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How long will we see temporary outdoor patios at restaurants?
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Driving around Albuquerque you can see just how many businesses built temporary outdoor space to stay afloat during the pandemic. A year ago, the city of Albuquerque held a press conference easing some rules so that restaurants and retail businesses could quickly build temporary outdoor spaces. The city was working to try and come up with ways, some flexibility, to allow those businesses to continue in some way, shape, or form, that was similar to how they had operated or provided services prior to the pandemic, Brennon Williams, Director of Albuquerques Planning Department, said. Soon after, diners started being seated on the sidewalks along Central, and tented outdoor patios took over parking lots. One restaurant in Northeast Albuquerque said building a temporary outdoor patio was a saving grace. We were not allowed to do any indoor dining. So it was our opportunity to keep our employees staffed and to be able to keep servers serving outside and not just the car hop option and the curbside option that we also had. We could actually provide the service of dining, Vanessa Quezada, Managing Partner at Bubbas 33, said. According to The Fire Marshals Office, 219 restaurants and retail businesses took advantage of the temporary outdoor allowances. But the relaxed rules allowing for the temporary outdoor spaces wont last forever. The current allowances go away or expire when the current public health orders go away or expire, Williams said. That could be as soon as June. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said the state would fully open by the end of June if it reached a 60% vaccination rate. As of May 27, the states website said 55.1% of the state has been fully vaccinated. When the temporary allowances go away, Quezada said they will also do away with the tented parking lot patio, saying its a way to return to normalcy. As the rest of the country continues to open up, people want to see life get back as close to normal as it was before, she said. The restaurant is in the process of building a permanent patio. Any restaurant or retail business still interested in taking advantage of the temporary outdoor allowance or wanting to make their temporary outdoor set up permanent, can do so by reaching out to the planning department.
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https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/how-long-will-we-see-temporary-outdoor-patios-at-restaurants/
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Can New Clubs Speed Up His Improvement?
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You know youve got off to a rough start in golf when the clubs you bring along to a fitting are literally laughed out of the bag. Lets just say that before I rocked up at the (mightily impressive, I should say) American Golf in Hemingford Abbots, my previous bunch were relics of a time gone by. A set of cheap, chunky and weighted Regal irons bought approximately 15 years ago; a pair of curiously lofted hybrid clubs that were greeted like alien arrivals from another planet; a John Daly grip it and rip it (now illegal) 540cc driver inherited even back then best not even trying to guess how old that one is. I upgraded to a 15 Ram one from a bloke on Facebook, which at least fitted the tees at my local range. The bag: 5 from another commiserative seller online (but at least it has a functional [a] strap and [b] stand, unlike my previous one). So in summary, not ideal. Id got absolutely no idea what to expect from a fitting, having never done one before, but the prospect of upgrading to some tools I wasnt immediately ashamed of was a rather exciting one. Certainly, the Cobra fitter Billy Whitemans pity for my Daly antique suggested that the only way was up. One thing I did have in mind going in was the possibility of moving to one-length clubs. For a beginner like me, I thought they might help the idea of removing some of the uncertainty when clubs get shorter (a big issue for me up to this point) and trying to achieve some consistency that way. By the end, Billy agreed: after wed switched between shafts on a 7-iron, we settled on some steel Radspeed One Length irons which were still immediately lighter than my old lumps. Given that my arms are more teenager than Tiger, being able to achieve a faster swing speed with a club far less clunky will surely help in the long run. RELATED: Cobra Radspeed Irons Review When it came to the driver, we took off some length in a bid to narrow my range of fade and strike the ball better. Despite the shorter shaft, my distance increased considerably, along with my confidence. To close the gap between irons and driver, meanwhile, we trialled a hybrid but ultimately settled on a 5-wood with weighting in the right places all in the name of taming that natural shot shape a little more. As it turned out, you dont really know what a nice shot feels like until youve used some nice new clubs. Immediately, I got more distance with the Cobra clubs the ball flew off the clubface in a completely different way to my tired old ones, making for a massively more satisfying experience all around (when my swing went right, that is). RELATED: Cobra Radspeed Drivers Review I knew Id struck balls at Hemingford like a bloke with his eyes sewn shut, but couldnt wait to see what a difference the new clubs would make. A few weeks later, like a kid whos just been told theyre off to Disneyland, I was able to find out for the first time when my custom set was delivered. Playing nine holes, the driver was an immediate success. A couple of weeks earlier, Id played one last (if only second ever) round with my old clubs a miserable disaster in wind and rain and abandoned the driver on the back nine completely in favour of my mates 4-iron. I couldnt have hit the ball straight that day if it was being sent down a drainpipe. Fast-forward a couple of weeks, though, and the game had changed the Radspeed XD driver felt different from the start and instantly gave me more confidence. The first tee shot went beautifully straight and I didnt duff it off the tee with that club from there on. Im still getting to grips with the wedges the nature of one-length clubs means a bit of a mentality shift for the shorter ones in that respect but a bit more practice will do a world of good there. Otherwise, though, Im very confident that my new Cobra clubs will be literal game-changers once I start getting down the range more and trying to nail a consistent swing. There are still teething issues that only magic fairy dust could fix otherwise (or failing that, my new coach James), but the road ahead certainly looks much brighter. Unless youre a seller of golfing tat on Facebook Marketplace, that is. Driver Cobra Radspeed XD, 10.5, Fujikura Motore F3 regular 44.5 shaft. Fairway Cobra Radspeed XD 5 wood, Fujikura Motore F3 regular shaft. Irons Cobra Radspeed ONE length, 5-SW, UST Recoil EXS 460 regular shafts. Bag Cobra Ultralight stand bag
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https://www.golfmonthly.com/gear/gear-blog/project-joe-blog-entry-2-can-new-clubs-help-234787
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Does Knockout City have cross-play voice chat?
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Ever since multiplayer games started taking over the gaming space, tons of features have popped up to make the experience better. Of those features, about the most barebones one to be included is the ability to communicate with your teammates. Now that cross-play is becoming more prevalent, it is even more of an essential factor to figure since chatting with your teammates from one platform to another in a party system is impossible at this time. Knockout City has a voice channel game chat system, and it does work across platforms so that you can talk with friends on other consoles or PC. While you could always start up a call on Discord or something, the option to speak in Knockout City itself is there. There are a couple of different ways to check and make sure you are in a voice channel so you can chat with others. While you are in the Hideout, pull up the Main Menu and go to Settings. Tab all the way over to the right until you arrive on Social Settings. The very top option here will be your voice chat channel. You can set it between Group Channel, Team Channel, or Off. Group Channel will let you only talk with people who have partied up with you, where Team Channel will let you speak with anyone who has joined your team in a match. Screenshot by Gamepur The other way to manage your voice chat channel is while you are searching for a match. At the very bottom of the screen, you can see what voice chat channel you are in and press in the Left Stick to alternate between them before starting the next match.
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https://www.gamepur.com/guides/does-knockout-city-have-cross-play-voice-chat
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How does the Element Cup work in Pokmon Go?
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A new season of Pokmon Gos Battle League is on the horizon. In Season 8, we can expect a handful of changes, and a brand new PvP cup coming our way is the Element Cup. Players will have to devise a plan to properly prepare their team to meet the strict conditions of these battles. Still, if you have a wide variety of Pokmon in your collection, you should be ready to take any trainer on in these competitions. Much like every cup before it, the set condition is that any Pokmon you want to use in this competition cannot exceed 500 CP. The Element Cup will narrow down your choices of Pokmon. You can only use Fire, Grass, or Water-type Pokmon. Any Pokmon that does not meet this criterion will be ineligible to compete in the competition. Additionally, the 500 CP limit also narrows down the choices for players looking to use an ideal team during these battles. The Element Cup will put plenty of pressure on players who have to find Pokmon to fit these metrics, so a lot of the starter Pokmon from each of the games will be making frequent appearances, and itll be a good time to settle what is the best type starter in Pokmon. The competition will be from June 28 to July 12, alongside the first iteration of the Master League and the Master League Classic. Its less than a month away from the official announcement of the Battle League Season 8.
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https://www.gamepur.com/guides/how-does-the-element-cup-work-in-pokemon-go
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Are we paying attention to the Earth?
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Larry Brixius, Poulsbo My wife and I went out walking along Noll Road recently, and what to our wondering eyes should disappear but another quarter mile of Douglas firs and cedar trees cut down for development. And Arbor Day plant a tree day had just past. Our hearts ached as we saw this devastation. The Franciscan Ilia Delio, in her recent book "The Hours of the Universe," writes: "When the niches of nature are disrupted, exterminated by bulldozers for the purpose of building shopping malls, or forests are stripped of their communal life for housing developments, the natural habitats of nature are confused and disoriented. ... Have we considered that our blind ambition for money and power has provoked climate change, melted glaciers, displaced species, and disrupted the natural flow of life?" Our loving Creator did not intend that humans use creation selfishly for themselves, but as collaborators in the evolutionary unfolding of life, and God's manifestation of goodness. Climate change challenges us to take a deeper look at human activity, and to ask, "Are we living in harmony with Mother Earth or as careless exploiters?" Larry Brixius, Poulsbo
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https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/opinion/readers/2021/05/27/we-paying-attention-earth/7469324002/
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Is it Worth Buying $100 Worth of Bitcoin?
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No denying the fact that the bitcoin investment market is very volatile, and thus investors often hesitate investing in this market. However, the bitcoin market is slowly emerging as a venture capital-backed asset. As a result, despite the volatility of bitcoins, investors are trying their luck in this field. Even in 2021, bitcoin is the worlds largest digital currency in terms of market capitalization and had recently reached its all-time high in April. This situation resulted in a loss of almost $200 billion in the total value of the cryptocurrency market in one day. Thus, bitcoins have a strong hold over the cryptocurrency market and investing in them can prove to be highly fruitful. Go URL and start trading in bitcoins to obtain profits. The answer to the question is Yes! You can buy as many bitcoins as you want and invest any amount in digital assets without worrying much about the consequences. It is true that the crypto market is highly volatile however, ever since its inception the prices have fallen only a few times. The majority of the times the price of bitcoins have witnessed a huge upsurge. Continuous volatility and lack of regulations of bitcoins make the investment in digital assets a little risky. It is one of the major reasons why most institutional investors, which include pension funds, hedge funds and retirement companies, are not interested in putting their money into the digital coins. However, investing in bitcoins has numerous advantages. The price of these digital coins is believed to increase by leaps and bounds in the future. People who had bought bitcoins worth one dollar back in 2009 are now proud owners of more than one million dollars. Moreover, bitcoins are decentralized and thus no central body can track the transactions made using these coins. Another advantage of owning these digital coins is that they do not have any geographical barriers and hence their prices remain the same throughout the world, unlike it is the case with traditional currencies. Also, any particular event taking place in one country will not affect the price of bitcoins. A Bonus Tip: The bitcoin market is enormously volatile and you should not choose to invest your entire savings in them. The risks associated with the investment in cryptos is high, and therefore you should only choose to put in money, which you can afford to lose. The bitcoin price can reach a market high in one day, and drop considerably on the other. You can choose to invest in bitcoins in two different ways. You can either own it directly or invest in the blockchain funds available. However, we recommend, at the moment, it is best to own them directly since it reduces the chances of losing the amount invested. You can choose to buy bitcoins from a good number of platforms that allow cryptocurrency trading. Risks Involved in Owning Cryptocurrency Bitcoins dont have any intrinsic value and therefore, the traders can only speculate the future price of their assets. Investing in bonds and stocks is very different from investing in bitcoins. Unlike stocks, the user doesnt get the guarantee of cash flows. It is one of the biggest disadvantages of investing in digital coins. Billions of dollars of the market cap are already lost on the bitcoin market, only because of its ongoing massive volatility and hacking ever since when it was first launched in 2009. Investors can perceive bitcoin as the best vehicle for people who are completely a speculator irrespective of the market condition. However, you can expect that the bitcoin prices will rise exponentially soon before it falls again. However, the rate at which Bitcoin is expected to rise is not known, and people also dont know when it will collapse again, but it will happen for sure. In March, Bank of America stated that there is not a single good reason in favour of investing in bitcoins. That being said, unless it is seen that the prices of currencies are going up, the bank recommends you not to buy bitcoins. The only reason behind holding bitcoins is its sheer price appreciation. Moreover, cybercriminals are still hacking cryptocurrency accounts and the number is only expected to rise because of the high profits associated with the investment. Tracking the footprints when it comes to bitcoins is nearly impossible because virtual addresses are not regulated either by the federal or state government. Hackers make use of the tools that are developed to steal money directly from the crypto wallet of the users. The criminals are also brazen in their claims. Any person can do it and one of the sole reasons behind hacking is the dramatic hike in the prices of cryptos. If you are planning to invest in bitcoins, you should be aware of the process, so that no difficulties are faced. Buying bitcoins is not much different from buying any other currency. The only difference is that bitcoins are digital currencies and work differently. You should never forget that the price of bitcoins is not stable, and it falls and rises just as it happens with any other currency. Despite having several similarities, bitcoins are different from traditional investments in one way. The difference here is that as an investor either you will have to hold your assets or rely on a third party to do it. If you choose to hold them yourself, you will not have to worry about storing them properly or losing them entirely. After weighing several factors that contribute to the price of bitcoins, you can choose whether or not you are ready to invest in bitcoins. Bitcoin investment may have certain risks associated with them, but then when it performs well, there are chances of winning huge. Summary Ever since its inception, bitcoins price has generally experienced an upsurge in its value. It has experienced downfalls as well, however it has stabilized soon. Moreover, these currencies are global and are, therefore, not much affected by the financial condition of a single country.
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https://thefrisky.com/buying-100-worth-of-bitcoin/
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Are US virologists aiding Chinas Dr. Frankensteins?
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WASHINGTON. Dr. Anthony Fauci looked a little nervous when GOP Sen. Rand Paul asked him about practice in medical research called gain-of-function. Gain-of-function is a method employed by virologists to alter animal pathogens to become easily transmissible to humans. The highly dangerous and controversial practice of gain-of-function is supposed to help scientists develop treatments and or vaccines to combat highly infectious diseases that may appear on the horizon. Before leaving office, President Trump and members of his administration stated publicly that Covid-19 appeared to have been engineered in a Chinese lab, likely the Wuhan Virology Institute. Wuhan is the city in China where the first coronavirus patients presented symptoms. Its been reported the three patients in question worked at the Wuhan Virology Institute. In response, Trump ended US government funding of joint virology research between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Wuhan Virology Institute. At the time of President Trumps announcement, many in the scientific community and the mainstream media dismissed the claim as a conspiracy theory. The term, as we now know, is meant to end all debate on a particular subject, whether it be a Russian dossier, election fraud, or the origins of a killer pandemic. But the gain-of-function topic took center stage earlier this month during hearings before the US Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. And it was GOP Senator Rand Paul who pushed the issue: Sen. Paul: Juicing up super-viruses is not new. Scientists in the US have long known how to mutate animal viruses to infect humans. For years, Dr. Ralph Baric, a virologist in the US, has been collaborating with Dr. Zhengli-Li Shi, of the Wuhan Virology Institute, sharing his discoveries about how to create super-viruses. This gain-of-function research has been funded by the NIH. The collaboration between the US and the Wuhan Virology Institute continues. Dr. Baric and Shi worked together to insert bat virus spike proteins into the backbone of the deadly SARS virus. And then, used this manmade super-virus to infect human airway cells. Think about that for a moment. The SARS had a 15 percent mortality [rate]. Were fighting a pandemic that has about a one percent mortality [rate]. Dr. Fauci, do you still support funding of the NIH funding of the lab in Wuhan? Fauci was adamant. Dr. Fauci: Sen. Paul, with all due respect, you are entirely and completely incorrect that the NIH has not ever, and does not now, fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. But the guardians of truth, the folks at FactCheck.org, say questions over the coronavirus origins have a lot of unknowns, speculation, and differences of opinion on these topics. They add that Dr. Stanley Perlman, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Iowa, insists Faucis response in the May 11 exchange with Sen. Paul was correct that no money was given for gain-of-function research. But, he added, theres a scientific discussion to be had on the benefits and risks of research making recombinant viruses, which involves rearranging or combining genetic material. The politicization of the issue, Perlman said, doesnt do anybody good. That sounds a lot like a non-denial denial. Moreover, the politicization of the gain-of-function issue might just be what the doctor ordered. US virologists aiding Chinese researchers in the development of lethal and highly contagious pathogens do, pardon the pun, infect the realm of politics. Especially with 587,830 Americans died from the virus thus far. And notice Dr. Perlman seems to lament possible legal restraints on the ability of scientists, ala Dr. Frankenstein, to create monsters in their hidden laboratories. On Wednesday, meanwhile, Faux President Joe Biden said hes asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to analyze information that could bring us closer to a definitive conclusion regarding the viruss origin. Hes given Deep State agencies 90 days to offer their report. But the truth, like a manmade pathogen, is not easily contained. And it appears the White House pretender wants to get out in front of its release. According to a Daily Caller article, Newsweek magazines very own fact-checkers say that claiming a lifting of restrictions on NIH grants to US medical organizations working with the Wuhan Virology Institute is false. In light of the medias calling all discussions of Covid-19s manmade origins a conspiracy theory not to mention Big Techs censorship of the claims via social media should deepen the distrust in many quarters of the mainstream medias impartiality and credibility as a fact-checker. Going forward, all such media and scientific denunciations should alert us that a frightening, uncomfortable truth exists. Like a lumbering monster escaped from a laboratory and lurking in the dark forest. And like the townspeople in a 1930s Frankenstein movie, it may be time for US lawmakers to break out the torches and pitchforks. br> ###### About the Author: Originally from Los Angeles, Steven M. Lopez has been in the news business for more than thirty years. He made his way around the country: Arizona, the Bay Area, and now resides in South Florida. A cigar and bourbon aficionado, Steven is a political staff writer for Communities Digital News and an incredibly talented artist. Follow Steve on: Twitter Facebook Gab Clouthub
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https://www.commdiginews.com/politics-2/are-us-virologists-aiding-chinas-dr-frankensteins-137977/
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When did Memorial Day start?
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This Monday, VFWs, American Legions and community members will mark Memorial Day with various services and honors. The day honors all those who have died while serving the U.S. The holiday dates back to the 19th century. In 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, Decoration Day began. This holiday was established by the Grandy Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans, to decorate the graves of those killed in the war, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. May 30 was the day named, likely because it was a time when flowers would be in bloom to decorate the graves. Tributes had been held around this time in previous years, and now many places claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day starting in 1866. These include: Macon, Georgia Columbus, Georgia Richmond, Virginia Boalsburg, Pennsylvania Carbondale, Illinois U.S. Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared the official birthplace to be Waterloo, New York in 1966. A hundred years earlier, veterans who had fought in the Civil War were honored and flags were flown at half-staff. The practice marking Decoration Day on May 30 was common throughout the country by the end of the 19th century, with state governments and the Army and the Navy adopting formal observances. Up until World War I, the day remained tied officially to the Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include all who died in any American war. Memorial Day was made a national holiday in 1971.
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https://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/starobserver_faq/faqs/when-did-memorial-day-start/article_97e9ceb8-be64-11eb-b4fa-fbd5f3150f74.html
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Will Dominic Cummings Real Impact Be A Delay To The PMs Roadmap?
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Youre reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening. Whenever journalists hear a politician sidestep a direct question from MPs, our antennae twitch. When that politician repeatedly body swerves the same question from reporters, we smell a rat. Yet time and again, ministers seem unaware of the old newsroom motto: you cant bullshit a bullshitter. Despite Matt Hancock breezing confidently through Commons questions on Thursday morning, largely due to strong support from Tory backbenchers, there was one answer that just didnt feel right. Asked about the claim that he told Dominic Cummings and others that people would be tested before being transferred into care homes, Hancock didnt deny it. So many of the allegations yesterday were unsubstantiated, was all he could muster. At his latest Downing Street press conference, the health secretary looked much more uncomfortable as he was asked multiple times about the issue. My recollection of events, he said, is that I committed to delivering that testing for people going from hospital into care homes when we could do it. The word recollection is often a red flag, but the phrase committed felt rather elastic too. Now, its worth recalling Cummings exact charge here. Hancock told us in the cabinet room that people were going to be tested before they went back to care homes. What the hell happened? he said. It was only in April that No.10 realised that many, many people who should have been tested were not tested, and then went to care homes and then infected people, and then its spread like wildfire inside the care homes. Firstly, its perfectly possible that Hancock made a promise but, crucially, without a timeframe. With the lack of testing capacity at the time, it would be frankly ludicrous to make a commitment that he could test all hospital discharges within days or weeks. However, one can imagine him saying, Im going to make it my mission to get this testing sorted so people are tested before going into homes. Thats not the same as saying he would stop all discharges which lacked testing, which was Cummings implication. Second, UK Health Security Agency boss Jenny Harries suggested claims of seeding the virus from hospitals into care homes was overstated. These made up a very, very tiny proportion of cases, she said. Fortuitously for Hancock, a new Public Health England report out today confirmed that just 1.6% of outbreaks were seeded from hospital, causing 286 deaths. Thats not the many, many people of Cummings hyperbole. Care homes did suffer cruelly, but it seems the seeding came from care staff not hospitals. Still, Hancock would do well to simply disown one other highly dubious claim he made last year: Right from the start weve tried to throw a protective ring around our care homes. PHEs official advice as late as February 28 stated: there is no need to do anything differently in any care setting at present. It wasnt until April 15 that was changed to requiring all hospital discharges to be tested. What was most curious about Cummings onslaught on Hancock, however, was his admission that he actively tried to stop Hancock from hitting his target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April. The chief adviser said he was in No.10 calling round, frantically saying, Do not do what Hancock says. Cummings desire to build things properly for the medium term (aka doing things his way, not Hancocks) seemed to fuel the lack of urgency he himself had criticised over care homes testing. What was also notable on Thursday was the way Hancock at least opened himself up to hours of scrutiny, in parliament and live on TV. Contrast that to Boris Johnsons five-minute clip, a hi, bye! media strategy he uses when on a photocall (usually in a key seat) to avoid a proper interview. Schools, hospitals, laboratories, all providing visual wallpaper for the evening news, and often nothing more. When Johnson was asked about key Cummings allegations, he sounded shiftier than Hancock. Asked if hed said he was prepared to let the bodies pile high, he just said: Ive already made my position very clear on that point. With new figures confirming the Indian variant makes upto 75% of new Covid cases and is becoming the dominant strain across the country, Johnsons judgment is once again facing a huge test. Even though a rise in cases was expected after the May 17 relaxation or rules, and in Bolton the variant cases are flattening, the spillover into other areas is worrying. Especially when over-18s could perhaps all get a first dose by the end of June. Well, today for the first time there was a hint from the PM he could delay, saying we may need to wait. In case we missed the new mood, he added: Our job now to deliver the roadmap - if we possibly can. The probable June 21 final unlock of a few days ago is now just a possible. If Dominic Cummings has done nothing else, maybe hes forced a pause on the PM that could benefit us all.
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https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/will-dominic-cummings-real-impact-be-a-delay-to-the-pms-roadmap_uk_60b00c7be4b04ddf13ebc647
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How many Australians have had a COVID vaccine? Why does Greg Hunt say it's 20 per cent?
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Health Minister Greg Hunt was doing the rounds this morning on breakfast TV and radio shows, to answer questions about the federal government's response to the Victorian lockdown and the state of the vaccine rollout. We'll get to why there's a difference in the figures he's using and what was put to him in a moment, but first this is the terse exchange from Sunrise. When challenged that only around around 2 per cent of the adult population has been vaccinated, Mr Hunt replied that it was much higher than that: "I think our rate of vaccination in Australia is about 2 per cent of the population though isn't it, we're very low?" Seven's Natalie Barr said. "No, that's not correct," Mr Hunt replied. "It's 20 per cent of the Australian adult population equivalent, 4 million out of 20 million." The key difference between the Health Minister and Barr's figures is that Mr Hunt is using the number of people who have had one dose of a vaccine, and Barr is using two doses. Currently, around 20 per cent of the adult population has had one dose which studies have proved provides some protection against COVID-19. According to government figures, 500,000 people have had two doses, or are fully vaccinated around 2.5 per cent of the adult population. The government has been very clear from the beginning of the rollout that, while having one dose is better than none at all, to be fully immunised a person needs two doses, either three weeks apart for Pfizer, or 12 weeks apart for AstraZeneca. Hunt denies saying people could wait for vaccines Mr Hunt also defended the government's messaging, saying he and the Prime Minister did not say people over 50 who would get the AstraZeneca vaccine could "wait" to get an mRNA jab later in the year when supplies of Pfizer and Moderna arrived. Last week he said the government encouraged anyone over 50 "to be vaccinated as early as possible". "But we've been very clear that as supply increases later on in the year, there will be enough mRNA vaccines for every Australian," he went on to say. This morning, Mr Hunt said it was "false" that he had ever suggested people should wait for a vaccine. "But one of the reason they're saying [they want to wait] is that you and the Prime Minister told them that, you said there's no rush," Barr said. "That's false," Mr Hunt interjected. "For weeks and weeks and weeks, you said there's no rush," Barr replied. "That's false," he said again. "We talked about it on this program," Barr said. "That's false," Mr Hunt said. One of the concerns raised yesterday as Victoria's outbreak grew was that there were nearly 30 aged care homes that still hadn't received a vaccine, despite aged care residents being considered the most vulnerable group in the country. Yesterday, Mr Hunt said the government was making vaccinating Victorian aged care homes a priority and all would be done by today. The Chief Medical Officer has also stepped in to change the health advice for facilities in Victoria, meaning they do not have to wait two weeks between influenza and COVID vaccines. Mr Hunt told Sky News as at today there were nine facilities left in Victoria without first doses. He said nationally, 25 out of the 40 facilities that haven't received their first vaccine dose would also get them today. Speaking on the ABC's AM program though, he would not say how many people in disability care were still waiting on their first dose.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-28/australians-covid-vaccine-greg-hunt-stats-doses/100172368
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Why does McConnell favor a criminal investigation into the events of January 6th?
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Josh Marshall nails it (paywalled, but heres part of his argument): Published reports suggest and it is no surprise that this is the case that the DOJ investigations are not looking deeply into the causes of the January 6th insurrection, causes which are inherently political and tied to numerous public officials and electoral politics. Theyre going to look at the specific people who broke into the Capitol. Theyre going to look at organized groups that may have planned the acts of violence in advance. This may net various Proud Boys or Three Percenter groups. It may even net a particularly zany member of Congress. Those people deserve to face legal accountability for their actions. But there will be much less scrutiny into why the whole thing happened, which directly implicates President Trump and numerous of his political supporters on Capitol Hill. It may not implicate them in crimes. But it implicates their responsibility. We dont know just where the DOJ is going to draw the line on this. But even to the extent it takes a broad view of its brief everything it finds will remain secret unless and until the information becomes necessary to reveal in a criminal prosecution. Which is to say most of it will never see the light of day. Ever. Needless to say this leaves people like Mitch McConnell with a huge interest in saying that the DOJ has this covered and any other inquiry would be redundant and even compromise the DOJs investigations.
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https://angrybearblog.com/2021/05/why-does-mcconnell-favor-a-criminal-investigation-into-the-events-of-january-6th
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Is Black Space a True Story? Is the Netflix Show Based on Real Life?
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Created by the duo of Anat Gafni and Sahar Shavit and directed by Ofir Lobel, Black Space is a slow-burning Israeli crime thriller series that creates unimaginable tension through a beautifully knit story. The story begins with a school shooting incident at the reputed Rabin Heritage High School. Masked killers enter the school premises to shoot four teenagers. As chief superintendent Rami Davidi goes back to his hometown to unmask the orchestrators behind the shooting incident, a web of lies, deceit, and suspicion reveals itself. The parallel story probes into the lives of the students as they cope with their losses, and as the investigation intersects with the teenage drama, a generational rift is brought out in the open. The show has been applauded for its nuanced and complex script and character sketches, and also for the vivid directorial lens guided by an atmospheric score. However, if, after watching the series, you seek to know whether the story is tethered to reality, we have you covered. No, Black Space is not based on a true story. The story and the screenplay are originally written by Anat Gafni and Sahar Shavit. The story is imaginative, and in the crux, a whodunit mystery is woven around a high school in the aftermath of a shooting. But the imagination of the screenwriters keeps the story arcs complex and taut. And even though the pace of the story is slow, the twists and turns keep the viewers absorbed in the narrative. However, the story is fabricated, as there has not been any such school shooting in Israel in the past years. The viewers from the US can relate more to the story because many such parents have lost their kids in school shootings all around America. There have been ample cinematic productions that attempt to capture the gravity of these erratic and potentially devastating events. For example, an animated documentary called Tower optimally recreates the shootings that happened on August 1, 1966, at the University of Texas at Austin. However, school shooting incidents may not unprecedented in the history of the US, but they are actually next to nil in Israel. According to rumors, that is because teachers are trained with firearms, but the rumor has been proven false. Gun laws are quite stringent in Israel. A meme resurfaced on the internet around 2019, spreading the tale that there have only been two school shooting incidents in the country, and in both cases, the teachers have been armed saviors of the children. In reality, both the alleged school shootings were terrorist attacks. School shooting incidents dont happen in Israel because armed security guards are appointed at school gates. Although there have been many cases of violence outside schools, such as casual vandalism and arson. However, one of the two terrorist attacks marks its penumbra on the narrative of the series, which is the Yeshivat Otniel shooting incident of 2002. Resembling the series, four students were killed at the attack. However, the semblance stops there as the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. Two armed Palestinian militants who entered the premises were identified, and in retaliation, the Israel Defence Forces razed their houses. The attack was carried out one day after Israeli troops shot down seven Palestinians in the contested West Bank. In the series, minister Moshiko tries to frame the Palestinian workers found on the rooftop, and one does not need to reiterate the eternally ongoing political turmoil between Israel and Palestine. However, the story is given an interesting turn when detective Davidi finds unicorn graffiti on the school bathroom wall and connects it to the unicorn masks of the shooters. It becomes apparent that the culprits are students from the school. As for the credibility of the titular app where you can send disappearing messages, that is not a myth, however. While there is no such application by the name that serves the exact purpose, millennials would already know that there are a plethora of applications where one can send self-destructing messages in secret groups. Snapchat was the first social media application that brought disappearing messages into the mainstream, and many more such social media apps followed. Although the series does not have its basis in any real-life incident, the suspenseful drama is crafted with precision. Read More: Best TV Shows Ever Made
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https://thecinemaholic.com/is-black-space-based-on-a-true-story/
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Does Jack Grealish to Manchester City for nine-figures make sense?
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Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Some rumors are so juicy that you blow by consider the source and really? right to Okay, lets find a way that this makes sense because holy smoke! ! The Daily Mails gossip of Jack Grealish to Manchester City for better than $110 million is one of these rumors. Well, if City is aiming to bring in Harry Kane another hot rumor then a lot of players need to go out the door because UEFA would love the chance to ding City for Financial Fair Play breaches (again). But its also worth noting that Citys sales in each of the last three seasons (approximately $68, 78, 63, and 100 million) is also higher than most clubs. Soo lets say a player like Raheem Sterling is sold to Real Madrid, and we already know that Sergio Agueros wages are off the books and even the combined price of a pair of prospect buys (Kayky and Metinho) is lower than RB Leipzigs purchase of Angelino. Aston Villa would need an astronomical sum or expiring contract to sell Grealish given his hero status at Villa Park and the terrible time the Villans have had with him out of the lineup the past few seasons. But this is a Bale-like sale for a player who will never be worth as much as he is at the moment. The 25-year-old left winger is arguably what Pep Guardiola loved about Leroy Sane without the things he didnt love about the German. Of players to play over 1,000 minutes in the PL this season, Grealish is behind only Kevin De Bruyne in expected assists/90 minutes. Hes a virtuoso passer and ball progressor who could slot in to De Bruynes free-ranging role when the slightly-older KDB needs a pause or a day off, and a classic left winger when he does not. Hes a Pep attacker, truly. Grealish is like a younger Riyad Mahrez, the ex-Leicester and current Man City man whos proven so invaluable, and perhaps its not long before the Algerian departs the Etihad Stadium. And Villa could buy five players while building for another European push, letting Louie Barry become the next homegrown Golden Child in claret and blue. You could argue that there is not another way Grealish leaving Villa would work, and furthermore could contend that the move makes more sense for City than acquiring a lethal Kane who happens to have quite an injury history. Follow @NicholasMendola
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2021/05/27/does-jack-grealish-to-manchester-city-for-nine-figures-make-sense/
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Is Peaky Blinders Based on a True Story?
