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What sort of competition ends with a semi-final? | On Tuesday morning the weekly bulletin from the National Football Leagues sponsors arrived on cue, holding its nose to the rising stink. In the copy there was no reference to the probability that at least two divisions of the football league will not be consummated by a final, leading, in effect, to an annulment. The tag-line on the sponsors email, though, marshalled its gritted teeth into a smile: Now for the pressure cooker matches, it read. Even in a normal year, league matches are not designed for those kind of temperatures, regardless of the fact that, for most teams outside of division one, a league title is their best hope of glory. The lower division finals have been a real success since they were introduced | https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-sort-of-competition-ends-with-a-semi-final-bs9l2q2rn |
Why are Jacqueline Fernandezs parents concerned for her? | Adv. Jacqueline Fernandez was living the suitcase life before lockdown order was out in place. Being busy since quiet a while she was moving set-to-set in order to complete her shoot schedules. After having missed spending Diwali and Christmas with family she has now opened up on one wish that her parents have for her. Jacqueline in an interview with leading newspaper mentioned, My parents worry about be and want me to stay with them in Bahrain. She continues saying, I think in 2020, the outbreak of the virus shocked everyone. This time around, while we are under-prepared for the second wave, people came out in larger numbers to actively help those in distress. The founder of YOLO continues, My friends from Sri Lanka and my parents, who live in Bahrain, watch the news and panic when they see the situation in India. My parents desperately want me to live with them in Bahrain even my uncles and cousins in Sri Lanka are asking me to come and stay with them. However, I am pretty intent on staying put here and continuing the work I am doing. Adv. Jacqueline has been doing a lot of social work recently. She has started her own foundation named YOLO which has teamed up with various NGOs and look to provide 1 lakh meals a month, feed the strays and donate mask and sanitizers to people. Once the pandemic is over the foundation will help deal with other issues as well. These days the actress is busy keeping herself fit, she practices yoga and treats her fans to regular posts. On the work front she has projects such as Kick 2, Bhoot Police, Bachchan Pandey and Ram Setu. | https://www.glamsham.com/bollywood/fashion-and-lifestyle/jacqueline-fernandez-parents-concerned-for-her |
How does someone beat the heat when they don't have a home? | BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) For the last few days, the temperature has been rising, reaching up to the 100s on Wednesday. Beating the heat is almost impossible when its this hot, but there are some options for those looking for shelter. Kyle Noe is one of several people experiencing homelessness in Bakersfield, while also dealing with this weeks blistering temperatures. Noe was finding shade under a tree at Mill Creek Park earlier Wednesday. I try to seek out cool places but theyre far and few between," Noe said. I go back to the shelter and find guy after guy sunburned or heat exhausted. He was one of the many looking to get away from the sun, as temperatures were climbing into the triple digits. when it gets too hot, he plans to go to a library or a homeless shelter. Last week we started to see an influx in people that are just wanting to come and shelter," said Laurie Houghey, Program Manager at the M Street Navigation Center. The shelter is operated by Kern County and CAPK. Houghey said they've seen about 60% more people coming to them for services amid the heat. Officials say most people who come for help are over the age of 36, very few are younger. The shelters outdoor shaded area provides a refuge from the streets where heatstroke is a concern. They dont have a healthy diet, theyre not drinking water, when they are going out to purchase something, its either alcohol, drugs, or soda," Houghey said. The navigation center also provides meals and water for the people who stay there. they recommend anyone who needs help or knows someone who needs help to call 2-1-1 for information about being admitted to the center, or other shelter options. Officials say the average person stays for four months, providing more than a potential escape from the heat, but also a potential track to a new life. It gives us an opportunity to get to know them and assist them with their housing," said Houghey. | https://www.turnto23.com/news/homeless/how-does-someone-beat-the-heat-when-they-dont-have-a-home |
Will Huaweis Android knockoff appease Chinas technology hawks? | Huawei used to be the worlds biggest phone makeruntil the US imposed damaging sanctions in 2019. Among other things, it banned Huawei from using the official version of Googles Android operating system on its smartphones. Now, the Chinese tech giant hopes it can stage a comeback by developing its own operating system: HarmonyOS. Huawei rolled out HarmonyOS for its latest smartphones today (June 2) and announced it would update older phones to the new operating system throughout the year. The companys stated goal is to reduce its reliance on Android, and develop a rival operating system that can compete with both Android and Apples iOS, which currently provide the operating systems for virtually every smartphone on earth. Independent reviewers, however, have concluded the operating system is just Androids open-source code under a new name. Tech observers are optimistic HarmonyOS can catch on within China, where theres considerable political pressure to create homegrown alternatives to US tech offerings. And even if HarmonyOS is just a copy of Android, it at least has the imprimatur of a Chinese tech giant to make it seem like a true domestic alternative. But its less clear if HarmonyOS can become a true competitor abroad, especially given that US sanctions still prevent Huawei devices from incorporating popular apps from American tech giants like Google and Facebook. Huawei first launched HarmonyOS in August 2019, four months after Google revoked the Chinese tech giants license to use its Android operating system. Although the company claims HarmonyOS is completely different from Android and iOS, an independent review by Ars Technica found several telltale signs that its just a lightly modified version of Android. The biggest difference between Android and HarmonyOS is that Huaweis version isnt officially licensed by Google, so it cant include Google apps. Huawei has instead developed its own alternative apps, including a Google search replacement dubbed Petal Search, Petal Maps instead of Google Maps, and a Huawei AppGallery instead of the Google Play Store. HarmonyOS also doesnt support major US-based apps like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Theres a good chance HarmonyOS can catch on within China, where authorities are eager to replace Western technology with homegrown alternatives. Beijing, for instance, has ordered all government offices to replace foreign computers and software with Chinese tech by 2022. As the technological rivalry between the US and China continues, HarmonyOS could become a more attractive alternative to Android and iOS, which are both controlled by American companies. Plus, Chinese consumers arent likely to miss the US-based apps that arent available on HarmonyOS, because Facebook and its ilk are banned in China anyway. HarmonyOS does, however, support Chinese alternatives like Weibo and WeChat. Huawei said it plans to have 300 million devices running HarmonyOS by the end of 2021, which would offer evidence that its operating system is viable in the Chinese domestic market. Huawei has said it will make HarmonyOS an open-source software available to any phone maker who wants to use it (much like the open-source Android operating system on which it is based). But HarmonyOS will be a harder sell outside of China, where consumers are more likely to want mainstream Western apps and the full Google Play Store, and governments are more likely to face diplomatic pressure from the US to abandon Huawei technology. | https://qz.com/2016193/will-huaweis-android-knockoff-appease-chinas-technology-hawks/ |
What is the difference between machine vision and computer vision? | Jun 02, 2021 Ed Holden By Donato Montanari, Vice President and General Manager, Machine Vision, Zebra Technologies. Many supply chain organizations are exploring the potential of more automated and intelligent technologies right now, Zebra Technologies included. With ever-changing production goals and tighter order fulfilment timelines, manufacturers need easy-to-use solutions that help elevate quality and drive production performance. Warehouse and distribution center operators are looking for ways to streamline the returns process. And retailers are constantly seeking tools that take the burden of increased fulfilment demands off workers, without compromising the quality of the customer experience. Thats why theres growing buzz around technologies such as machine vision and computer vision. But despite their similar-sounding names, these technologies have two very different purposes which, at times, do converge. There are also technologies, such as fixed industrial scanners, that can work in tandem with machine vision and computer vision solutions to bring more breadth, depth and speed to operational visibility and industrial automation. It might be easiest to start with the similarities. Machine vision and computer vision are both intelligence-based systems used for image capture, processing, and analysis. In enterprise and industrial environments, their shared value lies in their ability to improve quality control and process control by catching both isolated issues and patterns that a human might miss for whatever reason. For example, both machine vision and computer vision systems are trained to look for discrepancies within some component of an operation. When issues are identified, the systems will notify key stakeholders and then help them decide what steps to take to avoid incurring significant inventory, financial or customer losses. However, the speed and level at which this intelligence is gathered, distributed and applied is one of the most distinguishing factors between the two types of technologies. Machine vision is often used on a production line in a manufacturing facility to look for visual inconsistencies in a label, package or even item design that could lead to returns, noncompliance penalties, and other costly consequences. Many use a pass/fail alert structure to help inspectors quickly decide whether items are cleared to continue down the line or should be removed without having to consult with others first. Machine vision systems also tend to be self-contained, meaning the image capture and analysis occur right there on the line. Data doesnt have to be sent to a back-office system for processing. Computer vision, on the other hand, is often used as a back-end processing platform for front-line image capture technologies, such as intelligent automation solutions, bioptic scanners, and even mobile computers. Advanced algorithms are used to help decision makers see whats happening within their operations and fully understand why its happening. Though computer vision still elicits fast decision making and action, there tends to be a little bit longer lead time between the two given the depth and breadth of data being processed through the system. Computer vision is typically a far more comprehensive analysis tool than machine vision, which is much more comparative at a single factor level (i.e., the text on the items warning label is supposed to be red but the machine vision camera indicates it is purple.) In fact, machine vision systems tend to be designed to support very specific industrial automation applications due to their unique line of sight capabilities and limitations. Computer vision algorithms, on the other hand, can be used more broadly to support qualitative analysis needs. Thats why youre more likely to see machine vision or some derivative such as fixed industrial scanning in manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution environments, and computer vision in retail or healthcare. Machine vision relies on highly specialised camera technology to reconcile an item or labels current visual state with what it should look like per the standards guide. However, when someone talks about machine vision, its unlikely he or she is referring exclusively to the camera component. Machine vision is a cohesive set of technologies and methodologies that are used for the automatic, imaging-based inspection and tracking of work-in-progress items and finished goods from a process control and quality control perspective. For example, an automotive supplier might use machine vision to improve the speed and accuracy of visual inspections as items move down the line in a discrete manufacturing environment where quality control is critical. The machine vision system meaning the smart cameras or sensors positioned either overhead or in line with the conveyor belt can learn to recognise when a part is mislabeled or there is a discrepancy in the design when compared to the blueprints. After capturing a snapshot, an intelligent analysis will occur on the spot to verify the quality of whats being produced and prepped for shipment. If multiple anomalies are identified by the machine vision system, that could be indicative of a larger process issue that the manufacturer may not have otherwise recognized until after parts were shipped to and returned by the customer. Fixed industrial scanning solutions are utilized more for the track and trace of parts or finished goods as they move down a production, picking, packing, or shipping line, whereas machine vision is used most often for the visual inspection of such items for quality control or process control purposes. Thats because fixed industrial scanners are provisioned to read the barcodes on items moving along conveyor belts or order fulfilment lines in distribution centers and warehouses and provide a status update to logistics managers or possibly even customers. However, fixed industrial scanners at least the ones Zebra offers can be used for machine vision with a fairly simple software reconfiguration. While 88% of manufacturers say they are capturing data about their assets and operations, only 18% believe they are fully equipped to deliver on the Internet of Things (IoT) and connect that data to their business systems to improve operations*. Many warehouse and distribution center operators share the same frustration and challenge. So, Zebra has worked diligently to deliver solutions that help automate the collection, analysis and application of all kinds of data in a simple way. Zebras uniquely designed fixed industrial scanning and machine vision solutions fill a gap in customers needs that cant be addressed as effectively by the other automation solutions. They are the only ones to share the same software platform, which allows a single camera/sensor device to serve a dual purpose, thus reducing an organisations investment requirements and streamlining operator training. And theyre both key to improving productivity and efficiency while mitigating quality issues that could challenge an organizations ability to meet demand. | https://www.logisticsit.com/articles/2021/06/02/what-is-the-difference-between-machine-vision-and-computer-vision |
Should systemic racism be taught in schools? | CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) Across the country, Republicans and Democrats are clashing over what schools should and shouldnt teach when it comes to systemic racism. This all stems from the critical race theory which is an academic approach on how racism functions in American institutions. Republicans believe the critical race theory will divide Americans, while democrats believe examining the root cause of disparity in the country is the only way to move forward. Racism is a much-debated topic in the wake of police brutality, protests and racial injustices. The critical race theory is shaping up to be a major cultural battle ahead of next years midterm elections. I dont think theres anything wrong at all with learning all of history and you have to accept the good and the bad, Del. Mike Pushkin, who is a Democrat for Kanawha County said. Some Republicans argue the theory unfairly forces students to consider race and racism. In 2020, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning federal contractors from conducting certain racial sensitivity trainings. It was challenged in court, and President Biden rescinded the order the day he took office. I dont want to see future West Virginians and future Americans growing up thinking that everyone is hateful, that everyone is looking to oppress others, Josh Holstein, who is a Republican for Boone County said. Del. Holstein says he thinks the debate is mostly centered around how children develop. When youre in school and as a young child, your worldview is being formed and you want to have children that are educated and are smart and know the past and can work towards the future, Del. Holstein said. However, some democrats say the way to move forward is for all Americans to accept the ugly truth. Its about teaching what actually happened. Lets teach real history, Del. Pushkin said. States like Idaho and Oklahoma have adopted laws that limit how public school teachers can talk about race in the classroom, and similar bills are before nearly half a dozen state legislatures including Ohio. Follow Moriah Davis on Facebook and Twitter for the latest local and breaking news | https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/should-systemic-racism-be-taught-in-schools/ |
What does the governments endorsement of Baba Ramdev mean? | The latest instalment of stupidity from Ramdev has got the good doctors exercised: They have hit him with a defamation suit for Rs 1,000 crore. However, this recurrent outrage has brought to the fore once again a question that has exercised many of us over the past seven years. Bovine excreta are, I suggest, a cop-out in this serious context they are too easily mocked. Modis surgically-rendered Ganesh is only one example. To be fair, there is a long history of suspicion of modern Western medicine in this country, one that is braided into anti-colonial ideology. Gandhis prohibitions against vaccination are well-known. Subaltern resistance to modern medicine, which was administered under colonial aegis in the context of various epidemics, is well-attested. So, in a sense, Ramdev is merely an exponent of a venerable tradition of superstition and unreason. The fact that this tendency crystallises in a context of anti-colonial resistance confers an undeserved legitimacy to it. And the real traditions of medical knowledge Ayurveda and other traditional knowledge systems, eminently empirical, based on observation and practice, get smudged together with the defensive superstitions which a long-neglected people have had to resort to then, and now. Basically, bogus tradition gives authentic tradition a bad name. Aryabhattas heirs bang thalis to appease the Virus God. Ignorance is a large part of the explanation. Pseudo-Sanskrit, pseudo-tradition, small helpings of tatsama Sanskritic vocabulary, have long served as guarantees of authenticity and wisdom for the semi-literate. One may recall the poor villager proffering his meagre savings to the panditji who represents tradition in Premchands bitter story, Sadgati. After all, the general crisis of mere competence in the upper echelons of the present dispensation is too stark not to be noticed. This possible deeper design is normally understood in relation to the supposed beliefs of the vast unlettered mass of the people: Give the people what they want. My own sense of my people is that they are far more canny, and certainly heterogeneous, than is generally realised. The deliberate dismantling of the public health system may well drive them into the arms of quacks, but they know a doctor when they see one. No, this baba-baazi Ramdev, Sri Sri, J Vasudev may lull the simple-minded into superstition, but its darker purpose is to provide a kind of reassurance to the savarna-Hindu middle class. At the most superficial level, it feeds their cultural vanity, impregnable precisely because it is based on a profound ignorance about that ancient India which is the foundation of their loud and hollow garv. This mythical world populated with wise rishis and lascivious apsaras is the repository of all things good. Further, and crucially, it provides the context for introducing the traumatic rupture and infinite abyss of the Muslim middle ages across which, and only now coming into our own, are wonderful Us. This is nonsense, of course; but it is also very functional. This supposedly dark period is also, incidentally, Richard Eatons Persianate age, seed-bed of much of what we value as our great culture. The sheer outrageousness of badmouthing heroic doctors and nurses in the context of the pandemic tips the ratio in favour of stupidity. But the very next week, theres the Lakshadweep manoeuvre, and suddenly evil seems preponderant. But the most important part of the cultural agenda that is served by this stuff is the cynical subversion of reason, in favour of an appeal to magic and superstition. This is ignorance, but ignorance weaponised. The legitimacy of the savarna-Hindu social order has been eroded by centuries of cultural critique. The damage that the Bhakti movement wrought was reinforced and consolidated by the colonially-enabled forces of modernity the values of equality, individuality, rationality. The rearguard defence of the Hindu savarna castes, thus divested of legitimacy, leads them perforce in the direction of unreason even as they cling to the baubles that modernity and science bring. This produces a permanent condition of bad faith, which has been identified by psychologists as the tolerance for cognitive dissonance nuclear scientists appeasing the fire gods, that sort of thing. The flipside of this ability to harbour contradictory, incompatible beliefs, is a deep amorality, which is the necessary response of the beneficiaries of a flagrantly unjust social order. There are complicated accounts of what constitutes bad faith. But the essence of bad faith is that it involves doing something that one knows to be wrong. Thus, it is contrasted with good faith the innocent error, the honest mistake. of a condition beyond bad faith. In that hitherto unnamed condition, the consciousness of wrong is itself atrophied and anyone who seeks to restore that atrophied faculty only causes pain and resentment rather like the physiotherapist who has to work the patient, even painfully, during the rehabilitation process. By endorsing the absurd claims of Ramdev etc, the present dispensation merely signals to its core Hindu-savarna constituency that it is suitably equipped with the necessary cynicism required to defend an indefensible social order. The writer taught in the department of English, Delhi University | https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/baba-ramdev-allopathy-statement-modi-govt-coronavirus-7341723/ |
How Will Gulfport Spend $5 million in COVID Relief? | With the passage of the American Recovery Act, the City of Gulfport is set to receive $5,186,383 in federal relief money, and a good portion of the June 1 meeting was dedicated to discussing how the city should best spend the incoming funds. There are restrictions on what the funds can be used for. Broadly speaking, the money can go towards: public health and COVID-mitigation efforts, workers and businesses economically impacted by the pandemic, replacing government revenue lost due to the pandemic, premium pay to essential workers, and investments in infrastructure (specifically improving access to clean water and internet). All of the council expressed interest in using some of the funds to repair and improve the citys sewage pipes, specifically investing in lateral lines, with each councilmember then giving their own priorities for how to use the other funds. April Thanos suggested using the money to fund a citywide climate change vulnerability study, additional installations of solar panels on city buildings, increased funding for the recreation centers childcare program as parents return to work, and a temp worker to help residents access CARES Act money they may be entitled to. Christine Brown asked if it was possible to use the funds to pay back the citys existing loans related to past sewer improvements, and City Finance Director Cheryl Hannafin clarified that loan repayment was explicitly forbidden. Paul Ray suggested using funds to replace water meters throughout the city, creating a fund to help local businesses with landscaping, and improving the wage of city workers above the required minimum wage increases, to make sure the city can stay competitive in its hiring as the state minimum wage grows closer to $15 an hour each year. Sam Henderson suggested using the funds to repair roads and sidewalks, coastal parks, setting up broadband hotspots to provide free wireless internet to the public, and possibly a bonus to all city workers to thank them for continuing to work through the pandemic. A lot of people had to do a lot of thinking on their feet and rapid adjustment, and working under some extremely difficult conditions that this country hasnt seen in over 100 years, Henderson said. In his closing comments, Paul Ray announced that he will host an event for public input on the issue on Wednesday, June 9 at Pavilion #6 along Shore Blvd, near the Gulfport Rec Center. Anybody who wants to show up with their suggestions, please do, he said. To read more about other decisions made at the June 1 Gulfport City Council meeting, check out this article. Like this: Like Loading... | https://thegabber.com/heres-how-gulfport-could-spend-more-than-5-million-in-covid-19-relief/ |
When will Nigerians wake up? | By Albert Akanbi SIR: Today, among countless Nigerians, there still exists very strong empire nostalgia. And many more fail to see the external dimension to the failure that Nigeria and most African countries have become today. Few days ago, the US based foreignpolicy.com published a paper in which they insisted Nigeria is now officially a failed state. We know Nigeria is not in good shape at the moment; perhaps it has never been, not in the last 60 years of independence or 100 years of amalgamation. Yet, we have never made serious efforts to dig up the reasons why. To add salt to injury, we have adopted a skewed approach to our own history, so much so that most existing accounts were either written by our colonizers themselves or those who fail to fully appreciate the depth of our crises as a people. As the most populous nation in Africa, the most populous black nation in the world, Nigeria is supposed to be a torch bearer offering hope to blacks everywhere. Not content with woeful failure in that regard, at a time when serious nations are discussing possibilities of colonizing Mars, Nano medicine and stem cell science, we are here debating how to grant cows special status, banditry and Sharia law. ADVERTISEMENT We have persistently failed to see that we were programmed to fail as a country and as such do something about it. We have also refused to acknowledge the reasons why the worst of us continue to be in charge of our affairs, and a vast majority of us, instead of connecting the dots, continue to view the colonial era through rose-tinted glasses, even insisting that that era was our golden age. A serious country would by now be making conscious efforts to break free from all negative external influences. Against popular narrative which suggests that our myriad problems are homegrown, reality is that Britain, in the way it has conducted its affairs here and continue to conduct them, created most of our problems and continue to fuel many of them, directly or indirectly, in active connivances with other western powers, their big corporations and their proxies here, till this day. And many are yet to see this truth. This is why Nigeria remains perhaps the only country in the world where to this day, majority of her citizens do not have a negative feeling about colonialism or their colonial masters, where many nations, i.e Burkina Faso, have changed their name from what the colonial masters gave them. For us, the colonial masters are treated as heroes till today. The city of Port Harcourt and many streets across Nigeria for example, remain named after some of the most evil colonial masters. Speak to an average Nigerian today and you would hear lines like, I wish the colonial masters left in the 1990s, I wish the colonial masters will come back etc. Author and Historian Max Siollun describes this contradiction in the following words: Rather than suffering from Stockholm syndrome, Nigeria is a classic case of a country suffering from a bout of winners victory syndrome. Yes, pre-colonial Nigeria was not a utopia before Britain came and ruined everything, but the fact remains that the British system of repression is still the style of the ruling class holding fort for them today, and the same Britain continues to offer that system its overt or covert support. Our psyche has been so thoroughly impoverished that today, many of us look back on our own ancestors with disdain and see ourselves as incapable of building a world-class nation without outside help. Today, among Nigerians, you see fanatical support of football clubs like Liverpool. Yet we watch them and shout in ecstasy when they score. Liverpool itself was a major port for the transatlantic slave trade, where thieves and outlaws gather for trips to Africa, where slave ships were built and often repaired. That city, and perhaps the entire British island, wouldnt be what it is today without the trade in black Africans. And yet many of us fight among ourselves, close our eyes to the real fight, and the ruling class submit themselves to foreign powers, corruption and greed. Albert Afeso Akanbi [email protected] | https://thenationonlineng.net/when-will-nigerians-wake-up/ |
Who killed Gulak? | By Lawal Ogienagbon That is an academic question, some may be tempted to say of the title of this piece, citing the police position on the Ahmed Gulak case. As far as the police are concerned, it is an open and close case. Their position is informed by their strong belief that they have found and killed the killers of Ahmed Gulak. People are wondering on social media. The story will be told as much as possible in the words of the police. It all started in the early hours of May 30 when Gulak, a former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, and erstwhile Adamawa State House of Assembly speaker, left his hotel in Owerri, the Imo State capital, to catch an early morning flight at the Sam Mbakwe Airport. He never got there. A few metres to the airport, his cab was waylaid by armed men, who shot him dead in cold blood. The two other persons with him and the Toyota Camry cab driver were spared. After killing Gulak, the assailants drove off in their Toyota Sienna vehicle. What happened next is only known by those who witnessed the dastardly act and these are the other passengers and the driver. For now, the other passengers and the driver are only known to the police. This is understandable. Also, the police have not said anything about quizzing the other passengers and the information they got from them. The police have only volunteered information about the tips given to them by the driver that led to the tracking and killing of the hoodlums. Ordinarily, we should be clapping for the police and saying bravo to them for their swiftness, but something is just not right somewhere. The police story does not add up. From all indication, the police did not have time for such nicety as they were in a hurry to get the assailants before they escaped. Information from the other passengers too would have been of tremendous help in unmasking the killers, if only the police were not in haste to get just anybody to hang the killing of Gulak on. The police may want to justify their action by saying that they acted in self defence. Their two statements, which are accounts of the last moments of Gulak before and after his death, were well crafted to absolve them of blame whenever, as they say, the shit hit the roof. In the first statement, the police said the hoodlums operating in a Sienna intercepted, identified and shot Gulak at a spot close to the airport. This, the police added, was based on what the driver told them. What this implies is that the hoodlums were on a mission to kill Gulak. By that statement, the police ruled out any other motive for the dastardly act. Again, they said he left his hotel without informing the police or sister agencies in view of the fragile security in the Southeast and Imo State, in particular. To get the hoodlums, a combined team of operatives of the tactical unit, intelligence response team, and Police Mobile Force were quickly mobilised to the crime scene. Taking the direction given to them by the driver, they soon ran into the hoodlums where they were sharing onions allegedly seized from a truck coming from the north, to a crowd of people. ADVERTISEMENT You can smell a hint of ethnicism in that line a truckload of onions from the North seized in the Southeast and that was coming from the police, which should know the implication of such statement. As if that was not enough, the police team now unleashed their firepower on the hoodlums who allegedly fired the first salvo on sighting them. Of course, the police are not expected to confront hoodlums with biscuits in their holsters in the course of enforcing the law. But the shooting to death of a suspect should be the last resort. They can shoot to demobilise a suspect and prevent him from escaping in order to obtain information that will aid their investigation. Once a suspect is killed, that is the end because investigation may be stalled. I hope this will not be the case in Gulaks murder. We may never know as they are no longer alive to say all they know about the incident. Well, may be the driver, who appears to be the police prime witness, and the other passengers can be of help in this regard. If not, the police are to blame for acting too hastily. Little wonder Governor Hope Uzodinma described the killing as political assassination, apparently based on the police findings. This is the seed the police has sown in his and many others minds. For Gulak not to die in vain, his killers must be brought to justice. The killing of his supposed killers in an encounter has only left the police wide open to suspicion of having something to hide. Whereas, this may not be the case. It is left for the police to prove that. | https://thenationonlineng.net/who-killed-gulak/ |
Why was Tom Hanks nominated as a supporting actor? | Tom Hanks is one of the most popular men in movie history. Since the 1980s, the actor has continued to appear on the big screen hit after hit. And since the years 1988 Large, Hanks was a highly bankable A-List star. Here is the rundown of Hanks very first nomination in this category. Tom Hanks Wears Suit and Tie and Stands Outside Exhibit for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood | Dominik Bindl / FilmMagic Tom Hanks has been nominated multiple times for the Oscar for Best Actor Hanks won his first Oscar nomination for Large. And in many ways, this movie set the pattern for the kind of affable roles for everyone that it often played. But the actors career took a much more serious turn when he got his second nod and his first victory for Philadelphia cream. With only one role, the image of Hanks as a former TV star Bosom buddies was gone. Even his 1994 Oscar acceptance speech left an impact on pop culture. From that point on, Hanks became a critical darling and an awards favorite. He won his second Oscar the following year for Forrest Gump. And in 1999 and 2001, he landed two more nominations for best actor for Castaway and Save Private Ryan. Even if he did not receive an Oscar for Charlie Wilsons War, Captain Phillips, and The post office, he also received numerous awards for his performances in these films (and others). RELATED: Tom Hanks Has A Very Selfish Reason He Dislikes Getting Angry The actor was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Hanks next Oscar nomination wouldnt come until 2020, nearly two decades after the previous one. In A beautiful day in the neighborhood, he plays the late childrens television host Fred Rogers. Hanks was considered the perfect casting choice to play the Mr. Rogers neighborhood host. And it wasnt because the two men are distant relatives. Still, some fans were surprised to see Hanks nominated for Best Supporting Actor. After all, the films title and marketing all relate to Rogers. The answer is simple. Despite the movie poster, Hanks is not the frontman of A beautiful day in the neighborhood. The story focuses on journalist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), and Rogers appearances are presented primarily from Lloyds perspective. In addition, the studios decide for which categories they campaign for their actors. Maybe Sony chose to push Hanks into this category because he had a better chance of landing a nomination. That year, the Best Supporting Actor category was much less competitive than the Best Actor race, where Joaquin Phoenix won for Joker. Ultimately, Hanks lost the prize to Brad Pitt in Once upon a time in hollywood. Of course, now that Hanks has returned to the Oscar conversation, its highly unlikely that the academy will wait another 20 years to recognize him. After all, even its two 2020 releases Doggy style and World news managed to land a few Oscar nominations, although Hanks didnt this time around. However, he has several huge films on the way. Maybe her best chance at getting another Oscar nomination is Elvis, the next musical biopic on Elvis Presley. Director Baz Luhrmann (Red Mill!) presents the story of the musical icon, performed by Austin Butler. Hanks plays Colonel Tom Parker, Presleys manager. 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 | https://exbulletin.com/entertainment/960781/ |
Can 'alternative tailings disposal' become the norm? | MONTRAL, QUBEC / ACCESSWIRE / June 2, 2021 / Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V: CRE) (US OTCQX: CRECF) (FSE: F12) ('Critical Elements' or the 'Company') is very proud to announce that it has received UL 2723 ECOLOGO Certification for Mineral Exploration Companies. The Company has successfully completed the final stage of the certification process, which includes audit results, use of the UL ECOLOGO mark, and registration in UL's SPOT sustainable product database. The Company is very proud of this accomplishment and intend to continue working to promote this certification and its advantages, helping to make it a key objective in the mineral exploration sector. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263862472396/can-alternative-tailings-disposal-become-the-norm |
How do weed killers know what to kill? | Mike Szydlowski Special to Columbia Daily Tribune Humans spend billions of dollars trying to fight weeds on their properties. It has become an obsession for some, and not a concern at all for others. If your lawn has a lot of weeds, you could do one of three things. First, you could just not worry about it. The term weed is determined by humans; they are still real plants. If it wasnt for us enjoying uniform and perfect lawns, there would be no problem with what we refer to as weeds. A lot of time and money goes into a perfect lawn, so letting your lawn go natural is the easiest (and most environmentally-friendly) way. You can spend your extra time watching your neighbors tackle their weed problems. Second, you could manually remove the weeds by pulling them up when you see them. This is also a very environmentally-friendly practice, but you will likely hate almost every part of this as it will be a never-ending battle. New weed seeds are constantly sprouting in your lawn and some have roots that go very deep. This method will keep you in shape, though. Third, you could apply chemicals to the weeds that will kill them. Some chemicals will kill everything they touch while other chemicals have been specially formatted to only kill the type of plants that you are targeting. Of course, its all about science. If you dont understand the science, or you dont read the labels correctly, you could end up killing your entire lawn instead of just the weeds. Kill everything If you want to kill everything in a certain area, then using a broad-spectrum vegetation killer is the way to go. This would be useful if you were trying to clear an area to start a new lawn or landscaping spot. Or better yet, you could use this chemical to kill an area of non-native plants in order to start a native garden. The kill-everything chemicals work by disrupting photosynthesis, which all plants need to function and grow. The chemicals block the plants ability to turn sunlight into energy and also causes the plant to build up toxic oxygen and other compounds it would usually get rid of. This kills most plants rather quickly. Kill some things If you dont want to clear an entire area of plants, then you might want to clear an area of just certain plants or weeds. This is when you use a selective weed killer. Most selective weed killers target dicot plants. Dicot plants are typically plants with broad leaves. Trees, most weeds, shrubs and annual flowers fall into this category. These chemicals will not kill monocot plants. Monocot plant examples are grasses and corn. Selective plant killers work by taking advantage of certain metabolism (chemical processes all living things use to sustain life) pathways in the plant. Monocots and dicots use different metabolism pathways. In the case of selective weed killers, the herbicide greatly increases the amount of a hormone called auxin in plants. A plant naturally produces the auxin hormone, which promotes and regulates cell growth. Auxins are what makes plants grow. These herbicides flood the plant with this growth hormone. The plant now has so much auxin that it grows uncontrollably and irregularly and literally grows itself to death. That is why some plants like dandelions look all curled and irregular when sprayed with the chemical. Instead of controlled growth, the cells grow in every direction and finally just shut down. Monocots (grasses) use a different growth pathway and are not affected as much by these herbicides. Animals use completely different metabolic systems. Kill before they grow A final way to control weeds is to not allow the seeds to germinate at all. You dont have to pull or kill weeds that dont exist. A pre-emergent herbicide prohibits baby root cells from growing. Without new root cells, the germinating seed will die. There are different chemicals that can be used in pre-emergent herbicides, but one of them is corn gluten. Corn plants produce their own pre-emergent weed control process by producing its own chemicals that keep some seeds around them from sprouting. In this example, humans are simply copying nature to provide benefits in their own areas. So now you know how and why to tackle certain plant pests around your home. The importance cannot be overstated. If you make a mistake, your desire to remove a few weeds could mean that you now need a whole new lawn. Mike Szydlowski is science coordinator for Columbia Public Schools. TIME FOR A POP QUIZ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. LAST WEEKS POP QUIZ ANSWERS 1. While our pet dogs were never in the wild, instincts have been passed down in their genetics that still show through in some of their behaviors. 2. Dogs have an organ that filters out other smells and only detects the oils from the anal gland when it desires. 3. Your dog is likely stressed out for some reason. 4. In most cases, dogs think that you are trying to show your dominance over the dog (which it already knows). 5. Research question what is another dog behavior that you have seen and why do they do it. Do some research and let us know what you found. Answers will vary but could include: eating grass, walking in circles, barking, panting, rolling over on back, etc. | https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/2021/06/02/how-do-weed-killers-know-what-kill/5240092001/ |
Is Harry Styles is Launching a Beauty Brand? | The handsome face of Gucci just filed a trademark for a business venture named Pleased As Holdings Limited, where Styles, Harry Edward is listed as the Director, along with his longtime executive assistant Emma Spring. His loyal fans on Twitter are speculating the company will be named SHE, for the initials of his listed name, which also happens to be the name of the eighth track off his 2019 sophomore album Fine Line. As clever and perfect as it sounds, some are pointing out that Styles often signs his filings this way. The trademark listing from May 25, 2021 is specified as wholesale of perfume and cosmetics, which allows him a large range to create anything from fragrance, makeup, skincare, or nail polish. As his lyrics from the song say, I don't know who she is, but a beauty brand from Styles surely lives in daydreams with me, and his global network of stans. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. what if the brand is called SHE beauty as its in the name of Styles Harry Edward pic.twitter.com/sHvRJWDIQf oli stan account (@zjmHipsDontLie) May 30, 2021 The news broke when Twitter fan account @TheHarryNews discovered the trademark in the UK Company Directory. After tweeting the listing, fans noticed Styles occupation is listed as record production, so some believe this may just be related to upcoming merch (which would signal a new album on the way), though breaking into beauty would make a lot of sense for the Treat People with Kindness singer. Hed be the newest addition to the celebrity beauty boom, where hes known to playfully blur the lines of outdated gender rules in fashion and styling. Hes no stranger to male-polish, especially during his Fine Line album run, where hes shown on many red carpets and performances wearing mis-matched, colorful fingertips, alongside his signature chunky H and S rings. It would be a fitting venture for the heartthrob, as he encourages the future of fluid dressing, where both young men and women would surely sell out a line of pink polishes inspired by his kitschy aesthetic. He wouldnt be the first male musician to launch nail polish, as rapper Lil Yachty just dropped his nail paint line in May called Crete. The brand is unisex, though Yachty created it in hopes of granting men an opportunity to express themselves without judgment, with the tagline "For You. Not Them." Other musician style stars such as A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, and Lil Nas X are known to sport creative claws on the red carpet as well, though Styles tends to paint his in solid pastels. Styles has also been around the block when it comes to fragrance, so perhaps hes looking towards a unisex perfume market. In 2019 he starred in Alessandro Micheles fragrance campaign for Mmoire d'une Odeur , the brands first "inclusive, genderless, and ageless" perfume. And lets not forget the four massively successful One Direction perfumes he created in a past life. Gucci Sony Pictures And who knows, maybe hes looking to create makeup too. Occasionally hes seen in glitters and glosses for events and photoshoots, most memorably on the cover of Beauty Papers Magazine for their March 2020 Revolution Issue. He wears a full face of makeup, with his eyelids painted in a shimmery golden smoke, his cheeks bronzed and glowing, and his lips kissed with pink liner. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Beauty Papers Magazine Similar to Fenty Beauty's founder Rihanna, some fans are upset that Styles may be spending more time in the lab than the studio, but others are anticipating buying whatever he drops, as soon as he does. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. HARRY NAIL POLISH I BEG nikki ! (@SMPxVOL6) May 28, 2021 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. "I'm wearing she by harry styles" sounds so hot. sakima (@lovebabieH) May 30, 2021 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. I will be buying one of everything. We'll have to keep an eye out for what colors he's wearing on his fingertips or if fan encounters report back about what he smells like as he could be teasing his product right in front of us. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.crfashionbook.com/beauty/a36595032/harry-styles-launching-cosmetics-fragrance-beauty-brand/ |
