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Will Brexit break up Labour or Tories first? | Or perhaps it is more apposite to say which party will break up first, since the gravitational force of competing visions of the UK's future relationship with the EU are threatening to fracture each of them. On my show last night the divisions in the Tory Party were on full display with the chief secretary Liz Truss implying that the prime minister is wasting her time wooing party leaders to find a Brexit compromise, and should concentrate instead on reaching out to the 118 Tory MPs and the DUPs 10 who voted against her. Liz Truss implied that the Prime Minister is wasting her time wooing party leaders to find a Brexit compromise. Credit: PA What Truss appears to believe is that if the EU can be persuaded to either remove the backstop or put a time limit on it, the PMs deal would pass through the Commons. Which, for what its worth, is not what Theresa May thinks, according to those close to her: she has been persuaded, I understand, both that the EU wont move enough on the backstop, and that even if it did she would not win a majority. So she has to explore whether if she softened or gave up some of her Brexit red lines, such as that a post-Brexit UK would not have the power to negotiate independent trade deals by being in the customs union forever, a cross-party alliance would carry the day for her. But both Liz Truss and the senior Tory Brexiter MP John Whittingdale made clear on the Peston show they would implacably oppose such a compromise. It would only work if May is content to see cabinet resignations and even MPs resigning from the party. That is why most Tories think the idea of a customs-union fudge has been allowed to become a talking point only to distract from the absence of a strategy that might actually work. As for Labour, it is either liberated or imprisoned by the Brexit process enshrined in that notorious motion passed at its last conference. What was striking, again on the show, was the relative degree of unity shown by John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, Lisa Nandy whose instincts are to deliver some kind of Brexit, and who has adopted Gordon Browns idea of citizens juries delivering a unifying plan and Ben Bradshaw, who wants a referendum. John McDonnell told me that on Monday Labour will amend the motion laid by the PM that is supposed to outline her plan to secure Brexit. Credit: PA | https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-17/will-brexit-break-up-labour-or-tories-first/ |
Is the Womens March Still Relevant? | Womens March Los Angeles generated massive turnouts the day after President Donald Trumps inauguration and last year in the buildup to midterm elections that resulted in a record number of women winning public office around the nation. The third Womens March Los Angeles happens Saturday, but public enthusiasm has been dampened by concerns about anti-Semitism due to Washington D.C. Womens March co-founders public support for Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan even though the Los Angeles march is not affiliated to the D.C. march, and the co-founders of the L.A. march are Jewish women. The Argonauts Gary Walker, Bliss Bowen and Christina Campodonico asked several Westsiders who are active in progressive causes to share their thoughts about whether this years march is still relevant, and the following quotes highlight portions of those responses: I think the march is absolutely still relevant, and I am excited to participate this Saturday. We can easily share a post on social media about our views and what we support. However, it takes more work to attend a rally: we make signs, find transportation and carve out several hours to dedicate to march. Thats why I think its powerful. I know that the people standing next to me all took the extra effort to be there and express our support for womens rights. Its an energy that cant be replicated in other mediums. I believe in equal pay and equal access for women in the workplace. As someone who founded a company in a male-dominated industry, Ive experienced prejudice and understand the extra obstacles women face to raise capital. Im marching to show that we still have a lot of work to do to give women the same professional opportunities as men. Nanxi Liu, tech industry entrepreneur, Mar Vista I wont be able to attend this year, but if I were going it would be to stand in solidarity with others for what the Womens March stands for. But personally, I have so many outlets for a lot of the issues that people are protesting about that I think are much more productive, such as engaging with policymakers and voter outreach efforts. I absolutely commend the organizers and all the people who plan to go to the march, but in my mind engaging in the type of work that Im doing, like working to get candidates elected to public office, is much more tangible than just one day at a march. That has a much more lasting impact. Duane Muller, president of the Westchester-Playa Democratic Club, Playa Vista Marching with women, men, children and young people who believe that we need to approach our societys, our countrys and our planets problems from a different perspective is essential. Feminism can walk us toward a path of humanism, which in the end is what we need. Claudia Vizcarra, education consultant, Culver City My purpose is to rebuild the feminine connection, and the primary way I do that right now is with Quilt. I host Quilt gatherings, I attend Quilt gatherings, I spend most of my time building the Quilt brand. The womens march is a wonderful opportunity for a lot of women to connect to the mission and show their support. For me this isnt a one day effort, its every day, all year round. Gianna Wurzl, co-founder of womens co-working space Quilt, Venice While Im not sure if Ill be able to attend the march this year, I am very pleased that the L.A. march has unequivocally separated themselves from any association with the national march and its hypocritical leadership who continue to champion Louis Farrakhan, a virulent anti-Semite and homophobe. Ideals are only meaningful if theyre in line with behavior, and I applaud Womens March Los Angeles for being consistent in word and action. Sara Kay, yoga instructor and community organizer, Playa del Rey No matter how devious or divisive the attempts to undermine our common cause, when we, in the millions, lock arms with the comrade to the left and right of us, we are lifted by the knowledge that no amount of hate will ever conquer the spirit of a people united by truth, compassion and justice. Lenore French, Mar Vista Art Walk organizer, Mar Vista Wouldnt miss it, because solidarity with women is essential for the hopeful development of men. In the hopes of bringing justice to an all too unjust world, a little shoe leather is the least that can be expended. The opportunities are many. Robin Doyno, neighborhood council member, Mar Vista When Trump was elected and we had the first womens march, we were angry. I remember being so moved by the numbers of people who showed up. We got to the subway station and looked down inside at a sea of pink hats worn by women of all ages, women of color, little girls and their families. I burst into tears at the sight of it all. But I think the most moving thing about that day was seeing all of the men who were there, wearing T-shirts and carrying signs that said things like, Im with her, and her, and her, and her and Whatever She Says. As a woman who grew up in Los Angeles and was subjected to some kind of sexual harassment from men daily, it felt so good! I felt so supported so respected! I hope we wont have to keep marching for womens rights forever, but I do think that this year may be even more important than last year. The current administration is not only under investigation for the obstruction of justice but continues to be turning back the hands of time, in terms of the progress weve made with regard to human rights, at an alarming rate. Alison Freebairn-Smith, author of How Trump Stole America, Marina del Rey I go for several reasons. Participating in my democracy is important to me, and I know that to be heard I need to speak out and speak up for what I believe in by marching, voting and contacting my representatives. Second, because women are much underrepresented in our government. Third, because I want to give voice to my greatest concerns: equal rights for everyone, unobstructed voting, freedom from violence, universal healthcare and environmental justice. Fourth, because it is very inspirational to join with tens of thousands of likeminded and motivated people when so much of what has happened politically over these last two years has been disheartening and even tragic. Neysa Frechette, biologist, Playa del Rey The Womens March started as a reaction to Donald Trump and its become an essential part of the resistance, in my mind. It brings people together not just women around common things about what were for and what were not. Marc Saltzberg, neighborhood activist, Venice I hope to bring my sons with me. This is how you learn to stand up for what you believe. Whats happening at a federal level is unacceptable. Social and community action speaks volumes It was a lack of political action that got us to this place, and its going to take an abundance of political action to get us out of it. There are a lot of reasons to protest and to let the world know that we are not all complicit in the horrors coming out of the White House. Meghan Sahli-Wells, city council member, Culver City I am proud to join the ranks of an estimated quarter-million women who feel hopeful about real change for women and who are showing that positive messages are the strongest ones. We need to encourage people to vote and engage in their community. This is an opportunity to help shape the vision of the #MeToo and Times Up movements so womens voices continue to be heard. Sandie West, filmmaker and community organizer, Marina del Rey | https://argonautnews.com/is-the-womens-march-still-relevant/ |
Can Biometrics Predict a Viral Marketing Campaign? | The difference between content that goes viral and content that fails to find an audience depends on a single, critical moment: a person seeing the share button and deciding whether or not to click. Unlocking how to predict what can happen at this point in time would be akin to discovering the holy grail of marketing research. Unfortunately, simply asking people what kind of content they would share doesnt do a great job of anticipating actual outcomes. Do you think you would share this? and so on. By recording an electrophysiological signal called galvanic skin response (GSR), researchers were able to predict the viral outcome of a piece of content significantly better than was possible via any of the usual survey measures. caracterdesign/Getty Images The difference between content that goes viral and content that fails to find an audience depends on a single, critical moment: a person seeing the share button and deciding whether or not to click. Unlocking how to predict what will happen at this moment would be akin to discovering the holy grail of marketing research. Simply asking people what kind of content they would share doesnt do a great job of anticipating actual outcomes. However, researchers can utilize physiological markers to measure emotional responses to content which exist not just in the mind, but also in the body to better understand what makes someone click share. In a recent study, people were shown a mix of popular and unpopular content. Do you think you would share this? and so on. By recording an electrophysiological signal called galvanic skin response (GSR) a response that is constantly changing in an individual, though rarely noticed during the study, we were able to predict the viral outcome of a piece of content significantly better than was possible via any of the usual survey measures. What we know for certain is that people are at the heart of viral outcomes (unless you are leveraging bots or other automated methods to drive traffic, in which case, we cant help you). From previous marketing research, we know that the emotions evoked in readers are critical to the likelihood a piece of content will go viral and that people are more likely to share content that is highly arousing. Typically, predictions around how content will perform are formulated using a combination of content topic analysis and self-report of measures such as likelihood to share. We decided to extend these metrics to include a known physiological measure, GSR, to see whether there was predictive value in how the body itself responded to pieces of our own agencys content that had highly variable success in the field. Electrophysiology measures have been around for a long time, but the technical and economic barriers to using them in marketing research were fairly high until recently. The average marketer was skeptical of their utility, particularly since these costly types of methods had not been definitively shown to produce a clear advantage over cheaper, more accessible behavioral methods. Over time, prices have decreased, and though these devices still require a strong technical understanding, they are not as difficult to use as they once were. Galvanic skin response, which measures the skins resistance to a very mild electrical current, has been demonstrated to be a strong predictor of emotional arousal, and emotional arousal is known to be a crucial ingredient for viral content. Getting people to self-report their emotional arousal has long been an attractive option for researchers: these surveys are cheap and make it easy to collect data from a large group of people. However, there are several limitations to self-reported data. Telescoping, selective memory, and the availability heuristic are just three of the dozens of ways certain participants can obscure the results of your study. Not to mention the bot crisis large scale corruption of data validity from participants either not paying attention as they complete surveys or leveraging bots to auto-complete surveys with fake data which has plagued the online platforms that marketers and academics utilize to recruit participants. In general, people are just pretty bad at knowing how they feel and why they feel that way. Just look into the misattribution effect for proof. People constantly misinterpret their physiological state to the emotional context they find themselves in. This effect explains why you may think a fear response is actually sexual attraction or why a rainy day might make your bad mood worse. It is also why drinking coffee or watching horror movies make great dates. In our study, we examined content from 15 highly successful Fractl content marketing campaigns (average social shares = 21,358.07) and 15 of our low-performing campaigns (average social shares = 11.07). We compiled the graphics most prominently featured in the publisher coverage earned by each campaign and showed them to 22 participants. We used only most prominently-featured assets for two reasons. First, this allowed us to include a wider variety of stimuli in the study; if we used entire projects with several images each, the number of campaigns sampled would need to be much smaller. Second, because of where these graphics were placed, they were the ones most likely to be viewed and shared by readers. Prior to coming into the lab, participants were given a qualifying/demographic survey. Additionally, we collected self-reported interest in all of the content verticals we explored (this included items like sports data, political data, health and wellness data, workplace data, etc.). We used a Shimmer GSR unit to gather galvanic skin response (GSR) data. After viewing each image, participants filled out a brief survey where they reported their levels of interest, enjoyment, surprise, and understanding of the content. We also asked how likely participants were to share each image and how engaging they found each image overall. Participants rated almost every qualifier on a 5-point Likert a scale with an odd number of answer anchors that allow researchers to assess the attitudes of participants (eg., a five-star rating system for businesses). The question regarding how engaging the content was to them was rated on a dichotomous 9-point scale a scale which ranges from one adjective to its polar opposite (e.g., 1 for extremely boring to 9 for extremely engaging). Our hypotheses were as follows: The content in the highly-viral group will elicit more emotional arousal in our participants, leading to greater electrodermal activity. Participants electrodermal activity would be more predictive of viral outcomes if the participant had previously expressed interest in that content vertical. The behavioral survey methods will be less predictive of viral outcomes than the biometrics. What we found was: there was a significant difference between the high and low viral content for phasic galvanic skin response (phasic GSR refers to the portion of the data that corresponds directly to a participants response to a stimulus.) This effect was not reduced by whether or not participants reported being interested in a given piece of content: both low interest and high interest items showed the same pattern of galvanic skin response. There was no significant difference in the predictive ability of participants galvanic skin response if they were interested in the content vertical or not. In plain English, this means that whether or not someone actually told us they were interested in a type of content, their bodys response still predicted how that piece of content eventually performed on the internet. We also found that participants self-reported data typically a cornerstone of marketing research was not able to predict which content was eventually successful. There was no significant difference between the high viral and low viral content in terms of how participants rated their understanding, how likely they would be to share it, how surprising they found it, how much they enjoyed it, and how engaging they found it. The more viral a campaign was, the greater galvanic skin response our participants had while viewing it. This held true, regardless of self-reported interest in the campaign vertical; in fact, all of our self-reported metrics were much less useful than galvanic skin response. Factors such as how well our participants understood the content, how much they enjoyed it, how surprised they were by it, how likely they were to share it personally, or how engaging they found it did not correlate with how likely the content was to go viral. The intersection of electrophysiology measures and marketing is a new and exciting field. Introducing biometrics such as galvanic skin response, eye tracking, and EEG (electroencephalogram) to a market research repertoire may yield insights previously unattainable to marketers. Though we still cannot perfectly predict what makes content go viral online, neurometrics help us get a clearer view into the minds of digital content consumers. | https://hbr.org/2019/01/can-biometrics-predict-a-viral-marketing-campaign?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29 |
How Can Cities Get a Handle on Electric Scooters? | Electric scooters have become a familiar sight throughout the country. Dotting street corners in tidy rows in the mornings, placed haphazardly outside office buildings after the lunch hour, and zipping down streets and sidewalks at all hours of the day, electric scooters are fast becoming a ubiquitous feature of the urban landscape. The rapid expansion of electric scooters has drawn both support and criticism. By understanding the pros and cons of electric scooters and various regulatory considerations, landscape architects and urban planners can help cities make the most of this significant private investment in the public realm. The potential benefits of incorporating electric scooters into a citys transit infrastructure are substantial. Leading electric scooter companies, such as Bird and Lime, tout their products as an alternative non-vehicular means of transportation, a zero-emission people-moving mechanism that can reduce short distance single-occupant car trips. Commuters who use public transportation for the bulk of their commute and who cannot or do not wish to use a bike for the final distance to the office can avoid a taxi or ride share trip by hopping on a nearby electric scooter. As many scooter riders will tell you, electric scooters also have the benefit of being fun to ride. Tourists are a major subset of electric scooter riders, as they enjoy the ability to see a new city at a leisurely pace without breaking a sweat. Renting an electric scooter for a ride isnt quite as simple as hopping on and zipping off. Riders must first download each companys app using a smartphone. The app shows locations of nearby scooters that are currently unoccupied and ready to be checked out. Typically, scooters are placed in neat rows in groups first thing in the morning, after being charged overnight. Later in the day, scooters may be distributed in more irregular groups as they are ridden and parked in various places by the riders. First-time users of an app also need to enter a credit card for payment (entered one time then used for all subsequent purchases, similar to the way the Uber and Lyft apps work), and a photo of a drivers license to verify age. Critics have noted these requirements limit use across the socioeconomic spectrum; Washington D.C. is hoping to develop a method for cash payment. Rides are priced by the minute, timed from check-in to check-out using the app. Some apps also require riders take a photo of the scooter where it is stopped at the end of the ride, in order to record potentially illegal parking practices used by some riders. Riders can expect to pay a typical fee of $1 to unlock the scooter, plus $0.15 per minute. Electric scooters may have launched in California, but 2018 saw the trend spread across the country and throughout the world. With such exponential growth, many cities have multiple competing brands of scooters within the same area. Austin, Texas, has had such high rates of usage that scooter providers have needed to schedule mid-day servicing of their fleets to charge scooters batteries. The usefulness of scooters in urban settings and the potential to replace short car trips has increased enormous investment to electric scooter companies. Ford recently purchased Spin for nearly $100 million, while Uber has partnered with Lime. The first of many regulatory challenges comes with the way a scooter company might choose to launch a fleet in a new city. Several companies initially gained the industry the reputation of begging for forgiveness rather than first asking for permission after launching electric scooter fleets without consulting city officials. This prompted San Francisco to temporarily ban all electric scooters, eventually offering two permits to electric scooter companies Skip and Scoot. Other cities issue permits to a certain number of total electric scooters, split among different providers. Some jurisdictions might be glad for the private investment in public transit and permit operation without caveats. Others, hesitant of the demands electric scooters place upon the public right of way, may take a different approach as did New York City, when, considering the density of sidewalks and bicycle lanes without scooters, issued a firm thanks, but no thanks to scooter companies. State regulations may also play a role in whether electric scooters must operate on city streets, sidewalks, or not at all: To address safety concerns, electric scooter companies require all scooter riders wear helmets and meet a minimum age requirement. These requirements are frequently violated by users, as are regulations requiring scooters be ridden on the sidewalk, roadway, or in a bike lane. Conflicts between pedestrians, bicyclists, vehicles, and scooters are difficult to avoid without formally set and well-understood rules for where and how a scooter should operate. One particularly active period of reported scooter accidents in Austin, Texas, led the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to partner with Austin city government to study the most common source of incidents. This study is currently underway, but Austin is already planning to put a safe riding ordinance into effect in the spring of 2019. Electric scooter companies are beginning to put money and effort toward improving the safety of scooter riders. Bird scooters recently announced plans to form a Global Safety Advisory Board, led by the former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with the goal of improving electric scooter safety. Bird has also proposed a funding strategy whereby $1 daily per vehicle in a citys fleet would be dedicated to a fund for improving bicycle lanes and infrastructure in that city. Bird scooters currently offers cities data on usage within that city, which can be a valuable data metric in understanding the flow of people through the city, scoping a site pre-development, or for post-occupancy analysis. Electric scooters can replace much more vehicular use, particularly single-occupant, short-distance car trips, in congested urban environments. At the same time, city management and planning authorities must carefully weigh the risks to public safety before approving electric scooter programs for operation. With clear rules and robust public awareness campaigns to ensure all users understand the rules for legal operation, scooters may come to safely co-exist with existing users of the public right of way. Electric scooters are here to stay, and cities have the opportunity and challenge of establishing a safe framework in which citizens and visitors can enjoy the full benefits of this technology. This guest post is by Alison Kennedy, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP ND, a landscape architect with ODell Engineering in Modesto, California. She is the co-chair of the ASLA Women in Landscape Architecture professional practice network (PPN) and chair of the ASLA Archives & Collections Committee. | https://dirt.asla.org/2019/01/16/how-can-cities-get-a-handle-on-electric-scooters/ |
Why the sudden outrage over racism? | Republicans are shocked, shocked, to learn that Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is a dyed-in-the-wool racist. Also that snow is cold, the ocean is wet and the sky is often blue. The clamor of GOP voices denouncing Kings latest racist eruption is more amusing than inspiring. Surely the party of Lincoln is aware that race has been the most divisive issue in our national history. Surely Republicans were aware of Kings toxic views, which he makes no attempt to hide. Perhaps Kings newly outraged critics were waiting for him to finally spell it out in language that even the party of Trump cannot ignore. Which he did. In a New York Times profile last week, King expounded on his hardline anti-immigrant views, which are the only thing that has distinguished him, or undistinguished him, in an otherwise mediocre congressional career. Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization? We have seen, in subsequent days, that the open embrace of white supremacy is a bridge too far for many Republicans. Thats what they say, at least. Ill believe them when they make clear with actions, not just words that racists like King are unwelcome in the partys ranks. After the Times piece was published, King quickly issued a statement seeking to distance himself from white nationalism and white supremacy, claiming to reject those labels and the evil ideology they define. But then he went on to defend that very ideology in the euphemistic language word salad about nationalism and Western values that white supremacists use in polite company. King claims his crusade is about keeping out the wrong kind of values. But his rhetoric and his associations make clear that his real aim is keeping out the wrong kind of people Latinos, Muslims, anyone who doesnt fit into his warped, ahistorical, racist vision of the nations heritage. Several years ago, referring to the undocumented Dreamers brought here as minors, King had this to say: For every one whos a valedictorian, theres another hundred out there who weigh 130 pounds and theyve got calves the size of cantaloupes because theyre hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Thats what King thinks of Hispanic immigration. He proposed a border wall before Trump did. As the Times noted in its profile, King has supported political figures abroad who have anti-Semitic leanings and neo-Nazi ties. In his response statement, King said he condemns anyone who supports the ideology that led to the Holocaust. So thats something. In years past, however, he did display a Confederate flag in his office an odd and telling choice of decor for a man born and raised in Iowa, where the trees are not draped with Spanish moss and the atmosphere is not suffused with Lost Cause nostalgia. Here is part of what King said last year to a right-wing Austrian website: When I made a statement on Twitter saying, We cant restore our civilization with somebody elses babies, it seemed to be more irritating to the left than anything I have ever said. First of all, the total fertility rate in Europe is below replacement rate. When that happens, you are a dying civilization. ... If we continue to abort our babies and import a replacement for them in the form of young violent men, we are supplanting our culture, our civilization. The idea of replacement is a cornerstone of white supremacist ideology. Following the Times profile, weve heard stirring denunciations from outraged and embarrassed Republicans. On Meet the Press, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., was righteously eloquent on the subject. In a Washington Post op-ed, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., challenged his colleagues: Some in our party wonder why Republicans are constantly accused of racism it is because of our silence when things like this are said. On Face the Nation, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., promised that action will be taken against King; there were reports he may be removed from some House committees. Yeah, sure, whatever. Then stop letting bigots like King and Trump define the partys policies. Ill believe stirring GOP words about diversity when they are backed up by votes. Eugene Robinson is a columnist for The Washington Post. | https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/jan/17/why-the-sudden-outrage-over-racism/ |
Is China ahead of India in the space race? | January 17, 2019 09:31 IST 'China pumps in a lot more money than what we do. China's space budget is close to $5 billion while it is hardly $1 billion for us.' 'We manage the programmes within the constraints of our budget. The main difference is we prioritise.' IMAGE: China's lunar rover Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit 2, rolling onto the far side of the moon in this photograph taken by the Chang'e-4 lunar probe on January 4, 2019. Photograph: Reuters The probe named Chang'e 4, launched from southwest China in early December, landed on the Von Karman crater within the moon's South Pole-Aitken basin, the largest impact crater in the solar system, at 10:26 am Beijing time on January 2, 2019. Shortly after the landing, a rover on the landing craft dispatched the first photograph of the moon's surface from its far side back to earth via a satellite communication relay. Although China, the United States and Russia have operated robotic spacecraft on the moon before, Chang'e 4 is the first spacercraft to land on the side of the moon that always faces away from earth. The landing 'marked a new chapter in the human race's lunar and space exploration,' the China National Space Administration said in a statement. "It is a global breakthrough, no doubt about it," former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier. For the first time in the world, China landed its spacecraft on the far side of the moon. This is a unique experiment and they have been working on it for quite some time. It is a global breakthrough, no doubt about it. They have been consistent in their efforts and that's why they have succeeded in this mission. As they have landed on the far side of the moon which is not visible to us, they had to have a relay satellite. And they have achieved this. In fact, landing on the surface of the moon itself is a big event, but this time, they have landed soft g and then rolled out the rover which moved around and took pictures. It is a turning point as far as space programmes are concerned. Landing on the moon technology is the same whether you are landing this side or the far side. But in this case, we have to do the operation in blind. Only when the relay satellite sends the data, we will know whether we are in the safe. It means we have to wait for a longer period to get a response. That is the tricky part, but it is manageable. IMAGE: G Madhavan Nair, then chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, holds a miniature of India's first unmanned moon mission Chandrayaan-1 after its launch from the Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, October 22, 2008. Of course, the US has the capability. If they had set their mind, they would have done it. After the manned mission to moon, they lost interest in the moon and moved on to Mars. Now, their priority is a mission to Mars. It is not that they (the US) cannot do it. The funding to NASA have been reduced. No. Nasa programmes are expensive, but with the available funds, they have changed the focus to Mars. IMAGE: A Long March-3B rocket carrying Chang'e 4 lunar probe takes off from the Xichang satellite launch centre, China, December 8, 2018. Photograph: Reuters China's mission has been described as a new chapter in the human race's lunar and space exploration. It is definitely a new chapter that can throw more light on planetary science. The moon had broken off from earth around 4.2 billion years ago and from then on, it is almost in a virgin stage. We will now know how the part that is exposed to the sun is different from the part that is not exposed to the sun. In a way, you will know how planets have evolved from the data that is collected. I also understand that they have landed on a deep crater which might have happened due to an asteroid hitting the surface. Probably, they could get some history of it too. No, no. I don't think they will overtake the US in the near future. China's focus is on specific areas like the man mission, mini space station and now, this. You just can't compare the space activities of both countries. IMAGE: The far side of the moon we never see from Earth. The major thing is they are pumping in a lot more money than what we are doing. China's space budget is close to $5 billion while it is hardly $1 billion for us. We manage the programmes within the constraints of our budget. The main difference is we prioritise. Our priority is taking the benefits to the common man and 80% of our budget is being used for that. The current man mission will take away 20% of our budget. That will again lead to technology advancement in the field so that we can be on par with other leading nations. Most of China's space programmes and ours are similar. We also spend a lot on planetary explorations. They also want to perfect human space missions. Yes, we are doing our planetary programmes on a shoe string budget. We have chalked out the Chandrayan 2, the Mars Mission and the Mission to Venus. We will also be progressing in our own way. It all depends on the interests of the scientific community. In the manned mission area, we are lagging behind, but we will catch up with them. | https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/is-china-ahead-of-india-in-the-space-race/20190117.htm |
