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What is a token and what is it for?
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Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share to Email Share on Telegram Share on WhatsApp Cryptocurrencies have taken the finance sector by storm, today everyone is talking about Bitcoin (BTC), Dogecoin (DOGE) or the NFTs. In this context, it is important to know what is what, as well as to have certain knowledge so as not to miss a beat. One of the most important terms in this world is the token. Tokens are part of the new world of cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance. These are tokens that give the user different advantages or benefits. The word token in English means token. It is a term used to designate a unit of value issued by a private entity. In this sense, a token is similar to a Bitcoin in that both units have a value accepted by a community. In addition, both are based on the blockchain, although in the case of tokens almost all are based on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain, since it is more complete. A common mistake is to confuse tokens with coins, however, the former have many more uses than coins. For example, within a private network, a token can be used to grant a right, to transfer an amount of data, as an incentive or as a form of gamification, through which to achieve benefits or an improvement in the user experience. In short, unlike coins, a token serves to whatever purpose it is designed for. In this sense, the tokens can contain multiple layers of value, which means that the developer will be the one who decides what is inside the token. Typically, tokens have the same capabilities as money (that is, they are fungible), so they can be traded, mined, and used to make or secure transactions. One of the best known tokens are the NFT or Non-Fungible Tokens. These are tokens unique, invariable and not interchangeable (i.e. non-expendable) that are currently being used as a form of certificate of ownership for digital works. In this sense, the artist Beeple sold a digital work linked to an NFT for 69 million dollars at Christies auction house. Nowadays, sports teams and music-related companies are starting to sell NFT-linked tickets in a way that makes resale impossible. On the other hand, Formula 1 teams like Alfa Romeo are selling branded tokens that offer users the possibility to receive gifts or even participate in the decisions of the club. .
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https://webeenow.com/what-is-a-token-and-what-is-it-for/
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Will Lakshadweeps mid-day meal menu turn vegetarian under Akshaya Patra?
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Documents accessed by The Federal show Lakshadweeps mid-day meal scheme is likely to be transferred to allegedly the NGO, Akshaya Patra, widely criticised in other states for their school menu The Lakshadweep administrations move to cut meat from the mid-day meal menu in Lakshadweep is reportedly part of a larger commercial plan to hand over the entire scheme to a Bangalore-based NGO, Akshaya Patra, run by ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), an organisation that has already been criticised by food rights activists for the deficiency of nutrition in the meals provided by them. Akshaya Patra provides a vegetarian menu in their school lunch programme strictly omitting even garlic and onion. The documents accessed by The Federal categorically prove that the Lakshadweep administration is planning to impose a food culture quite unfamiliar to the islands inmates. A meeting of the Union Territorys monitoring committee and District Task Force for the implementation of the mid-day meal programme was held on January 27, 2021 at the Secretariat conference hall in Kavaratti. Also read: More curbs in Lakshadweep, as protests against Praful Patel gain momentum Advertisement According to the minutes of the meeting, a letter has been sent from the planning and statistics department dated 08/01/2021 that submitted an action plan to transfer Lakshadweeps mid-day meal scheme to Akshaya Patra, a non-governmental organisation. All the District Panchayat members who had participated in the meeting unanimously objected to this proposal which is recorded in the minutes. Now we are providing a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food to children. There is mutton/chicken, egg, fish, fruits, vegetables, rice and dal in the menu. We were asked to omit meat from the menu, but we objected to it, said Noorjahan, one of the District Panchayat members of Kavaratti. Talking to The Federal, Noorjahan expressed deep concern that the administration was trying to impose a completely vegetarian meal upon the children. We agree if they want to avoid beef, but we insisted that either chicken or mutton should be included as it is very necessary to ensure sufficient protein intake. But they insist we should avoid meat completely. They earlier told us that fish and egg will be included in the menu, but we are very sceptical about that too now, said Noorjahan. So far there is no clarity on the changes in the menu of the mid-day meal being provided to the children. If the plan to hand over the mid-day meal scheme to Akshaya Patra goes through, the children of the island will have to go for a complete vegetarian menu even without garlic and onion. The Lakshadweep administration has not clearly spelt out their plan in connection with the mid-day meal programme as yet. Also read: Administrators laws put Lakshadweep in the middle of nowhere In the press conference held in Kochi, Askar Ali, the District Collector of Lakshadweep told the media that the intention of excluding meat from the menu is to help the fishermen by including more quantity of fish. When The Federal contacted the District Collector Askar Ali over the phone, he refused to confirm what the new proposed menu would be. While quizzed about the plan to bring Akshaya Patra on board, the collector said that the administration is exploring all the possible options. The menu will be decided by a committee headed by the District Collector, and we have been exploring what would be the best for the children, he said. The existing system is good. Children are getting good food, but we want to change the system of teachers directly monitoring the mid-day meal. We want to give it to an external agency to get a better result, admitted the District Collector. The total number of children accessing the mid-day meal in Lakshadweep is only 12,000 across 62 schools. According to the local body members, they dont face any difficulty in running the programme with the Central aid and local funds. The people of Lakshadweep fail to understand the rationale behind bringing an external agency which is not capable of meeting the requirements of the children into the island. The Akshaya Patras programme eliminating class room hunger has been widely criticised by many food right activists in other states. There is a serious crisis of malnutrition among the children accessing the mid-day meal provided by them. A majority of the children studying in government schools are from Dalit, Adivasi and minority communities. The omission of meat, egg, onion and garlic from the menu is only based on their religious reasons. The civil society actors and even the State Food Commission of Karnataka have consistently objected to this programme, observed Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health doctor who is part of the Right to Food campaign in Karnataka.
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https://thefederal.com/states/lakshadweep/will-lakshadweeps-mid-day-meal-menu-turn-vegetarian-under-akshaya-patra/
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What Happens When Bitcoin Options Expire?
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If you trade cryptocurrency derivatives , you'll probably have heard that over $2.1 billion worth of Bitcoin options expired on Friday. Every month, like clockwork, billions of dollars of Bitcoin options end up expiring. Most people have a negative connotation when it comes to something having an "expiration date." When it comes to the Bitcoin market, however, this mass expiration of options doesn't have as big of an impact as you might think. Here's the scoop about what happens with Bitcoin options expire and whether it's something you should pay attention to. An option gives an investor the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a specific asset at a specific price, also called the strike price. Since these options don't last forever, they end up "expiring" if their holder doesn't exercise them. Nothing really happens if this is the case. The only thing is that a trader will lose out on cash you spent to buy the option in the first place. It's the same thing with Bitcoin. According to crypto analytics provider Skew, 55,900 Bitcoin options expired on Friday. Other estimates, such as one provided by Deribit, say that only 48,469 Bitcoin options expired instead, with a "max pain" price of $50,000. The max pain price is simply the strike price with the most open contracts on it that would cause the most financial losses for investors. Article continues below advertisement May Expiry Large expiry coming up tomorrow as 48,469 $$BTC option contracts ($1.95b notional) expire and 307,558 ETH options ($877m notional). Max pain for BTC is $50k and ETH $3k New August expiry has been launched today July futures will be launched tomorrow pic.twitter.com/m2LUyYSZak Deribit (@DeribitExchange) May 27, 2021 In other words, with Bitcoin trading at $36,100, it's those Bitcoin option holders with a $50,000 strike price who are losing the most money collectively.
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https://marketrealist.com/p/what-happens-when-bitcoin-options-expire/
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Will The Triservice Maritime Strategy Help Keep America's Navy Dominant?
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Here's What You Need to Remember: The devils in the details, as the old truism puts it. The services now need to deliver on their promiseshoning tactical and operational methods, an experimental ethos, and the technology needed to execute their vision. On Thursday the U.S. Navy , Marine Corps , and Coast Guard which have taken to calling themselves the Naval Service, singularreleased a Triservice Maritime Strategy entitled Advantage at Sea . Lets look at some noteworthy facets of the strategy, the third in a series reaching back to 2007, when the George W. Bush administration was nearing its end. No and yes. On the one hand, its entirely fitting for the sea services political overseer to endorse a statement about how the services view the strategic surroundings and intend to manage them. The brusque tenor of Braithwaites commentary, moreover, comports with an incipient age of strategic competition against hostile great powers. On the other hand, affixing a Trump administration officials signature to a document meant to guide the services for the next decade could prove to be a political misstep. The uniformed service chiefs bottom-lined the 2007 Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower , an ancestor of Advantage at Sea . If anyone ever publicly explained why Secretary of the Navy Donald Winters name was absent from the 2007 Maritime Strategy, I never heard it. The omission did have the advantage of making the strategy an apolitical documenta major upside considering the White House was destined to change hands fifteen months after the strategy appeared in October 2007. In all likelihood this was deliberate. Keeping the strategy nonpartisan allowed the Barack Obama administration to take ownership of a Bush strategy rather than jettison it the way presidential administrations discard artifacts from predecessors representing the opposing party. It appears Secretary Braithwaite will not be in office much longer owing to the upcoming presidential transition. Putting a Trump administration stamp on the Maritime Strategy may consign it to relative oblivion come January 20. This is something to monitor. Its a good document, and it aspires to mold force design and operations for the coming decade. It would be a shame were it tossed on the ash heap because of who signed it. Second, Advantage at Sea is remarkable for its candor vis--vis prospective foes. For years Chinese Communist officialdom prated on about how Westerners were hyping a China threat theory , and how such theories betokened a Cold War mindset in Western capitals. At the same time, China hands in the West cautioned against treating China as an enemy lest it become an enemy. The notion of a self-fulfilling prophecy was common currency. Beijing should have heeded this counsel when shaping its own policies. Not that long ago it was hard to rouse Westerners from their apathy toward the Asian giant. Chinese grandees have given life to China-threat theories through a range of actions, from purloining territory from Chinas neighbors to revoking Hong Kongs democratic status to incessantly menacing Taiwan . Threats are made up of capabilities and intentions. Over the past quarter-century, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has assembled formidable capabilities. Beijing scarcely troubles itself to conceal the uses it has in mind for those capabilities. Small wonder the framers of Advantage at Sea portray China as the most pressing long-term strategic threat in the nautical domain. Treat America and its friends like enemies and they might become so. The tone of the Triservice Maritime Strategy differs markedly from that of the 2007 Maritime Strategy, which conspicuouslyand correctly for the timeavoided naming China as a threat. Third, the strategy should cheer U.S. allies, partners, and friends. In order to generate integrated all-domain naval powerthe strategys mantra for forces able to concert their efforts at sea, in the sky, on the ground, in orbit, and in the cyber and electromagnetic realmsthe Naval Service must work with foreign partners. Indeed, say the framers, alliances and partners constitute our key strategic advantage in this long-term strategic competition. This is true beyond doubt. Chinas bench of allies and friends is shallow while Americas is deep. Give me Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India as maritime partners any day compared to North Korea and Pakistan. But fourth, its one thing to say we will stand by our allies and deter prospective adversaries. The sea services must put steel and prowess behind resolute words. At its most basic strategy is about setting and enforcing priorities and readjusting them as necessary. Advantage at Sea acknowledges that U.S. resources are finite and scattered about the globe on many errands, whereas Chinese and Russian military resources are largely concentrated in theaters Beijing and Moscow care about mostchiefly those adjoining their shores. The service chiefs vow to make hard choices, keeping their priorities straight while merging the sea services into a cohesive national fleeta single sharp implement of sea powerto the maximum extent possible. That means putting China first on the hierarchy of strategic competitors while designating Russia as a worthy but secondary competitor. They also warn about the consequences of inaction: Chinas and Russias aggressive naval growth and modernization are eroding U.S. military advantages. Unchecked, these trends will leave the Naval Service unprepared to ensure our advantage at sea and protect national interests within the next decade. Bureaucracies love lists. Listmania generally sets eyes to rolling, but the Triservice Maritime Strategy proffers a useful set of statements about the strategic environment and how to superintend it: (a) As noted before, the document describes foreign partners as the United States central strategic advantage moving ahead. And indeed they are. (b) It acknowledges that activities short of war can achieve strategic-level effects, pointing to Chinese and Russian gray-zone strategies that chip away at neighbors interests and the international order bit by bit without provoking open combat. It goes on to pledge to develop new intermediate force capabilities, meaning scalable armaments that can deliver effects short of lethal force, in order to increase the allies options for responding to provocations and coercion in both competition and crisis. (c) It vows to sustain critical military advantages, observing that martial superiority grants the stronger contender the option to escalate or deescalate a confrontation. The ability to win in wartime buttresses the ability to deter or coerce in controversies short of armed conflict. It also gives heart to allies and partners, reassuring them that America can honor its commitments to them and has the military means to keep faith. (d) From time to time U.S. military commanders have toyed with the idea of virtual presence, whereby forces surge from bases on U.S. soil to help deter, coerce, and reassure key audiences. Advantage at Sea brooks no such approach. The strategy declares that U.S. forces must be present near potential scenes of action beforehand if they hope to deter aggression. It may be too late to rush to Asian or European battlegrounds after fighting starts. Eighty percent of life is just showing up ; staying accounts for much of the other twenty. (e) It rededicates the maritime services to sea control while also paying homage to sea denial. China and Russia rely on the sea to achieve many of their strategic goals, such as invading Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait. Sea-service leaders hope to command the sea at the outbreak of a conflict; they do not expect to. Fortunately, a force can defeat an opponents strategy without defeating opposing forces wholesale. A maritime strategy that denies a hostile navy free use of the sea can balk its aims while allied forces work toward winning sea control for themselves, along with the host of blessings maritime supremacy bestows. (f) It points out that nautical primacy is not a birthright for the Naval Service. American society, government, and military must make the conscious political choice to preserve and expand their advantage at sea. They must resolve to constantly upgrade forces, doctrine, and tactics to stay ahead of determined and often impressive rivals. The Triservice Maritime Strategy goes on to sketch some top priorities for force modernization, including a new class of nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines at the upper end and a new flotilla of light surface combatants and amphibious transports at the lower end. It commits the services to experiment with unmanned vehicles of all types and contemplates making them an official part of the fleet, alongside traditional crewed vessels. It sketches concepts aimed at dispersing combat power among more, yet smaller and affordable craftmaking the fleet more resilient in the face of enemy action. It contemplates using seagoing forces in concert with ground forces to deny adversaries control of the sea and exert it on behalf of the United States and its allies. And on and on. Now, it is one thing to develop a strategy document that says the right things, quite another to put it into effect. Advantage at Sea hands readers in the next administration, Congress, and the electorate a yardstick to judge how well the sea services implement the ideas the document puts forth. Senior leaders seem to have embraced the reality that the post-Cold War strategic holiday is behind us and an age of strategic competition is upon us. Thats a major cultural adjustment following three decades when the sea was a safe sanctuary for U.S. marine endeavors. But the devils in the details, as the old truism puts it. The services now need to deliver on their promiseshoning tactical and operational methods, an experimental ethos, and the technology needed to execute their vision. Lets hold them accountable using the standard they have set. Read the whole thing. James Holmes is J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College. His works appear on the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Professional Reading Lists. The views voiced here are his alone. This article was originally published last December and is being reposted due to reader interest. Image: Reuters
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259726257299/will-the-triservice-maritime-strategy-help-keep-america-s-navy-dominant
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Are Florida seniors first or last?
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Gov. Ron DeSantis is fond of saying his policies put seniors first. But his administrations decision to stop publishing data on the numbers of COVID-19-related resident deaths at long-term care facilities and infection rates for long-term care staff and residents may put seniors last, according to one critic. Long-term care providers each day are required to report to the state the number of COVID-19 infections among staff and residents and the number of residents and staff who have died from COVID-19-related illness. But the state stopped publishing the information three weeks ago. It seems seniors are being pushed to the back of the line. Gov. DeSantis is wanting his I Dream of Jeannie moment: blink his eyes, make the data disappear and hope the pandemic is over in nursing homes and (assisted living facilities), Brian Lee, executive director of nursing-home watchdog group Families for Better Care, told The News Service of Florida. Unfortunately, it doesnt work that way. There are many unvaccinated residents and staff and outbreaks could still become a real possibility real fast. Floridians rely on this information to keep their loved ones safe. Lee, a former long-term care ombudsman in Florida, first flagged the stale data on social media two weeks ago. The data tracker has not been updated in more than a week. Residents, health care heroes and their families need this data. Please fix, Lee tweeted on May 14. He followed up with additional tweets and, when they went unanswered, sent an email to Florida Department of Health Secretary Scott Rivkees on May 25. In the correspondence, Lee thanked Rivkees for his leadership and asked whether the department, which publishes the COVID-19 data, intentionally had stopped updating the long-term care facility information or if it was an oversight. Two hours later, Lee received an email from the health department, which was also copied to the state Agency for Health Care Administration. In its response, the Department of Health told Lee that it wasnt responsible for the lag in updated data, saying it only posts data AHCA sends its way. We have copied AHCA on this message for their input regarding the timeline for any updates, DOH wrote in its response. Lee said he has not heard back from AHCA, though. Meanwhile, in a statement provided to the News Service, DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw said the state would resume publishing the information but on a weekly, instead of daily, basis. For your information, the (long-term care facility) statistics are still trending in the right direction, Pushaw said in the statement. According to Pushaw, there were 215 residents currently residing at assisted-living facilities and skilled nursing facilities who were COVID-19-positive as of May 27. That data doesnt include the number of COVID-19-positive residents who have been transferred from long-term care facilities to hospitals for treatment or have been discharged. There were 216 COVID-19-positive staff as of May 27, which is less than 1% of the 171,814 staff who work at long-term care facilities, Pushaw said, noting thats a 27% dip in staff infection rates since May 14. Overall, Florida is one of the top 10 safest states for seniors, ranking No. 41 in the country for COVID-19 death rate among seniors 65 and older, Pushaw said. With such high populations of seniors and (long-term care facility) residents in our state, this is truly remarkable. Whats truly remarkable for Lee, though, is that Texas this week codified into law that information about communicable disease outbreaks in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities be made available to families. It looks as though Texas is nudging ahead of Florida in putting seniors first, Lee said. ___ Republished with permission of The News Service of Florida.
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https://floridapolitics.com/archives/432669-are-florida-seniors-first-or-last/
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Can removing highways fix Americas cities?
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Now, the city is looking to repair the damage. It started by filling in a nearly-mile-long section of the sunken road, slowly stitching a neighbourhood back together. Today, visitors of the Inner Loops eastern segment would hardly know a highway once ran beneath their feet. As midcentury highways reach the end of their life spans, cities across the country are having to choose whether to rebuild or reconsider them. And a growing number, like Rochester, are choosing to take them down. The massive roads radically reshaped cities, ploughing through dense downtown neighbourhoods, dividing many Black communities and increasing car dependence. In order to accommodate cars and commuters, many cities basically destroyed themselves, said Norman Garrick, a professor at the University of Connecticut who studies how transportation projects have reshaped American cities. Rochester has shown what can be done in terms of reconnecting the city and restoring a sense of place, he said. Thats really the underlying goal of highway removal. The projects successes and stumbling blocks provide lessons for other cities looking to retire some of their own aging highways. Nearly 30 cities nationwide are currently discussing some form of removal. Some, like Syracuse and Detroit, have committed to replacing stretches of interstate with more connected, walkable neighbourhoods. Others, like New Orleans and Dallas, are facing pressure from local residents and activists to address the pollution, noise and safety hazards brought by the mega-roads. The growing movement has been energised by support from the Biden administration, which has made addressing racial justice and climate change, major themes in the debate over highway removal, central to its agenda. In a wide-reaching infrastructure plan released at the end of March, President Joe Biden proposed spending $20 billion to help reconnect neighbourhoods divided by highways. Congressional Democrats have translated the proposal into legislation that would provide funding over the next five years. And the Department of Transportation opened up separate grants that could help some cities get started. Pete Buttigieg, who heads the department, has expressed support for removing barriers that divided Black and minority communities, saying that there is racism physically built into some of our highways. Midcentury highway projects often targeted Black neighbourhoods, destroying cultural and economic centres and bringing decades of environmental harm. Congress is still haggling over Bidens infrastructure plan, but experts say the proposed funding for highway removal represents a shift in the way the government approaches transportation projects. As recently as a decade ago, said Peter D Norton, a transportation historian at the University of Virginia, every transportation problem was a problem to be solved with new roads. Now, the impacts of those roads are beginning to enter the equation. Back to a Neighbourhood Federal and state funds have historically gone to building highways, not removing them. But in 2013, the city of Rochester, in upstate New York, won a nearly $18 million grant from the Obama administration that allowed it to take out an eastern segment of its sunken Inner Loop freeway, known locally as the moat. The project turned a six-lane highway, with access roads running alongside, into a narrower boulevard, and the rest of the land was opened up for development. People have already moved into town house-style apartments where the highway once stood. Scooters and bicycles share space with cars along the new Union Street corridor, a once unlikely sight. Several cross-streets cut off by the highway have been reconnected, encouraging more walking in the area. And the big fear of removing a highway terrible traffic hasnt materialised. Lovely Warren, who has served as Rochesters mayor since 2014, said the project is proof the city can undo some of its mistakes. In the past, we created a way for people to get on a highway and go directly out of our community, she said, adding that highways also created barriers that were really detrimental to the communities left behind. Now, Rochester is trying a different approach: Instead of moving people in and out of downtown as quickly as possible, the city is trying to make downtown a more livable place. The highway removal and other deconstruction projects are part of a long-term plan for a city still struggling to come back from years of economic and population decline. The big bet: Rebuilding more walkable, bikeable and connected neighbourhoods will attract new investment and new residents. And city officials hope it might even reduce car-dependence in the long run. But rebuilding a neighbourhood from scratch isnt easy, or quick. Four years after the sunken freeway was filled, many buildings along the corridor are still under construction and new businesses have not yet moved into the space, including a planned pharmacy and grocery store. Local residents and business owners said they were glad to see the highway go, but many of them had mixed feelings about what followed. The success was: It got filled. You now have people living somewhere that was just road before, said Shawn Dunwoody, an artist and community organiser who lives in Marketview Heights, a neighbourhood near the removal site. We dont have the moat that was there, he said, walking along the new corridor. But now, when you look down, theres just a whole series of walls, he added, pointing to the large, new apartment buildings that repeat down Union Street. Others echoed the concern that the redevelopment project brought in too many higher-end apartments (though a portion are reserved for lower-income tenants and other vulnerable groups) without opening up any space for the public: No parks, no plazas. Erik Frisch, a transportation specialist for the city who worked on the Inner Loop East removal, said the project has so far fulfilled its main goals: bringing in new investment and enlivening the citys East End. But the new neighbourhood is still a work in progress. Rebuilding a neighbourhood is not just an Add water, mix and stir type situation, said Emily Morry, who works at the Rochester Public Library and has written about the neighbourhoods razed by the Inner Loops construction. You can set up all the infrastructure you like, but theres the human factor, which takes all these different buildings and turns them into actual, viable communities. Rochester is now looking to take down more of the Inner Loop highway, starting with a northern arm. Officials hope the experience from the first removal will help expedite the process. It took more than two decades of planning to break ground on the Inner Loop East removal, even though the project faced fewer obstacles than most. The eastern highway segment never carried the traffic it was built to serve, so its removal faced scant opposition from daily commuters and business groups. The aging road was due for major upgrades, which would have cost much more than the entire removal process. And there werent a lot of people already living along the corridor. Funding and expertise were the biggest barriers to removal. A few highways had been taken down in the past, but there was no real template. San Franciscos Embarcadero Freeway was irreparably damaged by an earthquake in 1989 and removed two years later. Other, more recent removals targeted waterfront highways and short spurs rather than segments of a working highway. We are a bit of a proof of concept, said Frisch, the citys transportation specialist. Removing the northern arm of the Inner Loop presents a new challenge. That section of highway carries much more traffic and its removal would reconnect two long-divided neighbourhoods: Marketview Heights, a majority Black and Hispanic lower-income community north of the Inner Loop, and Grove Place, a whiter, wealthier enclave to the south. Dozens of Projects In recent years, more cities have started to seriously rethink some of their highways. The Congress for the New Urbanism, a group that tracks highway removals, counted 33 proposed projects in 28 American cities. And the idea is being discussed in many others. If rebuilding cities is done right, highway removal projects could make life better for local residents as well as the planet, said Garrick of the University of Connecticut, because denser, less car-centric neighbourhoods are crucially important to reducing greenhouse gases that are causing climate change. The proposed replacements, and their benefits, vary. Some follow Rochesters model, turning former highways into smaller, walkable boulevards. Others are covering highways with parks, or merely replacing them with highway-like streets. Nationwide, many cities also continue to expand highways. A growing number of removal projects are grappling with the questions of environmental justice central to Bidens proposal. Historically, vulnerable communities have had little say in infrastructure decisions. When the National Interstate Highway System was built in the 1950s and 60s, it connected the country like never before. But it ploughed through cities with little concern for local effects. State highways and connector roads compounded the damage. Highways, freeways, expressways were always hostile to cities, said Norton of the University of Virginia. But they were particularly hostile to Black communities. In cities like Detroit, New Orleans, Richmond, Virginia, and many more, federal interstates and other highways were often built through thriving Black neighbourhoods in the name of slum clearance. Most highway projects fit into a broader program of urban renewal that reshaped American cities in the mid-20th century, displacing more than a million people across the country, most of them Black. Cities replaced dense, mixed-use neighbourhoods with megaprojects like convention centres, malls, and highways. When public housing was built, it usually replaced many fewer units than were destroyed. Clearing blighted neighbourhoods, which was usually a reference to low-income and Black areas, was the intentional goal of many urban highway projects, said Lynn Richards, president of the Congress for the New Urbanism, which advocates for more sustainable cities. But, you know, where one person sees urban blight, another person sees a relatively stable neighbourhood. Highways didnt just destroy communities, they also often reinforced racial divides within cities. White Americans increasingly fled cities altogether, following newly built roads to the growing suburbs. But Black residents were largely barred from doing the same. Government policies denied them access to federally backed mortgages and private discrimination narrowed the options further. In effect, that left many Black residents living along the highways paths. In March, Biden named New Orleans Claiborne Expressway as a vivid example of how highway construction divided communities and led to environmental injustice. The highway looms over Claiborne Avenue, once an oak-lined boulevard that served as the economic heart and soul of the Black community of New Orleans, said Amy Stelly, a local resident and urban planner, who has been pushing for the expressways removal for most of the last decade. A part of the Treme neighbourhood, the Claiborne Avenue corridor was a meeting space for local residents and the site of Black Mardi Gras celebrations at a time when the festival was still segregated. In the mid-1960s, the oak trees were ripped out to make way for the highway, cleaving the neighbourhood in two. Over the following decades, the once middle-class area fell into decline. Today, the expressway corridor is polluted: Local residents suffer higher than average rates of asthma and the soil is contaminated with lead, the result of years of leaded gasoline use in cars travelling into and out of downtown. The idea of removing the highway, however, is raising some of the same concerns heard in Rochester. Not Repeating Mistakes Older residents of Rochesters Marketview Heights neighbourhood still remember the displacement caused by the construction of the Inner Loop. Many people now fear a second wave if it is removed. A common argument, said Dunwoody, the artist and community organiser, is that if the highway is removed folks are now going to be looking at our neighbourhood, and bringing in yoga studios and coffee shops to move us out. People dont want to get gentrified, get pushed out, get priced out, he said. To make sure that city officials listen to these concerns, Dunwoody started a local advocacy group three years ago with Suzanne Mayer, who lives on the other side of the highway, in the Grove Place neighbourhood. The group, called Hinge Neighbours, aims to bring local residents into the planning process. At a community meeting in Marketview Heights in early May, the biggest question on peoples minds wasnt whether the highway should come down, but what will replace it. Miquel Powell, a local resident and business owner working on a prison re-entry program, worried that more large-scale apartments, like those built in the East End, would come to the neighbourhood. That would totally change the whole dynamic, he said. Marketview Heights is mostly free-standing single-family homes; some are subdivided and most are rented. Nancy Maciuska, who is in her 60s, said she wants to see more family-centric development in the area if the highway is removed, and some parks to replace those torn down by the construction of the freeway. So people can raise their families and enjoy Mother Nature, she said. Hinge Neighbours helped Maciuska, Powell and other residents put some of their concerns about the Inner Loop North project into a presentation for city consultants and the mayor. The project is still in early stages and Marketview Heights is only one corner of the area under study for removal. But Warren said her administration is exploring options that would help keep longtime residents in the neighbourhood, including potential rent-to-own housing arrangements. City officials are scheduled to present a series of options for the project to the community this summer. The big challenge, according to Garrick, is that new investments in American cities today tend to lead to gentrification. We need to figure out how to change without displacing people, he said. Some of the positive effects of highway removals, like decreasing pollution and increasing property values, can lead to the displacement. A recent study looked at the effects of replacing the Cypress Freeway in Oakland, California, with a street-level boulevard and found that the project decreased pollution but increased resident turnover. Such environmental gentrification can also happen when parks and other greenery are introduced to historically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The proposed Democratic legislation hopes to avoid that paradox. The bill would fund community outreach and engagement by local groups. And it prioritises capital construction grants for projects that include measures like land trusts that would ensure the availability of affordable housing for local residents. Its no longer good enough for us to remove a highway and make a replacement road beautiful, said Richards of the Congress for the New Urbanism. We have to reconnect the neighbourhoods and invest in the legacy residents. 2021 New York Times News Service
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https://bdnews24.com/environment/2021/05/29/can-removing-highways-fix-americas-cities
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How will Bridgeport spend $82 million in COVID relief?
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BRIDGEPORT It is not exactly Publishers Clearing House or some other sweepstakes showing up at City Hall with a giant check, but it is likely as close as Bridgeport will ever get. On Tuesday the City Councils budget committee is scheduled to vote to formally accept the $82 million in federal COVID-19 relief which, though there are limits, can be put to a variety of uses to help local government, residents, businesses, nonprofits and the environment. This is a really exciting opportunity for the city, given the very difficult year the citys been through, Finance Director Kenneth Flatto told committee members when they met last Tuesday for a briefing on the money. A unique situation, frankly, of a magnitude that is much more significant than previous stimulus efforts cities and towns got in the past. Mayor Joe Ganims administration has since March anticipated receiving over $100 million from the federal $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package. In addition to the $82 million, Bridgeport, Flatto said, is also hoping for an additional $27 million that would come later from aid to Fairfield County. Taking receipt of those funds, however, will be the easy part, and spending them the challenge. The council is expected to make suggestions to City Hall, and intends to hold at least one public hearing to solicit recommendations from the public. We have a lot of work ahead of us, said Councilman Ernie Newton, who is budget committee co-chairman. While the 20-person, all-Democrat council sometimes complains the Ganim administration keeps them in the dark on other matters, in this case Councilman Matthew McCarthy said it may be best to leave the detailed spending decisions up to the mayors office. I think it just gets a little out of control if we have 20 different people wanting money to go to 20 different places, McCarthy told the committee. I feel the administration should be able to spend it the way they want, but properly with some oversight. He sees this as a partnership, Flatto said of Ganim. We do want to come up with a plan that would have categories ... not to exceed a certain dollar amount. Flatto said the U.S. Department of Treasury is circulating 151-pages of draft guidelines that could be modified, expanded or reduced by the time that document is finalized in July. He said around half of the $82 million will be available in June, with the second half coming a year later. All of it must be spent/committed to be spent by December 2024. Flatto said there are a handful of categories the money can be used for, including lost revenues. So, for example, he said, because much of the public stayed home last year to avoid catching/spreading COVID when it arrived in Connecticut in mid-March 2020, Bridgeport lost around $3 million to $4 million in parks, golf course, building and other permits/fees. The federal aid can also help reimburse the city for the costs accrued this year of continuing to battle the pandemic and to vaccinate municipal staff and residents. Everything weve been doing since January clinics, vaccine management, nurses are doing them (giving shots), firefighters are doing that. All that would be eligible, Flatto said. There is also money for certain infrastructure projects wireless broadband, sewer and storm water needs though not other things such as bridge repair, Flatto said. Nestor Nkwo, Ganims budget director, said the mayor wanted to prioritize expanding broadband given the challenges Bridgeport faced educating students from home during the pandemic since many households lacked easy access to the necessary technology. Councilman Marcus Brown liked the idea of helping to pay for work on the Rooster River in his district. If you look into it theres garbage, overgrowth and a lot of trees dying are falling into this river, he said. If we can show this would be helping the environment or abatement of pollution, then it may be eligible, Flatto said. Flatto said the city could also put together a program of a few million dollars for homeowners to do improvements for either weatherization of homes or removal of lead from their homes. McCarthy worried that would be complicated to organize/oversee because so many would want to participate. Councilwoman Rosalina Roman-Christy suggested some of the money be spent helping residents upgrade electrical wiring, but Flatto did not believe that would qualify under the federal rules. Flatto said the broadest of the spending categories is for relieving the economic costs on communities from the health crisis. That, he said, could encompass expanding mental health, domestic abuse and child welfare programs those citizens who have those problems have been inordinately impacted by the pandemic, providing more youth activities, job training, building affordable housing, and assisting small businesses. Flatto told council members that the state, too, is deciding how best to invest its own portion of coronavirus relief, and if it shares some of the same priorities, Bridgeport may not wish to overlap. Newton said he would like to see nonprofits and businesses receive a sizable amount of the COVID aid, but added, We dont wanna make it people gotta jump through hoops to get this money. He referred to the months it took the Ganim administration to award $1 million in pandemic-related small business grants from a prior federal relief bill. They did a poor job in getting that out in a timely, easy way, Newton said. Newtons budget committee co-chairman, Councilman Scott Burns, warned in an interview following last Tuesdays meeting with Flatto and Nkwo that the $82 million will go fast and officials need to use good judgment. Its not the savior of the city or the world, Burns said. Everybodys looking at all these potential uses. Were not gonna be able to do all of them. Its not gonna make sense to spread it so thin where it does no good.
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https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/How-will-Bridgeport-spend-82-million-in-COVID-16211407.php
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How many chicken should I keep to make a profit?
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By Guest Writer More by this Author My name is Matilda. I am planning to venture into poultry farming for a living. Matilda As a farmer, your major goal should be to maximise the income you earn from your venture just like any other business person targets. While doing so, many farmers, especially newbies tend to want to work along with possible limits that their farms can allow. While doing this makes sense, many farmers just find it hard to arrive at the right number of chickens to keep on their farms. Apart from looking at the profitability of keeping the maximum number of chickens you can, you must also consider several things that are essential to the productivity of your farm. Sometimes, actions you take might be counterproductive in your other efforts then you keep wondering why all the extra efforts you are putting into your farm is not resulting in additional farm produce. Now that you have decided to venture into chicken farming, these are the factors that will guide you on the number of chickens to keep in your flock. Your proficiency level I can say much about different levels of proficiency in chicken farming, but one thing is for sure, if you are just starting chicken farming, it will not be a good idea to start your venture with 1000 chickens. I would recommend that you start with a small flock. It is easier to put up a basic chicken coop for three or more chickens. A smaller flock will give you enough time to learn the intricacies of chicken keeping as you work your way up to becoming a seasoned chicken farmer. It is the small steps that count in your farming journey. Labour In as much as you may be passionate about chicken farming and want to rear the precious birds, the venture will require your time and attention. If you have other jobs and you will not be in a position to give enough time and attention to the flock, then you may want to scale down the number of birds in your flock. This also applies to those who farm free-range birds. Some birds may show hard-to-see symptoms of a disease that you may be too busy to notice if you dont carefully observe your chicken daily. Chicken for eggs Everybody loves eggs especially as part of their breakfast menu. As a chicken farmer, you can also farm chicken for the sole reason of collecting eggs. If you keep chicken for basic domestic consumption, then the basic rule is three chickens for every two family members. Of course, this differs depending on the age of the chicken and its cycle of production. Older birds often lay fewer eggs. So, to save on resources, sell or feast on the older flock and replace them with younger layers. This is important to ensure profitability on your farm. Advertisement Chicken for breeding Chicken breeding is currently a booming business venture and many people are cashing in on it. If you intend to raise chicken specifically for breeding purposes, then you will need to balance the ratio between the roosters and the hens. Usually, one rooster can best serve up to 10 hens. As the number of hens grows, so should the number of roosters on your farm. Once the eggs hatch, it is important to select the best roosters among the chicken and cull the rest. This will improve the genetic line of the chicken. Also, if possible, change the rooster after successful mating. This will help prevent the rooster from mounting its chicks. Chicken feeds Chicken feeds eat up a big chunk of the budget of raising chicken for both domestic and commercial consumption. Depending on your financial muscle, you may decide to practice the free-range chicken keeping as in this case, your chicken will fend for themselves and you will only need to provide water. In commercial farms, it will be wise if you choose to mill and mix your chicken feeds. This will save you a lot of money in buying readily mixed chicken feeds which are usually expensive. You, however, should take keen note of the ratios of the ingredients of the feeds and I would advise you to seek a professional opinion before embarking on this route. Depending on your ability to buy or mix feeds on your own, you will want to strike a balance at which approach for feeding the chicken makes economic sense. To strike a balance, you may need to reduce the chicken in your flock to make your venture tenable. Available space The space that is available will also determine the number of chicken you can keep on your farm. For example, a deep litter house measuring 6 m by 11 m can hold 200 egg-laying hens. This comes to about 3 birds per square metre. If your chicken is free-range, then you need almost 1 square metre for every bird. It is always advisable that you give extra space. You must also consider perching space for the birds to rest on. Chickens intuitively like to rest on perched areas and while you build your coop, you must put this into consideration. Perch area requirement varies with the type of bird you keep. For layers, it ranges between 20-25cm while for broilers, it ranges between 15-20cm. Considering this, you will have to increase the perch area or reduce your flock to make sure that all the chicken are comfortable. It is important to note that space requirements vary with the age and type of chicken. Layers will require less space than broilers. However, they will require more perch space for resting than broilers. Answered by Value Magazine
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https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/farming/how-many-chicken-should-i-keep-to-make-a-profit--3418004
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How do journalists smell trouble so as to keep safe?