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Peaky Blinders will be back on Netflix soon, hopefully. As it heads into its sixth and final season, the series has been on hiatus as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But fans of the hit British series can rejoice, as Season 6 has already begun filming. If youre looking to get into the crime show, nows the perfect time to start, leading up to the series conclusion in a few months. We have all the answers you need. Created by Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders is set in Birmingham, England in 1919 and follows the gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), who leads the ever-powerful Peaky Blinders gang. But when his ambitions run high, Tommy decides to break free from the mold and start doing more legitimate business. He battles foes, inspectors, and other hedonistic forces in the aftermath of the Great War. The most recent season, Season 5, followed the events following Black Tuesday (October 29, 1929) in England, and led up to rallies led by fascist leader Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin). So, clearly, real historical events are at play. Lets take a look. Yes, Peaky Blinders is actually based on a true story. Well, kind of. Technically, Peaky Blinders follows the Shelby family, a gang of outlaws who infiltrated late 19th-century England the Shelbys werent reported to be real people, but the Peaky Blinders gang did exist. These criminals were well-known around that time period; however, the series is highly dramatized and fictionalized to create as much drama as possible. Most of the Peaky Blinders gang was around in the 1890s, not the 1920s like the show. They lost power in 1910s to the rival gang The Birmingham Boys, and never gained as much political power as Tommy does in the series. No, Peaky Blinders is merely based on the idea of the original Peaky Blinders gang and historical Birmingham, England. But if youre looking to read about the Peaky Blinders gang, check out Carl Chinns The Real Peaky Blinders, which examines the gang. Peaky Blinders Season 6 release date: No news has been released of the Peaky Blinders Season 6 release date. Filming began in early January 2021, and the show has yet to announce a wrap date. Fans will most likely have to wait until early 2022 for new episodes but stay tuned in case theyre on their way earlier. Stream Peaky Blinders on Netflix
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https://decider.com/2021/05/27/is-peaky-blinders-based-on-a-true-story/
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Does the current BT share price represent a FTSE 100 opportunity?
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It would be a fair statement to say BT (LSE:BT.A) shares have performed poorly for a few years now. Lets take a look. BT share price on the up in 2021 Five years ago the BT share price was 431p, which means it has dropped 59% based on current levels. The Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing market crash last year saw its share price drop from 154p per share to 100p per share. 5G is here and shares of this sleeping giant could be a great way for you to potentially profit! According to one leading industry firm, the 5G boom could create a global industry worth US$12.3 TRILLION out of thin air And if you click here well show you something that could be key to unlocking 5Gs full potential... As I write, BT shares are trading for 174p a share. This a 28% increase in 2021 to date. So there are signs of life from the FTSE 100 incumbent. 3 reasons to be optimistic about the BT share price Firstly, insiders are buying BT shares, which is always a positive sign in my eyes. CEO Philip Jansen purchased approximately 2m worth of shares last week. Insiders dont buy stock if they feel performance isnt on the up. In addition to that, as the CEO, Jansen will have an inside track on developments at the FTSE 100 incumbent. Linked to insiders buying shares, BTs management as a whole is exuding confidence about future prospects. In the full-year results for the year ended 31 March, management noted that a few uncertainties and barriers (such as a pension valuation and the Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review) had been removed. These had been affecting performance and contributing to the dwindling BT share price. Management is predicting consistent and predictable growth. There is no guarantee that predicted growth is achieved, although the confidence is good to hear. Finally, broker sentiment towards BT has improved recently. In one of the most recent examples, Barclays decided to raise its price target to 190p from 170p. At current levels, this could be the right prediction on Barclays part. I believe the BT share price is currently quite cheap. As is BTs overall valuation. It has a price-to-earnings ratio of eight, which is below the FTSE 100 average of nearly 17. I think that if BTs plans and optimism come to fruition, its value will increase. I do have some serious reservations when it comes to BT shares. Firstly, it has over 17bn worth of debt. Debt levels are something I refer to when looking to make investment decisions. In addition to debt, BT hasnt actually been very profitable which makes me believe this debt will weigh down the BT share price and its overall investment viability. Its return on capital employed (ROCE) is very low for the past three years. Overall, I would not buy BT shares for my own portfolio, despite the cheap valuation. I wouldnt class BT as a quality company to invest my hard-earned cash in right now, and I believe there are better stocks out there right now.
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https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/05/27/does-the-current-bt-share-price-represent-a-ftse-100-opportunity/
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Whats in the box?
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It is always nice to have some extra supplies following a big project. Our kitchen table build was a big project and I ended up with some cherry leftover. Ive used some to make trivets and and decided that frames would make for good gifts. We are keeping just the one the others were for a Mothers Day gift (table top standing one in 1st picture, with closeup in #2 and#3), a baby gift (largest one in 1st and 4th pictures, still need to ship that one), and a retirement gift (smaller one with great grain in 1st picture and 4th) The last one is for in our kitchen. My husband requested that one by the kitchen table since the table was the reason we purchased the cherry in the first place! Finished with GF High Performance. This was my first time working with cherry and I have found it to be pretty easy to work with. Have a couple graduation gifts to get started so may be a few more cherry frames (or mahoganyor hickory). Hahaso many options!
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259602220974/what-s-in-the-box
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Should Montgomery County schools students have mental health days?
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Concerned over the toll this pandemic is taking mentally on Montgomery County Public Schools students, the Board of Education voted this week to have the acting MCPS Superintendent change the student attendance regulation, to now include "mental health and well-being" as an excused student absence. READ MORE: Montgomery County parents ask why hundreds of kids continue to remain on wait-list for in-person learning FOX 5 is told this is not official yet, but does have strong support from the acting superintendent, who begins her role on June 1. "The difference here is really the verbiage. The wording. Words matter to students and it matters to parents. I think it sends out the message that you dont have to say its a just like traditional sickness illness or a traditional physical sickness, but we are acknowledging the fact that it is okay to take days off for your mental health without having to give some false reason as to why youre taking that day off," said MCPS BOE student member Nick Asante, who pushed for the measure. BOE member Karla Silvestre commented during the Tuesday meeting, "As a parent who has written notes to the school, when my daughter said, I cant go today. Im just so stressed out. Shes not sick.'" READ MORE: MCPS to train middle school teachers on de-escalating situations involving student conflicts County leaders say this is especially important for suicide prevention as suicide has been the second leading cause of death for young people. In Montgomery County, Department of Health and Human Services Spokesperson Mary Anderson tells FOX 5 the county reported eight suicides of people 24-years-old and younger in 2019. That number rose to 10 in 2020. Anderson also confirm the countys mobile crisis teams have made 657 visits since FY 2021 to this past April. Thats a 68% from FY2020. One grandparent became emotional when FOX 5 asked about the toll the pandemic has taken on his grandchildren in school. Another parent said his daughter is doing very well and hopes some parents dont choose to abuse "mental health" excuses. A suicide prevention advocate tells FOX 5 the county, fortunately, has not seen a large increase in suicides so far, but they have seen an explosion in the number of calls for help. Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather Those suicide prevention activists, like Rachel Larkin with the Rockville-based organization "EveryMind", tells FOX 5 suicides have been the leading cause of death for young people. In the pandemic, Larkin says they first saw a spoke in crisis hotline calls for those 18 to 24-years-old. Then 13 to 24-years-old. Larkin says they are now seeing more calls from those 12 and younger and welcomes the calls as a sign of young people trying to get help. DHHS has this site to help to help Montgomery Countys younger residents navigate mental health assistance. Advertisement FOX 5 did ask around to surrounding school districts. Im Prince Georges County, were told one excused absence per-semester for mental health reasons is allowed. The Fairfax County Public Schools spokesperson tells FOX 5 FCPS follows guidance passed by the 2020 Virginia State Legislature, that did add mental health as an excused absence.
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https://www.fox5dc.com/news/should-montgomery-county-schools-students-have-mental-health-days
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Whats happening with 2nd doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Alberta?
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Send this page to someone via email Its been nearly three months since Alberta allowed people between the ages of 50 and 64 to book their first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, and now many are confused about when theyll get their second doses. Alberta opened up bookings on March 10. So, on June 2 next Wednesday it will be 12 weeks since some Albertans received their first shot. John Chwyl got the first appointment he could find. It was something I needed to do to keep myself healthy, well and alive. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It was something I needed to do to keep myself healthy, well and alive. So I very willingly got the first vaccination, he said. Since then, controversy has swirled around the AstraZeneca vaccine, specifically concerns around rare blood clots, changing guidelines around its usage, and supply concerns. Story continues below advertisement 1:17 Hinshaw stresses safety of AstraZeneca after blood clot reported in Quebec Hinshaw stresses safety of AstraZeneca after blood clot reported in Quebec Apr 13, 2021 Chwyl said it all left him feeling anxious about his second dose. I want to be fully vaccinated because as I understand, when Im fully vaccinated, Im at my most protected, he said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I want to be fully vaccinated because as I understand, when I'm fully vaccinated, I'm at my most protected," he said. Then there was talk about potentially mixing and matching second doses, but late last week, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization said there wasnt enough science to support that, and recommended getting the same vaccine for the second shot. Read more: Alberta stops giving first doses of AstraZeneca vaccine due to supply issues Knowing he was fast approaching 12 weeks since his first dose, Chwyl called to try and book his second, but was told he couldnt and needed to wait. Story continues below advertisement 1:50 No timeline yet in Alberta for 2nd doses of AstraZeneca, research on vaccine mixing underway No timeline yet in Alberta for 2nd doses of AstraZeneca, research on vaccine mixing underway Hes not alone. Another Edmontonian, who asked to remain anonymous, sent Global News a voicemail he received from HealthLink, after calling to inquire about his second dose of AstraZeneca. It said: Youre looking for your second dose of AstraZeneca, we apparently have some appointments in the Edmonton region, if you could give us a call back at 811. But when the man called to make the booking, he says he was told the policy changed and he too would have to wait. A screengrab of Alberta Health Services website also shows that at one point last week, it was directing people to call 811 to book second doses but that has since been removed. View image in full screen A screengrab of the Alberta Health Services website. Supplied For Chwyl, the messaging is confusing. Story continues below advertisement I get that its an ever-changing process, its brand new for all of us. But what I cant understand is the inconsistency from day to day to day. Were here, then were here, then were back there. Its mind boggling. But an infectious disease researcher from the University of Calgary, Dr. Craig Jenne, said people dont need to worry yet. The clinical studies from AstraZeneca, which was a little different than the two mRNA vaccines, actually demonstrated better protection if you waited at least 12 weeks for that booster. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The clinical studies from AstraZeneca, which was a little different than the two mRNA vaccines, actually demonstrated better protection if you waited at least 12 weeks for that booster." Jenne said second doses are important, as they boost immune memory and provide better protection against the variants, but he thinks appointments will come soon. I would anticipate those people that are coming up to three months right now will start to receive their notifications for the booster shot. READ MORE: Feds urge provinces not to waste AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines before expiry Alberta Health currently has 7,300 doses of AstraZeneca and they dont expire until the end of June, said spokesperson Tom McMillan. Albertans are eligible for their second dose of AstraZeneca no later than four months and no earlier than three months after the first dose, he explained. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Albertans are eligible for their second dose of AstraZeneca no later than four months and no earlier than three months after the first dose," he explained. However, 7,300 shots wont be enough. Story continues below advertisement Global News asked on two separate occasions whether Alberta has asked for more AstraZeneca and when its coming and if not, why not. Those inquiries went unanswered. When Premier Jason Kenney announced Albertas re-opening plan, it added to Chwyls anxiety. Get the second vaccination as quickly as you possibly can. But my government is telling me it doesnt really matter. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Get the second vaccination as quickly as you possibly can. But my government is telling me it doesn't really matter. We will get to enjoy a beautiful summer if everyone just gets one vaccine. But not everyone, just 70 per cent, and not really 70 per cent, but just 70 per cent of everyone who is eligible. So, what is it? He said even if the UCP allows festivals, concerts and other big events to go on, he wont be attending. I wouldnt feel comfortable heading out into these large, public gatherings with just a single dose. Advertisement
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https://globalnews.ca/news/7900544/second-doses-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-alberta/
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When does Garena Free Fire MAX Release?
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Garenas Free Fire is one of the most popular battle royale titles on mobile. Its fluid gameplay and impressive mechanics have been able to retain millions of players since 2017, and the devs have decided that the game was due for an update. From improved audio and visual effects to better animations and graphics, Free Fire MAX is looking to improve upon its predecessors successful formula. The more refined version of Free Fire aims to provide a better gaming experience, and players will be able to use their existing Free Fire accounts with the Firelink technology. Garena has been slowly inviting players from selected regions to test out the game, and fans are slowly getting ready for a release. The games currently available for players in Malaysia, Bolivia, and Vietnam, while a full release is scheduled for June 9. If you reside in one of the listed regions, you can sign up for Free Fire MAX through its Google and App Store pages. Tech-savvy players who dont want to wait any longer for the release can also try out using a VPN and installing Free Fire MAX by downloading its APK and OBB files. This method only works for Android users and youll still be able to download updates from the Google Play Store after the games full release.
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https://dotesports.com/league-of-legends/news/when-does-garena-free-fire-max-release
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What happened to LucidLogix Virtu MVP and HyperFormance?
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My old Z77 I just upgraded from used to have that technology, and I'm kind of curious what happened to it after the fact since I haven't heard anything about it since. Specifically technologies like HyperFormance and Virtual V-Sync. I put this in the "Video Cards" section, even though you could make the argument it's about software and virtualization to some extent (I won't mind if the thread gets moved), because the goal is getting more performance out of graphics hardware. The way it worked was... you had to plug your monitor into the integrated GPU, turn on the technology, and it would let you use the integrated GPU and the dedicated one together to get slightly higher performance in games. I used to occasionally enable HyperFormance on games to get maybe another 5-10 FPS, so I could get smoother framerates. It really only worked well at 1080p, but it was pretty good for that. It didn't always work well, but when it did it was a neat trick to have. If so, it's kind of a shame because I would really like to see what would happen if I used an older card like the GTX 560 Ti or 670 with a UHD 750 taking some of the load off it. More out of curiosity than because it's practical, but still. It seems like technology that shares the load between a dedicated GPU and an integrated one would be pretty useful right about now. Or really any technology that can load up a CPU and/or an iGPU to get more performance out of old or low-end graphics hardware paired with newer computer hardware. It seems like nothing really happened there and everything is back to how it was before... basically, everyone accepts that you only get the performance your chosen GPU gives you, maybe whatever you can achieve from overclocking, and not many people attempt bizarre or quirky technical tricks like this to try and get more out of it.
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https://hardforum.com/threads/what-happened-to-lucidlogix-virtu-mvp-and-hyperformance.2010820/
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How Can We Create Safety and Justice for the AAPI Community?
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Since the pandemic began, violence against Asian-Americans has skyrocketed. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are being blamed for the coronavirus, encouraged in part by politicians like former President Donald Trump who have used xenophobic and racist language like "China virus" or "Kung flu." Anti-Asian hate crimes grew nearly 150% in major US cities and those numbers are probably underreported as many folks dont report what happened to the police. Student journalists from PBS NewsHour's Student Reporting Labs at Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio pitched us the idea to make a video exploring why its so hard to get racist violence charged as hate crimes. We also spoke to a group of young organizers from Alameda, California called the Youth Activists of Alameda who are working to combat Asian hate and other social injustices in their community. TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. Click to see this video and lesson plan on KQED Learn. First of all, there are federal laws and state laws when it comes to hate crimes, and then there are some states like Wyoming, Arkansas, and South Carolina that don't even have hate crime laws. But generally speaking, a hate crime is a crime motivated by the perpetrators hatred for an entire group of people based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity. Getting something classified as a hate crime is a big deal because its got more severe penalties compared to non-hate crimes. For that to happen two needs have to be met. First, a crime has to have been committed. Just having biased thoughts isnt a crime, but some actions motivated by bias are. Second, is whether you can prove that the victim was targeted because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.
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https://www.kqed.org/education/535117/how-can-we-create-safety-and-justice-for-the-aapi-community
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Are China-Europe Ties Going Off The Cliff?
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Key to bilateral relations cooperation, politicizing trade leads nowhere: FM China-EU Photo: VCG Chinese observers shrugged off recent voices that claimed China-Europe relations are headed off a cliff, stressing that some politicians and countries who were kidnapped by ideological conflicts and had illusions on the US cannot represent the entire Europe, nor define the future trend of bilateral relations as Chinese top leaders and officials offered their insight on how to manage the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU in face of both opportunities and challenges and warned against politicizing trade issues. In his latest comment on China-EU relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that it is foreseeable that in the future, the China-Europe relations will embrace new opportunities and meanwhile confront various challenges. He made the remarks in his phone conversation with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The key is to firmly grasp the general direction of the comprehensive strategic partnership, properly manage differences and maintain the main tone of win-win cooperation, Xi said. The China-EU investment agreement is highly mutually beneficial, not a one-sided favor. The Xinjiang-related issue bears on Chinas sovereignty and security. Attempts by some in the EU to link issues of different nature and turn trade issues into political ones are not acceptable and would lead nowhere, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in an address to an online session on China at the Munich Security Conference on Tuesday. Political confrontation and economic decoupling with China go against the interests of Europe, as cooperation is the general direction and key to bilateral relations, Wang said. He pointed out that China is a trustworthy partner of all countries, not an institutional rival that confronts others. After Wang made his remarks at the conference, Federica Mogherini, former Vice President of the European Commission, said that China is a systemic rival to Western countries and asked Wang if climate changes was the only practical or real field for EU and China cooperation. But Mogherini said she believes that Europe understands that dialogue is a must and cooperation is better than confrontation. The important thing is to be clear and respectful and to put everything on the table in an honest manner. Wangs remarks also came after the European Parliament passed a motion last week to freeze discussions on the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), in response to the Chinese sanctions, which are countermeasures to European sanctions on China over so-called Xinjiang human rights claims. It also came after Lithuanias decision to withdraw from the 17+1 cooperation mechanism between China and Central and Eastern Europe countries. Some US and Western media outlets hyped the two setbacks as the latest indications of an increasingly shaky relationship between China and the European Union. Chinese observers said what Mogherini brought up at the conference represents the pessimistic view of China-Europe relations within the continent as some believe the ties are losing control and the competition nature in bilateral ties becomes more prominent than cooperation. But in the face of such pressure tests, China-Europe relations cannot be detoured or stopped. The China and EU face a dilemma, particularly references that the EU is attempting to kidnap China-EU economic and trade relations with so-called human rights diplomacy. But China has the initiative in its relations with the EU and China-EU relations have many cornerstones that wont be easily shaken, they said. Europe has regarded China-US relations as their main reference indicator, and the spillover effect is becoming increasingly obvious, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Some European politicians have high expectations for the Biden administration after Trump left office, and they are often subject to US pressure on China issues, Cui said. Such a pessimistic view of China-Europe relations cannot set the tone for bilateral ties due to divisions in security and economic interests, on which major European countries like Germany have always been pragmatic and rational over cooperation with China, Cui said. In an interview with German Sddeutsche Zeitung on Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she can continue to guarantee the every word of the CAI. If the agreement can take effect, market access for European companies in China will be improved, and climate protection and labor standards will also be addressed, Merkel stressed. After losing the opportunity to expand their profits in China for the time being, European investors will cherish the existing basis of cooperation between China and Europe which will lead bilateral trade cooperation to greater resilience, Cui said. Germany has always upheld a pragmatic, cooperative and rational attitude toward China, since China has been its largest trading partner for five consecutive years. There are broad prospects for cooperation between the two sides in the fields of commerce and trade, global governance, digital economy, and energy security, and there is a great demand for the Chinese market, Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Cooperation between China and Europe in public health, climate change, energy transition and strategic stability is also promoted in an orderly manner. In April, by inviting President Xi to a climate summit, endorsing Chinas ambitious carbon neutrality plan and economic growth, leaders from Germany and France sent positive signals of saving ties between Beijing and Brussels out of a previous plight caused by tit-for-tat sanctions, and expanding the scope for future cooperation. On Friday, the Chinese Presidents attendance at the Global Health Summit was also believed to show that China and Europe will not stop their cooperation in areas where there is consensus, and the motion is just a scrap of paper. China is in a better position than Europe with more resources and ways to adapt to changes. The complexity of the current China-Europe relations will further demonstrate Chinas gentlemanly demeanor of to do something or not to do something in its diplomacy, Cui said. The setbacks will make it clearer where the common interests lie between China and Europe. The bilateral ties will embrace a brighter future if they could wade through the muddy waters, Cui said. Like this: Like Loading...
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https://thestreetjournal.org/2021/05/are-china-europe-ties-going-off-the-cliff/
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Is Kolkata Based Singer Pronit Mitra the Next Arijit Singh in the Making?
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Once she saw the red sands stretch across miles, craters as big as the stadium her father played hockey in, and golden spires shimmering brighter than Amritsars Golden Temple, Aparna Biswas didnt want to live on Earth. Of course they were a far cry from her own backyard where, in summers, she would sit on a cane chair and watch the bougainvillea bloom the shade of a brides blush, string of pearls flowers wrapped around the wooden railing on her porch, eating a succulent dussehri aam as a pair of ducks swam in the small pond she liked to call her Pacific. But those summers only existed behind a dim haze of memory. She would take a living planet over a dying one any day.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259724999068/is-kolkata-based-singer-pronit-mitra-the-next-arijit-singh-in-the-making
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How many Australians have gotten a COVID vaccine? Why does Greg Hunt say it is 20 percent?
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Health Secretary Greg Hunt was making his rounds this morning on morning TV and radio shows, to answer questions about the federal governments response to Victorias blockade and the state of vaccine proliferation. We will understand why there is a difference in the figures he is using and what he was given at one point, but first this is the deep exchange from Sunrise. When challenged that only about 2 percent of the adult population had been vaccinated, Mr. Hunt responded that it was much higher than that: I think our vaccination rate in Australia is about 2 per cent of the population even though it is not, are we too low? Tha Natalie Barr i Seven. No, thats not correct, Mr. Hunt replied. The main difference between the figures of the Minister of Health and Barr is that Mr. Hunt is using the number of people who have taken one dose of the vaccine and Barr is using two doses. Currently, about 20 percent of the adult population have had a dose which studies have proven to provide protection against COVID-19. According to government figures, 500,000 people have had two doses, or about 2.5 percent of the adult population has been fully vaccinated. The government has been very clear since the beginning of the distribution that while there is one dose is better than none, to fully immunize a person needs two doses, either three weeks away for Pfizer, or 12 weeks away AstraZeneca. The brief and confusing history of Australians shifting vaccination targets Australias vaccination schedule has had more than a dozen targets, reviews or updates. We have tracked turns and returns. Read more Hunt denies that people can expect vaccines Mr Hunt also defended government messages, saying he and the Prime Minister did not say that people over the age of 50 who would receive the AstraZeneca vaccine could wait to receive an mRNA jablator in the year Pfizer and Moderna supplies arrived. Last week he said the government encouraged anyone over the age of 50 to be vaccinated as soon as possible. But we have been very clear that as supplies increase later in the year, there will be plenty of mRNA vaccines for every Australian, he continued. This morning, Mr Hunt said it was false that he had ever suggested that people should wait for a vaccine. But one of the reasons they are saying [they want to wait] is that you and the Prime Minister told them, you said there is no rush, Barr said. This is wrong, Mr. Hunt intervened. For weeks and weeks and weeks, you said there was no hurry, Barr replied. This is false, he said again. We talked about it in this program, Barr said. This is false, Hunt said. One of the concerns raised yesterday as the Victoria outbreak had escalated was that there were nearly 30 homes for seniors who had not yet received a vaccine, despite the fact that senior care residents were considered the most vulnerable group in the country. Yesterday, Mr Hunt said the government was making vaccinating nursing homes for Victorian seniors a priority and all would be done by today. The chief medical officer has also intervened to change health advice for facilities in Victoria, meaning they do not have to wait two weeks between flu vaccines and COVID. Mr Hunt told Sky News today that nine premises in Victoria were left without the first doses. He said nationwide, 25 of the 40 facilities that did not receive their first dose of vaccine will still receive them today. However, speaking on the ABC AM program, he did not mean how many people in disability care were still waiting for their first dose.
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https://exbulletin.com/world/944799/
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Why such a reluctance to sanction Ivermectin use?
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Dear Editor, Once again prominent medical practitioners in Jamaica have called for the use of Ivermectin in the COVID-19 battle. In an open letter to Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, some highly regarded professionals stated, It is widely agreed that there is enough evidence to support the use of Ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 at the discretion of doctors and with the agreement of their patients. We need not await [World Health Organization] WHO approval of the use of Ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19. The WHO, unfortunately, has been slow, and sometimes incorrect, in its assessment and advice on various aspects of the pandemic, and specifically so in relation to its current stance on Ivermectin. The views of our respected doctors are not new or peculiar to them. The University of Liverpool's Andrew Hill and others carried out a meta-analytical breakdown of 18 studies that found that Ivermectin was associated with reduced inflammation and a faster elimination of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In a Financial Times report, 'Cheap antiparasitic could cut chance of COVID-19 deaths by up to 75%', it was revealed that in six of these trials the risk of death was reduced by 75 per cent in a subset of patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 ( https://www.ft.com/content/e7cb76fc-da98-4a31-9c1f-926c58349c84). I think we got an important clue recently. According to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a booster COVID-19 vaccine may be needed for people who have already been vaccinated as soon as eight to 12 months after their second shot. Fauci said on CNN, We know that the vaccine durability of the efficacy lasts at least six months, and likely considerably more, but I think we will almost certainly require a booster sometime within a year or after getting the primary dose ( https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/19/health/covid-vaccine-booster-anthony-fauci/index.html). I found the timing (May 2021) of this information extremely troubling. It is definitely not wrong to question whether profits are driving the constant pushback against the use of Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. The pharmaceutical companies are making billions in profit through the manufacture of these vaccines, while there would be little or no profit to be made from long-existing medications such as Ivermectin. Pfizer said it expects global sales of its novel coronavirus vaccine to reach US$26 billion in 2021 a milestone that would make it the biggest selling pharmaceutical product in the world ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/04/pfizer-covid-vaccine-revenue/). Both Moderna and Pfizer have said they expect their vaccines will remain in demand for at least several years as coronavirus variants proliferate around the world and people require booster shots to maintain immunity after their initial doses. I commend our local doctors who have gone against the grain to tell of the importance of Ivermectin in the fight against COVID-19; however, sadly, at this time, it seems to be all about the money, baby! Marsha Thomas [email protected]
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https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/why-such-a-reluctance-to-sanction-ivermectin-use-_222379
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Could Eagle be next in the shareable electric scooter trend?
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From left to right: Eagle Town Council members David Gaboury, Janet Bartnik and Town Manager Brandy Reitter listen to public comment during a Town Council meeting Tuesday in Eagle. Kelli Duncan/[email protected] An initial proposal heard at Tuesdays Eagle Town Council meeting could make Eagle the next in a growing list of locations where residents can zip around on shareable electric scooters with the touch of a smartphone. Eagle Town Council members directed staff to do more research into the idea of bringing pay-to-rent electric scooters to town, but some members expressed concerns around safety and upkeep. I struggle with [the idea], Mayor Scott Turnipseed said in the meeting. I think its going to be a burden on staff. The Town Council heard a presentation Tuesday night from Bird, one of multiple companies that offer E-scooters that can be rented through a smartphone application. A representative of Bird sold the scooters as an affordable, environmentally-friendly transit alternative already in use in 150 cities worldwide and said they hope to add Eagle to this list as soon as this summer. Our mission is to help make cities more livable and to bring communities together and provide a solution for folks to get around town , Kate Shoemaker said in her presentation. If the idea is ultimately approved, the company would bring 50 electric scooters to Eagle, which would be kept at various nest locations around town. The dockless scooters can be left at any safe location, giving riders total flexibility in where they can go, Shoemaker said. Users simply need to download the Bird app on their smartphones to find a Bird scooter nearest them, scan the QR code, watch a safety tutorial and hop on, she said. Riders pay an initial fee of one dollar to unlock the scooters followed by a per minute fee and the company offers discounts for veterans, active military personnel and low-income individuals, Shoemaker said. Residents must be 18 years or older to scoot around town, she said. Town Council members expressed concerns Tuesday about pedestrian safety and how riders would be regarded when it comes to traffic laws. The scooters travel at a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour, which Shoemaker said is standard among E-scooter companies across the United States. Riders are required to follow the same rules of the road that bicyclists do, meaning they would be directed to use bike lanes and roadways rather than sidewalks, she said. Town Council member Matt Solomon expressed concerns about the dockless scooters being left anywhere and everywhere. If the idea moved forward, Bird would hire a local fleet manager who would be responsible for repairing and recharging scooters as well as returning them to their home locations, Schoemaker said. We are very aware of concerns of clutter in smaller towns, she said. At the end of Tuesdays discussion, the council directed staff to look into the idea further and come back with more information as to what such an undertaking would look like. Brandy Reitter, Eagles town manager, said staff would come back before the council in a few months with a contract and a more specific proposal. The craze around E-scooters and E-bikes as the newest frontier in public transit hit the United States around five years ago with the establishment of companies like Bird, Shoemaker said. The streets of Denver filled with scooters in May of 2018 to the chagrin of some in the public works department who also expressed concerns about safety . Fort Collins partnered with Bird to bring E-scooters to the city in October of 2019. Email Kelli Duncan at [email protected]
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https://www.vaildaily.com/news/could-eagle-be-next-in-the-shareable-electric-scooter-trend/
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Is there a workforce shortage in the Carolinas?
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Many businesses say they can't find workers. DOL Secretary says no. CHARLOTTE, N.C. The unemployment rate is still 6.1%. If you search "jobs Charlotte" on google, youll get some interesting results. Zip recruiter is listing 74,173 open jobs just for this area. Two states, South Carolina and Montana have already ended federal subsidies known as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr have asked Governor Roy Cooper to end North Carolinas participation in the program. Its a big problem, too many people admit to making more money staying home than by going back to work. At the height of the pandemic, millions were out of work amid stay-at-home orders in all 50 states. Industries shut down and government reared up. Tens of billions were paid out as the unemployment rate skyrocketed to over 14% last year. State unemployment benefits were extended, and federal benefits were added on top of state benefits as the future became uncertain. Now in 2021, mask mandates are being lifted, almost half the adult population here in the United States has at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and the world has largely reopened. WCNCs Bill McGinty spoke with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh about it this afternoon. WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to the Defenders team by emailing [email protected]. McGinty asked if the extra federal benefits were keeping people at home. This is the first time I have heard about people talking about that $300 over the last two weeks, no, I dont think its keeping people at home. I think we are going to start seeing more and more people going back into the workforce as we move forward in the coming weeks and months, Walsh said. There is still a backlog on benefits owed, and WCNC gets emails daily about issues with the IRS and refunds that havent arrived yet. Not a perfect world and experts say it will be fall of this year and maybe even spring 2022 before things get sorted out.
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https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/jobs/wcnc-talks-to-labor-secretary-about-the-workforce-shortage/275-8a1158f7-9c11-4e15-b810-5380bc3c5385
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How Has the Workplace Changed in the Last 20 Years?
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As we adjust to the 2020s, it feels like a good time to look back on the first twenty years of the new millennium and explore how our ways of working have changed. With so many technological and societal advances, it is no wonder our workplaces are almost unrecognisable. In this article, we will look at some of the main ways the workplace has changed over the last 20 years. Turn your mind back to 2000 and our offices were still filled with filing systems, fax machines, overhead projectors and other equipment that many Generation Z workers have most likely never seen before. Amazon was still a tech start-up and the creator of Facebook was still just a bright 15-year-old boy at high school, meaning two of the most influential companies today were yet to make their mark. Although so many changes have taken place in the workplace, there are a few that have really stood out, so lets take a look. Flexible Working One of the major changes that has seen a large increase over the last two years is flexible working. Flexible or agile working means you can work from a range of different locations rather than just a standard office and at times that suit you. This form of working has seen a huge rise in popularity since the global pandemic, with the majority of workers having to find a way to work from home. However, even before COVID-19, we started to see more remote workers and fully remote companies. Although flexible working isnt for everyone, many people do not want to lose this newfound freedom and flexibility. With a range of benefits such as avoiding the morning commute and spending more time with family at home it is easy to see why the workplace is changing rapidly. Dress and Appearance If you were to step inside the typical office of twenty years ago, the differences to today would be clear to see. However, one of the biggest changes over the last twenty years has to be to dress code, grooming policy and general appearance. The newest generations demand that employees can express themselves and what in the past might have been considered an unprofessional tattoo or an inappropriate haircut is now generally accepted by employers. Uniforms or an uncomfortable business dress code were once a standard operating procedure. However, nowadays, casual attire is a common feature of the modern workplace and individuality is embraced. Technology Perhaps the biggest change in the modern workplace has been the development of technology. Today, technology is part of every workplace process and many of the tasks we carry out with such ease would not be possible without the use of specialist tech. What would have taken several admin staff members weeks to complete can now be done in minutes. Technology is used in so many areas to securely store documents and sensitive data, manage staff remotely or in the office, produce correspondence, organise meetings, handle finances and so much more. Workplace management solutions are among the newest major developments to bring about a significant change to the agile workplace. Whereas communication in the past meant calling over the desktops or visiting a next-door office with the occasional memo sent out to staff from above, today, methods of communication have changed drastically, thanks to technology. Twenty years ago, we had never heard of Zoom. Now we have regular online meetings to catch up, make contact and do business. The noisy fun of faxing has gone, but emails are ever-present with their instant ease of communication. Companies have an online presence to communicate with would-be customers and office culture, inclusivity and camaraderie can be kept alive online. Culture If you are proud of your office culture, carefully nurtured so that everyone in the company has the same working ideals and values, youll not want to lose it. Rewards and recognition for employees who do their best and a general appreciation of each individual can be fostered virtually or in-person; in group meetings and social events. The once-a-year Christmas party has been added to, with fun activities becoming a feature of office and remote work to encourage feelings of inclusivity and to nurture office culture. It is thought that the workforce of the future will work two or three days from home and the other days in the office building. It is likely offices will downsize, use space differently perhaps introducing wellness areas and different meeting rooms. Even the location of the office may move to areas with better transport links making them more accessible to the workforce. Offices will need to have the best technology to manage and enable remote working. They will also need to be adaptable and flexible, with time-keeping and hours to suit the needs of the modern workforce. With these changes, the office can not just survive but flourish.