What is Rohit Shetty doing with telly stars? | :)) IWMBuzz hosted a TV-Video Summit and Awards on January 16. Surbhi Chandna of Ishqbaaaz. Shraddha Arya of Kundali Bhagya. Giaa Manek's last show was Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai. Roshni Wadhwani, a contestant on Splitsvilla 11. Aladdin - Naam Toh Suna Hoga's Avneet Kaur and Siddharth Nigam. Shivangi Joshi and Mohsin Khan of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. Raveena Tandon. Farah Khan. Rohit Shetty joins Farah and Raveena. Rajeshwari Sachdev and Varun Badola. Big Boss 11 contestant Vikas Gupta. Yeh Un Dino Ki Baat Hai star Randeep Rai. Bigg Boss 12 contestant Rohit Suchanti. Kasautii Zindagii Kay star Parth Samthaan. Khatron Ke Khiladi 9 contestant Zain Imam. Pearl Puri from Naagin 3. Rajiv Thakur from Comedy Circus. Shivin Narang is currently working on Internet Wala Love. Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar | https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/what-is-rohit-shetty-doing-with-telly-stars/20190117.htm |
Is the Secret to Great Tequila Volcanic Stone? | Three hefty men labor to pull toward earth a 10-foot steel axle, which runs upward from a collar, around a post and through a hole in a two-ton wheel made of dark stone. They exert themselves as if theyre trying to topple a giant. All the while, the stone is pulled in slow circles by a late 1970s John Deere tractor in a pit of volcanic stone, which is filled to calf-height with a damp, tawny-colored pulp. The mens goal is to coax the stones angle from the oblique to the perpendicular, such that it can move to the outer ring of the pit and mash all the cooked agave. The team is just beginning this batch; the whole process will take about two hours. This is one of the most inefficient distilleries, says Carlos Camerana, master distiller here at La Altea distillery near the Mexican town of Arandas. In fact, his grandfather founded the distillery in 1937. They produce El Tesoro, Tapatio, and Tequila Ocho, among other agave spirits. (El Tesoro is the only one of their brands produced exclusively using this traditional method and is now owned by spirits conglomerate Beam Suntory.) We like to do things the slow way, he told me, perhaps superfluously, when I recently visited the facility as a guest of El Tesoro. But even at La Altea time marches on and soon the men and the tractor will be replaced by a mechanized device to drag the stone wheel around and around. The stone wheel is called a tahona, and the stone pit is a trapiche. While it sounds like a sequel to the Greek myth about Sisyphus, for generations this combo was about the only way to extract the juice from roasted agave plants, which could then be fermented and distilled into tequila. The wheel-and-pit were typically crafted from locally quarried volcanic stone, then pulled in circles by a burro or two. It was very local and inexpensive. Then technology leapt ahead, and distillers upgraded to the more efficient steel roller mills or diffusers. (The diffuser, which is rarely talked about but is widely used, is an industrial device that essentially cooks and shreds the agave at once, reducing the whole process from several days to one.) Yet, tequila producers have lately been reverting to the OG tahona wheel, then crowing about their stubborn old-school methods in their marketing material. Its like Ford announcing that theyve brought back the Model T, or Apple announcing a new floppy disc drive. Like El Tesoro, Fortaleza has long used a tahona in making tequila. San Matias now produces a 100-percent tahona tequila, as do Siete Leguas, Suerte, and Olmeca. Patrn may be the most prominent player with 10 tahona wheels, which is more than any other distiller. In 2014, it even released Roca (Spanish for rock, cleverly), a tequila made entirely of tahona-crushed agave. (Other Patrn products have always included some tahona-produced spirit, which is typically blended with roller-mill distillate. This is also the case at La Altea, which has a roller mill used for brands other than El Tesoro.) Touting tahona production makes sense in an era where both foodies and spirits aficionados often associate the primitive with the authentic, and embrace old-style approachespot-stilled, unfiltered, open-vat, wooden fermenters, and, in the case of Jamaican rum, the use of muck pits full of festering ooze. And its more than just marketing. Anyone who has tasted fresh distillate produced by a tahona side-by-side with that from a roller mill knows instantly theres a difference in flavor. Tequila producers tend to point out a simple fact when asked this question: the tahona process, despite the use of a two-ton stone, is actually a gentler way to extract juice than a roller miller, and, certainly, less aggressive than a diffuser. Its been explained to me that when its shredded [as in a diffuser], fibers and skins are getting ripped apart and its releasing more bitter flavors than when gently pressed, says Chantal Martineau, author of How the Gringos Stole Tequila and co-author of Finding Mezcal. If you make pesto the way its supposed to be madepounded in a mortar and pestle, its creamy and round. If you make it in blender it gets pulverized and has a bitter note. Antonio Rodriguez, Patrn Tequilas director of production, agrees and points out that like the way the agave is roasted, the tahona method is one of the most important factors for taste in tequila production. He adds that its not just the slow crushing action of the wheel itself thats critical, but what happens afterwards. At Patrn, the most important part of the tahona method is how we keep the remaining fiber for fermentation and distillation, he says. This creates the perfect environment to increase the congeners that are responsible for the complexity and sweetness of Patrn tahona tequilas. Roca tequilas exhibit more complexity and slightly less citrus, pepper and fruit than our core line. Carlos Camarena at El Tesoro echoes this point, noting that they add bags of agave pulp to both the fermentation tanks and into the pot stills for the first distillation run. He draws on a different food analogy. Its like orange juice, he says. To me the diffuser is like going to the store and buying a carton of juice. Its officially orange juice, but it might have artificial color and flavor. That would be like the diffuser tequila. The roller mill is more like going somewhere they are squeezing oranges and you can get fresh orange juiceit could be of a very good quality. Its like buying the orange, cutting the orange in half, and eating it directly with the juice and pulp in your mouth. Theres more flavor. Another factor possibly in play: microbes. Volcanic stones are semi-porous, hard to clean, and can serve as a home to microorganisms, which in theory could make their way into the fermentation process and influence flavors. Camarena doesnt rule out microbial influence. I dont know, he says. Were dealing with microorganisms floating around here, and nothing gets sterilized. Fantasy, argues Rodriguez. Here at Patrn, we do an intensive cleaning process from batch to batch. Our yeast and production process are what is responsible for the flavors of Patrn tequila. The tahona itself needs to be replaced every decade or sothey simply wear down. Only one place: into the tequila. While distillation will strip out the actual minerals, trace flavor elements may well survive the process. Camarena agrees that tahona-produced tequila might gain a touch of minerality as the stone wheel gradually erodes in its endless circling of the pit. After all, it is not the same if you make a salsa with a blender as with a molcajete [a commonly used stone mortar and pestle], he says. You have the pulp and the fiber, he says, but it somehow has more flavor because of the stone itself. The combination of rounder, fuller flavors, and the imprimatur of authenticity, suggest that more producers may roll out their prehistoric stones in the coming years. Four years ago, Carmen Villarreal, CEO of Casa San Matias Tequila in Los Altos de Jalisco, 60 miles east of Guadalajara, raided her brands museum in celebration of their 130th anniversary of making tequila. (The company is now part of Sazerac Companys Gemini portfolio.) The long-disused tahona, which she pulled out of storage and promoted from display object to workhorse. Its now used again to gradually crush roasted agave to make their San Matias Tahona Tequila. Its back to work again, says Villarreal. | https://www.thedailybeast.com/is-the-secret-to-great-tequila-volcanic-stone?source=articles&via=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29 |
Is the flu letting Pa. off easy this year? | Reported flu cases have dropped for two consecutive weeks in Pennsylvania, raising this possibility this flu season might turn out to be a mild one. Flu cases reached a peak near the end of December, when about 2,800 confirmed flu cases were reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health during one week. They dropped slightly the following week, and dropped by a bigger amount in the week that ended Saturday. The state saw a similar drop in emergency room visits attributed to the flu. The reported flu cases come mostly from a network of health care providers who forward flu test results so the health department can understand which parts of the state are getting hit hard by flu, and which strains are responsible. But since most people who get the flu arent tested, they represent only a fraction of total cases. In most years in Pennsylvania, flu cases climb to a peak and fall off quickly. They normally dont rise again after the kind of drop seen in the past two weeks. If a peak has been reached, it would be an unusually mild one. During last flu season, one of the most severe in many years, about 14,000 cases were reported during the peak week in late January. Thats five times the amount recorded at the high-level mark before the recent decline. Flu strikes Pa. with strain that puts bigger hurt on younger people Still, its not unheard of for flu to have a late season resurgence in Pennsylvania, although not repeating the level seen during the peak. During the week that ended Saturday, the health department said nearly every county reported confirmed cases, and flu remained widespread in the state. As of Saturday, there had been 15 Pennsylvania deaths attributed to the flu, with ten involving people 65 and older, and none involving children. Pennsylvanias official flu season runs from the beginning of October until mid-May. Regarding how the flu is affecting United States so far, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week, Its not possible to say definitively at this time how severe the 2018-2019 season will be since there are still weeks of flu activity to come, but at this time, severity indicators are lower than they were during a similar time-frame last season. Last year, about 80,000 deaths in the United States were attributed to the flu, the highest amount in decades. | https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/01/is-the-flu-letting-pa-off-easy-this-year.html |
Who is Konstantin Stanislavski and why is he todays Google Doodle? | Konstantin Stanislavski as todays Google Doodle. (Picture: Google) Konstantin Stanislavski is being paid tribute to in todays Google Doodle. 17 January is what would have been the Russian theatre giants 156th birthday. Cutting back on red meat 'will save the planet' During his lifetime, Stanislavski contributed much to the way we think about acting on both the stage and screen to this day. Indeed, his teachings have reached all the way through the years from turn-of-the-19th-century Russia to modern Hollywood. Stanislavsky spent most of his life either on the stage or behind it. (Picture: APIC/Getty Images) Born into an incredibly wealthy family on 17 January, 1863, Stanislavskis birth name was Konstantin Sergeievich Alexeiev. He adopted Stanislavski as a stage name much later as a way of hiding his work in the theatre from his disapproving family. Even as a child, he took an interest in the performing arts and would put on plays with his siblings. Advertisement Advertisement Stanislavski began his career acting on the stage and by his mid-20s he was well known as an amateur actor. In 1889, he married fellow actor Maria Petrovna Perevostchikova, who went by the stage name Maria Liliana and was well-regarded for her acting talent. Stanislavski was the originator of method acting. (Picture: Granger/REX/Shutterstock) Stanislavskis first work as an independent director was Leo Tolstoys The Fruits of Enlightment in 1891, and he continued to work in theatre for the rest of his life until his death in 1838 at age 75. Over the years, he opened his own theatre in Moscow (the aptly names Moscow Art Theatre) and developed his own unique training method for acting, known as the Stanislavski system, which sought to foster an actors ability to experience, rather than to simply represent. 'Drunk creature' pees in plane aisle surrounded by passengers The Stanislavski system evolved over time to what we know as method acting today. Method acting is a technique which involves the actor attempting to emotionally identify with their character. Its aim is to produce a sincerely emotional performance. Famous actors who have been known to practice method acting include Christian Bale, Marlon Brando, Meryl Streep, and Denzel Washington. MORE: You need to acknowledge the pain of others: Terry Crews calls out Kevin Hart over reaction to backlash MORE: Google Maps driver performed wheel spins to try and stop fatal stabbing | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/17/who-is-konstantin-stanislavski-and-why-is-he-todays-google-doodle-8354546/ |
Do People Actually Buy More Groceries When They Shop Hungry? | Youve probably heard the age-old warning: Dont grocery shop when youre hungry. At least, not unless you want to end up with a cart full of splurge purchases on food. Saving money while grocery shopping might not come naturally to you though there are some smart tricks to make saving easy. So you might be avoiding the supermarket until after youve had a meal. 35 Grocery Store Items You Should Never Pay Full Price For Its hard to say. The phenomenon has been investigated in studies but never actually proven. The belief that people buy more food when theyre hungry seemed to gain some credence due to a 2013 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The researchers asked 68 paid participants to fast for five hours. Then they were told to go play a computer game that simulated buying groceries. Approximately half were fed some Wheat Thins directly before the simulated shopping excursion, while the other half was kept hungry. To the surprise of many, the results showed that the two groups actually bought comparable quantities of food. There was, however, a difference in the quality of the foods added to their carts. Hungry shoppers bought more high-calorie foods, many of which were processed snacks and candy. Satiated shoppers tended towards lower-calorie foods such as fruits and fresh vegetables. Due to these results, many believed that a smart weight loss technique was to eat before going to the grocery store. But (as frustrated dieters probably discovered) this advice isnt as sound as it seems. The famous study has since been retracted. One of the researchers was Brian Wansink, whose methods and integrity were called into serious question starting in 2017; as a result, 17 of his studies have been discredited (including the one noted above), and 15 more warranted corrections. Widespread criticism of his biased methodology and skewed results eventually led to his forced resignation from his position at Cornell. Maybe, but maybe not. Oddly enough, when your stomachs growling, you're actually more likely to buy more of anything else. According to a more recent study conducted at the University of Michigan, people who were hungry were apt to purchase greater quantities of non-food items. The study itself tested the theory with binder clips. Researchers had asked a group of participants how many binder clips they wanted and how much they liked the binder clips after using them. They also asked participants if they were hungry. Though hunger didn't impact how much people liked the product, higher levels of hunger were correlated with a demand for more binder clips. If you start to feel hunger pangs, better advice might be to steer clear of your local Office Max and instead make the drive to your states best grocery store. | https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/grocery-shop-hungry-myth |
What happened to the 46 signings Steve Bruce made during his spell at Hull City? | Get Hull City updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Steve Bruces legacy at Hull City may live forever but any traces of the managers four-year reign at the KCOM Stadium are now long gone. Bruce signed 46 players during his time in East Yorkshire, either on loan or permanently and not one remains at the club. Joining in 2012, the manager took City to the Premier League in his first season at the club before eclipsing that effort by leading the Tigers to their first ever FA Cup final and European football. A relegation and subsequent promotion followed before Bruce left the club in July 2016 to be replaced by Mike Phelan. Hull Live take a look. Eldin Jakupovic Despite officially joining the club on trial during Nick Barmbys tenure, Jakupovic officially became Bruces first signing at the KCOM Stadium. He went on to make 38 league appearances for the Tigers, ironically only nailing down a regular first-team spot once Bruce had left in his fifth season at the club. Jakupovic joined Leicester City in 2017, where he has made two league appearances, both coming at the end of last season. Nick Proschwitz Bruce spent 2.6million to sign Proschwitz from Paderborn, where he had proven to be a prolific goalscorer bagging 17 goals in 33 appearances, however, he couldnt replicate that form in East Yorkshire. The German only scored three times for the Tigers before moving out on loan to Barnsley before joining Brentford permanently in 2014. A move back to Paderborn materialized as he continued to struggle for form and after spells at Sint-Truidense and Sparta Rotterdam he now finds himself in the German third tier with SV Meppen. Abdoulaye Faye The Senegal international was in the twilight of his career when he moved to Hull City on a free transfer in 2012 and his experience played a key role in the clubs promotion to the top flight. However, after making three appearances in the Premier League the following season, Faye was released the following summer before joining Malaysian side Sabah FA in December 2014. Faye eventually hung up his boots in 2016. Alex Bruce Citys last season in the Premier League was bookended by Bruce departures. After an Achilles injury ruled him out of the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Bruce joined Wigan on loan until the end of the season before his release from City. He joined Bury briefly in August 2017, but before the month was out Bruce rejoined Wigan, where he remains. He is still waiting to make a league appearance this season. Sone Aluko Released on a free transfer from City in 2016, Aluko joined Fulham and rediscovered the form he showed in his early days in black and amber. As such, after just a year at Craven Cottage, bagging eight goals in 45 appearances, the former Nigeria international moved to Reading for an undisclosed fee believed to be around 7million. However, he has struggled for form at the Madejski this season and currently finds himself out of the side. (Image: Getty) Stephen Quinn The midfielder joined Reading on a free transfer after his release from the Tigers in 2015 and impressed in his first season at the Madejski Stadium. However, Quinn made just seven league appearances in his final two years at Reading before joining League One outfit Burton Albion in the summer, where he is playing a key role in the heart of Nigel Cloughs midfield. Robbie Brady After relegation from the Premier League in 2015, Brady eventually left the Tigers to join Premier League Norwich City. However, upon the Canaries demotion to the Championship, Brady was once again touted for a move. That move eventually came in January 2017 when Brady made the switch to Burnley for a reported fee of around 13million. Injuries have stunted his game time at Turf Moor but he returned to action in October. David Stockdale Stockdale made 24 appearances for the Tigers before returning to parent club Fulham in the summer. A move to Brighton and Hove Albion materialized a year later, but after helping Brighton to promotion he opted to leave and join Birmingham City. (Image: Getty) He has since been out on loan at Southend and he joined Wycombe Wanderers on loan from the Blues earlier this season. David Meyler For a season the midfielder was Citys longest serving player having signed permanently for the club in January 2013. He was released in summer 2018 and joined Reading on a free transfer a few weeks later. Ben Amos The goalkeeper made 17 appearances for the Tigers on loan before returning to Manchester United in January 2013. He spent time on loan at Carlisle United and Bolton Wanderers after his spell at the KCOM Stadium before joining the Whites permanently in 2015. However, Amos last appearance for Bolton came in 2016 and after loan spells at Cardiff City and Charlton Athletic, the nomadic stopper currently finds himself at Millwall. Ahmed Elmohamady The Egypt international spent five seasons at the KCOM Stadium having followed his former manager Steve Bruce from Sunderland to East Yorkshire. When City were relegated from the Premier League in 2017, he took the opportunity to link up with him again at Aston Villa and despite the managers departure earlier in the season, Elmohamady remains a regular at Villa Park Ahmed Fathi After making seven appearances on loan at Hull from Al Ahly, the Egyptian moved to Qatar outfit Umm Salal. However, after a year in the Middle East, Fathi moved back to Al Ahly, where he remains. He proudly captained his country at the World Cup in Russia. Gedo The striker impressed so much during his first spell at the club, bagging five goals in the Championship, Bruce brought him back to the club for a second loan spell from Al Ahly the following season in the Premier League, but a permanent move never materialized. Gedo remains in Egypt and after a stint at El-Entag El-Harby, he now represents El Mokawloon. George Boyd The midfielder spent a season-and-a-half at the KCOM before switching to Burnley in September 2014, where he went on to become a regular for three seasons, two of which were in the Premier League. However, his contract was allowed to expire in 2017, allowing him to join Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer. A shoulder injury would keep him out of action for four months in his debut campaign with the Owls and this season he has made just one substitute appearance. Allan McGregor McGregor spent five seasons with the Tigers after joining from Besiktas in 2013, but his final season at the KCOM Stadium was arguably his best, winning the clubs Player of the Year award. (Image: Getty) But, in summer 2018 McGregor rejected the chance to stay at Hull and joined boyhood club Rangers on a free transfer. Maynor Figueroa The Hondurans stay on the banks of the River Humber was a short one, spending just two seasons with the Tigers with a loan spell at Wigan Athletic in between. He was released following the clubs relegation from the top flight in 2015 and joined MLS side Colorado Rapids on a free transfer. One year was spent in Denver before moving to FC Dallas, where he remained before being released at the end of the 2018 season. Curtis Davies After playing a key role in the most successful period in the clubs history, captaining the club and scoring in their first ever FA Cup final before playing in Europe and winning promotion back to the Premier League in 2016. However, after four years in East Yorkshire, Davies time as a Tiger came to an end when Derby County activated his release clause in the summer of 2017. He remains at Pride Park. (Image: Getty) Steve Harper Despite being signed to deputise for Allan McGregor, Steve Harper went on to make 31 appearances for the Tigers in his two years at the club before leaving on a free. The goalkeeper joined Sunderland in January 2016 on a short-term deal but failed to make an appearance before officially hanging up his gloves. He now coaches in Newcastle Uniteds academy. Yannick Sagbo Its fair to say Sagbo failed to live up to expectation at Hull City, his most memorable moment coming against Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final, scoring the first of Citys five goals on the day. After his release from the Tigers in 2015, the Ivory Coast international joined Qatari side Umm Salal where he has rediscovered the knack for scoring with 34 goals coming in his opening three years in the Middle East. He is in his fourth season with the Qatari outfit. (Image: Getty) Danny Graham City fans had high hopes for Graham after joining the club on loan from Sunderland, but scored just once before the deal was terminated after half a season. The striker went on to spend time at Middlesbrough and Wolves before joining Blackburn Rovers and it would appear he has revived his form at Ewood Park. According to reports, Graham is close to extending his current deal at Blackburn Rovers and his hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday in December is unlikely to hinder those talks Tom Huddlestone A club record fee at the time, Huddlestone went on to become a crowd favourite at the KCOM Stadium, pulling the strings in Citys midfield and often proving to be Citys creative heartbeat. However, after four years his spell at the club came to an end, penning a two-year deal with Derby County, where he has endured a mixed spell to date. Conor Henderson The Arsenal academy graduate spent one season at the KCOM Stadium after impressing on trial but made just one appearance for the club in the League Cup. He went on to spend two seasons with Crawley Town before returning to the region to represent Grimsby Town in the National League. Another spell at Crawley followed before joining Eastbourne. However, last season saw Henderson make the unusual switch to Bulgaria, signing for Pirin Blagoevgrad, where he scored three goals in 20 appearances. He is currently a free agent. Nikica Jelavic After a season-and-a-half at the KCOM Stadium, Jelavic left the club following their relegation to the Championship in 2015, joining Premier League outfit West Ham United. (Image: Getty) However, after just half a season in east London, the striker moved to China League One outfit Beijing Renhe. A move to the Chinese top flight came about after a year to Guizhou Hengfeng but despite scoring five goals last season he couldnt prevent the club from being relegated. Shane Long It came as a surprise to see Shane Long leave the club in summer 2014, joining Southampton just eight months after he had left West Brom for Steve Bruces outfit. Long has spent the last four and a half seasons on the south coast, scoring 20 Premier League goals prior to the 2018-19 season. (Image: Getty) Jake Livermore Joining the club for an initial season-long loan, Jake Livermore completed the permanent move to the KCOM Stadium in 2014 for a club record fee. The midfielder would go on to spend two-and-a-half seasons on the books at the KCOM Stadium before leaving the club in January 2017 to join West Bromwich Albion. His form for the Baggies saw the midfielder regain a spot in the England side under Gareth Southgate, but he was unable to stop West Brom from dropping out of the Premier League last season. Robert Snodgrass The winger endured a difficult start to life at Hull City following his move from Norwich, dislocating his kneecap just 40 minutes into his debut. It would be a 15 months before he would play again but returned to help the club to promotion to the Premier League. However, as his form continued to prosper in the top flight, West Ham United came calling with a 10m bid in January 2017 and the winger was subsequently sold. After a season-long loan under Bruce at Aston Villa, only this season have things started to work out for Snodgrass at the London Stadium, playing a key role under Manuel Pellegrini. Tom Ince Tom Ince reportedly turned down the chance to join Inter Milan and Monaco in order to join the Tigers in 2014, but he never quite settled under Bruce and was sold to Derby County after a year. (Image: Getty) The forward spent two years at Pride Park but failed to lead the Rams back to the top flight before landing another crack at the Premier League with Huddersfield Town. However, after a season in West Yorkshire he stepped back down to the second tier, joining Gary Rowetts Stoke City in summer. Harry Maguire The defender struggled to break into the Hull City side under Steve Bruce, only seeing a run in the side on the clubs way back to the Premier League before becoming a fan favourite at the KCOM Stadium after the manager had left the club. City collected a club record fee of 17m for Maguire when he eventually left the club to join Leicester City in the summer of 2017 and his form at the King Power Stadium has since seen the 25-year-old linked with a move to Manchester United and Manchester City. It was his form in an England shirt, though, that saw him became the nations darling, helping the Three Lions to the semi-finals of the World Cup. (Image: Getty) Andy Robertson While it came as little surprise to see Robertson sold following Citys latest relegation from the Premier League, few expected him to move to Liverpool. The defender found life difficult under Jurgen Klopp in the opening months of last season and struggled to get in the side. But as the season progressed he made the left-back spot his own, winning over the Anfield crowd and helping Liverpool to the Champions League final. He has since been made captain of the Scotland national team. Michael Dawson After three-and-a-half years at the KCOM Stadium, Dawson came close to leaving the Tigers in January 2018 with boyhood club Nottingham Forest keen on the defender. Since then, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the skipper and after turning down the chance to stay at the club beyond the end of the season, Dawson linked up with Aitor Karankas Forest in May. Brian Lenihan Recurring injury problems blighted the full-backs time in East Yorkshire, making just four appearances for the first-team before eventually calling time on his playing career, aged 23. The Irishman later revealed his mental health deteriorated during his injury problems at the club. Lenihan is in a good place now and several months after retiring he has now set foot on the path towards a career outside of football. Abel Hernandez Hernandez scored 36 league goals in 99 league appearances for the Tigers before rejecting the offer of a new deal beyond last season, a campaign in which his eight goals were instrumental to the Tigers Championship survival The striker had cost the Tigers 10million, but after just four years he left in summer on a free transfer before joining Russian club CSKA Moscow. Hernandez scored two in his opening three games for his new club before injury stunted his progress. However, the striker returned to make his Champions League bow in the 3-0 win over Real Madrid this month. Mo Diame Diame only spent two seasons at the KCOM Stadium but wrote his name into club folklore but scoring the goal that saw Hull City promoted to the Premier League in the 2016 Championship play-off final. (Image: Getty) The Senegalese left the club that summer to join Championship side Newcastle United and since then he has helped the Magpies to promotion and he remains a regular in the side as Rafa Benitezs side fight off relegation. Gaston Ramirez The Uruguayan was a late arrival from Southampton on transfer deadline day in 2014, but failed to impress consistently in his season-long loan before returning to the south coast. Ramirez spent time on loan at Middlesbrough the following season before making the move to Teesside on a permanent basis in 2016. However, following the clubs relegation from the top flight, Ramirez joined Sampdoria in 2017 where he remains Hatem Ben Arfa Its fair to say the Frenchmans move to the KCOM Stadium never really worked out. At one time he was thought to be one of the best young players in the world but he struggled with attitude problems and it was no different under Bruce. After just eight league appearances for the Tigers his loan from Newcastle United was terminated and he joined French club Nice just days later where he began to rediscover his form. As such, a move to Paris Saint-Germain came about in 2016, but his time in the capital was once again marred by disagreements and last summer he was allowed to join Rennes on a free transfer. Greg Luer The striker made just three league appearances for the Tigers after joining the club from non-league outfit Burgess Hill Town. After a short loan spell at Maidstone United last season he was released by the Tigers without the offer of a new deal and in July he joined National League South side Woking, where he has scored once to help the club to third in the division to and the third round of the FA Cup, where they will meet Watford. Dame NDoye The Senegal international spent just six months at Hull City, scoring five goals in 15 appearances for the Tigers before moving onto Turkish side Trabzonspor. NDoye failed to impress in a loan spell at Sunderland the following season, scoring just one goal, before returning to Turkey. He joined former club Copenhagen on a free transfer in 2018 and seems to have rediscovered his form, finding the net on 12 occasions in the Danish capital. Sam Clucas Clucas arrived at the Tigers as something of an unknown quantity having never played in the Championship before. After two seasons at the KCOM Stadium, though, Clucas was being tipped for an England call before eventually leaving the club for a fee of around 15million to join Swansea City. The midfielder couldnt quite make the same impression at the Liberty Stadium and following the Swans relegation to the second tier he was allowed to leave the club and join Stoke City, where he has made a handful of appearances this season after struggling with injury. Ryan Taylor After five-and-a-half years at Newcastle United, Taylor joined Hull City on a one-year contract in 2015 in the hope of revitalising his career, but it never quite turned out like that. (Image: Getty) The fullback made just four league appearances for the Tigers and left the club at the end of the season. A spell at Port Vale followed before spending six months at Indian Super League club ATK. In September 2018 he joined League One outfit Fleetwood Town. Moses Odubajo After hitting the heights of promotion to the Premier League in his first season at the club, Odubajo endured a torrid run of luck which saw the defender spend two years in the treatment room without making a senior appearance. The defender rejected the chance to stay at the KCOM Stadium in summer and joined up with his former club Brentford on a free transfer, where he has fought his way back to full fitness. Shaun Maloney Following the Tigers latest relegation from the Premier League, Maloney rejected the chance to remain a player at Hull City in favour of retiring to take up a coaching role with the Celtic development squad. The former Scotland international left his position in September 2018 to link up with Roberto Martinez and become a coach with the Belgium national team. Adama Diomande Its fair to say that the striker never really settled at the KCOM Stadium after his move from Stabaek in 2015 and in his three years in East Yorkshire found the back of the net just six times in the league. (Image: Getty) He has already doubled that total at his new club Los Angeles FC in the MLS. In 19 appearances the Norway international has found the net 12 times to become a crowd favourite at the newly formed Californian club. Isaac Hayden The midfielder had never made a senior league appearance before joining City from Arsenal on loan but he went on to play a bit-part role in the clubs promotion to the Premier League in Bruces last season at the club. Hayden joined Newcastle United on a five-year deal upon his return to the Emirates Stadium and featured frequently in the first two years of his contract. However, this season he has fallen down the pecking order at St James Park. Chuba Akpom Like Hayden, Akpom joined the club on a season-long loan from Arsenal, but found the Championship challenging, scoring just three league goals in the Tigers promotion campaign. After returning to his parent club, Akpom spent time on loan at Brighton and Belgian side Sint-Truiden before signing for Greek club PAOK in summer. So far he has found the back of the net twice after struggling to nail down a spot in the side. Dusan Kuciak In in his year in East Yorkshire, Kuciak made just one senior appearance for the Tigers, coming in the EFL Cup and was subsequently allowed to leave the club to join Lechia Gdansk in February 2017. He has since been a regular in the Polish Ekstraklasa, the league where he made his name before moving to Hull. Nick Powell Powell spent four months at the KCOM on loan from Manchester United, making just five appearances in all competitions before heading back to Old Trafford. He joined Wigan Athletic on a free transfer two months later and has developed into a key player for the Latics. | https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hull-city-transfer-steve-bruce-2326809 |
