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What Should Los Angeles Expect From A New Schools Superintendent? | (Image by Parents Supporting Teachers) Details DMCA The next Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent will not have time for a honeymoon . The school board's lack of transparency has resulted in an environment where the district's policies are not trusted by the stakeholders. Austin Beutner's replacement will, therefore, have to convince parents that it is safe for their children to return to school, assure them that children with special education needs are getting the services they need to reverse regression, and formulate a plan to collect millions of dollars owed to LAUSD students by delinquent charter schools. While Beutner had no professional experience in the field of education, it is imperative that his successor have these skills as they lead the district out of difficult times. Their resume should include a record of successful leadership at the district level and experience in a public school classroom. This would allow a new leader to empathize with the problems faced by our teachers and help to avoid the animosity that was present for much of Beutner's tenure. The new superintendent must also have a thorough understanding of the needs of an urban school district. With 72.4 percent of its students qualifying for free and reduced-price meals, the LAUSD has responsibilities that reach far beyond the classroom. To improve educational outcomes, the district must be headed by someone committed to expanding health services, after-school activities, and parent supports. (Image by Carl J. Petersen) Details DMCA Students with special education needs also require a champion at the head of the district. From the decades spent under the Chandra Smith consent decree to board member Nick Melvoin's attempt to evict a Career Transition Center, these students have been pushed aside by the LAUSD for far too long. The new superintendent must commit to purging the special education department of anyone unable to recognize that these students deserve the chance to meet their full potential, even if this does not include attending college or if they do not have the ability to master academics. They must also recognize the importance of maintaining access to special education centers and not forcing parents to mainstream their children. Unlike the current superintendent, his replacement needs to be dedicated to the cause of public education and be committed to serving the 80% of students within the LAUSD who attend district schools. A strong vision is needed that maintains education as a public function and keeps it from private control. After the controversies surrounding the selection of Beutner, the board needs to vet candidates in an open and transparent manner. The public needs to be given the opportunity to participate in the entire process and to weigh in on the final candidates before the selection is finalized. I have joined with the East Area Progressive Democrats, Eastside Padres Contra La Privatization, K12NN, and Parents Supporting Teachers in expressing these expectations for the next superintendent. You can show your support by adding your name at this link. ________________________________ Carl Petersen is a parent, an advocate for students with special education needs, an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council, a member of the LAUSD's CAC, and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race. During the campaign, the Network for Public Education (NPE) Action endorsed him, and Dr. Diane Ravitch called him a "strong supporter of public schools." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own. | https://www.opednews.com/articles/What-Should-Los-Angeles-Ex-by-Carl-Petersen-Education-210603-365.html |
Will there ever be gay contestants on Love Island? | It's that time again: the nation is gearing up for a new season of summer Love Island, with the show's creators promising that this year the cast will be more diverse than ever. However, while we may be able to expect greater variety when it comes to body types and race this season (*prays*), unfortunately it sounds unlikely that the show's LGBTQ+ representation isn't set to dramatically increase. Speaking to the Radio Times about the upcoming series, ITVs commissioner Amanda Stavri said, "Theres been quite a few rumours circulating about featuring gay Islanders, so its worth touching on that really... The line-up will be announced within time and it goes without saying that we want to encourage greater inclusivity and diversity." However, Stavri added that having gay contestants on the show (which focuses on heterosexual romances, encouraging each female single to pair up with a male single) could pose a challenge. The only same-sex pairing on the show previously was in 2016, when Katie Salmon and Sophie Gradon coupled up. "In terms of gay Islanders, I think the main challenge is regarding the format of Love Island," added Stavri. "Theres a sort of logistical difficulty, because although Islanders dont have to be 100 per cent straight, the format must sort of give [the] Islanders an equal choice when coupling up." Katie Salmon, from the 2016 series of Love Island David M. Benett Getty Images She continued on to say, "With our [other] dating shows, such as The Cabins, there is much more sexual diversity. The formats dont have as much restrictions as Love Island. So were very sort of mindful of that across our programming on ITV and dating series, but thats the difficulty with Love Island." Stavri then added, "Were always very mindful of diversity and inclusion and hopefully youll see that when we announce the line-up." To that note, a source also previously told The Sun, "Love Island has always been inclusive the only criteria is that youre over 18 and looking for love, but this is the first year that finding contestants with more fluid sexuality has been part of the briefing." So maybe there's still hope yet for better queer representation (which - it surely goes without saying - is always a) important and b) a positive thing). The series is set to kick off later this month (although the exact date is still tbc for now). Cosmopolitan UK's current issue is out now and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE. Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Jennifer Savin Features Writer Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UKs features writer (for both print and digital), specialising in investigative reports, news, womens issues and all things health. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a36614630/love-island-gay-contestants/ |
Do Global Elites Use These 3 Giant Financial Companies To Control 88% Of S&P 500-Listed Firms? | Authored by Michael Snyder via The End of The American Dream blog, There is no question that large corporations absolutely dominate our society today. They control what we eat, they control what we watch on television, they own most of the stores that we shop at, they provide the energy that our nation depends upon, and they make almost all of the products that we use. Tens of millions of Americans make a living by serving these colossal firms, and at this point some of the biggest corporations are larger than many small countries. But of course the corporations arent the top of the food chain. They have owners, and there are 3 giant financial companies that the global elite use to control 88 percent of the corporations that are currently listed on the S&P 500. The three financial companies that I am talking about are BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street. According to CNN, those companies have a combined 15 trillion dollars in combined assets under management BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street manage a stunning $15 trillion in combined assets, equivalent to more than three-quarters the size of the US economy. But that is actually an old number. I wanted to come up with a newer number, and so I started digging. According to Wikipedia, BlackRock had $8.67 trillion in assets under management as of January 2021 BlackRock, Inc. is an American multinational investment management corporation based in New York City. Founded in 1988, initially as a risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the worlds largest asset manager, with $8.67 trillion in assets under management as of January 2021. [citation needed][6] BlackRock operates globally with 70 offices in 30 countries and clients in 100 countries. [7] Vanguard is nearly as big. According to Wikipedia, Vanguard had $6.2 trillion in assets under management as of January 2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc. is an American registered investment advisor based in Malvern, Pennsylvania with about $6.2 trillion in global assets under management, as of January 31, 2020. [5] It is the largest provider of mutual funds and the second-largest provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the world after BlackRocks iShares. [6] In addition to mutual funds and ETFs, Vanguard offers brokerage services, variable and fixed annuities, educational account services, financial planning, asset management, and trust services. Several mutual funds managed by Vanguard are ranked at the top of the list of US mutual funds by assets under management. [7] While not as large as the other two, State Street had $3.1 trillion in assets under management as of the first month of this year. So adding those numbers up, the big three had almost 18 trillion dollars in assets under management in January 2021, and that number is almost certainly quite a bit higher by now. That is a giant pile of money that is almost impossible to imagine. Sometimes people forget just how much money a trillion dollars is. If you were alive when Jesus was born and you spent a million dollars every single day since then, you still would not have spent a trillion dollars yet. Collectively, the big three represent the largest ownership blocks in 88 percent of the companies that are currently listed on the S&P 500 Combined, BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard are the largest owner in 88% of the S&P 500 companies, according to a paper published Tuesday by the American Economic Liberties Project, a group that launched in February taking aim at what it sees as excessive corporate power. For instance, the Big Three hold leading stakes in companies including Apple (AAPL), JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Pfizer (PFE). Being the largest owner of a publicly traded company doesnt mean that you can do whatever you want, but it does give you enormous power. For example, last month BlackRock and Vanguard were instrumental in installing two new members on ExxonMobils board of directors BlackRock and Vanguard were among the major shareholders whose votes helped to install two new members on ExxonMobils board of directors, dealing the oil giant a major defeat in the election of board members at this years annual (virtual) shareholders meeting. The two fund giants, which together own approximately 14% of ExxonMobil shares, according to reports, supported portions of a dissident slate of board nominees brought by a Engine No. 1, an activist, purpose-driven investment firm that sees ExxonMobils response to the global climate crisis as far too weak to help achieve net zero emissions by 2050, putting shareholder value at risk. Engine No. 1 put forth a slate of four nominees, all with experience in the oil and gas or renewable energy industry. ExxonMobil did not want these new board members, but now they have been forced to take them. And these new board members will help to ensure that ExxonMobil becomes more fully aligned with the climate agenda of the global elite. For those in the global elite, it is much easier to use money and power to enact change through corporate structures than it is through various governmental bodies around the globe. In fact, many would argue that in 2021 corporations have far more of an impact on our day to day lives than any governmental entities do. Unfortunately, we cant do much to alter how those corporations behave because they answer to their owners. At this point, one of the reasons why it seems like so many corporations have a similar culture is because so many of them are controlled by the exact same people at the very top. If you do not conform, you are a lot less likely to be hired by one of these corporations, and if you do get hired you are not likely to rise very far through the ranks. We need to start talking a lot more about corporate tyranny. Because even though governmental entities may still claim to protect liberties and freedoms, the truth is that those that reject the culture that is being pushed on them by the global elite will be increasingly marginalized on the fringes of society. Americas founders were very suspicious of all large concentrations of power. Today, wealth and power are more concentrated in our society than ever before, and that is not a good thing. In fact, this is an existential threat to our way of life, but not that many people are focusing on this. And dont expect our politicians in Washington to do anything. They want to keep the campaign donations flowing, and so very few of them are ever interested in confronting the big money interests on Wall Street. * * * Michaels new book entitled Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. | https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/do-global-elites-use-these-3-giant-financial-companies-control-88-sp-500-listed-firms?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29 |
Have scientists found a lifeline for coral reefs bleached by climate change? | Coral bleaching is one of our climates most pressing, seemingly irreversible problems. Close observations from scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have found that there might still be hope for our ocean habitats. Newly discovered, highly heat-stress resistant coral reefs could help restore degraded reefs. Research shows that rare groupings of coral that are naturally able to resist bleaching can, in many cases, be transported to a new location and cultivated elsewhere. This level of resistance has promising implications for ocean ecosystems sorely affected by bleaching. It is rare for these reefs to withstand warming ocean temperatures, which have been increasingly commonplace since the worlds first major bleaching incident in 1998. Mass coral bleaching events are now alarmingly frequent Canva Two sets of climate change-resistant reefs were placed into Hawaiian waters under different conditions to test their tenacity. The team chose Hawaii due to its chronic problems with warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures. The island has seen almost half of its coral reefs affected by the problem since 2015. After they had spent six months at their new location, the biologists also put coral samples from each site in tanks in the lab. They then simulated another bleaching event by raising the water temperature over a period of several days. Concerns were raised that the coral reefs, like many plants, would falter in the face of a new environment. Everything from food access to light availability bears some influence on their ability to thrive. Periods of careful tracking took place, where photosynthesis rates, metabolism, calcification, and the health of the symbiotic algae were monitored. The team found that bleaching-resistant corals stayed the same, even after facing a new environment. "The big thing that we were really interested in here was trying to experimentally test whether you can take a coral that seems to be resistant to climate change and use that as the seed stock to propagate and put out on a different reef that might be degraded," says Dr Katie Barott, who lead the research. "The cool thing was we didn't see any differences in their bleaching response after this transplant." A stopgap more than a solution The fallout from coral bleaching is usually very hard to come back from Canva In the words of the World Wildlife Fund - coral bleaching matters because once these corals die, reefs rarely come back. Millions of species are threatened each year by the process, which leads to the irreparable destruction of ocean ecosystems, loss of habitats to fish and the deterioration of the gorgeous patchwork colours the ocean floors hold. "I think techniques like this can buy us a little bit of time, but there isn't a substitute for capping carbon emissions," Dr Barott says. "We need global action on climate change because even bleaching-resistant corals aren't going to survive forever if ocean warming keeps increasing as fast as it is today." | https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/06/03/have-scientists-found-a-lifeline-for-coral-reefs-bleached-by-climate-change |
What is it actually like to stay in a hotel right now? | Ive missed hotels. Waking up in a big bed swathed in crisp linen, breakfast made by someone else, a bar with an air of anticipation that anything could happen. Hotels re-opened on May 17 (hooray), however, after months of lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions I wondered how the experience might change. I booked a night at a central London hotel to find out how hotel stays have changed. These days the precautions have actually fast-forwarded the 'seamless' hotel experience, with lots of major London hotel chains like the Four Seasons, Hilton and Marriott creating apps that allow travellers to check-in, unlock their bedroom door, order room service and ask questions, all through their phone. The contactless hotel stay was already in existence but after the pandemic hit, most hotels have been keen to push and improve their apps, fast-tracking the innovation. Check in at The Marylebone Hotel, where I'm spending the night, is roughly the same swift process and Im not asked anything about my health. The only unusual thing is that Im given a new pen, freshly wrapped, to sign my arrival form and tick my wake-up call time and there a discreet little pots of hand sanitiser by the lifts, which I see guests using. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. I'm also told that the gym and pool next door which guests have free access to, isnt allowing access via the usual route through the hotels private lift, instead guests can enter via a side door and will need to be temperature checked before going in. A major concern for some travellers will be whether hotels are doing enough to keep public spaces and rooms clean. So what most hotels are now doing is a new double cleaning process, beginning with the usual cleaning and clearing, followed by disinfecting and sanitising. Some hotels, such as Lime Tree have also removed some high-touch items, like decorative throws and cushions, while most major chains like Hilton have removed in-room notepads, menus and magazines. After check in Im shown to my room (that pistachio-coloured bed that looks so serene its tempting to climb in and forget about dinner) and most things are as expected, except for the huge QR code on the TV, which I am asked to scan in order to access things like in-room dining menu (which is way bigger than normal), order newspapers and book a restaurant table. martin-dm Getty Images Theres also a card explaining the hotels Rest Assured programme, which is a lengthy set of health and safety protocols which you can read all about by scanning another QR Code. Cleaning everywhere is extremely thorough, and according to director of operations, Lucy Gregory, this hotel and others are running a system calling 'fogging', in which the room is sprayed with fine particles of sanitiser and then a hygiene stickers placed on the door to seal it, so guests know nobody else has been in before they arrive. The pandemic has caused hotels to rethink the way they handle dining options and thats no bad thing. London hotels are having to get creative with socially-distanced dining options post-lockdown, so while buffets may be gone for now there are plenty of other fun options including gourmet picnics in the park at the Conrad London St. James Hotel, new pop-up outdoor dining spaces like The Courtyard at Treehouse London Hotel and hugely improved room-service menus, offering everything from afternoon tea to signature restaurant dishes. Ghislain and Marie David de Lossy Getty Images During my stay I eat in the Marylebone Hotels Brasserie 108, a neighbourhood restaurant with a buzzy vibe where locals dine too. I have to wear a mask to get to the table, but whip it off as soon as Im seated. Theres plenty of space between tables and although busy, it doesnt feel too crowded. Waiting staff wear masks, but other than that, you wouldnt notice a difference from before Covid hit. An unequivocal yes. Admittedly face masks make it harder to connect with people in the same way as pre-Covid, but hotels are making every effort to ensure that guests feel safe and secure. Staying in a hotel is still lots of fun - the lovely toiletries, the big bed with posh linen, breakfast choices, late-night bar action are all still there. Even with some restrictions, Im more grateful than ever to get away for a night and feel safe doing so. Happy travelling. From 290 per night. Make A Night Of It package from 375, including an overnight stay, dinner at 108 Brasserie and breakfast. Subscribe here to have Cosmopolitan delivered to your door. Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Amanda Statham Travel Editor Cosmo's globetrotter (58 countries so far! ), I'm as happy in a VW Camper in Cornwall as I am in a five-star in the Seychelles (though if you're going to make me choose, I'll take the Indian Ocean island option, ta). This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/travel/a36502716/are-hotels-safe-coronavirus/ |
Is There a New 'SNL' Episode Airing This Week on June 5? | The most recent new episode of SNL, which aired on May 22, was hosted by The Queens Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy, with Lil Nas X as the musical guest. The episodes cold open was less a sketch and more of a comedy routine from the cast, which spent the opening segment cracking jokes about how insane the past year had been with the pandemic making a major impact on just about everything. There wasnt much in the way of celebrity cameos in the new year, and, for now, cast member Alex Moffat will continue to play Joe Biden. He played the role for a second time on April 3 in a sketch that also saw Martin Short make a surprise appearance as Kamala Harris husband, Doug Emhoff. The reception for Moffats Biden was not exactly enthusiastic, so its not hugely surprising that they havent used it much. Now its likely that Moffat is done playing Biden on SNL, and NBC will try to nab a big name for the role next season. Speaking of which, season 46 of SNL has finally wrapped up, and so there isnt a new episode for June 5. We wont see any more new episodes until probably, assuming NBC schedules the season 47 premiere the way they usually do, September 25 or October 2. NBC will air one SNL rerun this week, at the standard 11:30 p.m. time slot normally theyd do two reruns on off-weeks, but the NHL playoffs will take over one of those time slots this week. This weeks rerun is the season 46 episode that was hosted by SNL alum Maya Rudolph. Jack Harlow was the musical guest for that one. While its not an election year anymore, somehow the tense political situation in the U.S. managed to ramp up from the fever pitch early in 2021. And, well, it was tough for SNL tough to pass up having Aidy Bryant play Ted Cruz as often as possible, which the show keeps doing. While the sketch show has certainly had a whiff of just trying to return to normalcy in the new year, politics remained at the core of the cultural discourse. And that Matt Gaetz story hasnt gone anywhere. Perhaps the biggest splash of season 46 was the addition of Jim Carrey as the shows resident celebrity Joe Biden during the election cycle. But Carrey dropped out of the role after Trump lost, and SNL has now twice had Moffat play the part. Moffats Biden has been met with a pretty tepid response both from the studio audience and viewers at home, but thats to be expected after only big stars have played Biden on SNL for years. Its been a strange transition out of the Trump era for SNL, which has adopted a softer tone the last couple months. For example, the show did three separate COVID-19 game show sketches in 2021, two of which were cold open sketches. | https://www.thewrap.com/snl-is-there-a-new-saturday-night-live-episode-this-week-june-5/ |
Can High Tide (HITID) stock Move Back To New Highs In June? | When a company gets the opportunity to list its shares in a large exchange then it is regarded as a major boost for the stock and that is what has happened with the High Tide Inc (OTCMKTS:HITID) stock on Friday. This past Friday the company announced that it got approval for listing its shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market. The High Tide share is going to start trading on NASDAQ from June 2, 2021 under the ticker sign HITI. Considering the fact that NASDAQ is one of the biggest stock market exchanges in the world, the stock is going to get exposed to a much larger pool of capital and investors. Hence, it goes without saying that it is a major development for High Tide and resulted in a considerable optimism among market participants. In this regard, it is also necessary to note that High Tide has been one of the better performers in the cannabis sector this year so far and has clocked gains of 190% in the period. While the stock is all set to be listed on NASDAQ, it is also important to note that the High Tide stock is going to continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange concurrently. The Chief Executive Officer and President of the company Raj Grover spoke about the listing as well. He said that it is a major success for High Tide that it managed to be listed on NASDAQ in less than three years since its establishment as a company. In addition to that, he went on to state that High Tide is also going to become the first major publicly trade cannabis retail company to trade NASDAQ. In addition to the exposure to a vast pool if investors, the listing is also going to make it easier for institutional investors to get involved with High Tide and that is another reason why it is a major development. | https://smallcapexclusive.com/can-high-tide-hitid-stock-move-back-to-new-highs-in-june/ |
Will influencer Mariana Rodrguez help elect her husband governor of Nuevo Len? | Mariana Rodrguez, a Mexican mega-influencer, lives a lot like a Kardashian, with a life filled with wealth, beauty, and privilege. She draws people from all walks of life into a world of fashion, luxurious holiday spots, and fitness routines while establishing herself as an alluring brand, garnering a following of 1.6 million on Instagram. Her fame led to one of her biggest successes, the creation of her own makeup line, which was quickly superseded by a much bigger project with considerably higher stakes: seeking to make her husband governor of Nuevo Len, the prosperous northern state. Advertisement As Mexicans prepare to vote in their countrys largest midterm elections on Sunday, this 25-year-old influencer is proving just how powerful the use of social media has become as a political weapon. Rodrguez is campaigning for her husband, Samuel Garca, the 33-year-old former federal senator running as a candidate of the nontraditional Movimiento Ciudadano party. Through Instagram stories, TikTok videos, and any number of memes in which they star, this millennial duo could become the most significant (and improbable) counterweights to President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, his ruling MORENA party, and his national agenda. Advertisement Advertisement The border state of Nuevo Len, anchored by the industrial powerhouse of Monterrey, is the base of some of Mexicos most important business conglomerates and is the third largest contributor to the countrys GDP, despite being home to only 4.3 percent of the population. Its economically intertwined with neighboring Texas and has long prided itself on keeping its political and cultural distance from Mexico City. Advertisement At the outset of the race, Garca seemed a humorous asterisk. When Rodrguez first got involved in her husbands campaign, he ranked at the bottom of the polls. Hes now catapulted into a strong lead, as Rodrguezs presence became a national phenomenon due to her celebrity status and online irreverence. One cant think of Rodrguez without Garca and the other way around. But its likely that many of Garcas sympathizers relate more with the influencer than with his proposals and politics. Rodrguez is both infamous and famous, and Garca has managed to make good use of both. Like the time Rodrguez became the subject of mockery after a video of the two went viral. Garca appears listing the towns on his campaign trail on Instagram Live when he suddenly turns to Rodrguez for her opinion. The influencer replies by asking viewers if they want to see her bright orange tennis shoes she calls fosfo fosfo, or fluorescent. Fosfo fosfo became a logo of Garcas campaign, and she has since made a point of promoting endless orange-colored consumer merch to followers. Advertisement Advertisement More than campaigning, Rodrguez is approaching Garcas candidacy like brand positioning, says Pablo Rendn, a digital content creator with a large following on Twitter. The image of Rodrguez as a young, entrepreneurial woman who also happens to fit into the conventional beauty standards in Mexicofair skinned, thin, and blondresonates with the audience Garca wants to pull. Traditional Mexican culture also tends to turn wives into extensions of their husbands. In this way, Rodrguez rubs off her popularity on Garca and also introduces him to an audience he didnt have access to before. Rendn worries about the impact of exporting the culture of mining for likes into the political arena. In the case of Garcas campaign, his wife sings in music videos that go viral. She takes pictures with cute puppies and fans, or perhaps Garca sympathizers, at his rallies and once uploaded pictures of herself standing beside a girl who threw a Rodrguez-themed birthday party with a piata version of her. The couple even has a picture of them with a young girl who lost her hair due to chemo and who will receive Rodrguezs hair donation for a wig. Advertisement Advertisement Theres a sense of banality in their content, which is not using the platform to communicate policy proposals but to generate content that is funny or just a fad, Rendn says. Before her husbands run for governor, Rodrguez released content that was more closely tied to her world. In one video, Rodrguez thanks her followers for being there for her when she faced obstacles in life, like the time she was at the beach and the waves took one of her chanclas (flip-flops), or when she dropped her iPhone. The video went viral and garnered mockery on social media with hashtags like #PrayForLasChanclas. Garca is not the only Mexican politician to be married to a celebrity. The governor of Chiapas is married to soap opera star Anah Puente, and the brother of famous singer Belinda is running for office as a representative in Mexico City. This phenomenon also responds to a society that is more disenchanted with politicians and their old ways of doing politics, says Rendn. Advertisement The image of the (often-male) politician in Mexico tends to be associated with thieves, liars, and corrupt individuals, says Alexis Calderon, a political scientist who is herself running for City Council in the municipality of Zapopan in the state of Jalisco. Mexicans perception of corruptions prevalence in their country is high. At a national level, 49 percent of the population believes corruption is very frequent according to a study by Mexicanos Contra la Corrupcin, a Mexican nonprofit that investigates corruption within the public and private sectors. Globally, Mexico has the worst ranking of OECD member countries in the corruption index by Transparency International, a nongovernmental organization that measures corruption across the world. Just in the run-up to this election, at least 34 candidates have been murdered since the campaigns began in April, an example of the impunity with which violence is perpetrated in Mexico. The politician transforms all the negative adjectives attached to him through the good public opinion of the women that stand next to them, says Calderon. Advertisement Advertisement Before the rise of social media, politicians married actresses instead of influencers. Former President Enrique Pea Nieto married telenovela superstar Anglica Rivera, popularly known by the name of one of her characters, La Gaviota. Their marriage only lasted Pea Nietos term in office, and her role in his campaign has been compared to what Rodrguez is doing today to Garcas image. But the making of the Rodrguez-Garca power couple has had its rough moments as well. Prior to his candidacy for governor, when he was a senator, Garca was caught ordering Rodrguez to shift the position of her cellphone camera because she was showing too much skin during an Instagram Live. I married you for me, not for you to show off [your legs], he tells her, and Rodrguez apologizes. Their interaction sparked criticism of Garca as misogynist, and women responded to the controversy by tweeting pictures of their uncovered legs with the hashtag #YoEnseoLoQueQuiera (I show whatever I want). Their wedding at the onset of the pandemic, when strict social distancing measures were implemented and religious services were suspended, also sparked criticism. Advertisement Mexican society is not politicized but is still very much part of a culture of entertainment, says Calderon. She adds that the draw that a couple like Rodrguez and Garca has rests on putting someone famous and previously unattainable within reach. When Rodrguez is out with Garca in the streets and at traffic lights plastering stickers on windshields, it creates empathy. But Calderon also worries about the use of influencer culture in politics. There are different ways to call upon your electoral base, but it matters how you do it, she says. Are you calling for an informed vote or asking people to vote like if it were the Oscars? Advertisement Advertisement Garcas sharp rise in the polls cant be attributed solely to Rodrguezs marketing savvy. Two of the key contestants suffered major slip-ups that affected their popularity and credibility. Opponents to Clara Luz Flores, the candidate of the presidents ruling party, MORENA, released a video of her meeting with the leader of the cult NXIVM, Keith Raniere, sentenced for sex trafficking and other crimes. Flores had previously denied any links with Raniere, so the emergence of the video hurt her in the polls, while boosting Garca. Another candidate, Fernando Larrazbal of the conservative PAN, has been surrounded by accusations of corruption for many years. All of this has left Garca at the front of the race, followed closely by Adrin de la Garza, the candidate of Mexicos most traditional of all parties, the PRI. Advertisement Garcas opponents have called foul on his wife influencerpowered campaign, complaining to the independent National Electoral Institute, or INE, that it violates campaign finance laws and regulations. In response, the INE called on Rodrguez to stop giving shoutouts to businesses that support Garca. Opposing political parties argued that Rodrguezs actions should be included as campaign expenses. Garca responded that Rodrguezs accounts are private, and that she has the same freedom of expression every other Mexican has to weigh in on the election as she pleases. The Garca-Rodrguez duo is thus creating a conversation on how electoral laws need to adapt to new technologies in order to better regulate politicians on the campaign trail. Advertisement Separately, in what was widely denounced as an improper presidential intrusion into the election, President Lpez Obrador encouraged the federal attorney generals office at one of his daily press conferences to open investigations into the campaigns of Nuevo Lens two leading gubernatorial candidates. The president, still riding high in the polls himself as he reaches the midpoint of his six-year term, should see his party win a solid majority of the 15 gubernatorial races on Sunday, but he seems particularly upset by MORENAs reversal of fortunes in Nuevo Len, a state he instinctively mistrusts. The fear now is that the pre-electoral allegations and investigations may be laying the groundwork to contest Sundays results. Advertisement The vote and its aftermath will therefore provide a fascinating clash of cutting-edge social media politics and traditional power politics, and a barometer on the effectiveness of social media influencing to change politics. For her part, in response to opposing candidates complaints about her use of social media to campaign for her husband, the influencer went to Instagram to argue that she is not a thing with a price tag that needs to be added to Garcas campaign expenses. I am a human being that has made it on her own, who has feelings, who thinks and most importantly, who chooses for herself, Rodrguez says in the video, which garnered more than 1 million views. She then goes on to talk about Garcas candidacy and to rally their base. We love you. Thank you for your support, she signs off. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. | https://slate.com/technology/2021/06/mariana-rodriguez-samuel-garcia-instagram-nuevo-leon-election.html?via=rss |
Is Big Mo leaving EastEnders for good or is she coming back? | Its the end of an era in EastEnders tonight (June 3), as Mo Harris (Laila Morse) bids farewell to the Square. The soap stalwart has frequented our screens on and off for the best part of 21 years, but she will be making an exit tonight. Viewers have seen Mo grow incredibly concerned about Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) in recent scenes, so much so that she refused to go on a cruise with Fat Elvis. Jean, who fears that her cancer has returned, got wind of Mos refusal to go on the cruise, and with some assistance from Kat (Jessie Wallace) she was able to convince her to seize the opportunity. Mo ultimately agreed, and she sets off on the cruise in tonights edition of the BBC One soap. An EastEnders spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: Just like many occasions before, Big Mo will be departing Walford but as always shell no doubt be back in the not too distant future. Actress Laila Morse also confirmed exclusively to Metro.co.uk that Big Mo is not gone for good, and therefore she will be back in the future. For those thinking Big Mo will be gone forever, I can tell you that is not the case, the star said back in February, in the wake of rumours that she had been axed. The soap star is planning on moving to Spain, and this is the reason as to why Big Mo has been written out for the time-being. I made the decision a while ago that I wanted to move to Spain so I let the team know that was my plan, Laila explained. They said they would love to have me come back now and again when there was a need for Big Mo to return which was lovely to hear. I mean it was ideal as this opportunity gave me the chance to spend more time in Spain, in the sunshine! When I first mentioned my plans to them they asked me if I would return of course I said. Its a lovely place to work, I have lots of friends there so its not something I would even have to think about. Mo exits in emotional scenes in tonights episode, but her behaviour ahead of her departure leaves Jean with reason to be concerned. Viewers will have to wait and see, as were not giving anything away. But at least you know that you havent seen the last of Big Mo, eh! EastEnders continues Thursday June 4 at 7:35pm on BBC One. If youve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us [email protected] wed love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. | https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/03/is-big-mo-leaving-eastenders-for-good-or-is-she-coming-back-14710673/ |
Which celebrities are in Portugal as country is removed from green list? | Several celebrities have been sunning themselves in Portugal this week (Picture: Instagram) Celebrities sunning themselves in Portugal have received the disappointing news that the country has been removed from the UK Governments travel green list. Confirming the decision, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said infection rates had doubled in Portugal and downgrading it to amber gives us the best chance of unlocking domestically. It means the stars still enjoying themselves in the country may scramble to leave before the move comes into force on Tuesday, requiring returning travellers to quarantine at home for 10 days. Some have been lucky enough to avoid the impending travel chaos with Katie Price and Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry already back home after their holidays in Portugal. However, it may be a different story for those celebrities who appear to still be on their getaways. Jacqueline Jossa The former Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here star flew out to Portugal this week for a campaign shoot with fashion brand InTheStyle. Jacqueline, who is out there with husband Dan Osborne and their two children, has shared a series of photos of her modelling bikinis by the pool and enjoying fun nights at the hotel resort. In one Instagram post, the former EastEnders actress wrote: Thanks for your DMs today theyve made me so happy and Im just so glad we can finally start to go away and live normal again! The family were still there as of Thursday afternoon when the travel update was announced. Amanda Holden The Britains Got Talent judge hasnt revealed exactly where shes holidaying with her family but fans are convinced its Portugal due to the few options on the travel list and the picturesque scenery in her Instagram photos. Amanda gave fans major travel envy by sharing a photo of her stunning in a bikini with the beach behind her. Its believed Amanda has jetted off with her husband, Chris Hughes, and their children, as she shared a photo of her 15-year-old daughter Lexi in a similar location. Ronan and Storm Keating The Boyzone singer flew out to Portugal with his wife Storm and their children Cooper, four, and Coco, one, and are staying at the Penha Longa Resort in Lisbon. In a sweet Instagram post, alongside a photo of him kissing his son on the beach, Ronan spoke of his delight at being able to get abroad. I am finding it quite overwhelming to finally be able to travel, he told followers in a message that has already perhaps not aged so well. The hoops we had to jump through to get here were plenty and intimidating but thanx to @randox_health it was easy enough. Travel is so important for industries, for families and for our own pleasure. For a world that only kept getting smaller and smaller our planet became a very large place this last year and the distance between loved ones has never felt so far. He added: My heart is full of joy to know that we are taking our first steps towards freedom to safely travel again. Almost just as the news of Portugals new amber light broke on Thursday, Ronan shared a photo of the hotel with the caption chill time, indicating the family havent flown back yet. Jeremy Clarkson The Grand Tour host joined the masses in flying out to Portugal for the Champions League football game between Chelsea and Manchester City last weekend. Hes not updated his socials since earlier this week when he shared a photo of the beautiful scenery at a Portuguese river, so its not clear if hes still abroad. Metro.co.uk has reached out to Amanda Holden and Jeremy Clarksons reps for comment. If youve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page wed love to hear from you. For more stories like this, check our entertainment page. Follow Metro.co.uk Entertainment on Twitter and Facebook for the latest celeb and entertainment updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE : Amanda Holden leaves fans guessing as she poses in bikini on mystery beach holiday MORE : Katie Price and Carl Woods fly to Portugal for second baby making holiday in less than two weeks | https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/03/which-celebrities-are-in-portugal-as-country-is-removed-from-green-list-14710812/ |
Could Clovis Oncology Stock Be Gearing Up For Its Next Move? | Clovis Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: CLVS) is gearing up to present this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, which runs June 4-8. The company is expected to report updated Phase 1b results on Lucitanib and Opdivo in patients with advanced solid tumors. Clovis Oncology was down 1.27% at $5.44 at last check. Clovis Oncology Daily Chart Analysis Shares have been trading in a downward channel in the past few weeks, and the price is nearing potential resistance in the channel. The stock is trading below both the 50-day moving average (green), and the 200-day moving average (blue), indicating sentiment is most likely bearish. The stock could find resistance near each of these moving averages. Key Clovis Oncology Levels To Watch Clovis Oncology shares are nearing resistance in the downtrending channel. Shares were recently able to find support near the $5 level, an area where the stock has previously found support. If the stock were to break out of the top side of the channel, it may see a further upward push. If the stock were to break below the $5 support and through the bottom of the channel, it could see a further downward push. Bullish technical traders would like to see the stock build higher lows and break out of the downtrending channel. A break out of the channel may let the stock see a higher push. Bearish technical traders would like to see the stock fall below the $5 support. A break below the $5 support and through the bottom of the channel may let the stock see a stronger dropoff. | https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/21/06/21414603/could-clovis-oncology-stock-be-gearing-up-for-its-next-move?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+benzinga%2Fnews+%28Channels+-+News%29 |
