental Champion. "I grew up as a wrestling fan watching WWE, and that's essentially where I want to be performing," Balor said. "I feel like in my last run there I wasn't doing myself justice and needed to change something. The change was NXT and I needed to figure out who I was again, and I managed to do that to some level, and I am definitely hopeful that a return to Raw or SmackDown will happen in the future." With Balor out of the picture, Kross' next NXT Championship match will take place at the NXT TakeOver: In Your House event next month. His opponent will be the winner of next week's triple threat match between Gargano, O'Reilly and Dunne.
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https://comicbook.com/wwe/news/wwe-finn-balor-leaving-nxt-update-wwe-raw-creative-wants-him/
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How Does Change Healthcare's Debt Look?
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Over the past three months, shares of Change Healthcare (NASDAQ:CHNG) increased by 1.72%. Before having a look at the importance of debt, let us look at how much debt Change Healthcare has. Change Healthcare's Debt Based on Change Healthcare's balance sheet as of February 4, 2021, long-term debt is at $4.78 billion and current debt is at $37.02 million, amounting to $4.82 billion in total debt. Adjusted for $137.36 million in cash-equivalents, the company's net debt is at $4.68 billion. Let's define some of the terms we used in the paragraph above. Current debt is the portion of a company's debt which is due within 1 year, while long-term debt is the portion due in more than 1 year. Cash equivalents include cash and any liquid securities with maturity periods of 90 days or less. Total debt equals current debt plus long-term debt minus cash equivalents. To understand the degree of financial leverage a company has, shareholders look at the debt ratio. Considering Change Healthcare's $10.15 billion in total assets, the debt-ratio is at 0.47. As a rule of thumb, a debt-ratio more than one indicates that a considerable portion of debt is funded by assets. A higher debt-ratio can also imply that the company might be putting itself at risk for default, if interest rates were to increase. However, debt-ratios vary widely across different industries. A debt ratio of 40% might be higher for one industry and average for another. Importance Of Debt Besides equity, debt is an important factor in the capital structure of a company, and contributes to its growth. Due to its lower financing cost compared to equity, it becomes an attractive option for executives trying to raise capital. Interest-payment obligations can impact the cash-flow of the company. Equity owners can keep excess profit, generated from the debt capital, when companies use the debt capital for its business operations. Check out Benzinga Pro, a market research platform which provides investors with near-instantaneous access to dozens of stock metrics - including debt-to-equity ratio. Click here to learn more.
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https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/05/21320540/how-does-change-healthcares-debt-look?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+benzinga%2Fnews+%28Channels+-+News%29
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Can Garrett Gilbert End Cowboys Search for Dak Backup QB?
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Obviously, yes that is my goal, to win the No. 2 job here,'' Cowboys QB Gilbert says FRISCO - Garrett Gilbert is a nomad. It's the life of an on-the-bubble NFL quarterback, and Gilbert, at age 29 having played for eight professional teams and having never stayed in the same place for more than two seasons, gets it. I just worry about what I can control, said Gilbert, presently working at OTAs while clinging to the possibility of being Dak Prescott's backup and the Dallas Cowboys' No. 2 QB. Ive been around long enough now. I think when Ive worried about that stuff in the past, when I was younger, I think it got in the way of what Im trying to do.'' Once upon a time, what Gilbert was trying to do was ride his status as a high-school All-American and "Mr. Texas Football'' honoree to the highest heights. That started when he was a blue-chip recruit of the Texas Longhorns, dipped a bit when he transferred to SMU, and began being altered when he was a Rams' sixth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. READ MORE: Cowboys Only 'Third-Best' In NFC East, ESPN's Orlovsky Claims He's been in a Super Bowl-winning program (as a Patriots practice-squadder) and he's been a passing champion (with the Orlando Apollos of the AAF). Last year, he was a mid-season emergency add to the Dallas roster, the result of Prescott's Week 5 season-ending injury being followed by the injury absence of Andy Dalton. He started a late-season loss against the Steelers but showed enough to stick with Dallas ... and pending what the Cowboys do in their pursuit of more accredited guys (they've had visits from Jeff Driskel and Brett Hundley), Gilbert could end up ahead of fellow reserves Cooper Rush and Ben DiNucci for a permanent job. Obviously, yes that is my goal, to win the No. 2 job here,'' Gilbert said. READ MORE: Dak's OTA Day: 'I'm Pretty Much Full-Go,' Says Dallas QB Said Dallas coach Mike McCarthy: (you have your backup qb) I think and just really all positions too, Will is always looking at guys. I was in his office today and we talked about a couple of guys that are out there. Right now Im very comfortable with all four of our guys. Theyve put a tremendous amount of work in this offseason. Those guys know the offense inside and out and thats what youre looking for. Love the classroom work. Its good to get on the field. Ben DiNuccis taken a big step. This is exactly what he needs. On Garrett Gilbert: "Garrett is very comfortable now. I think like anything, when he did it live, he really wasn't practicing much in Cleveland. So really his first time to get out there and throw was his first week here and then a week later he was playing against Pittsburgh. Very bright, very intelligent, football comes very easy to him, him and Cooper Rush both are definitely very impressive from a mental approach it, their level of understanding, so I like the way that group works." Gilbert knows the drill in part because his family has long lived it. Dad is Gale Gilbert, who played eight seasons in the NFL for the Seahawks, Bills, and Chargers. He was actually a member of five straight Super Bowl teams - as a non-used backup. Contributing to a big winner is the ultimate goal. That, Gilbert says, is the second thing he wants to get done here. READ MORE: Cowboys OTA Top 10 Observations: Dak, 'Best O-Line' & DB Starters "When I come here every day,'' he said, "its to accomplish two things: to get better every day in some form or fashion, and then to be the best quarterback I can be for this team. But again, I think the best way to go about that is by just worrying about the things I can control, worry about having a good practice, worry about getting my feet right, worry about the things that are going to help me get better. The Cowboys need that last thing: Garrett Gilbert to be "better.'' Better than the vet QBs they haven't signed. Better than Gilbert was last year. Better than Gilbert has ever been, an achievement that would move him off of "nomad'' status.
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https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/garrett-gilbert-end-dallas-cowboys-search-dak-prescott-backup-qb
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What Does Capri Holdings Debt Look Like?
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Shares of Capri Holdings (NYSE:CPRI) rose by 17.24% in the past three months. Before we understand the importance of debt, let us look at how much debt Capri Holdings has. Capri Holdings's Debt According to the Capri Holdings's most recent balance sheet as reported on May 26, 2021, total debt is at $1.34 billion, with $1.22 billion in long-term debt and $123.00 million in current debt. Adjusting for $232.00 million in cash-equivalents, the company has a net debt of $1.11 billion. Let's define some of the terms we used in the paragraph above. Current debt is the portion of a company's debt which is due within 1 year, while long-term debt is the portion due in more than 1 year. Cash equivalents include cash and any liquid securities with maturity periods of 90 days or less. Total debt equals current debt plus long-term debt minus cash equivalents. Investors look at the debt-ratio to understand how much financial leverage a company has. Capri Holdings has $7.48 billion in total assets, therefore making the debt-ratio 0.18. As a rule of thumb, a debt-ratio more than one indicates that a considerable portion of debt is funded by assets. A higher debt-ratio can also imply that the company might be putting itself at risk for default, if interest rates were to increase. However, debt-ratios vary widely across different industries. A debt ratio of 35% might be higher for one industry and normal for another. Why Debt Is Important Debt is an important factor in the capital structure of a company, and can help it attain growth. Debt usually has a relatively lower financing cost than equity, which makes it an attractive option for executives. However, interest-payment obligations can have an adverse impact on the cash-flow of the company. Equity owners can keep excess profit, generated from the debt capital, when companies use the debt capital for its business operations. Check out Benzinga Pro, a market research platform which provides investors with near-instantaneous access to dozens of stock metrics - including debt-to-equity ratio. Click here to learn more.
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https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/05/21320507/what-does-capri-holdings-debt-look-like?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+benzinga%2Fnews+%28Channels+-+News%29
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What are web browsers and search engines?
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"What is black fungus?" "Who is Elon Musk?" "What is Dogecoin?" "When is the next Olympics?" "How to use Clubhouse?" For these questions the usual answer is, "Just Google it!" A web browser or browser is an application that helps you to access the internet. The most common browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and so on. Modern browsers are powerful tools that help us watch videos, listen to music, post our favourite pictures on social media, send emails and more. They tend to provide seamless functionality even on mobile devices. Each browser has its own functionality. While Chrome is the most popular web browser, we believe that you should use one of the following. They offer both security and privacy. Firefox Desktop, Android, iOS. Tor Desktop, Android. Brave Desktop, Android. Onion browser iOS. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser Android, iOS. Bromite Android. Also read: Privacy and Security are both important for us online. But they are not the same thing. A search engine is a tool that helps you to search the internet. The blinking cursor that you see when you open your browser is typically a search engine. They make your life easy while searching for information. The answer is, Google is a search engine. Chrome, which is run by the same company, is a web browser. The confusion between the two terms sometimes arises because of Google's popularity. The term "Google" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary on 15 June 2006. There are many other search engines which promise both security and privacy (unlike Google which is secure but not very private): DuckDuckGo StartPage Qwant searX Swisscows Generally speaking, it is a useful to use multiple search engines and web browsers for different needs. We recommend downloading different ones onto your devices even if you don't have any plans to use them right now. More likely than not, you will start using them out of curiosity! This is part of a series on digital literacy titled Digital Buddhi, aimed at helping you be safe online. Amoghavarsha H is a digital investigator and a journalist.
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https://www.boomlive.in/mediabuddhi/digital-buddhi/browsersearch-engines-13291
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What will the long-term effects of the semiconductor shortage be?
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I n this article, the team at Global X explores the semiconductor shortage and contextualises this in terms of some significant long-term trends. Among many things, the pandemic exposed the underlying vulnerabilities of global supply chains. This is certainly the case for the semiconductor industry, where barriers to entry are notoriously high, technological competition is cut-throat, lead times are long, and the balance of power overwhelmingly tilts towards a few gargantuan companies. At the same time, several industries depend on semiconductors for their latest products, including automobiles, personal electronics, and home appliances. With production backlogs forming due to the disruptive nature of COVID-19, those depending on an uninterrupted supply chain of semiconductors are feeling the pain. Auto manufacturers, for example, could experience a $61bn loss in revenue due to supply constraints in 2021. (1) The problem has escalated to the point where governments are getting involved, not only to help alleviate near-term bottlenecks, but also to develop policies that protect the stability of semiconductor supply chains over the long-run in an effort to avoid future disruptions. $61billion Losses faced by auto manufacturers due to chip shortage Although the semiconductor shortage creates headwinds for various industries in the short-term, it is important not to lose sight of the long-term trends in motion. In many ways, chips are the new bricks, with a wide range of industries and products depending on semiconductors to provide innovative new features and take advantage of the latest technologies. In this piece, well discuss both the reasons for the underlying shortages and how securing semiconductor supply chains in the future will be critical to geopolitics and technological advancements. Key Takeaways America leads the world in chip design, while South Korea and Taiwan lead in manufacturing. This uneven geographical distribution of certain aspects of the semiconductor supply chain has been exposed as a critical weakness amid a world with increasing geopolitical risks. Semiconductor production is difficult to adjust over short time frames for several reasons, including the high R&D requirements for chip design, the immense capital and time needed to build efficient semiconductor factories and high barriers to entry for potential competition. Governments are taking notice of the economic and geopolitical risks the chip shortage presents, and are taking measures to alleviate it in both the near-term and long-term. Meanwhile, disruptive technologies in fast-growing industries like 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and electric & autonomous vehicles are driving up long-term demand for semiconductors. Policymakers around the world are exploring options to reshore semiconductor manufacturing and reduce dependency on other countries, especially geopolitical rivals. The supply side The semiconductor supply chain is notoriously rigid and difficult to enter. This is mainly because of three reasons: High R&D requirements for chip design. An uneven geographical distribution of power in chip manufacturing. The difficulty of building new factories or adjusting orders. Chip design. America is the global leader in the field of chip design, with American companies accounting for 47% of global semiconductor sales in 2019. Americas ability to draw in talented engineers from abroad and its R&D spending as a percent of sales in the semiconductor industry, which leads the world at 16.4%, are both crucial drivers of innovation that allow it to maintain a competitive edge. (2) Americas R&D spending in the chip industry is helping it maintain a competitive edge in the field of chip design. This decisive advantage in chip design is why American companies take in most semiconductor sales revenue, despite only accounting for a small portion of global semiconductor manufacturing. Chip manufacturing Although most cutting-edge semiconductor technology comes from America, the lions share of manufacturing goes to East Asia, particularly Taiwan and South Korea. Fabless companies, like Qualcomm [QCOM] and Nvidia [NVDA], only engage in chip design and sales, but outsource the actual production of chips to other companies. Foundries are companies that specialise in manufacturing chips. Pure-play foundries like TSMC [2330] only manufacture chips and do not design any of their own. Others like Samsung [005930] both design and manufacture chips. The fabless business model is why almost half of global sales are attributed to US companies, despite only 12% of global manufacturing capacity being located in the US, compared to 43% in Taiwan and South Korea. (3) Out of all the Taiwanese and South Korea semiconductor companies, TSMC and Samsung overwhelmingly dominate the field because they have the fabs capable of making the most advanced chips in the world. "TSMC and Samsung overwhelmingly dominate the field because they have the fabs capable of making the most advanced chips in the world Rigidity of the supply chain As the current shortage has demonstrated, it is difficult for semiconductor fabs to adjust their output in response to external shocks. Building a new fab to meet growing demand is simply not a feasible solution for short-term disruptions because of the immense capital and time required to do so. Building a fab and bringing it up to full capacity can take anywhere from 24 to 42 months, at a price tag of anywhere from $1.7bn to $5.4bn, depending on the quality of the chips manufactured. (4) Those costs are only increasing as semiconductors continue to become smaller and more complex. That is not to mention the fact that fabs require lead time for orders and cannot easily open capacity at moments notice. Lead times were already long enough to begin with, but the pandemic only extended them. Between January and April 2021, lead times reportedly increased an average of 75%, with some customers seeing increases of 52 weeks. (5) Businesses that require semiconductors in their products must balance their orders with just the right amount of production to avoid having too many or too few semiconductors on hand. How things fell apart on the supply side A perfect storm of geopolitical tensions, inflexible supply chains, high barriers to entry, concentration of power in a select handful of companies, and the once-in-a-century shock of COVID-19 led to a supply-side logjam that is now impacting several aspects of the economy. Before COVID-19, geopolitical tensions were already setting the stage for the ongoing shortage. The US-China trade war saw sanctions levelled against key Chinese tech firms like Huawei [002502] and ZTE [000063], which were cut off from buying chips made with US technology. In response to these sanctions, 2019 saw Chinese tech companies like Huawei and Hikvision [002415] scrambling to stockpile chips. When COVID-19 struck, factories around the world were left with no choice but to shut down because of stay-at-home orders. Despite the lockdowns, semiconductor companies were given a little more leeway; at the height of the lockdown in Wuhan, YTMC and XMC [XMC] could continue operations. (6) Faced with unusual changes in demand, semiconductor companies could not adjust their production fast enough. "Faced with unusual changes in demand, semiconductor companies could not adjust their production fast enough To make matters worse, a combination of natural disasters and fab incidents exacerbated the shortage. In February, an unprecedented blizzard led to power outages across Texas that brought production at fabs owned by Samsung, Infineon [IFX] and NXP Semiconductors [NXPI] to a grinding halt. In March, a fire resulted in production stopping for nearly a month at a Renesas [6723] factory in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Furthermore, an ongoing drought in Taiwan threatens to impact operations of major fabs run by TSMC, UMC [UMC] and more, though at the time of writing the impact is minimal. The demand side On the demand side, the uncertainty of COVID-19 caught companies and consumers off guard. With unprecedented lockdowns and travel restrictions in place, it was not entirely clear how demand for various products would be impacted. Automotive companies, many of which prefer not to stockpile inventory, anticipated a decline in automobile demand and adjusted their plans accordingly. Meanwhile, with people confined to their homes, demand for household electronics remained resilient. While automotive companies cut back on chip orders, consumer electronics companies continued to order chips. Fast forward to September 2020. At this point car sales rose close to their pre-pandemic levels and carmakers needed to ramp up production. The trouble is that semiconductors are necessary for the functioning of modern vehicles and therefore a shortage of them can easily threaten production. "Semiconductors are necessary for the functioning of modern vehicles and therefore a shortage of them can easily threaten production Modern vehicles can utilise hundreds of semiconductors a number that is increasing as cars become ever more advanced. (7) The average semiconductor price per car increased from 27% in 2010 to 40% in 2020, and the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles will likely further increase that number. (8) When carmakers got back in line for semiconductor orders, chipmakers already had a significant backlog of orders from other companies. Worldwide PC shipments and vehicle sales both took a hit in 2020 and followed a similar trajectory afterwards. This was not the scenario many automakers prepared for. Governments get involved The semiconductor shortage has escalated to the point where governments of major economies feel the need to take action and even reassess the current mode of operation in the industry. In the United States, the president Joe Bidens administration: signed an executive order calling for a 100-day review of supply chains; held a semiconductor summit at the White House in April; is pushing the Chips for America legislation, which earmarks $50bn for semiconductor R&D; agreed with Japan to cooperate on semiconductor development and supply chains. In Japan, the Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga administrations: dispatched a delegation in June to negotiate with and invite TSMC to build a fab in Japan; asked Taiwanese manufacturers in March to cooperate in alternative production of chips; and encouraged equipment makers to support Renesas in the wake of the Renesas factory fire. Meanwhile, South Korea responded by: exempting businesspeople procuring auto chips from the two-week quarantine; offering increased vaccinations for key people in auto chip supply chain; holding a Blue House summit with companies in the automotive and semiconductor industries; and dispatching government officials to Taiwan to negotiate for more secure chip supply. Disruptive technologies support long-term semiconductor growth Many of the disruptive technologies currently moving up the S-Curve in adoption rely on semiconductors. Whether its electric and autonomous vehicles, AI, industrial robots, or internet of things (IoT) devices, few disruptive technologies dont rely on semiconductors in one way or another. In fact, in its Q1 2021 earnings conference, TSMC said its decision to ramp up capital expenditure to $30bn in FY2021 was because of multi-year structural megatrends of 5G-related and HPC (high-powered computing) applications. (9) The takeaway is that despite short-term obstacles in the semiconductor industry, it is important not to lose sight of the long-term trends that are already in motion and likely to structurally increase semiconductor demand over the next decade, or longer. The auto industry Production cuts in the auto industry have grabbed headlines. It is estimated that carmakers could lose $61bn as a result of the chip shortage in 2021. (10) In the first half of 2021, Japanese carmakers may potentially need to reduce production by 500,000 units. (11) Modern vehicles are increasingly reliant on semiconductors for advanced brakes, infotainment and steering systems, so missing chips can easily stall production. Some carmakers have resorted to manufacturing cars without chips and storing them in inventory as they await these critical ingredients. Despite temporary production cuts for carmakers, the EV industry continues to march forward. In March, Xiaomi [1810] announced its bold ambitions to start making electric vehicles (EVs). Chinese-EV maker NIO [NIO] is currently preparing for expansion into the European market in the second half of 2021. (12) Increased adoption of EVs is a good sign for semiconductor companies over the long run due to their heavy usage of semiconductors in battery, drive, and infotainment systems. Robotics and automation Capital expenditure from semiconductor manufacturers is on the rise. Given how automated semiconductor fabs are, it is possible much of that will go into industrial robots for fabs. Capital expenditure from semiconductor manufacturers is on the rise Semiconductor companies like TSMC and Samsung have put some effort into increased automation in recent years. In 2020, TSMC developed the worlds first automated wafer transportation system, which can safely carry wafers from warehouse docks to fabs and reduce manual handling weight by 95%. This automated system was rolled out in Q1 2020, and TSMC plans to roll out the system to all of its 12-inch Gigafabs in Taiwan before the end of 2021. (13) As of February 2020, Samsung started implementing Robotic Process Automation at its Pyeongtaek 2 semiconductor fab. Six tasks were automated in February and that number was expected to rise to 12 by the first half of 2020. (14) These innovations could possibly be carried over to the Pyeongtaek 3 foundry, which is currently under construction. AI Extracting insights from massive datasets with AI and machine learning (ML) requires more processing power than simple operations. This processing power depends heavily on advances in semiconductor technology. Because of this, new semiconductors that specially cater to the needs of AI and ML have gained traction over the past few years. Field Programmable Gate Arrays and Application Specific Integrated Circuits are two examples of semiconductors that suit the needs of AI. (15) The size of the AI chip market is forecast to increase eight-fold from an estimated $10.14bn in 2020 to $83.25bn by 2027. (16) $83.25 billion AI chip market prediction by 2027 5G and IoT Plans to roll out 5G technology are already noticeably impacting demand for semiconductors. The higher data rates and lower latencies made possible by 5G are expected to be drivers of demand for advanced semiconductors, and the concurrent growth of the IoT will likely reinforce that. (17) The shortage of semiconductors could create headwinds for 5G in the short run, but the actions of chipmakers suggest they believe these headwinds will not last for too long, as evidenced by TSMCs decision to ramp up capital expenditures to $100bn over the next three years. In a 2021 KPMG survey, 53% of semiconductor companies believe 5G will become a significant driver of revenue growth in one to two years, and 19% believe it could happen in less than a year. (18) Other electronic devices Automakers have borne the brunt thus far, but the effects of the shortage have also spilled over to other industries, albeit to a lesser degree. The shortage may reduce smartphone production by 5% in Q2 2021. (19) The shortage contributed to both Apple [AAPL] and Samsung delaying the launch of new phones. 5% Potential reduction in smartphone product in Q2 2021 due to chip shortage Meanwhile, manufacturers of other products like TVs, video game consoles and even appliances are beginning to feel anxious about possible risks. The wide-reaching impact of the shortage across subindustries is a testament to how ubiquitous semiconductors are. Major tech companies with in-house chip design units are working hard to design chips that are specially tailored to their needs. Many of these needs come from the themes discussed above. Apple developed the M1 system of chips for tablets and MacBooks, Amazon [AMZN] developed the Graviton chip for servers, Google [GOOGL] developed the Tensor Processing Unit for neural network ML and Alibaba [9988] developed the XuanTie 910 for IoT technology. (20) International effects The interconnectedness of the semiconductor supply chain has invited scrutiny. Governments are mulling the pros and cons of reshoring semiconductor supply chains to prevent future disruptions. Reshoring the semiconductor industry is difficult and not all efforts to do so will succeed. In fact, 53% of semiconductor companies in a 2021 survey identified territorialism as the biggest industry issue. (21) The geographical centres of power in the semiconductor industry shifted over the past 30 years. Japan once dominated as its companies took in 49% of integrated circuit sales in 1990. In 2017, that number dwindled down to 7%, with most of it going to Japans rapidly growing neighbours. (22) In 2020, Japanese officials invited TSMC to build a facility in Japan, which ultimately resulted in TSMC deciding to raise $9bn for a Japanese subsidiary in 2021. It is not clear how determined the Japanese government is to pursue reshoring. Between 1990 and 2017, Japanese companies lost their relative share of semiconductor sales to competitors in rising Asian economies. In China, there is an increasing sense of urgency over the independence of the domestic semiconductor industry. Policymakers have been trying to boost the semiconductor industry for a while now. "Policymakers have been trying to boost the semiconductor industry for a while now. In 2015, the State Council put forth a goal of 70% self-sufficiency in semiconductors by 2025. Although China is still far off track from meeting that goal, it has not become complacent. If anything, pressure from US sanctions on companies like Huawei and SMIC [0981] has spurred policymakers to step up their efforts. Commentators in China often debate how to avoid being choked in the neck in key areas like semiconductors. The 14th five-year plan, released in March 2021, strongly emphasises technological innovation, and also includes third-generation semiconductors on a list of technologies the government aims to support with scientific research programs. Biden signed an executive order to launch a 100-day review of supply chains that includes an assessment of how America gets its semiconductors. On 12 April, the White House held a special CEO summit with companies that make semiconductors or are affected by the shortage. In a readout of the meeting, the White House stated that participants emphasised the importance of boosting semiconductor manufacturing in America. Intel [INTC] has already made the decision to spend $20bn on new chip plants in Arizona and $3.5bn to upgrade an existing plant in New Mexico. Other companies could decide to follow suit. $23.5 billion Intels planned spend on chip plans Meanwhile, European Union (EU) officials are already brewing up plans to restore some of the faded glory of the continents semiconductor manufacturing industry. Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner, sees the chip shortage as a sign that it is time to restructure supply chains. To achieve that goal, the EU Commission put forth a plan that aims to bring EU chip production up to 20% of world supply by 2030. (23) A reshoring of the semiconductor industry could bring about a decline in the fabless model as companies vertically integrate from chip design to manufacturing. Intels recent decision to build new fabs on American soil shows that it is committed to growing its foundry business. Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, confirmed this when he stated that it is time to reverse the trend of decline in US chip manufacturing. If other firms like Nvidia or even major tech firms like Apple decide to follow suit and pursue vertical integration, it will take a lot of capital and talent to overcome Samsung and TSMCs dominant position in manufacturing. Not all efforts to reshore the semiconductor industry will succeed, but the attempt alone will probably be enough to add pressure to the fabless, global model. "Not all efforts to reshore the semiconductor industry will succeed, but the attempt alone will probably be enough to add pressure to the fabless, global model The real winners from the semiconductor shortage and subsequent supply chain shakeup will be those that pursue innovation. There is plenty of room for that as Moores Law, which predicts that the number of transistors that can fit on a chip will double every two years, has generally stayed true. Companies that reach for More Than Moore innovation, namely finding new methods of chip optimisation that are more efficient than traditional architecture, will have a better chance at disrupting the status quo of the semiconductor industry. Conclusion The semiconductor shortage will have a palpable impact across multiple industries in 2021. Current trends in demand for semiconductors are indicative of the rapid pace of digitalisation and the rise of disruptive technologies. As semiconductors become increasingly important to a digitalised economy, governments and businesses are reassessing their dependence on supply chains that run through foreign countries. Companies are questioning the fabless model and their lack of vertical integration, while policymakers are looking for ways to incentivise breakthroughs in semiconductor research, innovation, and production. With the growing importance of innovation for economic growth, we expect to see greater investment in chip design and manufacturing alongside attempts to reshore strategic components of the chip industry to domestic markets. This article was published by Global X. The original article, including footnotes where readers can find original source material, can be found here. SEI Investments Distribution Co. (1 Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA, 19456) is the distributor for the Global X Funds. Check the background of SIDCO and Global Xs Registered Representatives on FINRAs BrokerCheck Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. International investments may involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuation in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles, or from economic or political instability in other nations. Emerging markets involve heightened risks related to the same factors as well as increased volatility and lower trading volume. Securities focusing on a single country and narrowly focused investments may be subject to higher volatility. The companies in which the Funds invest may be subject to rapid changes in technology, intense competition, rapid obsolescence of products and services, loss of intellectual property protections, evolving industry standards and frequent new product productions, and changes in business cycles and government regulation. The investable universe for thematic ETFs may be limited. The funds are non-diversified. There is no guarantee the trends discussed will continue. Shares of ETFs are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Carefully consider the funds investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses. This and other information can be found in the funds full or summary prospectuses, which may be obtained at globalxetfs.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. Global X Management Company LLC serves as an advisor to Global X Funds. The Funds are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. (SIDCO), which is not affiliated with Global X Management Company LLC. Global X Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by MSCI nor does MSCI make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in the Global X Funds. Neither SIDCO nor Global X is affiliated with MSCI.