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By Odoobo C. Bichachi More by this Author Last week, this column addressed itself to a few questions that occupy readers and listeners/viewers as they interact with our stories. In the second part of this media literacy column, I delve into the questions that remained unanswered from last week. 1. According to Unesco, every five days a journalist is killed for bringing information to the public. Attacks on media professionals are often perpetrated in non-conflict situations by organised crime groups, militia, security personnel, and even local police, making local journalists among the most vulnerable. These attacks include murder, abductions, harassment, intimidation, illegal arrest, and arbitrary detention. Safety of journalists is therefore paramount in the newsroom. The journalists first protection therefore is in caution whenever dealing with a volatile situation. Here one must wear protective gear and follow the general safety code. The second protection is truth, facts and balance. News subjects confronted with truth do not usually take it personal on journalists; they simply face their moment of truth. Sometimes however, news subjects do get personal and violent in which case journalists seek protection in the law like other citizens. Advertisement Inaccurate, malicious or biased reporting riles news subjects and justifiably so which may not only lead to legal suits but also physical confrontations. Journalists must therefore always stick to the truth and the facts, and have a nose for trouble. 2. To remain objective, our journalists follow the code of ethics and the NMG editorial policy guidelines, specifically the clause on conflict of interest which states: The Nation Media Group practices a policy of zero-tolerance of corrupt practices. In this regard, its journalists and editors must be free of obligation to any interest other than the publics right to know the truth. Gifts, bribes, brown envelopes, favours, free travel, free meals or drinks, special treatment or privileges can compromise the integrity of journalists, editors and their employers. Journalists, editors and their employers should conduct themselves in a manner that protects them from conflicts of interest, real or apparent. It is important not only to avoid conflicts of interest but also the appearances of such conflicts. In this connection, all situations capable of creating undue familiarity will be avoided or handled cautiously. In addition, journalists and editors must not allow their political or religious affiliations; views or morals and ethics influence their editorial judgment. This also addresses the question of how do journalists balance their relationship with their sources. In addition, journalists are obliged by ethics and law to protect confidential sources of information. 3. Journalists identify fake news by exercising their sixth sense which evokes cynicism and questions everything they are told. A famous adage in journalism training is; if your mother says she loves you, check it out [if her actions show love]. The other way is to be informed about events and have general facts on their fingertips. Sadly, journalists many times fall for fake news and spread it to their unsuspecting audiences that have grown to trust them because they think we are meticulous. This is what gives life to fake news! The urge to break news first and fast is to blame most of the time. However inexperience, ignorance, laziness (to research) and carelessness are the other things that predispose journalists to fall for fake news. 4. Yes, journalists do not work 24 hours seven days a week and 365 days a year. They are not super humans! Most newsrooms operate on a news shift of five working days, and for sub-editors and online desk, there is a morning and afternoon shift. This therefore allows journalists to step back from the fast news cycle to breathe and renew their energies. Because the roster cuts across weekends and public holidays, the newsroom never really goes to sleep. Also note that even when journalists are off-duty, they still have a nose for news when and where it happens. Send your feedback/complaints to [email protected] or call/text on +256 776 500725.
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https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/how-do-journalists-smell-trouble-so-as-to-keep-safe--3417140
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What next for Mali after second coup within a year?
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Colonel Assimi Goita, who has led two military coups in nine months, named countrys interim president. For the second time in less than a year, Malis military is back in power. Nine months after overthrowing President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in the wake of mass anti-government protests, the army on Monday detained President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane just hours after the announcement of a new cabinet that excluded two key military leaders. Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the August 2020 coup and was Ndaws deputy in the transitional administration formed in late September with the task of steering the country towards full civilian rule, said he was not consulted on the reshuffle, which was announced amid rising social tensions including a general strike called by Malis main trade union. Taken to a military base, Ndaw, a retired military officer, and Ouane stepped down on Wednesday. Later in the day, the United Nations Security Council condemned as unacceptable a change of transitional leadership by force, including through forced resignations. But by Friday, Goita had been named interim president by Malis constitutional court. It came as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) invited the military leaders for talks with the regional blocs current chair, Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo, according to Nigerias foreign minister Geoffrey Onyeama. The talks are scheduled for Sunday. France, which has thousands of troops in Mali to fight armed groups, also slammed the army takeover as unacceptable, with President Emmanuel Macron warning of targeted sanctions against those behind what he described as a coup within a coup. Following last years coup, ECOWAS suspended Mali from its institutions and announced a series of sanctions, including closing borders and halting financial flows. But some analysts have doubts about the effectiveness of such measures and whether they are the best way to bring about a return to civilian rule. The sanction regime was not very successful, Emmanuel Kwesi Anning, director of research at Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre told Al Jazeera. People were able to trade; the borders are porous. But the fact that ECOWAS had sought to impose sanctions without taking into consideration the political, economic and social realities of Mali meant that the sanction regime itself became anathema and allowed people to be very critical of ECOWAS, he said. Right now, any narrative or decision to reimpose those sanctions, I think, will backfire. We need much more nuanced conversation as to what really the Malian people are looking for, Anning added. On Wednesday, Washington said it was suspending security assistance for Malis security and defence forces which are struggling to contain armed groups in the countrys northern and central regions. The United States will also consider targeted measures against political and military leaders who impede Malis civilian-led transition to democratic governance, Ned Price, State Departments spokesman, said in a statement. Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the president. The power vacuum helped ethnic Tuareg separatists, allied with fighters from an al-Qaeda offshoot, to launch a rebellion that took control of Malis north. The armed group fighters swiftly pushed over the Tuareg rebels and seized key northern cities until they were driven out in early 2013 by a French-led counteroffensive. But fighters remain active and groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL have moved from the arid north to more populated central Mali since 2015, attacking targets and stoking animosity and violence between ethnic groups in the region. There is worry the latest development in Bamako could make the fragile security situation even more precarious. It [the coup] will lead not only to resurgence of violence and more armed groups in Mali but also it is the symbolism of the militarys ability to come back and to take power, Anning said. Before the latest coup, Mali was scheduled to hold presidential and legislative elections in February next year. On Friday, Goita promised that the polls will go ahead as planned. He also said he will pick a prime minister within days, a figure that will come from the opposition 5 June Movement-Rally of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP) a powerful group behind last years street demonstrations against Keita. The M5-RFP movement was sidelined by last years coup-makers when they established the transitional institutions. Jean-Herve Jezequel of the Crisis Group said in a publication this week the coming days will be decisive, with political deadlock also a possibility. But regardless of the outcome, the new crisis highlights the absence of a strong coalition supporting the actions of the transition, notably its declared ambition to reform the Malian political system, he added. This aspect is perhaps the most worrying: after having undergone all these crises, Mali still does not know which political forces are capable of bringing about the change that the country needs. For Moussa Kondo, a civil society activist and director for Accountability Lab in Mali, the election is what will take Mali out of this cycle. We Malians have been living with a challenging situation between the president and the military junta, he told Al Jazeera. We need to find a peaceful, transparent solution that is acceptable to all Malians.
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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/29/what-next-after-malis-coup
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How effective is one vaccine dose against Indian variant?
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Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs show strong efficacy against coronavirus (NOAH SEELAM/AFP via Getty Images) Taking only one dose of a coronavirus vaccine provides much less protection against the new Indian variant of Covid-19 than two, research has shown. Both the Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs were found to give nearly as effective protection against the variant of the virus first discovered in India, designated B.1.617.2, as against the B.1.1.7 variation first detected in Kent, which remains the dominant strain across the UK. The study, published by Public Health England (PHE) on 22 May, emphasised the need for two doses. Through analysing the health data from 1,054 people of different ages and ethnicities between April and May, the study found the Pfizer vaccine was 88 per cent effective about the India variant two weeks after the second dose, while being 93 per cent effective against the Kent variant after the same interval. The strain first identified in India is more transmissible than the one found in Kent, but there is so far no evidence to suggest it causes a more serious version of the disease. Two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were 60 per cent effective against the India variant and 66 per cent effective against the Kent variant. However, the study found one dose did not provide as much protection. Three weeks after the first dose was administered, both vaccines provided only 33 per cent effective against the India variant and 50 per cent effective against the Kent variant. The study concluded: After two doses of either vaccine there were only modest differences in vaccine effectiveness with the B.1.617.2 variant. Absolute differences in vaccine effectiveness were more marked with dose one. This would support maximizing vaccine uptake with two doses among vulnerable groups. Christina Pagel, director of the Clinical Operational Research Unit at University College London and a member of the Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, urged the government not to proceed with the next stage of its roadmap out of lockdown before more people have been fully vaccinated with two doses. Story continues The good news is that it confirms that full vaccination still provides a way out (alongside other measures). The bad news is that it makes proceeding with [the] current roadmap a very bad idea and moving to step three last Monday [17 May] might have been a big mistake, Ms Pagel said. The way out is to vaccinate fully vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible. And to do this before we move to step four of the roadmap. Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said: What is clear from this research is that the main thing we can do to reduce the spread of this variant is to ensure that we get our second dose of vaccine, whatever vaccine we had for our first injection. Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said given the findings public health authorities should focus on timely administration of second doses ... which ought to provide rapid valuable additional protection against this new strain. Ms Pagel said full vaccination should be augmented with support for isolation, local contact tracing, targeted testing, and safer indoor spaces. She said this particularly applied to schools and called on Public Health England to release data on the spread of B.1.617.2 in schools, amid accusations the government had suppressed these data. Read More Confusion undermining efforts to control coronavirus, government adviser warns Coronavirus: Highly transmissible hybrid of UK and Indian variants found in Vietnam, health minister says Surge testing expanded in Lancashire as Indian variant spreads
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https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/effective-one-vaccine-dose-against-122123022.html?src=rss
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Should Women Be The New Default Voting Group In US?
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Many were surprised when white women voted for Donald Trump in 2016, but they shouldnt have been. Even though women overall tend to vote for Democrats, white women have regularly voted Republican since the 1950s, a fact that may have been obscured by traditional voter analysis that sets white men as the default group. When you use white men as the standard, of course, women look, super Democrat, because white men are disproportionately much more heavily Republican, says Jane Junn, professor of political science and gender and sexuality studies at the University of Southern California. When you use that as the baseline category from which everything else is then analyzed, you fail to see that pattern of white female support for Republicans, and Trump in particular, and the same thing happens in [2020]. Junn has co-authored a paper suggesting that voting behavior analysis that interprets the results for women as a deviation from the patterns set by men is outdated and obscures true voter preference. When it comes to voter analysis, the default group is traditionally the largest voting group. And even though women outvote menand have done so since the 1960swhite male voters continue to be the norm against which all other voting groups are compared. Follow NewsGram on Twitter to stay updated about the World news. It violates what we would ordinarily do when we use statistics to interpret group-based behavior, and that is, it is identifying the modal group incorrectly. Mode just means the largest group, and malesin particular, white malesare not the largest group of voters in the United States, Junn says. That is actually females. White females are the modal group in U.S. voting behavior, and that goes for national-levelpresidential votingand also at the local level. In 2020, 68% of women who were eligible to vote reported that they voted, compared to the 65% turnout for men. In the 2016 presidential election, 63% of women and 59% of men reported voting. When it comes to race and gender, 69.6% of white women reported voting, compared to 67% of white men in 2020. While in 2016, 66.8% of white women and 63.7% of white men reported voting. Junn says the white male-centric approach to voter analysis is limiting because it doesnt take the dynamic nature of the electorate into consideration. The vantage point encourages us to think in static terms, she says. It encourages us to think about behavior only as a function of the past, or mostly as a function of the past, and it encourages us to just think things are stable. Rethinking how votes are analyzed requires undoing centuries of conditioning, says Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University. What is the ideal within the political sphere? Koning asks. The political sphere has always been synonymous with male and with masculinity, and I think it takes a lot of time to change, to overturn, and to evolve from something like that. ALSO READ: Transgender Americans Face Voting Issues in 2020 Presidential Election : Study Setting white men as the normal standard to which everyone else is compared can imply that anything that is dissimilar from that is abnormal or deviant, according to Junn. Or the candidate for president, Joe Biden, and the Black female vice presidential candidate? Junn says. The modifiers are always attached to categories that are unusual or different. Koning agrees. Youre creating a very specific frame through which the political system is being seen that frankly, may not be the frame that is beneficial or is most beneficial for the public good and the advancement of society. She thinks it will take many more election cycles to break the historical habit of painting men as the modal group. This discussion has leveled up in the classroom. I think this discussion is bubbling up within gender studies and women in politics programs. I dont know if this discussion has really reached a mainstream level, Koning says. I dont think it is a conversation that is being had at the forefront yet, even after all of this, even after all these decades. (VOA/JC)
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https://www.newsgram.com/should-woman-be-the-new-default-voting-group-in-us/
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How large was the undercount of COVID-19 deaths across California?
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Californias COVID-19 death toll could be far higher than current figures suggest, with up to thousands of additional deaths from the disease hiding behind other causes. New research shows that these additional deaths were particularly concentrated in certain parts of the state. Researchers at Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania calculated the number of deaths that occurred in every U.S. county in 2020 and compared them to predicted deaths in that county in a non-pandemic year. They used historical mortality data from 2011 to 2019 to estimate the number of predicted deaths for 2020. Epidemiologists refer to the difference between predicted and actual mortality numbers as excess deaths. The Chronicle examined how each California countys official COVID-19 deaths compared with the number of excess deaths for the states 47 counties with over 30,000 residents. We found that 42 counties had excess deaths in 2020 above predicted levels in a non-pandemic year. And of those, 29 had excess deaths that were not assigned to COVID-19, including 14 of the states 15 most populous counties. We refer to those excess deaths not accounted for by COVID-19 as residual deaths. In Los Angeles County, 27% of excess deaths during 2020 were residual deaths. In Alameda County, 37% of excess deaths were residual. The implication here is that there were potentially hundreds of missing or hidden deaths that are not being accounted for in the official statistics, Andrew Stokes, a professor at Boston Universitys School of Public Health and a lead author on the excess-deaths study, told The Chronicle, referring to Alameda Countys 37% residual death rate. Statewide, according to an April study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, about 32% of Californias excess deaths were residual. Thats higher than the U.S. overall rate of almost 28%. This is not just a triviality for academics to study, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, told The Chronicle. These numbers are large. Some of these residual deaths can be attributed to factors related to the pandemic, like accelerating drug overdoses or lower standards of care driven by overwhelmed hospitals and individuals reluctance to seek health care in person during a pandemic. For instance, Mendocino County, which had a residual excess death rate of 1.4 per 1,000 people, the highest of any county we analyzed, saw increases in deaths due to heart disease, diabetes, suicide and influenza pneumonia, according to county health spokesperson Laura Arms. In San Francisco, the countys high residual death rate about 50% of the countys excess deaths werent assigned to COVID-19 appears to be mostly tied to its soaring fatal drug overdose count. Drug overdose deaths in the city spiked by 61% in 2020 compared with the previous year, going from 441 to 712 deaths. Stokes methodology for predicted deaths did not account for such a large increase in overdose deaths; he told The Chronicle that excess deaths were likely to reflect in part the effects of increases in drug overdoses in 2020. While not as extreme as San Francisco, California saw an overall spike in fatal drug overdoses last year, too. The state had a year-over-year 45% jump in overdose deaths as of October 2020, according to preliminary CDC data. Still, many of the residual excess deaths that California recorded last year are likely COVID-19 deaths that werent counted as such, researchers said. Stokes noted that some counties had fewer deaths than a normal year; those were probably counties with relatively few COVID-19 deaths that also had fewer deaths related to other causes, like other infectious diseases or traffic accidents, because of stay-at-home orders and other public health measures. An additional factor that might help explain Californias higher-than-average residual excess death toll is how it assigns causes of death. For deaths that happen outside of hospitals, the state relies on a sheriff-coroner system, which means there is an elected official who doesnt have to have a medical degree. An analysis for Stat News found that counties with a sheriff-coroner typically had higher rates of residual deaths compared with counties with state or local medical examiners. In addition to lacking thorough medical training, Stokes said, sheriff-coroners might be swayed by their political leanings. The politicization of coronavirus deaths during the Trump administration could have influenced some politically conservative sheriff-coroners away from attributing suspicious deaths to COVID-19. If some of these sheriff-coroners ... have partisanship or political leanings, that could certainly affect the propensity to assign COVID to the death certificate, Stokes said. Bibbins-Domingo noted that digging deeper into residual excess deaths was important for a few big reasons: First, excess mortality appears to be concentrated in populations that are already hard hit by COVID-19 suggesting that theres an even wider disparity than the current data suggests between wealthy, white populations and poorer populations of color. If (these) numbers hold, it suggests were underestimating even the degree to which these groups are being affected, she said. Second, the sheer magnitude of these residual deaths could mean that Californias tier system is based on incomplete figures. Poor data might lead to reopening a county prematurely where theres still a lot of virus around, she said. Adding to that point, Stokes said more accurate death counts could help individuals with their decision-making around the virus, too. If we fully account for these hidden deaths, and those are appearing in the obituary section of local newspapers as COVID deaths, that helps to compel people to act in a way that's more consistent with public health guidelines and to get vaccinated, he said. Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer, and Nami Sumida is a Chronicle data visualization developer. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Twitter: @susieneilson, @namisumida
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/How-large-was-the-undercount-of-COVID-19-deaths-16210991.php
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What is the best case scenario for Lynn Bowden Jr. in 2021?
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The Miami Dolphins have a busy, crowded, competitive wide receiver room at their disposal for the upcoming 2021 NFL season a group that has plenty of players with a lot to prove. Even the players at the top of the perceived depth chart, such as Will Fuller, are going to need a strong season to establish their rooting as essential pieces of what the Dolphins overhauled passing game will look like this season. Theres going to be a lot of mouths to feed and some difficult personnel decisions ahead before the season even starts. But one player who will certainly be entering the 2021 season with a chip on his shoulder is Lynn Bowden Jr., who was profiled yesterday by Tyler Dunne in a very enlightening look at Bowden Jr.s unceremonious departure from the Las Vegas Raiders program just months after being drafted in the 3rd round. The best thing Bowden Jr. has going for him as compared to some of the other talents in the Dolphins wide receiver room is the working reps with Tua Tagovailoa that the duo got last season. Bowden Jr., unlike Albert Wilson and Robert Foster and Allen Hurns and others, was working with Tagovailoa at a very high clip last year between practice and games combined. That familiarity should help Bowden Jr. start faster than he may otherwise in training camp and, by extension, win a spot higher on the depth chart. Add in Bowden Jr.s versatility as a former option quarterback and the Dolphins have two very clear pathways for success for Bowden Jr. on this years team. Hell have a chance to beat out Albert Wilson (who is a much more expensive contract, too) for the multi-tool, jack of all trades, tough and powerful slot receiver type as expectations are that Miamis top-3 receivers will be Fuller, DeVante Parker and 1st-round pick Jaylen Waddle with health pending. The best case scenario for Bowden Jr. entering this season is to make the Dolphins feel that Wilson is expendable as a player. That can be accomplished with a strong showing in camp and the preseason via more polished routes and a continuation of the tenacity and toughness Bowden Jr. showed on the field last year to play physical. Whatever stats come after that is secondary: beating out Albert Wilson is Bowden Jr.s most likely ticket to a productive role in Miamis 2021 offense.
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https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/29/what-is-the-best-case-scenario-for-lynn-bowden-jr-in-2021/
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Could assisted migration help Ethiopian birds threatened with extinction?
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Young white-tailed swallows in Ethiopia. Higher temperatures will likely affect their ability to breed. A swallow and a crow species are likely to go extinct in Ethiopia due to climate change and conservationists may be left with no option but to relocate some of them in a move known as "assisted migration", according to a new study. Advertising Read more The authors of the study, published in the journal Plos One, say their climate change models show that up to 84 percent of the white-tailed swallows current range and 100 percent of that occupied by the Ethiopian bush-crow risk becoming unsuitable over the next 50 years. There is a high risk the birds will die out because it will be too hot to forage for food and breed. Their long-term survival could depend on human intervention, or assisted migration: a process that would see some birds from each species captured, bred in captivity and then released in cooler areas elsewhere in Africa. It's probably our best chance of saving these two species, Andrew Bladon, lead author of the study told RFI, although he stressed that such a conservation measure would be fraught with potential risks. The first hurdle would be finding a new location where we are pretty sure that the climate is suitable, the habitat is suitable, and there is enough space for a viable population, he says. Uncharted territory Neither of these species have ever been translocated or kept in captivity, so we don't know how they would cope with being caught and moved to another location. Such drastic action might suit the bush-crow more. It has a varied diet and, being a crow, is highly adaptable. Ethiopian bush-crows are a highly-adaptable species. Andrew Bladon But it would need to be carefully monitored in any new environment. Bladon says the bush-crow has all the traits of an excellent invasive species. So releasing bush-crows into an area with a more suitable climate could risk upsetting the ecosystem in the new location, threatening other species. Balancing act The high-flying, insect-eating swallow would likely prove even harder to move. The University of Cambridge zoologist says the most likely place where the swallow could survive is somewhere in South Africa. But that country is already home to the closely-related pearl-breasted swallow. Introducing the Ethiopian swallow there could increase competition between them that could threaten both species. It's a really hard balancing act, he says. The alternative is to sit and watch these two charismatic species go extinct. Ethiopian white-tailed swallow chicks are raised in grass-lined nests made from mud. Andrew Bladon Ethiopia is home to diverse habitats -- deserts, grasslands, lakes, rivers, forests and mountain peaks -- and specialist species that may not cope with rapid changes brought by climate change, explains Bladon. In the region where the swallow and the bush-crow live -- known as the Borana Zone -- there are another three bird species (a turaco, a lark and a francolin) found there and nowhere else. Assisted migration of vulnerable birds and other animal species could well become a feature of conservation work in Africa and elsewhere in the face of climate change. In Hawaii, seabirds have been bred in captivity to establish new colonies and keep them safe from sea level rise. Bush-crows build their large stick nests on the top of acacia trees in Ethiopia, and white-tailed swallows build their mud-cup nests under the roofs of huts. Andrew Bladon No easy solution Translocations beyond the historic range will be an increasingly important conservation option, in Africa and globally, says Sarah Skikne, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment, who was not part of the Ethiopian study. Climate change means that suitable climates are moving out from under species, and land conversion such as agriculture will block their ability to follow their climates by shifting ranges. But Skikne, who co-authored a 2020 study analysing past global translocations of 176 bird species to work out its feasibility as a climate adaptation tool, told RFI she shared the conclusion ultimately reached by the authors of the Ethiopian study: that assisted migration for the white-tailed swallow and the Ethiopian bush-crow is probably unfeasible. My work shows that translocating birds over longer distances tends to decrease survival, so looking further afield may be risky, Skikne says. This is an unfortunate example where there is no straightforward solution. Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe
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https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20210529-could-assisted-migration-help-ethiopian-birds-threatened-with-extinction-wildlife-africa-climate-change-environment
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Will Sixers take a 3-0 series lead against Wizards?
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The Sixers are heading south to the Capital One Arena for a pivotal Game 3 Saturday against the Washington Wizards. The Sixers head into the game with a 2-0 series lead and momentum on their side, fresh off of a 25-point win over the Wizards. The Sixers have looked well on the offensive end of the court and were able to contain Russell Westbrook in the last game while not letting other players such as Raul Neto or Alex Len establish themselves as a third scoring option. Get Free Bets for the NBA Playoffs Check out our How to Bet on the NBA Playoffs guide for the best new customer offers including risk-free wagers, deposit bonuses and more. With the Wizards failing to get a win so far in the best-of-seven matchup, the Sixers could expect to see Washingtons best effort to get back in the series. However, Sixers guard Furkan Korkmaz said that the team is focused on playing their own game well instead of worrying about how the Wizards will come out. The series looks like its 2-0, but we are going to every game like its 0-0, Korkmaz said. This should be our mentality. We know what we can do and what were going to do. I dont think its about Washington. I think this series is about us because we have shown them already in that we beat them twice, and we are coming to get our third and fourth win and basically wait for our opponent. We are still trying to go step by step, and everybody knows that and what we are capable of doing. The Sixers are keeping an eye on how forward Tobias Harris and guard Seth Curry are dealing with the ankle injuries they sustained in Wednesdays game. Head coach Doc Rivers said he hopes to have both in the lineup. Tobias, I think, will be good, Rivers said Friday. He went through most of the stuff today. Seth didnt go through anything. We think hell be good, but we just dont know. For the Wizards, guard Russell Westbrook is listed as questionable for the game after he suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of Wednesdays game. If Westbrook cannot play, guard Bradley Beal will have the task of trying to get Washington back in the series. Beal has averaged 33 points a game in the series, the sixth-highest total in the playoffs. However, if Westbrook cannot play and facilitate the offense like he usually does, the question becomes who would replace the offensive output Westbrook typically generates, meaning it would make it challenging for the Wizards to get back into the series. Get Eagles text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text directly with beat writers Chris Franklin and Mike Kaye. Plus, exclusive news and analysis. Sign up now for a free trial. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Chris Franklin may be reached at [email protected].
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https://www.nj.com/sixers/2021/05/will-the-sixers-take-a-3-0-series-lead-against-the-wizards.html
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Why not pay retirees?
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PF GOVT TO SERVICE CIVIL SERVANTS LOANS 29 May 2021 The Patriotic Front (PF) Government has bemoaned high debt levels among government workers and is proposing a debt relief mechanism where it wants to take over debts of civil servants. Public Service Management Division Permanent Secretary Boniface Chimbwali Monday on Friday the 28 of May 2021 told civil servants that recommendations are being made to come up with a mechanism that will provide them some debt reliefs. Mr. Chimbwali said thorough consultations will be done before arriving at the actual implementation of the mechanism that will provide relief to thousands of civil servants. The Permanent Secretary also noted that government was fully aware that staff debts and financial problems had been a source of frustration among workers in the civil service,hence the need for a lasting solution. The program started last year December and now its reaching its conclusion and it believed that government will clear every debt for all the affected civil servants The move has brought timely relief as many workers in civil service are engulfed in huge debts hence struggling to live expectable standards as civil Servants. This shows that the Patriotic front government under the able leadership of President Lungu has everyone at heart and does not want to leave anyone behind.
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https://www.zambiawatchdog.com/why-not-pay-retirees/
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Who is Jeopardy! contestant Sam Kavanaugh?
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SAM Kavanaugh clinched the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions crown on May 28. The annual high-stakes competition was hosted by 2017 TOC winner Buzzy Cohen. 3 Sam Kavanaugh Credit: Carol Kaelson Who is Jeopardy! Sam Kavanaugh captured the 10-day Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions in 2021. Kavanaugh won the $250,000 first-place prize, while Jennifer Quail ($100,000) finished in second place and Veronica Vichit-Vadakan ($50,000) placed third. A matching donation of $250,000 will be made to Hope of the Valley Trebek Center for the Homeless. Legendary Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek died in November following a courageous battle with cancer. Its so wonderful that Jeopardy! is supporting Hope of the Valleys The Trebek Center in Northridge, CA, widow Jean Trebek, said, according to Deadline. 3 Kavanaugh has 250,000 reasons to be smiling Credit: 2021 Quadra Productions, Inc., photographer Carol Kaelson. All rights reserved. The shows generosity continues to reflect Alexs desire to assist underrepresented communities. Kavanaugh triumphed despite missing the Final Jeopardy question, but he only wagered $12. "It took a village, and I have so many people to thank," Kavanaugh said during the show, according to the Star Tribune. "I hope I can pay them back." The substitute teacher is from Carlton, Minnesota, according to the newspaper. 3 Kavanaugh (right) is the winner of the Tournament of Champions on Jeopardy! Credit: 2021 Quadra Productions, Inc., photographer Carol Kaelson. All rights reserved. Jeopardy! favorite Buzzy Cohen hosted the Tournament of Champions four years after winning the TOC himself. The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik will take over hosting duties when Jeopardy! returns to the airwaves on May 31. "There's a lot of responsibility that falls on the host," Bialik told People. "I think also there's a lot of iconic pressure. "And that's probably not who I'm expected to be, Alex Trebek, but in my head, I am Alex Trebek - that's who I want to be." Most read in Celebrity Pictured EX MARC'S THE SPOT JLo seen with ex Marc after her Ben Affleck reunion & split from ARod AWKWARD What to know about the rumors swirling Julianne Hough and Leonardo DiCaprio MONEY MAKER RHONJ's Teresa Giudice's ex Joe launches furniture line after sex toy business 'BEST FRIEND' Meet 50 Cent's girlfriend Jamira 'Cuban Link' Haines KEEPING UP Khloe Kardashian takes fans inside her new $37M Hidden Hills dream home Exclusive ON MTV'S SIDE Teen Mom Jenelle Evans says she supports MTV for firing Ryan Edwards She added: "It wasn't like, a cultural cornerstone of my parents' and my life growing up, but obviously I've watched it. "I've been an answer, I think two or three times, which is crazy." Cohen and Bialik are just two of the guest hosts who are filling in following Trebek's death.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2979435/jeopardy-contestant-sam-kavanaugh-tournament-of-champions/
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Is it Possible to Save Money Selecting a Term Paper Writer?
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Of course! Professional term papers writers are involved with editing, proof reading and qualitative academic papers written by students across the world. This task requires a great deal of time and energy. Its simply right that you hire a writer due to his expertise, knowledge and abilities within this field. Term papers are also called essays, research reports and papers. The task of a writer in this field is to help the student write an essay. Theyll edit the article, fix grammatical errors and grammatical mistakes, revise sentences, remove unnecessary information in the do you italicize song lyrics essay and make the essay much more readable and more attractive. Term papers should include only the most significant and crucial information to be mentioned in the article. Pupils are expected to write these records in a particular time. Its also required for them to exhibit their study in a reasonable and comprehensible way. Students are expected to be more truthful in their responses and explanations. Its also vital for them to be more cautious in what they are writing since it affects the credibility of the newspaper that they wrote. A good author can enhance your credibility and position on the market if youre a professor. He will help in your audience and for getting more jobs from your colleagues. There are a good deal of writers offered in the industry. You just must be cautious in selecting one that is perfect for you. If you do not have your resume to provide to them, then you could always find one online. Make certain you could trust the author that you choose because you have to earn your reputation on this newspaper. Though most people could write term papers readily and well, but they will never understand how to write these papers accurately unless they have already had expertise in writing them. If you are still learning about this subject, then ask your friend or your coworkers to offer you some tips. Even though there are a great deal of writers in the market, you simply need to be on the lookout for the best essay writer in your area. You can also ask some men and women whove used the assistance of a writer before. There are lots of different companies offering term paper solutions all over the world. Be sure to do your assignments so you wont get ripped off with someone who doesnt have your best interests at heart. When looking for one, request comments from people you know, and ask them to urge firms for you.
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http://thriftynickelusa.com/is-it-possible-to-save-money-selecting-a-term-paper-writer/
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How does blockchain work?
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By Peter Ramjug News at Northeastern A pair of Northeastern students have created the universitys first blockchain club to help educate people about the benefits and potential of the electronic database behind cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether. The Northeastern Blockchain Organization gets up and running in the fall of 2021 to share knowledge about blockchain technologys potential to expand beyond digital currencies into mortgages and other contracts, according to club founders David Hsu and Bennett Thompson. Blockchain is basically the Internet 2.0, says Hsu. If you want to see where the growth opportunities are for the next 10 to 20 years, its going to be blockchain technology. In its simplest form, blockchain technology collects dataoften algorithmsin groups, or blocks. When the blocks are filled, they are chained onto the previous block, forming a chain of data. All new information that follows the last block is compiled into a new block that will also be added to the chain once it is filled, and so on. After a block has been added to the end of the blockchain, it is difficult to go back and alter the contents, making it a secure and anonymous way to conduct transactions. For example, Colonial Pipeline paid hackers a ransom in bitcoin after a cyberattack crippled gas delivery systems and led to long lines at filling stations in portions of the Southeastern United States. Blockchain is increasingly capturing the attention of banks like JP Morgan and Wells Fargo, as well as venture capital firms, global money manager firms, and transnational companies. If you look at IBM, Microsoft, Google, and a lot of the big venture capitalist firms, they all have dedicated crypto blockchain arms, says Hsu, who is pursuing a graduate degree in computer science at Northeastern. Hsu worked at Boston-based Wellington Management, a global financial services firm that has hired more software developers in the last three years than any other position, to write the code that powers blockchains. Its happening in all industries right now, Hsu says. Everybody is hiring software developers. With that demand in mind, Hsu and Thompson want to position the blockchain club as a clearinghouse to exchange ideas and allow fellow students to gain hands-on experience with the technology. David and I want to help educate people on blockchain and crypto and show them that this is a real technology that has the chance to change the world, Thompson says. They also want to give students an outlet where they can roll up their sleeves and learn how to write code. Working on blockchain projects is a lot different than just watching YouTube videos, he says. Figuring out the inner workings of blockchain is what initially ignited Thompsons interest. After digital payments first captured his attention, he will be entering his second year in the fall to continue his computer science and business studies. Thompson is also involved with Disrupt, the universitys financial technology collaborative, but he thinks blockchain will have a greater impact than fintech. He saw its potential when a guest speaker from a Boston venture capital firm spoke at a Disrupt meeting a few months ago about blockchains potential applications. We had a pretty big turnout, and students were asking What is blockchain? What is crypto? and so we knew even back then that there was growing interest in this space, says Thompson, who invests in bitcoin, ether, helium, and other digital currencies. He says the blockchain club is taking a broader approach than just internet coins. Programming will focus on education, including events such as outside speakers and a bi-weekly forum for people to chat about whats going on in the blockchain space. There is also a hands-on component by which students can launch their own nodes, which form the infrastructure of a blockchain. Nodes are used by developers for building blockchain applications such as smart contracts, an agreement between two people in the form of computer code. Smart contracts on blockchainsis an enormous game changer that every company will use, billionaire investor Mark Cuban, who owns the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team, told the Wall Street Journal. The blockchain clubs plans call for the hiring of a technology director to guide students through workshops on smart contract-writing, Hsu says. There will also be a focus on the academic side of blockchain research, which will be led by a doctoral student, Lucianna Kiffer, and involve technical white papers and academic research. Faculty from Northeastern and other universities will likely be invited to talk about their research. That gives students the ability to understand the academic and technical underpinnings of blockchain but also have an opportunity for them to interact with professors, Hsu says. The group held its first informal meet-up event in late May to discuss collectible digital assets such as photos and video clips called nonfungible tokens, better known as NFTs. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sold his first tweet as an NFT for almost $3 million earlier this year. Even as the cryptomarket is undergoing another round of volatility, Hsu and Thompson believe it is here to stay. Throughout history, money was always pegged to a hard asset, Hsu says. Now that we are moving into the digital age, I dont see why money couldnt be pegged to a digital asset. (Reprinted with permission from the News at Northeastern.)