Why Is The Covid-19 Case Fatality Rate Not Falling? | As I noted in a recent post, everywhere you look these days the coronavirus pandemic is on the run. Covid-19 cases are down, hospitalizations related to the virus are down and deaths with Covid are down. Meanwhile, vaccinations are up and masks are beginning to come off as American society begins returning to normal. Oh, and the battle over who gets the credit for all of this is well joined Having had Covid-19 once (and possibly twice), I can affirm the virus is serious but that it is also nowhere near as bad as it was made out to be. Thats why I have been arguing for the past year against the sort of societal shutdowns that accompanied the initial wave of the pandemic and its subsequent spikes. There is one data point, though, which I believe is worth tracking as Covid-19 numbers continue their precipitous plunge the case fatality rate for the virus. Before addressing that number, though, lets do another quick snapshot of where we currently stand with respect to other key indicators for Covid-19 which appears to have originated in a government laboratory in Wuhan, China (something my news outlet addressed in detail over a year ago). First, lets look at vaccinations: According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50.8 percent of Americans have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while 41 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. As vaccinations have climbed, all of the core metrics used to track the spread of Covid-19 have fallen off of a cliff. As of June 1, 2021, the seven-day rolling average for daily new confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States stood at 19,338 its lowest mark since March 30, 2020 and a 92.5 percent decline from its revised peak of 261,321 cases on January 8, 2021. As for Covid-19-related hospitalizations, those stood at 25,987 on May 31 the lowest total since March 31, 2020 and an 81.7 percent decline from their peak of 142,273 hospitalizations on January 14, 2021. Finally, the seven-day rolling average of daily new deaths with Covid-19 stood at 593 on June 1 down 82.9 percent from a peak of 3,469 deaths on January 16, 2021. While all of these numbers bode extremely well for the trajectory of the virus, the aforementioned fatality rate is cause for concern ***** DONT MISS A STORY SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ***** The Covid-19 case fatality rate or the number of deaths with the virus per 100 confirmed cases remains stuck at 1.8 percent. In fact, this key indicator has not budged since February 13, 2021, when it ticked up incrementally from 1.7 percent. It has not advanced or receded by more than a tenth of a percentage point from either of those two readings since December 11, 2020. In other words, while cases, hospitalizations and deaths have plunged (and vaccinations have skyrocketed), Covid-19 is no more or less deadly than it was at its zenith in early January. Good question There was no shortage of sketchy reporting last year when it came to Covid-19 deaths but lately there has been a dearth of reporting on the subject. Neither the pro-lockdown fearmongers nor the tin foil hat-wearing conspiracy theorists seem to have the foggiest notion as to what is happening. I would have liked to have seen that number go down, a nurse tracking the data told me recently. Me too In lieu of that, though, I would settle for some clarity as to why this number has not gone down. ***** ABOUT THE AUTHOR (Via: FITSNews) Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that Magnum P.I.-style Detroit Tigers road lid pictured above). We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Submit your own letter to the editor (or guest column) via-email HERE. CLICK HERE. CLICK HERE. | https://www.fitsnews.com/2021/06/02/why-is-the-covid-19-case-fatality-rate-not-falling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-is-the-covid-19-case-fatality-rate-not-falling |
Is there a Whataburger chicken shortage? | Some Whataburger meals have flown the coop for now. SAN ANTONIO If you were looking forward to ordering a honey butter chicken biscuit or another chicken item on Whataburger's menu for dinner on Wednesday, you may need to switch up your plans. According to a company spokesperson, some chicken items on the Texas-based fast food joint's menu "may be temporarily available," thanks to high customer demand and supply chain shortages. Anyone visiting Whataburger's website or app Wednesday afternoon will notice the "chicken shortage" alert at the top. "Were sorry for the inconvenience this may cause some of our customers," the company went on to say in its statement. "Were working closely with our suppliers and hope to serve our full chicken menu again soon." | https://www.wfaa.com/article/life/food/whataburger-chicken-shortage-statement/273-5f4e96e1-da38-4b52-bfbb-7adb7e424e3d |
What happened to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? | ISRAELs Benjamin Netanyahu has been the prime minister of the country for over a decade. In a March general election, Netanyahu fell short of a majority vote and was given until June 2, 2021, to form a government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a potential end to his 12-year reign of power. The opposition parties have inched closer to forming a government, as the Centrist party leader Yair Lapid is reportedly close to reaching a coalition agreement with the ultra-nationalist leader Naftali Bennett. If both can agree, Bennett would serve as prime minister for two years and Lapid would take over for the remaining two. Bennett is the head of the Yamina party and holds six seats in the 120-member parliament. 5 Naftali Bennett is the head of the Yamina party and is seeking a coalition with the Centrist party to form a government Credit: Reuters According to a statement, Bennett met with the Yamina party and received their support for a coalition. In his own televised statement, Netanyahu accused Bennett of betraying the Israeli right wing. He urged nationalist politicians who have joined the coalition talks not to establish what he called a leftist government. A government like this is a danger to the security of Israel, and is also a danger to the future of the state, Netanyahu said. Bennett, a former Netanyahu aide turned rival, said he was taking the dramatic step to prevent yet another election. 5 Netanyahu accused Bennett of betraying the Israeli right wing Credit: AFP While sharing Netanyahu's nationalist ideology, Bennett said there was no feasible way for the hard-line right wing to form a governing majority in parliament. Netanyahu started a career in politics joining the right wing Likud party in the 1980s. He gained notoriety during the 1991 Gulf War and became the leader of the party in 1993. He was elected the Prime Minister of Israel in 1996. His first tenure in office was dominated by US-brokered peace talks with Palestine, which was led by Yasser Arafat. 5 Netanyahu has been the prime minister of Israel for 12 years but has fallen short of the majority of votes during a general election Credit: Reuters Netanyahu helped introduce free market economics to Israel while also easing the countrys strict foreign exchange protocols enabling Israelis to open foreign bank accounts and invest abroad. After losing the 1999 election in the face of a marriage scandal and corruption accusations, he temporarily retired from politics. Netanyahu returned to politics as the Likud Finance Minister before gaining back control of the party and serving as leader of the opposition from 2005. He became Prime Minister of Israel once again in 2009. Lapid said he had informed President Reuven Rivlin of the agreement, according to a statement. "I pledge that this government will work in the service of all Israeli citizens, those who voted for it and those who did not," he said. "It will respect its opponents and do everything in its power to unite and connect all parts of Israeli society." 5 Centrist party leader Yair Lapid will work with Bennett to seek a definitive coalition of parties Credit: AFP The shift in politics comes amid the tense aftermath of an 11-day war between Israel and Palestine. Most read in US News RAPPER DEATH Rapper Lil Loaded dead at 20 after arrest for 18-year-old friends shooting SHOCK FIND Body found in motel room during desperate search for missing boy CYBER STRIKE Russia 'likely behind' hack on world's biggest meat firm forcing US closures Exclusive 'IN SHOCK' Family of Samuel Olson's stepmom 'lost for words' after her arrest as body found RIPE FOR DISASTER China will likely spark SECOND pandemic as they encroach on bat caves ON THE RUN Manhunt for 'armed & extremely dangerous killer' after 4 dead in horrific attack Clashes in Jerusalem sparked a bombing blitz that killed more than 250 people. A date for the new government to be sworn in is still to be determined if a deal is reached. Bennett and Lapid have to secure the support of 61 members of the 120-seat Knesset, Israel's parliament. | https://www.the-sun.com/news/3005790/what-happened-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu/ |
Why is James Rodriguez not playing for Colombia at 2021 Copa America? | JAMES RODRIGUEZ has long been regarded as Colombia's most valuable player, but this summer, the Everton midfielder has been deemed surplus to requirements. Colombia are taking part in this summer's Copa America tournament, but will be without star player Rodriguez, who has had injury problems with loan club Everton throughout the course of the season. 3 James Rodriguez will not get the chance to shine for Colombia this summer Credit: Getty Copa America starts on June 13 and will be hosted by Brazil after Covid-hit Colombia and Argentina pulled out as hosts. Unfortunately and unexpectedly for Rodriguez, he simply wasn't chosen by manager Reinaldo Rueda because they deemed him not to be at the 'optimal level'. Rodriguez had been hit with injuries throughout the 2020/21 season with Everton but performed well when he played for the Toffees. Most read in Football Live Blog England 1 Austria 0 Saka gives Three Lions lead in goalmouth scramble in Euro 2020 warm-up Live Blog France 3 Wales 0 Mbappe fires French ahead after Williams sent off - and Benzema MISSES pen Live Blog GERMANY VS DENMARK Joachim Low's side host Danes as sides prepare for Euro 2020 SO LONG COACH Coach Mike Krzyzewski's salary revealed 'PERSONAL REASONS' Rory McIlroy suddenly pulls out of pro-am and cancels press conference Gossip M-L-MESS STAR Messi's new Barca deal 'includes two years playing for Beckham's Inter Miami' The former Real Madrid star, however, worked his way into a position to be fit for this summer's tournament, but boss Rueda still didn't fancy taking Rodriguez. A statement read: "The coaching staff of the Colombia Men's Senior Team reports that the player James Rodrguez has been called off for the games against Peru and Argentina for the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and the CONMEBOL Copa Amrica 2021. "In recent days, the midfielder was subjected to medical examinations, which determined that he is not at the optimal level of competition, therefore, he will not be able to join the group called by Reinaldo Rueda for the aforementioned commitments and the South American championship. "The coach and his team of collaborators regret not being able to count on James Rodrguez this time and hope that soon the midfielder will be able to be part of a call, representing our country with the height and professionalism as he has always done." 3 James Rodriguez will be watching Colombia from the sidelines this summer Credit: AFP Rodriguez came back with a statement of his own, noting that he was disappointed with the decision. I want to express my thoughts and feelings regarding the decision made by the coaching staff of the Colombian team for the upcoming knockout dates and Copa America," he explained. I come from a recovery that is in its final part. In which I took enough time to fully integrate myself to the practice of soccer and in this way not affect my participation in the next commitments of our Selection. The pertinent times of this process suggest that I be careful to participate on date 7 of the tie, but they would allow me to fully integrate on date 8 and of course be for the Copa America 2021. With surprise I receive the statement from the main technical body stating that they do not count on me and wishing me a full recovery. 3 James Rodriguez spent periods of the 2020/21 season on the injury table Credit: Reuters Recovery that I already made and in which I have sacrificed a lot. The above filled me with deep disappointment because for me it means playing for my country. Not receiving the trust from the technical body breaks with everything and causes me enormous pain, since for the shirt of the Colombia team I have always left even my life. "For my colleagues the best energy and best wishes. From a distance I will support with the passion of always. Colombia's Copa American campaign will begin on June 15 against Ecuador. | https://www.the-sun.com/sport/3006032/james-rodriguez-not-playing-colombia-copa-america/ |
What is that low hanging cloud that looks like a tornado? | Clouds come in many shapes and sizes. We get a lot of pictures through our Report-It feature as well as phone calls about clouds that look like a tornado. Sometimes they are funnel clouds that lead to tornadoes. Most of the time they are harmless. Clouds are made of moisture droplets that gather and grow into the different shapes you see each day. When enough are gathered together, they will fall back to the earth as rain. As the cloud is pulling in moisture from its base, it will sometimes develop a lowering that can look stretched or pointed. It can be in the shape of a funnel or tornado. If the wind is right, it can actually move around, making it look pretty scary. These scary looking clouds are known as scud clouds. According to the National Weather Service, scud clouds are small, ragged, low cloud fragments that are unattached to a larger cloud base. These clouds are often seen behind thunderstorm gust fronts. These clouds are generally associated with cool, moist air, such as thunderstorm outflow. A tornado also produces a condensation funnel when it forms. In order for a tornado to form, you need to have the right meteorological ingredients in place. The pictures you send in can help us determine if it is a tornado or scud. | https://www.wkbn.com/weather/what-is-that-low-hanging-cloud-that-looks-like-a-tornado/ |
How can I beat my needle phobia in time for my Covid jab? | DEAR DEIDRE: THE last time I had an injection I almost fainted Im absolutely terrified of needles. But now Ive been called for my Covid vaccination. I am a 40-year-old guy and work as a teaching assistant in a school, so the jab is vital. 1 The thought of getting a vaccine is making me sick with anxiety Get in touch with Deidre today My team and I are working safely from home but we are here to help you as always. Send an email to [email protected]. Every problem gets a personal reply, usually within 24 hours weekdays. You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter @deardeidre. But I keep hearing people have become really ill after having it or even died. My first invitation text came last week and so far Ive ignored it. It made me feel sick with anxiety. I know Im being irrational, and getting Covid is much scarier, but I dont think I can go through with it. Most read in Dear Deidre DEAR DEIDRE My fianc kept pushing our wedding back so I found another lover HOT DOC My doctor and I fell for each other but he's suddenly gone distant X-RATED My son has been looking at extreme sexual material online RAUNCHY REJECTION I always initiate sex with my husband and it makes me feel unwanted DEAR DEIDRE My husband cheated on me with a man just after I found out I was pregnant DEIDRE SAYS: There is a lot of misinformation circulating about the Covid vaccine, but all the scientific evidence shows its safe. It is far riskier not to have it. Yes, it does have brief side-effects but they are generally very mild. Millions of people have now had the jab, without problems. Please talk to your doctor, who can help to reassure you. For help overcoming phobias, read my support pack, Fears And Phobias. NEXT IN TODAY'S DEAR DEIDRE I always initiate sex with my husband and it makes me feel unwanted READ DEIDRE'S NEW PHOTO CASEBOOK Lily leaves Tony and his daughter as her body clock is ticking | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/dear-deidre/7199154/how-can-i-beat-needle-phobia/ |
Why did Doug Fords schools decision come down to Ontarios science table vs. Kid Arthurs Round Table? | To be honest, it would be easier to feel good about Ontarios plan to keep schools closed and accelerate economic reopening if we heard from Arthur. Arthur is the main character in a story Doug Ford told Wednesday about the premier violating his own since-expired stay-at-home order to receive advice about keeping schools closed, but expanding graduation ceremonies, from a child. It would be easier to laugh off if Ford had not then announced outdoor graduation ceremonies have been inexplicably expanded to every grade, to the immediate consternation of school boards everywhere. Anyway, the premier seemed to think this story made him look good. He was a tough negotiator, said the premier of a province of 15 million people. It was that kind of day. Wednesday, Ontario announced schools would indeed not reopen this year, but that the economic reopening of the province could be accelerated past the provinces timeline announced May 20. The early indication is that they will push forward the reopening of outdoor spaces, because as the premier who recently criminalized outdoor spaces from April 16 to May 16 said, he keeps hearing from doctors that, indoors bad, outdoors good, indoors bad, outdoors good. At least it sank in. And on its own, opening safer outdoor amenities is a great idea. There is a legitimate argument for keeping schools closed, as the more infectious B.1.617 variant grows underneath our case decline in Ontario. But the government refuses to make that argument in a way that doesnt incorporate a return to ideology-based incoherence, public health policy by polling, eschewing expert opinion while cherry-picking that advice, and failing to deal honestly with the public. The premier asked for consensus from medical advisers, got a consensus opinion that sending kids back to school would be best, and then quibbled with the footnotes. This government loves ignoring good advice. Well, there wasnt a consensus, said Ford. They didnt answer the questions. Answered one question, yeah, lets put the kids back in school. I gotta give (science table co-chair) Dr. (Steini) Brown credit. He was one of the few that went out there and said its going to increase the cases by 11 per cent; that its going to increase the cases by thousands. Its a real feat to say nobody gave you an answer before quoting the answer. The estimate worked out to approximately 50 cases per day from June into July, but before B.1.617 was taken into account. So you can perhaps double that. Still, the council of medical officers of health, the provinces chief medical officer of health, the major pediatric hospitals, and the science table all agreed: the harms incurred by kids out of school would be significantly ameliorated by going back to physical school even for a few weeks, and the increased cases could be handled in that limited term in the context of Ontarios decline. But medical advisers added, you will have to choose between schools and retail. Ive called schools essential workplaces, said Dr. Nisha Thampi, a pediatric infectious disease consultant and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, and the infection prevention and control medical director at CHEO childrens hospital. And I know from a legislative perspective theyre not, but I do consider them essential workplaces for children and for youth. And they do act as a form of child care and respite for families as well, and they provide a stable access to resources for families of children with special needs. Who are never discussed. This decision could have been about the complex tradeoffs a society should ponder, and instead it was about insulting our intelligence and pretending to follow science. This government used to say schools were safe, but now theyre unsafe, because sticking people inside for hours on end with variants circulating is only for factories, warehouses, car dealerships, construction sites, dry cleaning services, domestic services, film sets, and, er, daycares. Ontario waited until mid-April to close schools in the wave this government unleashed with the seven-day average around 3,500 and climbing fast. Now theyre closing them with the average under 1,000, and partly because Ontario ran the number up so high they were forced to choose one thing over another. With less of a third wave, maybe they could have chosen both. In the context of B1617.2, right now its concentrated in the GTA, and (retail often means) travel within regions, and we would expect the variant to go with people, and lower-incidence areas probably have lower vaccine coverage, said Dr. Beate Sander, a scientist and modeller at University Health Network, a Canada Research Chair in the economics of infectious diseases, and the head of the science tables modelling group. So maybe its all OK, and maybe its not all OK. With schools, you dont travel between regions. Which brings us back to the story of little Arthur. One thing you hope for from a government of any political stripe is to identify and listen to the best scientific advice it can find, while trying to achieve the greatest possible societal good. In Ontario, we get a story of a neighbourhood kid who writes a letter and gets the premier to order outdoor graduations for an entire province without asking anybody first. Hey, he banned golf because his buddies told him they have a few pops afterwards, and closed playgrounds because they were busy when he drove by. In Ontario, thats how things are done. On Wednesday, in a study by researchers from Wilfrid Laurier, Ryerson, U of T, OISE and Western on the impact of school closures, the following lines stood out. International evidence and emerging local evidence suggest school closures impact childrens academic achievement and lead to learning losses. The duration of closures impacts academic achievement and learning. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Most evidence suggests a greater impact of school closures on vulnerable populations. Closures have interacted with other COVID-related hardships to disproportionately affect students with lower socioeconomic backgrounds, racialized children and youth, newcomers and students with disabilities. For them, its the rest of their lives, said Sander. This government made a choice, and it was the same choice it has made all pandemic long: the economy first, the vulnerable last. Maybe nothing, in the end. Look, at least you can take your kids to a patio and get a drink. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2021/06/02/why-did-doug-fords-schools-decision-come-down-to-ontarios-science-table-vs-kid-arthurs-round-table.html |
Did Biden Break the Glass on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict? | An expert's point of view on a current event. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, more than many others, is one where words carry heavy baggage. Each word is weaponized and politically charged, and a shift in wording can change history. Which is why, for decades, successive U.S. presidents, except former U.S. President Donald Trump, have stuck to a predictable script. U.S. President Joe Biden, during the recent wave of violence between Israel and Hamas, was no different. Throughout the fighting, Biden conveyed his unwavering support for Israels security and for Israels legitimate right to defend itself and its people while protecting civilians. But when it came time to talk about the cease-fire between the two parties, Biden also stressed Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and democracy. Its a phrase that has been taken up and repeated by other top administration officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who added and underlined the word dignity. At face value, none of that sounds out of the ordinary. Trump aside, the United States has paid a lot of lip service to democratic values, freedom, and justice. Even regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, the United States has hinted at more freedom and dignity for Palestinians since former U.S. President George W. Bush developed the Roadmap for Mideast peace, and similar vows were part of Bidens campaign platform for the 2020 election. But if genuinely applied to U.S. policy, Bidens seemingly subtle shift has the potential to break the glass on the United States long-standing approach to the conflict and toward Israel in particular. And it offers a textbook example of how Biden can walk his talk of centering foreign policy around democracy, human rights, and international law by applying those American values to the treatment of Palestinians. The United States has pivoted from talking about Palestinian rights within a political context to treating them as having inalienable human rights. For decades, the United States considered rights for Palestinians as something aspirational: a development that would come as part of having their own state after a comprehensive peace deal was made with Israel. Now, with the two-state solutiona Jewish Israel living alongside an independent Palestineseemingly off the table for the foreseeable future, the United States has pivoted from talking about Palestinian rights within a political context to treating them as having inalienable human rightsa recognition no people should have to negotiate for at the bargaining table. Even before the recent fighting, the Biden administration was considering a series of steps to reset relations with the Palestinians, which were in tatters after four years of Trumps full-throated support for Israel, including moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, greenlighting Israeli settlement expansion, closing the Palestinian National Authority office in Washington, and cutting off more than $200 million in humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians. Had it not been for the latest round of violence, other U.S. measures beyond a limited resumption of aid to Palestinians would likely have been rolled out gradually and with little fanfare. The White House hoped to avoid being drawn back into the conflict so it could focus on other foreign-policy priorities like a strategic competition with China, an increasingly aggressive Russia, and resumption of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. But the carnage in Gaza gave the reset a new urgency. Standing with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah after the cease-fire, Blinken announced the United States would reopen the U.S. consulate in Jerusalemwhich handles Palestinian affairs and was closed under Trumpand would send an additional $112 million in aid and development funding to the West Bank and Gaza, essentially restoring the Trump cuts. Redoubled U.S. commitments and efforts to restore ties with Palestinians is a recognition that Palestinians living under Israeli occupation are more than just Hamas. The fragile truce may have ended the current wave of violence, but the conflicts underlying issues, particularly the asymmetry between Israel and about 7 million Palestinians who lack basic rights, remain. The World Bank estimates Israels GDP averages about 15 times the GDP in the Palestinian territories. And if those inequities are left unaddressed, a return to fighting is certain. This new emphasis on equality also reflects a sea change in U.S. public opinion and among many Democrats on Capitol Hilleven, for the first time, among some of Israels staunchest supporters. Lawmakers have been critical of Israels collective persecution of Palestinians and are increasingly uncomfortable with the United States role in underwriting their miserable living conditions, which some human rights advocates liken to apartheid, by essentially granting Israel impunity. Some lawmakers blame Trumps embrace of long-time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for emboldening Israels far-right extremists. (After a conflict-fueled hiatus, Netanyahus political rivals at last appear poised to knock him out of office.) Until now, criticism like that was often conflated with charges of antisemitism. But more and more often, progressivesincluding many younger American Jewsview the Palestinian cause as a shared struggle for racial justice and equality. The protest movement against police brutality and systemic racism inside the United States is now spreading beyond U.S. borders. Another thing thats changing are calls to leverage U.S. aid to Israel. For years, the Democratic Party has been dependent on the Israeli lobby and donors who support Israel. But a new poll from the Arab American Institute shows just over half of Democratic voters have a favorable view of Palestinians while only 46 percent have a favorable view of Israelis. And the divide is even larger when it comes to Israels use of force: 43 percent of Democrats said Israel used too much force, and only 16 percent said it was the appropriate amount. But its not just Democrats; the poll found nearly three-quarters of all Americans say Palestinians and Israelis are equal people who are entitled to equal rights, including 80 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans. This all suggests the shibboleth that we are one with Israel at any cost is fracturing, and criticism of Israeli policies is growing ever more acceptable. That helps explain why pro-Israel senators like Bob Menendez, a leading voice on foreign policy, could voice concern over the scale of Israels military action in Gaza while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, another solid supporter of Israel, called for a cease-fire even before Biden did. And another thing thats changing are calls to leverage U.S. aid to Israel; progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, who attempted to put a hold on military assistance, say providing Israel around $4 billion a year in annual military support without conditions offers Israel no incentive to uphold human rights. In the words of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the failure to limit the use of U.S. military aid to Israel in the occupied territories is the elephant in the room. Two pro-Israel lobby groups that previously opposed conditions on U.S. aid, J Street and Americans for Peace Now, are now supporting restrictions. Think tanks like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace are calling on the United States to stop defending Israel in international forums and begin enforcing laws that would restrict aid to Israel for human rights violations. Its too early to call any of these ideas and shifts a new policy or to expect immediate change. Even during the recent fighting, Biden remained steadfast in his support of Israels air campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket fire, with Washington repeatedly blocking United Nations efforts to back a cease-fire, despite mounting pressure from his own party and many U.S. allies. But since both Biden and Blinken acknowledge they have neither the bandwidth nor a propitious climate for full-fledged peace negotiations like those in Madrid or Oslo, the administration at least seems ready to pluck the low-hanging fruit: improving the quality of Palestinian lives. In the near term, officials said, that means halting actions that will derail an ultimate peace deal, something Biden has already instructed the parties against. On the Palestinian side, that means stopping incitement and acts of violence against Israel. For Israel, it would ultimately mean reducing the indignities of occupation. Palestinians are not citizens of the country where they live, rendering them powerless over the choices that rule their own lives and without a vote for the government that makes those choices. They have no due process against discrimination or detention of children. In Jerusalem and the West Bank, they face home evictions and demolitions as Israel subsidizes settlements and continues Jewish gentrification of Arab neighborhoods. Biden is going to come under increased pressure to align his words with actions. The administration has also pledged to increase economic development aid and rebuild Gaza. During Blinkens recent visit, Netanyahu spoke of building economic growth in the West Bank. But for both Palestinian enclaves, true economic development and freedom of movement go hand in hand. Israel must be ready and willing to enable such growth by easing checkpoints, opening border crossings with Egypt and Jordan, allowing trade, easing building permits, and greenlighting the introduction of advanced technology like 5G mobile networks to facilitate information technology and electronic commerce. Israels legitimate security concerns can be managed with international support rather than exploited as an excuse for a status quo that fuels desperation. Such an initiative would also pay concrete dividends by weakening Hamas if the United States can improve daily life for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. Hamas was adept at seizing on weak leadership within the Palestinian National Authority and Israels provocations in Jerusalem to strengthen its hand as the defender of the Palestinian cause. A U.S.-backed advance toward equality could elevate Palestinian leaders who possess the moral authority that Abbas and Hamas lack. Biden is going to come under increased pressure to align his words with actionsbut it remains to be seen how far he is willing to push Israelis when recent attacks against American Jews in the wake of the 11-day conflict could make this a slippery slope. But without a concerted U.S. effort to rebuild Gaza and develop the West Bank in ways that give Palestinians opportunities and hope for the future, the violence just seen will only be a harbinger of whats to come. | https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/06/02/biden-washington-israeli-palestinian-conflict/ |
Who could Scotland play in the last 16 of Euro 2020 and will the game be at Hampden? | REACHING a major tournament felt like a long time coming for Scotland and the Tartan Army and it was. But Steve Clarke made it clear his boys in blue arent just going to make up the numbers this summer. 4 Scotland boss Steve Clarke 4 Scotland qualified back in November The former Kilmarnock boss called on the 26-man squad to become LEGENDS. Getting out a tricky group would mean just that as would a win over the Auld Enemy. With the four best third-placed teams getting through to the last 16 too, it could mean one win might just be enough. As previously mentioned, third place might be enough this year to book a spot in the round of 16. The four best of the six groups will get a spot in the knock-outs where anything can happen. WIN 50,000 with Dream Team Euros Dream Team Euros is HERE! The best fantasy football game to accompany Euro 2020 has arrived. And you can play absolutely FREE for your chance to win the 50,000 jackpot. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE! Dream Team Euros 50,000 jackpot The best fantasy football game this summer Play in mini-leagues against your mates, colleagues, family members - and some hand-picked celebrities FREE to play Scotland start with what should be the easier of the three games on paper in Czech Republic on June 14. A win there would set Scotland up just nicely as we move on to play England on June 18 at Wembley. Then back to Hampden to round off the group with a clash against Croatia. Hopefully by then, qualification to the round of 16 will be all but confirmed and itll be a matter of who they play, not if they play. The aim is, as always, to at least try and get out the group. But in this scenario, it may actually pay to get through as the group runners-up. Heres the different routes depending on the final group placings. Group place = 1st There is absolutely no reason why Scotland couldnt top this group. And if they did, it would be a last 16 clash with the runners-up of Group F on June 29. Thats between Portugal, France, Germany and Hungary at Wembley. 4 A meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappe could await Group place = 2nd So a tricky tie no matter who you face if winning the group. That would lead to a match-up with the Group E runners-up on June 29, which means playing Spain, Sweden, Poland or Slovakia in Copenhagen. Group place = 3rd This is where it gets a bit messier as finishing third would lead to three potential scenarios. But one of the three scenarios would mean another game in Glasgow. They are: Against Group C winners on June 27 in Copenhagen Holland, Ukraine, Austria or North Macedonia Against Group B winners on June 27 in Seville Denmark, Finland, Belgium or Russia Against Group E winners on June 29 in Glasgow Spain, Sweden, Poland or Slovakia Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/7197142/who-scotland-play-last16-euro-2020-hampden/ |
When did Scotland last qualify for the Euros or the World Cup and what teams did they play against? | TIME flies when youre having fun but drags when youre waiting on a major tournament. But when it has been 23 years since the last one, a few extra months wont do any harm. 3 Craig Brown gives instructions before World Cup in France 1998 Steve Clarke helped mastermind the qualification that gets Scotland to this summers European Championship. And it was Craig Brown in charge when the Tartan Army got to test themselves against the best the continent has to offer. It was 23 years ago that the Dark Blues last played on the international stage. After just failing to get out the group on goals scored at Euro 96, Brown led the nation to France for the World Cup in 1998. 3 Scotland's line-up to face Brazil at France '98 WIN 50,000 with Dream Team Euros Dream Team Euros is HERE! The best fantasy football game to accompany Euro 2020 has arrived. And you can play absolutely FREE for your chance to win the 50,000 jackpot. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE! Dream Team Euros 50,000 jackpot The best fantasy football game this summer Play in mini-leagues against your mates, colleagues, family members - and some hand-picked celebrities FREE to play Hopes were high again, despite the exclusion of Ally McCoist from the Scots squad. And even though they were paired in the group with the world champions, the overall group itself looked favourable on paper. Scotland were placed in Group A alongside current world champions Brazil, Morocco and Norway. It was the toughest of beginnings as the opening game was against the Brazilians at the Stade de France, who had won the World Cup in USA four years earlier. 3 Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo and Ronaldo celebrate Caf, Dunga, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo and Ronaldo all started that game. Next up was the Norwegians in Bordeaux before Morocco in Saint-Etienne. It could have been all so different if the first game had gone to plan. John Collins scored Scotlands first goal of the tournament when cancelling out Cesar Sampaios earlier strike just before half-time. But a Tom Boyd own goal with 15 minutes to go struck a dagger in Scottish hearts as Brazil won 2-1. Going forward, the games became must-win and this time it was Craig Burley who equalised for Scotland. Tore Andre Flo had given Norway the lead but Burleys goal the last for Scotland in a major tournament - meant the points were shared. Definitely must-win now and Scotland bowed out in terrible style against Morocco. A 3-0 defeat in Saint-Etienne rounded off a disappointing campaign. Scotland finished bottom of Group A on one point and 14 goal difference. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/7197283/when-scotland-last-qualify-euros-world-cup-play-against/ |
How Scotland can qualify for the last 16 without finishing in top two at Euro 2020? | STEVE CLARKE challenged his 26-man Scotland squad to become LEGENDS at Euro 2020 during the squad announcement. 3 Scotland boss Steve Clarke said he's not going to make up the numbers 3 Hampden will host four Euro 2020 matches Clarke himself issued a rallying call that his side werent turning up to simply make up the numbers. There are six groups of four teams, each named from A-F. Each team will play all other group members in a round-robin format. The top two from each of the six groups will automatically receive a spot in the next stage. So those group winners and runners-up will take 12 of the 16 spots in the round of 16. The other four spots are then made up of the four best third-placed teams. WIN 50,000 with Dream Team Euros Dream Team Euros is HERE! The best fantasy football game to accompany Euro 2020 has arrived. And you can play absolutely FREE for your chance to win the 50,000 jackpot. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE! Dream Team Euros 50,000 jackpot The best fantasy football game this summer Play in mini-leagues against your mates, colleagues, family members - and some hand-picked celebrities FREE to play That means two-thirds of the national sides that are included in the tournament will make the knock-out rounds. If Scotland win the group, they would face the runners-up of Group F on June 29. That would be either Portugal, France, Germany or Hungary at Wembley. Should Scotland finish as runners-up, they would face the Group E runners-up which is either Spain, Sweden, Poland or Slovakia. That would be in Copenhagen on June 29. A third-placed finish would open up on several scenarios including another potential game at Hampden. 3 Winning the group could set up a clash with France or Portugal The scenarios are: Against Group C winners on June 27 in Copenhagen Holland, Ukraine, Austria or North Macedonia Against Group B winners on June 27 in Seville Denmark, Finland, Belgium or Russia Against Group E winners on June 29 in Glasgow Spain, Sweden, Poland or Slovakia Euro 2020 groups Group A Turkey Italy Wales Switzerland Group B Denmark Finland Belgium Russia Group C Holland Ukraine Austria North Macedonia Group D England Croatia Scotland Czech Republic Group E Spain Sweden Poland Slovakia Group F Hungary Portugal France Germany Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/7198021/how-scotland-qualify-last-16-euro-2020/ |
Can Tajik-Kyrgyz border conflict spiral into war? | Action is needed to stop Kyrgyz-Tajik border disputes spilling over into wider conflict, according to a cross-regional Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) discussion which heard that that the ongoing tensions had reached crisis point. The most recent fighting between April 28 and May 1 was the worst in years, with 36 Kyrgyz citizens killed, 186 injured and about 58,000 forced to leave their homes. According to the Tajik authorities, 19 people were killed, 87 wounded and some 15,000 local residents evacuated. More than a third of the 600-mile border between the two countries is disputed, with regular clashes over access to resources. Parviz Mullojanov, a political scientist from Tajikistan, told the May 18 online discussion that the conflict had reached a critical point of transition. This means that this conflict began as a network of small inter-community disputes caused by competition for access to water and land resources, he said. It did not affect either the state of relations between states, or the relationship between the two peoples, only tension at the community level. This began to change in 2014, when military units started to get involved. This year, for the first time, it reached the interstate level, Mullojanov continued. This does not mean that it will gain a foothold at this level. De-escalation may take place, but otherwise, we can expect its complete transition to the interstate level, affecting interethnic relations, internationalisation - that is, the involvement of third countries - an arms race and so on. Mullojanov noted that delimitation was particularly difficult in this densely populated region, with transboundary water resources and intercountry highways. A main reason for the growing conflict was regional population growth amid decreasing resources, he continued, noting the social and economic impact of the militarisation of the borders on local residents. The most tense area was in the Isfara-Batken zone, where the Tajik enclave of Vorukh is located inside Kyrgyz territory and some 70 disputed areas remain. IWPR Central Asia regional director, Abakhon Sultonazarov, also stressed the importance of taking into account the underlying causes to current problems. The uneven distribution of resources in the Fergana valley, divided during the Soviet era between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the lack of jobs, poverty, and then the pandemic and the crisis caused by it, left their mark on the situation, he said. The postponement of the delimitation of borders, coupled with the above factors, led to the tragedy that we have witnessed. Internal stresses within both countries had further fuelled the conflict, he continued. We know that one of the most effective political instruments is the presence of an external enemy, this serves as a strong unifying factor, while eventually internal problems seem insignificant, Sultonazarov said. And such problems exist both in Kyrgyzstan and in Tajikistan, it is no secret. They refer to the adoption of a new constitution and the formation of a new political elite in Kyrgyzstan and the growth of socio-economic and political problems in Tajikistan and a number of others. Of particular concern, Sultonazarov said, was the use of propaganda and the involvement of the media of both countries. He noted that the expert community and otherwise-respected media in both countries added to the incitement over the conflict rather than calming tensions, describing an actual information war. Aydar Amrebayev, the director of the Centre for Political Studies in Kazakhstan, said that the situation was fed by wider issues of identity in Central Asia. He noted that nomadic populations were now settled, and the lives of different groups such as Turkic and Persian peoples were closely intertwined. Understanding this dynamic, he continued, is very important in order not only to interpret the events that have taken place, but also to try to find some positive way out of this situation, to take some kind of constructivist position. Governments had also failed their constituents, Amrebayev said. Recent events testify to the lack of professionalism of state bodies when making certain decisions, state bodies should be sensitive to the needs and sensitivities of local communities which do not quite adequately perceive the decisions laid down in some agreements. Uzbek political scientist Farhod Tolipov said that border conflicts across the region tended to remain contained and low intensity, rather than functioning as a kind of proxy war as was common elsewhere in the world. And one of the distinguishing features of our conflicts is that there is no antagonism between the states involved in these conflicts. There is no antagonism between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, at the official level. There is no antagonism at the official level between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan even, he said. This was an important factor that should be capitalised on, Tolipov continued. The approach to the problem of border delimitation in Central Asia should be innovative and forward-looking, based not on momentary interests and nationalistic feelings, but on a clear strategic program for the development of countries and the region as a whole, he concluded. Erica Marat, associate professor at the College of International Security at the National Defence University in Washington, said that an analytical rather than nationalist approach was now needed. She advised a focus on shorter-term goals and humanitarian issues on both sides. Now it is very important to stabilize the situation in the border areas, Marat said. Financially, psychologically. Rebuild their houses. You need to investigate and try to find agreement on what actually happened, a list of facts that both the Kyrgyz and Tajik sides can agree with. Then, she continued, It is necessary to try to create conditions for the peaceful development of various communes through trusting relations between the two states, through trusting relations between the population. And when we find a balance, when the population will trust each other, when the population will be able to resolve disputes among themselves not through military interventions or provocative statements, but will be able to peacefully resolve their local problems, only then can we begin the official demarcation of territories. This article from the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) originally appeared on iwpr.net here. This publication was prepared under the "Giving Voice, Driving Change - from the Borderland to the Steppes Project" implemented with the financial support of the Foreign Ministry of Norway. | https://www.intellinews.com/can-tajik-kyrgyz-border-conflict-spiral-into-war-212226/ |