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https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-au/opto/what-will-the-long-term-effects-of-the-semiconductor-shortage-be
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Whats on new CEO Liang Rubos agenda ahead of the ByteDance IPO?
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C hina tech watchers got a shock when they woke up last week to news that ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming had decided to step down. Zhang was candid about the decision in a company blog post, writing that he was not the ideal manager type as he was more interested in solitary activities like reading, going online and daydreaming, rather than listening to presentations, handling approvals and making decisions reactively. Innovation and success are rooted in years of exploring and imagining what is possible. However, few people have real insight into the future, preferring to model on current and past achievements, the founder wrote in a company blog post, citing American tech giants as role models. Considering Zhang has overseen ByteDances TikTok and its Chinese sister app Douyins phenomenal growth, saying that he lacks some of the skills that make an ideal manager may come as a surprise. Innovation and success are rooted in years of exploring and imagining what is possible. However, few people have real insight into the future, preferring to model on current and past achievements - ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming Yet with Beijing increasingly reining in its tech sector, and tensions with the US, the last couple of years have been eventful for ByteDances outgoing CEO. With ByteDances IPO on the horizon, there has been no let up. Taking Zhangs place at the top is co-founder and head of human resources Liang Rubo. According to the Financial Times, current and former ByteDance employees describe Liang as loyal to Zhang, if something of a puppet figure who would execute his bosss orders. With the transition between CEOs earmarked at six months, Rubo will need to get his head around some daunting issues, any one of which could be career defining. A ByteDance IPO while appeasing Beijing Rubos biggest challenge will be pushing through ByteDances IPO. Preparations are already underway for one of the years most eagerly awaited debuts, with ByteDance weighing up listing on either the US or the Hong Kong exchange in a debut that could top a $250bn valuation. The departure of Zhang could help smooth a listing with Beijing. In April, the China Securities Journal a state run publication reported that ByteDance had started the IPO process in Hong Kong, although that story was deleted less than 24 hours later. Investors may be reminded of the scuppered Ant Group IPO last year. Beijing has been at pains to rein in its high profile tech companies recently. Zhangs departure follows the resignation of Pinduoduo [PDD] founder Colin Huang in March, the same month that Ant Groups chief executive Simon Hu also stepped down. 8% Fall of the China Tech investment theme over the past month What is spooking investors is that the authorities in China appear to have teeth, as they seek greater regulation on the countrys tech sector. ByteDance, along with 34 other tech companies, has been ordered to comply with anti-monopoly laws. Any breaches incur a severe punishment Alibabas $2.8bn fine for breaching antitrust rules is a case in point. All this has added up to a downturn in investor sentiment. The China Tech investment theme is down circa 8% over the past month (as of 24 May). However, David Balin, CitiGroup Wealths chief investment officer, reckons that, while there is risk, the Chinese government does not intend to damage [its tech sector], telling CNBCs SquawkBox Asia that the authoritys intention is to regulate it. An acquaintance of the outgoing CEO told the Financial Times that Yiming is not very good at government relations [in China]. Rubo will need to do better. Resetting US relationships Washington and the Biden administration will be yet another test of Rubos diplomatic mettle. TikTok became the epicentre of the ongoing US-China trade spat when President Trump attempted to ban the app in the US or force a sale of its overseas operations to an American company. Oracle [ORCL] eventually emerged as a likely buyer, but the talks ended in limbo. At the time, Zhang was between a rock and a hard place. Trying to appease the Trump White Houses demand that TikToks US operations be US-owned led to censure from Beijing. Since taking office, the Biden administration has said it was reviewing Trumps attempt to ban TikTok on national security grounds. ByteDance wont be getting a free pass here. Under Biden, the White House has continued to take a tough line on China, marking another potential flashpoint for Rubos first year in charge. Hitting ambitious e-commerce targets ByteDance is reportedly eyeing up Chinas trillion-dollar e-commerce market via its short-form social platforms. The plans are ambitious. Last year, the company garnered $26bn in sales through e-commerce and is aiming to hit $185bn in 2022, according to a Bloomberg report. It helps that Douyin already has a huge audience of between 610 million and 620 million daily active users in March, which it hopes to increase to 680 million. Short video platforms have so much traffic that they can basically do any business, Shawn Yang, managing director of Blue Lotus Capital Advisors, told Bloomberg. ByteDance faces stiff competition in the form of Alibaba [BABA], JD.com [JD] and Pinduoduo, but the prize could be worth it. $1.7trillion Valuation of China's e-commerce sales in 2019 China is the worlds biggest e-commerce market, generating $1.7trn in sales in 2019, up from $1.5trn in 2018, according to a study by JP Morgan. Between 2019 and 2023, the market is set to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 11.2%. Growth drivers include a growing middle class and more people introduced to online shopping due to the pandemic. Getting its e-commerce strategy right could bump up ByteDances already hefty pre-IPO valuation. If Rubo can manage this well, smooth over relationships at home and abroad, get the e-commerce strategy right, and manage a ByteDance IPO, then he will have a remarkable first year in charge.
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https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-au/opto/whats-on-new-ceo-liang-rubos-agenda-ahead-of-the-bytedance-ipo
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Whats the Indian variant responsible for Victorias outbreak and how effective are vaccines against it?
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Victorias seven day lockdown, which begins tonight, is an attempt to stop transmission of the quick-spreading COVID-19 B.1.617.1 variant. Victorias chief health officer Brett Sutton said the reproduction number of the strain was yet to be determined, but could be five or more, meaning one person would infect five others. B.1.617.1 is one of three so-called Indian SARS-CoV-2 variant sub-types. Little is known about it but its likely to have similar characteristics to the sub-type dominating in India and emerging in the United Kingdom at the moment, B.1.617.2. To be classified as a variant of concern, it must pose a risk to public health over and above the original Wuhan virus. This could be due to changes in transmissibility (how easily it spreads), disease severity, its ability to evade detection by viral diagnostic tests, reduced effectiveness of treatments, or an ability to evade natural or vaccine-induced immunity. The World Health Organization is tracking four variants of concern, which are often referred to by the country in which they emerged: the UK (B.1.1.7) South Africa (B.1.351) Brazil (P.1) Indian variant (B.1.617). The B.1.617 variant, which was classified as a variant of concern on May 6 2021, has three subtypes B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3 each with small differences in their genetic make-up. Information about B.1.617 is emerging, but early reports indicate it spreads more easily than the original strain. Although there is limited data specifically on B.1.617.1, it is likely to behave similarly to B.1.617.2 as it is genetically similar. Early data from the UKs NHS Test and Trace records showed B.1.617 spreads at least as easily as the UK strain (B.1.1.7). In fact, B.1.617.2 may be twice as likely to infect another person than the UK strain, which was already more infectious than the original Wuhan virus. The relative disease severity of B.1.617 is still under investigation, however even if it is no more severe than the original virus, increased transmission leads to more cases, more hospital admissions and more deaths. Laboratory tests also raise the possibility that reinfection might be more common with the B.1.617 variant, but this is yet to be confirmed by real-world data and for all sub-types. For most variants of concern, vaccines are still effective, but are often less effective than they were against the original Wuhan virus. So far, there are no data on how effective any of the COVID-19 vaccines are against B.1.617.1. B.1.617.2 has one more mutation than B.1.617.1, so they are genetically similar. Therefore the vaccine effectiveness against B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2 is likely be similar, but this is not known yet. Data from the UK (non-peer reviewed) on vaccine effectiveness against the B.1.617.2 variant has recently been released. It found: both Pfizer and AstraZeneca are 33% effective against symptomatic disease (COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, dry cough and tiredness) three weeks after the first dose Pfizer vaccine is 88% effective against symptomatic disease two weeks after the second dose AstraZeneca vaccine is 60% effective against symptomatic disease two weeks after the second dose. The difference in effectiveness between the vaccines after two doses may be due to AstraZeneca taking longer to reach peak protection as this occurs after two weeks following the second dose. Both vaccines are expected to provide even greater protection against COVID-19 hospitalisation and death than they do for symptomatic disease. As yet there are too few cases to do this analysis but this will take place over the coming weeks. Lower vaccine effectiveness means even if you are vaccinated, you could still get infected. However, if an infection does occur, symptoms would be milder. Its also possible vaccination may not protect you for as long against this sub-type compared to other variants. But this is not known yet for B.1.617.1. Time between doses From December 2020, the UK had been delivering the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines with a 12-week interval between doses to provide some protection to as many people as possible. A recent study supported this decision, finding that extending the vaccine interval from three to 12 weeks for the second dose boosted the immune response in people over 80 by 3.5 times. However, due to the spread of the B.1.617.2 variant in the UK, the strategy was changed in mid-May to an eight-week gap in order to provide greater protection from this highly transmissible virus at an earlier opportunity. Australia delivers the AstraZeneca vaccine with a 12-week interval, while opting for three weeks for Pfizer. Decisions on the timing between doses must balance providing greater protection earlier, against providing some protection to the maximum number of people. Its too early to make those changes right now for Victoria but this option should be considered if the outbreak worsens. Even though we dont know how effective vaccines are against the B.1.617.1 sub-type, dont delay getting vaccinated. This time our outbreak is due to B.1.617.1, but next time it could be another variant. COVID-19 vaccines are equally effective against the original strain and B.1.1.7, and are also effective against the B.1.617.2 variant (albeit a bit lower). During an outbreak, policymakers should also consider opportunistically increasing vaccine uptake, especially in the outbreak areas. Victoria has made progress in this area and from tomorrow all 40- to 49-year-old Victorians will be offered Pfizer. But those responsible for the most COVID-19 transmission are aged 20 to 49 years. So vaccinating even younger Victorians 20 to 39 year olds would also prevent spread of the outbreak. Even if the vaccine was only 20% effective against transmission this may be a very important additional measure. Even though there are many unknowns, it is still important to get vaccinated with the vaccine that is offered right now. Read more: I'm over 50 and can now get my COVID vaccine.
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https://theconversation.com/whats-the-indian-variant-responsible-for-victorias-outbreak-and-how-effective-are-vaccines-against-it-161574
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When are the 2022 Oscars?
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The end of March broadcast date is much later than usual for Hollywoods biggest awards show. Originally the 94th edition was set to air on Feb. 27. LOS ANGELES Planning is already underway for the 94th Oscars, which will be held on March 27, 2022, the film academy and ABC said Thursday. After a year of disruption, innovation and catastrophically low ratings, the Academy Awards are getting back to business as usual. The show will return to the Dolby Theatre for its ABC broadcast and the eligibility window will once again close at the end of the calendar year. This past year, the academy extended the eligibility window into February and canceled non-televised events like the Governors Awards and the Nominees Luncheon because of the pandemic. All those trimmings are now back on the schedule, with the Governors Awards set for Jan. 15 and the luncheon to be held on March 7. Nominations will be announced on Feb. 8. The academy said, however, that dates remain subject to change. The organization is also acknowledging that the movie business is still being impacted by the pandemic and are extending the streaming eligibility caveat they adopted last year into the 2021 awards season. That means that films dont necessarily have to have a theatrical run to qualify and can debut on streaming or video on demand services. PHOTOS: Red carpet fashion at 2021 Oscars 1/56 2/56 3/56 4/56 5/56 6/56 7/56 8/56 9/56 10/56 11/56 12/56 13/56 14/56 15/56 16/56 17/56 18/56 19/56 20/56 21/56 22/56 23/56 24/56 25/56 26/56 27/56 28/56 29/56 30/56 31/56 32/56 33/56 34/56 35/56 36/56 37/56 38/56 39/56 40/56 41/56 42/56 43/56 44/56 45/56 46/56 47/56 48/56 49/56 50/56 51/56 52/56 53/56 54/56 55/56 56/56 1 / 56 The end of March broadcast date is much later than usual for Hollywoods biggest awards show. Originally the 94th edition was set to air on Feb. 27, but that month is also crowded with major live events, including the 2022 Olympics and the Super Bowl. The audience for the 93rd Oscars, which were held at Los Angeles Union Station in late April, was less than half of its previous low, with only 9.85 million viewers tuning in to watch Nomadland win best picture. It was par for the course for a pandemic awards show: Both the Golden Globes (6.9 million viewers) and Grammy Awards (9.2 million) had record low audiences as well.
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https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/oscars-next-show-date-march-2022/507-6b321b4b-2e02-4507-8f81-ba30a557ca33
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Will the SPAC race heat up following SEC clearance?
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E TF TVs weekly episodes cover the latest ETF listings and breaking news, alongside interviews with the people behind the ETF headlines. In this weeks episode of ETF TV, hosts Dan Barnes and Debbie Fuhr discuss the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) market with Tuttle Capital Management CEO and CIO, Matthew Tuttle. In the first five months of 2021, SPACs have already raised more money than in the entirety of 2020, and each individual preceding year. Matthew admits the sector has cooled down somewhat in recent weeks, citing SEC caution following the outsized enthusiasm at the start of the year. However, he sees this as a speed bump, and believes the market will pick up again following a high profile, successful merger. Tuttle Capital Management has recently launched two De-SPAC ETFs, which track 25 of the largest companies to have debuted via SPAC in the last year. One ETF is long on these companies, the other is short. To hear Matthew discuss the new De-SPAC products in more detail, plus to find out whats been happening in the wider ETF space this week, watch the full episode below.
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https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-au/opto/will-the-spac-race-heat-up-following-sec-clearance
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Why is the peloton hiding its true colours?
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Of the 978 riders in the mens pro peloton, none are gay. While this statement is true on the surface not a single male rider at WorldTour or ProTeam level publicly identifies as gay its starkly implausible as soon as that surface is scratched. Estimates on the proportion of UK and US people who are gay or bisexual range from about three to seven per cent. If we take the low-end estimate for men, three per cent, then you would expect there to be about 30 gay or bi riders in the pro peloton enough for a whole WorldTour squad. Based on those numbers, the probability that all 978 riders are straight is one in ten trillion. The question, then, is not whether there are gay pros but why none of them feel free to be open about who they really are. As a gay man who has worked in sports media since the mid-Noughties, I can appreciate why a rider might feel compelled to keep their sexuality a secret. Even in magazine offices surely less laddish than race paddocks Ive lost count of the casually homophobic comments Ive heard. Generally these have not been intentional insults but rather thoughtless so-called banter, gay used as a pejorative term, and being gay only ever mentioned in terms of speculation or cheap humour. For a long time it felt like revealing my sexuality would be to risk being judged as weak or even laughable. It was time to find out. Ryan (not his real name) is a gay rider who trained among top-flight pros and competed in several UCI races before dropping out of the sport a few years ago. Now in his mid-20s, he has agreed to speak to CW on condition of anonymity. None of the riders I trained with would be explicitly homophobic in an abusive way, Ryan tells me. It was just that there was just no space for being open about it. Cycling is very much a masculine world where people do anything to fit in and avoid showing weakness. He describes a pressure to conform, on and off the bike, that never let up. When all you do is train with the same people every day, theres not much news to talk about its just chatting about women, laddish kind of stuff, and it would have seemed very odd if I wasnt taking part. Rather than take the risk, Ryan played the role expected of him. Id just go along with it, he says. Its hard as a young rider but I was able to compartmentalise and focus on my cycling goals. I didnt want anything to hinder my progress. He explains that securing rides on teams was all about who you know and suspected these connections would be harder to foster as a gay rider, possibly to the detriment of his career. Yes and no, he pauses. It was only after a period of injury, when I was out of the sport for several months, that I realised I didnt want to go back to living a lie it wasnt healthy. I ask Ryan why in his view so many riders feel the need to assert their masculinity and straightness in a way that stifles open conversation. Yeah its partly because of the shaved legs, the tan, they need to prove themselves more masculine, more male. Ryan is now happily pursuing a new career outside of cycling, and harbours neither ill feelings towards his former fellow riders nor regrets about his time in the sport. Even so, the fact he feels the need to remain anonymous here speaks for itself. He hopes his story will make riders more aware that how they act has an effect on others and that gay riders coming through the ranks today will feel free to be wholly themselves. We need to get to the point, not just in cycling but in society, where a persons sexuality just doesnt matter. Cycling behind society The personal testimony from Ryan chimes with research showing that most LGBTQ+ sportspeople have experienced homophobia; many end up feeling ostracised and suffer related mental health problems. My perception as a 39-year-old is that wider societal attitudes towards sexuality and gender have undergone a sea change since I was at school in the Nineties, with what seems like accelerated progress over the past five or 10 years. I wanted to speak to a young rider who had recent firsthand experience and I found someone uniquely well placed to comment. Emily Bridges made a brave announcement last October (Image credit: Future) Emily Bridges is a 20-year-old trans woman who until last year had been setting national records in the junior male category 18:42 for 10 miles, 47:27 for 25 miles and had gained selection to British Cyclings Senior Academy. She made a courageous public statement last October, declaring that she was no longer comfortable with not being true to myself in all aspects of my life and was now a trans athlete. Things are changing, but cycling as it is at the moment is not massively accepting of LGBT people, Bridges tells me by video call from her home in Wales. It was just the gay jokes, being asked constantly Are you gay? as if that would be a bad thing, and it always left me feeling uncomfortable, Bridges pauses to think of a word to encapsulate the experience. It was just rubbish, she sighs. Having started cycling as a youngster in 2012, inspired by watching the GB Olympic team train at Newport velodrome, Bridges loved racing but never felt she fully fitted in with the boys. During her teens, as feelings of confusion around her gender identity intensified, she immersed herself in cycling as a form of escape. Being able to train kept me going through my teenage years, she says. It kept my head healthy, that was massively important. In 2019, amid a string of racing successes and a step up to BCs Senior Academy, Bridges underwent surgery for an ankle injury, requiring three months rehab. It was during this downtime that she began to identify as trans. I think representation is a big factor, having role models in place, people to identify with and be inspired by, says Bridges who is far too modest to acknowledge that she herself is now a trailblazer. When it comes to homophobic banter, it needs to be taken more seriously by governing bodies. At the moment, its too easily dismissed as boys will be boys. Having started on the journey of medical transition, Bridges will not be eligible to race as a woman until next year at the earliest. She was dropped from the BC Academy last August, on performance grounds, but none of these hurdles have dimmed her determination to get back racing. I definitely want to return to the top level because being able to compete is really important to me I just love it, she enthuses. In the meantime, Im just trying to fall back in love with the sport. Bridges describes the reaction she has received from within the sport as really positive with an influx of supportive messages, albeit alongside a social media backlash from the small but vociferous anti-trans lobby. Like Ryan, she is hopeful that future generations of LGBTQ+ riders will face less and less discrimination as machismo and sporting excellence are steadily decoupled. Sporting performance doesnt need to be linked to gender expression theyre not related, she says. Being yourself is far more important because if youre not true to who you are, you wont perform at your best. 'It's easier for women' As I gauged opinion in preparing to write this feature, one comment kept cropping up: Its easier for women as in, female pro riders can come out without fearing the consequences. I didnt want to presume this was true in part because I couldnt think of any British examples so I arranged a call with US rider Tayler Wiles (TrekSegafredo), who has been openly gay for almost her entire pro career. Yeah, its definitely easier for women, she affirms, speaking to me from Belgium on the eve of Lige-Bastogne-Lige. I think there are many reasons for that but personally Ive never been on a team that hasnt had at least one other gay rider I didnt have to think twice about coming out. Buttressed by strength in numbers, being gay has never been a cause for concern either among fellow riders or with team directors, explains the 31-year-old. The Catch-22 for the men is that fear and uncertainty around how an openly gay rider might be treated is sustained by there being none. Ive asked a few male cyclists why they think there are no openly gay men, she says, and their responses really surprised me. One guy said, I dont think [a gay rider] would survive because its such a hard sport, Wiles laughs at the illogicality. The equating of homosexuality with feminity and weakness for her betrays that homophobia and misogyny go together as a symptom of men trying to dominate everything. Other male riders told her that they would be uncomfortable to have a gay teammate because you know, getting changed together on the bus and stuff. Rejecting such anxieties point blank, Wiles calls out the homophobic tendency to over-sexualise what it means to be a gay man. As a gay woman who has never had to conceal that part of herself in the sport, Wiles recognises that it must be incredibly hard for gay male pros, and urges men who feel secure in their sexuality to step up, speak out and make it a more welcoming environment. Her own transformative power as one such figurehead was about to be perfectly demonstrated in my very next conversation. Representation matters I wasnt yet openly gay when I first met Tayler [Wiles], says former pro Molly Waver speaking to me from Bristol on a break from her studies to become a paramedic. It was at the Tour of Ireland about eight years ago. She was there with her wife Olivia [Dillon, former pro] at a time when it wasnt so common to see openly gay couples. The sheer visibility of other gay riders had a profound effect on Weaver, she now reflects. If I hadnt seen Tayler and Olivia just being themselves and living their lives together and that being fine, then coming out for me would have felt like stepping into very scary unknown territory. The meeting provided tangible reassurance that everything would be OK. People always say that representation matters, says Weaver, but take it from me, it really does. The 27-year-old, who stepped away from the sport in 2018, points out the incongruity that in some apparently more macho sports such as rugby, several male players have come out and been readily accepted male cyclists should feel confident to follow their lead, she suggests. If an existing pro comes out, its going to test the waters, says Weaver, and actually, even if some people [in cycling] do have a problem with it, the majority response is going to be so positive it will outweigh any minority who are annoyed or upset. She is careful to add the caveat that, as a woman, she cannot judge exactly how intimidating it would feel to be that first, pioneering male rider. One rider who can help shed light on that question is 20-year-old Belgian cyclo-cross rider Justin Laevens (Proximus-AlphamotorsDoltcini). He came out publicly in January, and as someone competing in UCI races, he is as close as it gets to being that elusive phenomenon, an openly gay male pro rider. I had already told my team-mates, family and friends that I was gay [in November 2019], Laevens tells me over Zoom. Everyone was so positive, it made me really happy. Knowing he had the backing of those around him, Laevens felt no need to hold back when asked about his sexuality by journalist Tom Coninckx in the lead-up to the 2021 Belgian CX champs. At first, yeah, I wondered, Will people hate me for this?, but its been really, really positive, Laevens beams. Ive had only good reactions. No one hates me! Laevens, who came out in January, can now race and train with a clear head (Image credit: Future) In the days afterwards it went crazy on my Instagram, he recalls messages of support flooded in from fans and riders, including junior world CX champion Thibau Nys. The media attention was similarly overwhelming, and all of the coverage friendly and positive. Im slightly taken aback; I had expected Laevens to relate at least one or two minor drawbacks or unwelcome comments, but no. He smiles brightly and lists only benefits, which have been both personal and professional. Far from harming his marketability, coming out has skyrocketed Laevenss profile exemplified by a brand new car with his name emblazoned down the side, having been made an ambassador by his local DS dealership. I dont know, but cycling is a very male-dominated sport, and so is cycling media, so maybe that is a factor. Yeah, because at school there is now more information about sexuality, says Laevens. First of all, you need to love yourself and be comfortable with who you are, Laevens says thoughtfully. Take your time and do it on your own terms. That way, when you do come out, mentally you will feel 100 per cent, and that will be good for your training and racing too your head will be clear. Research and statistics - 'We need urgent action to stop discrimination A review of the research into LGBTQ+ discrimination and exclusion in sport by academics at Monash University in Australia, published in December, highlighted that as many as 82 per cent of athletes had witnessed homophobic or transphobic language in sport in the past six months. In many cases, these slurs are used by people who claim to hold inclusive attitudes towards gay people, implying a disconnect between belief and behaviour. The effect on participation is stark: young gay males play team sports at half the rate of their peers. This research also found that, among LGBTQ+ youth, victims of sexuality-based discrimination are five times more likely to have suicidal thoughts. LGB youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts, while trans youth are at six-times higher risk than cisgender youth. The Monash review concluded by calling for urgent, collaborative, solutionfocused research to identify ways to stop discriminatory behaviours and mitigate harm. In the UK, the cycling group PrideOut, headed by Richard Hearne, has been campaigning for greater action from cyclings governing bodies. An open letter published by PrideOut last year, entitled the Diversity and Inclusion Problem in Cycling, set out a multi-pronged action plan calling on decision-makers to undertake research, educate, instigate change and stamp out prejudice. It was signed by representatives from many large organisations including Scottish Cycling and Welsh Cycling but notably not by British Cycling. Ive constantly been trying to get assistance from the big cycling bodies in the UK, Hearne told CW, but Im banging my head against a brick wall. None of them seem to even acknowledge theres a problem in terms of representation or participation. The first step would be targeted research, he believes. If we dont know how bad the problem is, how can there be any focus or resources to fix it? CW asked British Cycling why it had refused to sign PrideOuts open letter. In response, a spokesman stated that BC was working incredibly hard to ensure that cycling is a diverse, welcoming and supportive place for all, adding that BC set up its first Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group in February, which will be drawing up a strategic framework to achieve its goals. Callum Skinner - I felt forced to hide half my immediate family Olympic gold medallist Callum Skinner has been outspoken on LGBTQ+ representation in cycling since revealing that his younger brother Roy and dad Scott are gay: I actively hid my brothers and dads sexuality. Having been to a very bohemian, middle-class school where other kids had gay parents, Id felt comfortable about it. ""But when I moved to Manchester [to join the BC Academy], it was my first exposure to kids from diverse backgrounds, and thats when I began to hear [homophobic] slurs. "Even though it was mostly unintentional most didnt realise the impact their words were having it made me feel I needed to hide a portion of my immediate family, which was tough. "It was just my mum who would come to cycling events. Where it really hit home for me was in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympic Games. Team GB approach all the families to make sure that they are well supported in case there is an influx of media attention. My dad said he was happy to be on the programme and also happy to 'hide the gay thing'. "That cut me in half nothing else had cut through like that in years. I realised that my actions were inhibiting my dad from being who he was, contradicting the fact I was proud of who he was and what he stood for. "Sprinting especially is very much a macho culture all about being big and strong and not showing weakness and so I didnt really know how those around me would react. "Fortunately, my experience of speaking openly about my dad and brother have been met with either total indifference, which is fantastic, or with support. "People think its funny to regard indifference as positive, but thats how it should be not an issue. Im against making any gay cyclist feel obliged to come out for the sake of the movement, as it has to be completely their own choice. "The message we do need to send out is that, if a rider does make that decision, they will be 100 per cent backed and supported by the cycling community in the face of any adversity. You can read the full article in the May 27 issue of Cycling Weekly magazine. You can order the issue online if you're not going out, or you can subscribe to get it delivered each week save on the cover price and enjoy fitness features written by experts from around the world.
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https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/why-is-the-peloton-hiding-its-true-colours
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Which app for email?