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https://bq-magazine.com/how-has-the-workplace-changed-in-the-last-20-years/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-has-the-workplace-changed-in-the-last-20-years
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Does culture really eat strategy for breakfast?
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Photograph by Rocco-Hermann In my firms frequent conversations with board directors, C-suite executives, and HR leaders, we continually hear the same refrain as companies hit the reset button for life beyond the pandemic: We are rethinking everything. We should apply this healthy impulse to the popular business expressions that inform reinvention but that may have outlived their usefulness. Lets start with the oft-quoted line: Culture eats strategy for breakfast. Over the years, the line has been attributed to Peter Drucker, widely considered the grandfather of management wisdom. But it turns out he never wrote those words. It doesnt sound like Drucker. His tone was much more formal. The expression is so ubiquitous its become a truism. And Im not arguing that its entirely wrong just misinterpreted. Culture is important. And a good strategy can, in fact, be consumed by a bad culture. Thats the idea behind one source for the quote: Mark Fields, who said, in 2006, when he was president of Ford America, You can have the best plan in the world, and if the culture isnt going to let it happen, its going to die on the vine. But the spirit of what Fields was saying is different from the way the idea has been popularized. The clich is used as a shorthand to say that culture is more important than strategy. A close reading of Fields shows he was making a narrower point about the frozen middle of organizations: the managers who wind up blocking or slowing down strategic initiatives because they are reluctant to give up the status quo. (In our consulting work with large companies, we often find that the frozen layer is much higher up the organization chart than many people think, but thats for another time.) Theres no doubt that culture can make an enormous difference in determining which companies succeed or fail. Some of the more spectacular flameouts of leadership in recent years, such as Adam Neumann at WeWork or Travis Kalanick at Uber, can be traced to the toxic culture they created. Constructed properly, a healthy culture will reinforce the articulated values and the specific behaviors that leaders expect from all employees. Although culture can be an amorphous topic, one of the most useful metaphors Ive heard comes from Christy Lake, the chief people officer at Twilio. We refer to our values and principles as our operating system, Lake said. Its like your phones operating system it works invisibly in the background to connect your apps and help you get things done. You also expect it to be regularly updated with enhancements, performance improvements, and new features. The same is true for company culture. The operating system needs to be updated to ensure that its staying current to where the company is and where its going. And unless you get the strategy right, even the best culture wont make much of a difference. In fact, the key point that the faux Druckerism misses is the sheer difficulty of getting the strategy right in the first place. One of the biggest lessons Ive learned in recent years, after transitioning from a 30-year career in journalism to a role consulting with large companies, is just how challenging it can be for leaders to develop a clear and simple strategy that everyone at the company can understand and remember. Strategy documents often suffer from being too complex. Or they are often so general that they simply describe what the company does rather than signaling a direction or a goal. Unless you get the strategy right, even the best culture wont make much of a difference. The degree to which strategy drives culture was underscored in Bob Igers autobiography, The Ride of a Lifetime. From the very start of his tenure as CEO of Disney, Iger repeated the same three core pillars of the companys growth strategy: develop the best creative content possible, foster innovation that utilizes the latest technology, and expand into new markets around the world. If you dont articulate your priorities clearly, then the people around you dont know what their own should be, Iger wrote. Time and energy and capital get wasted. You can do a lot for the morale of the people around you (and therefore the people around them) just by taking the guesswork out of their day-to-day life. This idea that strategy can actually drive morale was echoed in my interview with Tracy Streckenbach, who has led many turnaround efforts over her career. The big focus on culture, said Streckenbach, who is now an operating partner at Gridiron Capital, is on how you get people invested so that they care about what theyre doing and feel like they have a hand in things. The only way you can do that is if you have very clearly defined and measurable goals. It sounds easy and simple, but its not, she added. Its also devastating if you get them wrong, because then youre encouraging the wrong behaviors. But once you get it right, you see this change in people. They want to get the job done, and not just put in the time. The pandemic has upended the plans of many companies, which is why so many are now resetting their strategies. Getting those plans right, so they are clear and simple (but not simplistic), is the first step to building sustainable growth. Yes, a bad culture can devour a good strategy. But more companies need to appreciate the degree to which a sharp strategy can be a cornerstone of a healthy culture.
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https://www.strategy-business.com/blog/Does-culture-really-eat-strategy-for-breakfast?gko=fdd77
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Who was Aretha Franklin's preacher father CL Franklin?
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Aretha Franklin with her father CL Franklin. Picture: Getty From a young age, Aretha Franklin was exposed to music thanks to her parents' involvement with the church. He is played by actor Forest Whitaker in the biopic Respect, opposite Jennifer Hudson as the Queen of Soul. Raising Aretha and marriage breakdown CL Franklin was a Baptist minister and circuit preacher, originally from Shelby, Mississippi. Like Aretha's mother, her father already had a child from a prior relationship, a daughter named Carl Ellan Kelley, who died in 2019. He had fathered the child with Mildred Jennings, a 12-year-old member of his congregation, when he was aged 25. Reverend Franklin In Detroit in 1976. Picture: Getty By the time Aretha turned five, CL Franklin had permanently relocated the family (Aretha also had three other siblings) to Detroit, where he took over the pastorship of the New Bethel Baptist Church. Her parents had a difficult marriage due to her father's infidelities, and they eventually separated in 1948. Her mother passed away from a heart attack in 1952, when Aretha was nine. Celebrity status CL Franklin's highly-charged sermons led to him being known as the man with the "million-dollar voice." He also earned thousands of dollars for preaching in various churches across the country. He also became friends with Martin Luther King Jr, Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke. His most famous sermons included 'The Eagle Stirreth Her Nest' and 'Dry Bones in the Valley'. In 2011, the former was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. It was his singing that encouraged Aretha in her musical path. During the 1950s, he took her with him on tours and musical events. He also became involved in the civil rights movement, and helped to lead Martin Luther King's freedom march down Woodward Avenue in Detroit in June 1963. Assault and death On Sunday, June 10, 1979, CL Franklin was shot twice at point-blank range in what was reported to have been an attempted robbery at his home. He remained in a coma for the next five years. The Franklin children moved him back to his house six months after the shooting, and he received 24-hour nursing care. He died on July 27, 1984, aged 69, in Detroit's New Light Nursing Home.
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https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/aretha-franklin/father-cl-franklin-death-children/
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How Many Types Of Wooden Flooring Are There?
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Wooden flooring is quite popular because of its aesthetic design. It can be great for your residential or commercial property. Also, it plays a crucial role in adding richness to the entire room, and you can get the wooden flooring installed without much effort. However, various types of wood flooring are available, and all of them differ in quality and price. So, if you have problems with funds, you could also buy cheap flooring from a reliable buyer at the sale. They ensure high quality and can come at a lower price. In this article, we have mentioned the different types of wooden flooring that you should know to make the right choice for your property. 1.Cork Flooring A cork floor is made from materials like cork extracted from an oak tree. These floorings are highly sustainable, environmentally friendly, and biodegradable. There are three layers of cork flooring. A high-quality cork is used in the top layer of the floor. Compressed cork is used at the bottom, and HDF and MDF fiberboard are always used in the middle. 2. Composite Wooden Flooring These are exceptionally designed floors that consist of chemical binders as well as protective coatings on their surface. The best thing about these floors is that they are lower priced and pride good moisture and scratch resistance. However, the composite wood flooring is best suited for the plane surfaces in the rooms and kitchen. So, it would help if you did not place them on the staircase, as you wont get the proper finishing there. Moreover, these floors are highly stable, which makes them less prone to the humid climate. 3. Laminate Flooring The laminate flooring is one of the top wooden floorings, which formed from compressed fiberboard plank. It is not only practical but also has easy maintenance. Apart from this, laminate flooring includes a photographic image, a bottom layer with moisture resistance, and a protective overlay. However, your room has a subtle and more natural look with this type of flooring. 4. Parquet Flooring This uniquely designed flooring is usually formed by arranging small wooden blocks and arranging the geometrical patterns. Your interior could surely acquire a great look with this flooring and can even last for a more extended period. 5. Solid Hardwood Flooring This flooring is made from different wood species such as cherry, maple, oak, and mahogany. Solid Hardwood Flooring has impressive durability and provides a visual appearance to your room. Since they have a superior look, you must get the wooden flooring in the decorative spaces at home like the dining hall or living rooms. The Bottom Line Wooden flooring is quite common and also stands the test of time. It can be perfect for your place as they have the best feature. Moreover, if you find the floors prices expensive, you can easily buy these wooden floors from a sale at a lower price. Furthermore, you must also check up on the pros and cons of every flooring to make the right choice.
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https://www.businessfirstonline.co.uk/advice/how-many-types-of-wooden-flooring-are-there/
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What Do Complimentary Online Essay Writers Need to Know?
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If you want to be a writer, you want to become a skilled essay authors. This is only because article writing is a complex and lengthy task that has to be done in a clear way so the reader will receive all the information in the long run. Free Online Essay Writing Essay authors is not any dif college essay writing servicesferent from any other writer, because they too have to write their essays. Although lots of them would search to get assistance from an external source of study, essay writers can do all of the research on their own by taking help from a well-written instructional newspaper. The topic and scope of the essay can easily be determined in the event the student is prepared to spend some time and effort on it. Pupils will need to understand what the requirements are for their essays before they start the assignment. There are a lot of things to take care of before writing an essay. Essay writers should not forget they have a deadline for both themselves and also the time limit is given clearly. In writing an article, all of the writer needs to do is to structure the essay properly. This can be easily done by following the steps below: Research The research that has to be done needs to be carefully performed because theres no room for misinterpretation. The research also has to be carried out in such a way that it doesnt contribute to misinterpretation or misinterpretations available in the essay. Even though theres absolutely not any room for interpretation, the study should nevertheless be performed according to the guidelines of the essay. Break down the research to the sections within a sentence and keep on with a paragraph, rather following the study. For example, if the study contains a lot of details, the essay should be divided up into the various parts and the focus ought to be on each part. If there is a concrete details example specific research and that is the focus of the research, the article will be quite simple to read. Constantly keep the focus of this essay to a few selected points. You wont be able to provide more than a page of data or advice if you maintain it to a huge extent. A few paragraphs which cover the whole research and then provide some kind of explanation for your reader is likely to produce the essay attractive to the reader.
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http://thriftynickelusa.com/what-do-complimentary-online-essay-writers-need-to-know/
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What is the Most Ideal Photo Editing Software?
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Photo best photo editorsediting involves the numerous processes of changing pictures, whether theyre conventional electronic photos photo-chemically altered paintings or photographs. Its utilized by most professional photographers and artists, and by amateur photographers and amateur artists who have a passion for photography. The termphoto-editing is used to refer to the practice of taking best photo editors pictures of different themes and manipulating them in various ways. Editing is also employed as a way to change the appearance of photographs, and to boost their own quality. Lots of people decide to use an image editor as part of these photography firm, because it can help them create professional looking photographs for customers or additional purposes. Lots of people also edit their own photographs so as to get improved results, and to even produce their photographs look more interesting and beautiful. Besides editing photographs themselves, many professional photographers and graphics photographers additionally choose to make use of photo editing software as a portion of their company. Its likely to generate your own photoediting app using low-cost or free software that can be found on the web, such as Adobe Photoshop. This kind of software isnt quite as sophisticated as professional photo editing applications, but really is a good starting place if you are seeking something simple and simple touse. But, in addition, there are a large variety of photo editing apps offered , and also each photo editor includes a unique features and purposes, as well as its set of features and functions. For this reason, it is very necessary to look into different photo editors before you purchase one, and to be certain that you know exactly what this systems most important purpose and function will be, until you buy one. Once you have chosen a photoediting app which you want to buy, the next step is to seek out a fantastic website which sells photo editing program. There are several websites available that sell a vast selection of photo editing software, so before you buy such a thing, it is important to do some investigating to find out what exactly the most useful photo editing computer software would be , so which you can get the most acceptable program for your needs. After youve decided on a good website selling photo editing software, you then need to start looking through the selection of products out there. If you cannot find exactly what you need, then you will need to see some of their customer reviews, that could usually tell you a lot about the popularity and the viability of certain photo editing apps, as well as the efficacy of certain features. Once youve discovered amazing image editing applications, you will need to find the website for testimonials about the numerous features and functions of the app youre taking a look at purchasing. Its also wise to search for reviews on the different sorts of photo editing software. If you are a seasoned photographer, you should read some of the reviews, and you may also talk along with different photographers that have used the software, to find out what other clients have to say about its usability and effectiveness. Its important to remember that simply because an app is cheap doesnt mean that it is of poor quality, and just because its professional doesnt necessarily indicate it really is of premium quality. Its very important to buy only the best photo editing applications, so that you can create your photographs look professional. Once youve read the reviews on the photo editors internet site, you need to experience the goods on the website in detail. As soon as youve read them carefully, youll want to find out if you actually understand what each item provides you with, in addition to how it works. If you do understand how the photo-editing works, and also you also know just what features it offers youpersonally, then its a lot easier to purchase the photo editing app. If, but you are unsure exactly what you desire it to, then its important to look for something simpler, like a graphic editing program, and image retouching software. These are better suited to those that would like to edit their photos onto a scale, like adding simple alterations and enhancements with their photos. But if youre searching for something more advanced level than photo editing, youll need to consider a more advanced photo editing app. These would be the type of photoediting programs which permit you to accomplish more intensive adjustments and alterations.
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http://thriftynickelusa.com/what-is-the-most-ideal-photo-editing-software/
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Could the breakdown in public trust explain Hong Kong's sluggish vaccine roll-out?
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Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world where the supply of COVID-19 vaccines is abundant. Anyone over the age of 16 on the island can choose to take either China-made CoronaVac or German-American Pfizer/BioNtech jabs for free. Yet, a majority of the people are still hesitant to take the shot. Only about 20 percent of Hong Kong's 7.5 million population have taken the first vaccine dose since the government debuted its vaccination drive on February 26. As more than a million Pfizer vaccine doses are about to expire, the city is now considering donating them to other countries in need. The vaccination rate of the elderly, in particular, is far below expected only 14.8 percent of the 60-69 age group has taken the first dose, and only 5.1 percent of the 70-79 age group. According to local medical research, to achieve herd immunity, 56.1 percent to 66.9 percent of the population would have to be fully immunized. Currently, on average only about 25,000 vaccines doses are being administered per day. By that rate, it would take between 6 and 10 months to hit that herd immunity target. Vaccine anxiety escalated in early March after media reports on three elderly Hong Kong residents died after taking the first dose of CoronaVac, the first vaccine used during the launch of Hong Kong's vaccine program. According to an assessment by the city's Expert Committee on Clinical Events, there is no evidence linking the deaths to the shots. Public concern was also fueled by the fact that, at that time, China wasn't vaccinating its elderly, and that China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned people with pre-existing diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and thyroid disease, to have their health conditions under control before taking a COVID-19 vaccine. China included the elderly in its vaccine program at the end of March. Coronavac has received emergency approval in 37 countries, according to a compilation maintained on Wikipedia. The WHO is now in the final stages of studying whether to authorize CoronaVac to be included in COVAX, the agency's mechanism that buys vaccines for poor countries. If it receives the stamp of approval, it will be the second Chinese vaccine to be included in the program, after Sinopharm's shot was so in early May. Complacency In many Western countries that were hit hard by COVID-19, fear of the disease has, in large part, driven the vaccination roll-out. However, in Hong Kong, the total number of deaths caused by COVID 19 is at 210 since the pandemic began even less than the deaths (299) caused by the SARS outbreak in 2003. Recent research indicates that Hongkongers intention of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine decreased significantly after the city successfully controlled the second wave in July 2020 through social distancing measures. Researchers suggest that the city's complacency not perceiving the disease as high-risk and vaccination as necessary has become a key factor behind vaccine hesitancy. The year-long social distancing measures, however, have harmed Hong Kong's economy, and the government is eager to restart it by achieving herd immunity through vaccination as soon as possible. To boost the vaccination rate, authorities introduced a vaccine bubble policy, making employee vaccination a pre-condition for businesses such as restaurants to relax social distancing measures. In addition, officials agreed on a travel bubble arrangement with Singapore, through which fully-vaccinated Hongkongers can travel to the latter without quarantining on return. However, Singaporeans are not required to be fully vaccinated in order to visit Hong Kong. As Hong Kong is about to hit the 14-day zero local infections criteria for the quarantine-free travel bubble with mainland China, Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated on her Facebook page that vaccination would be made a precondition for Hongkongers to travel to mainland China. Public distrust The above soft coercion policies have some effects: As indicated previously, Hong Kong's vaccination rate among breadwinners (30 to 59-year-olds) is higher than other age groups. Yet, such policies do not necessarily strengthen people's sense of social responsibility, which has been shown to be key for achieving herd immunity. The political distrust after the enactment of the national security law and the crackdown on the democratic movement has resulted in a breakdown of trust in institutions in Hong Kong. As pointed out by Francesca Chiu in Hong Kong Free Press, Hong Kong anti-vaxxers arguments include statements such as the government is trying to force people to get the jab to please Beijing, or simply whatever the government asks me to do, Ill just do the opposite. One suspects this isn't just about vaccine hesitancy but also a deep (and quite understandable) lack of trust in the government. Turns out if you corrode the relationship between the governed and governors, it has broad consequences https://t.co/vHiWBpLeOK Prof Fiona de Londras (@fdelond) May 25, 2021 Meanwhile, pro-establishment politicians are getting impatient and have started calling for more coercive measures in recent weeks. In early May, pro-Beijing lawmaker Julius Ho suggested that the government should set a deadline for people to take the vaccine, and after that citizens would have to pay HK$10,000 to receive them. His suggestion was recently echoed by former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chunying, who also urged the Hong Kong government to impose sanctions on those who did not take the vaccine by making them pay the price. Such rhetoric risks further dividing the society and politicizing the vaccine program. For many Hongkongers, the city has already faced many sanctions since 2019; the vaccine sanction would just join the list. While trust and solidarity are known remedies in dealing with vaccine hesitancy, in Hong Kong the social and political divide keeps widening:
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https://globalvoices.org/2021/05/28/could-the-breakdown-in-public-trust-explain-hong-kongs-sluggish-vaccine-roll-out/
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Are the days of the US dollar below 600 no more?
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QCOSTARICA The last time we saw the dollar exchange below 600 colones we have to back to September 18, when one US dollar was 599.86 colones. Today it is common to find it at the threshold of 620. - Advertisement - Specialists can agree, as some consider that it is time to adapt and others place their hopes that it will recover, that drop below the 600. We need to have a very accelerated economy and interesting international connections so that many more dollars arrive than are demanded to return to those levels. The truth is I see it difficult, says Daniel Suchar Zomer, University Professor and Finance Broadcast Analyst. For others, it could return to levels below 600 to the extent that large amounts of external capital enter, through loans (as may be the agreement with the IMF), tourism, exports, or investment, as is the case of Karla Arguedas, manager of Advisory & Strategy of Prival Securities. - Advertisement - However, it is not expected that there will be an early return to the dollar below 600, because more than a permanent impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, the current level of the exchange rate obeys structural issues in the local market. The first thing to understand is that when the exchange reaches the current figure, it is generally because it was at a competitive price and motivated demand to buy foreign currency, this is underpinned by the purchases made by the Central Bank in the Monex, be it to meet the needs of the non-financial public sector or to replenish reserve levels, Arguedas explained. The fact that the most dynamic sector of the economy, such as the exporter, loses competitiveness in the event of a fall in the dollar also explains why the currency exchange remains at current levels, amid the crisis facing the economy. The same happens with tourism, which would be affected by a downward movement in the exchange rate and would make it difficult to recover. That is, even with the arrival of more foreign currency, the Central Bank would be managing the exchange rate so that it does not affect either sector. - Advertisement - See Exchange rate of purchase and sale of the US dollar
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https://qcostarica.com/are-the-days-of-the-us-dollar-below-%C2%A2600-no-more/
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Are we close to a pill to combat covid-19?
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After vaccines, drug companies are now in the race to develop a treatment that can be taken at home with a glass of water as soon as symptoms appear. Because although prevention is better than cure, as the saying goes, knowing how to cure is still crucial. - Advertisement - There are already antivirals for other viruses, such as HIV, which causes AIDS, and the flu. At the beginning of the pandemic, funding and research focused on the development of vaccines, which partly explains the delay in the development of antivirals against the coronavirus. Viruses are small machines that need certain components to replicate, explains Daria Hazuda, a biochemist who has been working on these treatments for years. Antivirals are usually small chemical molecules, developed to interfere with this machinery, she says. They introduce a mutation into the virus, and when this happens multiple times, these mutations reduce the viruss ability to replicate, she adds. By curbing the disease, severe cases, hospitalizations, and deaths can be avoided. The ongoing projects - Advertisement - There are currently two relatively advanced projects, tested on more than 1,000 people. The first is that of the American pharmaceutical company Merck, in association with the biotechnology company Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. The product is called Molnupiravir. Developed initially to treat the flu, it has been modified so that it can be taken in pill form, to be taken twice a day for five days. The treatment has been very well tolerated by the few hundred people who have already received it. Analyzes of several dozen of them showed that the virus was no longer detectable after five days for all those treated with Molnupiravir, but it was still detectable in 26% of the placebo group (test product with no medicinal value). Results of trials in another 1,450 adults are expected in October. The second project is from the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, in collaboration with the American company Atea Pharmaceuticals. - Advertisement - Called AT-527, the treatment is being tested in about 1,400 participants in Europe and Japan, this time starting at the age of 12. We hope to seek regulatory approval by the end of the year and launch the drug in 2022, said Atea CEO Jean-Pierre Sommadossi. A third, less advanced project is being developed by Pfizer. Unlike the others, the treatment called PF-07321332 was developed specifically against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes covid-19. It is being tested in about 60 adults, with results expected by the end of June. A challenge: take it quickly Both Merck and Roche require that the drug be taken within five days of the onset of symptoms. This is because the virus replicates more during the first week. The sooner you treat with an antiviral, the better the outcome, says Daria Hazuda, who leads Mercks drug research. This explains the relative failure of Remdesivir, the only antiviral against COVID-19 approved so far. Produced by the American laboratory Gilead Sciences, it must be administered intravenously in the hospital. This means that patients are too advanced in the disease to get any real benefit from it. Once the pills are available, the main challenge will be to diagnose patients very early. Benefits: prevention and variants But these antivirals should also be able to be used for prevention: for example, when one member of a family becomes infected, the others can take treatment to avoid developing the disease. Finally, experts are confident in the ability of antivirals to remain effective against variants, as well as against other coronaviruses, including some still unknown.
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https://qcostarica.com/are-we-close-to-a-pill-to-combat-covid-19/
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What Happens To Obstetricians Who Are Accused Of Medical Malpractice?
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When considering the treatment of minors, as well as the release of the related protected health information, there are considerations not to overlook. In the majority of treatment and disclosure of protected health information (PHI) scenarios, parents or legal guardians are entitled to provide informed consent for the treatment of the minor and may request the minors medical records. From both a legal and an ethical standpoint, informed consent is fundamental to medical treatment because of the value placed on a patients autonomy. As the American Medical Associations Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 2.1.1, [p]atients have the right to receive information and ask questions about recommended treatments so that they can make well-considered decisions about care. Successful communication in the patient-physician relationship fosters trust and supports shared decision making. Typically, the older a child becomes, the more weight is given to their perspective this is known as assent.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259822896157/what-happens-to-obstetricians-who-are-accused-of-medical-malpractice
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What is the PCE price index?
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The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday that the personal consumption expenditures price index, the PCE, rose 3.7% in the first quarter of this year. You can think of it like one big shopping cart for all Americans, said economist Claudia Sahm at the Jain Family Institute. Sahm said the PCE measures the price of the goods and services we consume, whether we pay for them ourselves or not. At the doctors office, the copay comes out of your pocket. But if you have insurance, that pays the rest. The PCE includes both. Sahm said higher demand pushed up the prices in the PCE basket. She has her own example. A lot of people need to go buy clothes to get back to work, and frankly, like myself, a lot of us need clothes that are of a larger size than we were wearing the last time we went to work, she said. The PCE is the Federal Reserves favorite inflation snapshot. The PCEs flashier cousin, the CPI, or consumer price index, only measures what we pay for ourselves. The reason they look at the PCE instead of the CPI is the PCE is a more accurate measure of the whole market basket of what we consume, said Stephen Cecchetti, an economist at Brandeis University. Kathy Bostjancic, an economist at Oxford Economics, said the PCE also tracks consumers who buy chicken when the price of, say, beef rises. The PCE price index will capture that switch to the lower-cost good. The Fed needs an accurate inflation gauge like the PCE to know when it needs to raise interest rates to cool off the economy.
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https://www.marketplace.org/2021/05/27/what-is-the-pce-price-index/
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What Might the Armys Future Cloud Capabilities Look Like?
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How Cloud Migration Fits into the Armys Plans The Army says in its first RFI that it needs an enterprise-scale contractual vehicle or agreement to modernize and migrate its applications and data into commercial cloud environments. The Armys ability to master cloud computing is a critical enabler in the pursuit to operationalizing data, the RFI says. The work will include performing deep application assessments and modernizing and migrating applications into DOD-authorized commercial cloud environments at impact levels 2, 4, 5 and 6 commercial cloud environments. Those assessments will enable the Army to make an intelligent business decision as to whether and how to refactor, replatform, recode or replace each application to best meet mission requirements, according to the RFI. Once the government decides on a modernization strategy for a particular application, the contractor would pursue that path in migrating it to a commercial cloud environment. For planning purposes, the contractor shall assume the Army will modernize and migrate to commercial cloud 50 to150 applications each year. The Army would have the option to operate and continually enhance its apps once they have migrated into the cloud. The majority of the Armys applications will migrate into cARMY, which offers authorized and operational common shared services with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure at DOD Information impact levels 2, 4 and 5, with contracts and plans in place to develop common shared services at IL 6. Army Hunts for Cloud-Based Data Management Platform and Services In the second RFI, the Army explores its need for cloud-based data management capabilities and notes that right now, it is lacking in that area. It notes that the service branch currently lacks an enterprise, cloud-native platform with integrated data standards, harmonized data governance and common services across the complete Data Lifecycle to support Army Readiness, tactical and operational needs, and to enable advanced analytics, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) and data-driven decision-making across all mission areas. To get the capabilities needed to win on the modern, data-driven battlefield, the RFI says, the Army must operationalize its data and invest in resilient information ecosystems designed to provide and protect critical information for the Joint Forces. Currently, the Armys systems and services apply different data governance practices and services to source, store, catalogue and condition data specific to their mission and domain, the RFI says. That often makes it difficult to find, alter and use data seamlessly across all data domains, such as cyber, logistics, weapon systems and intelligence. The pace of the evolving threat landscape mandates a change in the culture and operational construct for how the Army manages data across all mission areas given their natural convergence, the RFI says. As a result, the Army needs to fundamentally transform its approach to data governance and data management, according to the RFI. The service is looking to deploy a standardized, secure, trusted, agile and resilient set of data management services and a data platform to serve all common data governance needs across all data domains.
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https://fedtechmagazine.com/article/2021/05/what-might-armys-future-cloud-capabilities-look
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When will we know the results of Exxons board election?
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Article content HOUSTON/BOSTON The full makeup of Exxon Mobil Corps board of directors remained undecided following Wednesdays hotly contested election in which 16 candidates vied for 12 seats. In a shareholder vote that rocked the oil industry, activist hedge fund Engine No. 1 won at least two seats with support from top Exxon investors BlackRock Inc, State Street Corp, and Vanguard Group. The contest was marked by controversy with the hedge fund warning of last minute vote changes and accusing Exxon of delaying the count for its own purpose. Inspectors are sifting through millions of electronic and mail-in ballots for the final two candidates with the greater number of votes. An inspector of elections, which can be one or more people, is hired to prepare results. The process might run into June, according Exxon spokesman Casey Norton, because of the sheer number of votes and evaluating ballots can be complex. With millions of shares changing hands daily, ineligible shareholders sometimes cast ballots. The inspector must check ballots so only eligible votes are counted, and that changed votes are not double counted, said Cal Smith, a partner at law firm King & Spalding. Only Exxon shareholders as of March 29 were eligible.
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https://upnewsinfo.com/2021/05/27/when-will-we-know-the-results-of-exxons-board-election/
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Is the Modi government admitting it messed up Indias vaccine policy just to spite the states?
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Prime Minister Narendra Modis government spent months planning what it described as the worlds largest Covid-19 vaccine rollout. At the very first meeting of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 in 2020, it announced that the Centre was taking full control and advised states not to chart separate pathways of procurement. Then, in April 2021, faced with a huge spike in cases, vaccine shortages being reported from around the country and many questions about its mismanagement of the pandemic, the Centre decided to junk its plans. It introduced a confusing new strategy that no other major nation is following: it put the onus of vaccinating the 600 million Indians in the 18-44 band entirely on the states and private hospitals. The results of this liberalised and accelerated vaccine strategy, announced on April 19 that which went into effect on May 1, have not been encouraging. Vaccination rates have fallen steadily nearly every week since early April, according to the governments own CoWin dashboard. On Thursday, faced with many questions about the sluggish pace of vaccinations, NITI Aayog, the governments think tank, put out a press release that it titled :Myths & Facts on Indias Vaccination Process. The release featured some clear lies (which it later had to correct), such as the claim that no country in the world is giving vaccines to children, and some questionable arguments, such as a position against compulsory licensing to override patent laws, which is seemingly at odds with what the government has argued for internationally. States vs Centre But the most churlish portion of the release appears to be the argument about states. Here is the section, in full: Myth 5: Centre has abdicated its responsibility to the states Fact: The Central Government is doing all the heavy-lifting, from funding vaccine manufacturers to giving them quick approvals to ramping up production to bringing foreign vaccines to India. The vaccine procured by the Centre is supplied wholly to the states for free administration to people. All this is very much in the knowledge of the states. GoI has merely enabled states to try procuring vaccines on their own, on their explicit requests. The states very well knew the production capacity in the country and what the difficulties are in procuring vaccines directly from abroad. In fact, GoI ran the entire vaccine program from January to April & it was quite well-administrated compared to the situation in May. But states, who had not even achieved good coverage of healthcare workers and frontline workers in 3 months wanted to open up the process of vaccination and wanted more decentralisation. Health is a state subject & the liberalised vaccine policy was a result of the incessant requests being made by the states to give states more power. The fact that global tenders have not given any results only reaffirm what we have been telling the states from day one: that vaccines are in short supply in the world and it is not easy to procure them at short notice. The release makes it seem as if the Centre is doing Indians a favour by carrying out the heavy lifting on vaccines and providing them for free even though this model has been adopted by most countries in the world. But also, this is exactly what the government promised it would do back in 2020 when it asked states not to interfere. What follows is even more questionable. The release claims that states it doesnt specify whether it is talking about some or all had done a bad job of vaccinating healthcare workers and frontline workers in the first three months of the programme. It claimed that it knew from day one that global tenders would not achieve much. Yet it says that it changed its vaccine plan in April because of incessant requests being made by the states to give states more power. Myths & Facts on Indias Vaccination Process Amid the alleged shortage of #COVIDvaccine in the country, a claim has been made that Centre is not doing enough to buy vaccines from abroad. Govt terms this claim distorted & blatant lies. pic.twitter.com/8yi6YeTJrs All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) May 27, 2021 Coalition dharma This seems like the sort of milquetoast coalition dharma justification given by the Congress party for bad decisions in the United Progressive Alliance years. Except in this case, there arent even coalition partners to blame. While it is true that many states were asking for vaccines to be opened up to Indians of all ages, the only one demanding a greater say for the states in procuring vaccines was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose opinions the Bharatiya Janata party regularly trashes and who isnt running a government. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also on record asking for state procurement, but her demand was for the Centre to arrange for vaccines and the state to be able to pay for them with its own funds. Most other demands were, however, for flexibility in distribution, not procurement. In its press release about the new strategy in April, it gave no indication that some sudden spirit of federalism or compromise with these leaders lay behind the new approach. Instead, NITI Aayog made it seem as if the changes had been part of the plan all along. Now, as capabilities and processes have stabilised, the public as well as private sector has the experience and confidence to rapidly scale up, it said. In fact, the NITI Aayogs statement seems to make it even clearer that the Centres original vaccination plan had gone horribly wrong. The plan presumed that there would not be a second wave, that India could rely entirely on local manufacturers and that exporting millions of vaccines would not become a political liability. The release confirms the impression of many that the aim of the new policy was to shift blame for the Centres mismanagement and lack of transparency onto the states. This way, Modi would not have to take responsibility for the severe shortages that were likely to remain until the second half of the year. It has been evident that the Modi governments misplaced triumphalism about having defeated Covid-19 played a huge role in the mismanagement that led to Indias brutal, tragic second wave. The NITI Aayog release shows that even after the second wave erupted, the governments policy decisions have focused on preserving Modis image and shifting blame to the states, rather than taking responsibility and corrective action.