Would the opposition let Doug Ford head a minority government? | Premier Doug Fords numbers go up and down and around, with his Progressive Conservative government floating between majority and minority territory. The only certainty is the uncertainty. The New Democrats are stuck in second and sometimes third, with the Liberals flitting from third to first from month to month. The polls are as unpredictable as an epidemiological model. The popularity of Ontarios populist premier has tumbled as the pandemic winds down. But its not nearly as bad for Ford as some might imagine, for he is nowhere near the point of no return that doomed his predecessor as premier. Ahead of the 2018 election, voters were irretrievably tired of Kathleen Wynne and a 15-year Liberal dynasty. A change election was an unchangeable reality, no matter how much Wynne warned voters to be careful what they wished for. Its a scenario that cries out for an answer, sooner or later preferably before the ballots are counted so that voters know what they are getting for giving their support to either opposition party. If an election were held today, the latest polls suggest Fords Tories would wind up in the low thirties as a percentage of the popular vote far below the 40.5 per cent that gave them a strong majority of seats in the 2018 election. That could leave them with a minority which is not a prediction, merely a calculation and a caution to be ready for anything. The governing Tories might still cling to a majority as the vote draws nearer, for they have the advantages of incumbency without the liability of longevity. They have an enviable head start with 71 of 124 seats and unparalleled fundraising prowess. Given his comfortable seat count, Ford might seem to be sitting pretty. But if his Tories fall below 63 seats, hes a sitting duck. Opposition politicians typically duck that question. They prefer to wield the balance of power and their bargaining power to maximize their prospects for power by saying nothing and giving away nothing in advance. Yet that silence shortchanges progressive voters, who might reasonably want to lend their vote to Liberals or New Democrats in the knowledge that their support wont be translated into another mandate for Fords Tories. After all, PCs often come up the middle when theres a three-way race in a riding, profiting from the split between Liberal and NDP (or Green) rivals that might otherwise coalesce against them. There is a historical precedent in our democracy a 1985 accord by which Liberals and New Democrats toppled a four-decade-old PC dynasty. There is also a recent precedent for transparency a 2021 statement by federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh that he would not, could not, support the Tories in power: Absolutely rule that out period, Singh told the Stars editorial board earlier this year. I dont see any alignment with the Conservatives to be able to work together. If Singh can show his cards, surely NDP Leader Andrea Horwath can tell voters whether shed prolong PC rule or rule that out, as her federal counterpart has. Like Horwath, he is likely to insist hes focused on becoming premier, but with only eight seats in the legislature he too should spell out his intentions for Fords future. What many voters dont see up close is the personal enmity and rivalry between Liberals and New Democrats, which perhaps exceeds their shared antipathy toward Tories. There is no collaboration nor communication to speak of between Horwath and Del Duca, who are vying to be the change agent in a change election one year from now. That is in the nature of opposition parties they like to call themselves Her Majestys Loyal Opposition but are loyal solely to themselves and are prone to play into the hands of Ford. As the countdown to the next campaign begins, political leaders dont merit a blank cheque from voters to forge whatever fleeting alliances suit them in the moment, long after the votes are counted and they are no longer accountable. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... If an opposition party wants a change election, they should spell it out not just in their campaign platform. They should state their intentions for configurations in a minority legislature. * * * SPEAKING OF MINORITY GOVERNMENTS, Ill be hosting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the 18th Ryerson Democracy Forum for a conversation about Indigenous, economic and other issues post-pandemic, Friday at 4 p.m. free registration or watch via thestar.com. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2021/06/02/would-the-opposition-let-doug-ford-head-a-minority-government.html |
What is secure remote access in today's enterprise? | A solid secure remote access strategy can mitigate risk, improve user experience and lend a competitive edge in today's enterprise. Craig Bird, managing director at U.K.-based managed services provider Connect Digital Security, said secure remote access technology gave his team a significant advantage when the COVID-19 pandemic sent the country into lockdown in early 2020. "It meant our staff could literally just pick up their machines, walk out the door and work from home the next day," he said. "They could do anything remotely that they could do sitting at their desks in the office." The goal of secure remote access technology is to connect geographically dispersed enterprise users to the resources they need to do their jobs without putting network security at risk. Until relatively recently, the typical organization provided remote access to just a handful of IT administrators and even fewer business users, according to Gartner analyst Michael Kelley. But since the global pandemic rocked the enterprise, secure remote access has become table stakes for almost every employee. "'What is secure remote access' is a different question today than it was in 2019," Kelley said. "'Now secure remote access' means any worker can access any application, anytime and anywhere." Meeting that heightened expectation will remain an enterprise priority going forward, experts anticipate, both to prepare for possible future crises and to support a post-pandemic hybrid workforce. IDC predicted that by 2022, 67% of employees will have the option of working remotely at least part time -- and that doesn't just mean from their homes. "Secure remote access is now predicated on the 'anywhere' worker," said John Grady, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), a division of TechTarget. "Organizations we talk to are asking, 'How do we give users constant, consistent access, whether they're in the office, at home or in a coffee shop?'" Many organizations also want the flexibility to securely connect remote users to network resources across a variety of endpoints, according to Heather Hinton, CISO at RingCentral. "Increasingly, we're going to find ourselves doing things like starting a meeting on the way home from the school run and flipping that meeting from the car Bluetooth to the phone to the laptop," she said. Security leaders have to ensure increases in employee mobility and device-hopping don't put sensitive data at risk. The benefits of a strong secure remote access strategy include improved UX, centralized management and better data protection. Technologies that secure network connections Secure remote access technology provides location-agnostic connectivity among enterprise users and centralized applications, resources and systems -- whether in the cloud, on premises or both. According to Grady, the most precise definition of secure remote access describes only technologies that actively facilitate secure network connections, including: VPNs. Traditionally, many organizations have provided secure remote access to a limited number of users via virtual private networks (VPNs). A VPN works by extending a private network across the public internet via secure tunnels, using protocols such as OpenVPN. IPsec VPN requires the installation of a client on the end user's device, while SSL/TLS VPN enables clientless connectivity for browser-based applications. Enterprises can deploy VPNs on premises or subscribe to cloud-based VPN services. Traditionally, many organizations have provided secure remote access to a limited number of users via virtual private networks (VPNs). A VPN works by extending a private network across the public internet via secure tunnels, using protocols such as OpenVPN. IPsec VPN requires the installation of a client on the end user's device, while SSL/TLS VPN enables clientless connectivity for browser-based applications. Enterprises can deploy VPNs on premises or subscribe to cloud-based VPN services. Cloud access security brokers. CASBs negotiate secure connections between enterprise end users and SaaS applications, using firewalls, encryption, authentication and data loss prevention. They do not provide secure remote access to on-premises resources, however. CASB capabilities can stand alone or as part of a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering, which packages secure remote access with software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) capabilities. CASBs negotiate secure connections between enterprise end users and SaaS applications, using firewalls, encryption, authentication and data loss prevention. They do not provide secure remote access to on-premises resources, however. CASB capabilities can stand alone or as part of a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering, which packages secure remote access with software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) capabilities. Zero-trust network access. ZTNA, also known as a software-defined perimeter approach, is a new way to tailor access to network resources on a user-by-user basis. While a VPN grants broad entry to a private network, ZTNA uses identity and context to determine which specific resources someone has permission to use at any given time. In SD-WAN environments, SASE offerings may combine CASB and ZTNA capabilities. ZTNA, also known as a software-defined perimeter approach, is a new way to tailor access to network resources on a user-by-user basis. While a VPN grants broad entry to a private network, ZTNA uses identity and context to determine which specific resources someone has permission to use at any given time. In SD-WAN environments, SASE offerings may combine CASB and ZTNA capabilities. Virtual desktop infrastructure. VDI technology allows users to remotely interact with desktop operating systems and apps as though they were using in-office workstations. Desktop as a service is a cloud-based version of VDI, provided by a third party. VDI can offer a highly consistent UX, according to Gartner's Kelley. But it can also be technically complex and expensive to manage and isn't inherently mobile-friendly. John Grady John Grady These secure remote access options aren't all equally effective, according to experts. "The problem is that, historically, remote access technologies have been prone to compromise," Grady said, adding that VPNs are particularly vulnerable and can also be intensive to deploy and difficult to scale. "That technology was meant for a different era." Growing frustration with legacy options has prompted many organizations to explore zero trust. Miranda Yan, co-founder of VinPit, a Singapore-based startup that serves car buyers, said her company abandoned its VPN in favor of ZTNA during the pandemic. The old technology hindered user productivity, required the deployment of expensive on-premises hardware and didn't, ultimately, provide adequate security, she added. "I'd advise other organizations to ditch the VPN." Andrew Latimer, CIO of Support.com, a technical support provider with a fully remote workforce, said his team is in the process of following suit, in part, because of its increasing reliance on the cloud. "Integrating SaaS services with an on-premises VPN is onerous," he said. Michael Kelley Michael Kelley Gartner predicted that by 2023, ZTNA will have replaced VPNs in 60% of enterprises. Kelley strongly urged any organization still using a perimeter-based security model (legacy VPN) to consider shifting to identity-based security (ZTNA). He cautioned, however, that vendors often abuse ZTNA terminology, calling tools zero trust that don't actually qualify. ZTNA connects remote users based on their identities, so if a product or service doesn't seem to do that, be careful. "The way some people use zero trust is almost fraudulent," Kelley said. | https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/feature/What-is-secure-remote-access-in-todays-enterprise |
Who Is The Least Popular Member Of The Spice Girls? | The Spice Girls sang, "So tell me what you want / What you really really want...," and what we really really wanted to know was our readers' opinions on which Spice Girl is your least favorite. Posh, Baby, Ginger, Scary, and Sporty hit the scene in 1996 and dominated the charts, releasing two No. 1 albums in a row and becoming the best-selling girl group of all time, per The Vogue. After the Spice Girls, the members each embarked on their own careers (while also occasionally reuniting to perform). Mel C, a.k.a Sporty Spice, is the Spice Girl with the best-selling solo album of any member of the group, with 1999's "Northern Star" hitting No. 1 in Sweden and No. 4 in the U.K., per The Official Charts. Posh Spice Victoria Beckham owns a popular fashion line and has been married to international hottie David Beckham for 27 years, so she's clearly living her best life. Mel B, otherwise known as Scary Spice, has famously judged "The X Factor UK," "America's Got Talent," and has hosted multiple shows. Baby Spice Emma Bunton has released four solo albums, been a contestant on "Strictly Come Dancing," and been a judge on "Dancing on Ice." Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell has also released four albums and been a judge on "The X Factor UK" and "Australia's Got Talent." But one Spice Girl was named the least favorite member in our survey. | https://www.nickiswift.com/427042/who-is-the-least-popular-member-of-the-spice-girls/ |
What's Going On With Brad Pitt And Andra Day? | It has been a good 2021 so far, all things considered, for Brad Pitt. In April, Lee Isaac Chungs "Minari" executive-produced by Pitt and funded by his company, Plan B Entertainment (per the Daily Mail) took home the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Yuh-Jung Youn. The first Korean actor to win this category, Youn gave an acceptance speech for the history books, flirtily asking award presenter Pitt, "where were you when we were filming?" as the Hollywood icon appeared to blink back tears watching her speak. In late May, the "Ad Astra" star scored another victory inside the courtroom against ex-wife Angelina Jolie. Instilling a de facto truce in their five-year-long custody battle, as per Page Six, Judge Ouderkirk ruled in Pitt's favor May 26, granting him temporary joint custody of their five minor children (their oldest, son Maddox Jolie-Pitt, is 19 and exempt from this ruling's consequences). Although the ruling is temporary and a Page Six source has said that Jolie will fight the decision, Pitt can celebrate for now. As for other aspects of the seemingly ageless sex symbol's life, his romantic exploits might be swimming along as well. Read on for why people think Pitt might be dating the Oscar-nominated star of "The United States vs. Billie Holiday," Andra Day. | https://www.nickiswift.com/427076/whats-going-on-with-brad-pitt-and-andra-day/ |
Will Chris Harrison Host Bachelor in Paradise? | Chris Harrison will not be returning to the Bachelor franchise to host the new season of Bachelor in Paradise, according to Page Six. The news comes nearly four months after Harrison announced that hed be stepping aside as host of the franchise following some controversial comments that he made while talking about racism in an interview with Rachel Lindsay on ExtraTV. ABC previously announced that Harrison would not be hosting Katie Thurstons of The Bachelorette. Producers brought it former Bachelorette stars Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe to guide Thurston on her journey to find love. Fans of Harrison have been hopeful that he would return to host Paradise, but it seems like his leave of absence is lasting longer than many would like. Interestingly, however, ABC has not officially fired Harrison. His fate within the franchise is unknown. Heres what you need to know: There Will Be Rotating Hosts on Paradise & David Spade Is Reportedly One of Them Harrison will not host the seventh season of Paradise, though he has hosted every season prior. According to Us Weekly, celebrity guests will fill in for Harrison, on a rotation of sorts. ABC has not yet confirmed that Harrison wont be heading to Mexico with the newest group of singles. Both Page Six and Us Weekly report that Joe Dirt star David Spade will be taking on hosting duties in some capacity. The Bachelor super fan is expected to host for two weeks, according to Us Weekly. Meanwhile, Page Six suggests that he will hosting the whole season. The producers want to put some fun in the show. They think its become too serious, an insider told the outlet. Other potential hosts could include past Bachelor and Bachelorette alums, from Nick Viall to Becca Kufrin. Other celebs who are really into the show like Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher could also turn up in Paradise. Rumors that Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon would host have also circulated in the past. Harrison Has Not Responded to the News Harrison has not issued any kind of public reaction to the news that he wont be returning to host Paradise this season. Fans seemed hopeful that Harrison would return as host of Bachelor in Paradise after sitting out Matt James After the Final Rose and an entire season of The Bachelorette. Confidence in his return grew over the past few weeks after Harrison made an Instagram return, and appeared to be getting himself back into the social media mix. Harrison returned to Instagram after a two-month hiatus to show his support to former Bachelor star Colton Underwood who came out as gay. A couple of weeks later, Harrison caused a stir with a black-and-white photo of himself and his girlfriend Lauren Zima at a wedding. Fans thought that Harrison had tied the knot, which sent Instagram into a frenzy. Harrison and Zima were quick to calm the masses, explaining that they were simply guests at someone elses nuptials. Harrisons most recent Instagram post was uploaded on May 23 and was of Zima. Orange is the new stunningly beautiful @laurenzima I was going to say orange you worried youre going to stop traffic in that dress but spared you the dad joke, he captioned the sweet snap. It is unknown if Harrison will be hosting Michelle Youngs season of The Bachelorette or any of the franchise spinoffs from here on out. READ NEXT: Chris Harrison Racism Controversy: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | https://heavy.com/entertainment/the-bachelor/chris-harrison-host-paradise-fired/ |
Who is Joel Dommetts wife Hannah Cooper? | COMEDIAN Joel Dommett has been entertaining telly fans across the UK as the host of The Masked Dancer. Here's everything we know about his wife Hannah Cooper. British model Hannah Cooper is married to comedian Joel Dommett. The 30-year-old, who was born in Holland, has more than 73,000 followers on Instagram and has modelled for several high-street brands, including Boux Avenue, M&S and MissGuided. She's also appeared on the pages of Grazia, OK! and Sunday Express Magazine. According to Metro Models, Hannah was discovered by a modelling scout outside of Topshop in Oxford Circus at 16. She also has a degree in Fashion Marketing and is believed to enjoy exercising through classes. Joel and Hannah met when she drunkenly messaged him with a cat emoji on Insta, shortly after his stint on I'm A Celeb in 2016. The couple were first seen together in May 2017 and married two years later in a ceremony held in Mykonos, Greece. Love Island narrator Iain Stirling performed the ceremony. Discussing the wedding with OK! in February 2020, Joel said: "It was honestly so fun. "I was fully prepared to say it was the best day of my life and pretend it was - because I've been lucky enough to do Bake Off and I've had these amazing experiences in my life - but it was genuinely the best day of my life! "We had 28 people there. Some people have weddings where half the day is saying hi and bye to people. I wanted our closest friends and family to have a wonderful time." Not long after they began dating, Joel released a memoir - It's Not Me It's Them: Confessions of a Hopeless Modern Romance - which charts romantic encounters with 40 women before he met Hannah. Towards the end of the book, the comedian proposes to Hannah. Speaking to The Sun about their marriage in January 2021, Joel said: "It's worked out all right, really. I'm very lucky. "A lot of people call their wives 'babe' or 'chick'. I go for Sexy Sexpot of Sex. But her nickname for me is just Joel. Thats as far as it goes." Joel and Hannah do not currently have any children. In his February 2020 interview with OK!, The Masked Dancer host didn't dismiss the idea of having little ones. He said: "I think were just going to chill for a couple of years and see what happens. We're in no rush to push it forward. "I'm genuinely just really enjoying myself and I feel very lucky. Hopefully we'll continue on that streak." We have you covered... New on Netflix: The best series and films released every day The best movies on Netflix to watch right now The best series to watch on Netflix The most terrifying horrors to watch on Netflix right now The best documentaries to watch on Netflix right now The best comedies to watch on Netflix right now The best thrillers to watch on Netflix right now The best kids' shows on Netflix to watch right now The best true crime series to watch on Netflix The best movies to watch on Amazon Prime The best series to watch on Amazon Prime The best series on Disney+ | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/celebrity/7198990/who-is-joel-dommetts-wife-hannah-cooper/ |
Why a fireworks ban after recent rain in El Paso County? | EL PASO COUNTY El Paso County Sheriff, Bill Elder enacted a fireworks ban the first week of June. It happens after multiple days of rain and some are asking why there is a ban with all the recent moisture. Fire prevention pros are very happy with the recent rain, but they look at many more factors. The drought monitor is one check point. The map showing conditions recently improved. "You've seen the recent moisture we've had in El Paso County and we're still in the abnormally dry category," said El Paso County Deputy Fire Warden, Kevin Junglen. The improvements have not completely eliminated the issue. Much of the landscape is looking green from rain. The science of firefighting looks beyond the green, inside grasses, brush and trees to evaluate moisture content. Grasses can hydrate quickly, also dry out in days even hours. Large thick trees lose moisture slowly and take a long time to regain it. "During a long drought it takes a long time for those to get the moisture back in them. 42 days if you continually soak," said Junglen. The forecast is also important. It is showing warm dry conditions are likely in the weeks ahead. It is all factored into the decision for a fireworks ban a month before the 4th of July. Sale, use, and possession of fireworks in unincorporated El Paso County is illegal. Fireworks are never legal in the City of Colorado Springs. The large community fireworks shows put on by pros will still happen. | https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/why-a-fireworks-ban-after-recent-rain-in-el-paso-county |
Where's Texans' David Culley Rank Among 32 NFL Coaches? | HOUSTON -- As the NFL calendar briefly slows down for a respite, it's time to rank the NFL head coaches across the board. It's also time to know "how'' the rankings are done, especially as it relates to Houston Texans' coach David Culley. Every coach is different. Some will remain inside the top 10 based off name recognition. Others are risers, looking to cement their status as the next big name. Then there's those just clinging for a job. Nowhere for now. In Patrick Daugherty's report, he elected not to put the new hires on the list until they prove their status as full-time play callers. READ MORE: Caserio And Co. Discuss The Harsh Reality Of Building The Texans David Culley spent the past two seasons leading the Ravens thoroughly underwhelming receiver corps. Before that, he was quarterbacks coach for the Bills uninspiring 2017-18 offenses. Now he is the oldest first-time head coach in NFL history. David will do a good job, were the words of his former boss Andy Reid. Hes a people person, hell bring energy to the building and he is one of the most loyal guys Ive ever been around. Notice what Reid did not say. This hire wasnt about winning now. Culley is being asked to serve as a human shield for a free-falling organization where things are going to get worse before they get better. Culley would not be the first NFL head coach to ride relentless positivity to surprising results. It just wont be possible in the talent-bereft, picks-barren environment he has landed in. Its a thankless job. David Culley is the man who said he would do it. - Patrick Daugherty, NBC Sports' Edge Culley, a 27-year veteran in the NFL, is finally being given his chance to be successful at calling the shots. It's well documented he comes with high praise from other coaches around the NFL, including Reid and Baltimore Ravens' John Harbaugh. Houston heads in a new direction this offseason after a 4-12 finish. They likely are replacing franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson following the fallout earlier this offseason. On top of that, first-year GM Nick Caserio has added 38 new players, few of whom seem to be game-changers. Culley came to Houston to steer a ship with little direction. The waters still are choppy, with winning - even a little bit - the only way to firm up his reputation. CONTINUE READING: Depositions Against Texans QB Deshaun Watson Could Begin Soon | https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/where-texans-david-culley-rank-among-32-coaches-nfl |
Why did the Killarney National Park fire cause so much damage? | There has been much speculation about the immediate cause of the massive fire in Killarney National Park in late April. A Garda investigation is under way. But it is surely equally important to establish why this fire became so intense and spread so quickly, sometimes right into the heart of the oakwoods that are the parks crown jewels. Experts tell us that these woods should be very hard to burn right through. The last big fire, in 1984, generally failed to penetrate the oakwoods. The recent blaze appears to have done so repeatedly, with devastating consequences for plants and wildlife. If the dead rhododendron is a major factor in the fires penetration of the oakwoods, this was a disaster long foretold Studies after the 1984 fire established two points: the Killarney woods are damp, temperate rainforests. Heathland fires will damage peripheral trees, but cannot reach into ecologically sound oakwoods, because their typical native vegetation does not conduct fire well, and oak trunks are fire resistant. Ironically, oakwoods infested by live rhododendron, though in poor ecological condition, will also repel fire. Rhododendrons thick evergreen foliage does not easily burn. So this invasive alien shrub, which prevents oak regeneration and ultimately destroys whole forests, can protect them in the present. A local environmental group, the Killarney Nature Conservation Group (KNCG), has recently published a post-fire analysis, backed by photographic evidence, which highlights a significant difference in woodland condition today. It shows that extensive dead rhododendron thickets have accumulated around and within the woods. These thickets, according to the group, have become the fuel that can link heathland fires and the forest interiors. The KNCG analysis attributes this fuel accumulation to the current rhododendron eradication strategy in Killarney. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which manages the park, has since 2005 been killing rhododendron by stem injection with herbicide. This is quite effective, but the NPWSs own rhododendron manual warns repeatedly of the fire hazard posed by leaving dead rhododendron standing within oakwoods. The KNCG analysis links to hundreds of geotagged photographs which show extensive charred rhododendron remains alongside badly burnt oaks in some Killarney woodland interiors. Photographs from previous years show dense thickets of dead rhododendron inside these woods. The groups analysis is endorsed by Friends of the Irish Environment, and by individual conservationists with long and deep experience of the park. If the dead rhododendron is a major factor in the fires penetration of the oakwoods, this was a disaster long foretold. KNCG quotes a letter from Bill Quirke to the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2012, warning that the oakwoods were now at significant risk of being partially or largely destroyed because of the growing volume of deadwood. We can derive some hope from the very welcome independent review of the entire NPWS currently being undertaken at the behest of Noonan. The future health of our landscapes and biodiversity could hang on the outcome Quirke knows his stuff: he had been contracted full time as an ecologist by the park through the 1980s, had pioneered the successful rhododendron clearance by Groundwork volunteers up to 2005, and had edited a 2001 book on the park endorsed NPWS. The NPWS told Quirke that these [deadwood] issues are known to us and promised that his observations would contribute . . . to our decision-making processes. Removing so much deadwood is undoubtedly labour intensive and, if badly done, could cause erosion. But it is arguable that the oakwoods would have been better protected from fire had the eradication programme proceeded on the basis of only stem-injecting thickets when resources were available to remove their remains. One might imagine that the NPWS would welcome the KNCGs voluntary contribution to elucidating the causes of this fires exceptional impacts, accompanied by so much geotagged photographic evidence. True, the KNCG analysis is not definitive the group itself rightly describes it as preliminary but it surely raises questions that need answers. After all, we are encouraged, sometimes by the NPWS itself, to become citizen scientists these days, to help combat biodiversity loss. So the response from Minister of State Malcolm Noonans Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is troubling: Investigations of this type are highly specialised and this kind of speculation by parties unknown and unqualified in investigative work of this nature is in fact dangerous, misleading and an unhelpful distraction. In fact, the KNCG statement is signed by Mike OSullivan, a professional incidents and accidents investigator who knows the park well. Other contributors to the analysis have strong ecological credentials and decades of experience of the oakwoods. But credentials may be beside the point here: determining whether or not the dead rhododendron contributed to the fires spread and intensity is hardly rocket science. What is really troubling about the departments statement is that it does not focus on this core question, though it has been quoted as simply denying it was a factor, without explaining its rationale. The catastrophe in the park had several causes. The broad context is global heating, and the specific trigger may have been fires set by rogue grazers and/or by visitors with barbecues. Thats for the Garda and the fire service to determine. But the KNCG evidence suggests that the management of this landscape also needs to be independently examined to prevent such intense fires in the future. We can derive some hope from the very welcome independent review of the entire NPWS currently being undertaken at the behest of Noonan. The future health of our landscapes and biodiversity could hang on the outcome. Paddy Woodworth is a writer and Research Associate at Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis The KNCG report, with links to photos, is at drive.google.com | https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-did-the-killarney-national-park-fire-cause-so-much-damage-1.4582319?localLinksEnabled=false |
Will SEO Always Exist for Businesses? | Whether it be a website about blogging, web design, or social media, much of the content often seem to all have an underlying themeSEO. Earning a good position on a Google SERP is crucial to the success of many businesses, but making it happen isnt easy. There is a lot of competition to rank well for certain terms and there is a lot of work that goes into earning quality backlinks and creating a search engine optimized site. How Google Answers the Question This discussion has been the center of debate for quite some time, and it all seemed to really get started when Matt Cutts, former Head of Webspam at Google, was asked this question directly. Being that Google controls 65 percent of the U.S search market, their opinion is one of the most important. Cutts has answered this question both previously in 2009 as well as in November of 2011. Despite the fact that Cutts has since left Google, his videos are still relevant today. Below are a few things he highlighted: In the 2009 video, he explained that SEO is like a resume; you want to put your best foot forward. SEO is not spam if you follow white hat tactics such as canonical links. By and large, this was all that was said. In the 2011 video, he explained that a good SEO agency should make sure that Google bots can crawl a site correctly, that the content is easy for readers to understand, that it is easy for readers to navigate around the website, and finally that the site will load in an appropriate amount of time. It makes sense that Googles answer would be an immediate yes. Search engine optimization is all about making your website more valuable to users, and this is what Google wants. In a sense, Google sets the standard of quality through SEO; thus putting them in charge. Still, the biggest takeaway from this response was the idea that a site should be created with users in mind more so than Google bots. This makes complete sense and I am sure that many website owners would love for this to be the case. Google seems to have a clear vision of how things should be. Factors That Are Making SEO Less Important Another huge reason that this question is on the minds of many has to do with all of the factors that are becoming more important when it comes to ranking well on a Google SERP. The more important these factors become, the less important SEO becomes. Consider a few of these factors below: Social Activity. Google is also starting to put an emphasis on Google+ activity. If one of your connections +1s an article then you are more likely to see those articles pop up to the top of your SERPs. The idea here is that you are telling Google you trust this person and his/her opinion, so if they like the article or website then you might too. Content. As discussed above, Google is concerned with quality content for users, not what a website has done for the Google bots. Many of the recent changes to the Google algorithm have helped Google identify what is quality content; thus making SEO efforts a bit less important. Links. Google doesnt even want to see anchor-rich links anymore. In fact, with the increase in semantic SEO efforts, they just want you associated with authoritative links, meaning a link back to your website doesnt even have to be there to see results. The Verdict: SEO Will Change but Not Disappear When all is said and done, most agree that SEO will still be here in five, ten, and even fifteen years, its just changing. Absolutely not; however looking to the future should help a company determine what they should be doing in order to grow with the changes Google is making. For example, the number one thing companies should now be putting more emphasis on is forming real connections, and that was never the case in the past. | https://www.noobpreneur.com/2021/06/01/will-seo-always-exist-for-businesses/ |
Could the US-Canada border reopen in some capacity on June 22? | The border has been closed to non-essential travel since March of 2020. Both US and Canadian governments agreed to continue the closure through June 21. Reopening the United States-Canada border is going to take collaboration. "We have to get Ottawa and Washington DC to get a collaborative plan to reopen the border," said Mark Morrison, who heads the Seattle-based Pacific Northwest Economic Region, a bi-national non-partisan group of business and elected leaders in five states, three provinces, and two Canadian territories. Morrison co-wrote an open letter this week encouraging elected leaders on both sides to reopen the border. "I think people who are vaccinated or prove their have antibodies should be free to travel," he said Wednesday, adding that several tourism-related businesses are on the verge of failure without a summer season involving US and Canadian travelers. The border has been closed to non-essential travel since March of 2020. Both US and Canadian governments agreed to continue the closure through June 21. However, there seems to be some momentum for a change in policy. Health officials in New Brunswick signaled they are ready to open the border with Maine on July 1. Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota have partnered on border vaccine clinics. The BC business community is also pushing for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make policy change. "I think the US and Canada are headed in slightly different directions," said Dr. Laurie Trautman, the director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University. Trautman says Canadians could use vaccination records as a form of entry. "Canada is exploring that. I think they're getting pretty close to likely implementing a situation where I, as an American traveler, can upload my vaccine status through their ArriveCAN platform, which is an app that's currently used for all entries into Canada." Yet, she says there is also a scenario where the Americans open the border for Canadians on June 22, but there isn't a reciprocal policy, which could deter travelers from coming south if they also have to quarantine upon return. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/could-the-us-canada-border-reopen-in-some-capacity-on-june-22/281-d33ae22c-2669-432f-bcb6-b1a1d3b56c64 |
Are We Pivoting From Net Zero To True Zero? | True Zero, as Steve Hoy, former IBMer and CEO of Enosi, calls it, may be the new term used to talk about achieving carbon emissions reductions goals. While net zero refers to an overall balance between emissions produced and emissions removed from the atmosphere, true zero, or 24/7 carbon-free energy, focuses on purchasing round-the-clock clean energy each hour and on each regional grid where electricity consumption occurs. Companies pursuing 100% renewable energy goals typically enter into 100% clean energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) or purchase renewable energy credits. However, even if a company buys enough energy to match 100% of their annual consumption, they are still relying on carbon-based power when the sun isnt shining and the wind isnt blowing. Google recently acknowledged its use of carbon offsets, while offsets have their place, falls short of what is necessary, and signed a 10-year contract with AES for 24-7 carbon-free energy. As of 2017, Google matched 100% of its global electricity consumption with renewables but the company was directly using locally-sourced carbon-free energy about 61% of the time. At its data centers around the world, energy use was being matched to carbon-free sources anywhere between 3% and 96% of the time. Green energy certificates will soon be superseded by traceability technology, which allows us to see the source, the time and the price of the energy purchased. With 24/7 traceability, customers can see and choose where they want to buy their power from and can be assured that clean power is delivered, or have accurate reporting when it is not available. Microsoft, IBM, and other firms have also made traceability commitments for clean energy purchasing to meet their carbon reduction goals. As renewable energy continues to be cheaper than fossil fuels, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, there will be savings for customers making clean energy choices. | https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/06/are-we-pivoting-from-net-zero-to-true-zero/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=are-we-pivoting-from-net-zero-to-true-zero |
Should States Narrow Atty Bias Rules To Avoid 'Quagmire'? | Law360 (June 2, 2021, 4:17 PM EDT) -- Seeking an exit from the "constitutional quagmire" of the American Bar Association's anti-bias rule, a First Amendment scholar urged state regulators Wednesday to narrow their proposed versions of the rule to account for future legal challenges. Participating in a panel organized as part of the annual conference by the ABA's Center for Professional Responsibility, Jason DeSanto of Northwestern University School of Law argued that even though Model Rule 8.4(g) was designed to police serious acts of harassment and discrimination by attorneys, it nevertheless raises the risk of chilled speech by and among lawyers. As such, the rule's language is likely to... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know whats happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries. Law360 provides the intelligence you need to remain an expert and beat the competition. Access to case data within articles (numbers, filings, courts, nature of suit, and more.) Access to attached documents such as briefs, petitions, complaints, decisions, motions, etc. Create custom alerts for specific article and case topics and so much more! TRY LAW360 FREE FOR SEVEN DAYS | https://www.law360.com/articles/1388417/should-states-narrow-atty-bias-rules-to-avoid-quagmire- |
Why do we eat lamb at Easter? | Chocolate. It makes you want to scream and shout. Chocolate makes you want to dance. It puts a smile on your face, and its often considered a thoughtful gift. We are no strangers to chocolate here at One Green Planet; we are very big fans. Weve made numerous lists in the past that clearly show how much we adore this delectable treat. Thats why were putting them all in this one master list! You send them this link. They shall thank you and be amazed at your chocolatey prowess. Of course, all of these recipes can be found on our mobile Food Monster App to find the best recipes for all of the chocolate lovers out there. So without further ado, here is your ultimate guide to all things chocolate. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263806478592/why-do-we-eat-lamb-at-easter |
Does technology exclude older people? | One of the biggest concerns of parents and teachers in todays world is the use of the internet of Generation Z, which grew up in the middle of the rapidly developing age of technology. This Generation Z can also be called the internet generation. The reason for this is that almost everyone now completes and solves their every work on this network. But while this endless internet network brings many convenience and convenience to our lives, it gives us a great advantage; it also brings with it many unhealthy habits. As adults, as soon as we become aware of these wrong habits, we can take action to correct them. In this way, we strive to get rid of the harmful habits that we have just acquired. But since this self-awareness is not yet included in the internet generation, parents and teachers are very concerned about it. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263806538600/does-technology-exclude-older-people |