Could there be another Innocent Man case in an Oklahoma town rocked by scandal? | Please enable Javascript to watch this video ADA, Okla. - An Oklahoma man claims he served 27 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. New DNA testing points to someone else, but the district attorney refuses to set aside the man's conviction. Three books and the hit Netflix documentary, "John Grisham's The Innocent Man," cast a dark shadow on the justice system in Ada, Oklahoma. Perry Lott was convicted in a 1988 rape case. "Mr. Lott is an innocent man. His conviction should be set aside," Lott's attorney, Doug Parr, said. The Innocence Project took Lott's case and tested the rape kit for the first time. The results point to someone else, but the district attorney isn't convinced. "The evidence we have is not at all compelling that some other perpetrator committed this crime. It is not conclusive," District Attorney Paul Smith said. No physical evidence puts Lott at the crime scene. Lott's accuser picked him out of a police lineup. News 4's Abby Broyles asked Smith about the difficulties with eyewitness identification and the statistics that show sometimes people just get it wrong. "I agree with you. It is challenging and suspect to those challenges. That's why we look at corroborating evidence, the kind of corroborating evidence that was in this case in the original trial," Smith said. Now, there's a legal battle to reopen the case. Watch News 4's special report, "Another Innocent Man?" tonight at 10 on KFOR. | https://kfor.com/2019/01/17/could-there-be-another-innocent-man-case-in-an-oklahoma-town-rocked-by-scandal/ |
Will political infighting delay Cook County property assessment appeals? | hello The Cook County Board of Review is made up of, from left, Michael Cabonargi, Dan Patlak and Larry Rogers Jr. A growing annual caseload and a massive backlog of property tax assessment appeals were the reasons the Cook County Board of Review gave in asking for 11 new staff members. However, all but one of the new hires will be assigned to the two Democrats on the three-person board, leaving Republican Commissioner Dan Patlak of Wheeling -- who represents much of the Cook County suburbs -- complaining he'll remain short-handed while his colleagues create "patronage armies." A commissioner on the Cook County Board, which authorized the new hires with combined annual salaries of about $745,000, said there's nothing the county board can do about how the employees are distributed. For taxpayers, Patlak believes the uneven staffing could slow down appeals, lead to late distribution of property tax bills and payments, and even delay when government agencies receive tax revenue. "Clearly, it's absolutely contrary to what the state legislature had in mind when they created the board of review," Patlak argued. "It's not to have two members who have an advantage in resources over the third." Democratic Commissioner Michael Cabonargi said he's had the smallest staff recently and it hasn't hindered the Board of Review's operations. "It's kind of hypocritical," Cabonargi said. "We're not taking any resources away from Commissioner Patlak." With the new hires, Commissioner Larry Rogers Jr. will be authorized for 32 staff members, Cabonargi for 26 and Patlak for 24. There are roughly 35 shared employees of the Board of Review as well. Rogers did not return calls seeking comment. The Board of Review considers appeals from Cook County taxpayers who believe their property assessments are incorrect. All three commissioners eventually vote on any assessment change after an analyst from each of their staffs researches the appeal. As an independently elected body, the board itself determines how the staff is divided. The Cook County Board authorized the 11 new positions in this year's budget after the Board of Review began charging law firms for customized reports on appeal outcomes. The fee to those firms ranges from $2,500 to $7,500, depending on how many clients the firms are representing before the board. Money from the fees -- estimated at more than $1.1 million this year -- is intended to cover the cost of the new hires. Annual salaries for the new analysts will range from $60,000 to $90,000 depending on experience, but they are budgeted to average about $68,000 each. Democratic Cook County Board Commissioner Larry Suffredin sponsored the budget amendment authorizing the positions. He said the county board can vote only on funding the jobs, not how they're distributed to the commissioners. "We tried to tell the chief judge last year how to staff his office and that got us into a lawsuit," Suffredin said. "I would urge all three (Board of Review) commissioners to work together and be the adults I know they are." Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, a Democrat running for Chicago mayor, would not comment. Cabonargi said he and Rogers need bigger staffs because the districts they represent need more outreach to let property owners know about the appeal process. Cabonargi's district is Chicago's North Side and several North Shore suburbs. Rogers' district is Chicago's South Side. The West Side is split between them. Cabonargi said research shows most of Patlak's constituents already appeal their assessments regularly. Additionally, Cabonargi said he and Rogers have assigned staff for the past three summers to whittle away at a four-year backlog of Cook County cases at the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, the next line of appeal for taxpayers who are unsuccessful at the county Board of Review. "Dan (Patlak) only sent his staff to help in the last year," Cabonargi said. Katherine Patti, the deputy chief administrative law judge at the state appeal board, said the "summer project" has been largely staffed by Cabonargi and Rogers employees until last summer, when Patlak sent one employee. Patlak said he sent two workers. Patlak said the county board also authorized five more analyst positions this year specifically to handle the PTAB backlog. The first 11 positions are intended to bolster the existing staff, he said. Several suburban leaders have sent letters to the county board in support of Patlak's efforts to distribute the new staff members more evenly. "My biggest concern is not only the fairness of the distribution of labor but that the work gets done on time," said Elk Grove Township Assessor Connie Carosielli. "If a taxpayer can't expect equitable distribution of staff looking at their appeal, why would they expect an equitable examination of that appeal?" None of the 11 positions have been filled. Cabonargi said he's interviewed candidates but doesn't have a timeline for their hiring. He said the extra help is necessary. "Right now we've got people working mandatory overtime, working 50 hour work weeks," Cabonargi said. Contact Jake at [email protected] or (847) 427-4602. | https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190117/will-political-infighting-delay-your-cook-county-property-tax-assessment-appeals |
Was macht der Brexit mit Irland? | Moderation: Korbinian Frenzel Der irische Journalist Derek Scally ist zu Gast in der Sendung. (Deutschlandradio - Andreas Buron) Ein harter Brexit droht - mit unkalkulierbaren Folgen auch fr Irland. Wir diskutieren darber mit dem irischen Journalisten Derek Scally. Weitere Themen unserer Sendung: die Dauerblockade in den Traditionsdemokratien Grobritannien und USA, die Grenzen knstlicher Intelligenz und die Grndung einer neuen Partei durch den Ex-AfD-Politiker Andr Poggenburg. Der Brexit-Deal ist im britischen Parlament durchgefallen und ein "harter" EU-Austritt wird immer wahrscheinlicher. Das bereitet auch den Iren groe Sorgen, denn in diesem Fall droht eine Wiedereinfhrung von Grenzkontrollen zwischen EU-Mitglied Irland und der britischen Provinz Nordirland. Wir sprechen darber mit Derek Scally von der "Irish Times". In einer hnlichen Blockade wie Grobritannien befinden sich auch die USA, die seit mehr als drei Wochen durch einen "Shutdown", eine Haushaltssperre lahmgelegt sind. Auch das ein Thema in unserer Sendung. Auerdem diskutieren wir ber die Grenzen von knstlicher Intelligenz. Anlass ist eine Meldung aus Japan. Dort wollte ein Hotel besonders fortschrittlich sein und beschftigte vor allem Roboter. Nun wird die Hlfte davon wieder "entlassen", weil nichts so lief wie es sollte. Wir sprechen ferner ber die Grndung einer neuen Partei rechts von der AfD durch deren abtrnningen Rechtsauen Andr Poggenburg. Derek Scally (geb. 1977) arbeitet bereits seit dem Jahr 2000 bei der "Irish Times", er ist Korrespondent in Berlin. Zuvor hatte er Journalismus an der Dublin City University studiert. Scally schreibt vor allem ber Themen aus den Bereichen Politik und Wirtschaft. | https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/der-tag-mit-derek-scally-was-macht-der-brexit-mit-irland.2950.de.html?dram:article_id=438569 |
Would downtown hospital be 'monstrosity' or 'vital link'? | UTICA State agencies, local officials and attorneys representing project opponents were among those to submit written comments on the draft environmental impact statement for the developing downtown Utica hospital project. Eighteen such comments were submitted during the public comment period on the impact statement, which is a requirement of the projects ongoing state environmental quality review (SEQR). The environmental impact statement outlines how the project could mitigate potential environmental concerns and impacts caused by the development. Mohawk Valley Health System is planning to transform a 25-acre area of downtown Utica in the neighborhood of Oriskany, Columbia and State streets and Broadway into a new hospital campus. The health system currently is preparing a final environmental impact statement for review and approval by the City of Utica Planning Board. One commenter, representing an area business, remains convinced of the hospital projects potential for a positive impact. Another called it a shiny metal monstrosity. While a majority of the comments submitted expressed concerns about the project, the health system and the planning board each will decide which comments are substantive enough to be addressed in the final environmental impact statement. The public comment period extended from Nov. 19 to Dec. 27, while verbal comments were offered during a Dec. 6 public hearing. Of the 18 written submissions, several directly indicated they felt the draft environmental impact statement is deficient or inadequate for various reasons. These procedural errors, omissions, and mischaracterizations undermine the legitimacy of this process and violate the purpose of the DEIS (draft environmental impact statement), wrote Steve Keblish, organizer of the Downtown Community Forum. In order to bring the DEIS in line with the intent of SEQRA and the purposes of an (environmental impact statement), a rewrite is necessary to address the listed concerns and may even require a new scoping to ensure a new DEIS complies with the necessary guidelines set forward. The lengths of the comments varied. Some directly endorsed the project. Building the hospital downtown makes a lot of sense and falls in line with cities nationwide that are making hospitals excessible (sic) to residents in downtown areas, said Venice Ervin, president of the Utica/Oneida County NAACP. Utica is a great city that needs to become greater to keep our college graduates interested in the jobs that we continue to make available, with the different projects slated to be built in our city. Planning board sounds off When the draft environmental impact statement clocking in at more than 3,500 pages was presented to the Planning Board in November, Planning Board member George Mitchell said he would save his comments for the public comment period. He came through with a letter addressed to Brian Thomas, the citys commissioner of Urban and Economic Development, pertaining to two project elements: the ground-based helipad designed near the corner of State and Columbia streets and the future of the existing St. Elizabeth hospital building. A goal of the new hospital is to replace the health systems existing St. Elizabeth and St. Lukes hospitals. While he noted that the helipad is designed to standard, Mitchell said the feature will have a continued impact to the surrounding area during each transport between the noise, dust, diesel exhaust fumes and potential distraction to drivers along the Arterial. He suggests relocating the helipad to the roof of the nine-story hospital building. With the St. Elizabeth campus buildings, Mitchell said he wants to see the future addressed well rather than run the risk of blight and negative impact to arguably some of the best neighborhoods within our city limits. The draft (environmental impact statement) does not even begin to treat this with the degree of serious impact this site can have on our community. We must insist on more here, Mitchell wrote. Of the overall project, Mitchell then wrote, Brian, I submit that this project is, and should be meant to better our entire community. I believe that it will, but only if all of these important impacts are addressed with the consideration of the community, weighted more heavily over project costs. We will have only one opportunity to do this project right. His fellow board member Joseph Caruso is similarly concerned with a street-level helipad. He additionally requested the percentage of actual city property tax revenue represented by the hospital footprint properties. While he feels that the hospital building plan is taking shape, Caruso wrote that the overall campus lacks the street-level amenities needed to create a more walkable Utica/downtown. He proposed locating services such as a pharmacy, coffee shop or bank/credit union office to possibly improve the design. I believe that the hospital campus can become a vital link in the connectivity of Utica neighborhoods if this issue is addressed, Caruso wrote. Contact reporter Greg Mason at 315-792-5074 or follow him on Twitter (@OD_Mason). | https://www.uticaod.com/news/20190117/would-downtown-hospital-be-monstrosity-or-vital-link |
How realistic are China's plans to build a research station on the Moon? | Credit: CC0 Public Domain The world is still celebrating the historic landing of China's Chang'e-4 on the dark side of the moon on January 3. This week, China announced its plans to follow up with three more lunar missions, laying the groundwork for a lunar base. Colonising the Moon, and beyond, has always being a human aspiration. Technological advancements, and the discovery of a considerable source of water close to the lunar poles, has made this idea even more appealing. If we focus on the technology currently available, China could start building a base on the Moon today. The first lunar base The first lunar base would likely be an unmanned facility run by automated robotics similar to Amazon warehouses to ensure that the necessary infrastructures and support systems are fully operational before people arrive. The lunar environment is susceptible to deep vacuum conditions, strong temperature fluctuations and solar radiation, among other conditions hostile to humans. More importantly, we have yet to fully understand the long term impact on the human body of being in space, and on the Moon. Seeds taken to the Moon by the Chang'e-4 mission have now reportedly sprouted. This is the first time plants have been grown on the Moon, paving the way for a future food farm on the lunar base. Building a lunar base is no different than building the first oil rig out in the ocean. The logistics of moving construction parts must be considered, feasibility studies must be conducted and, in this case, soil samples must be tested. China has taken the first step by examining the soil of the lunar surface. This is necessary for building an underground habitat and supporting infrastructure that will shield the base from the harsh surface conditions. 3-D printed everything Of all the possible technologies for building a lunar base, 3-D printing offers the most effective strategy. 3-D printing on Earth has revolutionised manufacturing productivity and efficiency, reducing both waste and cost. China's vision is to develop the capability to 3-D print both inside and outside of the lunar base. 3-D printers have the potential to make everything from daily items, like drinking cups, to repair parts for the base. But 3-D printing in space is a real challenge. It will require new technologies that can operate in the micro gravity environment of the Moon. 3-D printing machines that are able to shape parts in the vacuum of space must be developed. New materials are required We know that Earth materials, such as fibre optics, change properties once they are in space. So materials that are effective on Earth, might not be effective on the Moon. Whatever the intended use of the 3-D printed component, it will have to be resistant to the conditions of lunar environment. So the development of printing material is crucial. Step-by-step, researchers are finding and developing new materials and technologies to address this challenge. For example, researchers in Germany expect to have the first "ready to use" stainless steel tools to be 3-D printed under microgravity in the near future. NASA also demonstrated 3-D printing technology in zero gravity showing it is feasible to 3-D print in space. On a larger scale we have seen houses being 3-D printed on Earth. In a similar way, the lunar base will likely be built using prefabricated parts in combination with large-scale 3-D printing. Examples of what this might look like can be seen to entries in the 3-D printed habitat challenge, which was started by NASA in 2005. The competition seeks to advance 3-D printing construction technology needed to create sustainable housing solutions for Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Living on the Moon So far, we've focused on the technological feasibility of building a lunar base, but we also need to consider the long term effect of lunar living on humans. To date, limited studies have been conducted to examine the the biological impact on human physiology at the cellular level. We know that the human organs, tissues and cells are highly responsive to gravity, but an understanding of how human cells function and regenerate is currently lacking. If astronauts are to live on the Moon, these fundamental questions need to be answered. In the long term, 3-D bioprinting of human organs and tissues will play a crucial role in sustaining lunar missions by allowing for robotic surgeries. Russia recently demonstrated the first 3-D bioprinter to function under microgravity. Absolutely. The answer to that is less clear. What is certain is that China will use the next 10 to 15 years to develop the requisite technical capabilities for conducting manned lunar missions and set the stage for space exploration. Explore further: Image: Future moon base | https://phys.org/news/2019-01-realistic-china-station-moon.html |
Is My Voice Attractive? | Photo: CSA Images/Getty Images/Vetta For years, Ive thought dating apps should come with a little widget so people can record themselves saying hello or counting to ten. There are some dates I wouldnt have gone on had I heard the persons voice beforehand, and Im sure the reverse is true. Sometimes a voice just sounds right, and sometimes it doesnt, in the same way that sometimes a person smells right, for whatever reason, and sometimes they dont. I once became infatuated with someone I thought I knew through the internet, but when we met and I heard his voice, everything changed. Longfellow wrote: The human voice is the organ of the soul, which I cribbed from a Psychology Today post on how to improve your own speaking voice apparently a diaphragm voice is better than a chest voice, which is better than a mouth voice, all of which are better than a nasal voice. Although studies have found that both men and women with attractive voices are thought to be warmer, more likable, honest, dominant, and more likely to achieve and they also have more sexual partners and may be more likely to engage in infidelity the qualities that make a voice attractive are slightly less clear. ), while hints of breathiness also seem to be preferable. But for women, it seems to be more complicated. Higher voices signal reproductive fitness, femininity, and smaller body size, and while it stands to reason that women would try to accentuate these qualities by speaking in correspondingly high voices and some studies confirm this other studies find that women tend to speak in lower voices around men theyre trying to attract. No one is entirely sure. Researchers in a 2010 study published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior puzzled over this seeming paradox, after their study found that women went against the high-voice hypothesis and lowered their voices around men they liked. They speculated that speaking in a lower voice might be a learned thing, based on stereotypes: There appears to be a common stereotype in our culture that deems a sexy female voice as one that sounds husky, breathy, and lower-pitched, they write. As far back as 1979, at least, it was demonstrated that a sexy voice is a lower one: In a study where participants were asked to speak sexily, both men and women greatly decreased the pitch of the voices, with women lowering theirs even more dramatically than men did. In general, women speak with lower voices today than we did 50 years ago, apparently, which some researchers credit to shifting male-female power dynamics. (Also, fun voice fact: Swedish women speak in lower voices than American women do, while Dutch women may speak with the lowest voices of all, and Japanese women the highest.) A 2013 PLoS One study suggest our efforts may indeed be misguided, finding that while women consistently prefer men with low voices (indicating strength and virility, theoretically) men prefer women with high voices (indicating femininity and smallness, theoretically). A huge caveat for that study, however, is that they used robotic voice samples, and those samples were insane. On the other hand, a few weeks ago, the latest study on voice attractiveness and manipulation, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, found that men preferred women with lower voices as did outside voice raters (something Id love to be). It was the first study on voices to take the subjects out of the laboratory and into a real-world attraction scenario: a speed-dating event. Like some of the earlier studies, this one found that everyone men and women lowered their voices when talking to potential mates, but that women did so in a more confounding way. The women in the study tended to speak in higher voices toward men they selected as potential mates, but in lower ones toward men who were most desired by other women and whom they also personally preferred. In other words, they used higher voices on the men they said yes to but who had less than 50 percent desirability ratings from the rest of the women, but lower voices for the men they also said yes to, but who had higher than 50 percent desirability ratings among the rest of the women there. If that makes sense, which it kind of doesnt. Hmm. Its complicated, although the complication squares with the mystery of attraction itself. In any case, the men preferred the women with the lower-pitched voices. The researchers dont quite know why, although they speculate that it could be in response to a woman signalling sexual interest and intimacy to a man, via our societys current socially accepted methods. Or it could be in response to a woman communicating social dominance or a confident and mature persona, as people with low-pitched voices are often attributed traits such as competence, trustworthiness and leadership. The intimacy part rings true to me. My personal theory is that speaking in a low voice draws the interlocutor in, inviting them to share a private moment on a more intimate frequency. Writing this, I realized that while I generally try to speak in a lower register, theres one person who brings out a girlier, higher one in me, which I can always hear ringing in my own ears after we spend time together, and I wonder what the heck was that about although maybe I get it more now. | https://www.thecut.com/2019/01/is-my-voice-attractive.html?utm_source=nym&utm_medium=f1&utm_campaign=feed-part |
Can Black People Be Racist? | As a white mom raising white kids in middle America, I pride myself on being as conscious as possible when it comes to racism. I ensure my kids embrace differences and teach them not to be colorblind. But last week one of my co-workers (who is a black man) told me Ill never understand what racism is like because Im white, and I wasnt sure how to respond. Though I certainly wouldnt call this racism, Ive had people of color treat me negatively because Im white. Jody in St. Louis The short answer: I agree with your co-worker. Youll never understand what racism is like. For example, Im a proud feminist, and Im educated when it comes to womens issues, but theres a good reason Im not out here saying I know what its like to be pregnant. Because Im a man and I have no effing clue what being pregnant is like! Im sure its uncomfortable and painful, but Ill never know because I havent lived it. So I listen to my mom friends tell their pregnancy stories without adding any yeah, buts or whataboutisms because quite frankly, thats not my lane, and it never will be. Now, lets not confuse racism with prejudice. Prejudice is the belief that a person or a group of people are less than because of who they are. In other words, if a black woman tells you not to bring your bland, raisin-infused potato salad to the cookout because white folks think salt is the best way to season food, shes not being racist. Shes displaying prejudice against you and people like you (and against your potato salad). Black people can be prejudiced as hell, just like any other group of people. As a matter of fact, I think all humans are prejudiced in one way or another. But just because a black person hurt your feelings that one time doesnt mean youve experienced racism. This is where Im going to lose some of you: I dont believe that people of color can be racist in America. Racism is completely different from prejudice, because its systemic, as the -ism suffix connotes. Id define racism as a political, economic or social system in which a dominant race uses its power to oppress others of different races. And because I know people will pull a hamstring running to look up a dictionary definition of racism, Ill link to one here. (Its not far off from mine.) When you experience rudeness from black people, remember that they will never have the power you do as a white person. They dont live in a country where the laws, norms and rules benefit them. White people er, white men were running the show around here long before the ink on the Declaration of Independence was dry. Thats not to say white people havent experienced discrimination, but the way America is currently set up, theres nothing white people cant have. If youre good enough, youre in. Its not the same for people of color. For example, there are only three minority coaches in the 32-team NFL in which almost 70 percent of the players are black. Hell, Texas Tech University recently fired a white guy for losing more games than he won as the head coach there, and a couple of months later, the NFLs Arizona Cardinals hired him to be their head coach. If youre going to tell me the reason for the NFLs lack of minority head coaches is that theyre unqualified, I cant take you seriously. But thats only the tip of the iceberg. Racism is when people of color are locked up for decades for weed charges but a white Stanford swimmer was sentenced to a measly six months in jail after being convicted of sexual assault. Racism is when a black man visits a day care center and is told there is a six-month waiting list to get his daughter in but his white female friend speaks to the same woman a few hours later on the same day to get her infant daughter in and is accepted. Yep, that happened to me. The fear of racism is what made me inform my neighbors that I was going to host a bunch of loud 5-year-olds for my daughters birthday party. I didnt do it because Im a polite guy. I did it because I didnt want the cops to roll through, since Im literally the only black man on my block. I could go on all day. So when someone tells you that you will never understand what racism is like, Jody, you should rejoice, because racism is demoralizing, painful and exhausting. Take the word of a black guy who has endured decades of this. For those thinking that Im a playing the victim card, here, please note that Im not interested in sympathy or handouts. I just want empathy and understanding. If you truly want to be an ally against racism, heres my advice: Talk less and listen more when around people of color. Dont be that white person who will inevitably fill my inbox or Twitter mentions with reasons that racism doesnt exist (white supremacy is one a hell of a drug, man). Hear the stories of people of color and learn from them. Then when you see racism in your community, fight like hell to destroy it. Again, as a white person, youre way more powerful than I am in that regard. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is approaching, and we still have a long way to go to achieve his dream of racial equality. Well never get there without the help of good white people Linda Raymond via Getty Images At the end of the day, youre demonstrating to your son that being different is cool. Im a single mom. My son is 13 years old and has hair that falls slightly below his shoulders. It was never an issue when we lived in a hippie town in Massachusetts, but now that we moved to the South for my new job, hes getting bullied on a daily basis. Ive had friends and family tell me that its my fault because if I was a good parent, Id have cut his hair to protect him. But I feel that Im sending my son the wrong message if do that. Zoe in Orlando, Florida Im with you 100 percent on this, Zoe. If you think about it, people are bullied all the time for things that arent as easily changed as a hairstyle like skin color, gender, religion, weight, sexual orientation and they find ways to persevere. As Ive mentioned previously in this column, I was bullied mercilessly growing up, and as I sit here now, I feel Im a stronger man because of it. Dont get it twisted, though. I dont believe that being bullied is a prerequisite for toughness later on. In a perfect world, Id like to eliminate bullying. But there are a lot of weak-minded kids and adults who find joy in the pain of others, which means bullying isnt going away anytime soon. However, I am a strong believer in being authentic. There are countless people in America who are silently suffering because they are afraid to be true to themselves. Im friends with some of them, and I witness how difficult their lives are on a daily basis. But for some reason, they believe life would be more painful if they showed the world who they really are, and thats sad to me. Were on this floating rock called Earth for a limited time, and I would tell your son to do whatever the hell he pleases with his hair. With that in mind, you might need to approach the school administration about this, if you havent already. Im not sure what level of bullying hes experiencing (name-calling, physical altercations or both), but if his school is worth a damn, itll take your concerns seriously. At the end of the day, youre demonstrating to your son that being different is cool. As Albert Einstein once said, The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before. Contrary to what your friends and family think, I believe youre doing what a good mom should do by teaching your son to be who he chooses to be. Id be dishonest if I said that its not going to be a tough road for him. Hes only 13, so he doesnt have the coping skills that a grownup would, and it could be easy for him to become depressed because of what his classmates are saying and doing. But your job is to keep reminding him that hes a great kid whos doing nothing wrong. If he ultimately decides to cut his hair, be sure that hes doing it because he wants to, not to escape the bullying. On a somewhat related note: A common misconception is that Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is coming up next week, is a holiday for black people. That couldnt be further from the truth. Its a day for people who believe in equality and wish to end discrimination in all its forms. It doesnt matter if youre black, white, Latin, Asian, short, tall, overweight, mentally or physically disabled, gay, lesbian, Muslim, Jewish, female, poor, old, a recovering addict, covered in tattoos or a dude with long flowing hair. If youve experienced discrimination and wish to be viewed based on your merits instead of the other noise, then King fought for you too. Youre doing the right thing, Zoe and your son is fortunate to have you as his mama. | https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-can-black-people-be-racist_us_5c3e5e8be4b01c93e00e8764 |
