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Who Is Responsible For COVID-19 Nursing Home Deaths In MI? | Media coverage on the issue is not widespread. Nonetheless, questions about sending people who contracted the COVID-19 virus in Michigan into nursing and long-term care facilities remain a hot-button issue in the state. A State Senate Committee is still probing for answers to key questions. And the Whitmer Administration just settled a court case relating to the situation. Neither provides a solid foundation for the Governor to defend her virus precautions that have been issued through several state departments. Many of those virus rules have been reduced or eliminated in the past two weeks. More are set to fall to the wayside on the first of July. Get our free mobile app The Michigan State Senate Oversight Committee was forced to issue formal document requests to the Whitmer administration in early March. At stake, information and evidentiary documents issued internally by the state surrounding the entire picture of COVID patients being sent to nursing and long-term care facilities. The best estimates are that about one-third of the deaths in Michigan connected to COVID-19 happened at those facilities. Many state lawmakers contend that never should have been allowed to take place. They place the blame solely on Governor Gretchen Whitmer and several state department heads working in concert with the Governors office on the virus controls imposed on the state without consultation or support of the state legislature. Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charlie LeDuff is winning a conciliatory court settlement agreement with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. This development is connected with the state failing to provide public records about the circumstances. LeDuff has been represented by the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. An attorney involved with the case from the Center is saying there is every reason to believe the state has undercounted, potentially on purpose, the full extent of the deaths connected to the virus since the outbreak began early last year. The Center and reporter LeDuff continue to probe the available data, along with searching for additional information to bring the full picture to light. | https://wbckfm.com/who-is-responsible-for-covid-19-nursing-home-deaths-in-mi/ |
What is oil cleansing and how is it a MIRACULOUS way to get rid of acne and unclog pores? | Try out this new popular way to unclog your pores for clean, soft and supple skin. When one talks about cleansing, the first thing that comes to mind is a clean face that has just gotten rid of all the excess oil and dirt. But according to Koreans, using oil on your face not only cleans your face but also extracts the dirt and dissolves all the sebum. The basic idea behind this is that water-based cleansers can only get rid of all the dirt on the upper layer of the skin but oils can get rid of pesky makeup, excess sebum, pollutants and dead skin cells. Based on the oils you are choosing, it can also have healing properties while also boosts skin health. Based on your skin type, choose an oil that works best for you. Olive oil is a great choice for dry skin while jojoba and castor oil work well for acne prone skin. 1. Take teaspoon of oil on your hands and apply it all over your clean face. 2. Gently massage the oil in circular motions. Dont not use harsh motions or apply excessive pressure. 3. Keep on adding a few drops of oil if you think your skin is getting excessively dry. 4. Massage until you find black dirt pockets getting sucked out of your pores. As nasty as it looks, your skin is getting rid of all the dirt and grime from under the layers. 5. Once you think your skin starts to feel clean (probably after 7-10 minutes of massaging) wash your face with lukewarm water and mild face wash. 6. Pat it dry and apply a moisturiser. Points to remember: - When you try a new skincare method, purging is common. It means your skin is reacting to the method and getting rid of all the toxins. - Your skin will feel hydrated, soft and supple, almost like a baby. -. Make sure to pick an oil that works best for your skin type. This is a very important step to consider before oil cleansing. - A mild sensation is common during and after oil cleansing but if you think it is unbearable, stop it. - Make sure to do a patch test and consult your dermatologist before trying the method. For more Fashion & Beauty updates: Follow @pinkvillafashion Also Read: 2 Easy and effective ways to remove blackheads at the comfort of your home Credits :getty images Share your comment | https://www.pinkvilla.com/fashion/beauty/what-oil-cleansing-and-how-it-miraculous-way-get-rid-acne-and-unclog-pores-763254 |
What will summer hold after the hottest start to June in 42 years? | After the hottest start to June in 42 years in Seattle and the third hottest overall with temperatures reaching 86 and 85 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday cooler marine air is on the way with relief, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature on Thursday will likely be 10 to 15 degrees cooler with highs in the low to mid-70s, the weather service said. With a high of 86 Tuesday & 85 today this is the warmest 1st 2 days in June in Seattle in 42 years ( 85 & 88 1979 ) & the 3rd warmest 1st 2 days of June on record including the Federal Building records back to the 1890s. Marine air on the way. Highs 10-15 cooler Thurs. #wawx NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 3, 2021 Rain is expected to return by the weekend, especially on Sunday when the high temperature is predicted to be near 60 degrees. The last time June started so hot was in 1979 when temperatures in the first two days of June hit 85 and 88 degrees, the weather service said on Twitter. Those first two days in 79, though, were not harbingers of a hotter summer overall, the weather service said. The rest of the summer featured nearly normal temperatures in June and July, a very cool August and near normal temperatures again in September, the weather service said. June was dry in 1979, but July through September had near normal rainfall, said NWS Seattle. Morning clouds coast with areas of morning clouds inland today. Cooler with highs around 10 degrees cooler than Wednesday for the interior. Rain returning to the forecast for the weekend especially Sunday where highs will be only near 60. #wawx pic.twitter.com/maaDNdF3Be NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) June 3, 2021 Washington had its fourth driest March and April since 1895 and statewide, Washington got about half the normal precipitation in March and April, said Karin Bumbaco, assistant state climatologist at the University of Washington. That dry weather, in months that usually are wringing wet, is of concern to the state Department of Natural Resources thats projecting significant wildfire potential for the central and eastern regions of the state beginning this month. | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/what-will-summer-hold-after-the-hottest-start-to-june-in-42-years/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
What do Dr Faucis emails reveal about the early days of the Covid pandemic? | For Americans, Dr Anthony Fauci, the experienced director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been the face of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. While the president, Donald Trump, dismissed and downplayed the threat of Covid-19, insisting it would miraculously disappear and that it was just the Democrats new hoax to undermine him, pushing back against the need to lock down for fear of tanking the economy in an election year, Dr Faucis scientific perspective on the crisis provided a vital counterpoint. While, Mr Trump sparred with journalists in the White House Rose Garden and declined to wear a face mask, Dr Fauci, aimed to keep the public informed, making endless media appearances and shrugging off both the presidents jealous mockery of his growing celebrity and criticism from the far-right of the Republican Party. Now we know, thanks to the release of a huge tranche of his private emails sent between January and June 2020. Freedom of information requests sent by BuzzFeed News, The Washington Post and CNN saw the former granted access to 3,200 pages of emails fired off by Dr Fauci in the first six months of last year. The Post also received 866 pages sent in March and April 2020 when the coronavirus first arrived in North America and CNN obtained a number of emails from last February, although many were heavily redacted. Entertaining the Wuhan lab leak theory Among the most interesting revelations from the dispatches is that Dr Fauci took the idea that Covid-19 might have been man-made at least semi-seriously. The claim that the Chinese government had bioengineered the virus in a laboratory and released it, perhaps by accident, was until recently, when Joe Biden ordered US intelligence services investigate the possibility, roundly dismissed as a Sinophobic conspiracy theory. But an email was sent to Dr Fauci on 16 April 2020 by Dr Francis Collins, director of the US National Institute of Health, under the subject line conspiracy gains momentum and containing a link to a news story highlighting a Fox News report that said the allegation had merit. The recipients response to Mr Collins is entirely redacted, but its existence at least tells us that the theory was on his radar and being taken into consideration, even if only with a view to debunking it. Declining to criticise Trump This is White House in full overdrive and I am in the middle of it, Dr Fauci wrote in one email from 2 February, summarising the frantic atmosphere in the West Wing as reminiscent of post-anthrax days. But the drama in the corridors of power did not lead the doctor to criticise the commander-in-chief. In fact, the emails find Dr Fauci at pains to insist his public remarks were not being censored by President Trump or his administration. I understand Vice President [Mike] Pence has ordered you to not inform the public about Coronavirus without approval, one member of the public wrote to him in February 2020 after tracking down his email address. This is quite terrifying, especially since Trump has already shown his desire to spread false or incomplete information about this public health crisis. I actually have not been muzzled at all by the Vice President, Dr Fauci told her in his response. The emails revealed Dr Fauci was prepared to answer the concerns of total strangers, as well as those of politicians, the leaders of major professional organisations and prominent figures like Mark Zuckerberg, Melinda Gates and actress Morgan Fairchild. Doubts over face masks Taking the time to offer personal advice to former US Health and Human Services secretary Sylvia Burwell on 5 February, Dr Fauci is seen expressing doubt over the efficacy of shop-bought masks. Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection, he wrote. The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out the virus, which is small enough to pass through the material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keeping out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you. I do not recommend that you wear a mask, particularly since you are going to a very low risk location. Exhaustion Among the thousands of emails hitting the experts inbox, many expressed friendly concern for his own wellbeing and the personal toll the crisis was taking on him. I am really tired. Not much sleep these days, he confided to a journalist on 4 February. Howard Bauchner, editor-in-chief of The Journal of the American Medical Association, asked him a day later about whether his workload was already becoming excessive. Am hanging in there, Dr Fauci replied. Feels like my internship and first year residency when I was on every other night and every other weekend, but actually never left the hospital because the patients were so sick. When Chinese health official George Gao wrote to him on 8 April regretting his being attacked in the media by irritational opponents, the doctor replied three days later: Thank you for your kind note. All is well despite some crazy people in this world. He was presumably not alluding to the president. Bemusement at growing celebrity Dr Fauci also expresses discomfort at his blossoming international fame in the emails, which saw Listen to the science and Fauci for president yard signs pop up across the US and his likeness plastered on T-shirts, socks, bobblehead dashboard toys and even prayer candles. He described the prospect of Fauci doughnuts going on sale as: Truly surrealistic. Hopefully this all stops soon... It is not at all pleasant, that is for sure. Writing to another colleague on 8 April, he supplied a link to a story he found particularly absurd with the note: Click on the Cuomo Crush and Fauci Fever link below. It will blow your mind. Our society is really totally nuts. He did, however, greatly enjoy Brad Pitts impersonation of him on Saturday Night Live (SNL) that same month. One reviewer of the SNL show said that Pitt looked exactly like me. That statement made my year, Dr Fauci wrote to a colleague, beaming at the compliment. BuzzFeeds Natalie Bettendord and Jason Leopold summarise Dr Anthony Faucis correspondence as courteous, low-key, and empathetic. For Tara McKelvey of the BBC, the response from the American public is likely to be as divided as ever: Faucis emails are like a Rorschach ink blot: what you see in them reveals more about you than the ink blot, or, in this case, the emails. Others, such as Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, will likely find fault in Dr Faucis correspondence. The Georgia firebrand, who tried to launch a bill in April calling for the directors salary to be slashed as punishment for his flip-flopping advice during the pandemic, last month addressed a rally in Arizona in which she attacked the Woke Covid religion, whose adherents, she said, sleep on pillows emblazoned with Dr Faucis face. | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/fauci-emails-fox-news-leaked-b1858855.html |
How are anti-malware tools different from regular antivirus? | You may have heard the terms antivirus and anti-malware bandied about here and there in reference to different pieces of security software, and found this confusing. That's entirely understandable. While the latter might be true, there are differences between an anti-malware tool and an antivirus app - and thats exactly what were going to dig into in this feature. The gist of it is that malware removal software offers a more focused and specialized kind of protection, whereas antivirus is more generalized with a broader range of features (sometimes including extras that you might expect to only find in a more advanced internet security suite). Malwarebytes Premium is today's best anti-malware tool Save 25% on your security Sometimes free software just isn't enough. Malwarebytes Premium is reasonably priced and uses heuristic analysis to identify new strains of malware, cleans up existing infections, helps protect you from phishing scams, and helps stop you downloading further malicious software. Anti-malware: focused protection In short, anti-malware tools are sharply focused on protecting your device against malware. It's as simple as that. They are built to keep an eye out for brand new threats those which stand a better chance of evading the monitoring of an antivirus app and specialize in 'behavioral detection', looking out for any suspicious activity and defending against those newer (and perhaps more sophisticated) threats or possible exploits out there. But they're not just a one-trick pony. The best anti-malware tools, like our top pick Malwarebytes, are designed to defend against malware, watch over your system and deliver the likes of web protection. (Image credit: Malwarebytes) Anti-malware software is also designed to hunt out malware which may have already sneaked onto your system (perhaps successfully evading an antivirus). If you suspect that your PC has been infected with malware maybe its started to run mysteriously sluggishly, for example you can install malware removal software alongside an antivirus, and it can scan (using its laser-focused malware detection powers) to attempt to locate and remove the threat. In this way, anti-malware operates as a second line of defense alongside a traditional antivirus program. However, it's worth pointing out that anti-malware software does lack some of the additional security features and assorted countermeasures you might find with antivirus apps... Antivirus: umbrella protection Antivirus apps provide a more general kind of protection for your system. Lets clear up one thing first: antivirus is a misnomer, because to some folks it might suggest that the application only guards against viruses which are a specific type of malware. In fact, antivirus apps defend against all kinds of malware these days. An antivirus should offer capable real-time protection against malware, using a library of (regularly updated) malware definitions to spot threats, but itll also utilize heuristic analysis to give users behavioral detection as well, picking up on undiscovered pieces of malicious software freshly introduced to the wild. However, anti-malware goes further in majoring in this behavioral and anomaly detection, as we mentioned above. With these programs, you dont just get the core antivirus engine defending against malware on multiple fronts, but antivirus apps often deliver extra security features such as a secure browser (for your online banking, for example): maybe a password manager, perhaps even some basic parental controls to keep your kids safe online, or a limited VPN. Some of those capabilities can be very useful, depending on your exact needs of course. (Image credit: Bitdefender) To summarize, these two categories of software share a lot in common, but the key difference is that anti-malware delivers specific, targeted protection and malware removal capability whereas antivirus works to guard your system on a more general level. So, its kind of horses for courses here. And the good thing is that theres nothing stopping you from running both horses side-by-side. Thats because a quality anti-malware like Malwarebytes is designed so it can run alongside an antivirus without causing any conflicts, effectively giving you two layers of defense. A multi-layered approach to security can certainly confer benefits for the more cautious, as on a basic level, theres simply more chance that any given threat particularly a new one with an anti-malware tool on the case will be caught. Doubling up in this respect is certainly a prospect worth considering, and a way of delivering the most surefooted protection for your device. Just ensure that you choose a good antivirus and a reputable anti-malware app in both cases. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/how-are-anti-malware-tools-different-from-regular-antivirus |
Is a boom in retail shareholder activism imminent in India? | Lockdowns caused the business to collapse and from a high of $20 in February, Hertz's share price plummeted to $0.56 on May 26. But it rose again exponentially to reach $5.53 on June 10. This was unprecedented for any bankrupt company. On May 22, 2020, Hertz the world's first car rental company begun during the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US. Turns out the ones driving up prices by buying stocks against conventional wisdom was not Wall Street but individual, retail investors. Their street logic was simple: US was gradually opening up and in the pandemic, people would want to drive cars rather than use public transport. This meant car rentals and second-hand car prices - if Hertz had to sell inventory - would go up. Shares of Hertz were delisted off the New York Stock Exchange but still exchange ownership Over The Counter (OTC). In January 2021 there was another Wall Street and retail investor confrontation. The big guys betted against brick-and-mortar videogame retailer GameStop but Reddit posts and YouTube videos by Keith Gill galvanized hundreds of thousands of small investors to band together and defeat Wall Street short-sellers. Last week, activist investors on the single day of May 26th and on opposite sides of the Atlantic made two giant oil corporations; ExxonMobil and Chevron - accept Climate Change and bow to their wish to go greener. Technology is turning the financial world upside down. Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, China's digital Yuan etc. threaten to destabilize the existing global financial order. Retail stock market investors have used tech to fight powerful Wall Street bullies. India could be at the cusp of the same. Last year an unprecedented 10 million i.e. a crore new demat accounts were opened by individuals with cash to spare. If we assume each put in a lakh, it means a trillion rupees or about 0.5% of India's GDP, was injected into the stock market, ironically, at a time when India battles a pandemic and is thus seeing negative GDP growth. Also Read: BSE Chief reveals landmark surge in accounts opened on BSE In life, if knowledge is power, information is money in the stock market. The power of information on fingertips i.e. mobile is driving this retail boom. Stockbroking is a data-churning job. Before the digital age, one had to buy a company's prospectus, audit, and financial reports and go through them with a toothcomb. But today let's say you're interested in an IPO. All you got to do to know all there is to know about the company, is type its name on a search engine. There are dedicated financial portals that not only scour every scrap of info on every company but masticate it into analysis. Actual investing is easier still. Just click on a few links on your bank's portal, or on apps like Zerodha, Religare Dynami, ShareKhan etc. and voila, you become a shareholder within seconds. Entertainment is also fuelling the rush. In early October 2020, Hansal Mehta's brilliant series Scam 1992 released on SonyLIV and quickly attained cult status. As I wrote earlier, not only does it tell a fascinating story, it is also a crash course into the stock market. I know at least one person who waded into shares after watching the series. I'm sure there are thousands more like him. Ask any seasoned investor and she'll tell you that people investing without enough knowledge of the market will create bubbles whose bursting would singe investors. The problem is that most new investors don't understand the difference between 'trading' and 'investing'. They're lured by the same greed aka the ability to make a quick buck via trading, that landed Harshad Mehta in prison. 500 years ago when the Dutch East India company was refused a loan by banks, they came up with the idea of going directly to individual investors and offer them a 'share' in the company. They unwittingly invented 'shares' and thus the stock market and became what is believed to be the largest company to ever have existed in recorded history. *The United Dutch East India Company, established 1602, is the world's first stock exchange. An image of a bond issued by the United Dutch East India company showcasing the first of its kind investment for general public. Not much has changed in the last 500 years, at least not the basics. It is still about 'investing'-- you put your money where your mouth is to lend cash to promising companies, and by staying invested for months or years. By voicing your opinions during shareholder meetings, you help them grow. This behaviour has contributed not only to global growth, but also advanced science and technology. Often these ideas are subverted by the big players of the financial markets who manipulate the differences between 'trading' and 'investing'. They've made the financial system unduly complex with unethical ideas like short selling i.e. investing in the failure of a company, which two hedge funds - Melvin Capital and Citadel were doing to GameStop when retail investors took them on causing them a total loss of $12.5 billion in January. Where the Occupy Wall Street movement failed, retail investors are succeeding by banding together. Thus, the influx of loose change by millions of retail investors creates a balance against the bullying of the big boys. And since every investor is an owner, she can make her disagreement heard by flagging issues not in consonance with individual, national or global values, just like activist investors did to ExxonMobil and Chevron on May 26th. In India, the Companies Act 2013 and regulations like the Proxy Advisory Firms regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India (Research Analysts) Regulations 2014, have contributed to shareholder activism. Greater emphasis on corporate governance has also helped the cause of investor activism. Add to this mix 10 million new stock market investors and you know that like in the old animation film where a shoal of small fish band together to fight a big one, some major consolidation of retail investors could lead to major upheaval in the Indian financial sector. Hertz saw hope in the action of retail investors and decided to fight to turn things around. They have recently initiated proceedings to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This fairy tale had the perfect ending -- not only does Hertz continue to exist but many small-time investors have reaped huge windfall gains for their investment. With tens of millions of retail investors, India's Hertz and GameStop moments might just be on the horizon. Satyen K Bordoloi is a scriptwriter, journalist based in Mumbai. His written words have appeared in many Indian and foreign publications. | https://www.sify.com/news/is-a-boom-in-retail-shareholder-activism-imminent-in-india-news-topnews-vgdmUdeeiedjd.html |
Are Urban People Suffering From Headache? | The pan-India survey by Ipsos has revealed that headache is the top common ailment among urban Indians, with at least 1 in 2 claiming to be suffering from it. Moreover, to mitigate the impact of the ailment, consumers prefer over-the-counter pills over balms. The Ipsos Consumer Health Monitor: OTC Quotient of Urban India, covered 34 cities and 15,133 households. The survey cited fever, body ache, common cold, and nose block among other top ailments. Follow NewsGram on LinkedIn to know whats happening around the world. Notably for fever, consumers chose doctor visit over self-medication whereas, for headache, cough and cold, more respondents seemed to self-medicate and rely on chemists. Further, gastric conditions were found to be more prevalent among geriatrics. Interestingly, Eno has emerged the top OTC brand choice for gastric conditions with at least 7 in 10 urban Indians preferring it. Zandu Balm was the top choice among balms for headaches, says a statement by Ipsos. The survey monitored 15,133 households in 34 towns across four zones. The survey captured 50 common ailments and conditions and includes the categories of analgesics and antipyretics, oral care, cough, and cold, antacids and digestives, antispasmodics, antidiarrhoeal, skin injuries/ailments, hair problems, sleep loss, etc. actions taken (home remedies, self-medication, doctors visit), brand awareness and usage. It also included understanding the penetration of some common OTC categories including ORS, vitamins, minerals and supplements, artificial sweeteners, etc, treatment management of common ailment and conditions (home remedies, self-medication, doctors visit). The survey further checked the prevalence of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, thyroid, etc, and penetration of medical devices viz. Blood glucose monitor, Thermometer, BP monitor, etc, in the household and a module on Covid-led behavior change. Monica Gangwani, Country Service Line Leader, Ipsos Healthcare says, Several observations compelled us to conduct this pan India study. One, we found there is a surge in self-medication due to paucity of time, increased literacy levels, and high doctor fees. Secondly, mushrooming of new categories like cosmeceuticals, health supplements, and wearable devices and thirdly erstwhile ethical pharma companies taking their popular brands from Rx to OTC and strong promotion of OTC brands. So technically, there has been a surfeit of ethical brands taking the OTC plunge and there was a complete lack of a credible study tying up various elements of the OTC aspects consumers, brands, behavior and need gaps. ALSO, READ- Importance Of Proper Nutrition And Healthy Lifestyle During COVID Covid Impact Unlike popular perception, the study found no significant change in medicine stocking behavior of consumers during the Covid lockdown phase vs pre-Covid. 55 percent of respondents did not specifically stock medicines during the lockdown. This behavior was no different from the pre-Covid phase with 54 percent of the respondents claiming not stocking medicines even during normal times. Only 7 percent of the respondents mentioned consulting a doctor during the covid lockdown phase. 88 percent of those consultations were for common conditions viz. cough, cold, fever, acidity, indigestion, etc, while 31 percent were for regular check-ups for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, asthma, etc. (IANS/AD). | https://www.newsgram.com/are-urban-people-suffering-from-headache/ |
How Are College Faculties Upskilling In The Face Of COVID-19? | By Sunidhi Beeliya Internshala Trainings, the e-learning arm of Internshala, recently conducted a survey with college faculties to understand their perspective on upskilling through online training, since the lockdown was announced in 2020. The key highlights of the survey result suggest that 64% of the respondents feel practice-oriented online training is the best solution for learning a new skill for college faculties. Only 35% of the respondents said that employed people should choose a blend of physical classes and e-learning for upskilling. Follow NewsGram on Instagram to keep yourself updated. Popular training and respondents characteristics As per the survey, programming and data science training were the most popular skills that faculties learned, with 22% and 16% share respectively. Core engineering, management, and career development training were the next popular choice of the respondents with 13%, 12%, and 11% enrolments in each. Professors, lecturers, HoDs, and training and placement officers from Bengaluru and Hyderabad majorly enrolled in these online skill-based training. 53% of all the faculties specialized in teaching engineering, 17% teach science and technology, and 11% and 10% were management and commerce specialists. Learning objective of the faculties Talking about their online learning goals and outcome expectations, 40% of all the faculties shared that they enrolled in an online course to learn a new skill during their free time. 24% of them enrolled with the objective of polishing or upgrading their teaching skills in general. 14% of the faculties wanted a career advancement in their current field of teaching, and 10% of the teachers registered for a training course to be able to learn and teach a new subject. Impact of assessment techniques on learning outcomes When asked about the contribution of assignments and projects in online training, 60% of the faculties believed that they enhance memory and help retain information for a longer time. 28% of the respondents felt that assignments and projects make learning fun and engaging, and 5% felt that they add weight to their portfolio or resume. 64% of the faculties also suggested that the inclusion of more live interactive sessions with instructors and the addition of more gamification elements could make online learning a much interesting experience. Faculty sentiments on online learning challenges Expressing their opinion about the difficulty level of learning different skills online, 47% of the faculties feel that technical skills are the most difficult ones. 28% of the total respondents found analytical and critical thinking skills, a bit difficult to grasp online. Owing to the multiple personal and professional responsibilities faculties handle, 73% of the respondents faced time management issues while learning a new skill online. And 15% of the respondents said that procrastination and lack of self-motivation decelerate their learning capacity. ALSO READ: Importance Of Proper Nutrition And Healthy Lifestyle During COVID Referring to the survey, Sarvesh Agrawal, the founder, and CEO of Internshala Trainings said, Although initially our efforts were largely inclined towards providing skill-based education to Indian youth, we have been lately innovating our beginner level training and specializations to suit the requirement of working professionals too. Faculties have always been our prime focus, to extend our training services, as learning and teaching go hand-in-hand for them. Owing to this, we also launched the Faculty development program (FDP) an initiative wherein faculty members across India got free access to our certified online training, during the lockdown. This survey gave us a broad idea on how online training has been fruitful for Indian faculties. We hope that based on the faculties feedback, we would be able to make the curriculum more industry-relevant, improve our product, and bring similar initiatives like FDP to help them continue skilling up, he added. (Disclaimer: The article is sponsored.) | https://www.newsgram.com/how-are-college-faculties-upskilling-in-the-face-of-covid-19/ |
What Happened To Kevin Ware? Where Is Kevin Ware Now? | In 2013, Kevin Ware suffered what many consider one of the most gruesome injuries in NCAA history. The injury happened during a March 31 Elite 8 game against Duke. Ware went to block a shot, which had him fall awkwardly. He then made a comeback to basketball, something which not many were expecting. Ware's injury came during the game's first half. It was a compound fracture in his lower leg, from where his tibia and fibula were protruding out of his skin. The arena which was packed went silent following the injury, which was worse than anyone would have expected. While he was taken away, he reportedly asked his teammates to win the game, assuring them he was fine. The Louisville Cardinals ended up beating the Duke Blue Devils, beating team 85-63. Of course, Ware missed the games after that. He was present for the final game against Michigan. Ware received well wishes from everyone, as even non-basketball fans and athletes prayed for his recovery. Back in 2013, "PrayForWare" was on Twitter, people hoping he makes a comeback as soon as he could. Kevin Ware breaks leg. Louisville goes on to win NCAA Championship. Contrary to what many believed, Ware did recover. Not only was the New York native back on his feet, but he was also back on the basketball court. He returned next season, playing during Louisville's exhibition clash against Pikesville. He finished the game with 6 points and 4 rebounds and also played nine games that season. However, as per reports, Ware stated that he was treated a bit differently after his injury. Eventually, he transferred to Georgia State. Ware was successful at Georgia State, and was even named the MVP at the Sun Belt Conference Mens Basketball Tournament. During his last season, he was averaging 11.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Unfortunately, Ware was never a part of the NBA. He went undrafted even after his comeback and played professionally in Europe. He ended up playing for BC Brno a Czech team where was averaging 17.7 points per game. He even played in the Greek Basket League, scoring 12.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He even played for UU-Korihait before signing with the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada. Last year, he signed with the London Lions. As of now, he is still with the team. Former NBA platers BJ Mullens and DeAndre Liggins are also a part of the Lions. (Image credits: AP) | https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/basketball-news/what-happened-to-kevin-ware-where-is-kevin-ware-now.html |
When did PlayStation stop believing in generations? | Let's clear something up: There's nothing inherently wrong with God of War 2, Gran Turismo 7, and Horizon Forbidden West coming to PS4 in addition to PS5. There's nothing wrong with cross-generation games at all, in fact, especially if it means more people can play them at a time when new-gen systems are extremely difficult to get ahold of. Instead, the concern is how this new revelation reflects on Sony's credibility, who spent much of 2020 making it very clear that those who made the day one investment in PS5 would be rewarded with exclusive software that harnessed the console's next-gen processing power. For proof, just look back to 12 months ago, when Sony president and CEO Jim Ryan was asked by Gamesindustry.biz whether PlayStation would follow in Xbox's footsteps, and make future exclusives available across all of its platforms. "We have always said that we believe in generations," he answered, touting a line that many other Sony execs would repeat in the lead up to the PS5's launch. "We believe that when you go to all the trouble of creating a next-gen console, that it should include features and benefits that the previous generation does not include. And that, in our view, people should make games that can make the most of those features. [...] It is time to give the PlayStation community something new, something different, that can really only be enjoyed on PS5." Less than one year into the console's life cycle, and it feels like that list of software that "can really only be enjoyed on PS5" is getting shorter and shorter with every new PlayStation Blog post. Whether intentional or not, the impression given by this u-turn is one of deception, with many having bought into Sony's much-touted belief in generations, only to find themselves with an expensive next-gen console that no longer reflects that belief. Wrong platform (Image credit: Sony Santa Monica) Read more (Image credit: Bethesda) From Deathloop to Returnal, how 2021 became the year of the video game time loop Sony's misleading PS5 marketing looks even less flattering when you compare it to what Xbox was saying around the same time. "Gaming is bigger than any one device," declared head of Xbox Phil Spencer, just one month after Ryan made the above comments. "Gaming is about entertainment and community and diversion and learning new stories and new perspectives, and I find it completely counter to what gaming is about to say that part of that is to lock people away from being able to experience those games. Or to force someone to buy my specific device on the day that I want them to go buy it, in order to partake in what gaming is about." Some may have found it disheartening to learn that games like Halo Infinite and Hellblade 2 would be launching on Xbox One in addition to the Xbox Series X/S, then, but at least you knew about it far in advance of the next-gen consoles' launch, and Microsoft's reason for doing so was always honest and understandable. Ryan, however, would go on to cast doubt on Spencer's expressed strategy, calling it "perfectly legitimate" but countering that Sony's "generation approach" was instead designed to "give gamers certainty that they're buying a true next-generation console." And yet that sense of certainty is nowhere to be found, as PlayStation fans have had to learn about presumed PS5 games being cross-gen through offhand comments hidden deep within PlayStation blog posts, or amongst the small print at the end of a new trailer. Microsoft, on the other hand, has remained clear and consistent in its messaging right through to launch and well beyond it, confirming specific platforms for titles that are still years off from release. (Image credit: Sony) It's not a good look for PlayStation, reinforcing an image of the company as aloof and out of touch with its fanbase, no doubt leaving some early adopters to wonder whether they should have invested so heavily on a PS5 at release. According to Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst, focusing on entirely next-gen exclusive games for its first-party lineup is simply "not very good business". ", he said in a recent interview . "I think thatd be bad news for fans of PS4 [...] and if they want to go on and play the PS5 version, that game will be there for them." That may be true, but it doesn't explain why PlayStation was saying the exact opposite just 12 months ago, before it had sold millions of PS5 consoles on the promise of its "generational approach". Some have speculated whether titles like God of War 2 and Gran Turismo 7 were originally planned as PS5 exclusives, only to pivot to cross-generational launches in light of the pandemic's impact on PS5 production, which is likely to limit availability well into 2022. If that is the case, then Sony should make that clear, apologising for the confusion, laying out its reasoning, and making the case for why that decision is the right one. It owes an explanation to its user base, at the very least. Future proof (Image credit: Sony) "PlayStation owes an explanation to its user base, at the very least." To its credit, Hulst also confirmed that PlayStation Studios have over 25 titles currently in development, half of which are new IP, and presumably a similarly healthy number are next-gen targeted projects. And it's not like PS5 players have a complete dearth of games with which to showcase the console's features Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will join Demon's Souls, Destruction AllStars, Returnal, and Astro's Playroom amongst its collection of exclusives when it launches later next week. But that doesn't detract from the confusion and cynicism of Sony's messaging over the last year, where flip-flopping and obfuscation has undermined player's trust in the PlayStation brand, and what it actually stands for at this critical juncture in time. For more, check out the best FPS games to play right now, or watch more of our Deathloop preview in the video below. | https://www.gamesradar.com/au/when-did-playstation-stop-believing-in-generations/ |
What Happened To Good Morning Football? Is Good Morning Football Cancelled? | Since 2016, the NFL Network is broadcasting Good Morning Football live. With a weekday and weekend hosting panel, the show is popular amongst fans, providing news and discussions early in the morning. Since last year, fans have panicked about the show being cancelled, often turning to social media to ask about the same. Despite the irregularities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Good Morning Football is not cancelled. Last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic paused most events in the world shows also got cancelled on various platforms. When Good Morning Football went on a break, people panicked, going on Twitter and tweeting to ask about the show. Last year, the show stopped airing new episodes, making everyone assume the worst. Many went on social media in a state of panic, trying to find out why they could not watch the show. However, the show was not cancelled and was merely on a break before the 2020 season began in September. Brief summer break, dude. Fear not. Well be back on Monday. @gmfb https://t.co/rmIbeFw6Xe Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) July 7, 2020 Kyle Brandt had even responded to one such query, stating that they were simply on a break during summer. For some reason, as the NFL has scheduled preseason games, fans have once again panicked over the popular NFL network show. If the show misses a day, fans assume the worst again, tweeting about how they do not want the show cancelled. However, like many other shows, Good Morning Football has also adjusted accordingly switching to virtual interviews and more. Over the years, the show has had many celebrity guests. Though the world is trying to get back to normal, shows often have virtual interviews, which are even uploaded on YouTube, Instagram and other sites. The NFL seems to have no plans to cancel the show and still have a page dedicated to the show on their website. It is live from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM local time. Kay Adams, 35, hosts the Good Morning Football show along with People (the TV show!). Born in Chicago, Adams has been with GMFB since its inception in 2016. Since 2020, she also hosts the mobile version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. (Image credits: Good Morning Football Instagram) | https://www.republicworld.com/sports-news/other-sports/what-happened-to-good-morning-football-is-good-morning-football-cancelled.html |
Will Falcons keep Julio Jones on ice while waiting for a trade partner? | Getty Images The Falcons began trying to trade receiver Julio Jones more than six weeks ago. They have still found no takers, at least not for the terms that Falcons seek. The problem continues to be that the Falcons want too much; otherwise, a deal would be done. Unless the Falcons relent in their desire for a straight first-round pick (with no draft-pick compensation flowing back to the new team along with Jones) and no obligation to pay any of his salary for 2021 or 2022, theyll need to wait and see whether an injury to a receiver elsewhere creates a need or whether a team decides at some point that Jones represents the missing piece of a Super Bowl run. Before Jones declared Im out of there during a conversation that he apparently didnt know was being broadcast by FS1, one possible approach consisted of the Falcons keeping Jones through training camp and into the regular season, with the goal of trading him before the deadline that arrives on the Tuesday after Week Eight. Its now clear that the Falcons wont be doing that. Heres another potential strategy: The Falcons and Jones could agree that hell be placed on ice until a market develops. Under this approach, hed stay away from training camp, the preseason, and the regular season, with permission. Hed agree to do so. And the Falcons would wait for the best offer to come. Some would say that another team will be willing to give up more for Jones now, when it can get a full season of performance from him. Others would say that the trades of Mohamed Sanu (second-round pick) and Emmanuel Sanders (third-round pick) from the 2019 season show that teams will loosen the vault of draft picks once they begin to develop in-season momentum and conjure visions of a Super Bowl berth. Again, Jones would have to be on board with this strategy. If he wants to force the issue, he could show up, whether during voluntary offseason workouts or mandatory minicamp or training camp. The Falcons would be forced to let him work out and practice, risking an injury that would put them on the hook for the full amount of his 2021 salary, or pull the trigger on a trade. Even if hes not inclined to return to practice with the Falcons, Jones and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, could begin to jostle privately or publicly for the Falcons to take one of the offers that is on the table but deemed by owner Arthur Blank (who wants at least a second-round pick given the trades that sent Sanu to the Patriots and brought Hayden Hurst from Baltimore) to not be good enough. Then again, Jones may prefer to wait and see whether hes landing with a true contender. The longer it takes for the process to play out, the more likely that a true contender will become the team that makes the move for Jones. Regardless, theres currently no deal that the Falcons regard as good enough. If there were, hed be traded. Time will tell whether theyll blink, or whether one of the interested teams will. | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/06/03/will-falcons-keep-julio-jones-on-ice-while-waiting-for-a-trade-partner/ |