Have Brexit and COVID-19 delayed UK businesses green initiatives? | Article by Atul Bhakta, CEO of One World Express Over the past decade in particular, businesses have observed a gradual change in consumer behaviour. Where in the past purchasing decisions were most heavily influenced by incentives of price and convenient mass availability, many now look to adopt greener behaviours and want to support businesses with a commitment to sustainability. Accordingly, businesses have embraced environmental initiatives when planning their long-term strategy. It should be noted that is obviously not a purely philanthropic endeavour. A study conducted in 2014 found that a majority (55%) of consumers were happy to pay extra for a product from companies which pledged a positive social and environment impact. As enthusiasm and awareness for environmental issues goes from strength to strength, businesses should continue to evolve their approach to match. A 2020 study reported that 81% of consumers expect businesses to reflect their green credentials in their marketing; while nearly seven in ten (69%) say they are already doing everything they personally can to reduce their own carbon footprint. Changing priorities However, business large and small alike have been forced to radically adapt in the past year due to the Covid-19 crisis. With so many forced to limit operations, scale backwards, or cease trading altogether, these green initiatives are likely to have been put on hold, as firms prioritise short-term survival plans. As an example, an SME supplying a product for retail placement may have previously considered investing in R&D for recyclable or reusable packaging with non-essential shops closed and revenues down, there will have been more urgent uses for these funds. Small business has also generally been more sluggish in adopting environmental initiatives. Research from Warwick Business School in 2011 suggested that initial investments may outweigh economic advantages, while the costs and benefits of environmental initiatives may be difficult to estimate. It is natural that smaller firms will have fewer economies of scale at hand to take proactive risks in green investment plans relative to larger businesses. It is conceivable that these firms who have been forced into leaner emergency operations will consider developing and marketing environmentally conscious products or packaging an unrealistic expense. The impact of the radical overnight changes in customs rules through Brexit has been as challenging. The extended lack of clarity over the precise nature of the new rules, alongside complications with the necessity of improvised adjustments of supply chains may have contributed to a further trade-off between the economic realities faced by firms, and their commitments to environmental credibility. Encouraging future It is understandable that holistic long-term business strategies took a backseat to navigating the financial and logistical challenges the past year has thrown at firms. However, as the economy begins to stabilise and recover, there is cause for optimism for renewed commitments to green initiatives. More than half (57%) of business surveyed recently by One World Express reported feeling confident in their understanding of the new customs rules in relation to their operations. This points to a growing feeling of assurance in firms ability to resume trading at scale in the new system. Significantly, trade figures are now trending upwards, and the economy as a whole is showing positive signs of recovery; ONS figures highlighted that UK exports and imports with the EU increased by 8.6% and 4.5% respectively in March 2021. Accordingly, business leaders may now look to revisit their long-term strategy and embrace green initiatives once more. Some may look to decarbonise their supply chains. Investment in low carbon vehicles and more sustainable freight arrangements are credible infrastructural alterations with potential associated long-term cost savings. There is tremendous capacity for logistical infrastructure to scale and adapt to shifting patterns of demand, so sustainable shipping should only become cheaper and more varied in the future. Changes to the supply chain will, of course, be gradual. Business leaders will remain intimidated by large investment at this time, while SMEs may continue to protect their core operations as the economy recovers. While there is scope for low-cost adjustments to marketing materials and product and shipping packaging, it stands to reason that a well-informed consumer base will increasingly come to see this as superficial and insufficient if the logistics underpinning it are unsustainable. Real, substantive changes to supply chains will show the authenticity of a business commitment to the environment but will require some risk-taking behaviour. The capacity for a less harmful supply process is in place, and businesses looking to win over consumers in the long-term would be well-advised to embrace them. About the author Atul Bhakta is the CEO of One World Express, a position he has held for over 20 years. He also holds senior titles for other retail companies, underlining his vast experience and expertise in the world of eCommerce, trade and business management. WeAreTheCity covers the latest female centric news stories from around the world, focusing on women in business, careers and current affairs. You can find all the latest gender news here. Dont forget, you can also follow us via our social media channels for the latest up-to-date gender news. Click to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. | https://wearethecity.com/have-brexit-and-covid-19-delayed-uk-businesses-green-initiatives/ |
Who has the top 10 NFL contracts in 2021? | One of the main reasons kids decide to pursue a career playing in the NFL is for the money. NFL salaries dwarf most jobs for people coming out of college. Also, seemingly every season, there's players setting new league-wide records on their contracts. Here are the top 10 NFL contracts for 2021, according to Spotrac. Most Expensive Players in the NFL #1 - Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) Patrick Mahomes has the largest contract in the NFL right now. The contract runs for ten years and is valued at $450 million. The contract pays an average salary of $45 million per year and is set to expire in 2032. #2 - Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) Dak Prescott also recently earned a mega-deal. His contract is worth $160 million and runs until 2025. He is estimated to make $40 million per year. #3 - Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans) Deshaun Watson is going through one legal battle after another right now but his bank account has never been more peaceful. His contract is valued at $156 million and runs through 2026. He is expected to earn about $39 million per season. #4 - Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) Matt Ryan's contract is valued at $150 million over five years. It is set to expire in 2024 and pays him about $30 million per year. #5 - Khalil Mack (Chicago Bears) The first non-quarterback on this list, Khalil Mack is playing on a six year deal valued at $141 million. He is expected to pull in $23.5 million per season and his deal expires in 2025. #6 - Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) Russell Wilson's NFL contract is a four-year deal. The contract is valued at $140 million and expires in 2024. #7 - Trent Williams (San Francisco 49ers) Trent Williams is the only offensive lineman on this list. His deal runs for six years and is valued at $138.060 million. The contract is set to expire in 2027. #8 - Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) Tom Brady's former disciple is playing on a five-year deal and making more money. He can make up to $137.5 million on his deal that runs until 2023. He has been making an average salary of $27.5 million. In the way he is handling everything, Jimmy Garoppolo strengthens his role as a #49ers leader. In the process, he is making it easier for Trey Lance to take over when that time comes. https://t.co/ciIfXNTdAa Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) May 27, 2021 #9 - Joey Bosa (Los Angeles Chargers) Also located in California, Joey Bosa is pulling in considerable NFL money. His contract runs for five years and is valued at $135 million. He is making $27 million per year on his deal. He will become a free agent in 2026. Joey Bosa #10 Matthew Stafford & Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams) Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald are playing on NFL contracts of equal size. It appears that the Los Angeles Rams do not mind paying premiums as both players are playing on deals worth $134 million. Matthew Stafford's deal is five years long and runs through 2023. He makes $27 million per year. Aaron Donald is playing on a six-year deal and his contract expires in 2025. Edited by Prem Deshpande | https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/10-biggest-nfl-contracts-2021 |
Why Is Sophie Seeing Layla on 'A Million Little Things'? | Although Layla will appear in person in "No One Is to Blame," she's not really there. It's unlikely that A Million Little Things is going to pretend that she didn't really kill herself, after having Sophie meet her grief-stricken parents. Instead, Layla will be Sophie's hallucination which isn't a great sign. Following Peter's abuse, Sophie has been feeling shame and guilt, something that's sadly very common for sexual assault victims. Sophie hallucinating another one of Peter's victims means that she may be feeling guilty that other girls had to experience what she did. Though, as the title of the episode suggests, no one is to blame, except Peter, for what he did, Sophie is struggling under the weight of what happened. Knowing that she wasn't alone in experiencing Peter's abuse isn't a helpful feeling it just increases her guilt. Watch Layla's story play out on A Million Little Things Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on ABC. | https://www.distractify.com/p/who-is-layla-on-a-million-little-things |
Who is playing on the OTV and Friends Minecraft server? | Over the years, Offline TV has found success playing many different titles, and one fan-favorite game has been Minecraft. The OTV & Friends Minecraft server was an extremely popular endeavor that had Offline TV members and a variety of other streamers participate and interact with each other in the pixelated world of Minecraft. Thanks to its popularity, the server has been brought back once again, this time with some big changes with the goal of producing a vanilla experience with the help of some cosmetic and progression-based mods to speed things up and help the creators make the best content possible. Before the last rendition of OTV & Friends Minecraft server came to an end its members list was quite large and boasted plenty of familiar faces and names from Twitch and YouTube alike. This time around the goal looks to remain the same with Disguised Toast announcing that the server will begin with around 40 players invited, but the plan is to add more creators in on a weekly basis. With the server launching earlier today, June 2, it isnt clear exactly who made the cut into the initial invitation list, however, here are the streamers weve seen on the server so far. Disguised Toast Sykuno Scarra LilyPichu Pokimane Fuslie Yvonnie PeterParkTV XChocobars Valkyrae Starsmitten Sleepy hJune Voyboy Kkatamina BoxBox Natsumii Masayoshi These are the players who weve seen active on the new server so far. This list will be updated as more players hop in on the action and join the Minecraft fun. | https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/who-is-playing-on-the-otv-and-friends-minecraft-server |
How Long Do Deep Brain Stimulation Benefits Last? | Deep brain stimulation remained effective in Parkinson's disease patients more than 15 years after the device was implanted, and patients continued to demonstrate significant improvement in motor symptoms, a retrospective study showed. Parkinson's patients who had bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for 15 years or longer spent 75% less time with dyskinesia and 58.7% less time in the off state than pre-surgery baseline (both P<0.001), reported Elena Moro, MD, PhD, of Grenoble Alpes University in France, and co-authors. These patients also reduced their dopaminergic drugs by 50.6% (P<0.001), they wrote in Neurology. The Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life (PDQL) questionnaire total score, emotional function domain score, and social function domain score improved by 13.8% (P=0.005), 13.6% (P=0.01) and 29.9% (P<0.001), respectively. "Deep brain stimulation benefits seem to last for several years but not enough data have been available to show that these effects are still present more than 15 years after surgery," Moro said in a statement. "Our study found that, despite the natural progression of Parkinson's disease and the worsening of some symptoms that become resistant to medications over the years, participants still maintained an overall improvement in quality of life," she added. "These results (better motor outcomes with less medication) reinforce why subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation has revolutionized treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease," observed Kelvin Chou, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and David Charles, MD, of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, in an accompanying editorial. Grenoble researchers were the first to report the therapeutic effects of bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation on bradykinesia and rigidity in patients with Parkinson's disease, Chou and Charles noted. The Grenoble group now has the largest number of patients who have lived with deep brain stimulation for 15 years or more. When patients ask how long benefits of deep brain stimulation last, "we can now reassure them that, at least for subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation, improvement in motor complications lasts beyond 15 years and is often accompanied by improvement in quality of life," the editorialists wrote. In their study, Moro and colleagues evaluated 51 patients with a mean of about 17 years followup after surgery. At surgery, all patients had idiopathic Parkinson's disease, disabling motor complications (motor fluctuations or levodopa-induced dyskinesia), and levodopa responsiveness in all Parkinson's cardinal motor symptoms, including tremor. On average, the group -- 33 men and 18 women -- was about 51 years old at baseline and had Parkinson's disease for 11.35 years. In 39 patients with complete long-term data, subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation improved motor fluctuations and dyskinesia scores on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Compared with baseline, the time spent with dyskinesia was reduced by 75% (1.64 vs 0.41, P<0.001), and the time spent in the off state diminished by 58.7% (1.85 vs 0.74, P<0.001). In 27 patients with full long-term followup data, both short-term and long-term PDQL scores improved. Total PDQL score improved by 26.7% at 1 year, while emotional function domain scores rose 21.7%, and social function domain scores increased 33.3%. In the long-term, 19 patients (37.3%) were completely independent in their activities of daily living, 27 patients (52.9%) needed some help, and five (9.8%) were institutionalized. A total of 18 of 51 patients (35.3%) had dementia. In contrast to medically managed Parkinson's patients who often lose weight, people in this study gained an average of 9 kg in the first year after surgery, which remained stable during the entire followup period. During long-term followup, five patients needed lead reimplantation due to intracranial infections, lead malfunctions, or lead suboptimal placement. The study had several limitations, the researchers acknowledged. A high percentage of patients who received deep brain stimulation more than 15 years ago were lost at long-term followup, and the sample presented here may not be representative. Some people in the study did not have long-term motor or quality of life scores. The editorialists also pointed out that the results are from a highly selected cohort that has been managed by experts in the field of movement disorders and deep brain stimulation. The average age at surgery was 51 and, as a group, these patients already had lived with Parkinson's for 11 years. In contrast, "the average age of onset for Parkinson's disease is between 65-70 years of age," Chou and Charles noted. | https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/parkinsonsdisease/92888 |
Who will be the gem of the Jags' latest draft class? | With the 2021 NFL draft in the books, much of the attention directed toward the Jaguars has been related to first-round picks Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. Certainly, those two guys will play a major role for the franchise moving forward. Bleacher Reports Kristopher Knox listed the player from each teams draft class most likely to be a surprising gem. For the Jaguars, that player was Ohio State tight end Luke Farrell, who Urban Meyer coached when he was with the Buckeyes. Like the Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars could use reinforcements at the tight end position. They parted with Tyler Eifert in the offseason and are toying with the idea of letting former quarterback Tim Tebow see time at the position. However, if the Jags are going to properly support rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence, they need a reliable in-line blocker with receiving ability on the edge. Rookie fifth-round pick Luke Farrell can be that guy and should immediately compete for playing time. While Farrell wasnt a prolific receiver at Ohio Statehe only notched double-digit receptions in one of his four seasonshe did plenty of the dirty work in the trenches. Farrell played for Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer for two years with the Buckeyes, so there is familiarity there. That familiarity combined with Jacksonvilles lack of proven options could make Farrell a surprising early contributor. With Eifert gone, tight end became a major position of need this offseason. Jacksonville signed Chris Manhertz from Carolina, but even the additions of him and Farrell didnt seem to satisfy Meyer, who brought in Tim Tebow to compete for a roster spot as well. Farrell has become a bit lost in the mix, but as a tight end with bona fide blocking skills, he almost definitely will have a role in the teams future. If he can develop more as a receiver after only notching 34 catches in college, its all the better for the Jags. | https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/02/who-will-be-the-gem-of-the-jags-latest-draft-class/ |
Was sollen uns die Chats von Christian Pilnacek sagen? | Als Leiter der Strafrechtssektion im Justizministerium war lange von wesentlicher Bedeutung, ob Christian Pilnacek besonders in politisch brisanten Fllen eine Verfolgung wollte oder nicht. Laut Strafprozessordnung darf es aber nur darum gehen, ob der Verdacht strafbarer Handlungen vorliegt oder nicht, ohne Ansehen der Person. Nun sind von der Staatsanwaltschaft Innsbruck ausgewertete Pilnacek-Chats bei profil, ORF und Falter gelandet. Als Ironie der Geschichte war es Pilnacek selbst, der frher Journalisten mit Material fr Geschichten ftterte, was ihn mit Peter Pilz verbindet. Wer aber auf Happen konditioniert ist, vergisst leicht, dass er recherchieren sollte, und zwar gerade auch dort, wo Pilnacek und Pilz ablenken und abwiegeln. Auch gegen Pilz wurde in Innsbruck ermittelt, wegen des Verdachts der sexuellen Belstigung, und man stellte das Verfahren dank Pilnacek ein. Diese Begleitinfo ist notwendig, um den Tweet unten des Pilzschen Redakteurs Thomas Walach einzuordnen. berhaupt distanzieren sich jetzt jene extra deutlich von Pilnacek, die der gleichen Agenda dienen. Das profil gehrt zum Kurier, an dem Raiffeisen und Rene Benko (der auch Verbindung zu Wirecard hat) beteiligt sind. Der Kurier-Aufsichtsratsvorsitzende Erwin Hameseder ist Stellvertreter von Alfred Gusenbauer im AR der Strabag; an dieser sind u.a. Raiffeisen und Oleg Deripaska beteiligt (dieser kam ber Siegfried Wolf/Magna und Christian Konrad/Raiffeisen an Bord); bei Benkos Signa sitzt Gusenbauer im AR. Deripaskas Geschftspartner Siegfried Wolf gehrt dem Aufsichtsrat von Porsche an; der Porsche-Clan ist am Falter beteiligt. Wolf startete im August 2016 eine Spendenralley fr Sebastian Kurz, der im Mai 2017 Reinhold Mitterlehner an der Spitze der VP ablste; Vizekanzler wurde Justizminister Wolfgang Brandstetter, den man durchaus als Komplizen Pilnaceks bezeichnen kann. Man muss sich also immer auch ansehen, wer bislang von Pilnacek und Brandstetter profitierte, nun aber ungeheuer emprt tut. Gerne wird auf einen Bruch Pilnaceks mit der Wirtschafts- und Korruptionsstaatsanwaltschaft verwiesen, der 2019 erfolgte, weil er daschlogts es zu Eurofighter-Verfahren meinte. Dass davon die von seinem Komplizen Peter Pilz angestrengten Ermittlungen gegen Ex-Minister Norbert Darabos nicht betroffen waren, passt durchaus ins Bild. Denn Justiz und Medien sollten sich ein bisschen mit Briefkastenfirmen befassen und von der Verantwortung Gusenbauers fr den Eurofighter-Vergleich ablenken, nicht aber thematisieren, warum wir berhaupt diese Jets kauften und was der gemeinsame Nenner von Wolfgang Schssel und Gusenbauer ist. Das Traurigste am tiefen Fall Pilnaceks: Eine Reihe namhafter Journalisten hat ihre Storys jahrelang von Pilnacek bekommen. Dafr haben sie ihm immer brav die Stange gehalten. Nun, da er nichts mehr anzubieten hat, lassen sie ihn ber die Klinge springen. Thomas Walach (@ThomasWalach) June 2, 2021 Tweet eines Pilzes Pilnacek war lange auf der sicheren Seite, was auch in seinen arroganten und anmaenden Chats zum Ausdruck kommt, in denen er zunehmend die gewohnte Welt nicht mehr versteht. Es wre aber falsch, nun auf Justizministerin Alma Zadic zu vertrauen, nur weil Pilnacek sie als Urschel bezeichnete. Denn sie wurde Abgeordnete fr Pilz und danach auf Wunsch von Bundesprsident Alexander van der Bellen grne Ministerin. Pilz kandidierte 2017 selbst, nachdem er noch fr die Grnen den Eurofighter-U-Ausschuss und die Justiz auch mit Hilfe der jetzt ber Pilnacek emprten NEOS an der Nase herumgefhrt hatte und Zadic sah auch als Ministerin fr sich keinen Handlungsbedarf gemss StPO. Pilz, Van der Bellen und Ex-Bundesprsident Heinz Fischer sind seit der Zeit miteinander verbunden, als es noch die Sowjetunion gab und der russische Geheimdienst KGB hiess. In den Chats aus denen uns nur das offenbart wird, was einem Narrativ dienen soll wird deutlich, dass Pilnacek einen Putsch gegen die neue VP via WKSTA vermutet. Diese wurde unter anderem von jetzigen Gerichtsvorsteher Oliver Scheiber zur Zeit der Regierung Gusenbauer im Justizministerium vorbereitet und dann zuerst mit dem ehemaligen Fraktionskollegen von Peter Pilz Walter Geyer besetzt. Tatschlich driftet sie mit Ermittlungen wegen Falschaussage im Ibiza-U-Ausschuss gegen Sebastian Kurz von ihrer eigentlichen Aufgabe weg. Damit hat auch der unsgliche VP-Abgeordnete Andreas Hanger recht, der geradezu winselt, dass er unsere Justiz eh super findet (weil er bei so vielem wegsieht). Hanger bei Fellner Wrde die Justiz nicht nur bei Eurofighter wirklich ermitteln, wrden Medien tatschlich recherchieren, ginge es um den wahren Kern des Problems, um den Background jeder Regierung seit vielen Jahren. Denn am Beginn stand bei Eurofighter, dass Magna seit 1998 offen mit Russland kooperierte; dies machte den Konzern fr EADS interessant, um den dortigen Markt zu sondieren. Zuerst waren russische MiG-29 als Nachfolger der Saab Draken im Gesprch, dann eine Paketlsung aus MiG und Eurofighter. Bezeichnend ist, dass der zustndige Verteidigungsminister Herbert Scheibner von seinem Parteikollegen, dem Magna-Manager von 1998 bis 2000 Finanzminister Karl Heinz Grasser hintergangen wurde, der mit Beamten ber MiG bzw. MiG/Eurofighter verhandelte. Wir erinnern uns, dass Grasser nach vorgezogenen Neuwahlen und gescheiterten Koalitionsverhandlungen der VP mit den Grnen (van der Bellen, Pilz, Werner Kogler und Co.) wieder Finanzminister wurde. Wolfgang Schssel htte ihn 2006 gerne als eigenen Nachfolger gesehen; zuerst aber wurde privatisiert, was das Zeug hielt, mit Parallelen zu heute. Die SP fhrte 2002 und 2006 Wahlkampf gegen die Eurofighter, beraten von Tal Silberstein, der sich 2015 um die NEOS kmmern sollte, die seit 2013 erfolgreich auch dank Untersttzung von Hans Peter Haselsteiner kandidierten. 2006 hatte sich die Situation gendert, weil Russland die United Aircraft Corporation grndete, die sich mit 5 % an EADS (heute Airbus) beteiligte; Sozialfighter statt Eurofighter war kein ernstgemeinter Wahlkampfslogan; Gusenbauer favorisierte brigens MiG-29. Er hasst die #WKStA, verachtet den VfGH, scheut keine Intervention Neue Chats lassen tief blicken @StefanMelichar @profilonline https://t.co/w9MvCwcFoy Michael Nikbakhsh (@mnikbakhsh) June 2, 2021 Das profil und Pilnacek Gusenbauers russische Hintermnner wollten keinen Ausstieg aus dem 2003 geschlossenen Eurofighter-Vertrag, sondern einen Vergleich nach Scheinverhandlungen. Darabos machte den Leiter der Finanzprokuratur Wolfgang Peschorn zum Leiter von Ausstiegsverhandlungen und widerrief dies auch nie. Obwohl / weil beide dies im UA 2017 aussagten, zeigte Pilz Darabos wie mit Gusenbauer der zu jenen gehrte, die den UA belogen vereinbart wegen des Vergleichs von 2007 an und die Justiz ermittelte auch brav. Eine Rolle spielte auch der Verteidigungsminister von 2016 und 2017 Hans Peter Doskozil, der einen Pakt mit Pilz einging, der ihm Darabos aus dem Weg rumen sollte. Als Geheimprojekt Minerva wurde mit Pilz und mit ehemaligen Ukraine-Lobbying-Partnern Gusenbauers ein Angriff auf Airbus vorbereitet. Dies erinnert an jenes Geheimprojekt Minerva im Jahr 2003, als Grasser mit einer Arbeitsgruppe mit Magna-Managern die bernahme und Zerschlagung der VOEST durch Magna in die Wege leiten sollte; nicht von ungefhr fhrte ja Verteidigungsministerin Klaudia Tanner Doskozils Minerva-Operation fort. Was 2007 betrifft, hiessen die Verhandler ab 24. Mai Meinhard Lukas (schon vorher Eurofighter-Rechtsberater) und Helmut Koziol (Zivilrechtler und alter Freund von Lukas, ohne Verhandlungserfahrung, fr sterreich). Beide wurden Gusenbauer von seinem Freund und Geschftspartner Leo Specht empfohlen, der auf Klienten aus dem ehemaligen Ostblock spezialisiert ist. Hass auf die WKStA, Verachtung fr den VfGH, keine Scheu vor Interventionen Die Pilnacek-Chats offenbaren hchst bedenkliche Entwicklungen an der Spitze der heimischen Justizverwaltung. @mnikbakhsh https://t.co/IA3t7tUjjc Stefan Melichar (@StefanMelichar) June 2, 2021 Einer von vielen Tweets zu Pilnacek Der 24. Mai 2007 steht auch fr einen Wien-Besuch von Wladimir Putin und Oleg Deripaska, die Nominierung von Siegfried Wolf auf Deripaskas Wunsch in den Strabag-Aufsichtsrat undeine AIDS-Gala mit Bill Clinton, Heinz Fischer, Alfred Gusenbauer und Novomatic. Ab diesem Datum gab es nur Darabos von Gusenbauers handlern oktroyierte Scheinverhandlungen, die zu einem fr sterreich nachteiligen Vergleich fhren mussten. Htte die Justiz jemals wirklich ermittelt, wre sie auf ein ber Jahre immer dichter gewobenes Netz an russischer Einflussnahme gestossen; man kann auch das Bild von Dominosteinen verwenden, die nicht umkippen drfen. Oben ist mit Absicht ein Tweet von Stefan Melichar eingebunden, der beim profil Eurofighter vertuscht und frher bei News Pilz half, das Narrativ gegen Darabos und Airbus aufzubauen. Darabos wurde von Anfang an als Minister abgeschottet, berwacht, unter Druck gesetzt; der unter Hochverrat Minister spielende Kabinettschef Stefan Kammerhofer wurde auch von Brandstetter und Pilnacek gedeckt. Kammerhofer war es auch, der Peschorn bei Eurofighter rauskickte; die Justiz schtzte ihn immer, auch beim Verschleudern von Bundesheer-Liegenschaften. Beide bewhrten sich auch als Schutzpatrone organisierter Kriminalitt in der Justiz selbst, wie sie etwa der Ex-Grasser-Anwalt Axel Bauer mit Komplizen aufzog. Diesen werden unter Mitwirkung von Richtern und Gutachten Immobilien und sonstiges Vermgen von einigen tausend Menschen ausgeliefert, die vollkommen rechtlos sind wie Juden im Nationalsozialismus; auch Oliver Scheiber kooperiert mit den Ttern. Die Opfer sterben in der Regel vorzeitig an dem, was man ihnen antut, manche schon nach wenigen Wochen, was natrlich auch Zadic deckt. Posten, Fouls und Verfassungsrichterinnen als Mllfrauen in Pilnaceks Chats Neue Chats des einst mchtigen Beamten legen Interventionen, Unmutsuerungen und Lstereien offen. #wkstahttps://t.co/P8bi6oivYC . (@jurisdictio84) June 2, 2021 Pilnacek vs. Verfassungsgerichtshof Angesichts von Richtern, die Menschen tten, erscheint natrlich banal, dass Pilnacek in seinen Chats Menschenverachtung an den Tag legt, denn er schtzt immer die Tter. Wenn er bei Brandstetter den Verfassungsgerichtshof kritisiert, wirkt es grotesk, da dieser von der VP als Verfassungsrichter nominiert wurde. Er gehrt der Studentenverbindung Norica an wie der fr den Oligarchen Dmytro Firtash ttige Kurz-Mentor Michael Spindelegger. Wir sollten nicht daran denken, wie wir uns die VP traditionell vorstellen, auch nicht, wenn Pilnacek sich um die Aufsichtsrte Josef Prll und Walter Rothensteiner wegen Ermittlungen in Sachen Casinos Austria kmmerte. Denn beide stehen fr Raiffeisen im Sinne der Verstrickungen des Konzerns mit Oligarchen; auch wenn Pilnacek Finanzminister Gernot Blmel auf Befragungen vorbereiten soll, geht es um die gleichen Netzwerke. Blmel, Kurz und BAG-Chef Thomas Schmid gehren zu einer Schssel-Putin-VP, wie Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Doskozil, Kammerhofer und Co. zu einer Gusenbauer-Putin-SP gehren. Auch die Selbstherrlichkeit und der Machtrausch in den Chats von Thomas Schmid sind nicht nur mit Pilnacek vergleichbar. Wir drfen nie vergessen, dass wir nur das zu hren bekommen, was dazu dient, ein bestimmtes gewolltes Bild zu erzeugen. Sie htte die Handys von Gusenbauer, Doskozil, Kammerhofer, Pilz und anderen Abgeordneten (auch von Michaela Steinacker von der VP) und weiteren Zeugen beschlagnahmt, Hausdurchsuchungen durchgefhrt. Gbe es unabhngige Medien, htten sie gross berichtet ber ein Sittenbild an Zynismus, Brutalitt, Kriminalitt und geheimem Nachrichtendienst zum Nachteil der Republik. Wir wissen aber, wie Pilz mit Zeugen umgeht, was etwa Edwin Wall, der Eurofighter-Chefverhandler von 2003 immer wieder erlebte. Darabos wiederum durfte er auch bedrohen und zwar per Kurier, dessen Ex-Herausgeber Helmut Brandsttter die Agenda untersttzt und mit Brandstetter befreundet ist. Pilnacek und Schmid erinnern an Kammerhofer, der auch kein Gespr dafr hatte, was ihm zusteht und was nicht; alle drei hatten aber Rckendeckung, solange sie ntzlich waren. Kammerhofers typischer Sager war, den hack ich jetzt um!; er wurde nicht sicherheitsberprft, verleumdete und bedrohte Menschen und spannte, obwohl er kein Weisungsrecht hatte, Ressort und Justiz rechtswidrig ein. Natrlich wurde dies auch von Brandstetter und Pilnacek gedeckt; Pilz machte es sich zunutze und Medien berichteten kaum bzw. schufen ein verschleierndes Narrativ. Gbe es jetzt eine versptete Abrechnung mit dieser Korruption, wrden all jene furchtbar entsetzt sein, die bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt alles ignorieren und verharmlosen oder die Botin attackieren. brigens konnte ich dem Prsidenten von Transparency sterreich, Brandstetters Anwalt Georg Krakow, immerhin sagen, dass es bei Eurofighter 2007 einen aufrechten Ministerwillen, Scheinverhandlungen und einen manipulierten U-Ausschuss 2017 gab. PS: Weil ich mich seit Jahren mit solchen Hintergrnden befasse, wird mir sehr zugesetzt. Ich freue mich daher ber eure Untersttzung und den Austausch mit euch und bin unter 066499809540 erreichbar. Weil Zusetzen auch bedeutet, mich konomisch zu treffen, bedanke ich mich auch fr eure finanzielle Untersttzung unter Alexandra Bader, Erste Bank, AT 592011100032875894 BIC GIBAATWWXXX vielen Dank! | https://alexandrabader.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/was-sollen-uns-die-chats-von-christian-pilnacek-sagen/ |
Is a Below Deck alum joining the Below Deck Down Under spin-off? | A familiar face may help launch the latest Below Deck spin-off, Below Deck Down Under. That is the question on fans minds after the rumor mill started buzzing that the new show will feature a familiar face. Below Deck Down Under was announced last month. The spin-off is filming in Australia, with production getting underway in April. Since the Below Deck shows usually film for six weeks, production should be wrapping up by mid-June. Unlike the other Below Deck installments, Below Deck Down Under will not air on Bravo. The new spin-off has landed at Peacock. Sign up for our newsletter! Thanks to the So Dramatic Podcast , fans have gained insight into the inaugural season of Below Deck Down Under. So Dramatic has shared photos on social media of the luxury yacht Thalassa, located in Hamilton Island, with camera crews filming around it. The latest post from So Dramatic has sparked speculation that Below Deck alum Leon Walker had joined Below Deck Down Under. Yes, the chef that fans and Captain Lee Rosbach dont like too well has been photographed in the area where Below Deck Down Under is currently in production. Unfortunately, 51 Minds nor Peacock comments on casting rumors, so this is merely speculation. If Leon does return, he wouldnt be the first chef Bravo used to help launch a Below Deck spin-off. Below chef Ben appeared on Below Deck Season 1, 2, 3, and 4, and kicked off the Below Deck Mediterranean franchise in Season 1. Ironically Ben, replaced Leon mid-way through Season 3 after Captain Lee gave Leon and his beef cheeks the boot. Adam Glick appeared on Below Deck Med Season 2 and 3 before helping launch Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 1. Based on past experience, a chef alum will likely appear on Season 1 of Below Deck Down Under. Leon could be the chosen one, although fans might wonder why considering his first experience was not so great. Ever since Below Deck Down Under was announced, fans have been speculating which Below Deck, Below Deck Med, and Below Deck Sailing Yacht alum could pop up on the new installment. Hannah Ferrier is, of course, at the top of the list. However, since shes a new mom and all about family right now. So, Hannahs not a likely option. Francesca Rubi and Ashling Lorger have been thrown around too. Ashling made it clear after Below Deck Season 8 ended, she was open to doing more reality television. Alli Dore and Dani Soares from Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2 are also on the list. Although Dani did just have a baby, so shes definitely out of Season 1. As for Alli, she continues to appear on her Instagram weekly chat, Pita Party with Daisy Kelliher and Dani, which she couldnt do if she was filming the Bravo. There you have it Below Deck fans. Leon Walker just might be joining Below Deck Down Under. Below Deck Down Under will premiere in 2022 on Peacock. | https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/reality-tv/is-a-below-deck-alum-joining-the-below-deck-down-under-spin-off/ |
Does South Dakota Have the Most Bison? | The American Bison once roamed large swaths of the U.S. in herds as far as the eye could see. At one point in time, bison could be found in much of Canada, the United States, and even Mexico. That all changed when the railroads came through, as new settlers began killing the animal off in dangerous numbers. But thanks to conservation efforts, the bison population levels have rebounded and these days the animal is thriving. My first guess was Wyoming. It's the first place I think of when I think about bison. Yellowstone has a number of large herds roaming the park. If you've ever been, you've likely seen them all over the place. Montana is another strong contender for most bison. The state has a long history with the animal, and a number of parks and ranches are host to dozens of herds across the state. Surprisingly though, it's neither of those. That would be South Dakota. Get our free mobile app At last count, South Dakota is home to over 33 thousand Bison. Nebraska comes in second, followed by Montana, Colorado, and Oklahoma. Not only does South Dakota have large herds of Buffalo at Custer State Park and Badlands National Park, but many tribal areas are also home to large numbers of the animal. Bison are an important part of South Dakota's history. So much so, that it's surprising that the Coyote, not the Bison, is the state animal of South Dakota. For more interesting facts on the Bison, check out the National Bison Association's website. Look Inside That Big Pit By The Sioux Empire FairGrounds | https://ksoo.com/does-south-dakota-have-the-most-bison/ |
Why were people camped out at Best Buy in St. Matthews? | Waiting for a new graphics card that's set to drop Thursday at select Best Buy stores across the country.According to a report from The Verge, the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards cost $1,199. Because of the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, buying a graphics card has been difficult lately and demand has been building up.Best Buy will be selling the founder's edition of the cards that are billed as being able to take "gaming to the next level." Here at the St. Matthews store, staff will begin handing out tickets for the cards at 7:30 a.m. Customers who receive a ticket will be guaranteed to be able to buy a card at 9 a.m. The company notes that each customer can only buy one card, part of an effort to limit the number of cards that will be bought to be resold by scalpers.Best Buy is the only store in the U.S. where people can get the founder's edition of the card.Click here to learn more about the cards. If you drove by the Best Buy on Shelbyville Road Wednesday, you may have noticed several people camping outside the store. Waiting for a new graphics card that's set to drop Thursday at select Best Buy stores across the country. Advertisement According to a report from The Verge, the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards cost $1,199. Because of the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, buying a graphics card has been difficult lately and demand has been building up. Best Buy will be selling the founder's edition of the cards that are billed as being able to take "gaming to the next level." Here at the St. Matthews store, staff will begin handing out tickets for the cards at 7:30 a.m. Customers who receive a ticket will be guaranteed to be able to buy a card at 9 a.m. Courtesy: Allyson Routt The company notes that each customer can only buy one card, part of an effort to limit the number of cards that will be bought to be resold by scalpers. Best Buy is the only store in the U.S. where people can get the founder's edition of the card. Click here to learn more about the cards. | https://www.wlky.com/article/why-were-people-camped-out-at-best-buy-in-st-matthews/36613322 |
What are the New Things in the Road Going Out of Sioux Falls? | We all have seen the orange cones in and around Sioux Falls over the last few years and they always come out of hibernation the most in the summer. Over the last 12 months, there has been a lot of construction work on the roadways that surround the city of Sioux Falls and that connect it with the smaller communities like Tea, Brandon, and others. Get our free mobile app During that time frame, if you have gone west on 12th street out of town and toward Wall Lake Oil, you have seen additional road work being done there as well. Recently, they made some additions to the road as it switches from 12th street to the highway that may have you questioning what the new things in the road actually are. Jeff Thurn Townsquare Media Results Radio Jeff Thurn Townsquare Media Results Radio As you can see from the pictures, they have added not only updated grates to the shoulder of the road, but also to the centerline. If you have ever veered off to the side too far, you know that noise these grates make when you cross them, causing a correction in steering and hopefully safer travel. Unfortunately, there have been numerous accidents on this road and even one recently resulted in multiple deaths. The nature of the crashes along with more travelers on the road probably precipitated the idea to add the grates in all those locations. Hopefully, these added safety measures will reduce the number of accidents and make a very busy roadway that much safer. | https://ksoo.com/what-are-the-new-things-in-the-road-going-out-of-sioux-falls/ |
Why Does An East Wind Always Bring Thunderstorms? | Ah, you're out on a camping trip. The sun is shining, there's a light breeze out of the west, the fish are biting and life is grand. Relaxing is what it is. And then you notice the wind has shifted a bit, to the north and then to the east. You know what that means...rain is on the way. And probably a thunderstorm or two. It always happens, doesn't it. When that breeze comes out of the east you're going to get wet and maybe more. It happens every time. Get our free mobile app There's lots of weather myths, the 'old sayings' that aren't really true. Things like 'a hot summer means a cold winter' (weather conditions of a summer do not affect the weather of a coming winter), 'stripes on a woolly bear caterpillar tell what type of winter we'll have' (pure superstition), or 'there's a calm before a storm' (not usually so, it's basically an old sailor's tale). Yes, that's most often times true. Well, according to an article at sun-sentinel.com the technical reason is: East winds often do come before bad storms. Rough weather occurs in areas of low air pressure, which suck-in air masses, swirling counterclockwise, then fling the air mass upward. As the air rises it cools -- hence rain or snow. East winds suggest that a weather system is to our southwest and the whole system with all its turbulence and precipitation will pass overhead. So while there's a lot of things the ol' folks used to say that may or may not be true, this one hits the mark. If you're out there enjoying the out-of-doors at your favorite park, river or lake and the wind turns around and comes in from the east, there's a pretty good chance rain is on the way. | https://ksoo.com/why-does-an-east-wind-always-bring-thunderstorms/ |
Why Is June 5 Important for Campers in South Dakota? | Mark your calendars, set your smartphone, make a notation on all your socials and have Alexa chime in to remind you to make those end-of-season camping reservations this weekend. Yep, I know what you're thinking but if you don't do it this weekend then you may be enjoying a last-minute stay-cation instead of your favorite South Dakota campsite. Get our free mobile app Camping reservations for all South Dakota campgrounds for the Labor Day weekend can be made beginning this Saturday, June 5 for the weekend of September 3-6. And that includes camping cabins and picnic shelters. By 7:00 AM this Saturday you better be caffeinated up and ready to punch in your site. Now, when it comes to one of the facilities in Custer State Park, well, you may be out of luck already. Those sites can be made up to one year in advance. You have over 50 state parks in our great state to choose from. SDGFP | https://ksoo.com/why-is-june-5-important-for-campers-in-south-dakota/ |
Why was the Arizona heat so deadly in 2020? | PHOENIX The year 2020 was the deadliest on record for heat-related causes in Arizona with 520 recorded statewide, including 323 in Maricopa County. A report released by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health found a 62% increase in heat-related deaths over 2019. While experts say there is no single reason for the spike in deaths, record-breaking temperatures and measures taken to reduce COVID-19 exposures are suspected to have played significant roles. Liza Kurtz, a researcher with the ASU School of Human Evolution & Social Change, who is part of a group that studies the health and social effects of extreme heat, told ABC15 the deaths are a solvable problem that was made much more difficult during the pandemic. "Many of the resources that folks relied on--especially people of lower-income status, or people who might otherwise be marginalized in society, people experiencing homelessness-- many of the resources that they relied on to get out of the heat were not available to them due to COVID-19," she said. Cooling centers and hydration stations that are open during the hottest hours of the summer were not an option in 2020. "Understandably, many of our partners, to protect the health of our workers on their public shut down during COVID-19," she said. That meant few places to cool off for people without air conditioning, especially those experiencing homelessness. According to the County report, of the 323 people who died from heat-associated causes, 172 were experiencing homelessness. Most of the rest of those who died had housing with the exception of 35 people whose living situation was listed as unknown in the report. See the full 2020 report from Maricopa County below. That means dozens of people who were housed still died after heat exposure. Kurtz said their deaths suggest they also had social needs that surpassed heat relief, that were not being met. "If you reach the point where you die from extreme heat, you have been failed by many other systems along the way," she said. "This is in general, not something that kills people who are wealthy, who are well supported in their social networks, who have access to air conditioning." Among the deaths where an air conditioner was present 69% were non-functioning, 31% functioned but were not being used, according to the report. "(Some) people who die indoors have air conditioning, they have access to electricity," she said. "But they're either not using it because they're afraid of the cost or the air conditioning is broken." Kurtz said the full details surrounding each death will take researchers years to compile but the one part is already clear, "Heat deaths are a diagnostic tool for where we're failing to take care of our most vulnerable as a society," she told ABC15. One bright spot in the findings was that the percentage of indoor deaths was the lowest it had been since 2011. Kurtz suspects one reason for that is utilities suspending disconnections during the pandemic. "This summer gave you a little more leeway in terms of, 'turn that AC down, they're not going to shut you off'. And that might have helped prevent some indoor heat deaths in terms of keeping people cool in their homes." | https://www.abc15.com/weather/impact-earth/why-was-the-arizona-heat-so-deadly-in-2020 |