When will the BCCI care for Indian cricket? | The BCCIs daily lectures from UAE bring Uganda to mind. Last year during their pandemic, the Uganda Cricket Association reached out with relief aid in cash and kind to 1500 people: their playing community, 100 cricket teachers, the residents of the low-income neighbourhoods around their main stadium and development hubs. Uganda Crickets CEO Martin Ondeko said to me, We did not want them to think that we, that cricket had forgotten them. Uganda Crickets annual budget is one million dollars. The BCCI has not even twitched in their direction, other than homilies of "believe us, we will pay our players". This lack of urgency and responsibility towards those outside Indian crickets elite bubble is a profanity. Last week, a former cricket administrator who writes a column for HT, Amrit Mathur, provided a careful breakdown in these pages of how the BCCI could distribute its revenues fairly among its players. There can be other methods of cash distribution to the men and women who form the talent base from where our best players emerge. That FD interest of Rs202crores (or four IPL matches) from three years ago could easily take care of them, with sufficient leftovers. No need to touch anything else. From asking around Indian cricket, the outside time limit Ive been told is two months at the most. The BCCI has to cover for 36 teams (not counting Services and Railways who are paid out of our taxes). These are made up of senior men (three tournaments a year), three age groups -- under-23, under-19 and under-16 men (two tournaments each), senior women, under-23 and under-19 (who play two tournaments in every age group). The minimum number (without differentiating between white and red ball specialists) is around 5400 players. Plus 500 odd officialsumpires, referees and scorers. From this tiny purse emerged Rs202crore. Thats the total interest earned from the BCCIs fixed deposits. The figure that came back was: Rs4,506.94cr. (US$615.8M) from audited accounts that are three years old (the BCCI can contest that of course). In the interim that figure would not have decreased. I sent the document to a friend whose business is these very thingsfinancials, taxation, balance sheets, investments, expenditureand asked him to pare down the accounts to the barest bones of what was available for instant access by the BCCI. The audited accounts available to me are from 2017-18, one year later from the last accounts released on the BCCI website. Its a tricky question, because for a very long time the BCCI didnt let out its balance sheets or its audited accounts due to its desire to live up to its identity as a private society, whose money was nobodys business. The law has changed that course and now there are 10 annual reports, including balance sheets, found on its website. The last report available to the public is from financial year 2016-17. The Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators took over in January 2017 and an absolute hullabaloo over the BCCIs finances followed. Keep the figure of Rs202crores in mind and bear with me. Not wanting to lose 1674 crore is a rational and pragmatic concern, but the sky will not fall if the BCCI doesnt earn this amount. Our fingers must be crossed because this is a crucial financial tipping point for Indian cricket. Those whining about the two Cscompensation or contracts for domestic players whose season has been wiped out must understand what is at stake. The failure to stage the 31 remaining IPL matches is not merely about being going championless the BCCI earns approximately 54.5crore per IPL match, which means a total loss of roughly 1674 crores should the IPL not be completed. Bad weather is ruining the BCCIs plans. The cricket board's recently rebranded humanitarian venture, the Indian Premier League2021 cannot complete its remaining 31 matches considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September and October this year. The six people who ostensibly run Indian cricket have dashed off to the UAE to make arrangements, their main focus on the IPL2021 completion and Indias hosting of the 2021 ICC World T20 in October-November. Which may also be relocated to the UAE because our wretched monsoon just doesnt end. Bad weather is ruining the BCCIs plans. The cricket board's recently rebranded humanitarian venture, the Indian Premier League2021 cannot complete its remaining 31 matches considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September and October this year. The six people who ostensibly run Indian cricket have dashed off to the UAE to make arrangements, their main focus on the IPL2021 completion and Indias hosting of the 2021 ICC World T20 in October-November. Which may also be relocated to the UAE because our wretched monsoon just doesnt end. Those whining about the two Cscompensation or contracts for domestic players whose season has been wiped out must understand what is at stake. The failure to stage the 31 remaining IPL matches is not merely about being going championless the BCCI earns approximately 54.5crore per IPL match, which means a total loss of roughly 1674 crores should the IPL not be completed. Our fingers must be crossed because this is a crucial financial tipping point for Indian cricket. Except its not. Not wanting to lose 1674 crore is a rational and pragmatic concern, but the sky will not fall if the BCCI doesnt earn this amount. ALSO READ | 'ICC probably feeling pressure of domestic T20 leagues': Chopra says 55 matches in T20 World Cup is 'going to be a lot' Keep the figure of Rs202crores in mind and bear with me. Its a tricky question, because for a very long time the BCCI didnt let out its balance sheets or its audited accounts due to its desire to live up to its identity as a private society, whose money was nobodys business. The law has changed that course and now there are 10 annual reports, including balance sheets, found on its website. The last report available to the public is from financial year 2016-17. The Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators took over in January 2017 and an absolute hullabaloo over the BCCIs finances followed. The audited accounts available to me are from 2017-18, one year later from the last accounts released on the BCCI website. I sent the document to a friend whose business is these very thingsfinancials, taxation, balance sheets, investments, expenditureand asked him to pare down the accounts to the barest bones of what was available for instant access by the BCCI. The figure that came back was: Rs4,506.94cr. (US$615.8M) from audited accounts that are three years old (the BCCI can contest that of course). In the interim that figure would not have decreased. From this tiny purse emerged Rs202crore. Thats the total interest earned from the BCCIs fixed deposits. The BCCI has to cover for 36 teams (not counting Services and Railways who are paid out of our taxes). These are made up of senior men (three tournaments a year), three age groups -- under-23, under-19 and under-16 men (two tournaments each), senior women, under-23 and under-19 (who play two tournaments in every age group). The minimum number (without differentiating between white and red ball specialists) is around 5400 players. Plus 500 odd officialsumpires, referees and scorers. That FD interest of Rs202crores (or four IPL matches) from three years ago could easily take care of them, with sufficient leftovers. No need to touch anything else. From asking around Indian cricket, the outside time limit Ive been told is two months at the most. Last week, a former cricket administrator who writes a column for HT, Amrit Mathur, provided a careful breakdown in these pages of how the BCCI could distribute its revenues fairly among its players. There can be other methods of cash distribution to the men and women who form the talent base from where our best players emerge. The BCCI has not even twitched in their direction, other than homilies of "believe us, we will pay our players". This lack of urgency and responsibility towards those outside Indian crickets elite bubble is a profanity. ALSO READ | Pakistan captain Babar Azam opens up on comparisons with Virat Kohli The BCCIs daily lectures from UAE bring Uganda to mind. Last year during their pandemic, the Uganda Cricket Association reached out with relief aid in cash and kind to 1500 people: their playing community, 100 cricket teachers, the residents of the low-income neighbourhoods around their main stadium and development hubs. Uganda Crickets CEO Martin Ondeko said to me, We did not want them to think that we, that cricket had forgotten them. Uganda Crickets annual budget is one million dollars. | https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/when-will-the-bcci-care-for-indian-cricket-101622717964390-amp.html |
Who made the dutiful Queen we know and love today? | In time, such reports as well as comment within Elizabeths own family would move beyond observation of physical similarities to a hope, frequently repeated, that the princess would not simply resemble her forebears physically. An expectation took root that, in character, outlook and, critically, her attitude to the monarchy, Elizabeth would emulate the example of her immediate predecessors. Beneath an uncharacteristically solemn photograph included in Gordon Beckless Coronation Souvenir Book of 1937 was the robust assertion: In the event of her acceding one day to the Throne, there is little doubt that she will ably carry on the fine tradition established during a quarter of a century by her grandfather. To modern eyes, such statements look remarkably like a denial of choice. For almost 70 years, the Queens approach to sovereignty has been shaped by the examples of George VI, her father, and George V, her grandfather. From her first royal engagements in her late teens, claimed her governess, she gave up the greater part of her day to performing what must often have been pretty dull duties Like her parents she considered it her job, and it never struck her to try to avoid it. Throughout her reign, she has invoked her fathers record. In Wellington, in 1953, she described her determination to continue his work: My constant prayer is that I may in some measure carry on that ideal of service of which he gave so outstanding an example. Detractors might identify such fidelity to what has gone before as an example of the genetic cycle lamented in a recent Armchair Expert podcast by Prince Harry. Yet, for the Queen, there can be little doubt that the course she has followed reflects the depth of her admiration and affection for her father and grandfather. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2021/06/03/made-dutiful-queen-know-love-today/ |
When will our Families Heal? | RAINY RIVER NEWS Rainy River First Nations (RRFN) will be holding a Community Ceremony tomorrow at the Rainy River First Nations Residential School Monument on Highway 11, commemorating the 150+ youth that went through this system from the community. The event, named Remembering the Children, will be hosted by the Indian Residential School Survivors (IRS) Working Group. We stand in solidarity with the communities and families of the 215 children found buried at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia says Marcel Medicine-Horton, Director of Education for RRFN and spokesperson for the IRS Working Group. When can our hearts fill with joy again rather than always being drained, empty and full of despair? These were strong words spoken by Chief McGinnis. He continued by saying we feel this horrific discovery is, unfortunately, only the first of many. Many First Nations, including Rainy River First Nations survivors and families will be demanding to finally be heard. Chief McGinnis added that in our area, the history of St. Margarets Indian Residential School had its share of controversy which was often ignored by Crown governments, the Church, the RCMP and other authorities. While tomorrow is about the 215 children in Kamloops, we will be issuing an action plan on Monday to join with others for what I am sure will be a nationwide First Nation response to investigate and bring justice for this horrific cultural genocide. As a result of this tragedy, RRFN is putting the government on notice that these injustices need to be addressed, not just in Rainy River First Nation, but all across Canada. At every First Nations table starting at Grand Treaty #3 and AFN, Rainy River First Nations will work with other Chiefs to bring these demands forward to the government and push them to accomplish these. The demands to the Government of Canada are: | https://www.netnewsledger.com/2021/06/03/rainy-river-fn-when-will-our-families-heal/ |
How Will Cornell Balance Academic Freedom And Anti-Racism? | Cornell University campus Getty Images Judging from the voting in Cornell Universitys Faculty Senate in late May, it appears that faculty representatives are showing significant prudence and discernment in the hard work of finding a way forward in a time of reckoning over racial justice that also protects academic freedom. Colleges throughout the nation need good models, particularly for process, and Cornells Faculty Senate seems to be providing one. Last year, Cornells president, Martha Pollack, announced a series of racial justice initiatives. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the nations task of confronting its past, present, and future, the need was compelling. She called upon the faculty for proposals on which she would take action. What was problematic, though not surprising, was the radicalism and infeasibility of the faculty proposals that initially emerged, which threatened long held academic freedom and established procedures for curriculum development. The Faculty Senate faced the task of getting light, not heat, to lead campus reforms. It would not be easy. In September, over 700 faculty, graduate students, and staff signed a Fall 2020 Demands petition. It called on the school to embed decolonized readings in every possible course at Cornell and to abolish colorblind recruitment policies and practices in partner/spousal hiring and replace them with intentionally anti-racist policies and practices. It included an anti-Zionist challenge to Cornells partnership with the storied Technion in Haifa. The list of demands was disquietly vague about freedom of speech: We can and must honor academic freedom and disciplinary authority without allowing such principles to serve as mechanisms for perpetuating structural racism. Shortly thereafter, the Dean of the Faculty appointed three working groups to develop a report with recommendations for the creation of a Center for Antiracist, Just, and Equitable Futures; a new student requirement concerning structural racism, colonialism, and injustice; and an educational requirement for faculty. The working groups of students, faculty, and administrators included several of the signatories of the Fall 2020 Demands. To its credit, the Faculty Senate exhibited remarkable openness to discussion and debate. It did not assume that the reports of the three working groups possessed a privilege to which it needed to defer, and when its extensive discussions ended, there were not three, but seven different proposals up for vote. The Senates voting on the package of proposals before it also showed prudence and discernment. The Faculty Senate overwhelmingly favored a plan to create a Center for Antiracist, Just, and Equitable Futures, supporting it 101-12 (with five senators abstaining and eight not voting). A place where ideas on the volatile matter of race can be debated and tested is exactly what the academy is supposed to do. If the Center ultimately numbers among its visiting scholars academics and public leaders who dissent from the Critical Race Theory that is widely supported in higher education and can be a place for dialogue with the likes of John McWhorter, Shelby Steele, Ward Connerly, Robert Woodson, and William Allen, it will be a national model. Cornell Dean of Faculty, Dr. Charles Francis Van Loan, noted how the university connects research to teaching. He communicated by email, Among Senators there is broad consensus that (a) the university should create a research center that deepens our understanding of structural racism and injustice and that (b) regarding these issues students and faculty alike need to become critical thinkers. While they so strongly approved the Center, the same senators refused to support a proposal to coerce faculty into mandatory training about structural racism, colonialism, and injustice. Out of 126 faculty senators, a narrow plurality voted yes, but a clear majority withheld support. (71 voted no, abstained, or declined to vote on the issue at all.) Judging from comments on the Faculty Senate web page, many senators likely balked at the proposals iron fist: Faculty who failed to participate each semester in two or more hours of anti-racism training would lose their teaching privileges and would be barred from serving as advisors, mentors, or supervisors. In other words, non-compliance with the proposed Faculty Education Requirement for Antiracist, Just, and Equitable Futures would be a quick path to termination. The faculty senators also withheld majority support for a requirement that all Cornell students take an anti-racism course. (For the record, Cornell has no requirement, as some institutions do, for foundational study of United States history and government that provides context and background for the issues of our times.) In answer to President Pollacks call, the Faculty Senate entertained three different proposals for a required anti-racism class. The most extreme of the three envisioned a 3 to 4 credit, graded course designed and taught only by the six departments that focus on BIPOC, (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) plus LBGTQ studies. As before, the proposal garnered a plurality of votes, but the majority of senators refused to give their assent to this proposal or to the two other proposals for an undergraduate anti-racism requirement. William Jacobson, Clinical Professor and Director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School, observed in an email that the Cornell faculty is in general politically liberal, but, Clearly, there is no consensus that coercion is either appropriate or beneficial. Particularly in contrast to the overwhelming Faculty Senate support for an educational Center devoted to issues of race, this should be a signal to the Cornell senior administration to reject mandates. It is often difficult in a time of crisis and pain to hold fast to the principles of academic freedom and institutional neutrality that have characterized American higher education, albeit with some failures. These are the values articulated in the University of Chicagos Kalven Committee report of 1967 and Yale Universitys C. Vann Woodward Committee report, and they are urgently relevant today. The prudent circumspection of Cornells Faculty Senate, however, has laid a foundation for its academic departments to approach issues of social justice in the time-honored manner of American higher educationand of a free society: discussion, debate, and open-minded inquiry. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelpoliakoff/2021/06/03/how-will-cornell-balance-academic-freedom-and-anti-racism/ |
What are the most dreaded antipatterns in web development? | Commentary: Web developers do tremendous good but also, occasionally, fix problems with really bad solutions. Image: iStockphoto/oatawa Ever since Tim Berners-Lee wrote the first webpage in 1991, web developers have delivered seemingly endless innovation. Most of that innovation is great--but not always. Begin cofounder Brian LeRoux asked an innocent question on Twitter: "What is the most dreaded web development antipattern?" An antipattern is a "commonly reinvented but bad solution to a problem." In other words, it's developers applying fixes that are worse than the problems. Well, let's take a look at a few examples from web development. SEE: The best programming languages to learn--and the worst (TechRepublic Premium) We come in peace Take, for example, those sites that hijack the CTRL+F (find in page) shortcut to replace it with their own custom site search. You can hit CTRL+F twice to circumvent this nit, but it's an annoying case of developers thinking they're doing site visitors a favor with custom search, while slowing a significant percentage of their users down. Nor is it simply on vanilla webpages, as some have pointed out: "Stash/Bitbucket also does this. They recently removed it from the PR diff view but are still doing it in source view." Or consider feature flags, a "popular" peeve of many developers. A feature flag allows a developer to toggle on/off functionality at runtime, thereby enabling you to give users a tailored experience. While some developers swear by them, others swear at them. You don't have to dig too far to see the potential problems with feature flags: permissive access to the flags can result in unintended impacts on users (if someone flips the "off" switch when customers expect the functionality to be "on"), or inadvertent reuse of an old flag can result in nearly a half billion in losses (and a Wikipedia eulogy). SEE: Developer code reviews: 4 mistakes to avoid (free PDF) (TechRepublic) And then there's the disconnect between URIs and the output, as Corey Ward called out. Refreshing a webpage should keep you where you were (composing a tweet, reading a tweet, etc.) but instead forces you to scroll back through tweets to get back to where you were. The problem, as he explained, is that the URL possesses very little state; is "nearly all client-side and ephemeral." Apparently this is a developer's way of keeping things "fresh," but it mostly manages to disorient the user. "AJAXing down page content and not altering the URL textbox--even with an anchor link! So on a reload you [lose] your browsing state.") But wait! There's more. How about CAPTCHAs that are so hard to decipher (due to bad fonts, etc.) And so on. But let's return to where I began: Developers are amazing, and web developers build the things we get to use every day, all day long in our browsers. For all that amazing, however, these antipatterns arise far too often, sometimes because developers are focused on their own business needs, and sometimes due to not listening to their users through A/B testing or other means. Any developer who wants a refresher on what not to do can keep Leroux's tweet thread bookmarked (which, fortunately, won't disappear when you hit refresh). Disclosure: I work for AWS, but the views expressed herein are mine. Developer Essentials Newsletter From the hottest programming languages to the jobs with the highest salaries, get the developer news and tips you need to know. Weekly Sign up today Also see | https://www.techrepublic.com/article/what-are-the-most-dreaded-antipatterns-in-web-development/ |
Can blended learning be the way forward in higher education? | Jha said that the availability of the internet and smartphone does not signal that classroom learning can be replaced by blended learning. Online classes or learning material require more data and not every student can afford the internet pack which comes at around 400-500 and even then, does not have enough data per day. Several teachers and colleges had to raise money last year to help students from low-income backgrounds or even lower-middle-class backgrounds with internet access, he said. The most affected were the students from School of Open Learning who mostly come from marginalised backgrounds or disabled students who did not get the necessary infrastructure. A pandemic is not the time for reform and introducing mandatory blended learning as it will leave students at a huge disadvantage. Delhi University professor Rajesh Jha said during the online open book examination conducted last year, several disadvantaged students from marginalised categories suffered the most. According to a survey conducted by the Lady Shri Ram College Students Union last year, 40% of around 1,400 students said they were attending classes without a stable internet connection. In September, an undergraduate student from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi died by suicide in her hometown in Telangana after undergoing several problems including the switch to online education, her parents said. From learning to tutorials to even examinations, everything moved online leaving several students at a disadvantage including disabled students who found it harder to access the online learning material due to lack of inclusive content. When Covid-19 struck last year, the education sector was unwillingly propelled towards a massive change without any preparation within a few weeks. Learning shifted from classrooms to virtual rooms leaving many students behind due to lack of access to uninterrupted internet or devices along with connectivity issues in several parts of the country. Sakshi Gupta, a third-year student of Kalindi College, said that in the past year, it has been difficult for her to manage classes. Internet recharge rates are a matter of concern, and we cannot afford Wi-Fi. These factors, along with connectivity issues, made online education difficult for us last year, she said. Not every student will have access to the internet and smartphones for online education. In many houses, one smartphone is shared by three students. Besides, online learning has affected our academic growth along with the overall development of students and wont be helpful for students, he said. Final-year political science student Hitesh Tanotra, who studies in Rajdhani College, said a large number of students at the Delhi University are from marginalised backgrounds, which is why adopting blended learning is not feasible. Even though I upgraded my internet pack and am spending more than I usually would, I have to limit the number of questions or doubts I ask in each class because, in that limited 2 GB data, I have to attend five one-hour classes. If I ask too many questions, it might extend the class, and then attending the next session may be an issue, he said. Satyajit Kumar from Bodh Gaya in Bihar, who is a first-year student of History at St Stephens College, said that several of his friends had to limit the number of questions they asked during virtual classes as it would mean crossing their designated data limit for the day. Several students HT spoke to said they were against the blended learning practices and that government universities state and central should allow for equitable access to education instead of ignoring the digital barriers in India. Our experience of online teaching of over a year tells us that it is highly unequal and inadequate. Classrooms cannot be replaced. Online teaching-learning reduces human interactions and truncates learning, Ray said. Rajib Ray, DUTA president, said that the policy documents fail to address the quality of degree in terms of meaningful composition and employability. The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) has also opposed the move saying the policy would remove the need to hire teachers and truncate learning. Online learning is the only suitable during a pandemic because there is no other alternative. But students will learn better through face-to-face interactions and even teachers communicate better when a rapport is established. This proposal will be difficult for teachers as well as they have to simultaneously manage both online and offline lessons, she said. Rani suggested that if the proposal were to be made mandatory, teachers would have to divide the batches as per the students who were likely to attend online classes and those who would not. Shiksha Rani, who teaches political science at Bhagini Nivedita college in outer Delhis Najafgarh area, said that citing internet issues, only 50-60% of her students attended the online classes during the pandemic whereas 80-90% of students used to attend offline classes before Covid. Several teachers said that access to the internet is a pertinent issue and would determine the feasibility of the blended learning programme. Arvinder Ansari, who teaches sociology at Jamia Millia Islamia, said when it comes to teaching pedagogies, the connection between teachers and students has been lost completely through the digital mode. Gradually, we can think about blended learning with minor courses going online but shifting completely would not be a good choice. Students should be allowed to choose between the modes of learning due to the digital divide and poor internet penetration across India, said Ansari. Manoj Sinha, principal of Aryabhatta College, said that despite the growing popularity of online learning content, stakeholders may be wary of opting for remote learning options. The academic community needs to give the appropriate feedback on the proposed document to the UGC so that the policies are accordingly rationalised. The choice needs to remain with students whether they want to go for the blended mode of learning or classroom learning, he said. Sharma added there are concerns of students in rural areas being left out due to online learning, colleges will be able to help those students during classes held for 60% of the syllabus. If 60% of the syllabus is being taught offline, it means that students will be coming to colleges. We can hold remedial classes and tutorials and students who werent able to understand the e-learning material can take help from their teachers then, she said. Rama Sharma, principal of Delhis Hansraj College, said that adopting blended learning would not be difficult as colleges have had a year of experience in dealing with online content. Compared to last year, the situation is better now as both students and teachers know how to go about it. The online component right now is at 100% since colleges are closed. So, 40% of the syllabus being taught online will not be an issue. Digital space is growing exponentially, and our teachers and students need to be trained in the area, she said. Many stakeholders also pointed out that a year of online learning had provided expertise to teachers on digital content, which should be continued as students needed to be prepared for a digital era. The draft concept note also lists seven blended learning activities that can be improvised and adopted for the higher education sector. These include flipped classrooms where students watch a short lecture video online and come into the classroom to complete activities like projects, group work, or other exercises. The report said the blended learning mode would enable students to engage in self-learning and would develop a self-driving force. The document added that blended learning increases the opportunity for collaboration between stakeholders in different cities in addition to learning anytime and anywhere without the barriers of time and location. The UGC committee tasked with preparing the note said that the decision was taken as per the new National Education Policy 2020, which calls for blended learning. Given the emergence of digital technologies and the emerging importance of leveraging technology for teaching-learning at all levels from school to higher education, the NEP 2020 recommends for use of blended models of learning. The NEP 2020 states that while promoting digital learning and education, the importance of face-to-face in-person learning is fully recognised. Accordingly, different effective models of blended learning will be identified for appropriate replication for different subjects, the UGC document said. While teachers and principals agreed it was important to adopt blended learning practices in a digital era, they also pointed towards the existing digital inequalities in the country exacerbated by the financial struggles due to the pandemic and suggested that the policy be introduced on a voluntary basis. This comes after the University Grants Commission (UGC) released a draft note on May 20 allowing 40% of the syllabus of all courses to be taught in online mode and through e-content while the rest 60% in offline classes. The commission has asked stakeholders to submit their suggestions on the draft note by June 6. Despite the closure of educational institutes for over a year due to Covid-19 and the shift towards online education, colleges and universities say the decision to opt for the blended mode of learning in the post-pandemic era should be decided by students and not implemented in a standardised manner. Despite the closure of educational institutes for over a year due to Covid-19 and the shift towards online education, colleges and universities say the decision to opt for the blended mode of learning in the post-pandemic era should be decided by students and not implemented in a standardised manner. This comes after the University Grants Commission (UGC) released a draft note on May 20 allowing 40% of the syllabus of all courses to be taught in online mode and through e-content while the rest 60% in offline classes. The commission has asked stakeholders to submit their suggestions on the draft note by June 6. While teachers and principals agreed it was important to adopt blended learning practices in a digital era, they also pointed towards the existing digital inequalities in the country exacerbated by the financial struggles due to the pandemic and suggested that the policy be introduced on a voluntary basis. The UGC committee tasked with preparing the note said that the decision was taken as per the new National Education Policy 2020, which calls for blended learning. Given the emergence of digital technologies and the emerging importance of leveraging technology for teaching-learning at all levels from school to higher education, the NEP 2020 recommends for use of blended models of learning. The NEP 2020 states that while promoting digital learning and education, the importance of face-to-face in-person learning is fully recognised. Accordingly, different effective models of blended learning will be identified for appropriate replication for different subjects, the UGC document said. The document added that blended learning increases the opportunity for collaboration between stakeholders in different cities in addition to learning anytime and anywhere without the barriers of time and location. Also Read | New UGC rules facilitates autonomy to seven MU colleges in past one year The report said the blended learning mode would enable students to engage in self-learning and would develop a self-driving force. The draft concept note also lists seven blended learning activities that can be improvised and adopted for the higher education sector. These include flipped classrooms where students watch a short lecture video online and come into the classroom to complete activities like projects, group work, or other exercises. Many stakeholders also pointed out that a year of online learning had provided expertise to teachers on digital content, which should be continued as students needed to be prepared for a digital era. Rama Sharma, principal of Delhis Hansraj College, said that adopting blended learning would not be difficult as colleges have had a year of experience in dealing with online content. Compared to last year, the situation is better now as both students and teachers know how to go about it. The online component right now is at 100% since colleges are closed. So, 40% of the syllabus being taught online will not be an issue. Digital space is growing exponentially, and our teachers and students need to be trained in the area, she said. Sharma added there are concerns of students in rural areas being left out due to online learning, colleges will be able to help those students during classes held for 60% of the syllabus. If 60% of the syllabus is being taught offline, it means that students will be coming to colleges. We can hold remedial classes and tutorials and students who werent able to understand the e-learning material can take help from their teachers then, she said. Concerns and demands of teachers Manoj Sinha, principal of Aryabhatta College, said that despite the growing popularity of online learning content, stakeholders may be wary of opting for remote learning options. The academic community needs to give the appropriate feedback on the proposed document to the UGC so that the policies are accordingly rationalised. The choice needs to remain with students whether they want to go for the blended mode of learning or classroom learning, he said. Arvinder Ansari, who teaches sociology at Jamia Millia Islamia, said when it comes to teaching pedagogies, the connection between teachers and students has been lost completely through the digital mode. Gradually, we can think about blended learning with minor courses going online but shifting completely would not be a good choice. Students should be allowed to choose between the modes of learning due to the digital divide and poor internet penetration across India, said Ansari. Several teachers said that access to the internet is a pertinent issue and would determine the feasibility of the blended learning programme. Shiksha Rani, who teaches political science at Bhagini Nivedita college in outer Delhis Najafgarh area, said that citing internet issues, only 50-60% of her students attended the online classes during the pandemic whereas 80-90% of students used to attend offline classes before Covid. Also Read | Teachers point flaws in CBSE Class 10 pattern, say cant be applied to Class 12 Online learning is the only suitable during a pandemic because there is no other alternative. But students will learn better through face-to-face interactions and even teachers communicate better when a rapport is established. This proposal will be difficult for teachers as well as they have to simultaneously manage both online and offline lessons, she said. Rani suggested that if the proposal were to be made mandatory, teachers would have to divide the batches as per the students who were likely to attend online classes and those who would not. The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) has also opposed the move saying the policy would remove the need to hire teachers and truncate learning. Rajib Ray, DUTA president, said that the policy documents fail to address the quality of degree in terms of meaningful composition and employability. Our experience of online teaching of over a year tells us that it is highly unequal and inadequate. Classrooms cannot be replaced. Online teaching-learning reduces human interactions and truncates learning, Ray said. Several students HT spoke to said they were against the blended learning practices and that government universities state and central should allow for equitable access to education instead of ignoring the digital barriers in India. Satyajit Kumar from Bodh Gaya in Bihar, who is a first-year student of History at St Stephens College, said that several of his friends had to limit the number of questions they asked during virtual classes as it would mean crossing their designated data limit for the day. Even though I upgraded my internet pack and am spending more than I usually would, I have to limit the number of questions or doubts I ask in each class because, in that limited 2 GB data, I have to attend five one-hour classes. If I ask too many questions, it might extend the class, and then attending the next session may be an issue, he said. Final-year political science student Hitesh Tanotra, who studies in Rajdhani College, said a large number of students at the Delhi University are from marginalised backgrounds, which is why adopting blended learning is not feasible. Not every student will have access to the internet and smartphones for online education. In many houses, one smartphone is shared by three students. Besides, online learning has affected our academic growth along with the overall development of students and wont be helpful for students, he said. Also Read | Over 5,000 children in Maharashtra lost parents to Covid-19, state announces scheme Sakshi Gupta, a third-year student of Kalindi College, said that in the past year, it has been difficult for her to manage classes. Internet recharge rates are a matter of concern, and we cannot afford Wi-Fi. These factors, along with connectivity issues, made online education difficult for us last year, she said. Lessons from the pandemic When Covid-19 struck last year, the education sector was unwillingly propelled towards a massive change without any preparation within a few weeks. Learning shifted from classrooms to virtual rooms leaving many students behind due to lack of access to uninterrupted internet or devices along with connectivity issues in several parts of the country. From learning to tutorials to even examinations, everything moved online leaving several students at a disadvantage including disabled students who found it harder to access the online learning material due to lack of inclusive content. In September, an undergraduate student from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi died by suicide in her hometown in Telangana after undergoing several problems including the switch to online education, her parents said. According to a survey conducted by the Lady Shri Ram College Students Union last year, 40% of around 1,400 students said they were attending classes without a stable internet connection. Delhi University professor Rajesh Jha said during the online open book examination conducted last year, several disadvantaged students from marginalised categories suffered the most. The most affected were the students from School of Open Learning who mostly come from marginalised backgrounds or disabled students who did not get the necessary infrastructure. A pandemic is not the time for reform and introducing mandatory blended learning as it will leave students at a huge disadvantage. Jha said that the availability of the internet and smartphone does not signal that classroom learning can be replaced by blended learning. Online classes or learning material require more data and not every student can afford the internet pack which comes at around 400-500 and even then, does not have enough data per day. Several teachers and colleges had to raise money last year to help students from low-income backgrounds or even lower-middle-class backgrounds with internet access, he said. | https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/can-blended-learning-be-the-way-forward-in-higher-education-101622705050344-amp.html |
Is God of War Ragnarok coming to PS4? | After seeing God of War Ragnarok delayed into 2022, you might be wondering whether your faithful PS4 will be left behind in favor of the new, shiny, and notoriously elusive PS5. As you're likely well aware, it's incredibly challenging to find PS5 stock right now, which isn't fun when there are PS5 exclusives you want to play. In the case of God of War Ragnarok, it wasn't clear whether it would come to last-gen consoles until very recently, so the stress of trying to buy a PS5 was heightened by the very real possibility that you wouldn't be able to play the sequel at launch. Fortunately, after months of tight-lipped non-answers from Sony Santa Monica, we finally have some details about God of War Ragnarok's target platforms. Thankfully, just this week PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst confirmed that God of War Ragnarok is in fact a cross-gen title, launching on PS4 as well as PS5. Of course, you can expect it to be optimized for PS5 with 4K visuals, 60 FPS, ray tracing support, DualSense features and the like, but it's now confirmed that you'll at least be able to play it on PS4. "Where it makes sense to develop a title for both PS4 and PS5 for Horizon Forbidden West, the next God of War, GT7 well continue looking at that," said Hulst in an interview on the PlayStation Blog. "And if PS4 owners want to play that game, then they can. If they want to go on and play the PS5 version, that game will be there for them." The fact that God of War Ragnarok is coming to PS4 was really only mentioned in passing, and as such we don't have any additional details about the differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions, nor have we heard about a possible free upgrade path. Developers have been keen to offer new-gen versions of their games to players who own the last-gen versions, so there's a good chance Sony Santa Monica which released a free PS5 upgrade patch for the original God of War will offer something similar to PS4 owners who want to upgrade to the PS5 version. Of course, not everyone agrees with Sony's messaging on PS5 exclusives and cross-gen titles. Here's GamesRadar's Alex Avard asking when PlayStation stopped believing in generations. | https://www.gamesradar.com/is-god-of-war-ragnarok-coming-to-ps4/ |
Are We The Bad Guys? | Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt, Combined Force Space Component Command commander, is sworn in to the U.S. Space Force by Second Lt. Wellington Brookins, a U.S. Space Force officer assigned to the 533rd Training Squadron, during an International Space Day celebration May 7, 2021, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The lunchtime event for CSpOC and Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC) personnel included opening remarks from CSpOC/Space Delta 5 commander Col. Monique DeLauter, a rocket design and launch competition, and a cornhole tournament, followed by a brief transfer-of-service ceremony for the CFSCC commander Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt. Photo : U.S. Space Force photo by Michael Peterson Normally, when a new Major General is sworn in it is a solemn, dignified affair. When Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt was sworn in to the U.S. Space Force last month at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, it involved folks dressed as Stormtroopers. Advertisement It wasnt just Stormtroopers at the May 7 event held in celebration of International Space Day (missed an opportunity by not having it on May 4), according to Task And Purpose: Case in point: Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt was recently sworn in to the Space Force in a ceremony attended by cosplayers who were dressed as Imperial Stormtroopers, an Imperial Guard, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader, according to pictures of the May 7 event at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. None of the aforementioned Star Wars characters can be described as good guys, with the possible exception of Darth Vader, whose commitment to increasing lethality is legendary. (In the end, he too was a casualty of the Empires failed counterinsurgency strategy.) [...] U.S. Space Force spokesman Mike Pierson explained that the Star Wars reenactors were volunteers from the local community who were helping to celebrate International Space Day at the Combined Space Operations Center. Calling cosplayers reenactors takes the whole thing a bit too far. Vadar I get (kinda), but Fett is just a bounty hunter and always struck me as an amoral character looking out for himself. Definite space pirate vibe. America has a long history trying to kill pirates, so I dont know how this fits in exactly. Sure, these are the most immediately recognizable characters from the franchise, at least of the ones who arent wearing cinnamon buns on their heads. I suppose if you had some good guys from the Star Wars films in there, it wouldnt immediately track. These are U.S. soldiers, not egg-head Jedis. Nor are they rabble in mismatched uniforms fighting against a fascist state. This is by no means a dig at Burt, who has an incredibly impressive resume with a long list of decorations, education and service during her time in the U.S. Air Force. She could most likely crush my head like a peanut with her bicep while reciting quadratic formulas. I bet she dominated the cornhole tournament held after the swearing in. Less war, more exploration, like NASA but with slimm ing jumpsuits and diplomats instead of generals. The logo already looks like it is straight off of the communicator badges and uniforms from Star Trek. Hell, start a real Starfleet and Jason Torchinsky and I would be firs t in line to serve our country. | https://jalopnik.com/are-we-the-bad-guys-1847026910 |