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Create an automated email pipeline with dazzling dashboards. We send and receive a plethora of emails on a daily basis in our corporate and non-corporate lives. And truth be told, a large portion of those transactions can indeed be automated. Perhaps we can all relate to a landmark moment of our lives when we spent the good portion of a day sending more or less the same email to a multitude of people. Well, it doesn't have to be that way. With Python, you can in fact set up and deploy an automated email pipeline to receive emails and subsequently send emails based on the content of the former. In other words, you can put automation to work while you attend to more impactful tasks at work or home.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2258110439069/which-app-for-email
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What Is The Best Way Of Disposing Off A Dead Body?
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Written by Abhay Jain and Sandeep Pandey As Covid consumes human life in a very conspicuous way we are confronted with additional problem of disposing off human corpses. Cremation grounds are lit with continuous pyres, graveyards are running out of land and now Ganga has become a mass grave potentially polluting its water. In India, one estimate reveals that funeral pyres consume 6 crores trees annually and plays a huge role in deforestation in country. Air pollution and deforestation are not the only environmental threats caused by cremation. They also generate large quantities of ash around 50 lakh tonnes which are later thrown into rivers, adding to the toxicity of their waters. Hence the ash was already polluting the water of Ganga before we became alarmed by the scenes of floating human corpses. Prolonged burning of fossil fuels for cremation results in around 80 lakh tonnes of Carbon Dioxide or Green House Gas emissions per year according to one estimate. It creates different hazardous gases, including dental mercury, which is vaporized and released into the environment leading to health hazards in the surrounding area. Many of these toxins can bioaccumulate in humans, including mercury (often from dental amalgams, but also from general bioaccumulation in the body). Cremation results in various other toxic emissions including persistent pollutants such as Volatile Organic Compounds, Particulate Matter, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides and heavy metals. A Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 2016 study concludes that open air cremations contribute 4% of Carbon Monoxide emissions in Delhi. There are concerns for crematory workers as well, who may be exposed to nuclear medicine treatments (chemotherapeutics/radiation), orthopaedic (implants) and pacemaker explosions, and nanoparticles. In the Rig Veda, a hymn, traditionally recited by a priest or an adult male, urges Agni, the Vedic god of fire, to carry this man to the world of those who have done good deeds. From the perspective of Hindu, Jain, and Sikh rituals, the act of cremation is seen as a sacrifice, a final breaking of the ties between the body and the spirit so it may be free to reincarnate. Now it also differentiates Hindus from Muslims, Christians and Parsis. And even upper caste Hindus from lower class Hindus, who were generally buried. It was seen as right rather than rite. The lower castes often use the phrase mitti for a human corpse, implying the dead body has already become earth even before the actual process happens. In order to tackle the environmental problems stemming from these sites, the Indian government and environmental groups have, over the years, promoted the use of electric crematoriums as an alternative way of cremation. But these systems, which do not create pollution on site but are polluting where the electricity is being generated from thermal power plants which are still the biggest source of power for India, have by-and-large failed, mainly due to financial and religious reasons. They are expensive to run but, crucially, traditional rituals such as kapal kriya, where a stick or long bamboo pole is used to crack open the burning skull to free soul from its earthly existence are impossible. Mokshda, a Delhi based Non Governmental Organisation working to reduce the environmental impact of funeral pyres, describes its creation of an alternate energy efficient green cremation system by maintaining that a body can burn completely in lesser time and with lesser wood than usual. Mokshdas green cremation system consists of a human-sized grate beneath a roof and a chimney which reduces heat loss. Here the wood is placed on the metal slats, which enables better air circulation around the flames. It is also easier to transition from one cremation to another by removing the metal tray filled with ash and replacing it with a new tray containing the next body. One of the big advantages of this system is that mourners can continue to fulfill all traditional rites. It is believed that a traditional pyre takes about six hours and requires 500-600 kilograms of wood to burn a body completely, while this alternative system takes up to two hours and 150-200 kilograms of wood to burn a body and the emissions are reduced up to 60%, The organization has 50 such units spread around nine Indian states. However Covid time has already altered a number of traditional practices. In some cases young women may be the only ones available to light the funerary pyre, which was previously not permissible. Families in quarantine are forced to use WhatsApp and other video software to visually identify the body and recite digital funerary rites. In most cases of Covid deaths, crematorium workers, who are mostly Dalits, have been asked to read prayers traditionally reserved for Brahmin priests or people from a higher caste as the relatives and priests are afraid of going near the body. Green burial is without using embalming fluids or toxic chemicals of any kind. The grave is often dug by hand. The body is simply placed in an unbleached cloth shroud rather than a casket. This allows the corpse to decompose naturally, returning its sustenance to the Earth. Many green burial grounds also act as wildlife refuges, creating safe spaces for animals and native plant life. Among the Gond community, one of Indias largest tribal group, burial, or Mitti Sanskar, was a common practice which, over the decades, gave way to cremation as the tribal community assimilated with the Hindu communities. However, the Gond community, has now decided to bury instead of cremating their dead, with an aim to reduce the number of trees cut for funeral pyres. It is believed in the community that through this ritual, the body mixes with five basic elements of nature: earth, air, water, fire and space. Also, Lingayats ardent Shiva devotees and followers of the 12th century saint Basavanna do not cremate their dead. Instead, the departed are buried in deep pits in a sitting, meditative position with a linga (symbol of Shiva) in the right hand. In Tibet and other areas nearby, Buddhists practice a death ritual meant to encourage good karma. They take bodies to charnel grounds where vultures come to eat the flesh, offering back to the world what was taken in life: meat. Its believed that the practice encourages the dead to move along to the next life without being held back by ones greatest attachmenttheir physical body. Ritual aside, its a practical answer due to the scarcity of wood and usable burial grounds (the rocky earth makes it hard to dig). Five death rituals to give you a new view on funerals Although a bit controversial but utilitarian alternative is human composting, the process of transforming bodies into soil, naturally. Farmers have practiced livestock composting for decades. Wood chips, moisture and breeze combine to expedite the natural process of decay into nutrient-rich soil. As soon as 30 days later, a dead cattle transforms into (roughly) a cubic yard of soil. In the United States 6% people prefer to donate their bodies after death to medical science institutions. In India too the percentage of people donating bodies or organs after death is very low. In Anandvan, set up by the late Baba Amte, everyone after death, irrespective of their religion, is buried with a sapling planted on top and no permanent or semi-permanent structure built. The problem of land for burial can be solved in Covid times by using the land alongside Railway tracks or highways. After some years the saplings will provide shade and possibly fruits. Abhay Jain is an engineer-entrepreneur and Sandeep Pandey is Vice President, Socialist Party (India). e-mail ids: [email protected], [email protected] GET COUNTERCURRENTS DAILY NEWSLETTER STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
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https://countercurrents.org/2021/05/what-is-the-best-way-of-disposing-off-a-dead-body/
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Can Festival Style Make a Comeback?
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Jarvis Cocker sang those words exultantly to 100,000 muddied fans as his band, Pulp, headlined Glastonburys Pyramid stage in 1995. Britpop was soaring that June, and I had descended on Worthy Farm for the first time with five friends in celebration of being finished with our exams and free of any parental interference, our excitement diluted by neither the pelts of rain on our army-surplus parkas (topping off our band T-shirts with homemade beaded necklaces nestled beneath) nor the local Somerset cider. We wore our hearts big. As much as virtual concerts have valiantly tried over the past year, seeing music in the great outdoors isnt something you can simulate. This spring, I made the trip to Worthy Farm again for a festival, but not one as we know it: It was a livestreamof performances by Coldplay, Kano, Damon Albarn, and Wolf Alice, among othersthat aired recently, not quite Glastonbury weekend, or, as we devotees call it, the Christmas of Summer. Though the 900-acre site will be nearly audienceless, it somehow feels like a happy riff on the norm. We are beleaguered by the pandemic, but the return of live music promises to be euphoric. For many generations we have needed to gather in nature, listen to music, and danceand we need that more than ever now. From my early-blooming days as an indie-rock kid to marrying a music agent in my late 20s, I have embraced the festival spirit with vigor, circumnavigating the circuit across the U.K., the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia. For each theres an indelible memory, a lanyard, and an extra crevice in my biker jacket. (When I left Vogue a few years ago, I was gifted with my own faux cover; beneath a photo of me attempting my best model moue was a phrase painting me as the Jules Verne of guitar rock: Around the World in 80 Festivals.) Ive stood arm in arm watching Radioheads Thom Yorke stand alone on the stage just to give the crowd another burst of the coda of Karma Police, and been squished into Princes SXSW closing party at La Zona Rosa in Austin, where he and his 22-strong band (also squished on the tiny stage) wizarded the 1,200-capacity venue with six encores. Ive even DJd at festivals, once stealing Jay-Zs crowd. (A brief disclaimer: The set timeand my tents proximity to his stagejust may have aided my beginners luck; I retired that night on a high.) And I simply cant wait to be back in the sludgy fields of Somerset, the manicured polo grounds of Coachella, and the off-season ski resort of Fuji Rock. While no two festivals are quite the same, all of them share a sense of unity and a lack of cynicism upon entrance. The pandemic has isolated us and gnawed at our social bonds, but the festival is powered by people pulling togetherfrom the first set to the last encore of the evening. When the Brexit vote came in 2016, Glastonbury provided a welcome cocoon of togetherness, if only for a weekend. Peacocks, pack animals, and enigmas all find their place there; even Emma Watson, while in the midst of filming The Bling Ring, joined us at Coachellaher in-character long-hair extensions and temporary tattoo the perfect disguise, freeing her to dance to David Guetta. The feeling is restorative; your faith in people quickly soars. Complete strangers have miraculously returned Chanel handbags and car keys when they were feared lost forever. Onstage, I witnessed Dave Grohl kindly lending Axl Rose, who had recently broken his foot, his light-up throne (from when Grohl broke his leg) so the Guns N Roses front man could headline Coachella sitting down.
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https://www.vogue.com/article/can-festival-style-make-a-comeback
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Does revenge actually make us feel good?
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Experts explain that revenge can be problematic long-term (Picture: Getty) Revenge is a hot topic in the world of politics at the moment. As we watched Dominic Cummings explosive testimony unfold yesterday, many saw it as his attempt to avenge his former boss and employers. Its likely that at some point in our lives we will have encountered this payback phenomenon the idea of wanting to balance the scales of justice, if someone has cheated, disappointed or done us wrong. Revenge is connected to feelings of anger and we tend to feel angry when weve been wronged by another person. Very often the urge associated with anger is to attack and retaliate in some way, explains Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder and co-CEO of My Online Therapy. Simply put, its a natural fight response to experiencing a sense of threat to our wellbeing even if that threat is psychological in nature. Dr Elena adds: In this sense revenge is, in some ways, an understandable response. Whether it has the potential to make us feel better is something different though. Temporary satisfaction Whether its a cheating partner or a backstabbing friend, its a pretty natural instinct to want to fight back at someone who has hurt us. But psychologist Dr Becky Spelman explains that this desire to get revenge is problematic as while it can make us instantly feel good, this is (usually) only temporary. Becky tells Metro.co.uk: Revenge can feel good temporarily as people can release some anger in that way and feel a sense of satisfaction. However, this is a short-lived feeling and is a very short-term solution to how youre feeling in a situation, because any actions that are ever taken with the aim of trying to hurt another person usually comes with someone feeling bad afterwards, in some shape or form. A long-term impact Retaliating could make us feel worse (Picture: Getty) If we decide to hurt another individual, this is likely to mess with our moral compass further down the line. Online relationship therapist Charisse Cooke says: The human in us will struggle with feelings of guilt, regret or bitterness as a result. Revenge may feel gratifying in the moment but, depending on our personality type, our vengeful actions can either feed our cynicism and harden our hearts, or it can exacerbate our insecurities and self-recrimination. As painful as it is, not taking revenge allows us to maintain our dignity and for the other persons bad behaviour to speak for itself. Dr Becky Spelman agrees that by retaliating, youre only inflicting more negativity onto yourself which is actually counterproductive and wont make you feel better. She adds: People carry those negative emotions with them its a negative energy and its really not helpful or healthy for people. Therefore any type of revenge or actions that are taken with the aim of it being a type of revenge on someone else is really not healthy for someone. And not only will this have a psychological knock-on effect, in the form of guilt, but it can have a physical impact too. Becky adds: If we introduce negative emotions into our lives, its something we carry and its been proven by research that this can affect our health, including our immune systems. Really the most healthy way of living our lives is to carry out actions that are only intended to be positive, or neutral, towards others and not intentionally trying to cause someone else distress, pain or upset in any way. A better way to channel this energy is to instead put it into making yourself feel better. Mindset and confidence coach Debra Santangelo explains this in a little more detail. She says: By focusing on healing ourselves and creating the best life possible, we are getting further away from the hurt and closer to happiness. If, instead, we always choose to focus on our source of discontent, we are simply going round in a vicious circle of hate and bitterness. Instead, re-think what revenge means However, one potential way revenge can actually make us feel better is by redefining its connotations. Life coach Carole Ann Rice explains that revenge doesnt have to be vicious. She says: The two best forms of revenge are success and happiness. That is what you should be aiming for, not how you can hurt the person if they have done something horrible. Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. MORE : A creative renaissance was predicted to follow the pandemic but some people are less inspired than ever MORE : How to get your inspiration back following the pandemic from people who have done it MORE : How to tell if youre languishing and what to do about it
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https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/27/does-revenge-actually-make-us-feel-good-14658573/
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Why is Kim Kardashian being sued by former staff?
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Kim has been named in a lawsuit filed by seven former workers (Picture: Fox Image Collection via Getty Images) Kim Kardashian has been slapped with a lawsuit filed by domestic workers who claim she cut corners in their employment at her Santa Monica home. A number of claims have been made against the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star by seven people involved with the civil action, which was filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court earlier this week. The lawsuit details grievances including Kardashians alleged withholding of 10 percent of their wages for tax without registering their employment, as well as erratic pay periods, a lack of legally required breaks, no reimbursed work expenses and owed wages, according to NBC News. The legal papers state: Plaintiffs never received any paystubs, were not paid on regular pay periods, were not given their required meal and rest breaks, were not provided a means to record all their hours, were not paid all their hours, were not reimbursed for employment expenses, were not paid all their overtime wages, and were not paid their wages upon termination of employment. The staff undertook their duties at the 40-year-old TV stars home in the exclusive gated community of Hidden Hills in Santa Monica. There is no exact figure specified for the amount the workers are seeking from Kardashian. However, according to the lawsuit, the matter in controversy, exclusive of interest, exceeds $25,000. A statement made by a representative on behalf of Kardashian says she cannot be held legally responsible for these matters as she employed the workers through an unidentified vendor. These workers were hired and paid through a third-party vendor hired by Kim to provide ongoing services, the representative explained. Kim is not party to the agreement made between the vendor and their workers, therefore she is not responsible for how the vendor manages their business and the agreements they have made directly with their staff. Kim responded to the allegations on social media (Picture: Kim Kardashian/Instagram) Kim has never not paid a vendor for their services and hopes that the issue between these workers and the vendor who hired them can be amicably resolved soon. Kardashian has also addressed the lawsuit on social media asked about it by a follower, she replied on Instagram Stories: Absolutely, I respect people for their time and their hard work and unfortunately these workers are suing the wrong person. I paid the vendor and its their job to pay their staff. I hope that they are able to get this issue resolved soon. Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Share your views in the comments below. MORE : Kim Kardashian denies hooking up with sister Kourtneys boyfriend Travis Barker MORE : Kim Kardashian not bothered by Kanye West and Irina Shayk dating rumours
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https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/27/kim-kardashian-lawsuit-why-is-she-being-sued-by-former-staff-14659906/
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How should Rochester spend its $202 million in federal stimulus funding?
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The City of Rochester will receive $202 million through the federal stimulus package known as the American Rescue Plan Act, and city officials want residents to weigh in on how it should be spent. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren announced Thursday that city residents will have three opportunities to provide input on how this money should be allocated: An online survey An in-person Community Input Session will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 3 via Zoom. A link to the meeting be posted online here. A Telephone Town Hall meeting is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 17. These funds represent an historic opportunity to shape Rochesters recovery in a manner that delivers the equity our citizens deserve, Mayor Warren said. That is why we need the input of our residents to help us maximize the benefit of these funds and turn opportunity into reality. With the insight of our residents and employers, I am confident we can put these dollars to work for all of our citizens and create Rochesters first new era for everyone. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes $65 billion for cities, towns and villages. Rochesters allocation will be disbursed over two years, and the first $101 million payment arrived in the middle of May. The U.S. Department of Treasury listed four objectives for the funds:
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https://www.rochesterfirst.com/rochester/how-should-rochester-spend-its-202-million-in-federal-stimulus-funding/
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Should the Toronto Raptors pursue John Wall if he gets bought out?
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TORONTO RAPTORS (27-43) AT MAVERICKS (41-29) Time: 8 p.m. Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM; Univision 1270 AM (Spanish) About the Mavericks: With a win tonight, the Mavs will clinch a playoff spot aka one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference. There are other scenarios that also will earn the Mavs a playoff berth. But they would rather punch their playoff ticket on their own merits with a victory over the Raptors. . .Thanks to a thrilling 118-117 victory by the Phoenix Suns over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, the Mavs have moved back into the No. 5 seed out West. That means the Mavs once again control their own destiny and can hold onto the fifth seed if they beat the Raptors and emerge victorious in Sundays regular season finale at Minnesota. . .After missing seven straight games with right knee soreness, Kristaps Porzingis returned Wednesday and collected 19 points and five rebounds in only 22 minutes during the 125-107 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Also against the Pelicans, Luka Doncic collected 33 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Tim Hardaway Jr. tallied 27 points on 10-of-18 shots. . .The Raptors defeated the Mavs, 116-93, back on Jan. 18, despite 23 points, nine rebounds and two blocks from Porzingis. . .The Mavs have won 11 of their last 14 games. . .The Mavs are 20-15 at home.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2258174543479/should-the-toronto-raptors-pursue-john-wall-if-he-gets-bought-out
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What would happen to the climate if we reforested the entire tropics?
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That's the question we investigated in our new research. Trees and forests have become increasingly important in plans to tackle the climate emergency, yet our work shows that once you factor in how the soil, oceans and other parts of the Earth system would respond, tree planting is not as potent a solution as it may first seem. Of course, abandoning agriculture in the tropics cannot be a solution to climate change. This was a hypothetical and idealized experiment, but one that helps us to explore how the global carbon cycle might respond to forest restoration and tree planting on a vast scale. And targeting the tropics shows maximum impact as trees grow fast there. To investigate the question, we used the UK Met Office's climate change modela computer simulation of the Earth as a system in which the oceans, land and climate interact and affect each other. We simulated two futures. First, a scenario where the world takes serious action to limit warming to less than 2. The second scenario was identical, except all farming across the tropics was stopped and the original vegetation, mostly forests, would recover. The difference between the two scenarios shows that the new tropical trees would store an extra 124 billion tons of carbon by the year 2100, or around 13 years' worth of today's rate of fossil fuel emissions. All this extra carbon would have been taken from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. However, carbon in the atmospherewhich matters for climate changewould drop by only 18 billion tons, just two years' worth of emissions. Reforesting the tropics would mean more carbon stored in trees, but less absorbed in soil. Credit: Serge Goujon/shutterstock The reason is that other parts of the Earth system counteract the effect of the new tree growth. If the tropics were reforested, our model predicts that the oceans, soil and vegetation would absorb less carbon dioxide. By the end of the century, tropical trees would take up an extra 124 billion tons of carbon (or 124 gigatonnes, Gt), but tropical soils would take up 83 Gt less carbon, as the turnover of dead plants is much slower in forests compared with grasses and crops that die annually, meaning lower carbon inputs in forest soils and lower carbon storage. Lower carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere would also affect vegetation and soils elsewhere in the world. Less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would mean plant growth slows. And just as in the tropics, less carbon would be taken up by soils. There would be one other major change to the Earth system. The oceans slow climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere: as CO levels increase some of the extra carbon dioxide dissolves into the seawater. And in our model, the oceans would take up less carbon since the new tropical trees would lower atmospheric CO. To recap: we started with new trees in the tropics taking 124 Gt of carbon out of the atmosphere. Avoiding deforestation adds a further 10 Gt. But once you subtract the carbon no longer stored in tropical forest soils (83 Gt), in soils and vegetation elsewhere (18 Gt), and in the oceans (15 Gt), you aren't left with much. Remarkably, reforesting the tropicsafter accounting for soil, vegetation, and ocean responsesresults in only 18 Gt of carbon taken from the atmosphere. This is an 86% reduction from our initial extra carbon in tropical trees. This 18 Gt equates to just ten parts per million reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide. How the full tropical reforestation scenario adds up. Credit: Lewis, Koch, Brierley, Author provided The Earth system works against us What we found in our hypothetical scenario is the reverse of what is happening today. When carbon dioxide is released from burning fossil fuels, a little less than half of those emissions remain in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. The rest are absorbed by the oceans, soil and vegetation. This has been a great free subsidy from nature. But here is the catch: just as the amount of carbon absorbed in the land and ocean increases as we pump more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the reverse happens when we take it out of the atmosphere. The Earth system starts to work against us when we plant trees or use other methods of removing atmospheric CO. These results are sobering. Even something as radical as reforesting the entire tropicsfar beyond any plausible real-world policy outcomewould have less influence on the climate than you might think. But these results also highlight that the best way to avoid dangerous global heating is by not releasing fossil carbon into the atmosphere in the first place. Explore further Soils or plants will absorb more CO2 as carbon levels risebut not both This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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https://phys.org/news/2021-05-climate-reforested-entire-tropics.html
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Should the Tokyo Olympics be held at all?
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If the Olympics are called off, it will only be the fourth time in the history of the modern summer games; the other three cancellations all happened due to the two World Wars. The British Medical Journal last month in an editorial also asked organizers to reconsider holding the Olympics in the middle of a pandemic. The report predicts that not everyone at the Games will be vaccinated, for various reasons: the availability of vaccines, concerns that the vaccine will affect athletic performance, or ethical concerns in getting vaccinated ahead of those more in need, like doctors or frontline workers. The IOC has said it expects more than 80% of the people living in the village to be vaccinated. This contrasts with a very slow rollout in Japan where less than 5% of the public has been vaccinated. Although the IOC has not made vaccination compulsory, it has begun the process of collecting data from all the National Olympic Committees regarding the vaccination status of their athletes, officials and even media. According to figures provided by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on May 20, a total of 144 Olympic- and Paralympic-bound Indian athletes have received the first dose, while 19 have been fully vaccinated. The corresponding figure for coaches and support staff is 87 and 23, respectively. That means everyone in the Indian contingent so far has received at least the first dose. However, unlike most other major sporting events in the last few months, by the time the Olympics get rolling in July, most participants are expected to be fully vaccinated. Unlike most sporting events that have been held through a pandemic, the Olympics is not following a bio-bubble model, where all participants are put into a quarantine, tested, and only then allowed inside the bubble, which they don't leave for the duration of the tournament. Since the emergence of COVID-19 there has not been such a dangerous gathering of people coming together in one place from so many different places around the world, he said, speaking in Tokyo at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Thursday. Dr. Naoto Ueyama, chairman of the Japan Doctors Union, said the IOC and the Japanese government had underestimated the risks of bringing so many thousands of people from around the world together. Doctors in Japan have also now joined the chorus in the host country against the Games. Like the Australian Opendespite ferrying players in chartered planes with strict hard quarantine rulesearlier this year in Melbourne and the suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) last month showed. Even if you say you can reduce the risk by 90 per cent, and when there is a pool of over 10,000 athletes apart from coaches, support staff, officials and everyone else associated with the Games, that is still a large enough number to cause an outbreak, Dr. Latey said. There is a conflict between medical and administrative authorities on these issues, where there is no meeting point." Dr. Chandran said. "The Olympics are more complex (than other sporting events) because of the sheer number and the different discipline standards of people from various parts of the world. Theres every chance that anyone can get infected at the Games, because there is no full-proof preventive method. Dr. PSM Chandran, former Sports Authority of India's (SAI) director, sports medicine, who has also served as the contingent doctor for India at many multi-nation tournaments, said the IOC can ill-afford to have a trial and error method at an event of the magnitude of the Olympics. There are a lot of grey areas like that, Dr. Latey said. Also, the Games Village will not have personal rooms for everyone, so sharing of rooms is going to be a problem. God forbid, the Games Village itself doesnt become a hotspot. The IOC will definitely have to be more stringent. One aspect left largely unexplained in the Playbook is what happens to close contacts of a positive person inside the Games Village. The Playbook mentions that once an athlete or official tests positive, he/she will be immediately isolated and not allowed to complete/continue their role. But on their close contacts, the Japanese health authorities will decide on a case-by-case basis. The IOC asking the athletes and their respective contingents to carry their own face masks, too, should be reversed, the report stated. At every Olympics, the Games Village usually has thousands of condoms for use. If the IOC can provide that, then why not high quality masks or gloves? Dr. Latey, who was in Rio for the previous Olympics, said. It also suggests classifying various events and non-competition areas (like dining hall, transport, etc) into low, moderate and high risk for athletes to be fully aware and informed about the risks wherever they go. The report highlights a few other prominent areas of concern (see box) that relate to asking the athletes to participate in the Games at their own risk, having "no plan B in the event of an outbreak" and ineffectiveness of the contact-tracing apps through which the organisers plan to track the athletes during their stay. As of now, if the antigen test is positive, then the RT-PCR test will be done, the results for which take a little more time. So, I do believe that the RT-PCR should be the standard testing method every day instead of a dodgy antigen test, Dr. Latey said. Dr. Nikhil Latey, a sport science expert who was a former head of the medical team at Olympic Gold Quest (a non-profit organization that aids some of Indias top Tokyo-bound athletes), said the testing protocol is a major concern. One of the key issues is at the initial stages itself: testing. While the IOC has upgraded testing protocols to a daily basis for all athletes and officials after their arrival in Japan, it only wants to administer antigen tests first, which have low efficacy. The gold standard RT-PCR tests are only a second line measure, if the antigen result is unclear or positive. The IOCs playbooks are not built on scientifically rigorous risk assessment, and they fail to consider the ways in which exposure occurs, the factors that contribute to exposure, and which participants may be at highest risk, the report states. Published on May 25 in the prestigious journal, the report seeks urgent action to set a few things in order for a safer environment before 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and tens of thousands of officials, judges, media and broadcasters from more than 200 countries and territories touch down in Tokyo. While it doesn't call for the Games to be cancelled, the report roots for it by saying that it may be the safest option. Amid an unrelenting second wave of the pandemic that has cast fresh doubts about whether the Olympics, set to begin July 23, can go ahead in a country increasingly voicing its views against it, the reportco-authored by four medical expertsstates that the IOCs determination to hold the Games is not informed by the best scientific evidence. Even as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Olympics organisers have repeatedly stressed their optimism of being able to deliver a safe and secure Games, a report in The New England Journal of Medicine has red-flagged some of safety protocols outlined by the IOC in their Covid-19 management "Playbook" released last month. Even as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Olympics organisers have repeatedly stressed their optimism of being able to deliver a safe and secure Games, a report in The New England Journal of Medicine has red-flagged some of safety protocols outlined by the IOC in their Covid-19 management "Playbook" released last month. Amid an unrelenting second wave of the pandemic that has cast fresh doubts about whether the Olympics, set to begin July 23, can go ahead in a country increasingly voicing its views against it, the reportco-authored by four medical expertsstates that the IOCs determination to hold the Games is not informed by the best scientific evidence. While it doesn't call for the Games to be cancelled, the report roots for it by saying that it may be the safest option. Published on May 25 in the prestigious journal, the report seeks urgent action to set a few things in order for a safer environment before 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and tens of thousands of officials, judges, media and broadcasters from more than 200 countries and territories touch down in Tokyo. The IOCs playbooks are not built on scientifically rigorous risk assessment, and they fail to consider the ways in which exposure occurs, the factors that contribute to exposure, and which participants may be at highest risk, the report states. One of the key issues is at the initial stages itself: testing. While the IOC has upgraded testing protocols to a daily basis for all athletes and officials after their arrival in Japan, it only wants to administer antigen tests first, which have low efficacy. The gold standard RT-PCR tests are only a second line measure, if the antigen result is unclear or positive. The report pushes for daily RT-PCR testing instead as "best practice". Dr. Nikhil Latey, a sport science expert who was a former head of the medical team at Olympic Gold Quest (a non-profit organization that aids some of Indias top Tokyo-bound athletes), said the testing protocol is a major concern. As of now, if the antigen test is positive, then the RT-PCR test will be done, the results for which take a little more time. So, I do believe that the RT-PCR should be the standard testing method every day instead of a dodgy antigen test, Dr. Latey said. The report highlights a few other prominent areas of concern (see box) that relate to asking the athletes to participate in the Games at their own risk, having "no plan B in the event of an outbreak" and ineffectiveness of the contact-tracing apps through which the organisers plan to track the athletes during their stay. It also suggests classifying various events and non-competition areas (like dining hall, transport, etc) into low, moderate and high risk for athletes to be fully aware and informed about the risks wherever they go. Carry your own masks The IOC asking the athletes and their respective contingents to carry their own face masks, too, should be reversed, the report stated. At every Olympics, the Games Village usually has thousands of condoms for use. If the IOC can provide that, then why not high quality masks or gloves? Dr. Latey, who was in Rio for the previous Olympics, said. One aspect left largely unexplained in the Playbook is what happens to close contacts of a positive person inside the Games Village. The Playbook mentions that once an athlete or official tests positive, he/she will be immediately isolated and not allowed to complete/continue their role. But on their close contacts, the Japanese health authorities will decide on a case-by-case basis. There are a lot of grey areas like that, Dr. Latey said. Also, the Games Village will not have personal rooms for everyone, so sharing of rooms is going to be a problem. God forbid, the Games Village itself doesnt become a hotspot. The IOC will definitely have to be more stringent. Dr. PSM Chandran, former Sports Authority of India's (SAI) director, sports medicine, who has also served as the contingent doctor for India at many multi-nation tournaments, said the IOC can ill-afford to have a trial and error method at an event of the magnitude of the Olympics. There is a conflict between medical and administrative authorities on these issues, where there is no meeting point." Dr. Chandran said. "The Olympics are more complex (than other sporting events) because of the sheer number and the different discipline standards of people from various parts of the world. Theres every chance that anyone can get infected at the Games, because there is no full-proof preventive method. Like the Australian Opendespite ferrying players in chartered planes with strict hard quarantine rulesearlier this year in Melbourne and the suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) last month showed. Even if you say you can reduce the risk by 90 per cent, and when there is a pool of over 10,000 athletes apart from coaches, support staff, officials and everyone else associated with the Games, that is still a large enough number to cause an outbreak, Dr. Latey said. Doctors in Japan have also now joined the chorus in the host country against the Games. Dr. Naoto Ueyama, chairman of the Japan Doctors Union, said the IOC and the Japanese government had underestimated the risks of bringing so many thousands of people from around the world together. Since the emergence of COVID-19 there has not been such a dangerous gathering of people coming together in one place from so many different places around the world, he said, speaking in Tokyo at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Thursday. Unlike most sporting events that have been held through a pandemic, the Olympics is not following a bio-bubble model, where all participants are put into a quarantine, tested, and only then allowed inside the bubble, which they don't leave for the duration of the tournament. The vaccine question However, unlike most other major sporting events in the last few months, by the time the Olympics get rolling in July, most participants are expected to be fully vaccinated. According to figures provided by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on May 20, a total of 144 Olympic- and Paralympic-bound Indian athletes have received the first dose, while 19 have been fully vaccinated. The corresponding figure for coaches and support staff is 87 and 23, respectively. That means everyone in the Indian contingent so far has received at least the first dose. Although the IOC has not made vaccination compulsory, it has begun the process of collecting data from all the National Olympic Committees regarding the vaccination status of their athletes, officials and even media. Dr. Latey called upon the IOC to make complete vaccination a prerequisite to taking part in the Games. The report predicts that not everyone at the Games will be vaccinated, for various reasons: the availability of vaccines, concerns that the vaccine will affect athletic performance, or ethical concerns in getting vaccinated ahead of those more in need, like doctors or frontline workers. The IOC has said it expects more than 80% of the people living in the village to be vaccinated. This contrasts with a very slow rollout in Japan where less than 5% of the public has been vaccinated. The British Medical Journal last month in an editorial also asked organizers to reconsider holding the Olympics in the middle of a pandemic. If the Olympics are called off, it will only be the fourth time in the history of the modern summer games; the other three cancellations all happened due to the two World Wars.