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https://indianewengland.com/2021/05/how-does-blockchain-work/
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Whos in the cast of Cruella on Disney Plus?
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CRUELLA is finally available on Disney+ after the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the original release of December 23, 2020. Emma Stone, 32, leads the cast in the live-action movie focused on the classic Disney character. Cruella is a live-action feature film following the evil exploits of Cruella de Vil, the villain from the iconic Disney film, 101 Dalmatians. She is an ambitious drifter and aspiring fashion designer, who will go on to become a notorious and dangerous criminal obsessed with Dalmatian furs. Estella is the orphaned girl who morphs into Cruella thanks to some of life's hard knocks. She wound up penniless and orphaned in London at twelve, four years later Estella runs wild through the city streets with her best friends and partners-in-(petty)-crime, Horace and Jasper, two amateur thieves. When an up-and-coming rockstar commissions Estella to design him a signature piece, she begins to feel as though she has truly arrived. Most read in TV Exclusive COP DEATH QUIZ Daughter-in-law of Tory donor arrested with 'blood on hands' after cop death royal INTRUDER Buckingham Palace knifeman who walked through gate wielding blade jailed DEATH ON CAMERA Here's how to report tragic Facebook Live suicide and murder videos Exclusive RAT OUT OF HELL Monster rats crawl into homes through LOOS after lockdown shut restaurants CRYPTO RAID Cops find giant Bitcoin 'mine' stealing electricity during warehouse drug raid BILL BARRED Bill Cosby, 83, denied parole after REFUSING to complete sex offender therapy Estella also has a tough obstacle to overcome in the form of Baroness von Hellman: The head of a prestigious London fashion house and a renowned designer. She is also Estella's boss, biological mother, and eventual rival who eventually plays a pivotal role in Estella's transformation.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/tv/2979135/whos-in-the-cast-of-cruella-on-disney-plus/
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Is history repeating itself over unlocking amid a new variant?
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Imagine for a moment that the year is 2022 and Dominic Cummings is giving evidence to MPs about the controversial events of nine months earlier. A new Covid variant was taking hold in Britain back in that rain-sodden month of May 2021. Case numbers were rising, but hospitalisations and deaths were not. Scientists were urging Boris Johnson to play it safe and extend restrictions, businesses were screaming for normality to return. For the 2022 version of Mr Cummings, the right decision was no doubt staring Mr Johnson in the face. So simple! So obvious! Except that May 2021 is where we all are right now, and the right way forward is not obvious at all. Open up, and deaths might rise, costing lives that could have been saved. Delay freedom day and businesses might go to the wall needlessly. Only after the decision has been made will Mr Johnson know if he got it right. Which is exactly where he was in September last year. Mr Cummings portrayal on Wednesday of a Prime Minister who turned his back on reason, choosing to hit and hope rather than following irrefutable evidence, was a form of revisionism, according to those who lived through the frenetic late summer weeks in Government. Then, as now, it was not at all clear which way the virus was going to go. Then, as now, conflicting predictions and advice were landing on the Prime Ministers desk. But then, unlike now, it was unclear when or even if a vaccine would be available, and in what quantities. Someone was going to turn out to be right and someone was going to turn out to be wrong, but, crucially, they could not know they were right, because they were guessing, a point which was lost on Mr Cummings when he accused Mr Johnson of being unfit for office.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/29/history-repeating-unlocking-amid-new-variant/
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Who will be the pundits on BT Sport for Champions League final between Man City and Chelsea?
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Sign up to FREE email alerts from Football London - Chelsea Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice BT Sport are set to show the UEFA Champions League final tonight between Manchester City and Chelsea. The game will be broadcast live from the Estadio do Dragao, the home of Portuguese giants FC Porto, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm BST. Meanwhile, coverage of the build-up is set to start somewhat earlier at 6pm BST on both BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate. The match is also available to watch for those without a BT subscription with free coverage available on the BT Sport website and their official YouTube channel. Even before the game, there is big news coming from the punditry team. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Usually the face of the channels Champions League coverage, Gary Lineker has announced that the final will be his last game as he takes a step back - a move that was announced on Thursday evening. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona forward has been the face of the channels coverage since it won the rights from Sky in 2015. Of course you do. By signing up for our Chelsea newsletter, you will receive a twice-daily email, focused on all the latest news from Stamford Bridge. And, not only that, but you will get exclusive content from our club writers Sam Inkersole and Adam Newson before anyone else. You won't miss a thing when it comes to the Blues. It's easy and only takes seconds. Simply type your email address into the box at the top of this article - or any article on the Chelsea section of football.london in fact - labelled 'Get the biggest daily stories by email' and click 'Subscribe'. Alternatively, you can click here and tick the Chelsea box to subscribe for our Blues newsletter. If you decide later that you no longer wish to receive the emails, simply follow the unsubscribe link in one of the newsletters - but we don't think you'll want to. There will be a comprehensive team joining the Match of the Day host for his final Champions League outing. Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott will represent Pep Guardiola's men on the panel, whilst ex-Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole will of course aim to provide the Blues' perspective on the game. Meanwhile, BT Sport regulars Rio Ferdinand, Steve McManaman and Glenn Hoddle are all set to be part of the coverage, with commentator Darren Fletcher and pitchside reporter Des Kelly also set to talk viewers through what is sure to be a tantalising clash in Portugal.
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https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-manchester-city-bt-sport-20705024
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Do bizarre stunts actually help the climate cause?
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Just About Done Enduring Dramatics Dear JADED, Last week, I wrote about the scourge of greenwashing companies ones that falsely and loudly proclaim to be concerned with climate change in order to sell more products. So it seems appropriate to move on to ostensibly well-meaning but bizarre demonstrations in the name of climate awareness. To pick a relatively benign example, the New Belgium Brewing Company announced last month that it was launching a new, intentionally unpleasant concoction under its popular Fat Tire beer brand. To illustrate what the future of beer will look like if we dont get more to commit to aggressive climate action, weve brewed up Torched Earth Ale, the company website says of the beer, which is flavored with dandelion essence and smoke-tainted water. These are the kind of ingredients it says will be available in a heat-ravaged future. This is not the first time New Belgium has pulled this kind of stunt: When it got Fat Tire certified as a carbon-neutral beer in 2020, the company marked the occasion by temporarily raising their prices to $100 per six-pack an homage to the cost of 72 ounces of beer if nothing is done to abate our current atmospheric trajectory. If you are a person whos spent more than a few late nights fretting over climate change, the taste or price of beer would likely not rank high on a list of concerns that includes mass displacement, collapse of infrastructure, and widespread disease. New Belgium, however, claims to have had noble intentions. Their Torched Earth beer page contains a link to a website encouraging people to tweet at Fortune 500 companies to make climate plans. We realize beer is the least of our worries in a climate ravaged future, a company rep told me. Most of our customers are concerned about climate change and want to see truly meaningful work from companies. We believe impact is the greater predictor of our long-term business success because it enables people to be a part of what our brand is trying to do (both in terms of our coworkers as well as beer drinkers) vs. just having a transaction with us. Aha. One of the shared goals of marketing and organizing is to create an engaged and faithful community. Obviously, the end game differs in the former case, you are trying to sell a product, and in the latter, you are trying to effect some sort of meaningful political change. Stunt releases of climate-themed beer is just a message to a customer base that says: You care about climate change, we care about climate change, we belong together. This is a tactic, according to sociologist Dana Fisher, that climate-minded breweries share with confrontation-loving advocacy organizations, like the U.K-based Extinction Rebellion. Extinction Rebellion, also known as XR, isnt all that big in the U.S. (yet), but is well known throughout Europe for headline-grabbing stunts like parading naked into the House of Commons to protest Brexit. The goal of doing something extreme, Fisher says, is two-pronged: One is to send a message to people who are sympathizers, to appeal to them and get them to think that there are people who think the same way they do [about climate change] who are doing something about it. The other thing is to get in the face of people who disagree. And, of course, the goal is to get the whole thing covered on TV, or Twitter, or what-have-you. But shock value in the name of press attention is an unstable currency at best. Its not necessarily hard to get people talking, but that doesnt mean the resulting conversation necessarily helps your cause. Greenpeace famously tried to send a message to attendees of U.N. climate talks in Lima, Peru, and ended up damaging one of the countrys oldest world heritage sites. Just last month, Extinction Rebellion was roundly ridiculed after mostly white protesters dumped wheelbarrows of cow manure (some speculate that it was actually store-bought fertilizer) in front of the White House on Earth Day. It was intended as a commentary on the perceived tepidness of President Bidens climate progress. Instead, it provoked some criticism of Extinction Rebellions disregard for issues of race, class, and labor specifically, that the group was forcing mostly Black and brown municipal workers to clean up giant piles of shit. All press is good press seems to be the thinking of groups like the infamous animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA. But core message aside, the groups attention-grabbing methods are often criticized as being overly aggressive, in terrible taste, or burdensome to people who could be allies to their cause like, for example, Jews. One campaign that comes to mind compared chickens in cages on poultry farms to Holocaust victims. Attention-grabbing: yes; movement-building: doubtful. Climate action aligns with shock appeal better than many other issues. Were talking about the fate of the planet, after all, and the scientific consensus is that we must act quickly if we are to avert many of its worst consequences. Climate anxiety and, yes, anger, are pervasive and growing sentiments.There is certainly a power in stunts that make environmentally-aware people feel like they are understood and that their fears and concerns are not only valid but shared. If you are a person who is sitting at home feeling helpless in the face of mass environmental destruction and political standstill, it is encouraging to see a group of people on TV or social media loudly and provocatively demanding attention to exactly the source of your anxiety. Even if the way in which they are demanding attention is kind of strange, like crazy-glueing ones naked body to the entrance of the London Stock Exchange as a protest of climate-corrupting capitalism. Getting a critical mass of like-minded people together has been a game-changer for climate politics, turning general anxiety into growing political will. In a 2020 essay in the journal Medicine, Conflict, and Survival, University of Dundee medical student Fiona Mansfield argues that this was exactly the power of the climate movements that have cropped up in recent years: Together the Youth Climate Strikes and Extinction Rebellion have created a wave of self-organizing first-time activists; people who have never before identified as rebels or climate activists have found a platform to stand up for the future of our planet. We are living in a time in which normal or sane is a very mutable standard. If we are defining common sense as an ability to react to circumstances in a way that keeps us alive, then it is common sense to be highly alarmed about climate change and to behave in seemingly extreme or deranged ways to get other people to be alarmed, too. If you feel crazy, its kind of nice to see other people acting crazy on a global stage! Anyway, heres to being weird if it gets your message across. Sell the weird beer, run naked into legislative chambers whatever works! As long as its for something worth a little bit more than shock value. Bizarrely, Umbra
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https://grist.org/ask-umbra-series/do-bizarre-stunts-actually-help-the-climate-cause/
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Who gets a park?
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For the first time in its history, a national ranking of urban green space in America is not only looking at the number and quality of parks within the countrys 100 largest cities, but also the equity of their distribution shining a spotlight on the glaring gaps between access to nature along racial and socioeconomic lines. Historically, the Trust for Public Lands annual ParkScore index ranked cities based on four factors: acreage, investment, amenities, and access. But the 2021 index, released Thursday, includes equity components that compare, for example, park space per capita for mostly neighborhoods of color versus white neighborhoods, space per capita for low-income versus high-income neighborhoods, and how many low-income and people of color are within 10 minutes walking distance of a park. Its been something that park systems and cities have asked us about repeatedly over the years, Linda Hwang, director of strategy and innovation at the Trust for Public Land, told Grist. Were really proud to be able to include that category into the index in the rankings this year. The addition of equity addressed a disparity in the Trust for Public Lands scoring process that allowed Minneapolis to rank number one seven out of the nine times it had previously been included in the analysis, despite well-known inequality issues across the citys parks. Washington D.C.s park network instead grabbed the top spot this year. Public green space makes up around 15 percent of the city of Minneapolis one of the highest ratios in the country. In 2020, 98 percent of Minneapolis residents lived within a 10-minute walk of a park. But, the park system has historically benefited Minneapolis white residents far more than its communities of color. In the mid 1900s, Minneapolis parks were at the center of redlining practices that prevented any non-white residents from living there, with effects continuing into today. Parks in low-income and communities of color in Minneapolis have historically received the least amount of funding. The local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, has also spoken out about discrimination that park employees of color have faced. Minneapolis parks have also been critiqued for having their own police force that patrol the 6,000 acres of park land, creating a sometimes hostile environment for its Black park-goers. Within the city, Minneapolis police use force against Black residents seven times more than white residents. Its a gap in the scoring that is representative of a problem beyond just Minneapolis. Across the 100 cities analyzed for the new Trust for Public Land index, neighborhoods mostly composed of people of color have an average of 44 percent less access to parks per person than mostly white neighborhoods. Similarly, low-income residents have 42 percent less park space than high-income neighborhoods. To address the park equity divide, Hwang and Ronda Chapman, equity director at the Trust for Public Land, say joint use agreements with schools that allow schoolyards to be utilized as parks outside of school hours are a great way to increase park access. Additionally, they say, cities should prioritize converting vacant lots and parking lots into parks, as well as create park equity plans. In 2016, Minneapolis became the first park system in the country to make equity a guiding principle for park investments. Those are the kinds of reforms that we want to see, said Hwang. There is a park equity gap, but the residents of Minneapolis, and the Park and Rec board recognize it, and they are working to address it. This year Minneapolis ranked third in the annual parks scorecard. St. Paul, Minnesota ranked second place, below Washington, D.C., Arlington, Virginia ranked fourth, and Chicago, Illinois fifth. Several cities rose in ranking due to the new equity measure, including Baltimore, which rose 28 places, moving from 58th place last year to 30th this year. Both Toledo, Ohio and Newark, New Jersey rose 27 spots. The Trust for Public Land is part of a coalition calling for federal investment through the Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act a $500 million investment in local parks with priority to high-need populations determined by income, age, or other vulnerability factors. It would fund 1,000 new or upgraded parks and save or create several thousand jobs. We definitely recognize that parks are not just a nice to have, said Chapman, we see them as a vehicle for holistic well-being. Access to greenspace is correlated with positive health outcomes such as decreases in depression and anxiety, improved concentration, and reduced blood pressure. Parks arent just good for recreation or relaxation either they also provide flooding support, and increase essential shade and cooling. They are part of our public health infrastructure, said Hwang. When you invest in your park system you are investing in so many other benefits that will come to people in the city related to climate and health and community.
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https://grist.org/cities/who-gets-a-park-cities-parkscore-equity/
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Can CBI say no to AP CM bail cancellation?
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For over two times, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has not filed its counter in the CBI Court on the Jaganmohan Reddy bail petition. As a result, the judge gave one final chance to the CBI to file the counter by June 1. If the CBI cant file the counter by that time, the court has said that it would take up the case on its own without further waiting for the CBIs response. Now, there are only three days left for the CBI. Amid this, there is rising curiosity in the political and legal circles whether the CBI would continue to avoid filing its counter. The tricky issue here is the CBI has no freedom to file its counter as it pleases. This is a politically sensitive case and the top people in the Central Government would have to give their green signal. So, everybody is speculating how the BJP national leadership would react to this critical moment. It is indeed a difficult decision coming at a critical time. The petitioner, Raghurama Raju, was beaten up while in custody. He was an MP having top connections in Delhi. Raju complained in his petition that Mr. Jagan Reddy was misusing his authority as CM to influence and threaten the other accused and witnesses in the CBI cases. Rajus custodial torture took place after this bail cancellation case came up for hearing. Doubtless to say, the BJP national leaders would find it very hard to take a final decision. If the CBI says no to the bail cancellation petition, it would automatically send the signal that the CM had stronger relations with the BJP top leaders than eer before.
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https://www.telugu360.com/can-cbi-say-no-to-ap-cm-bail-cancellation/
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Can the right to a healthy environment stop Exxons expansion in Guyana?
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Guyanese citizens have filed a constitutional case that pushes back on industry giant ExxonMobils plans to boost fossil fuel production off the countrys coast charging that the expansion violates citizens constitutional rights to a healthy environment and the rights of future generations. The case, filed by University of Guyana scientist Troy Thomas and Indigenous youth Quadad de Freitas, is the first in the Caribbean to challenge fossil fuel extraction on constitutional grounds. The case argues that Guyanas approval of Exxons oil and gas buildout along the coast infringes on the countrys commitment to its people. This case really highlights the incompatibility of approving new oil and gas development, which inevitably leads to increased emissions, with protection of a healthy environment and the rights of future generations, said Nikki Reisch, the director of the climate and energy program at the Center for International Environmental Law. This isnt the first time that Guyanas expansion of oil and gas production has raised eyebrows last year, the United Nations Human Rights Committee asked authorities to address concerns that the expansion would negatively impact human rights. Guyana is a rainforest-dense country nestled between Venezuela and Brazil, and home to Exxons largest oil development outside of the Permian Basin in New Mexico and Texas. The company turned its eyes to Guyana as a new oil frontier in 2015, signing a contract with the country a year later. It began oil production in 2019. Exxon estimates that its wells off the coast have the potential to produce a total 9 billion barrels of oil and anticipates that by 2025, it will be extracting 750,000 barrels of oil per day from the region. Guyanas petroleum production is a potential 3.87 gigatonne carbon bomb, Melinda Janki, who leads the legal team for the applicants, said in a statement, putting Guyana at the forefront of the fight to save the planet from oil and gas. Much of Guyanas coast sits below sea level, making its population particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as flooding, hurricanes, and rising seas. For that reason alone, further investment in oil and gas production by Guyana doesnt make sense, environmentalists argue. However, it is also financially risky for the country, Reisch said. As nations around the globe work to decarbonize their economies, the oil and gas industry faces inevitable losses, she said, pointing to last weeks report by the International Energy Agency warning that the world must halt all new oil and gas project approvals to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. That decline could be devastating for Guyana, whose contract with oil and gas companies dictates that it must shoulder the majority of the upfront exploration and development costs. Reisch points to a report published last year by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis predicting that by 2025, Guyana will owe $20 billion in development costs to oil companies and become financially reliant upon Exxon. Whether you look at the situation from a financial or environmental perspective, Reisch said, its just not sustainable. Its really about the risks of tethering a countrys economy, revenues, and fiscal hopes to a product in a market that is in long-term, structural decline, she said. Its under a deal, the terms of which are very unfavorable for the country itself.
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https://grist.org/energy/can-the-right-to-a-healthy-environment-stop-exxons-expansion-in-guyana/
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Can Aerosols Spread from an Infected Person?
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Yes, aerosols can travel up to ten meters from the Covid-infected person. Aerosols and droplets are the key mode of transmission of the Covid-19 virus. The government on Thursday said that the aerosol through the infected person can fall within two meters but can be carried to ten meters through the air. Saliva and nasal discharged in the form of droplets and aerosols, by an infected person while exhaling, talking, speaking, singing, laughing, coughing or sneezing etc., is the primary mode of virus transmissions. "Ventilation is a community defense that protects all of us at home or at work. Introducing outdoor air in offices, homes and larger public spaces is advised. Measures to improve ventilation in these spaces must be taken up on urgent priority in urban and rural areas alike, recommendations for hutments, homes, offices and large centralized buildings are given. Simple strategic placement of fans, open windows and doors, even slightly open windows can introduce outdoor air and improve the air quality inside." Introduction of cross ventilation and exhaust fans will be beneficial in curtailing the spread of the disease. In buildings with central air-management systems improving central air filtration/increased filtration efficiency is especially helpful when enhanced outdoor air delivery options are limited. In offices, auditoriums, shopping malls etc., use of gable fan systems and roof ventilators are recommended. Frequent cleaning and replacement of fiters is highly recommended. Saliva and nasal discharged in the form of droplets and aerosols, by an infected person while exhaling, talking, speaking, singing, laughing, coughing or sneezing etc., is the primary mode of virus transmissions. infected person who shows no symptoms also transmit the virus. People without symptoms can spread the virus. Source: IANS The advisory issued by the principal scientific advisors office said,Introduction of cross ventilation and exhaust fans will be beneficial in curtailing the spread of the disease.In buildings with central air-management systems improving central air filtration/increased filtration efficiency is especially helpful when enhanced outdoor air delivery options are limited. In offices, auditoriums, shopping malls etc., use of gable fan systems and roof ventilators are recommended. Frequent cleaning and replacement of fiters is highly recommended.Saliva and nasal discharged in the form of droplets and aerosols, by an infected person while exhaling, talking, speaking, singing, laughing, coughing or sneezing etc., is the primary mode of virus transmissions. infected person who shows no symptoms also transmit the virus. People without symptoms can spread the virus.Source: IANS The advisory said, to prevent it people should continue wearing mask, wear double masks or a N95 mask.
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https://www.medindia.net/news/can-aerosols-spread-from-an-infected-person-201457-1.htm
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What Would Happen if the Yellowstone Super Volcano Erupted Tomorrow?
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Throughout the majority of my life I have dreaded and rationalised the viabilities of five key perceived threats to the survival of our species: global pandemics, nuclear war, meteor impacts, mega-thrust earthquakes, and super volcanoes. A global pandemic always seemed the most likely of the bunch to happen in my lifetime (which is funny because Covid-19 still caught me totally off guard). Ive always thought of a nuclear holocaust as a world-destroying Sword of Damocles that hangs over our heads at all times; weve just somehow trained our psyches to pretend its not really there. Meteor impacts and mega-thrust quakes are similar to one another in that we know theyve happened before and that theyll happen again, only we dont know where and we dont know when. Its kind of the same deal with the Yellowstone super volcano, only we totally know where it will blow. Ive driven across the vast caldera, hiked around it, even slept on it many, many times it feels very much alive and potentially lethal. This explainer video from Real Life Lore explores what would happen if it erupted tomorrow.
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https://scoutmagazine.ca/2021/05/27/what-would-happen-if-the-yellowstone-super-volcano-erupted-tomorrow/
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Will Libyan Commander Haftar run in the December elections?
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Libyas renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar is polishing his political image ahead of the elections after a crippling rout on the battlefield and with his support at home and abroad waning, analysts say. Haftars forces based in the east have fought for more than a year to seize the capital Tripoli in the west, but their defeat last June paved the way for peace talks backed by the UN, a unity government and national elections scheduled for December. He hopes that the elections will secure him a political victory after his military defeat, said international relations professor Miloud el-Hajj. Haftar has become a key player in the decade of violence following the 2011 overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The commander fought armed groups and built a solid base of support among influential tribes in eastern Libya, as well as neighboring Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. But two years after its Libyan national army launched its offensive to overthrow a Turkish-backed unity government in Tripoli, the landscape is dramatically different. An official truce last October set in motion a UN-led process that led to the creation of an interim government tasked with unifying the countrys divided institutions, launching reconstruction efforts and preparing for the vote of December. Haftar has kept a low profile throughout the talks, but in recent weeks he has made a comeback with public rallies and pledges to build three new towns and thousands of homes for the families of the martyrs. His tone and language have changed He has abandoned his military discourse in favor of promises to improve living conditions, el-Hajj said. In the face of mistrust Haftar built his power base around the Libyan second city of Benghazi, the eastern birthplace of the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew and killed Gaddafi. He found allies among the powerful tribes in the region who provided much of the troops for Haftars various military offensives. But today, Haftar has lost his base of support, according to Libyan analyst Mahmoud Khalfallah. He no longer enjoys the indisputable support of the tribes, who accuse him of having implicated their sons in a war in which many have died for nothing, Khalfallah said. He knows that they no longer trust him and that they would no longer give up their sons for another war. Despite several meetings with tribal chiefs to try to regain their support, Haftar is now facing serious problems of mistrust, according to Libya specialist Jalel Harchaoui. Its finances have dried up and its hopes for territorial expansion in the west have been blocked, Harchaoui added. Even Haftars foreign allies grew suspicious and supported the new interim government, Khalfallah said. His foreign sponsors have understood that the political process is the only possible solution to safeguard their interests in Libya, he said. Haftars forces failed to capture capital Tripoli after year-long siege [File: Amru Salahuddien/Anadolu] Haftar aims for political victory Haftar has played a controversial but key role in Libya since it descended into chaos following Gaddafis ouster. Ahead of the campaign to seize Tripoli, he launched a successful operation in May 2018 to drive rebels out of the eastern city of Derna, followed by another in 2019 in the oil-rich desert south. The commander, who served in Gaddafis armed forces before falling from grace following Libyas crushing defeat in Chad in 1987, is now aiming for a political return, el-Hajj said. A European diplomatic source warned that if key players such as Haftar were left out of the political process, they could become spoilers and undermine efforts to stabilize the country. Verisk Maplecroft analyst Hamish Kinnear said Haftar could run in a presidential election or support a candidate. However, if the presidential and legislative elections are postponed beyond December, Haftar will likely use this to accuse the transitional government of being illegitimate and to consider a return to armed conflict, Kinnear said. But, he added, Haftar is not as powerful as he once was.
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https://mindofthegeek.com/will-libyan-commander-haftar-run-in-the-december-elections/
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Is Magne on Ragnarok Really Thor? What Are His Powers?
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Ragnarok is Netflixs modern-day interpretation of Norse mythology and follows the events leading up to an epic battle in the remote Norwegian town of Edda. At the center is Magne, a high school student who receives mysterious powers and is soon catapulted into an ancient conflict between the forces of good and evil. Between his thunderous emotional outbursts, his enigmatic sibling Laurits, and the countless references to Thor, Magne seems to be channeling some truly ancient powers in the second season. Lets explore how close the high schooler from Edda is to becoming the God of Thunder. Ragnarok takes significant inspiration from Norse mythology to the extent that the fictional town of Edda, where the show is based, is said to be the site of the epic apocalyptic battle known as Ragnarok. The towns name is apparently inspired by the Poetic Edda (a collection of ancient anonymous poems, many of which are centers around Norse mythology) and the Prose Edda (a 13th-century textbook considered to be the most comprehensive source on this topic). Multiple characters, events, and themes in the show reflect the mythological stories contained within these pieces of literature, but for now, lets focus on the protagonist Magne. Magnes powers are received (or possibly unlocked) when he first arrives in Edda and is touched on the forehead by a mysterious old woman who runs the local supermarket. Though the Thor of myth received his powers by virtue of his parents being gods, this is not indicated in Ragnarok. However, Wotan, who claims to be the all-seeing god and father of Thor, Odin, refers to Magne as My Son, giving us a pretty clear signal that at least to some, Magne is channeling the god. As his abilities develop, Magne gains superpowers that include acute senses, immunity to injuries, incredible speed, and superhuman strength, which significantly translate into the ability to throw a hammer across massive distances. We see this when Magne unwittingly throws the family hammer across town in a fit of anger. The Norse gods most iconic ability, that of controlling lightning, also appears to be within Magnes grasp, and for now, he is able to summon lightning during heightened emotional states. Other signs that point to Magne slowly becoming Thor include the giant Jutul family, his nemesis, fearing that he will turn into a god. They follow Magnes actions closely and are seen becoming increasingly worried when Magne learns to manipulate lightning and also when he attempts to forge the gods legendary hammer, Mjolnir. In the closing scenes of season 2, we even see the hammer return to Magne, which is in keeping with the Norse legend. It is also impossible not to notice Magnes younger brother Laurits, who, more than anyone else, is trying to align himself to the mischievous god Loki, whose complicated sibling dynamic with Thor is well known. Laurits goes out of his way to turn himself into a half-god and half-giant, and even births a sinister snake-like creature that reflects the mythological Jrmungandr, a world-sized serpent birthed by Loki that is eventually portended to fatally poison Thor. With Laurits releasing his own pet into the sea and whispering to it to grow big, this part of Magnes story also aligns with that of Thor. Despite the overwhelming evidence that Magne is turning into the God of Thunder, there are aspects of the character that remain at odds with the mythological god. If we look at Ragnarok as a modern-day origin story for Thor, then Magnes conflicting characteristics can be seen as teething pains that will eventually wash away. However, it could portend that Magne is not turning into Thor but into another god that is inspired by the son of Odin. This is most clearly seen in Magnes strong distaste for killing, whereas Thor is known to relentlessly slaughter enemies without showing remorse. Magnes character also seems to take inspiration from Thors son Magni, who was seen to be even stronger than his father. He and his brother Mdi are described as survivors of the battle of Ragnarok, during which the mythical Thor is killed. The shows protagonist Magne takes clear inspiration from the name of Thors son. This could hint that maybe Magne is not Thor after all, but a reflection of his son Magni. It is worth noting that Magnes father is very rarely discussed and is described as powerful and similar to Magne. Lastly, Magne is seen having a brief affair with the Jutul daughter and giantess, Saxa. In the shows mythological inspiration, Magni is the offspring of Thor and the giantess Jrnsaxa. The similarities in the names of Magnes flame in Ragnarok and the mythological mother of Thors offspring, Magni, further entangle the shows protagonist with the characteristics of the Norse God of Thunder. Therefore, it seems like Magne, for the most part, is presently channeling a version of Thor. However, there are enough openings left in the story to reveal him to be Thors son instead. This would also allow the story of Ragnarok to continue after the great impending battle. Read More: Ragnarok Season 2 Ending, Explained
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https://thecinemaholic.com/is-magne-on-ragnarok-really-thor-what-are-his-powers/
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Will Libya commander Haftar run in Decembers election?
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Renegade commander holding rallies and polishing his image ahead of polls, according to Libya observers. Libyas renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar is polishing his political image ahead of elections after a crippling rout on the battlefield and with his support waning at home and abroad, analysts say. Haftars eastern-based forces battled for more than a year to seize the capital Tripoli in the west, but their defeat last June set the stage for UN-backed peace talks, a unity government, and a nationwide election planned for December. He is hoping the elections will secure him a political victory after his military defeat, said international relations professor Miloud el-Hajj. Haftar has emerged as a key player during the decade of violence that followed the 2011 overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The commander has battled armed groups and built a solid base of support among eastern Libyas influential tribes as well as neighbouring Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. But two years since his Libyan National Army launched its offensive to overthrow a Turkey-backed unity government in Tripoli, the landscape is extremely different. A formal truce last October set in motion a UN-led process that led to the creation of an interim government tasked with unifying the countrys divided institutions, launching reconstruction efforts, and preparing for the December vote. Haftar kept a low profile throughout the talks, but in recent weeks he has made a comeback with public rallies and pledges to build three new towns and thousands of housing units for the families of martyrs. His tone and language have changed He has dropped his military discourse in favour of pledges to improve living conditions, said el-Hajj. Facing defiance Haftar built his power base around Libyas second city of Benghazi, the eastern cradle of the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Gaddafi. He found allies among the regions powerful tribes that provided much of the troops for Haftars various military offensives. But today, Haftar has lost his base of support, according to Libyan analyst Mahmoud Khalfallah. He no longer enjoys the indisputable support of the tribes, who blame him for having involved their sons in a war in which many died for nothing, Khalfallah said. He knows they no longer trust him and that they would not give up their sons again for another war. Despite several meetings with tribal leaders in a bid to regain their support, Haftar is now faced with serious problems of defiance, according to Libya specialist Jalel Harchaoui. His finances have dried up and his hopes for territorial expansion in the west have been blocked, Harchaoui added. Even Haftars foreign allies have grown wary and thrown their weight behind the new interim government, Khalfallah said. His foreign sponsors have understood that the political process is the only possible solution to safeguard their interests in Libya, he said. Haftars forces failed to take the capital Tripoli after a year-long siege [File: Amru Salahuddien/Anadolu] Haftar seeks political victory Haftar has played a controversial but key role in Libya since it descended into chaos after Gaddafis ouster. Before the campaign to seize Tripoli, he launched a successful operation in May 2018 to oust rebels from the eastern city of Derna, followed by another in 2019 in the oil-rich desert south. The commander, who served in Gaddafis armed forces before falling from grace following Libyas stinging defeat in Chad in 1987, is now aiming to make a political comeback, said el-Hajj. One European diplomatic source warned if key players such as Haftar are excluded from the political process, they could become spoilers and undermine efforts to stabilise the country. Verisk Maplecroft analyst Hamish Kinnear said Haftar may run in a presidential election or back a candidate. If presidential and legislative polls are postponed beyond December, however, Haftar will likely use this to charge the transitional government is illegitimate and consider a return to armed conflict, Kinnear said. But, he added, Haftar is no longer as powerful as he once was.
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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/29/libyas-haftar-hoping-to-compete-in-december-election-analysts
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Will equal weight index funds change the face of passive investing?
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Well, the Sensex and the Nifty, two of the most popular market indices, are no different. If you look at the weights of various sectors in the Sensex as of May 28, 2021, youll find that this index is heavily concentrated around Banking and Finance (42.45 percent) and Information Technology (17.92 percent). That's just two sectors making up around 60 percent, or more than half of the entire index. The Nifty follows a similar pattern. An April 2021 report detailing the sectoral weightage of various sectors on the Nifty presented a strikingly identical picture. While Banking and Finance held almost 37.82 percent of the weight, Information and Technology stood at 16.53 percent. Again, that's almost 55 percent of the index, concentrated amongst two sectors. To avoid this, the Nifty50 Equal Weight Index Fund approaches the weighting strategy differently. While the parent index Nifty50 weighs various companies in accordance with their market capitalisation, the Nifty50 Equal Weight Index, consisting of the same 50 companies as its parent index, weighs all the companies equally, irrespective of their market size. Taking this approach ahead, Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund recently launched an open-ended scheme tracking this index. The NFO (New Fund Offer) for this, which opened on May 19, 2021, will close on June 2, 2021. Keeping with the fund basics, each stock will be given a similar allocation of 2 percent. Opting for an equal approach Traditionally, values on the Nifty are determined through the free-float market capitalisation method. This means that the company's market capitalisation is calculated by multiplying the number of company shares available for trade by the price at which the companys stock or equity is currently trading at. The higher the market cap value, the greater the weight assigned to it on the index. Now, the higher the price of a company's equity, the more its market capitalisation figures and therefore, the greater the value assigned to its stock on the index. This often leads to the index concentrating only around a few stocks. Consider this. These are the top five companies on the Nifty, by weightage, as of May 28, 2021: Company Index Weightage (In %) Reliance Industries 10.19 HDFC Bank 9.72 Infosys 7.93 HDFC 6.89 ICICI 6.56 A closer look would tell you that these five stocks have a combined weight of more than 40 percent on the index, an indicator of how weights can be massively disproportionate in the free float method. Hitendra Parakh, Fund Manager-Quantum Nifty ETF believes the equal-weighted index provides a solution to this disproportion. With equal-weighted index funds, you can completely avoid stock concentration, which is generally the case with major indices. Higher diversification also implies lower risk. Also, in the international market, equal-weighted funds have been known to perform similar to and even outperformed their parent benchmarks, which makes for a strong, positive case for this category, he says. Solid Performance An equal-weighted index, in fact, has a good track record of returns. For instance, the S&P 500 Index has a return rate of 12.18 percent over the last decade. In contrast, The S&P Equal Weight Index delivered around 11.42 percent returns over the same time period. The Indian story is a little more encouraging. Take a look at this table, which details the returns of Nifty50 and Nifty100 funds, both equal-weighted and free-float market capitalisation ones, since their inception: Nifty50 (Returns since Inception) Nifty100 (Returns since Inception) Free-Float Market Capitalization Equal Weighted Free-Float Market Capitalization Equal Weighted 11.09 percent 11.57 percent 17.51 percent 18.74 percent Game-changer The Aditya Birla equal-weighted fund has a threshold of 2 percent, with a provision of quarterly rebalancing. This means that if any stocks allocation surpasses 2 percent, the excess percentage will be sold off and the profit thereof will be automatically added to the NAV (Net Asset Value) of the fund. Since the fund will be rebalanced every quarter, periodic and regular profit booking would follow. While this sounds very enticing, not many market experts agree if equal-weighted funds are the better of two. Rohit Shah, A CFP, SEBI registered investment advisor, and founder of Getting You Rich, a Mumbai-based personal finance advisory, thinks that equal-weighted funds go against the collective wisdom of the market by not utilising the collective market wisdom of optimally utilising the performance of top market performers. In fact, equal-weighted funds might mean higher expenses. For instance, a regular mutual fund plan could cost 10 paise per investor, expense-wise. The same plan might have an expense structure of 30-40 paise per investor when it comes to equal-weighted funds. Hence, I would not immediately recommend my clientele to invest in these funds. According to Shah, the ultimate aim of any fund is to generate increased alpha for its investors. There are many incentives and ways to go about the same, and equal-weighted index funds are just one of the ways to achieve it. Passive investing in India is still in its nascency, with last year triggering a momentous growth. In 2020, the Indian ETF market had more than $37 billion dollars in assets, marking a Y-O-Y increase of about 171 percent in the sphere. However, Parekh explains that this growth in AUM (Assets Under Management) in the passive investing sphere is driven majorly by institutional participation and has little to do with retail investors. The numbers related to passive investing in India are very low, and there is a long way to go before we reach a considerable volume of people who engage in passive investing. Hemang Jani, Group Senior Vice President at Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, concurs. Passive Investing in India is still at a very initial stage. I believe that the public should be made more aware of ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) since they are an easier investment vehicle as compared to other products like mutual funds and more. Introducing the concept of equal-weighted index funds would be an easier process, then. However, I personally believe that the foremost priority of an investor is the returns generated by the fund, irrespective of whether the fund is free-float or equal weight, he signs off.