Did Cheshire MPs back Prime Minister Theresa May in vote of no confidence? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Prime Minister Theresa May survived a motion of no confidence in her Government with a slender majority last night as the fallout in Westminster from her failure to get a Brexit deal through Parliament continued. MPs voted yesterday evening after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled the vote following the historic defeat for the Prime Minister's Brexit deal on Tuesday. Parliamentarians cast their ballots for the second time in 24 hours in the House of Commons to have their say on whether they still had confidence in Mrs May's Government or not. It turned out to be a slender majority for the Prime Minister, with 325 agreeing that they still had faith in the current administration, just 19 more votes than the 306 who believed they no longer had confidence in Mrs May. On Tuesday when it came to voting on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal, there was a split between Cheshire's MPs in terms of who backed the withdrawal agreement which has been negotiated with the EU over the past two years. It transpired that MPs very much stuck to party lines yesterday evening, with Conservatives backing the Prime Minister and Labour members voting against her. This means that Cheshire's Tory MPs - including Fiona Bruce for Congleton, Tatton representative Esther McVey, Eddisbury member Antoinette Sandbach and Macclesfield's David Rutley - all voted that they still have confidence in the Prime Minister's Government. On the other side of the Commons, the county's Labour MPs - including Chris Matheson (Chester), Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port and Neston), Laura Smith (Crewe and Nantwich), Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) and Derek Twigg (Halton) - all voted that they had no confidence in the Government. Before votes were cast, Ms Sandbach laid out her reasons in Parliament for backing Mrs May. She said: "The reason that I have confidence in the Government - and I do - is that, although the press has been taken over with Brexit, we have been getting on with the job and delivering in so many other ways. (Image: UK Parliament/PA Wire) "Some 39,000 workers in my constituency have been taken out of tax because of the Governments proposals. I remember Gordon Brown introducing a 10p tax rate on those earning just over 4,500; the lowest paid had to pay tax. "Now, a low-paid worker in my constituency will not pay tax until they are earning at least 12,500. That is one of many achievements by the Government. "We have introduced a new benefit of two weeks paid parental leave, which is one of the first new benefits that we have introduced for many years and is a significant achievement. "There are also very good environmental policies coming out of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. There is a good record of which to be proud." Labour MP Ms Smith also had her say and explained her stance. She said: "This Government have not just failed people in the way they have handled the Brexit negotiations. They have failed on the economy; they have failed on our public services; and they have been riding roughshod over Parliament, repeatedly ignoring the expressed view of this House. "I am sure there are Conservative members who will be deeply disappointed with this Governments record. They get the casework and they see what effect this Governments policies have on their constituents, and they should not vote against this motion out of self-preservation. "This is not simply about the Government pursuing policies that I disagree with or failing to meet my expectations; this is about a Government who are not even coming close to delivering on their own promises. "What is more, we have seen more than once that the Prime Minister cannot command a majority in the House, and we have got to break this Brexit deadlock." After the vote took place yesterday evening, Mrs May extended invitations to leaders of opposition parties to help 'identify a way forward' regarding Brexit, with a vote on a revised plan initially pencilled in for Tuesday, January 29. | https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/brexit-cheshire-mps-back-prime-15690966 |
What's Behind Macy's Fall? | But we're staying on the sidelines, as we think margin pressures will continue. Most of the challenges cited by management seem to be one-offs. The stock price is down over 20% since the announcement. Investment thesis Macys (M) comparable sales growth in November/December came in below expectations at 0.7% (owned stores) and 1.1% (owned and licensed stores). Consensus estimates were pointing to a 1.8% (owned and licensed) increase, and management guidance was for 1.5-2.5%. On the day of the announcement, the stock price fell 17%, from $31.71 to $26.34, and resumed the decline in the following days as the stock was downgraded and the price targets were cut to reflect new estimates. M data by YCharts For the full year, Macys lowered 2018s earnings guidance despite an increase in credit revenue guidance ($755-765 million from prior guidance of $740-755 million) and asset sales gains ($360 million from prior guidance of $300-325 million). This reflects an overall weakness in the core retail business. We believe the underperformance is mostly due to pressure on gross margins as the company incurred in increased markdowns to clear high inventory levels. According to management, several factors contributed to the elevated stock levels: The fire at Macy's West Virginia distribution center. A longer-than-expected break in sales between a strong Black Friday/Cyber Monday and the week of Christmas. An overplanning of some categories (e.g. : women's sportswear, seasonal sleepwear, fashion jewelry, fashion watches). Changes to the pre-Christmas earn & redeem promotional event. With that in mind, Macys full-year EPS guidance is now $3.95-4.00 (down from the previous $4.10-4.30), based on flat total sales growth (previously 0.3-0.7%) and down slightly gross margin (previously up slightly). We recognize most of the challenges presented in this period are non-recurring. However, given the weakening trends across the companys core business, were expecting pressure on the top line and gross margin to remain constant in the following year and prefer to step aside. Company Profile Macy's is one of the premier US retailers. The company operates approximately 690 department stores, employs around 130,000 people, and its sales amount to ~$25 billion/year. It sells a wide range of merchandise, including apparel and accessories (mens, womens and childrens), cosmetics, home furnishings, and other consumer goods. The company is also focused on monetizing its real estate portfolio by selling stores and warehouses in non-strategic locations, where the redevelopment value of the real estate surpasses the operation value. Financials Macys financial performance has been less than favorable in the last few years. Annual revenue has declined over 11% since 2013, and gross margins fell about 100bp to 39% in 2017. EPS has followed the same trend as net sales, although in 2017, the company benefited from the US Federal Tax Reform, which boosted earnings to $5.07 per share, from $2.01 and $3.26 in 2016 and 2015, respectively. So far in 2018, based on the nine months reported, net sales increased $249 million, or 1.5% compared to 2017, and comparable sales (owned plus licensed) rose 2.7%. Gross margin improved 50bp to 39.9%. Regarding its financial position, Macys has been deleveraging, as the total debt-to-equity ratio is below 1 for the first time in several years and interest coverage is conservative at 6.6. Liquidity-wise, the company has maintained a free cash flow conversion ratio above 100% in the last three years. Guidance Everything was pointing towards 2018 as the start of Macys financial turnaround, and that enthusiasm peaked in mid-November, when the company raised its full-year guidance. According to managements expectations, net sales would grow after all (0.3-0.7%), led by the 2.3-2.5% increase in comparable store sales (owned and licensed), and gross profitability would increase slightly. Also, inventory position would go down, and EPS would range between $4.10 and $4.30. All that changed after weak year-end holiday sales. Macys revised guidance now includes 2% growth in comparable store sales, unchanged total net sales and a slight decrease in gross margin. EPS estimates are now in the $3.95-4 range, and the company's inventory position should remain unchanged compared to 2017. Conclusion Although Macys updated guidance is still better than expectations from the beginning of 2018, we believe we saw a temporary increase in consumer spending this year and estimate a slowdown in 2Q2019, which should pressure its business. Expense cuts, real estate monetization and secondary growth initiatives like Backstage, Vendor Direct, Store Pickup, Loyalty and Growth50 are encouraging but yet to prove effective. At this stage, investors require core retail EBIT stabilization and sustainable growth to become more constructive on the stock. Other catalysts include improved merchandising and supply chain management leading to gross margin expansion and returning more value to shareholders through rising dividends or approving share buybacks. Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. | https://seekingalpha.com/article/4233882-behind-macys-fall |
Is Cambridgeshire going to see some snow this weekend? | Officials are urging people to look out for others, to keep warm indoors and to take care when out and about as the Met Office has forecast severe wintry conditions for the county. Cold weather will dominate the next few days and there will be a widespread frost, with patches of ice. Most places will probably be dry and bright during the day but rain showers are likely in the south east. The Met Office says snow is possible anywhere, but more likely over northern and eastern areas and over high ground. Overnight frosts remain likely. Today: Cold and windy towards the coast with occasionally heavy and wintry showers. Sunnier through the afternoon but further wintry showers possible, especially towards the Norfolk coast. Winds easing. Maximum temperature 4 C. Tonight: Clear skies tonight with winds easing light will allow a severe frost to form in places. Some icy stretches are likely to form by the end of the night too. Minimum temperature -3 C. Friday: A fine and frosty start on Friday with plenty of sunshine on offer. Cloud may increase during the afternoon, turning the sunshine rather hazy, but all parts should stay dry. Maximum temperature 4 C. Outlook for Saturday to Monday: Cold through the period with widespread overnight frosts. Variable cloud with some clear or sunny spells. Occasional showers possibly wintry in places, perhaps heavy at times on Sunday. A county council spokesman said Cambridgeshire is due to experience severe cold weather between the early hours of Friday January 18 until early morning on Monday January 21. Temperatures are looking to drop all around the county triggering a Level 2 Cold Weather Alert, said the spokesman. Some wintry showers are also expected on Thursday, giving some icy patches overnight. The spokesman said severe cold weather can be very harmful, especially for people aged 65 or older, the very young or those with chronic disease. Val Thomas, consultant in public health at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: Its so important to remember that cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures arent at their lowest. Most of our advice on keeping warm in cold weather may seem like common sense, its important that we make the point that people should think about how cold can affect them. We are also asking everyone to remember the needs of friends, relatives and neighbours who could be at risk during this period of cold weather. If you, or they, are eligible for a flu vaccination make sure you get it as soon as you can. | https://www.huntspost.co.uk/lifestyle/snow-is-possible-in-next-few-days-as-council-issues-weather-warning-for-cambridgeshire-1-5855391 |
Is the Fountain of Youth Found in Nanoparticles? | DENVER NanoSphere Health Sciences, Inc. (CSE:NSHS) (OTC:NSHSF) announced today it has developed an anti-aging product combining Hyaluronic Acid (HA) with the Companys patented Nanosphere Delivery System. NanoSphere is best known for developing cannabis and CBD products that are delivered via the Companys patented delivery system. While that enterprise continues to grow, this is NanoSpheres first product for the cosmeceutical industry. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a large linear polymer that occurs naturally in the human body and decreases with age. HA is commonly used to remoisturize dry skin, eliminate wrinkles and treat skin aging as a cosmeceutical. HA is also injected as a dermal filler by aesthetic surgeons and can be applied to wounds to accelerate healing. The new product now being tested by NanoSphere is intended to greatly improve the results of Hyaluronic Acid for treating skin anti-aging without the need for injection. NanoSphere is also testing the prototypes effectiveness for treating joint stiffness and arthritic pain. Currently high molecular weight HA is injected into joints by orthopedic surgeons to reduce pain and improve mobility associated with degenerative joint disorders. By contrast, topically applied NanoSphere HA is optimized for penetration into the skin, joints and wounds, delivering greater activity and sustained effects via NanoSpheres patented nanoparticle delivery system. The main issue with Hyaluronic Acid as an anti-aging compound is that the polymer molecules are too large to penetrate through skin in typical preparations, so It could only be highly effective in therapy when administered through injection or broken into shorter fragments that may cause inflammation, explains NanoSphere Chief Science Officer Dr. Richard Kaufman. Our process encapsulates pharmaceutical grade HA of higher molecular weights in flexible, deformable patented NanoSphere lipid nanoparticles. The result is a viscoelastic NanoGel containing flexible nanoparticles of Hyaluronic Acid capable of penetrating the human skin, aiding delivery to target sites where it is most effective. Kaufman says the result is not exactly the same as HA dermal fillers and joint treatments delivered by hypodermic needles, which may show dramatic results almost immediately. However, the NanoSphere HA solution over a period of weeks can show some remarkable benefits, says NanoSphere CEO Robert Sutton. This research represents a potential breakthrough that will make anti-aging, joint mobility, and wound healing treatments more affordable and available to the general population, Sutton said. We are still studying its long-term effectiveness, but initial study results are very promising. Kaufman says the NanoSphere product is different from current cosmetic HA treatments. NanoSphere HA is able to deliver Hyaluronic Acid into the epidermis and the joints with high molecular weights greater than 800,000 Daltons, similar to what the human body forms naturally. As well, the NanoSphere lipid nanoparticles are elastic and were shown to better penetrate the skin than rigid nanoparticles. Sutton says NanoSphere HA is currently going through internal testing and clinical trials and will be offered for sale only when that process is complete. NanoSpheres Commitment to Licensing IP NanoSphere launched its IP licensing program in 2015 and is entertaining several licensing opportunities via a rigorous evaluation process. For more information about NanoSpheres licensing program, please visit: https://www.nanospherehealth.com/licensing/ About NanoSphere NanoSphere Health Sciences, Inc. is a biotechnology firm specializing in the creation of the patented NanoSphere Delivery System, a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. Nanospheres Evolve Formulas line of products offer the worlds first and only scientifically proven nanoparticle delivery system in cannabis. For more information on Evolve Formulas, visit https://www.evolveformulas.com/. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statement Caution This news release includes forward looking statements that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking statements, including without limitation any statements concerning the Companys intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs regarding the future. Although the Company believes that any forward looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Companys future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190117005329/en/ Contacts Gary Symons Mobile: 250-300-9352 E-mail: [email protected] On behalf of the Board Robert Sutton, Chairman and CEO Office: 720-845-1466 Email: [email protected] Investor contact: Victor Goncalves, Executive Vice President Mobile: 204-997-5517 E-mail: [email protected] | https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/is-the-fountain-of-youth-found-in-nanoparticles |
Can Britain's Brexit Be Reversed? | When the UK voted to quit the European Union in 2016, the shock was palpable at home and abroad. A stunned David Cameron was forced to resign as prime minister, and he was quickly replaced by Theresa May. Donald Trump, who had given his support to the Brexit campaign, seized on the populist uprising as a foretaste of Americas own peoples revolt that would propel him into power later that year. But more than two and a half years later, Brexit still hasnt happened. Thats because it is an unprecedented and hugely complicated process to extract a country from the EU and its legal framework, especially one that has been a member of the trading bloc for more than 40 years. Its also because Mays government really didnt know what kind of Brexit the Brits had voted for and what kind of divorce deal Brussels would agree to. Like any separating couple, each side squabbled over who kept the car, the house, the size of the alimony and even custody of the kids (British citizens who live in the EU and Europeans who live in the UK). This week, with just over 70 days until the UK is formally and legally due to leave the 28-country alliance, its parliament has rejected the divorce deal drafted by May and European leaders. Lawmakers inflicted a massive, 230-vote defeat on the Prime Minister, throwing out her Brexit plans. More than 100 of her own Brexiteer Conservative MPs felt the proposals were not a clean enough break from the EU. Opposition Labour MPs felt that Mays package was so extreme it would damage jobs and trade with the countrys biggest economic partner. Now, some in the UK are thinking the unthinkable - reversing the Brexit vote with a brand new referendum on Mays plans. The EU has a habit of somehow overturning previous referendums by unhappy citizens. Twice in Ireland and once in Denmark, voters have initially rejected Brussels plans only to get the right result in a second vote later. As an island and former empire, Britain has never really been part of the inner-circle of EU states. For years, its politicians preferred to spend more time looking at whats going on in Washington than focus on Brussels. Add in decades of negative tabloid stories about what unelected Eurocrats were doing, plus a deeper malaise about squeezed living standards in former industrial heartlands, and its no surprise 17 million people voted to Leave in the last referendum in 2016. But the result was close. 52% voted Leave, 48% voted Remain. And the referendum choices were silent on what kind of Brexit would happen. Since last summer, supporters of a new referendum launched a high profile campaign for a Peoples Vote (they never call it a second referendum as that sounds like a re-run of the first poll). Their main argument is that the public have a right to endorse or reject the kind of Brexit deal their government has finally drafted. Yes. It has money (lots of companies worry about Brexit), a well-organised media team (many of whom once worked for former prime minister Tony Blair, himself a keen backer). The biggest boost came when the Labour Party shifted its position at its party conference last autumn. If we cannot get a general election, Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote, the policy stated. More than 85% of Labour Party members want a new vote and large numbers want to stay in the EU. They think that on workers rights, environmental protections and most of all on helping jobs and the economy, staying in the bloc is the best course. Some Tory MPs too are vociferous supporters, and given that there is no government majority in the House of Commons, it would only in theory take seven of them to back a new law for a referendum. The heavy defeat for Mays own plan for Brexit this week has prompted calls for fresh thinking on all sides. With all other forms of Brexit lacking the required majority, supporters say its a Peoples Vote will be the last resort solution. There are even people in No.10 Downing Street who have flirted with the idea. One big problem is that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sounds unconvinced. Only this week he told his MPs privately that he worried about the neoliberal economics of Brussels and the way the. EU competition rules made it harder to enact socialism at home. Corbyn is also worried that overturning the result of the last referendum will cost Labor support in its traditional working class heartlands and in marginal seats where many of his party supporters voted Leave. His closest aides stress that a public vote is just one option and not the default or preferred option. The real problem is one of numbers in parliament. Even among his own party, just around 80 Labour MPs have come out to back a Peoples Vote. There is also the difficulty of what kind of question to put on the ballot paper. And it could all take a very long time too. Legal requirements on impartiality mean it could take at least a year to hold a new referendum. To actually succeed, any Remain referendum campaign would have to enthuse voters in a way it failed in 2016. Britains politicos were glued to their TV screens recently to watch a drama-documentary Brexit: The Uncivil War starring Sherlocks Benedict Cumberbatch. The drama was a reminder of the brilliant slogan used by the Leave campaign: Vote Leave, Take Back Control. Like Trumps Make America Great Again, it struck a raw nerve among many voters who felt neglected and ignored by the political system and by globalisation. One Leave voter in a focus group in the TV movie put it well: Im sick of it! Im sick of feeling like I have nothing, like I know nothing, like I AM nothing! Already, Brexiteers are raising money and have another powerful slogan aimed at capturing workers anger at being ignored by the London elites: Tell Them Again. To win, any Remain campaign would have to rely not just on the dire warnings of economic chaos of leaving. It would have to make an emotional connection that persuaded voters that the UK shares values with Europe. One route would be to highlight that with Trump in the White House, Brits cant rely on America to promote progressive values across the world. Young voters could prove the key. Millions of them who were too young to take part in the last referendum would get a say for the first time. If Corbyn could enthuse his Left base too, it would be game-on. Apart from a referendum, the only other way to halt Brexit is to hold a general election. This would require Labour to campaign to stay in the EU. Remain and reform has been a phrase used by Corbyn in recent weeks. The danger would be the loss of industrial heartlands voters, but the upside would be a chance to mop-up votes of moderate conservatives who would hold their nose at the idea of a left-led government in order to stop the disaster of Brexit. A general election may be the best way out of parliaments deadlock too, changing the arithmetic so one party can get a majority. After Mays huge defeat this week, EU chief Donald Tusk tweeted: If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is? The hint was clear: the positive solution is to stay in the EU after all. Come back, and all is forgiven. Its an idea that seemed impossible two years ago. It may, just may, be possible now. | https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/can-britains-brexit-be-reversed_uk_5c406d67e4b041e98ffb2468 |
Will Gonzalo Higuain play for Chelsea against Arsenal on Saturday? | Gonzalo Higuain has agreed a deal to join Chelsea on loan from Juventus for the rest of the season, Sky Sports have reported. It is believed the loan deal could then be extended for a further 12 months subject to certain conditions. The Argentine has spent the first half of the campaign on loan at AC Milan, with an option to buy at the end of the season. The 31-year-old striker played under Maurizio Sarri at Napoli and a reunion at Chelsea appears imminent. Sarri has expressed frustration with his current strike-force in recent weeks, with Alvaro Morata left out of the squad for the last two games and Olivier Giroud often used as a substitute. The 60-year-old Italian has favoured playing Eden Hazard as a 'false nine', but the system has not worked out as he might have hoped. Higuain is understood to be Sarris preferred choice to solve his attacking woes, despite concerns from the club's board. The forward has scored six goals in 15 Serie A appearances this term. The Blues will be hoping to get the deal over the line in time for Higuain to make his debut against Arsenal at the weekend. Chelsea have until midday on Friday to officially register the player as member of Sarris squad. According to The Guardian, Higuain is ready and waiting to fly into London later today to undergo a medical. Gonzalo Higuain worked with Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri at Napoli | https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1073615/Gonzalo-Higuain-transfer-Chelsea-team-news-Arsenal |
Is Universal Financial Inclusion For The Third World's Poor Achievable? | Financial Inclusion is the current term for the movement to provide the third world's poor with access to formal financial services such as savings, loans and money transfers. The terminology reflects the latest expansion of what began as the microcredit movement in the late 1970s when it was widely believed that access to credit would lift people out of poverty. Today about 70% of adults worldwide are "banked," in contrast to 40% in the third world. The World Bank's goal is Universal Financial access by 2020. There is some progress towards this. Just in the last three years the number of unbanked people worldwide has gone from 2.6 billion to 1.7 billion. And unlike in the developed world where the number of bank branches per 100,000 adults is going down (an extreme example is Finland which went from 13.17 branches per 100,000 in 2004 to 1.43 branches in 2017) in much of the developing world the number of bank branches is going up (e.g., Kenya 2.74 to 5.27). Still, overall progress towards universal financial access is likely to stall the closer we get to the bottom of the unbanked pyramid. My experience researching the views and behavior of many poor "unbanked" people in developing countries since the 1980s suggests that financial inclusion is not as important to a great many of them as it is to the international development establishment that promotes it. To begin with the movement rests on a zero-sum premise: that inclusion implies prior exclusion. The view expressed in a Wall Street Journal blog is typical: "There is a strong link between poverty and lack of access to basic financial services such as savings accounts and loans. When poor people are shut out of the formal banking system they have to rely on less-efficient and potentially usurious sources of credit, such as moneylenders. The economy is also deprived of a large pool of savings which could be invested profitably." Rather than being "shut out" because they are poor, the reality is that the feeling is mutual - the world's poor have as many reasons not to do business with banks as banks have not to do business with them. First of all, while they may not always be financially literate, the poor know something about money. Not having much of it teaches sensible lessons. They are aware of opportunity costs and often see financial transactions in terms of relationships, which explains why non-bank and informal types of financial services remain popular, such as moneylenders and informally organized rotating savings groups. Moneylenders, pretty much everywhere in the third world, answer a need that banks and non-bank financial service providers (such as non-profit microfinance providers) cannot. A poor woman facing a sudden medical crisis in the middle of the night might have access to a local healer or provider of medicines but needs cash that she does not have. The local moneylender knows her, is available night and day and the transaction cost amounts to the effort it takes to wake him up. The moneylender's interest rate is by our standards usurious, but not by hers. She'll pay for the convenience and the trust and the lower opportunity cost compared to trying to get the same loan from a formal source. Consider a bank, even if there were one located near her rural area. The paperwork to open an account is daunting, and even though more and more countries are moving towards universal identity documentation many poor do not have proper identification. The physical appearance of the bank is often a psychological barrier and the terminology is unfamiliar. Banks have their own business reasons for not wanting to deal with millions of the very poor. The transaction costs for a $0.50 savings deposit are the same as for $50.00. Naturally the bank prefers richer clients. On her side, the poor woman has her own reasons not to do business with the bank. The first is interpersonal. She doesn't know these people nor they her. The bank's hours don't suit her and there is the cost of transport to get to it. Based on experience and what she hears from her peers, she has an inherent distrust of large institutions. Finally, she intuits correctly that there are likely to be various fees involved in doing business with the bank or restrictions (e.g. not being able to access her savings when she wants) that do not make financial sense for her. And as with the option of a moneylender for emergency loans she has still other financial alternatives. The traditional rotating savings and credit association (called ROSCA in the literature) is widespread in the third world and usually informally arranged among extended family, neighbors, ex school mates, etc. ROSCAs have been around for ages. In East Africa these are called "merry-go-rounds," in parts of West Africa "susu," in Maharashtra state in India, "bishis." Each week or two weeks or each month each member (there may be ten to twenty or more) puts a small amount of money in the group pool. Then in rotating fashion at the end of each interval one person gets to take the entire amount in the kitty as a lump sum. For poor people who rarely see more than a few pennies or dollars at a time, having 40 or 50 dollars in one go enables all kinds of improvements in their lives. There is no interest to be paid and no transaction cost. As for the idea that lack of bank access denies the larger economy the use of savings, this is not so, since any form of savings, including the ROSCA, puts money into the economy. Likewise the notion that there is a link between mass access to formal financial services and poverty reduction is not borne out by history, both the four decade history of microfinance and the much longer history of formal financial service access in the so-called developed world. As for microfinance, by 2009 we had the first rigorous impact studies, among them those conducted by MIT's Poverty Lab, and these showed that access to credit in poor areas did not reduce poverty. More important, economic history in Europe and the United States from the late 19th century on suggests strongly that mass access to formal financial services was led by rising incomes and consumption. In short financial inclusion was not the cause of poverty reduction, it was the result. Finally much of the data we have on financial inclusion is self reported - thus much is being left out and especially at the bottom of the rich-to-poor pyramid the poor have reasons not to reveal everything about their financial lives. Where we do see measureable and significant financial behavior change among the poor is in the use of mobile money (via cell phones), a form of transaction that is less daunting than going to a bank. Mobile money transactions per 1,000 adults have gone up by almost 500% in the last three years from 30.5 to 176.6, and mobile money agent outlets (from small grocery stores to kiosks in rural areas) per 100,000 adults have gone from 6 to 10, a rise of 66% in the last three years. But just as with the moneylender, mobile money makes life for the poor more convenient without necessarily changing their condition. It is quite possible that a good proportion of the last large group of unbanked people will remain so because in their view it might just be their best option. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasdichter/2019/01/17/is-universal-financial-inclusion-for-the-third-worlds-poor-achievable/ |