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/olympics/should-the-tokyo-olympics-be-held-at-all-101622124825889-amp.html
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Why are Saugus Middle-High School students herded into cafeterias?
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The School Department is trying to find more substitute teachers in the wake of students piled into the Saugus Middle-High School cafeteria when faculty members are absent. School Committee member Dennis Gould said there has been quite a dialogue recently about students sitting in cafeterias without being overseen by teachers. When walking through the Middle-High School this month, School Committee Chairman Tom Whittredge said he saw six classes in the cafeteria and only one substitute teacher covering all the students. Whittredge said he has received communication about students who spent four straight periods in the school cafeteria. Thats not going to work, Whittredge said. Kids get restless and its not fair to the sub. We definitely have to figure something out. Gould pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a factor that has influenced staff absences. Per the protocol to prevent virus spread, teachers are instructed to call out sick if they are exhibiting symptoms, Gould said. Some educators might also be utilizing personal time that has stacked up over the course of the year, he noted. Gould said he isnt slamming the teachers, but stressed the lack of classroom coverage during staff absences needs to be rectified to ensure students get a quality education. Whittredge said he also noticed a staff member working out at the Middle-High School at the same time six classes were down in the cafeteria. I have a huge problem with that, Whittredge said, adding that he made his concerns known to the principal. Thats not what prep is for, its not for you to work out while six classes are in the cafeteria. Its impossible to raise student achievement with kids sitting in a cafeteria and no teacher in front of them, Whittredge said. The pandemic has a lot to do with the teacher absences, Whittredge said. If a faculty member is sick or his or her child is out of school on quarantine, that individual might have to stay home, he noted. A trickle-down effect is created in which teachers are absent, there is no one to cover the class and students end up in the cafeteria, Whittredge said. Whittredge emphasized that teachers have a right to use their sick time and personal time. I would never knock anyone for using their personal/sick time, its just the coverage thats the problem, Whittredge said. School Committee member Arthur Grabowski contended that teacher absences has been an issue affecting the district for years, and isnt simply a byproduct of COVID-19. Substitute shortage For students to be herded into cafeterias when teachers are out is unacceptable, Grabowski said. If a faculty member is asking for personal time off, Gould said it would be nice to have a substitute teacher lined up for coverage. But Gould acknowledged Saugus is similar to many other school districts across the country that have struggled to find substitute teachers in the midst of the pandemic. In crunching the numbers from April 30 to May 13, Superintendent of Schools Dr. David DeRuosi Jr. said the Middle-High School had the following number of staff member absences over that two-week stretch: 34 personal days, 56 sick days and six bereavement days. On none of those days did the school exceed the maximum of no more than 10 staff members taking personal days, DeRuosi said. DeRuosi said it has been a challenge to find substitute teachers, and he intends to advertise on Indeed to hopefully entice some more interest in the job over the last few weeks of school. The School Committee also voted 5-0 to waive the requirement that individuals have at least two years of college experience to be substitute teachers, and to allow people with one year of college to substitute teach (provided a CORI check goes through fine). School Committee member Ryan Fisher stressed the importance that teachers with approved personal days have assignments prepared for students to complete even if they are forced to stay in the cafeteria due to no substitute teacher coverage. DeRuosi said the Saugus Public Schools had a teacher attendance rate around 92% heading into the latest contract negotiations, a percentage he described as pretty high. The reason for students in the cafeteria, DeRuosi said, is that when five teachers are out and there is no substitute to take his or her place, you have to put the students somewhere. Long story short, teachers arent in a room, kids are missing instruction and yes, it impacts everything, DeRuosi said. And I agree, it starts to create rambunctious kids.
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https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/saugus-advertiser/2021/05/27/lack-class-coverage-troubles-saugus-school-committee/7454557002/
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Is Greys Anatomy on tonight (5/27/2021)?
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Greys Anatomy 2021, in the midst of a year of COVID-19 difficulties, began its 17th season on Thursday, Nov. 13. For some fans, the frequent gaps in the shows release schedule have been an unexpected source of confusion. The long-running medical drama stars Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson, Kevin McKidd, Kim Raver, and James Pickens, Jr. Heres the information youll need to watch Greys Anatomy when it airs, including with a free live stream. Greys Anatomy will be continuing its regular release schedule on May 27, 2021 at 9 p.m. The episode will be the 16th episode of its 17th season. The episode will be preceded by a new episode of Station 19 at 8 p.m., and before a new episode of Rebel at 10 p.m. How to watch Greys Anatomy live without cable If youre a cord-cutter or dont have cable, you can live stream Greys Anatomy on Fubo TV, a streaming service that offers a free trial. As of recently, Fubo TV now offers ABC as part of its channel package. The streaming service lets viewers watch the series, and other ABC content, live as it airs. There is also DVR functionality. You can use the channel finder on your providers website to locate it: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish. How to watch Greys Anatomy online on-demand For cord-cutters, if youre concerned you might miss Greys Anatomy, you can use the DVR feature of Fubo TV, which also offers a free trial, to record and store episodes of the series, along with anything else that airs on ABC. It will also be available to stream on-demand on Hulu Live TV, which offers a seven-day free trial, as well. For cable subscribers, Greys Anatomy will be available to watch the day after each episode airs on ABC.com by logging into the website via your cable provider. According to the official ABC website: The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital Meredith Grey are faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white. How to watch The Office, Yellowstone, EPL soccer and live sports Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Joseph Rejent may be reached at [email protected].
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https://www.nj.com/tv/2021/05/is-greys-anatomy-on-tonight-5272021.html
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How Much Did Arabs Shop Online in 2020?
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Considering the many changes that have occurred in our lives during 2020, given the pandemic and the extended lockdowns most countries around the world lived through because of it, it is still very relevant to examine how these unusual events have influenced the economy. With the rise of eCommerce shopping during Covid-19, 46% of consumers reported completing an online purchase that they had only ever done in-store before the pandemic. In refining a platform's UX, can eCommerce platforms repeat these purchases post-pandemic #ecommerce #covid19 pic.twitter.com/ncTWioVnCG Monsoon Consulting (@monsoonconsult) May 25, 2021 It was because of the abnormal living conditions that were imposed on most of us in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak that our consumption behaviors changed drastically, pushing more and more people to use new means to purchase their needs. Thanks to movement restrictions, online shopping became much more popular, as of very few ways to obtain individuals' needs. In this article, we will explore how e-commerce practices have changed throughout 2020 in four different Arab countries, from which data is available. All data highlighted in this article was reported in the 2021 Digital report conducted by datareportal.com. KSA About 71.7% of Saudis have financial services online accounts, enabling them to make online purchases. Meanwhile, only about 16.3% of the country's residents own credit cards. Moreover, 38.5% of purchases by Saudis during 2020 were made online. Saudi Arabia has been the biggest online spender amongst all Arab countries included in the study; $4.74 billion were spent on travel and accommodation services despite a 45.5% drop compared to 2019. Fashion-related purchases came in second place with $2.06 billion, with a 26.4% increase. Saudis also purchased $1.99 billion worth of electronics online, while their online sales of food and personal care products reached $1.34 billion, with a 37.5% spike. UAE The Emirates had the lead in its residents' access to online financial services as 88.2% of its residents reported having their own accounts, while 45.4% of them reported having credit cards. Fashion and beauty purchases came in the first place in the UAE with $1.68 billion, with a 42.2% spike compared to 2019. Toys, DIY, and Hobbies related products were the second most popular purchase online with $1.52 billion, scoring a 37.7% increase, which does not seem strange given the fact that people had to get creative filling their free time throughout the year. Despite a 48.5% drop in travel and accommodation online purchases, this sector generated $1.27 billion during 2020. Electronics came in 5th place with $1.15 billion with a near 20% increase, while food-related purchases generated $715 million, with the highest spike (54.8%) in the country compared to the year before. Egypt Having the highest population, Egypt's consumption of e-commerce is one of the most significant in the region. Despite relatively high poverty rates especially when compared to the GCC, Egypt's numbers came as quite a surprise. According to the study, 32% of Egyptians have financial online accounts, while only 3.3% of them have credit cards. About 56.6% of the people surveyed had made an online purchase during 2020. Despite a 42.5% decline in purchases related to travel and accommodation, this sector has generated $2.61 billion in Egypt throughout 2020. Electronics came in second place with $885.1 million, with a 47.2% rise. Fashion and beauty purchases followed with $762 million, with a 62.8% increase. Yet, the highest spike was witnessed in food-related online purchases which grew by 94.8% making up to $616.3 million. Morocco Online purchases in Morocco did not change drastically during 2020, unlike other countries in the region. This could be due to the fact that it was one of the countries with fewer movement restrictions compared to the ones around, making online shopping less of a priority. The biggest change during 2020 hit the travel and accommodation industry as in the case everywhere else, where purchases declined by 48.8% making about $1.05 billion. Meanwhile, Moroccans spent about $358 million on online video game purchases with a 29.9% increase. Electronics followed with a 20.3% rise making about $324 million. Fashion purchases came in fourth place with $290 million, rising by more than 31% compared to 2019.
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https://www.albawaba.com/business/how-much-did-arabs-shop-online-2020
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Where does Sask. plan place on caution scale as provinces reopen?
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Share this Story: Where does Sask. Where does Sask. Saskatchewan led the way on reopening plans, but its successors have opted to follow different paths that use a wider range of metrics. Photo by BRANDON HARDER / Regina Leader-Post Article content Canadas four largest provinces have now followed Saskatchewan in releasing a reopening plan, and none have chosen to precisely match Premier Scott Moes vaccine-only approach. But Alberta Premier Jason Kenney came the closest on Wednesday, laying out a plan that, in many ways, moves even more quickly than Moes. Kenney confidently predicted that the Calgary Stampede will be back on. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Where does Sask. Back to video Every premier claims his plan is prudent, cautious and the path to the best summer compatible with the exigencies of public health. Yet their governments have come to different conclusions about how to pare back restrictions, and what measurements they need to take along the way. The situation Of the five provinces that have now released reopening plans Saskatchewan, Quebec, British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta Saskatchewans current case rates are middling. Over the seven days up to May 25, Saskatchewan has posted 83 cases per 100,000 population. Thats about the same as Ontario at 80, better than Alberta at 101, but worse than British Columbia at 50. Quebec leads the way with 44 cases per 100,000 population over that seven-day period. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Saskatchewan had persistently led the country in delivering first-dose vaccines. But other provinces have been catching up, according to national data current to May 15. Quebec was ahead of Saskatchewan just barely and British Columbia is nipping at our heels. All three provinces were around 47 per cent that week. The provinces that have so far held off releasing reopening plans are either further behind on their vaccination campaigns, or dealing with stubbornly high case rates (Manitoba, which recently tightened restrictions). The metrics Saskatchewans plan is all about vaccines. The pace of vaccination governs how quickly the province moves through its three steps, set for May 30, June 20 and, tentatively, the first week of July. It only takes account of first doses, and there are no specific thresholds based on cases, hospitalizations or deaths. Other provinces have chosen to use at least some of those metrics. Though predominantly vaccine guided, Albertas plan requires hospitalizations to stay below 800, and keep declining, to get to Step 1 of its three-step plan. Theyll have to fall below 500 to move to Step 2. But considering hospitalizations are already below 600, thats not a high hurdle. British Columbia wanted to see cases and hospitalizations stable to move to Step 1, which it hit on Tuesday, the same day it released its plan. For Step 2, cases will have to be declining, while Step 3 will require low case counts and declining hospitalizations. Both must be low for Step 4. Each step depends on meeting thresholds for first-dose vaccination, with a goal of 70 per cent of adults to reach Step 3 just like in Saskatchewan. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Ontarios plan also has vaccination at its centre, but it differs in setting thresholds for second doses to move to steps 2 and 3. Passing from one step to the next also requires positive trends in other health indicators. Quebecs plan is unique in that it doesnt really pin down metrics. It merely sets dates for all but a final step, which depends on the epidemiological situation and reaching full two-dose vaccination for 75 per cent of those 12 and over. Public health expert Nazeem Muhajarine sees advantages in plans that account for epidemiological metrics, like case rates. But none of them are clear enough for his liking. The steps The logic of the plans is similar outdoor before indoor and small gatherings before large ones though they start from different places. Saskatchewan bars and restaurants are already open. Outdoor gatherings are already allowed. For some provinces, the early steps of their reopening plans will merely bring them in line with where Saskatchewan is now. Ontarios Step 1 will permit some non-essential retail and outdoor restaurant dining. Outdoor sports are slated for Step 2, later than in Saskatchewans updated plan. Religious services never fully closed in Saskatchewan dont come back until Step 2. Indoor dining doesnt resume until Step 3. Ontario expects Step 1 to come on June 14. It foresees gaps of at least three weeks after that, as in Saskatchewan. B.C.s steps look more like Saskatchewans. The restrictions for table sizes at bars and restaurants are the same in Step 1 for both provinces, though Saskatchewan allows larger indoor private gatherings. Both give outdoor sports and gyms an early break. But B.C. is more cautious on travel, which wont even open up province-wide until Step 2. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The earliest date for Step 1 is June 15, while Step 3 could come on July 1. By then, most restrictions will fall off, but a final stage will have to wait until September. Alberta will have to catch up to Saskatchewan after bringing in stronger restrictions amid its spring surge. Its Step 1 will manage that by re-opening places of worship, retail, restaurants and personal services with restrictions. Step 2 goes further and Step 3 goes all the way with Kenney stating that essentially all restrictions will disappear at that point. Kenneys plan starts later than Saskatchewans, with most of Step 1 set for June 1. But then it moves more rapidly, since it only requires a two-week pause between each step. If all goes according to plan, that means Alberta could be fully open before Saskatchewan, perhaps as early as June 28. Quebecs plan is tough to compare with the others, since it works partly by region and sets specific dates. Its notable in allowing stadiums and concert halls to reopen relatively early in the plan on May 28 with capacity up to 2,500, so long as they have assigned seating and are broken up into sections of 250. But bar terraces and outdoor sports cant open until later in Quebec, on June 11. The reviews For Muhajarine, most of the plans fall short. They dont follow the conservative guidance of the Public Health Agency of Canada, which advises waiting until a sizeable share of the population is fully vaccinated before making any big moves to loosen up. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content To me, all of these seems rushed, seemingly in order to meet some events in the summer where large numbers of people gather, he said, referring to the provincial plans. There is no science or evidence behind these reopening criteria. The best of the bunch, in Muhajarines view, seems to be Ontario, which at least makes some allowance for second doses and moves at a more cautious pace. His ideal plan would go beyond merely setting down what can open when, and lay down how provinces would deal with a variant-fuelled flare up that causes numbers to rise sharply. But its clear that business groups are more smitten with the plans coming out of the Prairies. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business panned Ontarios cautious approach, but was mostly positive about Saskatchewans. [email protected] The news seems to be flying at us faster all the time. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and everything in between, it can be hard to keep up. With that in mind, the Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Regina Leader Post Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from Regina Leader-Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Regina Leader Post Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending
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https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/where-does-sask-plan-place-on-caution-scale-as-provinces-reopen
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Who Will Inherit Prince Philip's Fortune?
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Prince Philip didn't have an easy start in life. In fact, his upbringing was full of tragic moments, from his family being exiled from Greece when he was just a baby (he was reportedly smuggled out of the country in an orange crate, per Metro) to watching his mother be sent off to a mental health facility in Switzerland when he was a young child, per Town & Country. The untold truth of Prince Philip reveals that the monarch had a truly turbulent childhood, which didn't get much easier as he became a teen. When he was 16, his sister Cecilie was killed in a plane crash, per the Mirror, and, later on, once he found love and married Queen Elizabeth, he was dealt another blow as his marriage forced him to leave behind something he truly loved: his position in the British Royal Navy. But Philip rose to the challenge and built an impressive new career. Prince Philip amassed an impressive net worth over his lifetime; he had a $30 million fortune at the time of his death in April, an amount that was largely fueled by his salary from his role in British Parliament. The government gig paid him an impressive $500,000 a year all the way up to his resignation in 2017, per the Evening Standard. Given the robust size of the estate, questions soon arose as to who would actually inherit all of that money and we now seem to have the answer.
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https://www.nickiswift.com/421971/who-will-inherit-prince-philips-fortune/
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Will There Ever Be A Friends Movie?
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"Friends" fans were thrilled to see their favorite stars reunite on HBO's one-off special, but many were still curious about whether they would see them play their beloved characters again. The actors did give their opinions on where their characters would be today, per The Mirror, weighing in on their relationships and families. "Phoebe's married to Mike," Lisa Kudrow asserted, referring to her love interest played by Paul Rudd. "They're probably in Connecticut, and they had kids." Courteney Cox declared that Chandler Bing would still be making her character Monica "laugh every day." The actor then reflected on how Monica's family life would suit her intense personality. "I think Monica is still really competitive. Her kids are probably graduated, but she's still in charge of the baking sale at elementary school, she's gotta keep things going!" she suggested. And as for Ross and Rachel's infamous on-off relationship, Jennifer Aniston thinks it would have lasted in the end. "Let's say we get married," she told David Schwimmer. "I think we had some kids and you still play with bones!" the "Marley & Me" star added, before Schwimmer corrected her by clarifying that his character's job was "paleontology." Finally, Matt LeBlanc joked that Joey Tribiani "probably opened a sandwich shop in Venice Beach." Here's what the show's stars and creators have to say about whether there will ever be a "Friends" movie.
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https://www.nickiswift.com/422003/will-there-ever-be-a-friends-movie/
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How does Cruella link to 101 Dalmatians?
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So far, Disneys live-action reimaginings of their animated classics have mostly gone down the remake route with films like Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Mulan offering modest updates on the originals but largely sticking to the same story. Advertisement The House of Mouses latest film, however, takes a different approach. Cruella acts as an origin story for the titular villain without any direct crossover to 101 Dalmatians (either the animation or the 1996 live-action version), exploring why the archvillain developed such a penchant for stealing and skinning puppies in the first place. The film unfolds in 1970s London with the emerging punk scene informing many of its aesthetic choices and is therefore set more than a decade after the original animation was released in 1961, so naturally, continuity was not a huge concern for director Craig Gillespie and his crew. Indeed Gillespie has said that he purposefully refrained from paying homage to the previous iterations of the character, telling CinemaBlend that he did not revisit the earlier films before making his. You know, I love Glenn Close as an actor and Im sure the film is amazing, he said. We just wanted to do a very original version of this and I didnt want to have anything contaminating my vision. And its so uniquely specific, this is such an origin story, its set in 70s London punk that I didnt think there would be too many things in terms of comparison, so we really worked on trying to figure out what Emma Stones version of Cruella would be. That said, there are still a fair few connections to the earlier versions throughout Cruellas runtime read on for everything you need to know. Speaking at a press conference prior to the films release Emma Stone described the film as a whole new story for her (Cruella) with fun nods to 101 Dalmatians and indeed there are plenty of references for fans of the original to spot. Aside from Cruella herself, two key characters from the animation appear in the film de Vils bumbling henchmen Jasper and Horace Badun, who are played here by Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser respectively. In the original film, the pair are treated with a certain amount of disdain by Cruella, but here the relationship is different. We learn at the beginning of the film that Jasper and Horace took Cruella or Estella as she was then known under their wing shortly after she had arrived in London following the death of her mother. Over the next years, they schooled her in the art of petty burglary, and they were quite literally thick as thieves, working together very much as a team of equals. It was only when she took on the Cruella persona in response to the Baroness that she began to treat them as her underlings and indeed Jasper is seen to resent this treatment in the film. Sign up to get alerts for movie news, reviews and recommendations Thanks, you are now signed up to our films newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates. Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences Sign in Register To manage your email preferences, click here. Sign me up! Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our films newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. It wouldnt be a Cruella origin story without a few Dalmatians, of course, and although there are not quite 101 of them on show in this film, a (CGI) pack of dogs does play a crucial role. The Dalmatians in question belong to Cruellas rival Baroness Von Hellman, and are according to Cruella at least partly to blame for the death of her mother, which goes some way to explaining exactly why she went on to harbour such a grudge against the poor spotted pooches. Perhaps the most obvious connection, though, is saved for the very end during the post-credits scene. Here we see Cruella send a Dalmatian puppy each to her acquaintances Roger (Kayvan Novak) and Anita (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), who you might notice are named after two vital characters from the original. Thats right, Pongo and Perdita the same names as the parent dogs in 101 Dalmatians.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/cruella-link-101-dalmatians/
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Will The Friends Cast Ever Reunite Again?
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When James Corden broached the topic of reuniting again, Courteney Cox, who played Monica, became emotional. "Honestly, this will really make me cry, but this will be the last time that we're ever asked about the show as a group that we will do this," she said. "Like, we're not going to do this [again] in 15 more years," she added, per Entertainment Tonight. "I'll tell you one thing: we are not waiting so long to have dinner.". Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey, reflected on the few days the cast spent together reminiscing on the show. "I didn't know what to expect coming into this," he revealed. "I knew it was going to be awesome to see these five people. What I did not take into account was being back on set and being in this environment, and it's pretty cool," LeBlanc added, per ET. "To watch you guys, I was just so proud to be on the show.' Cox reflected on the influence the show had on all of them. "It was an incredible time," Cox recalled. "Everything came together. We became best friends, the chemistry, the whole thing. It was life-changing and it forever will be not just for us but for people who watch it," she noted. "That's just such a great feeling to carry forever. I'm so grateful, and I love you guys so much." "Friends: The Reunion" is now streaming on HBO Max.
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https://www.nickiswift.com/422013/will-the-friends-cast-ever-reunite-again/
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How Has Friends Really Impacted The Lives Of These Celebrities?