What Is Contrast Ratio? | If youre searching for a new TV or monitor, youve probably come across the term contrast ratio in marketing materials and reviews online. Why You Should Care About Contrast Ratio Contrast ratio is a term thats used to measure the difference between the maximum and minimum brightness of a display. Its the difference between the whitest possible white and the darkest possible black. Its measured by displaying a black-and-white checkerboard pattern like the one below and comparing the values. Since its a ratio, the contrast ratio of a display is shown as a number like 1000:1. When a display has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, it means that a full-field white image will be 1000 times brighter than a black one. The larger the number, the more capable the display is of producing a natural-looking image. The contrast ratio of a display is highly dependent on the underlying technology. OLED screens have a highly marketable infinite contrast ratio, while the best-in-class LCDs from the likes of Samsung exceed 7000:1. Contrast ratio is perceived as one of the most important aspects of image quality, so aim for a higher number if you can. You can use a website like RTINGs to compare the contrast ratio of TVs and the contrast ratio of computer monitors. A Higher Contrast Ratio Is Better The contrast ratio usually says a lot about the black levels of a display. How dark a display can get ultimately depends on what type of display it is. LED-lit LCD televisions and monitors must shine a bright light through the thin-film-transistor (TFT) layer of a display to produce an image. When displaying black, the display does its best to block out as much of this light as possible. With older LCD technology, this often results in poor black reproduction. Blacks appear as washed-out grays, or they may have areas of the screen where light more easily passes through, resulting in poor uniformity. Compare this with self-emissive display technologies like OLED, which attain a theoretically infinite contrast ratio. Since the pixels can be switched off completely, the display can output pure blacks right next to bright whites. This is what makes OLED displays so desirable, although theyre not without their own drawbacks. LCD isnt a complete bust in this department, with newer Mini-LED displays delivering algorithm-controlled backlight dimming. This allows LCD technology to get much closer to the inky blacks of an OLED by varying light levels over the surface of the display. Unfortunately, these displays still suffer from issues like ghosting and black crush. A display with a higher contrast ratio will usually fare better in a dark room, while displays with lower ratios are typically optimized for brightness. Depending on where youre watching TV and what youre watching on it, a high-end OLED with an infinite contrast ratio might be a huge waste of money, while an LCD will do the job just fine. Learn more about buying the perfect TV for your situation and budget. | https://www.howtogeek.com/728424/what-is-contrast-ratio/ |
Can Boris Johnson avoid being blamed for post-pandemic austerity? | The shape of post-pandemic politics is emerging. We need to look ahead only a few months to a future like Israels, where coronavirus cases are so rare that hand sanitisers on buses have been converted to dispense sun cream. Israels turbulent politics might also be a warning to Boris Johnson. When the pandemic is over, his vaccine-boosted popularity will be over too. Today, we saw what sort of issues will crowd in to replace headlines about what restrictions might be lifted when. Many of them are about money: foreign aid; schools catch-up; the NHS backlog. The demands for extra public spending are intense, and cannot all be satisfied. | https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/voices/boris-johnson-pandemic-austerity-b1859056.html |
What Is Black Crush on a Display? | The problem is getting more attention now that display manufacturers are trying to improve black reproduction, particularly on LED-lit LCD models. Black Crush Means a Loss of Shadow Detail Black crush refers to the loss of fidelity in especially dark areas of an image. The term might apply in both the photography and video spheres but is most commonly used to describe the loss of shadow detail in moving images like movies and games. You might not immediately notice black crush until you see the correct image displayed alongside it (for example, on a different display thats been correctly calibrated). You can see a simulated example in the image below, where the right side has lost detail in the bricks under the shadow. In other words, this image has crushed blacks. The problem is unlikely to make content unwatchable, but it does detract from the overall presentation. In movies, you might miss subtle details around the edge of the frame, while the issue can make it way too difficult to see whats happening in some games (particularly in brightly lit rooms). There are all sorts of reasons that black crush can happen, and not all of them are down to the display. If the shadow detail wasnt captured in the first place because the camera wasnt set up to do so, blacks will appear crushed. Some directors and photographers use this technique to intentionally create negative space. Your TV or Monitor Makes a Difference All too often the problem lies with the display or source device (like a games console). Many games require the player to calibrate gamma and white point when the software is first launched, and setting this up incorrectly (or getting it wrong at a system level) might cause a loss of shadow detail. Sometimes games implement HDR poorly, also causing black crush. Most consumer displays are never calibrated when they leave the factory, and without proper calibration by a professional, they will always produce an image that deviates from the source. This is why content creators and photographers are strongly encouraged to use a calibrated display when editing their work. Sometimes, the TV really is the problem. OLED is a self-emissive display technology, which means that the pixels can be turned off to display true black. Unfortunately, OLED also has difficulty coming out of black, which on some models can lead to a loss of shadow detail as the TV struggles to reproduce the subtle tones that exist between the on and off states at a pixel level. Many LED-lit LCD TVs now use dimming algorithms to turn off or reduce the light behind dark or black scenes. This helps the TV produce a much deeper black level, but it almost always comes at the expense of shadow detail. Generally speaking, the more dimming zones a display has, the less severe the issue will be. How to Test Your Own Display for Black Crush An easy way to test for black crush is to use a starfield test. On a display that exhibits black crush, many of the stars wont be visible. On an OLED, the vast majority of stars should be visible, since a bright white pixel can sit alongside a pure black one without any dimming algorithm interfering with the image. If youre just realizing what youve been missing out on, make sure that you read our guide to buying a TV (or a TV for gaming) before you part with your cash. RELATED: How to Buy a TV: What You Need to Know | https://www.howtogeek.com/728797/what-is-black-crush-on-a-display/ |
What is MLMIP? | video size: 640x360 730x576 1024x576 1280x720 1920x1080 custom size x Advanced Embed Example Add the following CSS to the header block of your HTML document. Then add the mark-up below to the body block of the same document. .videoWrapper { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 25px; height: 0; } .videoWrapper iframe { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } <div class="videoWrapper"><iframe src="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/embed/799732" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowtransparency allowfullscreen></iframe></div> show more The Medical Logistics Management Internship Program (MLMIP) is a competitive 11-month training program consisting of six months of didactic training and five months of internship at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency, followed by a two-year utilization strategic level assignment. The intent of MLMIP is to develop and train qualified 68J/68A non-commissioned officers, medical logistics officers, warrant officers and civilians as leader-enablers throughout the medical logistics community. This training provides a more enabled and knowledgeable logistician that will enhance the quality of logistics provided across a command. | https://www.dvidshub.net/video/799732/mlmip |
Can an official visit help UNC football beat out Clemson for five-star cornerback Jeadyn Lukus? | This is a big recruiting weekend for UNC football, and it starts with Jeadyn Lukus. A five-star 2022 prospect from Mauldin High School in South Carolina and the No. 6 cornerback in the nation per the 247Sports composite, Lukus is officially visiting Chapel Hill this Friday. And Lukus time on campus suspended for well over a year due to the coronavirus pandemic but now permissible with the NCAAs Division I recruiting dead period expiring Tuesday will be crucial for UNC. The Tar Heels are battling with a laundry list of college footballs elite to earn the commitment of Lukus, a 6-foot-2 cornerback who plays just south of Greenville. In-state powerhouse Clemson remains the favorite to land Lukus, while Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State have also offered. Locked in as Lukus first official visit of the summer, UNC will get a chance this weekend at an early recruiting pitch for the No. 37 player in the country. Cornerbacks coach Dr Bly (who helped UNC land five-star 2021 cornerback Tony Grimes of Virginia last summer) is Lukus lead recruiter, per 247Sports. Read more:UNC football's official visit list is growing. Here are five top 2022 recruits to watch Lukus will be joined on campus this weekend by four-star linebacker Sebastian Cheeks of Illinois and three-star safety Jake Pope of Georgia as UNC which welcomed its seven non-early enrollee 2021 commits to campus this week continues to explore options for its recruiting class of 2022. Lukus has been a playmaker and a steady tackler for Mauldin over his last two seasons. As a sophomore, he had an interception, a fumble recovery and 10 pass deflections; as a junior, he compiled 36 tackles across six games (including two games of 10 or more), had an interception and played wide receiver. I saw Tony Grimes started a few times this year, and thats pretty big, Lukus said of UNC in a January interview with Rivals. I know he's a really good player. Theyre a really good team. I like Coach Bly a lot. Hes really cool and always keeps it real. We have good conversations and that type of stuff. UNC is also hosting Lukus Mauldin teammate, three-star 2022 linebacker Deuce Caldwell, for an official visit from June 15 to 16. The Tar Heels have a few prominent recruits from South Carolina on their roster, including 2019 three-star cornerback Storm Duck and 2021 three-star wide receiver J.J. Jones. Chapel Fowler is a recruiting reporter for The Fayetteville Observer and the USA TODAY Network. Reach him by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @chapelfowler. | https://www.fayobserver.com/story/sports/college/football/2021/06/03/jeadyn-lukus-unc-football-recruiting-2022/5290337001/ |
Who are set to be Israel's new guard? | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday fought back against an agreement by his political opponents for a government of left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties aimed at unseating him. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, is on the verge of being toppled from power after more than a decade in office. From ultra-nationalists to Arab Israeli Islamists, the right-winger is set to be ousted by an extremely fragile and unlikely alliance of parties from across the political spectrum who have little in common, other than their desire to break a political deadlock that saw four elections in two years. The coalition all hinges on an unlikely figure: Mansour Abbas, head of the United Arab List. The inclusion of his tiny Islamist faction was crucial in securing a paper-thin majority for the coalition, which would be the first in Israel's history to represent its 21% Arab minority. A dentist by profession, Abbas said he has put differences aside for a chance to improve conditions for Arab citizens, who report discrimination and government neglect. His inclusion stands in stark contrast to head of the new guard: Naftali Bennett, leader of the ultra-nationalist party Yamina, or "Rightwards". Bennett is a former leader of a major Jewish settlement organisation and an advocate of annexing most of the the occupied West Bank. His religious, pro-settler party won only seven of the Knesset's 120 seats in the March election but Bennett emerged first as kingmaker, then king-slayer, and now king. Under the deal, the former defense minister and a high-tech millionaire would become prime minister before handing over the post in two years to centrist Yair Lapid. Lapid is a former TV host and finance minister who heads up Yesh Atid. The centre-left party came second in the latest election, with 17 seats. Sources say the hopeful government would initially avoid hot-button ideological issues. Parliamentary approval is still pending, and analysts say Netanyahu will try and pick off, quote, "low-hanging fruit", trying to convince right-wingers to jump ship who are unhappy about teaming up with Arab and leftist lawmakers. | https://www.onenewspage.com/video/20210603/13879615/Who-are-set-to-be-Israel-new.htm |
How Can Texans Avoid 'Worst NFL Team' Label? | The Texans are no strangers to criticism in recent years, but many media outlets have opted to jump the gun by claiming they are the 'worst team in the NFL.' Media outlets are seemingly obliged to use generic and broad terms and themes to summarize the potential of each NFL team as they enter a new season. Those terms and those theme can range from "rebuilding'' to "Super Bowl contenders'' to "loaded'' to "playoff hopefuls'' and the like. Oh, and there is also the ever-popular "dumpster fire.'' Unfortunately for Houston Texans fans, the popular theme leans toward that last one, an offseason label for the 2021 Texans being "The NFL's Worst Team.'' Yes, in all caps. Which makes it seem all the more official. For example, here's what Jason La Canfora has to say about the Texans in a recent divisional ranking: "The Texans seem hell-bent on being the worst team in professional football -- perhaps by quite a margin -- for myriad reasons on field and off." Then there's a tweet from Tuesday when NBC Sports' Warren Sharp, who said: "The Houston Texans officially have both the NFL's oldest roster and the NFL's worst roster." The Athletic's Aaron Reiss described the Texans as "likely one of the NFLs worst teams" when discussing their 2021 schedule. We'd like to argue that is is indeed unfair because we are all only guessing. Obviously, the Texans are indeed in a transitional phase. Their roster has been overhauled from top to bottom, primarily with short-term free agents, with a few mid-round rookies to finish off. They have a first-year head coach, the oldest roster in the league, a first-time general manager and few clear starters on the depth chart. They do." Framed that way, the assertion does not seem unreasonable. To us, there is a science to how to look at this - and screaming "dumpster fire'' just doesn't seem very scientific. Without being Pollyannas, we choose to believe, at 0-0, that there are opportunities. These are big "buts,'' but ... We don't know what Culley might do. We don't know what new coordinator Lovie Smith might do. We don't even know exactly how the QB situation will play out, Deshaun Watson's circumstance notwithstanding. Labeling any team as "the worst'' is a damning statement to make, especially when it is backed by absolutely zero proof. ... but we understand. It's the offseason. It needs to be written about. And somebody needs to be picked last. Maybe the critics are right. Maybe the 2021 Houston Texans will be "the worst.'' But we'll be there to chronicle it ... while hoping, for the sake of Houston fans, that there is some success along the way. CONTINUE READING: Caserio And Co. Discuss The Harsh Reality Of Building The Texans | https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/how-can-houston-texans-avoid-worst-nfl-team-label |
Why isnt the rust belt having a remote work housing boom? | When it comes to real estate, we on Vashon, like the rest of the country, have a schizoid relationship. We seem to cheer on the rising property values as a sign of prosperity while at the same time worrying that housing prices are ever more unaffordable for a larger and larger segment of the community. About 145 years ago, the American politician, writer, and activist Henry George wrote a book, Progress and Poverty, that proposed that individuals or groups own what they create but land belongs to all equally. At a time of dramatic growth, urbanization, and industrialization, a parcel of rural land that was purchased for a pittance could be worth thousands of dollars a front foot as a city grew around it. Georges main argument was that the owner of that property did not earn the appreciation on his property. It was the people and businesses that moved in nearby that created the value. Although his book was very popular in his day, he was promoting an idea that was, and still is, anathema for wealthy speculators and it was quickly forgotten. When George died in New York in 1897, tens of thousands came out to pay him tribute. But his ideas went against the grain, and I would be surprised if anybody reading this column has ever heard of him. I was introduced to him by a big fan of his, Rose Ballen, back in 1990 when we, as original board members, incorporated Vashon Household. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263768877153/why-isn-t-the-rust-belt-having-a-remote-work-housing-boom |
Will a new law to tackle hate crimes make Asians in America safer? | Last month, President Joe Biden signed legislation focused on tracking and responding to hate crimes, with an emphasis on stopping anti-Asian violence. The law aims to make hate crime reporting more accessible, directs the Department of Justice to task someone with focusing on hate crimes related to COVID-19, and approves grants to state and local governments for crime-reduction. Introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), the legislation gained overwhelming support in both chambers of Congress and support from groups like Stop AAPI Hate, which documented a spike in hate incidents toward Asians in America during the pandemic. But opponents of the legislation say further criminalizing violent acts wont address the racism behind them or give communities enough support. READ MORE: After a year of increased anti-Asian hate, I finally feel some hope | Opinion Yes: Its a milestone to improve hate crime reporting and awareness. The passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is a significant milestone in the countrys effort to combat hatred, racism, and xenophobia. This legislation is not only symbolic in its significance in recognizing the devastating impacts of a recent surge in hate incidents against Asian Americansit also conveys a strong message that hate crimes against any groups will not be tolerated. This bill provides a strong counter-narrative to the hateful, incendiary, and stigmatizing rhetoric that has incited violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It acknowledges racial bias and discrimination as key factors behind the waves of hate crimes that rippled across many communities. It memorializes the eight victims of the recent Atlanta spa shooting, six of whom were women of Asian descent, such that their names shall never be forgotten. Given the long history of invisibility and silencing of Asians in America, this law elevates their experiences, amplifies their voices, and renders them more visible. The bill publicly acknowledges Asians emotional pain, while also praising their contributions to the diverse fabric of American life. Although the urgency of hate crimes against Asians during the pandemic spurred Congress to action, the impact extends to victims of all hate crimes motivated by race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and disability. For one thing, the law addresses a long-standing data gap in our broader national effort to combat hate crimes. Under the 1990 Hate Crime Statistics Act, the FBI compiles and publishes hate crime statistics based on the data submitted by local and state agencies through the Uniform Crime Reports system. Yet despite this Act, hate crimes are still vastly undercounted, as exemplified by the murders of Khalid Jabara in Tulsa and Heather Heyer in Charlottesville. Both murders were prosecuted as hate crimes, yet neither was reported as such in official statistics. READ MORE: Yellow Whistles are providing safety and security for Asian Americans facing hatred Thankfully, the new law includes the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which supports data collection under the National Incident-Based Reporting System that replaced the Uniform Crime Reports system in January 2021. Instead of aggregate monthly tallies of hate crimes, this new system reports on every single incident, including details on victims, offenders, arrestees, relationships among them, and location and timing of incident. This law additionally improves data collection by providing guidance and support to local law enforcement. Most importantly, it establishes a system of online reporting of hate crimes that will be available in multiple languages to be inclusive of immigrants with limited English ability, and must be accessible to people with disabilities. By removing barriers to reporting and enforcing strict confidentiality, this law enhances data accuracy, coverage, and quality. This new reporting system not only provides crucial data for research, but also informs policies in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of hate crimes. By removing barriers to reporting and enforcing strict confidentiality, this law enhances data accuracy for hate crime reports. Van C. Tran Major advocacy groupsincluding the ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, and Stop AAPI Hatewelcome the passage of this new law, including its community-centered approach to increase awareness of such hate incidents. Yet they also note that meaningful investment in impacted communities is crucial in stemming hate crimes in the long run. The bill does not address the root causes of hate crimesbecause that is neither its intent nor focus. To be sure, no single legislation can put an end to hatred, racism, xenophobia or homophobia. This new hate crime act is no exception, but it is a very important first step in that direction. Van C. Tran is Associate Professor of Sociology and Deputy Director of Center for Urban Research at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. No: Investing more in law enforcement will not prevent racist hate. Many Asian Americans are celebrating the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. This new law raises visibility of anti-Asian attacks. It also allows our elected officials to show that they recognize the serious and pervasive nature of this violence. But here is the challenge: Its more of the symbolic same and fails to substantively and materially make our communities safer. Historically, hate crimes laws have existed since 1968. They have been expanded time and again to include more categories of people and to allocate more resources to the criminal legal system. As a legal matter, hate crimes laws criminalize already criminalized actsmurder, assault, and so forth. There is no evidence these hate crime laws, in and of themselves, serve any additional deterrent effect. READ MORE: 6abc anchor Nydia Han: Asian Americans saw this coming | Opinion Hate crimes laws increase resources for law enforcement agencies. But the trillions of dollars spent on our criminal legal system only take resources and dollars from communities that need investment instead of prisons. These laws and carceral strategies are reactionary and do not prevent hate crimes from happening in the first place, as they do not address the root causes and conditions that give rise to racist violence. The racism that pervades these horrific attacks runs much deeper than interpersonal bias and individual blame. This racism is rooted in American culture and history, colonial wars, and state violence. Black and brown trans women continue to be murdered, and Asian Americans continue to be killed in white supremacist attacks. The police and prosecutors show up after the attacks have happened. Yet upon closer inspection, many of these attacks have occurred in the most heavily policed locations on the planet, such as in NYCs Times Square. The truth is the police did not prevent any of these attacks, not in Atlanta or Indianapolis this past year, nor have they saved the lives of Vincent Chin in 1982, who was beaten to death in Michigan, or the lives of 19 immigrantslynched and shot in Los Angelesin the Chinese Massacre of 1871. Not only do hate crimes laws not prevent anti-Asian violencethey do nothing to remedy the harms after the violence occurred. After each attack, victims and their families are left to crowdfund to pay for healthcare, funeral expenses, and loss of income. Hate crimes laws are narrowly focused on punishment and punishment alone. Not only do hate crimes laws not prevent anti-Asian violencethey do nothing to remedy the harms after the violence occurred. Jason Wu In tandem with hate crimes is the reality that approximately 1,000 people are shot and killed every year in the U.S. by policeincluding 13-year-old Adam Toledo, 16-year-old MaKhia Bryant, 19-year-old Christian Hall, and 20-year-old Tommy Le. When we talk about racialized violence and gun violence, we have to confront the reality that police violence falls in those categories too. We have to move beyond raising awareness of what we already know to be true. Racist violence pervades our societywe dont need more statistics to corroborate this. If its used to call for more policing, prosecutions, and prisons, then we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. Its time to transform the root causes of white supremacy and violence. We need systemic strategies and solutions, which require solidarity across groups and real investment in our communities through social services, housing, healthcare, education and community based programs. Hate crime laws offer none of that. Jason Wu is a legal services attorney in New York City, and organizes with GAPIMNYEmpowering Queer & Trans Asian Pacific Islanders. | https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/asians-hate-crime-law-prevention-20210603.html |
Has racial and ethnic humor become forbidden? | There was a time when humor was a major source of social engagement between people, who enjoyed laughing at themselves and the stereotypes attributed to them. In other words, they weren't so sensitive that they couldn't see the humor in a few innocuous manifestations of witty dialogue. My old buddy, Leroy Spivey, a cop I worked with in a radio car for a few years, didn't have any hang-ups about racial comedy. In addition, he wasn't so narcissistic about his color that he wouldn't get a kick out of a funny story. One story he used to tell was about a black guy who was crossing a street and got hit by a car driven by a white guy who was speeding. He said the black guy was thrown about fifty feet because of the impact. "Well," Leroy said, feigning outrage, but readying the punch line, "when the cops got to the scene, they picked up the black guy and arrested him for leaving the scene of an accident." After the initial look of bewilderment, everyone in the room, including Leroy, would bust out laughing. They were laughing not at the authenticity of the story, which was in fact apocryphal, but at the silliness of it. My erstwhile partner was making a joke out of the serious issue of race discrimination. It was a clever way of illustrating actual race prejudice by using an absurd example. There's a trait attributed to the Irish: they have a propensity toward liquid vegetables such as barley, corn, rye, and hops. Moreover, the descendants of the old sod have a reputation for being quick to temper after a few gulps of a distilled beverage. If you referred to an Irish as "Mick," you'd better get your dukes up. Some believe that the word "Mick" is derogatory because it sounds like a drunken hiccup. Interestingly, the Urban Dictionary tells us that the derogatory word "Spick" came from Mick. It seems that in the early 1900s when Irish and Spanish immigrants were equally hated by many Americans, they shared Catholic churches because both nationalities had the same faith and moral values. Therefore, they began referring to Latinos as Spanish Micks, or "Spicks." Irish bar brawls in my old neighborhood in lower Manhattan were as routine as egg rolls in a Chinese restaurant. Italians are often portrayed as mobsters in movies. Consequently, when I had an argument with one of my Italian buddies, I used to ask if he was going to put a horse's head in my bed. Jews are often depicted as stingy and greedy. When my wife and I visit the home of my Jewish brother-in-law, who lives in another state, he jokingly says we can stay at his place, but there'll be a small fee. Puerto Ricans are often associated with spicy food and sensual dancing. When people meet my wife, they commonly ask about rice and beans and the Pachanga. When Leroy and I had time for a meal during many busy nights on patrol, I would jokingly ask what chicken or rib joint he wanted to dine in. He knew me well enough to know there was no racial animus contained in that comment. Besides, he also knew I loved that food as much as he did. His retort might be, "Bob, I've heard about the seven-course Irish dinner; a six-pack and a boiled potato." We found humor in our respective heritages and used it affectionately, without even a hint of malice. Being able to accomplish that melding of cultures is what this great experiment called the USA used to be about. It took a long time to discover that our differences were no match for our similarities. If you've ever taken part in one of those DNA research companies, you're likely to discover that you are a mixture of numerous races and nationalities. When I received a report from 23 and Me, a genomics and biotechnology company, I found, among other genetic attributes, that I had a small percentage of African ancestry. Since then, I've been jumping higher and scoring more baskets than ever before. Image via Pxhere. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. | https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/06/has_racial_and_ethnic_humor_become_forbidden.html |
Should business owners consider a property tax appeal? | By Mark A. Easter, Nancy A. Park and Miles B.H. Krieger | Best in Law contributing writers In the past month, California property tax bills have become due. While some markets are hot and property values are rising, commercial property values have declined in some areas, especially office and retail spaces impacted by COVID-19 economic strains. While many business property owners may elect to simply pay the amount stated on their property tax bill without thinking about the values indicated by the county tax assessor, other property owners will not agree with the amount reflected in their tax bill. Fortunately, taxpayers have options to contest their property tax bills, including appealing the value of their taxable property. If done correctly, taxpayers may be able to significantly reduce their property tax liability under the current tax year, and potentially on future tax years. If done incorrectly, a taxpayer can spend significant time, effort and money with nothing to show for it. There are three basic types of taxable property in California: real property, personal property and possessory interests. A propertys assessed value is a critical component of any property owners tax bill. Under Californias property tax assessment structure, revised under Proposition 13 in 1978, real property assessments are set at the base value as of 1975, increased at a rate of the lesser of CPI or 2% per year, and changes only on transfer of ownership or new improvement (there are many exemptions to the transfer rule so this is somewhat simplified). Thus, the longer a property has been owned by the same party and/or unimproved, the lower the base assessed value would be. However, a property that has changed hands often, or was recently improved, would have been reassessed at the market value at that time. Further, Proposition 8 (Revenue & Tax Code section 51) allows for a temporary reduction in value based on market conditions in a property that reduce the market value, allowing for a temporary reduction in taxes over several tax years (vs. a permanent reduction, at least until the next transfer or improvement). If the most recent valuation from a sale or improvement was based on top-dollar market values, the current value in todays market for brick and mortar retail might be somewhat less, and the same might be true of an office building impacted by the work-from-home trend. Related: Nominate your company as a Top Workplaces 2021 Given some local market knowledge about their property situation and current market values, a property owner might believe their property tax bill is too high and desire to challenge the valuation of their taxable property. To ensure the highest likelihood of successfully challenging an assessment, the taxpayer must be diligent to create a detailed and substantive record in the first round of the tax appeal process that will support their claims if it becomes necessary to file a tax appeal in Superior Court. Accordingly, there are a number of key considerations involved in any successful property tax appeal. The process starts with a request (called informal by the assessor) to review the assessment valuation for that year (measured as of Jan. 1). The taxpayer must timely file a form for such request. If the assessor does not respond by the tax appeal deadline in the fall of that year (counties have different deadlines ranging from September to November), the taxpayer must either file an appeal to reserve the right to formally appeal, or forfeit the right for that year. The informal request may result in a reduction in assessed value, or it may be rejected. The taxpayer has more steps to follow after that to pursue a more formal action. There are additional considerations at each step and traps for the uninformed. Filing a property tax appeal based on the valuation of taxable property is a complicated process to navigate successfully. However, successful challenges to an assessors valuation of taxable property can result in significant reductions in a taxpayers tax liability. | https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/06/03/should-business-owners-consider-a-property-tax-appeal/ |
Why should we re-think tobacco tax structure? | Let's take a moment to explain the reason behind this stance. In 2019, 1 lakh 26 thousand people died of tobacco consumption, according to the Bangladesh Cancer Society. The number has risen to 1 lakh 61 thousand, according to Global Tobacco Atlas 2020. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2017 shows that one third of the grown-up population is addicted to tobacco in Bangladesh. The death rate due to this addiction is also on the rise. In a pandemic-stricken world, fighting with the second wave of coronavirus, World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised people to cease smoking in order to keep lungs healthy and active to fight the deadly virus. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is still one of the worst victims of tobacco consumption in the word. The availability of tobacco products at a cheaper rate is the main reason behind the rampant tobacco consumption. Also, we have multi-tiered cigarette available in the market, and a complicated tax structure which attributes to this condition. A research institute, Tobacconomics, working under University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a research on tax structure of 170 countries and found out Bangladesh lags far behind in standard tax imposition on tobacco products. However, introducing a tiered specific excise with uniform tax burden on all cigarette brands can help change the scenario. Countries like Philippines and Moldova had greatly been benefitted from such tax structure. Anti-tobacco practitioners suggest that imposing 65 per cent specific excise tax on the final retail price can reduce tobacco consumption. Under this structure, retail price in lower tier should be Tk 50 for 10 sticks followed by Tk 32.50 as specific supplementary duty (SD). Retail price for 10 sticks in the medium tier should be Tk 70 and Tk 45.50 would be specific supplementary duty. Similarly, in high and premium tier retail price and supplementary duties for 10 sticks would be Tk 110 and T140 for specific duty Tk 71.50 and Tk 91 respectively. In a word, the specific supplementary duty will be 65 per cent of final price in all tiers. A 15 per cent value added tax and 1 per cent health development surcharge will be applied to the final retail price of cigarettes in addition to the specific SD. However, the tobacco industry often argues that tobacco companies pay a heavy tax to the government; and increasing tax might disrupt the flow of revenue. Addressing this argument, executive director of Tobacco Control Research said, the tobacco industry pays government two kinds of tax in three ways. The first one is direct tax from their share of income, the second one is custom duty and the last one is Vat supplementary tax which is indirect tax. "They shoulder the consumers with custom duty as indirect tax. One of the leading tobacco companies paid government Tk 22 thousand 630 crores as tax in 2019. Among this only 1082 crore taka was income tax" he said. The executive director of Tobacco Control Research also thinks, if we are to pay indirect tax to government then we can easily pay through some other products than investing on something as harmful like tobacco. If tax structure is reformed, according to him, it will desist 8 lakh youth from smoking and save lives of nearly 390,000 adults and 400,000 youth from premature death. It will encourage 1.1 million adults to stop smoking. The communications officer of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids said, "Increasing tax in 2021-22 fiscal year will save lives and increase government revenue, which might come as financial aid in a pandemic stricken". A study showed that imposing specific excise tax will help the government to earn additional 34 billion tax revenue. It might also help reducing the tobacco consumption to 14.1 per cent from current 15.1 per cent. The writer is a journalist With the growing number of Covid-19 patients and the detection of black fungus patient, Bangladesh is going through a difficult time where public health has become a matter of grave concern. Cry for greater investment in health sector has become louder prior to budget. Considering the health hazard, Bangladesh is already in, it has become essential to review the tobacco tax structure to avoid additional health fatalities.Let's take a moment to explain the reason behind this stance. In 2019, 1 lakh 26 thousand people died of tobacco consumption, according to the Bangladesh Cancer Society. The number has risen to 1 lakh 61 thousand, according to Global Tobacco Atlas 2020. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2017 shows that one third of the grown-up population is addicted to tobacco in Bangladesh. The death rate due to this addiction is also on the rise.In a pandemic-stricken world, fighting with the second wave of coronavirus, World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised people to cease smoking in order to keep lungs healthy and active to fight the deadly virus. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is still one of the worst victims of tobacco consumption in the word.The availability of tobacco products at a cheaper rate is the main reason behind the rampant tobacco consumption. Also, we have multi-tiered cigarette available in the market, and a complicated tax structure which attributes to this condition. A research institute, Tobacconomics, working under University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a research on tax structure of 170 countries and found out Bangladesh lags far behind in standard tax imposition on tobacco products.However, introducing a tiered specific excise with uniform tax burden on all cigarette brands can help change the scenario. Countries like Philippines and Moldova had greatly been benefitted from such tax structure. Anti-tobacco practitioners suggest that imposing 65 per cent specific excise tax on the final retail price can reduce tobacco consumption.Under this structure, retail price in lower tier should be Tk 50 for 10 sticks followed by Tk 32.50 as specific supplementary duty (SD). Retail price for 10 sticks in the medium tier should be Tk 70 and Tk 45.50 would be specific supplementary duty. Similarly, in high and premium tier retail price and supplementary duties for 10 sticks would be Tk 110 and T140 for specific duty Tk 71.50 and Tk 91 respectively.In a word, the specific supplementary duty will be 65 per cent of final price in all tiers. A 15 per cent value added tax and 1 per cent health development surcharge will be applied to the final retail price of cigarettes in addition to the specific SD.However, the tobacco industry often argues that tobacco companies pay a heavy tax to the government; and increasing tax might disrupt the flow of revenue. Addressing this argument, executive director of Tobacco Control Research said, the tobacco industry pays government two kinds of tax in three ways.The first one is direct tax from their share of income, the second one is custom duty and the last one is Vat supplementary tax which is indirect tax. "They shoulder the consumers with custom duty as indirect tax. One of the leading tobacco companies paid government Tk 22 thousand 630 crores as tax in 2019. Among this only 1082 crore taka was income tax" he said.The executive director of Tobacco Control Research also thinks, if we are to pay indirect tax to government then we can easily pay through some other products than investing on something as harmful like tobacco. If tax structure is reformed, according to him, it will desist 8 lakh youth from smoking and save lives of nearly 390,000 adults and 400,000 youth from premature death. It will encourage 1.1 million adults to stop smoking.The communications officer of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids said, "Increasing tax in 2021-22 fiscal year will save lives and increase government revenue, which might come as financial aid in a pandemic stricken".A study showed that imposing specific excise tax will help the government to earn additional 34 billion tax revenue. It might also help reducing the tobacco consumption to 14.1 per cent from current 15.1 per cent.The writer is a journalist | https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=315364 |
Are Tilray Shorts About To Get Wrecked? | Institutions have increased their short position on Tilray Inc (NASDAQ:TLRY) by over 12 million in the last month alone and it looks as though theyre about to regret it. Of Tilrays 426.82 million float, 34.81 million shares are held short as of May 14 versus the only 22.25 that were held short as of April 14. News on Tuesday that Amazon Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) supports federal legalization of marijuana and will stop drug testing some employees in certain positions has helped to renew interest in the cannabis sector and Tilray shorts could get squeezed. See Also: How to Buy Tilray Stock The Tilray Chart: Tilray was trading up over 11% at one point in Thursdays premarket but dropped to just 3% above Wednesdays close in sympathy with AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) when it announced it had entered into an equity distribution contract. Tilrays most recent ascent began on May 25 when it broke up bullish from a triangle and on Wednesday continuing bullish momentum helped the stock break through resistance at $17.57. Tilrays action on Wednesday also printed a bullish engulfing candlestick indicating that higher prices will come during Thursdays trading session. Tilrays stock is trading above both the eight-day and 21-day exponential moving averages (EMAs) and on Wednesday the eight-day EMA crossed above the 21-day EMA, which puts the stock in a very bullish position. Tilray is also trading above the 200-day simple moving average, indicating that overall sentiment in the cannabis companys stock is bullish. Bulls want to see the premarket strength hold throughout the day and for Tilray to pop up above resistance near the $20 level. If Tilray can gain that level as support, it has room to move up toward $23.63 before meeting another resistance level and potential stalling. Bears want to see bearish volume come in and push Tilray down below support of the $17 area and the eight-day and 21-day EMAs. If Tilray was to lose the levels as support, it could revisit the $15.17 mark. TLRY Price Action: Tilray was trading up 9.5% to $20.90 at publication time. | https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/21/06/21409075/are-tilray-shorts-about-to-get-wrecked |