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https://scroll.in/article/995973/is-the-modi-government-admitting-it-messed-up-indias-vaccine-policy-just-to-spite-the-states?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=public
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Why in the world is the topsy-turvy DOJ defending William Barr?
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The anti-saving money theme emerged when committee Democrats acted to support President Joe Biden's January Executive Order directing "federal agencies to procure carbon pollution-free electricity and clean, zero-emission vehicles." That directive is being ignored by the Postal Service, a federally owned corporation funded entirely by the revenue it brings for delivering letters and packages. Maloney called this one of the 'common sense, simple provisions that should have bipartisan support.' Electricity will power less than 10% of the planned fleet of mail delivery vehicles and perhaps none. Democrats denounced Postal Service plans to buy 231,000 "outdated, dangerous, and gas-guzzling" vehicles instead of powering them with electricity as part of Biden's climate change agenda. Democrats also moved to require the Postal Service to help voters track ballots from the time they are mailed to when they are received by local elections officials. This is a service postal customers can already get for many kinds of packages and letters. Adding tracking makes sense. Consider all the baseless claims by Republicans about mail-in voting being riddled with fraud and their efforts to discourage mail-in voting for this reason. The committee initially had a bipartisan agreement to pass the Postal Service Reform Act. But when amendments were introduced to update the postal fleet to electric vehicles and to secure the elections ahead of 2022, the House quickly became divided, with Republicans "strongly objecting" on both issues. A Dumpster Fire Postal carriers became front-line essential workers during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of exposed workers needed to quarantine, disrupting some mail delivery. But the risk of getting Covid is not the only way postal workers put their lives on the line daily. Aging post office delivery trucks keep catching on fire, a July 2020 report from Vice showed. From May 2014 to July 2020, a mail truck caught fire on average every five days. But postal workers kept getting into the vehicles which on average are 25 years old. Of the 407 vehicles which caught fire in those six years, 125 were so thoroughly destroyed that investigators were unable to identify why the fires occurred. In 26 incidents, letter carriers went into the burning trucks to save as much mail as they could. It's clearly evident the Postal Service desperately needs and deserves a significant overhaul of its fleet. But that may be years off despite a $6 billion contract awarded to a Wisconsin defense contractor with a troubled history of cost overruns, poorly performing vehicles, weak finances and preferential treatment in the government procurement process. When Trump-backed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy unveiled his plans in late February to purchase a fleet of mail delivery vans, Congress questioned why he disregarded the Biden administration's directive to move to electric vehicles. Lawmakers have called for an SEC investigation into a $54 million stock purchase made a day before DeJoy announced that he had awarded Oshkosh Corp. the contract worth up to $6 billion. Questioned during a March Congressional hearing, DeJoy let slip that at least 90% of trucks would be gasoline-powered. However, it's doubtful that any of the vehicles would be electric vehicles. DeJoy's pick, the combat vehicle maker Oshkosh Defense, in its 2020 annual report, stated that they were not even capable of producing electric vehicles. "We may not have the expertise or resources to successfully address these pressures" to build EVs "on a cost-effective basis or at all," the company disclosed. My colleague Jillian S. Ambroz reported in early March on DeJoy's ridiculous assertion that mail delivery trucks built with gasoline engines could eventually be retrofitted to run on battery power. Ambroz later reported on Oshkosh Defense, for now the winner of the Postal Service fleet contract, having troubles building military vehicles as promised and on budget. One of the mysteries of the Postal Service fleet contract is why neither Ford nor General Motors bid for the work. Both companies make trucks. Both also say they are racing to make only non-fossil fuel vehicles, and just this month Ford unveiled an electric version of its F-150 truck, the nation's No. 1 selling automobile. When pressed why he was committing to a fleet using fossil fuels, DeJoy cited the Postal Service's inability to afford the upgrade to electric vehicles. However, Democrats argue that purchasing a gas-guzzling fleet would not only be irresponsible to the planet but saves money over the life of the fleet. The average letter carrier truck is driven 17 miles per day, easily within the range of even modest-sized battery packs. EVs don't require costly engine maintenance, oil changes and the like, making them cost-efficient. That would mean fewer jobs or hiring truck mechanics. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) introduced an amendment to the postal bill to provide the $8 billion in upfront money that DeJoy had said is needed to acquire a fleet of electric vehicles and make other improvements. Lynch's bill made the funding contingent on at least 75% of the new mail delivery trucks being electric or other zero-emission vehicles. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the ranking member, opposed the amendment. Comer said he opposed political people trying "to further mandate Green New Deal type policies on these federal agencies." McConnell's Obstruction The GOP opposition seems to be motivated more by Mitch McConnell's vow to oppose Biden's agenda 100% than with life cycle costs and efficiency in government. Republicans also claimed that the $8 billion dollar investment was a fiscal issue, but the math doesn't back up the arguments. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) said that while initial costs for EV trucks are greater, tremendous savings in maintenance and gas costs more than offset the initial expense. "We were spending $2 billion dollars a year on maintenance of these vehicles," she said. "We're spending $500 million dollars a year on gas for these gas-guzzling vehicles. This is stupid not to support this amendment." Newly elected Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) argued against upsetting the gasoline-fueled status quo for mail trucks. "We've got a money problem folks," he said, arguing that Congress shouldn't spend $8 billion in an attempt to "use the Post Office as a vehicle for the ecological social change that some in this chamber actually want to see happen." In other words, Donalds cares more about defeating Biden's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than operating the government efficiently. Over Republican objections the Lynch amendment to provide the Postal Service with the funding they need for electric vehicles ultimately passed. Republicans didn't accept the initial vote, pushing instead for a recorded vote. The ultimate vote count was 24 ayes vs 15 nays in a straight party-line vote. It should be noted that Trump sycophant Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) did not seem to be present and did not vote. And despite his protests, Donalds did not even participate in the vote. The funding was passed with a stipulation that 75% of the vehicles be electric, casting doubt on the ability of Oshkosh Defense to deliver. Confidence in Mail-In Voting Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee head, sponsored a bar code amendment. It would require that mail-in ballots use Postal Service bar codes to ensure voters can track their ballots and give local election officials the ability to track ballots once they're in the custody of the Postal Service. Maloney said, "After the November 2020 election, in which a record number of mail-in ballots were cast, it has never been more important to ensure that election officials have the ability to track ballots once they are in the custody of the postal service," she continued. "This common-sense requirement would enable boards of election to confirm when a ballot was sent and give voters confidence that their votes have been counted." This, Maloney said, is one of the "common sense, simple provisions that should have bipartisan support." Maloney is right, especially since Republicans from Donald Trump on down have claimed massive fraud in mail-in balloting despite not being able to produce any evidence. However, Comer, the ranking Republican, argued against tracking of ballots. He said the Maloney amendment was "a bridge, not only too far, but even a step backward injecting the Postal Service, a federal agency, further into our elections, which are run by the states, fundamentally alters how we have always voted in federal elections in this country. "Such a momentous change to elections and the powers of the state should not be approached lightly through the guise of postal reforms." This is a mixed message. A GOP-led initiative is seeing a rash of state legislators passing laws to limit mail-in voting because they consider it part of their baseless claims of massive election fraud. On the one hand, the GOP is passing state laws to suppress mail-in voting as part of a bigger scheme of election fraud. On the other hand, they vote against the legislation that would take further steps to help shore up efficient, honest and transparent mail-in voting. Many local Republican elections officials have said there is no such problem with mail-in voting. Of course, those Republican officials face uphill battles to try for re-election. In making these baseless assertions of mail-in voter fraud, Trump and his allies have focused on areas where people of color are concentrated such as Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia and Phoenix. The claims of mail-in fraud seem to have more to do with voter suppression than actual issues with the process of mailing in votes. And Comer's argument that the states should be in control of their elections rings hollow as many state legislatures where Republicans are in charge, including Florida, Georgia and Texas, are moving to take away local control of elections if they don't get their desired results. These states are among the many who are creating laws that may be a prelude to throwing out results if Democrats win in future years, a partial coup by any measure. It seems to be less about keeping control of the elections in the hands of the states and more about keeping the elections in the hands of the Trump sycophants who run those states. How tracking mailed in ballots would be a "momentous change" to our current elections wasn't explained, just asserted. The amendment to track mail-in ballots also passed despite the Republicans objecting to it. Getting Its Money Back While Republicans claim fiscal irresponsibility when faced with spending $8 billion to build electric vehicles, they fail to mention that the Postal Reform Act makes two key changes projected to save an estimated $46 billion over the next 10 years. The two changes were: Requiring all Postal Service employees to enroll in and utilize Medicare at age 65. Medicare then becomes their primary health coverage and their Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (FEHB) becomes their secondary health coverage, lowering Postal Service costs by shifting some of the healthcare costs to Medicare. Most private-sector employers and many state and local governments require employees and retirees with health coverage to enroll in Medicare. Ending the requirement that the Postal Service pre-fund its retiree health benefits for 75 years in advance, an expense born by no other government agency or business in America. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform says that a burdensome congressional mandate from 2006 that forced the Postal Service to pre-fund retirement and health benefits must be lifted for the Postal Service to achieve financial stability. A House Divided While Republicans say spending $8 billion on EVs is fiscally irresponsible, we haven't found evidence of their applauding the $46 billion in savings the Democrats say will flow from the requirement to enroll in Medicare and lifting the pre-funding mandate. And then there's what Speier says would be $2.5 billion saved each year maintaining and fueling gasoline-powered mail trucks. The initial higher outlay for EVs combined with the maintenance and fuel savings is a net savings of about $17 billion over a decade. While the bill was described as bipartisan before last week's mark-up, that's no longer quite true. Postal Service legislation is bipartisan only until it comes to protecting the environment and elections. Then the parties stand divided, the Republicans four square for more spending and more pollution, the Democrats for less pollution and less spending. One thing's for sure: This is not your pre-Trump Congress.
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https://www.rawstory.com/doj-barr/
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Do different opinions make us nervous?
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Ive always had difficulty with endings. I have trouble deciding on a last line, a final word, whether to hug or wave goodbye. In our increasingly rapid return to normalcy, Ive begun to feel a twinge of familiar ending-induced anxiety. Fundamentally, I think endings are difficult because they demarcate changes, significant or minor, permanent or not. Despite the shocking tragedy of the past year and change, a part of me has morphed into the shape of pandemic life. That part is now sticking to its mold even as I try to jiggle it out. To leave this now-familiar routine means closing a chapter and opening a new one: an ending, a change.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259861416852/do-different-opinions-make-us-nervous
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Will The U.S. Nuclear Industry Finally Get Government Help?
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Nuclear energy is a contentious subject in the western world where its future looks increasingly bleak. While nuclear power plants are still the biggest source of carbon-free electricity in most developed countries, the associated risks easily swing voters towards less 'dangerous' sources despite the industry's excellent track record. The new U.S. administration of President Biden needs to develop a clear policy regarding what it intends to do with the countrys aging fleet. According to S&P Global Platts Analytics, roughly 8 GW is slated for retirement while another 5 GW is at high risk of retirement before license expiration. If these plants were to be closed, the replacement, which most likely would come from gas-fired power plants, could produce 39 million mt/year of CO2, or 2 percent of the emissions in 2016. Last month New York's 59-year-old 1.04 GW Indian Point nuclear power plant was already closed. The Biden administration's ambitious climate goals could be at risk of failure if these retirements go through. The U.S. intends to decarbonize by having a carbon-free electricity system by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050. According to a source engaged in talks with the White House, theres a deepening understanding with the administration that it needs nuclear to meet its zero-emissions goals. The worlds largest nuclear power fleet is still in the U.S. where 94 reactors in 28 states produce over 20 percent of the country's electricity. The average age of these plants is 39 years and usually, operating licenses are to run for 40 years with possible extensions. While nuclear seems indispensable for reaching the climate goals, their position is increasingly coming under pressure as they are priced out of the market by cheaper carbon based alternatives. Although renewables have seen remarkable growth over the past decade, it doesn't seem to be enough based on current estimates. According to the EIA, renewables, including hydro, are on track to produce just 40 percent of the country's electricity by 2050. Furthermore, wind and solar have a problem that nuclear could somewhat mitigates: intermittency. The baseline that nuclear power plants produce is a source of stability for the grid and, therefore, for energy security. In general, two factors are driving nuclear power's decline in the U.S. First, public opinion is not favorable due to the necessity for long-term storage of radioactive waste and the fear of accidents such as the one at Three Mile Island. Second, and more importantly, the fracking revolution in the U.S. and the flooding of the market with cheap natural gas have driven down the costs of power generation. In an unregulated market, nuclear power plant exploiters find it difficult the make a profit as the price of natural gas has been roughly $2/MMBtu which is very cheap. The Biden administration, however, is looking for ways to support the industry to reach the climate goals. There are two alternatives. First, a nuclear production tax credit could be used similar comparable to the one supporting wind and solar generation. Second, funding could be provided through the American Nuclear Infrastructure act (or ANIA). According to Alex Gilbert, project manager at thinktank Nuclear Innovation Alliance, "you would spend less overall because the aid would be targeted [trough the ANIA]. There are pros and cons to both, but from my perspective, we at least need one." With the bill plants which are at risk of prematurely shutting down would receive supportive credit. Also, the supply chain needs to be revitalized, new technologies developed, and the regulatory process for licenses cleared from obstacles to make it more predictable and cheaper. Bipartisan support could lead to the further development of the U.S. nuclear industry that promises thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in foreign trade. While this seems promising and a no-regret measure, Washington needs to act now. Energy companies are already warning of closures if the support doesnt materialize in the short term. For example, Exelon Corp. in Illinois might close four reactors at two plants in November if financial support doesnt materialize. Therefore, expect more news from the U.S. nuclear industry in the coming months. By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
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https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Will-The-US-Nuclear-Industry-Finally-Get-Government-Help.html
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Is There A Huge Undisclosed Short In Oil Explorer Reconnaissance Energy Africa?
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One of our picks for the most exiting oil plays of the last decade, Reconnaissance Energy Africa (TSX.V: RECO, OTCMKTS:RECAF) appears it may have come under heavy short selling as revealed in a recent report by Buyins.net. http://www.buyins.com/reports/recaf5-25-21.pdf Since late November 2020, 85,918,776 total shares of the company have been sold short in the U.S., according to the Buyins.net report. That means an average of 57.16% of the companys shares traded every day in the U.S. look like they have been sold short. In Canada, the numbers seem even larger. The report shows that a shocking 113,188,174 shares of the company have been sold short since May 24, 2016 (inferred from US short selling average in RECAF). That number tells an even more surprising story in combination with the charts below that we think expose the truth: the majority of this short position may have started in the middle of 2020. And with ReconAfrica expected to announce results from Well 2 within the next 4 weeks and if those results are good, which the companys management seems very confident about, then Short sellers may not have a long time to get out of their huge position. We think these charts tell the real story and the current state of play, but its important investors understand the following: There are 4 trade identifiers buying, selling, shorting and covering. The numbers above, however, report that 57.16% of trading in the companys shares is short selling. As a result, that would mean that only 42.67% is divided amongst the other 3 trade identifiers. If you divide this by 3, it appears only 16% is covering every day. Only 16% is buying, and only 16% is selling. If only 16% is covering every day, then there is 3.5 times more short-selling than covering. We called Tom Ronk of Buyins.net after the report came out to dig deeper into the numbers. He told us this could be one of the larger short positions (as a % of total volume) he has come across in his experience recently. He believes the total undisclosed short position in ReconAfricas shares across Canada and the U.S. could be in the tens of millions of shares. Ronk further explained to us that the VWAP (Value Weighted Average Position) of the short in the U.S. is $3.78, while in Canada, the VWAP is $3.28 CAD. This would mean that the short sellers, at this moment in time, are already out a whopping $4.50 per share. If the numbers in the charts above and the tables below are correct, whoever is shorting could be down by hundreds of millions of dollars. And that is only if the stock stays at the price it is right now. If the company were to release positive news in the near future, we could see the short squeeze continue. But in our view the market participants that are shorting the stock are not the only ones at fault here. Market makers appear to be violating the fair market making requirement from 2008. By the SECs own reports, daily short selling historically averaged 25%. In this case, the total shares reported to be shorted are more than double that figure. There is more to this story and we will continue to update you. The tables below appear to bring the full story into even clearer focus: Facing potential losses like this, we think hedge funds wont be taking this position lightly. Thats where things could get dangerous. Because of that, they may have to get aggressive. Indeed, it appears that there is possibly already a major short-and-distort / smear campaign going--a standard tool of short sellers to create panic and drive the stock price down. In a recent announcement by ReconAfrica, the company says National Geographic is facilitating activist short sellers to destabilize its stock. If true, in our view this would represent a terrifying escalation of aggression by hedge funds. (There is also a theory on one stock forum speculating that Canadian based hedge funds may be the culprits of the distort campaign.) Its not typical for a reputable magazine such as National Geographic to mess around with small-cap oil exploration stocks, and it appears that someone made a complaint to the SEC about Recon Africa and that National Geographic ran with it as if it were an actual investigation. Anyone can complain to the SEC, and the general consensus is likely that National Geographic should stick to what it does best and avoid involving themselves unwittingly in what appears to us to be stock price manipulation. There also appears to us to have been a number of baseless lawsuits that suddenly cropped up very conveniently as soon as the National Geographic article came out. Their origins may also prompt many questions that should interest regulators, including whether the law firms involved have relationships with certain Canadian hedge funds that are rumored to have masterminded this. Not only do we think that what has taken place with the alleged aggressive shorting and smear campaign is manipulative, but it may ultimately damage Canadas capital markets and their reputation on the international stage as a financial center. It could also cause huge damage to investor confidence in Canadas capital markets if investors believed that the playing field is not fair and never has been, and is not likely to be anytime soon, given a lack of regulatory oversight. Canadian regulators recently announced they will be cracking down on naked short selling, but the exact timing of these actions remains unclear. To understand more about what investors and companies may be up against with naked short sellers, watch these videos on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKXWvEpnN34 https://youtu.be/2rJujnpKiqM https://youtube.com/watch?v=KHnpPfWdf78&feature=share According to BUYINS.NET, it has consolidated the tape of all 14 US stock exchanges. This includes the batch prints from approximately 47 dark pools (ATS) in the US. By merging all the SELL SHORT trade identifiers into 1 central database and sorting by stock symbol, BUYINS.NET is able to see the universal set of short data including exempt market maker short sales. Total Short Interest only includes non-exempt short sales that have not yet covered. It misses a majority of the total shares shorted data that BUYINS.NET compiles. This data is then used as the analog for Canadian total shares shorted information. Because Canadian regulators still do not allow exchanges to provide the SELL SHORT trade identifier data, the best data scientists can do is infer the data using the % of total trading volume that is sold short in the US and overlaying that on the Canadian time series price and volume data. Keep your eye on this name as we will be updating readers with any news as it comes in. Other companies that have drawn significant short-seller interest: Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) is a space tourism company with big ambitions. It has attracted many investors as well as celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ashton Kutcher, and Justin Bieber. The company also offers an astronaut program that provides opportunities for astronauts from all around the world to become a part of history. More than 600 people in over 60 nations have spent roughly $80 million to reserve seats on Branson's rocketships in hopes of being the first to gain access to this unique new service. But that hasnt protected it from the naysayers. Virgin Galactic has been one of the most-targeted companies for short sellers this year. Considering the companys continued losses and the delay of a key flight, their skepticism is understandable. Others, however, are more optimistic about the companys future. As with anything in the space industry, what it has planned may not always pan out as expected. But that doesnt mean there isnt upside. Once Virgin Galactics flights are proven and stable for public use, the revenue should start pouring in. Gamestops (NYSE:GME) that rather dull video game retailer that seemed to more or less be treading water even before the pandemic, has suddenly become so wildly volatile that Robinhood had to limit trades. The company had been struggling to stay afloat, and until earlier this year, many thought it may never recover. The company's share price dropped so low that some traders began shorting its stock -- borrowing shares from someone else then selling them as if they owned them with the understanding they'll buy back at a lower price or return those borrowed shares later without having paid anything. And as more short sellers piled into GameStop, the company's share prices continued to decline; but that wasn't the end of the story. Earlier this year, a rogue group of Redditors came to the aid of the struggling stock, sending its share price into the stratosphere and shedding new light on Gamestop's future. Since the company's insane run-up from $17 in mid-November to its January high of $450, Gamestop has become a turning point for a growing number of investors who dislike the concept of short selling. In fact, short-sellers lost billions of dollars on Gamestop, a move that has empowered retail investors and a new generation of traders. . It was a challenge Wall Street never thought it would be up against, and the claws have come out, and this is where we see the short-sellers show their true colors. The whole ordeal shined a light on the broken industry. U.S. Representative from California Ro Khannna even stepped up, supporting the small investors rights to buy just like hedge funds. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has faced a long road in its dramatic rise to the top. Elon Musks vision has helped the company expand into new markets, including solar energy, battery production, and space exploration. However, Tesla is no stranger to criticism. Short sellers have repeatedly targeted Tesla, but it hasn't always worked out in their favor. In fact, CEO Elon Musk is notoriously anti-short seller. In a series of tweets, Musk asked, Who wears short shorts?, and said that Tesla will make fabulous short shorts in radiant red satin with gold trim, and Will send some to the Shortseller Enrichment Commission to comfort them through these difficult times. And that wasnt Elons last jab at the SEC, either. Musk has a history of taunting the SEC on Twitter, and some of his tweets essentially disclosing information about Tesla cost him several millions of U.S. dollars in fines. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AMC), a holding company with investments in movie theaters and entertainment venues, has also seen its share of attention in recent weeks. The company operates through two segments: Domestic Theaters and International & Other Theaters. AMC's basic business model, which includes owning movie theaters and entertainment venues instead of running them, leaves it especially susceptible to an event like the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, many theaters closed their doors forever. And that was obviously picked up by short sellers. Short sellers hit AMC particularly hard last year, but, like in the Gamestop saga, the shorts were met with the full wrath of Reddit. Since the initial flood of news, AMC has become a cult-stock for many. All you need to do is spend 5 minutes on #FinTwit to see that. And though the company has seen an influx of support from shareholders, it is still facing an uphill battle. AirBNB (NASDAQ:ABNB) is another stock that has come under fire in recent weeks. The travel-dependent company was slammed with COVID-19, and as such, short sellers took aim, hoping to make a gain on its struggles. But short sellers may just have their days numbered. Over half of the U.S population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, and close to 38% have been fully vaccinated which is means states and tourism is opening back up. And thats good news for AirBnb. In addition to tourism slowly beginning to return to normal, Airbnb is prepping for a new round of earnings, and they could be even bigger than the last. AirBnB has already been showing signs of improvement in sales over the last quarterand with more and more people getting vaccinated, its earnings could continue top grow. It wasnt so long ago that analysts and investors alike were ready to write off their losses and give up on electric vehicle manufacturer Nio Inc (NYSE:NIO)In fact, there were even rumors that the automaker was on the brink of bankruptcy. But the Chinese Tesla rival powered on, blew away estimates, and most importantly, kept its balance sheet in line. And its efforts have paid off - in a big way. Short sellers loved this stockuntil they didnt anymore. From near-bankruptcy to 1000% gains, short sellers that bet against Nio were burned in the process. Nio has made all the right moves over the past year to turn heads on the streets and in the marketplace... From its stunningly beautiful - and fast - EP9 supercar to its new line of family-friendly high-performance sedans, Nio is well on its way to retaking control of its local market from Elon Musks electric vehicle giant. The company has seen its share price soar from $3.24 at the start of 2020 to a high of $50 earlier this year before falling back to its current price of $34.88. Canadas pot stocks have long-been a target for short sellers. As the worlds third-largest marijauana company, Aphria Inc (NASDAQ:APHA, TSX:APHA), an Ontario-based marijuana giant currently has operations in 10 countries and distributes legal medical marijuana across the planet. And thanks to its unique approach to this emerging market, Aphria has proven itself to be resilient even amidst the global pandemic that has left many of its peers hurting. Largely impacted by rumors and news, Aphria is a super-volatile stock, but that doesnt mean the short attack is reasonable. While Aphria, and pot stocks in general, remain in a sort of gray area as some of their largest markets, there are a number of bullish factors to be considered. Legalization isnt just a pipe-dream anymore. In fact, its almost a certainty. And when the floodgates finally do open, Aphria could emerge as one of the biggest winners. One way Aphria has set itself apart in this turbulent market is through its acquisition of SweetWater Brewing, one of Americas largest craft breweries. Aphria Chairman and CEO Irwin Simon explained, We will establish and grow our U.S. presence through SweetWater's robust, profitable platform of craft brewing innovation, manufacturing, marketing and distribution expertise. At the same time, we will build brand awareness for our adult-use cannabis brands, Broken Coast, Good Supply, Riff and Solei, through our participation in the growing $29 billion craft brew market in the U.S. ahead of potential future state or federal cannabis legalization. Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX:WEED) like many of its peers, started the year off with a bang, rising to nearly $50 in mid-February. That didnt last long, however, as the industry hype wore off and short-sellers invaded the market, Canopy came back to earth, settling at todays prices. Despite this, however, Canopy is still a solid buy in the cannabis industry thanks to its massive partnerships. David Klein, CEO of Canopy Growth, noted of its long-held partnership with Constellation, This additional investment validates the work our team has done since attracting the initial investment in 2017. It also strengthens our ability to pursue the immense market and product opportunities available to Canopy in Canada, the US and other key global markets. Westshore Terminals (TSX:WTE) is a coal export terminal located at Roberts Bank Superport in Delta British Columbia. It is Canada's largest coal export facility, surpassing the combined coal shipments of all other terminals in Canada. Short sellers are eying at like Westshore Terminals based on a simple fact: theyre in the coal business. And the coal business is living on borrowed time. Though the fossil fuel industry isnt quite down for the count just yet, coal is seeing a major decline that is only going to get worse over time. And without a significant pivot, Westshore will need a miracle to survive. By. Charlie Danes **IMPORTANT! BY READING OUR CONTENT YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY** Forward-Looking Statements. Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of Recon. All discussion of short sales numbers and consequences and future events resulting from the short sales are our opinions based on what we believe to be reliable information, but we have not fact checked and we are not qualified financial analysts. All estimates and statements with respect to Recons operations, its plans and projections, size of potential oil reserves, comparisons to other oil producing fields, oil prices, recoverable oil, production targets, production and other operating costs and likelihood of oil recoverability, as well as the potential impact of exploration results on the Companys valuation and the market for its securities are forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation: risks associated with oil and gas exploration, including drilling and other exploration activities, timing of reports, development, exploitation and production, geological risks, marketing and transportation, availability of adequate funding, volatility of commodity prices, imprecision of reserve and resource estimates, environmental risks, competition from other producers, government regulation, dates of commencement of production and changes in the regulatory and taxation environment. Actual results may vary materially from the information provided in this document, and there is no representation that the actual results realized in the future will be the same in whole or in part as those presented herein. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements are also set forth in filings that Recon and its technical analysts have made. We undertake no obligation, except as otherwise required by law, to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law. Exploration for hydrocarbons is a highly speculative venture necessarily involving substantial risk. Recon's future success will depend on its ability to develop its current properties and on its ability to discover resources that are capable of commercial production. However, there is no assurance that Recon's future exploration and development efforts will result in the discovery or development of commercial accumulations of oil and natural gas. In addition, even if hydrocarbons are discovered, the costs of extracting and delivering the hydrocarbons to market and variations in the market price may render uneconomic any discovered deposit. Geological conditions are variable and unpredictable. Even if production is commenced from a well, the quantity of hydrocarbons produced inevitably will decline over time, and production may be adversely affected or may have to be terminated altogether if Recon encounters unforeseen geological conditions. Adverse climatic conditions at such properties may also hinder Recon's ability to carry on exploration or production activities continuously throughout any given year. DISCLAIMERS ADVERTISEMENT. This communication is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Oilprice.com, Advanced Media Solutions Ltd, and their owners, managers, employees, and assigns (collectively, the Company) have not been paid by Recon for this article, but has been paid for a promotional campaign in the past and may again be paid in the future. As the Company has been paid and may again be paid in future by Recon for promotional activity, there is a major conflict with our ability to be unbiased, more specifically: This communication is for entertainment purposes only. Never invest purely based on our communication. We have not been compensated for this particular article but may in the future be compensated to conduct investor awareness advertising and marketing for TSXV:RECO. Therefore, this communication should be viewed as a commercial advertisement only. We have not investigated the background of the company. Frequently companies profiled in our alerts experience a large increase in volume and share price during the course of investor awareness marketing, which often end as soon as the investor awareness marketing ceases. The information in our communications and on our website has not been independently verified and is not guaranteed to be correct. SHARE OWNERSHIP. The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares of this featured company and therefore has an additional incentive to see the featured companys stock perform well. The owner of Oilprice.com will not notify the market when it decides to buy more or sell shares of this issuer in the market. The owner of Oilprice.com will be buying and selling shares of this issuer for its own profit. This is why we stress that you conduct extensive due diligence as well as seek the advice of your financial advisor or a registered broker-dealer before investing in any securities. NOT AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and consult with a licensed investment professional before making an investment. This communication should not be used as a basis for making any investment. RISK OF INVESTING. Investing is inherently risky. Don't trade with money you can't afford to lose. This is neither a solicitation nor an offer to Buy/Sell securities. No representation is being made that any stock acquisition will or is likely to achieve profits.
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https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Is-There-A-Huge-Undisclosed-Short-In-Oil-Explorer-Reconnaissance-Energy-Africa.html
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Does Mizzou have depth concerns at wide receiver?
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This is the way of the world in sports. Geno gets paid $2.4 million a year to deal with these headaches - and he's also free to add anyone else's transfers to his roster. I heard Mack Brown's comments about his QB who said that he didn't want to receive payments from NIL because he didn't want other players to be upset he was getting paid (more). Make the pay out in the open, stop all the clandestine payments. No good comes from secret bag men. A: I think it comes down to fans, coaches and media just being resistant to change or scared of change. Remember, a few years ago college ADs were trying to convince us that the whole system would implode if athletes were given full cost of attendance payments to supplement their scholarships. The Mack Brown/Sam Howell comment was ridiculous if you think about all the college sports that don't offer full scholarships to all their athletes. Baseball players and softball players all take home different kinds of athletic scholarships. Full scholarships, half scholarships, quarter scholarships, etc. Of course not. I assume not everyone in the Post-Dispatch sports department makes the same amount of money. Of course not. NIL is a reflection of how the real world works in a free market. Dave Matter brings you the latest updates from the Mizzou sports scene. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
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https://www.stltoday.com/sports/subscriber/does-mizzou-have-depth-concerns-at-wide-receiver/article_12e67bef-1d34-5d26-b0f6-a5d5d5e75f51.html
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Will 30x30 Initiative to Protect Land and Water Gain Traction?
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The Biden administration's 30x30 goal to fight climate change by creating new national wildlife refuges, national parks, and wilderness areas won't be possible without congressional action. (nmwild.org) By Roz Brown - Producer, Contact SANTA FE, N.M. -- The 30x30 initiative, also called the "America the Beautiful" campaign, aims to preserve 30% of the nation's 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 what's 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 state's general fund in 2020. Kim Pope, Southwest region campaign representative for the Sierra Club, said nonetheless, New Mexico may have the most to gain from the 30x30 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 it's 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 country's 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 30x30 goal.
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https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2021-05-27/environment/will-30x30-initiative-to-protect-land-and-water-gain-traction/a74430-1
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Can employers force staff to return to work in person?
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A man types on a computer keyboard in this photo illustration. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Those soon-to-be lifted restrictions include capacity limits, so businesses will be allowed to return to 100 percent capacity. This means that employees can return to work. 22News spoke to John Gannon, a labor and employment law expert from Skoler Abbott, about whether workplaces can fire employees for not returning. Massachusetts is called an at-will state, meaning employers have to have any reason or no reason to terminate someones employment, as long as that reason is lawful. And if someone decides- Im not going back to work and doesnt have a valid legal reason for not returning, then yeah they could be subject from termination of employment, Gannon said. Employees will need to provide documentation from a medical provider if they cant return to work for at-risk health reasons. Additionally, Gannon asked that employers should still give their staff the option to wear a mask if they feel more comfortable doing so.