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https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/mutual-funds/will-equal-weight-index-funds-change-the-face-of-passive-investing-6959631.html
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What if Indian sportspersons were F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters?
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F.R.I.E.N.D.S is probably one of the most loved sitcoms in the history of television. Starring the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and Courtney Cox, Friends ruled televisions for a decade from 1994 to 2004 and still continues to be a go-through stress buster for many across age groups and genders. A poster of Friends The recently released, Friends: The Reunion where the star-cast of the show reunite for the first time since the show ended in 2004 has blown the internet over. Here, we look at Indian sportspersons and the roles they could play if they are to act in Friends: Abhinav Bindra as Ross Geller Abhinav Bindra Ross Geller played by David Schwimmer was the show's most educated and intelligent character. Ross' attitude and knowledge of his profession has a striking resemblance to the legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra. India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, Bindra too is highly educated and holds a Baster's degree in Business Administration from University of Colorado. Besides how one can always count on Ross' love and knowledge of dinosaurs, Bindra's awareness regarding shooting and guns is top-notch. Mary Kom as Monica Geller Mary Kom The things one directly associate with Monica Geller, portrayed by Courtney Cox, is her competitiveness and fiery nature. And much like Monica, the legendary Mary Kom too is known for her competitiveness and fiery attitude inside the boxing ring. Similar to Monica's love for cooking, Kom's passion for the sport of boxing is unparalleled. Also, Mary Kom's style inside the boxing ring is quite similar to Monica's perfectionist nature. Virender Sehwag as Chandler Bing Virender Sehwag Portrayed by Matthew Perry, Chandler Bing is synonymous with sarcasm. His one liners like, "I am not good with advice, can I interest you in a sarcastic comment," is etched in the minds of viewers for good. Much like Chandler, the former India opener Virender Sehwag is also well known in cricketing circles for his humor. The 42-year-old's one liners during commentary and his twitter feed makes us realise that there could be no one better than Sehwag to play Chandler Bing in Indian sporting fraternity. Vijender Singh as Joey Tribbiani Vijender Singh Matt LeBlanc aka Joey Tribbiani was known for his good looks, female fan following during those days. This is the exact same thing the Olympic medal winning pugilist Vijender Singh too is famous for. Not to forget that Joey portrayed the role of a struggling actor and Singh has tried his hand at acting before turning into a professional boxer. Besides, Singh had then said, "I became an actor for my female fans." Jemimah Rodrigues as Phoebe Buffay Jemimah Rodrigues Depicted by Lisa Kudrow, Phoebe Buffay was the weirdest, quirkiest and yet the most fun to watch character in the show. The exact same thing is what one would associate with the young and talented India batswoman Jemimah Rodrigues. Similar to Phoebe, Rodrigues is also known for her quirky antics off the field and on social media. One of the most fun personalities in Indian sports Jemimah Rodrigues plays the guitar too! Sania Mirza as Rachel Green Sania Mirza Rachel Green played by Jennifer Aniston was the designated fashionista and was one of the most success-driven characters of the show.
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https://thebridge.in/others/what-indian-sportspersons-friends-characters-21749
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Is It True That Billionaires Are Policy Failures?
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VANCOUVER, BC, May 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to adapt quickly to thrive in the face of changing threats. Businesses have learned a lot about the value of remaining adaptable in the short-term, that is, throughout the pandemic. However, the pandemic has revealed a need for a longer-term approach to business that emphasizes resilience. "2020 was a wake-up call," advises McKinsey. "To thrive in the coming decade, companies must develop resilience the ability to withstand unpredictable threat or change and then emerge stronger." A Long-Term, Multifaceted Resilience Strategy is NeededResilience is part of a long game that looks beyond short-term earnings, McKinsey says. What's more, they write, several factors will be major players, including "the digital and technology revolution, climate change, and geopolitical uncertainty." Resilience will be necessary to survive in the face of disruptions such as cybersecurity breaches, natural disasters, geopolitical risk, and other sources of uncertainty. Meanwhile, companies must "navigate concerns from their immediate bottom line, together with pressures from governments, investors, and society at large." Otherwise, without a resilience plan, "surprise gaps" will occur, which are deficits in resilience that threaten companies' survival. These surprise gaps can include environmental and other regulations, post-pandemic business continuity, supply chain and sourcing issues due to globalization and geopolitical factors, and shifts in consumer demand.As Madeline Taylor writes for the Institutional Asset Manager blog, in the COVID-19 pandemic, companies haven't been paying enough attention to geopolitical flare-ups, such as a global technology decoupling and a major cyber-attack. Indeed, COVID-19 has been the main priority for companies, but other issues, such as geopolitical risk, remain just as relevant, if not increasing in relevance. Beyond COVID-19 impacts, the recent Colonial Pipeline hack caused a massive fuel shortage in the south and the eastern United States, and, as Taylor says, "led to a rise in oil prices, and shares in US energy firms went up by 1.5 percent." Michael Evans of Forbes observes that though some businesses have performed well in the pandemic, like Amazon and Zoom, most smaller companies have not. The pandemic has highlighted companies' need to improve resilience in the long-term to boost growth, stay profitable, and remain adaptable. McKinsey's approach to resilience involves different components of resilience, such as financial, technological, operational, organizational, reputational, and business-model resilience. They argue that these forms of resilience should be "baked in" to improve the company, not just during times of crisis, but also in more calm times.Evans suggests focusing on four key aspects foundational to success, including culture, leadership, change, and discipline. Revisit your "mission, values, and vision," he suggests, and "make sure you have buy-in across the entire organization, clear two-way communication between you and your employees, and agreed-upon accountability." What's more, he writes, ensures that culture and strategy are in harmony, so that your company and its employees can "walk the talk." Factoring in Corporate Resilience in Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)A Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) strategy can be part of a long-term corporate resilience strategy. Companies can evaluate previous M&A transactions and learn from prior failures to make better decisions in the future. Deloitte states that, in uncertain, chaotic economic times, it's also important to have a clear vision; consider value drivers such as "segment, geography, and end markets" to help "fortify value creation from the transaction strategy"; and understand how M&A activity may respond to and leverage the trends shaping industries. It's important to lead with empathy, while also maintaining a keen sense of awareness, to foster corporate resilience. ConclusionThough nobody knows what the future holds in our persistently uncertain economic landscape, businesses can prepare for tumultuous times by preparing a resilience plan for the long term. It's impossible to plan for all disruptions, but companies should seek to audit their crisis response mechanisms and seek to incorporate processes that ensure a baked-in response.PRLog ID: www.prlog.org/12871553.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259857266044/is-it-true-that-billionaires-are-policy-failures
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Why is Energy so Difficult to Store? Why is Stored Energy so Difficult to Use?
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By Kevin Kilty Figure 1. An energy storage scheme with complexities galore. High temperatures, exotic materials, and extreme machine demands. (h/t Chaamjamal) Air compressed and shoved into old mines and caverns; mass hauled uphill, and let down again; heat stored in mass. Well, no, these are from the last big energy crisis 1968 to 1982. [1] However, anyone paying a modicum of attention to either the professional or popular literature must have noticed lately an inordinate number of energy storage schemes being proposed that run the gamut from simple to bizarrely complex (see Figure 1). [2] I see this as an implicit admission that renewable energy systems cannot work on their own without an array of ancillary services supplied by someone else. Recently an acquaintance who works for a major U.S. utility sent me brochures describing several schemes, and asked what I thought of them. Two store energy in mechanical ways, and one is a thermal storage system resembling the one profiled on WUWT a few weeks ago. As the time scale to switch to 100% renewables is constantly being advanced on us, even as we only begin to recognize the unsuitability of renewables alone, my acquaintance said, We are going to waste a lot of money in the next ten years. Energy storage Traditionally we stored energy for our prime movers, lighting, and home heating as agricultural products hay and grain, candles and oils, and wood respectively. The industrial revolution with its greater scale of energy use continued this same scheme. Instead of feeding old Dobbin (see Figure 2) his hay and grain and putting him into harness, though, we draw upon the stored feed for the thermal plant and have it follow demand for work during the day. If a person only looks backward on the grid as far as the thermal plant, the current electrical grid looks a bit like a just-in-time system, where energy is converted in careful time balance with demand. It is undeniable however, that energy to convert is drawn from stored fuels. Just as grains are a superior source of stored energy for the horse, fuels for combustion are a superior source of stored energy. At large scale energy is surprisingly difficult to store effectively by other means. Figure 2. Old Dobbin, the prime mover. Give him oats, hay and water. Hell do 550 foot-pounds of work per second all day. Cecil Aldin circa 1915. There are four fundamental problems with energy storage schemes; the energy scale, size/material scale, work scale (or how the universe works), and operations. Lets examine each in the simplest manner possible. Energy Scale Nowhere in this section will I worry about how the stored energy can be turned into work in practice I am just comparing raw calculations of energy. Take a kilogram of diesel fuel and equate its lower heating value to other forms of stored energy. The lower heating value of one kilogram of diesel fuel is roughly 43,000 KJ. If we try to store the equivalent energy by raising mass, which is what many energy storage schemes attempt, it is the equivalent of one metric ton of mass raised to a height of 4,300 meters. Lets now compare it to stored rotational energy. One-hundred forty kilograms of diesel, roughly what goes in the tank of an over-the-road semi-tractor, equates to the rotating energy of the turbines and generators of a 3000 MW nuclear plant in operation. This 43,000kJ is the energy in the electrical field of three and a half million 5 volt, 1 farad super capacitors. The equivalent is one ton of air or rock at 43C (77F) temperature increase. What comes closest is chemical energy of rechargeable batteries. Our 43,000 kJ is approximately what energy thirteen good quality automotive batteries or 1,300 3.7 volt lithium cells store. The 50kWhr Tesla battery, composed of Panasonic 4680 cells, is about 4 kg of diesel. [3] Combustion releases a lot of energy which raised mass, spinning mass, electrical and magnetic fields, or heated mass cannot match. Only chemical energy comes close. Size/Material Scale A convenient way to illustrate this is by using the electrical energy destroyed daily by 1000 Americans, or what is equivalent, the daily electrical energy used in about 300 American single family residences. This amounts to 9,000 kWhr of electrical energy[4], which is the equivalent of raising three unit trains with attached locomotives, of 10,000 metric tons each to a height of 100 meters. It is the turbines and generators in six nuclear plants spinning at nominal output. One of the mechanical schemes I was sent uses 35 metric ton bricks, six at a time and raised nominally 50 meters, and the other uses 357 metric ton railcars loaded with rock moved by cables up and down a steep incline. These systems sized to 9,000kWhr amount to 2,000 bricks, or about 70 railcars, respectively, and either one requires around 2 hectares of land area. [5] While one of the modular systems shown in Figure 3 may be a novelty in some towns, dozens might be considered blight. Figure 3. The Energy Vault, a European storage system uses 35 metric ton bricks stacked to store energy and unstacked to release it again. As chemical storage systems seemed to compare most favorably in considerations of energy, we should see how they compare here. To store 9,000 kWhr we need something like 270,000 Panasonic 4680 cells, with a total mass of 35 metric tons; or, 225 metric tons of lead-acid batteries. The thermal storage system is the worst of all. From its description of separate hot and cold storage sides, with mass ratios of it requires at least 240 tons of rock, all suitably encased in steel with insulation. The way the universe works When I refer to the way the universe works I mean obeying the laws of thermodynamics. The systems which suffer most acutely from limitations imposed by thermodynamics are thermal and chemical storage systems. Mechanical systems, aside from friction, represent 100% available energy that is, all the energy they contain is available for work. The problems with thermal and chemical systems arise from what we call irreversibilities things that are impossible to undo without expending more work in the process. There are two categories to consider: internal irreversibilities, which are those within the power cycle of the system; and external irreversibilities, which are those arising from the interface between our storage system and that machinery which it serves. The inefficiency of the compressor and turbine contribute most to internal irreversibilities of the thermal power system. I used an air-refrigeration cycle (see Figure 4 for the ideal) to analyze this proposal with assumed 90% efficiency for both turbines and compressors to find a round trip efficiency of about 68%. At 80% efficiency for both compressor and turbine it drops to about 46%. But this applies only to a short period at turn around of recharge to discharge. As time drags on the efficiency goes down. Thermal systems are notoriously ill-suited to storage and then to recycle energy because of the way the universe works. Figure 4. An idealized Joule cycle using air as its working fluid. COP is the coefficient of performance of the charging cycle, while epsilon is the efficiency of the reversed cycle providing power. Note that 1.75 times 57% is 1.0, indicating the ideal round trip cycle is 100% efficient. This is nowhere near the cycle efficiency as operated with real equipment on a real schedule. What contributes most to internal irreversibility in batteries is that they depend on molecular diffusion through an electrolyte. The force that drives diffusion is an internal electrical potential at the electrodes known as an overpotential. It raises the voltage needed to charge batteries, and decreases the voltage available externally upon discharge. It is absolutely necessary to drive diffusion but at the cost of turning available energy into heat rather than work. The overpotential grows with current so that when large amounts of current are called upon to recharge a battery or turn a motor quickly, the overpotential and work wasted both increase too. Also, as temperatures in the battery rise, unwanted side reactions occur. These perpetually degrade the operation of rechargeable chemical storage systems. The principle issues behind external irreversibilities are the efficiencies of the various ancillary equipment involved electric motors and generators, and especially heat exchangers, all of which are required to make an energy storage system operate as a useful utility. Advanced batteries also require system monitoring electronics, buck/boost power supplies, control systems both for charging and discharging, and heat exchangers for cooling as well. Operational Issues Operational issues means problems like the following: making a storage system serve many purposes which are at odds with one another, or operating a system in a mode where it has to make constant reversals of cycle, or operating at a slew rate it can barely meet. For example, a need to store energy for a long term power outage which suggests always having a full reserve is incompatible with the need to always have capacity to absorb or supply energy in order to provide ancillary services for grid stability. Mechanical and thermal systems are incapable of quickly supplying energy for sudden grid disturbances and need a grace period of seconds perhaps to respond. [6] Thus using them in a grid bereft of inertia, as we are trending, will require other as yet unspecified systems to supply this inertia. Cycling power systems quickly can end up stranding stored energy in a way that it has no path except to the dead state. No matter how one may try to limit this problem, heat is going to leak away from any thermal storage system and chemical reactions will occur within the electrolyte of a battery to deplete its charge even as it sits idle. Repeated starting and stopping of thermal systems leaves heat energy stranded in the heat exchangers, turbines, compressors, and this heat ends up in the dead state unavailable for useful work. Think for a moment about turning on a shower at home and waiting for it to heat up sufficiently to be comfortable. We waste warm water while we wait. Then there is shutting down the shower when all the piping is at temperature and leaving it to cool back to home temperature. All this leads to heat being dumped into the dead state that is the house environment. [7] Finally, consider that the thermal system is not attached to reservoirs that can maintain constant temperature, but to finite stores of heat which decline in temperature the moment we begin to use them. Likewise batteries are a finite store of charge where their voltage declines as soon as we begin to demand current. Conclusion By the time we consider all the factors I have mentioned most of these storage systems will have to be overbuilt by factors ranging from one and a quarter (1.25) to four (4) or more. Even then they may not supply a full range of ancillary services the grid requires. I did not address the problem of cost, but every problem I did address will eventually impact costs. There are many reasons to believe my acquaintance is correct when he spoke of wasting a lot of money. It took money spent over a century to learn the systems engineering currently built into the grid. It will take a lot of money to duplicate all this for a completely re-imagined grid in a decade. As Petr Beckmann, who was a stout proponent of nuclear energy, said forty years ago, soft technology will not be Americas energy salvation. One more point seems pertinent. A decade ago we were all lectured that the environment would be best served as we de-materialized society. That is, we would reduce our environmental footprint as we used less matter; reducing the energy inputs and associated pollution that processing materials requires. Renewable energy with the low energy density of its sources, and the storage it requires and using many advanced and rare materials, are taking us the other direction. Instead of depending on dispatchable energy sources which can supply a kilowatt per kilogram of material, we are proposing systems which provide a mere watt using tens of kilograms. We will re-materialize society. Notes: 1-As just one example, in the early 1970s one alternative energy wind machine used a race track design wherein railcars with airfoils would traverse an elongated track oriented at right angles to the prevailing wind direction. My last senior design class, one group studied and made a preliminary design for a wind energy system that, again, used a race track concept, but with even more problematic engineering issues than the original. Compressing air in caverns and mines is straight from the 1970s. 2-Chaamjamal, a regular commenter here, pointed me to this scheme which contains an element of about every technical problem imaginable. 3-I can find little about the specifications that really matter on this battery. People seem fixated on its dimensions, 46x80mm, rather than C-rating, useful energy stored, and slew rate. Allegedly it involves 960 3.7V cells each with 9Ahr C4 rating. This doesnt work out to 50kWhr, and the blog-o-sphere is full of impossible recharge rates and other mythology. 4-9,000 kWhr = 300 homes at 30kWhr each per day. The average home uses more energy in natural gas to provide heating and domestic hot water. Here the rate is two Therms per day at 29 kWhr per Therm. Twice the amount of electrical energy used. 5- The GravityLine system which uses rail cars filled with rock is much like pumped hydro storage but solves the problem of not having spare water everywhere. However, it still suffers the problem of there not being suitable terrain in many places. 6-The slew rate and inertia in power systems has to be matched against the time response of the grid to its disturbances in order to keep blackouts at bay. The margin against ungraceful behavior is often measured as the ratio of the amount of rotating kinetic energy (turbines and generators) against the rate they nominally deliver power. So, for example, a nuclear thermal plant, nominally producing 2,500 MW may have rotating energy of 6GW-seconds, making the ratio of the two about 2.5 seconds. This provides adequate time margin for automatic control to maintain frequency and voltage when a generator goes offline, or a sudden load appears. 7-The dead state is an engineering concept. It is a state at ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, and zero electrical potential where energy finally arrives too depleted to do further work. The dead state is the funeral parlor. 5 3 votes Article Rating Share this: Print Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit Like this: Like Loading...
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https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/05/29/why-is-energy-so-difficult-to-store-why-is-stored-energy-so-difficult-to-use/
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Why Does Digital Thought leader Raktim Feel That Companies Need to Focus on Technology as well as Culture while Doing Digital Transformation?
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Digital Transformation (DT) is the buzzword that we get to hear often in the recent past. Many businesses have jumped on to the bandwagon successfully, while there are many others that are still in the course of the DT journey. It's not just an IT initiative but more of a phenomenon that is on top of mind for businesses across all sectors and industries. Leading digital thought leaders from around the world have been helping businesses get through this journey successfully. Raktim Singh is one such reputed digital thought leader who has been helping business leaders enable DT across every facet of customer experience. Besides being a thought leader, he is also an author, coach, and mentor. Raktim's Perspective of Digital Transformation According to Raktim, businesses have to focus on both technology and mindset or culture while going through digital transformation. It takes a lot more than technology when you try to digitally transform your business. It's more about undergoing transformation to give a digital experience to customers. Raktim says that the major change has taken place in terms of 'How' of doing the business. The 'What' part has remained the same (for instance, reading books, watching movies, or ordering groceries). However, it's the 'How' part that has undergone a transformation. Now, people read books on Kindle, watch movies on Netflix, and order groceries online on portals like Amazon or Big Basket. The Real Digital Experience Presently, it's FAAAN (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Netflix) companies providing the real digital experience. People are able to use these services at any place and at any time. Moreover, all these services are completely personalized. Before businesses set out on the DT journey, they have to solve the WISE challenges (W know your WHY, I Integration with the ecosystem, S Silos in the organization, E Environment & Cultural aspect). Once these problems are resolved, they have to implement the ACID formula (Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, Internet of Things, Data). Raktim also explains the concepts of Agile mindset, Learning organization, Digital Anthropology, and the power of subconscious mind. Future-Proofing Digital Transformation Raktim feels that it is important to future-proof digital transformation and to achieve that, one needs to understand the subconscious mind. Digital Anthropology plays a significant role in this aspect. Our next evolution will happen, based on the new habits formed by the digital world. The FAAAN companies have understood this correctly. Many of us have formed new habits and these habits are now residing in our subconscious mind. Earlier, we used to ask friends/fellow travelers to click our photos. Now, we want to take Selfies & post this on social media, immediately. Also, our subconscious mind forces us to keep on checking the status, likes, updates of our social media posts. Raktim Singh, the author of Amazon's best-selling book on digital transformation, has been a key contributor in helping several businesses through the successful DT process. His high level of persistence, consistency, and dedication has gone a long way in making him the successful digital thought leader that he is today.
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https://www.ibtimes.sg/why-does-digital-thought-leader-raktim-feel-that-companies-need-focus-technology-well-culture-57816
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Is Phillies Manager Joe Girardi Too Old-School For Even Philadelphia?
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Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi told the Philly media that he won't reveal injury ... [+] information any more. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) ASSOCIATED PRESS Dont bash Joe. Not over this. Phillies manager Joe Girardi has been getting dissed in Philadelphia for behaving exactly like what the citys fanbase wanted: an old-school manager. A couple days ago, Girardi went alpha-dog with the local media after being asked why second baseman Jean Segura did not remain in the game after pinch-hitting Thursday. and he didnt care about playing nice-nice, telling the reporters on Zoom: Just so you guys know, were gonna approach this different. Ive talked to people in our organization ... just managers decision. And Im not gonna share whos available, or whos not available, because I think its somewhat unfair to us. Just like if you were going to do something, you wouldnt necessarily share it with a rival reporter. Some background: Girardi last weekend lied about the severity of Bryce Harpers wrist injury, saying Harpers day off was not injury-related. And soon the struggling Harper was placed on the IL. According to team sources, Girardi this week got the OK from team president Dave Dombrowski to not dispense any more injury news. Theres more... A little earlier this month, we saw something that felt so foreign so Dallas Green: a manager getting in the grill of his own player. Television cameras showed a dugout confrontation between Girardi and Segura, who just committed two errors. It wasnt Reggie Jackson vs. Billy Martin. But Girardi was barking in the players face, and at one point, Segura had to be restrained by coach Dusty Wathan. "That's a bench conversation, meant for the bench," said Girardi, who was asked about a half-dozen times about the incident. "You can ask all you want; you got everything you're going to get about it. I'm done with it." Take a look for yourself: So, Girardi is warring with the media and chewing out players in front of the world because hes ticked off that his injury-riddled team keeps sputtering. Mr. Cuddles himself, Gabe Kapler. Flashback: Two years ago, same player Segura dogged it out of the box, leading to Andrew McCutchen getting in a rundown, blowing out his knee and ending his season. And Kapler could not toss the salivating fanbase a crumb of criticism toward Segura, and the fans smashed Kapler for it. After Kapler got fired, Phillies fans demanded an old-school guy. They demanded a manager who didnt nurse players boo-boos. They demanded a guy who didnt have that perfect PR spin and smile. In essence, they demanded somebody who wasnt Kapler, who spoke of the wonders of analytics and gave out hugs as if it were kindergarten and not a major league baseball team. Quick little sidebar: The Yankees fired Girardi in 2017 for not connecting with his players. Yes, thats how Yankees general manager Brian Cashman termed it... Connecting. Thats an easy translation: Girardi was too old-school for the modern-day player, who apparently really, really needs a heart emoji to play baseball well. So this is Joe Girardi: old-school to the core, your kind of guy, Philadelphia.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonystitt/2021/05/29/is-phillies-manager-joe-girardi-too-old-school-for-even-philadelphia/
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Which Team Has Best Odds to Win UEFA Euro 2020 This Summer?
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This content was produced in partnership with Gambler.Media. We are less than two weeks away from the start of the 2020 UEFA European Championship (Euro 2020) Tournament (a year late as shown by the title of the tournament), and the teams will be gearing up for a run at history. With the semifinals and finals now set to be at full capacity at Wembley Stadium in London, fans and bettors alike will be extra excited for this competition. If it is anything like the 2018 World Cup, which most people agree was the most exciting tournament in history, then we should have a great summer on tap. Add in the fact that Copa America will be running concurrently with Euro 2020, and this is going to be like heaven for soccer fans and bettors, after going through hell for so long. Right now, with many of the top teams squads listed, France has taken the lead as the favorite, which makes sense. Les Bleus are the World Cup champions from 2018 (4-2 over Croatia), and are now listed between +450 and +500 with sportsbooks. The addition of Karim Benzema to the squad for the first time in five years has made a big difference for the oddsmakers, who have bumped France slightly ahead of England (odds of +500). Remember, England was leading its World Cup semifinal 1-0 against Croatia, only to fall apart in the second half and lose 2-1. This team is ultra-talented, and the Three Lions will have their home crowd behind them to root them to a first international crown since 1966. But here is the thing about this cup: I would not be stunned to see any of seven or eight teams lift this trophy. Take a look at the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings and you will see 11 of the top 16 teams in the world are from Europe. Realistically, France, England, Belgium (odds of +600 and a semifinalist at WC 2018), Spain (odds of +800), Germany (odds of +800), Portugal (defending champion with odds of +800), Italy (odds of +1000), and Netherlands (odds of +1300) have a shot to win. Of course. But for a team outside of those seven to win four knockout stage matches would be a miracle, and that is why the odds are so long. This tournament, though, while dominated by the big boys, has seen its fair share of upsets. Denmark in 1992 and Greece in 2004 come to mind. But I would back one of the favorites, specifically France, Portugal, or Italy. If you or anyone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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https://espn1420.com/which-team-has-best-odds-to-win-uefa-euro-2020-this-summer/
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Will Smart Grocery Carts Help Supermarkets Thrive?
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The coronavirus pandemic changed the way a lot of people shop for apparel, houseware, and even food. Early on during the outbreak -- and during periods of rising cases -- many people were scared to enter a grocery store. Instead, they took to ordering groceries online and retrieving their purchases curbside or having them delivered to their homes. Now that things have improved on the pandemic front and coronavirus vaccines are making a lot more people comfortable with the idea of shopping in stores, we could see a shift back toward in-person supermarket shopping. But some stores may look a little different -- in a positive way. Shoppers, gear up for smart carts Most supermarkets have yet to invest in smart shopping carts, but some, like Kroger, are already testing them out. Smart carts are designed to scan and keep track of purchases using sensors, cameras, and other technology. And they can benefit customers in several ways. First, they're extremely convenient. Rather than have to hunt down a store associate for a price check or find a price check kiosk, customers can simply scan unmarked or ambiguously marked grocery items to see how much they cost. Furthermore, smart carts often eliminate the need to wait in line in a checkout aisle. Rather, these carts are equipped to either accept credit card payments or charge food purchases to users' accounts. Smart carts are also great for social distancing. Customers who use these carts can avoid having to get close to other shoppers while waiting to pay for their goods. And, they can even lead to better budgeting by giving customers a financial tally of their purchases as they wander the aisles. Of course, smart carts aren't inexpensive to implement, and so they're unlikely to become the norm anytime soon. But in time, supermarkets may choose to adopt these grocery carts in an effort to draw in consumers. Consumers who purchase groceries online are less likely to fall victim to impulse buys than those who shop in stores and see seasonal or promotional items on display in front of them. As such, it often works to supermarkets' advantage to have people visit them in person. Smart carts could, along with coronavirus vaccines, get consumers a lot more comfortable with the idea of in-person shopping -- especially if they're able to mimic the convenience of ordering food online. A positive shift for real estate investors While many people are now used to online food shopping, there are drawbacks involved -- getting stuck with produce that isn't the freshest or having lackluster items put in as substitutions. If smart carts really take off, it could help supermarkets thrive, and that would in turn be a great thing for real estate investors. Grocery stores commonly serve as anchor tenants for shopping centers. Giving customers a reason to keep frequenting them only works to real estate investors' advantage, especially at a time when the future of retail is dicey and shopping centers need all of the paying tenants they can get.
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https://www.fool.com/millionacres/real-estate-investing/articles/will-smart-grocery-carts-help-supermarkets-thrive/?source=eptyholnk0000202&utm_source=yahoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article&yptr=yahoo?src=rss
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Is it time to face the facts about alcohol and cancer?
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The council is now rolling out an advertising campaign on digital platforms in Victoria to promote the national alcohol guidelines, which were introduced in December and recommend that healthy men and women drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week. The campaign, named Spread, shows how alcohol can trigger cells to mutate when it spreads through the body. Its well-timed: there is growing buzz around cutting down on booze or going sober, with non-alcoholic drinks surging in popularity. Recent research from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation showed that one in five Australians wanted to reduce their alcohol consumption. And Victoria has just entered its fourth lockdown a time when some people reach more for the liquor cabinet. Surveys have found that many Australians have had more alcohol than usual during the pandemic. Given the past year, theres never been a more important time to have a campaign like this, Harper says. Harper believes that its time that alcohol gets spotlighted for its cancer risk, and he hopes this is the first small step towards developing an awareness-raising campaign as successful as Quit and SunSmart. The ad was originally made in 2010 but did not go far due to lack of funding, which Harper says was disappointing. It has been edited to include new messaging about the guidelines. Were hoping to see government bodies invest in campaigns like this which we know are really effective in promoting peoples health, Harper says. Professor Kate Conigrave, a University of Sydney addiction medicine specialist, helped develop the new alcohol guidelines. She supports the call for a widespread public health campaign and believes there should also be warning labels on alcohol products. Conigrave says she is often having to inform patients of the threat of cancer posed by alcohol. She explains that alcohol increases the risk of getting cancer from quite low levels of drinking, and steadily rises the more you drink. While sticking to the new guidelines doesnt remove all risk, Conigrave says it does mean you have a less than one-in-100 chance of dying from an alcohol-related cause across your lifetime. There are, of course, many health issues associated with alcohol consumption, but Conigrave says that cancer risk is a powerful motivator, and people are more likely to follow the guidelines with that in mind. We all know about cancer, we all worry about it, its one that resonates with people, she says. Professor Michael Boyer, an oncologist and chief clinical officer at Chris OBrien Lifehouse in Sydneys Camperdown, says while we talk about alcohol in relation to road safety, there has been very little discourse to do with cancer. It concerns me because its very hard to make informed lifestyle decisions if you dont know what the information is, Boyer says. Loading Tech entrepreneur Pauline Pangan, from St Kilda in Melbourne, has been scaling back her alcohol intake for six years to support her wellbeing. Both her grandparents died of cancer, so she has been conscious of reducing her own risk. Her busy lifestyle used to involve daily drinking, be it with clients on weeknights or out on the weekend. Today, Pangan, 38, has a maximum of five glasses a week and a full month off drinking every three months. This latest lockdown is booze-free. Thats not to say its not a challenge: I love wine. It calms my nerves after an intense day or week. But by drinking less, Pangan says she feels fitter, mentally sharper and more energetic, plus, it saves her money.
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https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/is-it-time-to-face-the-facts-about-alcohol-and-cancer-20210527-p57vu9.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed
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How long can the gold standard Browns offensive line stay together?
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In one offseason, the Cleveland Browns turned a weakness into a strength. In 2019, the Browns had three out of their five positions on the offensive line struggling. Only veterans Joel Bitonio and J.C. Tretter played well and were seen as solid pieces for a few years. Then Kevin Stefanski was hired as the head coach and Andrew Berry was hired to run the front office. The team then brought in Bill Callahan, considered by many to be the best offensive line coach in the NFL, to help fix the weakness found in front of Baker Mayfield. When free agency opened up, Berry added Jack Conklin to fill one of the holes at tackle then used the Browns top draft pick to select Jedrick Wills to fill the other. Callahan was responsible for fixing the right guard spot with a number of players that were left on the roster. In the end, Callahan and company helped Wyatt Teller have the best year of his career and solidify the Browns offensive line with five good to great players. From three weaknesses to no weaknesses in one offseason leading Brian Baldinger of the NFL Network to have high praise for the Browns offensive line: Baldinger also dubbed the group The Union for how they work together on the field. While the team will have all five starters, and a solid group of depth players, back on the offensive line for 2021, the longevity of this specific group can be called into question. Wyatt Teller is scheduled to be a free agent after this upcoming season. Joel Bitonio, Jack Conklin, and J.C. Tretter can be free agents after the following season with Tretter having a very small dead cap hit if cut after the 2021 season as well. Story continues Age could also start to catch up with the longest-tenured Browns offensive linemen. Both Bitonio and Tretter will play this season as 30-year-olds with free agency looing at the age of 32. The Browns seem to have started to plan for the future in the draft. Drew Forbes was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft but sat out last season as a COVID-19 opt-out. Nick Harris was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft and seen as a perfect fit for a zone-blocking scheme when drafted. This year, the team drafted James Hudson in the fourth round. Along with Wills, the Browns have four young guys who could be ready to take over if needed in the next few years. With Callahan in place, the team has to believe in their own ability to develop players as they go. At some point, the Browns wont be able to keep all of their players under contract especially at positions, like the offensive line, that can get quite expensive. Teller may be the first domino to drop if the team is unable to reach an extension after this year. Tretters fate could also be determined this upcoming offseason with Bitonio and Conklin coming up the following year. For 2020, the Cleveland Browns have the gold standard offensive line. While those five starters may not stay together for much more than this season, with Bill Callahan and young drafted players, the Browns might be well prepared for the future.
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https://sports.yahoo.com/long-gold-standard-browns-offensive-134412274.html?src=rss
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Is it time to give Obi Toppin some more minutes with Julius Randle?