Is it wrong to blame China if the virus escaped from the Wuhan lab? | https://hotair.com/allahpundit/2021/06/02/is-it-wrong-to-blame-china-if-the-virus-escaped-from-the-wuhan-lab-n394106 Dr. Leana Wen, a Chinese-American, says yes. Wen is concerned, justifiably, with the rash of attacks on Asian-Americans. She senses that those attacks are going to get worse, and may have already gotten worse, as the theory that the coronavirus leaked from the lab in Wuhan has grown more popular. With that in mind, shes searching for small ways that politicians and the media might discourage hate crimes. She has an idea. Over the past two weeks, as the theory has gained traction that the pandemic might have been touched off by an accidental release from Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology, Ive experienced an uptick in racist hate mail, above the steady baseline levels Ive received daily since last March. At the same time, Ive received frantic messages from older Asian American people terrified by reports of other members of our community who have been beaten, set on fire, left for dead or murdered But surely it isnt difficult to distinguish between investigating a countrys leadership and directing animus toward an entire people. Except history, of course, gives us context and reason to raise the alarm. Georgia state Sen. Michelle Au, a physician herself, points to past instances in the United States of linking Asian immigrants to infiltration, infection and contagion. Words matter, and politicians and members of the news media need to be more careful with theirs. If they are opining about negative actions of the Chinese government or individual scientists, they should say that rather than use blanket terminology to criticize China or the Chinese. They should also remind the public that questioning the actions of government authorities should not be equated with distrust or hatred of the Chinese people or of Chinese Americans or others of Asian heritage. Thats a small concession to make in the name of deterring attacks on Asian-Americans. Because thats no picnic either: I guess I just dont see why the lab leak theory would inspire more prejudice than the most widely accepted alternative explanation: deplorable hygiene in a market selling exotic (and, to most Americans, revolting) livestock https://t.co/6iaFUhJ1Lb Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) June 2, 2021 You people cursed us with this plague by being negligent in a lab isnt obviously uglier than you people cursed us with this plague by eating filthy flying rodents. But I can see Wens side of that argument. If SARS-CoV-2 leaped from an animal to a human being, some people will tolerate that as an act of God notwithstanding the sanitation habits at Chinese wet markets. A zoonotic origin for the virus has the trappings of fate, something that couldnt plausibly have been avoided. A lab leak would be different, particularly given the American publics awareness of the fact that the Wuhan Institute didnt always follow the containment protocols commensurate with the risk from the work they were doing. Its roughly the difference, I think, between a deer running out in front of your car, causing a crash, and a drunk driver slamming into you. Or rather, in light of the death toll in the U.S., a drunk driver slamming into you and killing everyone in your family. As I say, though, if youre the type of person prone to attacking an elderly Asian woman because youre mad about the pandemic, these fine conceptual distinctions about moral culpability may be lost on you. My real issue with Wens point is that its selectively applied. If our media decides that its no longer proper to use country names as bywords for the actions of that countrys government in order to avoid inciting racial hatred, that rule should be applied uniformly. And yet, as surely as youre sitting there reading this, it wont be. I suppose the theory of why its racist to criticize the Peoples Republic of China but not Israel is that Communist China has a democratically elected government and Israel doesnt. https://t.co/dwHGyFqci8 Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) June 1, 2021 No one blanches at criticizing Israel instead of the Israeli government despite the outburst of attacks on American Jews over the past few weeks. Any reporters who insist on distinguishing China from the Chinese government in describing the lab leak without applying that distinction elsewhere Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign should no longer be appropriate, for instance should have to explain why. Wen is clear in saying that scientists should investigate the possibility that the virus escaped from the WIV, whatever that might mean for a surge in hate crimes in the west. But not every scientist may be that intellectually honest. Nate Silver pointed recently to this story in Nature with the comment, it seems very warped that a bunch of prominent scientists are saying we shouldnt investigate the claims for reasons that have little to do with science and lots to do with politics. In the Science letter, the authors note that Asian people have been harassed by those who blame COVID-19 on China, and attempt to dissuade abuse. Nonetheless, some aggressive proponents of the lab-leak hypothesis interpreted the letter as supporting their ideas Kristian Andersen, a virologist at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, maintains that no strong evidence supports a lab leak, and he worries that hostile demands for an investigation into the WIV will backfire, because they often sound like allegations. He says this could make Chinese scientists and officials less likely to share information. Other virologists suggest that such sentiments could lead to more scrutiny of US grants for research projects conducted in China Fidler says that the escalating demands and allegations are contributing to a geopolitical rift at a moment when solidarity is needed. The United States continues to poke China in the eye on this issue of an investigation, he says. A lot of researchers out there seem willing, even eager to move on from the lab-leak theory for their own pet political reasons, or possibly for the overarching reason that confirmation would bring disrepute onto their profession and further undermine trust in the entire scientific expert class. Itd be easy for some to seize on Wens concern about hate crimes as another pretense for not dwelling on the viruss origins. But the viruss origins do matter, both for the future of civilian oversight of scientific research and for the credibility of Chinas narrative that its handling of COVID was a success story relative to the wests. Again, Wens not saying that the subject should be dropped or the lab-leak theory discredited for humanitarian reasons. But others will. Share this: Twitter Facebook | https://clarion.causeaction.com/2021/06/02/is-it-wrong-to-blame-china-if-the-virus-escaped-from-the-wuhan-lab/ |
Can Australia Satisfy Teslas Appetite For Battery Metals? | Electric cars giant Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) said it expects to soon begin buying more than $1 billion a year of Australian lithium, nickel and other critical minerals for its batteries and engines. Chairman Robyn Denholm said the country has taken important steps towards cleaning its image of polluting commodities exporter and it is poised to become a globally significant supplier of climate change solutions. Australia has the minerals to power the renewable energy age throughout the world in the coming years, Denholm, an Australian, said in a speech during a Minerals Council of Australia event. We expect our spend on Australian minerals to increase to more than $1 billion per annum for the next few years, she said. Denholms remarks come as Australias minerals sector released its first progress report on climate action, which shows the industry has cut emissions and is on track to reach a 30% annual reduction. Source: MCA Climate Action Report Progress 2021. The document highlights 12 case studies on how the industry is taking practical climate action, including the rollout of renewables, carbon capture and storage development and investment in autonomous vehicles from major players such as BHP, Rio Tinto, Newcrest, Newmont, and Anglo American. Related: Oil Rises To Seven-Week High On Strong Remand Recovery Tesla already sources three-quarters of the lithium it uses from Australia and over a third of its nickel, Denham said, without specifying a dollar figure. $310 billion market by 2030 Tesla chairman also noted that the country has the advantage of having resources in all three critical battery metals as well as other components at the heart of the clean energy transition. To put it a simpler way: electric vehicles account for less than 1% of vehicles globally at the moment. To reach net zero emissions, that needs to be much closer to 100% within 30 years. So thats at least a 100-fold increase ahead, just for vehicles, she said. Denholm said that shift would, by 2030, generate a global lithium-ion battery market of A$400 billion ($310bn). Thats eight times the revenue generated by Australias coal exports in 2020, she said. Government figures forecast exports of spodumene to hit A$1 billion ($773m) this year while its nickel exports are expected to be valued at A$4 billion ($3bn). By Mining.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: | https://oilprice.com/Metals/Commodities/Can-Australia-Satisfy-Teslas-Appetite-For-Battery-Metals.html |
Is Xi Re-Thinking Wolf Warrior Diplomacy? | In an in-depth report, Erika Kinetz of AP writes about a seven-month investigation by the Associated Press and the Oxford Internet Institute which, found that Chinas rise on Twitter has been powered by an army of fake accounts that have retweeted Chinese diplomats and state media tens of thousands of times, covertly amplifying propaganda that can reach hundreds of millions of people. As government officials and state media take a more active and sometimes aggressive position on social media to defend their views to a global audience, much of the engagement has come from fake accounts. An earlier report from ASPI similarly found that government accounts currently lack the linguistic and cultural refinement to drive engagement on Twitter through high-follower networks, and thus far have had relatively low impact on the platform. From the AP report: Twitter, and others, have identified inauthentic pro-China networks before. But the AP and Oxford Internet Institute investigation shows for the first time that large-scale inauthentic amplification has broadly driven engagement across official government and state media accounts, adding to evidence that Beijings appetite for guiding public opinion covertly, if necessary extends beyond its borders and beyond core strategic interests, like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. [] Today, at least 270 Chinese diplomats in 126 countries are active on Twitter and Facebook. Together with Chinese state media, they control 449 accounts on Twitter and Facebook, which posted nearly 950,000 times between June and February. These messages were liked over 350 million times and replied to and shared more than 27 million times, according to the Oxford Internet Institute and APs analysis. Three-quarters of Chinese diplomats on Twitter joined within the last two years. The move onto Western social media comes as China wages a war for influence both at home and abroad on the internet, which President Xi Jinping has called the main battlefield for public opinion. [] This is the ruling Communist Partys global propaganda machine in action: Messages set by key state media outlets and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs get picked up by Chinese diplomats around the world, who repackage the content on Twitter, where it is amplified by networks of fake and suspicious accounts working covertly to shape public discourse for the benefit of Chinas ruling Communist Party. [Source] These official Twitter accounts are part of Chinas wolf warrior diplomacy tactic, which has become more prominent in recent years as Chinese diplomats and other government officials attempt to engage a global audience with aggressive and sometime combative defenses of CCP policies, largely through Western social media platforms that are banned in China. An earlier post from CDT about wolf warrior diplomacy online also looked at the AP/Oxford report. However, a readout of a recent Politburo study session on diplomacy left observers divided on how to interpret a call by Xi Jinping for a trustworthy, lovable, and respectable global image for China. Many are wondering if he is considering abandoning wolf warrior diplomacy in favor of a more moderate, traditional approach. From Bloomberg News: Xi told senior Communist Party leaders Monday that the country must make friends extensively, unite the majority and continuously expand its circle of friends with those who understand and are friendly to China, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Beijing needed a grip on tone in its communication with the world, and should be open and confident, but also modest and humble. The remarks suggest that Xi may be rethinking his communication strategy on the global stage as President Joe Biden works to bolster U.S. relationships weakened under his predecessors America First policies. Xi has cast aside the partys decades-old hide-and-bide strategy of keeping a low international profile in favor of a big country diplomacy. [] Chinas emphasis on the superiority of socialism has caused some concern in the West, [Wang Yiwei] said, and the ridicule of other countries failure to contain Covid-19 was a bit overdone. [Source] At China Media Project, David Bandurski offered a corrective to Bloombergs interpretation, arguing that China will continue to divide the world into friends and enemies: Within the textual fabric of the news of the collective study session there is plenty to give pause: the characterization of the challenge at hand as a public opinion struggle (), a term redolent of the Mao era; the persistently tone-deaf language about educating foreigners about the goodness of the CCP; the talk of mobilizing, funding and training and, importantly, ideologically assessing local leaders on their input in terms of international communication work, which hardly seems conducive to a broad change in tone. In such a struggle, there are friends in the form of compliant media and apologists, and there are enemies in the form of recalcitrant journalists, academics and politicians who insist on criticism exactly what this external push is designed to neutralize. [] This was a collective study session, and such sessions, whatever their topic, generally benefit from the instruction of experts. [] Zhang speaks of the urgent need and responsibility of the West to understand China. Given his emphasis on the glories of the China Model and the objective truth of Chinas story, which at its core is about the infallibility of the CCP, this need to understand China is not really about dialogue or dialectic. It is about acceptance. China must act with confidence to overcome these misunderstandings. As one senior German diplomat told GMFs Noah Barkin recently: Dialogue is now conditional on us not criticizing China. [Source] yes, more than ever it's about drawing lines and distinguishing friend, enemies, and "potential friends." Mary Gallagher (@MaryGao) June 2, 2021 Some of the controversy over the meetings readout stemmed from questions of translation: If you are going to look for signs and portents in the prepared remarks of leaders, it's worth remembering that we might not all be reading the same text. China Law Translate (@ChinaLawTransl8) June 2, 2021 As tempting as this reading may be given the vagaries of the wolf warrior, much debate could be had on the meaning of these two simple characters: "lovable." Developing a "friend circle of international public opinion" does not mean one intends to be friendly. China Media Project (@cnmediaproject) June 1, 2021 Three dramatic waves of foreign correspondent departures between 2020 and 2021 underscored Chinas increasingly assertive efforts to control its global image. Chinese journalists, of course, must navigate even stricter controls on their work. In recent months, the Chinese government has repeatedly called for foreign correspondents to emulate Edgar Snow, the late journalist famed for his sympathetic portrait of Mao Zedong in Yanan but criticized for his limited command of Chinese. Snow misinterpreted Mao when he compared himself to a lonely monk walking in the rain under a leaking umbrella, not realizing that Mao was saying I know no law, I hold nothing sacred. In an interview with The Guardians Helen Davidson, Margaret Lewis, a professor at Seton Hall, argued that Xis recent directive on diplomacy should not be interpreted as a call for real dialogue: This is not a call for greater openness, transparency and accessibility, she said. This is a call for the party state apparatus to put out a more sugarcoated view of whats happening. Nothing Ive heard makes this sound like its encouraging press freedom. Its that: you international media should listen more intently to how we, the party state, believe we are helping the people and you should report more objectively on our successes. [Source] At Foreign Policy, Sulmaan Wasif Khan argued that wolf warrior diplomacy differs from general nationalistic rhetoric because it is both pointless and has no boundaries: But wolf warrior diplomacy marks a significant change. The term, viral among those seeking to explain Chinese conduct, is often misused to encompass all forms of Chinese nationalism. But distinctions are important because different types of nationalism are symptoms of different issues in Chinas conduct. [] The most persuasive explanation is that China has poisoned itself through its own rhetoric. In the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, nationalism was seen as a way to get citizens on the same page as the party. It was not really meant to inform practical foreign policy. But as the United States discovered in the Donald Trump years, one cannot stoke nationalistic fires without their eventually blazing beyond control. Over the years, rhetoric about how Taiwanese needed to be made grateful, about the protests in Hong Kong being a product of Western influence, about Western aggression, about Japan never apologizing for World War II, about the righteousness of the party and the infallibility of the Chinese government and the hurt feelings of the Chinese peopleall this seeped in and took hold. And it made grand strategy hard to keep alive. [Source] In a new report, Taipei-based Doublethink Lab has offered suggestions for how to respond to pro-government, nationalist views on Twitter that spread disinformation and propaganda, using the June 4, 1989 military crackdown on protesters as an example. The group collated messages intended to whitewash the CCPs atrocities, and were able to categorize them into three groups, each with their own motives and narrative strategies, and then offered specific responses aimed at encouraging dialogue and promoting understanding. | https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2021/06/is-xi-re-thinking-wolf-warrior-diplomacy/ |
Where Has All the Global Warming Gone? | https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/06/where-has-all-the-global-warming-gone.php The covid epidemic has had several silver linings, one of which is that we havent heard so much about global warming lately. It is hard to sustain multiple hysterias at the same time, apparently. In any event, if you have been wondering what has been going on with the Earths climate, Christopher Monckton has the latest at Watts Up With That. Bottom line: we have now gone more than six years without any net increase in the Earths temperature: The effect of the small la Nia southern oscillation is waning. Nevertheless, the New Pause has lengthened from 6 years to 6 years 2 months in the UAH data: For those who havent been following this issue closely, UAH is the University of Alabama at Huntsville, which analyzes and publishes satellite data that provide our best and most transparent information about atmospheric temperatures. The chart pretty much tells the story, but if you want to dig deeper, there is this: IPCCs prediction in 1990, on which the global-warming scare justifiably described by Professor Lindzen in an excellent recent lecture as absurd was based, has turned out to be a near-threefold exaggeration compared with sober reality. Here is why. Todays global mean surface temperature is 288.6 K, comprising 255.2 K emission temperature and a 33.4 K greenhouse effect. The 33.4 K comprises 7.2 K direct warming by, or reference sensitivity to, natural (6.2 K) and anthropogenic (1 K) greenhouse gases, and 26.2 K feedback response. Of this 26.2 K, 25.5 K is feedback response to emission temperature and 0.7 K to direct warming by greenhouse gases. Of this 0.7 K, 0.6 K is feedback response to naturally-occurring and 0.1 K to anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Todays system-gain factor, the ratio of equilibrium temperature after feedback response to reference temperature before it, is thus 288.6 / (255.2 + 7.2), or 1.1. Reference sensitivity to doubled CO2 is the product of the 3.52 W m2 doubled-CO2 forcing (Zelinka et al. 2020) and the Planck parameter 0.3 K W1 m2: i.e., 1.05 K. Equilibrium sensitivity to doubled CO2, the product of 1.05 K and the system-gain factor 1.1, is thus about 1.15 K about the same as the anthropogenic global warming we may expect in the whole of the 21st century. Consequently, the 3.9 K mean midrange prediction in the latest-generation (CMIP6) models (Zelinka et al. 2020) is a more-than-threefold overstatement, which arises because climate scientists imagine there is no feedback response to emission temperature. Their system-gain factor 26.2 / 6.2, or 4.2, exceeds the real-world 1.1 almost fourfold. Not many will understand the science, but for most the death knell of global warming hysteria comes from headlines like this one: Europe shivered through its coldest April in decades, and its not relenting. The link, remarkably, goes to the Washington Post. Share this: Twitter Facebook | https://clarion.causeaction.com/2021/06/02/where-has-all-the-global-warming-gone-2/ |
Where Has All the Global Warming Gone? | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/powerlineblog/livefeed/~3/GRNtK5-yVmQ/where-has-all-the-global-warming-gone.php The covid epidemic has had several silver linings, one of which is that we havent heard so much about global warming lately. It is hard to sustain multiple hysterias at the same time, apparently. In any event, if you have been wondering what has been going on with the Earths climate, Christopher Monckton has the latest at Watts Up With That. Bottom line: we have now gone more than six years without any net increase in the Earths temperature: The effect of the small la Nia southern oscillation is waning. Nevertheless, the New Pause has lengthened from 6 years to 6 years 2 months in the UAH data: For those who havent been following this issue closely, UAH is the University of Alabama at Huntsville, which analyzes and publishes satellite data that provide our best and most transparent information about atmospheric temperatures. The chart pretty much tells the story, but if you want to dig deeper, there is this: IPCCs prediction in 1990, on which the global-warming scare justifiably described by Professor Lindzen in an excellent recent lecture as absurd was based, has turned out to be a near-threefold exaggeration compared with sober reality. Here is why. Todays global mean surface temperature is 288.6 K, comprising 255.2 K emission temperature and a 33.4 K greenhouse effect. The 33.4 K comprises 7.2 K direct warming by, or reference sensitivity to, natural (6.2 K) and anthropogenic (1 K) greenhouse gases, and 26.2 K feedback response. Of this 26.2 K, 25.5 K is feedback response to emission temperature and 0.7 K to direct warming by greenhouse gases. Of this 0.7 K, 0.6 K is feedback response to naturally-occurring and 0.1 K to anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Todays system-gain factor, the ratio of equilibrium temperature after feedback response to reference temperature before it, is thus 288.6 / (255.2 + 7.2), or 1.1. Reference sensitivity to doubled CO2 is the product of the 3.52 W m2 doubled-CO2 forcing (Zelinka et al. 2020) and the Planck parameter 0.3 K W1 m2: i.e., 1.05 K. Equilibrium sensitivity to doubled CO2, the product of 1.05 K and the system-gain factor 1.1, is thus about 1.15 K about the same as the anthropogenic global warming we may expect in the whole of the 21st century. Consequently, the 3.9 K mean midrange prediction in the latest-generation (CMIP6) models (Zelinka et al. 2020) is a more-than-threefold overstatement, which arises because climate scientists imagine there is no feedback response to emission temperature. Their system-gain factor 26.2 / 6.2, or 4.2, exceeds the real-world 1.1 almost fourfold. Not many will understand the science, but for most the death knell of global warming hysteria comes from headlines like this one: Europe shivered through its coldest April in decades, and its not relenting. The link, remarkably, goes to the Washington Post. Share this: Twitter Facebook | https://clarion.causeaction.com/2021/06/02/where-has-all-the-global-warming-gone/ |
Is the United States Beginning to Imitate 1935 Germany? | Memorial Day is the holiday honoring American military members who have died in service to our nation. But this past Memorial Day and the week before may go down in history, God forbid, as the true sign of 21st-century America emulating the patterns of Nazi Germany in 1935. Not because a president and vice president ignored mentioning the holiday in favor of tweeting about ice cream and a long three-day weekend. Not because of the hatred found in the words of gun-toting racists at a march in Tulsa screaming, We will kill everything White in sight. Not even because of the hate-filled speech of leaders like Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or the cowardice of the Biden administration in dealing with the repeated anti-Semitic violence that has been visited upon Jews more in recent weeks than in decades. No, the truly frightening sign that the United States is starting to parallel 1935 Germany can be found overseas in the most insidious of ways: the supplanting of the American flag. On May 25, in honor of the death of George Floyd, the U.S. State Department issued a memo authorizing embassies and consulates to fly the BLM flag. While this may seem like a small thing, the depth and danger of this action can be found in the history of Germany and the symptoms of the Nazis taking over the nation. On January 30, 1933, the Nazi Party came to power as Adolph Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany. The national flag of the Weimar Republic was quicky scrapped, and on March 12, 1933, a ruling established two legal national flags: the older tricolor flag of the German Confederation (based on the 1778 tricolor flag of Prince Heinrich XI) and the swastika flag of the Nazi Party. With Hitlers ascension to fuhrer in 1934, it took less than a year before the dual flag was eliminated and the Nazi swastika became the national flag of Germany. In only a few years, the Nazis had gotten legitimacy for their party (the Nazi Party was only created in 1920). They also promoted hatred and violence through political activism, especially anti-Semitism, elected their leaders to national positions, and created a new national flag that rejected the relationship with the ancient history of Germany. At that point, any ties to historical Germany were consciously broken by the Nazi, and a new regime of evil had taken over a nation that had existed in one form or another for close to two thousand years (the region of Germania was documented since before 100 A.D.). Germania was an ancient nation; German territories had formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire by the tenth century. The German Confederation was formed in 1815, and the singular nation of Germany existed by 1871. But it took less than twenty years for the Nazis to destroy the history, culture, and values of Germany and transform them into the most evil empire to ever try to conquer the world. And the moment of transition, the moment when it became clear that the Nazis were no longer a fringe group, came in 1933, when, on a national level, the evil of the Nazis had been so accepted that their flag could fly side-by-side with the more traditional German flag. The parallels between then and now are frightening. BLM is an organization as evil in its formation and base as the early Nazi Party of Germany. This is not to put down the value that ALL lives matter, and that racism of all sorts is evil, or to compare the atrocities of the Nazis with anything that BLM has done so far. There can be no comparison of any human being to Hitler, and no equation between what the Nazi Party became to what any group has ever done. But the similarities in their formation are truly scary. While it is true that black lives matter, so do all human lives, and the organization of BLM has been filled, from the moment of its chartering, with goals of worldwide domination, anti-Semitism, and a systematic plan for economic and political control. Their charter of 2014, which has never been recanted nor revised to change these goals, is clear. They unabashedly state that America is an empire that uses war to expand territory and power. They desire to control American policy both domestically and internationally and consider themselves a global movement. BLM leaders are often corrupt, and many of them, such as Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, and Melina Abdullah, are self-proclaimed disciples of Louis Farrakhan, one of the most racist and hate-filled people on the world stage for the last fifty years (who has called Jews termites who should be exterminated). BLM has supported Hamas goal of the annihilation of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. This is the same Hamas whose charter says that the Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims kill the Jews. The same Hamas whose leader Fathi Hamad brags that women and children make the best human shields, and enjoins his people to cut off the heads of the Jews with knives. Within the BLM peaceful protests we find anti-Semitic rhetoric and even violence against Jews, as well as threats to kill the Jews and rape their daughters. Again, as during the establishment of the Nazi Party almost a century ago, we find anti-Semitism as a foundation stone in a partys platform that is also dedicated to goals of worldwide economic and political control. In the 1920s, the Nazi Party of Germany was a fringe movement. But by 1933, it had achieved enough acceptance that its flag hung with the German national flag. That was the moment that the entire world recognized that the Nazis really were in control. It was the beginning of the end of a culture and the start of the worlds greatest example of hatred. And now, when we should be honoring the brave men and women who died protecting the United States, we find that the U.S. State Department has authorized the flying of another flag of hatred, the BLM flag, at our embassies. Gratefully, there are still some in Washington, D.C., who see the dangers inherent in flying the BLM flag. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Elise Stefanik, Ken Buck, Darrell Issa, Brian Mast, Pete Sessions, and Michael Guest introduced the Stars and Stripes Act of 2021 on Friday, May 28, which would prohibit flying BLM flags at embassies and consulates. These courageous leaders are choosing to point out the dangers of promoting an anti-American organization within the U.S. government. They are aware of the disturbing potential, and can simply look at the dual-flag practice of 1933 Germany to see where this could, God forbid, lead. Prior to March 23, 1933, Germany was a democratic nation. With aisles packed with Nazi stormtroopers, the Reichstag met in a Berlin opera house to vote on the Enabling Act, which ended democracy in Germany and established Hitler as the dictator of the Third Reich. We must all now support and fight for the passage of the Stars and Stripe Act of 2021, and keep the American flag in its unique place in our culture and values, and prevent the destruction of our democracy. Santayanas statement that those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it is as true today as it was a century ago. The parallel of the Nazi hatred, practices, processes, and map for political control in the charter, riots, and practices of BLM are frighteningly clear. Equally clear is the similarity in the blatant anti-Semitism of both organizations. And as true as Santayanas statement is, BLM has made it clear that Jackie Mason has a quote that is equally true: There are three constants in life: death, taxes, and anti-Semitism. In order to fight the hatred, anti-Semitism, and anti-Americanism that is becoming more and more prevalent in the world today, we must remember that the key to fighting darkness is always to shine a light. We must shine a light on the evil hidden in plain sight within BLM, and demonstrate the anti-Semitism and hatred inherent in BLM leadership. We have an obligation to reach out to our political leaders and passionately encourage them to support the Stars and Stripes Act of 2021, and to remove all vestiges of BLM from U.S. government institutions. And most importantly, we need to describe the hatred inherent in BLM to all of our well-intentioned friends who currently support the organization, and educate them in the frightening historical parallels between the United States/BLM and Germany/The Nazi Party. May we all have the courage to shine a light in the darkness of this hatred, to educate, and to bring peace in this world based upon the righteous foundations of this nation. | https://pjmedia.com/uncategorized/rabbi-michael-barclay/2021/06/02/is-the-united-states-beginning-to-imitate-1935-germany-n1451732 |
How Are The RHOBH Hilton And Richards Families Related? | Long-time fans of the show know that Kyle has been through it all during the past nine seasons, including some serious family drama. If you're familiar with the earlier RHOBH seasons, then you know that Kyle's sister, Kim, was also a main cast member for a few years. Now, there's a third sister on the scene: Kathy Hilton. And yes, she's one of those Hiltons. (More on that later.) The Richards-Hilton family tree goes way, way back. For new viewers, it can be confusing to untangle, especially with two different last names to sort out. So, whether this is your first RHOBH season or you're a veteran viewer, here's everything you need to know about the Richards-Hilton sisters and their relatives: For starters, there's Kyle, Kathy, and Kim. The three sisters have all appeared on the show: Kyle Richards, 52, Kim Richards, 56, and Kathy Hilton, 62. Their mother, Kathleen "Big Kathy" Richards, died in 2002 after a battle with breast cancer, per People. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. My mom was a very strong, outspoken woman," Kyle said. "And in that time, women werent supposed to be like that. Now its like, boss ladythats a term now. But in the 70s, if you were strong and opinionated and outspoken, it was looked down upon. And my mom was that womanvery strong. Growing up, Kim and Kyle were child stars. Kim starred in movies like Escape to Witch Mountain, No Deposit, No Return, and Return to Witch Mountain. Kyle appeared in Halloween and Halloween Kills, among other movies, and both sisters acted together in The Car and Little House on the Prairie. Kim has spoken out more than once about her early years: I did not have a conventional life growing up at all, she said on an episode of Megyn Kelly Today, per People. In addition to being a child actor, it was just a very different upbringing." Kathy, unlike Kim and Kyle, stayed out of the spotlight until she became Kathy Hilton. But through all of the media attention, the sisters have more or less always stuck together. "I mean, all families go through stuff, Kyle said. Were sisters, we love each other." This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Then, Kathy met her now-husband, Rick. Kathy became Kathy Hilton after she married Rick Hilton. And yes, that's Hilton like the hotels. The couple have four children: Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Barron Hilton, and Conrad Hilton. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Of course, you know Paris Hilton for her extensive modeling career, her larger-than-life TV shows, and her recent documentary, This is Paris. She also just got engaged to her boyfriend, Carter Reum, a businessman. Nicky Hilton, when she wasn't with Paris, also modeled and designed a few different clothing and jewelry lines. The Hilton boys have kept a lower profile than their sisters. Barron married a German aristocrat, Tessa Grfin von Walderdorff, in 2018, per Tatler. Conrad, being the youngest, hasn't really broken out on his own yet. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. But the sisters weren't speaking a few years ago. Kyle and Kim went through some drama in early RHOBH seasons as Kim dealt with some personal issues. And then, Kyle and Kathy weren't speaking, either. When Kyle wanted to produce a TV show about the sisters' childhood called American Woman, Kathy was concerned it would reveal too much personal information. I hope when Kathy sees the show, shell understand, Kyle told People. I felt bad because she thought it was something that it wasnt. I was inspired by my mom being a single mom in the 70s. It was a crazy, fun, reckless time. But its not based on my actual life. The show only lasted for one season, but it certainly created enough drama. This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Later, Kyle's husband and Kathy's husband had a falling out. RHOBH fans know all about Kyle's husband, Mauricio, and his thriving real estate business. But Mauricio owes much of his success to his start working for Rick Hilton's real estate firm. When Mauricio left to strike out on his own, the tension between the two families escalated. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. "My husband for years worked for my brother-in-law," Kyle said, per Bravo. "Then he went off on his own, like people do." In an episode of RHOBH, Kyle shared more about the sticky situation: "That doesn't always work well in the family dynamic, and it can complicate things. I love my sisters a lot. It's very complicated." This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Now, on RHOBH, Kyle and Kathy are closer than ever. Kim, Kyle, and Kathy have had their ups and downs on RHOBH, for sure. But on this season, Kyle and Kathy finally seem to have patched things up for good. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. "My favorite thing about having Kathy back in my life is just the relief," Kyle said, per Bravo. "The anxiety and depression that I felt with not speaking to my sister for so long really affected me a lot." All families have some drama at some point or another, and the Richards-Hilton clan is no exception. But, for now, it seems like they've put most of it behind them. "We've gone through many different problems, and we have finally worked through them," Kyle said. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a36609615/rhobh-hilton-and-richards-families-related/ |
What is the Relationship between Anastasia Graves and Tiny Texie? | Tiny Texie is twenty-seven years old, three feet and six inches tall. She is in a romantic relationship with Anastasia Graves, who is her twenty-one-year-old photographer and makeup artist. Tiny Texie is currently living in Corpus Christi, but her hometown is in Chicago, while Anastasia Graves is in central Illinois. admitted that they get plenty of stares from people around them when they hang out together, especially from those who already about know them. She also said that people see her as a little child, and it gets more awkward when she goes out with both her daughter and Anastasia Graves. Their relationship got featured in a docuseries, called Extreme Love. | https://guanabee.com/what-is-the-relationship-between-anastasia-graves-and-tiny-texie/ |
What use of tech will be most helpful in customer retention post-pandemic? | Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. It's never easy to sell a ring or watch worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and people willing to spend this much money on accessories are a tough crowd to please. When it comes to luxury sales, you have to go the extra mile. You have to wow your customers at shows and fairs, where they can try your masterpieces on or see them in motion, and it goes without saying that your brick-and-mortar boutiques must be more than mere retail outlets. Luxury is always social and tangible, hardly positive qualities during the pandemic. The virus hit the industry where it hurt and hurt it did. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263815117338/what-use-of-tech-will-be-most-helpful-in-customer-retention-post-pandemic |
Can UCLA Swipe Freshman Jay Toia from USC? | USC freshman Jay Toia is wasting no time when it comes to finding a new college campus to call home. Just days after entering the NCAA transfer portal, the Inglewood native took to social media to announce that he had paid a visit the UCLA Bruins. Toia wrote, "UCLA visit today Michigan OV tomorrow!" AllTrojans reported on June 2, that Jay Toia was rumored to have scheduled a visit with Michigan this weekend. The defensive tackle confirmed the news via Twitter, stating that he will spend Thursday in Ann Arbor. [READ: Jay Toia Enters NCAA Transfer Portal] Toia entered the transfer portal on May 24, after spending a few short months on USC's campus. He participated in spring camp and had a stellar rookie debut. Toia admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic played a heavy role in his decision to transfer out of USC. In a social media post he wrote: The 2020 pandemic was tragic to so many that lost so much. For me, and especially my parents, we felt forced to make a major decision signing with USC based on limited information because of COVID-19 restrictions. We were not able to take any official or unofficial visits to any of the other schools on our short list such as Michigan, Utah, UCLA, Miami, among others. I as well as my family are truly thankful for the USC staff and students for all the support this past semester. ---- You may also like: [LOOK: USC Freshman Participate in Summer Workouts] [READ: Dishonored Ex-USC Star Receives CFB HOF Nomination] ---- Be sure to stay locked into AllTrojans all the time! Follow AllTrojans on Twitter: @SI_AllTrojans Follow Claudette Montana Pattison on Twitter: @claudette_mp Like and follow AllTrojans on Facebook Subscribe on YOUTUBE! For more USC news visit www.alltrojans.com | https://www.si.com/college/usc/football/defensive-tackle-jay-toia-visits-ucla |
Is improved consumer protection in B.C.s housing market on the horizon? | Send this page to someone via email B.C.s Minister of Finance says shes looking at better consumer protection in the future when it comes to purchasing a home in the province. Its one of the things we are looking at. I also have concerns about people buying a home without doing any inspections whatsoever and the due diligence that needs to go into making such a significant purchase, B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson told Global News. In an interview with Consumer Matters, Robinson says when it comes to home buying and making legislative changes the province is addressing a number of issues. That is the blind bidding. Thats looking at home inspections, looking at cooling-off periods. All of these things go into making a good sound decision that I think is reasonable and when we dont have a heated market we have the opportunity to do all of the above, Robinson said. Questionable practices like subject-free offers and blind bidding have left many prospective buyers feeling powerless. Story continues below advertisement Recently, Kamloops resident Blaine Thompson experienced blind bidding when he made an offer on a home a practice where homebuyers are kept in the dark of other competing offers. Its like playing roulette with peoples lives, Thompson said. Its completely disheartening because you are throwing a random amount of money which often it can be an entire years salary thrown out there. Thompson says he would like to see greater transparency. I would be quite happy if they had a system where the bidding was still open. The bidders themselves were anonymous, but the prices are listed, said Thompson. 3:05 Consumer Matters: Should B.C. Consumer Matters: Should B.C. May 12, 2021 Andy Yan, director of Simon Fraser Universitys City program says hes concerned about the level of risk when engaging in practices like blind bidding, especially for young families. I think what bothers me about this practice is that what perhaps is the biggest purchase in the lives of most Canadians, you have more protections buying something on eBay than you have making this type of purchase, Yan said. Story continues below advertisement Yan added the public needs to call for a level of accountability from the government to provide better protection for consumers. If the existing leaders dont have the political will then its a demand for new leadership or for leaders who do have the political will, he said. Vancouver realtor Steve Saretsky says theres no easy fix to tackling practices like blind bidding. He says looking at a mandatory system similar to Ontario where the number of competing bids are disclosed may be an option. So it says Joe from Remax has submitted an offer and Steve from Sutton has submitted an offer and everyone can verify two offers have been registered. Now, you may not get the price or the terms, fair enough, but at least you can verify there are at least two offers on the property, Saretsky explained. 3:02 Consumer Matters: The risks of subject free offers in a hot real estate market Consumer Matters: The risks of subject free offers in a hot real estate market May 11, 2021 Story continues below advertisement Consumer Matters asked Robinson if there was a timeline for bringing in more consumer protection. If we can move quickly we will. Some things that may be more stringent will take longer, she said. We are looking at all things because at the end of the day what we want is the consumer to have the space and the time and the knowledge to make a well-informed decision and to not get caught. | https://globalnews.ca/news/7915517/improved-consumer-protection-bc-housing-market/ |
Where has Australian grain been exported to? | SEEDING is close to completion across Australia with above average rainfall in Western Australia setting up the season. Assuming this season is above average, and we have a large exportable grain surplus, it is worth having a look at where Australian grain exports have gone this season. The Australian Bureau of Statistics export data from October 2020 to the end of March 2021 have Australian canola exports at 2,059,399 metric tonnes with an additional one million tonnes expected to be exported to the end of the marketing year (September 2021). Of the estimated 3mt destined for export, Europe is expected to take the lions share of 2.4mt. Most canola exports have made their way into Europe (as seen on the map) due to low production in the European Union (EU) last year. Australia has been able to capitalise on this supply gap in the EU while also diversifying its export destinations having picked up business into the likes of Ukraine, Romania, and the United Arab Emirates. The European Union Monitoring Agricultural Resources (MARS) recently revised EU canola (rapeseed) yield estimates higher despite recent cold spells. Even with increased production this season, European harvest is unlikely to impact remaining Australia canola exports as very little canola is left unsold. At a global level, oilseed supply is very low while demand is increasing as feed demand rises and biofuel production ramps back up. These supply and demand fundamentals have elevated Australian forward canola prices to record highs during May. In the past couple of weeks old and new crop prices have come off their highs due to volatility in offshore oilseed futures, however the supportive drivers are still there underpinning the market. These decile 10 prices and favourable seasonal conditions have seen a record canola crop planted this year with Western Australia alone estimated to have planted 1.5 million hectares. If Western Australia can average 1.5 t/ha for canola, then it will reach record production. While there is still plenty of time left in the season, here's hoping the 2021-22 season is one for the record books. Australian wheat and barley export tonnage is expected to be above average in the 2020-21 season with strong international feed demand driving exports. Australian wheat exports are currently anticipated to reach 21.5mt for the 2020-21 marketing year according to Australian Crop Forecasters' recent supply and demand report. Barley exports are already exceeding estimates with 7mt set to be exported by the end of September. Approximately half of this is destined for Saudi Arabia, whose insatiable demand has provided an important export destination for Australia, somewhat replacing the tonnage that used to go to China, albeit feed barley not malt. South East Asia has also been an important market with Australian barley exports up 92 per cent year-on-year into this region. This increased demand for barley is primarily due to the high cost of other feed grains (corn), which has made barley an attractive substitute. The same goes for Australian wheat with increased demand from the South East Asian region seeing over half of Australia's wheat exports end up there. The 2021-22 season is looking favourable for Australian grains with good weather, strong pricing and robust international demand providing optimism. | https://www.farmweekly.com.au/story/7279348/where-has-australian-grain-been-exported-to/?src=rss |