Did new USFL get permission from old USFL to use USFL name? | Steve Ehrhart was taken aback Thursday morning when he turned on his television and heard that the United States Football League was going to be returning next spring, 37 years after it played its last down. The announcement was made jointly by Brian Woods, who was identified as the cofounder of the new USFL, and Fox Sports, which will be the leagues broadcast partner. The new USFL is using the old USFLs logo and claims to have retained the rights to key original team names, including the Philadelphia Stars. The new USFL already has created a website, which boasts that USFL merchandise soon will be available for sale even though the eight cities in which it plans to play still havent been identified. But Ehrhart, who was the USFLs executive director in its final season and still has the $3 check the league received in 1986 after winning its antitrust suit against the NFL, would love to know where Woods and Fox claim to have gotten the rights to the USFL name and logo and those of the original teams. I was surprised when I heard about it this morning, said Ehrhart, a longtime Memphis attorney and the executive director of the Auto Zone Liberty Bowl. I want to dig into it and see who theyre claiming they acquired these rights [to the name] from. Because it didnt come from any legitimate source. READ MORE: All about the Philadelphia Stars My guess is theres some knucklehead out there who claimed he had registered the name and had the rights to it. Were not being antagonistic. But if they want to do this, they should do it the right way and talk to the actual people, not some guy who sent in an internet registration or something like that. Ehrhart said that the league retained the rights to the USFL name after the 86 legal battle with the NFL. He said league officials also licensed the rights to the team logos and still even get a royalty check every month. Its not a big check, but we have a bank account in the USFL name, he said. So, weve been in continuous use for nearly 40 years. So they would need to sit down and talk with us. Wed be open to doing that. Woods was a financial adviser with the short-lived Alliance of American Football, a spring league that went belly-up eight games into its first season in 2019. He has been associated the last two years with The Spring League, whose games are broadcast on Fox. Attempts to reach Woods and Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks were unsuccessful. Fox Sports spokesperson Anne Pennington said, We stand by what was in the press release. The release didnt explain how Woods obtained the rights to the USFL name or the rights to the original team names. Ehrhart said hes been approached by groups over the years about buying the rights to the USFL name, including the people who founded the first version of the XFL. We always took the position and when I say we, I mean myself and [former Philadelphia Stars president] Carl Peterson and [former Birmingham Stallions president] Jerry Sklar and others a lot of people gave blood, sweat and tears and fortunes to the league. READ MORE: Heavenly Stars remembered fondly We were only around three seasons, but the USFL was a classy, well-respected name. We always said that we didnt want to just jump in there and sell it to somebody who was going to be underfunded and blow up and give a halfway kind of effort. So we never did give or sell or authorize the rights to anybody. If Fox is a partner in this and they want to sit down with us and discuss this, and we think it makes sense, were certainly open to that. | https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/usfl-fox-philadelphia-stars-spring-20210603.html |
How many hurricanes are expected this year? | Colorado State University, a top hurricane forecaster, expects 18 named storms in 2021. TAMPA, Fla. The hurricane season is underway and Colorado State University (CSU), a top hurricane forecasting institution, says look for a busier than average hurricane season in 2021. CSU said in their forecast Thursday, " We have maintained our above-average forecast for the 2021 Atlantic basin hurricane season." Part of the reason a higher number of hurricanes is expected is the neutral El NioSouthern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions that are being observed and that are expected to continue. A neutral ENSO means there is no El Nio or La Nia. A La Nia means the equatorial Pacific Ocean is colder than normal. This reduces the westerly winds that create wind shear in the Atlantic Basin. Wind shear inhibits tropical cyclone development. The lack of wind shear has the opposite effect, making a more favorable environment. We saw this in 2021. An El Nio is a warming of the waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. This increases the westerlies and wind shear in the Atlantic Basin. Without influence from an El Nio or La Nia, other atmospheric players such as sea surface temperatures play bigger roles in making an active hurricane season. One of the reasons for the above-average seasonal #hurricane forecast from CSU is due to the likely lack of #ElNino this summer/fall. El Nino generally increases vertical wind shear in the Atlantic, tearing apart hurricanes. pic.twitter.com/MkxvRPwPTs Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 3, 2021 While sea surface temperatures across much of the tropical Atlantic are near to slightly below normal, subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are much warmer than average. This includes much of the water near Florida. CSU says, "We anticipate an above-normal probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean." As always, remember that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for you. You should prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted. For more information on how to prepare for hurricane season, visit our Hurricane Headquarters. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/updated-2021-hurricane-forecast-csu-florida/67-ea64d288-d260-4f48-a3a0-55b227ede552 |
Why Would Someone Walk Out From The Priestly Blessings? | Photo Credit: Jewish Press Here in the Diaspora, one of the highlights of the Yom Tov davening is the saying of Birkas Kohanim, when the whole congregation is lovingly blessed by Hashem through the conduit of our precious Kohanim. It is something people look forward to with the hope of improving their lives through these meaningful blessings. This fact makes the story I am about to share with you all the more mysterious so fasten your seatbelts for a unique vignette and a powerful lesson. The Operion Shlomo relates that there was a shul in America whose Rav noticed a very peculiar behavior on the part of one of his congregants. Every time the Kohanim would go up to say the Priestly Blessings, this man would fold up his tallis and walk out of the shul. At first, the Rav thought it was just a coincidence. He assumed the man needed to use the restroom or that his wife needed his help at home. But after several successive Yomim Tovim, he realized that this person was intentionally walking out on Birkas Kohanim. Now, had he walked out on the Ravs drasha, it wouldnt be a nice thing to do. Still, thats not unheard of. Some people dont have the sitz fleish, the ability to sit through a sermon. Others dont like to hear mussar. Advertisement Thus, one time the Rav suggested to his wife that they invite him for a yom tov lunch. Perhaps, he said, If he comes to eat with us, hell stay in shul for the Kohanim. So they invited him and the man readily agreed to come. Nevertheless, even on the yom tov of his invitation, before the Kohanim went up to duchan, the man folded up his tallis and left the shul. Afterwards, during lunch in the Ravs home, after they ate heartily and the guest was appropriately mellow, having had some good wine, the Rav gingerly broached the subject. You know, Ive noticed that you always leave when the Priests give us a blessing. Do you have a negative association with Birkas Kohanim? The man looked at the Rav seriously and said, Ill tell you, we Holocaust survivors dont like to talk about our experiences. But since you asked me, I will tell you the story. I was in Auschwitz in a barracks with several hundred people. The conditions were inhuman and most of us werent able to think about anything religious. However, there was one elderly man who lived on a different plane and seemed to be above the terrible surroundings. Two weeks before Pesach, he let us know that he would be making a seder. Somehow, he got one of the camp bakers to make him two matzos and on the night of Pesach we sat down on the floor of the barracks and he said the Haggadah to us by heart. We each got a tiny piece of matzah and he transported us to a much better world. As we began to sing Chasal Siddur Pesach, a Nazi guard came in. He saw us sitting on the floor and went berserk. He ran to the nearest Jew, held a gun to his temple and said, If you dont tell me who organized this, I will kill you. The man didnt respond, so the Nazi pushed him away and started screaming, Ill kill all of you. The old man came forward and said, It was me. Shoot me if you must. The Nazi gave a satanic laugh and said, Im not going to kill you now. Ill shoot you tomorrow in front of the whole camp. The next day, they made a platform and they were preparing to shoot him when he said that he had a last request. A drink of wine? The old man answered that he was a kohein and he wanted to give everyone a blessing. There and then, right before they shot him, with great passion he gave all of us the priestly blessing, and then they killed him. The man continued, After the war, because of the horrors I drifted away from Yiddishkeit. I was sorely tempted to marry a non-Jewish woman but I remembered the old mans blessings and just couldnt do it, and I married a Jewish woman. Then, we had children and I wanted to send them to public school. But once again I remembered the blessing and I couldnt do that either. These blessings that he said in such a heartfelt way just before he was murdered saved me from many mistakes. I simply never wanted to lose the clarity of their memory. I was afraid to listen to any other Birkas Kohanim for fear that it might drown out the memory of those blessings in Auschwitz. Thats why I walk out from the saying of Birkas Kohanim. I dont know about you but when I read this story I was shaken. We are taught, Btzedek tishpot amisecha With righteousness you should judge your fellow Jew. It never dawned on me that there ever would be a positive reason why this man abandoned the Kohanim. But, there was. For me, hearing this experience brought the Jewish expectation of judging our fellow favorably to a new level. And lets remember the Gemara teaches us, Whoever judges his fellow favorably, Hashem will judge him favorably as well. In the merit of doing just that, may Hashem bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful. | https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/torah/why-would-someone-walk-out-from-the-priestly-blessings/2021/06/03/ |
What happened to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin's $1bn donation in meme coins to India to fight Covid?? | Screengrab from the interview New Delhi: Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin had donated $1bn in cryptocurrency--primarily in meme coins Shiba Inu--to India to support Covid-19 relief during the peak of the second wave in May. To figure that out, ET Now's StartUpCentral interviewed the man championing the crypto Covid relief fund, i.e Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal. It was Nailwal who had set up this crypto fund, and he had taken personal responsibility for it. The fund has nothing to do with Polygon, which he co-founded in 2017 as an Ethereum scaling solution in 2017. It was on Nailwal's appeal to the global crypto community that the Ethereum co-founder announced his contribution to India. Nailwal had then said, "Can't take this sitting down anymore, I'm going to run a relief campaign in India." Vitalik Buterin's donation made up more than 5% of the total Shiba Inu coins in circulation, and this contribution led to its price crashing by 50%. Here is Sandeep Nailwal's interview to ET Now's Nayantara Rai. | https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/companies/article/what-happened-to-ethereum-co-founder-vitalik-buterins-1bn-donation-in-meme-coins-to-india-to-fight-covid/765985 |
Why has Portugal been taken off the green list? What happens if I booked a holiday? | Tourists enjoy Porto de Mos Beach in Lagos, Portugal. Picture: PA By Patrick Grafton-Green Portugal will be removed from the UKs green travel list amid concerns of a new coronavirus mutation and rising cases. The holiday hotspot, including the islands of Madeira and the Azores, will be put on the amber list following a meeting between Westminster and the devolved governments, as well as the Joint Biosecurity Centre. Portugal will be moved from green to amber on the UKs travel list. Although there is no law prohibiting people from travelling to an amber list country for a holiday, the government is urging people not to do so. People returning to the UK from Portugal will now be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days as part of coronavirus restrictions. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has raised concern of a so-called Nepal coronavirus mutation of the Delta variant - also known as the Indian variant - in Portugal, while he also pointed to rising cases. Mr Shapps said: "I want to be straight with people, it's actually a difficult decision to make, but in the end we've seen two things really which caused concern. "One is the positivity rate has nearly doubled since the last review in Portugal and the other is there's a sort of Nepal mutation of the so-called Indian variant which has been detected." He added: "We just don't know the potential for that to be vaccine-defeating mutation and simply don't want to take the risk as we come up to June 21 and the review of the fourth stage of the unlock." The Department for Transport said in a statement that the decision "follows increased concern in the spread of variants of coronavirus, including a mutation of the Delta variant, and the risk that is posed of bringing these back to the UK if people are not required to quarantine". It added: "The situation in Portugal has required swift action to protect the gains made with the vaccine rollout there has been an almost doubling in the Covid-19 test positivity rate in Portugal since the first review for traffic light allocations, far exceeding the ONS estimated national positivity rate in the UK. "More significantly, according to data published on GISAID, 68 cases of the Delta Variant of Concern have been identified in Portugal, including cases of the Delta variant with an additional, potentially detrimental, mutation." The government has previously said assessments of travel lists are based on a range of factors, including the proportion of a population that has been vaccinated, rates of infection, emerging new variants, and access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing. All changes to the lists will come into effect at 4am on Tuesday 8 June. It is only 17 days since non-essential leisure travel has been permitted from Britain, with Portugal being the only viable major tourist destination added to the green list. In that time thousands of Brits have travelled, including for the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea in Porto. Fans who attended that match have since been asked to self-isolate after multiple flights reported passengers testing positive for coronavirus. Although online travel firm On the Beach has stopped selling summer holidays due to a lack of "certainty or clarity", many companies are selling and operating trips to amber countries. for their flexible policies. Many holidaymakers in Portugal face a scramble for flights home before the move is introduced. However, if they fail to do so they will be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days upon their return as part of coronavirus restrictions. | https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/explained/why-portugal-taken-off-green-list-what-happens-if-i-booked-holiday-amber/ |
Were Wuhan Lab-Inquiry Opponents Worried about Provoking China? | Workers wearing protective face masks ride smart self-balancing scooters as they control a robotic sprayer spraying disinfectant at a residential compound in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, the epicenter of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, March 3, 2020. (China Daily via Reuters) An extensive Vanity Fair report on efforts to investigate COVIDs potential lab-leak origin includes some interesting revelations about the debates within the State Department. As Jim Geraghty pointed out, certain officials feared that highlighting Chinese gain-of-function research would bring unwelcome attention to the U.S. governments own involvement in such activities, and that investigating the lab-leak theory would open a can of worms. Advertisement The piece also details the concerns of Chris Ford, the assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, who described himself as a China hawk. He told Vanity Fair that he was merely trying to protect the credibility of a COVID-origins investigation by steering the team away from ill-founded conclusions and the creepy freelancing of a few of his colleagues. But my reporting on the Biden administrations decision to shutter a Trump-era State Department investigation into COVIDs origins casts some doubt on this: Ford seemed to worry about antagonizing China, and the investigation was sanctioned by the secretary of state, not the work of renegade staffers within the department. Former senior State Department officials told me last week that Ford was upset after learning he was cut out of the process. Something that illustrates Fords standing (or lack thereof) within the department is Pompeos appointment of special envoys to steer the portfolios that the person in Fords role would normally lead. What is described in the Vanity Fair piece as Fords concerns about a secretive inquiry sound like protests about the way in which he was sidelined. Advertisement Another official said that the Pompeo-approved AVC effort bypassed Fords team because he is married to treaties and arms-control agreements and feared that China would break off arms-control treaties if we pissed them off, even though Beijing wont cooperate with us anyway. The AVC component of the broader origins investigation would go on to form the basis of a key January 15 fact sheet about the Wuhan Institute of Virology whose findings the Biden administration has endorsed. This almost didnt take place at all, as the AVC investigation faced resistance within the department (though Ford told Vanity Fair he was pleased the document was published). Thats a question a Congressional inquiry ought to address. | https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/were-wuhan-lab-inquiry-opponents-worried-about-provoking-china/ |
Is Prince Andrew Best for British Business? | Whatever you think of the truth of the most recent allegations leveled at him, there could hardly be a worse choice to represent British business interests at Davos, that annual jamboree of the mega-rich and captains of industry in Switzerland, than Prince Andrew. New reports indicate that he intends to use the convention, which takes place this week, of crack capitalists to give a TV interview in which he will deny any involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal involving very young women. A Palace spokesman said Andrew would be at Davos to remind the audience of the strength and dynamism of UK entrepreneurship. Er, right. I am sure the sight of an immensely privileged, slightly paunchy, scandal hit playboy will do just that. The risk he might remind them of something else has presumably been factored in to their calculations. Regardless, it is now clear that the Prince shamelessly intends to use Davos to recast himself (not for the first time) as an homme serieux. Whether the public can be persuaded to forget about his unsavory friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and the pictures of him with his arm wrapped around the naked belly of a girl young enough to be his daughter, and the allegations that he had sex with young women who were being paid by Epstein, remains to be seen. But before we are too hasty to judge the Queens favorite son, perhaps we should take a closer look at the astounding business instinct he displayed in the sale of the revolting and style-free McMansion home he built at Sunninghill Park in Ascot, near London. The enormous house was probably worth, on a good day, about 11m, but Andrew figured that given its distinguished provenance as the former home of Randy Andy and Frightful Fergie he might be able to get a little more for it, so he put it on the market at 12m after their divorce. Good business sense, surelyand hardly his fault that it languished unsold on the market for years. In the end, however, clever Andy was proved right in the final sale of the property in 2007 to Kazakh billionaire Timur Kulibayev, for 15m3m above the asking price! Kulibayev is the son of the former president of Kazakhstan, and the father of the children of London petrochemical heiress and socialite Goga Ashkenazi, 34. Goga is widely thought to have been a lover of Prince Andrews, rumors she has never denied, and she is thought to have brokered the overpriced sale of Sunninghill Park to Kulibayev. Funnily enough, Andrew often makes mysterious trips on his rather vague mission of promoting British business to Kazakhstan. We simply have to take it on trust that these are public service missions, and havent been used to feather Andys own nest. The prince said last year about the sale of the house: "It's not my business the second the price is paid. If that is the offer, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and suggest they have overpaid me." Clever Andrew got to keep all that money himself because he then moved into Royal Lodge, his grandmother the Queen Mothers former home in Windsor Great Park. Even better was the fact that Andrew never had to pay for the house in the first placehe was given it as a wedding gift by his mum. Kulibayevthe lucky buyerhas never lived in Sunninghill Park. It is now almost derelict with broken windows and boarded up doors. It could be demolished by the local council after they won a legal case allowing them to do so. Andrew recently invested in a new propertysplashing out on a seven bedroom ski lodge said to be worth around $15m. It will be interesting to see if he can flip that for a healthy profit to another billionaire. Despite his good intentions at Davos, Andrew came under fire from former Home Office Minister Norman Baker last week, who said on the radio that Andrews unofficial overseas visits could damage British interests, saying, When MPs go abroad, or Ministers, or indeed the Queen, we know exactly what role they are undertaking. We dont know with Andrew. He suggested said that some of the Princes connections are not [what] someone representing Britain ought to be having. Hanging over all Andrews many scandals, of course, are his love of fast, glamorous women and the necessity of paying for that lifestyle. The most severe threatbefore nowto Andrews credibility came when in 2010 his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson plunged him into a cash for access scandal when she was caught on tape telling an undercover reporter posing as a businessman that the Prince was in on the scam and that he had suggested a 500,000 introduction fee. "Andrew said to me, 'Tell him 500,000,' Fergie told the News of the World, adding, Look after me and he'll look after you... you'll get it back tenfold." Large white paintbrushes were promptly produced by the establishment. Andrew simply denied all knowledge of Fergies actions and there was no inquiry. Most people would cut ties with someone who falsely implicated them in such an embarrassing scandal. Andrew invited Fergie to move back in with him. Now hes the one being paid back tenfold as his ex-wife sticks with him, telling reporters he is the greatest man there is. They make quite a team; Andrew, the pompous, buffonnish, ageing playboy and the venal, Fergie. Maybe they really should just bite the bullet and get remarried, and to hell with what Prince Philip thinks. Theyre quite clearly made for each other. | https://www.thedailybeast.com/is-prince-andrew-best-for-british-business |
Was macht eigentlich Elijah Wood aus Der Herr der Ringe? | 03.06.2021 20:30 Uhr Neues aus der Fachabteilung "Was macht eigentlich...?" Elijah Wood soll im Reboot von "Atomic Hero" mitspielen. Der Der Herr der Ringe-Star soll laut The Illumminerdi den Hauptschurken in der Neuverfilmung des gleichnamigen Superhelden-Streifens von 1984 spielen, in der auch Jacob Tremblay und Peter Dinklage mit an Bord sind. Diese Stars sind auch dabei Elijah Wood (40) wird die Rolle von Bob Garbinger bernehmen dem gierigen und korrupten Boss von Winston (Dinklage). Macon Blair ist an Bord, um sowohl den neuen Film zu inszenieren als auch das Drehbuch zu liefern. Lloyd Kaufman und Michael Herz die das Original schufen sind als Produzenten fr Troma Entertainment beteiligt. Peter Dinklage wurde fr die titelgebende Hauptrolle in dem Streifen gecastet. Er spielt einen durchschnittlichen Brger, der mit jeder Menge Problemen zu kmpfen hat. Verfilmung eines Klassikers Eines Tages wird er in ein Fass voller Giftmll gestoen und verwandelt sich daraufhin in eine mutierte Kreatur. Er verfgt fortan ber bermenschliche Krfte. So langsam entwickelt sich der Auenseiter zum Helden, denn er muss seinen Sohn, seine Freunde und seine Stadt vor Korruption und Gier retten. Der Originalfilm wurde zu einem Kultklassiker und brachte drei Fortsetzungen, eine eigene Musical-Produktion, eine Kinder-Zeichentrickserie und einen Marvel-Comic hervor. (Bang) | https://www.klatsch-tratsch.de/aktuelles/was-macht-eigentlich-elijah-wood-aus-der-herr-der-ringe-849452/ |
Why Hasn't Toyota Jumped On The EV Bandwagon With Both Feet? | Toyota, once a world leader in automotive electrification, has long since lost its crown, after hybrids began taking back seat to plug-in hybrids and fully-electric vehicles. Now that many governments are requiring automakers to drop their range-wide CO2 emissions, EVs are becoming a necessity, which is why Toyota has given in and announced its first mass-market BEV, the bZ4X. And if you were wondering why no other electric Toyotas are expected to be launched in the near future (even though many manufacturers already have more than one EV on sale and several more planned to be launched soon), its because the Japanese giant doesnt seem to be committed to the idea yet. Read Article | https://www.autospies.com/news/Why-Hasn-t-Toyota-Jumped-On-The-EV-Bandwagon-With-Both-Feet-105883/ |
Has Jake Paul got an automatic rematch clause in his contract for the Tyron Woodley fight? | Speaking to MMA Fighting, Tyron Woodley's manager Malki Kawa revealed that the contract between the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley fight contains a rematch clause. "Jake Pauls team negotiated an automatic rematch clause. Thats how much this is a scary fight to them. If we win this fight, if Jake Paul wants it, then we have to run it back with him, said Malki Kawa. Kawa added that Woodley will be paid significantly for this fight- "Hes getting paid really well. Its one of the best deals Ive ever done. For a guy in his situation, it was a tremendous deal. Hes getting a large base number. Hes getting a cut of the pay-per-view globally. Hes participating in a lot of different things. He should walk away with a multi-million dollar payday. His base guarantee is in the millions already. Add on all the extra stuff, its a really nice payday." said Malki Kawa. Woodley reiterated the same while speaking to Ariel Helwani- Tyron Woodley's manager thinks if Jake Paul wins, he can become one of the biggest stars in combat sports Triller Fight Club: Jake Paul v Ben Askren Tyron Woodley's manager and CEO of First Round Management Malki Kawa claimed that with a win over 'The Chosen One', Jake Paul could become a huge star in the world of combat sports. "If Tyron goes out there and gets knocked out like Ben, I think then, at that point, Jake Paul becomes one of the biggest stars in combat sports across all platforms, period. The only guys bigger than him might be Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather." said Kawa. Jake Paul is still relatively new to the boxing ring, but in just three professional fights, all of which he won via knockout, 'The Problem Child' has taken the boxing world by storm. Paul's most recent win came over former UFC and Bellator fighter Ben Askren. Askren, who was known for his wrestling skills in MMA, was knocked out by the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the opening minutes of the fight. Jake Paul will now take on Askren's friend and training partner Tyron Woodley in a boxing match. The fight is scheduled to take place on August 28. 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-has-jake-paul-got-automatic-rematch-clause-contract-tyron-woodley-fight |
How many fights has Floyd Mayweather lost? | Floyd Mayweather retired as an undefeated professional boxer after defeating Conor McGregor in a crossover boxing match in 2017. 50 opponents, including the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao could not get their hands raised when they fought 'Money'. However, Floyd Mayweather's flawless professional boxing career was founded on the mistakes he made during his days as an amateur. Floyd Mayweather's amateur boxing career is not as well documented. The boxing great is known to have suffered as many as nine losses as an amateur. Based on the information available on boxrec.com, Floyd Mayweather seems to have hit the lowest point of his amateur boxing career during the 1994-1995 period. After his run in the 1994 United States National Junior Championship came to an end at the hands of Arnulfo Bravo, Mayweather suffered defeats against Martin Castillo and Juan Carlos Ramirez in the 1994 and 1995 seasons of the United States vs Mexico duel meet. The most recent and the most notable loss of Floyd Mayweather's amateur boxing career came against Serafim Todorov of Bulgaria in the 1996 summer Olympics. However, Floyd Mayweather turned pro the same year and the 50-0 record is testament to the fact that 'Money' tightened all the loose ends in his fighting style as he moved on in his career. Known for his impregnable defense and high fight IQ, Floyd Mayweather went on to rule the boxing scene for almost two decades and won fifteen major world titles during his undefeated professional run. Floyd Mayweather will fight Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition fight on June 5 Since he retired from professional boxing, Floyd Mayweather has shown a strong interest in exhibition fights. His last fight was a first-round knockout win over Japanese kickboxing champion Tenshin Nasukawa at Rizin 14 in December 2018. Floyd Mayweather is set to make a comeback against YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Logan Paul (0-1 Boxing) in an exhibition boxing match on June 6, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. According to a statement from Florida State Boxing Commission, no winner will be announced at the end of the fight, which will have eight five-minute rounds. However, knockouts are not prohibited and the referee will reserve the right to stop the contest at any given moment. Despite giving away a significant amount in size and reach to the much younger Logan Paul, Floyd Mayweather is a -900 betting favorite heading into the fight due to the skill differential. Please spend 30 seconds to answer this survey so that we can better understand how to serve your MMA needs. Edited by Jack Cunningham | https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-how-many-fights-floyd-mayweather-lost |
Can Registeel be shiny in Pokemon GO? | Pokemon GO players will have a golden opportunity to grab a shiny legendary in the upcoming days. Registeel, along with the rest of the Generation III titan trio, will soon be appearing in Pokemon GO. Due to its Steel typing, Registeel is sometimes considered the best Regi out of the group. While Regice and Regirock have enormously high stats in Special Defense and Defense respectively in the main series games, Registeel is the perfect combination of the two. Fortunately, this titan is just as bulky in Pokemon GO, with a 285 Defense stat. Here is how players can find its shiny form. As part of the Season of Discovery, each Gen III Regi will appear as a five star Raid boss. This gives players an opportunity to do some Raid hunting, grind XP and load up on resources as well as potentially catch a shiny Registeel. This method might take a while, but patient players might have a better chance of catching Registeel if they wait a bit. A much better opportunity to catch shiny Registeel is coming along. In addition to the Raids, Niantic is featuring a Raid hour every Wednesday from 6 PM to 7PM local time. This will basically be like a spotlight hour for Raids. The previous raid hour was dedicated to Regirock, but the next one will feature Registeel as the focus Raid boss. This hour will be a prime opportunity to look for a shiny Registeel, since the spawns will be more frequent. In fact, a really prudent player could spend this time raising up some counters to Registeel so that they are prepared for the Raid hour. Speaking of which, there are several Pokemon that are more than capable of knocking out Registeel, but players that dont have a clear counter are going to struggle. Raid hunters are definitely going to want top tier Fire, Ground and Fighting-types. These Pokemon need to have high Attack stats, though, if they want any hope of breaking through Registeels colossal defense. As far as specifics go, any Mega Pokemon or Shadow Pokemon with a type matchup are going to perform well in a Registeel Raid. Two near perfect counters are Mega Charizard and Shadow Moltres. Since they are both Fire and Flying-type, they resist Registeels Flash Cannon and Focus Blast. Since Registeel has the Defense stat of an impenetrable wall, Raid hunt groups are definitely encouraged for this endeavor. Five good trainers can probably beat a Registeel Raid, but more will help if possible. Regardless of how many trainers come along, at least two of them should have hard counters to Registeel. Edited by Nikhil Vinod | https://www.sportskeeda.com/pokemon/can-registeel-shiny-pokemon-go |
Is Apples iMessage finally a major update at WWDC? | Apple has put iMessage at the center of WWDCs promotional material next week, suggesting that its popular messaging service could be significantly upgraded. iMessage seems to be the central theme of this years WWDC marketing. For example, WWDCs live stream placeholders on YouTube are already live and feature iMessage bubbles, Tapback, and iMessage full-screen laser effects. Similarly, the Twitter hashtag that promotes this years WWDC is iMessages thumbs-up tapback bubble. This years iMessage stickers and official WWDC outfits and pins include iMessage bubbles, Tapback reactions, and emojis, which arent always uncommon in Apples annual conference-related outerwear. Reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman previously reported that iMessage will improve in iOS 15. This seems to reflect the theme of Apples promotional materials. Specifically, Gurman explained that there are new options for auto attendants, status, and notifications. You also have the option to set an automatic reply to the message, depending on the status of the message. This improves on the current auto-reply feature, which is currently only available while driving. Apple has added some unique notification features such as Do Not Disturb and Sleep Mode, but this is the first time it offers system-wide functionality to change notifications according to user status. The company is also working on an upgrade to iMessage, with the ultimate goal of acting as a social network and becoming more competitive with Facebook Inc.s WhatsApp. These changes are still in the early stages of development and may be made later, officials said. The change is reportedly in line with a broader strategy to make iMessage a more competitive social network with WhatsApp. Last year, MacRumors added the ability to withdraw sent messages, enter indicators in group chats, mark the last message in a conversation as unread, and extend the / me command. I found evidence that I was testing internally. A feature that has been available on the Mac since the days of iChat to share status updates. Apple has also patented many unreleased iMessage features, including the ability to edit sent messages. The scope of the upgrade to iMessage at this years WWDC isnt clear yet, but given the wealth of evidence that iMessage is playing an important role at this years WWDC and the storm of rumors about new messaging features, its kind of. Seems like an update. Probability is high. WWDC 2021 will begin next Monday, June 7, with a keynote speech at 10 AM Pacific Time. Apple will announce major new software updates such as iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15. See the WWDC 2021 Summary for more information. What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. 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Does Horizon Forbidden West Have Ray Tracing on PS5? | Last week, Horizon: Forbidden West got its first gameplay preview on the Playstation 5, showing off a brief segment of gameplay that showed off more of the environment that Aloy will be traveling through over the course of the game. So far, yes. A previous unofficial graphics comparison video about the game appeared to show that there was no ray-tracing in the game, with reflections instead being animated traditionally. Ray tracing is an effect intended to increase visual realism by tracing the path of light as pixels and simulating it encountering objects such as a surface for light to shine onto. Mathijs de Jong, the game director of Horizon: Forbidden West, did say however in a recent interview that the game would support ray tracing on Playstation 5. Ray tracing is actually used for a wide variety of things in the game, including the sound engine, physics, and rendering. Horizon Forbidden West ray tracing will have its work cut out for it, as well. From what we saw in the gameplay preview, Horizon Wests map is a great deal more vibrant than Zero Dawns, featuring oceans (and underwater segments), ruined urban landscapes, enormous old monuments, white sandy beaches, deep jungles, and more. Along with all of that, the game includes a variety of new machines, a new traversal system, and a 60 FPS performance mode for the game, so that you can run it the way it was meant to be played on the Playstation 5. Hopefully, considering E3 and the Summer of Gaming are coming up, Sony and Guerrilla Games will give us even more footage from the game, to say nothing about other information that will tell us more about mechanics, more machines, and more of the factions in the world. Youll be able to see Horizon Forbidden West ray tracing in action when the game releases sometime this year for the Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. | https://segmentnext.com/2021/06/04/does-horizon-forbidden-west-ray-tracing-ps5/ |
Can the Chiefs afford to trade for Julio Jones? | My friends always poke fun at me for my nasty habit while watching horror movies. Say you go watch the new Saw movie with me. Well go, Ill settle into the recliner seat and Ill keep my phone ever-so-slightly in pockets reach, just in case I need to get a jump ahead on the plot. It might be because I want to know if a certain character is going to make it out alive, or if a big scare is on the way or if I need to hightail it out of that theater if some sort of grand terror awaits for the final act that might leave me temporarily traumatized. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2262997785484/can-the-chiefs-afford-to-trade-for-julio-jones |
Who Is Tennis Player Gael Monfils Gorgeous Younger Fiancee at French Open? | The 64 French professional tennis player Gal Monfils, 34, has advanced to the second round at the 2021 French Open. In Gals box is his coach Gnter Bresnik and gorgeous fiancee, Elina Svitolina. The 26-year-old Ukrainian WTA player has advanced to the second round at the French Open, too. Both play their second round matches on June 3. On April 3, 2021, Gael proposed to Elina and she said yes! Elina (who turned pro in 2010) won the 2018 WTA Finals in Singapore against American Sloane Stephens (3-6, 6-2, 6-2), and in 2019, she made it to the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Elina reached her career-high ranking of world No. 3 on 11 September 2017, and again on 9 September 2019. Shes currently ranked No. 6. And when not on a tennis court, Elina likes to have fun and often in a cute bikini. See video above. | https://2paragraphs.com/2021/06/who-is-tennis-player-gael-monfils-gorgeous-younger-fiancee-at-french-open/ |
Are Kaitlyn and Jason Still Together? | Kaitlyn Bristowe got engaged on Season 11 of The Bachelorette, but the recipient of her final rose isnt the man she will be saying I do to. Since calling off her engagement to Shawn Booth in 2018, the Dancing with the Stars champion has found love with another Bachelor Nation alum. Get to know Bristowes fianc. Bristowe is engaged to fellow franchise alum Jason Tartick. The Trading Secrets podcast host was a contestant on Becca Kufrins season of The Bachelorette. The former banker made it to the top three in Season 14 of the show, along with Garrett Yrigoyen and Blake Horstmann. The pair first met in 2018 on Bristowes podcast, Off the Vine. The former Bachelorette celebrated the one-year anniversary of her and Tarticks first encounter with a heartfelt tribute, writing, EMOTIONAL ALERT. On this day last year. I walked into a studio in Seattle to podcast with Jason and Olivia. I almost canceled because I had been bawling my eyes out in an Uber, going through some crap, and I was crying on FaceTime to my dad when he came in. We had never met, but he hugged me, and told me he had just cried too at a charity event he came from. He looked at me and said, lets have a soft Tuesday together. He almost canceled as well because he had an eye infection. He brought a nice bottle of wine, and I had asked Olivia to join me for the podcast because I thought I would need someone to help keep the energy up, since I was so sad. Related: From Hosting The Bachelor to Ring Endorsements, You Wont Believe How Much Chris Harrison Is Worth Bristowe continued, But If you spend two seconds with Jason you realize his energy is electric and you cant help but be in a good mood. My day had changed. I didnt know what was going to happen. I thought of Jason as a friend, and wanted him to be the bachelor. He actually helped me through a hard time. I just wanted him to be happy. J, I met you 365 days ago and from what felt like was a goofy friendship, turned into a beautiful love story. Thank you for always lifting me up, being my rock, and thank you for stepping foot into that studio with your Cyclopes eye. Youre my Lobster. Parade Daily Celebrity interviews, recipes and health tips delivered to your inbox. Email Address Please enter a valid email address. Thanks for signing up! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. Tartick confirmed his relationship with Bristowe during an appearance on TODAY in January of 2019. At the time, he revealed that they had been an item about a month or so. We were friends, a little banter here and there, and friendship turned into a relationship, Tartick said. The entrepreneur popped the question in May of 2021 during a recording of Bristowes Off the Vine podcast. It was everything I could have asked for, Bristowe told Entertainment Tonight of the proposal. The words that came out of his mouth were insanely beautiful. Weve never locked eyes like that in our lives. We were holding hands, so intense, and I was listening to his every word, but still blacked out. Bristowe had been told she would be interviewing a surprise guest, but instead was surprised with a proposal. Jasons like, Kaitlyn, were not doing a podcast. And Im like, You forgot to hit record, didnt you! ' she recalled. He was like, No, this is something else, and he got up and I saw him bring out a ring box from the drawer. I was trying to be present but I was so overwhelmed, and I was so embarrassed because I was wearing a T-shirt that said, Tequila for Breakfast,' Bristowe added. I was like, This feels very on brand, but also very inappropriate! The engaged couple would like to tie the knot summer 2022, according to PEOPLE. Bristowe shared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast (via PEOPLE) that she and Tartick want a short engagement. And when it comes to their big day, the bride to be already has an idea of what type of wedding she wants. I just know basically as soon as we can get the ball rolling, I want it to be like a Great Gatsby-like black-tie event, very glam, which is so opposite of what I thought Id want, she said. Four years ago I would have been like, I want bohemian. I want farm-style. Bristowe is praying that kids are in the cards for her and Tartick. We cannot wait to start a family, she said on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast (via PEOPLE). To be honest, I turn 36 next month, and I do have my eggs frozen so the biological clock is not exactly ticking, but I do really want to think about that, just because I have met my person, we are getting married, and so I do feel like that next step, quickly after, is going to be having a family. The TV star joked that she wouldnt be surprised if she was pregnant for her wedding. I dont want to be, but thats how anxious I am, she said. Bristowe also noted that she wants her honeymoon to be the trip of a lifetime, because thats when Im going to be like, Alright. Now Im a mom. ' Next, everything you need to know about Season 17 of The Bachelorette! | https://parade.com/1217708/alexandra-hurtado/who-is-kaitlyn-bristowe-engaged-to/ |
Should I switch to Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund? | Your current monthly SIP of Rs.15,500 (Existing: Rs.13,500 + Additional as per your query: Rs.2,000) along with 10% increase every year will help you reach approx. Rs 4.82 crore or Rs 6.10 crore at growth rate of 10% p.a. or 12% p.a. respectively after 25 years. Hence, you will have to increase your monthly investment in future to achieve the target of Rs 7 crore to Rs 8 crore. In present terms, if you invest Rs.18,000 per month and increase your SIP amount by 10% every year after 25 years you will be able to achieve your goal of Rs 7crore at 12% return per annum.As you have 20 25 years to retire you can consider investing all your SIPs in equity funds instead of adding balanced fund. If you would still persist with your plan of investing additional SIP in a balanced fund, then you can do it in either of the balanced fund mentioned in your question as both have done well over a period. Considering your risk profile as moderate, the funds you are investing are good and you can add your future SIPs in Parag Parikh Flexi Cap and UTI Nifty Index Fund. You can also continue with your SIP in Canara Robeco Bluechip Fund as well. Since you are already investing in Axis Mid Cap Fund and some allocation from other funds will also have mid cap companies at present in their portfolio, it may be better to invest in large & mid Cap or flexicap funds in near future. | https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/mf/analysis/should-i-switch-to-parag-parikh-flexi-cap-fund/articleshow/83203539.cms |