Can Bitcoin replace the US Dollar as a global currency? | Due to the stable medium of exchange, between the prominent international companies, many commodities like crude oil, natural gas, gold, silver, copper aluminum, platinum, wheat, corns, and soybeans are priced in dollars. Similarly, due to the widespread use of the dollar in the international arena all the countries are bound to hold the dollar for borrowing money, for the trading of goods and services with other countries. Though there are some controversies that the US is using this benefit to borrow money at a lower cost and putting strong sanctions on countries for fulfilling any sort of international political or economic agenda. Due to the aggressive use of sanctions, huge amount of debt, and overprinting for tackling recession, US dollar seems to lose its hegemony. Thus many countries are becoming aware of using dollar free system for trading. Very recently, China and Russia have put forward the idea of a global currency that will not be backed by any single nation; thus will not have concern for currency getting worthless due to any economic turmoil or misuse of power by the issuer country. In this regard for looking forward to an alternative to US$, especially among the teach-evangelist, the crypto-currency 'bitcoin' is heard the most. Bitcoin is such a digital currency that runs based on block chain technology, which can be mined up to a certain number, and is transferred among the people through a decentralized system. The current market capitalization of it is $647.2 billion. As it is a decentralized cashless system it can be used by countries for international trades for bypassing sanctions easily. The Bitcoin can work like gold; as it has a fixed supply, no central banks would have any control over it. So there is no chance of changing the value by over-producing it which might have resulted in inflation or hyperinflation. Additionally, as it is decentralized, no specifically one country will take any separate advantages. Unlike gold, it can be sub-divided to be used for buying goods or services; thus can work as a medium of exchange much better than gold. Moreover, as it can be used for a transaction without any intermediaries, it is considered a more secure and cheaper way of transaction. Recently bitcoin is being accepted by some prominent companies like Tesla, Mastercard, Square, and PayPal; making it more approachable by other investors. But the problem comes with over volatility, and fixed supply of bitcoin. Usually the daily price swing of bitcoin is 4 times more than gold. In comparison to it, the dollar is comparatively more stable though it has got inflationary concerns. But the bitcoin has proved that over the long term it can store its value. Additionally, the total number of bitcoin is fixed that is 21 million out of which about 18.5 million has been mined to date. Like gold, it can be used to back digital cash to be issued. Moreover, according to some economists, bitcoin will be an inappropriate option for using it as global currency because the demand for bitcoin would get sky-rocketed, and might outstrip the total supply. Though it seems the dollar is losing acceptance, it will take a long time for any other currency like bitcoin to work as a major global currency; side by side with other popular currencies. But this transfer can be accelerated if the US continues imposing unnecessary sanctions and lose control over their economy due to inappropriate economic policies. The writer is currently completing BSS in Economics at Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet The currency which is considered stable, kept as reserves by central banks all around the world, and used during trades between countries is considered as the global currency. Some global currencies are US dollar, Euro, and Yen. Among all these currencies the US dollar is the most popular--constituting 60 per cent of the foreign exchange reserves by the central banks, and 90 per cent of all the forex trading. The popularity of US$ mainly comes from the strength of the US's economy, and its ability to pay all its obligations.Due to the stable medium of exchange, between the prominent international companies, many commodities like crude oil, natural gas, gold, silver, copper aluminum, platinum, wheat, corns, and soybeans are priced in dollars. Similarly, due to the widespread use of the dollar in the international arena all the countries are bound to hold the dollar for borrowing money, for the trading of goods and services with other countries.Though there are some controversies that the US is using this benefit to borrow money at a lower cost and putting strong sanctions on countries for fulfilling any sort of international political or economic agenda. Due to the aggressive use of sanctions, huge amount of debt, and overprinting for tackling recession, US dollar seems to lose its hegemony. Thus many countries are becoming aware of using dollar free system for trading. Very recently, China and Russia have put forward the idea of a global currency that will not be backed by any single nation; thus will not have concern for currency getting worthless due to any economic turmoil or misuse of power by the issuer country.In this regard for looking forward to an alternative to US$, especially among the teach-evangelist, the crypto-currency 'bitcoin' is heard the most. Bitcoin is such a digital currency that runs based on block chain technology, which can be mined up to a certain number, and is transferred among the people through a decentralized system. The current market capitalization of it is $647.2 billion. As it is a decentralized cashless system it can be used by countries for international trades for bypassing sanctions easily.The Bitcoin can work like gold; as it has a fixed supply, no central banks would have any control over it. So there is no chance of changing the value by over-producing it which might have resulted in inflation or hyperinflation. Additionally, as it is decentralized, no specifically one country will take any separate advantages.Unlike gold, it can be sub-divided to be used for buying goods or services; thus can work as a medium of exchange much better than gold. Moreover, as it can be used for a transaction without any intermediaries, it is considered a more secure and cheaper way of transaction. Recently bitcoin is being accepted by some prominent companies like Tesla, Mastercard, Square, and PayPal; making it more approachable by other investors.But the problem comes with over volatility, and fixed supply of bitcoin. Usually the daily price swing of bitcoin is 4 times more than gold. In comparison to it, the dollar is comparatively more stable though it has got inflationary concerns. But the bitcoin has proved that over the long term it can store its value.Additionally, the total number of bitcoin is fixed that is 21 million out of which about 18.5 million has been mined to date. Like gold, it can be used to back digital cash to be issued. Moreover, according to some economists, bitcoin will be an inappropriate option for using it as global currency because the demand for bitcoin would get sky-rocketed, and might outstrip the total supply.Though it seems the dollar is losing acceptance, it will take a long time for any other currency like bitcoin to work as a major global currency; side by side with other popular currencies. But this transfer can be accelerated if the US continues imposing unnecessary sanctions and lose control over their economy due to inappropriate economic policies.The writer is currently completing BSS in Economics at Shahjalal Universityof Science & Technology, Sylhet | https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=315367 |
What's Driving Ford's Stock Higher Today? | Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F) is trading higher Thursday morning after the company released its vehicle sales results for May. Ford News: Ford announced a new electrified vehicle sales record as it saw electrified vehicle sales grow 184% in May. Overall F-Series sales through May were up 4.7%, while Ford brand SUVs posted the best May sales results since 2003. Related Link: Car Wars: Ford Analyst Raises Price Target, Praises Product Pipeline Ford sales were up 4.1 percent on tight inventories, while year-to-date sales increased 11.3 percent. Ford and its dealers are working harder than ever to match the right mix of inventory to best meet the needs of our customers at the local level," said Andrew Frick, vice president of Ford Sales. See also: How To Buy Apple Stock Frick also noted it has had over 70,000 reservations for its F-150 Lightning over the past two weeks. Price Action: Ford is making new 52-week highs. At last check Thursday, the stock was up 3.39% at $15.42. Photo courtesy of Ford. | https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/06/21410690/whats-driving-fords-stock-higher-today |
Why Pakistan is missing its cotton bale targets? | Pakistans cotton crop is in a melancholic state. The crops production has plummeted to a mere 5 million bales after producing a record 14 million bales in 2014-15, the fourth highest production in the world. Given the bleak situation, it is feared cotton areas may give in to some other instant cash crops. Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Chairman Dr. Jassu Mal lists a long set of reasons for this situation. The list of issues faced by the cotton sector is very long. Lack of support price, ineffective pesticides, absence of zoning laws, rising sugarcane production and changing weather patterns are some of the many issues that have reduced cotton output in the country over the last few years. As per PCGA estimates, around 60 percent of the countrys total population is directly or indirectly related to the textile industry bringing up concerns regarding mass level unemployment due to loss of output, putting the livelihoods of millions at risk. Poor zoning laws Due to lack of laws that would distinguish the boundaries for each crop and would force farmers to sow crops according to their geography, cotton faces immense threats due to the cultivation of other ones. Its micro-environment has been destroyed by the cultivation of rice, sugarcane, and corn in the adjacent fields. Cultivation of water-heavy crops increases moisture in the air making the cotton crop more vulnerable to pest attacks. As a result, the area used for cotton production has reduced from 3.1 million hectares to only 2.2 million. There are no zoning laws in Pakistan. Anyone can sow any crop anywhere. There is no restriction on what you can sow in the fields because there are no zoning laws here, says Mohammad Aslam, a cotton grower from Sanghar. He complains of the governments lack of attention towards cotton producers. Sanghar, a leading cotton producing district in Sindh, is facing the brunt of a loss of output. Cotton sowing is done mostly by women in Sanghar while there are many ginneries where thousands of labourers are employed. Most have lost their jobs in the current season because there was significantly less output, said Aslam. Inefficient pesticides Market is flooded with poor quality pesticides. Farmers dont know which pesticides to buy, complains Aslam. Pest management is not done according to humidity and temperature. Every pest grows and survives at different humidity and temperature. Our [research] departments are totally ignorant and unable to deliver information to farmers that which pest is going to attack and increase in the coming days, says Dr Mal. Obsolete technology usage Poor seeds are a huge setback in igniting crop production. Prime Ministers Agriculture Working Group head Neil Foster has said that seed quality is not good in the country, which is causing decline in the cotton production. The seed quality is very poor as it is not properly germinated. The field visits to various sites revealed that the cotton seed was mixture of varieties, which needed to be improved for desired production. One-off seasonal effects Aside from the long-standing problems plaguing the crop, record-low crop in the ongoing season was mainly due to onslaught from the monsoon rains in the southern Punjab and northern Sindh districts. In addition, the locust attacks were another bane on the crop. First it was the rains that flooded the fields just after cotton farmers planted seeds at the start of the season after which the locusts destroyed roughly 30pc of the cotton crop, said Mohammad Din, a small cotton grower in the Mirpurkhas district. The districts output has fallen by more than 75 percent from 128,000 bales last year to just 30,000 in the ongoing season. We were not even warned about the incumbent locust attacks. Had we been informed; we would have taken defensive measures. I lost 50pc of my crop in just three days, said Din. Stakeholders are demanding from the government to announce a minimum support price immediately. In addition, introduction of latest technology (GMO) seeds and efficient ginning technologies will increase per acre yields and result in lower waste. There is utmost need to constitute an autonomous board which should be headed by relevant stakeholders under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister. The board should be responsible for formulating policies to boost the size of the cotton crop in the country, demanded Dr Jassu. | https://dailytimes.com.pk/766588/why-pakistan-is-missing-its-cotton-bale-targets/ |
What are the new trends in the Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis market of China? | Pune , India , 2021-Jun-03 /EPR Network/ Growth in this market is driven by the increasing number of ESRD patients, growing prevalence of diabetes & hypertension (major causes of kidney failure), preference for dialysis treatments over kidney transplants due to lack of donors, and initiatives taken by leading players to introduce advanced products & services. The report China Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Market is projected to reach USD 7.4 billion by 2024 from USD 5.0 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 8.5%. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=150472097 The hemodialysis services segment is expected to account for the second-largest share of the China hemodialysis market, by type, in 2019 The China hemodialysis market is broadly categorized into two segments, namely, hemodialysis products and hemodialysis services market. The hemodialysis (HD) products market include machines (center-use & home-use machines) & consumables (dialyzers, access products, bloodlines, dialysates, and other consumables). The hemodialysis services (including in-center & home- hemodialysis services) segment is expected to account for the largest share of the China dialysis market. An increasing number of dialysis centers coupled with the growing prevalence of ESRD is the major factor driving the growth of the hemodialysis services market in China. Automated peritoneal dialysis is to register the highest CAGR in the China peritoneal dialysis modality market during the forecast period The peritoneal dialysis market, by modality, includes continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and automated peritoneal dialysis (APD). The APD segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR owing to its several advantages over CAPDdaytime freedom for patients, fewer connections and disconnections (and hence a lower probability of peritonitis), and improved quality of life. Being automated, APD is preferred for dialysis treatment in the elderly and children. Request for Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=150472097 The major players operating in the China hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis market are Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (Germany), Baxter International, Inc. (US) and Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer Company Limited (China). Other players in this market include B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Nikkiso Co. Ltd. (Japan), DaVita Healthcare Partners, Inc (US), Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd (Japan), Bain Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. (China), Huaren Pharmaceutical (China), and Jiangsu Lengthen Life Science and Technology Co. Ltd (China) | https://express-press-release.net/news/2021/06/03/942264 |
Who could England play in Euro 2020 knockout stages? | Clear your schedules and get ready for a lot of football over the next few weeks as Euro 2020 is finally here following an extended wait. That first blow of the whistle cant come soon enough. Advertisement We know almost everything we need to know ahead of the tournament starting. The Euro 2020 fixtures have been released and Gareth Southgate has picked the England squad he will be hoping will go all the way to the final in July. Heres all the date information you need, and who England may end up playing. Assuming England emerge from the group stage and dont get sent packing early, we know which teams they could be facing, and it would be fair to say they could well be treated with quite the challenge in their very next game. If England wins Group D, they will face the prospect of going up against some mighty teams with Portugal, Germany, France and Hungary all lined up as potential opposition. Of these, Hungary is definitely who theyll be wanting to be drawn against and even they could put up a good fight but equally, if they go up against one of the others and win, it could be a very good sign of how the rest of the tournament will play out. Finishing in second place in Group D would be the easier route, but they still face the possibility of a clash with Spain if they do. Other teams that could be drawn against England if they finish second are Sweden, Poland and Slovakia. There is still a chance that if England finishes third they could still qualify. If that happens, they could be up for a tense match against the Netherlands but there are many other teams in the running if this is the case with Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Poland and Slovakia all possibilities. Here are the dates to make sure youre, just in case England end up playing one of them: June 27th (if they finish third and make it through in Group D) June 28th (if they finish second in Group D) June 29th (if they win Group D. It is also an option if they finish third.) Stay on the ball. Get all the sporting action direct to your inbox. Our Football newsletter: news, views and previews of this week's games on TV Thanks for signing up! We hope you enjoy our Football content. Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences. Sign in Register To manage your email preferences, click here. Sign me up! Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our Football newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. As for after that, the dates England could end up playing all the way up to the final are: July 2nd or July 3rd for the quarter-finals July 6th or July 7th for the semi-finals July 11th for the final. Thats a lot of dates to put in the diary but if England surprise us all and go all the way it would have been well worth fans keeping them free. If youre wondering who will win Euro 2020, check out our analysis and key predictions for how the tournament will pan out. Check out our relaunched Football Times podcast featuring special guests, FPL tips and match previews available on Apple / Spotify / Acast. For the full breakdown of what games are coming up check out our Euro 2020 fixtures on TV guide. Advertisement If youre looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news. | https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/football/england-permutations-euro-2020-knockout-stages/ |
Is VAR being used at Euro 2020? | There is about to be a whole lot of football on our TV a months worth in fact as Euro 2020 is set to kick-off in June 2021 and fans from all over Europe count down the days until it starts. Advertisement The Euro 2020 fixtures are now out so we can plan ahead to make sure we can watch all the important games or every game, as is the case for lots of us but there is one word that will strike fear into the hearts of many a fan: VAR. Read on for everything you need to know or check out our guide to how to watch Euro 2020 on TV. Euro 2016 was a VAR-free zone and, despite it being commonplace now, there were a lot of us hoping it would somehow be omitted from Euro 2020 too. When VAR was first announced, fans were split, with many happy something was in place to overrule bad decision Frank Lampards disallowed goal in 2010 that should have brought them level with Germany being one such moment that was hotly discussed. But now, the vast majority have turned on it, with the decisions being made causing more frustration than anything else it is not being used the way many of us had hoped, with even high profile people involved in the game voicing their frustrations. If you fall into that camp then we have bad news as VAR will indeed be used at Euro 2020 and we suspect all eyes will be on it to see how much of impact it has. Stay on the ball. Get all the sporting action direct to your inbox. Our Football newsletter: news, views and previews of this week's games on TV Thanks for signing up! We hope you enjoy our Football content. Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences. Sign in Register To manage your email preferences, click here. Sign me up! Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our Football newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. If you want a list of who the non-virtual referees are that have been chosen for the tournament, here they are: Felix Brych (Germany) Cneyt akr (Turkey) Carlos Del Cerro Grande (Spain) Andreas Ekberg (Sweden) Orel Grinfeeld (Israel) Ovidiu Alin Hategan (Romania) Sergei Karasev (Russia) Istvan Kovacs (Romania) Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Danny Makkelie (Netherlands) Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Michael Oliver (England) Daniele Orsato (Italy) Artur Manuel Ribeiro Soares Dias (Portugal) Daniel Siebert (Germany) Anthony Taylor (England) Clment Turpin (France) Slavko Vini (Slovenia) Euro 2020 will start on June 11th and run for a month, with the final taking place on July 11th. The matches will be divided up between BBC and ITV before both air the final in July. Check out our relaunched Football Times podcast featuring special guests, FPL tips and match previews available on Apple / Spotify / Acast. For the full breakdown of what games are coming up check out our Euro 2020 fixtures on TV guide. Advertisement If youre looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news. | https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/football/euro-2020-var/ |
Do the risks of infrared sauna overheat the benefits? | ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) Infrared saunas are popping up across the country. They are a new health craze that claims a list of benefits from detox, weight loss, muscle recovery, and better sleep. Working up a sweat comes in all shapes and sizes, and now getting the benefits of a good sweat could be as easy as relaxing in an infrared sauna. Traditional saunas heat the air around you, where the infrared saunas heat up your core body temperature. So, you are sweating at a cellular level, Julie Wordell, staff member at Persphire, told Ivanhoe. Sessions last 40 minutes. Proponents believe there is a long list of benefits. So, youre stimulating your body in the same way as you would during a cardiovascular workout, explained Julie Wordell. Studies show that with a normal sauna, you sweat out approximately three percent toxins and 97% of water. With an infrared sauna, you sweat out 20% of toxins and 80% of water. A 2018 systematic review warns the infrared heat can cause you to become overheated, dehydrated, and your risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke increases. In general, infrared saunas are considered safe for most people. Ad I would say to anybody whos nervous about the technology not to be. This is a very safe and effective way to allow for your body to detox, exclaimed Julie Wordell. Doctors warn if you have an implanted medical device or acute or chronic condition you should consult with your doctor before using an infrared sauna. If you suffer from low blood pressure or kidney disease or if you are pregnant, you may be more susceptible to dehydration. | https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/06/03/do-the-risks-of-infrared-sauna-overheat-the-benefits/ |
Is D-FW in a home price bubble? | More than 30% of North Texas homes are selling for more than asking price, with buyers sometimes forking over $100,000 or more than what the houses are listed for. Thats put the Dallas area on a list of cities prone to a market downturn, according to a new report by Florida researchers. Home prices are escalating quickly in Dallas and a handful of other U.S. cities where consumers would be better off financially by renting and reinvesting the money they would otherwise have spent on homeownership, the study by professors at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University says. The researchers looked at home prices in 23 U.S. metro areas in the first quarter for their report. The bottom line is that Dallas is one of the U.S. metros where it made the most sense to rent in the first three months of 2021, the study found. Consumers also were wise to rent and avoid the overheated housing markets in the following areas: Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Miami and Seattle. All of the cities have seen huge run-ups in home prices during the last year. Scores for these areas suggest they are the most exposed to price corrections in the event of a real estate downturn, Ken H. Johnson, a professor and real estate economist with Florida Atlanta University who is coauthor of the study, said in a statement. Buyers are bidding up home prices to near peak levels. It is probably wiser to rent and reinvest in Dallas and these other markets at this point in time. Home prices in North Texas are now at record levels of more than $325,000, rising 18% year-over-year in April. Thats the highest rate of home appreciation on record for the area in decades. The Florida researchers said that many consumers are buying houses in todays market because low mortgage rates allow them to purchase. But the nations housing market would take a hit if rates rise, the study said. The Florida universities have been doing the housing studies since 2013. The index looks at home prices, rents, mortgage rates, investment returns, property taxes, insurance and home maintenance costs in each market. Nationwide home prices are rising at the fastest rate in 15 years, according to the latest reports by CoreLogic. Wall Street firm Fitch Ratings has red flagged the Dallas-Fort Worth area as one of the most overheated residential property markets in the country. Fitch estimates that property prices in the D-FW area are overvalued by 15% to 19%. Home prices in Texas are following most of the rest of the country where supply has not kept pace with demand, Fitch analysts Suzanne Mistretta said in an email. Its not the first time that analysts have warned that D-FW home values are out of whack. For several years analysts have warned that North Texas home cost increases are outstripping consumers abilities to keep paying more. But so far buyers have shrugged off those concerns in a scramble to buy houses that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. D-FW home prices have soared in the last year because of a severe shortage of properties on the market. The situation has been made even worse by tens of thousands of people relocating to North Texas from out of state during the pandemic. Some buyers who are desperate to acquire housing acknowledge they are overpaying for properties. North Texas median home prices more than doubled where they were a decade ago. | https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2021/06/03/is-d-fw-in-a-home-price-bubble/ |
Will Central Banks Replace Cryptocurrencies? | Last month I explained why cryptocurrencies are not ready for mainstream retail. The reasons include rampant volatility, lack of regulation, and extraordinary risk. All are good for speculators but bad for ecommerce merchants. Aiming to bring stability and perhaps avoid a financial crisis if the crypto-speculation bubble bursts, governments worldwide are considering central bank digital currencies CBDCs. A central bank digital currency is a countrys recognized currency in electronic form. For example, the CBDC of the United States would be the digital dollar. Today, the U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve, issues paper bills and metal coins. Consumers use those bills and coins physically or as stored in bank accounts. In the future, digital currency with unique serial numbers like the dollar could replace paper and coins. A digital dollar could be suitable for common transactions (loans, investments, salaries, retail payments) and represent the best of both worlds: the convenience of cryptocurrencies and the regulation and stability of a reserve-backed money supply. Holders of CBDCs would presumably have digital wallets, likely on smartphones. Bank accounts would presumably remain more or less the same. A digital dollar in your checking or savings account would look the same as a paper dollar stored in those accounts. Thus the value of a CBDC would equal a countrys currency one digital dollar would be redeemable for one paper dollar. This is unlike existing cryptocurrencies with values based on speculation and hype. Monetary policymakers offer several justifications for creating CBDCs, including: Convenience in an online world. Cash and coins (and credit cards) are expensive to handle and store. The proliferation of real-time payments shows that consumers and businesses need simple, inexpensive, and secure ways of moving money. CBDCs could make real-time payments more accessible and reduce the burden of handling cash. Prevent an international financial crisis. In China, digital payments are controlled by technology companies, namely Alipay and WeChat Pay. In Europe and North America, private investors own the majority of cryptocurrencies. If one of the major cryptocurrencies (or WeChat or Alipay) were to fail, a financial crisis would ensue. Governments are now recognizing that CBDCs can offer the benefits of cryptocurrencies and e-payments without the risks of a worldwide financial crisis. Encourage innovation. Investors and inventors understand the lack of ubiquity and stability prevents cryptocurrencies widespread adoption. A stable, government-backed digital currency could facilitate payment and financial innovation. Protect privacy and prevent crime. Cash payments are private. Card-based payments are not. Whenever we make a credit card payment, someone is watching and tracking us. If governments allow it, CBDC payments could be anonymous or semi-anonymous. Merchants, credit card companies, and financial institutions would not know who is paying (similar to cash payments). Still, governments could monitor the use of CBDCs to prevent money laundering and other financial crimes. Financial inclusion and equality. Central bank digital currencies, according to proponents, would allow equal access to financial services, especially for the unbanked and underbanked. It is difficult to substantiate this claim, however. Some proponents believe that a digital dollar would not require bank accounts and credit scores. But it would require modern (expensive) smartphones and access to high-speed internet. Hurdles CBDCs offer much potential for good. But they could create problems, too, such as: Privacy concerns and government surveillance. CBDCs would likely require digital wallets and accounts. With CBDCs, governments, including authoritarian regimes, would have unprecedented access to an individuals transaction data. Consumer protection. CBDC promoters rarely address real-world occurrences such as chargebacks, refunds, and errors. | https://www.practicalecommerce.com/will-central-banks-replace-cryptocurrencies |
How has the use and users of ETFs changed in South Africa? | E TF TVs weekly episodes cover the latest ETF listings and breaking news, alongside interviews with the people behind the ETF headlines. In this weeks episode of ETF TV, host Debbie Fuhr discusses how the use and users of ETF has been changing in South Africa with managing director of CoreShares, Gareth Stobie. CoreShares is an independent, passive investment manager operating predominantly in the South African markets and has 9 ETFs trading on the JSE. Gareth shares his insights into the CoreShares Total World Stock Feeder Securities ETF, including why its called a feeder ETF. We also find out about the boom of retail investing in the local markets, plus how investors are embracing ETFs and moving away from stocks. Gareth talks about CoreShares plans for the rest of 2021, in particular, he highlights the impact of themes and how this offers more liquidity for investors, when it once remained quite narrow in terms of opportunities. To hear Gareth discuss the investing climate in South Africa in more detail, plus to find out what aspects theyll be introducing for investors in this space, watch the full episode below. | https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-au/opto/how-has-the-use-and-users-of-etfs-changed-in-south-africa |
How much money is Logan Paul getting for the Floyd Mayweather fight? | Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather are scheduled to face each other in an eight-round boxing bout inside the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 6. While the fight has been criticized as a sort of entertainment by traditional boxing fans, there will be a lot of money involved in the spectacle. Ahead of the celebrity boxing bout, the expected purse payouts for both fighters have been revealed. As per reports, Logan Paul is guaranteed $250,000 and a 10% revenue share from the PPV sales. Meanwhile, Mayweather is guaranteed to make $10 million in fight money in addition to a 50% share of PPV sales. The upcoming bout between Mayweather and Paul will be streamed live on Fanmio's official website on pay-per-view. With each PPV priced at $59.99, the fight purse is expected to be massive for both fighters. The strange rules for the fight between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather The exhibition bout between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather won't produce an official winner as it is a non-sanctioned bout. While the fight has not been officially approved by the Florida State Boxing Commission, a commission referee will be provided for the bout. According to a spokesperson from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the promotion could conduct some kind of vote for the winner but it won't be given any official recognition. The spokesperson also said that the bout will consist of eight three-minute rounds with no headgear and 12-ounce gloves. Most importantly, the exhibition bout will not have ringside judges, although a stoppage can occur via knockout. The Florida State Boxing Commission couldn't regulate the bout as an official professional boxing match owing to the stark size difference between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul. In his professional debut loss to fellow YouTuber KSI, Logan Paul weighed in at 199.4-pounds. In contrast, Mayweather weighed in at a mere 147-pounds in his most recent appearance against Tenshin Nasukawa. Please take 30 seconds to answer this survey so that we can better understand how to serve your MMA needs. Edited by Harvey Leonard | https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-how-much-money-logan-paul-getting-floyd-mayweather-fight |
How to make the best use of Chronos abilities in Free Fires Ranked mode? | Chrono used to be first launched for the period of the OB26 Operation Chrono substitute in Free Hearth, and the persona impulsively gained prominence as one in each of the sports most wished characters. Chronos expertise, on the completely different hand, used to be nerfed with the OB27 substitute, and avid gamers constantly stopped the voice of him. Chrono owns the TimeTurner functionality, which prevents injury from enemies and boosts movement bustle. Nevertheless the expertise has a 200-2nd cooldown interval. After Chrono has been nerfed, avid gamers invent not on the complete take him for Ranked mode fits as Chronos cooldown time does not allow avid gamers to make voice of the abilities often. Best voice of Chronos abilities in Free Hearths Ranked mode #1 Pairing Chrono with Rockie Rockie in Free Hearth Chrono needs to be paired with Rockie as a result of of the Chronos primary spot is his lengthy Cooldown interval. Rockie decreases the cooldown interval of the equipped energetic functionality by 6% at its contaminated stage and 15% on the most stage. Chrono in Free Hearth After being paired with Rockie, avid gamers can blueprint doubtlessly the most of Chrono in Conventional Ranked fits for a mighty shorter cooldown interval. #2 Make use of goal expertise combos in the Ranked mode Chrono is a prevalent persona in Free Hearth (Picture by Full Gaming/YouTube) The voice of the appropriate expertise combos with Chrono might presumably preserve benefit avid gamers remarkably on the battlefield. Chrono, Moco, Dasha, and Laura, to illustrate, will blueprint an inconceivable combo for Ranked mode fits. Moco identifies foes whore hit. In the meantime, Dasha helps knock down opponents from a distance by decreasing normal recoil. Lauras Titillating Shooter functionality moreover enhances accuracy by 30 whereas scoping in. When paired with Chronos functionality, avid gamers can blueprint an influence area and settle instantaneous shelter whereas gunning down opponents. #3 Best for squad fits Chrono is best for squad fits (Picture by Full Gaming/YouTube) Squad Ranked fits are doubtlessly the most uncomplicated mode for Chrono as towards solo or duo modes. Whereas enjoying solo or duo, avid gamers want to make voice of their expertise often. Then all once more, in squad Ranked fits, avid gamers will rep ample encourage from their teammates. Their teammates can current backup whereas Chronos abilities are under cooldown. Avid avid gamers would then not require this expertise very on the complete. Command: These suggestions are absolutely the creators personal notion. Readers might presumably goal have diversified components of watch. Sign In/ Sign Up to Reply | https://www.gadgetclock.com/how-to-make-the-best-use-of-chronos-abilities-in-free-fires-ranked-mode/ |
Do Farmhouse Sinks Make Sense Without a Real Farmhouse? | For the recurring series, Thats Debatable, we take on a contentious issue of the day and present two spirited argumentsone in favor and other emphatically opposed. Previous installments from the series are here. YES, THEYRE SPACIOUS, PRACTICAL AND AGE BEAUTIFULLY Apron-front sinks are a key component of the American pastoral-homestead fantasy, thanks (in part) to Chip and Joanna Gaines, who push the modern-farmhouse aesthetic on HGTV. And though design pros have been forecasting that aesthetics demise for a couple of years, the ultra-deep and wide basins that go with it remain remarkably popular. One maker, Kohler, reports five years of steady sales growth for the sinks. Matthew Quinn, principal of Atlantas Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, said that his clients have lately been requesting a stainless steel version, a better match for modern kitchens. He cites one of its many practical advantages: If youre shorter the access is much easier, because theres no counter between you and the sink. Another plus: The added depth is a boon if youre bathing a dog, noted Bellport, N.Y., designer Tricia Foley, author of the new book A Summer Place (Rizzoli). Ms. Foley also loves that you can arrange flowers in them without spewing petal confetti all overand pile dirty tableware out of sight until youre ready to wash up. Ive used them as ice buckets for parties, she said of the cavernous receptacles. Just fill the farmhouse sink with ice and lots of bottles of ros. Another interior designer who installed one of the tubby sinks in her own home, Nashvilles Stephanie Sabbe, enthused: I loved bathing all my children in itduh! Looks, too, were a consideration. Its just such a nice detail, especially if you can afford to make them out of stone, she said. Pros also praised the patina the apron-front can develop. We all got so obsessed with everything being bulletproof, Ms. Sabbe said, but you dont go into old homes in Europe and think, Oh my gosh, theres paint peeling! Youre like, This is beautiful. NO, THEYRE PRETENTIOUS, OVEREXPOSED AND COULD RUIN YOUR CABINETS The look only clicks in a traditional scullery, said Houston designer J. Randall Powers. What I hate is the entire Kardashian approach to designWell, its popular, lets do it, he said. The proud belly of the sink can be a scene stealer. In mellow kitchens that evolved over time, they feel OK, said architect Thomas A. Kligerman, partner at New York-based Ike Kligerman Barkley, who lived in a 300-year-old farmhouse in Normandy, France, in his teens. But that charm gets a little lost when you insert one into a modern kitchen. In some ways it almost makes too big a deal of the sink. | https://www.wsj.com/articles/do-farmhouse-sinks-make-sense-without-a-real-farmhouse-11622730331 |
When is Coinbase Pro adding Dogecoin? When does Dogecoin go live on Coinbase? How do I buy Dogecoin? | Coinbase announced users will be able to trade Dogecoin starting Thursday, June 3 at 12 p.m on Coinbase Pro, its more advanced trading platform. Its no surprise Coinbase Pro has decided to add the fan-favorite cryptocurrency to its trading lineup. At one point last month, one Dogecoin was worth $0.63 ahead of Elon Musks SNL appearance. Musk has branded himself on Twitter as The Dogefather. One Dogecoin is currently worth $0.40, a 19.35% spike within the past week, according to real-time data tracked by CoinMarketCap (Market capitalization is constantly changing). How to buy Dogecoin on Coinbase Pro If you dont already have an account, you simply just need to sign up. Do note, though, Coinbase Pro has an interface designed for more advanced traders, while Coinbase is easier to use for beginners. If you already own Dogecoin, you can also transfer it into you Coinbase Pro account. Coinbases regular platform among the most popular places to trade cryptocurrency does not support Dogecoin, but you can add it to you cryptocurrency wishlist if you prefer a more beginner platform. If you sign up for a regular Coinbase account, you will also receive $5 worth of Bitcoin for free upon verification of ID. Dogecoin was created in 2013 by Adobe employee Jackson Palmer and software engineer Billy Markus, according to a report by CoinDesk. Its a play on the popular internet meme of a Japanese Shiba Inu branded as doge. Its non-serious vibe caused it to become a hit and attract a huge following. Cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to be used over the internet, according to Coinbase. Its decentralized, meaning it isnt controlled by the government or any other central authority such as a bank. If you want to educate yourself more on cryptocurrency and how it works, you can always enroll in an online course, too. Courses are offered at online platforms Coursera, LinkedIn Learning and Udemy. If youre interested in investing in other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether and Litecoin, here are some options to get you started: RELATED STORIES ABOUT RETAIL AND SHOPPING: 17 tech and electronic deals still available from Samsungs ongoing Memorial Day sale Amazon Prime Day 2021 dates announced The 7 Memorial Day weekend sales you may have missed that are still ongoing Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Nicolette Accardi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Tell us. nj.com/tips | https://www.nj.com/business/2021/06/when-is-coinbase-pro-adding-dogecoin-when-does-dogecoin-go-live-on-coinbase-how-do-i-buy-dogecoin.html |
Whats the Best Way to Pay Down Debt in a Post-COVID Economy? | Fertnig / Getty Images For many people, one of the top financial priorities in a post-coronavirus economy will be paying down debt. A poll conducted earlier this year by Creditcards.com found that 51% of American adults with credit card debt added to it during the pandemic. That was up from 23% in May 2020. Of those polled, 44% specifically blamed the pandemic for adding to their debt loads. Getting debt under control should be one of the first things you focus on as life returns to normal, experts say. A good first step is including debt payments in your monthly budget. If you took on $25,000 of debt, you cant manage your finances like you dont have $25,000 of debt to pay off, Tania Brown, a Certified Financial Planner and coach at SaverLife, told CNBC this week. That means that people should come up with a game plan for paying off debt with one of many strategies, such as paying off high-interest debt first or focusing on the debt thats easiest to get rid of quickest. Make Your Money Work for You People who are behind on essential living expenses like rent, mortgage and utility bills should prioritize those. But when it comes to credit-card debt, its a little trickier. See: COVID-19 Has Made Couples Much Better at Talking About Money Find: People in These 16 States Are Having the Most Trouble Paying Bills As Ramsey Solutions noted in March, two popular strategies for paying down debt are the debt avalanche method and the debt snowball method. The avalanche method involves paying off your debts in order from the highest interest rate to the lowest, regardless of the balance. With the snowball method, you pay off debt in order of the smallest balance to the biggest, regardless of the interest rate. Both strategies have the same goal: helping you become debt-free. But many experts side with the snowball method, partly because of the psychological lift you get when you see a credit card paid in full. When you pay off that smallest debt first, you get a taste of victory, Ramsey Solutions noted. And that feeling of success is the momentum you need to tackle the next debt with a vengeance. See: How to Determine Which Debts Are the Most Important to Pay Off in 2021 Find: Generation Debt Its Not Who You Think In contrast, the avalanche method might require spending months or even years paying off a high-interest credit card, especially if it has a high balance. This means you miss out on the feeling of accomplishment from seeing a debt disappear. Before deciding which method to use, look at your own personal financial situation and figure out which will benefit you the most. If you use the snowball method and leave a large balance of higher-interest debt for later, youll end up paying a lot more in interest than if you attacked the higher-APR debt first, Harlem World magazine reported. If your priority is to save money on interest and you have the finances and mindset to pay down high-balance, high-APR cards first then debt avalanche might be the best choice. Make Your Money Work for You Another strategy is to transfer high-interest balances to cards with lower interest rates, or to new cards that offer 0% interest for a set period of time, usually a year. But you have to be careful here. The key is making sure you pay off the debt before the promotional period ends or you could be stuck with an astronomical APR when the interest charges kick in. More From GOBankingRates | https://www.gobankingrates.com/net-worth/debt/whats-the-best-way-to-pay-down-debt-in-a-post-covid-economy/ |