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Obi Toppin alley-oop dunk black uniform Hawks Game 2 The Knicks are facing a 2-1 hole heading into Game 4 in Atlanta on Sunday after another underwhelming offensive performance. New York shot 35.8% from the field as a team, and got nothing out of its two leading scorers - Julius Randle and RJ Barrett - who shot a combined 4--for-24 on the evening. Though plainly missing shots was part of the equation, nothing came easy to the Knicks on that end, and its clear a change is needed. The long awaited benching of Elfrid Payton was not enough to right the ship, and its unclear what aces Tom Thibodeau still has up his sleeve. One idea: run the Randle-Obi Toppin lineup. We saw close to none of it in the regular season, and we dont know if its made an appearance in practice. But barring some creative on-the-fly offensive playbook restructuring, this might be the best available move. Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson, though effective all season and a dependable center rotation this series, allow Atlanta to muck things up in the pick-and-roll. Neither have been able to impose themselves as roll threats and arent finding shooters consistently on dump-offs. Toppin offers some dynamic play Noel and Gibson dont. Hes the better three-point shooter, hovering in the low 30s since April and knocking in two of five this series. Hes the best lob threat, with Gibson ground-bound and Noel with questionable hands. That additional vertical spacing could help alleviate the pressure Randle is feeling from the constant shadow down low from Clint Capela/whatever big isnt on him. Toppin has proven a sharp passer as well, when given the chance. His presence on the court encourages ball movement, constantly handing off the ball to his teammates and setting ball screens, then relocating and starting over. His ability to get out and run in transition will help the Knicks push off stops, even makes, to get easy buckets. Thats the idea, anyway. Theres no telling how this holds up defensively or on the boards. Letting him loose to this extent in an intense postseason series is certainly a risk, but it can be argued the Knicks need to take some right now, instead of hope things turn around themselves. Story continues Toppin himself doesnt need to play the games of his life. That would be a much needed plus, but the change primarily serves Randle, in using Toppin's skillset to get him better looks. Even sticking Toppin in the corner gives Randle an easy release valve, one that theoretically can make some plays with the defense scrambling. Toppin should also work as a better screen option for Randle than Noel or Gibson. The Knicks ran a lot more 4-5 pick-and-rolls in Game 3, a smart move to ideally get Randle some good looks. However, he still felt the pressure of two players as Noel and Gibson were largely ignored or a pass thrown their direction led to a bad outcome. Toppin popping, or being a dunk-on-your-head threat rolling, is a new look worth trying. No, not yet. But its clear their offense isnt working right now, and unless the switch just flips, they need to throw new looks out there to get in running. Getting Toppin and Randle on the floor together could be the answer.
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https://sports.yahoo.com/time-obi-toppin-more-minutes-132914056.html?src=rss
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Why has the vaccine rollout been so slow?
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On May 19, Mr Morrison told 2GBs Ray Hadley he was not overly troubled by the survey findings, saying theres plenty of time to have the chat with the others who are a bit hesitant. And Mr Hunt sparked confusion when he said that while the government encouraged everyone over 50 to be vaccinated as early as possible, they could also wait for Pfizer or Moderna vaccines later in the year. There has been an incredible lot of very unhelpful and irresponsible messaging from the government on this issue, said Dr Stephen Duckett, the director of the health program at the Grattan Institute. The federal government has spent $40 million on a vaccine advertising campaign on television, radio and newspapers, which Mr Hunt said was focused on people aged over 50. But Dr Duckett believes the government needs to run a more nuanced campaign focused on addressing the concerns of different sections of the population, such as young women and migrant groups, and emphasising how low the risk is of developing side effects. Loading Its the governments fault for not actually bringing the population along in the way they should have and also partly the medias fault that they over-hype some of the clot risks, he said. Mr Hunts spokesperson disputed there had been hesitancy: As increased supply has become available and new age groups have been eligible for vaccinations we have seen a significant increase in uptake from people, contrary to those claiming there has been hesitancy. The spokesperson said the advertising would continue to ramp up. Work on the next campaign is under way and will take a different approach as it addresses a different and younger demographic. The vaccine rollout has also been bedevilled by supply shortages. In December a deal to buy more than 50 million doses of University of Queenslands vaccine was abandoned after several trial participants returned false positive HIV test results. Loading It was clearly a huge blow to our plans when the Queensland vaccine fell down; that was a huge component of our vaccine rollout plan, said La Trobe University epidemiologist Associate Professor Hassan Vally. And in March the European Commission blocked the shipment of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia. It was at a critical time for us, just as we were getting going, Dr Vally said. Dr Vally also said the decision to preference Pfizer for people under 50, which had been intended to reassure people the government was acting with an abundance of caution, had had the opposite effect, creating doubt about the AstraZeneca vaccine. The over 50s are wondering why are they getting a vaccine thats different to the under 50s and questioning whether theyre being put at risk to a greater degree. There have also been distribution problems with some GPs struggling to access sufficient vaccines. The big challenge with all of this is the fact that the federal government is usually not the level of government that rolls out vaccines, Dr Vally said. Were not taking advantage of the way things usually work with the states leading the delivery of the vaccine and thats created a lot of problems. Professor Mike Toole, an epidemiologist from the Burnet Institute, blames the slow rollout on uncertain supply, vaccine hesitancy and just plain complacency. People think: There are no cases, why should I bother?, Professor Toole said. But as soon as theres an outbreak, like in Melbourne, that changes. Loading There is nothing like a crisis to focus the mind. On Wednesday the federal government released 130,000 extra vaccines. Mr Hunt said 29 aged care facilities which at the time had not received a single vaccine, months after the governments target would be prioritised. Victoria announced people aged 40-49 would be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. On Friday despite an overwhelmed booking service the state broke its record for the second day in a row for the most vaccine doses administered in a day.
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https://www.theage.com.au/national/why-has-the-vaccine-rollout-been-so-slow-20210529-p57wao.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed
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Are hidden hands preventing the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission from independently investigating custodial deaths?
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3 weeks and 3 deaths of Malaysians held in police custody. A. Ganapathy, 40 on April 18th 2021, S. Sivabalan, 43 on 20th May and the most recent S. Surendran, 21 on 27th May 2021. These men died under questionable circumstances within 40 days. Ganapathy suffered visible injuries on his legs and had one amputated, Sivabalans death due to a heart attack according to the police but was informed hours later, and Surendran, a healthy man who died due to septic shock with multiple organ failure. In Malaysia to date, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) is the sole body to investigate any misconduct or abuses of power by the police, immigration and other agencies. It was established by an Act of Parliament in 2009 and came into effect in 2011 to replace the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission Bill 2005. As it was established by an Act of Parliament, it is rightfully so that Members of Parliament are privy to the findings of the investigation and not for an internal investigation by the police themselves. There must be no stumbling block whether from within or out to influence, pressure, divert and determine the outcome of the investigations by the EAIC into these deaths. Ditch the defensive attitude on custodial deaths and address it with the seriousness that a life was lost under the authority of the police. The police cannot be the only body to investigate a wrongdoing, a rape or a death in their custody. When Pakatan Harapan was in power and the bill for IPCMC was tabled in Parliament, there was a great opposition by MPs from the then Opposition citing that it was unconstitutional and it demoralised the police and that internal investigations by the police is acceptable, including on the role of the EAIC. In my visit to the Metropolitan Police Station in Charing Cross, UK many years ago to look at the conditions of the holding cells, body cameras used by the officers and the working conditions of the police officers, I discovered through a notice to a detained person in the police station, every person brought in, if unwell or injured must inform the police and a nurse or doctor will be called to inspect the detainee. Detainees are fed 3 times a day with drinks in between meals. They are rightfully allowed to inform their families where they are, they are allowed to look at the Codes of Police, they are allowed a translator, they should be allowed to contact their embassies, they must be told of their offence and the reason they are arrested and they are also allowed to see records and documents on the arrest and even about their time in the station. All this for free. Two days ago, President Biden met with the family of George Floyd who died due to abuse of power by rogue cops. He acknowledged the violation of oath by law enforcement officers and pledged his support for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in Congress and that legislators from both sides would support the bill. The Prime Minister, Home Minister and the IGP must meet the families of these deaths in custody with their lawyers and give them the answers they need. Kasthuri Patto DAP WANITA INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY & MP FOR BATU KAWAN Media statement by Kasthuri Patto in Penang on Friday, 28th May 2021
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https://dapmalaysia.org/statements/2021/05/28/32605/
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Can TN float Credit Guarantee Corporation to rescue sick factory units?
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With hardly any income, the industrial units, which are struggling to pay electricity bills, could become non performing assets soon. While the MSME sector in the State has sought help from the Centre, Small Industries Management Association president VS Narasimhan has urged the State government to float a Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) to rescue struggling small industries. The CGC could guarantee loans that are offered by financial institutions, and thus encourage the institutions to offer loans to MSMEs. They could charge a premium to be paid by the borrower and the financing institution. In the event of the borrower becoming unable to repay the amount, the CGC would reimburse it. Thus it provides insurance not only to the lender, but the borrower also, Narasimhan said. The vital aspect of the scheme would be that CGC revenue comes from premiums paid by borrowers and banks, and further it could invest its large capital appropriately and earn income. As the CGC would re-insure with internationally recognised institutions, the scheme is viable and could meet the needs of banks or financial institutions, he added. The Centre has a similar institution, notes Narasimhan. It is, however, not patronised by the banks, maybe because the corpus of the organisation is not large enough and that it has no re-insurance or other income, thus forcing it to take limited risks in offering guarantee and reimbursing banks, he said. Japan and East Asian countries like South Korea and Taiwan have a similar scheme. Japan has a GCC in every region and they operate successfully. It is considered a single important step to encourage entrepreneurs. By creating a CGC, Tamil Nadu could be a model for other States to follow. The State could then offer support to small scale industrial units by offering interest free or low interest loans through the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation and banks repayable over three or five years, guaranteeing the repayment through the State CGC. Initially, the guarantee could be offered to micro units with a capital of less than Rs 5 crore. The premium charge could be a risk perception of the lender. It is learnt that the Rangarajan Committee appointed by the government had recommended a similar scheme, he further said. Chennai District Small Scale Industries Association president TV Hariharan says that it is not easy for a State to float its own CGC. The CGC is run by the Centre and it wont allow the State to begin their own CGCs. Also, the State would not like to take up additional financial burden, if the loans are not repaid, he said.
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2021/may/29/can-tn-float-credit-guarantee-corporation-to-rescue-sick-factory-units-2309013.html
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What time is The Masked Dancer on tonight and how does the show work?
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The Masked Dancer arrives on our screens tonight (Picture: ITV) The Masked Dancer kicks off tonight, and we can hardly wait. The reality competition series is a spin-off The Masked Singer, which recently wrapped up its second series, achieving 10.6 million viewers for this years grand final. The Masked Dancer US began airing on Fox in December, and was considered a huge success which played a part in why a UK version was commissioned. If youve been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the UK counterpart, then youll be excited to know that tonights the night that the games begin. Here is everything you need to know about the show ahead of its broadcast. Masked Dancer UK: Time and channel The Masked Dancer starts tonight (Saturday, May 29) at 7pm on ITV. The reality competition will fill the slot usually reserved for Britains Got Talents live shows, which wouldve been due to air this week had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic. Much like its US counterpart, The Masked Dancer will see 12 celebrities all dressed in elaborate costumes to conceal their identity take to the stage to show off their best dance moves. (Picture: IT) The judging panel will then have to guess their identities. The panel for the show will consist of Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse, as well as The Masked Singers Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and Mo Gilligan. Rita Ora who was a regular judge on The Masked Singer will not be joining her fellow judges on the new reality show, as she is reportedly too tied up with filming commitments for The Voice in Australia. Im so thrilled and honoured to be joining the panel on The Masked Dancer, said Oti. Im a huge fan of The Masked Singer and I loved the US Masked Dancer so I just cant wait to start on this show. As a dancer I will be watching the dancers intently looking for clues its going to be so much fun! Jonathan said: What people dont know is that secretly I am an expert in dance and can spot a ball change from a box step no problem. The title of best detective on the panel is most certainly coming my way! Mo, who took Ken Jeongs seat on the latest Masked Singer series, said: I love The Masked Singer. Its a crazy bit of joy, which we all need right now so when ITV asked if I wanted to join The Masked Dancer I, of course, said a huge yes! Davina, who was a judge on sister series The Masked Singer, will return for The Masked Dancer (Picture: ITV) Im really looking forward to getting back with the team for another brilliant series. Davina said: I love playing detective and I love dancing so what could be better?! Im currently swotting up on all things dance in preparation and I will be watching those celebrity feet like a hawk, she said of the show. More: ITV Tisha Merry was rejected from Coronation Street on her first day Emmerdale fans question Samantha Giles over Bernice wig Real-life Coronation Street couple Sally Carman and Joe Duttine postpone wedding They always have such an amazing cast on The Masked Singer so it could literally be anyone hiding and dancing behind those masks and thats what makes it so exciting. Joel Dommett will host the series. The Masked Dancer starts tonight at 7pm on ITV. If youve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page wed love to hear from you. For more stories like this, check our entertainment page. Follow Metro.co.uk Entertainment on Twitter and Facebook for the latest celeb and entertainment updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE : The Masked Singer costume was rejected for looking like boobs MORE : David Walliams giving nothing away as he teases The Masked Dancer guest judge stint
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https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/29/what-time-is-the-masked-dancer-on-tonight-and-how-does-the-show-work-14672894/
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Will Saints Zack Baun Rebound From a Disappointing Rookie Season?
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After a quiet rookie campaign while learning a new position, much bigger things are expected from New Orleans linebacker Zack Baun as he enters his second NFL season. The New Orleans Saints used a 3rd round choice in the 2020 NFL Draft, the number 74 overall selection, on DE/LB Zack Baun from Wisconsin. Baun was mainly a defensive end in college, but would convert to a linebacker with the Saints. The cancelation of offseason team activities and preseason games slowed Baun's development in learning a new position as a rookie. Hed appear in 17 of the teams 18 games, including playoffs, but mostly on special teams. Baun was in on 82 snaps defensively during the 2020 regular season, just 8% of the defensive snaps. His highest rep count was 22 snaps on defense during the regular season finale at Carolina. Baun registered 15 tackles as a rookie, including one for a loss. He also played in 54% of the teams special teams snaps. After 15 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles over his final two collegiate seasons some considered Baun a disappointment as a rookie. Remember that he was essentially learning a new position and didn't have any preseason games and an abbreviated offseason to develop. Now entering his second season, the Saints expect much more out of the 24-year-old Baun. Carolina tight end Ian Thomas (80) is tackled by Saints linebacker Zack Baun (53). Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Baun was an outstanding edge rusher in college, so I expect him to be used in that capacity in some pass rush packages. Given his size, he's 62 and 238-Lbs, Baun is too small to be an every down defensive end. New Orleans will continue to develop him at linebacker, expecting him to take over one of the outside spots alongside All-Pro LB Demario Davis. Baun has the athleticism to match up with opposing tight ends or running backs out of the backfield in pass coverage. He has excellent change of direction ability and natural fluidity for coverage duties, but is inexperienced in zone drops. Bauns speed and rapid reaction gives him excellent sideline-to-sideline range. He flows through traffic well in pursuit and shows terrific play diagnosis. He's a fundamentally sound tackler, with a great closing burst to the ball carrier. Despite being undersized as a defensive end, he has adequate upper body strength to take on blockers at the point of attack. Because of the offseason losses of starters Kwon Alexander and Alex Anzalone, linebacker was viewed as a position of need. The Saints nabbed former Ohio State linebacker Pete Werner with a 2nd Round pick this spring, but will need a bigger contribution from their 2020 3rd Round pick. CREDIT: USA Today Zack Baun was projected as a possible late 1st Round pick entering the 2020 NFL Draft because of his athleticism, versatility, and disruptive ability. He basically had a red-shirt rookie year because he was learning a new position after a shortened offseason. Baun will play a far bigger role for the New Orleans defense in 2021. His development alongside Demario Davis will be one of the major factors to how successful the Saints defense will be this upcoming season. You can follow Bob Rose on Facebook or on Twitter @bobbyr2613. Don't miss out on any Saints news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our FREE newsletter and get breaking Saints news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Saints News Newsletter: https://news.snts.us/saintsnewletter Subscribe to the New Orleans Saints YT Channel: https://news.snts.us/saintsnewsyoutube For more Saints News: https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/ or https://www.saints.media Like us on Facebook: https://news.snts.us/saintsnews-fb Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/saintsnews
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https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/editorial-opinion/will-saints-zack-baun-rebound-from-disappointing-rookie-season
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Are stimulus checks paving the way for a universal basic income?
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As President Joe Biden commits to an expanded $3,000 child tax credit until 2025, some believe all these pandemic benefits signify a step forward in the conversation surrounding a universal basic income. Biden's stimulus checks bill, which upped the existing $2,000 credit to $3,000 and added a four-year extension, is expected to lift an additional 4.1 million children out of poverty, and Democrats in Congress are pushing to make this change permanent. Despite steadfast opposition, support is growing for dishing out guaranteed income payments to citizens regularly even after the COVID-19 crisis ends, with multiple cities already testing programs locally. Whether the relief money is being used for paying off debts, pay for household necessities or tucked away for unexpected emergencies, stimulus checks and other relief programs have opened the door to a conversation about universal basic income. Gage Skidmore./ Flickr Universal basic income (UBI) is meant to ensure a minimum income level, regardless of employment, so that all citizens can afford a basic standard of living. The government would hand out regular cash payments much like stimulus checks on a regular basis. Andrew Yang brought attention to this concept during his 2020 presidential run, when he recommended doling out $1,000 to American adults each month. However, the idea of guaranteed income is hardly novel. Centuries ago, English philosopher Thomas Moore proposed it in his 1516 book Utopia and Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for it in the 1960s to eradicate poverty. Recent reports have been suggesting the economic recession brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic may shows the need for a universal basic income. Beefed-up unemployment benefits were handed out to millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the pandemic. And Bidens expanded child tax credits are going out this July. Unemployment benefits and the labor shortage Artens / Shutterstock Not everyones onboard with the idea of a universal basic income. The Pew Research Center found that 78% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents oppose the federal government allocating $1,000 to each person, and 62% were strongly opposed. Story continues And some say all the unemployment benefits and government money that have gone out during the pandemic are already opening the doors to guaranteed income and may have led to the current labor shortage. "People are making more money sitting at home watching Netflix than they are at work, and they don't want to go back. I think one of the dangers that we've opened the door to is these stimulus checks are starting to feel like they might not go away," billionaire bond investor Jeffrey Gundlach told Yahoo! Finance, criticizing the free money thats been handed out by the government. Other experts think low wages, coupled with COVID-19 fears, are to blame. Lower-income workers, particularly in the hospitality industry, were hit hard by the pandemic. A University of Chicago study found 42% of those on benefits are receiving more than they did at their jobs. Middle- and higher-income earners, especially those working remotely, dont face the same hurdles. Several big businesses, including the Bank of America, have bumped up wages to attract more employees. So now may be the right time to negotiate a raise at your workplace, especially if you have been putting in some overtime during the pandemic. Some cities are already testing out monthly checks vetkit / Shutterstock On a more local level, several cities have begun to experiment with disbursing monthly checks to lower-income residents. Stockton, California did a guaranteed income program pilot in 2019. The city distributed $500 a month to 125 people for 24 months, and the results at the end of the experiment were overwhelmingly positive. The results showed recipients were more financially secure and many found full-time employment and came out emotionally healthier. We live in a time of pandemics, former Stockton mayor Michael Tubbs, who launched the pilot, told MIT Technology Review. Its not just COVID-19. Its an earthquake next month. Its wildfires. All these things are happening all the time not even mentioning automation. We have to have the ability for our folks to build economic resilience. About a half-dozen cities have conducted similar pilots, some are planning trials this year. Mayors in 30 cities across the country, as part of the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Coalition, are pushing for unconditional, direct cash payments as well. Doucefleur / Shutterstock The possibility of the government considering a universal basic income is still pretty far off if it happens at all. So if you need extra income now, here are some ways to help put a little more money in your wallet.
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https://news.yahoo.com/stimulus-checks-paving-way-universal-130000937.html
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Who Will Take Man City Penalties If Champions League Final Goes Down To The Wire?
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Premier League champions Manchester City are gearing up for their first-ever European final as they are set to take on Chelsea in the Champions League final 2021. The game is scheduled to begin at 12:30 AM IST on Sunday, May 30, and will be played at the Estadio do Dragao. Ahead of the crunch clash, here's a look at who will take Man City penalties, Man City vs Chelsea team news and our Manchester City vs Chelsea prediction. Pep Guardiola's options from the spot ft. De Bruyne, Ederson Manchester City take on Chelsea in the Champions League final, three days after neighbours Man United suffered a defeat in the Europa League final via a dramatic 22-penalty finale. After all 20 outfield players converted their spot-kicks, Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli beat opposite number David de Gea before denying the Spaniard's penalty. But for Man City, Ederson won't have to wait until 10 players have tried their luck, especially considering his prowess from 12 yards. The Brazilian goalkeeper was also seen practising penalties on the eve of the game, and as noted by South American outlet TNT Sports, the 27-year-old took 11 penalties in training and converted 10 of them with a success rate of 91%. Pep Guardiola had even suggested in the past that Ederson could be on penalty duties, especially after Ilkay Gundogan's miss at Anfield. The Cityzens' record from 12 yards has been poor throughout the season, with seven penalties converted and four missed equating to an underwhelming success rate of just 64 per cent. Should the result force Guardiola to name his first five kickers, the Spaniard is likely to trust Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Sergio Aguero to take those. Ederson, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Kyle Walker make compelling arguments and Guardiola would want them to make their case if they are needed to ensure a win via a shootout. Man City vs Chelsea team news Pep Guardiola has his full squad at disposal with Ilkay Gundogan also brushing off a recent injury scare to be fit for the final. The German should start in a midfield three alongside Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho, who is likely to come in after his impressive shift against Paris Saint-Germain. Foden and Mahrez are staples alongside star man and former Chelsea star Kevin De Bruyne. As for the Chelsea injuries in the Man City vs Chelsea team news, doubts remain on the participation of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and N'Golo Kante, however, both are expected to return. Captain Cesar Azpilicueta is set to return to the XI while Mateo Kovacic's return to fitness means that Tuchel will have to take a call on Jorginho. Mason Mount remains untouchable in attack and is likely to pair with Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, with Christian Pulisic offering an alternative from the bench. Our Manchester City vs Chelsea prediction is that City would win 2-1. Fans wondering how to watch the Champions League final live in India can tune into the Sony Sports Network. The UCL final channel set in India is Sony Ten 2 and 3 SD/HD. Meanwhile, the UCL final stream in India will also be available on the SonyLIV app. Live scores and updates can be accessed on the Twitter handles of teams. The Champions League final Indian time is 12:30 AM IST on Sunday, May 30. (Image Courtesy: Man City Instagram)
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https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/football-news/who-will-take-man-city-penalties-if-champions-league-final-goes-down-to-the-wire.html
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What Time Is The Indy 500 On Sunday? How To Watch Indy 500 2021 Live?
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After months of wait, fans will be able to watch the Indy 500 live in Indianapolis. With COVID-19 severely affecting the sports world, last year's event was conducted without any fans. Now, fans have a chance to witness their favourite racers once again. Many experts have considered Scott Dixon a winner, while many hope for a second straight win for Takuma Soto. Colton Herta and Ed Carpenter are also on in the loop with many predicting them as possible winners too. Here is more on how to watch Indy 500 2021 live and the Indy 500 TV channel in the USA. In the USA, NBC Networks will be broadcasting the race for audiences watching from their homes. The pre-race will begin at 9:00 AM IST, which will be on NBCSN, while the post-race show will also be on NBCSN. The main race, however, will be broadcasted on NBC starting at 11:00 AM EST on May 30. Along with the TV broadcast, the Indy 500 2021 live stream will be on NBCSports.com or the NBC Sports app. Indy 500 TV Channel NBC His speed cant be beat. With a four-lap average speed of 231.685 MPH, @scottdixon9 will lead the field of 33 to the green flag for the 105th Indy 500. #INDYCAR // #INDY500 pic.twitter.com/UkstCjx5W3 NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 23, 2021 Indy 500 2021 drivers POSITION CAR NUMBER DRIVER 1. 9 Scott Dixon 2. 26 Colton Herta 3. 21 Rinus VeeKay 4. 20 Ed Carpenter 5. 48 Tony Kanaan 6. 10 Alex Palou 7. 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay 8. 6 Helio Castroneves 9. 8 Marcus Ericsson 10 27 Alexander Rossi 11. 18 Ed Jones 12. 5 Pato O'Ward 13. 51 Pietro Fittipaldi 14. 7 Felix Rosenqvist 15. 30 Takuma Soto 16. 29 James Hinchcliffe 17. 3 Scott McLaughlin 18. 15 Graham Rahal 19. 47 Conor Daly 20. 60 Jack Harvey 21. 2 Josef Newgarden 22. 1 J.R. Hildebrand 23. 45 Santino Ferrucci 24. 86 Juan Pablo Montoya 25. 98 Marco Andretti 26. 22 Simon Pagenaud 27. 14 Sebastien Bourdais 28. 25 Stefan Wilson 29. 59 Max Chilton 30. 4 Dalton Kellett 31. 24 Sage Karam 32. 12 Will Power 33. 16 Simona de Silvestro (Image credits: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Instagram)
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https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/other-sports/what-time-is-the-indy-500-on-sunday-how-to-watch-indy-500-2021-live.html
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What are the benefits of online gambling?
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Gambling has become one of the most favorite hobbies of people. People from all over the world are interested in gambling. Gambling is a great source of fun and excitement for the players. Moreover, some people use gambling as an entire source of income. In previous days, people used to gamble in land-based casinos, but people are more interested in online gambling with the advancements in internet technologies. Countless online gambling platforms offer to gamble to people. People can join royal online for online gambling. Online gambling is famous for a wide range of benefits. Some of the most significant benefits of online gambling are listed below. 1. Easily accessible gambling The first and the most significant benefit of online gambling is that online gambling is easily accessible for people. People from all over the world can have access to a wide range of online gambling websites on the internet. People can join online gambling platforms as soon as they have a device with a good internet connection. Accessing an online gambling platform is easy, and that is why people consider it beneficial to join online gambling platforms. 2. A wide range of casino games The second prominent benefit of online gambling is that online gambling offers a wide range of casino games to people. People can play a wide range of unlimited casino games and place bets on them. Land-based casinos cannot give people more and more casino games because of the unavailability of space. On the other hand, there is no issue of space in online gambling websites, and that is why people are more interested in online gambling. Moreover, a better range of casino games makes online gambling beneficial. 3. Improved payout ratios The third prominent benefit of online gambling is that online gambling gives the best and improved payout ratios to the people. When people lose bets, they get a proportion of the startup fee. Land-based casinos do not give startup fees back to the players. On the other hand, online gambling websites give the best payout ratios to people. Better payout ratios make people make money. So improved payout ratios make online gambling beneficial for people. 4. Bonuses and promotional offers Last but not least significant feature that makes online gambling beneficial for people is that online gambling offers bonuses and promotional offers to people. Bonuses and promotional offers make online gambling beneficial. Prizes, cash rewards, bonuses, and promotional offers make online gambling interesting. Moreover, people can improve their financial status by having bonuses and free rewards. So because of bonuses and jackpots, players consider online gambling beneficial. Bonuses, free rewards, jackpots, and promotional offers make online gambling beneficial for people. The bottom line These are some of the most significant benefits of online gambling. These features make online gambling quite beneficial for the players. So players should focus on choosing the right betting and gambling platforms so that they can have the best gambling in online casinos. Share this: Facebook Tumblr Twitter LinkedIn Email Pinterest Reddit Pocket Print Telegram WhatsApp Skype
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https://theinscribermag.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-online-gambling/
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Is it Normal to Tip in Indonesia?
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Tipping is a form of appreciation to a waiter or driver based on the services provided. Perhaps youve noticed or been told that tipping in Indonesia isnt the norm. Despite this common belief, there is a guideline to tipping, indicating when and where your token of appreciation for great services is best used. Use Indonesian Rupiah Transactions throughout the country are made with Indonesian Rupiah. Ensure youve exchanged your money into the local currency when you arrive. This also applies to tipping. Money changers are mostly found in major cities; small, secluded destinations dont have them even finding a local bank can be difficult! Its great if you want to give extra money to your tour guide whilst on holiday but bear in mind the accessibility of money changers and the value of currencies is different. Read the room Different types of places have underlying rules when it comes to tipping. In some places, such as restaurants and hotels, they are strict about employees receiving a token of appreciations from guests. One way to find out is through the service charge noted on the bill. In shopping mall parking areas, there are signs written please do not give tip to those helping you get a parking spot. You can always search for information on websites or read reviews to see whether a place allows it. Tip discreetly Indonesians have a way of giving money to others. For example, a senior family member gives money to children discreetly. Therefore, tipping in a crowded area can cause unwanted attention. Sure, there are workers who dont mind being given tips in public but to keep it conducive, offer tips when no one else around. Indonesians value politeness, meanwhile, tipping in crowds is considered rude. To do so, insert the money on the person of interests hand before exiting or parting ways. Restaurants, hotels, taxis, and online motorcycle taxis (ojek online) each have different suitable amounts. In restaurants, 10 percent of your bill is acceptable, as long as a service charge is not already added, or you can chip into the tip jars at some caf cashier counters. On the other hand, at hotels it isnt mandatory; they normally charge 21 percent tax, a portion of which goes to the service charge. You can always give the bellman, housekeeper, etc. some extra cash, though. Likewise, for taxi and online motorcycle drivers, regardless of whether they operate conventional vehicles or run through apps; you can give cash or select the amount to offer on apps like Gojek and Grab. Be considerate Consider giving tips to service workers in restaurants, warungs, hotels, taxis, and other places. Though not entirely expected by most, they are very appreciative of it due to their low incomes. It shows that their services are satisfactory and could motivate them further! All in all, tipping in Indonesia depends on the place youre at and how personally satisfied you are with the service. Your good intention might be perceived in a negative way in certain scenarios, but simply follow this guideline. Let us know in the comments below.
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https://indonesiaexpat.id/outreach/info-for-expats/is-it-normal-to-tip-in-indonesia/
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Did Karl Popper Doubt Evolution?
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When trying to explain what motivates me as a physicist, the film A Passage to India (1984) comes to mind. Based on the play by Santha Rama Rau, adapted from the novel by E M Forster, it describes the fallout from a rape case in the fictional city of Chandrapore, during the British Raj in India in the 1920s. What keeps the viewers attention is the subtlety of the relationships between the characters particularly the fragile friendship between the man accused of the rape, Dr Aziz, and an Englishman, Mr Fielding. Data about identity alone, such as race, class, gender or educational status, can never reveal these dynamics nor capture why they fascinate us. When the case arrives in court, ostensibly similar people behave very differently in relation to the defendant. The dynamics of individual behaviour trump any immutable labels we might apply; yet these static labels also impose constraints on just how far any individual can go. We watch, we theorise, and we update our knowledge of the characters and the forces at work. By the end, we find that Fielding and Aziz are more alike than wed thought, having created a new bond on the basis of a more complete understanding of one another.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259798979130/did-karl-popper-doubt-evolution
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What can we do to save these shrubs?
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Q: We have three arborvitaes on the west side of our house, and two have damage. Im wondering if its sunscald or something else. Karen K. A: When portions of arborvitae turn brown, there are two common causes. Winter injury is a possibility, either from winter winds that desiccate foliage, or from sun reflecting off the snow, burning foliage the same way that skiers get winter sunburn. From the photos, Id say the damage is most likely winter-related injury. Rabbit injury is a second possibility when entire branches turn brown. During winter, rabbits sometimes nibble the bark on branches inside arborvitaes. Tracing the damaged branch back to its point of origin sometimes reveals stripped bark, causing affected branches to die from the point of injury outward. The browned foliage wont revert to normal, of course, so the next step is to determine if the branches on which the damaged foliage is attached are living or dead. Test the twigs to see if they are live and pliable, or if they snap readily when bent, indicating death. Theres no other option than to prune out branches determined to be dead. If the foliage is brown but the branch on which its attached is still alive, theres a possibility new growth might arise, if the brown foliage is removed. New growth often does not regrow from these damaged areas, however. After pruning out dead areas, decide whether theres enough shrub left to salvage. Growth from the remaining branches can occasionally fill the gaps, but severely damaged arborvitae are often better replaced. RELATED ARTICLES: Q: When we plant our tomatoes, my husband has always believed in putting tires around the plants in addition to using cages. The plants start out looking great, but partway through the season, the leaves start turning yellow. Ive tried an antifungal spray, and the tomatoes usually turn out okay, but not in great abundance. Im wondering if using tires is a problem. June K. A: Using tires or rubber mulch made from tires has been controversial, and I don't think all the data is in yet. Some sources believe toxic compounds used in tire manufacturing leach out of the tires and into the soil, while other sources say the leaching is minimal and plants dont necessarily absorb the materials. The controversy is more substantial, though, when discussing edibles, versus landscape plants. I always believe in erring on the side of caution, especially with food crops. It could be a reaction to the tires. Disease is always a possibility. Tomato varieties vary greatly, and some are more disease-resistant and easier to grow. Two of the most popular and successful are Celebrity and Big Beef. If fungicides are used, they should be applied as preventatives before the symptoms appear for effective disease control. You might also try fertilizing around each tomato plant, if you haven't done so. You can use a special tomato fertilizer, water-soluble general-purpose types, or 10-10-10 granular all-purpose fertilizer, always following label directions. RELATED ARTICLES: Q: A while back you answered a question about what to use on raspberries for insects. I thought I kept the article but I cant find it. Thanks. Earl O. A: Two insects that are common plagues of strawberries are the little black sap beetles, also known as picnic beetle, and the little white larvae of spotted winged drosophila flies. Two products that are useful in rotation against these common pests are malathion and spinosad. The waiting period between time of application and time of harvest is less than many other insecticide types, meaning spinosad or malathion can be applied closer to the day you plan to pick berries. Check labels for the intervals between spraying and safe harvest. If you have a gardening or lawn care question, email Don Kinzler, NDSU Extension-Cass County, at [email protected]. Questions with broad appeal may be published, so please include your name, city and state for appropriate advice.
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https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/lifestyle/home-and-garden/7045520-What-can-we-do-to-save-these-shrubs
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What About Sarah Unsicker?
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Another legislative year is in the books, but it's not time to put this book on the shelf yet. While the triumvirate (the governor and House and Senate leaders) have declared victory in the short term, they are still far from reaching a deal that satisfies all parties. The preliminary budget deal is a numbers only agreement. It does not include any of the policies that Speaker Hortman or the governor have been demanding for weeks. The $52 billion budget agreement between the leaders includes full federal conformity for both PPP loans and unemployment payments, as well as no tax increases for now. This budget agreement was strictly a back-of-the-napkin agreement on numbers with nothing having been drafted and includes no policy provisions, which I addressed in an interview with KEYC News Now.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259846869631/what-about-sarah-unsicker
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Will Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker run for re-election?
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Fresh off a trip to Tennessee for Republican Governors Association meetings, Gov. Charlie Baker is still not yet saying if hell run for re-election in 2022. Thats something the lieutenant governor and I and our families are going to talk about, but weve been really focused on this, Baker said Friday after signing an order to rescind the COVID-19 state of emergency on June 15. Earlier this week, people close to Baker told the News Service his re-engagement with the RGA could be a sign that he is leaning in the direction of running for a third term but that he had yet to share a final decision with top aides. Baker has often pointed to the responsibilities of pandemic management when asked about his electoral plans, deflecting a question thats been a topic of speculation as other Republicans and Democrats alike weigh entry into the next gubernatorial race. Well have that conversation at some point, but honestly the focus for both the lieutenant governor and me has really been COVID and all of the things that come with it, Baker said last week, fielding a re-election question during a radio interview. On Friday, a reporter asked Baker if his characterization of the crisis as pretty much over means hes decided whether he will run. Thats pretty clever, Baker replied, before going on to say he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito would first talk with their families.
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https://www.masslive.com/politics/2021/05/will-massachusetts-gov-charlie-baker-run-for-re-election.html
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Are Hollywood's Sadistic Bosses Finally Paying For It?
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MARLON WAYANS CLAIMS 'SCARY MOVIE' FRANCHISE WAS STOLEN FROM THE WAYANS: During an interview with Kevin Hart's Comedy Gold Minds podcast, Marlon Wayans revealed that The Wayans' Scary Movie franchise was taken from them by the "evil" Weinstein Brothers, Bob and Harvey. Bob & Harvey Weinstein are the co-founders of Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company, which distributed the Scary Movie franchise. Marlon explained, They were evil as f**k. We didnt walk away from a franchise. They didnt want to make our deal, and they snatched it. [The] Weinsteins did some really terrible, like rape and pillage villages-type of business So it wasnt that we ever walked away from our franchise that we created. It was taken, and us being the creatives that we are was like All right, bet. F**k you, now watch what I create. ' He continued, We probably should sue for hundreds of millions of dollars, because they probably owe us a s**t load of money. And maybe one day we will. But we didnt walk away from our franchisethem n****s took it. He added, By the third one, they didnt wanna pay the moneyso they snatched it. We found out on Christmas that they hired somebody else to go do it. Like n***a, I could write a book about this s**t. Like literally." (The Jasmine Brand)
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259857206531/are-hollywood-s-sadistic-bosses-finally-paying-for-it
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When Is a Pizza Not a Pizza?