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https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/can-employers-force-staff-to-return-to-work-in-person/
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Is Private Health Insurance Worthwhile For Young Aussies?
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Since 2015, the share of younger people (aged 20 to 39) with private health insurance has dropped from 24% to 22%. People in this age group contribute more in insurance premiums than they claim in pay-outs. So this decline ends up pushing prices up for the 44% of Australians with private insurance. And new private health insurance coverage data shows this trend continuing. Our latest Grattan report outlines a four-step plan to stop this trajectory and fix the private health insurance system. The first step is preventing insurers increasing premiums if they cannot demonstrate the policy offers value for money. An ageing population, increased use of health services, and rising health-care costs are driving up the benefits insurers have to pay out each year. As pay-outs increase, insurers raise premiums, to recoup these costs. Rising premiums make health insurance less affordable and less attractive particularly to younger and healthier people. As younger, healthier people drop their insurance, the insurance risk pool gets worse; people who hold insurance are older and more likely to use their benefits and use them to a greater value. This increases the cost of premiums, younger people drop out, and the death spiral starts again. The chart shows the overall trends in private health insurance over the past six years. Over this time period, the number of people with private health insurance over 65 who are likely to draw on their health insurance, receiving more in benefit pay-outs than they pay in premiums has increased dramatically. At the same time, the numbers in all other age groups is declining, albeit with a slight uptick in the September quarter of 2020, possibly associated with people being allowed to defer premium payments during the COVID crisis. The picture is particularly stark for 20 to 39-year-olds. People in this group make the pool of people insured less risky overall. So far, policy tweaks have failed In 2017 the federal government announced several rearrangements of private health insurance deckchairs to make the product more affordable or to encourage young people into insurance. This included: simplified gold/silver/bronze/basic labelling of products increasing excesses from A$500 to $750 for singles, and double that for families. Premiums are lower for people who accept higher excesses to reduce premiums premium discounts from 2% for 29-year-olds to 10% for 18 to 25-year-olds. But these initiatives have failed to entice young people into private health insurance. Our report proposes four key changes to: 1. Address premium increases, which are currently too great and too frequent. Over the past 20 years, private health insurance premiums have grown faster than inflation, faster than health-specific inflation, and faster than wages. If people want to keep their same level of insurance, they have to fork out more and more. Insurers that wont or cant offer their customers value for money should not be allowed to raise their premiums. A new private health industry plan could reinforce the incentives for insurers to improve their claims ratios. This is the proportion of premium revenue returned to members in the form of benefits. The health minister could also require funds to provide additional justification for a proposed increase if the proportion of their premiums returned to members is worse than the average claims ratio. 2. Reduce private hospital costs. Unnecessarily long stays and examples of low- or no-value care are more common in private hospitals than in public ones. This drives up the cost of private hospital care. A new private health industry plan should create incentives for private hospitals to become more efficient. One way to do this would be for insurers to pay private hospitals in a similar way to how government funds public hospitals. This would mean insurers pay private hospitals for the patients they treat, not for how long patients stay in hospital or the other services hospitals provide. Improving private hospital efficiency and reducing low- or no-value care could reduce premiums by 5%. 3. Reduce out-of-pocket costs. Out-of-pocket costs on medical bills are often in the hundreds of dollars, and sometimes in the thousands. In 2019-20, the average medical out-of-pocket cost was $544, and the average hospital out-of-pocket cost was $411. Out-of-pocket costs are a major source of peoples dissatisfaction with private health insurance, and astonishingly high billing by a minority of doctors is a major cause of these costs. Comprehensive, public information on fees and costs would help. But even that is unlikely to significantly reduce the size and prevalence of out-of-pocket costs, because patients face an inherent power imbalance when dealing with doctors. A new private health industry plan should include the structural reform required to reduce surprise out-of-pocket payments. This may come about through downward pressure on medical bills, or with more deals between doctors and insurers to bridge the gap. 4. Reduce the price private insurers pay for medical devices. Surgically implanted medical devices include hip and knee replacement devices, cardiac stents and pacemakers. Currently, medical device manufacturers and importers, and private hospitals charge more than twice as much for these as public hospitals, a nice gravy train which they lobbied health minister Greg Hunt to retain. This years budget revealed the minister backed down on a plan to reduce the cost of health insurance premiums by stopping medical device rorts. The budget announced yet another process of investigation and analysis, rather than making the tough decisions to end the excess charging, which would allow cuts in private health insurance premiums. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
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https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2021/05/is-private-health-insurance-worthwhile-for-young-aussies/
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Why Arent Fog Lights Standard on New Cars?
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Modern lighting technology boosts visibility when youre driving through the fog Photo: StockSnap via Pixabay If youre shopping for a new vehicle with the latest lighting technology, you might be hard-pressed to find one that has fog lights. Weve done some digging to find out exactly what happened to fog lights and why the newest cars dont include them as a standard feature. Confident Travels: Discover the benefits of OnStar Defining fog lights Fog lights can be helpful but newer lighting tech is rendering them obsolete Photo: llulila via Pixabay If youre not familiar with fog lights, theyre auxiliary lights that some cars have to supplement the illumination that comes from the headlights. Fog lights are positioned low on the bumper and they angle toward the ground. Per MotorBiscuits Matthew Skwarczek, theyre designed to shed light on the road instead of the water particles that comprise the fog youre driving through. Interestingly enough, cars can have either front fog lights or rear fog lights, as DriveSafe Online shares. Rear fog lights provide illumination when backing up in foggy conditions. They also help the drivers behind your vehicle see your car more clearly in foggy weather. Why theyre becoming obsolete New lighting technology is the main reason that fog lights are starting to become pass on new cars. Its more common to find models equipped with lidar, infrared sensors, and daytime running lights, as Skwarczek confirms. Some vehicles have adaptive headlights, which turn their beams in the direction youre steering in and automatically adjust their intensity to boost visibility in dim driving conditions. In addition, fog lights arent a mandatory car feature here in the States. Not only does the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration not regulate them, but this organization views them as supplementary lighting equipment. Read about a cool new tech that uses sub-terahertz wavelengths to help driverless cars operate safer in foggy weather. Then learn about a new sensor system that helps prevent windshields from fogging up. Schedule a service appointment to improve your cars illumination
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https://thenewswheel.com/why-arent-fog-lights-standard-on-new-cars/
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What did Heather Morris say about Lea Michele?
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HEATHER Morris, who appeared in the hit Fox musical series Glee alongside Lea Michele, has spoken out about her former co-star. Michele had previously been accused by actress Samantha Ware of making her life "a living hell" on the set of the show. Heather Morris spoke about the allegations against Glee co-star Lea Michele while appearing on the Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino podcast in May of 2021. "It's like, we absolutely could have stepped up and gone to the Fox execs and said how we felt about the situation and nobody really did," Morris said during the interview, according to E! News. "So now we are living in a culture where it's acceptable to go do things like that, whereas I think many people were very scared. "I know, genuinely, I didn't feel like it was my place and I don't know why, because I was a cast member just like everybody else, and we all deserve to feel comfortable on a set." 4 Lea Michele in 2018 Credit: AP The meal-kit company HelloFresh severed its partnership with Michele after Ware's tweet went viral in 2020. Morris tweeted at the time: "Let me be very clear, Hate is a disease in America that we are trying to cure, so I would never wish for that hate to be spread to anyone else. Very much so; for Lea to treat others with the disrespect that she did for as long as she did, I believe she SHOULD be called out." Morris added: "And yet, it's also on us because to allow it to go on for so long without speaking out is something else we're learning along with the rest of society. 4 Heather Morris in 2019 Credit: Getty "But, at the current moment its implied that she is a racist and although I cannot comment on her beliefs, I think we're assuming, and you know what happens when we all assume..." Morris remarked on the Danny Pellegrino podcast that she got "so much shade" for writing that tweet about the controversy. "... Because people were like, 'This is so f***ing cryptic,' like, 'Why don't you just go and say it?' "I'm like, 'Guys, she's pregnant, and all this stuff is going around, and ... it's true." 4 Morris at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles in 2011 Credit: AFP Michele, who is married to Zandy Reich, gave birth to her son in August of 2020. She would apologize for her behavior despite admitting she didn't "remember" the incident Ware spoke about. "One of the most important lessons of the last few weeks is that we need to take the time to listen and learn about other people's perspectives and any role we have played or anything we can do to help address injustices they face," her statement read. Most read in Celebrity ADD-NG THE POUNDS Kourtney Kardashian claims she gained 10 pounds in lockdown Exclusive FISHING ROD ARod 'contacted Madison LeCroy to meet up after JLo split but she ignored him' 'RUDE!' Kendall slammed as 'so rich & spoiled' for returning Kourtney's Hermes gift FIANCES TURNED FOES JLo & ARod 'not speaking' because he feels 'rage' over Ben rebound CLAY'S MOMENT Meet Rush Limbaugh's replacement Clay Travis Exclusive NOT OVER YET Brad 'delighted' with custody win but 'on guard' against more of Ang's attacks "When I tweeted the other day, it was meant to be a show of support for our friends and neighbors and communities of color during this really difficult time... "But the responses I received to what I posted have made me also focus on how my own behavior towards fellow cast members was perceived by them." Ware made the allegations after Michele tweeted about George Floyd's death.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2971924/heather-morris-lea-michele-glee-samantha-ware/
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Who is Mike The Situation Sorrentinos wife and how many children do they have?
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MIKE "The Situation" Sorrentino is married to Lauren Pesce and they have a newborn son. Lauren gave birth to little Romeo on May 26, 2021. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and wife Lauren have one child - a newborn son named Romeo. They had announced they were expecting during an episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. Romeo Reign Sorrentino, the couple captioned their baby's Instagram post. The baby weighed in at six pounds, eight ounces, and measured 19 inches. Mike had sobbed as the couple shared the exciting news of the upcoming birth with the Jersey Shore cast during the most recent season. 2 Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino in 2015 Credit: Getty - Contributor "We have a Baby Situation," he captioned a photo of the announcement. The couple married in 2018, and previous efforts to have a child resulted in a miscarriage. "We're doing OK," Lauren told ET at the time. "[Mike] leads our family by example, with going through our past tragedies and trying to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off. "I looked at him lost when this happened, like, 'I don't know what to do, I don't know how to recover from this.' And he just kept doing the next right thing. Most read in Celebrity ADD-NG THE POUNDS Kourtney Kardashian claims she gained 10 pounds in lockdown Exclusive FISHING ROD ARod 'contacted Madison LeCroy to meet up after JLo split but she ignored him' 'RUDE!' Kendall slammed as 'so rich & spoiled' for returning Kourtney's Hermes gift FIANCES TURNED FOES JLo & ARod 'not speaking' because he feels 'rage' over Ben rebound CLAY'S MOMENT Meet Rush Limbaugh's replacement Clay Travis Exclusive NOT OVER YET Brad 'delighted' with custody win but 'on guard' against more of Ang's attacks "You get ready for the day. You're just one day at a time, and we're almost a month later, and I'm doing a lot better." Mike served time behind bars and was ordered to complete 500 hours of community service after facing prison for tax invasion. Sorrentino joins Jersey Shore co-stars Jenni "JWoww" Farley and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi as parents.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2972084/mike-the-situation-sorrentino-wife-baby-romeo/
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Did Kim Kardashian test positive for Covid-19?
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REALITY television star Kim Kardashian is known for documenting her life on the series Keeping Up With the Kardashians. During this week's episode, that aired on May 27, Kim revealed to fans that she did not pass the baby bar exam but also made another revelation. Kim revealed during the episode, that was filmed in November, that her son Saint, 5, tested positive for Covid-19. Kim said her children were tested weekly because they attend school. Kim said her and her daughter, North, 7, were not feeling well. "We took tests right before I went to bed and when I woke up in the morning the tests you know came back positive," Kim told the cameras. Kim said she was supposed to study up to 12 hours a day leading up to the baby bar exam in order to retake it. 4 Kim Kardashian studying for the baby bar Credit: Instagram However, she said she was feeling so sick and "so awful with Covid that I can hardly get out of bed and study." "I have bodyaches," Kim said. The show then revealed it had to shut production for 14 days so the crew and the Kardashians could quarantine. Kim filmed herself during that time. Despite feeling sick, Kim took the baby bar. "I am so tired, Kim said during the episode. "I did it though. I pulled through. After sharing she studied "ten and a half hours" a day, Kim said: "Because I'm in law school in an untraditional way, after year one you have to take the baby bar, which is a one day version of the bar." The 40-year-old reality star continued: "The test is seven hours long and has four hour long essays that you have to write and then it has 300 multiple choice questions.. However, it was revealed that Kim did not pass the baby bar. During the Keeping Up With the Kardashian episode that aired on May 27, Kim announced to her sisters Kourtney and Khloe that she did not pass her exam, E! reported. 4 Kim Kardashian revealed she did not pass the baby bar exam Credit: E! "So you guys, I did not pass the baby bar," Kim says. "If you are doing law school the way I'm doing it, it is a four-year program instead of your typical three-year program," Kim says. "And after year one, you have to take the baby bar. This would actually harder, I hear, than the official bar." Kim's mentor, attorney Jessica Jackson, explains that Kim needs at least a 560 to pass the first-year law student exam, but the SKIMS founder got a 474 on her first try. However, the reality star took it a second time. She said during Thursday's episode her father inspired her to continue following her dream of becoming a lawyer. The inspiration came after Kanye West got her a real life hologram of her late dad, Robert Kardashian, and used his voice to rely a message to his daughter even though he passed nearly two decades ago. The whole family immediately began to sob, and Kim confessed it motivated her to continue with law. Hearing my dad talk to me about law school and my journey was the sign I needed to really continue my journey. 4 Kim Kardashian told fans in an Instagram Stories that she was planning on taking the baby bar exam again Credit: AFP Even though it was a hologram, it was a metaphor of him being truly proud of me. So watching that convinced me to do the baby bar again, she said. People reported Kim discussed her exam with her followers on Instagram earlier this week. She told fans she hadn't passed the exam yet but was not giving up. "I'm preparing to take it again soon," she wrote. The outlet reported the next exam in the state of California was being held in June. Most read in Celebrity ADD-NG THE POUNDS Kourtney Kardashian claims she gained 10 pounds in lockdown Exclusive FISHING ROD ARod 'contacted Madison LeCroy to meet up after JLo split but she ignored him' 'RUDE!' Keeping up with the Kardashians' final season premiered on Thursday, March 18 on the E! network. The series will continue to air weekly every Thursday night. Fans can also catch up on all the previous seasons via the network's website. The last episode of the series will air on June 10.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2972212/kim-kardashian-tests-positive-for-covid-19/
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Who Is Caroline In Evil Stepmom Lifetime Movie?
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The protagonists of the Lifetime movie Evil Stepmom are twin girls Annabelle (Hannah VandenBygaart) and Gabriella (Julia Lalonde). Gabrielle worries that Annabelle is rushing their widowed father Tim (Randy Thomas) back into dating. Without his permission, Annabelle sets up a dating profile for him! Soon after, a new girl at school Bethany (Emily Clarke) shows up on the twins soccer team with her gorgeous blond mom Caroline (Tara Spencer-Nairn) in tow. The two parents Tm and Caroline hit it off but Gabriella is suspicious of how quickly things are moving. Her suspicious are right Caroline and Bethany are up to no good! Tara Spencer-Nairn is best known for her role as Karen on the Canadian comedy TV series Corner Gas. The mother of two boys is keeping fit as seen in the photo below. Evil Stepmom premieres on Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) on Friday, May 28 at 8 pm.
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https://2paragraphs.com/2021/05/who-is-caroline-in-evil-stepmom-lifetime-movie/
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How did the Angels' Shohei Ohtani end up on BART? And why isn't he pitching against A's?
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Shohei Ohtani does extraordinary things on a baseball field, but in the face of Bay Area traffic, he is just like the rest of us. Ohtani, the Angels two-way star, was scratched from his pitching start Thursday against the As after he was delayed commuting from the team hotel in San Francisco to the Coliseum. Angels manager Joe Maddon told reporters a team bus hit traffic on the Bay Bridge due to an accident. The bus turned around and Angels personnel on it took BART to the ballpark instead. For us, Shoheis most comfortable because hes pretty much regimented to get everything going at about 4 oclock for a start, so it was exceeded by maybe an hour, Maddon said. Maddon said that an issue with the transformer on the BART added to the delay. BART appeared to take exception in a response on Twitter. First, wow, what an honor to host a baseball superstar like Shohei Ohtani on BART, the agency wrote. We did not experience any issues on our end. We confirmed with Operations Control Center there was no delay for any Coliseum-heading train during the Bay Bridge incident. The Angels delay could have been worse. Plan C I think wouldve been to fly from San Francisco to Oakland somehow, Maddon said, and they wouldve been here tomorrow. Teams in the Bay Area to play the As often stay in San Francisco. Maddon said his teams stayed in Oakland sometimes back in the day but likely wont return to that just because of Thursday. I dont think one instance should merit all that adjustment, Maddon said. And Im not going to take sides with San Francisco and Oakland right now, either. Im not going to upset the Chamber of Commerce. Maddon was also asked his thoughts on commuting to games by gondola, as the As have suggested one linked to their proposed Howard Terminal ballpark at Oaklands waterfront. You mean, like, are we talking like Venice or something more 2021ish? Maddon said. Dont they have bunch of dudes rowing across the Bay? he added. Im not too into that. It would have to be a more significant method. Anyway, Ohtani is now scheduled to pitch Friday against the As and was added to the Angels lineup for Thursdays game at designated hitter. The As faced left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval instead. Matt Kawahara covers the As for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @matthewkawahara
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/athletics/article/How-did-the-Angels-Shohei-Ohtani-end-up-on-16209059.php
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Can reckless speeders be stopped?
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By Mike Genet [email protected] The Examiner No matter what efforts law enforcement might take to curb aggressive or dangerous driving, Sgt. Andy Bell of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says, driving is a privilege, not a right, and drivers must take responsibility for their actions. Unfortunately, lack of responsibility can cause tragic crashes such as the one last week in Independence that killed 41-year-old Christina Pappas and seriously injured her 19-year-old daughter. They were westbound on U.S. 40, blocks west of Blue Ridge Boulevard when, according to Independence Police, an eastbound Porsche driven by Martin Withers of Kansas City veered into the westbound lanes at high speed to try to pass traffic. Withers, 32, also died in the ensuing collision. According to the gofundme.com account started by Pappas friends, her 15-year-old son received the call about his mothers death on his birthday. Court records show Withers had a warrant for failure to appear in court for charges of driving with a suspended license and resisting arrest. More:Victims of two fatal wrecks identified While Eastern Jackson County might not have the obvious instances of crowds randomly and illegally blocking off street blocks for racing or doughnuts, such as Kansas City has witnessed at times over the past year, officers know or can learn of streets and areas where cars tend to speed, sometimes even in an organized racing manner. Lt. Joe Fanara of the Blue Springs Police Department explained how the departments three radar trailers can be placed around the city to glean information to aid patrol efforts. Police can learn speeds, averages and heavier time frames of those speeds. It gives us a lot of information so we can deploy officers better, he said. Fanara said his department also invites citizens to call police and alert them of severe speeding or dangerous driving in a neighborhood or on a certain street. Besides the usual radar gun set-ups, police also might do some saturation patrols or set up a DUI checkpoint during times of higher traffic and travel, such as the imminent Memorial Day weekend. Many times, those local efforts are covered by state or federal government grants or reimbursement. More:Solar adds to city's power portfolio at a cost Bell, whos with Highway Patrol Troop A in Lees Summit, said the Patrol first commits to public education using social media and visiting places to emphasize traffic safety and share information. Patrol efforts include routine patrols in densely traveled areas, speed saturations, motorcycles and increased patrol during peak travel times to greater visibility and ideally deterrence. Independence Mayor Eileen Weir said she knows there are certain multilane boulevards and thoroughfares in the city where speeding can be common, and even at times Blue Ridge Boulevard in front of her home. She has long bemoaned one of the effects of Missouri Senate Bill 5, passed after traffic enforcement inequities brought to light by the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo. people with municipal court tickets dont show up to court and police have no immediate recourse. Not only can it harm a city budget, but it also can embolden traffic offenders. I know from our prosecutor, from our cops, from the judge, she said, word gets out, and (offenders) know through the grapevine if they get a ticket they dont have to come to court. Repeat offenders, the cops know who they are, and theyre able to bring charges against people and they dont receive any penalty. Maybe they catch them later on something else. Still, Weir says she has a difficult time making a direct correlation between that ongoing battle between municipalities and the state and the circumstances of many serious crashes. Ultimately, she said, people who behave recklessly dont care about the consequences, no matter what.
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https://www.examiner.net/story/news/local/2021/05/27/can-reckless-speeders-stopped/5238376001/
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Will Floribama Shore's Feuding Roomies Take Snooki And JWOWW's Advice?
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The girls said Gus and Jeremiah need to 'put that sh*t to the side' Snooki and JWOWW know a thing about a family vacation -- and the two used their expertise on the matter to give some shore-related advice to MTV Floribama Shore's Gus and Jeremiah. During Part 2 of the Floribama reunion -- hosted by the Jersey Shore besties -- Gus was asked if he could go on future trips with Jeremiah and the rest of his roomies. His quick reply: "If [Jeremiah] wants his ass beat again, sure." "Do you realize this puts all your roommates in this negative hole?" Nicole asked. Jenni chimed in that this reminded her of when the two ladies would fight with Sammi back in the day, across multiple seasons. "There's gotta be a better way," Jenni explained. "It's so toxic, and we've been there. It's so unfair to the other people that are willing to go on vacations with you. If you guys want to continue to have Floribama Shore and have those great memories, learn to just put that sh*t to the side." Gus responded with, "You're right," while Jeremiah didn't utter a single word. Not for yourself, not for Gus, but for your roommates?" Jenni asked. "I think I would be," he softly answered.
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http://www.mtv.com/news/3177433/mtv-floribama-shore-reunion-gus-jeremiah-snooki-jwoww-advice/
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What does Hawaii's 2010 team think about OU's assault on its single-season home run record?
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That was definitely the highlight of my career for sure and something I will cherish forever, said Rodriguez, who hit 17 homers in 2010. It was neck-and-neck, facing the No. 1 team. (Alabamas) Kelsey Dunn was an amazing pitcher. The Hawaii team was a strong family, Coolen and Rodriguez agreed. When you just click with the team and you guys are playing great and everyone on the team -- including your bench -- can hit home runs, its a great feeling being a powerhouse team at the plate, Rodriguez said. I just think its exciting to see the game continue to progress and evolve every year, she said. There are records getting broken year after year just because the game has evolved. Its fun to see. You want to see that for the game within itself. You want to see the game progress and you want whats best for softball. Rodriguez was also asked if you had any advice for the Sooners, who likely are aware of the home run record but also have a job to do in advancing past this weekends games.
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https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/ou/what-does-hawaiis-2010-team-think-about-ous-assault-on-its-single-season-home-run/article_0b28c9c8-bf29-11eb-8990-3fe975022458.html
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When will I need to get a COVID booster shot?
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Conn. (WTNH) We now have a possible timeline for COVID-19 booster shots. In Governor Ned Lamonts final COVID-19 briefing (at least for a while) on Thursday, our states health leaders gave a possible timeline as to when folks may expect to roll up their sleeves once again. With variants and the older population getting their first round of shots back in January, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottleib believes we could hear about booster shots come autumn. As they get into this fall, theyre going to be a sufficient time out from the completion of their original series, that I think there will be an impetus to give boosters at least to that population, Dr. Gottleib explained. He says thats because they expect COVID to circulate at higher levels come winter and they want folks to be protected.
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https://www.wtnh.com/news/health/coronavirus/when-will-i-need-to-get-a-covid-booster-shot/
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How much of Qld Governments $30m has been spent on GKI?
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Roughly $4 million of the State Governments $30 million has been spent on Great Keppel Island so far. Roughly $4 million of the State Governments $30 million has been spent on Great Keppel Island so far. About $4 million dollars of the State Governments promised $30 million has been spent on Great Keppel Island so far. Tourism Industry Development and Innovation Minister Stirling Hinchliffe replied on May 21 to a question on notice from LNP leader David Crisafulli about the spending. Mr Crisafulli asked for a breakdown of spending on the island, including how much had been spent on government staff, infrastructure and Rockhampton or Capricorn Coast businesses. Mr Hinchcliffe replied: The need for greater certainty on private sector plans to redevelop the resort leases has delayed expenditure on island infrastructure development, however, the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport has progressed investigations into infrastructure options that will support tourism development on Great Keppel Island. Tourism Industry Development and Innovation Minister Stirling Hinchliffe. He broke down GKI expenditure as follows: $452,000 in 2017-18 of which $3601 was on Queensland Government staff travel, accommodation and hospitality, and $14,116 spent with local businesses $2,602,000 in 2018-19 of which $6250 was on Queensland Government staff travel, accommodation and hospitality, and $96,599 spent with local businesses $781,000 in 2019-20 of which $666 was on Queensland Government staff travel, accommodation and hospitality, and $12,447 spent with local businesses $176,754 to date in 2020-21 of which $2180 was on Queensland Government staff travel, accommodation and hospitality, and $563 spent with local businesses He said other costs were commercial in confidence. A meeting of the GKI Progress Association in February. The GKI Progress Association said it was disappointing that only 3 per cent was spent locally. Its president, Ross OReilly, said the group would make a submission to the governments Tourism Industry Reference Panel expressing its support for a resort and associated infrastructure on GKI. A spokesman for Mr Hinchcliffe said the department had spent with Central Queensland businesses where possible. The funding not spent locally was spent elsewhere in Queensland and relates to highly specialised work for which there were no tenders received from Capricornia businesses, he said. Mr Crisafulli also requested Mr Hinchcliffe provide a list of work undertaken as part of a $4.9 million 2020-21 budget allocation to a Great Keppel Island recovery package, and how much had been spent on that project so far. Mr Hinchcliffes answer is due on June 24.
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https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/how-much-of-qld-governments-30m-has-been-spent-on-/4266869/
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Where are the top places to live in Texas?
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The ranking looks at overall livability, which took into account the quality of schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities. COLLEGE STATION, Texas Turns out College Station is one of the best places to live in the United States, according to the travel magazine, Travel + Leisure. On Thursday, the magazine released a ranking or list of the "best places to live," which consisted of 50 cities. It was compiled through the ranking and review website, Niche. Niche said ranked cities based on their overall livability, which took into account the quality of schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities. Texas is well represented on this list with Lone Star cities taking seven spots, including No. 1 with The Woodlands. College Station ranked No. 24 on the list. Below is the complete list: The Woodlands, Texas Arlington, Virginia Naperville, Illinois Overland Park, Kansas Cambridge, Massachusetts Ann Arbor, Michigan Plano, Texas Columbia, Maryland Berkeley, California Bellevue, Washington Irvine, California Richardson, Texas Seattle, Washington Madison, Wisconsin San Francisco, California Sunnyvale, California Raleigh, North Carolina Boulder, Colorado Sandy Springs, Georgia Torrance, California Minneapolis, Minnesota Alexandria, Virginia Santa Clara, California College Station, Texas Columbia, Missouri Austin, Texas Scottsdale, Arizona Rochester, Minnesota Round Rock, Texas Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Huntsville, Alabama Omaha, Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska Charlotte, North Carolina Carlsbad, California Washington, D.C. Lexington, Kentucky Gainesville, Florida Boston, Massachusetts Tampa, Florida Irving, Texas Atlanta, Georgia St. Petersburg, Florida St. Paul, Minnesota Pasadena, California Tempe, Arizona Charleston, South Carolina Fort Collins, Colorado Columbia, South Carolina Salt Lake City, Utah
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https://www.kagstv.com/article/news/local/list-college-station-one-of-the-best-places-to-live/499-883229c8-6f83-43ae-8a4b-6d8b34a5c97f
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When will the Government deliver on climate?
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In five years' time, Helen Clark wants to see Huntly power station no longer burning coal, a ban on fossil-fuel-powered cars into NZ, and agriculture paying for its emissions. Analysis: Climate Change Minister James Shaw likes to use the analogy of baking a cake for solving climate change. When people point out that this Governments lofty rhetoric on saving the climate has so far not led to any decrease in emissions, he speaks of how, in order to bake a cake, you first must build a kitchen. What Shaw means is that the country Jacinda Arderns government inherited was short of the architecture needed to get and keep New Zealands emissions down. Almost four years later, his argument goes, we have a stronger Emissions Trading Scheme, and big companies will soon need to lay bare their own vulnerability to climate change. READ MORE: * EV-buying subsidies resurrected by $300m boost * Budget's carbon savings equal about five days coal use at Huntly * Uptick in climate-heating gases proves the need for a dry-year power fix Megan Woods We also have the Climate Change Commission an independent group of experts who will, on Monday, recommend to the Government a set of rolling, country-wide emissions caps. The Government has already signalled it will almost certainly adopt the commissions budgets. But thats not the hard part. By the end of the year, the Government must have adopted a detailed plan to stay inside the budgets. Although the commission will make suggestions about the broad approach and timing of policies for example, when to phase out petrol cars all the detailed design work falls to Government ministries. The requirement to have a reduction plan in place by the years end means any legislation must be tabled in Parliament by December 15, says Shaw. Before then, government agencies responsible for every sector transport, electricity, farming, heavy industry, construction, waste, and forestry included must have gone through a process of surveying the options, consulting the public on various proposals, and getting ministerial seals of approval on final policies. Each sectors finished proposals will effectively become a chapter of the countrys Emissions Reduction Plan, says Shaw. December will be too soon for Cabinet to make a call on its proposal to build a giant pumped hydro facility at Lake Onslow. But Shaw says Energy Minister Megan Woods and energy-related officials did a lot of work in their patch already, responding to the Interim Climate Change Committees recommendations to massively boost renewables, such as wind, and push forward with the electrification of transport and industrial heat. That interim advice, by the way, warned against pushing too hard to get the last few percent of fossil fuels out of peoples electricity supply, putting it slightly at odds with the Governments 100 per cent renewable electricity goal. supplied Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods and Climate Change Minister James Shaw inspect some wool. The two ministers are among a dozen working on pieces of the Emissions Reduction Plan. The base work is done, though, Shaw says: Whilst the technology and the economics [in the electricity sector] are moving so rapidly that what they [Government officials] did in 2018 will need to be updated, directionally it's largely the same. There's no fundamental shift that's occurred in the last two years that would mean that it would need to be rewritten. So far, the only agency thats put its carbon-cutting options on paper and out for public consultation is the Ministry of Transport. Shaw says other agencies are at various stages. This is just a colossal effort across government, involving over a dozen ministers and over a dozen agencies, to a greater or lesser extent, he says. Whatever policies ministries come up with will need to work fast. The commissions draft cuts to emissions start out gently for the first few years, but, even so, they are almost the equivalent of maintaining the emissions drop caused by Covid, whilst maintaining normal economic life. Beyond 2025, cuts will need to get steeper. MONIQUE FORD/Stuff Climate Change Minister James Shaw says you need to build a kitchen before you can bake a cake. When it comes to climate action, he argues the Government has produced some cupcakes. So far, despite the shiny new kitchen, evidence of serious baking remains hard to find. Emissions flatlined at about 80 millions tonnes a year both before and during Arderns first-term, coalition Government. The year before Covid, they rose. I asked Shaw about the lack of baking, and heres what he said. (Note this interview took place before this months Budget). Stuff: The only thing that has done any cake baking for the government that you're part of to date has been COVID. Aside from that, thus far, no baking has occurred - not even a cupcake. Shaw: I would argue there are some cupcakes, things like the (public sector) decarbonisation fund. There are coal boilers that have come offline, as a result of decisions that we have made, so our emissions profile is smaller in a fractional way. And we know that the private sector has started to make decisions based on the direction of travel that was outlined in the Zero Carbon Act. [Shaw lists private sector renewable energy projects]. Warwick Smith/Stuff Turbine blades wait to be installed on 33 turbines at the Turitea wind farm. The issue is that all of these things are really small, right, it's early, so you don't see that massive movement. Thats the whole point about the first few years of emissions reductions being pretty marginal, because it takes time for activity to build up. But also, any one of those announcements, just sounds tiny by itself. But investment decisions are being made because of the policy framework that we laid down. Stuff: I was looking back on the Commissions draft budgets for the next four years - on average its 5.6 per cent lower total emissions than in 2018, and even smaller cuts for carbon dioxide. Yet countries are being told we need to cut 45 per cent off our carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. Shaw: Youre right that they are small in the initial period. The commissions view is there a time lag, from pulling all of these levers. Even if you do pull all of the levers at once, you know, the avalanche starts with a pebble. We've locked in high emissions for the next few years because of decisions we made 10 years ago. And that's why the emphasis of their advice was to say, you've got to make some critical decisions in the years 2021 and 2022. And if you don't make those decisions, you won't get the gains in 2030 or 2035. Shaw: Yes. I think that'll be hard to measure because of the chaos of Covid, the numbers are very hard to Stuff: Its hard to know who made the cupcake. 123RF Because of Covid, it could be hard to know exactly who baked the emissions-cutting cupcake in 2020, Shaw says. Shaw: Thats right. And a global pandemic is not the way you want to decarbonise. And its clearly not sustainable, because you saw the economy bounce back in full force afterwards. So, we've got to do the hard yards and we have to do that across every part of the economy. As a country we are extremely late to the party in getting going. Every little, I think, is important, because all those small wins add up to where we need to be in the future. If we say these small things are not worth doing because they're small, it's kind of like saying one New Zealand shouldn't take any action on climate change because it's a small part of the problem and I reject that argument. Stuff: I dont think people are saying the small things arent worth doing, I think people are saying, come on, do the big thing. We're waiting with bated breath for the cake. Shaw: The commissions final advice comes out after the Budget. The Emissions Reduction Plan that we've got to have in place by the end of the year will essentially be the thing that guides future Budgets. I'm hanging quite a lot on this years Emissions Reduction Plan, not just in terms of policy settings, but what will essentially shape the Government investment in climate change from once we publish it for the next 10,15 years. Stuff: But the direction of travel has been clear for some time. Shaw: There are some things in this Budget which we're not waiting to get started for in Budget 2022. But we do want to make sure that the forward investment program is built on the plan, rather than a bunch of kind of ideas that ministers have had and saying Hey, this sounds important, let's do that. In other words, we wont be seeing the finished cake this year. Next week, we will see the final ingredients. In December, well get the recipe. To judge the bakings quality, well have to wait.