What is David Spades net worth? | DAVID Spade has taken over as the new host of Bachelor in Paradise, replacing longtime host Chris Harrison. While Spade may be a new face to Bachelor devotees, he's far from a new face in Hollywood. David Spade has an estimated net worth of $60million. Most of his net worth has come from his various film and television roles over the years, and his new Bachelor in Paradise hosting gig will certainly add to his wealth. In 1989, Spade got his first major acting gig: a starring role on Saturday Night Live. He got the job after fellow SNL star Dennis Miller recommended him to Lorne Michaels. After Spade's SNL career came to a close, he got a series of roles in comedic films alongside the late Chris Farley. They starred in Tommy Boy and Black Sheep together. Unfortunately, this duo was cut short when Farley died of an overdose in 1997. He then got a role on Just Shoot Me, where he starred alongside Andy Dick. 3 David Spade as Joe Dirt Credit: Getty He starred in Just Shoot Me until 2003. From there, he starred in The Showbiz Show With David Spade for three years. Then, fellow comedian and SNL alum Adam Sandler gave him a starring role in Grown Ups and the sequel, Grown Ups 2. David Spade's brother, Andy, married handbag designer Kate Spade. Andy and Kate ran the wildly successful handbag line until Kate Spade died by suicide in 2018. Most read in Entertainment Exclusive FARRAH'S NOT FAKING! Khloe 'upset' by Tristan cheating rumors but is 'standing by' him YEEZY DOES IT Irina hangs out with ex Bradley after rumours she's 'dating' Kanye POST-OP SNAP Jana Kramer bares major cleavage in tiny bikini as she flaunts new boob job SPEAKING HIS MIND Amy Duggar's husband claims Josh 'f**ked up & should pay the price' Exclusive A RUFF DAY Matthew Perry's ex Molly seen WITHOUT engagement ring walking their dog Despite dating several famous women throughout his career including Heather Locklear and Naya Rivera Spade has never been married. However, he has a daughter named Harper, who was born in 2008 to Playboy Playmate Jillian Grace. Spade also owns several homes in California, including one in West Hollywood and one in Beverly Hills. | https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/3008658/what-is-david-spades-net-worth/ |
What brands do the Kardashians own and promote? | DIVE into the Kardashian empire including what brands the sisters' own and promote. The reach of the Kardashian Jenner family goes way beyond Keeping Up With The Kardashians, with each sister making money in numerous ways through both creating and promoting different brands. When Kris Jenner first conceptualized Keeping Up With The Kardashians in 2007, she was thinking ahead to how it could affect different brands and businesses. She told The LA Times in her oral history of the pilot episode that Kim and I would set these goals every year. And [in 2007, the year KUWTK premiered], we set a goal to develop her first fragrance, which was Kim Kardashian. That was the start of what we saw the potential could be down the road. In addition to the brands they own, each sister also gets a pretty penny for promoting companies on their social media for millions of followers. Now, each sister has their own brands and companies they manage and promote on their own and with each other. Kim Kardashian Perhaps the most famous Kardashian, Kim is still making money from her sex tape with ex-boyfriend, Ray Jay as well as her mobile game, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. Currently, Kim focuses her time on her shapewear brand, sKims, her makeup line, KKW Beauty, and KKW Fragrance. Each of these brands are worth over one million dollars and she has collaborated with her sisters for different collections, fragrances, and campaigns. 9 Currently, Kim focuses her time on her shapewear brand, sKims, her makeup line, KKW Beauty, and KKW Fragrance Credit: The Mega Agency Khloe Kardashian Khloe launched clothing brand Good American in 2016 as a more size-inclusive denim line. The brand has now expanded to include different kinds of clothing, swimwear, and shoes. 9 Khloe launched clothing brand Good American in 2016 as a more size-inclusive denim line Credit: Good American Kourtney Kardashian Kourtney has never been as excited about her brand in the famous family as her sisters. However, she does manage the lifestyle website Poosh, which offers articles on health, beauty, fitness, lifestyle, and more with a Poosh store to go with it. 9 Kourtney has never been as excited about her brand in the famous family as her sisters Credit: kourtneykardash/Instagram Kylie Jenner Kylie began her makeup empire in 2015 with the sale of Kylie lip-kits. She has since expanded her Kylie Cosmetics makeup line exponentially and her products are now available at Ulta. A new skincare line, Kylie Skin, was added to the empire in 2019. In June 2021, Kylie began teasing a potential third brand, Kylie Baby, through pictures of her daughter, Stormi. 9 Kylie began her makeup empire in 2015 with the sale of Kylie lip-kits Kendall Jenner Kendall's main source of income comes from her impressive modeling career. In 2019, she acquired a stake in the Moon oral care line and even designed her own teeth whitening pen. Kendall's latest venture, her 818 tequila brand, hit stores in California in May 2021. 9 Kendall's main source of income comes from her impressive modeling career Credit: Instagram Kris Jenner Kris runs Jenner Communications, which manages all her children, of which he famously takes 10% of all profits. Kris has been an executive producer of KUWTK since its conception in 2007 and has produced a few of its many spin offs as well. She has some control over son Rob Kardashian's sock brand, George socks, as well as the Kardashian Kloset which resells clothes and accessories worn by the famous family. 9 Kris runs Jenner Communications, which manages all her children, of which he famously takes 10% of all profits Credit: Rex Kim, Kourney, and Khloe Before KUWTK aired, the three sisters opened a boutique in Calabasas called Dash. Part of the reason for starting the show was to promote the store. The boutique grew into a mini chain with locations in New York and Miami until closing in 2018. In 2011, the sisters made a deal with Sears to sell the Kardashian Kollection of clothes and accessories, but the partnership did not end up being very profitable. Kardashian Kids launched in 2014 offering trendy children's clothes, but this too eventually fizzled out. 9 Before KUWTK aired, the three sisters opened a boutique in Calabasas called Dash Credit: Instagram Kendall and Kylie Following in their sister's footsteps, the two youngest launched their own clothing collection Kendall + Kylie in 2013. The brand is currently available at Pacsun, Nordstrom, and on the official Kendall + Kylie website. Keeping Up With the Kardashians is officially coming to an end after 273 episodes and 11 spin-offs. The decision was decided among all sisters and family matriarch, Kris Jenner, after days of discussing the shows fate. Kim Kardashian told Grazia USA that it was ultimately decided that they needed a break. This was a dream of all of ours. We never imagined we would get onto season two. Now we're on 20," Kim said. "Sometimes we just need a break. It's really simple. We just need a minute to regroup. You know, we haven't had a break for 14 years, she added. We've gone in filming a season, then a spin off and I think there's no other way to say it other than, we just live such big lives. And we have kids now. And they need us. On September 8, 2020, Kim broke the news via Instagram that the shows finale would be in 2021. Khloe 'upset' by Tristan cheating rumors but is 'standing by' him YEEZY DOES IT Irina hangs out with ex Bradley after rumours she's 'dating' Kanye 'BIG MISTAKE' Bond Girl Britt Ekland, 78, says she 'destroyed her looks' with lip fillers POST-OP SNAP Jana Kramer bares major cleavage in tiny bikini as she flaunts new boob job SPEAKING HIS MIND Amy Duggar's husband claims Josh 'f**ked up & should pay the price' Exclusive A RUFF DAY Matthew Perry's ex Molly seen WITHOUT engagement ring walking their dog The KUWTK season finale of episode 12 will be split into two parts. The first part of the finale will air Thursday, June 4 at 8pm ET. Similarly, fans will have to wait until part two airs on Thursday, June 10 to witness the shows grand finale. | https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/3008806/kardashians-jenner-brands-companies-kuwtk/ |
What did Vanessa Bryant say about Nike? | BASKETBALL legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gigi and seven others perished in a helicopter crash on January 20, 2020. Now, the future of the Nike and Kobe sneaker line has reached an end after the Kobe Bryant estate decided not to renew its contract with the brand. A newly leaked image shared on Instagram by @Brandon1an shows the upcoming Nike Kobe 8 Protro Mamba Forever sneakers. The sneakers are rumored to hit shelves this summer. The shoe wears a simple black-based color design combined with white accents as a nod to the hues used for the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundations logo. Both the names of Kobe and his daughter Gianna Gigi are stamped on the heel in honor of their lives. 5 The Mamba Forever sneakers rumored to be released this summer Credit: Instagram @brandon1an Vanessa Bryant ripped Nike over the alleged sneaker release, saying the shoe was designed by her as a tribute to her late daughter. "This is a shoe I worked on in honor of my daughter, Gianna," Vanessa wrote on Instagram. "It was going to be called the MAMBACITA shoe as an exclusive black and white colorway on her daddy's shoes. "I picked the colors in honor of her uniform, the number 2 she wore just like her uniform, the inside pattern, Kobe and Gigi on the back in gold instead of Kobe's signature, the inside shoe details (butterfly, wings, halo), etc." She continued: "The MAMBACITA shoes are NOT approved for sale. 5 According to Vanessa Bryant she designed the sneaker as a tribute to her daughter Gigi Credit: Instagram @brandon1an "I wanted it to be sold to honor my daughter with ALL of the proceeds benefitting our @mambamambacitasports foundation but I did not re-sign the Nike contract to sell these shoes. "(The MAMBACITA shoes were not approved to be made in the first place.) Nike has NOT sent any of these pairs to me and my girls. "I do not know how someone else has their hands on shoes I designed in honor of my daughter, Gigi and we don't. I hope these shoes did not get sold. @nike," Vanessa added. In April, Kobe's five-year post-retirement endorsement extension with Nike expired, as Vanessa and the Kobe Bryant estate elected not to renew the partnership. "Kobe's Nike contract expired on 4/13/21. Kobe and Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe," Vanessa told ESPN. "It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband's product than any other signature shoe. 5 Vanessa Bryant said the sneakers are 'not approved' for sale Credit: GC Images "My hope will always be to allow Kobe's fans to get and wear his products. I will continue to fight for that. Kobe's products sell out in seconds. That says everything," she added. According to ESPN, citing sources, Vanessa and the estate had grown frustrated with Nike limiting the availability of Kobe products during his retirement and after his January 2020 death. There was also frustration with the lack of availability of Kobe footwear in kids' sizes, the outlet reported. Per ESPN, Nike had presented an extension offer that was not in line with expectations of an ongoing "lifetime" structure similar to the Nike Inc. contracts held by both Michael Jordan and LeBron James. "I was hoping to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband's legacy. We will always do everything we can to honor Kobe and Gigi's legacies. That will never change," Vanessa said. It is believed that all future releases of Kobe-branded footwear and apparel manufactured by Nike will be halted. Khloe 'upset' by Tristan cheating rumors but is 'standing by' him YEEZY DOES IT Irina hangs out with ex Bradley after rumours she's 'dating' Kanye 'BIG MISTAKE' Bond Girl Britt Ekland, 78, says she 'destroyed her looks' with lip fillers POST-OP SNAP Jana Kramer bares major cleavage in tiny bikini as she flaunts new boob job SPEAKING HIS MIND Amy Duggar's husband claims Josh 'f**ked up & should pay the price' Exclusive A RUFF DAY Matthew Perry's ex Molly seen WITHOUT engagement ring walking their dog The Kobe Bryant estate could enter into negotiations with outside brands to form a new partnership. Vanessa also confirmed to ESPN that the Kobe Bryant estate owns the rights to both the Mamba logo and his signature. The "Sheath" logo often featured on the tongue of Nike's Kobe sneakers is mutually owned by both sides. | https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/3008807/vanessa-bryant-blasted-nike-over-mambacita-shoe/ |
Why do foreign banks expand in China despite weakening profitability? | Although foreign banks in China have been falling further behind domestic lenders in key profitability metrics over the past two years, the growth potential in wealth management and cross-border financing in the world's second-largest economy might explain why they stay or even expand. While net interest margins are trending lower for most banks in China amid Beijing's accommodative monetary policies, foreign lenders have seen their returns on lending and other interest-earning assets fall more sharply than domestic institutions. As of March 31, the gap between the NIMs of foreign banks and the nation's six largest state-backed commercial banks, for instance, widened to 47 basis points from 26 bps two years ago, according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, or CBIRC. In addition, the combined net profit of 41 foreign lenders in China fell to 6.0 billion yuan as of the end of the first quarter, from 7.6 billion yuan a year ago, according to the CBIRC. It was equivalent to 0.98% of the net profit of all banks in China, down from 1.27% a year ago. That contrasts with the large commercial banks, which reported a 2.76% year-over-year increase in combined net profit, with their share of the sector's total earnings edging higher to 51.57% from 51.37%. "The gap reflects the structural trend that foreign banks are not as competitive and efficient as large [Chinese] commercial banks. [But China's] market is still attractive given the potential size and the net interest margin may still be higher than [their] home markets," said Gary Ng, a Hong Kong-based economist at investment bank Natixis. "The onshore presence [in China] is important for client relationship and offshore or cross-border financing, which may be even more relevant for foreign banks at the current stage," Ng added. Despite chronic comparative disadvantages partly due to the dominance and scale of local players as well as the emergence of financial technology platforms, many foreign lenders continue expanding in China organically or through acquisitions. Experts say even a small slice of China's banking sector could help foreign lenders as many of their key markets, such as the U.S. and Europe, had been struggling to grow even before the pandemic. Among the latest deals, Singapore's DBS Group Holdings Ltd. acquired 13% of Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Co. Ltd. in April. HSBC Holdings PLC, Standard Chartered PLC and Citigroup Inc. also said they would beef up their wealth management operations in China, targeting the growing middle class. HSBC, for example, added 100 wealth planners in mainland China in the first quarter out of the 600 planned new hires across Asia. The bank said its trade loans in Asia grew by $3 billion in the first quarter, mainly driven by mainland China and Hong Kong. Structural issues One of the reasons why foreign banks in China are less profitable than domestic peers is their persistently high funding cost, a key component of the NIM. Foreign banks' retail networks in China are much smaller than the local players, which are able to lean on low-cost deposits as their major funding source. Sourcing wholesale funding from the interbank market, which is priced with reference to interbank rates that are usually higher than deposit rates, or attracting more deposits by offering higher-than-market interest rates are adding pressure to the already thinning NIMs for foreign institutions in China. Cao Zhu, a Shenzhen-based analyst at brokerage Guotai Junan added that China's removal of restrictions on bond market and money market interest rates in recent years has contributed to the faster decline of NIMs for foreign banks and other lenders with a smaller deposit base. "The interest rate fluctuates in a greater range as it liberalizes, which also makes it more costly for banks to absorb deposits and borrow from the financial market. However, usually lenders with more branches are less affected as they have more deposits in hand and higher capacity to attract clients," Zhu said. The overnight Shanghai interbank offered rate, or Shibor, rose to 2.187% as of June 1, from 0.899% at the beginning of 2021, according to China Foreign Exchange Trade System and Nation Interbank Funding Center. Risk aversion Relatively conservative provisioning for bad loans is another reason why foreign banks in China are less profitable. Foreign banks' loan loss provision coverage ratio, which also accounts for unexpected losses beyond loan loss provisions that are buffers against nonperforming loans, has been consistently higher than domestic lenders and the regulatory minimum for almost two years. Such a policy has been limiting the banks' growth of net interest income, according to Xiong Jinwu, associate professor at the China University of Political Science and Law. As of March 31, the coverage ratio for foreign banks stood at 335.98%, up from 285.1% for the same quarter in 2019. It was higher than 219.56% reported by the six largest state-owned banks in the first quarter. "It shows that foreign banks are more cautious in terms of risk management. However, they will need to find a balance between setting aside enough provisions and profitability," said Xiong. Ng, however, added that the higher provision coverage ratio for foreign banks reflects the limited tools available to them to dispose of nonperforming loans. Unlike domestic lenders, only a handful of foreign banks are allowed to securitize bad loans as a way to clear the troubled debt from their books. Fees, relationships However, what NIMs do not capture is the performance of fee-based business, such as mutual funds and stock broking, which have shown improvement for some of the foreign banks in recent years. HSBC's net fee income from mainland China, for example, grew 38.9% year-over-year to $120 million in the first quarter of 2021, while interest income only went up roughly 0.75% to $401 million during the same period. Interest income accounts for roughly 45.6% of HSBC's income in China. Morningstar senior equity analyst Michael Wu also said foreign banks will focus on cross-border deals to differentiate themselves from local banks since they have branches overseas. This aspect could have increasing importance in the future as more Chinese companies may seek overseas listings or acquisitions. "Comparing to Chinese counterparties, foreign banks generally have a larger global presence with stronger connection in international capital flows. Such advantages would allow foreign banks to play a vital role in China's financing opening by facilitating two-way capital flows, such as bringing foreign investors to China and the other way round," Ng said. Morningstar's Wu added that even Chinese banks are target clients for foreign banks. "Singaporean banks, for example, might lend Singapore dollars to the Chinese banks," he said. Apart from institutions, high-net-worth clients may also be the target since they are more likely to have demand for cross-border services and wealth management, in which foreign banks have more experience. "It can be competitive, but the overall pie is growing at a quite solid pace," Wu said. As of June 2, US$1 was equivalent to 6.38 yuan. | https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/why-do-foreign-banks-expand-in-china-despite-weakening-profitability-64778421 |
How Will the Internal Combustion Engine Help Pave the Road to Electric Cars? | Current forecasts predict that the electric vehicle is poised to become the transportation platform of the future. However, the internal combustion engine (ICE) will continue to play a prominent role in building the road to that new world. By Chad Stepanian MAHLE Aftermarket Inc. There are approximately 14 million light vehicles sold in the United States every year, and 70 million worldwide. We cannot transition these numbers to electric vehicles by simply flipping a switch. The ICE will need to play a key role in this transition over the next few decades. A major reason for this shift is that OE manufacturers have been challenged with meeting increased CAFE standards an average of 54.5 miles per gallon for passenger cars and trucks by 2025 here in the United States. Along with dramatically better fuel economy, there is a need to reduce the carbon emissions of cars and trucks. While electric cars are a solution to these problems, we cannot get there overnight. The reality of this daunting task is made more manageable by the fact that OE manufacturers have been traveling down this road for over a decade now. The introduction of the Chevy Volt brought electric vehicles to a mass production level and made them much more common on American roads. New names like Tesla and others continue to expand their market share, pioneering the way forward for electric vehicles. While a fear of the unknown remains, recent announcements from GM, Ford and many major European marques show that the automotive vehicle mix is changing and will continue to change more and more every year. Currently, MAHLE is involved with racing teams like Ferrari in Formula One where we explore the outer boundaries of internal combustion technology, looking for every possible competitive advantage. What we learn in exercises like this helps us to develop the technologies that we feel will help ICE become more efficient and cleaner. Multiple technologies have emerged and are in continuous development to aid in the demand for increased fuel mileage. To generate the power needed, utilizing less fuel and generating fewer emissions, areas like turbocharging, transmission adaption, electrification of mechanical components, overall engine improvement (i.e. fuel cut-out), thermal management and the aerodynamic design will be important. Turbocharging is the big buzz in the aftermarket world at this moment. MAHLE follows closely what the OEs are developing, and we are consistently reviewing what would be our next steps for the aftermarket. Turbocharging is not a new technology it has been with us on passenger cars for almost 50 years. But the use of microprocessor controls on the charge air cooling enables us to improve engine efficiency due to the increase in charge air density and lower combustion temperatures, resulting in better emissions values. We are looking at every facet of the ICE to see what areas can be refined; even minute improvements can add up and improve overall efficiency. For example, thermal management has become a huge factor in ICE system design. We have learned that it is not simply enough to keep the engine from getting too hot. To achieve maximum efficiency the temperature of all aspects of the engines operation must be critically controlled: coolant, intake air, charge air, fuel, EGR. Thanks to the advent of sophisticated microelectronics, this is now possible. In addition to controlling the temperature of intake air, the cleanliness of the air is also important. Advanced air filtration technologies developed by companies like MAHLE allow for cleaner air to enter the engine, resulting in greater fuel efficiency. MAHLEs Clevite bearing division is using sophisticated computer modeling tools to refine engine bearing design to reduce friction heat loss. What they are finding is that with the new lower viscosity oils, engines can run with lowervolume oil pumps with no loss in reliability or longevity, and with less rotational resistance. The readers of MOTOR.com certainly wonder what this means for the aftermarket: What new training and tools will I need? And, Will I be able to get the replacement parts and technical information I need to service the vehicles of the future, whether internal combustion, hybrid or pure electric? As the automotive OEs change, so will the aftermarket. The technicians of tomorrow will face a new set of challenges utilizing a new set of tools. First and foremost, basic safety training is mandatory, as any individual working on these new platforms needs to understand how electric cars work and they need to understand how to safely work with high voltage parts. Even more than an ICE, electric vehicles have multiple hazards that must be accounted for when working under the hood. Technicians will need to familiarize themselves with the basic location of component power disconnects just like in ICE applications. OEM training courses and technical databases are a few places to find this information. Tools required in the future will include high voltage level voltmeters and advanced battery-charging equipment. As far as access to training and information, based on the independent aftermarket win on the new Right to Repair ballot initiative in Massachusetts last November, we anticipate no issues in securing the repair information, as well as the tools and parts to complete the repairs. That said, there is an ever-increasing pressure on the vehicle data ownership issue, and that is why everyone in the aftermarket from vehicle owners to parts manufacturers must continue the effort to make vehicle data the property of the vehicle owner. Companies like MAHLE, which supply both the OE and the aftermarket, are working to find more efficient internal combustion engine technologies to make the road to the electric vehicle possible. And, we will make sure that the aftermarket continues to have access to replacement parts that meet the same form, fit and function as those supplied to the manufacturers. Chad Stepanian is a product manager for MAHLE Aftermarket, where he is responsible for product development, marketing, and product strategy for filtration and turbochargers. He has been with MAHLE for three years. Stepanian is a graduate of Grand Valley State and puts his technical knowledge to good use working on cars and trucks in his free time. No matter which form of propulsion proves to be dominant in the future, MOTORs data solutions will be available to help drive your business. Click here to learn more. | https://www.motor.com/2021/06/how-will-the-internal-combustion-engine-help-pave-the-road-to-electric-cars/ |
Who are George P. Bushs parents? | GEORGE P Bush's parents Jeb and Columba are high school sweethearts who have been married for almost fifty years. George P recently announced that he would be running for Texas Attorney General in a showdown with one of the most high-profile Republican attorneys general in the country, Ken Paxton. George P Bush's parents are Jeb Bush and Columba Bush. Jeb Bush is the former Florida governor who unsuccessfully ran against Trump in 2016 to be the Republican presidential candidate. Bush, who grew up in Houston, is the second son of the late former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush's net worth is reportedly between $19 million and $22 million, but the former politician was paid more than $28 million since leaving office in 2015, according to ThoughtCo. 4 Columba and Jeb met in Mexio when they were teens Credit: Getty Columba Bush, George P's mother, is a Mexican-American philanthropist who served as First Lady of Florida from 1999 to 2007. She met Jeb Bush in 1970 in Len, Mexico when she was 16 years old and he was 17. Bush was teaching English as a second language and assisting in the building of a school in the small nearby village of Ibarrilla as part of a class at Andover university. As well as George P, the couple have two other children: Josh Ellis and Noelle Bush. Jeb and Columba reside in Coral Gables, Florida. George P Bush is the grandson of former president George H.W. Bush, whom he's named after, and former first lady Barbara Bush. He oversees the Texas Land General office, which "manages state lands, operates the Alamo, helps Texans recovering from natural disasters, helps fund Texas public education...and manages the vast Texas coast," according to the agency's website. He is married to Amanda Bush. The couple were law school classmates. The Texas Land Commissioner was first elected to his position in 2014 and reelected in 2018 with Trump's support. Before entering politics, he served in Afghanistan as a US Naval Reserve officer, worked as a public school teacher, and ran a real-estate private equity firm. 4 George P Bush Credit: AP:Associated Press He announced on June 2, 2021 that he would be running for Texas Attorney General. "I am proud to announce I am a Republican candidate to be the next Texas attorney general," he said before supporters in Austin. In his campaign announcement, he took shots at Ken Paxton, currently under indictment for securities fraud and, separately, facing an FBI investigation for abuse of office. "Enough is enough, Ken. You've brought way too much scandal and too little integrity to this office," Bush said. "It's time to go." George P. Bush is the nephew of 43rd President George W. Bush. Most read in News SHOCK FIND Body found in motel room during desperate search for missing boy Exclusive SEA IT TO BELIEVE IT UFOs not coming from space - but from under SEA, claims ex-cop Breaking ROCKED BY QUAKE Powerful earthquake hits California & scared residents woken up by shaking UP IN FLAMES Blaze hits Iran oil refinery after fire sinks warship in new mystery disaster Latest GUN SIEGE Gunman shoots at least three cops in Wilmington before barricading in building 'HELP HER OUT!' AOC slammed as she blames Trump for grandma's hurricane-hit home He campaigned for his uncle during the 2000 and 2004 election cycles and supported Bush's position of comprehensive immigration reform. At the time of their deaths in 2018, Barbara and George H.W. Bush each had a reported net worth of $25 million, according to Town & Country. Heavy.com estimates George W. to have a net worth of $35 million. | https://www.the-sun.com/news/3008472/george-p-bush-parents-jeb-columba-bush/ |
What happened to Montreal Canadiens Jake Evans? | JAKE Evans of the Montreal Canadiens is a bit the worse for wear after a brutal incident on the ice. Though Evans' team took home a Game 1 victory, he left the game on a stretcher. Jake Evans took what his teammates are calling a "disgusting and dirty" hit from Winnipeg Jets' star Mark Scheifele. The Jets and the Canadiens are facing off in the second-round playoffs series opener. With just a few seconds left on the clock for the game, Evans scored a goal when the net proved to be wide open. 4 Full speed Credit: AP But as Evans hauled the puck into the net, Scheifele rammed into him at full speed and knocked him to the ice. Evans hit the ice head-first, and dropped his stick as his teammates rallied around him. Eight minutes later, Evans left the ice on a stretcher. This proved to be a bit of a sour ending for the Canadiens, even though they walked away with a 5-3 victory over the Jets. 4 The Canadiens rallied around Jake Evans Credit: Reuters And Evans' teammates are plotting against Scheifele, who will meet with the NHL Department of Player Safety for a hearing on Thursday, June 3, 2021. "It was a dirty hit. But the league's going to take care of it. If he gets back in the series, we're going to make his life miserable," said Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmunson. 25-year-old Jake Evans began playing hockey in 2014, when he was selected in the seventh round of the NHL draft. 4 Former Fighting Irish Credit: Getty Most read in Sport Pictured PAIGE-TURNER Paige VanZant teases bikini malfunction while preparing for Ostovich fight Exclusive RING KING My dad Muhammad Ali loved watching himself on TV'weren't I something', he'd say 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' SO LONG LANA CJ Perry aka Lana RELEASED from WWE after eight years He got his hockey career off the ground at the University of Notre Dame, where he played for the Fighting Irish. Evans scored his first goal for the Canadiens in February 2020, but the Canadiens still lost to the Arizona Coyotes. As of this writing, Evans remains "under observation" for his injury. | https://www.the-sun.com/sport/3009132/what-happened-to-montreal-canadiens-jake-evans/ |
Who is Michael Shields? | SHOCKWAVES have been sent through Birmingham after a teenager was stabbed to death outside a McDonald's. Dea-John Reid, 14, has been hailed as an incredibly talented young boy after he was killed on Monday, May 31. Michael Shields is the man accused of killing Dea-John. The 35-year-old has been charged with murder. Shields, from Castle Bromwich, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday, June 3. A 38-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy are in custody for questioning, West Midlands Police said. Two men, aged 36 and 33, and a 13-year-old boy have been released with no further action, the force added. Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Mobberley said: This is a significant step forward in our investigation, but we are still pursuing all lines of enquiry to find anyone else involved in Dea-Johns tragic death. Dea-John was chased and stabbed to death outside a McDonald's. The teen was killed on College Road in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham at about 7.30pm on Monday (May 31). A pathologist has confirmed Dea-John died from a stab wound to the chest. His heartbroken family released a tribute to an incredibly talented young boy. They said: Wed like to thank the emergency services for their diligence and support, and the public for their outpouring of love and support throughout this tragic and challenging time. This loss not only affects us but everyone Dea-John knew. Most read in News Revealed PORTU-GONE! Possible new link between Pfizer jab & heart condition - 5 signs to watch for "We have lost a son, his siblings have lost a brother and others have lost a friend. "The passing of this incredibly talented young boy will be felt by us all. "How many more mothers will have to mourn for their sons for this to stop? | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15153689/who-michael-shields/ |
What Is Ben Affleck Smiling About? | Image : LaStarPixMEDIA ( Backgrid ) Everyone please shut up and look!!! Paparazzi snapped this pic of Affleck on Wednesday morning as he drove away from Jennifer Lopezs Los Angeles estate. He was en route to the nearest Dunkin Donuts, probably. Most likely the one on Hollywood, across from the Pantages Theatre. Its a bit of a tourist trap, but look at this man! Hes smiling and he wants to be seen. Heres what Backgrids little minions had to say about their latest shots of Mr. Bennifer: Ben Affleck looks happy and tired after spending the whole night at girlfriend Jennifer Lopezs house in Los Angeles. Happy and tired... happy and tired... happy and tired. No matter, its just nice to see the man smiling. | https://jezebel.com/ben-1847024686 |
Can TalentQLs six-month program fill Africas need for senior developers? | Adewale Yusuf, the founder and former publisher of Techpoint, made what many saw as a bold move last year. Not only did he swap the uncertainty of tech media for the vulnerability of founding a tech startup, he chose Ile-Ife, a town 200 km removed from the chaos of Lagos, as the quiet location for his new adventure. Yusuf took one Techpoint colleague, one Jobberman co-founder and a couple other people with him to start TalentQL, an outsourcing firm for companies in need of quality software developers. Hire top vetted technical talent across Africa quickly and seamlessly, their website says. Part of the plan was to produce talents by building campuses that house coworking spaces, with dependable electricity and Internet. Of course this is no longer a novel startup idea. Indeed it might appear late in the day to be getting into the tech talent matching game. Andela, one might say, has been there, done that. There probably isnt much mineral left in that mine. But Yusuf thinks there is and has garnered resources to explore the endless possibilities that exist in the ecosystem. They launched last November with $300,000 seed money from Zedcrest Capital, Kola Aina of Ventures Platform and Prosper Otemuyiwa, a co-founder at Eden. In March this year, they got accepted into Techstars Toronto. Fun fact: Over 70% of @TalentQL's African clients are Fintech companies. We've placed CTO/Technical Lead in over 50% of them. Adewale Yusuf (@AdewaleYusuf_) May 28, 2021 Yusuf is convinced that what we are doing at TalentQL will change the African talent landscape. We believe that talent is Africas greatest export and as such needs to be developed and refined. All well and good. The answer has come nearly eight months after launch. Meet Pipeline by TalentQL This week, TalentQL has announced a specialised training program for Software Engineers in Africa. It is coolly named Pipeline by TalentQL. The program is for mid-level African software engineers, defined by TalentQL as those with three years work experience. In six intensive months, each of them will access advanced resources and will be mentored by top senior software engineers working in global organisations like Twitter, Tesla, Gitlab, Amazon and Google. According to Yusuf, the program is necessary because up to 90% of TalentQLs clients want senior software engineers. Africa may have about 700,000 professional software developers but many are not experienced enough to meet global demand. Thats a familiar line for anyone who has followed Andelas story. Once the poster child of African tech for organising bootcamps that churned out junior developers at no initial cost, Andela hit the reality-check button in September 2019. For a period of nine months to May 2020, Andela laid off more than 500 junior to mid level developers as they trimmed down to focus on senior talent. They have now expanded their talent pool to include Latin America to more ably serve the senior talent need that Africa alone cannot solve. On one hand, TalentQLs Pipeline is a welcome plan to plug the experience gap in Africa by upskilling mid-level engineers. Yusuf insists Pipeline isnt for juniors while the likes of Decagon and Semicolon serve as entry points for novices. TalentQLs promise with the program is that those who participate can expect to gain skills that will make them highly valued by employers. In addition to technical competence, Pipeline participants will be taught important soft skills. Senior developers are not a monolith To get a sense of what to expect from Pipeline, I asked Sheriff Shittu, who runs a platform for developers seeking jobs, for his thoughts. His first inquiry was to know if the intensive program will involve live projects. While a training can make developers more knowledgeable, it may not immediately translate to experience and readiness for senior roles. But if I work on high-impact fast live projects, my growth will be faster than someone who lets on select projects for two years, Shittu says. For a senior developer at a Nigerian fintech, these four pillars are necessary for maturity: communication, problem solving, mentorship abilities, and ownership. I have been a good communicator from day one of my job, but my problem-solving abilities were not as good as they are now. It depends, people are different. Inviting similar upskilling initiatives Keeping both options in view, it is possible for TalentQL to achieve its purpose with this program if it meets a threshold for practicality and participants can meaningfully accelerate their communication and problem solving expertise. The other implication is that Pipeline wont be open to just any mid-level engineer who has worked for three years. There will be a screening process to choose only those who want to make the jump to become Senior Software Developers, Yusuf says. Adewale Yusuf, TalentQLs founder Which, as you may have deduced, means that solving Africas shortage of senior developers will require more than one training of this sort. Decagon, which aims to train 10,000 developers in 10 years, currently graduates about 100 juniors a year from its campus. It is reasonable to expect a lower figure from TalentQLs Pipeline. Yet, it could be a valuable experiment for the ecosystem in training senior developers. It is a free program that hopes to get returns when participants find senior work; that might be a questionable tactic seeing it didnt work for Andela. But the justification here is that there is enough demand to absorb people who graduate. If that proves to be true, it wont be long before competitors arise to get a share of the Pipeline pie. | https://techcabal.com/2021/06/03/pipeline-by-talentql-adewale-yusuf-senior-developers-africa/ |
What are the limits to government borrowing? | T HE SCALE of Joe Bidens plans is hard to exaggerate. Where the American presidents former boss, Barack Obama, pivoted quickly to deficit-cutting after the trials of the global financial crisis, Mr Bidens first budget, which he unveiled on May 28th, will borrow unapologetically. The plans assume that annual fiscal deficits will exceed 4% of GDP through to the end of the decade; net public debt will rise to 117% of GDP in 2030 from 110% today. The largesse raises two big questions. One is whether, coming on top of past stimulus packages, it will contribute to an overheating of Americas economy in the short term. The other important question is whether in the longer term America can prudently afford to loosen the purse-strings for a sustained period. As crisis has hit and interest rates have fallen, politicians have felt more able to run up debts than in the past. But the issue of whether and when limits to borrowing might apply still remains. Recent research casts light on these constraints. In a new working paper, Atif Mian of Princeton University, Ludwig Straub of Harvard University and Amir Sufi of the University of Chicago attempt to gauge governments room to run. Their analysis (which does not incorporate the effects of the pandemic) builds on recent work that estimates how the convenience yield on government bondsor the amount by which a bonds yield is reduced because of the safety and liquidity benefits it offers investorsvaries with the size of the debt burden. Other things equal, the greater the volume of outstanding bonds, the higher the return investors demand. Work by Arvind Krishnamurthy of Stanford and Annette Vissing-Jorgensen of the University of California, Berkeley, suggests, for example, that a 10% increase in the ratio of debt to GDP pushes government-bond yields up by 0.13-0.17 percentage points. (In practice, of course, other things are not always equal: the long-run effect of increased bond supply on safety and liquidity premia may be offset by other factors, such as a short-run surge in demand for safe assets prompted by financial instability, leading to falling bond yields amid rising debt loads.) Because the supply of bonds matters, Mr Mian and co-authors write, a level of government debt that is too low can result in an interest rate that slinks towards zero. But rates cannot fall much further below zero; the result is narrower scope for central banks to stimulate activity, and therefore lower economic growth and higher unemployment. The problems of debt sustainability are often associated with high debt levels, which push the interest rate above the economic-growth rate. When that condition is met, the debt burden grows steadily even in the absence of new borrowing. But the authors raise the theoretical possibility of another source of fiscal-sustainability problems: when too low a level of debt leads to serious deflation, dragging the growth rate into negative territory and below the interest rate. In between those two extremes, the researchers argue, lies a Goldilocks zone in which a fiscal free lunch is possible. They flesh out a point highlighted in 2019 by Olivier Blanchard of the Peterson Institute for International Economics: that when the interest rate on public debt is below the economys growth rate, existing debt burdens have essentially no fiscal cost. In such cases, existing debt will decline as a share of output even if no new taxes are leviedthough a government that continues to run deficits may nonetheless add to its debt pile. Assuming a balanced budget and based on estimates of the convenience yield on Treasuries, the authors reckon that Americas Goldilocks zonethe maximum level of debt you could reach and then stabilise without raising taxescould extend up to about 260% of GDP . (The uncertainty around their estimates means the limit could lie between 230% and 300% of GDP .) There is also a range of indebtedness across which governments may run deficits in perpetuity without increasing the debt burden. America, they estimate, could run a deficit of 2.1% of GDP for ever so long as its debt is below 130% of GDP (after which threshold the largest deficit that could be run in sustained fashion without raising the debt burden drops steadily towards zero). This logic suggests that though supersized deficits may be appropriate now, America cannot run them for ever. Doing so would cause debt to rise, potentially out of the Goldilocks zone and into riskier territory. And the longer America waits to shrink its deficit to the maximum sustainable level, the closer to surplus (or the further into surplus) that level will be. Mr Biden may take some comfort from the fact that his borrowing is manageable for now. Even so, it could eventually limit Americas fiscal freedom. Bonds away Importantly, a Goldilocks window is not fixed. Slower economic growth could shrink the safe zone by narrowing the gap between growth and interest ratesunless, that is, an economic slowdown also causes a sharp drop in interest rates, pushing them closer to zero and necessitating fiscal stimulus. Rising inequality may lead to calls for redistribution, but because the rich tend to buy government bonds in disproportionate numbers, levelling the income distribution may reduce the scope for a fiscal free lunch. That also means, the authors note, that efforts to address wide deficits through progressive taxes may not bear much fruit: taxes on high earners will hoover up money that might be used to buy bonds. Analyses such as these are trying to understand circumstances outside of historical experience, and necessarily come with large uncertainties and assumptions attached. Budget-setting politicians too have uncertainties to navigate, and must do so carefully. Government borrowing plays a starring role in todays macroeconomic zeitgeist. A balance of sorts is still required, between making good use of the governments capacity to borrow, and acknowledging that limits to public borrowing are not so distant that they can be ignored altogether. | https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/06/05/what-are-the-limits-to-government-borrowing |