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Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a Coxeter hyperplane arrangement on $\mathbb{R}^n$ with Coxeter group $W$. We assume that the map $-\mathrm{id}$ is in the group $W$ and that $\mathcal{H}$ is not of type $A_1^n$. Let $K$ be a measurable subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$ with finite volume such that $K$ is stable by $W$ and let $a\in\mathbb{R}^n$ such that $K$ contains the convex hull of $\{w(a) : w\in W\}$. The authors proved in a previous article that the alternating sum over the chambers $T$ of $\mathcal{H}$ of the volumes of the sets $T\cap(K+a)$ is zero. In this paper we give a dissection proof of this result. In fact, we lift the identity to an abstract dissection group to obtain a similar identity with the volume replaced by any valuation that is invariant under affine isometries. This includes the cases of all intrinsic volumes. Apart from some basic geometry, the main ingredient is a previous theorem of the authors (the proof of which uses only properties of Coxeter systems and closed convex polyhedral cones) where we relate the alternating sum of the values of certain valuations over the chambers of a Coxeter arrangement to similar alternating sums for simpler subarrangements called $2$-structures.
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https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2259974982716/when-is-a-pizza-not-a-pizza
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Why is Alan Arkin not doing The Kominsky Method on Netflix?
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ACTOR Alan Arkin played Norman Newlander on the first two seasons of The Kominsky Method, but did not return for season three. All six episodes of the third and final season can be found on the streaming service Netflix. The first two seasons of The Kominsky Method follow the exploits of acting coach Sandy Kominsky, played by Michael Douglas, and his best friend Norman. Norman's funeral was held during the opening episode of season three, stunning fans of the show. However, it was always the plan of Arkin to leave the show after season two, according to Deadline. Season two was released on Netflix in October 2019, and at the time it was not clear if there would be more episodes. Season three would launch in May of 2021 - but without Arkin. 3 Arkin appeared on the first two seasons of The Kominsky Method Credit: Michael Yarish/Netflix The Kominsky Method has been a true passion project for me and its been an incredible experience to see the warm response from both audiences and critics," series creator Chuck Lorre said when the series was renewed, according to Deadline. "Im excited to wrap up the story with this final chapter." Fans fell in love with the characters created by Douglas and Arkin, both Oscar winners. The series follows them as they "navigate the ups and downs of getting older," according to the Netflix description. Arkin turned 87 in March of 2021. He notched two Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations in his two seasons playing Norman. Douglas, who won his Oscar for his iconic turn in Wall Street, also has two Emmy nominations for The Kominsky Method, and he won a Golden Globe trophy in 2019. Season three of The Kominsky Method reunites Douglas with Kathleen Turner. They appeared in three movies together, including 1989's The War of the Roses. Like riding a bicycle, Douglas said. Wed look at each other, and theres a lot of memories coming back. Seeing the two of them act together again was thrilling, said Sarah Baker, who plays Douglas daughter. I like to think of myself as the Romancing the Stone baby, she joked. The chemistry is just there, that timing, the rapport between them. Most read in Celebrity Pictured EX MARC'S THE SPOT JLo seen with ex Marc after her Ben Affleck reunion & split from ARod AWKWARD What to know about the rumors swirling Julianne Hough and Leonardo DiCaprio MONEY MAKER RHONJ's Teresa Giudice's ex Joe launches furniture line after sex toy business 'BEST FRIEND' Meet 50 Cent's girlfriend Jamira 'Cuban Link' Haines KEEPING UP Khloe Kardashian takes fans inside her new $37M Hidden Hills dream home BROWN'S FROWN Chris Brown looks sullen at daughter Royalty's pony-themed 7th birthday "Its the kind of thing, its very difficult to fake, so when you have that just inherently between you, we just got to sit back and watch and had a front-row seat, which was amazing. Douglas and Turner also appeared together in Romancing the Stone and its sequel Jewel of the Nile. Season three of The Kominsky Method also features Paul Reiser, Lisa Edelstein, Emily Osment, Haley Joel Osment, and Graham Rogers.
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https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/2979686/alan-arkin-the-kominsky-method-michael-douglas-netflix/
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Is Russell Westbrook playing tonight against Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs?
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The Washington Wizards hope that their star point guard Russell Westbrook laces up for Game 3 as they host the Philadelphia 76ers at Capital One Arena. The Sixers have a commanding 2-0 lead in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs and are expected to dominate the 8th-seeded Wizards once again. However, to make matters worse for Washington fans, Russell Westbrook suffered an apparent ankle injury in the fourth quarter of Game 2. Russell Westbrook was frustrated after suffering an apparent ankle injury. He left for the locker room in the fourth. pic.twitter.com/XWqJK3WOOq SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 27, 2021 The former league MVP left the floor right before the infamous "popcorn" incident with a fan took place right as he was heading to the locker room. Russell Westbrook suffers an ankle injury Russell Westbrook has been listed as questionable against the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 3 of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. He did not practice with the team yesterday and coach Scott Brooks said the team will determine his status based on how the point guard feels tomorrow. During his postgame press conference, Russell Westbrook said he would get treatment and should hopefully feel better. Official injury report: Westbrook (right ankle sprain) is questionable for Game 3 of #WizSixers. https://t.co/ZZETn3j3ax Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 28, 2021 Coach Scott Brooks spoke about Westbrook's status and how the star point guard had been beaten up earlier in the game. He said: "Ive seen him bounce back from some very not-so-good moments where you think he might be out for a couple of weeks. Hes tough. Hes not happy that he wasnt able to finish the game, but hes a winning basketball player." Even if Russell Westbrook does lace up for the game, he is expected to be under a minutes restriction. We will have to see how that affects the Wizards down the stretch as they are 4-3 without him for the season. The injury came at the worst possible time for the Washington Wizards as they are currently down 0-2 in the series. If they lose Game 3, recovering from a 0-3 deficit is next to impossible. No team has ever won a series after being down 0-3 in 140 occasions in NBA history. Also Read: 5 most outrageous stat lines of Russell Westbrook's NBA career
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-is-russell-westbrook-playing-tonight-philadelphia-76ers-game-3-2021-nba-playoffs
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Where are all the CB radios in Fortnite Season 6?
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The latest set of Foreshadowing challenges have been released in Fortnite. In one of the latest Foreshadowing challenges, players are tasked with finding the CB radios on Fortnite Island and using them. These challenges went live after the Fortnite 16.50 update. Given that the season is in its final stretch, things are beginning to spice up as the current season is setting the stage for Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7. The location of all the 5 CB radios in Fortnite Season 6 The 3rd #Fortnite Foreshadowing Quest will be released in 2 hours (10am ET/15:00 BST) (Noticed by @ShiinaBR) pic.twitter.com/vuvns96RJL FNAssist - News & Leaks (@FN_Assist) May 28, 2021 This quest isn't complicated at all, but it's slightly tedious because these CB radios are located all over the map. There are a total of 5 CB radios that players need to find and use in the game. Finding all the CB radios on Fortnite island will not only complete this challenge for players but it will also bag them some XP. Since these CB radios in Fortnite are spread out all over the map, players won't be able to complete this challenge in one game. It's advisable that players attempt to complete this challenge in multiple games so that they have an easier time. [#Fortnite Ch.2 Season 6 Foreshadowing Part 2 Challenges/Quest Guide] Challenges: 1 XP: 24,000 Total Activate CB Radios with Bunker Jonesy to tune into a mysterious Alien podcast! Consider using Creator Code 'FNAssist' pic.twitter.com/CfZTOE4Yxf FNAssist - News & Leaks (@FN_Assist) May 28, 2021 That being said, these Foreshadowing quests set the perfect stage for the arrival of aliens into Fortnite. These CB radios aren't difficult to find at all, although they're located on the most desolated and remote parts of the island. It's evident that the I.O. 's involvement will become more prominent from the start of next season. Players have already been tasked with exploring a downed helicopter in the game. Based on the markings and the mission description, it's clear that the helicopter belongs to the I.O. and it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. UPDATE: Added 2 more Radio locations to the map for the #Fortnite Foreshadowing Quest Part 3! https://t.co/XEUArzOvrN pic.twitter.com/OMhwXZMVP1 FNAssist - News & Leaks (@FN_Assist) May 28, 2021 However, Epic Games hasn't revealed any information about the Foundation or any of the other members of the Seven. There's a chance that the origins of the Seven will be addressed in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7 as well. From the looks of it, next season will probably be action packed and full of unexpected things. It looks like Epic Games is all set to make up for the dullness that took over Fortnite in Chapter 2 Season 6.
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/fortnite/where-cb-radios-fortnite-all-locations-season-6
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Are Banks & The Stock Market Open Memorial Day Weekend 2021?
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The weekend that serves as the kickoff to summer has finally arrived. Many businesses will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. This includes most banks, however, you can still make transactions via mobile app or ATM. If you do make a virtual deposit on Memorial Day, keep in mind that it will not show up in your account until the next day. As for whether your bank will be open on Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, refer to your banks normal schedule. If your bank is always open on Saturdays, it will be open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend as well. Most banks are closed on Sundays. Thanks to user-friendly apps like Robinhood, more and more people are taking an interest in buying stocks. Those new to the world of the New York Stock Exchange are likely wondering whether the stock market will be open this Memorial Day. Memorial Day is one of 9 holidays for which the New York Stock Exchange closes. Both the NYSE and Nasdaq will be closed on Monday, May 31, 2021. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 are closed to trading. Bond markets will be closed as well. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, June 1. Foreign markets will remain open, so you can still do some trading on Memorial Day. The London Stock Exchange will also be closed on Monday, May 31 for a bank holiday. You Can Still Trade Cryptocurrencies on Memorial Day Dear bitcoin, please take this weekend off Barry Silbert (@BarrySilbert) May 28, 2021 If you trade cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Dogecoin, you can still buy and sell on Memorial Day. Cryptocurrency is available 24/7, regardless of federal holidays. This is because crypto trading is not part of the NYSE. As many Americans enjoy a weekend of boat rides and barbecues, those with cryptocurrency holdings dont have that luxury. According to MarketWatch, some Bitcoin investors are dreading what could be a volatile weekend for Cryptocurrency. This includes Barry Silbert, the founder and CEO of Digital Currency Group, who tweeted, Dear Bitcoin, please take this weekend off on Friday. According to the NYSEs holidays & trading hours calendar, the NYSE closes for 9 days a year, excluding weekends. The holiday closures are as follows: New Years Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Washingtons Birthday / Presidents Day Good Friday Memorial Day Independence Day / Fourth of July Labor Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day When holidays fall on a Saturday, the NYSE closes on Friday in observance of the holiday. When holidays fall on a Sunday, the NYSE closes on Monday in observance of the holiday. For example, Independence Day falls on a Sunday in 2021. The NYSE will therefore be closed on Monday, July 5 this year. For the most part, banks follow the same schedule. However, many banks are also closed on Columbus Day, which the NYSE stays open for.
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https://heavy.com/entertainment/is-the-stock-market-open-memorial-day-2021/
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Who is next at cornerback following Julian Humphrey's commitment to UF?
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Florida just added its first defensive back commitment of the 2022 class in Rivals100 cornerback Julian Humphrey of Houston (Texas) Clear Lake. Humphrey is a tall corner with elite speed who excels in press-man coverage. He claims to run a 4.3 40-yard dash and its hard to argue that considering his verified track times in both the 100 and 200 meter. He does a good job getting his hands on receivers at the line, staying in their hip pocket and possessing the speed to almost effortlessly run with them step for step and then tracking the ball and knocking it away. With UF likely taking several corners in the class to go along with Humphrey, Gators Territory breaks down the additional prospects on the board and where Florida stands with them.
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https://florida.rivals.com/news/who-is-next-at-cornerback-following-julian-humphrey-s-commitment-to-uf-
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Whats Up With The Sticker Music Awards?
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We all know that the Musi song ibelou is at the top of the charts every single week. This has been making the professionals at T-Mobile Wireless, AT&T and others very happy. Not only do they want you to purchase their products, but they also want you to vote for them each year at the Music Awards show in Los Angeles. Yes, its that serious a competition. Each year T-Mobile and the other wireless companies spend millions on promoting this type of music for an event that will almost guarantee a win by one of these up and coming artists. You can change the tune of your mobile phone anytime of the year, but you cant really change the title. If youre like most people out there, your answer is Sure! The new Music Award shows will make sure you have something to rock with when you hit the road or check into your hotel. When you hear the name J. Cole you think of Hip-Hop or Rap, but hes actually into much more than that. Hes an artist who loves to mix music genres and bring them together in one awesome sounding package. As someone who loves to listen to multiple different types of music Im sure that helps him achieve success. Hes won awards for his music and he hopes to continue to the point where he can sell his albums and create new ones. Youve probably noticed that the Music Awards dont list songs by one genre anymore. The categories are listed in alphabetical order by artist or group instead. For example, you could put Hip Hop, R&B and Rap in the same sentence as they are all equally successful. Other categories that are added to the music awards ceremony are classical, jazz, gospel and world. This doesnt mean that there isnt any room for more genres in the future, but it does show that its not as widely accepted as it once was. A Music Award is given to individuals who really make an impact on the industry through their performances. It doesnt matter if they sing, act or play instruments because each category has musicians who can do it all. Jazz is growing in popularity and is expected to be a big winner this year. One way that we can help increase awareness for these performers is to get these musicians into the limelight by buying their music. There are many ways to do this, but the best is to buy tickets to a sold out show. Once you see them up on stage, you will never forget what you saw. Some of the other categories you might want to keep an eye on are the r&b and Rap/Hip Hop. These are also great choices because they offer a wide variety of sounds from the past and present. Rap is growing in its acceptance as a musical genre and many artists break into the business with this sound. Hip hop is also another sound that is growing in its own right and offers a wide range of sounds and lyrics. You can find some great billboard music awards online that will help promote these artists. Not every state celebrates Music Awards, so some cities might not have a category for this type of award either. If your city doesnt have a category for this particular type of music then look around at some of the online sites that promote this type of award. You might be able to find an award in your area that helps fund local musicians. Some cities like Austin, TX have a Music Award Ceremony every year and they are very popular. Just Google Music Award in your search engine and you will be able to learn more about them. Whether you decide to purchase a music award or donate it, these are all wonderful ways to promote a local artist. They also help put extra funds back into the community, which is always a good idea. Any little bit that you can contribute to the community goes a long way and these events are a great way for you to do that.
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https://oneedm.com/edm-news/whats-up-with-the-sticker-music-awards/
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When is a First Appearance of Gambit Not a First Appearance of Gambit?
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The debate over which comic book first featured the appearance of the X-Men character Gambit is a highly contested one. There are two contenders, Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 and Uncanny X-Men #266. Now, be in no doubt, chronologically, it's X-Men #266. That was definitely meant to be his first appearance, written by Chris Claremont, drawn by Mike Collins with a Jim Lee cover. However, Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 by Chris Claremont and Art Adams was published first by mistake. Featuring his second appearance and a mystery to readers who hadn't yet been able to read Uncanny X-Men #266. And then Gambit became very popular, turned up in a movie and there was even talk of a spinoff X-Men film from Fox. Which didn't happen. But it did put a focus back on Gambit as a collectible commodity and the wars began to rage over which was his first appearance. Heritage Auctions, in this listing for Uncanny X-Men Annual #14, have tried to have their cake and eat it, calling Gambit's appearance here as a first "cameo" appearance. X-Men Annual #14 (Marvel, 1990) CGC NM 9.4 White pages. Cameo first appearance of Gambit. Fantastic Four appearance. Arthur Adams cover and art. Overstreet 2020 NM- 9.2 value = $48. CGC census 5/21: 341 in 9.4, 1327 higher. At time of writing, it is beating guide price, currently at $78. With all waiting for the X-Men to be introduced to the MCU, Gambut has to be a favourite for a movie or a TV show at some point. Here are his appearances in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14, you be the judge whether this is a full first appearance or a cameo.
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https://bleedingcool.com/comics/when-is-a-first-appearance-of-gambit-not-a-first-appearance-of-gambit/
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Who is Gohanks and Why is His Dragon Ball Super Card So Expensive?
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The most valuable card in Supreme Rivalry, the latest set of Dragon Ball Super Card Game, features a character that may surprise some fans of the franchise. A character with whom some may not be familiar at all. The card in question is the SS3 Gohanks, Interdimensional Warrior SCR. Let's get into it. SS3 Gohanks, Interdimensional Warrior SCR and the two other Secret Rares in Dragon Ball Super: Supreme Rivalry debuted on Bandai's YouTube channel ahead of the set's release. The three Secret Rares connect with a foil golden energy sweeping from Syn Shenron, Corrupted by the Darkness; to Gohanks; to Robelu, Demigra's Secretary. Secret Rares in Dragon Ball Super Card Game are quite hard to pull. A booster box does not guarantee a Secret Rare, which is why the value of these are higher than many other card games. As far as why the Gohanks is valued a bit above the other, the truth is simple. When looking at these cards, Dragon Ball fans already know what's good. If a Saiyan is featured on a Secret Rare, that is going to be the most valuable of the set. SS3 Gohanks, Interdimensional Warrior SCR currently sits at a value of $220.39 as of this writing. This character debuted in Dragon Ball Heroes and is a fusion of Future Trunks and Future Gohan. It's difficult to see on the card because the Super Saiyan 3 look does indeed give the characters a sameyness to them due to lack of eyebrows and similar hairstyles. In his non-Super Saiyan form, it's much easier to tell who this mysterious Saiyan is. One of the coolest aspects of the Dragon Ball Super Card Game is how it pulls from every aspect of the franchise. A set that begins with a focus on the Saiyan Saga could end up featuring characters from one of the franchise's games, which makes for quite a dynamic collecting experience.
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https://bleedingcool.com/games/who-is-gohanks-and-why-is-his-dragon-ball-super-card-so-expensive/
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Will the Jaguars have a Tim Tebow package?
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USA TODAY Sports When Tim Tebow officially got a spot on the 90-man roster in Jacksonville, many said it wont last. Quickly, many of those many have realized that, with the man who hired Tebow in the first place being the same man who will decide whether Tebow makes the team, the chances of Tebow having a spot on the roster come September are far greater than they would be for the usual last man in. On PFT Live in the days before Tebow finally was signed, Simms and I said (partially in jest) that it was just a matter of time before coach Urban Meyer found a way to get Tebow on the field, as a quarterback. Its now looking like its no joke. And its easy to say, Well, the Saints have done it with Taysom Hill for the past few years to justify the Jaguars doing it with Tebow. Indeed, the fact that Saints coach Sean Payton didnt bat an eye about taking the ball out of Drew Brees hands has undercut the long-held belief that gadget plays should be used only rarely when a true franchise quarterback is on the team. So if Brees could stand down for Hill, Trevor Lawrence should have no qualms about periodically splitting wide or leaving the field for Tebow to take a snap in shotgun formation to run it, hand it off, or throw it. Frankly, it seems inevitable at this point. Inevitable that Tebow will make the team, either as a member of the 53-man roster or as a participant on the practice squad, getting called up to the game-day roster as part of the rule that allows two of the extra players to be promoted each week. That said, Tebow isnt close to being as skilled as Hill, who is now part of the competition to become the starting quarterback in New Orleans. Hill is much faster than Tebow ever was. Hill is a more accurate passer than Tebow ever was or will be. Hill, unlike Tebow, doesnt have a release that conjures memories of the gradual cranking of a catapult. None of that matters. If Meyer wants it, Meyer gets it. And if Meyer uses it at the right time (like from the one-yard line) and Tebow powers his way into the end zone with the Hulk Hogan-style 24-inch pythons he has sprouted on his upper arms, Meyer will be justified for showing faith in a man who football had forgotten. That wont change the fundamental nature of the exercise. Its a Refrigerator Perry-style gimmick. But if the gimmick passes the eyeball test, the gimmick will draw even more eyeballs, and dollars, to Jaguars games.
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https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/05/29/will-the-jaguars-have-a-tim-tebow-package/
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Are these the best US shares to buy now?
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The US is home to most of the worlds biggest and richest public companies. Ive been checking todays most popular stocks, trying to find the best US shares to buy now. Just about everyone seems to be tipping Apple at the moment. Well, not just now. Its been like that for years. I remember the first time I decided that Apple shares were overvalued and didnt buy. It was about 25 years ago, and we know whats happened since. 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... Yes, Apple was definitely one of the best US shares to buy back then. On a trailing P/E of 29, it really doesnt look overvalued to me. But tech shares like Apple seem to perpetually hinge on the next quarters results, and they could go in either direction in 2021. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tesla is popular with buyers of US stocks at the moment. Its been in the news again of late, due to Elon Musk apparently switching views on Bitcoin. The future of road travel looks certain to be electric, and Teslas technology is leading the way. But the valuation of the shares makes my eyes water. Teslas are on a trailing P/E of 600. I just couldnt count anything valued at 600 times its earnings among the best US shares. And yes, I know, I might be making another Apple for myself. Electric vehicles too While electric vehicles are big news, NIO shares have been soaring. But its been a bit of a strange ride. By mid-January, investors in the producer were sitting on a gain of around 1,200% over 12 months. But, since then, Nio has dropped 42%. My Motley Fool colleague Zaven Boyrazian has probed the reasons behind the price dip. As he points out, its hard to justify the current NIO share price based on any fundamentals. I think its a company with great sales prospects. But on that valuation, its not for me at present. It might not exactly be a new idea, but Amazon is still one of Americas favourite stocks. Covid-19 gave the share price a big boost, pushing it up around 70% since the pandemic started. And now were heading out of lockdowns, theres been no sign of any fall back. Maybe I just dont get US stock valuations, but no, not on a P/E of 60, I wont. With greenhouse gases and bovine flatulence big news, this is another stock investors have been shovelling up. There are no profits, so no P/E, and its a bit tricky to work out. But I do like Beyond Meat, and I do think it might be among the best US shares out there right now. Its got to be risky, mind.
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https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/05/29/are-these-the-best-us-shares-to-buy-now/
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Is the writing on the wall for the Royal Dutch Shell share price?
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The Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) share price isnt the power it was. Right now, it stands at 1,286p, well below the 2,841p it hit three years ago. It also trades notably lower than a decade ago, when it stood at 2,122p. Recent underperformance isnt a blip, but looks like a long-term trend. Throw in the fact that management recently dropped the dividend for the first time since the Second World War, and Royal Dutch Shell doesnt look like the sure-fire winner it used to be, and I think its share price will remain under sustained pressure. 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... For years, Royal Dutch Shell and rival BP were the undisputed FTSE 100 dividend kings. The world ran on oil, and these two were the cornerstone of every UK income portfolio. They still pay generous dividends, although less so in the case of Shell, which currently yields 3.6%, rather than the 5%-6% investors had come to expect. FTSE 100 oil companies could struggle Naturally, the pandemic hit the Royal Dutch Shell share price hard. By October last year it had plunged to 866p, a 20-year low. Oil has since recovered to almost $70 a barrel, comfortably past the companys break-even point of around $50. Thats good news for Shell, but there is bad news elsewhere. The fight against climate change is likely to inflict further damage on the Royal Dutch Shell share price, following last weeks move by a Hague court to order Shell to halve its carbon emissions by 2030. Shell plans to appeal, but as I argued yesterday, the writing is on the wall for big oil. Shell has been battling to comply with Paris Agreement demands, but that is now a legal obligation rather than a broad aspiration. The ruling applies to its entire business chain, from suppliers to end consumers. It could also affect investor behaviour. Institutions are already under pressure to comply with ESG demands, and now have another reason to back away. The ruling will further empower activists, who sense blood. Whatever peoples views on climate change, this should affect their views on the Royal Dutch Shell share price. The truth is that Shell and its rivals were always going to struggle to clean up their operations in the time available to them. Management has been targeting net zero emissions by 2050, and even that looks unrealistic, given that they peaked at a massive 1.7 gigatonnes a year in 2018. The Royal Dutch Shell share price feels the heat Technologies such as carbon capture and storage are notoriously expensive. Management has pledged to double its renewable electricity output by 2030, but this will require massive capital investment. Also, barriers to entry are lower for renewables than oil, so competition will be tough. As if that wasnt enough, Shell has also set itself a target of reducing net debt from $71.3bn to $65bn, and increasing todays dividend by 4% a year. The Royal Dutch Shell share price is on a bumpy road. I fear too many investors are looking in the rearview mirror, rather than the road ahead.
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https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/05/29/for-saturday-royal-dutch-shell-share-price/
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Is the Vodafone share price a bargain?
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The Vodafone (LSE: VOD) share price has been under pressure. The stock has returned around 5% year-to-date, compared to the FTSE All-Shares near-8%. Over the past 12 months, Vodafone has returned 0.4%, excluding dividends. The FTSE All-Share Index has returned nearly 20%, excluding dividends. 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... However, I think the stock is now trading at such an attractive level it could be worth buying, especially considering its dividend potential. Vodafone share price on offer The first thing I do before buying any stock is try to understand why the shares have performed the way they have recently. The stock has been under pressure after the company published its results for its financial year ending 31 March. The results revealed the group earned a profit of 3.8bn last year. But revenues declined from 38.7bn to 37.7bn. Management blamed reduced income from mobile roaming and handset sales during the Covid-19 crisis for this decline. The companys commitment to spend more in the coming years on developing its infrastructure also spooked investors. Infrastructure spending has always been a headwind for the company. Unfortunately, the group cant skimp on spending. Vodafone needs to keep spending to stay up-to-date with the competition. Even then, theres no guarantee customers will stay with the business. Despite spending tens of billions of euros over the past few decades on new equipment, theres not much differentiating Vodafone from other mobile providers, apart from price. This is probably the biggest challenge the group faces. It will need to keep spending to stay up-to-date with the competition. But this doesnt guarantee the company will achieve better returns than any other in the sector. This could be one reason why investors have been avoiding the Vodafone share price. Economies of scale That said, Vodafone does have one key advantage. Size. Not only is it a european telecoms giant, but the company also has substantial operations around the world. Moreover, the firm bulked up its european business last year with the acquisition of Liberty Global. Vodafone reckons it can achieve 535m a year in operating synergies as part of this deal. I think this clearly shows how size can benefit the group. If managements correct, the additional cash flow will fund growth projects and reduce debt. The companys chunky dividend yield also supports the Vodafone share price. The stock currently supports a dividend yield of 5.5%. While some analysts have speculated that the payout could be cut to fund spending, in the current financial year Vodafone expects underlying cash profits of 15.0bn-15.4bn, and underlying free cash flow of 5.2bn. I think that will be more than enough to cover the companys dividend. However, nothings guaranteed at this point. Still, considering the companys market-beating dividend yield and economies of scale, I think the stock could be a great acquisition to my portfolio after recent declines. Thats why Id buy Vodafone today.
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https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/05/29/is-the-vodafone-share-price-a-bargain/
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Whats happening to the Rolls-Royce share price?
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The Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR) share price has performed poorly over the past few months. Year-to-date, the stock has returned just 3.7%. Over the past 12 months, it is off nearly 10%. However, over the same time frame, the companys underlying fundamental performance has improved markedly. 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... Rolls-Royce share price outlook Two weeks ago, Rolls-Royce issued a trading update for the first few months of 2021. The market had been expecting another update from the business following a rough performance from the company in 2020. Towards the end of last year, management had stated that the company was on track to become free cash flow positive by the second half of 2021. Investors were waiting to see if the company still believed this was possible. As it turns out, management believes it is. According to the companys latest trading update, management sees it reaching this goal as vaccinations bring the pandemic under control and travellers return to the skies. This is incredibly positive news. The Rolls-Royce share price has been under pressure for much of the past year due to concerns about the companys balance sheet and rising losses. The fact that management believes the group will be free cash flow positive at some point in the next six-to-nine months suggests these balance sheet pressures are now behind it. If the company meets its cash flow target, it can focus on growth, but this could be a long way off yet. Risks and challenges Unfortunately, the company is not out of the woods yet, despite the progress it has made over the past few months. Vaccinations are making a big impact, but outbreaks are still occurring around the world. It could be several years before the group returns to 2019 levels of sales and profitability. In the meantime, management will have to remain laser-focused on keeping costs low and maximising profitability. Another significant coronavirus outbreak could cause massive disruption. This would undoubtedly throw a spanner in the works of the companys recovery plans. It may even have to raise more cash from investors if losses return. I think this is the primary reason why the Rolls-Royce share price has performed the way it has in 2021. Yes, the company seems to be through the worst of the storm, but it still faces a long road to recovery. And any setback could force the business to make some hard choices. With that being the case, Im not going to be buying a large holding in Rolls-Royce any time soon. I might be tempted to take a small position, but considering the risks facing the enterprise, I reckon there are better opportunities on the market that would prevent me spending a lot on RR shares.
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https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/05/29/whats-happening-to-the-rolls-royce-share-price/
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Whats next for the Scottish Mortgage share price?
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The Scottish Mortgage (LSE: SMT) share price has whipsawed over the past few months. After hitting an all-time high of 1,415p in the middle of February, it slumped by nearly a third in the following weeks. Since then, shares in the trust have recovered some of the losses. However, theyre still trading around 17% below the all-time high. 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... Over the past 12 months, the trust has returned a 60% and, over the past five years, its up 350%. Therefore, long-term investors have been well rewarded. While past performance should never be used as a guide to future potential, Ive been evaluating the trust recently to see if it could be worth adding the shares to my portfolio after recent declines. Scottish Mortgage share price outlook The Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust is a growth fund. Its managers are looking for the worlds best companies, which generally means buying high-growth entities. This approach can generate huge returns, as the historical performance of the Scottish Mortgage share price shows. But, unfortunately, high growth stocks tend to be incredibly volatile. Thats the biggest drawback of investing in these businesses. It tends to put a lot of investors off. This goes some way to explaining why shares in the trust have performed the way they have over the past few months. Unfortunately, I think its likely shares in the trust will remain volatile, purely because of its investment strategy. Finding the next generation of growth companies requires a certain amount of luck and faith. Sometimes, the investments dont work out. However, by using a diversified approach, growth investors like Scottish Mortgage profit by focusing on winners and kicking losers out of the portfolio. Volatility and the prospect of owning fast-growth companies are the two most significant risks hanging over the Scottish Mortgage share price. For example, if one of the trusts high-profile top holdings suddenly runs into trouble, its shares could plunge. Global growth Like all investments, Scottish Mortgage has its risks. Nevertheless, Im incredibly excited about its potential. As the world recovers from the coronavirus crisis, I think theres the potential for a substantial economic rebound. This could benefit some of the trusts most significant holdings. Whats more, its biggest holdings, including US retailer Amazon and Chinese technology group Tencent, have substantial competitive advantages. These advantages should help these businesses reinforce their positions in their respective markets and capitalise on economic growth to the best of their ability. As such, while I think its likely the Scottish Mortgage share price will continue to encounter volatility as we advance, Im incredibly excited about the prospects for some of the companies in the trusts investment portfolio. And with that being the case, Id buy the stock for my portfolio today. I think its a fantastic way to buy a basket of the worlds top growth companies at the click of a button, despite the drawbacks outlined above.
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https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/05/29/whats-next-for-the-scottish-mortgage-share-price/
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Do Chinese Infrastructure Loans Promote Business Startups in African Countries?
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Advertisement As Chinese loans to Africa have been on an upward trajectory for more than a decade, there are questions about the economic consequences that large scale borrowing from China has on African economies. Particularly, there is a raging debate over whether Chinese loans to Africa are a net positive or a net drain on African economies. My research confirms at least one benefit: infrastructure loans (which account for a significant share of Chinas lending) are strongly correlated with a rise in the number of business startups. Its not hard to imagine why this would be the case. In Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, disruption of economic activity from frequent power outages and unreliable transport has left businesses with no choice but to invest in costly diesel generators, keep expensive backup inventories, and adopt other coping measures at a significant cost. This is especially relevant for new startups, which may be unable to adapt to expensive generators and other challenging coping strategies. Unfortunately, infrastructure deficits like the lack of reliable transport and electricity are not unique to Dar es Salaam they are prevalent in many large African cities. Indeed, according to World Bank investment climate surveys, African firms have consistently ranked economic infrastructure deficits as an important constraint to business. My recent study finds that new startups are thriving in African countries with a higher percentage of Chinese economic infrastructure loans. This finding supports evidence that large-scale investments in economic infrastructure such as roads, ports, electricity grids, and telecommunication networks create business opportunities and reduce doing business costs in Dar es Salaam and elsewhere in Africa. Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month. In my study, I empirically analyzed a panel dataset of 38 African countries spanning the period between 2006 and 2018, and found robust evidence that African countries with a higher percentage of economic infrastructure loans in terms of GDP have greater entrepreneurship in the form of new business startups. Increasing total economic infrastructure loan amounts (expressed as a percent of the recipients GDP) by one percent is on average associated with a 3.6 percent increase in new business startup activity. However, these benefits were not evenly spread. New firm creation is found to be significantly lower in African countries with 1) greater regulation-driven barriers to entry, 2) poor institutional quality, and 3) restricted access to private sector credit. Specifically, increasing entry regulation for firms by one procedure significantly curtails new business formation, by approximately 8.1 percent. Turning to institutional quality, a one standard deviation improvement in institutional quality raised new business creation by 77 percent. Two institutional quality dimensions (i.e., control of corruption and rule of law) are shown to be especially important for promoting new business startups. Lastly, expanding access to private sector credit by just 1 percent is significantly associated with a 2.3 percent increase in new business startup activity. Diplomat Brief Weekly Newsletter N Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific. Get the Newsletter Policy Recommendations Advertisement These findings are consistent with the view that Chinese economic infrastructure loans promote new firm startups by creating business opportunities and by reducing infrastructure related costs. Good infrastructure enables opportunities by connecting firms to their customers and suppliers, and by helping them to take advantage of modern production techniques. For example, efficient transport infrastructure links create opportunities for firms to not only buy and sell in neighboring markets, but enhance their reach to the entire world. This is particularly important for Africa, where poor transport infrastructure has been found to account for a large percent of the cost of transport a cost that is significantly higher for landlocked African countries. Complementing efficient transport infrastructure links with access to modern telecommunications services and reliable power supply reduces barriers that impede the entry of new firms in African markets. Clearly, Chinese loans that are used to improve the provision of economic infrastructure services in Africa can have a big impact on the entry of new firms into African markets. This is important from a development perspective because new firm creation is often credited for boosting the overall productivity and economic growth of a country through its positive effects on efficiency and innovation. In addition, newly established firms also contribute significantly to job creation. The policy implications of my research are clear: To promote new business startups, African nations with limited fiscal space should use loans from China, prioritizing business creation opportunities and reducing the costs of doing business. Loans should target financing all the three types of economic infrastructure transport, communications, and energy. This is crucial because these different economic infrastructures complement each other. For example, transport costs caused by poor transport infrastructure are affected by other types of infrastructure, including the extent to which telecommunications systems allow firms to track their goods in transit, and how quickly goods are cleared through customs for firms engaged in international trade. The focus should be on improving both access and reliability of infrastructure services it doesnt help at all to be connected to an electricity grid if there is no power supply. But infrastructure loans and projects alone wont guarantee a startup boom. African governments must also provide increased access to private sector financing. In World Bank investment climate surveys, African firms cite access to finance as their second biggest operating constraint after poor infrastructure. The African Development Bank notes that start-ups in particular are subject to more credit constraints. Likewise, African countries need to strengthen the regulatory and institutional framework to create a more conducive business environment. Policies that tackle unfavorable business regulations (through entry deregulation) as well as poor-quality institutions (by combating corruption and strengthening the rule of law) are important. According to the African Development Bank, the harmful consequences related to regulatory and institutional constraints often fall disproportionately on new entrepreneurs.
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https://thediplomat.com/2021/05/do-chinese-infrastructure-loans-promote-business-startups-in-african-countries/
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Why is a company accused of looting diamonds back in Zimbabwes mines?