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Jennifer Aniston has carved out a successful career for herself but many are still quick to attach her to her famous former husband, Brad Pitt. As you may recall, Pitt played the role of a character who belonged to a club aptly titled the "I hate Rachel" club on "Friends." During a press interview with Access, Aniston was asked about her former husband's 2001 guest appearance on the series while the two were still married. "Mr. Pitt was wonderful," Aniston declared. At least the former celeb couple will always have "Friends." Sigh. Matthew Perry is yet another cast member who credits the show for impacting his life forever. Perry famously went on the record with BBC Radio 2 (via Business Insider) stating that there were three whole years of filming that he doesn't remember due to his addiction struggles. "A little bit of the time, I was pretty out of it," he added about the dark period. During a 2013 interview with People (via E! News), the actor explained that his issues started three years prior to joining "Friends," but by the time he was in his heyday on the show, things had taken a turn for the worse. "I was never high at work. I was painfully hung over. Then eventually things got so bad I couldn't hide it and everybody knew," he confessed. Fortunately, Perry did get sober and according to a source for In Touch, the thespian is "is doing better than he has in a long time." If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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https://www.nickiswift.com/422076/how-has-friends-really-impacted-the-lives-of-these-celebrities/
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Who is Scarecrow on The Masked Dancer?
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Saturday nights are about to get a lot crazier as The Masked Dancer is about to kick off on ITV and there a new bunch of costumes lined up but this time the mystery celebrity contestants will be dancing rather than singing! Advertisement Carwash, Flamingo, Zip and Frog are four of the mad costumes that the unidentified Masked Dancer contestants will be wearing but they are far from the only ones and one of them must spend a lot of time in fields deterring birds from eating crops its Scarecrow! Read on for all we know about Scarecrow. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Scarecrow will be bursting onto the dance floor soon and they will be hoping they have the moves to impress The Masked Dancer judges. As for who they are, well we have to wait for the show to begin before we start getting hints but we will be keeping track of them right here. Well give you the guesses shortly! We only have a few short days to go until the crazy contest kicks off and we hear Joel Dommett call for a mask removal for the first time as the show is set to debut on ITV 1 this coming Saturday, May 29th at 19:00. The Masked Dancer is filling a giant Britains Got Talent hole in our schedules as the annual contest is missing a year for the first time due to the pandemic putting a stop to plans to get the auditions started although Americas Got Talent will be going ahead this year. As for The Masked Singer, another series of that is expected later this year. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. Of the Masked shows, we have two winners so far in Joss Stone and Nicola Roberts and all the contestants will be hoping they have what it takes to join that elite crew of winning celebs. But it will be a tough competition and it really is anybodys game to win! Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/scarecrow-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Beagle on The Masked Dancer?
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Crazy costumes at the ready as The Masked Dancer is about to start on ITV and fans of the big hit show The Masked Singer will want to tune into this as its a very similar show with familiar faces lined up to host and be on the panel. Advertisement There are many fantastic outfits lined up to wear for the debut run of the show ranging from Carwash to Flamingo to Frog, but lets have a look at a contestant who may well be a dog fan if their costume is anything to go by Beagle! For all the clues, theories and guesses for Beagle, read on. Dances, songs, clues, guesses For all the clues and guesses for the identity of Beagle, we need to wait for the show to start! But when he or she takes to the dance floor to show us what they are made of, we will be keeping track of all the hints of who they are right here. So come back after the show and join us in the guessing game. Not long to wait now until the crazy costume-wearing dancing contest kicks off as The Masked Dancer will make its ITV debut this coming Saturday, May 29th, at 7pm leading into another episode of the popular Beat the Chasers. And each of the dancers will be hoping that they have what it takes to become the first winner of this version of the Masked shows following on from Nicola Roberts and Joss Stone who won the first two series of The Masked Singer. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. Of course, now we should be right in the thick of things with Britains Got Talent but alas, the 2021 series had to be pulled because of COVID and while audiences are being allowed back in for shows now, in a limited capacity, a show like BGT really needs a full house especially for the auditions that should have been held earlier this year. Still, The Masked Dancer looks like a fun replacement show that should capture the same kind of high energy we are used to from BGT. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/beagle-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Carwash on The Masked Dancer?
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Get ready for a whole new set of wacky costumes as The Masked Dancer is about to start on ITV and if you were a fan of the hit series, The Masked Singer, then you will almost certainly be planning on tuning in for this. Advertisement Masked Dancer contestants lined up to dazzle us this year range from Beagle to Flamingo to Frog, but lets have a look at a contestant who has one of the best costume choices we have seen this year they are dressed as an actual Carwash and we adore it. Read on for all the information we have so far on Carwash. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Busting some stellar, we hope, moves on the dance floor is Carwash! As the competition kicks off, well be keeping you up to date with all the latest clues and guesses as to the mystery celebs identity. Watch this space. With Britains Got Talent forced to take the year off because of COVID restrictions and the complexities about acts auditioning and having an audience to watch them, ITV had to come up with a replacement show. With The Masked Dancer having already finished its first run stateside, ITV has picked it to take the prime slot following the success of The Masked Singer and the show will officially kick off with a 90-minute debut episode this Saturday, May 29th, at 7pm. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. The previous two winners of The Masked Singer were Joss Stone (Sausage) and Nicola Roberts (Queen Bee). Only time will tell! Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/carwash-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Flamingo on The Masked Dancer?
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Out with the singing and in with the dancing as The Masked Dancer is set to start on ITV and fans of the big hit show The Masked Singer will know the kind of crazy costumes that we will be seeing on the big stage. Advertisement Carwash, Frog, Zip and Beagle are just four of the costumes that the Masked Dancer contestants will be wearing in this first run of The Masked Singer spin-off show, but lets have a look at a contestant who will be hoping that their dancing talents match the wow factor of their outfit its Flamingo! Read on for all we know about Flamingo. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Flamingo has to be someone but we wont have any idea of who this mystery celebrity will be until they take to the dance floor for the first time. But when they do, this is the page to visit to get a recap on all the clues that we will have been given, along with the guesses that Oti Mabuse and the rest of The Masked Dancer judges will be throwing out there on the night. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. ITV is clearly banking on The Masked Dancer attracting as many, if not more, eyeballs as The Masked Singer did as the show will be airing in a prime time slot on their schedules- starting Saturday, May 29th at 19:00. This was meant to be when Britains Got Talent was due to air but having a talent show is difficult when the talent is unable to audition thank you, global pandemic and this is the show that has been lined up to replace it. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/flamingo-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Frog on The Masked Dancer?
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Out with the singing and in with the dancing as The Masked Dancer is set to start on ITV and fans of the big hit show The Masked Singer will know the kind of crazy costumes that we will be seeing on the big stage. Advertisement Carwash, Flamingo, Zip and Beagle are just four of the Masked Dancer contestants that we will see in this first run of The Masked Singer spin-off show, but lets have a look at a contestant who spends a lot of time in a pond catching flies with their tongue its Frog! Read on for all the theories, clues and guesses for Frog. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Frog will be hoping to prove that frogs can dance just as well as anyone else when they take to the stage in the competition. When the show starts, we will be collating all the clues we get and well be covering who the panellists think it could be behind the green mask. So keep your eyes peeled on this page after the first show and well have it all broken down for you. Saturday, May 29th at 19:00 is when the competition kicks off which is only a mere few days away now the perfect follow up to a weekend full of Eurovision antics last week! While this is the first series of this show, The Masked Singer has given us two series so far and the winners of those were Nicola Roberts and Joss Stone lets see who will be joining them in the elite ranks of masked victors! Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. While we should have the latest from Britains Got Talent kicking off around this point, the show was not able to go ahead because of the pandemic and the lack of a large audience and so, The Masked Dancer has been lined up to take its place. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/frog-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Knickerbocker Glory on The Masked Dancer?
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Get ready for your TV schedule to be filled with mad costumes as The Masked Dancer is set to start on ITV and we already know all of the outfits that will be dazzling us in this first series of The Masked Singer spin-off. Advertisement Carwash, Flamingo and Beagle are just three of the whacky costumes that we will see the Masked Dancer contestants wearing in this first run of the show, but lets have a look at a contestant who looks so good that we could eat them with a spoon its Knickerbocker Glory! Read on for your guide to Knickerbocker Glory. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Knickerbocker Glory will make her stage debut on Saturday, 29th May. Theyll be hoping to impress The Masked Dancer judges, including Mo Gilligan, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and new addition Oti Mabuse. And judging by Knickerbockers glam costume, it looks like viewers are in for a right treat. As the clues start pouring in on the night and the guessing game begins, well keep you updated right here watch this space! The crazy costumed antics will be kicking off this coming Saturday, May 29th at 19:00 on ITV1 as the leading show on the evening schedule Beat the Chasers will be following it followed by another instalment of The Jonathan Ross Show a busy night for Jonathan then. All 12 contestants will be busting their best moves to try and become the first winner of The Masked Dancer joining the two previous masked winning competitors, Joss Stone and Nicola Roberts, who won the first two series of The Masked Singer. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. The show replaces Britains Got Talent in the schedule for 2021 as the show has been pulled because of the pandemic. It is a great choice as BGT has its own share of mad moments and this show will not be short of them either as the Knickerbocker Glory outfit suggests! Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/knickerbocker-glory-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Llama on The Masked Dancer?
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Forget about singing as now the focus is on some top-notch dancing as The Masked Dancer is set to start on ITV and if you were worried that the costumes may not be as good for this as they have been in The Masked Singer well rest easy because they are fabulous. Advertisement Carwash, Flamingo, Zip and Beagle are four of the costumes that we will see in this first run of The Masked Singer spin-off show, but they are far from the only ones as there are 12 Masked Dancer contestants but for now, lets take a look at Llama! For all the clues and guesses for Llama, read on. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Llama will be making their way onto the dance floor when the show launches. Theyll be hoping to impress The Masked Dancer judges Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Oti Mabuse and Mo Gilligan, wholl be sharing their guesses on the night. As well as the guesses from the judges, well also get to find out a bit more about Llama from the clue packages. As all the hints and tips come in, well be updating you with everything you need to know right here. Stay tuned; the guessing game is about to begin! Get ready as we do not have long left to wait at all now for The Masked Dancer with the show beginning on Saturday, May 29th at 19:00 with a 90-minute extravaganza to kick things off. And all 12 contestants will be hoping they will become the first masked dancing winner and that they can join the other masked winners, Nicola Roberts and Joss Stone who won series one and two of The Masked Singer. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. The Masked Dancer has been lined up to replace Britains Got Talent as they all have the year off thanks to COVID scuppering any plans to put on a show this year it seriously impacted the 2020 series too with the finals being held back until the autumn. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/llama-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Rubber Chicken on The Masked Dancer?
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We are all set to enjoy the crazy, bonkers antics of The Masked Dancer which is set to start on ITV and there are some truly outrageous, in the best possible way, costumes that are lined up to entertain us. Advertisement Carwash, Flamingo, Zip and Beagle are just four of many costumes that we will see from the Masked Dancer contestants in this first run of the spin-off show that swaps singing for dancing, but lets have a look at a contestant who is guaranteed to put on a good show its Rubber Chicken! Read on for all we know about Rubber Chicken. Dances, songs, clues, guesses We are beyond excited to see Rubber Chicken take to the stage and while we are big fans of all the outfits this year, this one is certainly one of our favourites. When they first take to the stage to strut their stuff, we will keep a track of all the clues we have been given and give you a recap of who the panelists think it could be underneath this glorious costume. Not long left to wait at all now as The Masked Dancer will start on ITV1 in a few days time Saturday, May 29th at 19:00 to be precise. The show is leading the ITV Saturday evening schedule and will be followed by Beat the Chasers. ITV was left with a BGT problem in 2021 when Britains Got Talent 2021 was cancelled (it will be back for 2022). The Masked Dancer makes up a large portion of their solution as it will be taking the place of the talent competition for this year after proving to be hugely popular when it aired in America. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. Previous ITV masked winners are Nicola Roberts and Joss Stone who both took part in The Masked Singer. All of the celebs this year will be hoping to join them in that elite position as well as being the first to win for their dancing skills. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/rubber-chicken-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Squirrel on The Masked Dancer?
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We are swapping the singing for the dancing for The Masked Dancer which is all set to start on ITV and fans of the hit show The Masked Singer will know exactly the kind of wild ride that we will be in for. Advertisement Carwash, Flamingo and Frog are just three of the zany costumes that the Masked Dancer contestants will be wearing for the debut run of the spin-off show, but lets have a look at a contestant who spends a lot of time in a tree eating nuts its Squirrel! Read on for all the theories, clues and guesses for Squirrel. Dances, songs, clues, guesses Squirrel will be gearing up to show us what they are made of when The Masked Dancer starts but until then, we have no leads to go on! But once the show kicks off, we will be using this page to keep track of all the clues and hints as to who this mystery contestant is. So keep your eyes peeled right here and we will soon get to guessing. This coming Saturday, May 29th at 7pm is the start date for The Masked Dancer and we have a mammoth 90-minute episode to kick things off it leads the way in the Saturday evening schedule and will be followed by Beat the Chasers and The Jonathan Ross Show. While we would have more than likely always had the show air at some point in 2021, it was huge in America when it launched there, we are getting it now to help fill the void left behind by Britains Got Talent which is taking the year off for pandemic related reasons. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. These costume-wearing shows have only had two winners so far, Nicola Roberts (Queen Bee) and Joss Stone (Sausage), but we wont have to wait too long to find out who will be the first winner of the dancing version but we wont find out who will be behind the mask until the last few minutes of the final. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/squirrel-the-masked-dancer/
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Who is Viper on The Masked Dancer?
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Because for The Masked Dancer, the as yet unknown celebrity contestants will be donning outrageous costumes and busting their dance moves in the hope of winning the whole competition. Advertisement Knicker Bocker Glory, Flamingo, Zip and Beagle are just four of the Masked Dancer contestants that will be dazzling us in The Masked Singer spin-off show, but lets have a look at a contestant who could end up being deadly its Viper! So for all we know about Viper so far, here is all the information we have! Dances, songs, clues, guesses For all the clues and guesses as to who Viper is, we need to wait for the show to start and the panel members to see them in action. But when they do, this is the page where we will recap it all so check back after the first performance to see who is in the running to be under this particular mask. Saturday, May 29th at 19:00 is when the show will kick off on ITV1 and that is so close now that we can almost hear the extravagant outfits being put on. We have 12 acts all competing in this debut series of The Masked Singer spin-off and all will be hoping that they can become the third masked wearing winner for ITV after both Joss Stone and Nicola Roberts emerged victorious from the two series of the original show. Get the latest TV and entertainment news direct to your inbox Thanks! Sign in Register Sign me up! Sign up to receive television and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. The Masked Singer has been lined up to replace Britains Got Talent which has had to take a year-long break due to the COVID pandemic that meant the auditions were unable to take place hard to put on a giant challenge show when there is no talent to take part. Advertisement The Masked Dancer begins on Saturday 29th May at 7pm on ITV and ITV Hub. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/talent-shows/viper-the-masked-dancer/
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What was written on Dominic Cummings whiteboard?
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BEFORE Dominic Cummings gave evidence on the Government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, he tweeted a picture of an early plan of No.10's response. The whiteboard contained an early plan with branches of ideas including an app and the names of people who would be involved in leading the fight against the virus. Below we breakdown the key points written on the board. 1. 'No Vaccine in 2020' The group assumed that there would be no vaccine in 2020 however this turned out to not be the case. On December 8, Margaret Keenan received her jab, becoming the first Brit to get the vaccine. 2. Key names At the top of the whiteboard are the names of the key people involved in leading the UK out of the pandemic. The names written down include the Prime Minister, Cummings, Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser, Christ Whitty, England's chief medical officer and Ben Warner, a data scientist from the Vote Leave campaign. 3. 'Our current plan means 4,000 people dying at peak' The board notes: Our current plan means 4k p/d dying @peak. This "plan" appears to be the strategy which the Government published on March 3 which was to contain, delay, research and mitigate the virus. 4. 'Who looks after the people who can't survive alone??' While speaking at the select committee on March 26, Cummings said that there was no plan for those who were vulnerable. 5. App The word App floats in the middle of the board. This could be referencing what would be the contact tracing app which was to play a vital ole in helping to control the virus when lockdowns ended. 6. New rules for social contact There were three social contact rules written on the board - "less contact, no contact, contact illegal". 7. Plan B - full lockdown On the board, it was written that a full lockdown should be brought in before "collapse which means in 2 weeks?". At the select committee Cummings said there was failure to follow in the steps of east Asian countries like Taiwan and Singapore which brought in stricter rules before cases rose dramatically. 8. 'Who do we not save?' The final sentence on the board is the most chilling - "who do we not save?". While the NHS avoided collapsing, care homes suffered the most throughout the pandemic. During the select committee on May 26, Dominic Cummings sensationally claimed that the Health Secretary reassured them that people were being tested in hospitals before being sent back into care homes but "that hadn't happened". Dominic Cummings claimed the plan on the whiteboard was written on Friday evening of March 13, 2020. On March 23, 10 days later, the PM announced the first lockdown ordering people to "stay at home". Speaking at the select committee today, Cummings claimed that Boris Johnson was warned by top civil servants that "we're completely f***ed" in the early days of the pandemic hitting the UK. Giving bombshell evidence, the PM's ex-aide accused Johnson of dismissing Covid as "just swine flu" and a "scare story". He admitted that he and the PM "failed" the UK by not locking down the country weeks before. MORE ON CUMMINGS 'it was revenge' Phillip Schofield lashes out at Dominic Cummings' 'hatchet job' testimony TAKE BO PRISONERS Boris hits back at Dom & says claims don't 'bear any relation to reality' VIRUS UPDATE Everything you need to know about Matt Hancock's conference today, May 27 DOMAGEDDON Everything you need to know about what Dominic Cummings said about Matt Hancock HAN IT TO THEM Hancock to face MPs & press conference TODAY after explosive Cummings claims Cummings said that he should have been "hitting the panic button" earlier than he was and that he should have locked down in the first week of March. He went on to say that March last year was like an "out of control movie". "Imagine this is like a scene from Independence Day... your whole plan is broken and you need a new plan - that is what the scene was like," he explained.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15084403/what-written-dominic-cummings-whiteboard/
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How many times has Dennis Quaid been married?
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DENNIS Quaid said his wedding was pushed back in 2020 due to the pandemic. Dennis Quaid has been married four times, and has three children. His first marriage was to actress Pamela Soles, who was best known by her stage name P.J. Soles in John Carpenter's Halloween film. Quaid and Soles were married in 1978, and divorced in 1983. His most infamous marriage was his second one, when he married Meg Ryan in 1991. 5 America's Sweethearts Credit: Getty - Contributor They have a son, Jack Henry Quaid, who is an actor on the Amazon Prime series The Boys. Quaid and Ryan filed for divorce in 2000, then finalized their divorce in 2001. In 2004, Quaid got married for a third time to real estate agent Kimberly Buffington. The couple had fraternal twins via a surrogate in 2007. 5 Quiad with his third wife, Kimberly Buffington Credit: Getty In November 2012, Quaid filed for divorce from Buffington, and the divorce was finalized on April 27, 2018. In between all of Quaid's marriages, he has also had some high-profile relationships. He dated Shanna Moakler from February 2001 to October 2001. 5 His new wife, Laura Savoie Credit: Getty Subsequently, Moakler married Travis Barker of Blink-182, who is now dating Kourtney Kardashian. Quaid also dated model Santa Auzina from July 2016 to 2019. Aside from it being his fourth marriage, Quaid's current marriage to Laura Savoie happened during the coronavirus pandemic. The couple had to elope, with only themselves and their pastor in tow. 5 The couple eloped this past June Credit: Getty "Just looking into her eyes, she was the most stunning bride," Quaid said exclusively to People Magazine. Most read in Celebrity Breaking 'we will miss him' Milli Vanilli's 'real' singer John Davis dead at 65 after Covid battle INSTAGRAM OFFICIAL JLo 'wanted to announce her reunion with Ben Affleck on Instagram' 'THANK YOU' The reason why host Juan Williams is leaving Fox News show The Five NO-NO, JOJO! Masked Singer fans furious Nick Lachey as The Piglet beat out frontrunner JoJo TOGETHER 'TILL THE END' Meet actor Miles Teller's wife Keleigh Sperry Exclusive WON'T SKIM BY Kim's 'NOT giving up on her dream to be a lawyer' after failing baby bar exam The Dennisance podcast host and the doctoral student began dating in May 2019, and they said it was "love at first sight." And they seem to be very happy together. "Just getting to do life with someone who lives that way is inspiring for me. It changes my perspective and it brings so much joy to every day," she said about their marriage.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2968829/how-many-times-dennis-quaid-married/
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Who was Real Milli Vanilli singer John Davis?
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SESSION musician John Davis, who provided vocals for eighties group Milli Vanilli, has died aged 66 of coronavirus. Heres everything we know about the singer. John Davis was a session musician and the voice behind Milli Vanilli, the two-piece band of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The French-German duo enjoyed success during the late eighties, with their second album - 'Girl You Know It's True' - reaching No1 in the US charts. The band's success dried up in the early nineties after the public discovered Morvan and Pilatus werent providing the vocals. It was actually Davis and other session musicians - credited as backing singers - who sang the groups records. The American had moved from his native South Carolina to Germany to help Milli Vanilli achieve their success. They won the best new artist award at the Grammys in 1990 but were forced to return the honour after the damning revelations came out. Milli Vanilli later changed their name to REAL Milli Vanilli and released their third and final album - 'The Moment of Truth' - in 1991, separating a year later. Morvan has paid tribute to Davis on Twitter, writing: "Can't believe it, thanks for all the love you've spread throughout the years, from the edge of the stage. "You and I had a great run, it was fun to celebrate life with the help of music. Peace one love your voice will live on. Play it loud everybody." It is unclear if Davis married and how many children he had. But his daughter Jasmin has paid tribute to her father on Facebook, writing: "Unfortunately my dad passed away this evening through the coronavirus. "He made a lot of people happy with his laughter and smile, his happy spirit, love and especially through his music. "He gave so much to the world! Please give him the last round of applause. We will miss him dearly." Most read in Music Breaking 'we will miss him' Milli Vanilli's 'real' singer John Davis dead at 65 after Covid battle 'THANK YOU' The reason why host Juan Williams is leaving Fox News show The Five NO-NO, JOJO! Milli Vanilli had three No1 singles in the US before their true identity was revealed: 'Baby Don't Forget My Number', 'Baby Don't Forget My Number' and 'Girl I'm Gonna Miss You'. Their first big hit - 'Girl You Know It's True' - reached No2 in the US and paved the way for more success. The band's first single after renaming - 'Too Late' - flopped across the world, reaching a high of No26 in Austria.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2969088/who-john-davis-real-milli-vanilli/
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Who played Gunther on Friends and where is he now?
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EVERYONE remembers Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monika in Friends. But one character who was in nearly as many episodes as them, was Gunther. Friends character Gunther was the Central Perk coffee shop manager. He was madly in love with Rachel, and hated Ross. Gunther was also Rachel AND Joey's boss at one point. The actor who played him was James Michael Tyler. From 1994 until 2004 Friends aired 236 episodes. Gunther was in the show right from the start, until the end. Although mainly busy working in the coffee shop in the background, he was in a whopping 150 episodes of the hit comedy. Since Friends stopped, Michael has kept acting. He has appeared on shows like Scrubs, also had a cameo on fellow Friends star Matt LeBlanc's TV series Episodes. He also does personal appearances at events like Friends Fest, where you can find him chatting about the show and signing autographs. Good news, James IS On the reunion show. UK fans can watch Friends: The Reunion on Now TV right NOW or on Sky One on from 8pm. If you are in the US, you can watch it on the streaming service HBO Max NOW. Gunther from Friends recites theme tune in his own dour way
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/tv/2967720/gunther-friends-actor-now/
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Did Ted Cruz eat a fly?
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TED Cruz is making the rounds on the internet for a clip taken from an old Fox News interview. This isn't the first time the GOP senator has gone viral on social media. According to the video that's widely being circulated, Cruz can be seen speaking to Fox News' Hannity when a fly enters his mouth. The Texas Senator coughed and then drank a sip of water before resuming his conversation with the host. 3 Ted Cruz went viral on Twitter on May 26, 2021 Credit: AP The clip is six seconds long and resurfaced on twitter on May 26. As a result, #ToadCruz is now trending on Twitter. A Twitter user by the name of Daniel Dale debunked the video, however, claiming the fly had been edited in. The hashtag follows on from other past Ted Cruz memes including Lying Ted, Ted Snooze, and Cancun Cruz. Social media users weighed in on the clip, making jokes about the senator's bug blunder. "That fly died with honor!" published one user. Another said, "RIP fly, you deserved better!" Why do we write fiction, reality is so good." Another joked, 'Ted Cruz ate Mike Pences only friend..... the fly." Mike Pence after learning that #ToadCruz ate his pet, Fly-an Gosling. pic.twitter.com/Klayu3NNxh Linda Childers (@lindarchilders) May 27, 2021 "Mike Pence after learning that #ToadCruz ate his pet, Fly-an Gosling," one Tweeted alongside a picture of a concerned-looking Pence. "Breaking: The fly has tested positive for #ToadCruz," a user joked. Ted Cruz's legal name is Rafael Edward Cruz, after his father. In his 2015 autobiography, A Time for Truth, Cruz admitted that he chose to stop going by Rafael when he was 13 years old. He was living in Houston by then and commonly went by the nickname Felito. Cruz wrote that The problem with that name was that it seemed to rhyme with every major corn chip on the market. Fritos, Cheetos, Doritos and Tostitosa fact that other young children were quite happy to point out." 3 Ted Cruz has been a US senator since 2012 Credit: Alamy I was tired of being teased. One day I had a conversation with my mother about it and she said, You know, you could change your name. There are a number of other possibilities. His mother "proceeded to list them: Rafael. Raph. Ralph. Edward. Ed. Eddie. Or you could go by Ted. I found that a shocking concept. It had never occurred to me that I had any input on my name. Most read in News HORROR FIND Neighbor 'in tears' after finding body of 'kidnapped and slain' boy, 4 Warning BODY SLAM Drunk bikini-clad woman knocked out & arrested after jumping queue at water park OH HAPPY DAD! He was elected to the US Senate in 2012 and began his first term representing Texas in 2013. After taking office, he became a leader of the conservative movement in Congress. In 2018, Cruz kept his seat against Beto ORourke in 2018 by 220,000 votes - meaning he will stay as Senator until 2024.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15086626/ted-cruz-fly-eating-fox-news/
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Who played Ross and Monicas parents in Friends and where are they now?
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FRIENDS fans love the fact that Ross and Monica are brother and sister. The hilarious siblings grew up under the watchful eye of their parents, Jack and Judy Geller. Jack and Judy Geller raised Ross and Monica in Long Island, New York. Judy is known for criticising her daughter Monica, but in her eyes her son Ross can do no wrong. Jack on the other hand is more bubbling and is known for his inappropriate comments. The onscreen couple are played by Elliot Gould and Christine Pickles. Christine was in 19 episodes of Friends, and Elliot was in 20. The only episode they weren't in together was the one where he gave Monica his Porsche. In season 7 in the episode called The One Where Rosita Dies, Ross and Monica go and visit their childhood home in Long Island after they find out their parents are selling it. Jack feels guilty when it turns out he used Monica's boxes of memories to prevent his car getting wet, when his garage flooded. To appease the situation he hands over the keys to his Porsche, much to Ross' chagrin. Both Christine and Elliot were esteemed actors when they joined the cast of Friends with many acting credits to their names. Christine, 86, was 59 when she filmed Friends and Elliot, now 82, was 56 when he made his debut as Jack. Since Friends ended they have both continued to work in high profile TV shows. In 2020 Elliot starred in Netflix's Grace and Frankie, and before that The Kominsky Method. Christine, meanwhile, is known for her shows like Family Guy and Great News. Matt Le Blanc reveals horror drunk accident before final Friends audition Spoiler MONKEY BUSINESS Friends David Schwimmer reveals REVOLTING encounter with Ross monkey COFFEE AT CENTRAL PERK Filming location for Friends - from LA to New York Spoiler 'PLEASE PLAY!' Good news, both Elliot and Christine are on the reunion show. UK fans can watch Friends: The Reunion on Now TV right NOW or on Sky One on from 8pm. If you are in the US, you can watch it on the streaming service HBO Max NOW. Top ten most emotional moments on Friends
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/tv/2968203/friends-ross-monica-parents-actors-now/
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Who will replace Juan Williams?