Which roads are the worst in western Ontario? | Send this page to someone via email CAA is out with its annual Worst Roads list for 2021 and while no streets in Kitchener, Guelph or London made this years top 10 provincial list, a regional breakdown does name a few local thoroughfares. York Road in Guelph is atop the top 5 list for worst roads in western Ontario, while King Street East and River Road East in Kitchener came in third and fifth respectively. Adelaide Street North in London is fourth on the list. The list of the top 10 worst roads is released yearly and compiled by CAA based on votes by Ontarians. CAA said roads across 117 municipalities were nominated. Drivers made up the majority of the votes cast, followed by about a quarter of the votes made by cyclists and pedestrians, CAA said. Story continues below advertisement The quality of our roadways affect everyone, said Tina Wong, government relations specialist for CAA South Central Ontario. Our roads are the arteries used every day to keep essential workers, goods and services flowing. They should be maintained now more than ever. The worst road in all of Ontario is Victoria Road in Prince Edward County, making its debut as voters cited potholes and crumbling pavement as main concerns, CAA said. Here are the Top 10 Worst Roads for 2021 in Ontario: Victoria Road in Prince Edward County Carling Avenue in Ottawa Barton Street East in Hamilton County Road 49 in Prince Edward County Eglinton Avenue East in Toronto Hunt Club Road in Ottawa Eglinton Avenue West in Toronto Innes Road in Ottawa Algonquin Boulevard West in Timmins Queen Street in Kingston In a regional breakdown for western Ontario only, here were the top 5 worst roads: York Road in Guelph Colborne Street North in Simcoe King Street East in Kitchener Adelaide Street North in London River Road East in Kitchener No worst roads list was released for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but in 2019, Wharncliffe Road South in London was named the worst road in western Ontario. CAA said its campaign is a platform for Ontario residents to express their concerns about roads to help municipal and provincial governments understand where and what improvements need to be made. Story continues below advertisement As people continue working from home and travelling locally during the pandemic, we are seeing different roads appear on the list, said Wong We should continue taking advantage of these lighter traffic patterns as an opportunity for necessary road repairs. with files from Globals Gabby Rodrigues | https://globalnews.ca/news/7917552/worst-roads-caa-western-ontario-2021/ |
What could break Hong Kongs property market? | P LANES NO LONGER land in Kai Tak, Hong Kongs old airport. But nostalgists can stroll along the new sky garden, an elevated walkway lined with frangipani, myrtle and acacia, that passes above the old runway. By scanning a QR code along the route, visitors can augment reality by superimposing an image of a landing plane on their selfies. The park is part of a redevelopment plan that will eventually yield a hospital, tax office and new homes for tens of thousands of people. On either side of the walkway, cranes, diggers and welders labour busily to augment the reality of Hong Kongs cramped and pricey housing. They have their work cut out for them. Property in Hong Kong remains horribly expensive, despite two years of protests and pandemic. House prices in April were only 1.5% below their peak in 2019. In one tower block being built in Kai Tak, a flat of 889 square feet sold last month for over HK$30m ($3.9m). The property market has resisted the pandemic better than it did the SARS outbreak of 2003, when prices fell by almost 8%. Indeed, the market has remained tight this time partly because of decisions made back then. When SARS struck, house prices had already fallen by more than 60% since 1997. To curtail supply the government resolved to withdraw from its role of property developer, vowed not to sell land at a pathetic price, and reported with satisfaction that the supply of new flats was dwindling. Hong Kong built nine new towns (now home to almost half of its population of 7.5m) between the 1970s and the early 2000s. It has not finished any since. Instead the government has corralled housebuilding into smaller, piecemeal sites, often located in and around existing developments. It is too embarrassed to call them new towns, said one speaker at a recent conference hosted by Hong Kong University Business School. It calls them new development areas instead. With the help of such sites, the government hopes Hong Kong will add 430,000 flats over the next ten years. That, it reckons, would satisfy rising demand. But these targets tend to be over-optimistic: since 2007, housebuilding has undershot them by about 18% in an average year. If the pattern persists, Hong Kong will add only about 350,000 homes in the next decade. | https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/06/05/what-could-break-hong-kongs-property-market |
Who owns the national pastime? | N OTHING SAYS spring like the thwack of cowhide on maple. It follows that nothing says mass vaccination like the sound echoing through a crowded ballpark. Lexington and 3,000 other Marylanders experienced this thrill one sunny evening last week in Frederick, Maryland, home of the redoubtable Frederick Keys. It was in effect the teams first home game, the previous days fixture having been rained off and rarely had the rituals of small-town baseballback after an 18-month, covid-enforced hiatusfelt more welcome. Children with cotton candy and mitts raced around the concourse. Neighbours and workmates hailed each other, relaxed and mostly maskless, as they queued for pizza and beers. All rose for the Star-Spangled Bannerwhose lyrics are particularly prized in Frederick, having been written by a former resident, Francis Scott Key, after whom the ball club is named. In Section 107, behind home plate, season-ticket holders indulged in another minor-league tradition: casting a critical eye over the new blood. It included the anthem singer (Weve had worseremember the bell ringers? said Meri-Lyn, an executive assistant who rarely misses a game) and the over-enthusiastic compere (She needs to keep off the energy drinks, deadpanned Don, a security-systems expert, between logging each ball into his tablet). All the Keys white-uniformed players were also new. They dont look too bad, offered Dons wife, Colleen, as the home team battled back from a sleepy start. Its lead-off hitter, a 22-year-old Nevadan called Nick Hernandez, was the first to impress the diehards, after he smacked a double, then a homer in the sixth. Go Nick, we need you to win this! This ritual reflected the churn of talent that is a feature of pro baseballs lower levels. Since the evolution of the farm system in the 1920s, the minors have had little or no control over their squads, which their major-league patron recruits, pays and treats as feeder-stock. In a normal year, two-thirds of a minor-league team may be new, and is liable to be raided by its patron during the season. Any minor leaguer good enough to be embraced by the fans is almost by definition halfway out the door. The same is true for a local ballparks announcers and entertainers. Paradoxically, this makes one of the most locally rooted institutions in American sportthe small-town ball club where local couples court each other, entertain their children and advertise their businessesalso one of the most transient. With forbearance on both sides, this has been a fruitful tension. Major League Baseball, the games monopolistic overseer, has suffered the inefficiencies of a diffuse system for its talent-pool. Minor-league fans have forgone a deep relationship with their teams for the thrill of a prestigious connection to the majors and high-quality baseballoften in places, such as Clinton, Iowa, or Niles, Ohio, with little else to boast of. But MLB has upset this balance. Teams like the Keys are emerging from covid-induced calamitythe scrapping of a season and over 40m prospective ticket salesto the most traumatic shake-up of the minors in decades. On the expiry of a pre-existing operating agreement late last year, MLB cut its roster of minor-league affiliates by 42, hardened its grip on the remaining 120, and in the process scrapped several historic leagues, such as the Ohio-based International League (founded in 1884). Advances in talent-spotting had reduced its need for a large reserve. The Keys, for 30 years a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles, is among the teams that have lost out. This change was also covid-related. When MLB first proposed its plans, in late 2019, they met high-level pushback. Over a hundred House members backed a bipartisan Save Minor League Baseball task-force. A related Senate resolution united both Republican senators from Iowawhich stood to lose three minor-league teams, including the Clinton LumberKingswith Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, whose states stood to lose one each. MLB s chances of getting its way looked dicey. But the pandemic diverted political attention and the cancellation of the minors season made it hard for them to get it back. MLB ended up getting everything it wanted. Its 30 franchisees are not the only beneficiaries. Player salaries in the minors have been increased (from a pitifully low base). Travel distances have been reduced. To its credit, MLB has meanwhile helped most of the teams it dropped to find another league. The Keys and its recent opponents, the West Virginia Black Bears, are among half a dozen that have formed a new league to showcase top college players ahead of the MLB draft in July. It should also be said that, while the diehards in Section 107 were livid at being junked by the Orioles, few other Keys fans seemed to care. Most minor-league watchers, having little connection to the players, come along for some baseball-themed fun. Its a great place to bring the kids, but I couldnt say whos playing, said Dan, a regular attendee, sitting with his brother Leel, a thickly-bearded trucker. Nonetheless, MLB has dealt a heavy blow to baseballs regional infrastructure and traditions. Four of the affected teams have ceased operationsincluding another in western Maryland, the Hagerstown Suns. More will follow. The Keys will play half as many games as before, but even after shedding staff will not halve their costs. Of the 202 teams that have played in independent leagues over the past 30 years, almost half failed within four years. In a minor key This is a gloomy development, and not only for baseball fans. Politicians in both parties talk a lot about improving capitalism by righting regional imbalances, respecting place and communities, restraining monopolistic fat cats and so forth. It can be hard to take such talk seriously. It is even harder now, after they failed to protect the national pastime, as represented by the Frederick Keys, 41 other cherished local teams and their fans, against the cost-cutting of a sports monopoly that rakes in well over $10bn a year. | https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/06/05/who-owns-the-national-pastime |
What are the rules for watching the Euro 2020 in Belgium? | The approaching Euro 2020 (not 2021) is the latest in a string of events facing an uncertain future due to Belgiums ongoing coronavirus measures, leaving fans with questions on how they can watch the games. What exactly will be allowed, especially in light of measures changing in the coming month, is still a little bit unclear due to no official announcement. So heres what we do know, based on the current rules, and reports: No outdoor viewing parties in Brussels this month: Brussels fans will not be allowed to watch the European football championship on big screens in the city until at least 30 June, the Brussels Conference of Mayors decided on Wednesday. In concrete terms, this means there will be no giant screens in the nineteen communes of Brussels, nor in any large space such as the King Baudouin Stadium, during the month of June. You could watch it on a terrace: For the hospitality sector, on the other hand, there will be a case-by-case examination of where it is possible to install a TV screen on a terrace, explained Closes spokesperson. You cant watch from the street: The intention is also to set up the screens in such a way that people cannot see them from outside the location, to avoid large groups of people congregating around the event. You will have to reserve: Organisers will likely be asked to implement a booking system. No standing if you are drinking: Standing up is only allowed if there are no hospitality possibilities, meaning that if ordering drinks is an option, everyone has to sit down during the match, in groups of a maximum of four, with a 1.5-metre distance between tables, and people will be served at the table following the same rules as the terraces of bars or restaurants. Bars will still have to close: From 9 June (if the Consultative Committee approves), events can happen until 10:00 PM when indoors, and until 11:30 PM when outdoors. Keep it quiet: The sound of the broadcast cannot exceed 80 decibels. 1 July is the date to watch for big changes: According to the Summer Plan proposed by the consultation committee, it would be possible to organise outdoor events for a high of 2,500 people from 1 July, provided that a mask is worn and a social distance is respected. Conveniently, this would be just in time for the Championships quarterfinals, semi-finals and the grand final, which will all be played in early July. | https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/172331/what-are-the-rules-for-watching-the-euro-2020-in-belgium-bars-terrace-brussels-standing-consultative-committee-2021-summer-plan/ |
Can I travel to Pakistan? Is Pakistan on red list? | When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. International travel was given the green light on May 17 as the Department for Transport unveiled a small number of countries that would be on its green, amber and red lists. Destinations have been designated a traffic light colour depending on the associated Covid risk, and have assigned rules for inbound travellers to match. On May 14, Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated there would not be significant changes to the green list under the systems early reviews. Mr Johnson said: There is a very limited list as you know and we will certainly be making sure that people travelling abroad will be subject to all the tests and constraints to prevent the virus being reimported. That is why its such a tiny list of countries and I dont expect we will be adding to it very rapidly. However, contradicting himself, just a few days later Mr Johnson told the Conservative 1922 Committee that quite a few countries were in with a chance of being added to the list in early June. What to do if holiday is booked | https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1445025/can-I-travel-to-pakistan-red-list-travel-EVG |
Who is Matt LeBlanc's Irish girlfriend Aurora Mulligan? | Get the latest news from across Ireland straight to your inbox every single day Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice In the past week Matt LeBlancs Irish Da memes have lit up the internet. However it seems that perhaps he may have picked up his Auld Lad mannerisms close to home. It seems he has been dating Aurora Mulligan for the past five years. She hails from Enniskillen, County Fermanagh and has one sister, Roisin. She is 36, 17 years younger than the 53-year-old actor. She studied Politics and Political Philosophy at Liverpool University before starting her career in television. She has worked as a Producer on BBC Top Gear and for Big Earth Productions - the company behind Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's motorcycle travel series Long Way Round and Long Way Down. Prior to this she worked as an Assistant Director at the BBC on a variety of programmes, including Eastenders and Holby City and on ITV's long running police drama The Bill. She is currently based in Los Angeles where she is the Executive Director of Documentaries at Pilgrim Studios in North Hollywood. She specialises in car and motorbike related shows, which surely appeals to self confessed Petrolhead Matt. The couple first met in 2016 when Matt was surprisingly announced as a new presenter on Top Gear. She was working as a producer on the show at the time. They were snapped out and about in May that year which is when rumours began to circulate about them. They were subsequently seen out and about on numerous occasions, and attended the Hickstead Derby together. (Image: Johns PKI/Splash News) At the time a person who saw them together was quoted in The Sun saying: They were very tactile and Matt seemed to be very taken by Aurora as he laughed chatted intimately with her. You wouldnt have known that they were work colleagues at all its definitely more than just a professional relationship. Aurora even made an appearance on Top Gear where she played the part of a bride getting married at St Pauls Cathedral whose ceremony was crashed by Matt. Matt went Insta official with the relationship in November 2017 when he was due to appear on The Late Late Show in the US. Taking to Instagram to share a snap of the pair outside of his dressing room, he gushed: "Im gonna be on tonight and my honey came to support me. How nice. With Aurora now living in LA the pair are often spotted out and about together but they keep their relationship very private so at this point no one knows what their plans for the future are. | https://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/irish-showbiz/who-matt-leblancs-irish-girlfriend-24242175 |
Have I missed the stock market recovery? | I look back over the FTSE 100 and think Have I missed the stock market recovery? Since March 2020 in the depths of the crash, the Footsie has gained around 35%. I think looking at the Footsie alone gives a skewed view. It shows what the market has done as a whole, but its silent on which stocks might have great recoveries still ahead of them. Look at Rolls-Royce and International Consolidated Airlines (IAG), both hammered by the travel downturn. 5G is here and shares of this sleeping giant could be a great way for you to potentially profit! According to one leading industry firm, the 5G boom could create a global industry worth US$12.3 TRILLION out of thin air And if you click here well show you something that could be key to unlocking 5Gs full potential... Neither has yet recovered. The Rolls-Royce share price is down around 65% over the past two years, while IAG shares have fallen closer to 70%. I havent missed a recovery in those two, thats for sure. I think, in a few years time, both will probably have come back strongly. But I reckon theres still a big risk that they could need more funding, and any potential recovery could be set back even longer. Recovery versus risk That brings me to a conscious decision I made. I vowed not to invest in shares I considered very risky, no matter how cheap they might look. No, Id rather wait until I see positive signs of recovery in their underlying businesses. It meant Id miss some of the biggest share price gains, for sure. But Im happy to avoid the risk and settle for what I see as safer, if possibly lower, long-term recovery profits. So when I ask Have I missed the stock market recovery? the answer is a partial yes, but deliberately as part of risk avoidance. Im after sustainable, progressive, dividends. And I reckon there are plenty of attractive dividend stocks out there still at bargain prices. On that score, I bought some City of London Investment Trust shares. The investment trust has lifted its annual dividend for 54 years in a row, and currently offers a 4.8% yield. Even after a partial stock market recovery, I still see good yields to lock in for the long term. In another sector, I think the banks are still good buys. Their dividends are already coming back. And bank share prices, and valuations, still look depressed to me. Theres always a risk that bad debts will bite harder than feared, and the sector could face a few more weak years. But I reckon that if I buy more bank shares now (I hold Lloyds Banking Group), Ill still be taking advantage of the longer-term stock market recovery that I see ahead of us. This all brings me to the bigger, long-term, picture. The UK stock market has had a pretty awful decade. And I see the Covid-19 stock market crash as part of a longer-term weak trend for share prices. That might even be part of the reason for the relatively quick short-term recovery that shares were undervalued to start with. Not really. Ive missed part of the Covid-19 crash recovery, though I really dont think all of it. I see a longer-term recovery ahead, and Ive not missed that. | https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/06/03/have-i-missed-the-stock-market-recovery/ |
Would I buy Rolls-Royce shares or International Consolidated Airlines Group shares? | That aviation is going through an awful time right now is an understatement. The upswing has started for most other segments of the economy, but we are still waiting for air travel to restart in earnest. Not all aviation stocks are made equal There are better days ahead in store though, I feel. And some aviation stocks have already run-up significantly in anticipation of better times. 5G is here and shares of this sleeping giant could be a great way for you to potentially profit! According to one leading industry firm, the 5G boom could create a global industry worth US$12.3 TRILLION out of thin air And if you click here well show you something that could be key to unlocking 5Gs full potential... Low-cost airline Wizz Air, for instance, was recently at all-time-highs. RyanAir, another low-cost carrier, saw its share price rise to three-year highs. easyJet has also seen significant gains over the past year. Yet the speedy share price rise for these stocks combined with the expected slow healing of their financial health makes me doubtful if they can rise more in the near future. But there are two stocks in aviation I see as having much potential. One is British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (LSE: IAG) and the other is aircraft engines provider Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR). They stand out for how little they have gained since last years market crash. IAGs share price is actually lower than it was at the same time last year and the Rolls-Royce share price is almost at the same level. This could be a good opportunity to buy for me. But I do not want to expose myself a whole lot to aviation yet. So, I would like to buy shares of either IAG or Rolls-Royce, not both. Three ways to assess To assess this, I compared them across three parameters. One, their share price trends before the market crash. Two, their financial performances pre-pandemic. And three, their own outlooks for the rest of the year. In understanding their share price performances, I considered the five-year period between early 2015 and early 2020. Turns out that both their share prices have dropped over this time, albeit with much fluctuation during the interim. In terms of financial performance, IAG is ahead of Rolls-Royce. IAG showed steady growth in revenue and was also profitable in the three years before the pandemic. Rolls-Royce too saw growth in revenue, but it was loss-making for two of the three years. And now it has had another bad year. The outlook for both companies has improved, with some caution of course. But I think Rolls-Royce may be better placed even if aviation recovery is slow. Besides civil aerospace, power systems and defence systems are important sources of revenue for it. And it is optimistic about their recovery. If, however, air travel restarts as planned, IAG can start recovering too. It does mention a high level of pent-up demand in its latest update. My takeaway Based on this assessment, I lean towards IAG, largely because of its past performance. However, I will wait for another month to see how air travel picks up. That should indicate better which of the two is better placed. | https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/06/03/would-i-buy-rolls-royce-shares-or-international-consolidated-airlines-group-shares/ |
Should I go into debt to buy an electric vehicle? | Dear Umbra, I want an electric vehicle but only make in the mid-$40,000s per year. Borrowing Under YOLO Economic Rationale Dear BUYER, Lets put the electric vehicle versus gas-powered car debate aside for a moment and enjoy a dad moment in which we review some general adages of auto ownership. A car is an incredibly costly purchase that, for those living in areas not conveniently served by public transit, is also a necessary living expense. And if you must make that purchase you have three basic options: Buy new, buy used, or lease. EVs make this cost-savings calculation a bit more complex, but well get to that in a minute. Buying a car outright sounds satisfying, at the very least. But it comes at the price of monthly payments with tacked-on interest (unless you are able to purchase it outright, which is not the norm for something fresh off the lot). Leasing, on the other hand, means you have to return the car at the end of the lease term, potentially creating a never-ending string of leases. However, the monthly leasing payments are generally lower than paying off the same car note, allowing you to drive a vehicle thats more expensive than you could afford outright. There is a lot of advice out there on the buy versus lease debate mostly from rich people who buy a lot of expensive things. Take this tidbit from oil magnate Jean Paul Getty: If it appreciates, buy it; if it depreciates, lease it. (For many years up until writing this column, I was sure that piece of wisdom was attributed to the rapper Birdman, but I stand sadly corrected.) Getty was mostly talking about large industrial expenses; drilling equipment, for example, depreciates because it wears down, whereas land and fossil fuel reserves tend to go up in value over time. However, this same wisdom has carried over to more modest purchases such as homes and cars homes appreciate, cars depreciate. Thats an important distinction as you ponder your big EV splurge. Its tempting, but incorrect, to think of a new vehicle as an investment. Even Jay-Z got it wrong early in his career. In the 1996 song Can I Live, the emerging rapper offered this perspective: We dont lease / we buy the whole car, as you should. But 14 years later, an older, wiser, and richer Jay issued a correction to this claim. Advising [fans] to buy a car rather than lease speaks to my navet at the time, he wrote. Thats because you will never sell a car, no matter how untouched and sparkling it might have been when you purchased it, for more than you bought it for. From the moment you drive it out of the dealership, a car begins to wear down, requiring repairs and accumulating scratches and scuffs. As cars age, their value decreases, and yet they only end up eating more money. Even in the case of trade-ins, a third of new car buyers roll over an average of $5,000 in debt from their last car (that theyre no longer driving!) into their new loan. The more you learn about this, the more unfair it feels that so many of us have to buy cars to get around! Of course, plenty of people choose to buy new cars despite the financial drawbacks. Advertising is very powerful, after all, as is the American value of owning property. But for normal people, buying a new car only (maybe) makes sense if you plan on driving the same vehicle for many years and can afford the payments without having to take out a loan with lots of interest. When you dont have Jay-Z money to work with, it does seem practical to buy a car that wont be a huge burden on your finances which brings us back to your situation, BUYER. As someone who makes around $45,000 a year, your salary is a little shy of the national median, but youre right there around the middle. Still, I would describe a $30,000 purchase as burdensome at your current level of income. You could lease, as we discussed, but that would still be a significant monthly payment. Electric vehicles emit fewer carbon emissions than their combustion-engined counterparts even in parts of the country where electricity is still sourced from burning fossil fuels, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists but they are also more expensive. The electric version of one model of car, for example, can be 87 percent higher than its gas-powered equivalent. This is likely to change, as electric vehicles become more common and the cost of producing electric vehicles flattens out, but we do not live in the future. I do hope you wont take this the wrong way, but there are millions of Americans who would be much less financially stressed by making the switch from gas-powered to electric. Surely he would be able to purchase Teslas for an entire city block of Los Angeles. And his fortune, of course, comes from fossil fuel extraction, which Id argue gives him a greater ethical obligation to push the electric vehicle market than you have! What Im trying to say here, BUYER, is that the EV marketplace might not need you to sacrifice your credit score or vacation budget in the name of climate progress. About 2.5 percent of cars sold in the first quarter of 2021 were electric vehicles, which doesnt sound like much, but its an increase of 44 percent from the year before, according to Cox Automotive. There is a lot of legislative pressure for automotive companies to go electric. California has announced that it will stop allowing the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, and General Motors in turn committed to stop making gas-powered cars by 2035. Ford just released electric versions of its iconic Mustang and F-150 models, which are notorious for their gas-guzzling engines. The market is already being moved rather aggressively! The size of your personal influence on the EV market, I regret to say, is infinitesimal unless you are an actual social media influencer, in which case I have some questions about your annual salary. What would move the market even more aggressively would be meaningful government policy to make electric vehicles affordable for everyone, including those with modest salaries such as yourself. There is in fact a federal tax credit for the purchase of electric vehicles, but my colleague Shannon Osaka dug into it a bit last month and found that it really only benefits those in a certain income bracket. Heres why: The tax credit is worth $7,500, but you only get that full amount if your tax burden exceeds $7,500, which wont be true unless your income exceeds $66,000. Otherwise, you just lose the difference between your tax bill and $7,500. Now, I am operating under the assumption that you are looking for excuses not to go into debt by purchasing an EV. If, in fact, you are already dead set on it, there are various ways to get an electric vehicle that would put it more within your price range. Grist writer Maria Gallucci reported on a credit union in Seattle that offers electric vehicle loans, for example. And its always possible preferable, even to buy used! The secondhand EV market is smaller than the one for gas-powered cars, because electric vehicles have not yet been very widely adopted. One disadvantage of used EVs is that batteries are quite expensive to replace, and depending on the age of the car you will be getting one thats already on the decline. That said, more and more new-ish electric cars are coming off their leases and entering the used market. There are many sustainable cities experts who cringe at the massive electric vehicle push because a car-centric society is problematic for more reasons than the carbon emissions and air pollution including the fact that, as weve covered, a reliable car is a huge cost to a household! Many short car trips are easily substituted with an e-bike, and you can find new ones for as little as $1,100. All this to say, BUYER, is you have plenty of options for reducing your own personal transportation footprint that wont come with a stressful monthly bill. And its looking like within just a few years, a more affordable electric vehicle could be a reality! I admire your commitment to climate values very much, and I wish that people with more means than you have and more political power than you have, most importantly! would take on more of the responsibility for carbon emissions that you are claiming. Respectfully, Umbra | https://grist.org/ask-umbra-series/should-i-go-into-debt-to-buy-an-electric-vehicle/ |
Did Bishop City Council Diss the Current Interim Police Chief? | We have this report from reporter Deb Murphy on the Tuesdays May 11th Bishop City Council Meeting. Kevin Bigham, Mule Days president, reported in on this years Mule Days preparation. Its a go, with limitations: no parade, concert, dance or opening supperall events with close contact and/or indoors. Under the current state restrictions under the Orange Tier, there will be an occupancy limit of 33-percent. If the County drops even lower on the tier system to the Yellow Tier, the least restrictive category, it will allow for a higher occupancy percentage. If that happens, additional tickets will go on sale the week of the event which begins on May 25. All Public Health mandates will be in place. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2263802165896/did-bishop-city-council-diss-the-current-interim-police-chief |
Can Covid passports save summer holidays? | A return to normal life is on the horizon, as the Principality pushes ahead with the vaccination campaign, now offering a dose to all residents aged over 18. Our residents will soon require a Covid passport if they are to travel this summer, outlined the National Council in a press release published on the 28 May. Politicians also asked for France and Europe to implement a passport similar to Monacos. In order to facilitate summer travel between member states, the European Union launched a digital platform on the 1 June. This online portal will ensure that each countrys passport is valid in every member state. So far, seven countries in the European Union have begun issuing their passports, including Germany, Denmark and Croatia, and they will come into action from the 1 July. In France, a Covid passport, either in digital or paper form, will be required as of the 9 June. This document will be mandatory for anyone attending public gatherings of more than 1,000 people, such as festivals or sporting events. A Covid passport can take any of the following forms in France: a negative PCR or antibody test taken within the last 48 hours, a certificate proving recovery from Covid-19 or proof of vaccination. >> READ ALSO: Coversafe: the germ-killing film protecting Monaco from Covid-19 | https://www.monaco-tribune.com/en/2021/06/can-covid-passports-save-summer-holidays/ |
What guides habitual seeking behavior explained? | Researchers have been investigating how the brain controls habitual seeking behaviors such as addiction. A recent study by Professor Sue-Hyun Lee from the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering revealed that a long-term value memory maintained in the ventral striatum in the brain is a neural basis of our habitual seeking behavior. This research was conducted in collaboration with the research team lead by Professor Hyoung F. Kim from Seoul National University. Given that addictive behavior is deemed a habitual one, this research provides new insights for developing therapeutic interventions for addiction. Habitual seeking behavior involves strong stimulus responses, mostly rapid and automatic ones. The ventral striatum in the brain has been thought to be important for value learning and addictive behaviors. However, it was unclear if the ventral striatum processes and retains long-term memories that guide habitual seeking. Professor Lee's team reported a new role of the human ventral striatum where long-term memory of high-valued objects are retained as a single representation and may be used to evaluate visual stimuli automatically to guide habitual behavior. "Our findings propose a role of the ventral striatum as a director that guides habitual behavior with the script of value information written in the past," said Professor Lee. The research team investigated whether learned values were retained in the ventral striatum while the subjects passively viewed previously learned objects in the absence of any immediate outcome. Neural responses in the ventral striatum during the incidental perception of learned objects were examined using fMRI and single-unit recording. The study found significant value discrimination responses in the ventral striatum after learning and a retention period of several days. Moreover, the similarity of neural representations for good objects increased after learning, an outcome positively correlated with the habitual seeking response for good objects. "These findings suggest that the ventral striatum plays a role in automatic evaluations of objects based on the neural representation of positive values retained since learning, to guide habitual seeking behaviors," explained Professor Lee. "We will fully investigate the function of different parts of the entire basal ganglia including the ventral striatum. We also expect that this understanding may lead to the development of better treatment for mental illnesses related to habitual behaviors or addiction problems." ### This study, supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, was reported at Nature Communications. -Profile Professor Sue-Hyun Lee Department of Bio and Brain Engineering Memory and Cognition Laboratory http://memory. kaist. ac. kr/ lecture KAIST --About KAIST KAIST is the first and top science and technology university in Korea. KAIST was established in 1971 by the Korean government to educate scientists and engineers committed to the industrialization and economic growth of Korea. Since then, KAIST and its 64,739 graduates have been the gateway to advanced science and technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. KAIST has emerged as one of the most innovative universities with more than 10,000 students enrolled in five colleges and seven schools including 1,039 international students from 90 countries. On the precipice of its semi-centennial anniversary in 2021, KAIST continues to strive to make the world better through the pursuit in education, research, entrepreneurship, and globalization. | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-06/tkai-wgh060221.php |
Is elevated level of lung protein an early predictor for COPD? | The UNC School of Medicine lab of Mehmet Kesimer, PhD, discovered MUC5AC is more reliably associated with the manifestation of COPD than another well-known mucus protein, revealing a possible biomarker of disease initiation, prognosis, and therapueutic ef CHAPEL HILL, NC - Airway mucus consists of various proteins such as long mucins MUC5AC and MUC5B, both of which contribute greatly to the proper gel-like consistency of this most essential bodily fluid. UNC School of Medicine researchers led by mucin expert Mehmet Kesimer, PhD, had previously discovered that the total mucin concentrations in the lungs are associated with COPD disease progression and could be used as diagnostic markers of chronic bronchitis, a hallmark condition for patients with COPD. Kesimer and colleagues now report that one of these mucins, MUC5AC, is more closely and reliably associated with the development of COPD than is its brother, MUC5B. The research, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, shows that MUC5AC is found at elevated levels in smokers who had not yet developed COPD but whose lung function wound up decreasing over the course of the three-year study. Former smokers at-risk for COPD, on the other hand, had normal levels of MUC5AC at the start of the study and maintained proper lung function over three years. MUC5AC hyperconcentration in the lungs may be a key factor in predicting the risks and rates of progression to more severe disease, according to the study. Recent nationwide efforts have focused on early- or pre-COPD to predict the risks of progression to COPD amongst smokers. "Currently, we cannot forecast which individuals in the at-risk smokers group will progress to COPD because we don't have an objective biological marker to underpin the disease-causing pathways. Our research shows that MUC5AC could be a predictor of who will develop COPD from the large group of aging "at-risk" smokers," said Kesimer, senior author of the study, professor in the UNC Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and member of the UNC Marsico Lung Institute. "We think MUC5AC could be a new biomarker for COPD prognosis and it could be a biomarker for testing the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies." MUC5AC could also become a target for pharmaceutical developers whose goal it is to halt COPD disease progression and help patients live more normal, active lives. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs and affects about 16 million people in the United States. Symptoms include breathing difficulty, coughing, mucus production, and wheezing. It's typically caused by long-term exposure to irritants, such as particulate matter like cigarette smoke. The two main conditions that contribute to COPD are chronic bronchitis, an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes due to chronic mucin/mucus accumulation; and emphysema, when the tiny air sacs at the end of the smallest air passages of the lungs are destroyed. There are some treatment options for COPD to attempt to slow disease progression and reduce symptoms, but treatments often don't work well, especially during late stages of the condition, and there is no cure. The Kesimer Lab in the UNC Marsico Lung Institute uses various techniques, including mass spectrometry, to identify and measure the different biological mechanisms involved in lung conditions. For this study, the UNC team of scientists were able to measure the concentrations of MUC5AC and MUC5B in different groups of people, including people who had never smoked cigarettes, who had quit smoking, and who continue to smoke with or without COPD. Smoking cigarettes has long been known to be a major risk factor for COPD, but Kesimer's work suggests that quiting smoking decreases the odds of developing COPD as we age. "Our data indicate that increased MUC5AC concentrations in the airways may contribute to the initiation of COPD, as well as disease progression, symptom exacerbation, and how the disease progesses over time, in general,"Kesimer said. "We did not observe the same association with MUC5B." The best thing an aging person can do to avoid the inevitable decline associated COPD is quit smoking immediately before airway obstruction sets in due to mucin/mucus accumulation. Through Kesimer's work, though, it might be possible to pinpoint which individuals are at the highest immediate risk for developing COPD soon. ### Giorgio Radicioni, Agathe Ceppe, Amina A. Ford, Neil Alexis, Esin Ozkan, Wanda O'Neal and Richard C. Boucher were other significant contributors to this study from the UNC Marsico Lung Institute. A total 20 authors from 14 different institutions contributed to the study as a part of a nationwide COPD study called SPIROMICS. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, funded this work. Media contact: Mark Derewicz, UNC School of Medicine, 919-923-0959 | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-06/uonc-iel060321.php |