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In 2016, Robert Mugabe, then the president of Zimbabwe, announced that a mining company had looted diamonds worth $15bn from the country. The company was Anjin, a joint venture between a Chinese firm and the Zimbabwean military. Anjin strongly denied the allegations. But considering the dire state of the country at the time a collapsed healthcare system, chronic fuel and food shortages, dilapidated roads the claims were explosive. Yet in January this year, the state-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company pulled out of the most lucrative diamond-producing block in the east of the country and handed it over to the very same company: Anjin. Diamonds from Zimbabwe have Kimberley Process certification, which means they are supposed to be traceable. However, in recent months critical questions about accountability and transparency in the countrys diamond-mining sector have resurfaced. Chinese investment in Zimbabwe In 2000, under Mugabes rule, Zimbabwe embarked on a chaotic land reform programme, which saw the displacement of 4,500 white commercial farmers from prime land. According to the government, this exercise was meant to redress colonial land imbalances. Almost immediately, the West imposed sanctions on Mugabes administration, which in turn sought increased cooperation with China in a foreign policy dubbed Look East. In 2006, major diamond discoveries were made in Marange in the east of the country. A diamond rush swiftly ensued, leading to a brutal clampdown on informal miners by the military in 2008, in which an estimated 200 people were killed. Two years later, the government granted Anjin a licence to mine diamonds in Marange. The company remained in the area until it was evicted by Mugabe in 2016, along with several other mining companies. Anjin is a joint venture between Chinese company Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group (AFECC) and the Zimbabwean military through its investment vehicle, Matt Bronze.
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https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/why-is-a-company-accused-of-looting-diamonds-back-in-zimbabwes-mines/
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Will there be Prime Day Whole Foods deals in 2021?
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Amazon Prime Day isn't just a time for big discounts on the latest tech or super cheap Echo speakers. Amazon's partnership with Whole Foods means you can not only save on far more than laptops and TVs, but also use your groceries to help pay for those bigger purchases. A Prime membership already grants Whole Foods shoppers an extra 10% off sale items at their grocery store (or using Amazon's online service), and plenty of extra goodies from time to time as well. However, over the last few years we've seen Whole Foods shoppers unlocking far more potential for their Prime Day deals as well. In both 2019 and 2020, Amazon offered a promotion in which Whole Foods shoppers would receive a $10 Amazon voucher when they spend more than $10 at a Whole Foods store (or online). Not only that, though but shoppers could earn up to $50 in Amazon credit by using services like Amazon Books, Amazon Pop Up, Amazon Go, Amazon Fresh and by spending $10 with Amazon's Small Business program. Prime Day Whole Foods deals in 2021 Even in 2020's particularly tight landscape, Amazon still managed to hand out plenty of extra vouchers with a Prime Day Whole Foods campaign. Despite the event being delayed to October and retail continuing to struggle against the global pandemic, we still received the classic Whole Foods discount. That means we're optimistic for a return in 2021, and considering Amazon has brought its event forward to June, it's likely the retailer will want to make a big splash with this year's offers. There's no better way to do that than by building hype in the weeks leading up to the main event, and the Whole Foods promotion has served Amazon particularly well in this regard over the last two years. A recent report by Bloomberg suggested an Amazon Prime Day date of June 21, and while that's yet to be confirmed, if such rumors are true we could see the beginning of Amazon's Prime Day Whole Foods deals very shortly. Last year, the promotion began from the end of September, running for two weeks before the October 14 event. If the above dates are confirmed by Amazon, then, you could start claiming Amazon credit from June 7, 2021. We're also rounding up all the best Prime Day laptop deals and Amazon Prime Day TV deals you can expect to see in June.
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https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/will-there-be-prime-day-whole-foods-deals-in-2021
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What next for Dominic Cummings following his bombshell attack on Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock?
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For 24 hours Dominic Cummings was the highest-profile person in the country. A life of leisure: By any normal standards Dominic Cummings is not exactly hard-up. He lives in a large house in north London, his family owns property and businesses in County Durham and his father-in-law is a castle-dwelling baronet. But taking it quiet hardly seems an option for a man of such prodigious intellectual energy. Writing: He has only once posted fresh material on his blog since being forced out of Downing Street but was previously famous for churning out thousands of words on subjects such as reform of government and artificial intelligence. Publishers would pay handsomely for a book collecting his musings, while his memoirs would generate a torrent of front-page news. News and analysis, direct from Westminster to your inbox Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. TV pundit: His committee appearance proved that Mr Cummings has an undoubted gift for an arresting phrase and a cool temperament in the spotlight. Perhaps a career as a broadcast pundit beckons, although he might feel it is beneath him to be on hand to provide instant reaction to the latest Johnson bungle or gaffe. Think tank: Its a well-trodden path for former politicos to establish a think tank dedicated to sharing their views with the world. He could appoint a handful of like-minded thinkers to continue challenging the political norms he abhors. And he would have free rein to appoint the weirdos and misfits with odd skills he admires. Data consultancy: What really gets Mr Cummings pulses racing is the use of mathematics and data analytics to drive Government policy. He painted a picture this week of data experts providing wise counsel while ministers and officials floundered in their response to the advance of Covid. He has already taken his first step into a little-explored field, setting up Durham-based Siwah Ltd in February. It describes its nature of business as information technology consultancy activities. There would be potential comic value in any encounters with left-wing academics or woke students, but he would certainly remain behind a computer screen or buried away in the library rather than becoming involved in teaching. City career: If he wants to make serious money this could be the route to take. His knowledge of the workings of Whitehall and specifically Downing Street and the Treasury would be invaluable to City banks and hedge funds desperate for inside information about Britains economic course after Brexit. Just dont expect him to wear a collar and tie to the boardroom. The conscience of Brexit: Events have proved that the campaign to get Britain out of the European Union mattered far more to Mr Cummings than domestic politics. In 2019 he stressed he had never been a member of the Conservatives despite working for such figures as Michael Gove and Iain Duncan Smith or any other party. He could carve out a role ensuring the spirit of free trade remains alive when ministers hammer out deals around the world. Frontline politics: This option seems vanishingly unlikely given his open contempt for politicians and their profession. Its difficult to imagine a party or minister taking a gamble on the ultimate maverick. That would be a high-risk strategy given his propensity for falling out with bosses and colleagues. Comic turn: Its not widely appreciated that a wicked sense of humour lurks beneath the Machiavellian image cultivated by Mr Cummings.
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https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/what-next-for-dominic-cummings-following-his-bombshell-attack-boris-johnson-matt-hancock-1025588
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How are Winnipeg police responding to calls for change one year after murder of George Floyd?
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A year after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer sparked cries for change, a Winnipeg police inspector says the city's service is working hard to repair relationships with marginalized communities, in part by bolstering anti-racism training and outreach. Yet some advocates say there is still a great deal of mistrust of police among BIPOC communities. They says that's because they're hearing a lot of talk, but not seeing any actual change in their interactions with police. Insp. Bonnie Emerson, who leads the Winnipeg police community support division, says since last year, the service has been trying to deepen its training of officers, to give them a greater understanding of how racism impacts the communities they police. That has included having members from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) communities speak with recruits to share their experiences of police interactions. Winnipeg police Insp. Bonnie Emerson leads the service's community support division. (CBC) "Training is one tangible component where we involve our community partners and organizations with lived experience when we do our diversity and Indigenous training for our cadets and recruits," Emerson said. "We also utilize police officers with lived experience, specifically from marginalized and racialized communities, to come and speak personally from the police perspective and share their experiences with our cadets." Part of that training has also involved discussions about Canada's colonial past, and how that impacts people to this day, said Emerson. "We are not shying away from addressing really hard, uncomfortable topics, owning it and engaging all layers of the police service in those conversations with the community, with the people that it affects." Her division has also expanded the amount of outreach it does, asking community organizations what they'd like to see. LISTEN | Winnipeg police Insp. Bonnie Emerson speaks with Information Radio guest host Faith Fundal: Information Radio - MB 10:45 Winnipeg Police Inspector Bonnie Emerson is with the Winnipeg Police Service's Community Support Division, and is in charge of the Diversity Unit, Crime Prevention, School engagement and Indigenous Partnership Section. She speaks with Guest Host Faith Fundal what has and has not changed in Winnipeg since the Justice for Black Lives movement demanded real change in policing in our community. 10:45 Less talk, more action Though engagement is good, what people impacted by racism really want to see is action, says Mandela Kuet, a community advocate who works with newcomer and refugee youth in Winnipeg. He says he feels like he's heard a lot of talk over the last year, but hasn't seen a lot of change in experiences with police officers. "I feel like that's one of the challenges, is because the community doesn't see those changes," he said. "Publicly, they [police] acknowledge that there's challenges between communities and police. But in terms of actions that are being taken, that's something that we have to see." Community advocate Mandela Kuet says he has yet to see much in the way of concrete change when it comes to policing in Winnipeg. (Submitted by Mandela Kuet) A meeting of the Winnipeg Police Board last September heard from members of the Police Accountability Coalition a group of more than 90 Manitoba community-based organizations that came together to express support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. They laid out accusations of racial profiling by the city's police service, random checkstops and carding of members from visual minority communities. At that meeting, Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth denied and dismissed those claims. Louise Simbandumwe, executive Director of SEED Winnipeg an anti-poverty non-profit and one of the coalition's member organizations also said she's seen very little in terms of tangible change in the last year. "I absolutely agree that engagement is really important, but one year on, when we look at the record, very little has been done," she told Information Radio guest host Faith Fundal. Louise Simbandumwe of SEED Winnipeg is one of the members of the Police Accountability Coalition. (Submitted by Louise Simbandumwe) She questions how effective anti-racism training for Winnipeg police is, considering there is still a significant level of mistrust of police among some BIPOC community members. "I think there is a long, long road ahead. You can't change what you do not acknowledge," she said. "And so we're still at the point where we are looking for the police service to acknowledge the specifics of what is happening so that we can work together with them, to actually put in place substantive change so that all community members in Winnipeg feel equally protected by the police." LISTEN | Louise Simbandumwe on what has and hasn't changed since the death of George Floyd: Information Radio - MB 10:03 This week the world remembers and reflects on the death of George Floyd by a former Minnesota police officer. The protests demanding change, that started in the U.S., were soon happening in Canada, including in Winnipeg. Guest Host Faith Fundal put that question to Louise Simbandumwe, Executive Director of SEED Winnipeg. and Jessica DaSliva, Director of the Youth Agency Alliance - both members of the Police Accountability Coalition. 10:03 The Winnipeg Police Service's Insp. Emerson said she acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be done, but believes having conversations is a big part of that. "But we can't just keep it at talk, and I don't believe that we have and [we] are proceeding in engaging and putting into action, I think, some pretty important initiatives." In an email, a spokesperson for the province's Justice Department said the Manitoba government is working to implement the 70 recommendations coming out of a review of The Police Services Act that was completed last fall. "Manitoba Justice is committed to ongoing outreach and consultations, and a meeting with the Police Accountability Coalition is scheduled for June," the spokesperson wrote.
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-police-one-year-george-floyd-murder-1.6044887?cmp=rss
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Is the vaccine blood-clot problem fixed?
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The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford and Johnson & Johnson has been marred by rare but serious blood-clotting side effects that resulted in some deaths. Now, scientists in Germany say they have uncovered the cause of the clotting condition and can fix it. Sam Fazeli, a Bloomberg Opinion contributor who covers the pharmaceutical industry for Bloomberg Intelligence, answers questions about the new findings. The conversation has been edited and condensed. Everyone is keen to understand what is causing the very rare blood clotting issues seen with the so-called adenoviral-vectored vaccines developed by Astra-Oxford and J&J. What is unusual about these issues is that they are blood clots that form in odd parts of the body, such as the cerebral sinus vein, at the same time as a reduction in platelets, which normally leads to bleeding. If we know why they occur, maybe we can find a way to prevent them. To this end, we already know that some Astra and J&J vaccine recipients develop an antibody directed against what's known as platelet-factor 4, which then leads to a reduction in the number of platelets. That is what this study tries to answer. And I am afraid some people have taken the results of these experiments as suggesting a solution. But that is not the case. They are a very interesting set of experiments, but that's what they are. Their laboratory analysis seems to suggest that the vaccines from Astra and J&J which target the spike protein, or rod-like structures that are stuck on the outside of the virus could produce soluble pieces of this protein. They then hypothesize that these soluble spike proteins could bind to what are known as ACE2 receptors on the inside of human blood vessels and set off an inflammatory cascade which leads to blood clotting. From an experimental perspective, it looks fine. The issue is that the authors, in my view, have gone a bit too far, even in naming their finding vaccine-induced COVID-19 mimicry syndrome. They don't show actual evidence to support their hypothesis. Some key steps are required to prove that this is actually the way the vaccines induce blood clots, known as thromboses. Several things can be done. The first is to prove that those vaccinated with the adenoviral vaccines actually have soluble spike protein in their blood stream and that it is higher than those who have been inoculated with shots based on messenger RNA (Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc.). Then they need to show that there is indeed inflammation at the site of blood clots involving immune complexes with soluble spike protein and anti-spike antibodies. Additionally, if there is indeed soluble spike protein produced in sufficient quantities to matter, we need data on the time course of this and how it relates to the evolution of neutralizing antibodies. The authors hypothesize that the reason the clotting problem is rare is because neutralizing antibodies generally tend to form in time to bind to the soluble spike protein and stop it from sticking to the ACE2 receptors on the inside of blood vessels, and neutralize them. All this has yet to be proved. The companies could go back and modify their vaccines. But then they would have to prove that the modified vaccines are equally effective and, more importantly, that they don't cause the side effect. This would involve vaccinating hundreds of thousands of individuals to test this. I am not sure how feasible that is. The operative word here is seemingly. We have to wait for much more data. I wont be convinced that the J&J vaccine has a lower rate of such events until I see data from about the same number of vaccinations that Astra's vaccine has had. It is possible thats the case, though, given that the two use different adenoviruses, spike sequences and manufacturing processes. The authors do try and use that as potential evidence in support of their hypothesis, but given how immature the data is, I don't think its a given. Countries are still using the vaccines, so it is unlikely that this study alone would change anything. As I said, we need a lot more clinical data before anyone actually accepts this as a cause-and-effect situation. But if the hypothesis were proved to be true, then indeed those existing vaccines would have to be replaced with new ones that have the modification. All of this would take time. Thats not to say it wouldnt be desirable to find a solution. These shots are seen as key in the race to vaccinate the world and tame the virus, so if we were able to remove the threat of these rare but possible deadly side effects from the equation, that would be a big step forward. But were not there yet.
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https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/is-the-vaccine-blood-clot-problem-fixed-1.1609889
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How do I move on after losing my dear brother?
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Q: I lost my brother two weeks ago through a tragic accident. Since then my life has not been normal. I find it hard to express how I feel. I also know people may not understand my situation and I have kept to myself. When I meet with some of my friends they look at me with a lot of pity. Others gave me presents that remind me of my late brother. Please help me with the best way to move on. A: The feelings and emotions you are going through are okay especially after such a loss. I empathise with you. While it may not be easy to express how you feel, try to share with others around you. This is because close friends and family will want to help you but may not know-how. It is to need some time to yourself to process your thoughts and feelings. This will be your mourning period which will be accompanied by strong feelings and emotions. This may be done by going to a particular place which may help you focus your thoughts. Writing down your thoughts and feelings will help to get things straight in your mind. On the presents reminding you of your late sibling, keep them. Later on, when the grief is gone, you may crave memories of your brother and the gifts will be a perfect reminder of him then. The reason why every person you meet shows pity on you is probably you are acting unusual or unconsciously bringing up the topic of your late brother. This will automatically result in pity, which is something you do not want. Kindly consider visiting a counselor.
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https://nation.africa/kenya/life-and-style/saturday-magazine/how-do-i-move-on-after-losing-my-dear-brother--3417752
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Is milk really the best match for cereal? Why not try beer and these five other liquids?
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Free yourself from the tyranny of big milk. All our lives weve been told to eat our cereal with milk like good little sheeple, when all the time that combination has been nothing more than a sinister global conspiracy for cereal makers to boost their purported health benefits by piggy-backing on the high nutritional value of milk. Granted, cereal and milk is extremely delicious, but theres no reason it cant also be a scam of royal proportions at the same time. Even in Japan, on a bag of Corn Frosty (also known as Frosted Flakes or Frosties in other countries), Tony the Tiger can be seen proclaiming: Make it more delicious with Milk! Magic with Milk! F you, Tony. I wont do what you tell me! In Japan, Cereal Day falls on 29 May because the numbers 5-2-9 read as ko-fu-ku in Japanese loosely coincides with corn flake if you use your imagination really hard. So, our reporter Seiji chose this day to become cereals new Independence Day, celebrating our freedom from the drudgery of pouring milk on our cereal every day, and instead opening a whole new universe of flavor combinations and possibilities with various other liquids. Without further ado, lets take the red Fruit Loop and dive in Orange Drink Orange juice is notorious for not playing we with others, so Seiji decided on its more mild and saccharine cousin orange drink for his first test. Seiji figured since they were both sugary, there shouldnt be much conflict with this beverage and Corn Frosty. He was right! The sweetness of the drink and sugary corn flakes melded well, and the orangey aroma was quite pleasant too. If anything it was a little too sweet for Seiji and he though some pure orange juice might have been more balanced after all, as opposed to this ten-percent juice one, but that would have to wait for another Cereal Day. Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea) Having successfully warmed up, Seiji tried something more adventurous with the classic Japanese beverage hojicha. He wasnt quite sure how this would work out, and at first glance the century-old drink didnt seem like it would match with a cartoon tiger and his sugar-coated corn. But Seiji was wrong! He could best describe this combination as cool in the style sense rather than temperature. Like the orange drink, this combination also had an attractive aroma that really added to the experience more than milk. The flavors of the tea and cereal conflicted but balanced each other out for a refined taste. It was even better than the orange drink! Soup Stock Seasoning Dashi, the name for a variety of Japanese soup stocks and sauces based on them, is as widely used in Japan as Corn Frosty is around the world. So, bringing them together was an exciting cross-cultural experiment, but also risky since the fish and seaweed base of dashi wasnt guaranteed to go with cereal. Seiji took one bite and was overwhelmed by how amazingly delicious it was! It tasted like a full-bodied meal but the essence of the corn flakes was still firmly present in the mix. This sauce is usually used for noodles, but with cereal there was a novel crispy texture that was really good too. Monster Energy Drink The flexibility of Corn Frosty was turning out to be much wider that Seiji had imagined, but up until now he had been mixing with other items that have high compatibility. For his next test, he wanted to find something that had a singular taste, not often mixed with other flavors, so he got some Monster energy drink. It looked pretty gross to be honest, and it made a fizzing sound because of Monsters carbonation. Seiji imagined that sound was Monster infusing the Corn Frosty with pure energy as he went in for a spoonful. It wasnt bad! But it was very busy, the crackling of the cereal and fizzing bubbles were going off left and right in his mouth against a background of intense sweetness. This seemed like an American taste to our reporter, which would make sense since both were American products. Low-Malt Beer The previous test showed that Corn Frosty could hold up to carbonated drinks, so Seiji decided to go one further and grabbed a can of beer for the next run. The wheat base of beer and corn base of cereal seemed like it should get along well. That being said, the bitterness of beer might not lend itself well to the cereal. Lets see It worked! The bittersweet taste found the fight harmony and it turned into a kind of edible shandy. It truly was a solid bowl of Corn Frosty. Extra Virgin Olive Oil So far the experiment had exceeded Seijis wildest expectations, so he decided to push the envelope for his final run and give his last bowl of cereal a generous coating of olive oil. This worked too! The oil mixed with the sugar coating and created a kind of buttery sweet glaze, and the viscosity of it kept the flakes crispier longer. It was a nice texture for those who like to keep their cereal crunchy yet lubricated at the same time. Conclusion Considering we didnt expect this to work at all when starting out, we are thrilled to report that cereal can go well with a number of other things beyond milk. It was a tough choice but if Seiji had to pick a winner from the bunch, he felt he enjoyed the smooth elegance of hojicha and Corn Frosty the most. Granted, none of these substitutes match milk in terms of nutrition. In fact, a couple of them would probably be downright hazardous to your health, but this experiment has blown open the doors of preconception, leading us into a world of limitless possibilities of liquids to enjoy your cereal with. Happy Cereal Day! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
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https://soranews24.com/2021/05/30/is-milk-really-the-best-match-for-cereal-why-not-try-beer-and-these-five-other-liquids/
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Did Health Secretary Matt Hancock create the Covid-19 crisis in care?
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Today Dominic Cummings finally admitted what carers have been telling me all along. That care home residents - potentially thousands of them - were sacrificed in the scramble to protect the NHS. The significance of his evidence cannot be overstated. The crisis in care was one of the greatest scandals of the pandemic. Dominic Cummings criticised Matt Hancock in front of the combined Health and Technology committees Credit: PA And right from the outset, carers told me that paramedics were turning up at their doors with patients discharged from hospital who had not been tested for Covid-19. Today, Dominic Cummings claimed that in March 2020 the Health Secretary had categorically promised the Prime Minister that testing was indeed taking place. Debbie Adams, who manages a care home in Luton, says Matt Hancock "needs to resign" But, according to his evidence, Downing Street only discovered in April that this had not been true. More than 30,000 residents would subsequently die with Covid-19 in care. Last May, we traced the transmission of the virus through one home which had accepted a patient from hospital who hadnt been tested, killing residents room by room as it spread. And again that month, we uncovered how thousands of care home beds had been block booked by the NHS to take hospital patients with Covid-19. 25,000 would be discharged in total before routine testing was finally introduced in mid-April. In September, three whistle-blowers in the NHS verified the story from their side too, telling me how care homes had been used as a dumping ground to protect the NHS. And yet time and time again the government told me that wasnt true. Last July, the Health Secretary again insisted to me that a protective ring had been placed around care. That if the virus had spread in homes, it was only because scientists hadnt realised it could be transmitted by asymptomatic patients. But today, Dominic Cummings accused him of lying. The protective shield was complete nonsense, he told MPs. Matt Hancock is due to face the same committee in a fortnight and will respond but it is difficult to see how he can now remain as Health and Social Care Secretary given that accusation. He is charged with one of the greatest failures of any minister in history. He will require an extraordinary defence. Listen to our coronavirus podcast:
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https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-26/did-health-secretary-matt-hancock-create-the-covid-19-crisis-in-care
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How has a third of Northern Ireland's population ended up on a hospital waiting list?
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A mother has had to resort to praying for her daughter due to long hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland, ITV News Health Editor Emily Morgan reports The Health Minister of Northern Ireland has described waiting times here as appalling - and indeed they are. A third of the population are on some sort of waiting list. For many, that wait is not months, its not a year, its many, many years. The answer to the latter question is no, not really. Of course, the pandemic has exacerbated the waiting times, as hospitals cancelled and postponed elective surgery while staff treated Covid patients. But waiting times in Northern Ireland were already bad. Theyve been the worst in the UK for a long time and consecutive health ministers have failed to sort them out. Northern Ireland Chief Medical Officer Michael McBride receives his first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. Credit: PA I spoke to one oncologist today from Belfast City Hospital who told me there are three main reasons why things are so bad. Firstly, theres no large centre specifically for routine diagnostics and surgery. There are many small, community hospitals but their scanning departments get caught up in emergencies and very few routine scans ever take place. He wants a dedicated centre built as soon as possible. Secondly, the service has been underfunded for too long. Robin Swann, the Health Minister, admits himself he needs more money and a longer term funding plan or things wont get sorted for at least 10 years. And thirdly, there are too few staff to undertake the mammoth task of getting through the waiting lists. Listen to our latest coronavirus podcast Currently, there are 335,042 outpatients waiting for some sort of treatment. 57% have been waiting more than a year for their very first appointment. GPs can't refer their patients to specialists because the waiting lists themselves are full. For those who do get on lists, theyre waiting up to seven years. Both the GP and the oncologist I spoke to said the health service will collapse if nothing is done. Action surely has to be taken or people will end up dying on waiting lists.
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https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-27/covid-has-had-an-impact-on-waiting-times-in-northern-ireland-but-they-were-already-bad
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Have we finally passed peak woke?
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Last December an attempt to impose upon members of Cambridge University a requirement to respect the views of others was defeated by a landslide (86.9 per cent to 13.1) by those who wished merely to tolerate those views. You shouldnt need a Cambridge PhD to understand the difference, but it had to be explained to the Universitys high priests of woke: reasonable people are quite happy to tolerate the expression of views by those with whom they violently disagree but, in a free society, they cannot be commanded to respect them. That, too, was a turn of the tide, for universities have led the cancel culture: not least with half-educated students screaming blue murder every time somebody expresses an alternative opinion on some aspect of transgenderism and dons too terrified to disagree with them. And Cambridges archbishop of woke, its increasingly eccentric vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Toope, had to execute a rapid reverse last week after approving a website where students could anonymously report micro-aggressions by dons: these included referring to a woman as a girl, turning their back on a student or delivering a backhanded compliment. Prof Toope was forced to order the website to be taken down after dons complained Cambridge was becoming a police state. The Free Speech Union threatened to take him to court and it would serve him right if they did. The government is proposing a free speech law to force universities to repudiate the cancel culture; the howls of outrage extremists in those institutions hoped would be provoked have not occurred. Most people have had enough of this dangerous foolishness. The murder of George Floyd last year, which triggered an international spasm of woke, was and remains a horrific crime. Sadly, much of the bandwagon-jumping that followed was nauseating in its self-righteousness and cringe-making in its virtue signalling. It was also hijacked by extreme anarchist groups for whom respecting the lives of black people was a lesser consideration than overthrowing international capitalism. The censoriousness of these militants has now provoked a backlash: sportsmen have given up the stunt of taking the knee, not because they are happy about the murder of black people but because it became an empty gesture. The BBC, which became almost paralysed with adoration for the Black Lives Matter organisation and sought to take a lead role in brainwashing the nation into believing we are all guilty, learned its lesson about overdoing the woke when hit by a tsunami of rage after attempting to decolonise the Last Night of the Proms. The perception of woke obsessions in broadcast news not least since the Murdoch organisation surrendered control of Sky News has directly led to the creation of a new channel, GB News, due to launch next month. Aware of the enormous popularity of television channels that show unwoke programmes and films from the last half of the 20th century, the recently-installed BBC director-general, Tim Davie, has reminded his senior staff that the Corporation must serve everyone. Yet nothing has done more to make people to rise up against this totalitarian attempt at social brainwashing than the incessant posturing and bleating of the Crown Prince and Princess of Woke, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their titanic self-regard, vacuous and self-pitying pronouncements, and consequent rudeness to the most admired person in Britain, Her Majesty the Queen, have bred ridicule and contempt. The Duke, whose public credibility has sunk below that of Donald Duck, dropped another of his pompously so-called truth bombs with Oprah Winfrey. The programme aimed to answer the question: Where do we go from here? The British publics reply is increasingly obvious: as far away from us as possible. Whining with self-pity from their Californian parallel universe, the pair have succeeded in driving home to all rational people the sheer irrelevance and presumptuousness of the woke view of life and the lack of intelligence and character of those who make a career out of trying to manipulate others into obeying its rules. The Duke fails to see that the fastest way now for the British public to be turned off anything is for him and his wife to start arguing for it; itself a clear sign that this campaign of bullying and brainwashing has been rumbled and rejected. The fight is not, of course, over. There will remain some who just dont get it and who will have to be challenged as they seek to practise their demagoguery and inflict themselves on the rest of us. But the common sense of our people has, it appears, asserted itself again, whether among the heritage-hungry middle classes, university teachers or those who watch primetime television. And it is rather wonderful; for in what we have increasingly anxiously called our free society, genuine freedom may be starting to flourish again.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/29/have-finally-passed-peak-woke/
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What's the point of a green list that can't cope with popular destinations?
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When asked for comment, the Home Office, which is in command of Border Force, told The Telegraph: To claim border wait times are a factor in determining red, amber or green list countries is completely wrong. Country classification guided by the evidence and analysis of a range of key factors, including rates of infection, the prevalence of variants of concern, and the countrys access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing. But lets be honest this all feels a little bit vague. Theres no indication that thats the exhaustive list of considerations. Forgive me for being pessimistic, but without more specifics and total transparency on how and why destinations are being classified as they are (the published methodology isn't quickly decipherable for your average person, either), I cant help but feel a little suspicious especially after last summers disastrous dance around travel corridors. This traffic light system was supposed to be a better, more measured approach to reopening international travel, but without the inclusion of our favourite destinations when they become eligible for a spot on the green list, the whole system feels like a sham. And that's before you consider the recent amber list shambles. Of course, worries about border queues arent unfounded and the Government should indeed be concerned. Reports suggest that the there have been waits of up to six hours at airports, and thats before the schools have broken up for summer. Chaos, perhaps. I can see it now: arrivals halls packed to the brim with sunburnt Britons, tired and cranky kids and large groups of lads with stonking hangovers. Therell be a few frayed tempers at least. Add in yet more passengers from other destinations, the ones of the amber and red lists, and heading to the airport is less and less appealing. We approached Heathrow Airport for comment on waiting times but didnt receive a response. The Home Office told us that theyre adding more staff and upgrading biometric passport gates to try and tackle the queueing issues. However, the e-Gates upgrade wont be complete until autumn 2021 which could mean as late as November so travel during the peak months of July and August and youre still likely to be left waiting around. Ultimately, the Government has made its rather chaotic bed, but travellers are the ones that have to lie in it. With expensive testing requirements, long queues thanks to added bureaucracy and a lack of complete transparency on how destinations reach green list status, were all left shafted, yet again, by this shambolic administration.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/point-green-list-cant-cope-popular-destinations/
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Was there really no capacity to test all patients sent from hospitals to care homes for Covid?
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If Wednesday was the prosecution, on Thursday, we got the defence. So let me, as best I can, be the impartial jury. On Wednesday, Dominic Cummings accused Matt Hancock of lying when he allegedly told Downing Street in March 2020 that all hospital patients would be tested for Covid-19 before being discharged into care homes, when in fact they weren't. On Thursday, the health secretary admitted he did make that promise to the prime minister, but it was a pledge rather than an immediate action. He claims that with testing capacity under strain, he set the target to test all patients before they were sent to care homes as soon as that capacity had been scaled up. Well, let's weigh up the evidence. By April 20, 2020, the first date for which we have data, there were 532,229 tests for Covid-19 carried out in the UK. You'll remember the huge focus on capacity and the pledge to get to 100,000 tests a day. Well, last year we battled and battled to get data on how many were being sent into care homes at the outset of the pandemic. In the end, NHS England finally sent us a spreadsheet showing that 25,000 were discharged between mid-March and mid-April last year (when routine testing was finally introduced). A quick bit of maths means less than 5% of testing capacity in early 2020 would have been required to safeguard care homes by testing all the patients who arrived in that time from hospital. It's certainly not the first explanation we've had. Previously, the stock answer from government ministers was that they were unaware of asymptomatic transmission of the virus. If this new argument about capacity is to be believed, then it begs a follow up question about why care homes weren't prioritised for testing. Matt Hancock promised that there'll be a time and place to go into these arguments in more detail. Until then, I'm not sure today's answers told the whole story.
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https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-27/was-there-really-no-capacity-to-test-all-patients-sent-from-hospitals-to-care-homes-for-covid
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Are people travelling to amber list countries like Spain and Greece?
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This May bank holiday getaway is traditionally the start of the peak holiday season for overseas trips. Our research shows that, despite a big public appetite for travel, current testing requirements and restrictions are keeping holiday-makers away from the usual hotspots like Spain and Greece. Britains largest holiday firm, TUI, has given ITV News details illustrating how the restart of international travel is going - and where passengers are heading. Pre-pandemic, in 2019, TUI had 130 flights on the Friday before this long weekend. Today there are just seven - and of those only three are going to 'amber' destinations not on the governments green list (two to Corfu and one to Gran Canaria). The flights to 'amber' destinations are about 40% full. The TUI data shows that families are still avoiding countries where quarantine is needed on return. Thats despite Spains action on May 24 removing the PCR test requirement for people arriving from the UK. Boris Johnson has said people should not be travelling to amber list destinations except in the case of extreme circumstances. Research for ITV News from travel comparison site Skyscanner shows Portugal is the most booked destination for the half-term week. Portugal outranks the second most booked destination (UK domestic flights) fourfold. Faro in Portugal is the most booked destination with three-quarters of overseas bookings from the UK - followed by Lisbon and Porto. Hopes of Spanish sun remain - it is the second most searched country for summer trips - with Malaga and Alicante top of the list. 73% of those searching for flights to Spain are looking at departure dates in two months time - in line with the start of the school summer holidays. Many are hoping that when the green list is updated early next month many more of our favourite destinations will be on it. Stay up to date with the changing travel situation in the UK and abroad with news, information and advice at itv.com/holidaynews. Listen to the ITV News coronavirus podcast
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https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-28/are-people-travelling-to-amber-list-countries-like-spain-and-greece
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What happened in the Southwest Airlines fight video?
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SOUTHWEST Airlines has banned a woman accused of punching a flight attendant in the face. The punishment was disclosed on May 27 in a message to employees. The disturbing incident took place after a plane that departed from Sacramento landed in San Diego in May of 2021. Video posted by another person on the flight shows a woman punching the flight attendant and a male passenger stepping in to stop the attack. Vyvianna Quinonez, 28, was arrested by San Diego Harbor Police and charged with felony battery. The flight attendant suffered serious injuries" and lost two teeth. She was treated at a San Diego hospital and released. Police described Quinonez as 5-foot-5 and 175 pounds. The argument reportedly broke out after Quinonez was told to put on her seat belt. 2 The flight attendant was treated at a hospital and released Credit: Michelle Manner Airline spokesman Chris Mainz told NBC that the passenger had "repeatedly ignored standard inflight instructions and became verbally and physically abusive upon landing." Cops were called to San Diego International Airport to a report of a disturbance onboard an incoming flight, and Quinonez was taken into custody. "According to witnesses, an altercation between a passenger and a flight attendant had taken place during the flight," cops said. "During the altercation, the passenger struck the flight attendant, causing serious injuries." Most read in News FACING JUSTICE Cheerleader's killer' will be tried as an ADULT as murder details revealed HUSHED MONEY A new 'secret' stimulus check is on the way - but you have to ask for it WOAH, CANADA MP exposes himself AGAIN as he 'pees on camera' weeks after naked Zoom meeting GRUESOME FIND Horror as man returns home from vacation to find dead woman lying in his bed DEADLY DISPUTE Two men arrested for shooting dead colonel, 55, & wife, 63, 'point-blank' Warning BAD IDEA Felon leaps from 6th floor as he tries to escape court after assault conviction A clip posted on Facebook showed officers escorting Quinonez from the plane. According to one passenger, the confrontation escalated unnecessarily. Michelle Manner, who was sitting two rows in front of Quinonez, told Fox 40: "It was so unnecessary. In the first altercation, she (the flight attendant) had said that she was going to call the captain."
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https://www.the-sun.com/news/2980019/southwest-airlines-fight-video-vyvianna-quinonez-arrest/
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How does the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine work and how is it different from the others?