Why did it take TV to turn the tide against R. Kelly? | CHICAGOFor almost two decades, allegations of sexual abuse of women and girls by singer R. Kelly have been part of the public record. Times up for R. Kelly, says the R&B star John Legend in the film, pointedly using the name of the powerful anti-sexual harassment movement. Lady Gaga, Cline Dion and Chance the Rapper have joined recently in the condemnation and ended access to tunes recorded with Kelly. Demonstrators chant during an R. Kelly protest outside Sony headquarters, in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. Kelly has been under fire since the recent airing of a Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly. ( Richard Drew / AP ) In this Nov. 10, 2010 file photo, singer R. Kelly performs When A Woman Loves, during the Soul Train awards in Atlanta. ( David Goldman / AP ) Referring to 2015s Somewhere in Paradise, Chance says in the series some of which will be re-airing this weekend on Slice that making a song with R. Kelly was a mistake. But celebrity shunning is the least of the problems for Kelly, the 52-year-old Chicagoan also facing money woes, a shrinking range of outlets for his music and a criminal investigation. As relentless celebrity chronicler TMZ put it recently, the walls are closing in. Part of why the charges against Kelly are gaining traction this time is, yes, the power of the visual medium, of actually seeing women who say they were abused. Article Continued Below A parade of them, many wiping tears as they talk, appears in the six-hour film. They range from Kellys ex-wife Andrea to Floridian Lizzette Martinez, who says Kelly picked her up as a 17-year-old in a mall and took advantage of her desire to be a singer. He told her that her voice was good, she recounts, and then he French-kissed her. I wanted the dream so bad, she tells the documentary makers, but I knew it was going to be something else. Having television drive home the message about Kelly is welcomed by Jim DeRogatis, the Chicago music critic who has led the reporting detailing the abuse allegations, from stories in the Sun-Times beginning in 2000 to an influential set of articles in BuzzFeed in mid-2017. (Kelly denies committing sexual abuse, typically contending that his accusers are lying in search of profit.) Ive never felt proprietary about this story. I think its too urgent, DeRogatis said in an interview. (Full disclosure: DeRogatis is married to Carmel Carrillo, a Tribune arts editor.) I think Im being conservative when I say, of the women who have spoken to me on the record or off the record, and the women that Im aware of, were talking 60 abuse victims. He credits former Sun-Times reporter Abdon Pallasch, who shared much of the Kelly load at that paper with him, and columnist Mary Mitchell (a goddess), who broke sexual abuse news in some of her more than 20 columns about Kelly. DeRogatis will have his own book, Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly, coming out in the fall, he said. But the story has many dimensions. As print journalists, there are certain things you do that nobody else can do, and that is deliver the complexities of an incredibly complex story, DeRogatis said in an interview. And there are certain things that broadcast does better than anything, and meeting those women was that. I think its that directness, that direct emotional connection. And its the number. Its woman after woman after woman doing this difficult thing, telling this story. DeRogatis compared it to the way seeing so many accusers helped turned the tide against comedian Bill Cosby after years of alleged sexual assaults those brave women who put their faces on the cover of New York magazine, two dozen of them. Article Continued Below Bringing up Cosby suggests another key factor. According to the filmmakers themselves, the road was smoothed for the documentarys reception by recent cultural factors. In the last 18 months, a #MuteRKelly movement, which would tie into the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter efforts, went after Kellys concert and radio-play income and started to resonate across pop culture. MuteRKelly was sparked by the BuzzFeed stories in July 2017 by DeRogatis that documented a new development in the Kelly narrative, allegations that he was keeping multiple young women under his control and cutting them off from their families in what family members described as a kind of sex cult. I cant discount the hard work of the MeToo movement, said Brie Miranda Bryant, the documentarys executive producer for Lifetime, which saw record ratings for Surviving R. Kelly despite it airing right after the year-end holidays. In the past year weve seen a shift in culture and conversation with the MeToo and TimesUp movements. Added Tamra Simmons, one of the executive producers for the filmmaker, Kreativ, The Surviving R. Kelly documentary is just like a megaphone in this social movement for women to be able to tell a story they previously thought the world wouldnt care to hear. So it wasnt just the power of video, but video does have some inherent advantages, Bryant said: When youre seeing it, its delivered to you as is. And in that moment, you know, I think people have emotionally connected with these survivors and participants and had a larger understanding of what they went through. In print, too, said Greg Kot, the Chicago Tribune rock critic and DeRogatis longtime partner on the public radio music show Sound Opinions, the story was almost ahead of its time in the sense that, you know, pop star behaviour like that was accepted for so long. I mean, it was just part of the lexicon of drugs, sex, rock and roll. Even though theres reportedly been a spark of new interest in Kellys music on streaming services since the documentary first aired, the bigger story seems to be the series of Kelly-related headlines suggesting an empire, a career and a mythology in decline. Kelly had already lost rented homes outside Atlanta in one of them a woman in the documentary says she and others were kept as virtual prisoners for failure to pay rent. Now the warehouse Kelly has rented on the Near West Side, which reportedly contains a recording studio and residential spaces, will soon be lost to him if he doesnt pay back rent, according to news reports. Concert promoters have cancelled performances, including one at the UIC Pavilion in Kellys hometown of Chicago after student and staff protest, and attendance has been sparse at some of his concerts that have taken place. His record label, RCA, isnt dropping him, but it says it has no plans to release any new music. After years of trying to separate the music from the man, radio mogul Tom Joyner says in the film, Joyner agreed last year to a request by MuteRKelly activists to stop playing Kellys music on his stations, African-American outlets which are, in essence, the artists base. And music streaming services have taken Kellys work off or curated or recommended lists, meaning it is much less likely to just pop up in a listeners stream. Perhaps most threatening to the singer, prosecutors in Atlanta and Chicago are reportedly looking into criminal charges. At the root of this decline has been the work of DeRogatis, said Lifetimes Bryant: I think that man has really carried this story on his back for so long. I really commend him for that and being a champion of these survivors and for black girls. I think he did a tremendous thing. Kot agreed. The series struck at exactly that moment where people were viewing these kind of affairs in a new light, he said. But it needs to be said that there is no Lifetime series if it hadnt been for Jims reporting. He really built a foundation on which all of this R. Kelly house of cards can come tumbling down finally. | https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2019/01/17/why-did-it-take-tv-to-turn-the-tide-against-r-kelly.html |
Did Facebook just trick everyone into 10-year-challenge for its own gain? | Social media is abuzz with now-and-then images of people from a decade ago, with thousands of users sharing photo collages of how they looked in 2009 vs 2019 across various platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Facebook is being credited for the #10yearchallenge trend, which has gone viral since, but there are some conspiracy theories to challenge an innocent-looking nostalgia trip. Facebook has been at the centre of data mining and privacy breach accusations, and experts are warning the trending "10-year challenge" meme could be yet another effort to mine valuable data. With artificial intelligence and facial recognition software going mainstream, companies are investing heavily in emerging technologies. The biggest investment that can be offered in boosting AI and facial recognition is data, which Facebook has access to through its billion-plus users. The viral trend of people sharing then-and-now images of themselves serves as valuable intel for Facebook as it can easily train AI on how a person ages and improve facial recognition to predict future outcomes. While hundreds of thousands of people have already accepted the 10-year-challenge, people became aware of the possible nefarious purposes when Kate O'Neill's tweeted about the flip side of participating in the trend. In a detailed post on Wired, O'Neill explained how photos of then and now posted side-by-side captioned with corresponding years serves a great opportunity for Facebook. While many users argued that the data shared as a part of the 10-year-challenge is already available on social media, the meme helps Facebook carefully curate photos without having to deal with any challenges of sifting through tons of data. For instance, "Let's just imagine that you wanted to, say, train a facial recognition algorithm on age-related characteristics. You'd ideally want a broad and rigorous data set with lots of people's pictures. It'd help if you knew they were taken a fixed number of years apart - say 10 years," O'Neill explained. "Sure, you could mine Facebook for profile pictures and look at posting dates or EXIF data. But that's a lot of noise; it'd help if you had a clean then-and-now. What's more, the photo posting date and even EXIF data wouldn't always be reliable for when the pic was actually taken," she added. Facial recognition today is so sophisticated that it can easily pick out human faces and trash anything that's irrelevant for its learning process, like then-and-now photos of your pets. O'Neill further listed three possibilities on how facial recognition could be used, and not all are evil. Facial recognition turned out to be a great tool in tracking down 3,000 missing kids in four days last year in New Delhi. If the facial recognition can be trained to predict how you'll look like in, let's say, 10 years, it will be of great help in tracking missing victims or even suspects. Besides tracking age progression, it's also possible that this could be used for targeted advertisements. Finally, the simplest explanation to the #10yearchallenge could be that Facebook simple wanted users to engage with its platform more actively, especially since it has attracted a lot of bad press recently. The then-and-now meme could only serve the purpose of taking you down the memory lane or as Facebook stated: "Facebook gains nothing from this meme (besides reminding us of the questionable fashion trends of 2009). As a reminder, Facebook users can choose to turn facial recognition on or off at any time." Treating users' data with due respect is a must for all the companies out there, but it is equally important that users must do their due diligence before sharing anything. Like the popular notion goes, everything you put on the internet is permanent, even if you decide to delete it later, someone, somewhere might have already shared or saved the content. Tag @ibtimes_india in your tweets. | https://www.ibtimes.co.in/did-facebook-just-trick-everyone-into-10-year-challenge-its-own-gain-790235 |
What are the 3 steps involved to improving my soil performance? | All dairy farmers can start towards improving grass yields next season by introducing the cost-effective, three step Soil Improvement Programme (SIP) with immediate effect, says soil specialist, Dr. David Atherton. Following one of the toughest grass growing seasons ever, farmers now have time to review their management systems going forward. SIP is a sustainable programme designed to improve both grass yield and quality which in turn is key for productivity and animal health and it all starts with the soil. This programme is not just about addressing the soils nutrient status, but also soil health, which in the first instance means ensuring that the soil is fully aerated the essential kick start towards improving drainage, encouraging root development and stimulating soil life. The SIP, developed in partnership between Devenish, and Thompson and Joseph comprises the following three steps, explains Dr. Atherton. Three steps Physical Aeration. Compaction can limit grass yields by up to 40%, whilst creating mineral imbalances within forage and the potential for nutrient run-off. Aerating in spring and autumn, when the soil is dry, helps to break up compaction and improve air penetration. Chemical Rebalancing the soils nutrient status. Soil analysis helps to identify and correct any nutrient deficiencies in the soil. Achieving the correct calcium-magnesium balance is particularly important for creating a stable soil structure in terms of allowing air penetration, providing an environment for soil life to flourish, improving drainage and increasing resistance to soil compaction. Biological Aerobically digesting slurry. Introducing Digest-It, a biological additive has been shown in trials to improve the slurrys fertiliser nutrient value resulting in higher grass yields, and consequently increasing the cost effectiveness of slurry by reducing the need for inorganic fertiliser. The additive reduces crusting and the energy required to agitate or pump slurry. It also reduces smell and improves soil life and reduces the environmental impact of slurry. The additive is approved for organic use. Implementing the three steps Martin Heaney, from Navan, introduced the Soil Improvement Programme four years ago. Advertisement Adopting SIP has enabled us to improve both grass silage and grazing platform yield by 13% the former to 12t DM/ha in three cuts; and grazing to 13.8t DM/ha, which has enabled stocking rate to increase, Martin said. Back in 2014, we thought our cows should be getting more out of the grass; in particular in spring and autumn. We considered there was an issue with the soil, this area has naturally high molybdenum levels which in turn is a marker of poor soil health and has the potential to lock up copper, so we thought we should do something about it. Following a farm visit by Devenishs Ciaran Conway and David Atherton, we decided to try something different and introduce SIP. Weve implemented all three aspects soil aeration, soil analysis and adding Digest-It and its worked. Aeration has been a big help towards reducing compaction we found a pan 6-7in down. Quite simply getting more air into the soil has encouraged more soil life, including plenty of worms which has to be good. Frequent soil analysis has enabled us to go on to correct the nutrient imbalance; molybdenum levels have fallen by 46% following aeration and applying Gypsum as part of SIP. Finally, we are definitely getting more nutrient value out of the slurry introducing the biological additive has reduced agitation time by between 30% and 40%, and I think has improved its nitrogen availability as weve been able to half nitrogen application after each of the three cuts from 80 units/ha to 40 units/ha. Another bonus has to be theres now little, if any, smell when were spreading, so the neighbours are much happier. Ive come to the conclusion that SIP is a sustainable programme that all dairy farmers can adopt and achieve a significant return on investment. For more information For further information on the Soil Improvement Programme, visit: http://soilimprovement.ie/. As well, you can contact Devenish on: 0044-(0)2890-755566; or just Click here | https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-are-the-3-steps-involved-to-improving-my-soil-performance/ |
How Low Might Micron's Earnings Get? | Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome Ian Croci as a new contributor. It's easy to become a Seeking Alpha contributor and earn money for your best investment ideas. Active contributors also get free access to the SA PRO archive. Click here to find out more On December 18, 2018, Micron (MU) reported earnings, or more accurately, guidance, that shocked investors. By guiding for $1.65-$1.85, a $1.75 midpoint, against Q1 earnings of $2.97, they guided for a 41% hit to the bottom line sequentially. There's no good way of putting this - making 41% less money over the course of one quarter can certainly never be looked at as a good thing. What I intend to do here, is to try and plot a trajectory for how bad earnings may get over the course of 2019, such that investors can have a good idea of what to expect. Gross Margins and Revenues When discussing margins, I have found that the way it is normally reported can be somewhat confusing. To me, I find it easier to understand margins as "markup", or how much the company generated in profits relative to the costs of producing its products. For instance, Micron reported 58.32% gross profit margin in its Q1 earnings report. The important thing to consider is that 58.32% of revenues are gross profits, against only 41.68% costs, making gross profits significantly higher than cost of goods sold. In this case, 58.32/41.68, for a markup of 139.9% (and revenues equal to 239.9% of costs). A 10% reduction in the "gross margin" figure, from 58.32% to 48.32%, is a hugely significant change that may not be initially realized. 48.32/51.68 gives us a markup of only 93.5%, and revenues equal to 193.5% of costs. So long as cost of goods sold remains the same, this hypothetical 10% reduction in gross margin, thus gives us a 19.3% reduction in revenues (193.5/239.9), and a 31.2% reduction in gross profits (93.5/139.9). The table below represents the relationship between gross margins, markup, and revenues as a percentage of COGS. Keep this in mind, and in the future, I will be using markup using these same calculations. GM 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Markup 11% 25% 43% 67% 100% 150% 233% 400% 900% Rev/COGS 111% 125% 143% 167% 200% 250% 333% 500% 1000% In Q1 FY2019, per the 10-Q, Micron reported revenue of $7,913M, cost of goods sold (COGS), including depreciation, of $3,298M, and gross profit of $4,615M. A look back at historical COGS shows it's very stable at ~$2B/Q plus depreciation which has been rising slowly. Depreciation, being an artifact of historical capital expenditures, can't be reduced by cutting production, but production cuts would reduce material costs. Given this information, I think it's very likely to see continued stability, and slight increases, in COGS into the future, as depreciation continues to rise and material costs stay roughly flat, so long as management doesn't indicate they're shutting down old capacity without replacement. With steady margins and rising COGS, revenues and gross profit will naturally rise. Of course, margins are not going to be steady going forward. This brings us to management's guide for Q2, the moment that shook investors and analysts across the board. My personal experience while listening to the call was of significant disbelief and confusion, as I heard CFO David Zinsner speak the words, "We expect revenue to be in the range of $5.7 billion to $6.3 billion, and gross margins to be in the range of 50% to 53%." With this statement, David offered up a revenue guidance cut of 24.2% sequentially, and I was pretty blown away. But as CEO Sanjay Mehrota's comment earlier in the call mentioned, "Given our attractive cost structure on leading-edge NAND and DRAM, in this market environment, we will manage pricing and carry inventory as necessary to optimize our profitability," we know that Micron intends to carry excess inventory, and not sell excessively into market weakness as they and others had in past cycles. Supply Elasticity It seems to me that something rarely, if ever, mentioned on Micron articles is the idea I've come to refer to as "Supply Elasticity", or the idea of limiting sales into weaker pricing environments. This is much the same way as customers may buy more products under weak pricing leading to "Demand Elasticity". With Sanjay's remarks on the conference call, and the disconnect I intuitively had upon hearing a 24% revenue guidance cut against only a 7% margin cut, I knew there was a story here that nobody seemed to be talking about. Digging into guidance, we've got a revenue guide for $5,700M-$6,300M, and gross margin guidance for 50-53%. I think it's fair to assume that there's a proportional relationship between the two, and higher gross margins and higher revenues will go hand in hand. By reversing gross margin, we have cost of goods sold at 47-50%. At the bottom end of guidance with COGS at 50% of $5,700M revenues, we would expect $2,850M in cost of goods sold. At the top end of guidance with COGS at 47% of $6,300M revenues, we would expect $2,951M. This is close enough that I imagine management is guiding for $2,900M COGS, and the $50M either way is a rounding error. This is $400M less than Q1, and equal to 20% of material costs in that period. This indicates to me that the company is planning to carry ~20% of production, by cost, this quarter. This is likely to be in their lowest-margin products, and would thus bring down gross margin significantly if they sold it. By assuming the worst, when it comes to products that Micron is choosing to carry into inventory, that all of these products can only be sold at marginal cost, we can begin to build out a worst-case scenario. Adding in the $400M back to COGS and revenues, we would come to $6,100M-$6,700M revenues against $3,300M COGS. Gross profit would be the exact same as if we had not added these revenues back into the mix, at $2,850M-$3,350M. This would leave us with gross margin figures of 46-51%. Looking at the problem another way, by using our markup calculation, we can come to the best-case scenario for how much inventory the company is holding back. By assuming that the products Micron is carrying have the same margins as the average of everything else, we can draw the upper bound of possibilities. It would be illogical for the company to build inventory of products that carried above-average margins, so this is definitely the best-case scenario. Against gross margins of 50-53%, we come to an markup of 100-113%, and revenues of 200-213% of costs. Against relatively stable COGS at $3,300M, this would give us gross profits of $3,300-3,729M and revenues of $6,600-7,029M. By comparing these numbers, which are a representation of how much the company could generate in best- and worst-case scenarios, to how the company actually guided Q2, we can see how supply elasticity affected revenues. At the midpoint of the worst-case scenario, we came to $6,400M in revenues. At the midpoint of our best-case scenario, we came to $6,814M in revenues. This has 6%-12% of revenues being carried forward. Odds are that reality is in the middle somewhere, and for simplicity's sake, I'm going to strike right in the middle at 9%, and use this figure in future calculations. By striking in the middle, these products carry a gross margin of 25.75%, or a markup of 34.7%. When valuing the company, it would be prudent to add back in these carried inventories into valuations. Any products not sold now are planned to be sold later, at a higher price, so accounting for them at current price seems to be a fairly reasonable practice. The risk is that pricing never recovers, but that's well beyond the scope of this article. According to Q2 guidance, "Based on a share count of approximately 1.15 billion fully diluted shares, we expect EPS to be $1.75, plus or minus $0.10." We can come to a midpoint of $2,012M net income. By adding back the 9% of revenues, at half of the average margin, we can add in $154M of pre-tax gross profit, which should work out to be about $140M to net income. This adds an extra $0.12/share to EPS for Q2, and changes the sequential decline from -41% to -37%. This has the sequential decline coming out 10% less bad than initially assumed, and any future declines will be doubly affected by accelerating inventory hold. Earnings Trajectory With memory prices continuing to trend downwards at a steep rate, it's inevitable that Micron's revenues, margins, and bottom line will all continue down until such a time as memory prices flatten out. By watching the rate of change of revenues, I believe we are able to plot out the trajectory. In the chart below, I lay out the relationships between revenue, sequential growth rates, and the change in growth rates. Growth was rapid, and relatively stable throughout FY2018, before it suddenly went into a tailspin and revenues have been accelerating downwards ever since the beginning of FY2019. However, with the adjustment and guide for Q2, it would appear as though the rate of downward acceleration is slowing. This tells me that, while the pricing continues downwards, it's easing off of the gas pedal. This indicates that it will soon stop accelerating altogether. Q1'18 Q2'18 Q3'18 Q4'18 Q1'19 Q2'19 est Revenue $6.80B $7.35B $7.80B $8.44B $7.91B $6.00B Inv Adjust 9% Growth 11% 8% 6% 8% -6% -17% Growth +1% -3% -2% +2% -14% -11% As soon as the decline stops accelerating, it will not be long until it turns back into an uptrend. I think there's a good chance that we see another sequential decline of 17% into Q3 (with a zero rate of change), with accelerating inventory carrying up to 18% due to even lower prices. This gives us an organic run-rate revenue of $5,478M, and an 18% reduction due to inventory carry gives us an expectation to hear in guidance of $4,492M. With costs at $2,900M in Q2, and an estimate of carrying twice as much inventory in Q3, I would anticipate costs in Q3 of $2,500M. By accounting for these lower costs of goods sold, this gives us Gross Profit of $1,992M, and Operating Income of $1,192M (subtracting $800M in operating expenses). This is where I believe things are as bad as they can possibly get, and guidance sequentially-flat into FYQ4 is possible, with a recovery into FY2020 at the end of CY2019. This would be very consistent with Sanjay's comment that, "as we enter the second half of calendar 2019, we expect a healthier demand environment alongside an improved industry supply picture, which should contribute to improved financial performance." With Q3 and Q4 Operating Profits of ~$1,200M, I expect ~$150M per quarter in taxes, and against current share count of ~1,150M, I see potential for earnings bottoming out in Q3 and Q4 at ~$0.91 per share. Adding in Q1 EPS of $2.97 and Q2 EPS of $1.75, this gives us $6.54 in EPS for FY2019. With $22,897M in revenues for the year, the additional 11.25% in held inventories (9% Q2, 18% Q3/Q4) are worth $2,575M at average 2019 pricing, and cost $2,000M to produce. Post-taxes on this additional $575M in profit, we come to about $500M. Thus, FY2019 EPS plus the value of carried inventory adds up to $6.97. Conclusion Micron is likely to have a nasty few quarters ahead of it, and they're likely to continue exacerbating the problem (as it appears to investors through the numbers) by carrying more and more inventory as things get worse. By keeping everything in perspective, and having at least a clue about what "supply elasticity" means for the future of the company, as well as how it might affect reporting over the next few quarters, gives a solid investing base. If we can have a set of worst-case numbers, we will never be disappointed when they're met or beaten. I believe wholeheartedly that Micron's current share price ($34.67 at the time of writing) is absolutely undervalued, even when looking at this worst-case scenario which, as of yet, nobody else has even come close to proposing. It is a common trope that "cyclical stocks appear expensive, even uninvestable, at the trough of the cycle, but this is actually the best time to buy." Expect that Micron, even at current price, looks more and more expensive against the fundamentals. Given $6.54 in reported EPS for FY2019, and a true value of $6.97 EPS, with strong growth in the future for a whole slew of reasons that have been examined thoroughly by many others, there's a strong case to be made that Micron deserves a growth multiple, especially on trough earnings. Even under the worst-case scenario that I believe this is, Micron deserves an earnings multiple that recognizes that. Micron is an easy buy, even up to and beyond $130, or 20x trough EPS. Only then will it look expensive in the trough of the cycle, which, as many others have said, "is the best time to buy". Being able to buy at a price that doesn't look expensive as we enter the trough of the cycle is a clear sign of the market's irrationality, and an incredible opportunity for any investor brave enough to take it. This article is not necessarily about finding the true fair value of the company, but of the "minimum" fair value of the company, at which point the worst-case scenario is priced in, and the stock can perform reasonably well even if everything goes wrong. Given that we're currently very, very far below this point, it does not (yet) seem necessary to attempt to justify a true fair value, or a maximum fair value, at which points the company offers balanced risk/reward, and fair reward against best-case scenario expectations, respectively. A true fair value remains worthwhile as a core long-term holding, by this definition, and a maximum fair value will only perform reasonably well under ideal conditions, and thus constitutes a sale, as no additional alpha can be generated even under ideal conditions. Disclosure: I am/we are long MU. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Additional disclosure: I am long $60, $80, $95 Strike Calls for January 2020, and $65 Strike Calls for January 2021. | https://seekingalpha.com/article/4233516-low-might-microns-earnings-get |