Does it really matter when a gunmans motive remains a mystery? | Two months after 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at a King Soopers in Boulder, Colorado, investigators have still not said why the gunman chose that particular supermarket or why he turned violent in the first place. A similar mystery surrounds the killing of eight people at a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis. And in San Jose, California, the site of the latest mass shooting to grip America, investigators are still sifting through evidence to determine exactly why a longtime transit agency employee turned on his colleagues, killing nine of them. We are not trained to analyze co-workers, a local union leader said, adding, We will never know. In all three instances, the identity of the perpetrators is not in question. And yet the cases still in some way feel unsolved because the motive remains unclear. Every time there is a mass shooting and a gunman is identified, the biggest question is what drove him to violence. Law enforcement officials may deploy hundreds of investigators, thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to understand the why. But some criminal profilers have begun to discuss the limitations of fixating on motive, questioning how much value there is in constructing a story with a definitive arc, and whether perpetrators are even capable of explaining themselves. Im one of these weird creatures that is doing research on motive, studying it and then saying that there is no such thing, said Shuki Cohen, a psychologist and terrorism researcher at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. Its central to our meaning-making, but its inaccessible to us. The question of motive became particularly thorny in March when eight people were killed at three spas in the Atlanta area. Seven were women and six were of Asian descent, and news coverage placed the killings in the context of a wave of anti-Asian violence that was provoked by leaders who exploited the COVID-19 pandemics Chinese origin. But some conservative commentators complained that framing the shooting as racially motivated needlessly stoked Asian Americans fears of being targeted, insisting that the suspects account that he had been trying to remove sexual temptation at spas, including some where he had been a customer was the best available reflection of his intent. Legally speaking, motive is irrelevant in most criminal cases except inasmuch as it helps persuade the jury. Conviction and punishment usually depend only on proving whether the person committed the crime, regardless of his or her reasons. But society has responded differently when victims appear to be targeted based on their membership in a particular group, creating a class of crimes in which motive is of utmost importance hate crimes. The clamor for some killings to be classified as hate crimes has forced prosecutors to try not only to understand motive, but to prove it. Sometimes there is broad consensus about the motive. Last year federal hate crimes charges were filed against the suspect in the 2019 El Paso, Texas, shooting in which 23 people were killed. Minutes before the attack, he posted a manifesto online railing against Hispanic immigrants. In Atlanta, the prosecutor will use the states new hate crime statute, making the case that the suspect was both anti-Asian and anti-woman. But in a neighboring, far more conservative county, where four of the killings took place, prosecutors have not indicated that they will classify them as hate crimes. The debate over the Atlanta suspects motive echoed an earlier one after a school shooting in Stockton, California, in 1989, where five children from Southeast Asian refugee families were killed. The police repeatedly dismissed suggestions that the gunman, who killed himself at the scene, had targeted Asians. He had displayed a distinct dislike for everybody not a particular race, all of them, a captain said. A group of Asian American and Pacific Islanders who had been trying to draw attention to anti-Asian bias crimes objected. They were vindicated by the state attorney general, who, after a 10-month investigation, said the shooting had resulted from the gunmans festering sense of racial resentment and hatred. The state investigators conclusions were not drastically different from those of the local police. He blamed all minorities for his failings, they wrote of the gunman, and selected Southeast Asians because they were the ones with whom he was most in contact. The difference was in the framing: No, the report assured Asian Americans, the racial animus was not all in your head. A motive may help make sense out of the senseless, but ultimately it is only a theory, and one that is impossible to test, Cohen said. In the case of Stephen Paddock, who committed the countrys deadliest mass shooting on record, the FBIs famed Behavioral Analysis Unit convened a panel of experts who spent a year reviewing every available scrap of Paddocks developmental, interpersonal and clinical history to determine what led him to kill 60 people on the Las Vegas Strip in 2017. The report cited many factors, including the stressors of aging and Paddocks fathers status as a prominent criminal, but noted that active shooters rarely have a singular motive or reason for engaging in a mass homicide. The public viewed this complexity as failure: FBI Finds No Motive, the headlines said. Investigators said Paddock had gone to great lengths to keep his private thoughts private. Yet even if he had left behind a long manifesto, experts say, it might not have given them more to go on killers are no more likely than anyone else to be reliable narrators. The clues they plant often involve a cut-and-paste salad bar of ideas rather than a coherent worldview. An FBI report on the bomber who targeted Nashville, Tennessee, in December cited individualized beliefs adopted from several eccentric conspiracy theories. Understanding peoples motives may be useful for developing countermessaging, Cohen said, but it has little value in predicting who will commit future harm. Though many mass shooters have bought into extremist views including radical Islam, misogyny and white supremacy, a vast majority of participants in any given chat room devoted to those beliefs are not plotting mass murder. (By the same token, a vast majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent, and research suggests that most perpetrators of mass shootings had never been diagnosed with a mental disorder.) A 2018 FBI report analyzing 63 mass shootings barely mentions the word motive, instead focusing on what experts call pathways to violence. The report describes stress factors and pre-attack behaviors, like signaling an intent to harm or displaying an unusual interest in guns. The gunmen in the study exhibited, on average, between four and five such behaviors. We have a thing called narrative bias where people like to construct a story that they understand, thats fairly simple and straightforward and they can apply retrospectively, said J. Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist and FBI consultant. Narrative bias can get in the way of us looking at all the possible motivations or contributions to the risk. Decades of data show that most lone actor killers are not motivated by pure ideology, but are nurturing a personal grievance usually a loss, as of a partner or a job, that is accompanied by anger, humiliation and blame of a particular group, Meloy said. Of those people with grievances, Meloy said, only a small subset views violence as a solution, and an even smaller subset has the wherewithal to carry it out. When presented with the detritus of a killers mind, the strands society chooses to extract can tell us less about the perpetrator than they do about ourselves. The fondness of Timothy McVeigh, who bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, for The Turner Diaries, a book describing a government overthrow and a race war, was initially understood as evidence of his anti-government views. More recent accounts have used it to underscore his ties to white supremacy. After the Atlanta spa killings, the criticism from conservatives was reminiscent of yet another controversy, over the massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016. The slaughter prompted a global outcry against homophobia, and an outpouring of empathy for gay Latino men in particular, but it soon emerged that the gunman had called 911 during the attack and told a dispatcher he was a follower of the Islamic State group. Some people argued that even so, it was impossible to ignore the identity of the victims. Those who insist the shooting was solely an Islamic terror attack try to erase the LGBT community from the narrative, causing only more pain by invalidating their experiences in this ordeal, wrote an editor at USA Today. In the end, the evidence strongly suggested that the gunman had not intended to target LGBTQ people, and the shooting was investigated as a terrorism case, an FBI spokeswoman in Tampa, Florida, said. In Georgia, the Atlanta shootings could soon serve as a test of what kind of evidence might persuade jurors that a hate crime was committed, and how credible they will find the defendants own explanations of his actions. The state did not have a hate crime statute until last year, when legislators passed one after the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. It has been invoked for the first time in the Atlanta shootings. The bias charges will have no practical effect on any sentence for the suspect, since he would already face a severe one if convicted. But Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, said they still send an important message to her constituents: We have to make sure that all people are treated the same and all people are acknowledged as having value. She expressed confidence that she could prove racial animus even if the suspect denied it. If we just relied on what defendants said, we wouldnt convict anyone, she said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. | https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/06/02/news/does-it-really-matter-when-a-gunmans-motive-remains-a-mystery/ |
Is Avengers Campus Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Timeline? | Disneys Avengers Campus is close to opening and fans are curious if the Disneyland destination is connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Comicbook.coms Jamie Jirak spoke to the creative director of Walt Disney Imagineering about this very idea. Brent Strong acknowledges that the timeline is a bit wonky as of right now in the MCU. Avengers: Endgame left things in a very fluid state. A lot of your favorite heroes look a tiny bit different at the theme park. But, rest assured, they are absolutely connected. In fact, on Spider-Mans Web Slingers, Peter Parker refers to a very alive Tony Stark. So, that is a happier future than the one weve got on screen right now. However, you should never say never in the movies. For now, if you want to see all the Avengers running around and doing crazy stunts in person, theres no better place to go than the Campus. Heres what the executive had to say down below: Absolutely. So first of all, you know, the, the mission to inspire and empower the next generation of heroes is so important, that we've assembled heroes from across all of space and time for that, for that mission. And it is, we're all about to discover in a couple of weeks when Loki comes out, time is a lot more squishy than any of us think, he elaborated. And so trying to put a specific date to it, it can be challenging, but to us, Avengers Campus is here and now, right, we get to live in the moment and these heroes are here with us and you're taking part in that story. In some previous comments, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige called the attractions, the next step in the companys storytelling processes. Going to Disneyland, that's what we did as a family, going on these amazing rides that promised a spectacular future ahead, Feige explained during a behind-the-scenes featurette screened during the media preview. "The notion of having films that I was a part of brought to life is amazing Avengers Campus is absolutely the next progression of telling these stories, of experiencing what it's like to ride alongside these characters. It could only be done in a Disney theme park attraction." Let us know down in the comments! | https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/avengers-campus-marvel-cinematic-universe-timeline/ |
Will people who got COVID-19 vaccines need booster shots? | Scientists have found clues that the worlds leading COVID-19 vaccines offer lasting protection that could diminish the need for frequent booster shots, but they caution that more research is needed and that virus mutations are still a wild card. Critical studies are underway, and evidence is mounting that immunity from the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna does not depend exclusively on antibodies that dwindle over time. The body has overlapping layers of protection that offer backup. Pfizer and Moderna have fueled booster questions by estimating that people might need yearly shots, just like with flu vaccinations, and the companies are working to have some candidates ready this fall. But companies will not decide when boosters get used. That will be up to health authorities in each country. Other experts say boosters may be needed only every few years. I would be surprised if we actually needed a yearly booster shot, said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine specialist at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia who advises the Food and Drug Administration. They point to ways the immune system remembers the coronavirus so that once original antibodies fade, the bodys defenses can swing back into action if a person is exposed again. Im pretty optimistic. I wouldnt rule out the need for boosters, but the immune response so far looks actually quite impressive, University of Pennsylvania immunologist John Wherry said. Antibodies that form after vaccination or natural infection do wane naturally, but theres evidence that those levels remain strong for at least six to nine months after mRNA vaccination and possibly longer. They also appear effective against worrisome virus mutants, at least for now. Scientists do not yet know whats called the correlate of protection, the level below which antibodies cannot fend off the coronavirus without additional help. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. governments leading infectious disease expert, told a Senate subcommittee last week that vaccine protection would not be infinite. I would imagine we will need, at some time, a booster, Fauci said. What were figuring out right now is what that interval is going to be. To date, 62.8% of the adult U.S. population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 133.6 million, or more than 40 percent, are full vaccinated. The rate of new vaccinations has slowed to an average below 600,000 per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats closing in on President Joe Bidens goal of 70% with at least one inoculation by July 4. Infections and deaths continue to fall. The nations seven-day average for daily new cases fell to less than 17,300 on Tuesday, down from more than 31,000 two weeks ago. Daily deaths declined to 588, down from 605, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In all, the virus has killed more than 595,000 people in the U.S. So-called long-lived plasma cells are one of the bodys backups. Immunologist Ali Ellebedy at Washington University in St. Louis found that nearly a year after people recovered from mild COVID-19, those plasma cells had migrated to the bone marrow where they were continuing to secrete antibodies. Thats why although antibodies do diminish with time, they have not disappeared. Now Ellebedy is hunting for the same cells in vaccine recipients, and while the research isnt finished, hes finding hints that theyre forming. An even more important backup system comes in the form of memory B cells. If existing antibodies are not enough to stop the coronavirus, memory B cells are poised to churn out large numbers of new antibodies, Ellebedy explained. Numerous studies have found those memory cells after COVID-19 vaccination. And if the virus makes it past those defenses, yet another immune branch the memory T cells jumps in to eliminate infected cells and prevent severe illness. With different coronaviruses that cause common colds, people tend to get re-infected every two to five years, Wherry noted. Based on natural immunity against those related viruses, we are sort of expecting our immunity may decline, he said. But we dont know. For these mRNA vaccines, we may be doing better than nature, better than a natural infection. So far, health authorities agree that the most common COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. and Europe protect against the virus mutations that are currently circulating, though not as strongly as they guard against the original virus. The vaccines mimic the protein that covers the outer surface of the coronavirus, and only certain spots of that protein are mutating, said FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks. The mRNA vaccines in particular make antibody levels skyrocket after the second dose. Those levels are so high that they offer some protection even when the vaccine and the variant are not a perfect match. With so many people still unvaccinated, opportunities abound for more mutations to occur. The biggest sign that a booster might be necessary would be a jump in COVID-19 cases in fully vaccinated people, especially severe illnesses and especially if the infections are caused by a new variant. To get ready, people vaccinated a year ago as part of the first Pfizer and Moderna vaccine trials now are being enrolled in studies of additional shots either a third dose of the original or versions that have been updated to match a variant that first emerged in South Africa. Moderna says preliminary findings are promising. More results are due this summer. The National Institutes of Health also just began testing a system in which patients are given a different brand of booster than their original vaccination, to see if it is effective. Most of the worlds population has yet to receive a first dose. With different countries using different kinds of vaccines, decisions on booster shots may vary widely. Already, the United Arab Emirates has offered a third dose to recipients of a Chinese-made shot, the first formal introduction of any kind of booster. If boosters eventually are called for, they will not be needed all at once because antibodies fade gradually rather than disappearing suddenly. Even if we require boosters or get to the point where we see immunity waning a little bit, we still are going to be far better off than we were a year ago, Wherry said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2021/06/will-people-who-got-covid-19-vaccines-need-booster-shots.html |
Why is the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday? | Dear Families, The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred Kolach is a must for everyones bookshelf. However, although I hate to say it, when you have a question there are many places to go to get answers. When searching the web (or anywhere else you choose to search) know who is answering the question. Although today we tend to always be in a hurry and want the quick answer, that has never been the Jewish way. The Jewish way is to get many opinions and then agree or disagree or create your own answer and tomorrow, you may be the one people are asking. This week I was reading on www.reformjudaism.org and found the (or maybe just an) answer to a question I often have been asked. This answer was not only clear but short (another quality many of us are looking for as in just the facts, please!). The answer comes from Rabbi Richard S. Sarason, Ph.D. Genesis, Chapter 1 provides the basis for the Jewish week and the understanding of its days God creates on days 1 to 6 and rests on day 7; hence Shabbat is day 7. The names of the days, familiar from Latin and Teutonic cultures, developed separately and were named for various gods Sunday (Helios, the sun), Monday (Luna, the moon), Tuesday (Tua, a Teutonic goddess), Wednesday (Wotan/Odin, the chief Teutonic/Norse god), Thursday (Thor, Teutonic god of thunder), Friday (Freia, Teutonic goddess of youth), Saturday (Saturn, Roman name for Kronos, chief of the Titans). Suffice it to say, the two systems for designating the days developed independently of each other (except, likely, for the designation of seven days as a week = one-quarter of the lunar cycle). To distinguish themselves from the Jews, Christians began to celebrate Sunday as the Lords Day (the day Christ arose from the dead) rather than celebrating the Jewish Sabbath (although some Christian groups persisted in observing the Sabbath). There you have it plus a little knowledge of Greek gods thrown in for good measure (for those of us who love Percy Jackson!). The question I always ask is, Does it work for me/for you? The answer works for me but I question the deeper messages in how we measure it. Laura Seymour is director of camping services at the Aaron Family JCC. | https://tjpnews.com/why-is-the-jewish-sabbath-on-saturday/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-is-the-jewish-sabbath-on-saturday |
Is unemployment bonus keeping workers on sideline? | Despite a stubbornly high unemployment rate of 6.1% in April representing 9.8 million people who say they are actively looking for work many employers are reporting that they cant find people to hire. Republicans say the $300 a week supplement to unemployment insurance, which for many Americans amounts to a pay raise, is so generous that it is acting as a disincentive for people to return to work. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, dismisses that suggestion, saying on May 10, we dont see much evidence of that. Americans want to work, Biden said. I think the people who claim Americans wont work even if they find a good and fair opportunity underestimate the American people. After the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a disappointing gain of 266,000 jobs in April, a reporter asked Biden if the enhanced unemployment benefits were diminishing a return to work in some categories. No, nothing measurable, Biden said on May 7. Biden and others in his administration argue there are other bigger drivers of labor shortages such as access to child care (made worse by remote schooling) and the fact that most people still were not vaccinated against COVID-19 when the April jobs surveys were performed. Republicans say Biden is ignoring the obvious. At a recent county tour stop in Iowa, Sen. Joni Ernst said she heard from a number of small business owners that were very concerned about getting people back to work. They cannot find the help that they need. So the president continues to say, Its not the enhanced unemployment benefits keeping people home, well, yes, folks, it is, Ernst said on May 25. And so, it is time to end the $300 extra each week that those unemployment recipients are receiving. If we can end that we can get people back to work. To date, at least 23 mostly Republican-led states have decided to prematurely cut off the extra UI payments this summer, most in June, three months before they are set to expire. Economists disagree on the answer. Economists divided The CARES Act passed early in the pandemic in March 2020 provided a $600 per week federal unemployment insurance supplement, in addition to normal state unemployment benefits. That expired in late July. In December, Congress passed another relief bill that included a $300 unemployment insurance benefit until mid-March. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan championed by Biden extended the $300 supplement from mid-March through Labor Day. (An alternative Republican plan would have extended those extra UI payments only through the end of June.) At the beginning of May, there were about 16 million Americans collecting unemployment insurance payments. There have been many anecdotal stories in the media about employers saying theyre having a hard time filling job vacancies, particularly in the restaurant industry, because of the enhanced unemployment benefit. But economists are divided on the issue. In a recent survey conducted by the University of Chicagos Initiative on Global Markets, 40 prominent economists were asked whether they agree with this statement: The $300 supplement to weekly unemployment benefits available from now through September 6 constitutes a major disincentive to work for lower-wage workers. Nearly half (49%) said it was uncertain, while 28% said they agree or strongly agree, and 16% said they disagree. Here is a sampling of the responses: $300 of extra money per week is quite meaningful to a low wage worker. Certainly enough to affect decisions. Aaron Edlin, co-director of the Law and Economics Program at Berkeley Law. Major is probably too strong, but with COVID improving and labor demand rebounding, UI benefit levels matter more now than before. Joseph Altonji, economics professor at Yale. I go for minor disincentive. More important are childcare responsibilities, fear of COVID in jobs with close personal contact. Barry Eichengreen, an economics professor at the University of California, Berkeley. I dont think we know enough about it. Fears of getting COVID may be a more important factor. Oliver Hart, an economics professor at Harvard. There will be some adverse effect on employment, just not clear how much. Pete Klenow, an economics professor at Stanford. Anecdotal cases of benefit recipients declining work will abound, but the evidence is that the effect is not major. Larry Samuelson, an economics professor at Yale. Compared with the effect of schools being closed? Richard Schmalensee, an emeritus professor of economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Major is probably too strong, but it does permit some workers to search more/longer for better jobs. Christopher Udry, an economics professor at Northwestern. Earlier this month, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said there had been report after report indicating it was not accurate that the benefits discouraged work, according to Politico. Wyden instead blamed factors such as a lack of child care and reduced public transit services for the labor supply shortage. When we inquired about Wydens statement, his press office pointed, in part, to a July 14, 2020, Yale study of the initial $600 benefit (back when the unemployment rate was in double digits) that found no evidence that more generous benefits disincentivized work either at the onset of the expansion or as firms looked to return to business over time. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco about the initial $600 bonus similarly concluded, Evidence from recent labor market outcomes confirms that the supplemental payments had little or no adverse effect on job search. A study led by Ioana Marinescu, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Pennsylvania, found that the increase in benefits from April to June 2020 did not reduce employment, even though it did reduce the number of job applications a bit. At the time, jobs were unusually scarce. Scarcity of research on $300 bonus But things are different now. Now, there is an increase in the number of job postings, so it is possible that the reduction in applications caused by unemployment insurance contributes to reducing job finding, Marinescu told us via email. Because of higher unemployment benefits, employers may be getting fewer applications for each job than before the pandemic. However, no one has quantified this (for the current round of benefits), and we cannot tell how big the influence of unemployment insurance is on job finding relative to other factors such as concerns about health or lack of childcare. In this sense, Biden is correct to say nothing measurable. ' Indeed, according to Opportunity Insights TrackTheRecovery.org, job postings in the U.S. have increased 5.5% compared with January 2020, before the pandemic. Despite an unemployment rate that remains stubbornly high, the 8.1 million job openings at the end of March outpaced hires by 2.1 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That gap between job openings and hires is the largest since the data became available in 2000. Pre-pandemic, in January 2020, job openings outpaced hires by nearly 1.2 million, so there was a gap then too, but not as large. Calling for an end to the enhanced unemployment benefit, Republican Sen. Rob Portman said that with vaccines widely available and a record number of job openings, there is no reason the federal government should be paying people not to work. University of Chicago economist Peter Ganong told the Wall Street Journal that the $300 UI supplement means that 42% of workers are making more than their pre-unemployment wage. Still, Ganong told PolitiFact.com, Theres just not enough evidence to understand whats going on right now. While there is a good theoretical reason to think the UI enhancement might create a disincentive it increases the value of being on UI a bit the question is how big a factor this really is given all the other factors facing families, Aaron Sojourner, an expert in labor economics at the University of Minnesota, told us. We have good evidence that the UI supplement had little effect on job search in the heart of the pandemic and before vaccinations were available. It likely has more effect now but we just dont have much evidence about the benefits in terms of encouraging work. Although there has been little research so far on the effect of the recent $300 bonus, economist Arindrajit Dube at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst extended a previous study of the UI supplements into March. He concluded, preliminarily, that the bonus wasnt having much of an effect on labor shortages. Maybe an unemployed person spends several additional days unemployed because of the $300, Dube told the New York Times. But if its a problem, it takes care of itself. Its nothing compared to the broader trajectory of the reopening, which swamps anything on the unemployment insurance front. Demand and supply for labor are both rising quickly, Sojourner told us. There are more employers hiring, the virus is more contained, and excellent vaccines are becoming available, but only about 2 in 5 working-age Americans are now at least 2 weeks past their final vaccine dose. Its just not clear how many unemployed folks are close enough to working that $300 will be a decisive factor. But as we said earlier, not all economists agree. University of Chicago economist Casey Mulligan estimates that the $300 UI bonus is reducing employment by a couple million jobs. On top of the bonus is free health insurance that Biden has also awarded the unemployed, Mulligan told us via email. Other factors influencing labor shortages The White House, meanwhile, argues too much is being made of the idea that workers are choosing to stay home primarily because the UI bonus is too generous. There are many factors that go into whether a person is taking a job. Right? Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said at a press briefing on May 14. If they if somebody is not fully vaccinated, if theres still a lot of COVID in their area, if they have still child care constraints, there are many factors that this pandemic has caused that are going to play into peoples decision ability to go back to work. Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard, who was appointed to the Fed board in 2014 by then-President Barack Obama, also cited lingering school closures and fear of exposure to the coronavirus as major hurdles to many people returning to work. While deaths are down dramatically as more Americans get vaccinated, COVID-19 was still causing nearly 2,000 deaths per week in early May. People do actually want to go back to work; they are willing to do that, Brainard said on May 11. Nonetheless, while Biden said he did not think the UI bonus was a major factor in people not returning to work, he emphasized: Were going to make it clear that anyone collecting unemployment who is offered a suitable job must take the job or lose their unemployment benefits. Biden and other White House officials say the UI supplement has not only helped struggling families, but has aided the economy as well. UI has served a very important role through this pandemic, Rouse said. It has allowed people to pay the rent, which we know is very important for the landlord; its allowed people to put food on the table, which is important for them and their families. And so, we stand behind that those are very important supports. Theyre supports to help us bridge to the end of this pandemic. Sojourner, of the University of Minnesota, echoed those sentiments, saying the harms of cutting the supplement are clear. In the latest data, from March, there were about 8 million job openings, likely more now, Sojourner told us. But there are now about 16 million Americans and their families using UI right now after losing their jobs through no fault of their own. That $300 has important benefits to many families and individuals every week, in terms of their ability to secure housing, food, and health. Eliminating it and putting people on regular UI means theyre going to have incomes about half of their pre-layoff earnings. Millions of people will still not find a job and now theyre risking eviction, loss of a vehicle, and lack of nutrition. Marinescu, of the University of Pennsylvania, said its important to note that unemployment benefits also stimulate consumption, which creates jobs, and this effect can counteract the effect on job applications. By stimulating consumption, unemployment benefits contribute to increasing job creation and ultimately employment. This consumption effect is likely to be stronger now than last year because the economy is reopening and people have more opportunities to consume and lower concerns about infection, Marinescu told us. In that sense, employers should remember that while higher benefits may make workers less enthusiastic about taking their jobs, higher benefits also give them more customers. Therefore, my educated guess is that higher unemployment benefits are still on net a positive contribution to the economy, especially when considering their insurance effect, i.e. the fact that they help out people whose income would otherwise be much lower. Other economists say the effect of the unemployment boost likely varies by state, as states pay varying amounts in basic unemployment insurance and, of course, the cost of living differs dramatically state to state. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard told Reuters that such differences likely mean the UI bonus may act as a stronger disincentive in some states. The same $300 incentivizes people very differently, Bullard said, adding that the $300 UI supplement is a factor, but not the only factor keeping people from returning to the workforce. The talking points from both Democrats and Republicans are simple and clear: One side argues the UI bonus isnt the main reason for a labor supply shortage, while the other argues it is. But the issue is more complicated than either side suggests, and economists disagree on the impact. - 30 - | http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/nationworld/report/060221_bonus_workers/is-unemployment-bonus-keeping-workers-sideline/ |
Does It Matter If There Was A Lab Leak? | Early on in the pandemic, there was a lot of talk about whether the virus that causes COVID-19 could have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China. Some scientists and politicians circulated this idea, but there was no substantiated evidence to back it up. The most likely story is that the virus crossed over from animals, probably bats, into an intermediary species, before making the jump to humans. Thats how SARS and MERS ended up in humans: we got SARS from palm civets, and MERS from camels. That said, we still dont know where COVID-19 came from. We have some evidence to support the natural spillover idea. For example, most of the people in Wuhan who had Covid-like symptoms in December of 2019 were exposed to animals before they got sick. But, we still havent found a bat or pangolin in the wild that has COVID-19. We have no smoking gun, if you will. In the absence of that proof, some people think something else must have created the pandemic. We have no hard evidence to support the lab leak idea, let alone a smoking gun to validate that hypothesis. But despite pushback on this story from many scientists and the media early on, its back in the news, and many are talking about the possibility of a lab leak even President Joe Biden. On May 26, the White House released a statement asking US intelligence to further investigate the origins of COVID-19. There may be some legitimate reasons to do this, but the debate has gotten heated. And when a conversation is centered around controversy, instead of science, we can lose sight of the bigger, more important picture. On this weeks episode of PODCAST-19, we called up two science journalists whove been reporting on the lab leak story since the beginning of the pandemic to help us keep things in perspective. You can listen to that episode or read an edited transcript of it below. Nsikan Akpan: Im Nsikan Akpan. I am the Health and Science editor at New York Public Radio. Amy Maxmen: I am Amy Maxmen, and Im a senior reporter at Nature. Anna Rothschild: For a little more background on these two, Nsikan holds a doctorate in pathobiology, and Amy has won multiple awards for her reporting on infectious diseases like Ebola and malaria. So, early on in the pandemic, there was a lot of talk about whether COVID-19 came from a lab leak in China. And then it seemed like that conversation largely disappeared in most mainstream media until fairly recently. Amy Maxmen: Ive been thinking a lot about that, too. My thought is that the crisis was really heavy in the U.S. last year, and [now] its sort of subsiding here. So part of me wonders if the news is sort of returning to this because the daily cycle of news on other acute crises is sort of waning within the U.S. Thats not the whole answer, but I wonder if thats part of it. Nsikan Akpan: I would say that these questions about the origins of the virus never really went away. There were some stories, this past fall and winter, that were digging on this issue. And so I think this stuff was always brewing. And it just happens that weve reached a tipping point. Anna Rothschild: That tipping point seems to be two recent Wall Street Journal articles. The first, published May 23, said that three staff members from the Wuhan Institute of Virology got sick and went to the hospital around the same time in November 2019. The report hasnt been disclosed to the public, and U.S. intelligence officials are debating among themselves about its veracity. Amy Maxmen: Ok, they went to the hospital. Well, I think the article also includes that in China, a lot of people dont have, say, a primary care doctor. So they might have just gone to the hospital because they were sick from anything. It doesnt mean theyre severely sick. Anna Rothschild: The second article from the Journal noted that in 2012, researchers from the same institute in Wuhan collected coronavirus samples from bats that had formed a colony in an abandoned mine. Amy Maxmen: And, apparently, a journalist recently tried to go to the cave and Chinese authorities stopped that journalist from going to the cave and questioned him. I can tell you I have been told not to go so many places in my reporting career. Anna Rothschild: Both Amy and Nsikan pointed to possible global geo-political reasons for the conversation restarting. For example, last week was the World Health Assembly. Amy Maxmen: And thats when the WHO, and 194 countries that belong to the WHO meet to sort of talk about the pandemic, and talk about strategies around solving this pandemic and preparing for the next one. So I think that might be a rallying cry for a lot of researchers and other people who believe there needs to be another investigation into COVID origins. This is sort of a time to voice that and get it heard on a high level. Nsikan Akpan: Jumping off of that, you know, I think the big lead up this year was the World Health Organization conducted a joint commission with China, and then they put out this report, sort of summarizing everything that they found, and it didnt quite stick the landing. There was still a lot of open questions. You know we know from psychological research, research on social behaviors, that uncertainty in the mind can be really unsettling. And people will tend to try to fill those voids with whatever they can. Anna Rothschild: Investigations like this dont usually happen quickly like they do in the movies. For example, weve known about Ebola since 1976. Since then, scientists have taken samples from thousands of animals, including shrews and lizards. Yet we still havent definitively identified the zoonotic origins of the virus. Nsikan Akpan: You dont have science and health journalists at every news outlet. And so I think its easier for news media to just hop on, Hey, well, this person said it could be a lab leak, and they didnt present any evidence, but they said it. So we can make news around that versus like, Oh, I have to go and dig into some pretty complicated science to break down what happened here. Anna Rothschild: Nsikan told me that one piece of evidence for the natural spillover hypothesis is that there are features of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in fact parts of its spike protein, that indicate it evolved in animals. But to an average news consumer, this evidence gets complicated by the fact that supporters of the lab leak hypothesisincluding some scientistssay similar things, only reversed. They think that certain features of SARS-CoV-2 could only have developed in a lab. Nsikan Akpan: The thing is those unique features that people who support the lab leak hypothesis are pointing out we do see similar features in other coronaviruses. Like, they might not be in the exact same family SARS-Cov-2, but we are seeing those features in other coronaviruses. Like, you know, that is just something that isnt getting said in those stories. And I dont know why. Amy Maxmen: I think maybe there was one virologist who mentioned sometimes it reminds him of intelligent design sort of arguments. For people who havent really studied evolutionary biology, there could be just sort of this thought of like, No way, can this just happen. This has to be designed to be like this. But I think people who study evolution are like, Wow, theres a lot of creative things that happen in nature. And you know, there could be convergence like this same mutation happening in different lineages, and we can see it in other different coronaviruses. So maybe theres an appeal there. Its a simpler story, thinking that it was designed to be that way. Like, its really hard to think that it just comes out of nowhere. Its sort of easier to feel like humans have agency over it in some way. Nsikan Akpan: Yeah I mean, it speaks to this idea that uncertainty can be really unsettling. And we also want to be in control of what happens around us. And we want to think that theres an intentionality to most things. But we live in a chaotic universe, and sometimes things just line up. Nsikan Akpan: I mean, if you do have an animal species out there that is a vector or a carrier for this disease, you want to know about it. You know, if this is something that came from a farm, or if it came from a jungle, or if it came from a mountain cave, I think you want to know what the risks might be, so I think knowing this source is really important for that reason. Amy Maxmen: I sort of call out the idea that this is the number one way to prevent a pandemic. You know, I think it is important, and Im, like, super interested in this stuff. But I dont know if knowing the source of this emerging pandemic is going to stop us from preventing the next one, because they seem to come from different animals for different reasons. I feel like those are some of the really important issues. And I want to be clear, Im not against studies. Anna Rothschild: As soon as the lab leak story dropped in early 2020, it became highly politicized. Former President Trump and Secretary Mike Pompeo amplified the idea, and it set up a sort of us vs them mentality with China. Amy Maxmen: The U.S. was doing really bad then. You know, COVID had been surging. And it looks bad for leaders to say whats going on in our country. And it is a way of deflecting attention by saying, lets look at China again, and what China did. Nsikan Akpan: And then I think you also have to look at the broader geopolitical context at the time. Theres the US-China trade war. People just have really strong opinions about China. And I think you can see everything sort of balling together. Amy Maxmen: I can tell you my fears. Anna Rothschild: Yeah! Tell me. Amy Maxmen: To be honest, the statement that Biden put out and the statement that HHS put out at the World Health Assembly, to me, theyre, theyre fine. You know, we havent ruled out the lab leak hypothesis. We dont know the origin. So yes, new studies sound fine. But if this sort of rhetoric continues, that were going to continue to hammer China on this question, and its going to become more and more allegations, Im really worried about that. I mean, on a geopolitical level, Ive read accounts of how global health was really difficult to do during the Cold War period. It doesnt bode well to have these two powers at each others throats. And I dont think thats helpful for science. That uncertainty is unsettling for me. Anna Rothschild: At the end of the day, we all want the same things: to get out of this pandemic, and figure out how to prevent the next one. Discovering where this virus came from may be one piece of that. But if theres one thing weve learned since COVID-19 emerged over a year ago, its that we cant beat this virus alone. Through divisiveness we only harm ourselves. Thats it for this episode of PODCAST-19. If you have a question youd like us to answer on the show, email us a voice memo at [email protected]. Thats ask podcast one nine at gmail dot com. Im Anna Rothschild. Our producer is Sinduja Srinivasan. Chadwick Matlin is our executive producer. Thanks for listening. See you next time. | https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/does-it-matter-if-there-was-a-lab-leak/ |