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The fact a patient only needs one jab to get the full protection provides potential opportunities the other vaccines don't offer. The jab has been developed by Johnson & Johnsons pharmaceutical arm, Janssen, the jab is an adenovirus vaccine. These are based on weakened versions of adenoviruses, which are a group of viruses that typically infect membranes of the eyes, respiratory tract, urinary tract, intestines and nervous system, and include the common cold. Like the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, the J&J vaccine uses viral vector technology where a modified version of a different virus is used to deliver instructions to the bodys cells to trigger the immune system to begin producing antibodies. The jab is expected to be rolled out later this year Credit: AP This is different from the Pfizer and Moderna jabs which are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. MRNA jabs are cutting-edge science that only use a virus's genetic code to develop antigens. The Covid jabs are the first time the technology been successfully deployed worldwide. This is different from the adenovirus AstraZeneca and J&J jabs which is the more traditional method of developing vaccines that have been used for decades. The UK has ordered 20 million doses of the single-dose jab. The Vaccine Taskforce originally secured 30 million doses, based on the predicted clinical need at the time. But given the scale and pace of the vaccine rollout in the UK the government has decided to amend its original order. Credit: PA The first deliveries are expected to arrive in the country from later this year now the jab has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Although 20 million doses does not sound like a lot when compared to the 100 million each of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs both of those need two injections to gain full protection. This means 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab means 50 million people can be fully vaccinated whereas with the J&J vaccine 20 million doses means 20 million fully vaccinated people. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said there is a possible link between Johnson & Johnsons Covid-19 vaccine and very rare blood clots. But it concluded that the overall benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks of side effects. J&J previously confirmed it would delay rollout of its single-dose vaccine across Europe after the US paused its administration to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots. In the US eight cases of blood clots in more than seven million people vaccinated in the US were detected. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will submit updated advice for the Janssen vaccine before doses become available. The jab has been developed by Johnson & Johnsons pharmaceutical arm, Janssen Credit: AP The clots are similar to those seen in a very small proportion of people having the AstraZeneca jab. The UK has secured early access to 517 million doses of eight of vaccine candidates. This includes agreements with:
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https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-28/how-does-the-johnson-and-johnson-covid-vaccine-work-and-how-is-it-different-from-the-others
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Did Jay-Z & Beyonc Commission The Worlds Most Expensive Car?
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HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Jay-Z and Beyonc are sitting on at least a billion. So it only makes sense that the couple is rumored to have commissioned what is thought to be the worlds most expensive car. According to Page Six, the Carters are responsible for the Boat Tail convertible that Rolls-Royce announced this week and that is hand-built and created by special order. The fancy whip clocks in with a price tag of a cool $28 million. Per the Telegraph, the whip is the most expensive car in the world and has all the detailing you would expect with such a claim. The Bentley boasts accouterments like double refrigerators and comes with a pair of luxe Bovet watches (which usually go for at least 5 figures on their own). There is even a dining set in the back and, of course, the cars interior is blue in homage to the couples firstborn. Besides Jay and Beys ride, only two other vehicles of this kind will be built, for now. The Coachbuild service is the higher-end version of RRs Bespoke program and is by invitation only. So even if you have the means, dont embarrass yourself by calling up and asking for the one Jay-Z got. We still wouldnt be surprised if Jay-Z and Beyonc dip into the electric car side of the pool sooner than later, though. Carbon footprints got to be kept at a minimum and all that.
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https://hiphopwired.com/977161/did-jay-z-beyonce-commission-the-worlds-most-expensive-car/
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Is UK tourism heading for a longer summer season?
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Tourism leaders think this summer season could last even longer than usual - perhaps even into October, ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports Words by ITV News Consumer Producer Hannah Kings Sandcastles, fish and chips out of paper and ice creams on the beach - all hallmarks of a British seaside holiday. Many UK holiday destinations have been hit hard by the pandemic - with tourist seasons disrupted by repeated lockdowns and continuing restrictions. Visit Britain say income from British tourists holidaying in the UK fell by more than 57 billion in 2020 - a 63% loss compared to the previous year. In Eastbourne, before the pandemic, 28% of jobs were in the tourism sector, and theyre hoping this bank holiday weekend will mark the start of a booming summer season. With the weather improving and many people ready for a holiday, the town is optimistic itll be a much-needed boost. After initial hesitation when restrictions eased earlier this month, bookings here are now picking up. Local tourism leaders think this summer season could last even longer than usual - perhaps even into October. Theyve bolstered infrastructure to allow for extra traffic, and Covid marshalls are making sure beaches and streets dont become overcrowded. All over the UK, coastal towns like Eastbourne are hoping they can recapture the imaginations of British tourists - and attract holidaymakers back to our seasides.
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https://www.itv.com/news/2021-05-28/is-uk-tourism-heading-for-a-longer-summer-season
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Is Happy Endings a True Story? Is the TV Show Based on Real Life?
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Created by David Caspe, Happy Endings is a sitcom that centers upon a dysfunctional group of six twenty or thirty-something friends who live in Chicago. All of them are often busy navigating their lives in a big town that pushes them to their limits. However, despite heartbreaks and other failures in life, they always find time for one another and have each others back. The hilarious and entertaining stories of these men and women managed to find a place in the heart of millions of viewers around the world. Some of them may get curious about the shows origins and wonder if Happy Endings is inspired by some people in particular. If this is the kind of question that you find yourself contemplating and are now looking for answers, you have come to the right place. Heres everything you need to know. No, Happy Endings is not based on a true story. The credit for the comedy series goes to the artistic imagination of the creator David Caspe who, along with his writing staff, came up with the hilarious ideas that later entertained Happy Endings fans for years. Interestingly, he successfully sold two of his first three scripts, and one of them later became the cult-classic movie Thats My Boy. Caspe later tried to pitch an idea for a television series on the advice of a TV agent. However, the transition from movies to TV was not so smooth. Most of his early attempts to sell a story to producers failed miserably, and he soon realized what he was doing wrong. Actually, most of the plots that he thought were original had already been tried, so no one really wanted to give them a shot. So, Caspe came up with a unique idea. He imagined a typical romantic comedy plot where a guy is motivated by his friends to chase the girl of his dreams and he literally goes to her wedding and runs off with her. However, Caspes story had an interesting twist. Discussing the conception of Happy Endings, he said, So, you think its his movie essentially, but the camera turns around at the guy left at the altar, and you actually tell that guys story. So I pitched that on Monday morning to Jamie Tarses (at ABC) and she loved it. Its hard to believe David really came up with the shows narrative over a mere weekend after facing several hiccups. Whats even more interesting is how the team later came up with the catchphrases and unique dialogue delivery that helped the show stand out. In an interview with Pop Culture Principle, David, explaining the entire process, said that it was a collaboration between everyone. For instance, the style of the ah-mazing catchphrase was something that Casey Wilson came up with on her own. The creator also mentioned that the best pitch, best joke and best improv would win. Every Happy Endings fan knows that as soon as the sitcom was released people had started comparing it to Friends. Although David believed that it was the competition from other comedy shows made with the desire to have the kind of success Friends had that posed problems for the shows, it is still tough to ignore the similarities between the two. In the first episode of Friends Rachel leaves Barry at the altar, while Alex does exactly the same to Dave in Happy Endings pilot, something that both the characters regretted for a brief time. The two comedy shows revolve around six friends navigating work and relationships in a big town and, despite all the hardships, manage to stand by one another. So, its obvious that the comparisons between the two shows are not without any grounds. However, both of them are just the result of the collaborative effort of writers and their talented staff. Therefore, we can conclude that Happy Endings is not inspired by a true story. Read More: Best Sitcoms on Netflix
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https://thecinemaholic.com/is-happy-endings-a-true-story/
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Is Boris Johnson really broken or is he just tight?
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Several reports suggest Boris Johnson is in serious financial trouble. They claim that his recent divorce, multiple children and reduced income left him very hard. The reports come among other claims that he has sought to use donors to pay for his living expenses. Yet those who know Johnson well believe there is a much simpler explanation for him to claim to be having difficulty. See more stories on the Insider business page. Boris Johnson told friends he lives serious money problems. Several reports suggest that the British Prime Ministers financial situation led him to attempt, and in some cases succeed, to use donations from the Conservative Party and other donors to pay: Some commentators close to Johnson have suggested that these alleged money problems are due to the reduction in his income since entering Downing Street, combined with payments for his unknown number of children and his divorce from his second wife Marina Wheeler. Without having access to Johnsons personal financial records, it is impossible to know for sure how seriously these allegations of his alleged hardship should be taken. However, the analysis of his reported income, as well as accounts of his past behavior, give reason to doubt it. In the top 1% of employees Getty For starters, its worth pointing out that Johnsons 160,000 salary as Prime Minister, while not stratospheric compared to some of his higher paying peers, still places him in the spotlight. top 1% of all employees in UK. It should also be noted that, unlike most people, their accommodation, transportation and a large part of their living expenses are also covered by the taxpayer. And although he has seen a significant reduction in his main sources of income since becoming Prime Minister, before his post as Prime Minister, he was one of the highest paid politicians in the country, raising more 275,000 per year of his Telegraph column in addition to his salary as a politician. And although he was forced to drop that column, he continues to earn thousands of pounds in royalties each year on his back book catalog, according to its register of interests. On top of that, he also declared 123,000 for a single speech in India in 2019, plus 88,000 from publishers Hodder and Staughton for a lead on an as yet unpublished book on Shakespeare. Yet despite all this past and present income, a report of Sunday Times of last week quoted a government source as suggesting the prime minister was so tough he missed key emergency meetings at the start of the pandemic due to working on a biography of Shakespeare, the money he needed to fund his divorced. A spokesperson for the publisher declined to say whether Johnson had kept the lead for the as yet unpublished book, only telling Insider that we have no plans for the books release in the foreseeable future and we never comment on the progress of our authors. He would never buy a drink Johnsons associates say he never buys a ride. The Prime Minister biographer Sonia Purnell, who worked closely alongside Johnson early in his journalistic career, is unconvinced and believes there may be a much simpler explanation. Rather than being desperately harsh, Purnell suggests Johnson could just act the way he always has, which is to find an excuse to avoid opening his wallet. Throughout his life hes been able to avoid paying anything, Purnell told Insider. Its a game hes always played I mean what does he spend his money on? Its certainly not to buy drinks from people in the pub. He never did that. The whole time I was in Brussels you would go to the bar and he would drink other peoples drinks and would never buy drinks. I mean never. Johnsons associates say he also tends to default on his debts. One of the first things someone else told me when I got there is that theyll ask you to lend them money, Purnell says. Never do it because he asks everyone and never pays him back. His reputation for not paying his money back even extended to a suspicious EU official cited in Johnsons biography by Purnell. You were always suspicious, the official told Purnell. I was told never to lend him money because he never paid it back so when he asked for the equivalent of 50, I refused. Empty envelopes A fake banknote depicting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the Green Party Autumn Conference on October 4, 2019 in Newport, Wales. Getty With several houses, book deals, and a high salary, Johnson is by any reason reasonable well-off. Still, those who know Johnson describe him as almost comically tight on money. Going out for the first time with his second wife, he claims to have taken her to a Hare Krishna meeting in order to avoid paying for lunch, which he told the Evening Standard in 2008 that she would not. had never forgiven. He continued this habit later in life, famously lose a bet of 1000 with his former employer Max Hastings, only to refuse to pay it. After much harassment, Johnson finally agreed to hand over the money, only to then send Hastings an empty envelope. Whether Hastings really needs this money or not, its not here or there, Purnell told Insider. The fact that he just sat there, addressed an envelope, sealed it and mailed it and there was nothing in it, is just weird behavior. Obviously, Johnson continued to be reluctant to pay as he pleased. Indeed, one of my first encounters with Johnson was in the basement canteen of London City Hall when he was at the peak of his earning capacities as Mayor of London and columnist. Featured Daily Telegraph. As I stood waiting to pay for lunch with a fellow journalist, Johnson dragged himself around and asked my mate to lend him 3 for his sandwich, which he did, somewhat taken aback. Insiders say Johnsons notoriously scruffy appearance was also partly due to his reluctance to spend money on clothes. Indeed his outfits while mayor, which often constituted a strange combination of a faded gray jacket and municipal caps, were in part, according to a former colleague, lifted by Johnson of the Transport for London lost and found office. Boris Johnson (L) and his wife Marina Wheeler (R) leave after voting at an EU referendum polling station in London, UK on June 23, 2016 Getty At the center of claims about Johnsons alleged hardship is his divorce last year from his second wife. However, Johnsons biographer casts doubt on Johnsons insider claims that their split left him penniless. I think its a pretty sexist assumption to blame Marina, Purnell told Insider. After all, she herself is a very rewarding person and always has been. She is QC and has done very well. Stefan Rousseau-Piscine / Getty Images Whether Johnson is really tough or not, or just pretends to be so to avoid diving into his own pocket, some people believe that the very existence of claims on his finances could be damaging. The revelation that Johnson had received an unpaid debt order from a court led a former spy to tell Insider that such allegations could be used to damage his reputation, while others suggested they could also leave it exposed to blackmail from hostile states. All of these stories saying hes tough, its kind of like pulling out the begging bowl, Purnell told Insider. I imagine MI6 was shaking in their boots. This could be interpreted as an invitation to violate its own safety and national security. You just arent doing this as prime minister. And although allegations that Johnson was soliciting donations to pay for luxury take-out and wallpaper came late, it is unclear exactly who he solicited those donations from. We have no idea who is giving her this money for wallpaper, vacations and everything, Purnell says. His personal trainer, his nanny, the take out, everything. It just goes up and makes him a big security risk right there in Downing Street. A spokesperson for Johnson has been contacted for comment.
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https://exbulletin.com/politics/948939/
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Can the new technology solve the 1 trillion garbage problem?
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Ragpickers will search for reusable items from the garbage pile at the Sevapura garbage dump in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images According to the World Bank, humans produce an amazing amount of garbage. According to the World Bank, it is over 2 billion tonnes a year, or about 4.5 trillion a year. And that number will grow. Global waste is expected to reach 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050. Even if you know where to put so much trash, the dangerous greenhouse gases that cause climate change will leak out. Solid waste landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions in the United States, according to the latest data available from the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2019, landfills released 15% of methane emissions. This is equivalent to emissions from more than 21.6 million passenger cars driven in a year. Recycling is not a panacea. In addition, there is a big gap between what is recyclable and what is actually recycled. According to data from the World Bank What a Waste 2.0 report, dry and recyclable materials such as plastic, paper, cardboard, metal and glass make up 38% of municipal waste. On the other hand, only 13.5% of these dry recyclables are actually recycled worldwide. Technology companies are addressing the waste problem from different directions, improving the recycling process and creating new materials to make compostable disposable products. This support is available to the US waste industry. Rich countries do more recycling work than poor countries, but the United States is not close to the top of the list, recycling 34.6% of its waste. Poor countries recycle only 3.7% on average, many do not recycle at all or have no data, but some of the best rates are in Europe, especially in some of the smallest regions such as the Faroe Islands. In. It governs the archipelago, which is part of the worlds largest kingdom of Denmark, and recycles 67% of its waste. Recycling costs, benefits, and automation The basic principles of recycling are collection, sorting, manual or mechanical processing, and delivery of recycled materials of the required quality to the manufacturing industry, said Ross, Director of Trade and Environment, International Recycling Department, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Bartley said. , Telled CNBC. Even in developed countries, manual sorting may be required and may be complemented and replaced by automated sorting systems using appropriate technology. According to Bartley, automatic sorting is done with technologies such as magnets, flotation, windshifters (to separate light and heavy materials), cameras, and such equipment is purchased off-the-shelf and integrated into the recycling plant. can. However, important questions include the cost of the separator, the total running cost per ton of processed material, and what is the added value of the separated material to each stream. In other words, when does it make a profit? Bartley said. Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of AMP Robotics, ranked 25th on this years CNBC Disruptor 50 list, came up with a big recycling idea after visiting the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), a residential and commercial recyclable destination. I came up with it. The working conditions are harsh, but the process can be inefficient. 2021 CNBC Disruptor 50 Details Horowitz was looking for an application for robotics technology that could be improved. He received his PhD from the California Institute of Technology, where he worked on several DARPA challenges. It helped me understand what worked well in robotics and what remained a challenge, he told CNBC. It was clear to Horowitz that computer vision could improve the task of separating and recycling waste. In July 2014, Horowitz launched AMP Robotics, raising $ 77.8 million and employing approximately 130 people. In April 2020, AMP Robotics announced that it processed over 1 billion recyclable objects in a year. The main challenge with AMP Robotics is the endless complexity of garbage classification. Recycling is a difficult business, says Horowitz. There is no control over the materials we process, and there are all sorts of weird pollutants that people put in the Recycle Bin. As a result, we need to build very sturdy and high-performance equipment. AMP Robotics uses robotics and artificial intelligence to classify recycling. Photo courtesy of AMP Robotics He recognizes the historical inadequacy of recycling. All of these materials (plastic, metal, paper) have real value. The problem is that the cost of sorting undermines that value, says Horowitz. Reducing the cost of sorting increases the margins that can be extracted from all these materials and naturally finds incentives to capture those materials. That is exactly the role of our technology and the realization of a lean world. Horowitz is optimistic. My favorite quote is,Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,' he said. Consumer brands can also drive the success of their recycling supply chain by designing recyclable packages, according to Steve Alexander, chairman and chief executive officer of the Association of Plastic Recyclers. Labels on soda bottles that are high in glue and ink may not match other recyclable designs in the soda bottle category and can actually contaminate the stream. Even if they are separated as soda or water bottles, they can be contaminated, Alexander told CNBC. It all depends on the design. The first thing we have to do is make sure the product we buy is compatible with recycling. Brands are being sought after by consumer demand to be better and more transparent about the recyclability of their packages. Currently, its based on the credit of consumer brand companies, says Alexander, but is interested in government regulations that require consumer brand packaging design. Creating a disposable compostable package Troy Swope, CEO of Footprint, a technology company focused on eliminating disposable plastics through the development and manufacture of compostable containers, said Focusing on improving plastic recycling is chasing the wrong solution. Say there is. To be clear, recycling is a joke when it comes to plastics, Swope said. This is one of the biggest lies we have ever been told. Swope pointed out Carbon Lite Holdings, a large PET bottle recycler that filed for bankruptcy protection in March. If its not worth it, whatever we do to the infrastructure Finally, if no one wants it, nature cant digest it and it doesnt mean anything. Its worth it. There is no, he said. Footprint Co-Founder and CEO Troy Swope Photo courtesy of Footprint For clarity, when it comes to plastics, recycling is a joke. Headquartered in Arizona, Footprint is ranked 45th on this years CNBC Disruptor 50 list, making compostable disposable products from cellulosic, plant-based materials such as recycled cardboard boxes, wood fiber and agricultural waste. The emphasis is on. The goal is that all products will be biodegradable or compostable within 90 days. And they do so on a large scale. We plan to ship nearly a billion units this year, perhaps just under a billion from three plants, Swope told CNBC. Current footprint customers include McDonalds, Sweet Green and Konagra brands. We will sell billions of units next year, Swope said. Footprint currently has three factories, one in Arizona, one in South Carolina, and a third in Mexico. A research center is under construction in the Netherlands and a manufacturing facility is under construction in Poland. Ask about the impact on the environment At a recent CNBC Evolve live stream event, Tom Szaky, CEO of recycling company Terracycle and zero waste packaging company Loop, said: This is the answer to the symptoms of waste and is probably the best way to manage it, but I think we need to dig deeper and realize a waste-free economy. Indeed, its a plug from Szakys company Loop, and consumer brand partners are working together to create reusability, ideally disposable. However, there are also nuances of the waste problem that David Araway, senior policy analyst at the Oregon Environmental Quality Materials Management Program in Portland, Oregon, addressed in a report on the environmental impact of recycling. In this country, despite toxic substances, climate change, water depletion, habitat disruption, or other impacts, most of the impact of consumer goods, disposable goods and packaging is not the result of disposal. Rather, it is the result. The fields of supply chain, manufacturing and production. And, as our study has shown, items that are recyclable and compostable are not necessarily more than functionally equivalent items that are not recyclable or compostable. It is not always good for the environment, and it does not always have a small impact on human health. That doesnt mean that recyclability and composability arent always useful. Some items with these popular attributes have less impact and some have less impact, but his research, which summarizes nearly 17 years of international research on this topic, shows recyclability and constructability. Is an inconsistent predictor of environmental goodness. For example, elemental mercury is very recyclable, but neurotoxins are bad. Whale fat can be composted, but it is still not a desirable raw material. Knowing that an item isrecyclableorcompostable is surprisingly little about the actual impact on human health and the environment, or the trade-offs between different materials. Allaway said. There is also an impact on the downstream due to the decomposition of waste. Biodegradability is a great solution in countries where solid waste management infrastructure is scarce, but in countries where most of the uncollected waste is sent to landfills, biodegradability means that the material is It means breaking down to produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Allaway said. He goes against the general wisdom that promoting these popular attributes, such as recyclable and compostable, is always popular, but not always wise. Warn that it is a general marketing strategy. In his view, the most important thing is for the producer to quantify the overall environmental impact of the product in a life cycle assessment. If not, Allaway is either one of these efforts leading us in the direction of actual sustainability, or the comfortable of pollution, including visible and obvious forms such as marine plastics. He says there is no way to know if it is changing. Sign up for a weekly original newsletter that goes beyond the list to take a closer look at CNBC Disruptor 50 companies and their founders who continue to innovate in every sector of the economy. What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos
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https://exbulletin.com/tech/948933/
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Do I still need to buy an iPhone 12 or wait for an iPhone 13?
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The iPhone 12 is a great phone, and it might be better to get it now than to wait for the next iPhone. Sarah Tew / CNET The iPhone 12 has been available since last fall, and the new iPhone 13 (or will it be the iPhone 12S?) Will arrive as early as September. The simple answer is yes. And no. In certain situations, you can buy the current model months before its lifespan, but the situation is a bit more complicated because the next version looks just a few months away. So if youre on the fence about which way to go, thats understandable. But dont emphasize. This guide details which direction to go. In this way, you can be confident that you have made the correct call. If youre still using an older iPhone, it makes sense to upgrade to the iPhone 12 right away. One of the best reasons to snap a new phone is that your current phone is hopelessly out of date. If you have an iPhone 11, its probably not worth upgrading to an iPhone 12. There is not enough difference in performance and functionality, especially when compared to the one that comes with the iPhone 13. However, if you can wait until September, your patience may be rewarded. Cut chatter Subscribe to the CNET mobile newsletter for the latest phone news and reviews. Calculus is very different for owners of older iPhones like the iPhone X series. Choose the iPhone 12 and youll get an advanced A14 Bionic CPU and OLED screen. These two enhancements represent a major phone upgrade from just a few years ago. Now Playing: Watch This: Rumors of iPhone 13 and What You Need for Your Next Apple Phone 10:51 Need for 5G speed 5G wireless isnt available everywhere, and its features are a bit exaggerated. That said, the iPhone 12 is the first and currently the only iPhone compatible with 5G. Therefore, if you have a strong desire to connect to and access a 5G cellular network, the iPhone 12 will quickly stir up that itch. Of course, the iPhone 13 is also likely to link to 5G, so its okay to wait. Living with a damaged iPhone screen is never fun. Jamea Martin / CNET Get your new iPhone now for cracked screens, battery failure and other reasons Its hard to live with a damaged or poorly functional device. For example, screen corruption is difficult to ignore due to daily flaws. The same is true for a failed battery that cant hold as much charge as it used to. If your iPhone suffers from these types of frustrating issues, an immediate upgrade to iPhone 12 is justified. The iPhone 12s ceramic shield screen held up firmly during the torture test. Chris Parker / CNET iPhone 12 has a ceramic shielded display One of the big improvements on the iPhone 12 is the display material. Apple calls it ceramic shielded glass. The ceramic shielded glass that covers Corning cell phone displays is harder than most metals. Indeed, you can see the toughness of the iPhone 12s ceramic shield. When we tested it, the phone went through in flying colors. So if youre a giant Kurtz and slippery, its a wise way to gush out for this current iPhone. Those who feel they can avoid an accident may want to wait until September. The iPhone 13 may also come with a ceramic shield. New features of the work The iPhone 13 definitely has all the new features that the iPhone 12 lacks. If the rumored mill is right, the device boasts a 120Hz display and will be the first iPhone to do this. Currently, the screen refresh rate for iPhone 12 is 60Hz. The faster the refresh rate, the smoother and faster you can scroll through your apps and websites. Apple will probably also enhance the iPhone 13s camera. This is what the company does every year. Also, keep in mind that Apple will only provide software updates to mobile phones for a limited time. If the wait time is too long, you will eventually be locked out of the latest OS. Price may be a deciding factor As the saying goes, money speaks. If you can find an important deal on the iPhone 12, it may be enough to soften your decision. Perhaps you are planning to switch careers. If so, the wireless provider you want to move may offer a trade-in special. It can offset many costs of new phones. Also, consider waiting for the iPhone 13 to be announced. That will surely plunge the price of the iPhone 12. Depending on what your iPhone 13 is, it may be a better option to get a significantly discounted iPhone 12. Im not sure what the price of the iPhone will be, but I guessed it based on my knowledge. There is a good chance that it will follow the same breakdown as the iPhone 12. Then again, Apple was able to sell it at a much cheaper price. Samsung and Google demanded less cash for the Galaxy S20FE and Pixel 5 in 2020. The Samsung Galaxy S21 had a $ 200 discount compared to its predecessor. I wish you success. What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos
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https://exbulletin.com/tech/948993/
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Whats the deal with the chairs at WBAY?
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Youve probably struggled with an adjustable chair yourself. Its not so easy when youre on live television. First Alert Weather meteorologist Cruz Medina was caught short Wednesday when he sat down next to anchor Cami Rapson on Action 2 News at Four. Cruz explained the chair was short when he sat down and there wasnt time to adjust it. That was one of the high points of our day. But this wasnt the first time a chair took an Action 2 News talent down a notch. Cruzs mishap prompted chief meteorologist Steve Beylon to ask if Bill Jartz taught him that move. Thats because in January of 2014 -- a long time ago, but this chair storys got legs -- Bill didnt measure up in his adjustable chair next to co-anchor Cami Rapson (were noticing a common thread here), and she couldnt overlook it. We know Bill is head and shoulders above the rest, and his chair eventually got its come-uppance. Accidents happen. Chairs happen. And we dont mind if the viewers are laughing with us. We laughed so hard after that I sat down right before the shot and my chair was short I didnt even have time to adjust it Cruz Medina (@wx_cruz) May 28, 2021 Copyright 2021 WBAY. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wbay.com/2021/05/29/whats-the-deal-with-the-chairs-at-wbay/
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Whos Paying Whom in the Suez Canal Blockage?
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The owner of the Ever Given container ship that blocked Egypts Suez Canal for days has blamed the Suez Canal Authority for its grounding, amid a legal dispute over compensation. The Ever Given incident caused chaos between 23 and 29 March, as it delayed around 400 ships and significantly disrupted global trade. Around 12% of trade flows through the channel and the vessel blocked the ships from passing through it, costing about $400 million or every hour it did not move. The vessel has been held in an artificial lake along the canal until its insurers and Egyptian authorities come to an agreement. The Japanese company is seeking $100,000 in initial compensation for losses linked to the ships detainment. Officials in Egypt have demand the ships owners pay $600 million compensation for the disruption caused by the blockage. SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER
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https://africa.com/whos-paying-whom-in-the-suez-canal-blockage/
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Where does Chase Roullier rank among the NFL's top centers?
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Chase Roullier was a sixth-round pick of the Washington Football Team back in 2017. In the span of a few months, Roullier went from late-round longshot to a key cog on the teams offensive line. Roullier would play 13 games for Washington in 2017, making seven starts in place of injured starter Spencer Long. The WFT liked Roullier so well they let Long hit free agency, and Roullier became the starting center. Roullier would start all 16 games in 2018, 14 games in 2019 he missed two games with an injury, and 16 games in 2020. The former Wyoming product was slated to hit unrestricted free agency after the 2020 season; however, on Jan. 2, Roullier signed a four-year $40 million extension to keep him in Washington. New Washington coach Ron Rivera decided Roullier was one of the teams building blocks, and he became the first current player to agree to a long-term extension under the WFTs new regime. According to Pro Football Focus, Roullier was the No. 10 center in the NFL, based on his play in 2020. Washingtons tackle positions are in flux, with new starters expected at both left and right tackle heading into 2021. The Football Team still has to feel relatively good about their group up front because of how well the interior offensive line played in 2020, including a career year from Roullier. The former sixth-round pick out of Wyoming has improved his PFF grade every season with Washington, putting up a career-high 76.4 overall mark last year. The only two centers with a higher pass-blocking grade on true pass sets than Roullier in 2020 were Linder and Tretter. Look, PFFs grades arent official, but they are a good starting point in determining how a single player performs in each game. If you dont fully believe in PFFs grade, pull up NFL Game Pass from 2020 and watch every Washington game. Roullier was good. Its no coincidence Rivera and offensive line coach John Matsko wanted to keep him around. The most interesting aspect of PFFs grades on Roullier was how well he performed in true pass sets. Washingtons offense is expected to be more aggressive through the air in 2021, with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Washington knew what it had in Roullier and locked him up before he could test the open market. Consider that another smart move by the WFTs front office.
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https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/2021/05/29/where-does-chase-roullier-rank-among-the-nfls-top-centers-wasington-football-team-pro-football-focus-pff/
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Is Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine effective against the Indian strain?
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People line up to receive vaccine for COVID-19 outside a vaccination centre in Mumbai, India, Saturday, May 29, 2020. Image Credit: AP Paris: The Pfizer vaccine is slightly less effective but appears to still protect against the more transmissible Indian strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a study by France's Pasteur Institute. "Despite slightly diminished efficacy, the Pfizer vaccine probably protects" against the Indian variant, according to laboratory test results, said Olivier Schwartz, the institute's director and co-author of the study that was published on the BioRxiv website ahead of peer review. The study sampled 28 healthcare workers in the city of Orleans. Sixteen of them had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, while 12 had received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. People who had received two doses of Pfizer saw a three-fold reduction in their antibodies against the Indian variant, B.1.617, according to the study, but were still protected. "The situation was different with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which induced particularly low levels of antibodies neutralising" the Indian variant, the study said. Patients who had had COVID-19 within the past year and people vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer retained enough antibodies to be protected against the Indian variant, but three to six times less antibodies than against the UK variant, Schwartz said. The study shows that "this variant.. has acquired partial resistance to antibodies," Schwartz said. Since first emerging in late 2019 in China, the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 has developed several variants, usually named for the places where it first appeared including the so-called South Africa and UK strains. The variant first detected in India appears to be much more transmissible than earlier variations. It has now been officially recorded in 53 territories, according to a World Health Organization report. To try to curb its spread, France and Germany have re-introduced tighter rules on arrivals from affected countries, including the United Kingdom. The active ingredient is messenger Ribonucleic Acid (mRNA) which triggers the production of the protein found on the spikes of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The vaccine was designed on computers and synthesised in laboratories. So its synthetic, not natural since its not extracted from actual viruses or grown in a cell, like classic vaccines. This means it can be manufactured in large numbers very quickly, and can also be tweaked fast enough to keep pace with the virus mutations. The vaccine enables the production of the spike proteins that sit on the coronavirus crown and is used to gain entry to cells. The mRNA in the vaccine provokes the production of spike protein in the cells of the human body, and the body responds by producing antibodies, and B cells and T cells are activated, according to Ugur Sahin, the chief executive of BioNTech that co-developed the vaccine with Pfizer. All mRNA vaccines are highly fragile and should be kept at extremely low temperatures. Or else, it will disintegrate. For long-term storage, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has to be stored at -100F (-70C), and that requires specialist cooling equipment. Pfizers innovative distribution container keeps the vaccine at that temperature for 10 days if its unopened, according to a New Scientist report. The containers can be stored for up to 30 days if they are replenished with dry ice every five days. After thawing, the vaccine can be stored in a regular fridge for up to five days. The full Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine dose is 30 micrograms (a microgram is a millionth of a gram). It will technically require only several months to produce two doses for the 7.8 billion people in the world. But its not that simple.
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https://gulfnews.com/special-reports/is-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-effective-against-the-indian-strain-1.1622301589895
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Are financial incentives motivators for individuals not yet inoculated?
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Send this page to someone via email For Canadians reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, financial incentives from organizations might motivate individuals to get their first dose. Some Canadian organizations, such as the University of Lethbridge and DLGL Technologies, are offering a financial award for individuals who provide proof of inoculation. On Friday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said we want to leave no stone unturned when it comes to getting as many people vaccinated as possible, given the huge health and social benefits. I have asked our health department to consider some of those creative incentives for people to get vaccinated, Kenney says. At this stage, we are about to relaunch a fresh marketing effort, we are setting up temporary clinics, reaching out to employers of large work sites, trying to break down barriers to accessing vaccines. Story continues below advertisement The University of Lethbridge is offering nine students free fall tuition worth about $3,500, as an incentive for those who receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and complete an entry form before Sept. 8, 2021. University president Mike Mahon previously told Global News that the school is not making vaccinations mandatory to attend, but notes the contest is a great idea to encourage people to get their shots. DLGL Technologies, a company based in Quebec, is also offering employees who provide proof of the vaccine a $2,500 bonus, giving $1,250 for each shot. Timothy Caulfield, a Canada research chair in health law and policy at the University of Alberta, says the incentive approach is more complex than many people suspect. We are seeing these kinds of incentives from all over the world, Caulfield says. The research shows us that incentives can work, but is unlikely to work with those who are hard-core deniers, he says. Those individuals that have really strong reasons [and] beliefs as to why they dont want to get a vaccine. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Those individuals that have really strong reasons [and] beliefs as to why they don't want to get a vaccine. Where I think incentives can be helpful is that movable middle those individuals who are either complacent or havent got around to it, Caulfield says. Adolescents are an important cohort in this context. Story continues below advertisement Important caveats such as dealing with equity and access issues, and making sure that companies incentivize the right message should be addressed before offering them, the U of A researcher suggests. You want the incentive to be pro-social. 1:47 Vaccine incentives must maintain balance between encouragement and ethics: professor Vaccine incentives must maintain balance between encouragement and ethics: professor Health economist Jeff Round says that we use incentives such as creating high taxes to reduce smoking rates, and weight reduction programs because of the significant downstream potential to health-care costs. It is hard to get those incentives done right, especially in complex cases, Round says. From a pure economics perspective, you could probably increase vaccination rates by offering some kind of incentive. 1:58 Cold hard cash, ice cold brews on offer for COVID-19 vaccines in U.S. Cold hard cash, ice cold brews on offer for COVID-19 vaccines in U.S May 13, 2021 The health economist says theres a motivation for people to get vaccinated beyond their own health, but for government to get them vaccinated for the health of others. Story continues below advertisement This is an exceptional time, and we need to take exceptional measures. Zohreh BayatRizi, a sociology professor at the U of A, says financial incentives might help some age or political groups that are more skeptical than others roll up their sleeves. I dont think you can have, in this pandemic, a one-stop solution to all of the reasons why some people are reluctant, the sociologist says. Generally, it depends on why people are reluctant to get the vaccine, she says. For anti-vaxxers, no amount of financial incentive will work. I dont think $100 or $2,000 is going to make a difference in those peoples opinion. 1:15 Kenney says Alberta NDP understating the protective effect of the vaccines Kenney says Alberta NDP understating the protective effect of the vaccines The risk financial incentives can create is making a two-tiered system differentiating those who get the vaccine and those who dont. Story continues below advertisement The downfall of offering financial incentives for inoculation is the problem of creating a system that excludes people who are already excluded for other reasons, Round says. People who are experiencing homelessness, for example, may not have a chance to get a vaccine, or it may not be easy to reach that group. Round says the risk lies in further entrenching existing disparities. This two-tiered system can be present in other societal situations. We have this gatekeeping mechanism where we dont let certain people in, whether its people under a certain age buying lottery tickets or alcohol, BayatRizi says. 1:45 Boyle McCauley mobile clinic to provide vaccines to Edmonton homeless encampments Boyle McCauley mobile clinic to provide vaccines to Edmonton homeless encampments Caulfield says incentives dont have to be purely financial to work. Softer incentives such as easing restrictions if individuals get vaccinated is an example. Story continues below advertisement Premier Jason Kenney announced Albertas Open for Summer plan on May 26. Stage 1 of reopening will begin on June 1. Stage 2 will begin two weeks after 60 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose of vaccine and hospitalizations from COVID-19 are under 500 and declining. In many respects [this] is a kind of incentive, Caulfield says. 3:37 Albertas three-stage open for summer plan to start soon Albertas three-stage open for summer plan to start soon The premier says as soon as Alberta starts to see a significant decline in first dose demand, he will consider more options like financial incentives. Eventually, we will get into a game of inches and maybe incentives like [this] will be helpful. Advertisement
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https://globalnews.ca/news/7902049/alberta-covid-19-vaccine-incentives/
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