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FOX panelist Juan Williams announced on May 26, 2021, that he was leaving The Five. The liberal co-host will remain in Washington DC as the show heads back to the studio in New York City. A replacement to fill Juan Williams spot on The Five has yet to be named. According to Fox, rotating liberal hosts will fill Williams' seat until a permanent replacement is chosen. Williams served as a co-host along with Dana Perino, Greg Gutfeld, and Jesse Watters. The Five airs weekdays at 5pm ET on Fox. Williams, 67, is a Panamanian and American journalist. His work has been featured in various newspapers such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He has been published in magazines including The Atlantic Monthly and Time. Williams joined Fox in 1997 and appeared on Special Report with Bret Baier and Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. 3 Williams has been with Fox since 1997 In addition to his work at Fox News, Williams serves as a columnist for The Hill. Williams has a reported net worth of $2million. Williams addressed The Fives viewers on Wednesday, May 26 about his leaving, saying: Covid taught me a lot of lessons. As the show goes back to the New York studio, Ill be staying in DC." . Most read in US News HORROR FIND Neighbor 'in tears' after finding body of 'kidnapped and slain' boy, 4 Warning BODY SLAM Drunk bikini-clad woman knocked out & arrested after jumping queue at water park OH HAPPY DAD! Father's Day 2021 - why the date changes every year GATES CREEPER Bill Gates's money man 'shared nude pics of women colleagues & RATED looks' DRUMMER TRAGEDY School Of Rock star dies at 32 after being hit by car as Jack Black mourns Exclusive 'DISGUSTING' Kevin Spacey's new pedophile movie shows he has 'no conscience', brother says You know, its been going on seven years since I have been a daily host of this show. "The shows popularity has grown every single year, so thank you. Thank you so much to you, the viewers. Thank you. Williams will continue to work for Fox News as a political analyst from Washington DC upon his exit from The Five.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15087267/who-will-replace-juan-williams/
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Is PayPal letting customers withdraw crypto to third-party wallets?
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AS the cryptocurrency market continues to tumble, PayPal is rolling out the next phase of its crypto support. PayPal has been a long supporter of cryptocurrency, as the company allows users to buy and pay with cryptocurrencies instead of a card. On May 26, PayPal's head of cryptocurrency, Jose Fernandez da Ponte, announced the company will soon be letting its users send Bitcoin and other cryptos out of PayPal. PayPal plans to add support for third-party wallet transfers, which will allow the platform's users to move cryptocurrencies out of PayPal and into private wallets. Currently, PayPal does not let users move crypto holdings off-platform, though it has let customers buy Bitcoin and other cryptos since October 2020, however, that will change in the coming months. We want to make it as open as possible, and we want to give choice to our consumers, something that will let them pay in any way they want to pay, da Ponte said at CoinDesks Consensus 2021 conference. The same process will also apply to Venmo users who will be able to withdraw cryptocurrency from the app and send it to other wallets or services. Soon, both Venmo and PayPal users will be able to send cryptocurrencies to each other. Da Ponte did not give further details about when PayPal and Venmo plan to integrate this feature. 4 Venmo will also allow users to withdraw their crypto from the app to other wallets and services Credit: Reuters The decision likely stems from the higher demand that PayPal's crypto services have gotten from what it was expecting. In an April interview with TIME Magazine, PayPal's CEO Dan Schulman said that demand for digital assets on the platform had more than exceeded the company's expectations. "Demand on the crypto side has been multiple-fold to what we initially expected. There's a lot of excitement," said Schulman. The crypto market has steadily declined over the last month, as Bitcoin's price dropped from $64,536 in April to $36,664 in May. Now, Iran's government announced a ban on the mining of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the country's president Hassan Rouhani announced on May 26. Iranian officials blame the energy-intensive process for blackouts in a number of the country's cities. The ban is effective immediately and will be in place until September 22, Rouhani told state TV, in the latest sign of high-profile rejection of the popular digital currency. 4 Bitcoin's price dropped from $64,536 in April to $36,664 in May Credit: Rex Most read in Money CHECK AGAIN New round of $1,400 stimulus checks may be coming as calls mount for more cash CHECK AGAIN How to track $1,400 stimulus check as MORE Covid payments rolled out this week CLAIM YOUR CASH How to check and get back any unpaid wages if your employer owes you money IN THE MONEY Stimulus check update - How to fix direct deposit glitch with $1,400 relief HOME & DRY Secret stimulus checks on the way for Americans with mortgages who ask for it CHECK AGAIN Stimulus rollout including $3,600 child tax credit & checks to arrive in weeks The Iranian capital of Tehran and several other large cities have faced multiple daily power outages for the past few months. Officials blame the blackouts on a natural gas shortage, a prolonged drought thats hobbled the countrys hydroelectricity plants and increasing Bitcoin mining. A majority of the energy consumption from Bitcoin mining is coming from illegal miners, or those operating without licenses, government officials said.
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https://www.the-sun.com/money/2968314/paypal-allowing-customers-to-withdraw-crypto-currency/
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Who is Samuel Cassidys ex-wife Cecilia Nelms?
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SAMUEL Cassidy was identified as the gunman responsible for the Valley Transportation Authority massacre on May 26 that left nine dead - including himself. Cassidy, 57, was a "long time" substation maintainer employee at the VTR rail yard. Cassidy was married to Cecilia Nelms, 64, for 10 years. The couple divorced in 2005, and had not been in contract for 13 years. Nelms told the Associated Press that Cassidy had a bad temper and repeatedly spoke about wanting to kill people. She said: I never believed him and it never happened. Until now. 7 Cassidy's ex wife Cecilia Nelms said the gunman had a 'bad temper' Credit: PA Nelms recalled how Cassidy would come home from work angry about things that had happened during the day. She told the Canon City Daily Record: "He had two sides. When he was in a good mood he was a great guy. When he was mad, he was mad." Two other women previously involved with Cassidy described the 57-year-old as being riddled with a dark side. In 2009, an ex-girlfriend filed a restraining order against him following a domestic violence incident, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The publication cited court documents related to the domestic relationship with a 45-year-old woman suggesting the man suffered from bipolar disorder and imbibed copious amounts of alcohol. In a sworn declaration the 5ft 4in, 120lb woman claimed several times she had fought off the 6ft 1in, 200lb Cassidy from aggressive sexual behaviors, the Chronicle reported. 7 Two women previously involved with Cassidy said he was riddled with a dark side Credit: Getty The physical and mental abuse the woman claims she endured in the court papers cited by the Chronicle depicts a sadistic persona. He also played several mind games which he seems to enjoy, she said, according to the court documents cited in the article. The woman claimed in September of 2008 Cassidy allegedly forced himself on her after tossing her on a bed, the newspaper reported. Several times during the relationship he became intoxicated, enraged and forced himself on me sexually, the woman wrote in a sworn declaration. On occasions where she refused him, he restrained me by holding my arms to my side and forcing his weight on top of me. The incident followed another where Cassidy allegedly tried to force the woman to engage in anal intercourse. 7 Cassidy was a substation maintainer employee at the VTR rail yard Credit: Reuters Cassidy appeared to show contrition after the episodes and swore to abstain from such demands. He apparently was so fixed on this kind of sex that he threatened to break up with her on Valentines Day if she didnt acquiesce, the Chronicle reported. In February 2009, the woman said that Cassidy had shared his home with another woman. Cassidy allegedly would throw a temper whenever she asked about the new woman or their relationship status. The publication also reports that the womans court papers suggest Cassidy had admitted he stole tools and equipment from his current and past employers. The nine victims, all employees at the railyard, were named by the Santa Clara County Coroner on May 26. Paul Delacruz Megia, 42; Adrian Balleza, 29; Jose Dejesus Hernandez III, 35; Timothy Romo, 49; Abdolvahab Alaghmandan 63; Taptejdeep Singh, and Michael Rudometkin, 40, were also among those killed. Alex Ward Fritch, who was wounded by the gunfire, died the night of May 26 at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. 7 Father of two Taptejdeep Singh was killed Credit: Handout Singh, a light rail operator, reportedly left an office to help other escape, The Mercury News reported. His uncle Sakhwant Dhillion said: "He told people, 'be careful, hide'. He was running around the building to save others' lives." Singh's brother-in-law said he was "helpful" and "caring". Air Force Veteran Romo had worked at VTA for over two decades. His neighbor Nancy Martin told the San Francisco Chronicle: He was a very friendly man, always ready to help you out." 7 Alex Ward Fritch, who was wounded by the gunfire, died at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center the night of May 26 Credit: Instagram Most read in News HORROR FIND Neighbor 'in tears' after finding body of 'kidnapped and slain' boy, 4 Warning BODY SLAM Drunk bikini-clad woman knocked out & arrested after jumping queue at water park OH HAPPY DAD! Father's Day 2021 - why the date changes every year GATES CREEPER Bill Gates's money man 'shared nude pics of women colleagues & RATED looks' DRUMMER TRAGEDY School Of Rock star dies at 32 after being hit by car as Jack Black mourns Exclusive 'DISGUSTING' Kevin Spacey's new pedophile movie shows he has 'no conscience', brother says Victim Balleza was married and had a young son, KPIX reports. Cassidy and the responding officers did not exchange gunfire. Officials announced that Cassidy turned his gun on himself "when he realized deputies were in the building.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15088224/meet-samuel-cassidys-ex-wife-cecilia-nelms/
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When does summer start?
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THE weather has been nothing but unpredictable so far this year from snow at Easter to this May being the coldest May in 25 years. As Brits look to enjoy the longest season of the year, here are the all-important 2021 dates you need to look out for. There are a couple of ways of calculating when the season starts, depending on whether you mean the astronomical summer and the meteorological summer. The meteorological summer is defined as June, July and August, so always begins on Thursday, June 1 and ends on August 31. This year the astronomical summer starts on Monday, June 21, on a day which is known as the summer solstice. Around this time we will enjoy the most daylight of the calendar year, as the sun reaches its most northern point in the sky at noon, local time. Summer will come to an end on September 22. The seasons occur as the Earths axis is on a tilt from the sun, so different parts of the world receive more solar energy than others. They can be calculated using both astronomic or meteorological methods. The astronomical seasons are based on the Earths journey around the sun, with the four quarters of the orbit determining our four seasons. The meteorological seasons are based on splitting the calendar up into four chunks of three months each. Loosely the seasons are defined as Spring (March, April, May), Summer (June, July, August), Autumn (September, October, November) and Winter (December, January, February). The summer solstice is the "longest" day of the year and marks the start of the summer period. MOST READ IN UK TODDLER TRAGEDY Boy, 3, died in mum's arms of cancer weeks after he's sent home with Calpol BIG WHACK AND FRIES Moment Mcdonald's customer brawls with security in fast food punch-up 'TO INFINITY!' Iconic kids' TV catchphrases revealed - from Peppa Pig to Buzz Lightyear HIT FOR SIX Couple build luxury eco-home in just SIX WEEKS complete with secret garden BUTCHERED MUM All about Rachel Nickell who was murdered in front of her son Alex Hanscombe This is because the tilt of the Earths axis is most aligned with the sun, providing us with the most daylight of the year. After June 21, the nights will begin to close in as our planet rotates with the northern hemisphere tilting further from the sun. The winter solstice is on December 21 and is when the Earth's North Pole tilt is furthest from the sun.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3222058/when-summer-start/
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Why do Students choose to Study Bioengineering over Classic Biology?
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If you want to expand your career to work for the betterment of peoples health, you can commit to bioengineering without any hesitation. Its a fascinating discipline that blends traditional engineering principles with environmental, agricultural, and medical expertise having a biological approach to solve problems with the help of technology. To better understand, you can go through essays on biology to get in-depth knowledge about biology and its applications in various other fields. The information provided in the free essays is fully reliable and usually is up-to-date based on the latest research in the field. Benefits of Bioengineering over Classic Biology There exists a vast difference between classic biology and bioengineering as a field of study. Students who take up biology as majors are confined only to the courses of biological sciences. It eventually facilitates them to either work as research associates in biotechnology or in life science. However, students usually choose a bioengineering degree as it covers all the fundamentals of physics, mathematics, mechanics, fluid dynamics, and biological science that allows people to work on technical systems with biological components as a part of it. In that case, a bioengineering degree must be your preferred choice because the problem-solving skills learned in such a study are applicable in every industry in the world, even outside biology and engineering. Contribution of Bioengineering in Todays World With the rapidly growing population and need for more advanced medical equipment, biological engineering has gained its importance over time. Bioengineers help in enhancing the quality of the health care system with cost-effective measures. They design digital tools, instruments, equipment, and software which solve several clinical problems. Bioengineers have contributed immensely to the world today: They design necessary devices like pacemakers, dialysis machines, ultrasound, MRIs, diagnostic equipment, and many other ground-breaking techniques for the ever-widening healthcare issues. Bioengineers work with health professionals to overcome various problems with their technical skills of engineering and medical knowledge to develop theoretical frameworks and improve the lives of the patients living with certain conditions. Significance of pursuing Bioengineering: Its Practical Applications Today, bioengineering has wide scope as a profession. It covers topics such as agriculture, pharmaceutical, natural resources, and health care. Students must opt bioengineering for higher education as its applications are used in different areas: Biomechanics is a field dedicated to the research and development of innovative products to study how and why the human musculoskeletal system behaves the way it does. Biomechanics also emphasize conducting researches about sports and athletics, which is beneficial for the athletes to know how their body responds to external pressures. Bio-mechatronics is a study of motion, material deformation, and flow within the body. Their work is associated with building devices to improve the lives of patients with critical illness or disabilities. They develop technologies that help those with lost mobility begin to move again. Bio-mechatronics is in the frontline, working to enhance the health care industry. Biomedical engineering is a branch of bioengineering concerned with developing and designing devices such as CT imaging systems, dialysis machines, and surgical lasers, which we rely upon greatly in modern times. Professionals in this area will either work to develop new platforms or help repair the biomedical electronic equipment for their proper use in the hospitals and doctors clinics. Well, bioengineering is the right field for you. The demand for bioengineers is considerably high in todays time. However, if you are interested in creating and operating advanced biotechnological products and provide technical support to biomedical equipment in specific, then biomedical engineering is a better fit. Like this: Like Loading...
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https://southernmarylandchronicle.com/2021/05/27/why-do-students-choose-to-study-bioengineering-over-classic-biology/
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Will we need a COVID-19 vaccine booster every year?
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Researchers have found that people who recovered from COVID and then were vaccinated could have long-lasting immunity. Scientists now believe immunity against coronavirus could last years if you meet a couple of criteria. The new research is from two studies that looked at coronavirus immunity. Lets connect the dots. Researchers have found that people who recovered from COVID and then were vaccinated could have long-lasting immunity and probably not need booster shots. Unfortunately, the same is probably not true for people who just had the vaccine or people who recovered from COVID but arent vaccinated. One published in the journal, Nature, found that cells in your bone marrow remember COVID and can churn out antibodies when needed. The other found that memory b cells, an integral part of the immune system, are still going strong a year after infection. The problem with viruses is they are always changing and those variants can evade that hard-won immunity. But according to this research, the immune response created by a previous infection and the vaccine is so strong it can fight variants.
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/covid-immunity-vaccine-booster-shots/285-9fd32917-b699-4b25-92e8-acacc46bce7a
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Will the 3030 initiative to protect land and water gain traction?
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Reddit Share Pin Share 0 Shares The 3030 initiative, also called the America the Beautiful campaign, aims to preserve 30% of the nations lands and water by 2030. But its pledge to fight the climate crisis could face hurdles. Announced by the Biden administration earlier this year, the initiative acknowledged whats called a tipping point in damage done to the natural world and decisive action needed to reverse that damage. It could be a heavy lift in New Mexico, where oil and gas funds from extraction made up more than a third of the states general fund in 2020. Kim Pope, the Southwest region campaign representative for the Sierra Club, said nonetheless, New Mexico may have the most to gain from the 3030 goal. Nearly 760,000 acres of natural lands were lost to development in New Mexico between 2001 and 2017, Pope reported. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates fossil-fuel extraction on public lands contributes to at least 23% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the U.S. Critics say the Biden proposal lacks a baseline of how much land and water is already under conservation or specific details on how it will conduct its tally over the next decade. In a presentation to the Sierra Club Rio Grande chapter this week, Pope argued its critical to focus on the acreage aspect, but also get people involved who want to solve the climate crisis, preserve existing wild space and protect more nature. We want to work with communities and make sure that the conservation efforts make sense for the community, that are equitable for all communities that lack green space or lack outdoor space, Pope explained. Pope said 12% of the countrys lands are currently protected. In New Mexico, where 47% of the state is designated public land, only 6% are protected through state and federal designation and conservation easements. So far, 50 countries and 70 U.S. mayors have committed to the 3030 goal. Related
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https://www.kttn.com/will-the-30x30-initiative-to-protect-land-and-water-gain-traction/
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Will Sushil Kumar lose his Olympic medals and Padma Shri Award?
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After the arrest of Sushil Kumar in Sagar Rana murder case, demands of taking back his medals, awards and prizes are on the rise. In such a situation, it is also important to know whether these awards and medals can be taken back from Sushil Kumar. The 37-year-old is a recipient of the Padma Shri Award, the fourth highest civilian honour of the country. Apart from this, Sushil Kumar has also received Arjuna Award to Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Sushil, a 2-time Olympic medallist, has also has many international awards to his name. The awards that Sushil Kumar has received can be divided into two categories -- The international medals and the national awards and honours. To find out, we searched the website related to the Olympic Games and found out that like Sushil, 13 more Olympians were also arrested and sent to jail in cases related to murder, human trafficking or sexual exploitation. The players were also convicted by the court, including Oscar Pistorius, a famous Paralympian famously known as 'The Blade Runner', who shot and killed his own girlfriend on Valentine's Day in 2013. But the Olympic medal was not withdrawn from Oscar Pistorius as the Olympic Committee could withdraw medals from only the players who are found guilty of using steroids during physical tests. If a player commits a crime after receiving a medal, then the medals earned by him cannot be withdrawn on that basis. In such a case, the Olympic medal cannot be withdrawn from Sushil Kumar even if he is found guilty in the court. The Olympic medals will remain with him. As far as the honour and award given to him by the Government of India at the national level is concerned, that too cannot be taken back before he is proved guilty. The Ministry of Sports has also clarified that until the court finds Sushil Kumar guilty in the murder case, it will not write to the President to withdraw the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award or the Arjuna Award. In India, the accused person is considered innocent until the court proves him otherwise. The Padma Awards started in 1954 in our country but in the history of the Padma Awards so far, the award has not been withdrawn by the Government from any person who has been given the Padma Award by the Government of India. In such a situation, there is no scope for the government to withdraw the Padma Shri award from Sushil Kumar. However, there are many cases of returning the Padma Awards and rejecting nominations to show protest against the government. For example, famous writer and journalist Khushwant Singh returned Padma Bhushan in 1984 in protest against Operation Blue Star. Salim Khan, father of actor Salman Khan, refused to take the Padma Shri in 2015 because he said that the award was given to junior actors years ago. Justice JS Verma's family also posthumously refused to take the Padma Bhushan as he said that Justice Verma never ran after the awards.
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https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/other-sports/story/will-sushil-kumar-lose-his-olympic-medals-and-padma-shri-award-1807775-2021-05-27
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Is There a Right Time to Donate for Tax Purposes?
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Question. Julian, hello from Patrick. Thats not really my Christian name, and Id as soon skip my last name. Because, like lots of other accomplished authors, Im bombarded with snarky emails from people who want to spell out why they resent writers. Julian, what follows are disclosures that I hope wont elicit unpleasant emails from resentful persons who envy writers and who ought to significantly increase their intakes of prune juice. Along with lots of other authors, I live in Sellwood, a neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Sellwood is where I wrote some best-sellers. They all go deep into the weeds on the major land, sea and air battles of the Second World War and notable events in the early years of the Cold War. Julian, if I could replace this email with Zoom, youd see no change in my nose size when I channel my inner Garrison Keillor* and, to lift one of his lines, tell you more than you ever wanted to know about my voluminous personal papers. Treasure troves of original manuscripts for my books and articles, as well as lots of exchanges of correspondence with boldface names, such as cabinet members, dictators, diplomats, military commanders, prime ministers, presidents and an assortment of A-listers in locales like Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Julian, lets pivot from an incomplete listing of my accomplishments to what prompts my email. I want to explain two options for my personal papers. Sign up for our FREE email newsletter Don't miss out on our best content. Enter email address * Enter email address Sign up First one: offer to sell them; lots of libraries and universities would want to buy them. My expectation is that the outfit that bids the most for them will deposit an amount noticeably north of one million dollars into my bank account. Second option: donate them to my alma mater, Grand Old Ivey, a university thats world renowned for its research library. My understanding of the deduction rules for donations, given that the winning offer for my papers is likely to top one million, is that the measure of my charitable write-off is at least that amount. Julian, no need to remind me not to run afoul of the rules for constructive receipt I know that Ive not exhausted the possibilities, which is why Ive scheduled a meeting with my tax adviser, Melania. Shes someone with decades of experience on how to take maximum advantage of often-overlooked opportunities buried in the Byzantine Internal Revenue Code, and, equally important, adept on how to sidestep pitfalls. Julian, just like I invented a Christian name for me and skipped my last name, I believe it best to skip Melanias last name. Assuming youre disposed to reply, I would appreciate your thoughts on what questions to ask her. Answer. Patrick, Im definitely disposed and feel flattered. Your convivial email convinces me that Im the person who should hear your confessions. Also, just like you want to be on a first-name basis with me, I want to be on the same basis with you. Bro, now that were bosom buddies, lets start with some low-hanging fruit. Dont donate. You misread the deduction rules for contributions; heres what they actually say; the measure of your allowable deduction is your cost basis for the property. Because your basis is zero, the IRS prohibits any deduction. Ill elaborate on why Patrick should forget about a big-bucks donation and instead focus on what to discuss when he meets with Melania or other qualified tax pros, whether theyre accountants, attorneys, financial planners, or enrolled agents. In particular, Ill alert Patrick to a new proposal by a new president who wants to raise revenue and close the tax gap. Return the top rate of 37 percent to the 39.6 percent that it was before Congress approved and then-president Donald John Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Job Act. Ill provide info about: the tax rates for Patrick and other filers who receive ordinary income; the seven graduated brackets for ordinary income that go as high as 37 percent for 2021; why hell get slapped with the top rate; and what it means when the brackets are indexed. *Garrison Keillor was the long-time host of National Public Radios A Prairie Home Companion, until NPR ousted him because several women alleged that he sexually harassed them.
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https://www.accountingweb.com/tax/irs/is-there-a-right-time-to-donate-for-tax-purposes
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What will it cost to end the pandemic?
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O N MAY 2ND thousands of masked nurses, doctors and others who have battled against covid-19 watched Jennifer Lopez and other stars perform in the flesh at the VAX live concert in Los Angeles. Outside the venue, visitors could get their jab from the comfort of their own vehicles, while watching H.E.R., a singer-songwriter, perform the song Glory in the car park, surrounded by schoolkids stomping their feet. A live concert was possible only because many Americans (50% of adults) are now vaccinated. But a charity event of this kind was necessary only because most of the world is not. In a paper published in April, Ruchir Agarwal of the IMF and Tristan Reed of the World Bank argued that it might be possible to end the acute phase of the pandemic early next year by vaccinating 60% of the population of every country. In principle, yes. According to Airfinity, a life-sciences data firm, vaccine-makers could produce as many as 11.1bn doses this year, enough to inoculate more than 75% of the worlds population aged over five. The manufacturers themselves say they will produce many more. Some of this capacity is already spoken for. But rich countries have hogged less of it than many people fear. Mr Agarwal and Mr Reed calculate that rich countries have placed advance orders for about 2bn courses (many of which comprise two shots). At the same time, the developing world already has dibs on more vaccines than some people assume, thanks to deals struck by organisations like the African Union and COVAX , a vaccine-sharing initiative. Mr Agarwal and Mr Reed calculate that 91 developing countries (with a combined population of over 2.5bn people) need to order only another 350m courses between them to vaccinate 60% of their population. India faces a bigger shortfall. But it also has the dollars and domestic manufacturing capacity to reach the target eventually.
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https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/05/27/what-will-it-cost-to-end-the-pandemic
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Which euro-zone economies are bouncing back quickest?
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K NOCKED BACK by several bouts of covid-19, Europes economy is now finding its feet. Its vaccination drive is charging ahead, and lockdown restrictions are easing. On May 17th Italys curfew moved from 10pm to 11pm, and on May 19th Parisians were allowed to return to their beloved cafs, after six months without. German companies are at their most optimistic in two years, according to figures released on May 25th, and wider economic sentiment is surging. The relief is widespread. The recovery will be less so. Europe went into the covid-19 crisis with scars still unhealed, as northern countries, such as Germany, outperformed southern ones, such as Spain and Italy. The pandemic rubbed salt in the wounds. Between the final quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020 household consumption in Spain and Italy fell by 30% and 20% respectively, compared with just 11% in Germany. Punishing lockdowns and a drought in tourist revenues have prolonged the pain. By the end of 2020, consumption in Italy and in Spain was more than a tenth below its pre-crisis peak, compared with a shortfall of 6% in Germany and 7% in France. Some indicators suggest that the worst-hit countries are bouncing back faster. Mobility data from Google from mid-May suggest that travel for recreation and retail was returning to normal more quickly in Italy and Spain than in France and Germany, perhaps because they reopened earlier. Others indicate divergence. Figures from Indeed, a job-search platform, suggest that the recovery in vacancies posted by employers in Italy is well ahead of those in France and Germany, let alone Spain (see chart).
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https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/05/27/which-euro-zone-economies-are-bouncing-back-quickest
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When does transitory inflation become sustained?