Will Boris Johnson Now Pause His Roadmap To Boost The Jabs Magic? | Youre reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening. What was meant to be Boris Johnsons quiet week just keeps on getting noisier. Today started with a kicking over catch-up funding for schools, swiftly followed by warnings that the simmering unease over international aid cuts is ready to boil over into rebellion. To top it all, it looks like millions of Britons wont be getting a summer holiday abroad after all. Thats the very downbeat conclusion many in the tourism industry have drawn from transport secretary Grant Shapps big announcement. Shifting Portugal from the green list to the amber list of travel destinations, albeit with a weeks notice, signals that holidays overseas are getting harder, not easier as some had assumed. Politicians love using the phrase direction of travel, but that terminology will feel singularly inapt for those who had pinned their hopes on ending a long and gruelling year with at least a break in the Mediterranean sunshine. Its still possible that in three weeks time the numbers may have fallen again in various European countries and islands, but no one is banking on it. Its worth pointing out that many Brits cant afford or dont want a foreign holiday. But a sizeable number of them very much do, and several Tory MPs will point out this is not some middle class obsession. My working class constituents work bloody hard and save every penny for that week in the sun, one tells me. Theyll wonder why the hell they cant still do that if theyre double jabbed. One problem lies in the traffic light system devised by the government, or more particularly, the amber bit of it. Because travel to amber list countries is legal, though not advised, there is no automatic right to a refund that would occur on the red list. David Davis is another Tory who thinks there are political risks with Shapps announcement. This is an irrational overreaction, he tells me. If youre going to do this, at least make it a green-red system so people can get their money back. As it happens, thats Labours position too. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds says the amber system is just a recipe for confusion, with reports of 50,000 travelling into the UK daily, each possibly bringing back a nasty souvenir in the shape of an infectious new variant of the virus. I suspect that some Brits will actually hedge their bets by splitting up what would have been a fortnight abroad. They could take a risk on the first week holidaying in an amber country like Portugal, Spain or Greece, then using their second weeks holiday to quarantine at home before getting a test release after five days that lets them take a short trip in the UK too. But only a minority will want to risk that. The real difficulty with the current traffic light system is that its hard to tell amber-flashing-red from amber-flashing-green. It is designed to offer a careful route from the most unsafe to the most safe environments and embodies a proportionality of risk that drives Boris Johnsons thinking. Thats why he probably wont ditch it. Yet this virus doesnt respect proportionality, and often the only language it understands is overwhelming force (weve learned lockdowns have to be hard and fast). The amber list is the overseas version of the domestic regional tiers system designed last year to contain Covid in defined areas. That system failed miserably this winter in the face of the Kent variant, which staged a deadly route march out of the south east across the whole country. And again in and around Bolton and other hotspots where the even more transmissible Indian variant was found, the virus has shown a marked disrespect for borough boundaries, let alone national borders. The latest figures showing the big jump in cases in Blackburn, plus the wider spread of the virus across Lancashire, proves that once a new variant gets a foothold it moves fast. As the PM ponders what this all means for his June 21 unlockdown date, history tells us he will want to have his cake and eat it. ), a factor thats often forgotten when some are baffled why Johson is so popular. The return of ordering at the bar (instead of table service) is seen by some of the PMs allies as sacrosanct, both because it is vital to the economics of the pub industry and more importantly vital to some sense of normality and boosted morale after months of lockdown. Theres a view in government that this simple change would buy the PM enough political capital to keep in place other restrictions, like working from home and mask wearing on public transport. The difficulty again is that while that may seem sensibly proportionate to the risk, a disproportionate response to the Indian or delta variant may be whats really needed. The latest data from Public Health England, confirming the delta variants higher transmissibility, its significantly higher risk of hospitalisation and its higher vaccine escape, could force firmer action from No.10. A short, two-week delay (which Ive talked about before) for all the June 21 measures is gaining traction in Whitehall as perhaps the better solution, not least because it gives time for ramping up more jabs. As the PM had his second dose today, he must have thought just how much safer the nation would be if as many over-50s as possible had the same protection before further unlockdown. That delay would be disproportionate to some, but may be just smart public health policy as much as smart politics. | https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/will-boris-johnson-pause-his-roadmap-to-let-more-jabs-work-their-magic_uk_60b928eae4b0fd4b8697491c |
Who is Samsungs new virtual assistant Samantha and why is she trending? | SAMSUNG'S most important sources of income are its smartphones and computer chips. The internet is running wild for an "attractive" virtual AI assistant for Samsung products that was created by a marketing company. "Samantha" is an AI virtual assistant that is not an official Samsung product. A design firm named Lightfarm created Samantha with a marketing company owned by Samsung, but the final product was not picked up or incorporated into a Samsung campaign. "Shes a bright-eyed, perky lady who likes jamming to tunes on her Samsung phone, browsing apps, and texting friends," writes Polygon. 4 Samantha was created by Lightfarm Credit: Twitter In the leaked images, she's pictured holding what appears to be a Samsung smartphone, and has "Samsung Galaxy" emblazoned on her grey polo shirt. She designed similar to that of a Pixar character, a different approach from Apple's faceless Siri or Google's Google Assistant. Samsung has it's own virtual assistant Bixby that represents a major reboot for S Voice, Samsung's voice assistant app introduced in 2012 with the Galaxy S III. 4 She will not feature in any Samsung product Credit: Twitter The images of Samantha were stored on the Lightfarm site until the company deleted the post. So far, there's been no official announcement from Samsung about a new virtual assistant. Samantha is trending on TikTok and Reddit for her glamorous virtual good looks, prompting a less-than-wholesome reaction from the internet. Sam has now become the 'love interest' of some randy Samsung fans. A lot of not-safe-for-work content of Samantha is making the viral rounds, the majority from the rule34 Reddit thread. In a now-deleted post, Lightfarm discussed working with the Cheil Agency - a marketing company owned by Samsung - on the project. 4 Images of Samantha were taken down on the Lightfarm site Credit: Twitter Lightfarm wrote: "Throughout the process, the team devoted itself to developing realistic materials, mainly for the characters hair and clothing, so that Sam appeared aesthetically pleasing. "Sam was an incredible partnership between the Cheil Agency and Lightfarm, and we are thrilled to be part of this project!" It's not immediately clear whether the images all over the internet were part of a concept project or represented a final design settled on by Samsung. Social media went rampant with comments about Samantha. One shocked observer tweeted: "Samsung made a virtual assistant avatar and within 5 picoseconds I've seen porn of her. Some people are down bad galactically lmao." Another said: "SAMSUNG GIRL IS HOTT." "Samantha Samsung is not my type. I'm never gonna fall in love with her," one chimed in. TRUTH IS IN THERE Pentagon report on UFO files could be released TOMORROW ROYAL RAGE What the Queen REALLY thinks about Meg & Harry's attacks, according to an expert COIN IT Bitcoin, Ethereum & Dogecoin values surge as crypto market dramatically recovers VAN LIFE I quit my job to live in a VAN with no shower or toilet - but Im happier now APPLE JUICED Panicked iPhone owners say new iOS 14.6 update is RUINING battery life "Bruh, there is no reason they had to make Samantha Samsung so bad I'm thinking of buying a Samsung, at this point I think I do need to go to horny jail," another said. "samantha samsung do be fine," one penned. "just found out Samsung samantha is not real I'm gonna need a minute," a user complained. | https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/3010833/samsung-virtual-assistant-samantha-twitter-reddit/ |
Why did the Queen not meet Lyndon B Johnson? | QUEEN Elizabeth is set to meet Joe Biden on Sunday June 13, 2021 during the presidential trip to the G7 summit. It is tradition for the Queen to meet each president, with Biden becoming the 13th American leader to meet the monarch. There has been much speculation as to why Queen Elizabeth II had never met President Lyndon Johnson during his presidency. The archivists at the LBJ Presidential Library said; "President Johnson and Queen Elizabeth corresponded from March 1964 to July 1967." "Nothing seriouscongratulations on births, birthday wishes, and a condolence message after the death of Churchill." "Queen Elizabeth never sent an invitation to President Johnson to visit Great Britain. And, President Johnson never sent an invitation to the Queen to visit the United States." 3 The Queen pictured with her son, Prince Edward Credit: Getty However, the White House Historical Association explained there was a plausible explanation for the Queen being unable to meet with President Johnson- she was pregnant. "Queen Elizabeth II never met President Lyndon Johnson during his presidency and was unable to attend John F. Kennedy's funeral because she was pregnant with Prince Edward." Born on August 27, 1908, Lyndon Baines Johnson was the 36th president of the United States and was sworn into office following the November 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 3 Lyndon Johnson was in office from 1963 to 1969 Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty Johnson, also known as LBJ, launched a set of reforms aimed at creating a Great Society for all Americans, promoting "rugged individualism". LBJ's time in office was marred by his failure in Vietnam, deploying over 500,000 young troops, a majority of whom were college students. TRUTH IS IN THERE Pentagon report on UFO files could be released TOMORROW ROYAL RAGE What the Queen REALLY thinks about Meg & Harry's attacks, according to an expert COIN IT Bitcoin, Ethereum & Dogecoin values surge as crypto market dramatically recovers VAN LIFE I quit my job to live in a VAN with no shower or toilet - but Im happier now APPLE JUICED Panicked iPhone owners say new iOS 14.6 update is RUINING battery life This led to protestors chanting the rhyme "hey, hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today". U.S. military involvement in Vietnam continued for four years after his departure from Washington in January 1969. | https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/3011072/why-did-the-queen-not-meet-lyndon-b-johnson/ |
What does wym mean? | WITH the rise of social media, abbreviated words have become the conversational norm. But whilst some people have no problem deciphering new and quick terms, less tech-savvy people may still struggle to communicate as fluently. A quick clue : Justin Bieber - who was recently slammed for cultural appropriation - has made the saying into a hit song back in 2015. ", "wym" is an abbreviation of "what you mean?" as in "what do you mean?" It is mostly used in texting and on social media by teenagers and most adults. It doesn't have the need for a question mark. Although the acronym "wym" is more widespread, some people will prefer "wdym" as a reference to the more grammatically correct version. It is also occasionally used to mean "watch your mouth." No precise origins for "wym" are known. But as a part of popular Internet slang, the abbreviation can be guessed to originate from the rise of social media and texting. Used in chat rooms, online games and other networking services, its primary function is to ease communication. Although more common now, the basis of Internet slang was created around 1979 when new computer services and products were first introduced. | https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/3011139/what-does-wym-mean/ |
What does STG mean? | THE 21st century has welcomed a technological boom, and with our phones and tech has come a new wave of textspeak. Abbreviations and slang have become the new normal in cyber-conversations, with tech-savvy millennials and Gen Zers able to decipher the terms with ease; however, not everyone is as fluent in the new form of online communication that is emerging. STG is an abbreviation of the phrase "swear to God" and acts as an expression of immense frustration or intense belief. The term can also be used as an exaggeration to emphasise the speaker/sender's emotions. For example: "I stg he is so rude"; in this instance, the speaker uses STG to passionately display their disgust. Another example: "I saw Harry Styles shopping in Brixton the other day, I stg" depicts that the speaker intensely believes they saw Harry Styles. The term originated from Old English as a display of religious belief and devotion. TRUTH IS IN THERE Pentagon report on UFO files could be released TOMORROW ROYAL RAGE What the Queen REALLY thinks about Meg & Harry's attacks, according to an expert COIN IT Bitcoin, Ethereum & Dogecoin values surge as crypto market dramatically recovers VAN LIFE I quit my job to live in a VAN with no shower or toilet - but Im happier now APPLE JUICED Panicked iPhone owners say new iOS 14.6 update is RUINING battery life Although Textspeak can often be bothersome to decipher and adapt to, some countries are not even afforded the small luxury of being able to use it. In North Korea, using abbreviated terms that are popular in the democratic South is punishable with a trip to the gulag. Authorities in the state-run by madcap Kim Jong Un will be inspecting citizens phones to curb the "perverted 'puppet language' and 'puppet style' that is widespread in our society. ". | https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/3011520/what-does-stg-mean/ |
Who is Chris Matthews wife Kathleen? | CHRIS Matthews is a retired political commentator and talk show host, best known for his weeknight program Hardball with Chris Matthews. Matthews' talk show aired on MSNBC from 1997 until March 2020 - when he announced he would be retiring. Since 1980, Matthews has been married to Kathleen, a former news anchor at WJLA-TV, an ABC affiliate stationed at Washington DC. She is the former chair of the Maryland Democratic Party. In 2015, Kathleen launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination to run for a House seat in Maryland's 8th congressional district. She lost that election to Democrat Jamie Raskin. 4 Chris Matthews and Kathleen have been married since 1980 Credit: Getty Matthews and Kathleen have three children, Michael, Thomas and Caroline. On Tuesday, June 1, Matthews returned to MSNBC for the first time since he retired and addressed the accusations of inappropriate behavior while at the network. Matthews was accused of making comments to a female guest of his program while she sat in a makeup chair getting ready to go on the air. I shouldnt have done that, Matthews said on The ReidOut, the program that took over his old time slot. Nobody has to come to defend me. And by the way, Ive kept all of my friends but nobody needs to defend me. I did something wrong. So Im going to move on from that. 4 Matthews was the host of the weeknight program Hardball with Chris Matthews, which aired on MSNBC from 1997 until 2020 Credit: Getty I accept it. I took ownership of it. I have took complete ownership. I did not deny it. I lost my show over it. Thats it so thats the truth," Matthews added. In an interview with GQ, writer Laura Bassett described her run-in with Matthews as a guest on his show. Bassett said she was preparing for appearing on Matthews show when he said, Keep putting makeup on her, Ill fall in love with her. Bassett said, When I laughed nervously and said nothing, he followed up to the makeup artist. At another point, Matthews remarked on a red dress Bassett wore, asking, You going out tonight? Bassett said that she didnt know, and Matthews told the makeup artist, Make sure you wipe this off her face after the show. We dont make her up so some guy at a bar can look at her like this. 4 In February 2020, writer Laura Bassett told GQ magazine about an 'inappropriate' encounter with Chris Matthew Credit: Getty Most read in News SHOCK FIND Boy's stepmom charged with 'impeding breath' of father before 'child found dead' HITTING BACK Trump has NO plans to be reinstated in White House in August, Lara Trump says OH JOE! Biden makes yet another gaffe as claim about Alzheimer's is branded 'nonsensical' FLIP FLOP FAUCI Fauci finally admits Covid may have come from lab & many want him fired Exclusive MOWED DOWN Heartstopping moment OnlyFans model is hurled into air by 'drink-driver' Latest HORRIFIC 'SMELL' Body feared to be missing boy found wrapped with black bags & duct tape' Bassett said the remarks undermined my ability to do my job well. And after I published a story about it, even though I didnt name him, dozens of people reached out to say they knew exactly who it was. Many had similar stories. Bassett claimed she didn't identify Matthews at the time because of fears of network retaliation. Matthews has since apologized for the incident, to which Bassett said that she "appreciated his apology." | https://www.the-sun.com/news/3010360/meet-political-commentator-chris-matthews-wife-kathleen/ |
What are the supersonic planes United Airlines is buying? | UNITED Airlines has just bought 15 supersonic planes from start-up company Boom Supersonic. This purchase seems to mark the return of supersonic air travel. The 15 supersonic planes that United Airlines bought from Boom Supersonic are called "The Overture" planes. It flies at a speed known as Mach 1.7. For purposes of reference, Mach 1 is considered the speed of sound, and translates to about 760 miles per hour. The Overture planes, then, fly faster than the speed of sound. 4 The Overture will cut flight time in half Credit: Getty To put it in a unit of time, then, a flight from New York City to London would take about 7 hours on a regular United Airlines jet flight. But on a United Airlines Overture flight, it would take about 3 hours. The initial commitment from United Airlines to Boom Supersonic was for the delivery of 15 supersonic planes. United Airlines also made the commitment to buy 35 more Boom Supersonic planes "at some point." 4 A $3billion deal Credit: Getty By one estimate, United's stake in the deal is about $3billion. However, it will take some time for these supersonic jets to be rolled out. As of this writing, The Overture hasn't been built, or even certified. Its target date for passenger service is in 2029. 4 The Overture has a target date of 2029 Credit: Getty But United Airlines is still very confident about the deal. Most read in News SHOCK FIND Boy's stepmom charged with 'impeding breath' of father before 'child found dead' HITTING BACK Trump has NO plans to be reinstated in White House in August, Lara Trump says OH JOE! Biden makes yet another gaffe as claim about Alzheimer's is branded 'nonsensical' FLIP FLOP FAUCI Fauci finally admits Covid may have come from lab & many want him fired Exclusive MOWED DOWN Heartstopping moment OnlyFans model is hurled into air by 'drink-driver' Latest HORRIFIC 'SMELL' Body feared to be missing boy found wrapped with black bags & duct tape' Booms vision for the future of commercial aviation, combined with the industrys most robust network in the world, will give business and leisure travelers access to a stellar flight experience, United CEO Scott Kirby said. The Overture will mark the first time supersonic travel has returned to the airlines since the Concorde. The Concorde, jointly owned by Air France and British Airways, flew from 1976 until 2003. | https://www.the-sun.com/news/3010850/united-airlines-boom-supersonic-planes/ |
Where are Sasha and Malia Obama now? | FORMER first daughters Sasha and Malia Obama spent eight years growing up in the public eye. After their father, Barack Obamas last term in office, the family relocated to a nine-bedroom home in Washington, DC so Sasha could complete high school. Sasha, 19, and Malia, 22, are now college students at two different universities. Malia is a senior at Harvard University, set to graduate in 2021, while Sasha is a sophomore at the University of Michigan. However, they lived back home in the Spring of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to shut down. Michelle Obama dished to the Today show about her daughters moving back home while doing virtual school, saying: I feel for them because Malia is a senior, this was her last year in college, and Sasha has essentially missed her second year in college. 4 Sasha and Malia are now college students finishing up their studies at Harvard and Michigan University, respectively Credit: Splash News "But for Barack and I, we have cherished this time. It's even fun just peeking in and hearing them in their online classrooms. Adding: "It's like, 'Oh, you actually did your reading. Ah, you have an opinion.' I like that." Malias boyfriend, Rory Farquharson also joined the Obamas during the coronavirus pandemic and quarantined with the family at their home. In February 2021, news surfaced that Malia had landed a TV gig working in the Hollywood industry. She reportedly worked on CBS drama Extant, alongside Halle Berry and is set to work alongside Donald Glover for her first TV writing role. Similarly, in 2016, Sasha took up a serving job at Nancys, a seafood restaurant on Marthas Vineyard for the summer. She bused tables and prepped the restaurant before it opened for lunch all within the watch of six secret service agents. Since starting at college, Sasha is said to be "living her best life," even performing in TikTok videos with peers. Though she does not have any known social media accounts herself, Sasha was seen rapping and dancing to Moneybagg Yo's Said Sum with a friend in a TikTok video that was shared - and since deleted - in October. In December of 2020, more footage from the video-sharing app surfaced, showing her goofing around with pals to Popp Hunna's Adderall song. 4 Sasha has been spotted on TikTok dancing with peers Credit: TikTok Many social media users praised Sasha for enjoying her life amid the Covid pandemic, with one Twitter user saying: "Our Sasha Obama looks happy, has a group of normal looking friends, and is simply beautiful." Another wrote, "Sasha Obama is absolutely gorgeous and living her best life!!!! ", while a third commented: "Can't believe I was blessed to see another Sasha Obama TikTok...bc wow!" The recent Twitter photo purportedly showing Sasha posing in a crop top has sparked similar praise, with one fan remarking: "She looks so beautiful and doing her own business like a queen." On James Corden's "Late Late Show," Obama was asked about getting young kids inspired to enter public service or politics. What would you think or what advice would you give if Sasha or Malia ever came to you and said I want to go into public service? Cordon asked the former president. He said: "First of all, them as teenagers, having secret service guys follow them when they were going out on dates, I think has probably shut down their interest in public service. 4 Sasha was seven years old and Malia was 10 when the Obama's moved to the White House Credit: Getty They still have PTSD from guys talking into their wrist microphones and glasses as they try to go to a music concert. Obama went on to say that being in public service, you have to have a certain tolerance for nonsense, silliness, and meanness. Most read in News SHOCK FIND Boy's stepmom charged with 'impeding breath' of father before 'child found dead' HITTING BACK Trump has NO plans to be reinstated in White House in August, Lara Trump says OH JOE! Biden makes yet another gaffe as claim about Alzheimer's is branded 'nonsensical' FLIP FLOP FAUCI Fauci finally admits Covid may have come from lab & many want him fired Exclusive MOWED DOWN Heartstopping moment OnlyFans model is hurled into air by 'drink-driver' Latest HORRIFIC 'SMELL' Body feared to be missing boy found wrapped with black bags & duct tape' As a father, I want to protect my girls from that stuff, he said. I think they are probably going to find other ways to serve, rather than run for office themselves. But Obama acknowledged that you never know. | https://www.the-sun.com/news/3010987/where-are-sasha-malia-obama-now/ |
Does Macys strong first-quarter performance indicate a buy signal? | The retail giant posted a profit in Q1, surprising analysts who had projected a wide loss Increasing consumer demand and back-to-back strong results delivered by large retailers including Walmart (NYSE: WMT), Costco (NASDAQ: COST), and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) are pointing towards recovery the US retail space after a nerve-racking pandemic. When Macys (NYSE: M) announced first-quarter results earlier this week, it was a similar story there as well. Sales surged 56% year-over-year to $4.71 billion, riding on a 62.5% increase in comparable sales. The figures appear relatively massive due to the fact that the stores had remained closed during the same period last year. If comparisons are made with the first quarter 2019 instead, we see that sales declined 14.5% in Q1 2021. However, sles trends improved throughout the quarter as more merins beme fully vinted nd the US enmy began to reen. Digital sles grew 32% mred to the first quarter f 2019, whereas brick-nd-mortar ms fell 24% ver the same erid. Coming at a better position The New York-based department store chain was trading at $16 per share when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Despite the store closures, the company has managed to remain afloat, and it currently trading at $18.63. The companys strategy to wade through the pandemic period was to clse down its wrst-erfrming ltins nd en more f its ulr ff-rie stores. Mays has also given care to build its digital platform, which has contributed close to 40% of overall sales in the recent quarters. The company has also reduced the new inventory orders and has increased the emphasis on sales at competitive prices without needing to advertise as much as it did during the pre-pandemic. The stimulus checks provided by the US government during March and April may work out well for Macys, as savings amongst consumers have increased. Debt management In the first quarter of 2021, the retail giant had $4.5 billion of long-term debt compared to $4.9 billion in the same quarter in the previous year. The companys access to credit has increased, which was not possible till last year. Debt usually mes with n interest expense, nd Mys had to y $79 million in interest expenses in the previous quarter. However, the company generated $215 million in operating income and with current stats, and can easily generate more than $1 billion in cash from operations on a yearly basis. Thanks to be robust start, Macys management expects net sales for the full fiscal year to be approximately $22.2 billion, with $8 billion in digital sales. This is a significant increase of $1.7 billion in the companys topline in fiscal year 2020. The company also understands the importance of going online to stay relevant in the years to come. It is ntinuing to invest in its online business nd lns to grow e-mmere sles to $10 billion by 2023. While Macys long-term outlook depends a lot on the success of its digital efforts and store management, the managements solid track record should give some confidence to value investors. | https://news.alphastreet.com/does-macys-strong-first-quarter-performance-indicate-a-buy-signal/ |
Will families whose children died at residential school receive any compensation? | SASKATOON -- Amid calls for accountability and compensation for child deaths at residential schools, lawyers say its unlikely Indigenous families will receive it from the government any time soon, especially since there has been no national inquiry yet into the deaths. The horrific discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at the site of a residential school in Kamloops, B.C. has prompted demands that all former school sites be searched for hidden graves something Saskatchewan recently announced it was doing. The United Nations Human Rights Office, along with many commenters on social media, are renewing calls for government compensation for those whose family members went to these schools and never came back. Lawyers say that compensation is unlikely, at least for now. I think it shouldnt be done as a legal obligation, but a moral obligation, Winnipeg-based lawyer Bill Percy told CTVNews.ca over the phone on Tuesday. His past cases have involved sexual abuse victims and Indigenous law. There should be political will. I mean, it's clearly wrong what has happened to these people, he said, noting that the federal government has apologized for the schools and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) determined widespread abuse in the residential school system. But he stressed, I dont see financial compensation being on the lips of government people so far. However, if the government wanted to, Percy said it could set up a system to provide compensation in a way that makes sense. In 2007, after years-long legal battling, the government set up a multi-billion dollar agreement to give direct payments to tens of thousands of survivors of residential schools, but its since ended. Its focus did not include families whose children had died at the schools. Percy urged officials to set up a similar compassionate program for the families to seek restitution for their late loved ones, one that wouldnt require them to provide mounds of evidence to prove the deaths were directly the fault of administrators -- as if it were a standard civil class-action lawsuit. And although Eleanore Sunchild, a Cree lawyer and Indigenous advocate, said itd be great if the government did that, shes not holding her breath. It's not going to happen anytime soon not with current ways the Canadian government handles Indigenous issues and historical files, she told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview on Tuesday. As for whether the government is even considering implementing a compensation scheme, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) didnt respond to CTVNews.cas requests for comment by the time of publication. On Wednesday, however, the federal government did reveal it was ready to distribute $27 million in pre-announced funding to assist Indigenous communities in locating and memorializing children who died at residential schools. The money was earmarked in the 2019 federal budget, part of a $33.8-million commitment to be spent over three years to fund the National Residential School Student Death Register and to help establish and maintain an online registry of known residential school cemeteries. 'A WHOLE HISTORY HAS TO COME OUT' Sunchild said that it is far too early to imagine the government setting up compensation funds without a full inquiry into the deaths at all residential schools. The inquiry would have to include testimonies from survivors, living administrators, and access to sealed historical documents. The inquiry would have to include testimonies from survivors, living administrators, and access to sealed historical documents. Investigating how the children died -- whether by neglect, abuse, or disease -- would not only be meaningful for the families, she said, but itd be essential in compelling the government to even consider compensation. On Wednesday, the United Nations Human Rights Office echoed many families and advocates in calling on all levels of Canadian governments to investigate the deaths of Indigenous children at residential schools. But Sunchild warned that another huge hurdle to compensation and inquiries is resisitance from the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church, who administrated many of the schools. She said they would need to be forthright in providing crucial ledgers and public documents and lawyers said voluntary openness was not the case during the TRC inquiries in the early 2010s. There's a whole history that has to come out. All of the lawyers CTVNews.ca reached out to pointed to the need for a concerted effort from the government to attempt to give some form of restitution. Lawyers said the last such effort was during the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Set up in 2007, it served as a multi-billion-dollar fund for living survivors and abuse victims and still remains one of the largest class-action settlements in Canadian history. It took years of legal haggling to bring to the table representatives of former students, the Assembly of First Nations and other Indigenous organizations, involved churches, and the federal government. But nearly all of the 80,000 eligible former students and tens of thousands of abuse victims received payouts for the trauma they endured. It was a process that was easier than ordinary litigation because a lot of the expenses were borne by Canada and it was a non-adversarial process, Montreal-based lawyer David Schulze, whose firm specializes in Indigenous law, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview. Wrongful deaths werent grounds for compensation in that agreement, and those claiming compensation were unable to file future lawsuits against parties involved, including the church and the government. But all three lawyers CTVNews.ca spoke to said this multi-part agreement could serve as a loose template for a future compensation agreement for claims of wrongful death. Still, all of them stressed that the framework at the time was far from perfect. The claims system was open to abuse, with private lawyers being able to charge their clients high fees. And before an additional legal agreement was reached in 2016, students in Newfoundland and Labrador were initially left out of compensation packages because Canada argued it did not establish or operate residential schools in that province -- Newfoundland wasnt a part of the country when the schools opened, but it did help run schools after the province joined Canada in 1949. Some First Nations have suggested that all residential schools immediately be treated as crime scenes. While the TRC found that the residential school system amounted to cultural genocide, and some individual acts within the schools have been treated as crimes, no charges have been laid in connection with the system as a whole, or with any undocumented deaths. "The perpetrators haven't been brought to justice," Pam Palmater, the chair in Indigenous governance at Ryerson University in Toronto, said Tuesday on CTV's Your Morning. Percy noted that bringing individual or class-action civil lawsuits against living school administrators for wrongful deaths isnt impossible, but it would be a huge challenge for a number of reasons: primarily because it would be on the plaintiffs to prove a cause of death. This is amplified by a lack of witnesses who could provide evidence or testimony, or having living relatives willing to invest time and potentially re-traumatize themselves to partake in legal proceedings. Percy noted if there was a potential class-action litigation from families now, he expected theyd face barriers similar to the ones hes facing now with his current litigation for living survivors of day schools. Last year, after years of legal battles, the government opened up applications for day school survivors to apply for compensation, a group that was excluded from various parts of the 2007 compensation payouts. Day schools were institutions where thousands of Indigenous students were forced to go to but could leave at the end of the day. They can receive a range of compensation between $10,000 and $200,000, based on abuse suffered. But Percy and Schulze said the claims process so far is problematic and adversarial. And they said its led to litigation against the federal government. The lawyers say the government is being stricter with compensation criteria for the day school survivors. For example, Schulze explained that if someone filed a claim but wanted to modify the level of compensation they are seeking, theyre unable to add more details after the fact. This might occur as survivors become more comfortable in disclosing more details. So lawyers filed a motion for the government to tweak the process. The government of Canada has set a hearing in July in regards to this aspect, which Schulze and Percy say indicates that they dont intend to consent to the motion. All three lawyers also said that if the government is combative when it comes to day schools lawsuits, they can only imagine how much tougher it will be for families whose children died at residential schools. With files from CTVNews.cas Rachel Aiello and Ryan Flanagan Edited by CTVNews.ca's Sonja Puzic and Adam Ward If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here. | https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/will-families-whose-children-died-at-residential-school-receive-any-compensation-1.5453596 |
Which Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker should I get? | The best Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker When its time to beat the summer heat and caffeinate, iced coffee is a drink that satisfies. But if you dont have the time to pop into your local coffee shop, you can make your own iced coffee from your kitchen. It turns out that the brand offers a few options for making the delicious cold beverage at home, which could save you money in the long run. Cold brew coffee has become fairly popular in the last few years, but iced coffee is a tried-and-true beverage that is easier and a lot quicker to make. Its not as simple as just cooling hot coffee over time or in the refrigerator. While room temperature or refrigerated coffee tastes adequate over ice, it oxidizes quickly, losing flavor and becoming bland or bitter. That leaves you with two choices: cold brew or brewed iced coffee. Cold brew involves steeping coffee grounds for an extended period. You make iced coffee by brewing higher-concentrated coffee before cooling and diluting with ice. The resulting iced coffee is lighter and more acidic than cold brew, less caffeinated and a milder and brighter cup. You can use most drip methods to make Iced coffee, including pour-over. Still, recently many coffee companies like Mr. Coffee have unveiled automatic iced coffee makers that make the task even more accessible. What to consider when choosing a Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker Volume First and foremost, you should consider how much iced coffee you want to make at a time. Mr. Coffee offers two types of iced coffee makers: the single-cup brewer and the two-in-one iced tea and coffee batch brewer. If youre only making iced coffee for yourself, consider the single-cup model. If you need to make enough for yourself and your family or friends, then a batch-brewer is your best bet. Size and color Your iced coffee maker needs to fit into your kitchen physically and if possible, aesthetically. Mr. Coffees single-cup brewer comes in a few colors other than the standard-issue black, including cool grey and warm burgundy. Its also a slender machine, making it an easy fit for most counters with outlet access. Batch iced coffee makers tend to take up more space, meaning you may want to store it between infrequent uses. Functionality Its always beneficial when a product has more than one use, and with a single-serve Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker, its designed solely for that purpose. On the other hand, the companys batch brewer, designed with iced tea in mind, actually doubles as an iced coffee brewer as well. Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker features The Mr. Coffee Single-Cup Iced Coffee Maker comes with a few valuable accessories, including a mesh filter, grounds scoop and double-wall insulated, BPA-free reusable tumbler. The machine is designed to brew iced coffee directly into the tumbler, making your iced coffee easy to take on the go. Similarly, the two-in-one batch brewer comes with a reusable mesh filter and glass pitcher, but it also features variable strength settings for bolder, more concentrated brews. It also features advanced water filtration that claims to eliminate up to 97% of chlorine and other substances found in tap water. The final verdict If you want to enjoy a single cup of iced coffee, the Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker is a great purchase. The two-in-one iced tea and coffee maker is excellent for its versatility but is still better suited for tea. For larger batches, youre better off investing in a solid cold brew maker. Other top iced coffee makers Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System This is a dual-purpose brewer from another respected kitchen brand, but one that doesnt immediately bring coffee to mind. It makes fresh iced coffee in 10-15 minutes using lower temperature water, a process that is much faster than regular cold brew. It also features five different brew settings, making it a versatile machine worth the extra investment. Sold by Amazon Cuisinart Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker This hybrid cold brew and iced coffee maker used a combination of technologies to make up to seven cups at a time. The brewer features three strength options, including mild, medium and bold, providing the user with every brew option. Sold by Amazon Keurig K-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker with Iced Coffee Capability This Keurig machine doubles as an iced coffee maker for K-Cup coffee fans, opening up a world of flavor possibilities. The downside is dilution since it uses hot water to brew the pod and requires the user to ice the drink. Sold by Amazon DeLonghi 3-in-1 Specialty Brewer Another multi-functional model, this brewer features high-quality regular drip, pour-over and iced coffee that connoisseurs and coffee novices can all enjoy. Its the best of both hot and cold worlds and capable of brewing eight cups at a time. Sold by Wayfair HyperChiller HC2 Beverage Cooler This is an excellent option for making iced coffee using your existing hot drip coffee maker. Simply freeze water in its patented chambers before using it to shake your coffee and other beverages to a perfectly chilled temperature without dilution. Sold by Amazon Braun MultiServe Machine 7 With programmable brew sizes and strengths, this Braun all-purpose brewer delivers hot or cold coffee in a matter of minutes. With its ExactBrew technology, this maker customizes temperature, water flow and speed for each setting. The downside is the price tag. Sold by Amazon Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals. Matt Fleming writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money. Copyright 2021 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cbs17.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/coffee-accessories-br/which-mr-coffee-iced-coffee-maker-should-i-get/ |
What Is Multi-Tenancy and How Does It Impact SaaS Applications? | Multi-tenancy describes a software architecture where a single physical installation can provide multiple logical installations. Each logical installation serves a dedicated userbase dubbed a tenant. Multi-tenancy is most frequently seen in the context of cloud SaaS services. Organizations that sign-up to a service become tenants. The tenant encapsulates organization-level configuration and usually supports multiple end-user accounts. When a user logs in, they see their organizations tailored view of the service. The primary alternative to multi-tenancy is single-tenancy. In this model, each tenant receives their own standalone installation of the system. In practice, this means dedicated server infrastructure needs to be configured for each tenant. Multi-tenancy exists purely within your application. Each tenant shares the same server infrastructure. This simplifies the setup of new tenants as you dont need to provision any extra resources. The costs of running a multi-tenant service can therefore be lower than a comparable single-tenant implementation. Shared infrastructure also means greater operating efficiency. You might have a tenant who uses the service infrequently. With a single-tenant platform, youd still be provisioning a dedicated installation, even though it would sit idle most of the time. With a multi-tenant architecture, youre maintaining one set of systems. You can anticipate overall aggregate load and dont need to keep systems parked on the off-chance a tenant logs in. Resources are distributed between the active users. The flip side is that a particularly busy tenant could negatively impact the others, causing knock-on performance issues. Multi-tenancy can be much easier to maintain over time. Youve got one installation of your service which means one set of migrations. Multi-tenancy aligns well with modern software development workflows driven by continuous integration and rapid deployments. Iterating on a single-tenant system means you need to build orchestration scripts to upgrade all your tenant environments individually. Once again, theres two sides to this: single-tenancy has a significant advantage when you want a gradual roll-out. The per-tenant isolation simplifies incremental releases where only a minority of your userbase sees a new feature on day one. Single-tenancy also helps you accommodate individual client requests. A tenant might wish to stay on an older platform version for a little longer, giving their users more time to prepare for change. Theres no need for everyone to move together when tenants can be migrated individually. Multi-tenancy works best when every organisation has the same broad requirements. In this scenario, all the tenants benefit from every change thats made. The provider benefits from reduced time-to-launch and improved operating efficiency but loses a degree of tenant isolation. Drawbacks of Multi-Tenancy Alongside the issues described above, multi-tenancy introduces some important considerations into every application. Top of the list is security, which could be more easily compromised in a multi-tenant service. Single-tenancy lets you put strong safeguards around each tenants data. In a multi-tenant environment, everyones data will exist within the same infrastructure. That means theres one centralized location for an attacker to target. Multi-tenancy can be more demanding on developers. Each operation within your service needs to be manually scoped to the active tenant. Database tables storing tenanted resources will need to include a tenant_id field or similar, allowing each record to be linked to its tenant. In a single-tenant application, where each tenant gets its own standalone installation, the following database query might be acceptable: SELECT * FROM orders; In a multi-tenant environment, youll need to adjust that: SELECT * FROM orders WHERE tenant_id = 1; A single faulty database query could disclose the sensitive information of your other tenants. Backing up a multi-tenant service is usually straightforward. Youve only got one application installation to take care of. Challenges arise in restoration though. Its harder to selectively restore data for one tenant as all the data exists in a single dump. Providing a tenant with their data archive raises similar concerns youll need a custom mechanism to extract their records out of the shared infrastructure. Some applications are moving towards hybrid tenancy. This concept blends the best of both models. Hybrid tenancy aligns well with systems built using microservices. Some services will be single-tenanted while others will use a form of multi-tenancy. This can help you further improve the efficiency of your architecture. You might want a multi-tenant approach to global functions, such as authentication and third-party integrations. Data generated by your services users could then be stored separately, using multiple instances of a single-tenant service. Using a mix of single- and multi-tenant services gives you more flexibility. You can accelerate the launch of new features by using the approach that works best for each one. Hybrid tenancy can offer greater overall value by providing a more optimum balance between development ease, security, cost and maintenance. There are sticking points, particularly around complexity and distribution. Artificially separating your application into single- and multi-tenant standalone services isnt the right way to approach hybrid tenancy. It tends to work best in systems which already possess clearly distinct user-facing components. Tenant Access Your service will probably need to store some global data that doesnt belong to any particular tenant. The list of registered tenants is one such example. In a single-tenant system, you might have a dedicated superuser installation of your service. With a multi-tenant approach, you can simply have a tenants table in your database. When a user hits your service, you need to know which tenant they belong to. A common way to identify tenants is by subdomain detection: tenant1.example.com tenant2.example.com Some sites use URL paths ( example.com/tenant1 ) or may let tenants bring their own domain name. Others will expose a single entrypoint ( example.com ) but then set tenant-identifying cookies or HTTP headers after a user logs in. You also need to handle users who belong to multiple tenants. Many services now let you login with shared credentials. User records are stored globally outside the tenanted system and get linked into tenants by database relations. This wont always be appropriate for your system: if you provide dedicated subdomains or support tenant-provided domains, it might be undesirable to let the user change organisation. Summary Tenancy refers to how an application handles data from multiple distinct userbases. Each tenant gets its own operating environment; how thats provisioned depends on the tenancy model. Single-tenant services are simple but inefficient. Multi-tenant services minimise maintenance requirements but require more thought to design. Hybrid tenancy is an emerging pattern which uses microservices to combine the two approaches. Theres no go-to rule to help you determine the approach to use. Weigh up how each model performs on the attributes that matter most to you. If youre looking for strong isolation and will significantly customise your service per-tenant, single-tenancy might be best. Conversely, if you know youll have a large number of tenants, look to multi-tenancy but keep security at the forefront of your mind. | https://www.cloudsavvyit.com/11484/what-is-multi-tenancy-and-how-does-it-impact-saas-applications/ |