Did Biden cave on infrastructure spending? | https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2021/06/03/did-biden-cave-on-infrastructure-spending-n394216 Sure seems that way, but not on infrastructure financing. CNN reports that Joe Biden agreed to come down to the GOP topline of $1 trillion for a new, bipartisan spending bill aimed at improving Americas roads, bridges, Internet, and rail. However, Biden wants Republicans to commit to new taxes to fund it as a way to buffer Democrats from attacks over those hikes in return: President Joe Biden offered to bring his price tag on an infrastructure package down to $1 trillion but wants to ensure it amounts to new money not redirected from funding already approved by Congress as Senate Republicans have been demanding, according to a GOP source briefed on the talks. Biden also reiterated his call for new taxes to pay for much of his plan, the source said. Its the latest sign of the major gulf between the two parties as they try to cut an infrastructure deal. The offer made to Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia amounts to a reduction of the Biden administrations $1.7 trillion proposal but a dramatic increase from the latest offer made by Republican senators. Capito and her group of fellow Senate Republicans have proposed a $928 billion infrastructure package, with $257 billion in new spending. Republicans are considering making another counteroffer on Friday, the source said. If this report is accurate, its quite a comedown for Biden and for the progressives pushing him on this bill. The original proposal was close to two trillion dollars, while Republicans started out at $600 billion. Democrats who already had misgivings about Bidens fortitude will no doubt scream bloody murder if he cuts their proposal to meet Capitos offer. It might be a smarter play for Biden to use that as leverage on tax hikes, however. Republicans want to use that issue as a cudgel in the midterms, especially with the Biden administration spending not like drunken sailors but entire drunken navies. So far they havent explained from where the money will come, except to issue gassy bromides about getting it from the wealthy. Its impossible to raise this much money plus Bidens new $6 trillion annual budget proposal from the wealthy alone. Democrats need new taxes and they need Republicans to agree to them, for political reasons. And lets not forget that Democrats now need Republicans to pass the bill, too, in any form. The ruling from the Senate parliamentarian revealed yesterday all but takes reconciliation off the table. That means the GOP can block any infrastructure bill with the filibuster as long as fewer than ten of their caucus doesnt desert them. For right now, Capitos colleagues arent happy about the tax hikes. Politico reports this morning that they feel Biden has reneged from an earlier agreement: Republicans werent happy, to say the least. Biden, they have said publicly, told them just a few weeks ago in an Oval Office meeting that baseline spending i.e., money that would be spent under current policy could be included in the total. In their latest $928 billion infrastructure proposal, they had put forward only $257 billion in new spending, while the White Houses last number was $1.7 trillion. The GOP is considering another counteroffer that could come as soon as Friday, when Capito will be talking to Biden again, this time likely by phone. Its unclear what that would look like or even whether Republicans will make a new proposal. On Wednesday nights call, no final decision was made about another offer, particularly because some Republicans in the group are starting to feel discouraged. One person familiar told us: I have a hard time seeing this go ahead because Republicans plans always have baseline included; I dont think Senate Republicans are interested in $1 trillion in new spending, or changing the tax cuts or raising other taxes and thats been clear from Day 1. Well, the situation has changed for both parties after the parliamentarians ruling yesterday. Democrats could afford to offer baseline spending to fund the package as long as they didnt really need Republicans to pass an infrastructure bill. It was a sop intended to be used as a political argument for reconciliation, a way to claim they tried to be bipartisan but the GOP was just too intransigent. Now that they have to actually cut a deal to get an infrastructure bill, Democrats cant afford sops and PR moves. They have to get back to basics in this case, the basics of their tax-and-spend philosophy. At the same time, Republicans have to decide what their governing philosophy really is, too. If so, then they need to start finding funding sources for their own spending sprees, including this trillion-dollar exercise in pork-barrel politics. The baseline money is a mirage; both parties threw six trillion dollars of helicopter money into the air over the past fourteen months in COVID-19 relief. It has no basis in fiscal reality. If we want to spend money like this, we have to start getting it from somewhere other than than Feds virtual printing press. That will make the Republican counter-offer an interesting development if it comes at all. Share this: Twitter Facebook | https://clarion.causeaction.com/2021/06/03/did-biden-cave-on-infrastructure-spending/ |
Is Tesla getting into the restaurant game? | Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP ( Getty Images ) Looks like Teslas getting in the restaurant game, which is something I never thought Id find myself saying. The electric car company filed for a new trademark under its brand for restaurant services, suggesting theyll be building out new ideas, possibly around their charging stations. Apparently theyve been suggesting a foray into the space for years now. Electrek reports. Advertisement In January 2018, Elon Musk tweeted, Gonna put an old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in LA. But that was, well, 2018. You never know with Musk. Hes got a zany reputationthe same one that landed him a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, which is a fact I still cant quite wrap my head around. But months after that tweet, it appeared as if Tesla was going to put its money where Elons mouth was, and the company actually applied for restaurant building permits. New building applications for the site were submitted earlier this year, but without a restaurant involved. The former Volvo dealership space was set to become one of the largest Supercharger stations in the world. In April, Musk tweeted that the restaurant idea was still a possibility. Major new Supercharger station coming to Santa Monica soon! Musk replied to a Twitter user who had photographed a long line at a charging facility. Hoping to have 50's diner & 100 best movie clips playing too. Thanks Santa Monica city! So with the newly filed trademark application, it looks like the restaurant might be in our near future after all. Sounds like fun to me; I like drive-ins. Ive only been in a Tesla a few times as a passenger and it was pretty nice. If I were a Tesla owner I think my main concern would be getting food all over the inside of my shiny car, but I imagine the Supercharger station would have some sort of futuristic vacuum somewhere on premises too. Advertisement Its not yet clear what kind of food the restaurant would serve, but Musk allegedly enjoys French food and barbecue. While Tesla has no current experience in the restaurant space, it could easily partner with another company to get this thing going. If theres ever a SpaceX restaurant, someone call me, because hopefully that one will serve astronaut food. | https://thetakeout.com/tesla-files-for-restaurant-service-trademark-1847024948 |
Is Mountain Men's Martha Tansy Married? Who is Martha Tansy's Ex-Husband? Does She Have Kids? | Since ancient times people lived their lives in the lap of nature, feeding and surviving off the land. However, in the present day and age, such a feat might even be considered impossible. Still, a few brave men and women face all odds to live as one with nature. History Channels Mountain Men chronicles the everyday lives of these individuals and portrays how they meet their challenges using their experience and dedication. A new addition to the cast of Mountain Men, Martha Tansy joined the show from season 10. A single mother living in Wasilla, Alaska, Martha has carved out an exciting life for herself and her daughter. An experienced hunter, Martha shares a wonderful relationship with the native Athabascan people of the area. Her thrilling life sure made us want to dig deeper. Heres what we found out! Martha Tansys Early Life Martha Tansy rarely divulges information about her family and prefers privacy when it comes to her early life. Hence, there is no information about her parents or her family. However, Martha often mentions that her family is one of her most significant sources of support. From a very young age, Martha was interested in exploring the Alaskan Wilderness. Along with her love for nature, Martha developed a massive liking for off-road racing. Talking about her racing experience during an interview, she said, From a very young age off-roading was not only a way of life but the main primary source of fun in Alaska. Most Alaskans develop a high level of competence offroad with Dirtbikes/ATVs/Trucks since the majority of the state is rural and in many places is the main Martha Tansey Ladies Offroad Network1mode of transportation. Over the years, Martha has mastered different kinds of vehicles ranging from dirt bikes to 44 trucks. Marthas love for automobiles led her to earn Associate Degrees in Automotive Technology and Diesel Technology. She had a small stint with the military before returning home to Alaska to focus on her off-road career. Martha also began honing her survival skills and gradually became an expert hunter who could track and chase wild game through the most treacherous situations. With such a vast array of skills at her disposal, Martha Tansy is an outstanding addition to the Mountain Men cast. Martha Tansys Profession After earning her degrees, Martha wanted to serve her country and joined the army as a vehicle mechanic. Her adept skills at both her work and surviving harsh conditions got her a place as a non-commissioned officer in the armys vehicle recovery team. Martha was with the US Army for five years before coming back home to Alaska. Back home, Martha kept attending racing events and furthering her off-road career. Over time, she became nothing short of an off-road racing celebrity in Alaska and has been featured in numerous publications. After perfecting her hunting and survival skills, Martha came into contact with the Athabascan people, native to the Alaskan region she lives in. The Athabascans appointed her as their official hunter who would hunt and prepare wild animals for the natives. At present, Martha combines her hunting and off-roading skills which give her an edge over the dangerous terrain and other challenges of nature while on the hunt. Additionally, she has kept up her racing career and is still a regular attendee of various off-road events. Martha Tansys Ex-Husband and Daughter Martha has been previously married to Roy Tansy Jr. Unfortunately, the couple is now separated. Owing to Marthas preference for privacy, not much is known about when the couple got together. However, Roy Tansy Jr. hails from the Ahtna village of Cantwell and is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Ahtna Netiye, LLC., a company that manages all the subsidiaries of Ahtna, Inc. Martha and Roy are proud parents to their daughter, Elli Tansy. It seems like ever since their separation, Elli has been living with her mother and partakes in her thrilling adventures. Elli has been mentored by Martha and is quickly becoming an expert in hunting, skinning, and most other survival skills. She accompanies her mother on all her hunting trips and has become an invaluable helper to Martha. Ellis accomplishments become even more impressive when we consider that she is yet to reach her teens. With Elli being an indispensable and crucial part of Marthas life, she will also appear in Mountain Men alongside her mother in season 10. It is heart-warming to see the bond Elli and Martha share. | https://thecinemaholic.com/martha-tansy-from-alone-everything-we-know/ |
Is Alone's Rose Anna Moore Married? Who is Rose Anna Moore's Husband? Does She Have Kids? | History Channels Alone is a hit adventure program that follows the self-documented journey of ten survivalists as they strive to endure the harsh wilderness for as long as possible in order to win $500,000 and a lifetime of bragging rights. With just restricted resources and a camera kit, theyre dropped off at some of the most dangerous territories across the world in total isolation to face predators, hunger, and severe natural components. So now, with season 8 around the corner, lets find out everything about Rose Anna Moore to see how her experiences influenced her time on the show! Having grown up in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, a place with some of the most incredible natural spaces in the nation, Rose Anna Moore developed a passion for hunting and fishing at quite an early age. She spent days on the shores of the lakes in the Pine Creek Gorge with her family, which led her to be committed to sustainable living as well. Thus, even though Rose moved from one environment to another very frequently, the combination of her survival skills and connection with nature helped her stay on the right path. And now, Rose has settled down in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Rose Anna Moores Age and Profession Rose Anna Moore was 43 at the time she was filming for Alone season 8. And as for her career, not only does she serve as a leasing agent at Moore land services, but shes also a hunter, trapper, and instructor with her own ventures. Rose operates Moores Sports Center while also working as the Outreach Coordinator at North American Trapper and Regional Director for Pennsylvania Hunters Sharing The Harvest. Moreover, Rose is currently working on expanding her brand and reach to achieve her goal of educating others about the value and overall benefits of hunting, conservation, and natural living. She shares every piece of her journey and adventure on her social media platforms and website under #thisismyquest. From blogs to merchandise to a myriad of different skill service courses, Rose has it all. Rose Anna Moores Children Rose Anna Moore isnt public with her romantic relationships. But she has made it no secret that her two children, daughter Brittany Richardson and son Jordan Richardson, are her entire life. For years, while raising them to the best of her abilities, Rose taught them everything she could regarding minimal sustenance living, including hunting, fishing, trapping, gardening, and raising farm animals. Its almost as if she wanted to create a legacy and pass it onto them, which it seems like she is slowly yet surely succeeding in doing. On Mothers Day 2021, Rose uploaded a charming picture with her kids on Instagram, alongside a heartfelt caption. As seen above, she wrote, Mothers day with my kids is always a great day every year[.] They go out of [their] way to make me feel special Watching these two grow up gave me purpose and a chance to erase all of the wrong[s] that existed before them. They became my reason for wanting to make the world a better place and to lead by example[.] They will never know all they have done for me. Read More: Theresa Emmerich Kamper From Alone: Everything We Know | https://thecinemaholic.com/rose-anna-moore-from-alone-everything-we-know/ |
Is Alone's Theresa Emmerich Kamper Married? Who is Theresa Emmerich Kamper's Husband? | History Channels Alone makes for thrilling television as it focuses on seasoned survivalists facing threatening and harsh conditions to survive in the bleak wilderness. With only ten things allowed to be brought along and zero company, it is not just a physical test for the contestants but also a test of their willpower and dedication. The one who manages to survive the longest is rewarded with a grand cash prize. Theresa Emmerich Kamper got the opportunity to compete for the cash prize in season 8 of the show. An experienced survivalist, anthropologist, archeologist, and Leather artefact analyst, this woman of many skills got us interested in her life. Growing up in Wyoming, Kamper was surrounded by nature and outdoor life since childhood. Her family and loved ones are all nature enthusiasts and hold the outdoor life close to their hearts. Inducted into tracking, hunting, and other survival skills from an early age, Kamper reminisces how she used the Wyoming countryside to become an expert at the skills. Furthermore, with her family very much into hunting, Kamper got into tanning when she was in her early teens. She explained how tanning is essential to all hunters as it allows them not to let any part of their kill go to waste. Thus, her parents introduced her to the art of tanning, and gradually Kamper grew to master the craft. Kamper did not let go of nature even when it came to her education. After high school, she chose to study Anthropology at Durango, Colorados Fort Lewis College. In 2006, she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Anthropology along with a Minor in Archaeology. Kamper then decided to go ahead with archaeology and got her Masters degree in Experimental Archaeology in 2011 from the University of Exeter in England. Determined to study further, she earned her Ph.D. in Experimental Archaeology specializing in traditional skin processing technologies from the same university in 2016. Theresa Emmerich Kampers Profession With a glowing education background, Theresa Emmerich Kamper has made quite a name for herself in the professional field. After earning her Bachelors degree, Kamper interned at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as a Research Assistant in the Anthropology Department in 2009. She also worked with the Culture Program of the European Union-funded Openarch Project. Furthermore, Kamper served as an Honorary research fellow at the University of Exeter from 2013-2020. Throughout her career, Kamper has also served as a specialist on various TV documentaries and shows. Additionally, Kamper also contributed to a publication on Life-Cycle of Structures in Experimental Archaeology alongside publishing her book Determining Prehistoric Skin Processing Technologies in 2020. At present, Kamper teaches various courses which are only available to a limited number of students. The courses range from skin and fur tanning to the making of leather shoes and rawhide sandals. For interested people, the course schedules and descriptions can be found on her website. Theresa Emmerich Kampers Ex-Husband Theresa Emmerich Kamper prefers to keep most of her private life under wraps and away from the public sphere. Therefore, not much is known about her dating life. Still, it seems like Kamper was once married to Jacob Maarten till late 2018. However, it looks like the two have since separated and gone their own ways. Despite that, there are still some old pictures on both Kamper and Jacob Maartens social media profiles. Kamper prefers to update her followers regarding her work and classes through her social media and rarely shares any information about her private life. Moreover, there hasnt been any new report liking the archeologist to anyone she might be romantically involved with. Hence, it seems that at present, Theresa Emmerich Kamper is single. This impressive personality currently lives in Exeter, Devon, and focuses most of her attention and time on imparting her knowledge and expertise to enthusiastic students. Read More: Colter Barnes From Alone: Everything We Know | https://thecinemaholic.com/theresa-emmerich-kamper-from-alone-everything-we-know/ |
Why are we all talking about UFOs right now? | When spooky things appear in the sky, witnesses have often been reluctant to report them for fear of mockery by others, especially in the halls of government. These days, fewer people are laughing. Unidentified flying objects, or unidentified aerial phenomena as the government calls them, have been taken more seriously by US officials in recent years, starting in 2007 with a small, secretly funded program that investigated reports of military encounters. The program, whose existence was first reported by The New York Times in December 2017, was revived by the Defence Department last summer as the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. The department said the task forces mission was to detect, analyse and catalogue sightings of strange objects in the sky that could potentially pose a threat to US national security. Service members were newly encouraged to speak up if they saw something, with the idea being that removing the stigma behind reporting something weird would provide authorities with a better idea of whats out there. Also Read | American Airlines pilot reports close encounter with 'UFO' that looked like 'long cylindrical object' Then, late last year, President Donald Trump signed a $2.3 trillion appropriations package that included a provision inserted by lawmakers: They asked the secretary of defence and director of national intelligence to submit an unclassified report on what the government knows about UFOs. That report is due this month. A drumbeat of UFO attention With the public asking more questions about UFOs, more officials appear willing to answer them. There are a lot more sightings than have been made public, John Ratcliffe, former director of national intelligence, told Fox News in March. Quite a few of them, he said, are difficult to explain. John Brennan, former director of the CIA, said in a podcast last year that some of the unexplained sightings might be some type of phenomenon that is the result of something that we dont yet understand and that could involve some type of activity that some might say constitutes a different form of life. The lead-up to the reports expected release has seen quite a bit of mainstream media attention in recent weeks, including a 13,000-word article in The New Yorker in April and a segment on CBS 60 Minutes. Even former President Barack Obama, in an appearance last month on The Late Late Show With James Corden, admitted there were objects in the skies that we dont know exactly what they are. (President Joe Biden deflected a question about UFOs a few days later.) How it all started in 1947 The first thing to know is that UFO doesnt automatically mean alien. As its name indicates, UFO refers to any aerial phenomenon with no immediate explanation. Though reported sightings take place frequently around the world, the vast majority of them turn out to be things like stars, satellites, planes, drones, weather balloons, birds or bats. The modern history of UFO sightings is generally considered to have started on June 24, 1947, when Kenneth Arnold, a private pilot from Idaho, reported seeing nine circular objects travelling at supersonic speeds near Mount Rainier. Newspapers described them as flying saucers, a term that captured the popular imagination. Though Arnold appeared to be a credible witness, government officials were sceptical. Also Read | 'Unidentified aerial phenomena,' better known as UFOs, deserve scientific investigation Nonetheless, the government began a classified study, called Project Sign, out of concern that such objects could be advanced Soviet weapons. That was followed by Project Blue Book, which reviewed about 12,000 cases from 1952 to 1969, 701 of which could not be explained. It ended with a report saying UFOs were not worth further study. As far as is publicly known, there were no more official government efforts to study UFOs until the one established in 2007, called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. Sightings of unidentified objects in the United States have risen during the coronavirus pandemic, as people spending long days at home turned to sky gazing. Reports increased about 15% last year to more than 7,200, according to the National UFO Reporting Center. As in other years, almost all of them had earthly explanations, the center said. In November 2004, two Navy fighter jets from the USS Nimitz were off the coast of San Diego when they encountered a whitish, oval-shaped craft of similar size hovering above the sea, which was churning in an unusual way. As one of the jets began a circular descent to get a closer look, the object which had no wings or obvious means of propulsion ascended towards it, then zipped away. It accelerated like nothing Ive ever seen, Cmdr. David Fravor, one of the pilots, told The Times in 2017. Fravor told a fellow pilot that night that he had no idea what he had seen: It had no plumes, wings or rotors and outran our F-18s. But, he added, I want to fly one. Other cases include a spinning disk that was seen hovering above OHare Airport in Chicago in 2006, and two sunlight-coloured objects reported by a professional pilot in England in 2007, as The New Yorker reported. A video of the Nimitz incident, along with two from 2015, was officially released by the Defence Department last year. More recently, the department confirmed that video and images leaked to a documentary filmmaker had been taken by Navy personnel in 2019 and were being investigated by the task force. It may not say much. According to the provision in the appropriations package, the report should include a detailed analysis of UFO data held by the task force and other government bodies. The report is also supposed to flag any unidentified aerial phenomena that could be considered threats to national security, including whether they may be attributed to one or more foreign adversaries. In addition, it must provide a detailed description of an interagency process for collecting and analysing UFO reports in the future, as well as recommendations for improving and funding data collection and research. Although the report is to be made public, it may also come with a classified annexe. Calls for transparency are growing in Washington, including from a bipartisan political action committee that was launched last month. One key backer of UFO research efforts has been Harry Reid, the former Democratic senator from Nevada, who as Senate majority leader secured $22 million in funding to create the 2007 program. In an essay for The Times this month, Reid said he had been interested in UFOs since attending a conference in 1996 (to the consternation of his staff, who told him to stay the hell away from the topic). He said the program was necessary because an unofficial taboo regarding the frank discussion of encounters could harm our national security and stymie opportunities for technical advancement. There is support for UFO research among current senators as well, including Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who added the language to the appropriations package requesting the government report. Rubio told 60 Minutes that there should be a process by which reports of UFOs are catalogued and constantly analysed, until we get some answers. Maybe it has a simple answer, he said on the program. Maybe it doesnt. | https://www.deccanherald.com/international/why-are-we-all-talking-about-ufos-right-now-993390.html |
Whats stopping Arab states from bailing out Lebanon? | Insight Lebanon needs financial support from the Arab world, particularly the rich Gulf states, but its continuous political instability has become a hindrance in the way of a bailout. Lebanons caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab made a desperate appeal on Wednesday. "Either you save it now before it's too late or else no regrets will help, he said in a televised address, asking friendly nations to bail out Beirut from a deep financial crisis. For years, Lebanon has looked at the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia to pay for its inflated bills. But fellow oil-rich Arab partners have demurred. Its currency, the Lebanese pound, has lost over 85 percent of its value against the US dollar since 2019, making imports expensive and stoking inflation. Even the World Bank has ranked the countrys economic crisis as one of the worst seen in more than 150 years. Partly, the widespread internal dissent and dissatisfaction against the political elite has made the international community wary of stepping in with a helping hand. I think this goes back to the fact that the political system is no longer legitimate in Lebanon. After demonstrations of the last two years, it becomes clear that the whole system [including almost all of the political parties] is not acceptable to people anymore. The whole system is not functioning well, says Mahjoob Zweiri, a professor of Contemporary History at Qatar University. As a result theres a real hesitation in Gulf states when it comes to putting money in the Lebanese political class because it might rub the public up the wrong way, Zweiri told TRT World. Gulf states might also think that if they back a political system which is fragile, their support might go anywhere, the professor suggests. The fragility of the system is the main reason for the Gulf's unwillingness to bail out Lebanon, he offers. Anti-government protesters chant slogans, as Lebanese army soldiers stand guard during a protest near the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, March. 27, 2021. (Bilal Hussein / AP) Lack of popular support Zweiri and many other experts see a growing gap between political elites and ordinary people, which leads to a lack of public trust in the government. This became apparent amid the widespread anger that came about after the Beirut port blast last August which killed hundreds of people and devastated a vast area in the capital city. Lebanese people couldnt care less about the present caretaker government being supported by the Gulf countries or European nations such as France, said Zweiri. The cabinet had resigned in face of the protests following the Beirut blast. Since then, the caretaker setup has barely managed to keep the government machinery running. The protests that stemmed from economic woes faced by the people have shaped perceptions about the country's politics. It has now become difficult to form a government relying on the same political actors, said Zeynep Karatas, an Ankara-based expert on Lebanese politics. And without widespread support it would be difficult for any government to implement the much-needed reforms that Lebanons creditors want. As long as protests continue, theres little hope for any government, Karatas told TRT World. As far as the Lebanese people are concerned, any foreign aid or bailout loans are seen as something that helps the political elite known for its corruption, she said The Lebanese banks once famous for safeguarding the secrets of their clients have come to the brink of collapse. Almost all banks have enforced restrictions on cash withdrawals in what is the worst nightmare of any saver. Many Lebanese banks have imposed strict restrictions over cash withdrawals and foreign transfers. People wait to withdraw money from ATM cash machines in Beirut, Lebanon June 2, 2021. (Mohamed Azakir / Reuters) Lebanons public debt stands at nearly $90 billion, which is almost double the countrys GDP of $54.1 billion. During violent demonstrations, angry protesters burned bank branches across the country last year. In June 2020, even some protesters attempted to occupy the countrys Central Bank in Beirut. Escalating tensions Just last month, Lebanon's relations with the Gulf states hit a new low after Lebanons Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe blamed rich Arab nations for the rise of Daesh in the neighbourhood. "Those countries of love, friendship and fraternity, they brought us Islamic State (Daesh)," Wehbe said, without naming any country. But prominent Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE, saw his comments as "offences, gravely abusive and "derogatory and racist". Charbel Wehbe supports the Iran-backed Shia group Hezbollah, which has deep roots in the Lebanese political system, is an avowed enemy of Riyadh and its Gulf allies. Lebanon, where the political system has been divided among three main social groups, Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs and Christians, has gone through several devastating civil wars. According to the Lebanese political system, the prime minister has to be a Sunni Arab, the president a Christian and the parliamentary speaker a Shia Arab. Hezbollah factor Saad al Hariri, the billionaire prime minister-designate, whose family has strong connections with Riyadh and other Gulf capitals, could not establish a government after his resignation in January. Karatas, the analyst, thinks that Hariris failure to ensure financial support from the Gulf is partly related to Hezbollah. Because countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia see Hezbollah as an Iranian proxy, they think their financial support might be used by the Shia militant group for its own gain. As a result, they are unwilling to commit to a bail-out, Karatas said. The Gulf countries, which fiercely oppose Hezbollah, are waiting to see how Lebanese politics shapes up to decide if they will lend a helping hand, she said. Source: TRT World | https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/what-s-stopping-arab-states-from-bailing-out-lebanon-47232 |
What Is Behind The Deadly Rise In Mucormycosis Infections In India? | A suspected mucormycosis black fungus patient receives examination at a hospital in Bhopal, India, ... [+] on May 29, 2021. The Indian government on Wednesday said the country has recorded 11,717 cases of mucormycosis or black fungus, according to the federal minister for chemicals and fertilizers D. V. Sadananda Gowda. Were it not so devastating, this would make a fascinating murder mystery. Dr. Nina Shapiro describes the typical presentationa diabetic who is recovering from Covid-19 and develops nasal stuffiness, facial fullness, headache, and visual changes. A dark spot might be seen, the telltale mark of the Black Fungus. Definitive diagnosis requires a CT (computerized tomography) scan or biopsy and examination by a pathologist. Unfortunately, each of these is unavailable throughout much of India. Baseline prevalence was 14 cases/100,000 people, almost 70 times the global prevalence of 0.2/100,000. Mucor is a fungus found in soil and organic matter, but its unclear what conditions make India more hospitable to it than other countries in Southeast Asia, which would seem to have much in common habitat wise. One important clue is that diabetes is very common in Indiaand diabetes is the major risk factor for becoming ill from the fungal infection, along with other types of immunosuppression. The prevalence of diabetes (often uncontrolled) in India was 7.7% in 2016. It is 11.2% in China, where there are more than 114 million people with diabetes in China. Neither China nor the US, with a similarly high prevalence of diabetes, has seen such large numbers of mucor cases. In fact, even major hospitals in the US or UK rarely see more than a handful of cases each year. In India, there were more than 11,700 cases just on May 25th! Something has apparently changed though, even within India. Dr. SP Kalantri, professor of medicine at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, told me that before mid-April, it was uncommon to see mucor in his hospital. Now, in the second wave, the deadly fungal infection is rampant throughout the country. It kills more than half of those infected. In an excellent Tweetorial, Dr. Ashwin Rajenesh graphically explains that mucor spores are inhaled but normally cleared from our respiratory tract by our cilia (tiny hairs lining our respiratory tract that sweep unwanted particles out). The first breach in our defenses is from our immune system failing. Once the endothelial cells (those lining blood vessels) are invaded, you get small clots causing tissue death and necrosis. There are various hypotheses as to other things that might be driving infections. Some are unlikely, like the use of industrial oxygen or humidifiers, although use of non-sterile water has been associated with other infections. There are some suggestions that steam inhalation might be a factor, by damaging the mucosa. Others hypothesize that zinc supplementation might spur growth of the fungus. Finally, another factor that has not been examined is the widespread use of Coronil, an herbal concoction licensed as a supportive treatment by the Indian governments AYUSH ministry, which supports Ayurveda and homeopathy. There are no substantiated reports of Coronils efficacy. By far the most popular hypothesis is that it is the combination of diabetes and high dose steroids that is driving the current epidemic of mucormycosis cases. Each are known to be independent risk factors for mucor. Since the RECOVERY trial showed that steroids reduced the mortality of COVID-19 patients who were receiving oxygen or required mechanical ventilation, the use of steroids became much more widespread. One of the problems is that even patients who did not have hypoxia (low blood oxygen) nor require hospitalization were often also indiscriminately given steroids. Steroids plus diabetes is a deadly combination for many, resulting in uncontrolled sugars and immunosuppression resulting in superinfections, particularly with yeast or fungi. While this is the prevailing hypothesis, Dr. Kalantri questions it, since they did not see such cases of mucor before April. One other small report notes that 21% of 210 patients with mucor were not diabetic and 14% had not used steroids. Kalentri wonders. Dr. Kieren Marr, Director, Transplant and Oncology Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins, shared different experiences with mucor that might provide clues. First, she told me that shes seen a lot of environmental acquired wound infections. There were even outbreaks associated with contaminated hospital linens, I learned. Also, about 30% (of mucor patients in Pune) are presenting without a known history of COVID, but with positive antibodieswhich suggests that there's basically environmental exposure and that people are largely colonized with these organisms in the sinopulmonary tract, and that the virus itself really stunts a central, innate immunity. Another factor driving mucor infections is that many patients receive Azithromycin and doxycycline early in the course of infection as a just in case. When that fails, patients often receive broad-spectrum antibiotics. Normal bacteria are wiped out, leaving only multidrug-resistant bacteria, yeast or fungi. While it is unclear what is the definitive cause of the widespread mucor, it is clear that controlling diabetes and reducing steroid use will help reduce the infections. The India Covid SOS team is working hard to educate with infographics like this, stressing limited and more appropriate steroid use, and not using oral steroids in mild COVID-19 disease: Important tips on safe steroid use in Covid-19 India Covid SOS Antifungals Without antifungal therapy, mucor has a greater than 50% mortality. The drug of choice has been Amphotericin B, a toxic antifungal that requires intravenous administration daily for four to six weeks and close monitoring. A form called liposomal Amphotericin is somewhat less toxic. It is prohibitively expensive at ~$400/day. Even with surgery to remove as much infected and dead tissue as possible along with Amphotericin, about 30% of patients die. Drug shortages are dire across India and there has been considerable criticism of the government. One frustrated physician, Dr. Raghuraj Hegde has tweeted about the shortages and is pleading for help from the government. Some are turning to alternative antifungals like posaconazole and isavuconazole. A number of families are begging on Twitter like this: Its heartbreaking to read and see the photos of those suffering. Its unclear why the government is not able to increase imports to meet the urgent demand. They have licensed other manufacturers to produce Amphotericin; its unclear how quickly they can do so. The Delhi High Court stressed the need to increase imports immediately rather than wait for domestic production to increase. The Mucor Mystery Light micrograph of mature sporangium of a Mucor fungus, 1955. Image courtesy CDC/Dr Lucille K ... [+] Georg. Image courtesy CDC. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Getty Images There are two mysteries at the moment. The most immediate one is why the Indian government is being slow to respond to this latest part of the COVID-19 crisis, and isnt urgently importing all the Amphotericin it can. The second is why mucor has shown such a sudden and lethal increase across India. As Dr. Kalantri concluded, We need a John Snow and the Broad Street Pump to solve the mucor mystery in India. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2021/06/03/murder-mystery-what-is-behind-the-deadly-rise-in-mucormycosis-infections-in-india/ |
What's delaying recycling or trash collection in many South Jersey municipalities? | Delays in curbside recycling or trash collection are occurring in Burlington and Camden counties, forcing changes in weekly or bi-weekly pick-up schedules in many municipalities. A Burlington County official has blamed a driver shortage for causing recycling collection delays of a few days to a week by the countys longtime contractor, the nonprofit Occupational Training Center (OTC) of Burlington County in Westampton. In Mount Laurel, for example, the scheduled collection early this week has been rescheduled to Saturday. Neighborhoods like Woodstream in Evesham scheduled for a bi-weekly Friday recycling pick-up May 21 did not see its OTC truck until early last week. Increased competition for truck drivers has made retention difficult, said Jerome Sheehan, director of the Burlington County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling. Weve taken steps to help OTC recruit replacements, but it takes some time to get everyone trained and familiar with the recycling vehicles. Were asking residents to be patient and aware of the schedule changes as we try to work through the next several weeks, Multiple recycling truck drivers at the OTC, which specializes in training and employing individuals with disabilities to collect and sorts recyclables left for other employment last month, leaving the agency severely shorthanded since May. Jeff Haines, OTC executive director, called the driver shortage "a very serious problem" he expects will continue for several more weeks. In Camden County the collection of trash and/or recycling has been affected in various towns, which traditionally have provided services through their public works departments, a private hauler or a combination of both. There are no countywide contracts for recycling or trash pick-ups in either that county or Gloucester County. In Cumberland County the major towns of Vineland, Bridgeton and Millville have not been impacted at the curb. The shortage of over-the-road commercial drivers is nationwide and at its highest level in 15 years, according to the Solid Waste Association of North America. Its leaders and local South Jersey agencies or haulers blame the shortages on a combination of factors an increased demand from e-commerce, stiffer competition between haulers in some areas, continuing unemployment benefits and to a lesser extent occupational hazards and an aging workforce. Because there are many hauling and transportation companies in the region, those companies chasing new or expanded trash or recycling contracts are luring drivers away from OTC and other businesses. "Right now its a drivers market and they are leaving one employer to go to another that pays a higher salary, said James McGurl, OTC operations director. While there are always are some over-filled buckets at curbside on residential streets, many homes have more than one container for trash and recycling to sufficiently house their waste or recyclable plastic, cans and paper, according to county officials. Pennsauken has not only bought its own trash truck to help pick up the slack in collections by its contractor, Seaside Waste, but has borrowed local Board of Education trucks. Mayor Marco DiBattista said the township also is using some of its own public works employees to assist contractor truck drivers by riding and lift trash cans and yard waste debris into the back of the trucks. Weve seen significant, ongoing delays in trash, recycling, and yard debris collection due to a lack of available staff from Seaside Waste, DiBattista said. We share the frustrations of our fellow residents. We deserve better ... (and) weve been in daily contact with Seaside Waste to see what can be done to get this service back on track. South Jersey towns that use their public works departments for trash or other collections are or experiencing either no or less severe staffing issues. While Burlington County is encouraging residents not to put recycling buckets at the curb until they check updated schedules, Pennsauken and other towns in Camden County are telling residents to leave trash, recycling, and yard debris out on their regularly scheduled days until they are collected. Customers of the The Atlantic County Utilities Authority have not been impacted even though the coronavirus pandemic and hiring challenges have placed a strain on its collections staff. "We are very fortunate to have a great team serving Cumberland and Atlantic counties. We have been impacted by staffing challenges, but were fortunate our collections team has been able to handle demanding conditions over the past year, avoiding the type of delays in service some other communities have had and continue to experience," said Amy Cook-Menzel, head of authority public relations. Cook-Menzel acknowledged, however, that even during good times," staffing can be a challenge. "Its extremely important environmental work that is essential for protecting public health, but its not easy; its physically demanding," she said. "Weve had some times when we had to think outside the box to meet our staffing needs. This included some inter-departmental shift changes and asking employees from other departments to temporarily step in to help relieve the strain on our collections team." Burlington County residents are urged to download the Recycling Coach app for schedule updates on recycling collection or to use recycling drop-off sites located in their respective towns. A list of municipal locations is available here. Residents with questions may call the OTC recycling hotline at 609-267-2889, the county recycling office at 609-499-1001 or email [email protected]. Recycling makeup dates are being posted at www.burlcorecycles.com. In Camden County residents should check their municipal websites, Facebook pages or newsletters for updated information. Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, history and military veterans for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. If you have a story to share, call her at 856-486-2473 or email [email protected]. Support local journalism with a subscription. | https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/2021/06/03/commercial-driver-shortages-delay-south-jersey-recycling-collections/7501829002/ |