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/125279248/when-will-the-government-deliver-on-climate
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Can Brand Modi survive a Covid-transformed India?
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By now, most astute political observers will readily acknowledge that it would be unwise to separate Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Brand Modi. Put differently, the product and the commodity are indistinguishable. Even if the product fails to meet obvious needs, it can still triumph as a commodity of want and desire. This explains why colossal failures such as demonetisation, a scattered implementation of a unified goods and services tax system, rising joblessness and even the brutal migrants crisis of the first Covid lockdown have only lightly scratched Brand Modi rather than destroying it. From April 15, the variant B.1.617 moved at a rapid pace, from infecting 200,000 per day to scorching at 400,000 plus fresh cases by early May. Covid-related deaths in terms of official figures shot up to 4,000-plus a day, adding to the already horrific total of 200,000-plus deaths in India so far. These numbers, however, have yet to hold up to scrutiny. Given how overwhelmed crematoriums have been and how many bloated bodies have wafted down the Ganga, the fudging of numbers cannot be ruled out. In a carefully number-crunched report published in the New York Times on Wednesday, journalists Lazaro Gamio and James Glanz project that the fatalities could go up to 4.2 million in the worst-case scenario. A more likely outcome, they say, could see the toll at about 1.6 million. Covid apocalypse It cannot also be ruled out that the sheer crush of death, smoke and grief in the past two months might have shape-shifted the perception battle. A number of damning global headlines, in quick succession, have excoriated Modis government for mismanagement and ineptness. Phillip Sherwells piece in The Times, perhaps, set the international tone by holding Prime Minister Modi squarely responsible for Indias Covid apocalypse. Many other searing headlines have followed since then. They were rounded off by the prestigious medical journal Lancet, which, again, placed full culpability at the door of the Indian prime minister. Many national newspapers, news channels and the social media have been equally unsparing by describing the crisis as being brought on by a hapless government, a flailing state, an absent administration and even accusing the Prime Ministers Office of morphing into a version of Nero, the tyrannical decadent Roman emperor who fiddled away as Rome burnt. Given how unforgiving and ferocious the pummelling has been, most brand managers would readily admit that they had lost the narrative and, at best, only some sombre damage control could now be attempted. Narendra Modi's crimes against humanity. In its first avatar, the image of Narendra Modi firmly rested on the Gujarat Model. The rapid economic progress of the state during his tenure of nearly 14 years earned him several sobriquets good governance, no-nonsense administrator and decisive leader. All of these added up, especially for Indias aspirational middle class, to an economic reformer who would hothouse an economic boom. Who can forget the redoubtable Time magazines gushing cover of 2012, Modi Means Business. Many a keen observer, nonetheless, warned even then, that the Gujarat Model, in essence, was premised on the belief that economic development can happen without democracy. Post 2014, however, after assuming the office of the prime minister, Brand Modi was radically repurposed. In the highest office, the Modi government unabashedly pursued majoritarian politics from the get-go, but with a twist. On the one hand, it resolutely fuelled the idea of an angry, impatient and threatened Hindu, who became ever more desirous for restoring some imagined glorious past. On the other, it hurriedly sought to concentrate wealth in the hands of a few conglomerates by brusquely causing intense social dislocation and economic disruption. Brand Modi, in essence, stood for hardening a majoritarian identity while putting neoliberalism on steroids. Collateral damage This great stirring, however, has brought about devastating collateral damage in the form destabilised institutions from the courts to the Election Commission the gutting of government capacity in education and health care and the erosion of social safety nets, even as it carried out several populist schemes. In the first Covid-19 wave, the Modi government was still confident to pursue market and Atmanirbar or self-help solutions. Even in the second and more vicious phase of the pandemic, these neoliberal instincts have thus far remained undimmed. As economist Partha Mukhopadhya puts it, the Modi government has turned the entire vaccination drive into a liberalised competition between state governments. Brand Modi, in effect, continues to be locked into free market prescriptions and chooses to keep ideological faith with private profiteering. The world over, however, success with dealing with Covid-19 has involved getting big government back, by increasing public goods and implementing stimulus spending. In the US, President Joe Biden has been unabashed in likening his interventions to the New Deal the era of big government under the presidency of Franklin D Roosevelt in the 1930s. Cover story in The Economist, London. Narendra Modi vanishes. No. Hes only stepped back to arrest Trinamool leaders in Kolkata at dawn, ensue Courts dont reveal his inefficiency in handling Covid, watch the black market in oxygen, arrest poster-stickers in Delhi, etc. pic.twitter.com/RJl5eN4Zui Jawhar Sircar (@jawharsircar) May 19, 2021 In India, however, some state governments have chosen to go their own way. Notably, the course taken in the communist-controlled southern state of Kerala under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Not only has the Kerala government been efficient and rational in handling its lockdowns, ensuring medical capacity and putting into effect a Rs 20,000-crore stimulus package but the innovative administrative abilities of its former health minister, KK Shailaja, proved, once again, that governments and not markets are more effective in sorting out disaster events. Increasingly, as Covid-19 has begun to ravage India, its exhausted citizenry, unsurprisingly, are losing their appetite for majoritarian politics and free market ideologies. A recent PEW Research report suggested that the pandemic might have shrunk the size of the Indian middle class by 32 million, more than any other country in the world. T rate of unemployment, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a leading data agency, spiked from 6.5% in March to 8% in April. Rating agencies such as Moodys Investor Services are already scaling down their economic forecasts for India which suffered the worst economic contraction among major economies of the world during the pandemic year. In such a context, Brand Modi appears to be woefully out of step: continuously reiterating faith in markets and spectacle when what is needed is bigger government. It is, in fact, no policy mystery anymore, a meaningful road to recovery will hinge on how quickly an emphatic government delivers a mix of public health, social welfare and a targeted economic stimulus. The choice is clear, either Brand Modi radically reinvents itself or becomes history. Rajesh Mahapatra is an independent journalist and a public policy analyst. Rohan DSouza is a professor at the Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University.
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https://scroll.in/article/995862/can-brand-modi-survive-a-covid-transformed-india
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Are there some similarities between Israel and Ireland?
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THE existence of both an independent Ireland and Israel are both the products of historic oppression and discrimination. Due to centuries of pogroms and systematic expulsion by Muslims and Christians as well as an attempt at their entire destruction at the hands of Europeans, many Jews moved to the new world, America. Due to poverty and famine, many Irish people moved there also. Subsequently, both groups relied on the political support and remittances of their diasporas to fund their attempt to found an independent homeland. Both groups sustained and won a degree of autonomy, thanks to the political power of Irish and Jewish settlers in the US. The cost of this was the considerable loss of life, resources and independence of the American natives. Just as the actions of the IRA, Sinn Fin, the DUP and the British government delayed a harmoniously united Ireland, the existence of Hamas, Hezbolla and the extreme right-wing parties in Israel only prolong the wait for the people suffering in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Eugene Tannam Firhouse, Dublin 24 Female general appointment shatters our glass ceiling THE frequent discussions, debates and press articles regarding the Defence Forcess difficulties with poor pay and conditions, the retention of critical expertise, toxic relationships with civil servants, naval ships lacking the resources to go to sea, the can-kicking effect of Government commissions, habitually elicited a personal plus a change response based on my lifetime of service well perhaps not always. Congratulations Major General Maureen OBrien on breaking through one of our few remaining national glass ceilings, a double-glazed one I would suggest in this case. Michael Gannon (Colonel, retired) Thomas Square, Co Kilkenny Time for us to step up to plate on the global vaccine front AS WE look forward to a further easing of Covid restrictions in the coming months, the significant contribution of healthcare workers who have come from poorer countries around the world to work in Ireland must be especially acknowledged. We simply could not have managed without them. Working alongside such wonderful colleagues, we know only too well how very worried many remain about loved ones far from here who do not have the same access to life-saving vaccines. Now is the time for Ireland to step up to the plate and give something back by supporting the roll-out of vaccination in poorer countries. When it comes to a global pandemic, its only fair. Chris Fitzpatrick Terenure, Dublin 6 Cummingss claims spell trouble for Bumbling Boris IF ONLY 10pc of what Dominic Cummings claims can stand independent scrutiny, then Boris Bumbler Johnson is in serious trouble. In reality, his whole front bench, and possibly others (including advisors) could face a short walk along a thin plank. Cummings, in declaring that the Bumbler is unfit for office, merely states the obvious but it is somehow gratifying to hear it said in that most public of public fora, a select committee hearing. Labour, which to date has been very slow to react, should now have a field day and if Sir Keir Starmer is as good as he thinks he is, he should be able to pin Bumbling Boris down at prime ministers questions. Maybe we do have a summer to look forward to, in the absence of comedic politics in the US, which has gone from hilarious to sonorous in just a few short months. David Ryan Co Meath We can commend guards and hold them accountable IN RESPONSE to Christy Galligan, who says, regarding garda, those in the hierarchy and in Government are more concerned with micromanaging and constantly holding frontline members to account as if there were widespread deficiencies and corruption within the organisation (Thank you to the guards who risk their lives for the public Letters, May 27). It is right any corruption in the Garda Sochna is dealt with. The presence of brave garda who put their lives on the line in service does not excuse corruption by others. They are two different scenarios and while the brave should be applauded, any deficiencies should also be dealt with. Like a saw, it cuts both ways. John Williams Clonmel, Co Tipperary
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https://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/are-there-some-similarities-between-israel-and-ireland-40477762.html
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What is a sports betting middle or middling?
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Point spreads move all the time in sports betting. Its unusual for a line not to move on a popular sport. Sometimes the moves are significant. Theres a method in sports betting that tries to take advantage of significant moves in point spreads. Its called middling. Middling is a strategy that offers high upside for relatively low-risk. Football is a good sport to use as an example because the games are up for betting for several days, which gives more time for the betting market to shift. For example, say the New England Patriots open as a 6.5-point favorite against the Buffalo Bills, and you bet the Bills. Then, the line moves and the Patriots are only 3.5-point favorites on the new line. So you can bet the Patriots to try to hit the middle. Well, now you have the Bills +6.5 and the Patriots -3.5. A 28-24 Patriots win, for example, means the Bills lost by fewer than 6.5 points, and the Patriots won by more than 3.5 points. If the Patriots win by four, five or six points, both bets win. That range is the middle. Any other outcome and one of the bets wins while the other loses. If both bets had -110 odds, which is common for point spread bets, and the final score was in that middle range, $11 wagers on both sides would give $10 in profit each for $20 in total profit. If the middle didnt hit, one bet would win $10, and one would lose $11, meaning youd be down a $1. In this scenario, trying to hit the middle has created a 20-1 bet that the Patriots will win by four, five or six points. The likelihood of the middle coming in may not be all that high given all the possible score outcomes, but if a betting line is accurate, the scores closer to the spread will be more likely than a 21-point Patriots win. So, in theory, youre getting some of the most likely point spreads with a big upside for low risk. In football, its important to consider what numbers the spread is moving to and from. For example, if the line is 14 and the move is to 11, thats a tough middle. Point differentials of 12 and 13 points arent as common as the 4-6 middle from above, so thats a less valuable middle to play. Also, if you bet a team +14 and the line has moved to +11, you could justify riding the +14 because it is a good value compared to the current line. Trying to play the middle is a useful strategy to know how to pull off as a bettor, but they arent something to build your entire betting strategy around. They require you to have bet on a game early enough for a significant line move to happen, then the line significantly moving with you noticing it and betting the other side to set up the middle. Then the middle still has to hit. There arent many opportunities for middling, although shopping for lines at multiple sportsbooks is a good way to increase the likelihood. One books line may be a point off, giving a bigger middle. Middling moneylines It is possible to use the same principles as middling a point spread with moneyline bets without the middle part. For example, if the Detroit Tigers were +130 on the moneyline against the Texas Rangers and then the Rangers starter got scratched, maybe the line would move to the Tigers being favored. The Rangers will then be +115; if you bet the Tigers when they were +130 and saw that, you could lock in a guaranteed profit (similar to a hedge). Even though there is no middle and one of the bets is guaranteed to win, and the other is guaranteed to lose, you are making money. Both bets have plus odds and will return more than the original bet, which would more than cover the losing bet. In this case, if you made matching $10 bets on the Tigers and Rangers, youd be up to $3 with a Tigers win and up to $1.50 with a Rangers win.
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https://theathletic.com/2579639/2021/05/27/sports-betting-strategy-middle/
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Will our diversity lead to the nation's disintegration?
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After nine people were shot to death by a public transit worker, who then killed himself in San Jose, the latest mass murder in America, California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke for many on the eve of this Memorial Day weekend. What the hell is wrong with us?" Good question. Indeed, it seems that the country is coming apart. In May, Congress, to address a spate of criminal assaults on Asian Americans, enacted a new hate crimes law to protect them. May also witnessed a rash of assaults on Jewish Americans to show the attackers' hatred of Israel and support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war. TRENDING: CNN and MSNBC ratings continue free-falling after Trump: 'Any YouTube video gets more' The terms "racist" and "racism" are now commonplace accusations in political discourse and a public square where whites are expected to ritually denounce the "white privilege" into which they were born. In the year since the death of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter "Defund the Police!" campaign, the shootings and killings of cops and citizens in our great cities have skyrocketed. In March, and again in April, 167,000 immigrants were caught crossing our southern border illegally. The invaders are now coming not only from Central and South America but also from Africa, the Islamic world and the largest and most populous continent, Asia. And their destiny may be to replace us. For as the endless invasion proceeds, native-born Americans have ceased to reproduce themselves. Not since the birth dearth of the Great Depression and WWII, when the Silent Generation was born, has the U.S. population experienced such a birth decline as today. In professions of religious belief, atheists, agnostics and secularists have become our largest "congregation," followed by Catholics and Protestants, both of which are in numerical decline. Diversity of faiths leads to irreconcilable, clashing opinions about morality on the most divisive social issues of our era: abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, etc. Racial diversity, too, is bringing back problems unseen since the 1960s. America was almost 90% white in 1960, but that figure is down to 60% and falling. In 25 years, we will all belong to racial minorities. Hardly. Part of the nation buys into the academic and intellectual elites' version of history, tracing America's birth as a nation to the arrival of the first slave ship in Virginia in 1619. We not only disagree about our history; some actually hate our history. That hate can be seen in the statues and monuments destroyed, not just of Confederate military heroes but of the European explorers who discovered America, the Founding Fathers who created the nation, and the leaders, from Thomas Jefferson to Andrew Jackson to Teddy Roosevelt, who built the America we became. Yet, tens of millions from all over the world still see coming to America as the realization of a life's dream. Some look at Western civilization as 500 years of colonialism, imperialism, genocide, slavery and segregation practiced against people of color. This is the source of the West's wealth and power, it is said, and that wealth and power should be redistributed to the descendants of the victims of Western rapacity. For many, equality of opportunity is no longer enough. We must make restitution, deliver reparations and guarantee a future where an equality of rewards replaces an equality of rights. Meritocracy must yield to equity. Elite high schools, such as Thomas Jefferson in Virginia, Stuyvesant in New York and Lowell in San Francisco, must abandon their emphasis on grades, tests and exams to gain admissions and prove progress. And these schools must be remade to mirror the racial and ethnic composition of the communities where they reside. And a new cancel culture has taken root in America. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, a CNN commentator, was fired for suggesting that Native American institutions and culture played no significant role in the foundation and formation of the American Republic. "We birthed a nation from nothing. I mean, there was nothing here. I mean, yes, we have Native Americans," Santorum said, adding: "There isn't much Native American culture in American culture." Something is seriously wrong with a country that professes to be great but whose elite cannot abide the mildest of heresies to its established truth. SUPPORT TRUTHFUL JOURNALISM. MAKE A DONATION TO THE NONPROFIT WND NEWS CENTER. THANK YOU!
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https://www.wnd.com/2021/05/will-diversity-lead-nations-disintegration/
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How will changes in masking guidelines affect consumer behavior?
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Consumers more likely to frequent establishments continuing masking requirements, according to a recent study by AMC Global BLUE BELL, PA, UNITED STATES, May 27, 2021 / EINPresswire.com / -- AMC Global , an international custom market research firm specializing in launch strategies, and OpinionRoute, a leader in insights process management, have been conducting an ongoing study to help brands navigate quickly changing consumer behavior since March of 2020. The study, which publishes weekly results, has been gathering consumer insights as they relate to brands, retailers, shopping behaviors and similar topics.This week, the 29th wave of the study was released and looked at how new masking guidelines set by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) here in the United States will affect consumer shopping behavior. Even though guidelines state that people fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus are no longer required to wear a mask, many peoplevaccinated or notwill still choose to wear a mask in public. Study respondents reported they are more likely to frequent an establishment that continues to require masks for all.Key Findings About Masking in the U.S.:-Seventy-two percent of respondents report that they will continue to wear a mask regardless of their vaccination status.-Mask requirements by shopping and dining establishments will affect consumer choice, with 55% of people more likely to shop in a store requiring masks for all, and 42% more likely to patronize a bar or restaurant still requiring masking.-Favorable consumer attitudes increase when businesses still require masking by all, with 63% having more positive reaction to establishments that require employee and customer masking.-The study also included data on whether Americans are planning to be vaccinated or not. Twenty-seven percent of study participants have not yet been vaccinated, 73% have already been at least partially vaccinated.A complete graphic representation masking requirement attitudes and impacts can be found here. New results are shared each month based on the previous weeks polling of U.S.-based general population of primary purchasers age 21+. The next set of findings will be released on June 24. The study findings are designed to help clients and industry leaders navigate quickly changing consumer behavior during the pandemic, and other consumer trends in the marketplace. Contact Michelle Andre at [email protected] for more information.###About AMC GlobalAMC Global are the experts in product launch, with an innovative suite of tools that span the full product lifecycle. The companys proprietary PFU (Purchaser Follow-up) tool, was developed early on to capture insights from real purchasers of new or restaged products immediately following launch. This solution set the stage for the development of numerous tools, some with exclusive patents, to help brands optimize products for launch and deeply understand purchaser and shopper perspectives. The AMC Global team prides itself on the fact that clients consider them true strategic partners, brought in to help their teams forward-think and stay on the cutting edge of analytics and insights. The company is headquartered in Blue Bell, PA. www.amcglobal.com About OpinionRouteThe market leader in Insights Process Management, OpinionRoute is an innovative firm focused on helping clients succeed in the rapidly evolving market research industry. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, we are passionate about data quality and doing things the right way. Our research-first solutions are designed specifically to improve insights. For more information, please visit www.opinionroute.com
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https://www.einpresswire.com/article/542275938/how-will-changes-in-masking-guidelines-affect-consumer-behavior
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Whats really abhorrent?
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Many of you have responded to our recent contest to guess the number of murders in Philadelphia by Election Day this fall including the Philadelphia Delegation of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which issued a statement calling it abhorrent and unconscionable. First, we find the 210 homicides in Philadelphia in 2021 abhorrent and unconscionable. The 210 homicides represent a 43 percent increase over the same time last year and an annual pace that would more than double 2015s total of 280. For the record, we have not received 210 statements from the delegation calling the murders abhorrent and unconscionable. Apparently it takes a silly, patently absurd contest for them to address the matter. Second, and to be clear, it was not Philadelphia Weekly that made a mockery of the citys homicide crisis. After all, we arent the elected leaders entrusted with solutions. No, in fact, the mockery is Philadelphias elected leaders. It is on their watch that the city went from the lowest murder rate in years to the highest, and a low crime rate to an out-of-control environment. Before our elected leaders have the audacity to again do what they do best or in fact the only thing they do, which is to pass the buck and assess blame and grievances perhaps they will take responsibility as the adults in the room who are the ones who presided over this mess and own it. Maybe, just maybe, they will realize they are the mockery. And maybe we will continue to mock them until they get serious about fixing this. To all of you who objected to our contest, its reasonable to think it was tasteless, and weve heard your outrage. Now, we hope to see that same outrage directed at elected leaders who are failing miserably at their most basic responsibility keeping Philadelphians safe.
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https://philadelphiaweekly.com/whats-really-abhorrent/
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Was sind eigentlich Aktien-Token?
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2020 kam mit den sogenannten "Aktien-Token" ein neuer Trend in der Finanzwelt auf: Auf Blockchain-Basis knnen nun Tokens, also Reprsentanten, von Aktien erworben werden. Kleinere Einheiten: Es ist mglich, anstelle eines ganzen Aktien-Tokens nur einen Anteil zu erwerben Das neue Konzept bietet Investoren Tokens von an der Brse gehandelten Aktien an - jedes Aktien-Token ist nicht fungibel (also nicht austauschbar) und reprsentiert eine Aktie. Die neuen Token werden auch Over-The-Counter-Derivate (OTC-Derivate) genannt. - Bitcoin handeln mit Plus 500 - so gehts. 72% der Privatanlegerkonten verlieren Geld, wenn sie mit diesem Anbieter CFDs handeln. Sie sollten sorgfltig prfen, ob Sie es sich leisten knnen, das hohe Risiko einzugehen, Ihr Geld zu verlieren. - Der Wert von Derivaten und entsprechend auch von Aktien-Token ist immer an den Basiswert, also den Kurs der entsprechenden Aktie an der Brse, gebunden. Dennoch sind Aktien-Token nicht dasselbe wie Aktien: So werden die Token auerbrslich gehandelt - beispielsweise die groe Krypto-Brse Binance oder ihre Konkurrenz-Plattform FTX. Letztere bietet seit Oktober 2020 Aktien-Token an, Binance erst seit Frhling 2021. Sowohl die Aktien selbst als auch die neuen Aktien-Token haben ihre Vor- und Nachteile. So kann an der Brse nur mit ganzen Aktien gehandelt werden, whrend es mit den Aktien-Token auch mglich ist, nur einen Teil eines mit einer Aktie hinterlegten Tokens zu erwerben. Bei Binance etwa liegt die Mindesthandelsgre anscheinend momentan bei einem Hundertstel eines Tokens. Dies kann fr kleinere Privatanleger von Vorteil sein, die nicht so viel Geld in eine optisch teure Aktie investieren mchten oder knnen. Mit einer Aktie erhlt der Kufer blicherweise sogenannte Aktionrsrechte - also laut Aktiengesetz (AktG) beispielsweise einen Dividendenanspruch, Bezugsrechte und Umwandlungsansprche. Die Token hingegen sind nicht mit den Aktionrsrechten verknpft, weswegen die Rechte eines Token-Investors weniger umfangreich sind. Es ist aber mglich, dass Besitzer von Aktien-Token dennoch etwa Dividendenauszahlungen erhalten. Aktien-Token knnen ausschlielich gegen Krypto-Geld getauscht werden Fr kleinere Privatanleger und Neulinge in der Finanzwelt knnen die Aktien-Token zudem von Vorteil sein, weil es weniger Hrden fr eine Investition gibt: So wird fr den Handel mit Token beispielsweise keine Unterschrift bentigt. Beim Aktienhandel hingegen wird, wie das Portal Capital erklrt, nach geltendem Recht immer noch eine Verbriefung der Handelsttigkeiten in Urkundenform gefordert, was auf Neulinge abschreckend wirken kann. Es knne zwar mit einem Klick eine Aktie gekauft werden, dahinter stehe aber die Verbriefung. Capital erklrt allerdings auch, dass die Verbriefung von Aktien mglicherweise demnchst abgeschafft werden knnte - damit wre der Vorteil, den Aktien-Token in dieser Hinsicht gegenber den Aktien selbst haben, hinfllig. Aktien-Token sind zudem nicht frei bertragbar, sondern werden immer ber den Emittenten gehandelt. Auerdem knnen sie nicht in Anteilsscheine eingelst, sondern lediglich gegen Krypto-Geld getauscht werden. Dies erklrt Binance auf seiner Website - ob es in Zukunft Anbieter geben wird, die dies anders handhaben, bleibt offen. Distributed-Ledger-Technologie mach die Aktien-Token manipulationssicher Technisch realisiert werden Aktien-Token auf Blockchain-Basis, allerdings unterscheiden sie sich in dieser Hinsicht von den sogenannten Coins: Whrend letztere eine eigene Blockchain haben, werden die Tokens auf einer bereits bestehenden Blockchain erzeugt. So ging im Dezember 2020 durch die Medien, dass nun PREOS-Token verfgbar seien - auf Basis der Ethereum-Blockchain. Da die Aktien-Token auf Blockchain-Technologie beruhen, wird fr ihre Emission capital.de zufolge die auch fr Kryptowhrungen verwendete sogenannte Distributed-Ledger-Technologie (DLT) angewandt. Damit, so capital.de, knnen die Verfgungsrechte ber materielle und immaterielle Gter manipulationssicher dokumentiert werden. Wird der erste Brsengang von Aktien Initial Public Offering (IPO) genannt, heit der vergleichbare Vorgang bei Aktien-Token Initial Coin Offering (ICO). Aktien-Token knnten die Wertpapiergattung der Zukunft sein Entsprechend der Tatsache, dass die Aktien-Token erst 2020 erfunden wurden, sind sie noch nicht sehr weit verbreitet. So bietet Binance - Stand Mitte Mai 2021 - lediglich Token fr Aktien von Apple, Coinbase, Microsoft, Tesla und MicroStrategy an und musste den Handel mit den Token noch im Frhjahr 2021 gegenber der BaFin sowie britischen Behrden verteidigen. Dennoch schreibt Dirk Elsner, Experte auf dem Gebiet, in einem Beitrag bei capital.de: "Das Wertpapierrecht und die Abwicklungspraxis [stehen] vor einer fundamentalen Umwlzung. Bis dahin gelten Token faktisch noch als eigene Wertpapiergattung". Dies impliziert, dass Aktien-Token die gewohnten Aktien in der Zukunft vollstndig ersetzen oder zumindest gleichwertig sein knnten. Ob dies auch tatschlich geschehen wird und wenn ja, wann, bleibt jedoch vorerst abzuwarten. Redaktion finanzen.net Bildquellen: dencg / Shutterstock.com, Alexander Yakimov / Shutterstock
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https://www.finanzen.net/nachricht/devisen/blockchain-boerse-was-sind-eigentlich-aktien-token-10153998
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Is Juan Williamss Exit From The Five Thanks to a Greg Gutfeld Blood Feud?
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Fox News personality Juan Williams, a longtime cohost of The Five, announced yesterday that Wednesdays edition of the talk show would be his last. Williams, the solo liberal commentator on the program, who was routinely treated as a punching bag by cohosts Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters, told viewers that his departure was due to the program going back to in-studio recording sessions and cited his experience enduring COVID-19 in late 2020. COVID taught me a lot of lessons, explained Williams, who will continue working at the network as a political analyst from Fox's studios in Washington, D.C. The real reason for Williamss sudden departure may be more complex, however. One ex-Fox News producer told the Daily Beast that they were very confident Gutfeld had something to do with his cohosts exit, and a current network employee told the outlet that [Gutfeld had] been wanting the show back in the studio for quite some time. According to a second former Fox News producer, the duos on-air brawls [were] turning personal; the Daily Beast noted that the two hardly ever chatted off the air and went out of their way to limit face time with each another. [When] you have multiple narcissists on a show, this is the type of shit that goes on, observed another current network employee. (Speaking to the Daily Beast, a Fox News spokesperson refuted the idea that Gutfeld had anything to do with the move whatsoever.) As The Fives lone liberal voice, Williams routinely clashed with his cohosts, including this month, when he said that Donald Trumps stolen-election conspiracy theories perpetrated a lie that led to violence at the U.S. Capitol and damaged our country. The remark prompted Gutfeld to reply: Thats your opinion, Juan, thats your opinion! When the same topic was raised in February, Williams suggested that some of his cohosts were excusing the former presidents influence on the riot. Gutfeld replied, Dont mind-read me, Juan! When Williams questioned Liz Cheneys recent removal from Republican congressional leadership, Watters told his cohost to just stop it now. On the surface Fox News has kept things cordial. Nary a fit of rage was on display during Wednesdays episode of The Five. After playing a montage of some of Williamss standout moments, cohost Dana Perino said, Its a real honor and a pleasure to work with you, Juan. You made a good decision for yourself and for your family, offering him a guest spot on her morning show. In-studio production will reportedly resume on Tuesday at the News Corp office in New York Citys Midtown, home to Fox News HQ. A rotation of liberal guest hosts are set to take Williamss seat. As we started planning The Fives return to its New York City studio at our headquarters a few months ago, Juan decided to stay in Washington, D.C., permanently. We accommodated his request, understanding and appreciating his desire to remain closer to his family and recognizing that a remote cohosting role on a roundtable in-studio program was not a long-term option, Fox News V.P. Megan Albano, whos in charge of The Fives programming, said in a statement. Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now.
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https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/05/juan-williams-exit-five-greg-gutfeld-feud
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Should I Throw a Blended Family Birthday Party for My Kid When I Don't Get Along With My Ex?
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Your child wants this party and it can be hard to know how to make a decision when what might be good for our child may not be good for us. Parents.com's "Ask Your Mom" columnist, Emily Edlynn, Ph.D., says that there is not a right or wrong choice as long as you are honest with your daughter and yourself. My childs fifth birthday is coming up and she really wanted a birthday party with all her family there. The only problem is her dad and I are not together and weve always had separate birthdays for her. My family is also a split family that doesnt get along. If this were to happen there would be three families coming together. Party Mom Your dilemma brings up a classic parenting struggle of when a child's needs directly oppose adult needs. Of course, it is understandable that a 5-year-old would see the entire family at her party as "the more the merrier." Underlying this wish, however, is likely the common fantasy of children with separated parents and families for everyone to come together and get along, in the same house forever and always! However, in the reality of the adult world, your family members have adapted and become comfortable with staying away from each other. In my experience working with families, I know reasons for this can be complex and serious. Although some experts may weigh the child's needs or adults' needs more heavily, I see this situation as an example of "no right answer." There are different ways to approach making this decision, so I encourage you to think through each choice. You know your child and family members best, so keep that in mind as you consider each scenario. Option 1: Make the party happen To set yourself up for the best outcome, this decision would require a fair amount of the "overthinking" you may wish to avoid. (In the mental health world, I do not promote overthinking, but this is just for one time!) You would want to think about how to frame it for the adults, including possibly having conduct rules (e.g., "no discussing politics!" or nobody can talk about the big fight from 10 years ago that feeds grudges to this day). This would take time and deep thought from you about what parameters would help everyone behave best. Then you would have to communicate the code of conduct to everyone, and be sure they agree. Lots of steps within that process, which involves placing great trust in many people. Like I said, you know best if this is remotely possible. In addition, you might also think about a way to have the party that reduces interactions, and keeps the focus on the birthday girl. Maybe you hire a princess superhero (if that's not a thing, it should be) to come read a story, which means everyone can sit quietly and let your daughter bask in the attention of high-powered royalty. Structure the time with a clear beginning and end; I learned nobody wins with a young child's birthday party that goes longer than 2 hours! You could even have a short 1-hour window with the whole family featuring a headliner to give it structure, and then plan a special mother-daughter activity at the end of the family hour to keep the celebration going without threat of drama. Finally, as much as you want to protect your child from adult dysfunction, it's a good idea to give her some preparation. No need for grisly details, but explain that sometimes people in the same family do not get along and have a hard time being around each other. What they do have in common is that they all love her, but if she notices anyone getting grumpy, it's not because of her. Option 2: Don't have the party This segues to the next decision pathway: don't do it. Since you know your family best, you are aware of what may happen that would end up making your daughter's birthday a fiasco, which would likely be worse than explaining to her that you cannot have the family party she wants. What concerns me most is your potential stress level around hosting this party, and the difficult emotions you might end up managing, which affects your capacity to be present and joyful during her party. Even though this is her birthday and not yours, she needs her mother to be connected with her for this special celebration. In my personal experience, throwing a child's birthday party is totally exhausting under the best of circumstances! Your daughter is too young to understand this next consideration, but birthday parties are notoriously over-stimulating for children. Even if she gets what she thinks her heart desires, whether that's a new bike or her entire family being there, it doesn't mean it won't totally overwhelm her. And if the stimulation includes tense and possibly arguing adults, she will absorb this as children do, and could definitely end up with tears mixing with the frosting stains on her cheeks. Some children are more easily overstimulated than others, so think about your daughter's temperament and track record. By not giving her what she thinks she wants, you may end up giving her the party better for her. And you. Ideally, deciding not to have the whole family party involves an open and honest discussion with her, even at her young age. You could just say "no it's not going to work," but chances are this will not satisfy her desires, and she will either continue to insist, or show in other ways she is unhappy (like more meltdowns). Instead, explain to her that grown-ups have problems with each other sometimes, and have learned that everyone is happier when they are not around each other. It might be similar to how you have explained why you and her father are not together. The Bottom Line Without a crystal ball to know exactly what each possible outcome would look like, I encourage you to make the best of whichever decision you make. Regardless of the direction you choose, remind yourself you are thinking of your daughter's best interest, even if she doesn't feel like it (about 90 percent of parenting). Your daughter's best interest can also include yours, so remember to think about it from both perspectives. Either way, she gets a birthday party, and you get the gift of celebrating her. Submit your parenting questions here, and they may be answered in future 'Ask Your Mom' columns. Emily Edlynn, Ph.D., is the author of The Art and Science of Mom parenting blog and a mother of three from Oak Park, Illinois. She is a clinical psychologist in private practice who specializes in working with children and adolescents.