Which Indian badminton players have qualified for Tokyo Olympics? | National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand believes that all four players PV Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth and the doubles' duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have a solid chance of winning medals at the Tokyo Olympics. India won six medals at the London Olympics in 2012 and Gopichand is of the opinion that the Indian contingent will surpass that mark in the upcoming Games. Without further ado, let's take a look at the four badminton players who have qualified for Tokyo Olympics: PV Sindhu Women's Singles PV Sindhu had to settle for silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. This time around, she'd like to go one step further. [Source: Scroll] PV Sindhu came very close to winning an individual Olympic gold medal for India in 2016 but was left heartbroken by Spain's Carolina Marin in the final in Rio. However, not resting on her laurels and contending with a silver, PV Sindhu has continued to make forward strides in the sport of badminton throughout her career. She was the first Indian to become Badminton World Champion after winning a gold medal at the 2019 World Championships. Sindhu defeated Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7 in the final! The 25-year-old also won the silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Asian Games. All eyes will be on PV Sindhu at the Tokyo Olympics! B Sai Praneeth Men's Singles Sai Praneeth stunned everyone by winning the Bronze at the 2019 World Championships [Source: Scroll] Sai Praneeth burst onto the scene at the 2013 Thailand Open Grand Prix after pulling off a sensational victory. He managed to defeat the 2003 All England Champion Muhammad Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia. He also won against former World and Olympic Champion Taufik Hidayat in the first round of the Djarum Indonesia Open 2013, thus upsetting the home crowd. He stunned Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei at 2016 All England Super Series Premier and won the 2016 Canadian Grand Prix in the men's singles category. Sai Praneeth also became the fourth Indian after Saina Nehwal, Srikanth Kidambi, and PV Sindhu to win the Singapore Open Series, doing so in 2017. At the BWF World Championships in 2019, Sai Praneeth became the first Indian male shuttler to win a bronze medal after Prakash Padukone had done the same in 1983. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Men's Doubles The duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy [L] and Chirag Shetty [R] also have a great chance of winning a medal in Tokyo [Source: Sportstar] Having joined the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad in 2014, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy decided to become a doubles specialist. Along with K Manisha, he won 2015 Tata Open India International in 2015. | https://thebridge.in/badminton/indian-badminton-stars-qualified-tokyo-olympics-21867 |
When Is 'The Bachelorette' Season Finale? | Okay, so the newest season of The Bachelorette is about to air on June 7, and the sheer amount of drama is already enough to make my head spin. Whether it's controversy over who's hosting (so nice to see you again, Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe!) ), it's honestly the summer ride we're all needing rn. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. We're all about first impressions on #TheBachelorette. Join Katie and meet the men Monday at 8|7c on ABC! Just a thought! ), we know it's going to be a while before the Bachelorette season finale airs. But since we're all wondering about it while planning our summer TV bingeing schedules (please tell me I'm not the only one who does this lol), let's take a good look at when we can expect that finale to hit airwaves. Unfortunately, things are up in the air in terms of exact date until ABC blesses fans with direct intel We do know Katie decided to cut her season short (!!! ), so there is a chance there will be fewer episodes than usual. Historically, there have always been at least episodes per season, so since Katie's season premieres in early June it's safe to target the final episode air date as sometime in early to mid-August. That sounds like a good amount of time to watch Katie court a group of hot men and get her supposed fairytale ending with just one. Yeah, we're gonna go with that. Craig Sjodin Getty Images Okay, perfect. But for the more serious answer: If you're someone who likes to watch the show as it's happening, ABC or ABC Live is the perfect place for you to stream to your heart's content. Watch out though, because you might need to make an account before keeping up with the rest of the Bachelor Nation family. If you somehow missed the livestream the night before, you can always go on the show's official page to catch up on the latest. Or better yet, if you happen to have a Hulu account, you can watch it there too. A Hulu subscription starts at $5.99 a month. In the meantime, enjoy an old season of The Bachelorette to psych yourself up (there are different seasons on both Netflix and Hulu! ), and be prepared for what's sure to be an interesting season. WATCH THE BACHELORETTE ON NETFLIX WATCH THE BACHELORETTE ON HULU You love the deets on all things Bachelorette. So do we! Lets overanalyze them together. Adrianna Freedman Adrianna Freedman writes all things TV and film for Cosmo. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a36620551/when-is-the-bachelorette-finale/ |
Who Is HGTV Star Jenn Todryk Married To? | Even though it premiered just three months ago, the HGTV series No Demo Reno, hosted by Jenn Todryk, is already a hit among viewers. According to The Dallas Morning News, the shows impressive ratings indicate it could be renewed for another season. The publication noted that the president of HGTV, Jane Latman, recently released a statement, which attributed the shows success to Todryks likeability and screen presence. Jenn is so much fun to watch and her ability to keep it real when it comes to balancing work and family is a big part of her appeal and why her transition to television star worked out so well, read a portion of the statement. Before joining the HGTV family, Todryk already had a loyal following because of her popular lifestyle blog, The Rambling Redhead. While many of her posts detailed her everyday life, new fans of the television personality may not know much about her. In particular, some viewers may wonder about Todryks husband and family. Jenn Todryk Wed Her Husband In 2011 According to The Cinemaholic, the Texas native began dating her husband Mike Todryk, 44, in 2010 and they decided to tie the knot the following year. In celebration of their fourth anniversary, the 32-year-old took to her blog to detail her wedding which was held in Cancun, Mexico. She revealed that the ceremony was a week long party in Mexico that included margaritas (duh), dirty monkeys (banana alcoholic smoothies), and extremely average all-inclusive Mexican food. She also noted that she would HIGHLY recommend a destination wedding as it is [s]o fun for you and your guests and stress-free. In a 2015 blog post, the HGTV star also listed why she adores her husband, who previously served in the army. She explained that she appreciates his maturity, sensitivity, intelligence, and attractiveness. Todryk also revealed that she would like her husband to do more household chores like tak[ing] out the trash. The Todryks are parents to three children, all under the age of eight. The couple had their only son, Von, in 2013, and then their first daughter Berkley two years later. Their other daughter Vivienne joined their family just three years ago. The couple also opened a cafe called Armor Coffee Bar and Workspace located in Allen, Texas in 2019. Jenn Todryk Shared How She Felt About Being A Working Mom In A 2019 Interview While speaking to DFW Child in December 2019, Todryk got candid about her life as a working mother. At the time of the interview, the first season of No Demo Reno was already in the process of being made. She revealed that she often feels guilty when trying to balance her home life and her career. She told the publication: The mom guilts always there, but I cant say just one thing because it just depends on what Im doing that day. When were filming, its the guilt that Im not there. Whenever Im here, its the guilt that Im working, not crafting. When Im crafting, its the guilt that Im crafting and not cleaning. I feel like mom guilts always there. It just shows its face differently. I definitely hold anxiety with that kind of stuff. During the interview, the bloggers husband shared kind words about her. He stated that she is the perfect combination of Lucille Ball and Joanna Gaines in one person. The father-of-three also complimented her humor, wit, and being business-minded. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/hgtv/jenn-todryk-married-husband-kids-children/ |
Can a business require proof of vaccination for COVID-19? | At bars, you might get asked to show your ID. If you visit Costco, you can't get in or buy anything without your membership card. Currently, you don't have to flash your COVID vaccine card in most businesses in order to shop or to get a table. However, businesses are generally free to require that customers show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, sometimes known as a vaccine passport. Legal experts have likened the requirement to a no shirt, no shoes, no service policy. "A business can absolutely ask that question" whether a customer has been vaccinated, said Lindsay Wiley, Director of the Health Law and Policy Program at American University Washington College of Law, during an interview with USA TODAY. Retailers that have dropped mask rules for vaccinated people have said they don't plan to interrogate people or request their vaccination cards at the door. The growing list includes Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Starbucks, Target and CVS. For the most part, letting consumers go maskless has been on the honor system. But there are some exceptions. In Oregon, the state's health authority issued new guidance last month requiring businesses to verify the vaccination status of people who visited without masks. In Chicago, businesses can apply for a vaccine exemption to increase capacity at their establishments provided they require patrons to prove they have been fully vaccinated. And published reports have surfaced showing examples of some small businesses making their own policies and sometimes adding fees for unvaccinated guests. For example, a concert promoter in Florida hosted a show with $18 tickets for vaccinated attendees and $1,000 tickets for unvaccinated concertgoers, reported NBC News last month. Meanwhile, lawmakers in more than 40 states have introduced legislation often backed by vaccine skeptics and advanced by Republicans prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Some measures prevent businesses from asking customers for proof of vaccination. The largest number of bills seek to prevent employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccines, USA TODAY has previously reported. Throughout the pandemic, managing and monitoring customer behavior has proven difficult.Brian Dodge, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said store employees have been at risk by trying to enforce mask policies and a "patchwork of state and local rules" about masks has created confusion. Shifting retail workers from tracking masks to vaccination status wouldn't be any less complicated. That's obviously impractical and impossible to do, Dodge said in a recent interview with USA TODAY about identifying who is vaccinated and who is not. They should never have been the mask police, and they cannot be the vaccine police. So it is impossible to confirm the vaccination status of guests. A letter sent to the heads of the CDC, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from groups representing U.S. businesses warned enforcing policies requiring verification of vaccination status could put workers in dangerous situations. "Retail and other employees are not equipped to enforce health restrictions and, if they are required to do so, it will not protect them but will subject them to confrontations that put their health and well-being at much greater risk," read an excerpt of the letter. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, feels the CDCs update to mask guidance came too soon. He feels there should have been reassurance from the CDC to help consumers feel safer know people wearing masks were vaccinated. In a recent interview with USA TODAY, Offit said one option was if retailers asked anybody who walks into stores unmasked to show proof, which is burdensome and hard to do. Plus, they're no doubt will be cheating because you can buy a vaccine certification right off the internet. What qualifies as proof of vaccination Support among Americans for some form of vaccine verification depends on the type of activity. According to a survey conducted by Gallup in April, 57% of U.S. adults support verification for air travel while 55% back verifying vaccination status for attending a large event like a concert. However, only 40% support showing proof if you want to dine indoors at a restaurant. While there are laws requiring businesses to make accommodations for people with disabilities and for those who refuse to get vaccinated for religious reasons, establishments can still require customers prove their status. "Its newer legal ground but most likely so long as the businesses have a justification and they exempt people based on those reasons, they would most likely be legally permissible," said Alison Hoffman, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and an expert on health law and policy. The issues facing businesses might be more practical than legal. Hoffman said businesses are on "difficult and somewhat tenuous ground" trying to determine what qualifies as proof of vaccination. The closest available documentation Americans have is the CDC vaccination record card supplied and updated by vaccine providers after doses. Then there's the challenge of what to do if someone can't offer proof, or doesn't want to share that information. "They need to then decide what theyre going to do next if the person says, 'no Im not vaccinated' or says 'Im not going to answer that question,'" said Wiley. "They need to think through practically, are they then going to offer alternatives like curbside delivery in some cases or, yes you can come in but you have to wear a mask. That's permissible, too." Save better, spend better: Money tips and advice delivered right to your inbox. Sign up here Contributing: Daniel Funke, USA TODAY Follow USA TODAY reporters Brett Molina and Kelly Tyko on Twitter. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/06/03/can-business-ask-proof-vaccination-covid-19/5251954001/ |
Is signing Trai Turner a move the Giants need to make? | The New York Giants have addressed multiple positions this offseason, adding to both their top-end talent and depth through free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft. However, one area theyve paid little attention to is their offensive line arguably the teams biggest remaining weakness. The Giants, of course, dont see it that way. Both general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge are on record stating they have more faith in the O-line than the general public does. List 5 Giants who could break out in 2021 View 5 items Its really apparent that we have more confidence in our offensive line than you guys do, Gettleman said during the NFL draft. Were happy with the group we have. Still, it wouldnt hurt to beef up their line, especially at the guard position where the team took a hit this offseason with the release of veteran Kevin Zeitler. For that reason, signing Trai Turner is a move Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the Giants need to make. The New York Giants brought in new weapons for quarterback Daniel Jones in the form of free-agent receiver Kenny Golladay and first-round pick Kadarius Toney. However, if the Giants hope to see Jones succeed, they need to improve his offensive line. Jones was sacked an alarming 45 times and had 11 fumbles in 14 games last season. While the Giants get offensive tackle Nate Solder back after he opted out of the 2020 season, they also parted with starting guard Kevin Zeitler. Free agent Trai Turner could replace Zeitler and, ideally, help improve Jones interior pass protection. Turner was limited by injuries to nine games in 2020, but he is a five-time Pro Bowler and only 27 years old. Adding Turner would require New York to free up cap space as it has only $4.9 million available. It would be worth it, however, as protecting and developing Jones must be the franchises No. 1 goal in 2021. Those of us at Giants Wire have suggested signing Turner in the recent past and it remains a possible option as we head into the summer. However, health and salary demands are both legitimate concerns, which Knox also alludes to. As recently as May, Turner was seeking between $2-$3 million annually, which may not seem like much, but is a potentially tall order for the cash-strapped Giants. Was speaking to an NFL exec for a different story, but Trai Turner came up. He said Turner is still asking for $2-3M. Not sure how interested the Giants are, but that is likely out of their price range if they are. Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) May 10, 2021 Still, its somewhat easy to find cap space when you genuinely need it, were just not sold on the Giants buying into the notion that theyd need it for Turner. | https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/03/is-signing-trai-turner-move-new-york-giants-need-to-make/ |
What Would Help Fight Big Apples Crime? | Ray McGuires NYPD Cant Fight Crime on Its Own (op-ed, June 1) is untethered to reality. Stop-and-frisk was successful by any standard. It may have become overused at some point, but it clearly resulted in the drastic reduction in people carrying guns and dealing street drugs because of fear of getting caught. Calling the procedure flawed because of discrimination ignores the undeniable fact that the vast majority of violent crimes in the city occur in minority neighborhoods and are committed by minorities. The view that mental-health or substance-abuse crises arent police issues is misleading, and to suggest that trained nonpolice intervenors answer 911 calls is naive. After that concerned neighbor calls 911 in the middle of the night because of the loud shouting and smashing noises next door, the response needs to be police. Because no one knows whats behind that door. But most times that door doesnt open, and probable cause exists that crimes are being committed or people are in danger and the police must force entry and all too often must deal with a dire and dangerous situation as best they can in a few seconds. The notion that trained social workers and de-escalation experts, no matter how skilled and well intentioned, will resolve these situations is wrongheaded. If that door opens to reveal a clearly deranged person with, say, a machete or a gun, there will be no time to redo the situation by now summoning the police. Mr. McGuires other thoughtsbetter treatment options for the mentally ill and no bail for violent recidivistsare all great policies. Matt Farley Delray Beach, Fla. | https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-would-help-fight-big-apples-crime-11622748729 |
How is Chargers Linebacker Kenneth Murray "Getting Back to Roots" in 2021? | "The big emphasis from (Staley) was getting me to play more downhill," Murray explained. "A lot of things in the scheme last year didn't allow for me to play as downhill as I wanted to play. In college, that's pretty much what I did; every down was played downhill, so when he told me he wanted me to play downhill, it's kind of like music to my ears. That's what I'm really excited about; playing downhill, listening a lot more and being aggressive. That's what I'm excited about." Hill also said getting Murray back to what he does best will allow him to have even greater success on the field. "We want to put him into positions where he's using his skillset," the defensive coordinator mentioned. "He's able to run sideline to sideline and he's big enough to plug it up in the middle. We see that he's a flex guy. We want to try to use all those attributes to really get him going in this scheme." But adapting to a scheme isn't the only way Murray's returning to the familiar in 2021. He's going to do it wearing the No. 9. "When I got to Oklahoma, I told the equipment people I just wanted a single digit and they ended up giving me No. 9," Murray reflected. "I think it was the second scrimmage that I started making a couple plays and one of my teammates said, 'Yo, we're gonna start calling you K9.' The nickname stuck. You pretty much ask anyone about my name or who I am in college and everyone knows me by K9. The whole stadium knows me by K9. | https://www.chargers.com/news/kenneth-murray-getting-back-to-roots-2021 |
Did Biden pledge to forgive student loans? | President Biden released his proposed budget last week, and the omission of federal student loan debt forgiveness caught many peoples attention. President Joe Biden on May 28 released a $6 trillion proposed budget for the fiscal year 2022. While the budget included Bidens infrastructure plan and the American Families Plan, there was an omission that caught many peoples attention: forgiveness of student debt. The NAACP criticized Biden for not including student loan forgiveness in his proposed budget, arguing the president cant address the racial wealth gap without also addressing student loan debt. Others said Biden previously promised to forgive student loan debt. THE SOURCES THE ANSWER Yes, Biden has previously pledged to forgive at least $10,000 of federal student loan debt for each borrower. WHAT WE FOUND When Biden was running for president, he said his job and economic recovery agenda would focus on providing relief from student debt. On his campaign website, he said he would, Include in the COVID-19 response an immediate cancellation of a minimum of $10,000 of federal student loan debt and Forgive all undergraduate tuition-related federal student debt from two- and four-year public colleges and universities and private HBCUs and MSIs for debt-holders earning up to $125,000. During a Nov. 16, 2020, press conference, President-elect Biden again signaled his support for an immediate $10,000 forgiveness per borrower of federal student loans. But Bidens pledges have not come to fruition during the first four and a half months of his presidency. On his first day of office, Biden extended a pause on student loan payments through Sept. 30, 2021. On Feb. 4, Democratic leaders including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reintroduced a resolution that calls on Biden to use executive action to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower. Warren, citing a letter from the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, believes the president can direct the Department of Education secretary to broadly cancel student debt. In response to the resolution, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, The president has and continues to support canceling $10,000 of federal student loan debt per person, as a response to the COVID crisis. Hes calling on Congress to draft the proposal. And if it is if it is passed and sent to his desk, he will look forward to signing it. Nearly two weeks later, on Feb. 17, Psaki said Biden doesnt favor forgiving $50,000 of federal student loan debt per person without limitation. She said Biden would task the U.S. Justice Department with conducting a legal review of his authority to act on student debt relief through executive action. Psaki again urged Congress to move forward with a bill that forgives $10,000 of federal student loan debt, saying Biden would support and sign the legislation if it passed. On March 18, the Department of Education canceled about $1 billion of student loan debt for an estimated 72,000 people who were defrauded by for-profit schools. While impactful for those affected, the $1 billion cancellation is a small sliver of the total student loan debt accumulated in the U.S. Bidens White House chief of staff Ron Klain told Politico on April 1 that Biden had asked the Department of Education to prepare a memo on the presidents legal authority related to student debt forgiveness. But two months later, no action has been taken by Biden. According to the Federal Reserve Economic Data, student loan debt in the U.S. totals more than $1.7 trillion. Data from Federal Student Aid, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education, indicates about $1.56 trillion of student loan debt is from federal student loans borrowed by about 43 million people. About 15 million people in the U.S. have federal student loan debt that totals $10,000 or less, according to Federal Student Aid data. More from VERIFY: No, the Biden administration is not resuming border wall construction | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/verify/money-verify/biden-student-loan-debt-forgiveness/536-48a24e4b-d576-470e-9b43-fc9ca11ac341 |
Will Sony PlayStation be at E3 2021? | Despite having to transition to a digital format this year, E3 2021 is looking like the announcement-heavy event that its known for being. Some of the biggest names in the industry are confirmed to be holding conferences at the event, such as Xbox and Nintendo. However, there is one company that many are hoping to see make an appearance at the Electronics Entertainment Expo. Many are wondering if we will see Sony and PlayStation at E3 2021. Sony and PlayStation will not be at E3 2021. There is already a long list of publishers and studios confirmed to be participating in the event, and Sony is not among them. New names have been added to E3 2021 in the days leading up to the event, but with Sony being one of the biggest power houses in the gaming industry and E3 being just days away, its unlikely well see them make a last-minute appearance. Sony and PlayStation not being at E3 2021 may not be the answer fans were hoping for, but its far from a surprise. Sony hasnt participated in E3 since 2018, bowing out of the 2019 show in favor of its own standalone event later in the summer. Its clear that the folks over at Sony have no plans to make a return to E3 anytime soon. Since Sony wont be at E3 2021, fans will still be wondering when can we expect to hear about the companys upcoming slate of video games. Its possible that PlayStation event could happen sometime this summer, but theres been no official word. There it is, Sony PlayStation will not be at E3 2021. That said, there will surely be plenty of shocking announcements to keep viewers engaged and excited. For more coverage of E3 2021, stick with us here on Shacknews. | https://www.shacknews.com/article/124711/will-sony-playstation-be-at-e3-2021 |
Is Rangers risk of having catchers set up on one knee worth the reward of strikes gained? | DENVER The Rangers weigh the rewards vs. the risks of having towering Jonah Heim set up on one knee to get his body lower for pitchers. The rewards: Hes stealing the most strikes in the majors for his pitchers. The risks: Wild pitches with him behind the plate are piling up at out-of-this-world numbers. On Wednesday, Rangers pitchers were charged with two wild pitches with him behind the plate. That came a night after a pitch in the dirt got away from him in the 11th, allowing for the winning run to score. It was the second walkoff wild pitch the Rangers allowed this year, both coming with Heim behind the plate. Rangers pitchers have been charged with 32 wild pitches this season, third in the majors, but nearly twice as many (21) have occurred with Heim behind the plate than Jose Trevino (11). A wild pitch with Heim behind the plate occurs, on average, every 9 1/3 innings this season. It is the highest rate in the majors among the 46 catchers with at least 150 innings behind the plate. Manager Chris Woodward said Heim is working on his blocking of pitches but doesnt believe his setup was a significant factor. I dont think its the reason why some of these are happening, Woodward said. I think some weve just got to get better at certain blocks whether were on two feet or one or one knee. Its something we definitely talk about. And weve had dialogue to see what makes sense in certain situations, like a runner on third and a breaking ball coming. Both Trevino and Heim use the one knee set up as taught by catching instructor Bobby Wilson. Heim, however, has a much longer frame than Trevino. And that could play a role in his ability to block balls. At 6-4, he is the second tallest catcher in the majors with at least 25 games behind Pittsburghs Jacob Stallings. Its also worth noting that Rangers top catching prospect Sam Huff, currently recovering from knee surgery, is even taller at 6-5. Huff had three wild pitches and two passed balls last year in 78 innings behind the plate. +++ Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. | https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2021/06/03/is-rangers-risk-of-having-catchers-set-up-on-one-knee-worth-the-reward-of-strikes-gained/ |
Is We Are Lady Parts a True Story? Is the TV Show Based on Real Life? | We Are Lady Parts is a comedy series featuring an all-girl punk rock band from London. The story follows the eponymous band, comprised of band members who are all Muslim, as they search for musical success whilst grappling with the social expectations that come with their cultural backgrounds. When the shy but talented Amina joins the band, punk personas and conservative cultural sensibilities clash in ways that are equal parts entertaining, eye-opening and touching. The heartfelt experiences of the protagonists, especially Aminas who joins the punk band partly because her bandmate promises to help find her a groom, portray a complexity that is not easily scripted and seems very akin to reality. Lets take a look at whether We Are Lady Parts is actually based on a true story. No, We Are Lady Parts is not based on a true story. The complex characters and their blended-culture lives in modern London make for very realistic protagonists. Combined with authentic portrayals of conservative diaspora families and their cultural nuances, the show feels like a young adult story that actually happened. Its authenticity can be credited to Nida Manzoor, who is the shows creator, writer, and director. Nidas extensive writing and directing experience, coupled with her frustration at the conspicuous lack of authentic portrayals of Muslim women, prompted her to pen the script. Foremost was her aim to break the stereotypical representation of Muslim women in television narratives in favor of a more authentic, diverse portrayal. Her using her own experiences as a diasporic young adult does make the show somewhat autobiographical, but only in the portrayal of the characters and the larger themes of the show like the protagonists being musicians. Nida and her siblings made music together as kids, which is an aspect she has brought into the show to such an extent that the soundtrack of her project is written by her siblings and her. She describes her first passion as being music, recalling how she wanted to be a brown girl Bob Dylan in her younger days. It seems her songwriting aspirations also translate heavily into the show, with its soundtrack being released in a separate EP containing largely original songs. In a further bid for authenticity, all the characters also play their own instruments on the show. We Are Lady Parts focuses heavily on the diversity of Muslim women, which is represented by the distinct and unapologetic characters of each of the bands members, including their vaping, burqa-clad band manager. Hailing from a conservative background, the shows creator is well versed with having to hide aspects of ones personality for fear of being shamed or judged by the community. It is this very fear that she explores, once again using the punk rock band as the antithesis of a conservative and judgemental upbringing. Amina, the bands lead guitarist who also happens to be in search of a husband, embodies the dualities perfectly. Hence, despite being a fictional story, the show is populated by characters and situations that reflect the shows creators experiences. The eponymous band Lady Parts is a way for her to portray the renegade, diverse and fiery personalities of Muslim women, in direct contrast to the stereotypical characters generally seen on TV. Nida has described digging deep into her emotional history to give authenticity to the series, which has helped her generate layered and complex characters that proudly revel in their mixed cultural identities. Read More: Best Musician Movies of All Time | https://thecinemaholic.com/is-we-are-lady-parts-based-on-a-true-story/ |
Are Amazon prices fair or not? | D.C. sues Amazon in antitrust case over how it treats sellers on the platform. The market seems to be less worried about inflation this week. "This week, there seems to be buy-in from investors that the Fed truly is not going to raise interest rates, these increased prices that we're seeing right now in the economy are just transitory while supply lines get back in line, and, ultimately, things will get back to normal," said Susan Schmidt, head of U.S. equities at Aviva Investors. We're seeing that buy-in in the form of the 10-year Treasury yield drifting down, to closer to 1.5%. It's been as high as 1.7%, Schmidt said. Yields move inversely to prices. | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2262938445275/are-amazon-prices-fair-or-not |
Are journalists Trump's accomplices now that his blog failed? | There were many things that we thought would go away when Donald Trump left office but didn't. Somewhere near the top of the list is the interminable debate over whether ignoring him will make him disappear. There really is no answer to this question, alas. Team Ignore is right that the media fascination with Trump only helped him amplify his message and amass an army of trolls. Team Pay Attention, however, is right to note that the rise of American fascism that Trump represents is a story much bigger than Donald Trump himself, and that the only chance we have of stopping it rests on an awareness of what's going on. This article originally appeared at Salon. This debate is rearing its head again because Trump, who has been banned from Facebook and Twitter, has been angling for ways to keep injecting the Big Lie that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election into the public discourse. In many ways, he's succeeding. The entire Republican Party has been reorganized around the Big Lie, marshaling all its resources to cover up Trump's attempted insurrection and pass state-level laws restricting voting, using the Big Lie as their excuse. In addition, a series of surrogates like Michael Flynn and Mike Lindell have been holding events where they stoke the base's anger and unsubtly sow enthusiasm for another violent uprising. Clearly, however, this is not enough for Trump, since his epic narcissism demands that the media focus almost exclusively on him and his personality, not on all these other people acting on his behalf. But without Twitter, which was his favored medium for getting attention in the same way someone puking in your lap gets attention, he's been struggling. He got Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., ousted from the GOP leadership, but it was her picture, not his, that accompanied most of the stories about it. Stories about QAnon nuttery are more likely to show the "QAnon shaman" than Trump himself. Stories about his various kooky surrogates tend to focus headlines and pictures on that motley crew, not on Trump himself. Despite his best efforts to control the news cycle, Trump is losing his grip. Mentions of Trump in national media coverage have dramatically fallen off. Trump's social media mentions have gone down by 91% since January. His effort to recreate his Twitter power by starting a blog was a humiliating failure. Without Twitter forcing his lies and invective into the timeline of pundits and influencers, who would then retweet them in outrage, most of his nonsense is simply being ignored. Within less than a month, Trump gave up on his blog and shut it down. It is likely no coincidence that right around that time, stories based on claims by anonymous sources "close to Trump" (which often means Trump himself) started to tick up. It began when New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, a longtime outlet for Trump "leaks", tweeted that Trump has been telling people close to him that he believes he'll reinstated as president in August. This tweet echoed a conspiracy theory from the QAnon and Q-adjacent world, and coincided with an uptick in far-right chatter about how the American right should look to Myanmar's February military coup for inspiration. After Haberman's tweet, the Washington Post strengthened this narrative with a story about how Trump is "increasingly consumed with the notion that ballot reviews pushed by his supporters around the country could prove that he won" and is peddling the idea that such "audits" which are deliberately messy and nonsensical affairs "could result in his return to the White House this year." The Daily Beast confirmed that "the ex-president had begun increasingly quizzing confidants about a potential August return to power." This reporting gave Fox News all the excuse they needed to amplify the message. Even though that came in the form of Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, denying the reporting, the end result was another round of news stories reinforcing the basic concepts: August is the month. A violent coup. Trump's miraculous reinstatement. This is entirely too similar to the way Trump got the message out to his followers to stage a revolt on Jan. 6, through winking and nudging. So far, the big difference is that no exact date and location, as far as I can tell, has been established for a MAGA uprising. As much as liberals resist the idea that Trump has any wits at all, what he's doing is not exactly mysterious. He wants to get this particular message out, vaguely claiming that a glorious revolution will restore him to power later this year, and he's using the mainstream press to do it. To make things worse, he's exploiting the liberal desire to point at him and laugh to spread the message further. Every time a liberal shares one of these stories and calls Trump and his followers "delusional" for thinking that some extra-constitutional return to power is possible, they help spread the word while also reminding Trump supporters how "owned" liberals would be if there really were a "storm" that swept Trump back into the White House in August. Hence the conundrum that faces the media. On one hand, letting a wannabe fascist manipulate journalists to spread his message inciting sedition and violence seems like a huge mistake. On the other hand, it's clearly newsworthy that a former president who already incited one insurrection is busy cooking up another one, or at least encouraging others to do so. Attention aids Trump's strategy. But ignoring the tide of American fascism isn't exactly a smart move, either. Arguably, the unwillingness to take such chatter seriously is one reason the Jan. 6 insurrectionists got as far as they did. Furthermore, one major reason Trump was unable to steal the 2020 election is because progressives took his efforts seriously from the beginning, inspired in large part by journalists who took the threat seriously from the beginning. The baseline premise of journalism is simple: Tell the truth about what's going on. So while it is absolutely nerve-wracking to see Trump use the press to communicate the when (August) and the what (another coup attempt) that he longs for to his followers, it is hard to fault the journalists involved. A former president is plotting for ways to overthrow the government! No matter how you slice it, this conundrum is only going to get worse over the summer. Trump is reportedly bringing back his rallies, and while they're being advertised as a "comeback" for his potential 2024 campaign, the safe bet is that the focus will largely be on 2020 and Trump's false claims that he should be president right this minute. The rallies will be newsworthy. But it will also be true that if the press ignores the rallies, as they ignored Trump's blog, it'll be difficult for him to keep the incitement going. Sunlight may be the best disinfectant, but it also is the best illumination. Since ignoring Trump into oblivion does not seem possible, perhaps the best and only thing to do is to pay close attention and prepare to keep up the resistance. | https://www.rawstory.com/trump-journalists/ |
What is the BMW Remote Theft Recorder? | The BMW iX arrived earlier this week and it is by far the most advanced model ever made by the Bavarians. The list of high-tech feature is quite extensive, but there is one that stood out among many: the Remote Theft Recorder. The new feature works in conjunction with the overhead interior camera which is triggered when the alarm system goes off. The iXs owner is then notified on its smartphone and hes able to access and save the pictures from both the interior camera and the cameras at the front and rear of the vehicle and on its exterior mirrors. The images can also be combined to form a 360-degree panoramic view. Of course, privacy concerns are at the top of the list for any customer. But BMW says that when the interior camera function is opened for the first time, a data privacy disclaimer containing all the relevant information flashes up in the display prior to activation. This disclaimer must be accepted before pictures can be taken, and these are subsequently only stored locally in the vehicle. Images are only transmitted if they are requested by the customer via the My BMW App. This is done directly using end-to-end encryption; no pictures are stored on BMW servers. Customers have the option of deactivating the cameras picture-taking function again at any time. And while the BMW Remote Theft Recorder is meant to be a safety feature, the overhead camera can be used in a fun way as well. The driver and passengers can take snapshots during a road trip, allowing them to capture special moments and share them with friends and family. Pictures can be taken by voice command, gesture or touch control, and there is also the option of a self-timer (three second delay). The camera system can even be set to only take a photo when at least one of the occupants is smiling. The camera operates in HDR mode, while the night mode produces sharp black-and-white images even at night or in low light conditions. Pictures can be shared by simply scanning a QR code in the control display with any smartphone connected to the car via WiFi. | https://www.bmwblog.com/2021/06/03/what-is-the-bmw-remote-theft-recorder/ |
Who Is The Least Likable RHOC Cast Member? | Bravo's hit reality series "Real Housewives of Orange County" has had a lot of head-turning cast members over the years. The OG show of the franchise first graced reality TV fans' screens way back in the early aughts (2006, to be exact), and still continues to star, let's call them... one-of-a-kind socialites. From the love-to-hate, hate-to-love Vicki Gunvalson to the pot-stirring Tamra Judge to the quirky Shannon Beador to even the controversial Kelly Dodd, the Orange County series is known for bringing in characters who will turn up the drama and sometimes get downright nasty to one another. It was cringggyy! So, because the series is now going on it's sixteenth season, we were curious to see which cast member over the years was the least well-received by fans. We polled 637 of our readers and asked them to tell us who is the least likable "Real Housewives of Orange County" starand the results are juicy, of course! We've got all the answers below. Keep reading to find out. | https://www.nickiswift.com/427978/who-is-the-least-likable-rhoc-cast-member/ |