What Does a Iranian Hardliner President Mean For The West? | Experts argue that a regimented Iran led by a hardliner president might be more confident in dealing with the West. If pundits and pollsters are proved right, Iran will have a conservative president after the June 18 elections. My piece on Iran elections: Hardline judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi is expected to win. Any serious competition has been winnowed from the race finalizing a consolidation of power by conservatives years in the making.https://t.co/1qSHviCY3L Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) May 28, 2021 A more monolithic Iranian system might feel more confident in engaging with the West and less bogged down by infighting, Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, a prominent American think-tank, tells TRT World. Although many reformist and moderate leaders were disqualified by the countrys Guardian Council, there is still a thin possibility that a moderate candidate like Abdolnaser Hemmati could clinch a surprise win. Hemmati, Iran's Central Bank governor, was removed from the post on May 30. His rival Raisi is the Chief Justice of Iran. For many Iran watchers, including Vaez, the power struggle between Iran's reformists and hardliners sends mixed signals to Western governments, making them unsure about Tehrans real political intentions. It also hurts Tehran to formulate both a consistent and concrete foreign policy towards the West. But if conservatives win, Iran will have a unitary system of governance, which could rein in the countrys powerful institutions like the Revolutionary Guards, a supporter of hardline policies. The Iranian military establishment is likely to conform to the policy changes made by a government led by the hardliners. The stage is set for Raisis victory, says Vaez. Since the signing of the nuclear deal with the US and its allies, Irans foreign policy towards the Western world has been highly influenced by the agreement. Under the former Obama administration, Washington and its allies have also thought that relations between Iran and the West could be normalised in the context of the nuclear deal. | https://www.albawaba.com/news/what-does-iranian-hardliner-president-mean-west-1431281 |
How far can our love for God and others reach? | When Jesus was asked; Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him, You shall love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it; You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-39) My Pastor Steven Shoup, of St. Michael and Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Churches in Fort Loramie, had a vision of loving our neighbors through a relationship with a sister parish outside of the United States. In 2011 Ann Bollheimer, who was director of our Outreach ministry and a board member of CRISPAZ (Christians for Peace in El Salvador), worked with the Archdiocese Mission Office for a delegation to travel to El Salvador and Honduras in search of a sister parish. After several delegations visiting with parishes to understand the culture in Central America, it felt right to begin a sister parish relationship with the parish of San Cristobal in El Salvador. The language barrier was a challenge to move the relationship forward at a pace we were hoping for. Through Skype meetings and exchanges of visits, it was agreed upon that learning English would benefit our interactions, open opportunities for the youth as well as to gain better employment for adults of San Cristobal. Pulling together resources of computers, English software, and members of San Cristobal who were willing to lead the self-taught studies lead to a success story for many. To date there are more than 150 people who are learning English, and some of the adults have been able to move to better positions in their current employment or found new and better paying employment, all of which allows them and their families to have a better quality of life. One of the original leaders, Melvin who was 17 at the time, did not know how to speak English but was committed to help he and members of his community to learn a new language. With limited English skills, in 2019 Melvin traveled to Ohio, in search of how a library would benefit in the education of his community. Melvin visited the Fort Loramie branch of the Shelby County library and gained insight of how to use digital and electronic technology to download electronic books versus the cost of buying hardback books. Since Melvins visit, the leadership teams in Ohio and El Salvador have pulled together resources of community leaders, computers, tablets, finances and members of San Cristobal with construction skills to construct a library at their church. Melvin himself has since studied English at his university and is now teaching English to El Salvadors Air Force. When I asked Melvin, What is most rewarding for you from learning English? He replied, The most beneficial part of learning English is that I am able to know and get involved in a new world, I can learn more about new cultures and most important I can have more relationships with people with different or interesting points of view. Our neighbors may be as close as next door or in another country. Either way we can have a relationship near and far that makes a positive difference in others lives. For our sister parishes, its not about us doing for them, but a relationship that helps people to capitalize on their own resources to reach potentials within themselves and their community. Answering Gods call to love him and others is like throwing a stone in a pond and watch how far it reaches out. There are no limits to who and how far we can love our neighbors, even if they dont live next door. https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/06/web1_Photo-Deacon-Paul-IMG954995.jpg Melvin visited the library at Fort Loramie to see how it could help his congregation in El Salvador. https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/06/web1_Photo-Melvin-at-FL-Library-IMG952520001.jpg Melvin visited the library at Fort Loramie to see how it could help his congregation in El Salvador. Melvin speaks at Mass duriing his visit to Ohio. https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2021/06/web1_Photo-Melvin-at-Mass-IMG952473.jpg Melvin speaks at Mass duriing his visit to Ohio. By Deacon Paul Timmerman Your pastor speaks The writer is the deacon at St. Michael Parish, Fort Loramie and Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Newport. The writer is the deacon at St. Michael Parish, Fort Loramie and Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Newport. | https://www.sidneydailynews.com/news/religion/201217/how-far-can-our-love-for-god-and-others-reach |
How long does it really take to install that traffic light in Riverside? | Q: Readers in Riverside have asked about the construction work underway on Sycamore Canyon Boulevard in the Sycamore Highlands area of the city. A sign was posted in early May telling motorists to expect delays because of construction work to install a traffic light at Minnesota Way. The sign said the construction would last for two months, and our readers were wondering why its expected to take two months to install a traffic light. A: The Riverside County Transportation Department has been installing a new traffic signal at Sycamore Canyon Boulevard and Minnesota Way, a T-intersection. Installing a new traffic light is more complicated than it seems on the surface. Mark Lancaster, the Transportation Departments director, explained some of the work that has to be done. To install a new traffic signal, Lancaster said, workers have to make sure there is an electrical source. This means getting electrical power to the new signal and dealing with any other utilities. Workers have to drill into the soil and create a solid, deep foundation for the new light pole so it stays in place. Signal poles have to be resistant to 80 mph winds, he said. (No one wants to see strong Santa Ana winds knock over traffic signal poles). Workers also have to install signaling equipment, pour concrete, and let the concrete cure, and this alone can take a few weeks, Lancaster said. Workers then have to hang the lights, wire everything, and test the new lights over several weeks to make sure they work. The new light also has to be wired to sync or interconnect with signals at nearby intersections, he added. Workers have to be very careful not to hit or break other utility lines during construction. There could be water, sewer or gas lines that need to be avoided. Every location has its complications, Lancaster noted. Heres a quick status update on the project: By now, most of the work is done, and the final striping of both Sycamore Canyon Boulevard and Minnesota Way is the last work to be completed. If everything goes according to schedule, the traffic signal is tentatively scheduled to be turned on June 15, said Dennis Acuna, county engineer. Q: In a previous column, On the Road reviewed the 10 Freeway Highland Springs Avenue Interchange Project, proposed by the Riverside County Transportation Commission for the Banning/Beaumont area. Reader Steve Benoff of Beaumont said this would be a much-needed improvement for traffic flow on Highland Springs. However, Benoff said he is concerned about the timing of this proposed project in relation to the Pennsylvania Avenue Widening Project. For the duration of this project, traffic on Beaumont Avenue and Highland Springs will go from difficult to impossible, he said, adding that the Highland Springs Interchange work should precede the Pennsylvania Avenue project to relieve the increased traffic he said would occur once the Pennsylvania Avenue work starts. He asked if the Riverside County Transportation Commission considered this. A: These two projects are being spearheaded by different agencies and have a different timeline. The city of Beaumont is leading the Pennsylvania Avenue Widening Project, which is completing final engineering work and is pending a public environmental review. Development of this project started before the 10 Freeway Highland Springs Avenue Interchange project and construction is expected to start later this year or early 2022 and last about six months, said RCTC Spokeswoman Cheryl Donahue. The Pennsylvania project will be done long before the Highland Springs project gets underway if it ultimately gets funded. The RCTC is partnering with the cities of Beaumont and Banning to complete a Project Study Report for the 10 Freeway Highland Springs Avenue Interchange. Heres the timeline: The report has been submitted to Caltrans and approval is expected this summer. Preliminary engineering and environmental studies are expected to begin in late 2021 or early 2022. Construction could begin in 2026, if the project is approved and if funding is secured for design and construction. Donahue assured our reader that throughout construction of both projects, both agencies would coordinate to avoid conflicts. Caltrans typically does not allow closures of adjacent on-ramps and off-ramps, and traffic management plans will be developed and approved by Caltrans to help ensure traffic flow along Beaumont Avenue and other nearby streets, she said. For more information about both projects, visit www.beaumontca.gov/988/Pennsylvania-InterchangeWidening and www.rctc.org/highlandsprings. If so, write or call On the Road and well try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write [email protected] or call 951-368-9670. | https://www.sbsun.com/2021/06/03/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-install-that-traffic-light-in-riverside/ |
Were the Experimental Covid Shots a Factor in Singer B.J. Thomass Death? | ERROR: type should be string, got "https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/06/ginny-garner/were-the-experimental-covid-shots-a-factor-singer-b-j-thomas-death/ What role, if any, did the experimental Covid shots have in the death of singer B.J. The popular five time Grammy Award winning pop, country and gospel vocal stylist and 2014 Grammy Hall of Fame inductee passed away at the age of 78 on May 29. The official cause of death was complications from lung cancer (Thomas reportedly stopped smoking in 1988). Fans who are aware the singer stated he was injected with at least one and possibly two of the shots; are informed about the deaths resulting from the genetic modifying jabs, especially among the elderly; and know doctors and scientists have linked the mRNA technology in the shots with cancer will always wonder what role, if any, the jabs had in his death. On January 13, Thomas announced on Twitter: Getting the shot in the morning. Then Could the day till the follow up. Not sure what that means, but he didnt sound too enthusiastic: Its better than nothing. A lot better I hope. My advice is to get what you can while you can get it. He tweeted on January 15: No side effects from Moderna virus shot. Hank Aaron had publicly been injected on camera and passed away 17 days later. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., chairman of the activist group Childrens Health Defense, stated, Hank Aarons tragic death is part of a wave of suspicious deaths among elderly closely following administration of Covid vaccines. The baseball legend received the Moderna vaccine on January 5, in an attempt to inspire other Black Americans to step up to the plate and get the vaccine. On January 22, Thomas tweeted RIP Hank Aaron. Two days later a fan tweeted Thomas a warning: Experimental vaccines arent safe. There are safer treatments. The transhumanist agenda is using DNA-altering gene therapy to destroy our God-given immune system. Hank passed right after he took the 2nd Covid shot. For more information, check out and the fan provided the Twitter addresses of Drs. Joseph Mercola, Sherri Tenpenny, Rashid Buttar, Shiva Ayyadurai, Simone Gold, Carrie Madej, and Andrew Kaufman, as well as the CHD, Del Bigtrees High Wire and the National Vaccine Information Center. That day Thomas responded: Thank you for info. Sorry for Mr. Aarons family. Yes, a lot of misinformation about vaccine. Im afraid the virus is here to stay. These vaccine sources have all faced censorship because they warned the shots are experimental, anyone getting them are part of the third clinical trial, and long-term safety data is non-existent. CHD monitors the latest reports, deaths (4.406), and injuries from the federal governments Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). Studies from Harvard and others estimate about 1% of actual events are reported. The European Medicines Agency is also keeping track of adverse events (10,000+ deaths were recently reported). Then theres Vaxxtracker. According to the CDC, the Moderna shot schedule advised getting the second jab 28 days or four weeks after the first injection: Thomas would have gotten his second shot on February 11, although he did not announce it on Twitter. Then he shocked his fans on March 23 by tweeting he had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He wrote he was receiving treatment at a local health care facility in Texas and was hopeful for a full recovery. Some doctors and scientists believe there is a possible link between mRNA, the technology used in the Covid shots, and cancer. Clinical research by molecular biologists at the Sloan-Kettering Institute discovered mRNA inactivates tumor-suppressing proteins, which means it can cause cancer. The information carrying molecule can instruct cells as cancer drivers. RNA is transported out of the cells nucleus and will no longer function properly as a cancer tumor suppressor. mRNA changes are linked to blood, acute lymphatic and breast cancer. Women recently injected with the shots are showing symptoms of breast cancer. Some fans will always wonder. Thankfully, they will always be able to enjoy his timeless music. Thomas sold 70 million pop, country and gospel records and enjoyed eight #1 hits and 16 top 10 singles. His biggest hit was 1970s Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head from the film soundtrack Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It won Burt Bacharach and Hal David the Academy Award for Best Song. Other Thomas hits included Hooked on a Feeling, I Just Cant Help Believing and Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song. Until the end of his life Thomas could still sing at a level that pleased him and his fans. He continued to perform live concerts until the 2020 Covid lockdowns and was booked through 2021 planning to tour with former Supreme Mary Wilson. During the past year, he posted online performances and did interviews. Thomas attributed his recovery from alcohol and drug addiction in the 1970s to his newfound Christian faith and his wife Gloria. It was love at first sight in 1967 when he met the woman he affectionately called the Redhead. His marriage to the songwriter lasted 53 years, they were parents to three children and had four grandchildren. Hes home where he belongs now. Mama (1966): [embedded content] Another Bacharach-David song, Everybodys Out of Town (1970): [embedded content] Another Bacharach-David song, Long Ago Tomorrow (1972): [embedded content] Hooked on a Feeling performed here in 1974: [embedded content] Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song (1975): [embedded content] Home Where I Belong (1976): [embedded content] Mighty Cloud of Joys (1978): [embedded content] Singing Rock and Roll Lullaby in 1983 at Austin City Limits: [embedded content] I Just Cant Help Believing performed here in 1993: [embedded content] A medley of his hits at the Grand Ole Opry (he was a member) in 2002: [embedded content] As Long As We Got Each Other (TV Show Growing Pains theme song) performed in 2009: [embedded content] I Just Cant Help Believing featuring Vince Gill from The Living Room Sessions album (2013). [embedded content] Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head on Ray Stevenss Cabaray Nashville show (2020): [embedded content] Thomas was named one of Billboards 50 Most Played Artists of the Last 50 Years. The Best of Ginny Garner Share this: Twitter Facebook" | https://clarion.causeaction.com/2021/06/03/were-the-experimental-covid-shots-a-factor-in-singer-b-j-thomass-death/ |
What happens in a virology lab? | If you are looking for new bacteria and viruses, you will definitely find some of them: According to this slogan, microbiome researchers use genetic analyzes to detect previously unknown bacteria based on their genetic effects on all types of surfaces. New interim report For the magazine Cell Now presenting microbiologists from the University of Tbingen and an international team within the Metagonomics and Metadesign Consortium for Underground and Urban Biomes (MetaSUB): In a three-year project, they collected more than 5,000 swab samples from all types of surfaces in subway stations, train stations and hospitals and then analyzed the acid fragments. Nuclear contained in them in the laboratory. In samples from 60 cities and 32 countries, they found sequences of 10,928 viruses and 748 bacterial strains that had not yet been registered in a reference database. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264520981527/what-happens-in-a-virology-lab |
Has anybody checked SANDAGs mass transit use projections? | Re SANDAG considers $160B high-speed rail plan (May 27): The San Diego Association of Governments latest proposal cites certain figures to justify significant changes in how we travel in San Diego County. For instance, it presumes that the percentage of people using mass transit will grow from 3 percent to 13 percent by 2050. It hypothesizes that single-passenger commuter vehicle use will drop from 80 percent to 62 percent. I would question whether these are values that represent empirical data (unlikely) or rather a statement of the level of change that would have to take place to justify pressuring the public to change its behavior. Im not denying that some change will be required to combat environmental threats. However, I am suspicious of the authenticity of the data presented by SANDAG to make its case. It would be disingenuous to manufacture numbers that will make the business case work and then infer that these are the actual values that will be attained. Weve traveled that road before and crashed. Advertisement Harvey Levine Rancho Bernardo If approved, SANDAGs high speed rail plan will surpass the failed California bullet train in stupidity. Increased housing density around stations will not increase ridership enough to justify the costs of building and operating it. Land costs are too expensive and will rise prohibitively over three decades. The $160 billion cost estimate is likely understated now and will grow rapidly. Current low- and middle-income transit riders are already fleeing California due to high living costs and affluent people will be hard to coax away from their cars, even if taxed more and made miserable by SANDAGs refusal to invest in new and wider roads. Like the California bullet train, this plan will fail but not until billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted. If elected officials who support it dont regularly use mass transit now, vote NO on tax increases to pay for it! Apparently SANDAG believes it can improve upon the wildly successful, cost-efficient completion of the northern California bullet train. Charles Falk La Mesa | https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/story/2021-06-03/has-anybody-checked-sandags-mass-transit-use-projections |
Are Jersey Shore's Angelina and Husband Chris Still Together? | Spilling the tea. Jersey Shore star Angelina Pivarnick and husband Chris Larangeira are taking things day by day amid split rumors, she exclusively tells In Touch. A lot of things have went down in our relationship. Angelina, 34, teases that the ups and downs in her marriage will play out on the new season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, which premieres on Thursday, June 3. Right now, were just living life. Thats all I can say right now Its a lot, she admits. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock That being said, the Staten Island native notes that her relationship has taught her some serious lessons. One thing Ive learned since being married is communication is a big thing in a relationship, the Couples Therapy alum says. If you dont have that, sometimes st hits the fan. The reality couple wed in November 2019 but split speculation began just one year later when fans noticed Angelina and Chris, 42, unfollowed each other on Instagram in January. Rumors continued when Angelina removed her husbands last name on some of her social media platforms. She even briefly deactivated her account but has since reinstated it with her name as Angelina Marie Larangeira. An insider told In Touch at the time that the model didnt delete it on purpose. Angelinas Instagram mightve been hacked, but she isnt sure how exactly it happened, the insider explained at the time about the MTV starlet dropping Larangeira from her profile. Theres nothing to announce right now [in regards to their relationship]. Its all speculation. Angelina and Chris are staying private, added the source. Theyre telling friends everything is good and theres nothing to worry about. If anything did happen or if the rumors about them splitting are true, it would be revealed on Jersey Shore. The former EMTs wedding to the sanitation worker caused a lot of drama among the cast members after Nicole Snooki Polizzi, Deena Cortese and Jenni JWoww Farley made a now-infamous speech that went a bit too far and upset the bride and guests. After facing some backlash, Deena, 34, took to Twitter to assure fans they never meant to cause harm. Our speech was not meant to be malicious Im not a mean person and our intentions were never negative, Deena wrote following the tense reception. We truly thought she was going to laugh and right after we went into how lucky we are to have her in our lives and shes the sister we needed in the house. | https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/are-jersey-shores-angelina-and-husband-chris-still-together/ |
How will 3 former Penn State mens basketball players fare in their new homes? | The 2021 offseason for Penn State was like no other with the number of players who chose to enter the transfer portal. The Nittany Lions had a total of six hoopers choose to look for a new home away from Happy Valley. A number of those who entered the portal have found their new homes, and three of them were former Penn State starters. Heres a look as to how a few former players might fare in their new uniforms. Myreon Jones, Florida Penn States leading scorer from 2020-21 decided to head south for the remainder of his college basketball career. But Myreon Jones change in scenery may make for a more competitive atmosphere compared to the one he had in Happy Valley. Unlike the Nittany Lions, Florida made the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid and finished with a 15-10 record. The blue and white, on the other hand, missed the NCAA Tournament once again and had a sub-.500 record at 11-14. With a shift to a winning program also comes more competition for a starting spot. However, Jones has the numbers to back up his run at a starting spot with the Gators. Jones finished the season averaging 15.3 points per game, which was a career high. Floridas top guard Tre Mann outpaced Jones slightly with 16 points per game, but he has since departed for the NBA Draft. Jones could sneak into a starting role thanks to Manns exit from the program. Jamari Wheeler, Ohio State The four-year Penn State veteran opted to stay within the conference and take his talent to Ohio State. Jamari Wheeler was the Nittany Lions spark plug, leading the team with 4.2 assists per game and 3.5 steals. Like Jones, Wheeler is heading to a team with high expectations after Ohio State fell in overtime in the Big Ten Championship and suffered an early exit in the NCAA tournament. Despite the current depth on the team, Wheeler might have found a situation in which he can find meaningful playing time. MORE SPORTS COVERAGE +2 Early expectations for Penn State football's running back depth chart Penn State has come a long way from its days of strictly being Linebacker University. Top Buckeye guard Duane Washington Jr. will be leaving Columbus after entering his name in the 2021 NBA Draft. With Washington Jr.s departure, Wheeler will latch onto a significant bench role with the potential to notch into the starting lineup. Wheelers decision to go to Ohio State might pan out for him if hes looking for a shot at a winning season. The Buckeyes are among the frontrunners to return back to the Big Ten title game, and now Wheeler could be a part of the run. Izaiah Brockington, Iowa State Izaiah Brockington has had a unique transfer portal experience. He entered his name in the transfer portal for the first time on March 16, but he reneged on the decision and took his name out of the hat to return to Happy Valley. His decision to return was only brief, as Brockington reentered his name in the portal and chose to go across the United States and play for Iowa State. The Cyclones havent found much success in recent years, culminating with a 2-22 record in 2020-21. Iowa State couldt grab a conference win, resulting in a last-place spot at 0-18. Penn State did not have a winning season either, but it was a more competitive showing than that which the Cyclones put on. Brockington will likely factor in as an immediate impact player for a team looking to change its narrative. | https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/men_basketball/how-will-3-former-penn-state-men-s-basketball-players-fare-in-their-new-homes/article_6e7d17b8-c3fc-11eb-b4de-5395626f4108.html |
Why are Medicare Part D enrollees paying thousands for specialty drugs? | Medicare is not providing adequate cost savings for the millions of Americans who take specialty medications, as many of them are spending upwards of $10,000 annually on these prescriptions, according to a June 2 report from pharmacy discount service GoodRx. GoodRx examined the prices for 20 common specialty medications, finding that Medicare Part D enrollees had to pay more than $3,200 in 2021 for each of the drugs on that list. Revlimid and Ibrance were the most expensive drugs on the list, with Medicare Part D enrollees having to pay an annual price of $17,142 and $13,865, respectively. There are several factors that affect the amount Medicare Part D enrollees pay for their specialty medications, including the Medicare plan a patient selects, the distinct phase of their plan and drugs' list prices. Different plans offer very different cost savings for specialty medications, so patients could benefit from shopping around. For example, Revlimid's price varies from $20,013 to $2,818 across different Medicare Part D plans. Except for one, all of the 20 drugs had a difference of at least $2,000 between their maximum and minimum annual out-of-pocket costs across plans. | https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/pharmacy/why-are-medicare-part-d-enrollees-paying-thousands-for-specialty-drugs.html |
What Time Will The Conjuring 3 Be on HBO Max? | Everyones favorite ghost-hunting coupleEd and Lorraine Warrenare back in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the latest film in the horror series headed to theaters and HBO Max on Friday. While technically based on the true story of a murder trial in which the murderer attempted to use demonic possession as a legal defense, as with all the Conjuring movies, The Conjuring 3 swiftly veers into the fictional-ghost-story territory. Stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga once again step into the shoes of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life couple who made a living as paranormal investigators and authors in the 70s and 80s. This time the Warrens are investigating the case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson (Ruairi OConnor), who fatally stabbed a dude with a pocket knife four or five times. But he swears its not his fault! The devil made him do it! Fans of The Conjuring franchise wont want to miss the latest installment, so heres everything you need to know about The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It release date and release time. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It will open in theaters and begin streaming on HBO Max on Friday, June 4. The film will stream on HBO Max for 31 days. THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT RELEASE TIME: New titles tend to hit HBO Max at 12 a.m. PT on the morning of the release date. Therefore, you can expect The Conjuring 3 release time on HBO Max to be 12 a.m. PT, or 3 a.m. ET, on the morning of Friday, June 4. If the clock strikes midnight on the west coast and you dont yet see The Conjuring 3 on HBO Max, you could always try refreshing the page, or logging out and logging back in. HOW TO WATCH THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT: You can either drive to the nearest movie theater to watch The Conjuring 3, or you can watch it from the safety of your home with a subscription to HBO Max, the premium streaming option offered by HBO, where The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It will be streaming for 31 days, beginning on May 14. A subscription to HBO Max costs $14.99 a month, and youll get all of HBOs streaming library as well as the HBO Max original content. You can use HBO Max on your desktop, as well as via Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Playstation 4, Samsung TV, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S devices. You may also be able to purchase HBO Max through your cable provider. Not any time soon. Right now the only way to watch The Conjuring 3 is in a movie theater or with a subscription to HBO Max. However, can currently watch The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 on Netflix. | https://decider.com/2021/06/03/the-conjuring-3-release-time-hbo-max/ |
What Time Will Sweet Tooth Premiere on Netflix? | Get your summer started right with the premiere of Sweet Tooth, an ambitious adventure series with a folksy fairytale twist (and an apocalypse unlike any youve seen before). The series adapts writer/artist Jeff Lemires long-running DC Comics series of the same name, but it definitely takes its own twists and turns. Heres everything you need to know about your next big binge. The journey begins on Friday, June 4 on Netflix. All eight episodes of Sweet Tooth Season 1 will premiere on Netflix and be waiting for you binge over the weekend. As with all Netflix releases, Sweet Tooth Season 1 will be added to Netflix at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT on Friday morning. If youre on the west coast, you can stay up late on Thursday night and get a head start. Or you can go to bed on Thursday and sleep soundly knowing that 8 episodes of Sweet Tooth will be waiting for you when you wake up on Friday morning. Christian Convery (Legion) plays Gus, the titular hybrid who embarks on an adventure 10 years after the apocalypse. Nonso Anozie (Zoo) plays Tommy Jepperd, his unlikely guide and guardian on this trek. Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth) plays Gus father. And Adeel Akhtar (Killing Eve) plays Dr. Aditya Singh. The rest of the cast, who youll meet later in Season 1, includes Dania Ramirez (Once Upon a Time), Aliza Vellani (Riverdale), Stefania LaVie Owen (Im Dying Up Here), and Neil Sandilands (The Flash). The series is narrated by James Brolin. Sweet Tooth is primarily set 10 years after whats now known as The Great Crumble. Uh all of society, because a incurable virus suddenly raged out of control and wiped out a large chunk of humanity. The viruss arrival accompanied the emergence of human/animal hybrids, born to every person pregnant at the time of and ever since the Crumble. Ten years later, 10-year-old Guspart boy, part deerlives in seclusion in the woods with his father. And because you cant have an 8-part Netflix season set strictly in one remote cabin, you better believe Gus hits the road in search of his roots. Instead, hell find a whole lot of danger. Sweet Tooth premieres on Netflix on Friday, June 4. Stream Sweet Tooth on Netflix | https://decider.com/2021/06/03/what-time-is-sweet-tooth-season-1-on-netflix/ |
What's pushing growth in proximity mobile payment usage? | Mobile proximity and peer-to-peer (P2P) payments have hit the mainstream, thanks to a pandemic-driven upswing in digital payments. We present our eMarketer forecasts for growth in the mobile proximity and mobile P2P payments space, as well as assess top players in each area. Mobile payments have proven their value during the pandemic as a way to limit our risk to exposure instead of paying with cash or card. Last year, per our estimates, smartphone usage in the US surged to an average of 182 minutes daily (from 154 minutes pre-pandemic), which extended to payments. Mobile proximity payment user growth rates will temper before winding down to a 4.0% rise in 2025. Insider Intelligence In response, major providers have intensified their efforts to attract new convertsheightening the competition for status as the "primary wallet." Mobile payment adoption and volume had been growing steadily pre-pandemic, with providers jostling to increase their market share. But attitudes shifted in 2020, and a surge in growth spurred providers to develop a host of new features. These were aimed at narrowing the gap between proximity payments, P2P, and mcommerce providers as wallet companies aimed to meet all mobile payment needs. Growth is set to continue post-pandemic, as providers build out their suites of services to improve customer user experience, tap into new demographics, and boost loyalty. Proximity Mobile Payment Users After a 2020 surge, mobile proximity payment user growth rates will temper slightly before winding down to a 4.0% rise in 2025 as the sector matures, due to expansions in access and generational growth. The pandemic effect on proximity mobile payments Pre-pandemic, a fifth of US adults who hadn't yet adopted mobile proximity payment technology expressed an interest in doing so, according to a 2020 Total System Services report. People's desire to limit physical contact during the payment process is thought to be the main reason for the bump in adoption of this technology. Some 19% of US consumers surveyed by Forrester for the National Retail Federation (NRF) made a mobile payment in-store for the first time in May 2020 alone, and this trend is thought to have continued as the pandemic stretched on. Growth in a maturing ecosystem is expected to continue as consumers become more aware of and comfortable with "tapping and scanning." As we have seen in more advanced contactless ecosystems, such as the UK, more convenient use cases, like transit, lead to increased adoption. Expanded access to digital payments As more brands actively promote contactless payments, new players are stepping into the ring. Most notable among these has been PayPal, which enabled QR code payments in May 2020. This move could encourage adoption of the technology among its 305 million users, especially as other players add popular retail partners that may bring customers onboard. Established and new wallet providers alike are introducing incentives to new contactless payment adopters: PayPal is offering first-time users $10 cash back on a $20 CVS purchase, for example. Such incentives, and the incorporation of new features to generate loyalty, are proven tactics to win over nonadopters and ultimately broaden mobile wallets' user base. Generational shifts Millennials and Gen Zers constitute the bulk of mobile proximity payment users right now: Combined, they will make up 68.9% of users in 2021 and reach 71.4% by 2025, per our estimates. Unsurprisingly, groups already immersed in digital technology favor mobile payments. Gen Z in particular is set to drive growth as it gains purchasing power, though this trend will taper off as the technology permeates younger users. Baby boomers will continue a similar gravitation toward mobile wallets in tandem with overall digital adoption gains, partly driven by the pandemic and partly encouraged by younger family members. Here's how you can gain access: Join other Insider Intelligence clients who receive this report, along with thousands of other Financial Services forecasts, briefings, charts, and research reports to their inboxes. >> Become a Client Purchase the individual report from our store. Log in and read the report here. This article was originally published on eMarketer. More Financial Industry Topics: | https://www.businessinsider.com/proximity-mobile-payment-usage-continues-to-grow-2021-6 |
Is It Too Soon For Clubs To Open Again? | Hannah Penny Almost fifteen months have passed since Boris Johnson first put the United Kingdom into lockdown. That word, once alien to us, has now come to govern our lives. We never truly came out of that three-week holiday which felt so novel and new. Slowly, after countless lives lost, three strict lockdowns, a failed Test and Trace program, political turbulence and a shattered National Health Service, we are climbing back out of lockdown again. The final step of that journey will be the reopening of nightclubs. After all this time, being under neon lights, surrounded by a thrumming mass of dancing and laughter, content with the bodies encircling you, will feel magical. Realisticallyits very unlikely. Even if clubs are given the greenlight to open up, mass testing, one-way systems, sanitising and masks will provide every possible obstacle to the idea of enjoying a night out on the town. On top of all that, the dread of hurting those around you and having to isolate for a possible two weeks all for a single night out may make it an unappealing experience for many. both nationally and internationally, the group effort is not over Hope is definitely glimmering through the darker days of lockdown, but now the sky is laced with grey clouds, ever threatening to shut us back inside again. After all this time, we deserve to unapologetically look forward to the reinstatement of normal life. However, we are still firmly in the midst of this pandemic. Both nationally and internationally, the group effort is not over. Arguably, had Johnson never proposed the reopening of clubs on June 21st, very few Britons would be anticipating their reopening so soon. Now that the Prime Minister has promised an end to all guidelines and closures, the people will expect it, and he will deliver it in a sub-par fashion. Liverpool recently hit the news for holding the first experimental restriction free nightclub events. Some 6,000 people piled into Bramley-Moore Dock warehouse over two nights. No facemasks, no social distancing, no half capacity. All participants had to have a negative lateral flow test 24 hours before the event, done at a test site. They were also encouraged, but not required, to take a PCR test five days after the event. Quite possibly. After a series of trials by the government, including Liverpool raves, the BRITS, football matches and concerts just 15 people tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 58,000 attendees. As the world starts to open back up, hopefully for the last time, cases will undeniably rise. Hugging indoors is back on the cards, and the precautions we were hounded into obeying will no longer be compulsory. Many are now championing that we should be focusing on the number of deaths not cases. As we rapidly vaccinate the country, rising cases poses a lowered threat than before. Variants and anomalies will continue to perpetuate the feeling of trepidation for many, but we are not in the same situation we were in last March. peoples lives cannot be used as the currency to remobilise the economy The scepticism remains surrounding the governments intentions with opening England back up. Certainly, struggling sectors and ill-fated industries need to be boosted back to health. But peoples lives cannot be used as the currency to remobilise the economy. Essentially, clubs reopening will be wonderful, but only at the right time. Further down the line, when the global situation is more stable and the cases in England are not rising rapidly, a night out on the town will be electric. For many, getting too drunk in a dark corner of a sticky nightclub is not quite worth undoing the hard work of the past year and a half and the evenings that are so integral to British culture can wait a little while longer to return. Hannah Penny Featured image courtesy of Sam Mar via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image. For more content including uni news, reviews, entertainment, lifestyle, features and so much more, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to get involved. If you just cant get enough of Features, like our Facebook as a reader or a contributor. | https://impactnottingham.com/2021/06/is-it-too-soon-for-clubs-to-open-again/ |
Who is Joey Essexs nan Linda? | FROM an early age, Joey Essex has been able to count on the unwavering support of his nan. This Morning viewers were left in tears on Wednesday, 2 June, as the TOWIE star opened up about his mother's suicide. 1 Joey Essex was a guest on This Morning on Wednesday, 2 June 2021, and tugged at viewers' heartstrings when he opened up about his mother Tina's suicide Through his mourning of his mother Tina, Joey Essex has received the support of Linda Sims, his maternal grandmother with whom he shares a close bond. Linda is best known for being a devoted grandmother to brother and sister duo, Joey and Frankie Essex. But she has also been very present in her other grandchildren's lives. Joey is a cousin to Chloe Sims, another TOWIE alum, as well as Frankie, Demi and Charlie. Linda has been celebrated on by her granddaughters on social media on numerous occasions. Although active on Instagram and despite her grandchildren's fame, Linda remains very discreet. She currently resides in Chigwell, Essex, according to The Irish Mirror. However, throughout her TV appearances, Linda has revealed she is proud of her grandchildren's antics. Speaking to The Sun about Joey in 2013, she said : "I must be the proudest grandmother in Britain at the moment. He is doing so brilliantly." Joey has been more subtle in honouring his nan. He does appear at her side in the new documentary Joey Essex : Grief and Me, which focuses on his recovery from the trauma following his mother's death. Tina Sims committed suicide when her son was just 10 years old, leaving Joey and sister Frankie in the care of their father. "I remember the day when I got told my mum was gone", says Joey in the documentary, set to be aired on Thursday, 3 June, on BBC3 and BBC1. Most read in Showbiz A WHOLE MOOD Danniella Westbrook reveals she has found love again - 2 years after divorce SUN'S OUT Stacey Solomon shares rare picture of her dad at the beach with her kids A GOODY DAY Jade Goody's husband Jack Tweed wishes son Bobby happy birthday with throwback 'I MISS HER' Ashley Cain's girlfriend Safiyya sings to late baby daughter Azaylia BRAVE HOLLY Gordon Ramsay's daughter reveals she was hospitalised after sexual assault PTSD NEW SHORES Inside Laura Andersons new Dubai home as she moves in with Dane Bowers "I remember my dad bending down and grabbing my head and telling me my mum was gone. Ill never forget that. I remember it like it was yesterday", he says. Speaking of his grief, Joey also states : "Its been hard going through this whole process, but I feel a massive weight has lifted off my shoulders. I know Ill never get over the trauma, but Im just proud and glad Ive started to face it." No doubt his close-knitted family and loving Nanny Linda help him all the way. | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/tv/7202108/who-is-joey-essexs-nan-linda/ |