What Can I Do to Help Counteract Climate Change? | Putting off until tomorrow what you could do today is no longer an option when it comes to the gathering carbon in the atmosphere, even according to reports from the current administration. They all say its causing changes well live to regret. We asked a number of Santa Barbarans who spend a good amount of their waking hours thinking about this, and their no-holds-barred answer is yes. Heres how: Drive clean; dont drive; ride a bike. Everyone we asked agreed that personal transportation was the single-largest polluter (homes were second) individuals can affect. To avoid burning fossil fuels on those trips we all take every day, just think of the help thats out there: Electric cars and motorcycles get California and Southern California Edison rebates; the federal government offers tax breaks. Metropolitan Transit District plans for all city buses to be greenhouse-gas free by 2030. And riding a bicycle and walking whenever possible help both your health and the planets. Go solar, on your roof or a utility-offered program. An electric vehicle conserves little unless its powered by alternative energy sources; solar power goes into the grid during the day and is deducted from the array owners bill. Electric heat avoids using natural gas and the methane produced; the joy of air conditioning is guilt-free. The Green Rate program at SoCal Edison promises to buy 50 percent or 100 percent of a customers power from a renewable source. It costs a bit more ($9-$17 per $100 monthly), but new proposals before the Public Utilities Commission would bring those rates down. Dont eat red meat; eat more plants. Santa Barbaras farmers markets bring locally grown produce and locally grazed meats to local kitchens, but at the grocery store, its a different story. Produce is trucked and flown across continents for the abundance we enjoy; it pays to read labels. The demand for meat means more fertilizer, fuel, pesticides, and water are used than in growing human food crops, plus the animals themselves are a source of pollution and methane. And our mothers were right; were healthier if we eat our vegetables. Reduce. This simple word applies to having children, flying on an airplane, and everyday consumption. Its the first word in the reduce, reuse, recycle slogan for a reason: Reusing and recycling consume water or energy in and of themselves; avoiding the purchase in the first place matters. But much more personally difficult is the two, one, or none observation regarding children. Its the sheer number of us consuming resources on the planet that has led to this crisis. This ones a no-brainer as well as a no mans land of individual choice. Think. At bottom, all suggestions come down to thoughtful considerations of our lives and ruminating on how it could all be different, from voting to shopping to agitating at the local and national level and then making it happen. | http://www.independent.com/news/2019/jan/17/what-can-i-do-help-counteract-climate-change/ |
What wireless protocols does the SmartThings Hub support? | Best answer: SmartThings currently supports ZigBee and Z-Wave wireless protocols. Some IP-connected devices and cloud-connected devices are also able to be used with SmartThings. Unfortunately, getting up and running with SmartThings isn't as simple as say, connecting your phone or computer to your Wi-Fi network. SmartThings utilizes two main protocols for devices Z-Wave and ZigBee. If you're not deep into smart home tech, you've most likely never heard of either of these protocols before. Unlike a commonplace term like Wi-Fi, Z-Wave and ZigBee are mostly restricted to a specific set of connected devices. Z-Wave is a mesh network protocol utilized by low-energy devices like thermostats, lighting controls, locks and security systems. ZigBee is an open standard supported by the ZigBee Alliance use for personal devices in close proximity with low-power digital radios. While similar, the main difference between the two is that ZigBee is broken up into different protocols home automation, smart energy, and digital health to name a few which often can't communicate well with each other. Z-Wave, however, used the same low frequency for devices to communicate. ZigBee does allow for loads more devices on a network (65k+) where Z-Wave only allows for around 200. That being said, with SmartThings supporting both protocols, you never need to worry if your device is a Wave or a Bee either one will work with your SmartThings hub. Popular devices utilizing these protocols include Philips Hue lights, Belkin's WeMo, GE smart home devices, Sengled smart lights, and Yale smart locks. Wi-Fi devices aren't as direct on SmartThings as Z-Wave & ZigBee. SmartThings does support many cloud-connected devices that use Wi-FI, however, these devices talk to SmartThings using the manufacturers cloud service not Wi-Fi directly. So while the device may not communicate with your hub using Wi-Fi, Z-Wave or ZigBee, it can still be used with your SmartThings setup thanks to the cloud. | https://www.androidcentral.com/what-wireless-protocols-does-smartthings-hub-support?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+androidcentral+%28Android+Central%29 |
Why Dont Womens Organizations Want Women Managing Their Endowments? | Text size A few years ago, I was invited to appear on CNBC as a commentator for shows like Squawk Box and Half Time Report. Then, in 2018, I began to sense a shift. Producers began to actively recruit women for shows in which the experts are often 100% male. Some asked me if I knew other women who are experienced investors or market strategists. They began to invite me more frequently and on more shows, which is only partially explained, I suspect, by my TV talents. CNBC is hardly alone, of course. Lots of media outlets have been trying to branch out beyond white, male faces. And corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies seem to be embracing their show of inclusion. According to data from job site Indeed.com, there was a 35% increase in diversity and inclusion jobs between 2016 and 2018. The financial services sector has also been trying to present a more diverse face. I wouldnt be a good investor if I couldnt spot opportunities, and this focus on diversity should be a positive for my firm, which is majority-owned by women. But I soon found that while diversity issues might be taking center stage right now, things play out differently behind the scenes. Despite a more inclusive pubic image, many organizations are indifferent to diversity in choosing who manages their money. I reached out on my own and through my network to women-only schools, organizations that serve women, and the consultants that advise their endowment committees. My theory was that these institutions would want to expand their mission to nurture, educate, train, and support women to include their asset managers, as evidence of their commitment to gender equality. My pitch was that if our firm meets their standards for investment performance and we are majority-owned by women, they could accomplish two goals. But the schools didnt show much interest, other than to politely ask for our marketing material, which they probably recycled on receipt. Their consultants said that their clients only rarely asked about the gender composition of their asset managers. To give the organizations the benefit of the doubt, perhaps there are so few female investment managers that they barely show up in a search. Also, some large pension plans or endowments need a fund of critical mass. Firms that are controlled by women (25% or more of the ownership) manage less than 1% of hedge fund assets globally. Their funds tend to be smaller and they can have trouble raising capital, a troubling sign of unconscious bias that has been highlighted in studies of comparably performing funds. For example, one woman I spoke with, who left her analyst job at a large hedge fund to start her own firm, has been encouraged by interest from endowments and large family offices, but her assets under management remain under $100 million despite a fantastic 2018 relative to her peers. At this level, given the high operating and regulatory expenses, a fund is often just over break-even and below the radar of large institutional clients. If there is a reluctance to fund women-owned firms, even when those women have established track records as investors, it matches my own experience. Our early clients were connected to my male co-founder, but five years later, once we built a strong record, my clients arrived in numbers. So, women managers overseeing sizable funds are hard to find. I get it. But, the chicken or egg problem aboundsclients dont hire female investors because theyre hard to find. Theyre hard to find because they need critical asset mass to survive, but major clients lack confidence in hiring them until they hit that size. Some people I spoke with assumed a merit/diversity trade-off. One advisor to non-profits said that she would never place preference for a woman asset manager over the best performance possible. I pointed out that it is possible to have both goals met simultaneously. Statistically, there is no difference in performance between funds managed at women-owned firms and the broader universe. And where differences do exist, they favor diversity: there is growing evidence that a diverse workforce can fuel superior corporate performance, and research on venture capital shows that increasing the percentage of female investors leads to more-profitable decisions. If choosing a female asset manager would be an inappropriate form of gender bias, it would, ironically, appear within an industry overwhelmingly dominated for generations by men, which sounds like a definition of gender preference to me. Lets move money management out of the Masters of the Universe era into the modern age. Its nice that some organizations are interested in appearing more diverse. But we can do a lot better than appearances. Karen Firestone is chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Aureus Asset Management. Shes the author of Evening the Odds: Sensible Risk-Taking in Business, Investing, and Life. | https://www.barrons.com/articles/organizations-serving-women-should-want-more-women-to-manage-their-endowments-51547730018 |
Should the Los Angeles Angels trade Mike Trout? | The Los Angeles Angels are trying to hand an extension to Mike Trout, but reports are that it seems unlikely. With Trout being arguably the best player in the entire league, many feel hitting the reset button and trading him would be the best option if the Angels are unable to retain him long term. However, Trout has been vocal about how much he enjoys playing for the team, and two years is enough time to build a winning squad around him. PERSPECTIVES Trout is languishing on a team that isn't competitive against the top teams in the league. For arguably the best player in MLB, that is a travesty. He needs to be with a team willing to surround him with top talent. The roster the Angels has built around Trout has not panned out and keeping Trout will not solve all of their problems. If the team wants to get back on track, they need to trade Trout and build from the ground up with cheap, but talented players in the minors -- or get young stars ready to explode. The Angels' thinning farm system is not doing well and Albert Pujols' huge contract is a financial albatross for the front office. The worst thing the Angels can do is wait and see. They need to trade him now. If the Angels can't extend Trout, they need to trade him Trout is a generational talent and the Angels would be fools to even consider trading him. Los Angeles has two years to improve its farm system and build a competent roster around him. The team already proved it was willing to shell out money by nabbing Shohei Ohtani, who has proven to be a monster at the plate, and on the mound, in his rookie year. The Angels are only going to get better, and once Pujols' contract expires in two years, the team will have even more payroll to invest in talent. Keeping Trout is the only option for Los Angeles. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.masslive.com/sports/2019/01/should_the_los_angeles_angels.html |
What is weather forecast during lunar eclipse Sunday? | The arctic air mass headed to the Carolinas Sunday night will cause temperatures to drop 20 degrees in six hours -- from the 50s to the 30s -- but there is an upside, says the National Weather Service. All that dry, cold air will sweep away rain clouds just in time for most of the Carolinas to get a good view of a super moon combined with a total lunar eclipse just before midnight. By the time the total eclipse starts at 11:41 p.m., the view should be clear with only spotty upper level clouds, says Scott Krentz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service based out of Greenville-Spartanburg. The maximum eclipse starts at 12:12 a.m. Monday and ends at 12:43 a.m., according to TimeandDate.com. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. All of North America has the potential to see the hour-long event, weather permitting. What Carolinians will see is a blood red colored moon that appears larger and brighter than normal on the horizon, according to AccuWeather.com. NASA says the darkening will be caused when the earths shadow totally blocks the suns light from reflecting off the moon. The red color is due to the way light bends around earth as it moves toward the moon, according to Space Tourism Guide. The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures may be in the twenties around the time the eclipse ends Monday morning. The low Sunday night is expected to be 22 degrees. Depending on where you are in the country, the moon might turn a copper-orange-reddish color, according to a Jan. 7 article Forbes magazine. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday will be sunny, with a high near 39 degrees, says the National Weather Service. | https://www.heraldonline.com/latest-news/article224503745.html |
Is the Samsung Galaxy S4's camera really better than the iPhone 5's? | Apple's iPhone range has long been the standard bearer for smartphone cameras, but it has now been bested by its great rival Samsung, according to new tests. In photo and video tests DxO Labs, the Samsung Galaxy S4 camera performed higher than the Apple iPhone 5 by an overall score of 75 to 72. The Galaxy S4 ousted Apple as well as the Nokia Lumia 920 in most of the main categories for photos and videos and was especially good in bright light, according to the tests. Top of the pile is still the Nokia 808 Pureview handset, although the Symbian OS and the limited availability of the device means its not a mainstream contender. Comfortably ahead In its report, DxO labs wrote: "Achieving a DxOMark score of 75 overall puts the rear-facing camera module of the Samsung Galaxy S4 comfortably ahead of the pack. That's no mean feat as the bunch includes the handset maker's own Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S3 as well as Apple's iPhone 4s and latest iPhone 5, all achieving a very respectable 72 in our DxOMark scores. The S4 makes good use of its fast efficient AF and robust and reliable auto-exposure systems to maximize image detail from the 13-Mpix sensor and deliver images with fully saturated color. Let us know in the comments below. Via CNET | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-the-samsung-galaxy-s4-s-camera-really-better-than-the-iphone-5-s-1154405 |
Could Coronation Street's Emma be Steve McDonald's secret love child? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A major shock could be in store for Steve McDonald if Coronation Street fans' suspicions are correct. Chat show host Lorraine Kelly has dropped a major hint that a shock love child storyline is in store for hair stylist Emma Brooker. During an interview with actress Alexandra Mardell, who plays Emma, Lorraine brought up a fan theory that the bubbly character is the daughter of Steve McDonald and his ex Fiona Middleton. Corrie fan Lorraine says there's more to sweet-natured Emma and her past than she's letting on. She said: "There are lots and lots of different layers to this girl, that's what I love about Corrie. "We'll find out more about her. There's a lot more to her." (Image: ITV/Lorraine) She pressed: "Some people have said, and I'm not sure about this Alexandra, but some people have said that she's Steve and Fiona's love child." "Oh yes, I have heard this," Alexandra said. And Lorraine continued: "It kind of makes a little bit of sense you know, you don't look dissimilar. She's so pretty and so are you. "But we can't say anything about that, we shall just put that in a wee box for now." "Yes we shall," added Alexandra. Alexandras character burst on the street in April to start work at Audrey Roberts salon - and the sweet-natured hairdresser quickly won the hearts of viewers. And it wasn't long before viewers wondered if it might turn out that Emma is the daughter of Fiona, who was also a hair stylist. Fiona, played by Angela Griffin, was last on the show 20 years ago and used to run the salon. Great way to get Angela Griffin back. Join our Coronation Street Fan Chat group on Facebook where youll also get updates, spoilers and more. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/could-coronation-streets-emma-steve-15692194 |
How long does the battery last on Apple's Smart Battery Case? | Best Answer: For the iPhone XS, the Smart Battery Case adds 33 hours of talk time, 21 hours of typical Internet use, and 25 hours of video playback. The XS Max version of the Smart Battery Case adds 37 hours of talk time, 20 hours of Internet usage, and 25 hours of video playback. iPhone XR users can squeeze up to 39 hours of talk time, 22 hours Internet use, and 27 hours of video playback. No matter which case you go with, you're bound to get through the entire day without having to plug in. Apple tested these new Smart Battery cases back in November 2018 using the proper iPhone models, battery case units, and preproduction software. All of the talk tests were conducted over Voice over LTE (VoLTE) network. They did the internet tests over LTE and Wi-Fi networks with a dedicated web server, browsing snapshot versions of 20 popular websites and getting mail at a rate of once per hour. The video playback tests were done with repeated playback of a 2-hour and 23-minute movie from iTunes. All of the settings on the iPhones were set at the default, with the following exceptions: Bluetooth paired with headphones and Wi-Fi associated with a network for all except Internet LTE test. Wi-Fi was also set to Ask to Join Networks, and Auto-Brightness and True Tone were off during the testing phase. All battery claims are dependent on the user's network configurations and many other factors, so your mileage may vary here. The Smart Battery Cases feature a soft, flexible lining on the inside to protect your iPhone from scratches and scuffs. The exterior features a silky, soft-touch silicone material that gives you extra grip. The elastomer hinge makes it easy to get your phone into the case as well as get it out when needed. Apple's new Smart Battery Cases are also Qi-certified chargers. This means you can charge them up wirelessly on any Qi-compatible charger. It also supports Fast Charging with a Lightning to USB-C cable and a compatible power adapter (Apple 18W, 29W, 30W, 61W, or 87W USB-C Power Adapter or a comparable third-party adapter that supports USB Power Delivery). You can also charge it via the old-fashioned way with Lightning-to-USB. When you charge your iPhone in the Smart Battery Case, the iPhone will usually have priority when normal or fast charging. Once the iPhone reaches about 80 percent charged, the charging is split and allocated to the Smart Battery Case instead. However, if you use a power adapter that can provide more power, such as a MacBook Pro USB-C power adapter, then it can fast charge both the iPhone and Smart Battery Case at the same time. What has priority depends on how much power is being taken in. You can check on the battery levels with the intelligent battery status display in the iPhone lock screen and Notification Center. | https://www.imore.com/how-long-does-battery-last-apples-smart-battery-case?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheIphoneBlog+%28iMore%29 |
Where could Premier League title turning points come as Liverpool seek to hold off Man City? | Get Liverpool FC updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email As winter ended and Spring sprung in 1987, the destiny of the First Division title race was in Liverpool's own hands. On the morning of March 28, with just nine games remaining, they led rivals Everton by six points. The Blues did have two games in hand and did boast a better goal difference, but crucially the Reds were about to entertain a mid-table team at Anfield while Everton were travelling to third placed Arsenal. Cue a title turning point. Liverpool were about to reclaim the momentum which had been momentarily interrupted the previous weekend when Spurs beat Kenny Dalglish's team at White Hart Lane to end a 12-match unbeaten run. After that match The Times went as far as to write: "If they (Liverpool) had won to increase their total during that sequence to 35 points, the champions would surely have retained the big title. David Pleat, the Tottenham manager, admitted as much." Except on the afternoon of March 28 the title race turned on its head. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now Those mid-table visitors to Anfield were Wimbledon - and a late Alan Cork goal secured a 2-1 win, while 220 miles south Wayne Clarke lofted an improbable 50-yard shot over John Lukic to secure an Everton away win. It was a title turning point. There have been others. You can follow all the latest Liverpool news and transfer gossip HERE In April 2009 Yossi Benayoun grabbed a riotously celebrated last minute winner at Craven Cottage to send Liverpool two points clear at the top of Manchester United. The following day United trailed 2-1 at home to Aston Villa with 10-minutes remaining, until Cristiano Ronaldo and a 17-year-old called Federico Macheda struck in injury time to reclaim the lead and the title momentum. The last time Liverpool had the destiny of the Premier League title in their own hands was on the morning of Sunday April 27, 2014 ... no-one needs reminding what happened next. Chelsea arrived at Anfield, Manchester City went to Crystal Palace and, well the rest is recent, painful history. Manchester City have been an irresistible force at times this season, but Liverpool have proved an immovable object. And City have faltered three times already this season. We identify where their title chase could stumble again ... Sunday Feb 3 and Monday Feb 4 Manchester City v Arsenal (Sunday February 3) Both clubs could still play on the same day if West Ham draw with Wimbledon in the FA Cup, but as it stands City get to go first .... in their outstanding fixture against one of the 'Big Six.' A 2-0 win on the opening day at the Emirates sent City on their way, but depending on which Arsenal side turn up there is potential to lose more ground over Liverpool. West Ham v Liverpool (Monday February 4) If the fixtures remain unchanged the pressure would be back on Liverpool on them to match - or capitalise on - the result City secured against Arsenal. And Liverpool have scored four on each of their previous two visits to the London Stadium. Saturday Feb 9 and Sunday Feb 10 Liverpool v Bournemouth (Saturday, February 9) No room for complacency, but the visit of a team who have lost eight of their 11 away matches to date should not hold fears. But City meanwhile ... Manchester City v Chelsea (Sunday February 10) City face a major challenge the following day. Chelsea inflicted City's first defeat of the season and started their poor run through December - and Maurizio Sarri's side have a good record against their fellow top six sides. Arguably City's toughest remaining fixture. Saturday March 2 Everton v Liverpool The TV companies still haven't selected their matches for March, but I think we can safely say that Everton v Liverpool - currently scheduled for Saturday March 2 (3pm), will be shifted. City will be hoping that a Merseyside derby will offer them a chance to make up ground. What they won't be aware of is that the Reds haven't lost at Goodison since 2010. Bournemouth v Manchester City City, meanwhile, head down to the Vitality Stadium four days after a home match with West Ham. Weekend of March 16 Manchester United v Manchester City Again, a clash sure to be switched for TV, and the subplot to this are the Champions League fixtures just a few days earlier. City face a home match against Schalke on the Tuesday, but United will be burning for revenge after the first Manchester derby of the season proved a Sky Blue stroll. Fulham v Liverpool The Reds travel to Craven Cottage just three days after the second leg of their Champions League clash in Munich. There are no absolute gimmes in the top flight this season, but this one isn't far off. Weekend of March 30 Manchester City v Fulham City have that gimme on the weekend of March 30, entertaining a Fulham side who could be already relegated by then. Liverpool v Tottenham Liverpool, meanwhile, entertain a Tottenham side who have had mixed fortunes against the top six so far this season. This could be the match which tests Anfield anxiety levels to the full.Chelsea have won at Anfield already this season - but that was against a much-changed team in Carabao Cup. Crystal Palace v Manchester City But the same weekend City travel to Selhurst Park. Palace have already secured one unlikely success over City this season - and Palace are a much more formidable side on their own turf. Weekend of April 20 Manchester City v Tottenham With four games remaining, this fixture could make or break City's title hopes. Cardiff City v Liverpool Because Liverpool go to South Wales the same weekend and if they need to win at Cardiff they will. Weekend of May 12 Liverpool v Wolves, Brighton v Manchester City If it goes down to a last day decider you want to be at home - and City face a long, long away trip to a Brighton team who have a good home record. Liverpool, on the other hand, face a Wolves team who should have little to play for. Other LFC tales | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/could-premier-league-title-turning-15691422 |
Is Sky's Amstrad buyout anti-competitive? | Sky 's recent 125 million purchase of Sir Alan Sugar's Amstrad could be referred to the Competition Commission. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is poised to examine the deal , and has set a 22nd August deadline for comments on the acquisition. The OFT is concerned that Sky's buyout could lessen competition in the digital set-top box market and adversely affect Amstrad's rivals - Thomson and Pace Micro . Why Sky bought Amstrad Amstrad has long supplied Sky with set-top boxes for the UK market, notably the popular DRX280 Sky+ model (pictured). Amstrad manufactured around 30 per cent of all the set-top boxes purchased by Sky. One of the principal reasons that Sky has snapped up Amstrad is that the satellite broadcaster accounted for a whopping 75 per cent of Amstrad's total revenues. Sky's proposed acquisition of Amstrad will, says the offer announcement on the Amstrad web site, "provide Sky with an in-house design and development capability, which Sky believes will deliver significant operational and financial benefits." Amstrad and Sky have reportedly been working together on new generations of Sky+ HD and multiroom Sky+ boxes. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/video/home-video/home-cinema/high-definition/digital-home/home-networking/is-sky-s-amstrad-buyout-anti-competitive-174017 |
When is Tiger Woods' next tournament on the 2019 PGA Tour schedule? | Tiger Woods' 2019 schedule is coming together with his first confirmed tournament: the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, a course where he's enjoyed much success and typically the place Woods' competitive season begins in earnest. He has eight career wins at the Pines, including the 2008 U.S. Open, his 14th and most recent major championship. Woods closed his 2018 schedule with a victory at the Tour Championship, his first PGA Tour win in more than five years, before turning in a dud at the Ryder Cup. Following the Tour Championship victory, Woods closed the PGA Tour season ranked No. 2 in the FedExCup standings, 41 points behind winner Justin Rose. Woods also squared off against Phil Mickelson in a $9 million head-to-head exhibition match in Las Vegas on Thanksgiving weekend. Now fully healthy and with the Tour monkey off his back, the 43-year-old has his sights set on capturing a 15th major victory. Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championships is still far in the distance but the world is watching if Woods can make inroads in 2019. We will continue to update Tiger's 2019 tournament schedule here. Farmers Insurance Open Dates: Jan. 24-27 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD Genesis Open* Dates: Feb. 14-17 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD WGC-Mexico Championship* Dates: Feb. 21-28 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD Arnold Palmer Invitational* Dates: March 7-10 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD The Players Championship* Dates: March 14-17 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD WGC-Dell Match Play* Dates: March 27-31 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD The Masters* Dates: April 11-14 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD Wells Fargo Championship* Dates: May 2-5 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD PGA Championship* Dates: May 16-19 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD The Memorial Tournament* Dates: May 30-June 2 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD U.S. Open* Dates: June 13-16 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD The Open Championship* Dates: July 18-21 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational* Dates: July 25-28 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD The Northern Trust* Dates: Aug. 8-11 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD BMW Championship* Dates: Aug. 15-18 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD Tour Championship* Dates: Aug. 22-25 Scores: TBD Finish: TBD Winner: TBD *Not confirmed but likely to participate Tiger Woods' scores, finishes We will continue to update Tiger's 2019 tournament results here. | http://www.sportingnews.com/us/golf/news/tiger-woods-next-tournament-2019-schedule-golf-pga-tour/vazsvl7kpi4c1spiag4ows3ae |
Who is taking part in Celebrity Big Brother USA season two? | Celebrity Big Brother US has a pretty awesome line-up Celebrity Big Brother and Big Brother might have been axed in the UK, but that doesnt mean you cant still get your fix of the reality show. Because Celebrity Big Brother is up and running in the US, with their second series kicking off next week. And even though its not aired on UK TV you can still keep up with the action via the shows Twitter feed and Facebook page which you will want to do as the line-up is pretty darned good. Heres wholl be gracing the doors of that US house Jonathan Bennett (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Jonathan will be familiar to most people as Mean Girls Aaron Samuels the object of Cady (Lindsay Lohan)s affections. With Lindsays mum Dina also in the house we reckon the pair will have a lot to talk about. Advertisement Advertisement Kandi Buruss Kandi is best known in the US for her role in The Real Housewives Of Atlanta, but its not just reality TV where shes made her mark as she also penned the TLC classic No Scrubs and Destinys Childs Bills Bills Bills. Tamar Braxton (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Singer Tamar is the sister of Toni (Unbreak My Heart) Braxton and performed with her sisters in a group called The Braxtons (we see a theme emerging here). She also appeared alongside them in the reality series Braxton Family Values as well as having a successful solo career. Tom Green (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Actor/comedian Tom is probably best remembered for The Tom Green Show on MTV but also for such movies as Road Trip, being married to Drew Barrymore for a year and for the movie Freddy Got Fingered, widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made. Lolo Jones (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Olympian Lolo (real name Susan) is known for competing in both the summer and winter Olympics one of the few athletes to do so taking part in both hurdling and bobsledding. She missed out on gold at Beijing 2008 after tripping over a hurdle just a short distance from the finish line. Kato Kaelin (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Actor Kato (real name Brian) gained notoriety for his part in the OJ Simpson murder trials in 1995, being called as a witness for the prosecution as he was living in Simpsons guest house at the time the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman happened. Advertisement Advertisement Joey Lawrence (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Joey Lawrence one third of the Lawrence brothers acting trio (alongside Matthew and Andrew) found fame in 90s sitcom Blossom but more recently has appeared alongside his siblings in Brotherly Love as well as the comedy series Melissa and Joey. Ryan Lochte (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Another Olympian, Ryan is a 12-time medalist in swimming, and is second only to Michael Phelps when it comes to winning medals for the sport. He also notoriously made the news for the wrong reasons after his false claim that he and other swimmers had been robbed during the summer Olympics in Rio in 2016. Dina Lohan (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Aka Lindsay Lohans mum, and a reality star in her own right having appeared in the likes of Living Lohan and Lindsay. Eva Marie (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) A name that will be very familiar to E! viewers, WWEs Eva Marie was one of the stars of Total Divas. She joined the WWE in 2013, before amicably parting company with the organisation in 2017. Anthony Scaramucci (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) Aka The Mooch, Anthony Scaramucci is the former White House director of communications who lasted just 10 days in the job, from July 21-31 2017, being fired after a controversial interview with The New Yorker in which he said some less than complimentary things about other White House staff. Ricky Williams (Picture: Getty Images/CBS) American Football running back Ricky played 12 seasons with the New Orleans Saints before being traded to other clubs including the Miami Dolphins. These days though hes better known for his analysis on the sports network ESPN. Advertisement Celebrity Big Brother US season two kicks off in the US on Monday. If you've got a 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 - we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Roxanne Pallett will be back on TV screens next week so get the popcorn ready MORE: Mean Girls Aaron Samuels is moving in with Lindsay Lohans mum Dina as part of epic Celebrity Big Brother US line-up | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/17/dina-lohan-mean-girls-jonathan-bennett-celebrity-big-brother-usa-season-two-8354655/ |