How Important Is University Education To Freelancing Success? | Getty getty A new report from Standard & Poors sends a clear message: demand for U.S. university education dropped sharply in the academic year that is now ending. Rising Costs Well, first is the rising cost of university education. According to the College board, university costs have risen at an alarming rate. College Boards Trends in College Pricing 2017 report examines changes in tuition rates over time. The report found that for the most competitive private colleges and universities like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and MIT, members of the class of 2024 will pay more than double the tuition and expenses expected of students less than two decades ago. Among public universities, the cost has frequently tripled. Loss of International Students A second factor is the loss of international students, the result of political worries, immigration restrictions on students, and concerns by those students eager to continue to live and work in the US after graduation. A recent NPR article points out the significant drop in international undergraduates and graduate students this way: The U.S. has historically been a top destination for international students. At last count there were more than a million. They're attracted by the high-tech facilities and opportunities for research; the easy, nonhierarchical interaction between faculty and students; and the open, social environment on campuses. But this year, in a survey of more than 700 colleges and universities, the Institute of International Education found total international enrollment plummeted 16% between fall of 2019 and fall of 2020. Statistics on new international students was even grimmer a 43% drop. Covid-19 closed borders certainly had an impact. So did politics, the fear that the US was becoming more internally focused and nativistic. Cost was also a factor; international students tend to pay higher tuition costs. There are also more notable impacts of the drop in international students. Two in particular are mentioned in the NPR report: A Duke University study found that domestic students who engaged with international students enhanced their self-confidence, leadership and quantitative skills. U.S. undergrads were also more likely to appreciate art [and] literature, place current problems in historical perspective and read or speak a foreign language. About half of international students come to the U.S. to study in the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and math. A 2017 analysis found that foreign nationals, for example, make up 81% of full-time graduate students in electrical engineering, 79% in computer science and 59% in civil engineering. Less Relevant Education But the real question is whether a university education and degree continues to be essential to the success of freelancers. At least one expert thinks that it may not be necessarily so, or at least less important than it was. In an article for CNBC, Stephane Kasriel, then CEO of Upwork, makes the case that the future of work wont be about college degrees, it will be about job skills. Kasriel cites the 2018 survey Freelancing in America, only 79% of freelancers with a four-year college degree say their college education was useful to the work they do now, while 93% pointed to their technical and professional skills as essential to their success. Kasriel also points out that, too often, university curricula are not current in addressing the educational and skill requirements individuals will need to succeed in the foreseeable future. No one can know the future, but areas of technological innovation certainly point to foreseeable educational and skill needs. Nevertheless, we know from work by Cognizant and others that universities are not preparing students for a majority of the new skills and roles that will be needed. A World Economic Forum report recently weighed in, noting that in many industries and countries, the most in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist ten or even five years ago, and the pace of change is set to accelerate. And Upwork data confirms that acceleration. Its latest Upwork Quarterly Skills Index, released in July, found that 70% of the fastest-growing skills are new to the index. Kasriels point: Rapid technological change, combined with rising education costs, have made our traditional higher-education system an increasingly anachronistic and risky path. The cost of a college education is so high now that we have reached a tipping point at which the debt incurred often isnt outweighed by future earnings potential. Yet too often, degrees are still thought of as lifelong stamps of professional competency. They tend to create a false sense of security, perpetuating the illusion that work and the knowledge it requires is static. Its not. The future of work wont be about degrees but, instead, is about skills. And no one school, whether Harvard, General Assembly or Udacity, can fully insulate us from the unpredictability of technological progression and disruption. Freelancers understand that education doesnt and cant stop. Particularly in fast changing tech areas AI, Robotics, Machine Learning the half-life of innovation is breathtakingly brief. Freelancers recognize that they need to be up to date, and that its a life-long process. They are nearly twice as likely to re-skill. As a result, nontraditional education options are growing. Jolt, a co-learning startup offers a NAMBA, not your average MBA. Online apps like Coursera, General Assembly, Udacity, Degreed and Udemy provide both access to university curricula and unique educational events on demand. University isnt going away. But many colleges and universities likely will. Here in the US, there are 5,300 universities and colleges according to recent stats. Michael Horn, in a Forbes article, predicts that many will close in the next decade. He writes: Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen consistently turns heads in higher education by predicting that 50% of colleges and universities will close or go bankrupt in the next decade. Christensen and I made a more measured prediction with more nuance in the New York Times in 2013: a host of struggling colleges and universitiesthe bottom 25% of every tier, we predictwill disappear or merge in the next 10 to 15 years. One thing is certain: successful freelancers have a future-proof mindset. So, whether theyve been to university or not, freelancers know they have to keep learning and improving to get that next project. Viva la revolution! | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyounger/2021/06/03/how-important-is-university-education-to-freelancing-success/ |
Should IT organizations use a SaaS management platform? | For all their benefits, software applications have become a source of confusion and consternation for organizations. IT departments must oversee a litany of tools -- both internal and external -- and each app has its own data, configurations and security concerns. In fact, the typical company used an average of 137 SaaS apps in 2020. And each of those apps must be managed individually by monitoring one dashboard per browser tab. This approach gets cluttered and leads to data loss. An enterprise can benefit from a proper SaaS management platform (SMP) in this situation. IT professionals can use an SMP -- such as Blissfully, Productiv and Zylo -- to discover, manage and secure their SaaS apps via one centralized dashboard. Here's a look at four SaaS management platform benefits. 1. Visibility and waste management Envision your SaaS ecosystem as a tree, where applications are dispersed with some order, yet interconnected. Should you use over 100 apps companywide, some services will inevitably slip through the cracks. That doesn't mean forgotten apps are useless apps; it's merely emblematic of a piecemeal system. A sense of scale helps admins understand each service's impact. And while it's true more services are interlinked today, thanks to APIs, organizations are still rife with fragmentation. An SMP lays out tooling dependencies and removes any mystery about the range of services in use. It's also possible some app accounts might be associated with retired software. A management platform will help determine which tools require deletion. It might also show where consolidation is useful. This reduces complexity and appeals to your bottom line. 2. Cost savings and budget clarity Today's applications -- for general users and enterprises alike -- rely on subscription pricing models. It's one thing to not get use out of a one-time purchase, but it's even more wasteful to maintain a neglected tool with recurring costs. SaaS management platforms reveal such tools. Tracking costs is essential for budgeting. An SMP visualizes cloud costs, app costs and others. This makes it easy to see where money is spent and how all SaaS expenditures accumulate over a given period. Financial clarity means you can run leaner operations in the long term. Some SMPs also generate chargeback reports automatically, boosting transparency even further. 3. License management By virtue of using a software product, an enterprise is granted user licenses by the vendor. This authorization is essential because it signifies the software purchase and the right to use the app for a stated period. However, license management becomes a major challenge at scale. Additionally, there are three license categories to keep an eye on: Simple user licenses are given to one employee or many. are given to one employee or many. Category licenses are awarded by usage or feature set. are awarded by usage or feature set. Long-term commitment licenses are contractually based and even more important to monitor as time passes. A SaaS management platform reveals applications' license types, or tiers as well. Understanding usage patterns is important, too. An SMP helps answer these questions. It also shows if licenses are allocated or unallocated. Unallocated licenses that won't be used can be terminated to save money, unless otherwise governed by contract. An SMP should show how license payments are structured: flat rate, pay per use or tiered. Because SaaS management platforms can show user roles, it's possible to pinpoint contract owners or billing recipients. That immediately gives team members relevant contacts for licensing questions. These processes are also critical for employee onboarding and offboarding. | https://searchitoperations.techtarget.com/tip/Should-IT-organizations-use-a-SaaS-management-platform |
How does the Samecoin Ecosystem function in Binance Smart Chain? | Binance Smart Chain (BSC) is a blockchain developed to handle high-performance decentralized applications (DApps). The blockchain was designed to accommodate cross-chain transactions that have since revolutionized the application of blockchain technology. The Samecoin team have identified the benefits of Binance Smart Chain and developed a platform the Samecoin ecosystem, that can fully function in the Binance Smart Chain. BSC had curved itself as a scalable solution that outperforms the likes of Ethereum blockchain that almost crashed when the Crytpokitties craze was at its peak. The Samecoin ecosystem is carefully designed to take full advantage of the Binance Smart Chains scalability while also offering a unique product to the crypto world. The Samecoin protocol and its ecosystem The Samecoin protocol is a robust platform that works on both Ethereum and the Binance Smart Chain. The ecosystem is powered by a utility token dubbed Samecoin ($SAME). Here is a breakdown of the components of the Samecoin ecosystem. Samecoin Finance (The Core) The Samecoin ecosystem comprises several cryptocurrencies. The platform thrives on utility cryptocurrency. Also, other cryptocurrencies in the ecosystem, such as SameUSD (SUSD), SameGBP, and SameEUR, are all stablecoins. The cryptocurrencies within the Samecoin ecosystem are built with close regard to online payments that combine both the benefits of cryptocurrencies and fiat. Samecoin Infrastructure (The Application) Similarly, the Samecoin ecosystem prides itself in harbouring one of the most sophisticated online payment platforms. SamePay has been designed to simplify crypto payments by providing a fast, reliable, and user-friendly online payment platform. Samecoin Governance Samecoin governance is a decentralized DAO that governs the protocol using vSamecoin tokens. These tokens are minted when users stake their Samecoin tokens on the SamePay application. The governance token used to vote for proposals related to the Samecoin ecosystem and Infrastructure. The Samecoin Protocol and how it makes the ecosystem functions The Samecoin protocol mainly employs Decentralized Finance (DeFi) functions to promote Samecoin and its cryptocurrencies. Usually, high-value cryptos are those that are frequently used. In a nutshell, here is the breakdown of the Samecoin protocol. Mints Samecoin and its stablecoins Rewards users for Staking and Minting with Samecoin Governance is done through vSamecoin Performs deflationary procedures by burning Samecoin. Burns SameUSD (SUSD) and other Samecoins stablecoins within the ecosystem to maintain a stable reserve. Making Samecoin function in the Binance Smart Chain Binance Smart Chain (BSC) is a relatively new blockchain with a full-fledged environment for developing high-performance decentralized applications. It was built for cross-chain compatibility with the Binance Chain to ensure that users get the best of both worlds. To interact with Binance Smart Chain (BSC) dApps from the Samecoin ecosystem, youll need a SamePay wallet since it is compatible with the Binance Smart Chain that supports the BEP-20 token standard. You are free to use any BEP-20 friendly wallet. Because BSC is EVM-compatible, it supports a broader range of Ethereum tools and DApps. This makes it easy for developers, including Samecoins to port their projects over from Ethereum. The fact that Samecoin and its family of stablecoin are available on BSC, makes them cheaper and faster to use, owing to the properties of BSC. Conclusion Binance Smart Chain has several dApps such as Pancakeswap that further extend its utility. However, for Samecoin, the ecosystem offers unique features in the Binance Smart Chain that make it stand out. | https://www.cryptopolitan.com/how-does-the-samecoin-ecosystem-function-in-binance-smart-chain/ |
Will Chainlinks price go up? | TL;DR Breakdown Chainlink reached its all-time high in May. The token promises better integration with applications and Blockchain. Chainlink, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, has risen its price in recent weeks. But this comes after the overall decentralized market crashed last month. This volatility highlights the problems of investing in cryptocurrencies, which like on the stock market, is a risky business. There are no guarantees you can make money with cryptocurrencies, so you must agree to and understand the risks. These investments can go up or down in value in a few seconds. Chainlink is a cryptocurrency created in 2014 but was not launched until 2017. The cryptocurrency was founded by Sergey Nazarov, who is an entrepreneur and only 32 years old. Nazarov had worked for Smartcontract.com and created the tokens blockchain network. The cryptocurrency offers an accounting technology that Blockchain governs, just like Bitcoin does. With this endorsement, you have to be sure that the ledger secures chainlink marketing. What differentiates the token from other cryptocurrencies is that investors can link the Blockchain and the Apps. This cryptocurrency has a structure similar to Ethereum, only that it works with classic mobile applications of different utilities. Chainlink and its upward trend Chainlink has had magnificent peaks on the crypto chart, and this increases its popularity. The cryptocurrency is trading at $31.77, as indicated by Coindesk in a daily report. This uptrend on Chainlink covers 2% in less than 24 hours. Since last Sunday, the cryptocurrency has risen 32% in value at the end of the month. The token was trading at $23.71 on Sunday. However, the cryptocurrency has increased in value excessively and may fall again in a few days. These speculations are difficult to accept or deny because the crypto market is so volatile. On the 10th of May, the cryptocurrency reached its all-time high, trading at $51.24, but it collapsed at the end of the month. For now, it has traded at less than 40% of that peak it reached last month. Hargreaves Landsdown analyst Susannah Streeter said the price of the cryptocurrency had been driven by investor feedback. This cryptocurrency gained value for its gains in the short term, but it shows no positive points in the long term. Streeter adds that with the volatility that the cryptocurrency has, it may be a price bubble. The analyst thinks this is not the best time to invest in the new cryptocurrency. But Finders spokesperson, Matt McKenna, clarifies that the value of the cryptocurrency has had an excellent liquidation in May. Although the token has lost great value, McKenna bets that its recovery will be quick. The future of the cryptocurrency is uncertain but what is known for now is that it shows bullish peaks. | https://www.cryptopolitan.com/will-the-chainlink-price-go-up/ |
Is International Olympics Committee Holding Tokyo Hostage to Host the Mega Event in COVID Times? | Postponed for a year already, the Tokyo Olympics were rescheduled from 23 July - 8 August, despite people in different parts of the world expressing their concern about the menace of the most recent wave of the deadly coronavirus currently sweeping Japan. The International Olympic Committees (IOC) continued rigidity to force the Olympics on the citizens of Tokyo does not seem to be going too well with the people of Japan. Last week, the IOC said only an 'Armageddon' (disaster) could stop the games. The statement came even as the host nation Japan is battling a fourth wave of the Coronavirus. Leading IOC member Dick Pound underlined the organisation's commitment to stage the games in a press briefing last week, declaring that the Olympics would be held as planned. The statement came as a rising chorus for the games to be cancelled continues to swell in Japan and around the world. REUTERS / NAOKI OGURA Anti-Olympics group members hold signs during a protest march, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Tokyo Japan is one of the worst-hit countries in South East Asia, reporting 3,036 new COVID-19 cases and 113 deaths on 2 June. The total number of infections has reached 753,000 and the death toll is 13,220 in the country. The nation has been under a state of emergency since last month, after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was forced to announce fresh restrictions due to the surge in coronavirus cases. The curbs are in place in the Olympic host city of Tokyo, and other metropolises, including Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido and Hiroshima. REUTERS / STRINGER Commuters wearing protective face masks walk at a train station, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Tokyo Amid growing concerns over holding the Olympics during a global pandemic, the resistance towards holding the games has found an unexpected ally. Business tycoon and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has slammed the Japanese government for its decision to host the games. He said, "More than 80% of people want the Olympics to be postponed or cancelled. Who and on what authority is it being forced through?" The IOC's decision to host the games in Tokyo is considered by many to be a clear health risk, considering that Japan has fully vaccinated only 2.9 percent of its 126 million population. According to experts, the IOC decision to host the Olympics is influenced by huge costs involved in hosting the games, alongside the revenue it is set to earn from the broadcast rights. Talking to Sputnik, Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta agreed that the IOC has no choice but to attempt to host the games, considering what a cancellation would do to its budgetary bottom line. He explained that the IOC earns a large part of its income from the Olympics, even the national sports federations of member countries receive grants from the IOC to develop sports infrastructure in their respective countries. And almost all the money comes from the Olympics, he said. This is the reason it is so tough for the IOC to cancel the games despite the current situation in Japan," he added. Mehta also advised the Japanese government to focus on vaccination because, according to him, that is the only solution. "The games will be played sans spectators, minimising the risk of infections. As the athletes and the officials will stay in bio-bubbles, their security will never be compromised". "Hosting the games is important because the Olympics have never been cancelled like this in the past," Mehta added. REUTERS / STRINGER A woman wearing a protective face mask walks in front of a wall decoration featuring Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games mascot Miraitowa and Paralympic mascot Someity There's no doubt that cancelling the Olympics is not an easy decision to make particularly as hosting the Olympics costs billions of dollars. A host nation develops the necessary infrastructure to conduct the games. Multiple new stadiums, a Games Village and a Media Centre are built and the host city also gets a makeover with a fresh coat of paint and the construction of new roads and railways. The official cost of the Tokyo Olympics was said to be $12.6 billion, but swelled to $25 billion after the Japanese government started building new stadiums and other infrastructure. Official costs further ballooned by $2.8 billion after the games were postponed for a year in 2020. Except $5.6 billion, which includes revenue from on-site advertisements, sponsors and in-stadia rights and a $1.3 billion contribution from the IOC, all of this is taxpayer money. Over the years, hosting the Olympics has become an expensive affair. A recent study has found that every Olympics hosted since 1960 has exceeded its budget by a staggering average of 172%. When Tokyo in 2013 won the rights to hold the 2020 Olympics, its bid document said that the games would cost around $7.3 billion, but that estimate has now surged to nearly $28 billion. REUTERS / ISSEI KATO Visitors and the Olympic Rings monument are silhouetted outside the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) headquarters near the National Stadium This trend of Olympic host countries exceeding their budgets is largely driven by the tight deadlines host cities must adhere to. The IOC is not responsible if costs exceed budget and the rise in expenses is generally borne by the government and the Olympic Association of the host nation. Though the IOC doesnt bother about rising costs of the Olympics, it earns almost all of its revenue from this mega event, held once every four years. The IOC earned a whopping $5.7 billion during the previous Olympic cycle, which lasted from 2013-16. 73% of that income came from television rights while it generated 18% of its income from selling sponsorships. The IOC claims that 90% of its total revenue is distributed among member countries as it seeks to globally promote the Olympics. But the IOC, which is listed in Switzerland as a not-for-profit organisation, may go bankrupt if it doesn't earn revenue from licensing media rights. The current IOC president, Thomas Bach, is listed as a volunteer in the organisation although he receives an annual pay package of $225,000. His Swiss taxes, which cost $126,000 annually, are also covered by the IOC. For such an organisation, which depends almost entirely on one event for its revenue, hosting the games is not a choice but, like the lives of the attendees and staffers participating in this year's pandemic sporting event, a matter of life and death. | https://sputniknews.com/sport/202106031083066728-is-international-olympics-committee-holding-tokyo-hostage-to-host-the-mega-event-in-covid-times/ |
Is Samsung creating a 3D virtual assistant replacement for Bixby? | Bixbys been around for a few years now and while some Samsung users are probably loyal to it, its really not the most engaging of the virtual assistants we have around. A visual arts production house published a re-imagined virtual assistant for the OEM and named it Sam but at this point, were not sure if its just a sort of fan art for Samsung or if it was a project that they were working on officially but wasnt mean for public eyes. The webpage has been deleted now but of course, nothing ever really disappears on the Internet. According to Unbox PH, Sam was a creation of Lightfarm Studios and they published several photos and renders of the Pixal meets Anime virtual assistant. There was also a test clip of Sam actually doing some virtuaal assisting but that seems to have disappeared as well. So really it was more of the look of Sam rather than what Sam can actually do vis a vis what Bixby is doing now. She has dark brown hair, blue eyes, and is wearing pants and a shirt with the Samsung logo on it. The post explained that Sam had an existing 2D version but they did a complete redesign for its 3D version, using a mix of Adobe and other editing software, applying them to both photos and digital paintings. They said they developed realistic materials, mainly for the characters hair and clothing so that Sam appeared aesthetically pleasing. So based on the deleted pages explanation, this was more of an aesthetic of a new virtual assistant. But what some found interesting is that the project was a partnership between Lightfarm and Cheil Agency, the latter of which is actually owned by Samsung. And since the page was immediately deleted after, some are asking now if this is an actual project commissioned by Samsung but was not meant for public viewing. Or maybe this was a project they were working on but was eventually scrapped and Lightfarm decided to publish it anyway. Theres also a possibility that this was just something that Lightfarm did to show Samsung what they can do. It would be interesting to see a 3D render of a virtual assistant since this may make something like Bixby a bit more approachable and relatable for those who are not used to interacting with technology. | https://androidcommunity.com/is-samsung-creating-a-3d-virtual-assistant-replacement-for-bixby-20210603/ |
What is Agritourism? | Agritourism is a type of commercial enterprise where agriculture and tourism meet. Whether its a working farm where someone can experience farm life or finding creative ways to connect tourists with agriculture operations, agritourism is an industry thats quickly gaining a lot of attention. In this article, well walk you through what agritourism is, and different ideas you can use to connect businesses with agriculture. Agritourism is a form of tourism that connects tourists with agriculture. Not only is it an opportunity for agriculture businesses to expand their reach and revenue, but it also allows for direct marketing to customers and the general public. By providing tours, experiences, and education around agriculture, farms can create a more direct connection with customers and create something truly unique for customers. The education portion of agritourism is important too! It provides an avenue of information for tourists to understand the land, and where their food comes from. Through agritourism, farms can also preserve their lands, and the state can help develop business enterprises around it for the betterment of the area and the public. The Agritourism Business in the United States Its safe to say that the agritourism industry is doing very well, especially when it comes to growing farm income. According to research, the agritourism market is set to reach 11.7.37 billion dollars by 2027. As it grows, there are plans for increased government initiatives. States like California have embraced agritourism, holding many festivals throughout the year to celebrate different crops and bring in tourists. For example, California hosts the Gilroy Garlic Festival every year and the California Strawberry Festival, bringing in thousands of people and income annually. 8 Agritourism Ideas to Connect Communities with Agriculture With agritourism, a farm can create an experience for visitors and tourists. You can create activity-based experiences on your land and/or interactive events and tours. Here are some tourism tips you can use to bring in more visitors. 1. Offer Outdoor Recreation Agritourism Activities Outdoor recreation is one of the most popular agri-tourism business ideas. Its a great way for guests to have fun with their loved ones, and it can work across seasons. This could include: Farm activities Fishing Corn maze Pumpkin patches Harvest festivals Farm dinners Horseback riding Wildlife photography Outdoor farm stays Wagon or sleigh rides 2. Provide Education Educational awareness and agritourism go well together since it blends recreation and learning. You can create educational experiences around farming operations, crops, and living on a farm. Other ideas for educational experiences could be: Animal exhibits Sheep shearing or fishing Facts about crops on the farm Cooking classes using crops from the farm Guided animal tours Farm work experience days Food festivals Storytelling days Historical re-enactments Plant a garden days 3. Offer Hospitality Hospitality is another great addition to farm income and there are a lot of benefits to adding it to your agritourism business. Guests can experience farm activities and there has been increasing demand for more farm-to-table dining experiences. Especially for a small farm, there is a lot of opportunity to create a unique experience for guests by serving farm food on-site and home-cooked meals. Hospitality ideas could include: On-site restaurants U pick experiences and cooking with what guests find Winemaking and tasting Outdoor dining Seasonal ingredient showcases Farm stand with fresh produce Pop-up restaurant with seasonal menus Home-cooked meals Food truck Wineries 4. Offer Accommodations like Farm Stays and More Another avenue to boost your agritourism is to invite people to stay on your farm. Its one of the best ways to diversify income because it makes guests feel like they are truly part of the farm and creates a more authentic feel for families and general tourism. This can include: Short-term stays Long-term stays Work experience holidays Activity-based stays for fishing, hunting, etc. Seasonal stays for events such as harvest festivals, corn mazes and a pumpkin patch Guided tours around different lands and areas nearby Bed and breakfast Wedding accommodations Corporate retreats Honeymoon destination 5. Direct agricultural tourism sales add another layer of income for farms, and show off the hard work of farmers. Direct sales can help with publicity, and is a key marketing initiative that brings more visitors to the farm. And direct sales can also be a method to introduce the public to the agriculture industry on a broader level, and generate interest through: U Pick Harvest festivals Farm stands Farmers markets Wine tasting Fresh produce sales Herbs and heirloom plants Seeds Cut flowers Dairy 6. Introduce Entertainment Farms can also increase revenue by introducing entertainment. This could include hosting events at a farm, inviting others to host events, or a mixture of the two. Entertainment events could include: Music nights Plays Stargazing nights Petting zoos Sports events Scavenger hunts Games night Cooking contests Haunted barns Pumpkin patch visits and pumpkin carving contests 7. Give Visitors Tours If youre looking to start agritourism activities immediately, consider starting with visitor tours. Its an interesting way for people to learn more about the farm itself, the farmers involved, and participate in activities and tours such as: Ranch tours General farm tours Animal tours Tours of nearby lands and areas Wine tasting tours Farmers market tours Historical tours Heritage trail tours Food tours Activity tours such as birdwatching, fishing, hunting, etc. 8. Offer Unique Experiences Ultimately, great tourism is about offering people something unique. Every farm is different and can offer something distinct based on its resources. Think about what your unique selling point is. Whether its the types of crops grown, the land around the farm, or even the activities you can market around. Experiences could include: Wine tasting Dining Farm tours Farm stays Harvest festivals Pumpkin patch Corn mazes Farmers markets Tours around the ranch Educational experiences How Small Businesses Can Participate in Agritourism Operations Participating in an agritourism operation will depend on each farm and its operation. The best ideas will differ, but the main goal should be to be unique and add value. Whether its a week staying at a ranch or stargazing nights once a week, you can start with something small and focus on marketing it as much as possible. Once you see what people are interested in, you can optimize the experience. Agritourism Examples There are many agritourism operations around the world, each offering something completely different. Weve selected some of the best examples from the United States. Tate Farms, Meridianville, AL A pumpkin path and fall festival destination, Tate Farms has plenty to offer for families visiting and corporate events. Purple Haze Lavender, Sequim, WA A charming lavender farm that makes for a gorgeous spot for families and friends, with unique events planned around lavender and providing resources to learn more about the flower. Blue Spruce Alpacas, La Porte, IN A family-owned alpaca farm that invites visitors to get to know the animals, learn more about them and interact with alpacas in a fun (and safe!) manner. Breisch Pyo Gardens, Solar and Bee School, Sand Springs, OK A small farm that gives visitors opportunities to learn more about bees, pollination, and experience beautiful plants. Papas Pumpkin Patch, Bismarck, ND Known as one of the best pumpkin patches in the United States, this is a great tourism destination thats known for attracting families and tourists. There are many benefits of agritourism for a farm, from a recreation and revenue standpoint. While agritourism can do a lot of good, it also has its downsides and risks. There can be legal issues, so it is crucial to do research around agritourism statutes in your area to ensure operations can run as planned. Accidents and issues can occur, so having a risk management plan is important You might need to put down significant capital and resources to build or renovate before bringing in customers. There can be seasonal downturns where business may slow down. There are many agritourism enterprises out there, including farm stays, tours, working experience, and educational experiences. In its purest form, agritourism is a form of tourism that connects people with farms. Agritourism helps the community by providing recreational and educational experiences, creating jobs, and bringing in government initiatives to help the community grow. It is part of the American tourism industry with great growth potential. | https://smallbiztrends.com/2021/06/agritourism.html |
Is Lenovo preparing laptops with GeForce RTX30 Super GPUs? | The launch of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, 3070, and 3080 GPUs for laptops left some feeling a little disappointed. Enthusiasts were less than enthused, as the specs of the mobile GPUs were quite cut down compared to their desktop counterparts. Now there are signs that Nvidia is cooking up some mobile GPU updates, and they are going to be 'Super'. What appears to be an internal Lenovo document detailing an upcoming ThinkPad X1 Extreme G4 gaming laptop has been shared on Reddit, via VideoCardz. The X1 Extreme G4 looks set to be a very powerful gaming laptop, boasting performance hardware like an Intel Tiger Lake-H series CPU and up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Super Laptop GPU with 16GB of GDDR6 memory. Moreover, there are other CPU and GPU options, but another interesting one is the previously unannounced GeForce RTX 3070 Super Laptop GPU with 8GB of GDDR6 memory. Nvidia hasn't used Super branding with its RTX30 series GPUs thus far, so it is an interesting decision to see it here in the laptop space, while the desktop series gets peppered with Ti tweener GPUs. However, there has already been a Ti added to the Laptop series with the GeForce RTX 3050 Ti recently introduced making the lineup unnecessarily messy perhaps. We don't have much in the way of specs for the new RTX 30 Super Laptop GPUs but VideoCardz made the table above, containing the known specs and these parts nestled amongst the existing set of Ampere Laptop GPUs. Moving our focus back to the carbon fibre and Mg-Al alloy constructed Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme G4 gaming laptop, it does indeed have some charms. It is one of the increasingly popular 16-inch designs, with various panel spec choices from 2.5 to 4K IPS with touch. All the options are 16:10 with HDR400 and with decent colour gamut/accuracy, but none can refresh faster than 60Hz max. Other highlights are the HDMI 2.1 port and 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports (supporting DP1.4), a 10-hour battery life, FHD Windows Hello IR webcam, and the 2.5K display model weighs in at just 1.82kg. | https://hexus.net/tech/news/graphics/147909-is-lenovo-preparing-laptops-geforce-rtx30-super-gpus/ |
Should AstraZeneca shot still be playing role in Irish vaccine rollout? | For the 29th time the HSE is tweaking the Covid-19 vaccine rollout following the latest advice that the interval between AstraZeneca doses should be reduced from 12 weeks to eight. The recommendation from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) once again shines a spotlight on AstraZeneca, the vaccine with the most issues among the four authorised products in Ireland. AstraZeneca was one of the first vaccines out of the traps late last year, but since then it has been dogged by concerns over its effectiveness, safety and supply. Despite playing a lead role in the UKs swift and largely successful vaccine drive, this vaccine is getting the cold shoulder from the EU, where Pfizer has been the main workhorse of an accelerating immunisation programme. In Ireland about 550,000 AstraZeneca doses had been administered up to May 11th, when HSE records stopped due to the cyberattack on its system. Almost half a million people, a mix of healthcare workers, vulnerable patients and 50s- and 60s-somethings, still have to get a second dose. Many of these people may now receive their second dose four weeks earlier as a result of the latest Niac recommendation. But only if there are sufficient supplies to allow for this to happen; deliveries of AstraZeneca have been repeatedly subject to delays and changes, mostly due to manufacturing process issues. Despite accounting for only one in four doses administered, AstraZeneca is the subject of more reports of suspected side effects than Pfizer and Moderna together, according to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA). Most of these are minor in nature, but the HPRA has received 41 reports of blood clotting linked to AstraZeneca, and a handful (less than five) of the very rare but serious clotting events combined with low platelet counts. UK data A broader picture can be garnered from UK data, with the latest Public Health England update detailing 348 reports of serious blood clots with low platelet counts. These reports occurred in 189 women and 156 men ranging in age from 18 to 93 years; there were 61 deaths, a fatality rate of 18 per cent. The incidence after one dose was 13.6 reports per million doses, but this dropped to 1.3 per million doses after two doses. This point has been made forcefully by Trinity College Dublin immunologist Prof Kingston Mills, who has questioned the advisability of continuing to use AstraZeneca. We are in a good phase of the pandemic, with cases stable and immunisation proceeding well. The main worry comes from more transmissible variants, principally the delta variant (Indian) that has gained a foothold in parts of London and northern England. UK studies have shown the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are only 33 per cent effective in protecting against infection by the delta variant. This rises to 88 per cent after two doses for Pfizer, but only 60 per cent for AstraZeneca. This means that thousands of Irish people in their 50s and 60s who are waiting months for a second AstraZeneca dose are seriously exposed to infection by the delta variant (though this remains very rare here), even as younger people at less age-related risk benefit from quicker immunisation using the other vaccines available. Alternatives Prof Mills has suggested we mix vaccines by given people who got a first dose of AstraZeneca one of the alternatives as a second dose. At least five EU states are doing this, according to the European Centre for Disease Control. Extra supplies of Pfizer or Moderna would have to be procured to allow this to happen, but in any case Niac has decided against this approach, at least until stronger evidence emerges that it works. Notwithstanding the issues raised, all the vaccines currently available appear to provide excellent protection against serious illness or death from Covid-19, which is what counts most. AstraZeneca has performed better in real-world conditions in the UK than it did in clinical trials. The commonly repeated advice to take the first vaccine you are offered remains true, though it should be tweaked to take the first full vaccine course you are offered. | https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/should-astrazeneca-shot-still-be-playing-role-in-irish-vaccine-rollout-1.4583658 |
Are Joey Essex and Sam Faiers still friends? Does he have a girlfriend? | Joey Essex has had a string of famous girlfriends, but the one fans remember most is Sam Faiers. The pairs relationship became a big part of TOWIE, as did their eventual heartbreaking split. The pair had an on-off relationship throughout their time on TOWIE. They began dating in 2010, only to break-up after just a year. However, they ended up reconciling a year later in 2012. Joey and Sam had an on-off relationship (Credit: Grant Buchanan / FameFlynet.uk.com / SplashNews.com) Read More: Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins viewers in tears as Joey Essex recalls his mothers suicide They seemed completely in love, and Joey then surprised viewers when he proposed in 2013. But things then began to take a turn. As a result, the pair ended up splitting up for good the following year. Sadly, its not good news. Joey revealed in 2019 that he hadnt spoken to Sam in quite some time. He told new! magazine: I aint spoken to Sam Faiers in about 25 years. I actually dont watch TV, so I havent had the time to catch up with her show. The only person I watch on TV is myself. If Im on TV, Ill rush back home to see how sick I am. Joey has a long history of dating famous women. After his split from Sam, Joey began dating a succession of girls including TOWIE star Amber Turner, TV presenter Amy Willerton and model Lorena Medina. He also enjoyed flings with pop star Rita Ora, The Hills star Stephanie Pratt and influencer Georgie Purves. Hes kept himself quite busy! Joey with ex-girlfriend Lorena Medina (Credit: Grant Buchanan / SplashNews.com) Read More: Joey Essex dumped by model girlfriend after partying with Rita Ora Earlier this year, he opened up about why he ends up dumping his girlfriends after such a short period of time. He told The Mirror: People are surprised by that, but its why I dump girls so quickly. I dont need to waste time and cheat on them. I guess I havent found a girl who challenges me. However, he went on to add that he hopes to settle down and start a family in his 30s. Earlier this year he tried his luck on Celebs Go Dating for the third time, but sadly didnt manage to find The One just yet. Joey Essex: Grief and Me airs on BBC One, tonight (Thursday June 3), at 9pm. Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and tell us what you think of our story. | https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/news/are-joey-essex-and-sam-faiers-still-friends-towie-girlfriend/ |
Could a green tea compound combat SARS-CoV-2? | Green tea is a popular drink globally and was traditionally used as a medicinal herb to treat many diseases. It is made from the leaves of the Camelia sinensis plant. Research from past decades has shown that green tea and its characteristic polyphenols named catechins can help prevent diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart diseases. Green tea polyphenol EGCG, its structure and biological activities Studies have also shown that tea catechins have anti-viral activities and can be protective against diseases resulting from oxidative stress and inflammation. Some recent studies suggest the potential of green tea to prevent and treat COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The most abundant catechin and the major active constituent in green tea is ()-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG has a polyphenolic structure and is a strong antioxidant that removes reactive radicals and chelating ions to inhibit the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). EGCG has 8 phenolic groups and offers multiple electron donors and acceptors for hydrogen bonding to several molecules such as proteins. This is why EGCG has high affinity to various proteins, binds with them, and inhibits their activities. Determining the potential of EGCG or tea consumption in COVID-19 prevention and treatment Researchers recently published an article that reviewed the mechanisms by which EGCG could inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection and the various syndromes caused by COVID-19. They critically evaluated previously published results in the literature about COVID-19 symptoms and pathology from the perspective of biological differences between humans and rodents, dose-response relationships, and potential side effects. They also analyzed relevant publications evaluating EGCGs protective activities against COVID-19. Their objective was to determine the utility of EGCG or tea consumption in the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of COVID-19. This study is published in the journal Trends in Food Science & Technology. Results show EGCG can potentially inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and inhibit viral reproduction The key findings of their study revealed that EGCG activates Nrf2 and suppresses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is a cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2, and TMPRSS2, a mediator of virus entry into the host cell. EGCG also inactivates SARS-CoV-2 main protease and inhibits viral reproduction. EGCGs antioxidant activity may offer protection against SARS-CoV-2-induced mitochondrial ROS, which promotes viral replication and against ROS burst caused by neutrophil extracellular traps. EGCG suppresses ER-resident GRP78 activity and expression and can potentially inhibit the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2. EGCG may suppress SARS-CoV-2 infection via suppressing the expression of cell surface ACE2 and TMPRSS2 via activating Nrf2. EGCG may also inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro a protease essential for viral reproduction. The researchers also found protective effects of EGCG against (a) thrombosis by suppressing tissue factors and activating platelets; (b) cytokine storm-induced acute lung injury/respiratory distress; (c) sepsis via inactivating redox-sensitive HMGB1; and (d) lung fibrosis by augmenting Nrf2 and suppressing NF-B. Findings highlight the need for further studies on the role of EGCG in COVID-19 prevention and treatment To summarize, EGCG may have the potential to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection, suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication, decrease cytokine storm and hence thrombosis and lung fibrosis. According to the authors, no such human studies have not been conducted so far. Other catechins in green tea may exhibit similar protective properties as EGCG, possibly at lower levels. Green tea consumption has been previously shown to decrease the risk for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases, all of which increase the risk of severe COVID-19. However, these observations need to be further substantiated in humans and animals. The possible actions of EGCG against SARS-CoV-2 highlight the relevance of further studies on the role of EGCG in COVID-19 prevention and treatment in humans. These observations also warrant epidemiological studies on the possible preventive effects of green tea consumption on COVID-19. It is important to conduct epidemiological studies to determine whether regular tea consumption (and the amount required) could decrease risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated syndromes. | https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210603/Could-a-green-tea-compound-combat-SARS-CoV-2.aspx |
Is Injustice 2's "Pride Global Challenge" Really To Kill Poison Ivy? | The mobile game Injustice 2, based on a future alternate reality of the DC Comics Universe, pits all manner of versions of DC Comics characters against each other. And, like many other brands, are running a Pride promotion in June for Pride Month. Most months see the game issue a monthly challenge to beat a particular character. And so, with a Pride promotion, they picked their most prominent gay character, Poison Ivy. Specifically for Pride month, alongside Pride livery, Injustice 2 encourages everyone to beat up Poison Ivy. The more they beat her, the more they punch, kick and kill her, the more points they earn, and that is their "Pride Global Challenge." It is an encouraging thing in this world that brands wish to embrace Pride imagery and associations rather than, as they did thirty years ago, run away screaming from the merest suggestion that one of their main characters could be anything other than a heterosexual stereotype. But maybe it's worth just thinking if everything needs a Pride logo slapped on it. It's not all bad, of course; this week sees the publication from DC Comics of a Poison Ivy graphic novel, with the young Ivy, her first girlfriend, and her coming of power in a gothic teen horror romance, Thorns. Batman has seen Poison Ivy's old girlfriend The Gardener return and one who approves of Ivy's most recent beau Harley Quinn. Given that for quite some time, DC Comics steered away from suggestions that Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy could be anything more than best buds, this week saw DC publish comic books with three separate girlfriends for Ivy at different points in her life. And that, considering everything else, is probably something DC Comics can take some pride in. | https://bleedingcool.com/games/is-injustice-2s-pride-global-challenge-really-to-kill-poison-ivy/ |