What are the rules for travelling to Gibraltar this summer? | Gibraltar is one of a slim number of nations on the UKs green list, a select band of destinations from where returning travellers need not quarantine upon arrival back into the UK. The Department for Transports (DfT) traffic light system categorises countries around the world as green, amber or red according to the risk of Covid reimportation. The green list is considered to carry the lowest risk in terms of travellers reintroducing Covid infections and in particular virus variants of concern back into the UK. However, many of the green countries borders are currently closed to British travellers, including New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, while various others can only be reached indirectly via amber countries, thereby triggering quarantine. Since Portugal was downgraded from green to amber on 3 June, The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar is one of the few destinations on the green list where Britons can actually visit with few restrictions. Heres everything you need to know travelling there. Arrivals from the UK (on Gibraltars green list) must take a free lateral flow test at the airport, and must not have been in any other country 14 days prior to arriving in Gibraltar. Passengers can book a test at covidrapidtest.gi. British Airways, easyJet and Wizz Air are all offering direct flights from 17 May. Eastern Airways flies direct to Gibraltar from Southampton and Birmingham; Wizz Air from London Luton; BA from London Heathrow; and easyJet from London Gatwick. Wearing of masks is mandatory in certain enclosed spaces such as retail shops and public transport. The Upper Rock is partially open to traffic and ramblers. Theres plenty: explore the eponymous Rock, with views over to Morocco; hanging out with monkeys; relaxing on sandy beaches. The Independents travel correspondent Simon Calder has curated a 48 hours guide for travellers here. No, as Gibraltar is on the UKs green list. Before returning to the UK, travellers must produce a negative Covid test result be it rapid antigen, lateral flow or PCR and, once back, are required to take a PCR test within two days of their arrival. | https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/gibraltar-green-list-holidays-b1859118.html |
Who Stole Our Thunder? | Its now been more than a month since we saw a flash of lightning or heard a clap of thunder in Grand Rapids. Its the longest stretch in spring without a thunderstorm that I can remember. Some people love to watch storms, while others dread them. I have a daughter that runs an animal rescue and some of the dogs get upset with loud noises (thunder, nearby fireworks on the Fourth of July). Its not just in West Michigan. The tornado count is down nationally this year. So far this year, the Storm Prediction Center has logged 579 tornadoes. This compares with 1,075 thru June 2 last year and 1,517 through June 2 in 2019. The map above shows where these tornadoes have occurred. Michigan has had just one, the tiny twister April 10 south of Cutlerville. There have been no tornadoes in Ohio, indiana or Wisconsin. Part of this is due to the drought, the dry pattern over the Great Lakes and part is due to the lack of ingredients coming together to form storms. Weve had more light showers. Rain yesterday evening missed most of West Michigan. Kalamazoo had just a trace of rain, Mendon 0.10, Coldwater 0.35Jackson had 0.76 and Flint had 0.71. Rainfall was only 30% of average in May along the I-94 corridor (Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek. The Kalamazoo River at Comstock is running at only 56% of average flow. Tornado count so far in 2021 As you can see in the graph above, the national tornado count this year (red line) is well below average number (black line but not a record low number. Probability of Severe Weather in the U.S. on June 3 The map above shows the probability of severe weather in the U.S. on June 3. The greatest chance of severe storms is in the Plains states, with a smaller secondary peak in the Carolinas. You can see the odds of severe weather in Michigan increase as you go south toward the IN/OH border. The greatest threat in summer is wind damage. Michigan does average 16 tornadoes per year. While were missing the severe storms, we will see the heat. Both April and May were a touch cooler than average. June will be warmer than average. The first half of June will see above average temperatures and we may fall back to near average for the 2nd half of the month. We do expect thunderstorms this summer. As the often present heat bubble builds in the Plains, passing fronts (though weaker in summer) and upper level disturbances will provide mostly brief passing showers and storms. In the meantime, the below average rainfall trend continues into early next week. | https://www.woodtv.com/weather/bills-blog/who-stole-our-thunder/ |
How many games will Michigan State Win in 2021? | Spartan Nation discusses how many games Michigan State football will win in 2021, according to BetOnline. East Lansing, Mich. In Mel Tucker's first season at Michigan State, he took down two ranked opponents in Michigan and Northwestern, though the Spartans finished 2-5 overall. Recently, BetOnline announced its 2021 regular season win totals for multiple college football programs, including MSU, with an over/under set at four wins. The Spartans are near the bottom in the Big Ten, alongside Rutgers, who also has an over/under featuring four wins and just above Illinois (3). Ohio State led the way with 11 predicted victories, followed up by Wisconsin (9.5), Penn State (9), Michigan (8), and Indiana (8). 2021 Big Ten Conference Over/Under Provided by BetOnline Ohio State: 11 Wisconsin: 9.5 Penn State: 9 Indiana: 8 Michigan: 8 Iowa: 7.5 Minnesota: 7 Northwestern: 6.5 Nebraska: 6 Maryland: 5.5 Purdue: 5 Michigan State: 4 Rutgers: 4 Illinois: 3 2021 Michigan State Football Schedule Sept. 3: at Northwestern (9 p.m., ESPN) Sept. 11: Youngstown State (12 p.m., Big Ten Network) Sept. 18: at Miami (12 p.m. ABC/ESPN) Sept. 25: NEBRASKA Oct. 2: Western Kentucky (Homecoming, 7:30 p.m.) Oct. 9: at Rutgers (12 p.m.) Oct. 16: at Indiana (12 p.m.) Oct. 23: Bye Oct. 30: Michigan Nov. 6: at Purdue Nov. 13: Maryland Nov. 20: at Ohio State Nov. 27: Penn State Please make sure you tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Sign up for the DAILY Spartan Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE MAGAZINE ICON at the top left of the page or the FOLLOW button back on the main page. Don't miss any of the latest up to the second updates on Michigan State Sports when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter @McLainGrant1 | https://www.si.com/college/michiganstate/the-war-room/how-many-games-will-michigan-state-win-in-2021 |
When did Nicola Thorp and Charlie de Melo date and why did they split? | CORRIE fans were in their element when it was revealed two of the show's stars were dating in real life. But sadly it wasn't meant to be for Nicola Thorp and Charlie de Melo. Nicola and Charlie started dating around March 2018. The hunky actor plays suave solicitor Imran Habeeb on Corrie, while she plays Nicola Rubinstein. The pair were close friends for a decade before they became romantically involved. Their relationship blossomed while they were both filming the ITV soap and they showed off their many holidays on Instagram. In January 2019, The Sun exclusively revealed how the couple had split. They date for around 10 months before calling it quits. Their relationship hit the skids just before Christmas 2018, and so they decided to go their separate ways. A telly source told The Sun at the time: "Sadly Nicola and Charlie decided to cool things after growing apart." 3 Nicola and Charlie both appeared on Coronation Street, which is where their romance blossomed Credit: Instagram Nicola's brief departure from the soap in 2018 reportedly put a strain on their romance, even though she's returned to the cobbles just a few months later. The source added: "They've decided to remain pals - although they aren't hanging out as much platonically as they they did before they were a couple and have been tending to go to separate. "As long as it doesn't get awkward at work they're happy, that's their main concern, they also won't be flaunting any new partners in front of each other, they plan to be very professional." In Autumn 2018, Nicola told The Sun how she was jealous when Charlie's character was offered a threesome in the soap by sisters Leanne and Toyah Battersby. She said at the time: "Let's just say I get very, very jealous of Charlie because Georgia [Taylor, who plays Toyah] and Jane [Danson, who plays Leanne] and are absolutely gorgeous. He's a lucky man." As of June 2021 Nicola is believed to be currently single. Charlie is not known to be in a relationship right now. However, Charlie seems smitten with his pet dogs, constantly posting pics of them and puppies on Instagram. | https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/celebrity/7201143/nicola-thorp-charlie-de-melo-dating-split/ |
Is There Beef Between Georgia QB JT Daniels and USC? | USC head coach Clay Helton gets honest about former quarterback JT Daniels' departure to Georgia, and how the transaction went down. In a recent interview with Dawg Nation, Helton revealed that he was supportive of Daniels' decision to transfer out of USC, after he lost the starting job to Kedon Slovis. Back in 2018, Daniels stunned USC fans becoming the second quarterback in USC history to start in his first game of his freshman season. The Mater Dei alum finished his freshman campaign throwing 216 completions on 363 attempts [59.5%], 2,672 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Daniels was poised for a big sophomore year and returned as QB1 in USC's opener against Fresno State. Daniels went 25-of-34 on 215 yards before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the second quarter. Cue Kedon Slovis, the Arizona native and young freshman rushed onto the field to pick up the pieces after Daniels went down. If you follow USC football, then you know the rest of the story, Slovis had a stellar 2019 campaign and Daniels chances of returning as QB1 looked slim. Daniels proceeded to enter the NCAA transfer portal and joined the Georgia Bulldogs squad for the following season. It was a special situation with Kedon Slovis coming off a season, where he had a dynamic season, Helton said in an interview with DawgNation. Obviously those two kids would have competed in the fall for the job, but I didnt hold it against JT or his family that he wanted to explore." So we were right there with the Daniels Family all the way through. They would bounce ideas off me, Coach what do you think of this system, or this opportunity? They found a place that they felt with the timing and the need at Georgia, and the system at Georgia, that the fit for JT was a good one.[Helton] Former USC QB JT Daniels The only recommendation I had, because we had left the door open at USC and wanted him on our football team, we always want good people and good players on the team, Helton explained, but when he said, Coach I think Im going to make this move, I said, One of the things JT, make sure when you make that decision you have no regrets, hit it full speed, and dont look back. And I knew he was going to do that. And, wow, what a great job hes done not only competing at Georgia and winning the job, but now really producing for his team. [Helton] Helton has nothing but glowing remarks for Daniels even though he left USC. There is 'no beef' between the two, in-fact Helton emphasized his joy over Daniels' success. The move to Athens turned out to be a positive one for Daniels, last season the SoCal native threw for 1,231 yards, had 80 completions on 119 attempts, ten touchdowns and two interceptions, and he is already making 2022 Heisman noise. [OTHER NEWS: EX-USC Running Back Named CFB HOF Nominee] ---- 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/is-there-beef-between-georgia-qb-jt-daniels-and-usc |
How Many Football Games Will UW Win This Season? | We played out the Huskies' 2020 schedule here, game by game. Most, but not all, signs point to a highly successful University of Washington football season. In its post spring-practice rankings, ESPN pegged the Huskies as the nation's No. 15 football team, which sounds about right. The Sporting News, however, couldn't find a spot for the UW in its recently compiled Top 25, deciding that someone such as the ever obtuse Coastal Carolina was much more deserving of national attention. The Huskies supposedly have a pair of first-round NFL draft picks in offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland and cornerback Trent McDuffie, an elite tight end in Cade Otton, a top-5 offensive line nationally, a top-10 secondary in the country and perhaps the college game's most talented inside linebacker in Edefuan Ulofoshio, all predetermined by outside but not partisan experts. Pro Football Focus, while lumping the Huskies among the top Pac-12 contenders, has crunched all of its numbers, looked at all the trends and suggested the UW is good for 8 wins this coming season. You can read PFF's Pac-12 size-up here. That would be 8-4. While losing supreme edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui to a ruptured Achilles heel and subsequent surgery this past spring was a significant blow to the UW, Lake still has 17 returning starters, nearly a half-dozen portal transfers and countless up-and-coming players to count on. In sizing up the Huskies, the main problem for them in drawing ultimate attention is they played just four games in the pandemic-interrupted 2020 season the fewest number by a Power 5 team, a distinction shared by fellow Pac-12 comrades Arizona State, Oregon State and Washington State. People simply don't know what to expect from Lake's collection of talent and need more visual proof. From someone who sat through all of the recent spring practices, and have seen the Huskies up close at their national championship best and during their Ty Willingham worst, here's another opinion on the prospects for the upcoming UW season: 2020 UW Schedule Montana The Huskies (1-0) win their season opener by five touchdowns and Sam Huard makes his college debut by leading a late touchdown drive. Michigan With 100,000-plus fans on hand in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the only social distancing comes when Trent McDuffie intercepts one late and runs it in to seal a 28-16 victory for the UW (2-0). Arkansas State Jay'Veon Sunday gets a chance to play significant minutes in the fourth quarter and goes high-stepping for a late score as the Huskies (3-0) dismiss another overmatched opponent. California Two years ago, this was the lightning-interrupted game and a last-minute, early-morning loss. This time, the Huskies open conference play by sacking Chase Garbers five times and telling him to say hi to his brother, and they win decisively (4-0). Oregon State On a wet, dreary day in Corvallis, Richard Newton packs the ball 25 times for 175 yards and three scores as the UW grinds out an emphatic victory (5-0). UCLA Chip Kelly is forced to play Ethan Garbers at quarterback at Husky Stadium after his top two QBs get hurt in practice and early in the game and the UW wins the reunion tour 27-7 (6-0). Arizona On a Friday night, the Husky defense destroys Jedd Fisch's first Wildcat team in the desert to extend the winning streak (7-0), with safety Dom Hampton returning to his home state to intercept a pair of passes. Stanford David Shaw always makes the Huskies earn it, but they persevere with running back Taj Davis diving in from the 1 late in the game for a hard-earned 24-21 victory (8-0) in Palo Alto. Oregon In the most anticipated game of the season, the UW rises to the occasion and swats the Ducks 32-17 as Dylan Morris scores on a keeper and does a Browning-like pointing gesture while crossing the goal line (9-0). That's happened just once in modern times. The Sun Devils pull out a 41-40 thriller in Seattle (9-1), ending any CFP ambitions. Colorado Rebounding nicely in Boulder, the Huskies get a couple of TD catches from Rome Odunze to clinch the North Division (10-1) and a chance to face Arizona State again in the league championship game. Washington State No one said this season was going to be easy. Max Borghi wears a T-shirt under his jersey that says "We don't lose to Huskies anymore" and the Cougars jitterbug gets loose for 155 yards and 2 TD runs in a 31-28 upset at Husky Stadium. End of seven-game Apple Cup losing streak. So there you have it, a 10-2 regular season. Nothing to turn your nose up at. We'll leave it to your imagination to how the ASU rematch and the bowl outing turn out. OK, maybe the Huskies face the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, or the Chandeliers, or whatever they're called, in the Fiesta Bowl and trample them. Find Husky Maven on Facebook by searching: HuskyMaven/Sports Illustrated Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven | https://www.si.com/college/washington/football/how-many-games-will-uw-win-next-football-season |
What Happened To Bad Wolves Lead Singer Tommy Vext? Why Did He Leave The Rock Band? | The heavy metal band Bad Wolves initially formed in 2017. All five members of the band released their first album Disobey in 2018 and their second one N.A.T.I.O.N. in 2019. The band has an upcoming album named, Dear Monsters, which is set to release in 2021. While the band was working together on their music, their lead singer, Tommy Vext, decided to leave in January 2021. The band stated on social media about Tommy's exit. While fans are thrilled to know the new lead singer of the band, some are still wondering what happened to Bad Wolves lead singer. Bad Wolves took to their social media account to release an official statement. However, they did not clearly mention the reason behind Tommy's exit. Their note read, "It is true that Bad Wolves and vocalist Tommy Vext have parted ways. The four of us plan to continue making music and a new album planned for later this year. Tommy has been a big part of Bad Wolves and we are grateful for his contributions. There is not much else to report at the moment but to send love and gratitude to the fans who have supported Bad Wolves from day one. We would not be here without you. All the best, Chris, Doc, Kyle, and John." A few days later, Tommy himself shared the reason behind his departure from the band. He took to his social media account to post a written and video statement. He blamed the cancel-culture for his exit from the band. His note read, "Cancel culture came after my band. I was threatened, ridiculed, blackmailed and smear campaigns were launched to destroy my career and my livelihood." About Bad Wolves' new lead singer On June 2, 2021, Bad Wolves announced their new lead singer through social media. The rock band welcomed Daniel 'DL' Laskiewicz as the lead vocalist. They wrote, "We are excited to officially announce that Bad Wolves has a new singer - Daniel DL Laskiewicz @daniel_laskiewicz DL is a tremendous songwriter and singer, and we can confidently say that the album we are working on, titled Dear Monsters, is the best Bad Wolves album to date." They also disagreed with Tommy's claims and said they want to focus on their new chapter. Bad Wolves' members include Doc Coyle, Chris Cain, John Boecklin, Kyle Konkiel, and Daniel Laskiewicz. IMAGE: BAD WOLVES' INSTAGRAM Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. | https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/music/what-happened-to-bad-wolves-lead-singer-tommy-vext-why-did-he-leave-the-rock-band.html |
Is Robert Englund The Reason Mark Hamill Landed Luke Skywalker? | A few weeks ago, the legendary actor Robert Englund best known for playing Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series appeared on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum to reflect on his lengthy career both as the horror icon and in other roles. Before landing the role of Freddy Krueger, in fact, the classically trained actor was usually typecast as a redneck or a nerd. Englunds Wikipedia page also suggests that he was up for a role in Star Wars back in 1977, which is only sort-of true, according to Englund. He was never in serious consideration for the role; however, he says he helped Mark Hamill land the role of Luke Skywalker. As Englund tells it on the podcast, he was actually auditioning for a role in Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now. He didnt land the role, but after the audition, they did walk him across the hall to the Star Wars audition and told him, You might be right for something here. Englund says that they had briefly considered him for the Han Solo role, although at the time, it was configured differently than after Harrison Ford was cast. Originally, they were thinking of an older uncle, the kind of guy that brings a joint to Thanksgiving and gets all the kids high, Englund said. And I think they even offered it to Tom Selleck. Needless to say, Englund did not get offered the role of Han Solo. However, while he was at the audition, he noticed the sides for Luke Skywalker because of the name. It was such a great name. I looked at the sides, and I cant remember if I stole them or not. Afterward, he went and had a couple of drinks and returned to his home, where his then-close friend, Mark Hamill, was sleeping on his couch. Mark was on my couch watching The Bob Newhart Show, Englund continued. And I walked in the door and I said, Hey Mark, George Lucas is doing another movie. And you might be right for this. And so my Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Story is that Freddy Krueger told Luke Skywalker to call his agent and he got in there and got the part. Now, his agent hates me telling this story because she swears that she already submitted him, Englund added. Hamills agent is not the only person who hates that Englund tells that story, which he has been repeating for years. Englund continues to tell the story even though Mark Hamill himself has gone on the record to deny it. Robert was 1 of several actors who told me about #StarWars-When I told my agent-She'd already set up an audition & still gets annoyed he takes the credit. Sleeping on his couch is nonsense! I'd been a working actor for over 6 years & had my own Apt. #SettingTheRecordStraight https://t.co/XktCLDEQ9V Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) October 20, 2018 Its a good story, but at least according to Hamill, it is not entirely true. On the podcast, Englund says that he and Hamill remained friends for several years after Star Wars before they began to drift apart. Source: Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum | https://uproxx.com/movies/robert-englund-freddy-krueger-mark-hamill-luke-skywalker/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+uproxx%2Ffeatures+%28UPROXX%29 |
Was bleibt uns eigentlich brig? | In Zeiten von Fake News, Abstandhalten, Onlineshopping und allzeit und berall verfgbaren Wissens mit fragwrdigen Quellenangaben wird am 12. September der Markt fr ntzliches Wissen und Nicht-Wissen im Schauspielhaus Hannover erffnet. Unter dem Titel Hab und Gut Eigentum, gemachte Armut und eine Welt, die wir teilen geht es um ein Thema, das mitunter als unanstndig gilt: die Eigentumsverhltnisse in Hannover und global. Durch die Kuratorin, Kopistin und Knstlerin Hannah Hurtzig und die Mobile Akademie Berlin ins Leben gerufen, widmet sich jeder Markt fr ntzliches Wissen einem spezifischen Thema, eingeladen werden Expertinnen und Experten aus unterschiedlichsten Disziplinen. In einer maschinisierten Arena, getaktet im Rhythmus administrierter Zeit, im Rausch der Simultanitt und Kollektivitt, bieten diese Expertinnen und Experten ihr spezifisches Wissen an und lassen zusammen mit dem Publikum ein vielschichtiges Erlebnis entstehen, das in seinem Kern einem Jahrmarkt hnelt und Orte der Wissensvermittlung wie das Archiv und den Lesesaal imitiert. Eigentum ist heilig. Eigentum ist Menschenrecht. Demokratie, Marktwirtschaft und wir als moderne, handlungsfhige Subjekte sind kaum vorstellbar ohne die Sicherheit unseres Privateigentums. Der Markt fr ntzliches Wissen trgt diese Fragen in die Stadt und unter die Menschen von Hannover. Wenn also der Startschuss fr den Markt fllt, finden sich Hannoveranerinnen und Hannoveraner auf beiden Seiten der Tische wieder und knnen ber ihre Arbeit und ihre Expertise berichten oder einer der ca. 70 Expertinnen lauschen und mit ihnen ins Gesprch kommen. Jemand, der in Hannover von dieser Frage umgetrieben wird und beim Markt fr ntzliches Wissen und Nicht-Wissen eine Gesprchspartnerin fr das Publikum sein wird, ist Inge-Lore Rackisch, die dem ein oder anderen vielleicht als Verkuferin des Asphalt-Magazins in der Sdstadt bekannt ist. ber ein Andersdenken von Haben und nicht Haben kann man mit dem Experten Tobi Rosswog sprechen, der in einem Selbstversuch zwei Jahre lebte, ohne Geld einzunehmen oder auszugeben. Er ist Autor, Initiator und Coach, der zu dem Thema Commons also der gemeinschaftlichen Nutzung von Ressourcen und ber Suffizienz spricht und forscht. Das Thema Verzicht spielt auch bei der Expertin Brbel Grcke eine groe Rolle, btissin im Zisterzienser Kloster Mariensee bei Neustadt am Rbenberge. Die Entscheidung fr ein klsterliches Gelbde und fr ein gemeinschaftliches Leben in Verzicht hat sehr grundstzlich mit Fragen an das Materielle und den Konsum zu tun. Er ist Berliner Reprsentant fr medico international, einer Menschenrechtsorganisation, die global fr das Recht auf Gesundheit durch eine faire und ethische Verteilung der Covid19-Impfstoffe kmpft. Auf der Bhne im Schauspielhaus treffen 70 Expertinnen und Experten in simultanen Vieraugengesprchen von je 30 Minuten auf die Besuchenden des Marktes. In dieser Form eines kollektiven Slow-Datings wird ein demokratischer Diskurs in Liveaktion erlebbar. Das Publikum, das um die Bhne herum sitzt, kann sich ber das Markt-Radio einzelnen Gesprchen zuschalten. Die Kunst des Zuhrens, der Perspektivwechsel, das Neu- und Umdenken, das Wunder des Gesprchs wird an diesem Tag gebt und praktiziert. Am 12. September im Schauspielhaus. In Kooperation mit der Stiftung Niedersachsen | https://www.haz.de/Anzeigen-Maerkte/Themenwelten/Spielzeit/Was-bleibt-uns-eigentlich-uebrig |
What is a Jeepney? | Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is celebrated every year in the month of May. We're highlighting AAPI community members. SPOKANE, Wash. The jeepney is an integral part of Filipino culture. In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, it is the most common form of transportation. Some 100,000 of them crowd the streets, bringing riders to their desired destinations. The iconic Jeepney look comes from its unique history. Following World War 2 there were many Willys Jeeps left in the Philippines by the U.S. Those jeeps were put to good use. They elongated the wheel base, added bench seats and roof. That turned the small jeeps into a useful form of transportation. These days, those jeeps are owned and operated independently and regulated by the Filipino government. Each one of the more than 100,000 Jeepneys has its own unique flair. The bright colors, custom art, and exotic horns are how they entice riders to choose them over the competition. Jeepneys typically have a driver and conductor and stick to specific routes. The driver follows the route while the conductor calls out stops and collects pay from passengers. The open air of the Jeepney and the amount of people riding makes the ride energetic and exciting. | https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/places/inland-northbest/up-with-krem-celebrates-aapi-heritage-spokane-family-keeps-authentic-filipino-jeepney/293-2f6e4dab-c3b0-488d-90c2-a2191a42b186 |
What are the origins of Pride Month? And who should we thank for the LGBTQ celebration? | For decades, Pride Month has been celebrated in June across the United States. Festivities, parades and events have been thrown to honor LGBTQ voices and experiences, but also to draw attention to the issues members of the community still face. Though 2020 brought most traditional Pride festivals to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some states are easing back into in-person and virtual events this year. USA TODAY is breaking down your Pride questions below. Know their names: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera It all started with the Stonewall Uprising in New York City on June 28, 1969. Following a police invasion of a gay club located in Greenwich Village, riots and protests ensued throughout the city. "The majority of people at Stonewall were either drag queens or gay men of color," Titus Montalvo, a hairdresser and makeup artist who was 16 at the time, told USA TODAY's Dalvin Brown. At that time, in New York City, masquerading as a member of the opposite sex was a crime. Although transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson didn't arrive to the bar until the rioting had started, many credit Johnson for throwing the first brick or shot glass that sparked the riots. Regardless, Johnson and other Black and Latinx transgender women are now being recognized and hailed. Another transgender women involved was Sylvia Rivera, an activist and self-professed drag queen. Rivera fought for transgender rights alongside Johnson, co-creating S.T.A.R., the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, to help homeless LGBTQ youth. Rivera died in 2002, and Johnson died in 1992. Last year, it was announced a monument commemorating both the women would be built in New York's Greenwich Village. The Stonewall Inn was declared a historic landmark by the city of New York in 2015 and later named a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016. The Stonewall Riots sparked a shift and increase in LGBTQ activism. However, more work for the transgender community is still needed. In 2021, 13 transgender men and women were killed, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Twelve of the 13 killed were either Black, Latinx or Asian. The rainbow flag, created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978, is widely known as the symbol of Pride. "Pride flags are a bold visual representation of the movement," Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International said. "And, rightly so, there are many, echoing the diversity of identities within the LGBTIQ community, and the need for everyone to be seen and recognized." Philadelphia Philadelphia redesigned the Pride flag in 2017 to include the colors brown and black in an effort to promote diversity and inclusion and to "honor the lives of our Black and brown LGBTQ siblings," the city said in a statement. Lesbian The Lesbian flag has several iterations. However the one created in 2018 by Emily Gwen features shades of orange, purple and pink. Trans The trans flag features light blue and light pink which represent colors traditionally given to baby girls and boys at birth. The white represents intersex, transitioning or a neutral/undefined gender. The flag was created by transgender activist Monica Helms in 1999. How to celebrate Pride Month Pride 2020 was celebrated mostly virtually due to the pandemic. However as more Americans get vaccinated and COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed or lifted, 2021's Pride Month celebrations are underway. In lieu of an in-person festival, Washington D.C. is hosting a mobile caravan while New York Pride will celebrate with in-person and virtual celebrations. The Atlanta Pride Run is also happening this year in person. As an ally, you can familiarize yourself with definitions and slang commonly used by the LGBTQ community. You can show support for the community by also shopping at retail stores giving back to nonprofit organizations. Those stores include A Tribe Called Queer, Adidas, Apple, Banana Republic and more. If you're looking to get into the Pride spirit, you can visit local sites where LGBTQ history was made. Sites such as the Stonewall National Monument in New York, the Pulse Interim Memorial in Orlando, Florida and the Henry Gerber House in Chicago. Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/06/03/what-pride-month-means-look-history-lgbtq-celebration/7504029002/ |
Which 2021 Movie Will Open to Over $100 Million First? | Over this past weekend, an incredible event occurred at the domestic box office. A Quiet Place Part II opened to $48 million at the box office over its 3-day holiday weekend. By far the biggest domestic bow since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it was a definitive sign that the theatrical exhibition sphere was safe in North America, and is coming back as vaccination rates rise dramatically. Despite increased competition from streaming and all the uncertainty stemming from this health crisis, people still wanted to experience storytelling on the big screen. With even bigger movies coming to theaters in just a few weeks, it stands to reason that well soon see even larger box office sums, even ones that crack $100 million in their opening weekends. Before the pandemic, 60 movies hit that domestic threshold. After the impressive debut of A Quiet Place Part II, its only a matter of time until a movie opens at over $100 million at the box office again. The next two months deliver five releases that seem like they can potentially signal the definitive return of big summer box office. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Image via Warner Bros. Right on the heels of the horror movie hit A Quiet Place Part II comes another scary sequel, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which hits theaters and HBO Max on June 4th. That mouthful of a title indicates the arrival of the newest entry in a juggernaut series that, for eight years now, has managed to accumulate just over $1.9 billion worldwide. In theory, all that success should tee up this newest installment as a likely candidate to be the first post-pandemic movie to crack $100 million on opening weekend. Unfortunately, the box office trajectory of prior Conjuring movies indicates this is probably a long shot The highest-grossing opening weekend in this cinematic universe belongs to The Nun with $53.7 million. Meanwhile, The Conjuring 2 opened to $34 million back in June 2016. It would take a miraculous feat for The Devil Made Me Do It to nearly triple The Conjuring 2s opening and hit $100 million in just three days, though perhaps renewed interest in going to the theater will boost its numbers. Its interesting to consider the idea of The Devil The Made Me Do It making this much on opening weekend because its not an inconceivable prospect. The first It movie proved R-rated horror movies could hit the kind of opening weekends usually reserved for PG-13 action blockbusters, so it's not impossible. Just a little more improbable. In the Heights Image via Warner Bros. In the wake of being cooped up in their homes for over a year, people arent going to want to return to theaters to watch grim and gritty fare. Something like In the Heights (opening June 11th) seems like it could be just the ticket for post-pandemic moviegoers, with its bright colors, upbeat atmosphere, and the sight of people singing and dancing their hearts out. Toss in the fact that its based on a beloved musical and hails from the mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind the pop-culture juggernaut Hamilton, and In the Heights is certainly being teed up as a moviegoing event. The history of movie musicals at the domestic box office suggests that may be tough. Only one live-action musical, the 2017 Beauty and the Beast remake, has managed to crack $100 million in its first three days of release. Without the Disney marketing machine behind it or being a remake of a beloved cartoon, In the Heights will have a steeper hill to climb. Luckily, the film doesnt need to hit that kind of mark to be declared a hit. Plus, if word-of-mouth among audiences is half as positive as the buzz from critics, then In the Heights will be putting on a show all summer long. F9 Image via Universal Pictures Grab the Coronas, rev up your engines, and prepare to go to outer space the Fast & Furious saga is back with F9. Delayed for 13 months, Universal has smartly positioned this film as the ultimate comeback vehicle for major spectacle on the big screen with a June 25th domestic release date. That is coupled with elements in its marketing campaign that are would prove mighty enticing to moviegoers even without a pandemic, like the addition of John Cena as the new main villain and the return of fan-favorite character Han. Most importantly for its box office chances, F9 is the one major blockbuster of the summer being offered exclusively in theaters. Universal isnt offering this one on Peacock or any other streamer alongside a theatrical debut. If you want to see F9 (at least for its first month of release), you have to watch it on the big screen. These factors point to F9 being the most likely candidate to hitting that $100 million barrier the first since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. RELATED: Vin Diesel Says 'F9' Serves as an Origin Story for Dominic Torretto Even the box office trajectory of past Fast & Furious movies bodes well for F9's chances. Sure, the only installment in this franchise to crack $100 million on opening weekend was Furious 7 in April 2015, which felt like a once-in-a-generation movie event. But the last main entry in this series, The Fate of the Furious, wasnt far from that threshold when it opened to $98.8 million. Surely all the hype about being the first post-pandemic blockbuster can give F9 the extra $1.2 million it needs to crack that sacred $100 million mark on opening weekend. Black Widow Image via Marvel Studios You know theatrical movies must be coming back if Marvel Studios is comfortable releasing new Marvel Cinematic Universe movies on the big screen again. The first of the studios four 2021 titles is Black Widow, which finally gives the titular superhero a solo feature when it releases on July 9th. A decade of anticipation for Black Widow to get her own movie alone poises this one for box office glory. The fact that its also the first Marvel Cinematic Universe title to hit theaters in two years adds an extra layer of anticipation to the proceedings. Given that eight of the last ten Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that opened on a Friday managed to debut to over $100 million, it should feel like a foregone conclusion that Black Widow will also open well over that marker. However, unlike all past titles in this franchise, Black Widow is simultaneously dropping on Disney+ via Premier Access. The last two movies Disney has released in this format Raya and the Last Dragon and Cruella both had drastically lower theatrical openings than comparable past titles. RELATED: Here's Why 'Black Widow' Is Rated PG-13 The same fate could befall Black Widow, though this darker PG-13 spy adventure feels like its aimed for older audiences than the target demos of those other kid-oriented Disney titles, and the upcharge of $29.99 to stream it on Disney+ could entice folks back to theaters. If any movie could debut to over $100 million while simultaneously playing on PVOD, itd be a Marvel superhero film. And if F9 somehow underperforms, Black Widow can likely pick up the slack and make history by, like so many past Marvel Cinematic Universe titles, scoring a massive opening weekend. Jungle Cruise Image via Disney Walt Disney Pictures other big summer blockbuster this year is Jungle Cruise, which was once upon a time set for an October 2019 release. Its now scheduled for July 30th, clearly channeling the July home of the first two Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Disney would very much like this new adaptation of a Disneyland theme park ride to follow the success of Jack Sparrow and avoid the box office shortcomings that plagued other similar adaptations like The Country Bears. On the surface, Jungle Cruise does seem like it has all the ingredients to not just be a box office hit but also a potential candidate to open to over $100 million. For one thing, its got Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt playing the kind of broadly appealing roles audiences like to see these performers inhabiting. For another, there arent a lot of retro adventure-themed movies opening this summer, which could help Jungle Cruise stand out. Plus, two of those Pirates movies have managed to open to over $100 million, so perhaps Jungle Cruise can follow suit. However, there is an equal number of factors playing against Jungle Cruises chances of debuting to over $100 million. For one thing, the Pirates movies that opened over this same timeframe were sequels, not franchise starters like Jungle Cruise. For another, despite his popularity Dwayne Johnson has only appeared in one movie, Furious 7, that opened to over $100 million. Its doubtful Jungle Cruise will be only the second Johnson vehicle to make that achievement. And on top of all that, Jungle Cruise is yet another Summer 2021 tentpole receiving a simultaneous PVOD release, which will doubtlessly eat into its theatrical grosses. Just like Black Widow, it's being released on Disney+ Premier Access the same day it hits theaters. Its likely lots of moviegoers will choose to take a ride on Jungle Cruise, but its unclear how many of them will do so from the comfort of their own homes. KEEP READING: 2021 Movie Release Dates: Here's What's Coming to a Theater Near You Share Share Tweet Email 'Thor 4' Filming Wraps as Chris Hemsworth Shares a Set Photo Revealing His Massive Biceps Hemsworth also raises awareness for National Don't Flex Day at the same time. Read Next | https://collider.com/2021-movies-box-office-which-will-open-to-100-million-first/ |
How can nanomaterials help in the fight against COVID-19? | Researchers have reviewed different types of nanomaterials and how they can be used for the detection, prevention, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A variety of different strategies have been tested or are under development for combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Several types of nanomaterials have also been tested for treatment and diagnosis. Many vaccines currently deployed also use nanomaterials in their composition. In a recent review paper, published in the Sustainable Cities and Society, authors reviewed the different types of nanomaterials and their uses in combating the pandemic. Many materials have been made into nanometer size. They include carbon materials, metals, inorganic, and polymeric materials. Carbon nanomaterials include graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, and fullerenes. These materials have good sensing and antimicrobial properties, which can be used for COVID-19 applications. Carbon nanomaterials Graphene-based field-effect transistors have been used to analyze COVID-19 viral loads in samples. Studies have shown highly sensitive and fast detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the causative pathogen of COVID-19 without any sample pretreatment. Graphene oxide has also been used as an antiviral agent. Graphene and graphene oxide have been used in face masks to inactivate viruses and allow mask reuse. Another useful carbon nanomaterial is carbon nanotubes. They have several useful properties like high surface area, good biocompatibility, and easy chemical functionalization. They have been tested in virus detection, virus inactivation, use in face masks, including their use in microfluidic devices using carbon nanotube arrays for virus detection. However, these materials can interact with DNA in animals, so their use in vivo is still questionable. Metal and metal-based nanoparticles Many types of metal and metal-based nanoparticles have been used for combating viruses. Gold nanoparticles are one of the most studied such materials. Studies have shown a gold nanoparticle-sialic acid composite can prevent virus attachment to host cells. Several sensors using gold nanoparticles have been used to identify disease cells and for DNA amplification, and these techniques could also be used for detecting SARS-CoV-2. Copper is known to inactivate viruses. Several studies have reported the antimicrobial activity of copper nanoparticles, which could be used for making personal protective equipment, for example. SARS-CoV-2 has also been found to be deactivated on copper surfaces faster than other surfaces. Another metal known for its antimicrobial activity is silver. Silver nanoparticles have been reported to inhibit several viruses like monkeypox, HIV-1, HSV, and others. Zn is another metal that has been reported to help in COVID-19, with studies suggesting chloroquine could act as a zinc ionophore. Increasing the concentration of Zn in cells is thought to help better combat COVID-19. Iron oxide nanoparticles have been used to cure anemia, and in vitro studies have shown they also have antiviral properties. Computational analysis has shown iron nanoparticles can bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. In addition, the magnetic properties of these nanoparticles have been used in biosensors for virus and other pathogen detection. Other metal oxides that may help combat COVID-19 are titanium dioxide, which could help with photocatalytic decontamination of virus-infected surfaces. Two-dimensional metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) are another class of emerging materials used to inactivate viruses on face masks, as are metal-organic framework (MOF) materials. Quantum dots Quantum dots are generally semiconductor nanoparticles less than about 10 nm in size, having a tunable optical wavelength. Hence, they are used as fluorescent probes and sensors. Carbon quantum dots have been shown to have antiviral properties. In addition, they can be potentially used to inactivate viruses because of their interaction with the spike protein or inhibiting viral replication. Polymer-based nanoparticles Both synthetic and natural polymer-based nanomaterials can be used to combat microbial infections. Synthetic polymer nanoparticles such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid are well-known delivery vehicles for delivering drugs or other materials in the body. Cellulose-based natural polymers are used in many filters and in face masks to filter out virus particles. Nanocellulose materials have also been used in sensors and displays to improve their sensitivity. Chitosan nanoparticles are another natural polymer-based materials widely used as drug carriers and delivery vehicles. Lipid nanoparticles are another class of materials made of different lipid materials and have been studied as delivery platforms for mRNA-based vaccines, including for COVID-19. Although several types of nanomaterials are being used or have the potential to be used to combat COVID-19, their toxicity and sustainable use need to be studied further. At the same time, clinical trials have shown that the use of lipid nanoparticles in vaccine technology such as the novel mRNA platform is safe and very promising in terms of efficacy. Collecting more information from these trials could pave the way for their use in more complex nanomedicine technologies. | https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210603/How-can-nanomaterials-help-in-the-fight-against-COVID-19.aspx |
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