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A T NEARLY 43 years old, the median American worker has never in her career experienced an annual rate of core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, above 3%. That will soon change. Core consumer prices in America rose by 0.9% month-on-month in April, the highest jump since 1982, practically guaranteeing that the annual rate will exceed 3% in the near future. Some economists sense the first stirrings of an outbreak of sustained high inflation, like that which afflicted many countries in the 1970s. But prevailing theories of inflation suggest that, for now at least, this threat remains remote. The Great Inflation, as the episode in the 1970s is often called, led to radical revisions in macroeconomic thinking. Until then Keynesian economists believed that a permanently lower rate of unemployment could be achieved by accepting higher inflation. Critics of this view, like Milton Friedman and Robert Lucas of the University of Chicago, thought differently. In the long run, they argued, the unemployment rate was determined by an economys structural features. A government using easy money to push joblessness below this natural level would fail. Instead, inflation would accelerate as people learned to expect faster price growth. The Great Inflation lent credibility to the critics. But Friedmans monetarismthe view that inflation in the long run was determined by growth in the money supplyalso proved inadequate. Central banks that tried to target money growth found its relationship with inflation to be unstable. They have since been guided by a hybrid New Keynesian framework, where inflation is determined by three main factors: the effects of supply shocks; the extent to which the economy is operating above or below capacity; and peoples expectations of inflation. The debates around the probable trajectory of inflation today hinge on these variables. Start first with supply shocks. The current inflation spike is clearly rooted in disruptions relating to the messy process of reopening. Supply shocks featured prominently in the Great Inflation as well, which might suggest that a short-term problem can quickly become entrenched. But a closer examination of that episode provides some reassurance. Work by Alan Blinder of Princeton University and Jeremy Rudd of the Federal Reserve suggests that the Great Inflation in fact reflected two distinct phenomena: a persistent problem of too much demand, overlaid by short bursts of supply-side pressures. Shocks to food and energy markets led to dramatic spikes in inflation in the 1970s. But Messrs Blinder and Rudd point out that inflation quickly dropped when these shocks abated. Headline inflation in America rose by nine percentage points from 1972 to 1974, but by 1976 had fallen by seven percentage points. That suggests that supply pressures today should ease when disruptions are resolved. An economy that is operating beyond its capacity could perhaps create more enduring inflation problems. Here again history is instructive. Inflation had been creeping up in America well before the 1970s, rising from less than 2% in the early 1960s to nearly 6% later in the decade. That was the result of a policy error: the Fed consistently let demand exceed productive capacity. Why it did so remains the subject of debate. It may have failed to grasp that productivity growth was slowing, thereby overestimating the economys potential. Or it may have been reluctant to incur the social or political costs of inducing unemployment to rein in inflation. It took the grim determination of Paul Volcker, who became the Feds chairman in 1979, to expunge this inflationary inertia. Some economists worry that todays stimulus-powered growth could lead to a repeat of the errors of the past. Employment in America remains nearly 8m short of its pre-pandemic level, pointing to plenty of spare capacity. But even the Fed reckons that this might quickly be hoovered up, with unemployment falling below its long-run rate by the end of 2022. Yet though the disappearance of slack could add to inflation pressures, it may not do so by very much: shifts in unemployment seem to have had smaller effects on inflation in recent decades. In fact, research by Jonathon Hazell of Princeton University, Juan Herreo of Columbia University and Emi Nakamura and Jon Steinsson of the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that this phenomenon may not be new. They find that the relationship between unemployment and inflation has been fairly weak across American states since at least the late 1970s. The drop in inflation that occurred on Volckers watch owed less to high unemployment, they argue, than to a profound shift in the publics inflation expectations. What to expect when youre not expecting Expectations are the trickiest piece of the inflation equation. Measurement is one problem. A survey by the University of Michigan suggests that consumers expect average annual inflation of 3.1% over the next five years; market-based measures imply a rate of about 2.6% over the same period, before falling to about 2.2% over the subsequent five years. That is above the Feds 2% target but still well short of a 1970s-style rerun. Perhaps punters are less worried about price pressures. Or perhaps they trust in the Feds commitment to price stability. Mr Hazell and his co-authors posit that inflation expectations dropped dramatically in the early 1980s because the public perceived a regime shift at the Fed. A repeat of the Great Inflation, then, might require another big change to central banks frameworks, and time for the public to perceive it. The Fed recently amended its approach, and says it will accept periods of above-target inflation to offset past undershooting. Whether this represents a regime shift is another question. The Fed still promises inflation of just 2% on average. It has not dropped its commitment to keep control over prices, nor does the public believe it has. Middle-aged Americans may get a taste of modestly high inflation this year. But they are hardly returning to the economy of their parents.
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https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/05/29/when-does-transitory-inflation-become-sustained
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Why Is Solana So Buzzy Right Now?
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If you step on Crypto Twitter these days, you wont be there long before someone mentions Solana. The high-speed blockchain had its native token, SOL, listed on Coinbase Pro this week, which now boasts a near $8 billion market cap, collectively. Huge cash infusions are coming into the network. Just this week, Meltem Demoirs CoinShares announced it would be starting a node on the network. According to Solana Labs COO Raj Gokal, its because theyve already solved many of the problems and scaling issues other blockchains, like Ethereum, are struggling with. He pointed to dApps already running on its network like crypto exchange Serum, music service Audius and Kin, which recently migrated more than 50 million accounts to Solana. All that is happening, and the network is performing as advertised, continuing to be fast and cheap and scalable, Gokal said. What people are realizing as they use these applications is that its live, it's performant, it's cheap, it's scalable, and it's ready today. Proof of History What Gokal says sets Solana apart from its competitors is that theyve solved for time. The hardest problem in blockchain is effectively what the team focused on solving, Gokal said. Solana utilizes what it calls proof-of-history, which as the name suggests, creates a historical record of not only what occurs on the blockchain, but when it does. This differs from more common proof-of-work and proof-of-stake blockchains, which require network validators to talk to one another and provide multiple network confirmations to agree that time has passed. According to founder Anatoly Yakovenko, on Solana each validator maintains its own internal clock using SHA-256, a sequential-hashing verifiable delay function. Proof of History presents a fundamental move forward in the structure of blockchain networks in regards to speed and capacity, Yakovenko wrote. A much faster, cheaper network. Solana claims to be able to process more than 65,000 transactions a second with a block time of 400 ms. I think in the first few years there was a lot of skepticism about whether the network could perform as the team described it because the claims were pretty outlandish, Gokal said. And now, especially with big institutions like Coinbase supporting and integrating with (Solana), a lot more folks are taking notice. Ethereum, by contrast, is currently only able to process between 10 and 20. Through the implementation of Ethereum 2.0, that number is expected to grow to several thousand, but upgrades remain months away at minimum. Solana is here now, and Gokal said people are taking note. Everywhere where Ethereum exists and is accepted, everywhere that ERC 20 tokens exist and are accepted, I expect that that the Solana network will penetrate those same places, and it's been happening pretty fast, he said.
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https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/defi/solana-blockchain-coinbase-listing-wall-street-buzz
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Are Democrats sleepwalking toward democratic collapse?
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Donald Trump may be out of Washington, but his spirit very much lives on in the party he left behind. This month, Republican congressional leaders Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell effectively quashed any chance of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Its part of a much broader trend in Republican politics to double down on the Trumpist legacy. Like the recent purging of Rep. Liz Cheney (WY) or the steadfast opposition to voting rights, the GOP has gone all-in on Trump and is in revolt against democracy. As it stands, Democrats and progressive activists for democratic reform have coalesced around HR 1, a bill passed by House Democrats that would, among other things, end partisan gerrymandering and create a national system for automatic voter registration. But the prospects of HR 1 becoming law are slim, mostly because key Democratic senators like Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) wont break the filibuster to pass it. Back in 2018, I spoke with Roosevelt University political scientist David Faris about his book Its Time to Fight Dirty. His argument then was that Democrats had to play constitutional hardball and basically do whatever was necessary to win. The situation today is even more dire than it was in 2018. Im not sure people appreciate how much danger we are in, Faris wrote in a recent Twitter thread. If Republicans succeed [in rigging the rules to take the presidency in 2024], they will crack this country in half. I reached out to Faris again to talk about what the options are if Democrats fail to pass democracy reform in the Senate hint: there arent many and if he thinks the Democrats are sleepwalking into a serious political crisis if they dont find a way to pass major democratic reforms in the next year or two. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter Voxs German Lopez is here to guide you through the Biden administrations unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up to receive our newsletter each Friday. A lightly edited transcript of our conversation follows. Sean Illing You said we were at a very dangerous moment in American history back in 2018. I have to say, the situation seems worse now. Trump is gone, but over the last year or so the Republican Party has taken an explicit turn against democracy itself. David Faris My current level of concern is exploring countries to move to after 2024. Im deeply concerned about the direction that the Republican Party has taken, especially over the last year or so. Things were bad in 2018, but the basic problem in 2018 was that we had structural factors working against the Democrats and you had a Republican Party that was fundamentally trying to keep people from voting. The most destructive thing that Trump did on his way out the door was he took the Republicans waning commitment to democracy and he weaponized it, and he made it much worse to the point where I think that a good deal of rank-and-file Republican voters simply dont believe that Democrats can win a legitimate election. And if Democrats do win an election, it has to be fraudulent. So 2020 felt like a test run. The plot to overturn the 2020 election never had a real chance of working without some external intervention like a military coup or something like that, which I never thought was particularly likely. But the institutional path that they pursued to steal the election failed because they didnt control Congress and they didnt control the right governorships in the right places. So I worry complacency has set in on the Democratic side and people are lulled into thinking things are normal and fine just because Bidens approval ratings are good. David Faris It was a test run for a way to overturn an election with the veneer of legality. You have to give Trump and Republicans some kind of dark credit for figuring out that this is really conceivable. I think they now know that, even though it would cause a court battle and possibly a civil war, that if they cant win by suppressing the vote and the election is close enough, they can do this if they control enough state legislatures and the Congress. If Democrats dont make some changes to our election laws and if they lose some races that they really need to win in 2022 and 2024, then were in real trouble. When people think of democracy dying, they think of some very dramatic event like Trump riding down Pennsylvania Avenue in a tank or something. Thats not the reality here. Sean Illing Im not naive about whats possible here, but I do want to mention a tricky dynamic. The Republican base is essentially a personality cult, and Republican politicians know this. They had virtually no chance of actually overturning the 2020 election, but it was politically beneficial to play along. If they knew there was a real chance at succeeding, that would be a different calculation because surely some of them understand how cataclysmic that would be. Again, to be super clear here: Im not saying they wouldnt do it. Some of these Republicans seem totally down the rabbit hole, and some of them are behaving like method actors who are just completely lost in their characters. But I really do wonder how the calculus would change for them if they absolutely knew their vote would overturn an election. David Faris Thats what I thought in the first few weeks after the election when the people in Congress would go on background to reporters and be like, We just got to let them vent a little bit, or that Trump is like a toddler and we just have to let him work his emotions out in public. But if it was really the case that most of them didnt really believe it or wouldnt go along with it, then I dont think it ever could have gotten to the point where well over 100 members of Congress formally objected to the election results. Sean Illing You were urging Democrats in 2018 to pass the sorts of reforms that are still on the table today, like packing the courts or granting statehood to DC and Puerto Rico. David Faris What needs to be done has gotten more complex. The structural problems are even worse than I anticipated. I also didnt fully anticipate the unapologetically authoritarian turn in Republican politics. But the fixes are still there. You have to abolish the filibuster in the Senate, you have to mandate national nonpartisan redistricting, you have to make voting easier, and you have to outlaw some of these Republican voter suppression tactics. Sean Illing Ive had conversations with some Democrats and when these ideas about nuking the filibuster or court-packing or granting statehood to DC and Puerto Rico come up, the argument is often that its a nonstarter because Joe Manchin or Kyrsten Sinema simply wont do it. David Faris Certainly the laws that you can pass are contingent on getting the most moderate member of your caucus on board. If Joe Manchin (D-WV) says, I wont do $15 minimum wage, Ill do $12. Then youre stuck with $12 or you get nothing. And so thats a reality. But I think the problem with this analysis is the assumption that Manchin is an ideological roadblock for progressivism, where he seems to me more of a procedural roadblock to the constitutional hardball that needs to get played here. I mean, he voted for the Covid-19 relief bill, and that was one of the most left-wing things Ive ever seen come out of Congress. So I dont actually think that Manchin is that far from the center of the caucus in terms of policy. Where Manchin seems to be very far away from what House Democrats want to do is on the democracy reform stuff. Its maddening because nothing that Manchin wants to do policy-wise can get done without abolishing the filibuster. Democrats are not going to have a majority after next year if they dont do some of these things now. So its a mistake to assume Manchin cant be moved. Thats the job of leadership. Thats Joe Bidens job. Thats Chuck Schumers job. David Faris Its bleak. I dont know what else to say. Democrats have to get extremely lucky next year. They either need to luck into the most favorable environment for the presidents party that we havent ever had for a midterm election or ... I dont know. Theres not much else they can do. None of these democracy reforms can get through on a reconciliation bill. If Democrats dont pass nonpartisan redistricting, theyre going to be fighting at a huge disadvantage in the House. Thats the ballgame. Progressive activists are going to pour a billion dollars into the Florida Senate race, and then [Marco] Rubio is going to win by 10 points. So if they dont act, its very simple. The Democrats will have to fight on this extremely unfair playing field against a newly radicalized Republican Party that is going to pull out all the stops in terms of voter suppression to win these elections, on top of the situation where theyre making other changes to state laws that could allow them to mess around with results in other ways, like what were seeing in Georgia now. Theres a very circular structure to this kind of proto-authoritarianism. You have anti-democratic practices at the state level that produce minority Republican governments that pass anti-democratic laws that end up in front of courts that are appointed by a minoritarian president and approved by a minoritarian Senate that will then rule to uphold these anti-democratic practices at the state level. And so there is no path to beating some of these laws through the courts. The Supreme Court has already said its not going to touch gerrymandering. And so theres nothing left except Congress using its constitutional authority under the elections clause to do some regulation to the elections. I just dont see another way. I'm not sure people appreciate how much danger we are in. This is coming. And if Republicans succeed, they will crack this country in half. It will be ugly and violent and I really would like to note live through that. We must act now. 9/ David Faris (@davidmfaris) May 11, 2021 Sean Illing It feels like were sleepwalking into a real crisis here, but its hard to convey the urgency because its not dramatic and its happening in slow motion and so much of life feels so normal. And yet our democratic system is losing any semblance of legitimacy and down that road is a range of possibilities no one wants to seriously consider. ... David Faris When people think of democracy dying, they think of some very dramatic event like Trump riding down Pennsylvania Avenue in a tank or something. Thats not the reality here. Take the scenario where Republicans dont have to steal the 2024 election. They just use their built-in advantages in which Biden wins the popular vote by three points but still loses the Electoral College. Democrats win the House vote but lose the House. Democrats win the Senate vote, but they lose the Senate. Thats a situation where the citizens of the country fundamentally dont have control of the agenda and they dont have the ability to change the leadership. Those are two core features of democracy, and without them, youre living in competitive authoritarianism. People are going to wake up the next day and go to work, and take care of their kids, and live their lives, and democracy will be gone. There really wont be very much that we can do about it. Or theres the worst-case scenario where the election is stolen and then were sleepwalking into a potentially catastrophic breakup of the country. You got your corporate tax cuts. You got the Supreme Court. I guess I just hope that there will be some introspection among party leaders when were approaching that precipice.
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https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22432229/democracy-america-democratic-party-reform
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Is Kamala Harris a gift to the Republicans?
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H ERE IS WHAT the millions of Americans who take their opinions from Fox News and related outlets have been hearing about Kamala Harris. The vice-president was put in charge of the southern border because she has brown skin. Her picture book, Superheroes Are Everywhere, was issued to migrant children, maybe corruptly. (Is she profiting from Bidens border crisis? tweeted Republican supremo Ronna McDaniel.) Metropolitan elites worship her; Vogue, which ignored lovely Melania Trump, put her (her!) on its cover. Her entrepreneur niece, Meena Harris, is an anti-white racist queen of cancel culture. In other words, while the mainstream media soberly cover Ms Harriss efforts to win Joe Bidens trust and master her portfolio (which includes Mexico and Guatemala but not the border, where her book has not been issued to anyone), she is being relentlessly defined on the right as a dishonest member of the corrupt elite with an agenda alien to white America. Tucker Carlsonwho during the election campaign refused to pronounce Ms Harriss Hindu name correctlyhas neatly synthesised these two slanders. Shes a globalist superhero. Just like Voldemort, you cant really know how to pronounce her name. So far, so predictable, you might say. But Ms Harris is no ordinary vice-president. As the first non-white, female vice-president of a party that has made diversity an organising principle, she is the presumptive next Democratic presidential nominee. It is hard, even at this early stage, to imagine her being denied. Given the 78-year-old Mr Bidens age, her elevation could be only three years off. And the election that would ensuethe Republicans worsening derangement suggestsmay well be as crucial as the one just past. This raises the question of whether she has what it takes to rise above the right-wing slanders and appeal to middle America, as Barack Obama did, or whether she will be destroyed by them, as Hillary Clinton was. And it is making senior Democrats nervous. Everyone is saying, Oh God, Kamala is next and then were in trouble, says a Democrat close to the White House. Oratory aside, Mr Obamas success was based on an ability to reassure white Americans that was rooted in his intimate knowledge of them. The son of a white woman, brought up by his white grandmother, he promised better times for all and rarely mentioned race unprompted. Ms Harris is a different case. She is the daughter of South Asian and Jamaican immigrants, brought together by the civil-rights movement, who brought her up as black. Though nothing like the vindictive race-warrior of Mr Carlsons fevered imagining, she leans into black identity politics more than the former president did. This is a good way to win elections in California. It would be a disastrous general-election strategy, as shown by the white backlash to Mr Obama, notwithstanding his carefulness, and by Ms Harriss failure to impress even black voters during her hapless presidential bid. African-Americans tend to support the Democratic candidate who seems likeliest to appeal to white voters, on which basis they preferred Mr Biden. And her Hail Mary effort to turn things round by accusing Mr Biden of racial insensitivity during a televised debate (I do not believe you are a racist [but]) only confirmed them in their choice. Polls suggested that black voters found it cynical and insincere. The coverage of her current job has also been mixed. She has been accused of failing to carve out a well-defined Veep role or hire a sufficiently politically savvy staff. This is probably unfair. Her pressing need is to do whatever Mr Biden (with whom she had some making up to do) wants in order to make his administration successful. And she appears to be doing that. She was involved in the recent Middle-Eastern diplomacy. She is due to visit Mexico City next week. Though inexperienced in foreign policy, she is a polished front-woman who espouses Mr Bidens internationalist views. The criticism of her seems rather to reflect not only the underlying anxiety about her ability to succeed him, but also the unusual nature of her position. Ever since Walter Mondale upgraded the vice-presidency in the late 1970s, most of its occupants have spent four years trying to make themselves useful; then a second term, if it transpired, laying the groundwork for a presidential run. The carping suggests Ms Harris is expected to do both things at once, which is unrealistic; and indeed she would be castigated if she tried to. There is one political task she cannot delay, however. That is to understand why her presidential campaign failed, which was not mainly to do with her race or gender, however much of an electoral burden they may be. Her stump speech sounded like group-written marketing spiel (something about wanting to prosecute the case against Donald Trump). Her promisequickly rescindedto scrap private medical insurance suggested a politician who had no clear idea where or what she stood for: whether on the left, with an emphasis on expanding the government, or towards the centre, with more focus on enterprise and opportunity. This was why the pundits and donors who at first flocked to her quickly moved on. It was in turn why she resorted to playing the race card against Mr Biden. No wonder she makes some Democrats nervous. Kamala chameleon She should reflect on the fact that the centrist Mr Biden won as Mr Obama had before him: by promising hope, opportunity and togetherness for all. There is no evidence that Democrats can get round Americans mistrust of government and vexed racial politics any other way (however they may hope to govern). Mr Obama, a big admirer of Ms Harris, must believe she can pull off the same trick. Talking up her vice-presidential credentials was one of his two big political calls last year. The other was his initial dismissiveness of Mr Biden. It would be a terrible shame if the former president turned out to be wrong on both counts.
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https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/05/29/is-kamala-harris-a-gift-to-the-republicans
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Who Has the Edge in Bruins-Islanders Series?
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Bean: What B's can expect from strong, balanced Islanders team originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather. The hockey gods decided the Boston Bruins got lucky enough with the goaltending they faced in the first round. They didnt deserve Tristan Jarry. So it will be the New York Islanders, not the Pittsburgh Penguins and their bummer of a situation in net, who will face the Bruins in the second round. The Bruins are the higher seed, so theyll have home ice advantage just as capacity is increasing at TD Garden. The Penguins were for sure the more desirable opponent for the Bs, but they should have felt confident going against either team. They get the trickier of the two, but should still win. New Yorks legit, though. The Islanders are a reigning Eastern Conference finalist and have both a good young goaltender and a red-hot second line. Ilya Sorokin, a 25-year-old rookie, posted a .943 save percentage in the first round and has taken the net from Semyon Varlamov. Barry Trotzs second line of Brock Nelson between Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Bailey was increasingly dangerous in the first round. The line combined to score eight goals over the six games, with Beauvillier also netting a power play goal in Game 3. The lines members tallied five goals over the final two games against Pittsburgh. The Islanders arent as star-studded as the Bruins offensively but theyre more balanced. Theyve got strong duos on their top two lines (Matthew Barzal-Jordan Eberle, Nelson-Bailey) and have both Kyle Palmieri and Jean-Gabrielle Pageau on their third line. Barzal, Nelson and Pageau down the middle is very legitimate. The Bruins probably have better high-end centers with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, but Charlie Coyles down year has hurt Bostons center depth. Its not like the Islanders have been a cakewalk for the Bruins. Boston went 0-3-2 in the teams first five meetings this season. Following the trade deadline, however, the Bruins went 3-0-0 against the Islanders. If the Bruins feel like a new team since getting Taylor Hall, they should assume the last couple months are a better series preview than those first five contests. If youre worried this could be a tight, low-scoring series, theres a decent chance youre right. This is a matchup of two top-five teams in goals against this season, as the Islanders (2.23 goals against per game) ranked second and Boston (2.39) ranked fourth. The Bs are fourth in goals against per game in the postseason thus far (2.00) and the Islanders are eighth (2.67, though Varlomov started two of those games). Here's how the Bruins and Islanders stack up in their playoff series. In the regular season, the Islanders were 21st in the league in scoring with 2.71 goals per game. The Bruins 2.93 goals per game ranked 14th. So expect a more methodical series than the one you just saw between the Bs and Capitals. These are two teams that reached (at least) the second round last year who dont want to give much. Thats easier said than done for the Islanders, though; they were an underwhelming possession team this year (48.56 Corsi For percentage at five-on-five, which ranked 20th in the league), whereas the Bruins were third in the league with a 54.20 percentage. Ideally, the young Sorokin fears the Bs. He started two games against them this season and lost both, though he only allowed three goals in each. Theyve got the better roster, and theres still reason to believe we havent seen their best. Things got easier over the course of the first round against Washington, though it may have just been the Capitals running out of gas. The Krejci line can be better. If things start clicking for any of Bostons bottom-sixers -- thats especially Coyle, Nick Ritchie and Jake DeBrusk -- the Bruins can reach another gear. Even if they dont, theyve still got the best offensive players and the best goalie. I went Bruins in six last round. (But probably six.)
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https://www.necn.com/news/national-international/who-has-the-edge-in-bruins-islanders-series/2475178/
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Can China deflate commodity rally?
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Commodities, hard and soft, are enjoying a blistering rally, with the red-hot S&P World Commodity Index up by 64 percent on the backs of rising demand as lockdown curbs ease across the world. China, which is the biggest commodity user in the world, has now warned industrial metal companies to maintain normal market order in a step to quell the rally. Last week, China government released a statement saying that it will work to ensure the supply of commodities, stabilize prices, curb unreasonable price hikes, and prevent passing the hikes to consumers. The last bit is particularly important. In the entire manufacturing and construction value chain, aluminium, copper and steel are extremely important pivotal commodities. However, since this announcement, commodity prices have seen a bit of a dip. Despite the pullback though, the last one year prices are up quite a bit Copper is up 85 percent, Zinc is up 49 percent, Aluminium is up 60 percent, Nickel is up 40 percent, Lead is up 30 percent, and Iron Ore is up 121 percent. CNBC-TV18s Prashant Nair, in a conversation with Rohit Srivastava, Founder and Strategist of Indiacharts.com, sat down to discuss whether China can deflate the commodity rally. More and more Chinese leaders are talking of the risk to the economy from rising input costs and pointing to the need to curb prices. One thing that the country has already started doing is tightening its credit lines. While it is not yet showing in the global growth numbers, it soon will, with a lag. Read how tight credit in China may deflate commodity prices. As for what it could do, starting from capping the price rise, China could marginally ease supply control on steel. Chinas steel price index jumped 9.25 percent to 148.88 by the end of April compared with a month earlier, data compiled by the steel body showed. The regulators also pledged to strengthen inspections of both futures and spot markets as that could partially affect physical prices, while cracking down on speculative froth. Source: CNBC TV18
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https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/can-china-deflate-commodity-rally/
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What are Espeon's weaknesses in Pokemon GO?
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Pokemon GO is currently featuring Espeon in tier three raids, and players need to know the Pocket Monster's weaknesses and the best way to counter it in battle. Trainers want to know how to defeat Espeon so they can complete the raid, but also to gain an opportunity to catch the Psychic-type Pokemon. There is no better time to make use of Espeon's faults in battle because once a player defeats it, they'll be rewarded for the encounter with a Pokemon. This article discloses all of Espeon's weaknesses in Pokemon GO, making it simple for a player of any skill level to win against it in battle. Stickers inspired by Eevee and its Evolutions are available now in Pokmon GO! You can acquire Sylveon stickers from PokStops, Gifts, and the in-game shop. Other stickers inspired by Eevee and its Evolutions will be available exclusively in the shop. How to defeat Espeon in Pokemon GO Regardless if one is talking about the core series Pokemon games, anime, or POGO, ultimately the key to winning a battle is correct type-effectiveness. Espeon is the Psychic-type evolution of Eevee, giving it just a few weaknesses against other types. Espeon is weak against Bug, Dark, and Ghost-type opponents in Pokemon GO. On the other hand, this Pokemon has resistances when facing Fighting and other Pyschic-type foes in battle. A trainer can use one of the following Pokemon against Espeon to knock it out quickly: Mega Houndoom: Considering Mega Houndoom is the best Dark-type Pokemon currently available in POGO, it's no wonder that the Pokemon is the #1 choice to use against Espeon. A great move combination for Mega Houndoom are the Dark-type moves Snarl and Foul Play. Mega Gengar: Another Mega Evolution that will make quick work of Espeon is the dual Ghost/Poison-type, Gengar. To deal maximum damage against the Psychic-type, use a Mega Gengar that knows the moves Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball. Weavile: Those that aren't fortunate enough to have a Mega Evolved Pokemon in POGO can try their hand using Weavile against Espeon. The Dark/Ice-type will easily inflict damage easily with its type advantage. The fast-moving Snarl paired with the charged move Foul Play will take a toll on the enemy Espeon. Scizor: Though Bug-types are often thought to be some of the weakest Pokemon in Pokemon GO, Scizor is still able to benefit from type-effectiveness against Espeon. This Steel/Bug-type will certainly help to wear down the raid boss using a moveset that includes Fury Cutter and X-Scissor. Using a combination of the above Pokemon when battling Espeon is the best way to ensure a player victory. All of these options take advantage of Espeon's weaknesses in Pokemon GO. Sylveon, the Intertwining Pokmon, has arrived in Pokmon GO! pic.twitter.com/FBhMCTz7qG Pokmon GO (@PokemonGoApp) May 26, 2021 Also, Read Pokemon GO: The strongest Eevee evolution
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/pokemon/what-espeon-s-weaknesses-pokemon-go
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Will The Friends Cast Ever Do Another Public Reunion?