Are the Chiefs' Pass-Catchers the Best in the NFL? | A recent ranking from Pro Football Focus ranked the Kansas City Chiefs' pass-catchers as the third-best unit in the NFL, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys. Not according to a recent article by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus! Now, to be fair, Palazzolo doesn't exactly have the Chiefs scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of wide receiver and tight end talent. The Chiefs come in at No. 3, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys. And he has a point. The tweet that got the conversation going was a bit confusing at first. "Top WR/TE Units" implies a pairing of a team's top wide receiver and top tight end a battle that the Chiefs would win in a blowout with the game's best tight end, Travis Kelce, and a top-tier wide receiver, Tyreek Hill. Even if the intention was for the best pass-catching duo, I'd say the Chiefs are most likely deserving of the top spot. But Palazzolo's actual evaluation makes the conversation a bit more interesting. Palazzolo's piece ranks teams by their entire pass-catching depth chart, top to bottom. Obviously, a top-shelf No. 1 receiver outweighs a top-shelf No. 3, but when addressing an entire unit, those depth pieces become very important. The Buccaneers, for my money, deserve the top spot, where Palazzolo ranked them. Wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown pair with tight ends Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard. That's an obnoxious amount of talent. The Cowboys come in second with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, who Palazzolo calls "one of the best receiver trios in the league," alongside some not-particularly-noteworthy tight ends. Then come the Chiefs at No. 3. Here's part of Palazzolo's reasoning for the third-place ranking after he heaped an appropriate amount of praise upon Kelce and Hill: The question in Kansas City is what happens after the big two. Mecole Hardman has sprinkled in his fair share of big plays out of the slot and on gimmick plays. Demarcus Robinson has 194 targets since 2017, but hes yet to grade above 61.9 as a receiver. Byron Pringle also returns after grading at 63.4 and 55.3 as a receiver in each of the last two years, respectively. The Chiefs drafted Cornell Powell in the fifth round, and he has a legitimate opportunity to compete for snaps on the outside right away. He brings good releases and size to the equation and he graded at 75.1 overall last year at Clemson. Palazzolo also makes note of the tight end depth chart before writing that "[t]he Chiefs are as good as it gets at the top of the receiving depth charts, but their dominance will be determined by the development of reliable third and fourth options." The Minnesota Vikings, coming in at fifth on Palazzolo's list, have a similar (but more extreme) problem. Behind Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, two excellent receivers, they have major question marks. While I wouldn't trade the Chiefs' pass-catchers for the Cowboys', I think Palazzolo's concerns are completely valid. The Chiefs lost Sammy Watkins this offseason and never replaced him with another proven commodity, despite trying to sign players like Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs brought back their down-the-roster depth by re-signing Robinson and Pringle, in addition to tight ends Nick Keizer and Blake Bell. (Bell was a Chief in 2019 before spending the 2020 season with the Cowboys.) Then the Chiefs drafted their new rookie duo of Powell and tight end Noah Gray, who both have a wide array of potential roles in 2021 and beyond. They've thrown numbers at the receiver and tight end positions, but there's no guarantee that any of those players will be able to truly supplement Kelce and Hill. While I'd feel a lot better about the Chiefs' pass-catchers with Smith-Schuster or even perhaps Julio Jones, I do expect Patrick Mahomes to find a third or fourth player to trust out of the non-Kelce/Hill group in 2021. And as of right now, I think that's good for the second-best receiving group in the NFL. | https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/gm-report/are-the-kansas-city-chiefs-pass-catchers-the-best-in-the-nfl |
Whats Next For The Miami Heat? | The Miami Heat were the first team to be eliminated from the 2021 NBA Playoffs after getting swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. Besides Game One, the Bucks won every other game by at least 17 points. This series definitely didnt live up to the hype but neither did last years series in the bubble when the Heat beat the Bucks four games to one. Going into the offseason, the Heat have many questions that theyll have to answer. The Miami Heat have 11 players who will become free agents this offseason. Those players consist of: Goran Dragic- Team Option Andre Iguodala- Team Option Trevor Ariza- Unrestricted Free Agent Nemanja Bjelica- Unrestricted Free Agent Dewayne Dedmon- Unrestricted Free Agent Udonis Haslem- Unrestricted Free Agent Victor Oladipo- Unrestricted Free Agent Duncan Robinson- Restricted Free Agent Kendrick Nunn- Restricted Free Agent Max Strus- Restricted Free Agent Gabe Vincent- Restricted Free Agent The main priority for the Heat should be to re-sign Duncan Robinson as well as Goran Dragic. Everyone elses future with the Heat looks to be up in the air. The Miami Heat do not currently own a pick in this years draft. The pick was originally acquired by the Phoenix Suns for Goran Dragic during the 2015 trade deadline. The Heat would have picked 18th overall in this years draft but it now belongs to the Oklahoma City Thunder which was acquired from the Clippers during the Paul George trade back in 2019. So free agency will be all the more important in making sure the Heat get back on their feet. However, that doesnt mean the Heat cant trade one of their assets such as Precious Achiuwa in order to gain draft capital in what is billed to be one of the better draft classes in recent memory. If the Heat were to trade into the first round they should target two-way guard prospects such as Ayo Dosunmu and Jared Butler. The Heat will also have to make a big decision on Victor Oladipo. Although Oladipo has been a productive player, he has struggled to stay healthy ever since his breakout season in 2017-2018. There have been conflicting reports related to his quad injury. Some reports said he could potentially miss all of next season whereas as others say he could be cleared for full contact by November. Either way, Oladipos recent injury history may hold him back from making as much money as he envisioned. The Heat should look to add a point guard who knows how to run an offense as well as adding toughness and size at the power forward and center positions. At the moment the Heat are projected to have $112 million in cap space going into this offseason. A list of players they should consider consist of: Kyle Lowry Mike Conley Spencer Dinwiddie (Player Option) P.J. Tucker Serge Ibaka (Player Option) Overall, losing in the first round, let alone getting swept, wasnt the ending the Heat or their fans envisioned. The Bucks seemed to want this series more than the Heat after losing to them in embarrassing fashion last year. However, a taste of humble pie doesnt hurt. Its easy to poke fun at a team when they dont perform up to expectations in the playoffs but rapper Big Sean said it best: some losses teach you more than always winning ever could. | http://www.backsportspage.com/whats-next-for-the-miami-heat/ |
What Exactly Is Going On With Ellie Kemper? | On a lazy Memorial Day, actor and comedian Ellie Kemper found herself somewhere no one wants to be: smack dab in the center of Twitter discourse. The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star began trending on Twitter after a user unearthed a newspaper story reporting that Kemper had been named Queen of Love and Beauty at St. Louiss secretive Veiled Prophet Ball in 1999; in the process, the user insinuated that the Veiled Prophet Ball was affiliated with our local KKK. Immediately, questions, rumors, and more tweets began to swirl. Was Kemper legitimately a KKK Princess? Jokes clashed with misinformation and thoughtful, necessary critique of hegemonic white power structures. The upshot: Kemper had won the unenviable role of Main Character of Twitter, trending on the site for over a day and racking up over 28k tweets in the process. Youre not alone. Heres a breakdown of the truth, fiction, and uncomfortable grey area involved in Kempers internet saga. The Initial Tweets The internet became aware of Kempers connection to the Veiled Prophet Ball after Twitter user Thee Hannah responded to @WB_Baskervilles tweet about the existence of the Veiled Prophet Ball, equating the event to the first season of True Detective (which was set in Louisiana). Every once in a while I remember that the Veiled Prophet Ball exists and that everything True Detective season 1 was about is real, tweeted @WB_Baskerville, along with pictures from a recent Veiled Prophet Ball. A fancy event put on by our local KKK, of which Ellie Kemper was once the Queen of Love and Beauty, responded Thee Hannah, linking to an Atlantic story about the Veiled Prophet Ball by Scott Beauchamp from 2014, later posting an image of a newspaper article from 1999 about Kempers crowning as the Veiled Prophet queen. The internet firestorm begins. The Veiled Prophet Organization Thee Hannah described the Veiled Prophet Organization as our local KKK. Technically, thats false; the group has no known affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan. But the groups history is still deeply problematic. The Veiled Prophet was cofounded by former Confederate officer Alonzo Slayback and his brother Charles Slayback. Per St. Louiss Cultural Resources Office, it was created by the towns white male community leaders, which, as Beauchamp pointed out in The Atlantic, came a year after the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, when Black and white railroad workers joined forces across the country in protest of poor pay and working conditions. The strike reached St. Louis, where almost 1,500 railroad workers banded together to halt rail freight for a week, with their demands including an eight-hour work day and a ban on child labor. | https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/what-exactly-is-going-on-with-ellie-kemper |
Who is Mo Harris in EastEnders and who is Fat Elvis? | Mo Harris in EastEnders is despite her name the head of the Slater clan. Shes the scheming, entrepreneurial, kind-hearted matriarch with an eye for a deal and a very colourful love-life with on/off partner Fat Elvis. Mos linked to the Slater brood through marriage. Her daughter, Viv, was Charlie Slaters wife and mum to the sisters Lynne, Kat, Little Mo and Belinda. Mos kept us all entertained for years (Credit: BBC) Like the others, Stacey Slater calls Mo Nan but actually she and Mo arent related by blood. Stacey was Charlies great-niece on the Slater side of the family. Mo arrived in EastEnders in 2000, with the rest of the Slaters, and stayed until 2016. She returned in 2018 but will soon be putting on her deck shoes and heading off into the sunset with Fat Elvis, whos invited her on a cruise. Read more: EastEnders: Ross Kemp addresses rumours about Grant Mitchells return to the soap Though Mo only arrived in Walford on screen in 2000, she grew up locally and she had a lifelong rivalry with her one-time best friend Pat Evans/Butcher. In fact, she even appeared in a spin-off show in 2004, EastEnders: Pat and Mo, telling the story of the two friends as young women. Mo is played by Laila Morse. Her real name is Maureen Oldman known as Mo and she is the sister of actor Gary Oldman. Laila didnt start acting until she was 51, when she made her screen debut in Nil By Mouth written and directed by brother Gary. She went on to play roles in The Bill and Great Expectations among others, before being cast as Mo in EastEnders. Mo is played by Laila Morse (Credit: BBC) Shes also appeared in Im A Celebrity, Dancing on Ice and Celebrity Masterchef. Young Mo Harris was played by Lorraine Stanley (Credit: BBC/YouTube) But Laila isnt the only actress to play Mo. Her Enders co-star Lorraine Stanley, who now plays Karen Taylor, took on the role for the 2004 spin-off EastEnders: Pat and Mo. Mo and her dodgy deals As soon as she arrived in Albert Square, Mo was getting up to no good. She was soon selling stolen goods, provided by her sometime boyfriend Fat Elvis, and even set up a sex chatline. When Stacey married Bradley Branning, Mo tried to sell their wedding presents. Mos got no shame. When Lucas Johnson was convicted of murder, she sold his Bibles as macabre souvenirs and she ran a book taking bets on the identity of Archie Mitchells killer. Mos always causing trouble but shes the heart of the Slater family (Credit: BBC) She claimed benefits in Jean Slaters name, faked her own death and even stole the money left to Kat Slater by her rapist uncle Harry. Worst of all, it was revealed that teenage Kat had twins. She had thought she only had one baby daughter Zoe but she was shocked to discover shed had a son, too. And Mo had known all about it. For a long time, the discovery drove a wedge between Kat and Mo, but the pair have now buried the hatchet. Mo Harris in EastEnders and Fat Elvis For YEARS EastEnders fans were in the dark about Fat Elvis. We only knew what Mo told us about him and the dodgy goods he sent her way most recently a bumper batch of one-eared chocolate bunnies that the Slater kids got for Easter! Mo and Fat Elvis were like star-crossed lovers. They went to Spain together for a while and they seemed made for each other though he never appeared in Walford. And then Mo stunned her family by announcing she and Fat Elvis were getting hitched! Mos off to pastures new (Credit: BBC) He appeared on screen once, played by Shenton Dixon, as he and Mo planned their wedding. The happy couple left for pastures new, but when Mo returned, she came alone Fat Elvis had left her for his probation officer. What a rat! Fat Elvis appeared on screen once (Credit: BBC/YouTube) Fortunately the pair have since reconciled and now hes persuaded Mo to leave Albert Square once more to head off into the sunset with him. Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think. | https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/soaps/who-is-mo-harris-in-eastenders-and-whats-the-truth-about-her-and-fat-elvis/ |
When is Buccaneers minicamp? | For the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there are plenty of things to be looking for when camp gets underway. TAMPA, Fla. As mandatory minicamp is set to kickoff, Buccaneers fans are chomping at the bit to see their team back in action following the Super Bowl run of 2020. For the Bucs, there are plenty of things to be looking for when camp gets underway. For starters, a player that garners a lot of attention both good and bad is quarterback Kyle Trask. Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich talked about Trask to the media, discussing how they assume rookie quarterbacks come into the league knowing nothing about nothing, but that Trask has shown some great things early on in terms of his play as well as his command of the huddle. What will be interesting once mandatory minicamp really gets going is the start of a little quarterback competition. No, there is no competition for the starting job. There is, however, a competition to see who ends up where behind Tom Brady on the depth chart. Even after drafting Trask, the Buccaneers re-signed Blaine Gabbert, giving them four quarterbacks. Long-time backup Ryan Griffin even went so far as to say that he just wants to help the team in any way possible and if that means being on the practice squad, so be it. Trasks ability to grasp the playbook and how he jells with more of the upper-echelon players on this roster could go a long way in determining where he stands come training camp. Sticking with the offense, lets take a look at the running back room. With Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette, and Giovani Bernard firmly planted in their spots, there are only so many jobs available. Head coach Bruce Arians even called out KeShawn Vaughn for not being in attendance at OTAs while pointing out that there are players competing for roster spots who dont know theyre competing. That doesnt bode well for the second year running back, who promptly returned to the Advent Health Training Facility for workouts. Seeing how these guys interact with one another, whose number gets called in what situations and how well they pop will be crucial heading into training camp. No one is going to lose their job at mandatory minicamp, but their starting position come training camp will certainly be affected. Defensively, its all about the rookies. First-round pick Joe Tryon is expected to participate after having a knee procedure done and it will be everyones first opportunity to catch a glimpse of how Todd Bowles might be utilizing him in the defense. Then, there are linebackers K.J. Britt and Grant Stuard. A lot of these questions wont be answered completely during minicamp, but we will start to see the bigger picture once things kick off. Its a loaded roster with unbelievable amounts of talent from the top to the bottom, so anyone who does make the team will certainly have earned it and that quest begins next week. For more on this story and for more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, check out the Locked On Bucs Podcast. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/locked-on/bucs-podcast/tampa-bay-buccaneers-minicamp/67-67d1ac59-9a86-4909-9099-cf3344962b8a |
What dishes could Elon Musks upcoming Tesla drive-in serve us? | Mmmm... Musk Burgers. Photo : TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP ( Getty Images ) Elon Musk is quite the divisive man-child. Those are fun and delicious Advertisement Okay now, lets just hold on one goddamn minute here. Perhaps were too jaded here at The A.V .Club, but theres no way in hell you can convince us that a 50 s themed, Musk-owned fast food joint for the uber-wealthy could possibly be a good idea. Were pretty sure that even the most diehard SpaceX fan isnt up for Reservoir Dogs Stuck in the Middle with You torture sequence played 100 times in a row. But maybe were getting ahead of ourselves. After all, Musk has been known to do an abrupt social media about-face from time to time. And that tweet was from back in April, so hes probably already jettisoned the Tesla Take-Out idea. We just got indigestion from reading that headline. Screenshot : Bloomberg ( Fair Use Good. Lord. As Bloomberg and (unfortunately) many other reputable outlets have reported, recent filings show Musk and Tesla attempting to extend their logo trademarks into the food industry. Advertisement The diner-convenience store angle may be why Tesla has applied for a food-based trademark, which is not standard procedure for most restaurants, explains Bloomberg. Trademarks are generally set forth for brands planning to start a franchise or go national. Its a move that indicates plans for big growth, says Steven Kamali, a hospitality investor. Plans for big growth. Sigh. Alright, everyone, break out the Tums and brace yourselves for all the Musk Burgers, Elons Electrifyin Nacho Platters, Mars Bar Pies, Tesla Tots, and Grimes Green Salads you can stomach. At least until the food code violations start rolling in Advertisement Send Great Job, Internet tips to [email protected] | https://www.avclub.com/what-delicious-dishes-could-elon-musk-s-upcoming-tesla-1847027000 |
Did Kevin McCarthy pay for Frank Luntzs 2020 focus groups for the L.A. Times? | The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times , MSNBC, CBS and VICE News/HBO have all allowed Republican pollster Frank Luntz to promote himself and his messaging to mainstream and liberal audiences while padding his own pockets. "If I want to pitch a CEO, I will make sure that I do [Megyn Kelly's show] the night before," Luntz said in 2015. "Because CEOs watch her show. The other show they watch is 'CBS This Morning' because they all like Charlie Rose. I actually time my television to correspond with my schedule." In an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" this past week, Luntz and New York Times opinion page editor Patrick Healy and defended the Times' coverage of a George Floyd-themed Luntz focus group . Luntz praised Healy while offering to host another focus group for the Times and MSNBC. It's unclear whether the Times paid Luntz, although Healy's comments suggest it did not, with Healy saying he had "decided to sit in on a focus group led by Frank Luntz." As Salon reported last week, in the six weeks leading up to the 2020 election, Luntz wrote an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times and then hosted a series of four focus groups that the newspaper live-streamed but evidently did not pay for following the presidential debates and town hall between Donald Trump and Joe Biden and the vice-presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris. L.A. Times opinion page editor Sewell Chan tweeted in 2020 that no money came from the paper for the focus groups, but they clearly didn't come without high costs. Luntz, pays participants $100 per focus group and recruited 58 participants for those four events a starting point of $5,800 in out-of-pocket expenses. He also advertised on Facebook for at least two of the events, spending at least $1,600 on those ads. Luntz also had to screen potential participants, prepare for and run the focus groups and staff the events. (his social media director, Hetal Bhatt , is occasionally visible in the frame during several of the live-streamed event.) The timing of payments from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's leadership PAC to Luntz's firm suggests one possible answer. Two days before Luntz's op-ed was published in the L.A. Times, and a week before the first focus group, Luntz's firm, FIL, Inc., received $16,850 from McCarthy's PAC. A few weeks after the final post-debate focus group, McCarthy's PAC made another payment to Luntz for $21,500 and a few weeks after that, McCarthy was living with Luntz in the latter's penthouse condo in Washington. As the Washington Post reported in May, McCarthy's leadership PAC was Luntz's only federal client during the 2020 election cycle. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, which prominently featured Luntz, "Focus groups require travel and hiring moderators, renting facilities and paying people to be in the focus groups. The cost runs about $5,000 to $9,000 per group." Four focus groups at $9,000 a piece comes $36,000, a sum within striking distance of the $38,350 McCarthy's leadership PAC paid Luntz's company around the time of the L.A. Times focus groups. Those four focus groups have also been featured on the Los Angeles Times' YouTube channel, where they have been viewed more than 3 million times in total. The average cost of reaching 100,000 viewers on YouTube is around $2,000, so if Luntz had paid for ads to reach 3 million viewers, that would have cost roughly $60,000. One way to look at this situation is to propose that the L.A. Times gave Luntz the equivalent of $60,000 in free promotion. In the example discussed in the second paragraph above, a New York Times editor reports he simply "sat in" on a Luntz focus group. It would be interesting to know who Luntz's actual client was, or if this was merely a self-promotion tactic that earned him more free media. No clear answer to that question is available at this time. | https://www.salon.com/2021/06/02/did-kevin-mccarthy-pay-for-frank-luntzs-2020-focus-groups-for-the-la-times/ |
Has the post-game athlete media interview lost relevance? | Sports differ from other aspects of journalism ones where reporters have to talk to other sources to get the full story in that a lot of people watch sporting events in person (and countless more tune in via TV or radio broadcasts) so its easy to quickly know the final score and figure out who won and lost. In addition to that, reporters can obtain stats, box scores, play-by-play and other tools that help tell the story of a game without postgame comments. Sure. Absolutely. I dont think so. In addition to the extra tools like stats reporters can use to tell the story of a game, coaches make just as good sources for a postgame quote as the athletes do. If a player doesnt want to talk, it would be easy enough to just get a comment from a coach instead. | https://yorknewstimes.com/opinion/has-the-post-game-athlete-media-interview-lost-relevance/article_a7041526-c4a3-11eb-86e9-e7c6fbc1dbaf.html |
Wheres The Cost Benefit Analysis For The Bridge? | Transport Minister Michael Wood needs to release the cost benefit analysis for the walking/cycling bridge hes proposing for Auckland, says ACTs Transport spokesperson Simon Court. This is essentially Sky Path on steroids, driven by climate activists. Taxpayers deserve to know whether this stacks up. We need to see the full cost benefit analysis. According to the last census, driving a car, truck or van is the main way of getting to work for 70 per cent of Aucklanders. The figure for cycling is 0.9 per cent. Labour is no better than National on this front. National Ministers in the previous Government posed on Quay Street in helmets and hi-vis jackets to fund cycle projects which largely havent stacked up and in at least one case had to be abandoned due to disastrous cost benefit analysis done after the fact. This Government has a history of failing to deliver and cost blowouts. Its hard to believe this will be any different. This will be a hard pill to swallow for motorists. Mr Wood needs to release the analysis so we can judge whether this is really worth it. Scoop Media | https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2106/S00039/wheres-the-cost-benefit-analysis-for-the-bridge.htm |
What Happens When New Building Owners Arent Sure They Want To Keep A Mural Of Police Shooting Victims? | Charles Key painted portraits of four people killed by police as his form of protest. Paige Pfleger WPLN News Listen / Portraits of four people killed by police loom larger than life on Lafayette Street just south of downtown Nashville. But new owners of the building faced a choice: keep the mural in place and alter their renovation plans, or remove it and risk alienating the community. The portraits first went up shortly after police killed George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Nashville artist Charles Key walked up to the boarded up windows of the vacant Cee Bee Food store and started to paint. This was my form of protest in a certain way, he says. I did the pictures in red, white and blue colors to really just say this is America, we are part of America. The portraits are close-ups more than 6 feet tall, and their solemn eyes stare out over the street. The faces of Floyd and Taylor are recognizable around the world. And theyre alongside two young Black men killed by police here in Nashville Jocques Clemmons and Daniel Hambrick. I really wanted to reflect and show the injustice here, in your own backyard, Key says. This mural in particular is special to him, but Key knew better than to get attached to it. New owners could come, buildings get torn down, he says. We always have that notion that this is basically temporary. If you asked anyone theyd say, Enjoy it while you have it. Key thought it might be the end for the mural when he drove past and noticed construction on the building. That was the same worry Jay W had. He lives nearby on Lewis Street. Although this may be important to the community, he says, it might not be as important to the person thats moving into the community. Project Return is moving in. Its a Nashville based re-entry program that helps connect hundreds of formerly incarcerated people to jobs every year. CEO Bettie Kirkland says once they bought the building, they planned to take the mural down and relocate it to a nearby church. The former grocery store hardly has any windows, and the mural covers up a large swath. On the brink of dismantling the mural and relocating it on another street, we backed out of that decision, Kirkland says. She told the designers to find a new way to let light in. But the decision wasnt as simple as that it also had to do with the message these portraits send. Personally, I think they create a demand for change, she says. And we line up with that. We dont want people to experience violence at the hands of police. We dont want to see Black Nashvillians disproportionately swept into prison. It seems Project Return has made a good first impression by keeping the mural. But now its all about the long game. Jay W points out J.C. Napier Homes right across the street. Project Return occupies what was once a convenient grocery store for everyone but now it will hold a program that will mostly serve a specific group of people. With the watchful eyes of the mural as his backdrop, he pulls Kirkland aside to say so. What happens here needs to be able to serve the whole community, he says, and not just selected members of the community. Kirkland nods, and says her nonprofit has been visiting Napier to cater suppers and build relationships and trust. She says that while moving in Project Return is trying to be respectful of what was here before them. That includes the mural, and their new neighbors. | https://wpln.org/post/what-happens-when-new-building-owners-arent-sure-they-want-to-keep-a-mural-of-police-shooting-victims/ |
Is The Full North Pole Expedition The Hardest Expedition On The Planet? | Adventurers from around the world are known to compare epic journeys. WILMETTE, IL, USA, June 3, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Hands down the Full North Pole Expedition is the hardest trip anyone could ever do [notwithstanding doing the same expedition in the darkness of winter], says explorer and adventurer Lonnie Dupre who has skied the full distance to the North Pole twice, circumnavigated Greenland and climbed Denali solo in winter. Even my winter Denali climb was more of a mental game. The North Pole is a steady physical and mental challenge 24 hours a day for months. You've got to have your wits about you all the time. PolarExplorers director Annie Aggens recently interviewed Dupre about what makes the Full North Pole Expedition so challenging. The absolute, hands down, biggest challenge is the extreme cold. The extreme SUSTAINED cold. Dupre continues When we got off the plane on day one of the expedition the temperature was -58 F. The warmest it got was on the day we reached the North Pole, almost two months later, when it warmed to -22F. We had sustained extreme cold for basically two months. This type of cold weather wreaks havoc on people and gear alike. says PolarExplorers guide Keith Heger who has guided over a dozen North Pole Ski Expeditions, usually the Last Degree. Its absolutely brutal. One misstep with fuel or equipment can put an end to the expedition. Another challenge is the lack of rest. Taking a rest day on the Arctic Ocean is a gamble says Annie Aggens, director of PolarExplorers. The pack ice that floats atop the ocean is constantly in motion. Its always drifting. Its entirely possible that while youre asleep in your tent the ice is drifting to the south, meaning that youre losing your hard-earned northward miles. Dupre talks about the challenge of sleep deprivation in this video entry that he made on the 52nd day of the expedition. Our spirits are high he vlogs but Ive never experienced this amount of fatigue before. Im losing part of my vision and everything is getting blurry. The Full North Pole Ski Expedition starts in Canada or Siberia and ends at the Geographic North Pole. It has not been successfully completed since 2014. Not all North Pole expeditions are as long in duration or distance. The most popular North Pole ski expedition is the Last Degree which covers the last degree of latitude from 89N to 90N. Even Last Degree expeditions can experience drift that pulls skiers southward as they fight to travel North. Its one of the most frustrating things ever to watch your position drift south when you are trying so hard to get north. Says Heger. PolarExplorers has been organizing and guiding award winning expeditions to the polar regions and other remote locations in the high latitudes since 1993. Backed by decades of experience they create exceptional and unique adventures that celebrate the high latitudes, make lasting connections between people and places and inspire people to become stewards of the planet. For more information contact Annie Aggens at [email protected] or +1-847-256-4409. | https://www.einpresswire.com/article/542870650/is-the-full-north-pole-expedition-the-hardest-expedition-on-the-planet |
What Do Black Friday Figures Tell Us About Retail? | By Scott Baltic On Black Friday, JLL conducted an extensive retail survey, asking managers from 60 retail malls managed by the company to report on several key aspects of the first wave of holiday-season shopping. In some respects, properties on both coasts had similar experiences. In both groups, apparel was the strongest category at 75 percent of malls and electronics comprised the strongest category at the other 25 percent. Moderate to strong initial traffic on Black Friday morning was reported at 57 percent of West Coast malls and at 59 percent of East Coast malls. The number of onsite experiences or services to draw visitors increased versus last year at about 29 percent of West Coast malls and at about 23 percent on the East Coast. In other measures, in contrast, the two coasts did differ substantially. On the East Coast, about 9 percent of malls opened by 5 a.m. and only 18 percent opened at 8 a.m. or later. On the possibly more laid-back West Coast, no mall opened before 6 a.m. and fully 86 percent opened at 8 a.m. or later. About 86 percent of retailers in JLL-managed West Coast malls reported about the same level of traffic as last year, and none reported more traffic. The situation on the East Coast was more varied: About 32 percent of retailers reported more traffic than last year, while 23 percent reported less traffic and 45 percent reported about the same as Black Friday 2017. Getting behind the numbers To add depth and context to these results, Karen Raquet, director of property management at JLL, agreed to a Q&A with Commercial Property Executive. Raquet: The biggest change in the retail sector that this survey demonstrates is the elongating of the Black Friday shopping season. While in previous years malls were opening up on Thanksgiving Day to accommodate eager shoppers, many stores are now pulling back, reinforced by the fact that none of the malls surveyed on the West Coast opened before 6 a.m. this year. With many Black Friday deals continuing well into the weekend, consumers are feeling less rushed to be the first one in the store, since deals are running at both physical and digital locations before, during and after Black Friday. Raquet: Expectations that this would be a strong holiday season for both mall owners and retailers have held true. While mall owners didnt indicate massive upticks in traffic, the focus on experiences will allow them to bring in more customers as they continue to redefine their role as a retail channel. For retailers, in line with early predictions about popular retail categories, our mall managers noted the strength in the apparel and electronics categories at their malls this year. Raquet: The biggest outlook for malls coming into 2019 is redefining their role in the retail chain. Gone are the days where people would go to a mall to browse and do research on what they would like to buy. While the process may begin online, the vast majority of the time it ends with a purchase in a physical store. First, brick-and-mortar margins are actually higher, since its easier to ship to one central location versus multiple end locations. Second, there are aspects to malls that still cant be replicated online in terms of being able to view the product, have an in-store experience, and the ability to leave with your item the same day. These facts show that malls still have an important role to play even as retail becomes more digital. Raquet: Yes, the growth of e-commerce has slowed in recent years with recent census data showing a downward trend when it comes to year-over-year growth of e-commerce sales. This slowing of e-commerce sales growth reinforces the idea that were heading to an equilibrium point that is closer to the omnichannel model thats been discussed recently. As we get closer to hitting this point, brick-and-mortar and online retail will no longer be seen as competing retail channels, but rather referred to as simply retail. Raquet: While this survey was done more as a barometer for the activity occurring at our properties on Black Friday, it does seem to hint at some of the big trends in the changing retail landscape, especially when considering last-mile fulfillment and the role brick-and-mortar retailers will play in omnichannel retail. In the past, the traditional sales funnel would be trying to entice and capture the sales of shoppers walking in the mall, and mall traffic on Black Friday was seen as having a direct correlation to sales. Now with consumers educating themselves and doing much of their browsing online, malls tend to be the location consumers go to pick up the products they already decided on. From a value perspective, investors and owners may consider revamping their malls to focus more on experiential offerings and offering more options in terms of click-and-collect services. While last-mile fulfillment has decreased the amount of product stores need on hand, retailers get better margins from customers who make or pick up their purchase in-store, since they avoid the cost of shipping units to customers directly. Image courtesy of JLL | https://www.commercialsearch.com/news/what-do-black-friday-figures-tell-us-about-retail/ |
Do Massage Guns Really Help Recovery? | Photo : Andrey_Popov ( Shutterstock ) In the quest for deeper and more intense ly felt massages, many athletes have settled upon the massage gun as a tool to aid recovery. Advertisement First, a primer on the evidence behind sports massage: A lmost everybody agrees that if a massage makes you feel better, you should feel free to get one. But if youre wondering whether massages do anything specific physiologically that is good for your body, theres no compelling evidence suggesting that is so . Were pretty sure theyre not flushing lactic acid from your muscles (lactic acid doesnt cause that next-day soreness, anyway), but some studies do find that massage can help increase flexibility, and some people report they reduce soreness. Heres a recent meta-analysis, for example; its authors found no evidence that massage will make you a better athlete, but they did find research suggesting it might help you feel a little better. Personally, I would say noIve foam rolled maybe five times in my life and dont feel Im missing anything when I dont. But if massage feels good to you, theres no reason not to do it. If youve seen the ads, you probably have a good sense of how these devices work: T he gun punches you, over and over, with its rapidly moving, rubbery little fist. You can probably make a decision based on this alone: If you think wow, that must feel good, go buy a massage gun. If you think, oh my god, why would I want to punch myself? then its probably not for you. I tried out a massage gun recently, a HyperVolt model. I fall into the why would I punch myself camp, and my experience was what I expected . On my forearms and shins, it hurt; on my hamstrings, it tickled. It did feel pretty good on my back, if I was lying face-down on a bed and got somebody else to work the gun. Aisha Jordan, staff writer at Lifehacker, is in the opposite camp. She has a massage gun and loves it, to the extent that she rated it the most essential item that helped her endure the hell of 2020. I get really tight knots in my shoulder and the strong pulse of the Theragun loosens it when a regular massager cant, she says. Advertisement A thing to remember about massage guns is that youre usually using them on yourself, which can be awkward . The HyperVolt model I used weighs 2.5 pounds, which is heavy when youre trying to hold it at specific angles over the course of a 15 -minute session. Aishas Theragun mini weighs a full pound less. The bigger massagers tend to have a more powerful motor, so youre trading handleability for intensity. One nice thing about the model I used was that it connected with an app that detected when Id logged a workout in Apple Health and would suggest massage routines to match. Id open the app and start the video, and it would guide me through which body parts to massage and which attachments to use for each body part. If you feel like your self-massages could use that kind of structure and you dont mind contorting a bit to get the massager onto the various target muscles a massage gun might be right for you. Ill just be over here, enjoying not getting punched. Advertisement | https://lifehacker.com/do-massage-guns-really-help-recovery-1847027516 |
What Happened To Fossil Watches? | The global watchmaking industry has changed since the introduction of the smartphone and as demand for fitness trackers and smartwatches grow. Legacy watchmakers, like Fossil, have had to adapt and give customers new reasons to keep timepieces on their wrists. The company has been planning for the future by bringing its own smartwatches to market, initiating a multi-year turnaround plan and focusing on growing markets in China and India. Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision Subscribe to CNBC Classic: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCclassic About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. PUBLISHED: Thu, 03 Jun 2021 17:21:24 GMT | https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/what-happened-to-fossil-watches/ |
Will we actually see an NBA Finals without LeBron? | Nine out of the past 10 Finals have included this man. Image : Getty Images We might be in store for something very rare in the NBA a Finals that doesnt include LeBron James. With the Lakers down 3-2 to the Phoenix Suns, the possibility is becoming more and more likely that the defending champs wont make it out of the first round. Not seeing Lebron making a deep playoff run would be a level of parity that we havent had much of over the past decade and a half. Advertisement There are really cool statistics, and then there are absurd statistics. Heres one of the latter: Since 2007, LeBron James has participated in 10 of 14 NBA Finals. Thats 71 percent. He was in eight Finals in a row between 2011 and 2018, and nine of the last 10 with three different teams. This isnt a Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James debate piece, but, just by way of comparison, Jordan made six playoff appearances over an eight-year stretch, but he won every time he got there. I know that you know this. We all do, because every talking head continues to pound this into our skulls anytime the Jordan vs. James debate rears its ugly head. Tom Brady has the most Super Bowl appearances (and victories) of any NFL player of all time, with seven rings in 10 appearances. Serena Williams has won the most Grand Slam singles titles (23) in the Open era. Yogi Bera has the most World Series wins (10) and appearances (14) in MLB history. Bill Russell (11 wins, 12 appearances) and Sam Jones (10 wins, 11 appearances) still have James beat, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six wins, 10 appearances) is tied for appearances with James. What James has been able to do is legendary, but hes not up on Mount Rushmore yet. Maybe hes at the base of it looking up. If, somehow, he and the Lakers are able to overcome the Phoenix Suns and win the next two games, and if Anthony Davis can ever get fully healthy, he might just make another run at a championship. The problem with his resume isnt the appearances its the wins. Four championships in any team sport is nothing to scoff at, and we know James is already a walking Hall of Famer. However, when you look at his .400 win percentage in the Finals, he still has some catching up to do to Russell, Jones, Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan, and Magic Johnson, all of which have more rings than he does. Advertisement At 36 years old, its fair to wonder how many years James has left. When hes healthy though, hes still an elite performer. How many more deep runs in the playoffs he can make, and whether he can catch some of the other names ahead of him, remains to be seen. That said, James has earned our respect and our belief that anything is possible when it comes to his career. Lets not write the ending before it happens. | https://deadspin.com/will-we-actually-see-an-nba-finals-without-lebron-1847027536 |
How can I build a moving average for individual trades? | I am familiar with building moving averages (whether SMA or EMA) from candle/OHLC data or indeed from a ticker which reports the price at a fixed interval. But I would like to extend this to a raw trades feed I have access to. Now clearly trades can come at irregular intervals and depending on the resolution of the feed, likely I may have multiple trades with the same time. Of course one approach is to aggregate trades into fixed time intervals - basically building my own candles (or 'buckets'). But then some intervals might have zero trades so this approach has issues. | https://money.stackexchange.com/questions/141389/how-can-i-build-a-moving-average-for-individual-trades |
Who turned on the heat? | MADISON (WKOW) - It was cold a week ago... but we didn't need to crank the heat up this much. That's right, the heat is on and it's going to continue to get hotter and more humid as we sit underneath the ridge of the jet stream (that's where we typically find hot and humid conditions). Since this airmass is holding onto the heat and humidity, and isn't moving out any time soon... air quality advisories are already being issued and will most likely continue to be issued throughout the rest of the weekend and into next week. Take a look at where the forecast highs will be, compared to where they should be and how our dew points climb. You may need to turn on the AC or a fan, at the very least, to not only circulate air but also keep cool during the day but also at night as well. It's important to stay cool and hydrated during prolonged periods of heat as well as humidity. Here's some tips for what you can do during the day, but it's also important to stay cool overnight too. Because these warmer than normal conditions as well as drier than normal conditions look to stick around through the middle of June. | https://wkow.com/2021/06/03/heat-and-humidity-on-the-rise-through-weekend/ |