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https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/advice/ask-your-mom/should-i-throw-a-blended-family-birthday-party-for-my-kid/
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What Makes a Great Sports Betting Platform?
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If you are a sports lover who also likes to wager, it is important to find a sports betting platform that provides you with a great wagering experience. Whether you want to bet on the European Soccer Championships, the Super Bowl or Grand Tour cycling, your choice of bookmaker is crucial. Plenty of Choice The good news is, there are a huge number of sports betting platforms to choose from. The downside is, this can also make it hard to find the right one for you. Whats more, everyone has different requirements and priorities when it comes to picking a sportsbook. However, there a certain key features that any modern sports betting platform should have and you should take this into consideration when making your choice. User Interface For many people, the first thing that influences their choice is the look and feel of a sportsbook. When you are wagering, you want to feel comfortable navigating your way through the website, so a good layout and user interface is vital. This also means having a fast system with accurate data that doesnt freeze or crash while you are using it. Tracking & Streaming A sportsbook with a lightning-fast platform should also have some kind of match tracking system so you can follow the action in fast-paced sports like the NFL, for example. It should also give you access to key statistics so you dont have to waste time scouring through external sites looking for information. A match tracker is a minimum requirement but ideally, your sportsbook should offer live streaming so you can watch the action from within the website or mobile app. If a modern sportsbook doesnt offer live streaming, you might wonder what other areas they are lacking in. Online Sportsbook Software Many of the features that a sportsbook offers will depend on the software that they use. Sportsbook software allows operators to customize the player experience and offer a huge range of features. The best sportsbook software providers offer thousands of markets and in-play events with data updated in seconds. They also allow the operator to offer services such as cash out or partial cash out for a more flexible wagering experience. Wagering on eSports Any modern sportsbook should now be offering wagering on eSports. The best platforms already offer thousands of events and in-play markets each year. Competitive video gaming is booming in popularity with huge prizes at stake, and more people than ever are wagering on events at a national and global level. The best online sports betting platforms rely on cutting-edge technology to deliver the best wagering experience. They never stop innovating and are always looking for new ways to improve the betting process such as augmented reality games. When you choose a new sportsbook, you should find one with a track record of evolving to meet the latest customer demands while utilizing the best technological solutions.
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https://thesportsdaily.com/2021/05/27/what-makes-a-great-sports-betting-platform/
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What Was I Thinking?
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Moving 1500 Miles Is Not for the Faint of Heart April and Chloes temporary home at Wendys. Desert Flowers Aprils Injury Wyoming Rest Stop Storm clouds. Lots of electrical storms and wind here. Ask me in a month. Right now, Im in the thick of closing on a housefinally! After several lost offers we finally found a place. Its not final as of today but were hoping to be moving in mid-June. It amazes me that the housing market is so darn insane. Places have increased in Colorado nearly 25%. Well, after my best friend, Wendy, kept after me about moving over here and all the benefits, I finally gave in. Its never a good time so I decided to make the move. Absolutely! We had a few snafus such as one of our trucks blew a water hose when John, our driver, was nearly 2/3 of the way. On my first trip over we hit dust storms, high winds, frigid cold and when we hit Colorado with the horses, blinding snow. All of this to say, were finally here! Our business, farm, horses, dog and most of the contents of our home have made it. We are acclimating to the nearly 6900 feet above sea level and weather that changes in an instant, but were learning to love it. Yes, I miss all my friends, family, seafood, trail rides, driving club and still missing my home of nearly 36 years. It was a tough decision and one that didnt come lightly. Well, we will continue to publish the online version from Colorado. It certainly doesnt matter where you live anymore. Im excited to broaden my horizons and my reach! My connections in Washington and all over the country will remain. Just changed my zip code! From horse injuries to adjusting to a new life in an RV, we are continually learning to adapt. I hope you continue to follow our journey and keep connected with us. We love the Northwest, and my heart will always belong there. Im grateful for the support of friends and family so thank you for following this journey with me. More good things to come! Quote: All experience is an arch, to build upon.~ Henry Adams 1838-1918 American Historian This article sponsored by:
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https://www.nwhorsesource.com/what-was-i-thinking/
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How Does WFT Defensive End Chase Young Rank In NFL's Pass Rush Heirarchy?
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Chase Young can only get better if he can stay healthy. A very good rookie year needs to turn into a great year or a dominant season. ASHBURN, Va. -- The defensive line and pass rush of the Washington Football Team is the pulse of the organization and one of the top reasons why the WFT has a good chance of repeating as division champions in 2021 As good as it is on paper, two criticisms of the defensive unit were their porous run defense, and their inability to slow down quarterbacks in 2020. If this doesn't change in 2021, Washington's chances of an NFC East repeat will be difficult to achieve. READ MORE: No. Despite Washington investing four first-round picks on that side of the ball, on a recent ranking of edge defenders by ProFootballFocus.com (PFF), the highest-ranked Washington edge defender is none other than Chase Young, who slid in at No. 8 in the rankings. The now second-year defender had an overall grade of 87.1/100 by PFF, which was fifth in the NFL among qualifying edge defenders. As PFF notes, Young was even better in the red zone with a league-best grade of 93.3. The scary part when analyzing Youngs first season in the NFL is that there is still clear room for improvement from a pass-rushing perspective. And Young still got out to an 87.1 overall grade as a rookie, fifth in the NFL among qualifying edge defenders. He was at his best in the red zone. Youngs 93.3 overall grade last season in that portion of the field led all players at the position. Young ranks right behind DeMarcus Lawrence and Cameron Jordan, who came in at No. 6 and No. 7, as well as behind stalwarts like Khalil Mack, Nick and Joey Bosa, T.J. Watt, and Myles Garrett. Montez Sweat is the next Washington edge defender on the list at No. 17 with PFF noting that the third-year end had an 87.0 run-defense grade in 2021. Per PFF: Few edge defenders improved more from 2019 to 2020 than Sweat did in his second year in the NFL. His 87.0 run-defense grade last season ranked third at the position behind only Khalil Mack and T.J. Watt, and he bumped up his pressure count from 32 as a rookie to 47 in 2020. Sweat also stood out as one of the best defensive linemen in the league at getting his hands into throwing lanes when rushing the passer. His six batted passes last year ranked second at the position. Thanks to his long arms and elite athleticism, Sweat has quickly become one of the league's top edge rushers, and in conjunction with Young, one of the NFL's premier pass-rush tandems heading into next season.
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https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/how-does-washington-football-team-defensive-end-chase-young-rank-in-nfls-pass-rush-heirarchy
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What is it? What types are there?
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The emotional intelligence is the way how we respond to emotions. Daniel Goleman, American journalist and writer, he defines it as the ability to self-motivate, resist disappointments, control impulses and delay gratification, show empathy and hope. It is not something you are born with but it develops throughout your life and allows you to have a social conscience and establish healthy links. Mario Carvajal placeholder image, psychologist from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Tecnolgico de Monterrey, recommends his patients to observe their behaviors and patterns, to identify their emotions, describe them, locate the origin and how they respond when they experience them. The patient does the exercise of questioning himself and seeing whether or not his reactions are adequate and from there they can modify their responses in the future. At least eight types of emotional intelligence have been characterized in humans, according to Howard Gardner, a psychologist at the Harvard University and they are: Naturalist: that helps us to distinguish and use elements of the environment Kinesthetic body: the ability to unite body and mind to achieve physical improvement Musical: when we get our creativity stimulated by music Mathematical logician: ease of calculating or perceiving geometry Space: that helps us process information in three dimensions Linguistics: express our thoughts through words Interpersonal: the ability we have to be empathetic and adapt to the environment Intrapersonal: to meet our needs The member of the International Bureau of Applied Cognitive Neurosciences, Carlos Ardila, agrees with Daniel Goleman that emotional intelligence responds to a combination of Interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal, the latter being fundamental in social life, with a partner or in our work. Identify thoughts and change them Situations that get out of our control like the pandemic can generate thoughts like hopelessness. Matias Bertone, academic director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Council of Cifal Argentina, recommends identifying and changing them. A person who experiences sadness in his life tends to isolate himself, but if he modifies his behavior and decides to exercise or do activities that he likes, that feeling will change. When those thoughts persist, seek professional help to find listening and guidance. Carlos Ardila adds that the State should invest in the training of professionals who help people to develop emotional intelligence from an early age since stress, anxiety and depression affect peoples performance and activities and, in that sense, therapy It should be seen as an investment. Mental health is important today, tomorrow and always The World Health Organization (WHO) defines as a state of complete well-being: physical, mental and social In addition, the mental health It serves to face difficulties and establish healthy interpersonal relationships. Mental health is present in everything we do, so our emotional well-being will affect everything, from how you function at work to how we interact with our friends, partner or acquaintances, highlights the clinical psychologist of the University Autonomous National of Mexico (UNAM), Augusto Martnez Ruvalcaba. During isolation from the pandemic, there has been an increase in cases of anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress. That is why programs such as Covid Mental Health and Covid Grief have been created for the general population. Establishing fixed hours of work, food, rest and sleep, eating healthy, not saturating with news, keeping goals and objectives in mind, and holding virtual meetings with loved ones until the conditions exist to be in physical contact again. Depression, a common illness The 2020 left a balance of 300 million people diagnosed with depression, the WHO reported, and predicts that its effects will persist on the mental health of the population. Mariana Nunez, a psychologist from the Universidad Autnoma Metropolitana, offers some warning signs that can help identify this disease that has become the main cause of disability and in extreme cases can lead to suicide: Lack of energy Lack of appetite Effects on the relationship with others Abandonment of life projects, lack of activities Neglect of personal image There are people who are having a hard time in the pandemic such as women victims of violence, the elderly who live far from family and friends, people in mourning for some financial or material loss, and those with a genetic predisposition who require medication to regulate dopamine and serotonin secretion. There is another factor that predisposes to depression: living surrounded by toxic people, especially if it is the family, because they do not allow the development of autonomy and there is an emotional dependence between the members; they override personal decisions; do not allow links with other people, among other factors, according to Marcos Vicua, Director of Welfare and Counseling, Western Region of the Tec de Monterrey. The importance of couple relationships Another aspect to consider for emotional balance is the way in which we relate. It is important to know that there are different types of relationships. Sexologists like Farith zambrano, graduated from Tec de Monterrey, says that configurations guided by stereotypes, often heteronormed, must be broken. He says that there must be good communication and a sense of we, where common interests are expressed and why they have chosen a certain configuration. We explain some of them: Closed They are traditional couple relationships, they are generally monogamous, heteronormed, with three main sexual orientations: heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual. A sentimental and sexual exclusivity agreement is established between the two. Open Each couple defines the rules of what is allowed and what is not. They can be open to sexual experiences with others, reserving love for the relationship or establishing sentimental ties with others such as swingers. Polyamorous They assume that monogamy is not natural and that you can love more than one person. They become systems of three and more members up to hexagons or more. The dynamics is variable, individuals can include someone else, in some cases they must like both, and in others, each one gets involved with another person on their own. Zambrano Medina comments that in this modality jealousy does not exist because it is a construction of monogamy, it is not allowed to lie either, everyone involved should know about the others. There is also interaction between systems, if, for example, a member of a hexagon is linked in turn to another hexagon. Asexual There are very good emotional relationships but there are no erotic exchanges.
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https://www.explica.co/what-is-it-what-types-are-there-tec-review.html
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How Should New Jersey Devils Deal With Will Butcher Next Season?
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Mythbusters was a rather popular show about people taking myths and determining whether they were actually true or not through experimentation. Among its contributions is this brilliant line by one of the hosts, Adam Savage: Failure is always an option. Savage has explained that it is more than a cute line. It described the shows approach to the scientific method. That it is possible that whatever you try will not work and one must know that. This tagline is also the best way I can charitably sum up the mindset of every pessimistic sports fan of their favorite team. It is also how I am approaching this post. The optimists had their time in the Sun yesterday. Today, it is time for the other side. One that can reasonably argue that the 2021-22 Devils can be a Bad Team just like they were last season.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259845498270/how-should-new-jersey-devils-deal-with-will-butcher-next-season
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Where Is the Friends Cast Now?
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The NBC sitcom Friends, which aired for 10 seasons, dominated prime time and became a pop culture sensation though the '90s and beyond. After nearly two decades, the show's iconic cast has finally reunited. The new special, called Friends: The Reunion, is now available to stream on HBO Max. Directed by Ben Winston, the special sees cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc return to the original soundstage at Warner Bros. Studios, where they talk candidly and nostalgically with host James Corden about their experiences filming the comedy show that turned them all into household names. Among the intimate details revealed by the actors was the budding fling between Aniston and Schwimmer. "We just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel," Aniston shares in the special. To join in on the nostalgia, scroll on to see the evolution of the show's beloved stars, from their first days on the series to what they've been up to since their breakthroughs on the show.
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https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/g36505405/friends-cast-then-now/
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Will Michigan Really Send A Virus Bill To China?
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A Michigan State Representative wants China held responsible for unleashing the COVID-19 virus on the state. Republican Beau LaFave from the UP believes the evidence is clear that China is solely responsible for purposefully turning the virus loose on the world. He's proposing legislation to send a bill for damages in Michigan to China. Get our free mobile app Lafave proposed a similar bill last year that never saw full legislative action. The bill did however win support from conservative and Democratic lawmakers alike. LaFave says he is confident there is enough time and interest to get full legislative approval. Lafave contracted the virus himself last year and made a quick and full recovery. The legislation would empower the Michigan State Treasury to calculate the financial impact on the state and literally send an invoice to the Chinese government. Then the expectation is that China would pay up. Representative LaFave says theres too much information available showing Chinas direct involvement with turning the virus loose on the world. Michiganders continue to suffer at the hands of the communist Chinese government and the infectious disease that emerged from the Province of Wuhan more than fifteen months ago. Conservatives were silenced, told their accusations of a lab-escaped virus were nothing more than baseless conspiracy theories, but now even Dr. Fauci has said he is not convinced COVID-19 developed naturally. The Chinese government has withheld critical information about the novel coronavirus and silenced those seeking to sound alarms. We now have evidence to show the virus spread as early as December 2019, but Chinese communists continued to downplay all risks associated with it. The legislation will first be reviewed by the State House Committee on Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security. LaFave chairs that panel.
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https://wbckfm.com/will-michigan-really-send-a-virus-bill-to-china/
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Can New Apps Like 'Too Good To Go' Help Solve The Food Waste Crisis?
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As I previously wrote, food waste continues to be a huge challenge. Globally, we waste about 1.4 billion tons of food annually, contributing to 11 percent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions, according to this 2021 Guide. The United States discards more food than any other country in the world nearly 40 million tons every year. Once the domain of counterculture, new apps and business models are now helping to fight food waste and scaling up, aiming to keep food from landfills and turn a profit at the same time. Too Good To Go, and similar apps such as those from Imperfect Foods and Hungry Harvest, help retail food outlets sell their excess food to locals. With Too Good To Go, businesses put their leftover foods in mystery bags you can reserve through the app for $4 to $6. Then you stop by the shop during the scheduled pick-up window. More than 38 million people around the world have downloaded the app so far. Too Good To Go partners with local hunger-relief organizations to make sure the food sold on the app would not have otherwise been donated to food banks. While not a panacea and widespread adoption may be a challenge due to perceptions that second-hand food is unsanitary, there is evidence that food waste-fighting apps are alleviating the situation. A study last year looked at the app OLIO, a platform for people looking to give away food and other household items to their neighbors. After analyzing 170,000 posts on OLIO over the course of about a year and a half, researchers found that almost $1 million worth of food was diverted from garbage cans, the emissions equivalent of between 87 and 156 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Since its start up last fall, Too Good To Go has expanded from the East Coast to West Coast cities, including San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland. More than 700,000 Americans have downloaded the app so far. The company estimates it saves close to 200,000 meals every day and each meal/surprise bag sold averts 2.2 pounds of food from the dumpster.
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https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/05/can-new-apps-like-too-good-to-go-help-solve-the-food-waste-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-new-apps-like-too-good-to-go-help-solve-the-food-waste-crisis
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Will Supergirl Be Bisexual in Ezra Miller's DCEU 'Flash' Movie?
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Wait a minute...is Supergirl going to be bisexual in Warner Bros.' upcoming The Flash film?!?! According to movie industry insider Daniel Richtman, as reported by the We Got This Covered blog, the big-screen version of Kara Zor-El better known to comic book fans as Supergirl is set to make her debut in Ezra Miller's highly-anticipated but oft-delayed solo Flash movie, and apparently, she's going to be bisexual! Now before you go grabbing your red capes and blue spandex supersuits in excitement, it's worth pointing out really not much else is known about the character at this point in time, and how involved she's even going to be in the final edit of the film, so we'll have to take this news with a grain of salt, especially when you consider how so many big, box-office superhero films give queer characters blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments when it comes to their sexualities and love lives. What we do know so far, though, is that in the DCEU, Supergirl (whose most famous live-action version up to this point was performed by Melissa Benoist in The CW's Arrowverse) is going to be played by The Young and the Restless alum Sasha Calle, making her the first Latina actress to play the DC Comics icon on-screen. Sasha has been excited about the role ever since her casting was announced earlier this year in a Deadline report, and has even been retweeting art made by fans of what she could like like when she finally steps into the supersuit. Hopefully, Supergirl's bisexuality will actually be confirmed and explored in The Flash! Until then, we'll just have to wait patiently and see!
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https://www.pride.com/geek/2021/5/27/will-supergirl-be-bisexual-ezra-millers-dceu-flash-movie
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Why did Tesla remove radar sensors from Models 3 and Y?
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Elon Musks company has just announced that Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that will be shipped to North America will not be equipped with radar sensors. Picture courtesy of Tesla Subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on news you need to know. KUALA LUMPUR, Mau 28 Tesla Vision is supposed to be the future for its advanced driver assistance system, and it basically uses cameras as opposed to radar to guide its autopilot system. Elon Musks company has just announced that Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that will be shipped to North America will not be equipped with radar sensors, in favour of the camera-based autopilot system. These will be the first ever vehicles from Tesla to purely rely on camera vision and neural net processing, and to help with this transition, there will be a couple of temporarily limited or inactive features, namely: Autosteer will be limited to a maximum speed of 75 mph and a longer minimum following distance. Smart Summon (if equipped) and Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance may be disabled at delivery. However, autopilot and full self-driving features will be active at delivery. When radar and vision disagree, which one do you believe? Well, Musk actually tweeted about this a month or so ago, explaining that vision, or cameras, offer more precision. The Tesla chief also explained that cameras just have more orders of magnitude, and more bits than radar or even LiDAR, the technology now available on the latest iPad Pros and iPhones. lots of people arguing no radar is a step backwards. Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) April 10, 2021 Tesla hasnt exactly explained why they are only doing this for these two models and two very popular ones, at that. The company is maintaining radar sensors on the new Model S and Model X cars, as well as all Tesla vehicles for vehicles outside North American markets. However, the firm says that the high volume nature of Model 3 and Model Y will allow them to analyse the real-world data, with a possible view to rolling out Tesla Vision more widely. It is a move that is viewed as one that is rather counter to the industry standard, but Tesla and to a degree, Elon Musk has never really been one to follow the well-travelled road. If youre in North America, and you want to find out if your car is equipped with radar, all orders made before May will be equipped with radar sensors. To find out more, click here to view Teslas support page. SoyaCincau
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/drive/2021/05/28/why-did-tesla-remove-radar-sensors-from-models-3-and-y/1977641
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What time is Panic coming to Amazon Prime Video?
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The first season of Panic will hit Amazon Prime this weekend, showcasing a truly unpredictable take on a YA adventure. The series, which is based on Lauren Oliver's 2014 novel of the same name, takes place in a small Texas town, where every summer the graduating seniors compete in a series of challenges, winner takes all, which they believe is their one and only chance to escape their circumstances and make their lives better. But this year, the rules have changed the pot of money is larger than ever and the game has become even more dangerous. The players will come face to face with their deepest, darkest fears and be forced to decide how much they are willing to risk in order to win.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259811572023/what-time-is-panic-coming-to-amazon-prime-video
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Why are 'lefty gumps' interested in George Christensen's side hustle?
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Thanks to Crikey revealing that George Christensen had joined Amazon Affiliates, questions are now being asked about whether he breached parliamentary expenses rules. George Christensen (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas) Finance Minister Simon Birmingham and Department of Finance representatives have been questioned over whether MP George Christensen breached parliamentary expenses rules when promoting books for sale on Amazon and seeking donations. Labor Senator Tim Ayres used a Senate estimates hearing to inquire about the controversial Queensland LNP politicians behaviour. Earlier this month, Crikey reported that Christensen had joined Amazons Associate program, an affiliate marketing program that would give Christensen a cut of any sales made through hyperlinks that he promoted. Christensen used his email newsletter, Facebook page and Telegram channel to promote books sold on Amazon. At Thursday evenings Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee hearing, Ayres asked whether an MP using a service that was publicly funded like a website (where Christensen promotes his newsletter and Facebook page) or a newsletter service used to send out each email to promote their commercial interests would violate parliamentary procedures. Get your first 12 weeks of Crikey for $12. Cancel anytime. Sign Up If it is publicly funded through the program that you administer and there is a blatant commercial effort to raise money unclear whether its for personal enrichment or political donations then is this a legitimate area of public inquiry? Ayres asked. The Department of Finances First Assistant Secretary, Ministerial and Parliamentary Services, David De Silva, said that while not all MPs websites are publicly funded, it would be a contravention of parliamentary expenses if it was used this way. If the website is funded under the [Parliamentary Business Resource] framework, it cant be used for a commercial purpose including raising funds. Ayres said that his office saw on May 6 that Christensens website featured a button seeking donations but that has now been removed. Birmingham said that he had not spoken to Christensen about his website, and took a question on notice about whether his office had contacted Christensen about it. Christensens office did not respond to questions about whether any parliamentary entitlements have been used as part of his participation with the Amazon Associate program. Christensen, however, clearly noticed that his behaviour had come under scrutiny. Since Crikeys article, he has stopped promoting links to Amazon products. He also removed all mentions of the associate program from his Facebook page and newsletter footnotes, and deleted all Facebook posts promoting Amazon listings. Old newsletters promoting Amazon links remain on his newsletter service and on his Telegram channel. Replacing his Amazon Affiliate program disclosure message in his Facebook page About section, Christensen left a little note for any keen-eyed observers. Why are lefty gumps so interested in what I do on Facey? he wrote.
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https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/05/28/george-christensen-amazon-lefty-gumps/
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Will 'Dragon's Dogma 2' Be Revealed At E3 2021?
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Last years pandemic put a complete halt to live events. That troubling development was especially disheartening for gamers since major gaming conventions and industry gatherings were forced to go on an unexpected hiatus. The famed Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3, for short) falls into that category of events that didnt go down as planned in 2020. Now that were smack dab in the middle of 2021, the Entertainment Software Association is putting in a gargantuan effort to make sure their signature E3 event goes off without a hitch. E3 2021 will be an all-digital installment this time around, but that doesnt mean itll be any less exciting than previous years. While Sony may not be on hand to make any in-person announcements, a solid lineup of notable gaming publishers/developers will be in attendance to showcase whats coming next.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259812645923/will-dragon-s-dogma-2-be-revealed-at-e3-2021
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Where can kids receive free meals in Hillsborough County?
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The free grab-and-go food distribution program is available to all teens and kids 18 and younger. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. Starting June 2, Hillsborough County Public Schools will begin its free summer meals program to feed teens and children in need. According to a release, the grab-and-go food distribution program will run from June 2 through Aug. 5. Meals will be provided from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Monday and Wednesday at 36 curbside pickup sites, the district said. Hillsborough Schools says families will get two days' worth of breakfast and lunch on both pickup days, providing food for students to eat each weekday. The program is open to all teens and kids 18 and younger. "The needs of our children do not go away once the school year ends," the district wrote in its release. Parents who arrive at the pickup sites without their child will need to provide their child's student number or the child's name and birthday so the school district can keep track of distribution, Hillsborough Schools says. The school district says all students enrolled in in-person summer school programs will also be given free breakfast and lunch each day they are on campus. Our district stands ready to provide learners with critical supports even during the summer. Offering students the opportunity to receive balanced meals throughout the week will lift a major burden off families who are still reeling from the impacts of the pandemic. I want to thank our Student Nutrition Services team as well as site administrators for their dedication to this important initiative that serves our entire community, said Superintendent Addison Davis in a statement. A list of the distribution sites are as follows: Armwood Lutz Barrington Madison Benito Mann Blake McDonald Bowers/Whitley Middleton Buchanan Mulrennan Bloomingdale Oak Grove Clair Mel Plant City East Bay Reddick Gaither Riverview Elementary Giunta Sligh Greco Smith Hillsborough Spoto Hill Steinbrenner Jefferson Turkey Creek Kenly Webb King Wharton Lennard Woodson
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-county-schools-summer-feeding-program/67-9c95e8bb-6e08-47cd-903e-250ab81dbf3b
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Was ist Flottenmanagement und welche Vorteile hat es?
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(Advertorial) Viele Unternehmen besitzen eine Vielzahl an Fahrzeugen. Mit dem Flottenmanagement wird die Verwaltung des Fuhrparks bezeichnet. Dabei drehen sich die Manahmen rund um die Effizienz und die Gestaltung kostengnstiger Prozesse. Das Flottenmanagement luft heute ber Software-Lsungen und ist weitestgehend automatisiert. Flottenmanagement-Systeme bieten unabhngig von der Gre des Unternehmens und des Fuhrparks eine Reihe von Vorteilen, die die Fahrzeugflotten produktiver machen und sogar die Sicherheitsstandards erhhen. Die Manahmen knnen sich dabei unter anderem auf die Fahrzeugortung, die berwachung des Fahrverhaltens, das Wartungsmanagement und die Optimierung des Kraftstoffverbrauchs beziehen. Das Flottenmanagement schliet neben der Fuhrparkverwaltung auch die Routenplanung ein. Hierbei geht es darum die Fahrzeiten zu reduzieren, optimale Routen zu planen und in Echtzeit eine professionelle Navigation sicherzustellen. Darber hinaus gehren auch das Reparatur- und Wartungsmanagement, die Analyse der gewonnenen Daten, um beispielsweise durch Einsicht in das Fahrverhalten den Kraftstoffverbrauch zu reduzieren, sowie das Mitarbeiter- und Auftragsmanagement dazu. Ab einer bestimmten Flottengre bernimmt das Management ein Flottenverantwortlicher und stellt einen prozessoptimalen und logistisch produktiven Aufbau der Flotte sicher. Ebenso kann die Verwaltung eine externe Firma bernehmen, sodass im Unternehmen keine Kapazitten gebunden werden. Modernes Flottenmanagement reduziert den Kraftstoffverbrauch durch die Analyse des Fahrverhaltens. Der Flottenmanager erkennt Probleme rechtzeitig und kann fr eine effizientere Fahrweise sorgen. Damit lsst sich der Verbrauch schon meist um 20 % reduzieren. Durch die Fahrzeugortung via GPS kann in Echtzeit eine sinnvolle Navigation erfolgen. Zudem wird der Kundenservice verbessert, da Standort, Auftragsstatus und Ankunftszeit ersichtlich sind und wesentlich schneller optimiert werden knnen. Gleichzeitig wird die Sicherheit des Fahrers erhht, indem Geschwindigkeitsberschreitungen festgestellt und abgestellt werden. Damit sinkt das Unfallrisiko. Die prventive Instandhaltung und Wartung verhindert, dass Pannen entstehen und Reparaturen ntig werden und spart damit effizient Kosten. Ein Wartungsplan sorgt hier fr die effiziente Planung. Auch die Umweltfreundlichkeit und ein verantwortungsvoller Umgang mit Ressourcen ist ein wesentlicher Vorteil, die das Flottenmanagement bietet. Ferner ist nicht zu unterschtzen, welche Kosten Unternehmen damit einsparen und damit die Rentabilitt steigern.
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https://www.gmbhchef.de/was-ist-flottenmanagement-und-welche-vorteile-hat-es/
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What are Richmond businesses planning to do now that capacity limits are gone?
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) When the clock strikes midnight there will no longer be any state-mandated capacity restrictions in Virginia, after over a year of COVID-19 mitigation measures. An 8News crew headed to Shockoe Bottom in Richmond where many people were already out and enjoying themselves. The mask mandate is already lifted for people who have been vaccinated and now capacity limits are gone too. Virginia isnt requiring people to show proof of vaccination when not using a mask. In a stark contrast from last year, Virginians will be able to hold Memorial Day weekend gatherings of any size. Local restaurants are trying to figure out what theyre comfortable with now that limited seating is no longer required. Although theyll be able to allow plenty of people in at Margaritas Cantina in Richmonds Shockoe Bottom, General Manager Farni Tano says theyll take it easyfor now. If theres not a chair in the dining room, we have no room for you, and we let them know, Tano said. Tano doesnt believe Margaritas Cantina needs to rush into fully reopening. In a similar boat, Tipsy Crab restaurant manager Andre Degenna says not so fast. We are excited to get our capacity up just like any other business simply to increase our sales volume, Degenna said. We will get there soon. Were probably not going to rush to be the first. Its not just restaurants that can open up fully, houses of worship can welcome more people, stadiums can open their gates and theaters can turn on the marquee. There is one population still required to wear masks, unvaccinated school students attending class. Children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for the vaccine. Though capacity limits are gone, Governor Northam says Virginias state of emergency remains in effect at least through June 30 to keep supporting vaccine efforts.
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https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/what-are-richmond-businesses-planning-to-do-now-that-capacity-limits-are-gone/
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How to watch Manchester City vs Chelsea in the Champions League final LIVE from India?
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It's an all-English Champions League final on Saturday night... Manchester City and Chelsea are to lock horns in the final of the UEFA Champions League that will be held at the The Estdio do Drago in Porto, Portugal, on Saturday. The Cityzens are looking to complete a treble after winning the Carabao Cup besides becoming the champions of England, while the Blues - after losing the FA Cup final to Leicester City - will be looking for glory in the premium European competition. Here's how you can watch Manchester City vs Chelsea in India. Contents Where to watch or stream Man City vs Chelsea in India The UEFA Champions League is telecast on Sony Pictures Sports Networks (SPSN) in India. Date Time (IST) Match TV Channel/stream May 30 12:30 AM Manchester City vs Chelsea Sony Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi)/SonyLIV Return to top Champions League Final Preview The two teams last met in a Premier League tie where Thomas Tuchel's side emerged 2-1 victors over Pep Guardiola's men at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City ended their successful Premier League campaign with an emphatic 5-0 win over Everton at the Etihad where Sergio Aguero signed off in front of the City fans in his final league appearance with two goals from the bench in the second half. Ilkay Gundogan was rested in the last game against Everton. The German has since confirmed that he is fit to face Chelsea and Guardiola will have a full squad at his disposal. The possibility of Aguero playing a part in the final, even if it should be from the bench, cannot be ruled out. Despite a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park on the final matchday in the domestic circuit, Chelsea secured Champions League football next season. On the team news front, Tuchel will be hoping for influential midfielder N'Golo Kante to return to full fitness for the big game. The Frenchman was left out for the Blues' final Premier League game after being taken off in the FA Cup final against Leicester City in the preceding fixture. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who has as many as eight clean sheets to his name in the ongoing Champions League, had a nasty collition with the upright in the last game but has shown positive signs in training since as Kepa Arrizabalaga stands by. Man City's Road to the Champions League Final Manchester City was in Group C alongside FC Porto, Olympiacos and Marseille. Guardiola's team topped the group stage with 14 points. In the round of 16, they defeated Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 on aggregate and then beat FC Porto in the quarterfinal 4-2 over two legs to reach the semi-finals. Facing PSG in the semi-finals, City came out on top after a brilliant second-half performance that saw them seal a 2-1 away win in the first leg before finishing the job at home with a 2-0 result in their favour in order to make their first ever Champions League final. Return to top Chelsea's Road to the Champions League Final Chelsea were in Group E alongside Sevilla, Krasnodar and Rennes. The Blues under then-coach Frank Lampard had topped the group stage with 14 points. In the round of 16, they defeated Atletico Madrid 3-0 on aggregate and then beat FC Porto in the quarterfinal 2-1 over two legs to reach the semi-finals. As Tuchel took charge in the final four, Chelsea took home an away goal advantage against Real Madrid in the first leg before dispatching the Los Blancos 2-0 at the Stamford Bridge to enter the Champions League final for the third time in their history. Article continues below Return to top Related links
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https://www.goal.com/en/news/ucl-how-to-watch-manchester-city-chelsea-india-tv-live/ichjkfbocy6c15ahvglsm8r65
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Who Gets the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the Divorce?