What is the Western worlds most common genetic disorder? | Haemochromatosis can usually be diagnosed with a blood test. Credit: PA The Western worlds most common genetic disorder causes far higher levels of serious disease and disability than previously thought, despite being easy to detect and treat, research has shown. The iron overload condition haemochromatosis, previously thought to be a low-level health risk, actually quadruples the risk of liver disease and doubles the risk of arthritis and frailty in older age groups, two major studies have revealed. Exeter University said the condition could affect up to 20 times more people than earlier figures suggested. It is the most common genetic disorder in the UK. An estimated 250,000 people of European ancestry in the country have the disease, which is caused when people have two particular faulty genes. Haemochromatosis causes people to absorb too much iron from their diet, which accumulates around the body over time, damaging organs and eventually causing disease. It also causes higher risk of diabetes and chronic pain. Symptoms can include feeling tired all the time, muscle weakness and joint pain, meaning it is often misdiagnosed as the signs of ageing, according to the NHS. One in eight people in some areas of the UK are carriers, meaning they have one of the two faulty genes. If both parents are carriers then two faulty genes can be passed on to their children. Sorry, this content isn't available on your device. In Ireland, it is known as the "Celtic curse", although it is common throughout northern Europe and also occurs at a lower level in southern Europe and is common in Australia and the US. The condition is twice as likely to be serious in men, and women have partial protection until later in life because they lose iron through menstruation and having children. Long-distance runner Ruth Jones knew the aches and pains she was experiencing went beyond the signs of natural ageing, yet it took nine months of tests before she was finally diagnosed with haemochromatosis. Mother-of-two Ruth Jones was suffering with plummeting energy levels and slower speeds and knew it was more than just getting old. Credit: PA The mother-of-two from Stamford, Lincolnshire runs up to 70 miles a week and was seeking an explanation for her plummeting energy levels and slower speeds. "I was feeling exhausted all the time. I was finding running much harder, for no obvious reason. It went well beyond what other runners experience as part of getting older," she said. Haemochromatosis can usually be diagnosed with a blood test, so you should talk to your GP about testing if you think you may be experiencing symptoms. Treatment initially involves the regular removal of blood, known as a venesection, and this is usually carried out every few weeks. Treatment for haemochromatosis involves removing blood regularly. Credit: PA The treatment is aimed at removing iron from your body. As the body has no natural method for getting rid of the extra iron, this done by regular bleeding known as phlebotomy, according to the British Liver Trust. During phlebotomy a unit of blood, usually 450 millitres (ml), is removed. This amount will contain 220mg of iron. Bleeding in this way will activate the remaining stored iron to make new red blood cells. | https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-17/scientists-reveal-dangers-of-western-worlds-most-common-genetic-disorder/ |
Is the third time the charm for Four Corners revitalization in downtown Okemos? | A satellite overview of the three-block portion of the Downtown Development Authority Tax Increment Financing District where a developer wants to invest $150 million. Project costs will include about $6.7 million for environmental cleanup. (Photo: Google Maps) MERIDIAN TWP. Officials hope the third time is the charm for efforts to restore the Four Corners area as a bustling downtown district. But without support from the Capital Area District Library's board, there may not be enough funding for necessary environmental cleanup and other work in the three-block area where a team headed by local developer Will Randle plans to invest $150 million in two phases. Meridian Township's Downtown Development Authority amended its redevelopment plan to bring in just shy of $18.6 million between now and 2039 to help reimburse the development team and financial backers for part of the investment, including the environmental costs his lenders have declined to cover. The plan allows the DDA to capture additional tax revenue as assessments rise, while public agencies would continue to receive their current tax revenue plus a bit more. Randle sits on the DDA board but is not required to recuse himself from votes to the changes, which have come through a highly-regulated process with many checks and balances, township Economic Development Director Chris Buck said. Buy Photo Downtown Okemos near the intersection of Hamilton and Okemos roads. (Photo: Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal) The board has had members recuse themselves from votes specific to projects in which they are directly involved, he said. The project in question isn't yet officially proposed for that kind of a vote. Development costs have sidelined past projects Township Manager Frank Walsh can remember two others in the past two years andthe additional DDA fundingwas the township's proposed solution to make sure that doesn't happen for this project. Related: Developer scraps $15M plan for downtown Okemos Douglas J drops $10M project in downtown Okemos About $1 million of that was expected to come from the library, but the board has indicated it will not opt in to contributing potential future tax revenues. The rest would come from Meridian Township, Ingham County, the Capital Area Transportation Authority, the Capital Region Airport and Lansing Community College, which have all agreed to contribute. Library Executive Director Scott Duimstra said CADL's decision is based on a law passed in 2016 that automatically exempts libraries from any tax capture from Downtown Development Authorities and similar organizations. Duimstra wrote in an email that the library board "feels strongly that the legislation was passed to ensure adequate funding for our library system and the services we provide to the communities we service, along with providing a level of transparency for voters who voted for their tax dollars to go toward CADL." Township Supervisor Ron Styka said he's disappointed the library chose to opt out, especially because this is the "one and only time Meridian Township has asked for this kind of help." The plan, unlike typical plans from development authorities, would have allowed the library to collect taxes on a portion of revenue growth over the next 20 years. Styka added he's hopeful the project, which hasn't been officially proposed yet, can continue because the "strong need for infrastructure improvements and dealing with some environmental issues" have led the developer to indicate he needs assistance. "The developer has made it clear that he really needs all the help he can get," he said. "I would really hope that the library board would reconsider and join everyone else in this and, if they dont, the developer will find a way to proceed without them being involved." A spokesperson for the team Randle is leading said the group is "evaluating next steps for the project" but isn't ready to talk about the project before his team can establish a firm timeline and project details. Recreating a hub Proponents of the project say it presents a win-win opportunity for the township and the other local government entities. "There is no downside," Renee Korrey, a long-time Okemos resident, said. "This is a great boost to the area, and its going to, I think, bring back some of the people into the center of the community." Korrey, 65, has lived in or near the Four Corners area for all but four years of her life. She's also vice chair of the Downtown Development Authority. When she was growing up, everything took place in the five-block area, she said. From the fire station and the bank to the Tuba Museum and her father's restaurant, the Four Corners area brought people together in a hub. "We have the ability, if we choose, to again become that community that took care of its own and reached out. " Renee Korrey That's changed over the years, sparked by the popularity of big box stores drawing people away from the downtown and leading to small business failure, Korrey said. Following the closure of dance wear store Bottoms Up and Ace Hardware within the past year and a half, all but one of nearly a dozen buildings in the blocks bordered by Ardmore Avenue to the west, Okemos Road to the east, Methodist Street to the north and Clinton Street to the south are vacant. That blight has meant the area is quiet, but it's caused issues for Korrey and other nearby residents. She had to trim back all the trees around her house at the corner of Clinton Street and Okemos Road after a handful of incidents where people tried to get into her home or car or to hide in her backyard. "It's a different scene," she said. Buy Photo Downtown Okemos near the intersection of Hamilton and Okemos roads. (Photo: Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal) The multi-story development first announced in May 2018, which would include both residential and retail use with Douglas J Salon as its anchor, could revitalize the Four Corners as a community hub once more, she said. "We have the ability, if we choose, to again become that community that took care of its own and reached out," Korrey said. Styka agreed the goal is to make the Four Corners a destination again. "Itll become a vibrant, hopefully more urbanized, downtown area," he said. Township officials estimate the project would more than triple tax revenues overall in the area by 2039. That would be good not only for Meridian Township, but also for the region as a whole, Styka said. Environmental hurdles But the project must overcome hurdles that sidelined other proposals, including environmental concerns. Between the former Okemos Cleaners and some gas stations that were located in the area for several years, there's been environmental contamination since the 1960s. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality records show a whole host of potentially harmful chemicals above acceptable state levels in the three-block area, including petroleum and dry cleaning solvents. And MDEQ District Project Manager Kim Sakowski said at least some of those chemicals have caused groundwater and soil impact, some of which has migrated to the southwest toward Douglas J Salon and a bend in the Red Cedar River. Before anyone can redevelop the area, they must either complete environmental remediation or use some kind of engineering control to contain potential pollution, redirect venting so vapors can't harm future residents, or similarly mitigate potentially harmful effects. "It's all based on risk," MDEQ Brownfield Coordinator Janet Michaluk explained. "We want to make sure that the new use is safe for those occupants." That's why the MDEQ offers grants to help with cleanup, especially in cases where properties "wouldn't have a chance otherwise to be redeveloped," she said including this particular site. The DEQ has invited the township to apply for a $1 million grant and a $1 million loan, an offer that followed department staff vetting the project. Michaluk told the township's Brownfield Development Authority the application process is a formality. "It's yours, pending any weird financial issue," she said of the $2 million. The state also will work with contractors to demolish the former Okemos Cleaners and remove contaminated soil. That's expected to cost anywhere from $700,000 to $1.1 million, a figure separate from the work the developer is expected to shoulder with help from the township. "Were hoping that this funding will be an advocate or a help for that (redevelopment)," Michaluk said. But state and federal grants won't cover the full $6.7 million cost of the environmental clean up (an estimate that's expected to increase), and the developer's lenders have declined to finance that work. That's where the Downtown Development Authority comes in. Development fueling development The redevelopment authority amended its tax-increment financing plan in an effort to provide for about $18.6 million between now and 2039. Tax-Increment Financing, also known as TIF, is a funding method that allows local governments to capture tax revenues from the increased value, or increment, created by new development in a defined area. Officials can create a TIF district with a limited span overseen by a downtown development authority. During the "life" of the TIF district, other taxing units such as a township, city, county, library and other similar government entities continue to collect taxes on the assessed value of all property in the year the TIF begins. The development authority collects taxes on growth, with some exceptions for schools and debt service. It can then use those funds to finance public improvements, such as streets and sewers, to support the new development. Funds also can support the administration of the downtown development authority. Once the district expires, all the taxing units collect on the full assessed value, which is theoretically higher because of investments in growth and development. Meridian Township's redevelopment officials proposed something slightly different. The Downtown Development Authority won't capture all of the allowed incremental taxes. Instead, the other taxing units that have opted in will receive an annual 2.14% increase. That's expected to total about $1.2 million over 20 years for the five entities. The library opting out will change financing plans the development authority would have captured $991,739 in incremental revenues from Capital Area District Libraries had CADL's board opted in. But it isn't clear yet whether that change will mean the developer scraps the project as others have. "Im very hopeful that the developer wont pull out because were down to just the one jurisdiction," Styka said. "If not, well just have to go out there and drum the bushes and try to find a new developer." Contact reporter Megan Banta (517) 377-1261 or at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1 Read or Share this story: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/01/17/downtown-development-okemos-tif-blight-environmental-clean-up/2290770002/ | https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/01/17/downtown-development-okemos-tif-blight-environmental-clean-up/2290770002/ |
Could Nyack College become 'RCC East'? | CLOSE Nyack College plans to close their South Nyack campus and move its students to its Manhattan location, Nov. 7, 2018. Peter Carr, [email protected] The for-sale sign isn't up yet and the asking price is still unknown, but the prospect of buying the Nyack College campus has one college president dreaming of what might be. Those dreams hold the promise of riding two educational trends at community colleges: One gives students fast-track training for in-demand jobs, the other invites them to live on campus, in dorms. Rockland Community College President Michael Baston is exploring the possibility of buying all or part of Nyack College to create a second campus for the Suffern-based state school. Buy Photo Boon Campus Center on the campus of Nyack College on Thursday, November 15, 2018. (Photo: John Meore/The Journal News) Baston's plan comes two months after the Christian college announced it was closing its South Nyack hilltop campus and putting the 107-acre parcel on the market. The sale, which is being handled by the commercial real estate firm CBRE but which, as yet, has not resulted in a real-estate listing has attracted widespread interest from neighbors and officials concerned about a change in ownership. CBRE did not respond to messages seeking comment on its plans to market the property. While RCC explores the potential acquisition, Baston said he was halting plans to build a $26 million to $30 million, 324-bed residential dormitory on the main campus in Suffern because any deal for the Nyack College property would include dorms. The Suffern dorm project was to be privately funded by a construction company, which would have built and operated the residence hall. Baston said a potential bid for Nyack College could employ the same strategy. What kinds of approvals the bid would require from Rockland County and New York state which, combined, provide more than half RCC's budget could depend on the source of the funding, Baston said. Buy Photo Michael Baston, Rockland Community College's new president, greets student Tamara Russell, 18, at an event on campus Oct. 3, 2017. (Photo: Seth Harrison/The Journal News) Baston, who took over in July 2017, envisions a potential Nyack campus, "RCC East," as a home for the college's Middle Skills Academy, which offers a menu of fast-track career-readiness programs including business and professional studies, health care, IT, advanced manufacturing and energy-related skills. RCC says the academy, which begins this month, teaches specific skills in a concentrated time frame so students can start a new career, at a good salary, sometimes in less than one year. The programs also include courses that may be transferable as college credit in the future. We recognize that there is a high demand to fill 'middle-skills' jobs, which require more education and training than a high school diploma but less than a four-year college degree, said Penny Jennings, executive director of Strategic Initiatives at RCC. We are focused on offering programs that fit the needs of employers and workers. Middle skills jobs account for 54 percent of the labor market, according to the National Skills Coalition. But only 44 percent of workers are sufficiently trained for these jobs. Some of RCCs Middle Skills Academy courses take between two weeks and five months to complete, and can be incorporated into a two-year associate's degree. Weve repackaged and re-bundled our curriculum in a way that allows for shorter completion, Baston said. We wanted to look at industries where theres high growth opportunities and where jobs actually exist, and provide programming that could shrink the time it takes to earn credentials to get those jobs. If Bastons RCC East emerges as he has dreamed it, it would not only be home to a new satelliteSUNY campus, but also to two recent trends in community college education: middle skills and dorms at community colleges. RCCs move to incorporate dormitories puts it squarely in the trending category, joining 11 other SUNY community colleges to offer students on-campus housing at schools that had typically catered to commuters. Both efforts are seen as ways to broaden the pool of students: The academy's programs are designed to attract non-traditional students, and the dorms would attract potential students from outside the Lower Hudson Valley. In its five-year strategic plan in 2015, college officials identified as a goal trying to grow its population of students who come from outside of Rockland County or abroad. In 2017, about 125 international students study at RCC, but at the program's height, almost 200 were enrolled. The middle path Johanna Duncan-Poitier, SUNYs senior vice chancellor for community colleges and the education pipeline, oversees the systems 30 community colleges, and its 250,000 students. She said those trends one tailored directly to in-demand jobs identified by industry, the other inviting students to experience on-campus life are here to stay. Middle skills is a very big deal for business and industry all around our state, Duncan-Poitier said. We had a middle skills conference last year to hear from industry about what they want from our graduates. What they want, she said, is new hires who can hit the ground running. Middle skills means there are many skills and certificates for which a student doesnt need a bachelors or a PhD. That could be a two-year associate's degree or a certificate. They come away with an industry-recognized credential, an academically recognized credential. Buy Photo The Technology Center building at Rockland Community College. (Photo: File photo/The Journal News) RCC's move to address middle skills sounds familiar to Rockland BOCES Chief Operating Officer Mary Jean Marsico. She said BOCES has been out in front of the trend of preparing students for the workplace. We applaud RCCs effort to move into the middle skills workforce development field," Marsico said. "We see this as tacit recognition of Rockland BOCES successful history of helping local residents secure good-paying jobs in high-demand career fields. We're thrilled that RCC is looking to join BOCES in fully addressing the needs of local employers. The state is stepping up with investment, the vice chancellor said. Six months ago, the governor made a $3 million investment in paid, registered apprenticeships, in advanced manufacturing and health care, Duncan-Poitier said. Those apprenticeships, she said, could mean that graduates will have a job waiting for them. Living on campus Something awaiting more SUNY community college students is a room to call their own, as the system adds dormitories. Rendering of a residence hall proposed at Rockland Community College. (Photo: RCC) The trend became a reality during the downturn in the economy, when there were so many students who wanted to go to our community colleges and were willing to travel, Duncan-Poitier said. Dorms became almost a necessity. Many of the dorms are thriving and they have wait lists because the community college experience for many is exactly the right education path. And they want to live on site. Duncan-Poitier said that while some upstate schools are looking to add dorms to entice international students, right now most of the students are from New York City or Long Island. The two trends are not mutually exclusive. You could live on a dorm for six months. You could live on a dorm for a year, she said. They dont contradict each other. 'We want to be that ladder' Baston said that since health care is a vital growth area in need of staff, he met with hospital presidents in the area to determine their staffing needs. "We're looking for the opportunities that have at minimum salaries of $45,000 and up," he said. "We want that to be a ladder." Enrolling a student who is in poverty "into an academic program that keeps them in poverty" didn't make educational sense, he said. Baston continued: "We are really developing a human employment pipeline in this county and we want to be at a critical juncture of all of these things." The programs also target new immigrants who want to transition their credentials so they can fill a need in the local job market. "There's no reason a doctor or nurse from a foreign country should be driving for Uber or Lyft unless they're making additional funds as they practice their profession here," he said. 'Disney World and Disneyland' The Suffern campus would remain home to RCC's transfer-oriented programs such as liberal arts, humanities and nursing, for students planning to go onto four-year degrees. During a recent interview in his office in Brucker Hall, Baston admitted his plan to acquire all or part of Nyack College was ambitious even saying he would need "Walt Disney-like presence" to pull it off. "Assume for a minute I had this magic wand, I could envision a county that has RCC in Disneyworld and Disneyland," he said. Nonetheless, Baston said he'd been formally authorized by RCC's Board of Trustees to pursue the purchase. A new campus would be named RCC Nyack, although "I have even thought of the possibility of RCC East and RCC West" with a shuttle running in between, he said. A deal for RCC to acquire part or all of Nyack College apparently would need a Legislative resolution signed by the county executive because the cost would exceed $100,000. Rockland County Executive Ed Day, who recently convened a meeting of local officials concerned about the Nyack campus' sale, said that a good fit for the property would need to be balanced against the impact on taxpayers. "As a strong supporter of Rockland Community College I certainly would be supportive of anything that would be a positive, but we also have to deal with the fiscal realities of the plan. This would need need the support of millions of dollars from county taxpayers," Day said. Nyack connection RCC already is renting space in Nyack College's dorms for 10 students. Baston's wife, Tasha, is a Nyack College graduate, and both are close with its president, Michael Scales. RCC is looking for ways to partner with Nyack College even after the Christian Missionary Alliance institution centralizes operations in Manhattan, Baston said. The community college already has a foothold in Nyack: Its culinary center is finally slated to open in late January after a series of delays. A residence hall would allow RCC to recruit more international students, as well as those from out of the county and out of the state. But Baston sees the potential for students who are Rocklanders to live on campus, too. While offering no specifics for financing the purchase, Baston hinted that private donations would be crucial. "I have a financing strategy, but it still requires people to say, 'This is our college, this is our community, this is something that we want and one of the ways we can show our support is to contribute,'" he said. All of this "Disney" thinking is going on about a property that has yet to be placed on the market, at a price tag that has yet to be set. When that happens, Baston said, RCC will formalize its interest. "We've begun to really look at all of the variables," Baston said. "We are still in the dreaming category." RCC, by the numbers 2018-2019 budget: $66.8 million, an increase of nearly 2 percent Tuition rose by about 3.4 percent, or about $162, to about $4,747 for full-time students. Part-time students saw an increase of about 3.6 percent, or $7 per credit hour, paying just under $199 per credit. Where the money comes from: Nearly 37 percent, or more than $24.4 million from tuition 26 percent, or about $17.5 million from Rockland County 26 percent, or about $17.1 million from state aid. Much of the remainder comes from a variety of fees and donations. Enrollment: About 7,000 full and part-time students SUNY, by the numbers State University of New York has 64 college and university campuses located within 30 miles of every home, school, and business in the state. As of Fall 2017, more than 430,000 students were enrolled in a degree program at a SUNY campus. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. Learn more at www.suny.edu Read more on this topic: Rockland Community College: Google your way to an IT career Nyack College facing mounting debt on South Nyack, Manhattan campuses Staff writer Kimberly Redmond contributed to this report. Twitter: @Bee_Bob Read or Share this story: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/nyack/2019/01/17/could-nyack-college-become-rcc-east/2536104002/ | https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/nyack/2019/01/17/could-nyack-college-become-rcc-east/2536104002/ |
Is U.S. Withdrawal from Syria Pushing Gulf Arabs Closer to Russia? | by Mark N. Katz At this point, it is not clear whenor even ifthe Trump administration will carry out the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria that President Donald Trump said he would undertake. Trumps initial statement that the United States would pull out in a months time because the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) had been defeated was revised to a more deliberate withdrawal that could take four months. National Security Advisor John Bolton revised the plan further by making the withdrawal contingent on the actual defeat of IS. Most recently, the withdrawal appears to have actually begun. It would not be surprising, though, if there were further revisions still in Trumps Syria policy. Whether U.S. forces actually depart from, remain in, or get reintroduced into Syria after their departure remains unclear. But whatever the United States ends up doing, Russia in particular appears to have benefited from the uncertainty that Trump has created. Fearing that a U.S. withdrawal will lead to Turkish intervention against them, the Syrian Kurds have reacted by seeking an alliance with the Assad regimesomething Moscow has long been calling on them to do. And although Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly welcomed Trumps initial announcement that the United States would withdraw quickly, his fury at National Security Advisor John Bolton for saying this would be contingent on assurances of protection for Americas Syrian Kurdish partners further serves Moscows long-term interest in terms of the deterioration of the Turkish-U.S. relationship. Moscow is also happy that Trumps withdrawal has coincided with (and perhaps even accelerated) the trend among the Gulf Arab states to deal with the Assad regime. The UAE and Bahrain have reopened their embassies in Damascus, and Kuwait signaled that it will do so as soon as Syria is readmitted to the Arab League (Oman never closed its embassy in Syria). Saudi Arabia has not yet done so, but it reportedly believes, along with the UAE, Egypt, and possibly even Israel, in working with the Assad regime as a way of limiting Turkish influence. Moscow, of course, welcomes any Gulf Arab recognition of the Assad regime and hopes that this presages their financial support to Syrias reconstruction. Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain as opposed as ever to the Iranian presence in Syria. Riyadhs previous hopes that the overthrow of the Assad regime by its Sunni Arab opponents would push Iran out of Syria were dashed when the Russian intervention that began in September 2015 ensured Assads survival. The U.S. military presence in Syria aimed at combating IS limited Iranian behavior in Syria to some extent. But once a U.S. withdrawal occurs, even that possibility will be gone. Israel, of course, can be counted on to strike at Iranian forces and their allies in Syria whenever it feels threatened by them. Theres even some Arab Gulf (as well as other Arab) cooperation with Israel against the common Iranian foe. But most Gulf Arab governmentsand even Israelalso see improved relations with Russia, as well as their own willingness to accept or even work with the Assad regime, as a way to induce Moscow to restrain Iran in Syria. Moscow, of course, is very pleased that, because of the potential U.S. withdrawal from Syria and the fear of what Iran may do there afterward, Gulf Arabs are more likely to view the Russian presence in Syria as a stabilizing factor that could protect them not just from Iran but from Turkey as well. Moscow values its collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UAE in particular since they trade with and invest in Russia, help Russia evade Western economic sanctions, cooperate with Russia in limiting oil production through the OPEC+ format, and can potentially provide reconstruction assistance for Syria that Moscow is neither willing nor able to come up with itself. Indeed, Russian-Gulf Arab relations may now be better than at any point in the past. Common interests have contributed to this, but so has inconsistent U.S. foreign policy. Trumps withdrawal announcementand his statement that Iran can do what they want in Syriahas only made it more prudent than ever for the Gulf Arabs, as well as Israel, to hedge against the possibility of further U.S. withdrawal from the region by turning toward a Russia that clearly intends to stay. Still, common dissatisfaction with U.S. policy does not guarantee that Russian-Gulf Arab relations can further improve or even avoid friction. The Gulf Arabs may hope that their acceptance of the Assad regime and improved ties with Russia will persaude Moscow to distance itself from Tehran, but this does not appear to be happening. If anything, Moscow and Tehran have been increasing their security cooperation. Moscow might be cynically calculating that, since the United States is no longer willing to protect Gulf Arab interests in Syria, the Gulf Arabs have no choice but to increase their reliance on Russia even though Moscow is cooperating with Tehran. Indeed, Moscow may see increasing its cooperation with Iran as a way of pushing the Gulf Arabs to work harder to curry favor with Moscowjust as increasing Russian cooperation with the Gulf Arabs may force Iran to do the same. The danger for Russia in pursuing such a strategy, though, is that the Gulf Arabs will limit their cooperation if Russia cannot or will not contain Iran like they hope it will. | https://lobelog.com/is-u-s-withdrawal-from-syria-pushing-gulf-arabs-closer-to-russia/ |