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Watch : "Friends" Star Judy Geller Settles Ross & Rachel's Break Dispute The One Where They Say Goodbye Forever. If you haven't heard, the Friends reunion is officially streaming on HBO Max, with the gang of Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry getting back together more than 25 years after their hit show first premiered. Although the two-hour reunion special was absolutely worth the waitwatching the gang walk through their old set was heartwarming enoughCourteney sadly confirmed in the last few minutes of the special that this will be their last public hoorah. "This will really make me cry but, this will be the last time that we're ever asked about the show as a group, that we will do this," she shared. "We're not gonna do this again in 15 more years." However, she did add a little humor to the blow of the sad news, quipping, "I'll tell you one thing, we are not waiting so long to have a dinner."
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https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1274274/will-the-friends-cast-ever-do-another-public-reunion-courteney-cox-says-?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories
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Could Hackathon Winner Walk Away from EOS?
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DAO BULL Video Thumbnail Bywire News Logo In an exclusive interview with Bywire News Dao Bull, winners of Block.ones hackathon talk the future of the blockchain and why they might walk away from EOS. A month is a long time for us. We dont want to wait, were not going to wait. Callum Dickson - DAO Bull LONDON, ENGLAND, May 27, 2021 / EINPresswire.com / -- In a bombshell exclusive interview with Bywire News, the winners of Block.ones recent hackathon have hinted they may consider leaving the EOSIO blockchain. Head of UX Callum Dickson told news site Bywire that a lack of support from Block.one meant they and other developers may have to look elsewhere.DAO Bull scooped first prize at Block.ones recent hackathon, Beyond the Blockchain . The brief was simple: to create a solution using the EOS blockchain and Google Cloud which can spark real world change.Their solution was DAO Bull, a centralised autonomous organisation which gives users an opportunity to create their own online presence.Using the power of the blockchain, DAO Bull can be used for any organisation and offers a range of tools which other traditional products simply cannot offer such as the ability to raise money securely or organise community projects.Users will be able to select from a number of different forms of governance structures and tokenomics to determine how their community will be run. Dickson, believes its a game changer.Speaking to independent news blockchain publisher, Bywire, he said: With a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation we have a whole new set of features which are brought about because of the blockchain. These would include being able to raise capital, being able to effectively govern and allocate that capital which is a very new things for online communities.However, a month after their victory, they say they Block.one has yet to speak to them about providing support, or how their technology should move forward.A month is a long time for us, says Dickson. We dont want to wait, we are not going to wait.They are not alone. Over the past twelve months, developers have been walking away from Block.one in their droves. According to recent data, 85% of developers have left within a year with the community complaining about a lack of attention and support.Dickson adds: The EOS space seems to lack leadership or any communication from Block.one to the community. When you talk about decentralised projects the community is a little salty because they know that youve made so much money and they want to see where the money has gone.Block.one launched its official IPO for EOS in 2017 and raised a record $4bn. It is billed as a next generation blockchain offering superior speed and scalability to rivals such as Ethereum. However, since launch it has struggled to gain the traction it would have hoped and much of its developer community has started to raise concerns.Despite all that, Dickson remains a fan of EOS and the technology.I think EOS is the only technology which is ready for prime time right now today, he says. I think that seems to be getting forgotten by the community. There is a huge gap between the technology and the perception of that technology in the community. EOS seems to have a massive branding problem.However, he believes poor branding and a lack of support has stood in the way way of progress, and opened the door for others such as Ethereum and Charles Hoskinsons Cardano (ADA). Both have made rapid gains in recent times.The concern for EOS is that they risk missing the boat. DAO Bull is continuing to develop as a product and is working towards a full launch. No decision has been made about what blockchain technology will be used. It has capital on the table and interest from other Blockchains. While they arent giving up on EOS just yet, time is ticking and other chains are knocking at the door.About DAOsDecentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) are represented by rules encoded as a computer program which is transparent and controlled by members of the community rather than by a centralised organisation such as a corporation or government. One of the most famous examples of a DAO is Bitcoin, which brought cryptocurrencies and the blockchain to the worlds attention.About DAO BULLDao Bull is a decentralised application, designed to allow its users to create their own DAOs in just minutes. With Dao Bull users can start managing financials, shareholders, governance and much more.They say this revolutionary new tool set will empower online communities to new heights, helping pave the way for an entirely new era and definition of online communities.About BywireBywire News is a world first, blockchain powered democratic platform where people can read news that they can trust. Stored on the blockchain news is clear and verified with all editing histories freely and publicly available to see.Bywire has partnered with many of the most popular independent media publishers and creators from across the UK to create a fully-customisable, democratic, accountable, audience-led news and media network and mobile application (App).
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https://www.einpresswire.com/article/542271889/could-hackathon-winner-walk-away-from-eos
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How many children does Courteney Cox have?
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Courteney Cox has returned to our screens in the long-awaited Friends reunion, which is now available to watch on NOWTV. She was joined by her co-stars David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry - as well as a number of special guests - to reminisce about the show. Courteney was previously married to David Arquette, and the pair share a daughter named Coco. Here's your need-to-know on her family life. Courteney is mum to one child, a daughter named Coco Arquette. Coco was born on 13 June 2004, making her 16 years old. Courteney regularly posts videos of her performing music with Coco, where her daughter shows off her impressive singing skills. Speaking recently on The Drew Barrymore Show, Courteney previously spoke about her daughter, discussing her decision to wear make-up and dye her hair. Read more: Lisa Kudrow reveals her son used to call Jennifer Aniston 'mommy' on Friends set Coco Arquette is 16 years old. Picture: Getty She said: "People will say, 'Why do you let Coco wear so much makeup?' She's been wearing makeup forever, that is a self-expression for her,. "She loves to dress up. She will dye her hair, it was purple a week ago, I think right now it's blonde underneath before it was blue." Courteney also joked that Coco dyes her hair so much "we've ruined the bathroom 1,000 times. "I tell her, 'Please, put down garbage bags.' She didn't get the neat gene from me, that's for sure." Courteney added: "I think we just have to let them be themselves with boundaries, of course. "I am not great at boundaries. I have to get better at it." She also said that one of her 'best threats' to her daughter is telling her that she'll "really start sticking to my boundaries." You're a great mom, just don't change. You know I don't like change.' So if I just say I'm going to be stricter, the fear goes right in," she shares. "The one thing you've got to stick with is if you say, 'I'm taking your phone away,' then you've got to be strong. I am not always strong, that's the key though. My partner Johnny [McDaid] is always like, "You have to stick with your boundaries. That's really important.'" NOW READ: Friends reunion reveals celebrity guests including David Beckham and Lady Gaga
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https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/celebrities/courteney-cox-children-daughter/
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Does Matt LeBlanc have a girlfriend and how many kids does the Friends star have?
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The moment we've been waiting almost two decades for has finally arrived - the Friends reunion is officially here. The hugely anticipated special sees David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry reunite to reminisce on the beloved sitcom. It's been a whopping 17 years since the last episode of the series ended in 2004, meaning many fans will be wanting to know what the cast are up to in 2021. Here's your need-to-know on Matt LeBlanc's family life. Matt LeBlanc isn't currently married, but he was previously married to Melissa McKnight between 2003 and 2006. Matt and Melissa got married in 2003. Matt and Melissa are parents to one daughter called Marina, who was born in 2004. Matt LeBlanc has a daughter named Marina. Matt LeBlanc, 53, is dating producer Aurora Mulligan, who he met when they worked on Top Gear together. Aurora, who is believed to be around 33 years old, was born in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The couple were first linked in 2016, which was soon after Matt was announced as the new presenter of Top Gear. Matt and Aurora met on the set of Top Gear. Picture: PA An source told The Sun at the time: "They were very tactile and Matt seemed to be very taken by Aurora as he laughed chatted intimately with her. Aurora just kept laughing at all his jokes and is clearly besotted with the American superstar. "You wouldnt have known that they were work colleagues at all its definitely more than just a professional relationship." Matt was also in a long-term relationship with his Joey co-star Andrea Anders from 2006 until 2015. Now read: Friends reunion: Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer reveal they fancied each other while filming
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https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/celebrities/matt-leblanc-girlfriend-wife-kids-daughter/
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How Are QR Codes Integrated In Pop Culture?
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By Anil Baswal With accessibility as one of the major perks technology and globalization offers to people nowadays, traditions and beliefs that were once exclusive in a certain area are now getting more attention from the greater audience. And with the debate that people continually think that QR codes are part of pop culture or not, its utilization to pop culture genres like in entertainment, music, fashion, and more is highly celebrated and continues to entice the taste of the millions of netizens across regions. But before we discuss how QR codes are integrated with pop culture, let us first learn what pop culture is and how did it start. Follow NewsGram on Instagram to keep yourself updated. Pop culture or popular culture is comprised of practices that are prevalently practiced by society at a given time frame. This kind of culture is associated with things and objects that can be accessed by a larger group of people rather than a specific group of people. Popular culture gains its name during the industrialization period where the middle and working-class people developed a culture or norm that steer clear from the mandated set of practices. In todays situation, pop culture is associated with things that become an instant hit to a large group of people and are slowly adopted by the rest of the world. The objects and events that associate pop culture are those that can be accessed through greater media and the internet. QR code integration to Pop Culture As pop culture is commonly associated with practices and objects that are commonly recognized and exercised by the public or a specific group of people especially the younger audience, various genres of pop culture emerge such as popular music, sports, cyberculture, and more. With the availability of a QR code generator with a logo online to create QR codes, people who are actively engaging in sharing new practices, ideas, and objects are now incorporating the use of these 2D barcodes to easily move these ideas to society. To know how they do them, here are three noteworthy ways how QR codes are integrated into Pop Culture. House riddles and games As todays pop culture revolves around ideas and objects that can pique the creative side of people, its integration to pop culture riddles and games becomes an instant hit for pop culture enthusiasts. Due to its easy to create and scanning nature, the likes of Mr.Beast and other influencers utilize the use of QR codes to house riddles and games and make their followers get hyped with how they can answer the riddles. Thus, making the online community go crazy with riddles and games QR codes. Portal for Movie and TV Show Trailers and Trivia As COVID-19 still makes people stay indoors more than outside, todays pop culture trend is binge-watching movies and TV shows. And as people are trying to spice up their viewing experience by not looking directly, film marketers are innovating new ways to indulge viewers to get hooked with their future movie and TV show release. With QR codes as the peoples go-to contactless technology of today, some of the box office movies like Iron Man and more are seen with QR codes in their movie promotion, and movie play itself. And when scanned, the QR code redirects to the movies main trailer or trivia about the making and inspiration of the movies production. Storing additional information in textbooks and more Whether you agree or not, QR codes in textbooks are becoming a thing for many education systems across the world. And with their use of it, many education users across the globe started to share their textbook experience with these codes online and create a community dedicated to it. The common type of QR code these students encounter when scanning the code is PDF QR code, where they scan the code and be directed to a PDF file of the topic they are learning. Through their experiences, many people who are in the education sector are starting to incorporate the use of QR codes into their learning prompt with their students today. Conclusion: Since globalizations main goal is to create an interconnection between people from different locations, pop culture domination becomes an easy feat for people to follow and exercise. Because of their domination, getting a certain practice or technology go viral and make waves in the news is achievable. Now with QR codes taking pop culture to new heights, accessing new content from offline to online channels is just one scan away. With easy access to content, people want to have, anyone, can integrate the use of a QR code generator with a logo to create QR codes that can become a hit to the online and offline community. (Disclaimer: The article is sponsored and hence promotes some commercial links.)
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https://www.newsgram.com/how-are-qr-codes-integrated-in-pop-culture/
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How To Dress Up For Court?
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Vidhi by Save The Loom is a collection of saris made for female lawyers, whose strict dress code reflects how professional India still needs to become more female-friendly. Claire Huxtable (The Cosby Show), Helen Gamble (The Practice), and Ally McBeal, were just some of televisions fictional legal women who were my style icons growing up. It was about more than their sharp sense of style; it was the fact they were fearless and stood out in a mans world. Follow NewsGram on Twitter to stay updated about the World news. While their wardrobes were full of color, in India, all lawyers are restricted to wearing black, white, and grey. Its a monochrome uniform that has pretty much been around since the days of the British Raj. The coat that lawyers need to wear over their own clothes can mean wearing a sari feels cumbersome, especially in the Indian climate conditions. The history of the Black Coat dates back to 1327 when King Edward III stipulated costumes for judges based on the Dress Code for attending the Royal Court. But this never stopped Justice KK Usha, the first Malayali female judge of the Kerala High Court and subsequently, its Chief Justice from becoming a champion of womens rights throughout her career. She passed away at the age of 81 in October 2020. She wore her woven saris with her signature red bindi. Vidhi by Save the Loom is a range of saris made in handloom cotton for lawyers Justice Usha inspired and initiated the idea. These soft saris, fall perfectly without starching; they have a feel of fashion but look very professional. They are woven to ensure that female lawyers look cool as they battle it out in the courtroom. It took much time and research for these pieces to be designed and launched on May 4, 2021, which is the 116th birth anniversary of Justice Anna Chandy, the first female advocate in India. Save The Loom is a social impact agency that has been working with weavers of Kerala ever since the floods of 2018 and was the brainchild of journalist and former consultant to the Fashion Design Council of India, Ramesh Menon. This collection may be designed for lawyers, but women with an appreciation for handlooms may want to add one of these saris to their collection. Menon tells more about this range of handloom saris: Q: I believe Justice KK Usha was the inspiration-she seems to have a trademark style with her large red bindi and silk saris. A: She had a motherly charm and energy, a vibrant and gracious personality, someone who spoke for womens rights and the underprivileged. Justice Usha during her long career and travels found a great love for crafts and handlooms and handed over many of those narratives to us during the many meetings. We, unfortunately, lost her last year in October, and Vidhi our line of sarees and textiles was born as a tribute to her legacy and community work done by her in over six decades. A: We spent a good six months last year talking to women lawyers across the country and analyzed their feedback to develop a line. Once the first lot of designs were woven, we went to lawyers of all age groups the seniors who revere the saree, and the young who have never woven, took their feedback, and incorporated that as well. The dress code is sacrosanct, even though there is a large debate on its relevance in its current form which has been a handover from the British era. A: We have ventured into a space that can provide regular work to weavers, not just within Kerala but elsewhere too. We are a small unit and are not geared to cater to a larger demand. We are hopeful that Vidhi can set out as a trend and the artisan community elsewhere can take off from there. ALSO READ: Ideas To Transform Ethnic Wear Into Indo-Western Fashion! A: The premiere cotton sarees and fabric in yardage are not restricted to a profession, but rather its a court appropriate attire if I may bracket it so. Anyone who loves to wear sarees or wishes to acquire the yardage will find it a luxury product. A continuity line with the same aesthetics but in color variants are in the pipeline as we have been receiving demands on that front as well. (IANS/KB)
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https://www.newsgram.com/how-to-dress-up-for-court/
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Why is it so hard to withdraw from some antidepressants?
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Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago are a step closer to discovering why it is so difficult for people to withdraw from some antidepressant medications. The paper "Antidepressants produce persistent Gs associated signaling changes in lipid rafts following drug withdrawal," published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, addresses the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause antidepressant withdrawal syndrome. The study's authors, Mark Rasenick, distinguished professor of physiology and biophysics and psychiatry at UIC and research career scientist at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and Nicholas Senese, a postdoctoral fellow at UIC, explained that current antidepressants can take approximately two months to take effect in patients who then continue taking these drugs for years. Weaning patients from these drugs can result in unpleasant symptoms that can range from flu-like feelings and persistent pain or itch to Parkinson's-like conditions that can last for weeks. One in six Americans have, or will, suffer from depression; for veterans, the estimated rate is twice that. Previous research has demonstrated that antidepressant drugs collect gradually in cholesterol-rich membrane structures called lipid rafts. When a neurotransmitter (such as serotonin, which is involved with mood) binds to a receptor on the outside of a cell, a protein in the lipid raft --- called Gs alpha --- conveys the signal into the cell's interior where it can elicit a variety of actions. One of those actions is the production of an intracellular signaling molecule called cyclic AMP. In the brains of people with depression, cyclic AMP is low; but with effective antidepressant treatment, cyclic AMP is returned to normal. For their new study, Rasenick and Senese looked at the activity of Gs alpha molecules by using fluorescent light to determine how they moved in and out of the lipid rafts. They found that while withdrawal of some antidepressant drugs balances Gs alpha action in and out of the lipid rafts, other drugs suppress the return of Gs alpha to rafts. This suppression, the researchers believe, is what causes persistent and undesired effects of some antidepressants. Lipid rafts appear to be relevant for both the delayed therapeutic effects of antidepressants as well as the difficulty in weaning off from these drugs. It takes a long time for these drugs to sort into rafts and a long time for the drugs to exit --- some more than others. Curiously, rapid-acting antidepressants like ketamine have similar effects on Gs alpha and lipid rafts, but without the delay, Rasenick said. "This validates the notion that intracellular molecules that result from an active Gs alpha protein are a very good biomarker for the functioning of antidepressants," Rasenick said. "We think we have achieved some clarity on this issue and we'd like to move forward toward using technology to create a personalized treatment for depression." Rasenick explained that by looking at how an individual patient's cells metabolize Gs alpha proteins, they can better predict what antidepressant medication could work for them. This can be accomplished in days and not weeks and months of trial and error to find the right medication. A company using this UIC-developed technology, Pax Neuroscience, has been formed to develop the technology for the market. Additionally, the cellular fluorescent indicators allow testing at a cellular level to develop new antidepressant medications. ### This study was funded by the Veterans Administration (VA Merit BX001149) and the National Institutes of Health (T32 MH067631 and R01 AT009169).
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https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-05/uoia-wii052721.php
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Can Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Live Up To Upgrade?
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While Chipotle Mexican Grill, Incs (NYSE: CMG) stock has been under pressure since mid-April with weakness in growth, the companys same-store sales prospect for the long term is better than it ever has been, given the rising mix of digital sales, according to Stephens. The Chipotle Mexican Grill Analyst: James Rutherford upgraded the rating for Chipotle Mexican Grill from Equal-Weight to Overweight, while raising the price target from $1,600 to $1,700. The Chipotle Mexican Grill Thesis: The company has 19% locations as freestanding, while 64% are endcaps, Rutherford said in the upgrade note. Our analysis shows that 400 - 480 of these are candidates for a Chipotlane retrofit, he noted. Between conversions and new unit growth, we see a path to a 45% Chipotlane unit mix by 2030, yielding material financial benefits, the analyst wrote. Our deep analysis of the CMG footprint shows that it is very well positioned for growth: excellent demographics, low urban core exposure, strong presence in the suburbs, an opportunity to grow in outside towns, very low closure rates across all vintages, etc., he added. Rutherford noted there is now new optimism around both near- and longer-term drivers. CMG Price Action: Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill had risen by 1.14% to $1,361.12 at the time of publication Thursday. (Photo: Chipotle)
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https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/21/05/21320790/can-chipotle-mexican-grill-stock-live-up-to-upgrade
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Why Is Tilray's Stock Surging And What's Next?
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Tilray Inc (NASDAQ:TLRY) broke bullish from a triangle on May 25 and on Wednesday its stock had bullish continuation. The move could be due to one or more of the following possibilities: Renewed interest in the cannabis sector: A couple of the larger Canadian cannabis companies have seen increased bullish volume and higher prices over the past couple of days. OrganiGram Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:OGI) and Hexo Corp. (NYSE:HEXO) rose 3.3% and 2.9%, respectively, on Wednesday. (NASDAQ:OGI) and (NYSE:HEXO) rose 3.3% and 2.9%, respectively, on Wednesday. Relationship to meme stocks: GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) and AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) have surged this week. In January, GameStop and AMC were targeted for an epic short squeeze, with a parabolic rise and fall that began on Jan. 22 and ended on Feb. 2. (NYSE:GME) and (NYSE:AMC) have surged this week. In January, GameStop and AMC were targeted for an epic short squeeze, with a parabolic rise and fall that began on Jan. 22 and ended on Feb. 2. Tilray was next on the list with a parabolic 247% rise that began on Feb. 2 and ended on Feb. 18. As of May 14, Tilrays 426.84 million float had 34.81 million held short. That number is up from 22.25 million that was held short as of April 15. This indicates short interest has been increasing, which makes the chances of a short squeeze more likely. The Chart: For technical traders, Tilrays stock looked ready to make a move because its trading range was tightening into the apex of a triangle on the daily chart. Whats Next For Technical Traders: On Wednesday, Tilray made a 7.83% continuation move north on sustained bullish volume. Tilrays stock held the eight-day exponential moving average (EMA) as support and regained the 21-day EMA as well. While the eight-day EMA is still trending below the 21-day EMA, it has curled upwards indicating that Tilrays stock should continue to rise and, if it does, the eight-day EMA will cross back above the 21-day EMA, which would be bullish. Tilrays stock is trading above a support level at $15.17 and below a resistance level at $17.57. Tilrays relative strength index is registering at about 50%, which is very comfortable for the bulls because it has a lot of room to move higher before going into overbought territory. Bulls want to see the eight-day EMA cross above the 21-day EMA as they continue to push Tilrays stock over resistance near the $17 mark. If the stock can regain that level, it has room to move up toward the $20 level. Bears want to see bearish volume push Tilray back down toward its $15 support. If Tilray was unable to hold that price point as support, it could fall back down to $11.87. TLRY Price Action: Tilray was trading down 1.44% at $16.43 at last check. (Photo: David Gabric via Unsplash)
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https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/21/05/21318203/why-is-tilrays-stock-surging-and-whats-next
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How Does an Industrial Cooling Tower Work?
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A cooling tower is an important structure that industries need to remove heat from equipment. An industrial cooling tower uses water evaporation to remove the excess heat and is thus essential in factories, refineries, power plants, and other facilities that use HVAC. The objective of installing an industrial cooling tower is to keep the equipment and facilities cool. Cooling Tower parts There are many keys parts in the cooling tower that ensures it works effectively. It is important to know about these parts before understanding how the cooling tower works. The Industrial Cooling Solutions cooling tower parts are typically consisting of the following: The Fill: This is the heat transfer area. There are two types here splash and film fill. Splash fills disintegrate hot water and splits the water. Film fills create a thin vertical film to help the heat transfer. This is the heat transfer area. There are two types here splash and film fill. Splash fills disintegrate hot water and splits the water. Film fills create a thin vertical film to help the heat transfer. Drift eliminator: The drift eliminator helps to reduce drift loss. The drift eliminator helps to reduce drift loss. Coldwater basin: Made usually of RCC, it collects cold water from the tower and stores it. It acts as the foundation for the main structure. Made usually of RCC, it collects cold water from the tower and stores it. It acts as the foundation for the main structure. Piping: The water piping is usually underground or supported in the ground. The water piping is usually underground or supported in the ground. Fan deck and fan cylinder: It acts as an access way for the fan. It acts as an access way for the fan. Louvers: They retain circulating water and distribute airflow to the fill. They retain circulating water and distribute airflow to the fill. Distribution fan valves: They regulate the flow of hot water evenly. They regulate the flow of hot water evenly. Fan motor: The motor for the fan is usually explosion-proof. The basic concept behind the working of the cooling tower is that hot water goes in and cool water comes out. The heat transfer method used decides how the tower actually works. The most common type of industrial cooling tower is the wet cooling tower. This is how the wet cooling tower works: Hot water from the equipment or the HVAC system is moved to the cooling tower. The hot water is sprayed into the spill area. Some of it evaporates while the rest go into a basin. This reduces the temperature of the cooling tower. A natural draft or forced draft or induced draft helps to circulate air throughout the cooling tower. This helps to cool the tower that has not evaporated. The cooled water then collects at the bottom of the tower. From here, it is recirculated into the industrial equipment or the HVAC system. The heat reduction happens through evaporative cooling. When the hot water evaporates it is dispersed into the atmosphere. This helps in reducing the water temperature. When air flows through the cooling tower, the water is blown out causing water loss due to drift. The water loss due to evaporation and drift needs to be made up. This is done by a steady supply of freshwater. One more type of tower is the closed-circuit cooling tower. It keeps the water from the equipment/HVAC in a tube. The tube is then sprayed with cold water and a fan is used for heat transfer.
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https://www.noobpreneur.com/2021/05/27/how-does-an-industrial-cooling-tower-work/
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What's Going On With Beyond Meat Stock Today?
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Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND) shares are trading higher by 9% at $138.50 Thursday morning after the company announced the launch of its first-ever value six-pack of its Beyond Burger in Canada. Beyond Meat is a provider of plant-based meats, such as burgers, sausage, ground beef, and chicken. Unlike other vegetarian products, Beyond Meat seeks to replicate the look, cook, and taste of meat, is targeted to omnivores and vegetarians alike, and is sold in the meat case. Beyond Meat products are widely available across the U.S. and Canada and in 83 additional countries as well. International revenue represented 20% of 2020 sales.
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https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/21/05/21319716/whats-going-on-with-beyond-meat-stock-today
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Are We Finally Getting The BS6 Honda CB300R?
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Hondas stint in the affordable performance motorcycle segment has been pretty interesting. The Japanese bikemaker sort of kickstarted this segment in India with the CBR 250R. Some might argue in the favour of the Kawasaki Ninja 250 but its twin-cylinder configuration made it heavy on the pocket and made the case strong for the CBR 250R. After it was discontinued, there was a void in this segment for a very long time but then Honda filled it up with the CB300R. More details Hondas re-entry into the entry-level premium segment happened as a surprise. After all, the Honda CB300R wasnt a motorcycle that was developed and then manufactured locally. It was shipped from Thailand in kit form and then assembled in India. But since the BS6 era commenced, the CB300R has been absent from the Indian market because for God knows what reasons, Honda decided not to update the CB300R to meet the latest emission norms. Sure, the CB350 and CB350 RS arrival tried to fill the void in this space but we still miss the neo-retro CB300R. The naked roadster is now expected to make a comeback in its latest iteration with a BS6 updated engine. For April 2021, a total of 8 units of the CB300R have been dispatched by Honda Two Wheelers in India. Specs Tipping the scales at 143 kilos (wet), the Honda CB300R was powered by a 286cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, single cylinder engine which cranked out 30.9 bhp @ 8,500rpm, with peak torque of 27.5Nm, delivered @ 7,500rpm. For the weight and the power that the motor delivers, the CB300R might not excite on paper with those numbers, but in real life, it was a fun machine to ride. Developed by Yuzuru Ishikawa, who is also responsible for giving us things like the Honda Blackbird and one of Hondas MotoGP machine, the CB300R was the only motorcycle in its class to come fitted with an IMU-linked, dual-channel ABS system. Also read: Honda Files Patent For PCX Electric Scooter In India In terms of dynamics, the Honda CB 300R is based on a steel tubular frame, gets 41mm upside-down front forks and the headlight, taillight (thinnest among all Honda bikes) and indicators are all LED. The rear monoshock is adjustable for 5-steps of preload and is paired with a pressed-steel swinging arm.
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https://www.motoroids.com/news/are-we-finally-getting-the-bs6-honda-cb300r/
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