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Photo: 2015 Getty Images The conscious uncoupling for one of the worlds richest couples has not been a clean and friendly split so far. Since Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates announced earlier this month that they could no longer grow together and were getting a divorce, a dump of leaked information has painted the Microsoft co-founder in a new, creepier light including claims that Bill sought out affairs with women he employed and that he and Jeffrey Epstein hung out way too much after the financier got out of prison for procuring a child for prostitution. But even if the bad press is spewing very clearly in one direction, the pair wants everything to be squeaky clean with their philanthropic baby: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the couple and their lawyer squadrons are restructuring the charity to ensure the long-term sustainability and stability of the foundation given the co-chairs divorce, as the organizations CEO Mark Suzman put it. That could entail adding a board and bringing in outside directors to the foundation that has been previously been run by a core group, including the couple on the outs. As co-chairs and trustees of the Gates Foundation, Bill and Melinda will continue to guide the direction of the charity, which had an endowment of $49.9 billion in 2020, coming largely from donations from the family since the charitys founding as the William H. Gates Foundation in 1994. (Though the pair were married that year, the name of the institution working to eradicate polio and fight other infectious diseases was not changed until 2000.) According to the Wall Street Journal, the campaign to correct Bill Gatess image in the public eye has not come without collateral damage to the foundation: There have been recent calls from some Gates Foundation grant recipients asking questions about Mr. Gatess ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Its unclear when this bad press will end. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported on Bill Gatess money manager Michael Larson, who frequently made bigoted comments at work: He openly judged female employees on their attractiveness, showed colleagues nude photos of women on the internet and on several occasions made sexually inappropriate comments. Though Melinda French Gates reportedly wanted an independent firm to conduct an investigation of Larsons behavior following a sexual harassment claim, her husband reportedly ignored her request.
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https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/05/who-gets-bill-and-melinda-gates-foundation-in-the-divorce.html
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What Time Will Lucifer Season 5 Part 2 be on Netflix?
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Lucifer season 5 part 2 (or sometimes referred to as Lucifer season 5b) is heading to Netflix tonight or tomorrow depending on where you live in the world. If youre looking to stay awake, wake up early or just catch it as soon as its available, stick around. Heres what time the new season will be on Netflix where you live. In case youve been living under a rock, the second half of season 5 (which was originally meant to be the final season of the show) is due out on Netflix globally on May 28th. Weve been covering the second half of season 5 in-depth for quite some time but its finally time to dive in come Friday. Heres an expansive list of when you can expect season 5 part 2 to be on Netflix in your time zone. If youre not sure what time zone you live in, head over to a time zone converter and put 12:00 AM Los Angeles in the left box and search for your region in the second box and it will automatically convert. You may need to reload/refresh Netflix. You can do that on browsers using CTRL + F5. If youre on a mobile, just shut down and close the application and open it back up. Those on smart televisions or a games console, youll need to navigate to the help tab on the far left of the Netflix app and then press, reload Netflix. There you have it, a complete guide to when youll be watching the next part of Lucifer on Netflix. If you want to look even further ahead, check out our comprehensive preview for Lucifer season 6 which well be keeping updated with all the latest up until the release.
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https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/what-time-will-lucifer-season-5-part-2-be-on-netflix/
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Should B.C. consider sweepstakes to encourage vaccines?
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Photo: The Canadian Press California is giving away the countrys largest pot of vaccine prize money, $116.5 million, in an attempt to get millions more inoculated before the most populous U.S. state fully reopens next month. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced the prizes, which also include the nation's highest single vaccine prize: $1.5 million. The state estimates about 12 million Californians 12 and older have not been vaccinated. About 63% of the 34 million eligible have gotten shots, though the pace has slowed markedly in recent weeks as infection rates have plummeted to record lows. California's reopening is pegged for June 15, and on that day a drawing will be held to award 10 vaccinated people the top prize . Another 30 people will win $50,000 each, with those drawings starting June 4. Anyone 12 and older who has received at least one shot will be eligible. And the next 2 million people who get vaccinated will get $50 gift cards. Read more. Send it to [email protected]
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https://www.castanet.net/news/Poll/335249/Should-B-C-consider-sweepstakes-to-encourage-vaccines
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Is UFC 264 the best Conor McGregor card ever?
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Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the UFC's biggest star, a distinction that has brought him a slew of perks. Big paydays and recognition have been the Irishman's two constant merits, thanks to the multitude of highly successful cards he has been a part of. If you look at McGregor's timeline in the UFC - especially between 2015 and 2016 - you will notice that the Dana White-led promotion had often built a glamorous undercard to support the main event that featured McGregor. Such is the case at UFC 264 as well, which looks incredibly stacked on paper. It will be headlined by Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, who will share the octagon for the third time. In the co-main event, Stephen Thompson will challenge Gilbert Burns. UFC 264 will host plenty of other exciting matchups, since the likes of Sean O'Malley, Kevin Lee, Ryan Hall, and Michel Pereira are also expected to compete at the event. To reach a conclusion, we'll compare the card with three of the most successful PPV events spearheaded by 'The Notorious One'. Comparing UFC 264 with UFC 189: Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at the UFC 189 post-fight press conference UFC 189 was originally supposed to be headlined by Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo. After the Brazilian suffered a rib fracture, Chad Mendes stepped up to challenge McGregor on short notice. The 16,000 fans in attendance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena witnessed an electrifying main event as Conor McGregor finished Mendes in the second round. However, it was the co-main event bout between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonad that became the center of attention. Both men exchanged heavy leather for 21 minutes before Lawler finally sent MacDonald to the canvas. This welterweight bout is still considered as one of the greatest fights in UFC history. Jul11.2015 5 years ago today, Robbie Lawler & Rory MacDonald competed in arguably the greatest fight in UFC history. pic.twitter.com/f492keCSfH MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) July 11, 2020 Jeremy Stephens and Thomas Almeida scored highlight reel flying knee knockouts at UFC 189. The likes of Gunnar Nelson, Cody Garbrandt, and Matt Brown also won their respective matches. On paper, UFC 264 may have a slight edge as far as the star power of fighters is concerned. But it will have to pull something remarkable out of its bag to surpass the extravaganza of UFC 189. Comparing UFC 264 with UFC 202: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 2 UFC 202: Diaz v McGregor 2 Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz met inside the octagon for the second time at UFC 202. The promotion had never hyped a rematch to this extent before. 'The Notorious One' was gunning for revenge against Diaz, who handed him his first UFC defeat at UFC 196. Both men battled it out in a thrilling 25-minute contest that also earned them the Fight of the Night accolade. In the co-main event, Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson displayed why exactly he was considered one of the best knockout artists in the UFC. He finished his opponent, Glover Teixeira, in 13 seconds of the first round. Aug20.2016 1 year ago today, Conor McGregor avenged his loss to Nate Diaz by defeating him in their rematch at UFC 202. pic.twitter.com/tKremtj7ei MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) August 20, 2017 Donald Cerrone, who was still one of the promotion's biggest names, scored a stunning TKO win over Rick Story. Mike Perry, Cody Garbrandt, and Raquel Pennington also competed at UFC 202. The likes of Colby Covington, Marvin Vettori, and Neil Magny had to scrap in the early preliminary card. Although UFC 202 consisted of some big names, an argument of UFC 264 being more stacked can still be made considering the presence of surging prospects like Ilia Topuria and Sean Brady on its card. Comparing UFC 264 with UFC 205: Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez UFC 205: Alvarez v McGregor UFC 205 was the first event that took place in the state of New York. After a lengthy stint of negotiations with the government to legalize MMA in New York, Dana White made sure to leave no stone unturned at UFC 205. The UFC stacked the card with three title fights: Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez, Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz. In the main event, Conor McGregor dazzled the crowd with his flawless performance against Alvarez. He knocked out 'The Underground King' in the second round of the fight. McGregor KOs Alvarez to take second title at UFC 205: https://t.co/UCqgYaYRDI pic.twitter.com/mhNBS3WXOf TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 13, 2016 The welterweight title clash between Woodley and Thompson ended in a draw. Both fighters engaged in an equally-contested battle that saw 'The Chosen One' retain his belt. Jedrzejczyk also defeated her fellow compatriot Kowalkiewicz convincingly via unanimous decision. UFC 205 featured Yoel Romero, who landed a brutal flying knee on Chris Weidman and put the entire middleweight division on notice. The depth of UFC 205 card was so impressive that it saw four well-established stars like Frankie Edgar, Jeremy Stephens, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Michael Johnson compete on its preliminary card. Vicente Luque, Belal Muhammad, Jim Miller, and Katlyn Chookagian also fought at UFC 205, which made the event incredibly successful. Hence, it will only be fair to say that UFC 205 is quite evidently the strongest card Conor McGregor has ever been a part of.
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/is-ufc-264-best-conor-mcgregor-card-ever
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Do NFL rules benefit offenses or defenses?
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Recently a conversation began of whom the rules of the NFL benefit more: the offense or the defense. In a recent episode of "The Herd", Colin Cowherd's morning show, he discussed whether the NFL rules are in favor of the offense. It was a response to former Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who insinuated that quarterbacks of this era are "divas." Cowherd's response was that the NFL has changed throughout the last twenty-five years and that safety has forced rule changes. Some of these rule changes are meant to help keep the quarterback safe. But by making rule changes to benefit safety, have the rules leaned toward benefiting one side more than the other. When evaluating whether the offense or defense benefits from the NFL rules, the first rule is pass interference. Within the last few seasons, the NFL can now review both offensive and defensive pass interference. With that comes more penalties on offense than in previous years. But there are still more calls on defenders for passive interference than there are on receivers. In fact, in 2019, according to NFLPenalties.com, for every seven defensive pass interference calls, there were just two offensive pass interference calls. The point that Colin Cowherd made was that quarterbacks are pretty much off limits in today's NFL. Even in NCAA football, if a player intentionally hits another player, especially with their helmet, then they can be ejected from the game and suspended for the next game. Just this week, NFL owners agreed to a new rule that now prohibits blocking from the waist down. The rule is mainly to protect players from the gruesome leg, ankle and knee injuries that have been suffered over the past few seasons. Heres the new low block rule, which expands the prohibition against blocking below the waist. pic.twitter.com/lxxpB6fBrz Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 26, 2021 Some could even say that this rule, along with others, benefits special teams more than they do defense. A punter or kicker cannot be knocked down while attempting their kick/punt. There are even designated rules for when a returner is in place to make the catch. All in all, the NFL rules do seem to benefit the offense more so than the defense. However, in the NFL's defense, it is to make the game safer as a whole. This goes for players on both sides of the ball, the ones taking the hit and the ones making the hit. Randy Cross @randycrossFB says without rule changes, NFL players would have started dying on the football field. The full interview will be released tomorrow wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Please subscribe :) pic.twitter.com/fFs1mttlbi DNP-CD Sports (@DNPCDsports) May 23, 2021
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/do-nfl-rules-benefit-offenses-defenses
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Will Offices In The Twin Cities Ever Return To The Way They Were?
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) Fourteen months ago, every desk on the third floor of the Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union in St. Paul was occupied. The lunchroom would have been filled with people, said Julie Cosgrove, the chief talent officer at Affinity Plus. It was what I would consider a traditional work space. When asked if she ever thought it would return to that capacity, Cosgrove said she didnt think so. Over the next year, she expects employees to return once a week or twice a month. Were not saying everyone needs to do it in a certain way, she said. Were looking at an individualized custom approach. A recent survey conducted by the Minneapolis Downtown Council found 80% of downtown companies are developing future of work plans with a hybrid/flexible plan as the most referenced. Eighty percent of those companies also expect to have employees in the office three to five days a week with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the most prevalent expected weekdays for return. The St. Paul Downtown Alliance reports hearing from its members that 55% of workplaces will adopt a hybrid approach, but still require employees to work in the office the majority of the time. They have to assess which tasks, which job functions, which groups can bear the virtuality in to their general structure and how can we be good at this, says Tsedal Neeley, author of Remote Work Revolution and professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Neeley believes the future of work is hybrid. According to a Harris Poll survey conducted in May, 40% of Americans prefer to work from home full time, 35% want a home-office hybrid and 25% want to go back to the office full time. Many [companies] admit they have no choice but to explore this hybrid workforce structure because of fear of turnover, Neeley said. WCCO reached out to a dozen of Minnesotas largest employers about their return to work plans. While some companies said they werent ready to release details, several said they would move forward with hybrid plans for many of their office employees. U.S. Bank said the majority of its office employees will return in September, and the company expects most of those employees to work in a hybrid role. General Mills reports its employees, once they felly return, will have a mix of time spent onsite and offsite. Target said, in the future, its headquarters team will flex for their day, working part-time in the office and part-time at home. Xcel Energy said it will launch a new flexible work program after Labor Day that takes a hybrid approach. Once a bulk of the employees return, Neeley says what the office itself looks like could be different as well. Thats a huge, huge question, she says. I think architects have so many opportunities to help us here. For example, some workspaces might be used a hoteling spaces, rather than permanent desks. I think it such a learning curve and learning process, Cosgrove said. Were going to take it one step at a time.
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https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/05/27/will-offices-ever-return-to-the-way-they-were/
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What is the 'Indian variant' of COVID-19 that is spreading in Victoria?
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Victoria has entered a seven-day lockdown over concerns about a "highly infectious" variant of COVID-19. The variant in Victoria is a version of what is often called the "Indian variant", and it's spreading quickly in other countries as well. "Our public health experts' primary concern is just how fast this variant is moving," Victoria's Acting Premier James Merlino said yesterday. "We've seen overseas how difficult that movement can be to control." While there's still a lot to learn about how this virus behaves, here is what we know so far. Like the "UK variant" B.1.1.7 and "South African variant" B.1.351, the "Indian variant" B.1.617 is another variation of the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India last October and has since spread to more than 40 other countries, including Australia. Experts have identified three subtypes, or sublineages, of the "Indian variant": B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2, and B.1.617.3. Each sublineage is slightly different, but all have spike protein mutations that have been associated with increased transmissibility. The spike protein is what coronaviruses use to gain entry into human cells. Cases in Victoria's latest cluster are infected with the first sublineage, B.1.617.1. Experts believe the "Indian variant" could be more infectious than previous variants, based on how rapidly it is spreading in other countries. "Preliminary reports from the UK, where B.1.617.2 is surging in some parts of the country, suggest it is 50 per cent more contagious than the UK variant B.1.1.7, which is already 50-100 per cent more contagious than the 'regular' strain," infectious diseases expert Raina MacIntyre said. We don't know whether this variant is more deadly or causes worse disease than other versions of the virus. But Professor MacIntyre said there was some data that indicated B.1.617 could cause different symptoms. "Based on reports from India, this variant may have atypical clinical presentations, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and hearing impairments, as well as an absence of fever," she said. "If this is the case, people should be on the alert for any of these symptoms as well as more typical COVID symptoms such as cough and fever." But it's still early days when it comes to this particular variant, and experts are still learning about it. More data and peer-reviewed research are needed to determine exactly how this virus behaves. Experts are keeping a close eye on B.1.617.1, but because it hasn't been around too long, there's still a lot to learn. "We know more about [B.1.617.2], because that one is really beginning to take off and spread in the UK that second variant also is spreading really well in India as well," University of Sydney virologist Megan Steain said. "We know a bit less about the [variant] that's in Victoria just because there's been less cases with this particular [B.1.617.1] sub-variant. "We know what mutations it has, and some of those mutations have been associated with increased transmissibility and some evasion of some antibody responses." People seen lining up for vaccinations in Mumbai, India, last month. ( AP: Rajanish Kakade, File photo The World Health Organization (WHO) classified B.1.617 as a "variant of concern" on May 11, based on evidence that suggested those viruses had higher rates of transmission compared to other variants. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has labelled B.1.617.1 specifically a "variant of interest", which essentially means experts are monitoring it closely. The ECDC upgraded the second sublineage of the "Indian" variant, B.1.617.2, to a "variant of concern" a few days ago. While experts believe the "Indian variant" could be more infectious than other variants, there is some good news. The same protocols that have been effective at controlling outbreaks previously lockdowns, masks, and hygiene measures will also be effective at bringing the latest variant under control. Victorian officials say the lockdown will help bring the latest outbreak under control. ( ABC News: Patrick Rocca "If they're all put into place early there's a really good chance that we'll be able to bring this outbreak under control really quickly," Dr Steain said. Rob Grenfell from the CSIRO said it was "only a matter of time before an outbreak like this occurred". "We've been lucky in Australia; we have kept the virus at bay, but we have also become complacent," Dr Grenfell said. "This latest virus incursion in Melbourne is a sober reminder that anyone who is eligible for vaccination should go out and get their shot." When announcing the lockdown yesterday, Victorian officials said they were concerned about how quickly the virus was spreading. Mr Merlino said the time between people catching the virus and passing it on was "tighter than ever". "To put that in some perspective, the usual transmission [of the virus] is about five to six days," he said yesterday. "In some of these cases, within a day it's been transmitted. And in just 24 hours the number of cases has doubled." Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the variant was "very infectious". "When we're seeing a member in a household become infected, almost everyone in that household is infected," he said. "In a workplace, with some people infected, there are many, many people infected." That level of transmission is faster than what has been seen in previous outbreaks in Australia. During last year's outbreaks, it was not unusual for some household members to remain COVID-free while others were infected. "So it speaks to the infectiousness of this B.1.617 variant, but also the cycles that it's going through," Professor Sutton said. "It really is rapid and that's led to the exponential increase." More studies are needed, but early data from the United Kingdom is promising. A recent study showed two doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines provided a similar level of protection against the B.1.617.2 variant, as they did against the B.1.1.7 UK variant. "This study provides reassurance that two doses of either vaccine offer high levels of protection against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant," Public Health England's head of immunisation Mary Ramsay said in a statement. "We expect the vaccines to be even more effective at preventing hospitalisation and death, so it is vital to get both doses to gain maximum protection against all existing and emerging variants." There still isn't much information on how effective vaccines are against B.1.617.1 specifically. But Dr Steain says it's likely vaccines will be effective against that version too. "Importantly, they are still going to protect people from getting really severe infections, ending up in hospital and dying," she said. It is normal for viruses to change and mutate over time, because of how the infection process works. When a cell gets infected, it generates more copies of the virus. "Every time a virus replicates, there's a good chance that when it copies its genome it will just make a mistake, like a typo," Dr Steain said. Sometimes those "typos" don't do much at all. But occasionally they can change how the virus behaves. In most COVID variants of concern, the "mistakes" are spike protein mutations that could make them more transmissible. "Every time a cell gets infected, it's pumping out hundreds of thousands of copies of new viruses," Dr Steain said. "So the chances a mistake will happen is quite high. It's just whether or not that can then give the virus an advantage, and whether it's able to spread and keep going." Similar to previous outbreaks, the best thing to do is to follow the public health advice, and get tested if you have symptoms. Professor Sutton said at the first sign of any symptom or illness, no matter how mild, you should "assume it's COVID until proven otherwise". Other people might be at risk but not me, I don't work at the airport, I don't work in hotel quarantine I haven't been around high-risk settings'," he said. "And yet here we are." And while we've still got a lot to learn about B.1.617.1, one thing we do know is that vaccinating will reduce the risks posed by this particular sublineage, and other variants that may pop up in the future. "[The UK variant B.1.1.7] was challenging enough," Professor Sutton said. "We don't want to have to deal with variants of concern like this again. Again, vaccination works against this variant, as for so many variants"
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-28/indian-covid-variant-in-victoria-infectiousness-symptoms/100171986
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How Big Is The Threat of China's Navy?
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US military planners pushed for nuclear strikes on mainland China in 1958 to protect Taiwan from an invasion by Communist forces, classified documents posted online by Daniel Ellsberg of "Pentagon Papers" fame show. US planners also assumed that the Soviet Union would aid China and retaliate with nuclear weapons -- a price they deemed worth paying to protect Taiwan, according to the document, first reported by the New York Times. Former military analyst Ellsberg posted online the classified portion of a top-secret document on the crisis that had been only partially declassified in 1975. Ellsberg, now 90, is famous for his 1971 leak to US media of a top-secret Pentagon study on the Vietnam war known as the Pentagon Papers.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259867741371/how-big-is-the-threat-of-china-s-navy
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Who will win NBA Coach of the Year?
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Krawczynski: From what I can gather, theres an appreciation that Towns has for what the organization has done in terms of helping him through all of the grief that he has suffered over this last year. Hes got DAngelo Russell here, his good buddy. He really does like Anthony Edwards a lot. He kind of envisions himself as a big brother to Edwards and helping him along in his development. You never say never with these things. Youre always going to be watching this, but all the indications on the ground here in Minnesota is that Towns is comfortable here and he likes his surroundings. He obviously wants to win. He wants to get back to the playoffs.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259872656333/who-will-win-nba-coach-of-the-year
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Is Pete Davidson Really Leaving 'SNL'?
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It could be the end of an era for SNL. That's right. After seven successful seasons, Pete Davidson may finally be leaving the storied sketch show that helped make him a household name. Or at least, that seems to be the case according to a recent interview he did for The Hollywood Reporter. On Thursday, the publication published a comedy roundtable in which the King of Staten Island star appeared to hint at his imminent departure during a prompt about Kenan Thompson's 18-season tenure on the show. Because when asked if he'd possibly do the same, Davidson confessed that he was all "good" on the SNL front, especially since he was "surprised" to even make it "seven [seasons]." "I'm ready to hang up the jersey," as he put it, before adding, "Kenan's, like, fucking Karl Malone out there." Granted, speculation about his possible exit has already been swirling around the internet since last week when Davidson and a number of other SNL cast members including Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Thompson hinted at potential cast switch-ups. And while some like McKinnon delivered emotional statements, Davidson sparked rumors by ending his appearance on the "Weekend Update" segment by saying, "I'm very grateful to be here, and it has been an honor to grow up in front of you guys." For his part, Davidson has yet to publicly confirm anything, but in the meantime you can read The Hollywood Reporter's entire roundtable, here.
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https://www.papermag.com/pete-davidson-leaving-snl-2653130859.html
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How can low code enable universities and colleges to thrive again?
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You are using adblocker please support us by whitelisting www.fenews.co.uk As per the governments roadmap out of lockdown, universities officially opened their doors to students from the 17th of May. However, keeping campuses safe and complying with new regulations is a logistical nightmare. With a plethora of safety considerations, universities and education providers will need to rethink the way students and faculty return. Enabling social distancing in lectures, shared working spaces, and events, along with successful rapid COVID-19 testing are just a few of the daunting tasks facing education leaders. The need for fast, adaptive, and automated processes is key if universities are to create the applications needed for a safe working environment. However, traditional technologies are simply not built to adapt to these new variables. The time needed to manually code applications that can create staggered schedules, monitor attendance, and provide instantaneous updates to students poses a monumental challenge for under pressure developers. With already stretched IT departments lacking resources and having to deal with threats such as increased cybercrime, a skills shortage will make any potential attempt at a safe return to campus that much harder to achieve. As a result, demand is higher than ever for innovative solutions that can streamline the development process and help universities return to business as usual. Enter low-code One technology that offers education institutes a path towards a sustainable post-COVID future is low-code. Low-code is a software development approach that requires little to no coding in order to build applications and processes. Low-code platforms are agile, easily scalable, and able to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment. These platforms use visual interfaces with simple logic and drag-and-drop features instead of extensive coding languages. Importantly, this doesnt only apply to universities, but also college and apprenticeship education. The beauty of low-code platforms is that regardless of the situation, a thin-on-the-ground IT team could speedily build out the applications they need to adapt to the pos-t world and beyond. Easing the burden The rapidly changing demands for education providers mean flexibility and agility are essential to developing applications that allow students to return. For instance, universities and colleges will need systems that can monitor the vaccination status of students, levels of attendance at any given time, and maintain department-wide schedule synchronisation. However, the skills shortage in IT is making this all but an impossibility. Overstretched IT teams simply cannot keep up with the workload required to provide a safe and enjoyable learning experience while hand-coding with legacy systems. Low code can ease this burden dramatically. By expediting the life cycle of an application from inception through to delivery, under-siege developers can create effective applications in a fraction of the time it had taken before. You are using adblocker please support us by whitelisting www.fenews.co.uk Refresh this page Featured Article I have been trying to find the right words, more than that the right l Featured Article #ArtificialIntelligence is changing the world we live in, the educatio Featured Article COP26 and the Future of Work Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the world Rather than spend time coding an app from scratch, low-code platforms let developers work from existing templates and drag prebuilt elements, forms, and objects together to create the app they need with far less hassle Adapting to uncertainty The physical changes required to get students learning again are numerous and will vary according to the needs of an institution. The beauty of low code is that regardless of the specifics, it can help universities and colleges adapt as quickly as possible. Whether its complying with social distancing measures by creating staggered schedules for buildings, classrooms and labs, or creating apps to scan vaccine passports and update students on the latest news - the education sector is in uncharted territory. Therefore, its crucial to have a system where developers can arrange everything quickly and remotely using applications that work across multiple devices and departments. With low-code, developers can consistently change their areas of focus depending on the external demands of the pandemic without squandering months of development time. Healthy communication One of the things that has suffered most throughout the pandemic is communication. Reports of students only hearing about cancelled programs through the news illustrates this point starkly. Through low code, universities and colleges can begin to change this and engage students more directly. For instance, the University of Miami recently created a bot with low-code platforms that was able to answer student questions and concerns instantly. Low code platforms can also simplify data collection and analysis to create apps that monitor students happiness ratings and provide an easy method for them to offer feedback. Low code springboards growth Ultimately, like the rest of the marketplace, universities are customer service companies. This is a reality that is slowly being recognised across the whole public sector. The pandemic has exposed this fact more than ever, and education providers need to do better. Students are free to take their tuition fees elsewhere, and universities need to use this pressure to inform and guide them to offer unique services. While getting students back after the pandemic offers an opportunity to spark technological change, in order to stay competitive long-term, embracing digital technology is the only viable way to keep up. Going forward, successful education providers, whether that be university, college, or apprenticeship level, will offer top-tier digital experiences from start to finish. With low code, they can start to create this experience as soon as possible. Ann Maya, VP and General Manager of Boomi Flow and Boomi DCP at Boomi
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https://www.fenews.co.uk/featured-article/69208-can-low-code-enable-universities-and-colleges-to-thrive-again
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Why are SOEs not recouping the loot of state capture?
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The NPA and the Hawks are among the institutions to suffer budget cuts. How this can make sense at a time when so much loot is awaiting collection is difficult to fathom, writes Accountability Now director Paul Hoffman. Matthew Chaskalson SC, an evidence leader at the State Capture Inquiry, gave an interview to CapeTalk on 27 May 2021. During the interview the willingness of McKinsey to refund its loot of state capture came under discussion. Almost as a parting shot, Chaskalson let it be known that there are 17 other companies in a similar position to McKinsey which are not in the process of disgorging their loot. He did not identify these miscreants of the corporate world. At much the same time, over in Parliament, the cuts to the justice budget were being bewailed by the members of the justice portfolio committee. The NPA and the Hawks are among the institutions to suffer cuts. How this can make sense at a time when so much loot is awaiting collection is difficult to fathom. Veteran ACDP member, Steve Swart MP, pointed out that these institutions can pay for themselves and more, if they are functioning as they should. Therein lies the rub. They are not operating optimally. Leaders in both the NPA and the Hawks complain of the compromised and "hollowed out" status of the anti-corruption machinery of the state. Vacancies, lack of resources and lack of capacity to mount the complex work required to hold the corrupt to account and to recover the considerable loot of state capture bedevil the functioning of the criminal justice administration. ALSO READ | Paul Hoffman | The inconvenient truth about Masiphumelele As the estimates of the extent of the looting are in the R1 to R1.5 trillion range, it is plain that there is a great deal of stolen money in the hands of looters and their friends which needs to be, and should be, collected urgently. Taxpayers to bail out State Owned Companies In the executive branch, Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, has let it be known that the weary taxpayer will be called upon to bail out state owned companies in the near (2022 to 2025) future and in years ahead. He is reported to say that: "The level of operational and financial underperformance, as well as weak balance sheets of most SOEs, suggest that SOEs may struggle to meet their maturing obligations as and when they become due and (pay them) solely from internally generated resources, based on historic trends. As such, current indications suggest that SOEs may have to rely on fiscal support or have their debts rolled over or refinanced." The "internally generated resources" obviously do not include the recovery of loot by SOEs that have been pillaged during the Zuma era state capture project. Indeed, very little loot has been recovered. Gupta assets frozen in the UK and US are left to rot instead of being followed up by the state and recovered for repatriation and refund to the SOEs looted by the Guptas. There is an astonishing lack of political will in government to do the basic and simple work required to put in hand the raking back of the loot. It is understandable that some low ranking civil servants are afraid of the consequences of taking steps against the looters, many of whom remain politically well-connected. For this reason, it is appropriate for the Department of Public Enterprises to give consideration to the establishment of a special purpose vehicle to take cession of claims for loot. The SPV could be populated with experienced debt collectors who have no reservations about taking on crooked comrades to get back the proceeds of state capture. ANC NEC decision on corruption body There is a ray of hope in all the darkness; on 4 August 2020 the NEC of the ANC announced that it has instructed the national Cabinet urgently to establish a permanent stand-alone, specialised and independent body that is able to "deal with corruption" using a multi-disciplinary approach. This instruction accords with the criteria established by the Constitutional Court in the Glenister litigation, criteria currently conspicuously absent from the criminal justice administration due to the efforts of the Zuma administration to neutralise those working as corruption-busters. The urgency of the situation, as stressed by the NEC, is apparently and unfortunately lost on Cabinet. During the SONA in February 2021, and without referring to the resolution of the NEC, the President announced that it is envisaged that a body somewhat like that required by the NEC would be established after a two year long lead in period during which a still to be formed Advisory Council would deliberate on it. ALSO READ |Paul Hoffman | The judicial scolding of Jacob Zuma hasn't worked - it is time to end his impunity The Cabinet has in mind a statutory body that answers to Parliament, not the executive branch of government. While the latter feature is a step in the right direction, the formation of a new statutory body leaves SA no better off than it was before the Scorpions were dissolved. Clearly the NEC demand for a permanent body has to be met if we are serious about countering the corrupt who infest SA. Cabinet kicking the can down the road It is worrying that Cabinet envisages kicking the can down the road for two years via the advisory council, an unnecessary step given that the court has been explicit in the criteria it requires. These criteria are not "nice to haves" they are obligatory, as is required by the rule of law. They have become known as the STIRS criteria, a useful acronym that is obviously familiar to the NEC of the ANC. An elite and dedicated body of Specialists who are Trained properly to function Independently and are Resourced in guaranteed fashion is required. Unlike the Scorpions, the new body should enjoy Secure tenure of office. Vusi Pikoli, a former NDPP, has even gone so far as to suggest that executive interference with the corruption busters should be made a criminal offence. The vital security of tenure of the corruption busters is best achieved by establishing a Chapter Nine body to do the work of preventing, combatting, investigating and prosecuting grand corruption in all of its manifestations in SA. Careful appointment mechanisms must be devised and all recruits should be subjected to the type of integrity testing that the SIU has had in place for about 10 years. The second ray of hope is that the DA is putting the finishing touches on draft bills to enable the new body and to amend the Constitution to accommodate it. It is now up to civil society organisations that expect the state to respect, protect, promote and fulfil human rights to do what they can to generate the necessary political will to effect the reform so urgently needed. The creation of the SPV for recouping loot does not require any legislation, but it does presuppose that there are people in government who would like to see as much as possible of the loot returned to all looted entities so as to remove the burden of replacing it from the shoulders of the taxpayers of SA. - Paul Hoffman SC is a director of Accountability Now. His new book Countering the Corrupt is available for free on the homepage of www.accountabilitynow.org.za
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https://www.news24.com/news24/Columnists/GuestColumn/paul-hoffman-why-are-soes-not-recouping-the-loot-of-state-capture-20210528
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