Was Chelseas Champions League Win A Fluke? | When we talked after the semifinals you all thought Chelsea had a real shot to win the Champions League Final versus Manchester City, and they did it convincingly. So, lets start with what you learned from that one match (and also discuss whether theres anything to learn from just one match). tchow (Tony Chow, video producer): The thing I learned from this game, and from Chelsea all season, I guess, is to never let its former coach Frank Lampard convince me of anything. I was really high on Chelsea at the beginning of the season and said as much in our league preview podcast episode for Hot Takedown, but its mid-season struggles did convince me that this team might need some more time even though it was clearly talented. I was wrong! grace (Grace Robertson, FiveThirtyEight contributor and author of the Grace on Football newsletter): I think the story for me was how effective Chelsea can be at just shutting down a team that relies on possession. Weve seen Chelsea use defensive possession effectively ever since Thomas Tuchel arrived as head coach. In the final the team used a more traditional style of defending, and it was every bit as good at it. grace: More traditional defense is getting players behind the ball, putting tackles in, that sort of thing rather than keeping hold of the ball and moving it very slowly to stop the opponent from getting it. ryan (Ryan OHanlon, FiveThirtyEight contributor and author of the No Grass in the Clouds newsletter): I see this Chelsea team as one of the best defensive sides of the modern era of the sport. As Grace said, its equally adept at defending with the ball or without it. It limits shots, and it also concedes only terrible shots. Its amazing, and teams like this arent supposed to win the Champions League. grace: Tuchel teams arent supposed to win like this! Hes supposed to be the idealistic attacking guy, yet here he is. ryan: Thats a scary thought for the rest of the Premier League. tchow: This Chelsea squad is not your typical Tuchel team, but thats to be expected given that he came in mid-season and hasnt had a lot of training time or a full transfer window with this squad. A lot of credit goes to him, though, for figuring out a way to make it work with this side. This is the same team that sputtered down the stretch and was at risk of not finishing in the top four in the Premier League. This is the same team whose star striker acquisition could barely find the net all season long. This is the same team that had the easier path to the final and won only 1-0. Chelsea was favored to win 42 percent of the time against Manchester City. grace: To put some numbers on it, when Tuchel took over, FiveThirtyEight had Chelseas SPI at 85.7, and now its at 90.5, third-best in Europe behind City and Bayern Munich (with Bayern only a tiny bit ahead). Tuchel really did improve this team, but it was never broken. ryan: Per Stats Perform, Chelsea had the best non-penalty xG differential among all teams in the Big Five Leagues and Champions League after Tuchel took over. The late-season sputter was the fluke, not this win. tchow: This one game really encapsulated what Chelsea has been able to do for the latter part of this season, though. As Ryan said, it is DOMINANT on defense. Outside of two league games, its kept opponents to a 1.0 xG or lower for the past two months. That is not easy to do! ryan: City took seven shots, the second-fewest the team has attempted in a game since Pep Guardiola took over. grace: Before the game, Guardiola actually explained what Tuchels system does so well. The wingbacks stretch the opponents wide, Timo Werner stretches them in behind, but Chelsea still has plenty of really good players around central midfield. Its got the whole pitch covered. ryan: Given that the team spent close to $200 million on ATTACKING players last summer, its really just a remarkable transformation. cwick: Fair enough. Lets talk then about one player in particular who is being held up as the key to Chelseas success: Ngolo Kant. The New York Timess Rory Smith says the Champions League final should be remembered as the Kant final because he was so present everywhere on the pitch. Rather than evaluate that claim, Im interested if Kant is a kind of proxy for Chelseas evolution over the past few years. He has been asked to play lots of different roles for lots of different managers. grace: I think hes been fantastic under just about every manager hes had for Chelsea, Leicester and France, to be honest. What gets me is how Tuchel is the first guy to realize that Kant and Jorginho have complementary skill sets. tchow: Yeah, Kant seems like the kind of player who could fit into any system, but it does seem like hes just perfect for this double-six role that Tuchel has talked so much about. ryan: Theres something to the fact that Kant has seemed best when hes playing as part of a midfield two rather than a three at Leicester, under Antonio Conte at Chelsea, and with Paul Pogba for France. That seems to give him the freedom to go make plays with and without the ball, and it also allows the team to fit in another attacker or defender. grace: His best football has come in a double pivot, whether with Drinkwater for Leicester, Mati for Contes Chelsea, Pogba for France, or Jorginho now. Jorginho is basically the rich mans Danny Drinkwater. Danilo Drinkwine. ryan: We still dont really know how to measure defensive value or even midfield play yet, but Kant is clearly doing stuff that will eventually show up on the WAR leaderboards at whatever the soccer version of Fangraphs is. His teams just win. grace: Guardiolas tactical plan was obviously to get more passers into central areas and control the midfield, but Kant just shut that down completely. ryan: Tactics are whatever you want them to be, Chad. grace: Much as I believe that the six position is a number four in English rather than a six, a double-six is the same thing as a double pivot, yeah. It just means two central midfielders sitting in front of the defense. ryan: As opposed to City, who played with one holding midfielder in lkay Gndoan, and then two other midfielders in front of him. tchow: Specifically for Chelsea, the double-six means Tuchel often pairs Kant with another holding midfielder like Jorginho or Mateo Kovai. cwick: Excellent, thank you. Sergio Agero is already at Barcelona, but that doesnt seem like that big of an issue for City next year. ryan: Itll be fine. If anything, it seems like this might be the thing that makes the team finally break the bank for a top striker. grace: City has really perfected Guardiolas preferred style of midfield control this season, but maybe this game suggests it doesnt quite have the flexibility of previous seasons. tchow: City is not going anywhere. I think the big question is whether Guardiola thinks the team needs a true striker next season. grace: Especially as Fernandinho ages, City cant quite switch to a faster transition-based style for a one-off game the way it perhaps could in the past. (Bonus points for not saying Lionel Messi.) grace: My view is if you can get Haaland, you get Haaland for the long term. But if youd rather someone who can go straight in and offer traditional striker qualities without costing anything in terms of the possession style, Kane can do that. ryan: Haaland is the better move from a long-term team-building perspective. Id also love to see Guardiola try to coach a guy who kind of still has only one move: run into box, kick ball hard. Its a great move! But Guardiola usually likes his strikers if he likes them at all to contribute more in buildup play. grace: The potential of Kane to City reminds me of Robin van Persie to Man United. A peak-age player with injury problems in the past to go straight in and win now. tchow: Yeah, as I said, thats the big question. The team is clearly good enough to win the Premier League and it will be in contention again next season but the big prize is what its after. ryan: Itll be fascinating to see what the Premier League looks like next season. If so, thatll be conducive to Citys style from this season. In that case, this mightve been a one-off from City in terms of how it tries to win. cwick: Since this is our last chat for a while, Id love to know what else you are watching out for in the offseason. grace: Whether players hit a wall in the Euros and Copa Amrica. Because that would not bode well for the next two seasons and the 2022 World Cup. tchow: Im really keeping an eye on this transfer window and how the pandemic will affect transfer fees and player movements. And this might be the case every season, but the other thing to keep an eye on in the Premier League in particular is what the Big Four do this summer. Each team has its own unique questions to answer. We talked about where City goes. We also mentioned how dangerous Chelsea could be after some more time under Tuchel, but the squad has an aging defense and about a gazillion players coming back from loan. And then Liverpool needs to figure out what to do with Roberto Firmino. ryan: One thing to keep an eye on that somehow isnt a bigger story: Messi, the greatest soccer player of all time, is currently a free agent and can sign with any team he wants. grace: I think hes going to stay at Bara. It doesnt feel like anyone else quite wants to mortgage its future on him right now. Cristiano Ronaldo not quite setting the world alight at Juventus might have scared people off doing that. ryan: Im not sure Barcelonas summer of only signing players on free transfers would be super-appealing to me if my one remaining goal as a player was to win the Champions League. This will never happen, but Ronaldo and Messi should team up. See what happens. grace: Ryan has entered the world of fanfic. cwick: Hes always been in it. Now hes just expanding beyond his Haaland canon. Check out our latest soccer predictions. | https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/was-chelseas-champions-league-win-a-fluke/ |
Do my kids still need to wear masks? | Kids under 12 are still not eligible for any of the 3 COVID-19 shots on the market, putting them at a greater risk for catching the virus. TOLEDO, Ohio After over a year of lockdowns, mandates, and restrictions due to COVID-19, Ohio health orders are a thing of the past - for now. And while vaccinated people are in the clear, those who remain unvaccinated are still being advised to wear a mask. While the vaccine is widely available, kids under 12 are still not eligible for any of the 3 shots that have been cleared for emergency use authorization by the FDA, putting them at a greater risk for catching the virus from other unvaccinated individuals. "You know our working guidelines have been pretty straightforward, if you're not vaccinated, you need to wear a mask when you're out and that includes many children," said Dr. Patty Manning-Courtney, Chief of Staff with Cincinnati Childrens Hospital. Parents should consider keeping their child's masks handy as well as their own for the time being. When it comes to travel, domestic trips are not something vaccinated families should worry about, so long as the proper protocol is followed. "The tactics you can use here to be safe, apply to anywhere you might travel domestically, and I think we should really take an opportunity to give kids a shoutout right now because they've actually been really good at wearing masks," said Dr. Manning-Courtney. Summer activities like swimming are fine mask-less, but if you're heading into a big crowd, the recommendations are no different than they were 3 months ago. "But when they're out in crowds, at stores, out at events, they should be masked. We're of the belief they should be masked and parents should mask up along with them," said Dr. Manning-Courtney. For kids who are over 12, the Pfizer vaccine is proven to be effective and safe. Trials for younger children are underway. | https://www.wtol.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/health-experts-say-its-still-important-for-unvaccinated-kids-to-wear-masks/512-89d79ad9-ae8e-468e-817e-8c59b1e87ce6 |
Is Celebrity Apprentice star Scherri-Lee Biggs the next Jesinta Franklin? | Scherri-Lee Biggs is fast becoming the breakout star of Nine's Celebrity Apprentice. So it's no surprise viewers are now comparing the stunning weather presenter to Jesinta Franklin, given the uncanny similarities between the two. From dating AFL stars to winning beauty pageants, Scherri-Lee and Jesinta have followed near identical paths in life. Seeing double! Celebrity Apprentice star Scherri-Lee Biggs, 30, (left) has been compared to Jesinta Franklin, 29 (right) Scherri-Lee got her big break by winning Miss Universe Australia 2011, just one year after Jesinta was crowned the 2010 winner. From there, the pair both ventured off into media careers. Jesinta became a fashion and entertainment reporter for Seven's The Morning Show, while Scherri-Lee worked for the network in Melbourne doing sport and travel. Scherri-Lee continued her broadcasting career by relocating to Perth in 2014 to take up a role as a weather presenter and reporter. Claim to fame: Scherri-Lee is turning heads on the latest season of Celebrity Apprentice I did it first! Jesinta starred on the first season of the reality series back in 2011 Meanwhile, Jesinta continued to focus on her modelling career and was able to raise her profile by dating Sydney Swans star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin. Scherri-Lee is no stranger to dating footy players either, having been in a relationship with West Coast Eagles player Brad Sheppard for roughly 18 months. Unfortunately, the former couple split in late 2019, with Brad moving on with brunette beauty Ellen Taylor-Hawkins. Where it all started: Scherri-Lee won Miss Universe Australia in 2011 while Jesinta won the same pageant one year earlier in 2010 In 2011, Jesinta starred on the first season of Celebrity Apprentice, placing third. In recent years, her modelling career has skyrocketed thanks to her sizeable Instagram following and star status as a leading WAG. She spent around two years as an ambassador for David Jones, before being dropped by the department store in 2017. Crowning glory: The fresh-faced models look almost identical in photos taken from their days as Miss Universe Australia winners Shortly after, Jesinta took a swipe at the retail giant and said she was happy to be working with more high-end brands. 'I don't know if department stores have the budget anymore, to be quite frank,' she said in 2018, implying that David Jones may not be able to afford her. 'It's nice not being boxed into one little department store. I'm really happy being able to work alongside the likes of Harrolds and wear the best of the best,' she added. WAGs R Us: Scherri previously dated West Coast Eagles player Brad Sheppard (left) while Jesinta is married to Sydney Swans star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin (right) After slumming it with department stores and brands like Cadbury, Jesinta reinvented her image and was able to snag endorsement deals with the likes of Dior and Tiffany & Co. However, judging by her Instagram page, Jesinta now seems to be working with Myer. Meanwhile, Scherri-Lee is lighting up the small screen on The Celebrity Apprentice. Queen: Scherri-Lee is lighting up the small screen as a fan fave on The Celebrity Apprentice Total package! Scherri-Lee has impressed viewers of the show with her brains and beauty Countless viewers have pointed out how identical Scherri-Lee and Jesinta look in appearance, with the pair both sporting the same blonde locks and similar facial features. Others have said that they want the Perth-based beauty to win the show, with countless fans impressed by her demeanour and work ethic. 'Beautiful and smart. Hope you win,' gushed one follower. 'You are in the firing line because you are a threat to some. You are awesome and you will win,' wrote another. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9646555/Is-Celebrity-Apprentice-star-Scherri-Lee-Biggs-Jesinta-Franklin.html |
Will India-Sri Lanka Trade Suffer Due to Chinas Grip On Colombo? | Its rather a study in contrast. At a time when Indian Coast Guard ships were helping the Sri Lankan navy battle a disastrous fire on the container ship MV X Press Pearl, the Parliament was clearing a bill to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Colombo Port City (CPC), and more importantly, the terms of reference on an Economic Commission to govern it both of which would give China an even larger stake in the island. Though opposition was immediate, this was hardly the kind of massive protest evoked over another foreign investment, this time by India and Japan. | https://www.thequint.com/amp/story/voices/opinion/sri-lanka-colombo-port-city-project-chinese-investment-navy-india-china-ties-dangers-ahead-free-trade-agreement |
Is It Timber Time For Overheated Lumber Prices? | Rising lumber prices have been a major source of inflation concerns. Its one thing when the price of lumber doubles and a whole other thing when it goes up 5-fold! Yep, thats right. Lumber prices have rocketed higher over the past 18 months, surging 5 times the COVID crash price low. Somethings Gotta Give! Todays long-term monthly lumber chart highlights why there is a potential for a reversal / pullback in lumber prices over the coming weeks/months. As you can see, the surge in lumber has price testing the 261% Fibonacci extension level, as well as the underside of the 40-year overhead rising resistance line at (1). Note as well that momentum is near its highest levels in history! Watch that trend line! The steep up-trend line (3) offers short-term support. If it breaks, it could be Timber Time for lumber! Stay tuned! Note that KimbleCharting is offering a 2 week Free trial to See It Market readers. Just send me an email to [email protected] for details to get set up. Twitter: @KimbleCharting Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity. | https://www.seeitmarket.com/is-it-timber-time-for-overheated-lumber-prices/ |
Will The Bitcoin Miami Conference Be A Catalyst For Recovery? | The market needs a boost, that much is for sure. Luckily, the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami is just around the corner. It might. It might now. Nevertheless, for sure itll raise morale and give to the community and experience to rally around. And thats whats going to take us to the next level. In any case, Vailshire Capitals Jeff Ross gives us the technical analysis of the historical moment were facing. #Bitcoin technical update: Decision day is coming soon. Break-out to either the upside or downside on higher volume expected. pic.twitter.com/E065dqEAgY Dr. Jeff Ross (@VailshireCap) June 2, 2021 As for predictions, Ross is Still noncommittal. The situation remains as Bitcoinist told you recently: Were in the midst of it. In retrospect, everything will make sense, but right now no human being has the necessary perspective to see the whole picture. Related Reading | Binance Burns Record $600 Million BNB In Its 15th Quarter New addition to the Bitcoin Miami lineup Even though the event is mostly sold out, the organizers dropped a huge bomb yesterday. Bitcoin Magazine and company announced an interview with the one and only Ross Ulbricht, live from jail. The Dread Pirate Roberts himself, the creator and main mind behind the legendary Silk Road marketplace in the darknet. Hate it or love it, an essential part of Bitcoins history. In a shocking verdict thats still being contested, Ulbricht was sentenced to double life imprisonment plus forty years. Wow. Itll definitively be interesting to hear what this man has to say. For the first time ever, THE original #Bitcoin OG, Bitcoin pioneer, and political prisoner, @RealRossU, sits down with @BitcoinMagazine for a recorded interview. The most important thing is that therell be a YouTube Livestream. This is the first day link, and thiss the second one. Apart from that, Bitcoinists already gave you two special reports with confirmed news, rumors, and the speakers line up. Heres the first report, and heres the second one. If you dont feel like clicking, we can assure you two things. Itll be a lightning-enabled madhouse: Apparently, therell be sumo wrestlers and UFC world champions walking around, holding their belts. Tony Hawk will speak and do his thing on a halfpipe, plus theyre selling an exclusive Bitcoin-themed skateboard only to people that attend Hawks meet and greet. Therell be a basketball tournament, a Bitcoin art gallery, and an eSports arena with Lighting based arcade games and more than 1 BTC in prizes. In fact, Everything is Lighting enabled at the conference, said Bailey. Related Reading | Binance Burns Record $600 Million BNB In Its 15th Quarter Ron Paul is speaking: The conference added Floyd Mayweather as a speaker and the community laughed and complained. Maybe they had a right to. But when Bitcoin 2021 announced Former Congressman and ex-presidential candidate Ron Paul, the reaction was a roar of approval. The title of his talk is still unknown, but the tweet promises, an important message that we need monetary freedom! BTC price chart on OKEx | Source: BTC/USDT on TradingView.com In a few days, well know if the pump is enough to move the dial One of the organizers, Joe Rodgers, is already on site. Apart from reporting that Joe Buddens Pump it Up is on repeat, hes got this to say: YOU SHOULD SEE THIS FUCKING CONFERENCE! THE WHOLE @TheBitcoinConf TEAM ARE ROCKSTARS! WE ARE NOT WORTHY! THIS IS GOOD FOR BITCOIN! Joe Rodgers (@_joerodgers) June 2, 2021 And to that, we can only say: Bring the Miami pump! pic.twitter.com/iVVg8aveAN Vijay Boyapati (@real_vijay) June 2, 2021 Let the games begin! Featured Image by Tuan Nguyen on Unsplash - Charts by TradingView | https://bitcoinist.com/will-the-bitcoin-miami-conference-be-a-catalyst-for-recovery/ |
Whats Brewing Between Anushka Sharmas Brother Karnesh Sharma and Tripti Dimri? | The second wave of coronavirus is sparing none. While we thought that we defeated the deadly bug last year but it mutated and here it is once again creating mayhem in India. The virus entered the world at the start of 2020 and ruined many families. However, amid the chaos, we also saw some good news wherein many fams were blessed with babies, which added joy in the testing times. We even saw many celebs getting preggers and giving birth to tiny tots. And as May 9 is celebrated as Mothers day around the globe, lets take a look at the new mommies from showbiz. Mothers Day Special: 11 On-Screen Mothers Of Bollywood That Define Maa In Cinema. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264063733450/what-s-brewing-between-anushka-sharma-s-brother-karnesh-sharma-and-tripti-dimri |
Did Elon Musk Just Back a Dogecoin Music Festival? | With three simple words, Elon Musk lit a fuse in the crypto community that could eventually lead to a Dogecoin-themed music festival: "Sounds kinda fun." The comment came in response to a popular Dogecoin fan account who tweeted about the fictitious DogeFest, using a photo of a music festival stage edited with the token's viral Shiba Inu meme imagery. He then started a thread to suggest what the festival would entail if it were real, such as a DJ set from Musk himself, who has long championed EDM and recently teased the sale of an NFT techno song. The page also suggested that DogeFest would require Dogecoin "as payment for everything." Once Musk chimed in, legions of crypto supporters joined the conversation to conceptualize the fest. One said that tickets should be dispensed as NFTs (non-fungible tokens), while another said that Baha Menthe group behind the iconic "Who Let The Dogs Out"should headline. It turns out, however, that planning for an unrelated Dogecoin-themed festival was already underway prior to the viral DogeFest moment. An event called Dogepalooza has been in the works since as early as May 2021, when organizers filed a trademark for the name, as first reported by Benzinga. The filing notes that the event would cover the categories of "conducting entertainment exhibitions in the nature of music festivals" and "arranging and conducting festivals featuring musical groups and rock music." Dogepalooza, which representatives called "a fun way to bring the Doge Community together to share their passion and love for Dogecoin" on the event's website, is currently being planned for fall 2021. No concrete location or dates have been announced at the time of this article's publication. Meanwhile, Dogecoin surged today on the heels of the news that the token would be listed on Coinbase's Pro platform. As of this morning it was trading at 42 cents, giving it a $54 billion market cap and making it the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market value, according to Coinbase. Trading is expected to launch tomorrow, June 3rd. Musk, an early adopter of Dogecoin, took to Twitter to celebrate the news. Earlier in the day, the hashtag #DogeCoinToADollar trended on the platform. | https://edm.com/industry/elon-musk-dogecoin-music-festival |
What does a Bennett-Lapid government mean? | (JNS) Yesh Atid Party head Yair Lapid and Yamina Party head Naftali Bennett announced on Wednesday that they have secured an agreement to form Israels next government, thereby likely ending the 12-year consecutive term of Benjamin Netanyahu as the countrys prime minister. The new government will be unprecedented in its composition, consisting of seven parties spanning the entire Israeli political spectrum, plus the backing of an Arab party for the first time. As such, questions remain over the ability to successfully govern such a disparate group of parties at a time when the country faces serious security threats stemming from Iran and its terror proxies, as well as internal social discord between Jews and Arabs. Nevertheless, most analysts JNS spoke with were hopeful, especially when it comes to improving U.S.-Israel ties. It could certainly help the mood, initially, Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum, told JNS, saying that the United States will be pleased with a government that includes left-wing members. Though he cautions, I could well see the Biden administration disappointed if the right-wing partieswhich are, in fact, more right than Netanyahuhave their way. Pipes expects the right-wing coalition partners to dominate, noting that in the negotiations on forming the coalition, the three right-wing partiesYamina, New Hope and Yisrael Beiteinuhave been in the drivers seat, and Yamina, with only seven seats, has been given the premiership. Other analysts are even more optimistic about an upswing in U.S.-Israel relations, including Shmuel Sandler, professor emeritus of Bar-Ilan University and current president of Emunah-Efrata College; Eyal Zisser, vice rector of Tel Aviv University and professor of Middle Eastern Studies; and IDF Col. (res.) Elad Shavit, senior researcher on U.S.-Israeli relations at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies. All three believe that recent U.S.-Israel tensions, which they attribute to Netanyahus close Republican ties and more confrontational approach, will subside. Shavit disapproves of Netanyahus more aggressive approach, noting as an example the prime ministers remarks on Tuesday, when he said if the choice was between friction with the United States and confronting Iran, Israel would choose to clash with its staunchest ally. Israel needs to carry out discreet strategic talks with the American administration to achieve its results and not to turn differences into a public confrontation, he said. None see major policy changes in the offing. Pipes notes that not only do right-wing coalition members like Bennett, New Hopes Gideon Saar and Yisrael Beiteinus Avigdor Liberman share the same view of the Iranian regime as Netanyahu, so do centrists like Lapid and Israels Defense Minister Benny Gantz of Blue and White. I dont imagine therell be large differences and maybe a fresh start, said Pipes. Its quite clear that Meretz and Labor are side-lined. Sandler agrees that Iran will be a continuation, more of the same. Everybody in the government understands that Iran is the big enemy, a strategic threat to Israels existence. He notes that the coalitions ideological differences act as a brake on major policy moves. Youre not going to see an Oslo here or an annexation, he said, referring to the 1992 Oslo Accords, which handed over parts of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and recent politically opposite efforts to apply sovereignty to sections of those territories. The basic policy of Israel wont change, agrees Zisser, noting also that much of Israels security policy is formulated by the Ministry of Defense and the Israel Defense Forces. Even if Bennett or Lapid wanted to enact dramatic policy changes, they wouldnt have the political capital to overrule those institutions, he says. All the pundits agree that nothing is going to change on any of the major issues confronting Israel, whether its the Palestinian conflict, Hamas, Hezbollah or the economy. Hes the one whos the glue Still, not all share a hopeful view of this new government-in-waiting. This looks to me like a car with four different wheels, and every wheel is going in a different direction, said Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Mordechai Kedar, senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. The only thing today which they agree upon is the need to get rid of Netanyahu. This objective will be achieved in the first minute of this government. So what will keep it together in the second minute? On the other hand, Sandler and Pipes see the government lasting precisely because of Netanyahu, assuming that he remains the leader of the Likud Party in the opposition. As long as Netanyahu stays in politics, I think theyre going to stick together. Hes the one whos the glue, says Sandler. Kedar acknowledges the logic of this argument, though adds that the question is which is more powerful: the struggles inside the government or the fear of Netanyahu? He continues, saying there are too many ideologically based issues and those will lead to a divorce in this unnatural marriage. He argues also that theres no escape from ideology because the voters are watching, and anyone who concedes his agenda will be seen as some kind of spineless invertebrate. Kedar foresees that the coalition partners will find themselves caught in an impossible situation. Sensitive issues are embedded in the budget, he notes, like building roads in Judea and Samaria. If Meretz agreed to such a thing, theyd actually be cutting off the branch on which they sit because according to their ideology, Israel should withdraw from those areas altogether. On the other side of the coalition are Bennett and Saar, who need to prove their right-wing bona fides precisely by building in those areas. This is why I think this government will not last more than a few weeks, says Kedar. | https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/307392 |
Did the California Teen Who Shoved a Bear Away From Her Dogs Do the Safest Thing? | People are still talking about the California teen who was captured in dramatic surveillance video shoving a bear that got too close to her dog. Hailey Morinico,17, sprang into action when she saw her four pups in trouble in the backyard at her Pasadena home. Inside Edition spoke to Hailey as she recovered from the close encounter. We brought the teen and wildlife expert Jeff Corwin together via FaceTime. You found that inner Hailey hulk to get through the situation, Corwin said. Corwin says shoving the bear was not the safest thing to do. He says the bear was only protecting its cubs something Hailey can understand, since she was protecting her dogs. I think its incredible how you reacted. I truly believe you sensed the creatures you love were in danger, Corwin said. Her encounter comes as wildlife officials warn of a rise in bear activity across the country. There was another close call over the weekend in Yellowstone National Park when a grizzly charged at a park ranger. The ranger fired off rubber bullets to scare the bear away. Experts recommend playing dead if you are ever attacked by a bear. They say to make sure to stay in place, because bears are known to wait around to make sure their victims dont get up. Related Stories | https://www.insideedition.com/did-the-california-teen-who-shoved-a-bear-away-from-her-dogs-do-the-safest-thing-67370 |
Were Donald Trumps Facebook and Instagram Accounts Restored? | Former U.S. President Donald Trumps Facebook and Instagram pages appeared to have gone back online on June 2, 2021, even as a representative for Facebook insisted that Trumps indefinite suspension from the platform remained in force. Trump was indefinitely or permanently suspended from virtually all major social media platforms in January 2021 for inciting a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 with a disinformation campaign claiming that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. In May 2021, a Facebook oversight board reviewed Trumps ban and punted the decision about whether to maintain it back to Facebook. But in the meantime, Trumps ban had remained in place. But in early June 2021, journalists posted that Trumps pages on Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram appeared to be live again, showing his last posts were dated Jan. 6. This led to a number of posts and stories incorrectly reporting Trump was back on the platforms. BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump is *BACK* on Two Major Social Media Platforms Facebook and Instagram, Becker News reported, for example. Trump is not back on Facebook and Instagram, however. His pages on those platforms are still visible, but they are frozen. He is unable to post on them, although other people are still able to post comments on his old posts. Nothing about the status of President Trumps presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended, Facebook spokesman Andy Stone wrote on Twitter. No. Nothing about the status of President Trump's presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended. Andy Stone (@andymstone) June 2, 2021 Evelyn Douek, a Harvard Law lecturer who researches online speech and regulation, tweeted that the fact that Trumps pages are visible isnt new. They have always been visible Trump simply cant post. No, it's not news that Trump's accounts are still visible on Facebook and Instagram. They always werehe just can't post. The Board talked about this in its decision as one of the reasons this was an unusual decision by Facebook. evelyn douek (@evelyndouek) June 2, 2021 Four people died on the day of the attack on the Capitol, which was preceded and followed by incendiary comments made by Trump. Three police officers involved in defending the Capitol lost their lives in the days following the attack, while roughly 140 officers were injured, some seriously. | https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-facebook-suspension/ |
What Does It Mean To Be a Compassionate Leader? | A good leader needs to be decisive, intelligent and visionary all good qualities to be sure. However, theyre not enough on their own. Truly great leaders also are compassionate. Studies have shown that compassionate leaders create stronger bonds between people and improve collaboration and trust. Compassionate leaders also are viewed as more competent and are more critical now than ever before. Compassion is made of three components: the first is an awareness that someone or a group of people is suffering. The second is responding empathetically to them. The third is taking action to help. Lets break these three elements down even more. To continue reading, visit RitaMansour.co | https://thriveglobal.com/stories/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-compassionate-leader/ |
What Does Normal Even Mean Anymore? | Being the head of an elementary school in San Francisco, I find myself wondering if I will recognize my school come September. My students have grown. Their families have changed. Our methodologies and the way educators approach curriculum has evolved. Ive watched some of my students return to campus in a hybrid capacity, and they seem to be adjusting just fine. They are thrilled to see their friends and classmates, eager to jump back into learning from their teachers in-person, bounding out of car doors and into the school building each day with a glee that feels markedly foreign. Not forced or contrivedquite genuine, in fact. But unrecognizable, nonetheless. Gone is the pang of apathy. Absent is the lethargy of routine. Completely devoid of monotony, there is an electric current of engagement that is palpable, almost tangible. To feel emotions in the tactile versus the transparent is giving me new life as an educator. I, for one, dont necessarily want my pre-pandemic normal back. I like this renewed invigoration for learning, community, and the appreciation for being in one anothers company. And, if the pandemic is responsible for being a catalyst of this change in education especially, then I tip my hat and say thank you. Lesson learned. Step One: Celebrate all that your child (and, you) have overcome in the past 15 months. Reflect and recount the obstacles triumphed and the valuable lessons learned. Help your student embed in their mindset I can do hard things because the past year has been really hard. So, in order to establish the resilience that we want to perpetuate into the Fall and beyond, create that baseline of pride in your child now. And, help them to find the silver lining in what they have learned and accomplished over the past yearbecause there are so many milestones! Step Two: Stem that summer slide with daily academic engagement. Everyone needs a break after this year, but one way to keep your child positive about coming back to school is to help them not lose all of the knowledge they acquired this year. The more secure kids feel in knowing what they need to start next year off on a strong foot, the more excited and confident they will be to walk into school each day. Families can encourage kids to read for 30 minutes, play word games, or practice fractions while baking cookies. They also might have summer assignments given to them by their teachers. Ask! Teachers love nothing more than to collaborate with parents/guardians in keeping their students engaged. Step Three: Start getting back into routine early. Everyone loves to spend the summer sleeping in and staving off the alarm clock. But, once the calendar creeps into August, start gently reintroducing the school schedule. Have a set breakfast time in the morning to start the day strong. Make a family pact around everyone being up by a certain time, and scale it back each week so on that first day of in-person learning, its not a shock to the system. Drive to school a few times to get a handle on how traffic has changed post-pandemic so that everyone knows exactly when the car needs to be locked and loaded to arrive to school on-time. Harried means haphazard which leaves everyone unhappy. I am looking forward to a not normal start of the 2021-22 school year, which hopefully involves a lot of excitement and engagement from students, teachers, and parents. I would love to see the gratitude towards educators and the deep appreciation for learning inside a classroom continue throughout the next academic year. | https://thriveglobal.com/stories/what-does-normal-even-mean-anymore/ |
Was genau versteht man unter klassischen Marketing und Werbung? | Die meisten Menschen denken beim Schlagwort Marketing oft an das Internet und die sozialen Medien. Das ist gut. Trotzdem darf man das klassische Marketing nicht vernachlssigen. Ein professioneller 3D Druckvservice kann optisch ansprechende und effektive Werbeplakate erzeugen. Daher erreichen sie sehr viele Menschen. Das gleiche gilt fr Radio und Printwerbung. Zusammen mit dem Online Marketing ergeben sie den perfekten Marketing-Mix fr das Unternehmen. Unter klassischem Marketing versteht man die Zusammenfassung smtlicher Marketing-Kanle, welche vor dem Internet genutzt worden sind. Das Offline-Marketing ist aber nicht statisch. Seit der Mensch Produkte und Dienstleistungen verkauft, macht er Reklame. Es gab bereits in der fernen Vergangenheit Werbetafeln und Marktschreier. Diese wurden als die Influencer des Mittelalters bezeichnet. Das klassische Marketing folgt der Push-Strategie. Dies bedeutet, dass der Verbraucher mit Werbung konfrontiert wird, egal ob er das will oder nicht. Die Botschaften, welche durch Telefonmarketing, Printwerbung, Zeitung oder Flyer vermittelt werden, landen immer beim Konsument. Das klassische Marketing nimmt allerdings keine Rcksicht darauf, ob dem Verbraucher die Werbung gefllt oder nicht. Klassisches Marketing muss berzeugen Der Verbraucher von heute hat sich schon lngst an eine riesige Flut von klassischen Marketingmethoden gewhnt. In der kostenlosen Zeitung findet man inzwischen mehr Prospekte und berall sieht man Plakate kleben. Unternehmen stehen dadurch vor einer groen Herausforderung. Aufgrund der Tatsache, dass die meisten Verbraucher mit viel Werbung konfrontiert werden, blenden sie die Werbung aus. Welche Kanle gehren zum klassischen Marketing? Das klassische Marketing bietet eine ganze Menge an Mglichkeiten an die Verbraucher auf die neusten Produkte aufmerksam zu machen. Printwerbung in Zeitungen und Magazinen Die klassischen Anzeigen funktionieren bis heute noch sehr gut. Entscheidend ist, dass das Unternehmen sich fr das richtige Medium entscheiden muss. Zeitungen und Magazine gibt es fr die unterschiedlichsten Zielgruppen. Es gibt professionelle Fachmagazine und Magazine fr die Hobbybastler. Man findet fr jede Branche das richtige Magazin. Werbung im Radio Radiospots stellen eine subtile Form des Marketings dar. Die meisten Hrer nehmen diese Form des Marketing nicht wahr. Das Radio hat fr das Marketing den Vorteil, dass das Unterbewusstsein diese Informationen aufnimmt. | https://www.mittelstand-nachrichten.de/verschiedenes/was-genau-versteht-man-unter-klassischen-marketing-und-werbung/ |
What Is Bryce Hall's Net Worth? | Today in People Who Are Insanely Rich, allow me to introduce Bryce Hall: TikToker, ex-boyfriend of Addison Rae, and member of the content collective Sway House. ), but as the saying goes: the bigger the drama, the bigger the platform, the bigger the paycheck. In short, Bryce is all-caps RICH. To the point where he has a financial podcast that teaches content creators how to not just get wealthy, but stay wealthy. Like, I'm 10/10 sure I want Bryce to take my money and do something with it after a deep-dive into his net worth, that's all I'm saying! He knows how to make his money work for him longterm through the age old art of investing. As of late 2020, Bryce was an angel investor (someone who provides start-up/seed money in exchange for ownership equity) in multiple companies, including Lendtable, Humaning, AON3D, and Stir. Fancy, but Bryce also knows that you make more money creating your own brand than merely supporting for someone else's. Here's what he told Forbes in 2020: "A lot of influencers think that they'll just keep a clean image and get brand deals and sell merch. They don't think long-term. They're making a lot of money right now and they're spending it. But when taxes hit and they're not poppin' anymore, they're going to freak out. These kids are selling their souls for a Bang Energy brand deal." Which brings us to... He Has His *Own* Energy Drink Attention @ everyone struggling to stay awake at work right now: Bryce has an energy drink which I'm hoping will be the fountain of youth. Its called Ani Energy, it's co-owned by Josh Richards, and I'm more than willing to ingest it at the earliest available opportunity, thanks. Ani Energy Drink, 12 oz. Can (Pack of 12) Ani Energy amazon.com $28.00 SHOP NOW This content is imported from Giphy. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Merch In October 2020, Bryce issued the following humble-brag to Forbes: "I'm doing $1 million quarterly on merch sales. That's my primary source of income. Um, okay! Anyway, said merch is called Party Animal and tragically the store is password protected at the momentbut promises to be open again soon! This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. He Has a Financial Podcast Because apparently he's some kinda business prodigy, Bryce started a podcast called Capital University all about investing. Sounds...educational! "I never really showed anybody the business side of me," he told Forbes. "That's originally why I started the podcast. Coming up from social media, and blowing up on TikTok, there was a business strategy behind that. But no one saw that. They just saw me as the problematic kid on the Internet who throws parties." This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. That'd be $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. I think we can all agree this is impressive for a 21-year-old who's been famous for approximately 5 minutesespecially since my net worth at that age was an overdraft of $50.00 and an old piece of pizza. As our dude put it to Forbes, "I'm showing people that I'm not just another 21-year-old. Sure, I party hard but at the end of the day, it's like, 'Make your money and then party hard.' Celebrate, that's the point." Cool, excuse me while I Google "how to make money and then party hard." You love keeping up with celeb news. So do we! Lets overanalyze it all together. Mehera Bonner Mehera Bonner is a news writer who focuses on celebrities and royals. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a36607488/bryce-hall-net-worth/ |
What Is Going On With Clover Health Stock? | Clover Health Investments Corp (NASDAQ: CLOV) spiked more than 13% on Wednesday in the regular session. What Happened: Clover Health stock shot up on a day when the so-called Stonks, or stocks favored by the retail investor crowd on social media, took the limelight. The health technology company dominated the top 10 trending tickers list compiled by Stocktwits. The number two position was taken by cannabis firm Tilray, Inc (NASDAQ: TLRY) followed by BlackBerry Ltd (NYSE: BB). On WallStreetBets, a Reddit forum known for carrying out short squeezes in GameStop Corporation (NYSE: GME) and AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE: AMC) shares, Clover received 444 mentions over 24 hours and was among the most mentioned stocks. The most discussed stocks on the forum were Blackberry Ltd (NYSE: BB), AMC, and GameStop, which attracted 7,916, 7,824, and 2,210 mentions, respectively. In the after-hours session on Wednesday, Clover Health shares rose 12.36% to $9.82 after ending the regular session 13.07% higher at $8.74. Why It Matters: Stonks skyrocketed Wednesday with AMC shooting up 95.22% to $62.55 and Blackberry surging 31.92% to $15.25 in the regular session.GameStop was up 13.34% to $282.24. See Also: AMC Dizzying Rally On Wednesday Took Company's Valuation Rocketing Past Rival Stonk GameStop Clover Health, which is backed by SPAC King Chamath Palihapitiya, joined the list of top trending stocks on WallStreetBets in April amid surging short interest. At press time, Clover Health had a short interest of 36.10% and was ranked at the number two spot in a list arranged by highshortinterest.com. On Wednesday, Palihapitiya launched four new SPACs targeting the biotechnology sector. Each blank-check company is seeking to raise $200 million and will not contain warrants. Read Next: GameStop Bull Roaring Kitty Roars Again On Twitter As Stonks Soar, Led by AMC | https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/21/06/21402531/what-is-going-on-with-clover-health-stock |