What Happened To Cory Gunz? | Sometimes, what appears to be a watershed moment in an artists career is simply a false alarm. Just as an artist reach the point where a meteoric rise seems imminent, everything from label interference to personal setbacks can allow a rapper's grasp of the zeitgeist to slip, taking said artist from the hottest thing out to, well, another rapper with fifteen minutes of fame quickly narrowing. Cory Gunz, placed front and centre just as Lil Waynes The Carter IV era began, would deliver such a star-making turn that, despite the iconic "6 Foot 7 Foot" representing Waynes returns to the fray (and his working relationship with Bangladesh), it was the dizzyingly-high bar set by his Young Money signee that had people talking. LISTEN: Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz "6 Foot 7 Foot" The son of Peter Gunz (of "(Deja Vu) Uptown Baby fame), Peter Cory Pankey Jr had been touted as a future star for a long time prior to the tracks release, routinely finding himself in the airspace of soon-to-be greats and fully certified legends during the early stages of his career. Initially signed to Def Jam at the tender age of 14, Cory would bust out the gate with his acclaimed The Apprentice mixtape series in 2006. The original "Gunna"'s lyrical sharpness and arsenal of flows insinuated that the offspring of the Love & Hip-Hop star had limitless potential. Soon after, he appeared on Rihannas sophomore record on "If Its Lovin That You Want Part 2" before checking in with grizzled NY vets The Bravehearts later that same year. Proving himself to be equally adept at inhabiting the pop-inflected world or the grimey backroads of the underground, Corys insatiable hustle and skillset would obtain him a spot in the illustrious Gangsta Grillz lineage in 2009 with Heir To The Throne. Bubbling off of a mixtape that spotlighted his immense abilities and saw him embrace the mountainous expectations that its title had set forth, his profile would be further raised when he found himself in venerable company as part of XXLs freshman class of 2009. Flanked by independent kings such as Ace Hood, Curren$y and Blu, as well as soon-to-be superstars Wale and Kid Cudi, discussions as to who was the MVP of the group ran rampant during the blog era, but after Corys aforementioned crowning glory on "6 Foot, 7 Foot," it appeared that he could be the one to embed himself at the top of the game. After all, its hard not to think that the crown is for the taking when a rapper outshines the man that's been the uncontested G.O.A.T. for the previous five years. Corey Gunz, Mack Maine and Lil Chuckee of Young Money fame attend the 2011 BET Awards -Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images The galvanizing verse and his spot on Young Moneys golden-age roster notwithstanding, Cory also had the good sense to gain name recognition by exploring other promotional avenues. Featuring frequent appearances from Nick Cannon, Cory would even receive his own MTV reality show. Dubbed Son Of A Gun, the six instalments provided a massive platform for Cory and humanized him at a time when all that was really known was that he had a prodigious ability on the mic. In subsequent interviews that followed, Cory spoke of a second season that would, as he told DJ Skee, "document the album process" but it, much like the record that he alluded to, it would never surface. Poised to take a frontline position in Young Money alongside Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga, Cory spoke candidly about how he felt he slotted into their bracketology, telling BET that "Honestly, Im playing for one of the biggest teams. Im like Lebron right now at the [Miami] Heat." Barrelling full steam ahead with the Son Of A Gun mixtape in July 2011, and linking up with marquee names such as 2 Chainz, ScHoolboy Q and Juicy J, it seemed all but a foregone conclusion that this laser-focused MC would be readying his debut album for a 2012 release. But when the normally straight-laced MC found himself saddled with a gun charge, hed face his first setback. In the estimations of his father, it was imperative that he cool his heels. "Young Money put up a lot of money, we fought and I kept Cory quiet," Peter senior informed HipHopDX. "He didnt put out a lot of music. We smoldered him. When you making noise and youre popping, thats when they make an example of you. So we either had to keep him hot and he got his ass in jail or cool him off and try to get him hot again. But now that hes got probation, hes out in Miami trying to work on records and get himself up again." Although he mustve felt as though he was back to square one, the hype train kept chugging along as 2013s mixtape Datz WTF Im Talkin Bout arrived. As far as features went, his appearance on the 2013 Rich Gang project was supplemented by a contribution to Meek Mills now legendary Dreamchasers 3, and over the course of both tracks, Cory got the chance to flex his wondrous rhyming ability in the company of Busta Rhymes, Mystikal, Meek, Birdman, French Montana and Mase. LISTEN: Rich Gang feat. Busta Rhymes, Mystikal & Cory Gunz "Every Day" Just as he appeared to gain a second wind, however, radio silence recommenced. Lost in the shuffle while some of his labelmates began to morph into transcendent stars, it appeared that his sporadic features and mesmerizing freestyles during his frequent trips to varied radio stations weren't enough for the fans to latch onto. What was needed was something substantive, and in reflection, his father and mentor told DJ Vlad that he felt that, not only did they fail to strike when the iron was hot, but that the inner turmoil stemming from Lil Wayne and Birdmans estrangement might have also hampered the Young Money artists chances. "He had the Son of A Gun show with Nick Cannon and we had '6 Foot 7 Foot,' we shouldve ran, but it didnt happen," Peter asserted in 2015. "His album, hes matured so much and hes ridiculous with it, I hope he gets his due." He continued, "Theres a situation there that affects everybody on Young Money. Now, what I feel is that whatever happens or wherever Wayne lands, Cory will be with him. Thats a concern." Cory Gunz and Nick Cannon attend a private listening party for Gunz, 2010 - Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images Although Wayne may have been preoccupied and therefore remiss in his duties as a label head, Cory still remained an infrequent collaborator of Waynes up until the latter half of the decade. In another impressive turn, Cory appeared alongside Nicki Minaj and Tunechi on "Lay it Down" before popping up on the infamous Free Weezy Album in 2015. With priorities continuing to shift, Corys last high profile placement came on Waynes Dedication 6, while in recent times-- March 2021-- Weezys YouTube channel hosted Corys video for "Different" to the tune of 700,000+ views. And, as Cory told ThisIs50 during a 2019 interview, theres still a treasure trove of music from the two that resides in the archives. "We got so much music man, we got some records that I be looking at him like, bro. He knows what he wants to do with it, so Im like I cant tell him what to do. I can just be like, thats fire, lets put it out. Me and Wayne got some shit." Left at the mercy of his label boss and seemingly unwilling to step on toes to push for an album release, Cory has had to be content with working in his own sphere, self-releasing projects such as 2017s Boogie Down Productions homage of Kriminal Minded, and occasionally reigniting the public imagination when he gets the chance to freestyle on a major platform, such as Funk Flex. However, even with what hes claimed to be a goldmine of collabs with YMCMBs all-stars and eternal name value, its possible that due to his status as a torchbearer for the bar-heavy art of MCing, there simply wasnt a marketable hit that they could anchor the record around. "Corys just a lyricist, and he wont bend. If he went in the studio and did a '1,2,3, ABC / Im down with Young Money,' who fucking knows?" His father foreshadowed in 2013. "Hed probably be a star by now. But he wont bend. We have to hope that people go back to wanting to hear from spitters, and not need to hear a hot, finger snap record. Corys sticking to his gunsno pun intendedand trying to be a lyricist." Faced with a position on the fringes of history and with one platinum plaque that is not too dissimilar his fathers, Peter senior has continually lamented over his sons arrested artistic development. And despite many fans likely assuming that hes left Waynes camp, his dad has maintained that the elusive Cory hasnt stopped grinding. "People dont believe me when I say that its bittersweet, 'cause I know how the industry can spit you out," Peter declared in 2020. "You ask where he is now, hes still on Young Money believe it or not. Hes got a million songs that hes working on. Hes still going and hopefully one day, people will get it Corys still got a lane and he just gotta put that right shit out thatll get peoples attention." Cory Gunz and his father, Peter Gunz, attend Peter Gunz birthday celebration, 2018 - Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images As of 2021, Cory is back on his grind, with Marchs Tims N Hoodies tape displaying him on typically-strident form, as he hooked up with Jahlil Beats and fellow forgotten son of Young Money, Gudda Gudda, on a solid project. But with every non-canonical drop that comes without the stamp of a major release, it only reinforces the confusion and frustration that surrounds the fact that his debut is the stuff of hip-hop folklore. Renowned as a top-tier lyricist, but lacking the enigmatic mysticism that someone like, say, Jay Electronica has (thus ensuring his coverage for the Pitchfork-hip-hop crowds of the world), the skillful but introverted Cory needs to drop that definitive statement if he's to find the acclaim that seemed his for the taking in the early 2010s. But even if that moment never comes, and he must subsist with underground admiration, Cory seems to be at peace with the fact that while may not reside at the forefront of the genre, hes managed to keep pushing forward with his soul intact. "Im able to look at myself in the mirror," he said in 2019. "If I wanted to be that rapper everybody wanted me to be, quote unquote, have the personality they wanted me to have, thatd leave me people to blame. Me moving how I want to move and keeping it just me, Im still able to sleep good at night." | https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/what-happened-to-cory-gunz-news.133006.html |
Can We Quit Trump? | A quick word about disappointment, before we dive into the news of the day. For a lot of us, the last five years have been a march of disillusionment, as weve watched people we once admired many of them our colleagues and friends make their peace with Trumpism, or worse, cast their lot with the transformation of the conservative movement into a carnival of buncombe (to borrow Menckens phrase). That movement and the GOP are now unrecognizable to many of us, and so we find ourselves in a political wilderness of sorts. But were not alone. Were coming up on the two-year anniversary of the founding of the Bulwark, which was hastily pulled together after the untimely murder of the Weekly Standard. Honestly, we didnt know what to expect then, or whether there was an audience for non-tribalist, non-Trumpian center-right commentary. Its an understatement to say that what has happened since has exceeded our wildest expectations. I know Im not alone in saying that this has been the most satisfying work of our careers. In 34 days, Donald Trump will leave the White House, likely for the last time. But obviously that doesnt mean that there are 34 days until we are done with either Donald Trump or Trumpism. And it certainly doesnt mean that we are done with the struggle against the toxic stew that gave us the MAGAverse. Let me make a promise and a plea. The promise: those of us at The Bulwark will continue the work weve begun. The plea: we very much want you to join us at Bulwark+ if you havent done so already. As an added inducement (if you need one): Bulwark + members are invited to join us tonight for our Year End livestream, in which we urge 2020 not to let the door hit its butt on the way out. Welcome to the Countdown Journal. There are 20 days until January 6, when Congress certifies the Electoral College votes, and 34 days until the Inauguration of Joe Biden. Probably not. The smart default position is still that Trump will retain his grip on the Republican party and haunt our dreams for the next decade. But if were wrong about this its because we may be underestimating the gap between president and not president. Weve lived so long with Trump Dominant that maybe we are missing the obvious fact here: that the post-presidential Trump will be a significantly diminished figure. He wont fade away, of course, but he wont be able to stay at the center of our politics for the simple reason that he wont play any actual role. Trump will be powerful only because he is perceived as powerful, but his actual power will be reduced to zilch. Perhaps most important: this most transactional of presidents will no longer have anything to give except his fear or favor. And the tweets. We may be tempted to attribute magical qualities to those rage tweets, but we may find out that they dont substitute for actually being able to do something. There wont be rides on Air Force One; no cushy jobs and honorifics; no White House parties; no more favors; no leverage on actual legislation. There wont be any policy wins to help the right rationalize its support. The grift will continue, but without taxpayer largesse. There will be no more judges, no executive orders, no cuts in regulations, no tax cuts. There is never going to be a fucking wall. For the last four years, Vichy Republicans have rationalized their support by insisting that we ignore the tweets and focus on the policies and accomplishments. But in his post-presidency there will no wins, just the rage, narcissism, and tweets, boiled down to their Trumpian essence. And thats all there will be, except for the possible indictments, trials, and bankruptcies. Thats why stoking outrage is so crucial for his post presidency. The stab-in-the-back stolen election lie is the wind beneath his wings; grievance is his only real asset. That may be enough to keep his base riled up. But there is also the possibility that rather than consolidate his control of the GOP, he will marginalize himself by continuing to embrace the most deranged elements of his own MAGAverse. His base of operations may drift from Fox News to OAN and his appeal from populism to raw crackpottery. One thing seems certain. As he broods in exile, the defeated ex-president is about to embark on the Worst Former Presidency Ever. Stripped of the trappings of the presidency he will be reduced to Trump himself, a tawdry, garish, bitter, cruel, and vulgar fraud. This time, that might actually matter. The Wapos Margaret Sullivan is telling the media it is time for a cold-turkey breakup with Trump. The media should for once decline to take the bait. Dont allow him to become a self-styled president in exile, the golf-cart version of Napoleon on Elba. Do not set up a Mar-a-Lago bureau. Dont have entire reporting beats dedicated to what he and his family members are up to. And for Gods sake, stop writing about his unhinged tweets. Matt K. Lewis is also urging the press to resist the temptation to treat Trump like shadow president. Even as Trump has sought to undermine the media as fake news and enemies of the people, we have laughed all the way to the bank. This was true almost from the beginning. It may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS, admitted Les Moonves, the networks CEO, during the 2016 presidential campaign. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say. But, bring it on, Donald. Keep going. Trump continues his campaign bring Fox News back into line: Dont lose sight of this. Or this. ICYMI: Make sure you read this Texas Monthly piece about a Texas wedding photographer. The wedding photographer had already spent an hour or two inside with the unmasked wedding party when one of the bridesmaids approached her. The woman thanked her for still showing up, considering everything thats going on with the groom. When the photographer asked what she meant by that, the bridesmaid said the groom had tested positive for COVID-19 the day before. She was looking for me to be like, Oh, thats crazy, like I was going to agree with her that it was fine, the photographer recalls. So I was like, What are you talking about? And she was like, Oh no no no, dont freak out. He doesnt have symptoms. Hes fine. The photographer, who has asthma and three kids, left with her assistant before the night was over. Her exit was tense. The wedding planner said it was the most unprofessional thing shed ever seen. Bridesmaids accused her of heartlessly ruining an innocent womans wedding day. She recalls one bridesmaid telling her, Im a teacher, I have fourteen students. The friend of the bride whod spilled the beans cried about being the worst bridesmaid ever. Quick Hits 1. Inside the Epically Murky Epoch Times Ad Campaign Make sure you read this epically important piece by Tim Miller in todays Bulwark: The QAnons arent organized enough to have their own house organ, which pretends for all the world to be a normal news outlet. And the Falun Gongs do. So in summary here is what we know: A foreign cult that thinks Donald Trump is on a messianic mission has a news site that has spent at least $2 million on YouTube ads since 2018, mostly in 2020. This news site has called for a violent insurrection to keep Trump in power. We have evidence that there are additional ads running on top of the $2 million that has been reported, but the extent of this buy is unknown. This news organization has a history of using sockpuppets to avoid reporting the full extent of their ad spending. Anecdata suggests that Epoch Times ads may be running at an unusually high volume as there are myriad complaints of this nature on Twitter and in the comments section of the YouTube videos. The group behind the ads has seemingly unlimited resources and was the second-largest pro-Trump advertiser on Facebook before such ads were banned. They believe the stakes are a literal apocalyptic battle between good and evil. 2. Uninstalling Stephen Miller Sam Peak and Jonathan Haggerty in todays Bulwark: How one mans mastery of the dark bureaucratic arts made life a living hell for immigrants and refugees. Stephen Miller didnt simply leave a mess for America to clean uphe installed his ideology within a system now accustomed to buckling to his will. Uninstalling Stephen Miller will be an endeavor that takes several years, at minimum. Despiteor perhaps becauseof Trump and Millers efforts, American support for immigration has soared to historic highs. Millers agenda, implemented through bureaucratic force of will, may take longer to end than the four years he spent enacting it. Although Miller himself will leave, the culture he helped create will likely stay for a while. And while Trumps rhetoric has backfired with the general public, GOP primary voters still prioritize immigration as an issue much more than immigration supporters. For the former, its their most salient issue. This dynamic means that it will be an uphill battle for the incoming administration to restore sanity to the system. Cheap Shots Math. Selective outrage. Memories. Deep Thoughts Todays Republican Party needs a Little White Schoolhouse cleaning Ripon, Wisconsin takes pride in being the birthplace of the Republican party. Heres an editorial from its hometown paper, the Ripon Commonwealth Press: | https://morningshots.thebulwark.com/p/can-we-quit-trump |
Will Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Be Invited To Queen Elizabeths Platinum Jubilee Celebration? And Just What Is The Platinum Jubilee Anyway? | Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are constantly attacked by the tabloids, something we here at Gossip Cop often take note of. One of the more popular tropes the tabloids employ is that the duke and duchess are somehow kicked out of the family or have been banned by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, or even Prince William. With Buckingham Palaces announcement that the queens Platinum Jubilee, which will celebrate her astonishing 80 years on the throne, is being planned for the summer of 2022, some have wondered if her grandson and his wife will be included in the party. We think we have the answer. Not everything is known about the festivities being planned for next summer, but some details have been announced. It will likely take place on June 2, the anniversary of Queen Elizabeths coronation in 1952. The Trooping of the Colour, an event traditionally held annually on the second Saturday in June, will serve as the kick off. It traditionally marks the British sovereigns official birthday, which is a date chosen specifically to celebrate and not the queens actual birthday (Queen Elizabeths actual birthday is April 21). There will likely also be concerts and other celebrations across the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth, including the Platinum Party at the Palace, which will be a huge concert near Buckingham Palace. Performers have not been announced, but in the past, similar concerts at various Queens Jubilees have included will.i.am, Elton John, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder, Queen, and Paul McCartney, among many others. Its sure to have a long list of A-listers performing. Despite all the rumors and bogus reports in the tabloids about the queen banning Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from events, it appears that yes, Queen Elizabeths grandson will indeed be invited. Multiple sources have confirmed with PageSix that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be included. Its hard to imagine Prince Harry wouldnt be invited despite the rift between the him and Markle and the rest of the family. Prince Harry praised his grandmother in his interview with Oprah Winfrey and has often talked about how important she is to him. And to that, we can only speculate. Prince Harry returned to England for the first time after splitting with the family in early 2020 for his grandfather Prince Philips funeral last month. Meghan Markle didnt join the prince, however. Markle is, of course, pregnant, and due any day now, so traveling internationally during a pandemic was deemed a bad idea by her doctors. The duchess was provided a closed-circuit feed of the funeral, and its been reported that she did watch from their home in California. Again, its only speculation, but Gossip Cop thinks she will attend the Platinum Jubilee. This is a historic moment in the queens life, her reign as monarch, and indeed the history of the United Kingdom, as Queen Elizabeth will be the first monarch to celebrate this milestone ever. No one has ever served as king or queen as long as Queen Elizabeth. For that reason, its hard to imagine anyone in the family skipping it, especially her grandson and his wife. Prince Harry Will Likely Return Before That On July 1, 2021, Prince Harry will almost certainly return to the UK to stand alongside Prince William when a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, is unveiled on the grounds of Kensington Palace in London. There has been a lot of speculation given the state of Prince Harry and Prince Williams relationship as to whether the Duke of Sussex will go, but again, its hard to think he wouldnt, knowing how much his mother and this tribute to her mean to him. Meghan will likely give birth right around the same time, so its impossible to rule out that he wont be able to make it, but hell likely do everything he can to be there. The whole world will be watching next summer, not only to see the concert and the pageantry, but to break down every nuanced moment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles return. | https://www.gossipcop.com/will-meghan-markle-and-prince-harry-be-invited-to-queen-elizabeths-platinum-jubilee-celebration-and-just-what-is-the-platinum-jubilee-anyway/192732/ |
How Alarmed Should We Be? | Donald Trump arrives for a "Keep America Great" campaign rally at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio, on January 9, 2020. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) Sulking in the White House, the president refuses to concede, and continues to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories about the election he just lost. Leading Republicans are following his lead, with the senate majority leader explicitly endorsing his challenge to the results. Only a handful of GOP officials have acknowledged the results of the election or congratulated the president elect. It seems to be working. A new poll shows that 70 percent of Republicans now say they dont believe the 2020 election was free and fair, a stark rise from the 35 percent of GOP voters who held similar beliefs before the election. Even as President-elect Biden sought to focus attention on the looming disaster of the coronaviruss deadly third wave, Trump (1) fired his Secretary of Defense, and (2) got his compliant Attorney General to authorize an investigation of specific allegations of voter fraud. Mr. Barrs authorization prompted the Justice Department official who oversees investigations of voter fraud, Richard Pilger, to step down from the post within hours, according to an email Mr. Pilger sent to colleagues that was obtained by The New York Times. On Monday, Trump ordered senior government leaders to block cooperation with President-elect Joe Bidens transition team, escalating a standoff that threatens to impede the transfer of power and prompting the Biden team to consider legal action. Welcome to the Countdown Journal. There are 71 days to go until the Inauguration. Not only is Trump hanging on, he is demanding that the entire GOP get in line behind his refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of the election. There is no evidence of widespread fraud or errors, so Trump and his acolytes are making things up, flat out lying, and preying on misunderstandings. The whole thing is cynical, depressing, alarming, and dangerous. As JVL wrote yesterday: By refusing to concede, Trump is establishing yet another loyalty test for Republicans, yet another gangland initiation rite. And so far, Republicans are lining up to demonstrate just how loyal they can be. As a result, the transition will be delayed, with serious implications for national security and the fight against the pandemic. BUT.. despite the lawsuits and cable bloviating, Trump has no chance of overturning the actual outcome of the election. This is worth repeating: there is no evidence of widespread fraud; the lawsuits that have been filed would not lead to a reversal of Bidens electoral college victory. (This isnt Florida 2000, where Gore had to flip just one state. This year, Trump could get all of Pennsylvanias electoral votes thrown out and he would still lose the election. ) Manu Raju @mkraju So, be alarmed. But breathe. I think Lawfares Quinta Jurecic is right here: What Republicans think they are doing versus what they are really doing. I suspect that the vast majority of elected Republicans know that Trump has lost. By delaying admitting that, they imagine they are simply buying themselves time, creating some space for Trump to come to terms with his defeat. They are hoping that the inevitable court rulings provide them cover to acknowledge Joe Bidens win. In reality, though, they are feeding the narrative that American democracy is no longer legitimate. This is not just about Joe Biden. The long-term implications will be a corrosive undermining of faith in the American system. This is the final, but perhaps the greatest of Trumps violation of norms, shattering centuries of bipartisan understanding of the necessity of maintaining faith in our democratic system and the peaceful transfer of power. In case you think this is an overstatement, the reality is that tens of millions of Americans now will believe that the next president is illegitimate because the election was stolen. Then, of course, there is the bottomless cynicism of Mitch McConnell: And then here is this sort of dumb-fuqqery from my home state of Wisconsin, where a GOP representative is suggesting that the legislature ignore the actual election and having electors vote for Trump. If an investigation shows these actions affected the outcome of the election, we need to either declare this past election null and void and hold a new election or require our Electoral College Delegates to correct the injustice with their votes, he said in a statement. Spoiler alert: This wont happen. Bill Kristol is worried. Make sure you read him in todays Bulwark. Maybe the GOP is just humoring our petulant president, he writes. Maybe the firing of Mark Esper was just for spite. Maybe the DOJ probe is just for show. But maybe not. As Kristol notes: A little alarmism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Complacency in the defense of democracy is no virtue. An alarming thought experiment. Lets start with the caveat that I am not predicting this, nor do I think it is likely. But I want to float this hypothetical: Lets imagine that in the absence of Mark Esper, the president actually deploys active military troops into key cities to seize the ballots after unfounded accusations of fraud. The DOJ probe. The Ugly, the Bad, and the Maybe Not So Bad. Lets start with the Ugly: Mr. Barrs memo allows U.S. attorneys to bypass that career prosecutor and take their requests to his office for approval, effectively weakening a key safeguard that prevents political interference in an election by the party in power. The Bad: Mr. Barrs directive ignored the Justice Departments longstanding policies intended to keep law enforcement from affecting the outcome of an election. And it followed a move weeks before the election in which the department lifted a prohibition on voter fraud investigations before an election. The Maybe Not So Bad: He made clear in a carefully worded memo that prosecutors had the authority to investigate, but he warned that specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries. Our Amanda Carpenter doesnt think much will come of it: Just in time for the runoffs a GOP civil war in Georgia. Georgias two U.S. senators called on the states top elections official, a fellow Republican, to resign Monday in a shocking attempt to appease President Donald Trump and his supporters ahead of Jan. 5 runoffs for likely control of the U.S. Senate. Hours earlier, a state elections official held a press conference at the Capitol focused on debunking several conspiracy theories alleging missing or mishandled ballots. Raffensperger said he would continue to ensure that the election is fair. My job is to follow Georgia law and see to it that all legal votes and no illegal votes are counted properly and accurately, Raffensperger said. As secretary of state, that is my duty, and I will continue to do my duty. As a Republican, I am concerned about Republicans keeping the U.S. Senate. I recommend that Sens. Loeffler and Perdue start focusing on that. Share Morning Shots Quick Hits 1. Donald Trumps Last (?) Big Lie Aaron L. Friedberg and Gabriel Schoenfeld in todays Bulwark: The presidents allegations are profoundly dangerous and could serve to destabilize our entire system of government. The ability to transfer power peacefully is a singular achievement of our political order. Its success depends on the confidence that people have in the fairness of the electoral system. With millions of Trumps followers believing his charges, that confidence has been placed in jeopardy, setting the stage for truly dangerous confrontations in the short term and potentially shattering much of the nations faith in our system of government over the longer term. Cheap Shots The Right Continues to Lose Its Mind: Give a gift subscription Deep Thoughts We get mail: | https://morningshots.thebulwark.com/p/how-alarmed-should-we-be |
Is a happy stepfamily in J-Lo and Ben Afflecks future? | Without officially confirming theyre dating, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck let themselves be photographed hanging out together in Montana and Miami, and cuddling each other as they walked into Wolfang Pucks new West Hollywood restaurant this week. Since Lopez and Affleck ended their first supercouple romance Bennifer in 2004, theyve married and divorced other people Marc Anthony and Jennifer Garner and have had children. Lopez is the mother of 13-year-old twins, Emme and Max, and Affleck is the father of Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, 9. As busy as Lopez and Affleck are in their respective careers, they make sure it is known that they are dedicated and active parents. Ben Affleck was spotted with children Sera and Samuel today in LA [May 30] pic.twitter.com/fu6nigJQWT bennifer tea (@jloaffleck) May 31, 2021 Affleck is regularly photographed by paparazzi picking up his children from their Los Angeles-area schools, taking them to swimming lessons, or meeting them with Garner for a family outing. For her part, Lopez often shares photos of herself with her children on Instagram. A source close to her says Page Six that his children are his priority. This source added that the singer needs to make sure she takes her children into account as her relationship with Affleck heats up again. Affleck would have felt the same, Page Six said. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck got together in LA. pic.twitter.com/ePS5xJIDRN bennifer tea (@jloaffleck) June 1, 2021 Its understandable that Lopez and Affleck want to be careful about how they involve their children in their new relationship. They may have rushed to date, but they take things a lot slower when it comes to introducing their kids, a source said. according to OK! magazine One of the main reasons is that Lopezs children are still dealing with the absence of Alex Rodriguez and his daughters, Natasha, 16, and Ella, 13, OK! the magazine reported. #Jennifer Lopez and #BenAffleck choose to take their time when it comes to their children. https://t.co/tf0elZ09fJ OKAY! Magazine United States (@OKMagazine) June 2, 2021 Lopez and the former MLB star called off their engagement in April after four years of dating. During those four years, Lopez and Rodriguez pushed the idea that they were creating a happy, blended family. Lopez especially enjoyed posting photos of her, Rodriguez and their four children together on a regular basis. This modern day Brady Bunch could often see hanging Christmas tree ornaments, go on a luxury vacation, or even find ways to be entertained during COVID-19 quarantine in Florida. With his ex-wife, Affleck took a very different approach to sharing their childrens information and images. Affleck and Garner usually dont talk much about their kids and rarely share photos of themselves on social media. Whatever happens, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck will always make co-parenting their first priority! Meet the three children of the former couple. https://t.co/jzTvbPaJqS Closer Weekly (@closerweekly) June 1, 2021 However, photographs of Violet, Seraphina and Samuel are regularly featured in sensational reports about their father. In one of his rare comments about his children, Garner told The Hollywood Reporter that the constant press attention, including the relentless swarm of paparazzi, had put so much anxiety in our little family. . Affleck is also known to have introduced his children to his latest girlfriend, actress Ana de Armas. Affleck and de Armas, his co-star in the upcoming thriller Deep Water, went public with their relationship last April and moved in together. De Armas also joined Affleck, his children and his mother on vacation in Georgia last June, People have reported. Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas go out for the FIRST TIME with his children in Brentwood: Ben Affleck has officially introduced his children to his new girlfriend Ana de Armas. https://t.co/WhubUkjfPb pic.twitter.com/TdYKxyaETa RushReads (@RushReads) 23 May 2020 At the time, a source told People, Ana seems to enjoy being with her kids. Everyone gets along very well. Ana makes an effort to get to know her children. Affleck and de Armas broke up in January and he quickly emailed Lopez asking how she was and even expressing a desire to see her romantically, TMZ and other outlets reported. Either way, its hard to imagine Lopez doing school drives. Its also hard to imagine Afflecks children appearing in any of Lopezs holiday Instagram photos, hanging Christmas tree ornaments with her twins. But then, no one ever imagined Lopez and Affleck would get back together, with plenty of signs pointing to the likelihood of Bennifer 2.0 becoming a reality. | https://exbulletin.com/entertainment/963047/ |
Is GTA San Andreas still fun to play in 2021? | GTA San Andreas is still an incredibly fun game to play after all of these years. When one thinks of iconic GTA games, GTA San Andreas is near the top. It isn't just blind nostalgia that holds the community together either. It's a legitimately good game in its own right. While it does have its flaws, the game still holds up very well today. Like all other legendary GTA games, GTA San Andreas has its fair share of notable features. Some of them are exclusive to the game, but GTA San Andreas also includes some of the series' staples that have endeared the game to the public for as long as it has. For some fans, the game is a timeless classic that is worth playing in 2021 and long after it. Why GTA San Andreas is still a blast to play after all of these years An iconic graphic (Image via Rockstar Games) It's no secret that many Internet communities love GTA San Andreas. It isn't a cult classic that only a select few players still fondly remember to this day, as the game was critically praised back in the day and was the best-selling PS2 game of all time. It might not be the most relevant GTA game right now, but it's not obscure by any means. If somebody says that their favorite game is GTA San Andreas, then it's hard to dispute that. It's a legitimately great game, with a strong argument to be made that it's a top-three GTA title at worst, and the best game overall otherwise. It's a one of a kind GTA experience There isn't anything like it in the GTA series (Image via Yolk Music) Every GTA game has something unique about it that stands out. However, GTA San Andreas tends to stand out more than the rest of the series for the sheer amount of unique features it has compared to the other titles. In a way, GTA San Andreas was the closest to an RPG that the GTA series has ever ventured toward. It introduced so many great customizable features (some of which are absent in later titles), and it even had a plethora of skills for players to train. There are also many unique side missions and activities that haven't returned to the series at all. Even the storyline direction is unlike any other GTA game, which ultimately makes GTA San Andreas stand out as a wholly unique experience. The gameplay is still solid GTA San Andreas is refreshing to play (Image via Google Play) Being unique for the sake of being unique isn't necessarily a good thing. However, GTA San Andreas executes its features quite masterfully. Its customization is a boon rather than a bane, and it plays a large part in why GTA San Andreas is so good. Other than its excellent customization features, GTA San Andreas also stands out because of its core controls. Although it isn't modernized like GTA 5 is, the general gameplay is a lot quicker, which appeals to some fans. Likewise, it isn't as archaic as GTA 3's control scheme. In a way, GTA San Andreas is the perfect middle ground. It isn't so modernized that it can feel sluggish or lose its charm, but it's also modernized enough as to not frustrate the player. There is more attention to detail than what most players realize Many players associate games like GTA 5 with having some amazing attention to detail. While that game does have more of it compared to a game like GTA San Andreas, it's still important to note that GTA San Andreas has an insane amount of attention to detail for a 2004 game. Some fans are constantly surprised by what they discover is in GTA San Andreas. Some features are obscure, meaning that some players are bound to discover something new when replaying the game. 2004 games don't get the kind of detail GTA San Andreas has. Likewise, even some modern games miss out on the cool little features GTA San Andreas had. It's an underrated part of why some fans just love the game so much. Classic GTA charm GTA San Andreas is a classic (Image via Hazardous) Of course, any fan of the classic GTA formula is going to love GTA San Andreas. The writing is good (and not borderline obnoxious like in some other titles). Likewise, the characters are quirky and easy to understand. Any fan of the older GTA titles will likely enjoy GTA San Andreas for this simple reason. It's not unoriginal, either, as GTA San Andreas spins the classic GTA tone into something more wacky and comical. Some players might not like that aspect about GTA San Andreas, but it's worth noting that many fans do love it for being like that. It doesn't take itself too seriously like other entries to the GTA series do, which can create an interesting juxtaposition between it and the other games in the series. Amazing modding scene Very few video games have a modding scene as extensive as GTA San Andreas's. It is unbelievably massive, with only another GTA game like GTA 5 being at its level in that regard. There's a mod for everything in GTA San Andreas. Whatever the player wishes to change in the game, chances are, it's out there and waiting for the player to download it. Edited by Nikhil Vinod | https://www.sportskeeda.com/gta/is-gta-san-andreas-still-fun-play-2021 |
What is Chainlink and will the price go up? | THE cryptocurrency Chainlink has been steadily rising in value in the last few days. We explain what you need to know. Read our cryptocurrency live blog for the latest updates 1 Chainlink has seen a steady rise in recent days Chainlink, like the two largest cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Ethereum, has on average been increasing in value this week. But it comes after cryptocurrencies across the board plummeted last month. This volatility highlights the risk of investing in cryptocurrencies, which like stocks and shares, is a very precarious business. Investing in cryptocurrencies is not a guaranteed way to make money, so make sure you know the risks and can afford to lose the cash. 5 risks of crypto investments THE Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned people about the risks of investing in cryptocurrencies. Consumer protection : Some investments advertising high returns based on cryptoassets may not be subject to regulation beyond anti-money laundering requirements. : Some investments advertising high returns based on cryptoassets may not be subject to regulation beyond anti-money laundering requirements. Price volatility : Significant price volatility in cryptoassets, combined with the inherent difficulties of valuing cryptoassets reliably, places consumers at a high risk of losses. : Significant price volatility in cryptoassets, combined with the inherent difficulties of valuing cryptoassets reliably, places consumers at a high risk of losses. Product complexity : The complexity of some products and services relating to cryptoassets can make it hard for consumers to understand the risks. There is no guarantee that cryptoassets can be converted back into cash. Converting a cryptoasset back to cash depends on demand and supply existing in the market. : The complexity of some products and services relating to cryptoassets can make it hard for consumers to understand the risks. There is no guarantee that cryptoassets can be converted back into cash. Converting a cryptoasset back to cash depends on demand and supply existing in the market. Charges and fees : Consumers should consider the impact of fees and charges on their investment which may be more than those for regulated investment products. : Consumers should consider the impact of fees and charges on their investment which may be more than those for regulated investment products. Marketing materials: Firms may overstate the returns of products or understate the risks involved. If you do invest in cryptocurrencies, your cash can go down as well as up in the blink of an eye - you can lose all the money you put in. So while Chainlink and other cryptocurrencies have been rising, they can easily tumble again - as we have seen. Plus, some products and cryptocurrency services are very complex to understand. You should only invest in things you understand. There's also no guarantee that you'll be able to convert cryptoassests back into cash, as it may depend on the demand and supply in the existing market. Fees and charges may be higher than with regulated investment products as well. We know that crypto firms may also overstate the returns or understate the risks. Be careful. Chainlink is a cryptocurrency that was created in 2014 but launched on the market in 2017. It was founded by Sergey Nazarov, a 32-year-old entrepreneur, who had previously set up tech platform Smartcontract.com. Chainlink is also a ledger technology using blockchain, like Bitcoin that companies are using to build new programmes. A blockchain is where encrypted data can be transferred securely, making it nearly impossible to duplicate or counterfeit. How to spot crypto scams CRYPTO scams are popping up all over the internet. We explain how to spot them. Scammers often attract money by making fake promises. Scammers often attract money by making fake promises. Heavy marketing and promotional offers - If they are using marketing tricks to con customers you should beware. - If they are using marketing tricks to con customers you should beware. Unamed or non-existent team members - Just like any business you should be easily able to find out who is running it. - Just like any business you should be easily able to find out who is running it. Check the whitepaper - Every crypto firm should have a white paper. This should explain how it plans to grow and make money. If this doesn't make sense, then it could be because the founders are trying to confuse you. - Every crypto firm should have a white paper. This should explain how it plans to grow and make money. If this doesn't make sense, then it could be because the founders are trying to confuse you. Do your research - Check reviews online and Reddit threads to see what other people think. This ledger is the foundation of any cryptocurrency transaction. The cryptocurrency allows people to trade currency or assets digitally outside of any government or bank. But Chainlink also aims create a "link" between blockchain and real world applications to open up possibilities for the technology to be used more widely. Chainlink is currently trading at $31.77 at the time of writing on Thursday afternoon, according to Coindesk. That's up 2% in the last 24 hours and around 32% since Sunday, when it was trading at $23.71. But while Chainlink has been surging, like other cryptocurrencies it can easily tumble again and it's difficult to predict when. Chainlink hit an all time high of $51.24 on May 10, but the cryptocurrency crashed later in the month. It's still trading at around 40% less than that record high. Susannah Streeter, a senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown said: "Chainlinks price has been fuelled by speculation by many traders trying to sniff out short term gains rather than belief in its fundamental long term use case. She added: "With such volatility, competition in the market and uncertainty surrounding nascent technology, traders should take an extremely cautious approach and only dip their toe into the market with money they can afford to gamble. Matt McKenna, spokesman at Finder also said: "Chainlinks price has been following the wider crypto market, which saw a huge sell off during May. "Over the past month it is down roughly 20%, but has been showing signs of recovery in the last few days. "As with all cryptocurrencies, people should be prepared for extreme volatility, and the very real risk of losing money." GREAT I-KEA Ikea to launch MASSIVE 50% off sale in stores and online next week EXTRA HELP 7 schemes to apply for to get help paying for childcare during holidays SALES PITCH Ordinary-looking semi on sale for 300k has VERY bizarre feature inside IN FOR A POUND How to get childs ticket to Legoland, Chessington or Sealife for 1 Brits are being warned they risk losing all of their money if they invest in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It comes after a ban on some crypto-related investment products. From Dogecoin and Litecoin to Bitcoin here are the different cryptocurrencies explained. | https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/15154636/what-is-chainlink-will-price-go-up/ |
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