Is 2021 the Best Time to Buy an Electric Car? | A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today for more stories like this one, plus receive a $15 gift card to the Gear Patrol Store. After all, saying goodbye to gas is more in vogue than ever. Elon Musk has become one of the worlds richest people based on market expectations that Tesla represents the future of transportation. And governments around the globe have announced plans to ban the sale of fossil fuel cars before todays infants start drivers ed, with good reason. EVs have many advantages over internal-combustion-engined vehicles: you can refuel them at home; they require less maintenance; their torque-laden motors make them feel zippier; and, of course, they dont produce harmful emissions. Heres the thing, though: you shouldnt buy an electric car. Not yet. The Audi E-Tron GT takes on power from a charger. Courtesy This isn't to say todays EVs suck. Far from it. From Tesla to Taycan, many of the electric vehicles you can buy right now are among the most cutting-edge passenger vehicles ever sold, capable of doing everything from almost driving themselves to delivering acceleration that could make Neil Armstrong puke. And though you might know the term range anxiety as a reason to be apprehensive about electric cars, its not the issue its made out to be. Todays EVs can usually cover at least 200 miles on a charge; that may not be the equal of fossil fuel cars, but its still more than enough to handle 99 percent of the average persons needs. What remains a deal breaker in 2021, however, is another hang-up: a paucity of charging options. While there are around 168,000 gas stations in the United States, there are only around 47,000 public electric vehicle chargers in the U.S. and Canada combined. Less than 6,000 of those are fast chargers capable of substantially recharging a vehicle in under an hour and more than 1,000 of those only work with Teslas. The vast majority of chargers are Level 2 units, which can fully recharge an EV over five to 12 hours. That makes them ideal for recharging at home overnight or at the office, where cars sit stationary for hours, but not so great in the areas many of them are actually located: places like shopping malls and grocery stores, where people are in and out. Add it all up, and Americas EV infrastructure still has a long way to go before it can come close to matching gas stations. The Ford Mustang Mach-E. Courtesy The other primary obstacle: the number of electric vehicle options is still limited compared with internal-combustion options, and theyre relatively pricey for what you get. As of this storys publication, there are only 19 true EVs in U.S. showrooms. Tough luck. And even if youre shopping in a category that is fairly well-represented, like all-wheel-drive crossovers the EV equivalent of a $29,000 Honda CR-V youre looking at shelling out more than $45,000. Thankfully, the next few years should see both of these stumbling blocks fall away. On the charging front, the Biden administration aims to make EVs far more appealing through an onslaught of investment, including plans to add 500,000 charging stations across America. That would not only make electric-car ownership easier for road-tripping suburbanites, but also open up the door to EVs for city dwellers, who often dont have the luxury of a dedicated parking/charging space at home. The Volkswagen ID.4. Courtesy And by 2024, the market will be flooded with a broad array of EVs, as nearly every car company that sells in America dives into the space. Given the fast pace of EV development and the ramping up of battery tech and production, those cars will likely pack more power and range than many of the EVs you can buy today quite possibly with smaller price tags. But if youre locked into a lease or loan you signed in 2021, youll be left watching from the sidelines, grumbling under your breath every time one of those new electric Cadillacs, Fords or Mercedes-Benz EQs glides by. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/a36598737/should-you-buy-electric-car/ |
Are Hurricanes Really Getting Worse? | MIDWAY, UT, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2021 / EINPresswire.com / -- Author and climate scientist Bill Pekny says while recent severe storms may lead us to believe the answer is yes, the data doesnt back this up. He explains why the way we track and measure hurricanes is so misleading.As we approach the start of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season (June 1November 30), there is a lot of fear that these types of storms are getting more frequent and more severe. Many folks believe that warming oceans will mean more energy for these storms to absorb, which will translate to stronger and more destructive hurricanes when they make landfall.While this might make sense in theory, climate science is much more complicated in practice. Bill Pekny, author of A Tale of Two Climates: One Real, One Imaginary (Two Climates LLC, 2020, ISBN: 978-1-73493-960-6, $34.59) says that the relationship between storms and temperature is not that simple. Plus, he says, other things have changed that create the impression that hurricanes have gotten worse.One of the biggest changes is the level of property damage caused by hurricanes, notes Pekny. But thats because development has dramatically increased in tropical areas. Not the storms, but the monitoring technology.Tropical cyclones go by different names in different parts of the world. In the North Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Eastern Pacific they are called hurricanes. In the Western Pacific region, they are typhoons, and in the Indian Ocean region, they are simply cyclones.After watching and tracking these types of storms in various roles for more than 50 years, Pekny says that they havent changed much.With respect to the storms themselves, nothing has changed, he says. What has changed, however, is our satellite and radar technology, and consequently our ability to track and measure these storms globally.Prior to 1945, visual observation of tropical cyclones was spotty at best. Ships at sea and observers on land were the only ways to track tropical cyclones. And the handful of ships at sea provided the only way to be warned before these big storms made landfall.Since then, airborne observation by Navy, Air Force and NOAA Hurricane Hunters have dramatically improved position tracking and warning of these storms and hinted at their severity.What weve learned by watching storms for almost 50 years.The most significant improvement in tracking and warning arose from the deployment of geo-stationary weather satellites during the 1970s and 1980s. In parallel, the development and deployment of long-range and pulsed Doppler RADAR instrumentation enabled the measurement of tropical cyclone severity as well as further enhanced tracking capabilities.Even though there are ups and downs from time to time and region to region, when you add up all of the trends, the net change in global tropical cyclone frequency from 1970 to 2020 is zero, says Pekny.Improved global scale monitoring and data collection over the last half century shows that the climatic trend in tropical cyclone frequency is flat. And, the severity of these giant storms has not increased either. In fact, the severity, or amount of energy the storm carries, has been trending downward since reliable data became available.So why does it seem like storms are causing more damage?While Pekny says these storms are not getting worse, as mentioned earlier he recognizes that they have gotten more expensive. This is not a result of more powerful storms, however, but because we continue to build more and more high-dollar homes, hotels, and resorts in high risk coastal areas. When hurricanes do make landfall, they naturally create more property damage with higher price tags.In other words, the real culprit is more development, not more hurricanes, Pekny states. People just conflate these two issues.Where and how we build is the human factor that determines the cost to life and property, he adds. We cant control the storms, but what we can do is have productive conversations about how to prepare for them.# # #About the Author:Bill Pekny is the author of A Tale of Two Climates: One Real, One Imaginary. He holds physics M.S. and B.S. degrees from Georgia Tech and DePaul University, plus graduate study in physical meteorology and numerical analysis at Florida State University and the University of Utah, and a visiting scholar appointment at the Ginzton Laboratory of Applied Physics at Stanford University.Bills career in science spans over 50 years in the U.S. Armed Forces and the aerospace industry.His career highlights include: Project Stormfury with the U.S. Navy Hurricane Hunters; applied atmospheric physics and meteorology research; LASER RADAR development; new product testing in various atmospheric environments; aviation optics and electronics; global climate research; and more.For more information, please visit: www.twoclimates.com About the Book:A Tale of Two Climates: One Real, One Imaginary (Two Climates LLC, 2020, ISBN: 978-1-73493-960-6, $34.59) is available from major online booksellers. | https://www.einpresswire.com/article/542754609/are-hurricanes-really-getting-worse |
Do I Still Need to Wear a Mask Indoors? Is It Safe for Fully Vaccinated People? | Wracking people's brains a lot these days is knowing when it's right -- and safe -- to shed the mask indoors or in large crowds. Getting back to normal, it turns out, isn't so easy. Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather. Across the greater Philadelphia region, the only jurisdiction left where masks are actually required of fully vaccinated people indoors is in Philadelphia. But there are other places like medical facilities and on public transit where masks are still required. That doesn't mean everyone is comfortable shedding their mask just yet. The biggest variable before answering those questions is whether you are vaccinated or not. If you're not vaccinated, wear your mask all the time indoors and whenever you're in crowds outdoors. For vaccinated people in settings that fall into a gray area -- like at a packed baseball game or inside a church -- do what makes you feel comfortable as long as the rules allow. The Centers for Disease Control say vaccinated Americans have little to worry about in most indoor and outdoor settings. But if that doesn't ease your mind, Dr. Thomas Fekete, an infectious disease expert and dean of Temple University's medical school, says it never hurts to don your face mask. Still, it's not worth your time to get angry or confrontational if someone else seems to be flaunting the rules, Fekete says. "This shouldnt be a matter of great crisis. This is a public policy decision we struggled with for over a year. Some people like the tussle, the conflict. I think we need to let go of that," Fekete said. "Whatever the rules are, try to be cognizant of them. Try to follow them to maintain civility, but its not a grudge match." There only remains "a limited number of places" where fully vaccinated Americans should remain vigilant in masking, Fekete said. Some examples are: In a healthcare setting, like a hospital or nursing home, where vulnerable populations are staying or reside. On an airplane or within close quarters with strangers for hours at a time. On public transit like SEPTA. The transit agency has lifted COVID-19-related capacity limits, but mask-wearing is still required. "The vaccine is very good, excellent, but not perfect. Part of this is your perception of risk, how you handle risk," Fekete said. But for those who are fully vaccinated and in good health, he added that they needn't worry too much when they come across someone else without a mask. "Dont get mad. Its not a life and death for most people." Here are the mask-wearing rules by state and in Philadelphia: Pennsylvania Fully vaccinated people are no longer required to wear masks indoors or outdoors, as of May 31. However, one caveat is that businesses and institutions can continue to require masks in their establishments if they so choose. Those who are not vaccinated must continue to wear masks at all times indoors until June 28, or until 70% of the state's population is vaccinated, whichever comes first. There are some places where masks are still required, per state law: hospitals, nursing homes and prisons. Philadelphia Masks are still required indoors for everyone, though city officials say they are still examining the new daily case counts and could change the mask mandate as soon as June 11. Some large institutions like the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have to juggle with enforcement of face masks for the time being: in the archdiocesan churches outside of Philadelphia -- in Bucks, Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties -- parishioners don't have to wear a mask when attending Mass. In Philadelphia, Catholics still have to wear a mask at church. New Jersey The mask mandate is over, as of May 28. However, people who are not fully vaccinated are urged to continue wearing their masks for their own safety and the safety of others around them, particularly those with immuno-deficiencies. "Please be responsible and do the right thing for your own safety and your communitys safety," Gov. Phil Murphy said. Businesses and institutions in the Garden State can still enforce their own mask requirements, just like in Pennsylvania. Delaware The First State became an early adopter of the CDC's guidelines that eased the requirement of face masks in all but a few indoor settings. As of May 21, the mask mandate was lifted in Delaware except for hospitals, nursing homes and other congregant settings like prisons. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/coronavirus/do-i-still-need-to-wear-a-mask-indoors-is-it-safe-for-fully-vaccinated-people/2833488/ |
How will the Milwaukee Bucks defend Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant? | The start of the playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets on Saturday at the Barclays Center in New York will finally satiate the anticipation of an Eastern Conference match long in the making namely since Khris Middletons potential game-winning three-pointer rattled off the rim back on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A Bucks sweep of a two-game mini-series at Fiserv Forum on May 2 and 4 by three and six points, respectively, only added to the hunger. The trio did not play together in any of the games (Harden missed two, Irving one) and the loss of starting guard Donte DiVincenzo complicates matters for the Bucks. But there was one constant for the Nets, and that was Kevin Durant. In those three games, Durant scored 104 points on 37-of-76 (48.7%) shooting, including 13-for-25 (52%) from behind the three-point line. He tied a career high with seven threes May 2. He shot 17-for-20 from the free-throw line, pulled down 28 rebounds and had 14 assists. The Bucks also forced him into 11 turnovers. BOSTON SHAKE-UP:For Ainge, Stevens, Celtics, it was time to move on STAR TURN:Hawks' Young rising to the occasion in first career playoffs PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:Matchups, results, game times and TV information And while this isn't meant to overlook Harden and Irving, how the Bucks can counteract Durant's sheer scoring ability will play a big role in if they can advance out of the series. To be clear, the Bucks know they cannot stop one of the games all-time elite scorers from filling up the basket. Their one goal, recited over and again from head coach Mike Budenholzer down to the Bucks own "big three" of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday before and after each of the regular-season games, is to simply "make it tough" on the 32-year-old four-time scoring champion. Now, there is technical nuance in that of course. "Hes 7-feet with a clip," Holiday said. "Obviously you just gotta do what you can. Keep your hands back, but at the same be aggressive. Any chance you can get to kind of get a hand on the ball or shade him a certain way that for us might be more comfortable, try to get little advantages like that." But while there may be a plan for specific coverages, that can all go out the window once the game goes live because: A) Durant can break a coverage on his own and B) Harden and Irving could collapse it in another area. So, really, defending Kevin Durant over the course of a series requires effort, and help. "We gotta show a lot of bodies, we gotta show hands, be active and when we see him pulling up we gotta try to contest it with the closest man," Antetokounmpo said. And while it will be unknown how the Bucks use their personnel and when with Irving and Harden on the court with Durant, its safe to say that Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday and P.J. Tucker will all get their shots at him. In the first game in Brooklyn, Holiday and Middleton had their turns. On May 2 it was Holiday, Middleton and Tucker. On May 4 it was Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Tucker. Of course, other Bucks were mixed into defending Durant depending on the flow off transition or switches and they will be in this series but those four players will likely get the bulk of the work. For what it is worth, Durants field-goal percentage dipped in each regular-season game played against the Bucks, from 50% on Jan. 18 to 48.5% on May 2 to 47.6% on May 4. "Its extremely tough," Middleton said of defending Durant. "Youve got a guy whos pretty much the same size as Giannis with unlimited range. Hell shoot over you. I dont know if Giannis will shoot over you from three unless he has to, but youve got a guy like KD, hes a guy who that will just pull up in your face like youre not there. All you want to do is try to contest and try to change his shot and hope he misses." It may not seem like much, but in a regular-season series decided by an average of 3.6 points one extra miss can make all the difference in going home or heading to the Eastern Conference Finals. "We have to show our length, be physical without fouling just to make it tough in every type of situation," Middleton said. An intangible that will make this effort perhaps that much more difficult than the regular season is that Durant is also one of the games all-time playoff performers. Hes played in four NBA Finals with two different franchises, won two titles, earned two Finals Most Valuable Player awards. To go with his 29.2 career playoff scoring average, hes scored 30 or more points 65 times. Hes also had 39 double-doubles. Lest anyone think he wouldnt score as much with Harden and Irving on the court, Durant started off his Brooklyn playoff career by averaging 32.6 points per game on 54.6% shooting from the field and 50% from behind the three-point line against Boston. Perhaps the one thing the Bucks can do that they didnt show a ton of in the regular season is have Antetokounmpo spend time defending Durant. Its a tall ask, but it was one he embraced May 4. "Its part of who I am and its part of growth," Antetokounmpo said after that game. "And at the same time theres going to be time that Ive got to guard the best player on the other team and I was able to do that to start of the game and take the challenge of guarding him and tried to make it as tough as possible on him." That growth bloomed last series, as Antetokounmpo drew Jimmy Butler for 19 minutes, 55 seconds over four games per the leagues tracking stats. His next closest guard in terms of minutes was Trevor Ariza at 5:28. Butler scored just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting. He handed out 10 assists and turned the ball over four times in those minutes. Now, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will have to do it again with a more lethal scorer. "When you play against the best in basketball, of course youre going to be drained," Antetokounmpo said. "Its playoff basketball and if you want to be great, its going to hurt a little bit. So you gotta be mentally prepared for that. "But at the end of the day, going into the first series coach wanted me on Butler and I wanted that challenge. Obviously hes one of the best players on the Miami team, its a challenge that I wanted. I think as a team I wasnt the only one that got a chance on Jimmy. P.J. got a chance on Jimmy. I think Jrue got a chance on Jimmy. As a team I think we did a great job on him. "But now, going against KD, James Harden and all those guys, I think everybodys going to have a chance on them. Were going to play at least our games so, were going to try to throw things at them to see what works. Game 1 might be me. Game 2 might be Khris. Game 3 might be P.J. Were just going to see how it works. "When you go against them, its a challenge. As I said, its going to hurt to do it, but at the end of the day greats can never get bored. Youve got to do it over and over and over again. That the only way you can not stop them because theres no way you can stop them you can just make it as tough as possible for them." Follow Jim Owczarski on Twitter @JimOwczarski. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2021/06/02/how-bucks-defend-kevin-durant-nets-nba-playoffs/7517776002/ |
What do I need to do to buy a franchise? | Investing in a franchise is a great way to run your own business whilst gaining support from an experienced team of professionals. Franchising is popular because businesses are able to run under recognisable brand names and use strategies that have been proven to be successful by franchisees before them. When you invest in a franchise, you are paying to use a brands name, marketing materials, training methods and much more, which means that you will have more time to spend on other aspects of your business for it to become a success. At a first glance, investing in a franchise may seem fairly straightforward, however, there are a few important things to consider before making your purchase to ensure that the franchise you are investing in is the right one for you. This article will tell you what you need to do to buy a franchise. Grow your money The first thing to set straight before buying into a franchise is your financial situation. All franchises will have a minimum investment that you will have to pay, but you will also need extra capital available to create cash flow in your business. For this reason, it is not wise to spend your whole budget on the minimum investment- this is not the only expense that you will have to deal with when buying a franchise! You should take time to ensure that you are financially comfortable and that you have a budget larger than the minimum investment of a franchise before buying into it. Many franchises will ask to see evidence of available capital before making a deal with you. Its worth noting that many banks can assist with franchising finance but finance assistance can vary from franchise to franchise. A good way to provide evidence of extra capital is to set up external sources of income that could provide for you and your business whilst things come together. No business will become a success overnight, so having another source of income will ensure that you and your family are covered and will also provide you with the capital that you need to run your franchise business. Franchises may also have a credit score requirement. Credit scores provide proof to the franchisor that you are able to handle finances well; this is a strong indicator of someone who will be able to run a successful business. Do your research There are many great franchise opportunities out there, so you shouldnt just settle for the first one that fits your budget. All franchises will offer slightly different benefits to the businesses who invest in them; its worth doing some research to find out exactly what different franchises could offer to you. It is also worth thinking about what it is that you want from a franchise when you invest in them. Some franchises may have a higher investment price but will offer more support and training than those with lower investment prices, whereas for others, the initial investment price will pay no weight whatsoever on the support that you receive. If you are experienced in the world of business, you may be able to afford to invest in lower-priced franchises that offer less help to your business. If you are a complete novice, it is advised that you seek out franchise opportunities that will offer your business full guidance and support along the way. You should also research the history, audience, trends and competitors of each franchise that you consider buying into. Sometimes, research may bring up statistics, reviews or trends that could make you aware of the risk of investing in a particular franchise before its too late. You should be finding the answers to questions such as, Has this company ever been involved in a scandal?, Is this company transparent/trustworthy?, Are the products/services sold by this company still relevant and is there an opportunity for growth? and How does this company perform in comparison to its competitors?. Send out applications Buying a franchise is not as easy as adding it into your cart and clicking buy now. Franchisors will receive interest from potential buyers every single day who all want to become part of their franchise. Therefore, many franchises will ask buyers to go through an application process that allows the franchisor to pick out the best business partners to work with. Franchises go through this process to filter out poor applicants who dont quite fit the requirements to be a successful franchisee. When filling out the application forms, make sure that your answers are completely honest and accurate- it may be tempting to give answers that seem correct (instead of truthful answers) but this will just cause you problems in the long run. Filling out the applications honestly and in detail will give the franchisor a good view of your personality and will help them to figure out whether you would do well running a business with them. If your application is successful, you will be invited to an interview with the franchisors representative to discuss moving things forward. There are a wide range of franchises for sale, from food and takeaway franchises to cleaning franchises where you never actually do any cleaning yourself. There are a wide range of businesses just waiting to be discovered, so get your foot on the franchising ladder today and take your first steps to a more promising future. 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Is Aunt Polly actress Helen McCrory in the final season? | Fans who have followed the Shelby family for years cant wait to see what lies ahead Peaky Blinders Season 6. So far weve seen Cillian Murphy play the role of head of household Thomas Shelby, and his Aunt Polly Gray has served as the matriarch. But Polly actor Helen McCrory passed away in 2021, leaving fans wondering if Polly will make any appearances in the new season. RELATED: Peaky Blinders: Fans Completely Missed Those Easter Eggs Hidden In The Episodes Weve been following Tommy Shelbys journey since Season 1 and Peaky Blinders Season 6 could show off Tommys crisp professional facade even more. And we cant forget that behind every strong male character on the show is a smart woman who makes her own moves. Aunt Polly Gray has her moments of weakness, but she is motivated by the love she has for her family. And shes definitely giving Tommy a bang for his buck. She is Tommys aunt on his fathers side, and she helped run the Shelby family business when Tommy and the other Shelby brothers fought in World War I. When John, Arthur, and Tommy return from World War I, they take over the Shelby family. company with Tommy at the helm but Polly always stays close to Tommy and advises him on his decisions. As Tommy and Polly clash, Tommy usually trusts her with some all-important information. However, Aunt Pollys son Michael Gray put some distance between her and Tommy. While Polly is loyal to Tommy, she also adores Michael and wants to see him succeed and eventually take over the family business. Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory & Cillian Murphy attend Peaky Blinders Premiere | Anthony Harvey / Getty Images Aunt Polly fans want to know if shell be in it Peaky Blinders Season 6. Sadly, McCrory passed away in April 2021 from cancer, Daily mail reports. Very few people knew [about her diagnosis], and I only did that because we were planning to transfer a show to Broadway and had to cancel it because she was in treatment, said McCrorys friend Carrie Cracknell. She was my closest colleague on Peaky, and one of the best actors Ive ever worked opposite, Murphy said. The Guardian. Any material, any scene, she made it special. She could do power and vulnerability, one after the other. I was a little impressed with the way she lived her life the way she balanced her work and family so well. Filming for the season began in January 2021. Given McCrorys ambition, theres a good chance she shot at least a few episodes early on. Creator Steven Knight also planned for Aunt Polly to make it all the way, Daily Express Remarks. But the official Peaky Blinders Instagram does not note if McCrory has any scenes in the new seasons. We may have to wait to find out. Given that filming for the season began in January 2021, it looks like we wont see the new season until late 2021 or early 2022. A few rumors suggest the first episodes could be released as early as September 2021. But director Anthony Byrne gave his own schedule. . If we started filming in January (2021), we wouldnt finish until May or June, then well need another six months of editing, he said. Digital spy. Its likely that it will take even longer for the show to hit Netflix as well. But were more excited than ever to see what happens with the Shelby family in the future. Check Showbiz cheat sheet on Facebook! | https://exbulletin.com/entertainment/961275/ |
Which Server does RakaZone Gaming play GTA 5 RP on? | GTA 5 RP has been gaining immense popularity in recent times. One of the biggest GTA 5 RP streamers in India is RakaZone Gaming. He role-plays as his GTA RP character "Mr. Raka Margela" and streams it to a subscriber base of 411,000. GTA RP can be played on various modded role-play servers. However, RakaZone Gaming being one of the most popular GTA 5 RP streamers, his fanbase often wonders which server he plays on so that they can also join the server and play with him. RakaZone Gaming on the Subversion RP 2.0 server RakaZone Gaming mostly frequents the Subversion RP 2.0 India/Pakistan server. He is a prominent member of Subversion RP (SVRP) server and even mentions the server's name in the title of his GTA 5 RP videos he has made while playing on this server. Subversion RP server is a very popular GTA 5 role-playing server in India as a lot of GTA RP content creators including RakaZone Gaming play on this server. The server has a strict whitelisting process which needs to be completed in order to access the server and start role-playing. The whitelisting process starts with the player filling out a questionnaire consisting of questions about the server rules, community guidelines, their role-play character name, their character backstory, role-play etiquette and subjective questions like what does role-play mean to the player. Along with these, the player will be presented with a few hypothetical situations and they will have to explain what their GTA role-play characters will do in those situations. After the questionnaire is filled, an interview round will take place in which players will be interviewed by the Subversion RP Discord moderators. Players that make it past this round will be given to the Subversion RP server and can start role-playing on the server. Other than Subversion RP 2.0, RakaZone Gaming used to play on the Legacy RP server but left the server because of the rules being too strict. RakaZone Gaming has also played on the Exo Life RP server a few times but it is not likely players will find him there now. Also read: 5 most popular GTA 5 RP servers in India as of 2021 Edited by david.benjamin | https://www.sportskeeda.com/gta/which-server-rakazone-gaming-play-gta-5-rp-on |
Is Optimism Detrimental for the Climate Crisis? | Last week, oil majors suffered a slew of defeats, both in the courts and in shareholder battles, and the Australian government was also found legally responsible for the well-being of future generations. It prompted some within the climate movement to declare that the game had changed and to grapple with a feeling thats sometimes in short supply: optimism. True, ice caps are melting faster than ever. Yes, national and international climate pledges are still far short of what they need to be. And yet, there is undoubtedly a temptation to declareas Christiana Figueres recently wrote for CNNthat the wind is now at our backs, at least in terms of mainstream culture taking this threat seriously. It all gave me a certain sense of dj vu. Way back in 1997, I was a young undergraduate student. I was deeply involved in environmental activism and concerned even then about the growing threat of climate change. While we protested and wrote letters, planted trees, and (occasionally) blocked roads, we were up against a media and political narrative that suggested resistance was largely pointless. So-called "developing" countries would just keep developing, and already industrialized nations would never sacrifice their economies for the sake of spotted owls. And yet the Kyoto Protocol was signed that year, to much fanfare. And even the cynical, anti-establishment hippy in me breathed a tentative sigh of relief. After all, if our political leaders could recognize that there is no healthy economy without a healthy environment, they would surely now have to enact reforms and incentives, penalties and policies that would gradually start moving the needle in the right direction. Well, some of us are old enough to know how that worked out. On March 28, 2001, then-president George W. Bush effectively torpedoed the Kyoto Protocol, and international climate politics never quite looked the same again. And yet that wasnt the last time we felt this thing called hope. We saw, for example, a huge upsurge in support for climate action when former vice president Al Gores "An Inconvenient Truth" was released, with even Newt Gingrich posing for an ad with Nancy Pelosi, and calling for government-level change: Once again, I was left optimistic that things would be different. And yet, that optimism didnt last either. Gingrich would later call the ad the single stupidest thing he had done in his career, and the decade or so that followed was marked by deep political polarization, international discord, and a failed climate treaty in Copenhagennot to mention a concerted political effort to undermine the very real societal benefits of clean energy. Still, an incurable optimist, while I understand the temptation, I would urge us all not to give up on the sense that things might be turning for the better. But I would also argue that we cannot allow optimism to turn into complacency. The real truth is that this fight was always going to be messy, it was always going to be contested, and the progress made was never going to make itself known in obvious or linear trendscertainly not in real-time. The fact is that incredible progress has indeed been made since 1997. Weve seen the cost of renewable energy plummet. Weve seen carbon emissions fall dramatically in some nations. Weve seen the coal industry collapse in many quarters and the politics of fossil fuels have shifted as a result. Yes, these trends are not yet manifesting in a global reduction in emissions just yet, but they are exactly what would need to be happening just before such a reduction in emissions became apparent. And that, really, is the lesson. Optimism is only warranted if we use it to drive further, faster, and deeper. In other words, we need to transform it into determination. Its healthy to celebrate our victories. And its good to take a break from the relentlessly bleak headlines about the ongoing crisis. But we also need to recognize that we have a terrifying amount of work left to do. While once upon a time the Kyoto Protocols could have kickstarted a concerted and somewhat manageable effort to transition our economies, that luxury is no longer with us. As risk analysis consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft recently warned investors and institutions, a "disorderly transition" to a low carbon future is now all but inevitable. So yes, the optimism I felt as a teenage activist was possible grossly misplacedor at the very least incomplete. And yet that same spark is something I refuse to give up on now. Instead, this time, I am determined to transform it into (renewable) fuel for real, sustained change. That means supporting organizations that hold our governments and the powerful to account. It means continuing to speak out for bold and aggressive climate action and environmental justice. And it means finding my place within a movement that is bigger and more complex than any one of us can even understand. OK, lets get back to work. | https://www.treehugger.com/what-use-is-climate-optimism-5187184 |
Will RIs plan to withdraw PLTU disrupt the contract? | Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia The government and PT PLN (Persero) plan to phase out coal-fired steam power plants (PLTUs) from 2025 in order to become carbon neutral by 2060. In response to this, the Director of Engineering and Environment of the Electricity Branch of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Wanhar said the PLTU should be retired in accordance with the duration of the contract for each production unit. Indeed, it is better to retire according to the age of the contract or Power purchase contract (PPP) per unit of production (descending), he told CNBC Indonesia on Wednesday (6/2/2021). Regarding future implementation, Wanhar said the ESDM ministry team was still in more detailed discussions with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK). Currently, it is still in discussion between the team of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, he explained. Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said they would ban the new PLTU project proposed in the Power Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) for 2021-2030. Luhut also revealed that the government will immediately withdraw coal-fired power plants, especially as the world is now starting to ditch fossil fuels and switch to new and renewable energies. Recently fossil fuels to be a common enemy (the world). Gradually, the government also wants to retire Power plant coal, he said at the virtual Indonesian Investment Forum 2021 on Thursday (5/27/2021). He said the number of countries leaving the PLTU project was also marked by the large number of financial institutions or global banks that were no longer willing to finance fossil fuel-based development. Because global warming makes the Earth hotter. So if it goes up to 1.5 degrees, it will have a negative impact, he explained. Darmawan Prasodjo, Senior Vice President of PLN, also explained that in order to be carbon neutral in 2060, PLN will start replacing PLTU and Gas Engine Power Plants (PLTMG) with new energy-based power plants. renewable (EBT) of 1.1 Giga Watt GW. ) in 2025. We wake up chronology, namely 2025-2030, the new PLTU has been banned, we even hope that in 2025 there will be replacement (replacement) PLTU and PLTMG with EBT power plants , he explained during a hearing meeting (RDP) with Commission VII DPR RI, Thursday (05/27/2021). After that, his party aims to withdraw phase I of the subcritical PLTU with a capacity of up to 1 GW by 2030. By 2030 retirement (retreat) the first phase of 1 GW sub-critical, he added. Then, the withdrawal of the subcritical phase II PLTU with a capacity of 9 GW in 2035 is continued. And in 2040, it is planned to be able to withdraw the supercritical PLTU of 10 GW. Meanwhile, phase I of the ultra supercritical PLTU is expected to be withdrawn in 2045 of 24 GW and the last ultra supercritical PLTU of 5 GW can be withdrawn in 2055. Retirement The ultra supercritical PLTU can be implemented incrementally from 2045 to 2056, and at the end it can achieve carbon neutrality in 2060, he said. [Gambas:Video CNBC] (Yes) | https://exbulletin.com/politics/961277/ |
Where is Jokowis side in eradicating corruption? | JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com President Joko Widodo should step up his attitude and support for efforts to eradicate corruption. In addition, there is currently a controversy over national analysis test (TWK) against the officers Corruption Eradication Commission (NCP). After 75 employees were declared unsuccessful in the process of changing their status as civil servants (ASN), 51 employees of the KPK would finally be dismissed because they were considered red and could not be placed. This move is seen as contrary to Jokowis statement that TWK is not immediately used as a basis for dismissing KPK employees. Jokowi also endorsed the consideration of the Constitutional Court (MK) in the decision to test Law No. 19 of 2019 on the Second Amendment to the KPK Law which states that the process of transfer of status must not infringe on rights. employees. Also Read: KPK Wont Publish Names Of Employees Who Did Not Pass TWK Thanks for reading Kompas.com. Get insight, inspiration and preview of E-mail you. Register now E-mail In addition, the deactivation of 75 employees who failed the TWK has also been suspected of weakening efforts to root out corruption. Because, among the employees who did not succeed there were investigators and investigators of major cases. Ita Khoiriyah, one of 75 KPK employees who failed the TWK, said Jokowi should make a stronger statement. Because the decision to dismiss 51 agents is considered a form of dissent or insubordination. Jokowi needs to make a stronger statement. Jokowis previous statement seems to be interpreted differently. If you look at the announcement of the 25th yesterday, its mistrust, Tata, his nickname, said when contacted. Kompas.com, Tuesday (1/6/2021). 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 | https://exbulletin.com/politics/961334/ |
Is 1982 the Greatest Movie Year Ever? | Fans of Star Trek might recognize the name, Mark A. Altman. Perhaps they might know him as the person who co-wrote the Star Trek, The Fifty-Year Mission books or as half of the creative force behind the cult classic Free Enterprise. Some might remember his name from his podcast, Inglorious Treksperts, which he co-hosts with Daren Dochterman. Either way, Altman has the geek-cred and creative firepower to make fans happy. This includes his sci-fi show Pandora, which appears on The CW and Amazon Prime. Mark A. Altmans Serious Geek Cred Pandora CW TrailerPandora CW Trailer 2019-07-03T03:34:23Z Altmans latest project is one that fans can get behind and get involved with. He and some of his close allies in the entertainment industry are coming together to make a film that honors 1982. That year, according to Altman, might just be the most significant year for movies of all time. If its not the greatest year in general, then Altman says that it certainly was for geeks. In a recent interview with Trek Report, Altman spoke at length on this new project. Trek fans know well that 1982 is the year that Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was released. That significance is one of the primary motivators for Altman. Altmans Quest to Honor 1982 MARK A. ALTMAN | Writer/Producer of Free Enterprise | CNF #40Today, we are honored to be joined by Mark A. Altman, writer/producer of Free Enterprise and the showrunner of CW's hit sci-fi series Pandora. He's also got an excellent Star Trek podcast with Daren Dochterman (Star Trek: The Motion Picture Director's Edition) called Inglorious Treksperts. . Find him on social media at: @markaaltman Find 2020-06-11T01:01:00Z With 2022 being the 40th anniversary [of Wrath of Khan], I realized it was time to do something while many of the key creators were still with us, Altman told Trek Report. Together with Roger Lay, Jr., who produced and edited most of the incredible Star Trek bonus features over the years and film critic Scott Mantz along with my Pandora producing partner Tom Vitale, we decided, to quote Nanculus, theres never been a better time. And we realized that while we could help pay for production, wed need to raise more money to cover a lot of the expenses in terms of clip licenses, insurance, legal, travel, and it was Tom who strongly encouraged us to pursue Kickstarter, Altman said in the interview. The film, 1982: The Greatest Geek Year Ever will encompass many of the well-known films which debuted that year, including TRON, Poltergeist, Dark Crystal, Conan the Barbarian, The Road Warrior, Blade Runner, and The Thing. But Altman promises that other movies, many of which are lesser-known, will be featured as well. You also had the first film Paul Newman won an Oscar for, The Verdict, and Costa-Garvas Missing, which are two personal favorites as well, said Altman in the interview. Any way you cut it, [it was] pretty spectacular. 1982: A Movie Year That Is Hard to Top Top 10 Movies from 1982.These are the top 10 movies from 1982 you must watch and shouldn't miss. We publish 1 or more Top 10s daily. Subscribe our channel for new updated top 10 lists every day. Top Picked is making Top 10 lists on covering Pop Culture, Celebrity, Movies, Music, TV, Film, Video Games, Politics, News, Comics and 2019-09-26T12:34:41Z Expect to learn about the impact of films like Tootsie, Diner, 48 Hours, Rocky 3, First Blood, and even Firefox in the documentary. Unlikely to get lost in the list of hits in 1982 is one of the highest-grossing motion pictures of all time E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Steven Spielbergs entry into the early 80s space race certainly is remembered, and Altman and his team will put the legacy of E.T. into perspective. But, as an official Trekspert, one can imagine that The Wrath of Khan will receive the high praise it deserves from Altman in his film. Star Trek II was considered a big success that year, particularly relative to its cost, Altman said in the interview. The whole reason Paramount produced Star Trek II through the TV division was to keep cost overruns to a minimum, unlike with the first film. As such, it was much more profitable for the studio than The Motion Picture. Altman said that the Kickstarter campaign will officially begin this Friday. He said that fans who contribute to 1982 will be eligible for special perks, including autographed copies of [his] books. READ NEXT: How One of the Worst Star Trek Films Became Its Most Significant | https://heavy.com/entertainment/star-trek/1982-geekiest-movie-year/ |
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