What has Mozilla done for the web? | Most people know Mozilla as the maker of the Firefox web browser. Indeed, creating a web browser, or a suite of web tools including a mail client and much more, is how Mozilla started out. However, it has become far more than a browser creator. Mozilla now says that its mission is "to promote openness, innovation and opportunity on the web". The birth of Mozilla In 1998, Netscape released the source code of its Communicator suite to the public, through the Mozilla Organisation, and tasked it with creating a next generation internet suite named Mozilla. While Netscape announced this move as a means to "accelerate development and distribution of future versions of Netscape Communicator to business customers and individuals," to many it appeared to be the first evidence that Netscape was losing the browser war with Microsoft. Although Netscape, or Mozilla itself, never officially sanctioned this idea, in retrospect it seems that their struggles with Microsoft were almost certainly a motivating factor. Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with Windows, effectively giving away a product for free. This was fine for Microsoft, which could rely on income from Windows and Office, but it was a huge problem for Netscape: In order for Netscape to maintain market share, it also had to give its primary product away; but unlike Microsoft, Netscape had no other substantial revenue streams. It managed to sustain this for a short time, but it wasn't a burden it could suffer for long. Open sourcing the code was a way for Netscape to keep fighting for longer, as it gave it access to a pool of talented, passionate developers for little cost. In the end, it became clear that just releasing the source code for Netscape's product wasn't enough to compete with Microsoft's integration of Internet Explorer with Windows. By the arrival of Internet Explorer 5, Microsoft had gained more than 60% of the market share, and by the time of Internet Explorer 6, it had more than 90%. This led to Netscape being bought by AOL later in 1998, and then being disbanded in 2003. Netscape had been one of the companies leading the dot-com revolution and the creation of the open web. It was this same action, however, that led to the evolution of the Mozilla Organisation into the Mozilla Foundation. This new entity was independent of Netscape and AOL (which funded its initial operations with a gift of $2 million). Announcing the Foundation's formation, Mozilla said that it would give it "more freedom to innovate and provide meaningful choice to users on all computer environments". This is a markedly different tone from that taken in the press release noting the creation of the Mozilla Organisation. Rather than being tasked with leveraging free development to help further a private entity's business, the Mozilla Foundation's goal was maintaining freedom of choice, and helping to drive innovation. Well, without being inside Mozilla at the time, we can only speculate, but it seems the browser wars demonstrated the importance of a competitive browser market, and the open web, to those at Mozilla. Before Microsoft's outright victory, helped by the inclusion of Internet Explorer in Windows, the browser wars had been fought by all sides on innovation and standards support. Eric Meyer, a well-known web developer and standards advocate, described Internet Explorer 5 as, "a big step forward for web surfing on the Macintosh. In terms of standards, it is far and away the best browser available to Macintosh users" This praise was based on the inclusion of innovations such as excellent CSS1 support, fair support for CSS2, full PNG support and Text Zoom. These were all a boon for usability, and massively reduced the complexity of designing new websites. After Microsoft's victory, everything changed. There were two years between the release of Internet Explorer 5 and 6, and then five years between 6 and 7. Innovation stopped at the exact moment that competition disappeared. Microsoft also discontinued support for Internet Explorer on platforms other than Windows up until this point it had been available on Windows, Mac and Solaris systems. If there had been other browsers with significant market share, this might not have been such an issue, but there weren't. The ubiquitous nature of Internet Explorer meant that many sites were created with it specifically in mind, and optimised to work with its increasingly quirky standards implementations. Following Hurricane Katrina, Ars Technica revealed how the American Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) online registration site for disaster help wouldn't work with any browser other than Internet Explorer 6. This browser ran only on XP, which precluded the organisation from setting up registration kiosks on some donated hardware, and increased time to deploy because of the need to properly secure the system. It also meant they would have to pay lots for Windows licenses. Obviously, there were problems with this situation, and Mozilla, having experienced the difficulties first-hand, decided to make it their mission to support an open, competitive Internet. The browser as a tool Although what was being fought over had become far greater than just browser market share, the weapon that Mozilla decided to wield in this battle was the web browser (Firefox, to be exact). Announcing the formation of yet another entity, the Mozilla Corporation, Mozilla said the project's overriding goal was "to provide a web browser with enough market share to drive open standards on the web". In effect, the plan was to create a great web browser, one much better than the competition, but to ensure it complies to web standards. As users started to adopt Firefox in significant numbers, developers were forced to create websites that complied with standards, and not just Internet Explorer's idea of standards. If they didn't, they'd risk locking out a significant number of tech-savy users. And it worked. Firefox quickly gained a market share of more than 10%, and racked up more than 100 million downloads. It has gone from strength to strength, and in some jurisdictions has more than a 50% share. More important than market share, however, is the impact Firefox has had on the rest of the browser landscape. Internet Explorer has lost substantial market share, which has pushed Microsoft to start innovating again; and its latest effort, Internet Explorer 9, is not bad. Then there's the fact that it opened up the market and made the idea of alternative browsers viable again. Now there's healthy competition in the browser market, between Google, Microsoft and Mozilla, and they're all innovating and pushing web standards; and the web is getting better and faster. Mozilla hasn't stopped at solving the problem of user choice and freedom on the web. Instead, it has identified a number of other challenges that the open web faces. A common theme in many of these challenges is that Mozilla seeks to resolve the problems by building on open standards, or working with others to create these standards where necessary. Let's find out. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/software/applications/what-has-mozilla-done-for-the-web-1054959 |
Can we stop pretending the original Ghostbusters is a masterpiece? | Power up your proton pack, try not to cross the streams and wipe that marshmallow off your face. Its time for the now biannual Ghostbusters controversy. In the midst of yesterdays Brexit brouhaha, news has emerged that Jason Reitman, son of the original films director Ivan, is to make a new film in the Ghostbusters series his father began in 1984. Finally got the keys to the car, he tweeted, linking to an article about the new film, which has been secretly in the works and scheduled for release in summer 2020. Ghostbusters III will "follow the trajectory of the original, said writer/director Reitman Jr, whose previous credits include Thank You For Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air and current... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/can-stop-pretending-original-ghostbusters-masterpiece/ |
How do the New York Knicks remain the most valuable NBA team despite a miserable last 20 years? | The start of this season was unacceptable for Manchester United. Their worst opening to a campaign for nearly three decades caused fan anguish and managerial upheaval, which felt an appropriate response for a team with expectations to compete at the top. Imagine, as a Liverpool fan might, if that poor run of form continued for two decades. You've just imagined the New York Knicks. The Knicks, who trade Madison Square Garden for London's O2 for their game against the Washington Wizards on Thursday, are the most valuable franchise in the NBA, valued at $3.6bn. They place seventh on Forbes 2018 list of all teams alongside United, Real Madrid and the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. Of the 10 teams on that list the Knicks hold a rather less desirable top spot, as the team with the longest wait for a title - a drought that stretches back almost 46 years. Their record since their 1973 title-winning team is not much to shout about either. They have appeared in the NBA Finals just twice, most recently 20 years ago. Since then they haven't even come close: the team has only reached the play-offs six times in the last two decades, and not for almost six years. The top eight teams in each of the two 15-team conferences make the play-offs each year, so for such a prominent franchise to fail with such consistency is embarrassing. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/basketball/2019/01/17/do-new-york-knicks-remain-valuable-nba-team-despite-miserable/ |
Is the Stock Market Closed on MLK Day? | Both stock traders and bond traders have the day off on Monday to celebrate the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Neither the stock market nor the bond market is open for trading on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which in 2019 falls on Jan. 21. The stock and bond markets will re-open on Tuesday, following the three-day holiday weekend that commemorates the birthday of the civil rights leader. While King was born on Jan. 15, the federal holiday falls on the third Monday in January. MLK Day is also a federal bank holiday. The following is a schedule of all stock market and bond market holidays for 2019. Please note that regular trading hours for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq Stock Market are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern on weekdays. The stock markets close at 1 p.m. on early-closure days; bond markets close early at 2 p.m. SEE ALSO: 101 Best Dividend Stocks for 2019 and Beyond 2019 Market Holidays DateHolidayNYSENasdaqBond Markets Tuesday, Jan. 1 New Year's Day Closed Closed Closed Monday, Jan. 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Closed Closed Closed Monday, Feb. 18 Presidents Day/Washington's Birthday Closed Closed Closed Thursday, April 18 Maundy Thursday Open Open Early close (2 p.m.) Friday, April 19 Good Friday Closed Closed Closed Friday, May 24 Friday Before Memorial Day Open Open Early close (2 p.m.) Monday, May 27 Memorial Day Closed Closed Closed Wednesday, July 3 Day Before Independence Day Early close (1 p.m.) Early close (1 p.m.) Early close (2 p.m.) Thursday, July 4 Independence Day Closed Closed Closed Monday, Sept. 2 Labor Day Closed Closed Closed Monday, Oct. 14 Columbus Day Open Open Closed Monday, Nov. 11 Veterans Day Open Open Closed Thursday, Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Day Closed Closed Closed Friday, Nov. 29 Day After Thanksgiving Early close (1 p.m.) Early close (1 p.m.) Early Close (2 p.m.) Tuesday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Early close (1 p.m.) Early close (1 p.m.) Early Close (2 p.m.) Wednesday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day Closed Closed Closed Tuesday, Dec. 31 New Year's Eve Open Open Early Close (2 p.m.) Holiday observations When a holiday falls on a weekend, market closures are dictated by two rules: If the holiday falls on a Saturday, the market will close on the preceding Friday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the market will close on the subsequent Monday. SEE ALSO: 7 Stocks Getting Hit by the Government Shutdown EDITOR'S PICKS Copyright 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors | https://news.yahoo.com/stock-market-closed-mlk-day-133549297.html |
Is The Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF a Buy? | The Schwab Broad Market ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHB) is a low-cost exchange-traded fund that is designed to allow investors to passively invest in the entire stock market through a single investment vehicle. The fund can be a smart choice for investors who want to benefit from the long-term compounding power of stocks, or investors who want to form a "base" to their portfolio before branching out to individual stocks. With that in mind, here's an overview of the ETF's investment strategy, the costs associated with it, and whether it could be a smart investment for your portfolio. Stock quote page in a newspaper. This ETF can help you get it. Image source: Getty Images. As the name implies, the Schwab Broad Market ETF is an exchange-traded fund that is designed to give investors exposure to the U.S. stock market. Specifically, the fund tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index, which includes a variety of both small- and large-cap stocks. At the end of the third quarter of 2018, the fund owned 2,429 different stocks. The index is market-cap weighted, just like the S&P 500 and most other market-tracking indexes. This means that larger companies make up a larger proportion of the portfolio. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise that top holdings of the fund include Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and other large U.S. companies. The stock market as a whole has generated annualized total returns of about 10% over long periods of time. Investors who simply want to sit back and let the long-term compounding power of the market do all of the heavy lifting can do just that by investing in index funds, especially those that track the performance of broader-market indexes. And the Schwab Broad Market ETF tracks the stock market's performance at a bare minimum of expense to investors. Mutual fund and ETF ongoing fees are known as the expense ratio, which is the fund's management and administrative fees expressed as a percentage of the fund's overall assets. For example, a 1% expense ratio is about the average for an actively managed mutual fund, and means that you'll pay $100 in fees for every $10,000 invested, each year. The Schwab Broad Market ETF has a minuscule 0.03% expense ratio, meaning that for every $10,000 you have invested in the fund, your annual expenses are a mere $3. When you consider that these types of market-tracking funds have historically produced annualized returns in the 10% ballpark, this is virtually nothing. In other words, the Schwab Broad Market ETF can help you track the stock market's performance without giving up much of your returns in the form of fees. In other words, if the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index's total return is say, 8% this year, you can expect that your investment's total return will be 8% as well. As far as passive index funds go, the Schwab Broad Market ETF is one of the best products on the market. It should do an excellent job of tracking the overall performance of the stock market over time, and will do so at a bare minimum of expense, so investors will get to keep most of the gains. | https://news.yahoo.com/schwab-u-broad-market-etf-131700168.html |
Will ExxonMobil Raise Its Dividend in 2019? | ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) has been an energy leader for decades, and it's been generous in the way that it's shared its profits with shareholders in the form of dividends. As a Dividend Aristocrat, ExxonMobil has delivered well over a quarter-century of annual dividend increases to its investors, demonstrating its ability to do so despite huge volatility in the prices of crude oil and other energy products on which the giant relies for its profitability. Lately, oil prices have performed poorly, and that's been a cause of concern among many dividend investors. ExxonMobil hasn't let falling crude get in the way of its dividend growth thus far, but there's always the chance that persistently bad conditions could require a change in the company's philosophy. Below, we'll look more closely to see whether ExxonMobil is likely to reward dividend investors in 2019. Dividend stats on ExxonMobil Metric Current Stat Current quarterly dividend per share $0.82 Current yield 4.5% Number of consecutive years with dividend increases 36 years Payout ratio 60% Last increase May 2018 Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Last increase refers to ex-dividend date. A brief look at ExxonMobil's dividend history Over time, ExxonMobil has been consistent in how it's treated its shareholders. Dividend increases have come at regular intervals, most often during the second quarter of each year. That's made it fairly easy to predict when the oil giant would make its move to extend its long streak of rising payouts. However, ExxonMobil hasn't always made increases of the same magnitude. During periods of favorable conditions in the energy industry, Exxon's been more generous. For instance, in 2012, it delivered a huge 21% boost to its dividend, and increases of about 10% per year followed in 2013 and 2014. During tougher times, it has often limited its increase to just $0.02 per share, which worked out to less than a 3% rise in 2017. XOM Dividend Chart More XOM Dividend data by YCharts. Note: Downward spike in early 2000s is misleading, as it reflects a supplemental dividend payment in addition to regular quarterly payments. Most recently, ExxonMobil has split the difference. In 2018, the company made a $0.05-per-share boost to its payout to $0.82 every quarter. At the time, that reflected some enthusiasm that energy prices looked to be moving higher, helping to restore some of Exxon's lost profit growth. The danger with ExxonMobil's dividend From a fundamental perspective, ExxonMobil does have some challenges to overcome. Declining production rates have plagued the energy giant in recent years, indicating that management is having trouble finding the highly lucrative projects that it prefers to emphasize in allocating capital resources. Although Exxon's cost structure is fairly resilient to falling oil prices, it doesn't make the impact on profitability any less severe when crude drops significantly. | https://news.yahoo.com/exxonmobil-raise-dividend-2019-131600000.html |
Did Troy make the right call? | by Daniel Hunt Staff Writer The week before Chip Lindsey was hired to be the next head football coach at Troy University, former Head Coach Neal Brown told the media that his best Trojan football team would debut this fall. Even the most optimistic fan took his commitment with a grain of salt. A coach with three straight seasons, with at least 10 wins each, certainly piqued the interests of athletic directors across the country. Not to say Brown is the best head coach in the country, yet, or ever will be, but there have been coaches who have produced far less results but got the opprotunity to coach some major football teams such as Kliff Kingsbury, who jumped straight from Texas Tech (NCAA) to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals (NFL). If what Brown said is true about the upcoming roster, then Troy could be a big threat under new leadership. Lindsey, fresh off a two-year stint as Auburns Offensive Coordinator (2017-2018), brings an impressive history to Troy in what looks like an extremely solid hire for the Trojans. He has experience at the Division 1 level with other schools, such as Southern Miss (OC), Arizona State (OC), Troy (quarterback coach) and Kansas (OC). Lindsey resigned from Auburn in December to join Les Miles staff in Kansas, but quickly chose to accept the head coach position at Troy. Like Brown when he became head coach of Troys football program, Lindsey will be returning to the program where he once coached. Lindsey has a lifetime of recruiting experience in the state of Alabama. His connections will help Troy and its reputation among incoming players, an invaluable asset which will make his job easier. Lindsey is a good fit for this program which has extremely high potential and will look to continue its success in 2019. | http://tropnews.com/did-troy-make-the-right-call/ |
Who will be the big sectoral gainers in 2019? | Last updated on: January 17, 2019 08:38 IST There are also signs that the private sector investment cycle is slowly coming back, as capacity utilisation figures across industry continue to slowly creep up. A pickup in investments will front load profitability, says Akash Prakash. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com One of the great frustrations of the past five years has been the abysmal performance of corporate earnings in India. Earnings have compounded at only about 5 per cent in these last five years, significantly undershooting consensus estimates, and frustrating investors. Every investor is tired of hearing how low the ratio of corporate profits to gross domestic product (GDP) has fallen and how much below the mean Indian corporate profitability currently is. One has seen too many strategy presentations regressing profitability back to the long-term mean over a five-year period, and hence forecasting a 20 per cent earnings growth CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) for the broad market. These projections have been made every year for the last five years, and needless to say have not come to pass. Every single year, earnings estimates have had to be reduced, and consensus numbers cut, in many cases quite savagely. Fatigue has set in for many investors, with some saying that they will now believe in the earnings revival only after they see it. Indian market valuations only look reasonable if you believe in the earnings revival and profit margin normalisation, hence the criticality. There is, to my mind, a real chance that the financial year 2019-20 (FY20) will be different. Consensus estimates are for earnings growth in the region of 20-25 per cent, and I think we may actually achieve these numbers for once. A refreshing and much-needed change. The bedrock of the earnings revival in FY20 is the revival in profitability of the corporate banks. About 50-60 per cent of the incremental earnings growth for the broader market in FY20 will come from the revival in fortunes of the corporate banks, both private and public sector. As these banks will have largely completed both the recognition and provisioning for credit losses by the end of the current financial year, there will be a huge swing in profitability as credit costs simply normalise. Given the slowdown in incremental credit slippages, determination of most banks to take coverage ratios to near 60-65 per cent in FY19 itself and resolution of many large non-performing assets (NPAs) through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code process, this profit swing looks to be on track for FY20. Confidence comes from the fact that one does not have to assume large growth in credit or net interest margin expansion, to deliver the consensus profit numbers, just a very reasonable assumption that credit costs drop from about 300 basis points to a more normalised mean of about 100 basis points. Beyond the corporate banks, other diversified financials will also deliver about 5-7 per cent of the incremental profit growth expected in FY20. Given the hit many of these financials have taken in the second half of FY19, due to the liquidity crisis caused by the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services default, FY20 should see an improvement, as liquidity conditions normalise and one-off credit charges runoff. The rupee has weakened by about 10 per cent in the last few months. The benefits of this depreciation will come through fully in the earnings for FY20. In the current year, hedges have prevented a full realisation of the improved profitability, and changed competitive position. The rupee benefits will accrue not just to exporters, but also to companies competing against imports more broadly. Big sectoral gainers will be IT (information technology) services, generic pharmaceuticals exporters and manufactured goods exporters. IT services companies, in particular, should deliver mid-double digits earnings growth as their competitive position in digital continues to improve, IT spends continue to grow globally and company-specific margins/ capital allocation show improvement. They will deliver almost 10 per cent of the incremental growth in profits, we expect, for the broad markets. Another sector that will deliver strong growth in FY20 will be autos, as it experiences a significant pre-buy linked to a very significant change in emission norms in FY21. From commercial vehicles to diesel cars and utility vehicles (UVs), even two-wheelers, there will be a very significant increase in costs as India is forced to move to BS-6 norms. There will be a very aggressive pre-buy in commercial vehicles for sure, but this may extend to other segments also. A surge in volumes will benefit the whole chain -- from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to component players and even the financiers. Beyond the above, there are also signs that the private sector investment cycle is slowly coming back, as capacity utilisation figures across industry continue to slowly creep up. A pickup in investments will front load profitability. Given that most expect the economy to gradually accelerate in FY20, and most macro variables to remain stable, with rates possibly declining, underlying profit growth in most consumption-oriented sectors should track their underlying trend of the last few years. Thus, FY20 can be the year when earnings finally break out, deliver on consensus expectations, and enthuse investors. In a world of slowing growth, few markets will show 20 per cent earnings. If we do get this earnings acceleration in FY20, it will help our markets stabilise and hopefully deliver positive performance in the calendar year 2019, as earnings growth will compensate for any multiple compression. The broadening of earnings growth will also help to reduce the extreme valuation divergences we have in our market today. A bunch of the high quality, consumer-oriented names trade at multiples of 50-60 times forward earnings. Apart from the quality of management and superb business metrics, these companies have delivered stable, consistent earnings of 15-20 per cent, through the earnings recession of the last five years, when the market struggled to deliver even 5 per cent growth. As earnings growth broadens, and the market, as a whole, starts delivering 20-25 per cent growth, the valuation premium that investors are willing to pay for predictability of earnings should reduce. We may see a rotation away from some of these very highly valued consumer names, towards other more cheaply valued companies delivering similar 15-20 per cent earnings but trading at one third the valuations. Lets hope that FY20 will finally be the year that earnings come through. In a tough, volatile and slowing global scenario, India will really stand out if it can deliver. Akash Prakash is with Amansa Capital. | https://www.rediff.com/business/report/who-will-be-the-big-sectoral-gainers-in-2019/20190117.htm |
What role does nuclear power play in UK and what are alternatives? | Britains old nuclear power stations supply around a fifth of electricity supplies and are a key part of the energy systems backbone. However, their share of the mix has been gradually shrinking as renewables have grown and energy demand has fallen. More significantly, seven of the eight nuclear sites will have shut by the end of the 2020s as they reach the end of their lifetime, with only Sizewell B in Suffolk continuing to operate. The government has also committed to shutting the countrys last seven coal plants by 2025 at the latest. So far the only nuclear project to be given the go-ahead is EDF Energys Hinkley Point C, a 3.2 gigawatt plant in Somerset, which will power around 6m homes when complete. The power station is officially due to begin supplying electricity to the grid in 2025 but similar projects in Finland and France have run many years over schedule. EDF Energy has already warned that the plant may not be generating until 2027. Originally there were concrete plans for five nuclear plants in the running to meet the UKs new nuclear ambitions. But three of those Moorside, Wylfa and Oldbury have been shelved. That leaves the 3.2GW Sizewell C in Suffolk, led by EDF Energy and backed by the Chinese state firm CGN, and the 2.3GW, Chinese-led Bradwell B in Essex, which EDF has a one-third stake in. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Construction work at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. Photograph: EDF Energy The government negotiated a guaranteed price for power for 35 years with EDF Energy for Hinkley. Hitachi was trying to do the same, with the additional support of the government taking a multibillion-pound stake, but could not make the numbers work. Attention will turn to a new method of financing known as the regulated asset base (RAB) model, which the government plans to give more details on this summer. The RAB approach would mean a regulator setting fixed costs and fixed returns for a nuclear developer, to overcome the huge upfront cost of nuclear plants and years-long delay for investors reaping a return. If new nuclear plants do not materialise it will pose a challenge to tough carbon targets for 2030. It is unlikely to threaten energy supplies, given the speed with which gas plants and windfarms could be built. The main technology that has the scale to fill the nuclear gap is offshore wind power. More inshore windfarms and solar power would also help. The intermittent nature of those technologies could be addressed to a degree by more batteries and other storage, imports and technologies such as demand side reduction. That results in big energy users and maybe one day homes reducing their electricity consumption at peak times in return for a financial incentive. | https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/17/what-role-does-nuclear-power-play-in-uk-and-what-are-alternatives |
Will Balakrishna Choose Anil Ravipudi Or Boyapati Sreenu For His Next? | It was during the pre-release event of NTR Kathanayakudu, that Nandamuri Balakrishna announced that he would be teaming up with Boyapati Sreenu for the third time. Their previous movies were the huge blockbusters Simha and Legend. Naturally, the expectations and joy in the Nandamuri camp would be sky high as the outcome of this combo would be a full-fledged mass entertainer. However, with the recent debacle of Boyapati Sreenus recent directorial, VInaya Vidheya Rama, trade pundits are raising their eyebrows on the supposed combination. Be it the narration, storyline or execution, nothing seemed to be right about VVR. This result could make Balayya rethink on his choices after the sequel of NTR Biopic. On the other hand, NTR Kathanayakudu has fizzled at the box office as well and this has made NBK go in for introspection. Post-summer, Balayya was set to join hands with Pataas director, Anil Ravipudi. Ideally, after the completion of Balayya-Boyapati movie. With the colossal success of the recent F2, Anil is said to be on cloud nine and is the man in demand. It is just a matter of time to see whether Balayya prefers Anil Ravipudi over Boyapati Sreenu in order to churn out a much-needed hit. While Anil Ravipudi is still sinking in the success of F2, Balayya is busy in getting the sequel of NTR biopic stitched for a better output. Its just a matter of time to know with whom the Bobbili Simham actor teams up next. | https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/news/2019/will-balakrishna-choose-anil-ravipudi-or-boyapati-sreenu-his-next-281643.html?utm_source=/rss/filmibeat-fb.xml&utm_medium=23.50.225.237&utm_campaign=client-rss |
Is the US about to lower the bar for North Korea denuclearisation? | Ahead of an anticipated second summit between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, there are growing signs that Washington is ready to lower the bar for a denuclearisation deal with Pyongyang that delivers at least some progress after months of stalemate. You could have something that talks about slowing the programme down in exchange for sanctions relief or reorientation of the American footprint, or maybe long-term suspension of large exercises with South Korea, said Vipin Narang, a specialist in nuclear proliferation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), referring to US troops in South Korea. Both sides can save face then. On Wednesday, South Koreas Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Seoul and Washington were discussing incentives to offer the North in return for significant actions toward nuclear disarmament. Both sides can save face then Vipin Narang, MIT Unnamed South Korean officials, meanwhile, told Reuters this week the US was considering interim measures to end the gridlock. South Koreas Chosun newspaper reported that the Trump administration was weighing sanctions relief in exchange for the North freezing its nuclear programme and sending its intercontinental ballistic missiles abroad for disposal. Under United Nations and US sanctions, North Korea is banned from exporting moneymakers such as coal, iron ore and textiles, and subject to tight restrictions on imports of oil and refined petroleum. The Trump administration, which has repeatedly insisted that there would be no sanctions relief before complete denuclearisation, has kept mum on reports of a change in policy. North Koreas nuclear negotiator Kim Yong-chol departed Beijing for Washington on Thursday for expected talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which the sides could finalise details of a second summit. Trump and Kim are anticipated to meet as early as February or March, with speculation pointing to Vietnam or Thailand as likely venues. At their first summit in Singapore last June, Trump and Kim signed a vaguely worded statement in which Pyongyang agreed to the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. Pyongyang has taken only reversible or largely symbolic steps toward disarmament since, holding out for corresponding measures from the US widely interpreted to mean a relaxation of sanctions. Although Trump claimed last year there was no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea, frustration has been building for months in Washington over the lack of results produced by the Singapore agreement. An interim deal is plausible because the last summit increasingly looks like a failure in hindsight, said Van Jackson, a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars and the author of On the Brink: Trump, Kim, and the Threat of Nuclear War. This summit would have to produce something deeper than rhetoric that completely contradicts reality. The issue is whats on the table, and how reversible the measures each side agrees to would be. MITs Narang said one possible outcome would be for Washington to indirectly relax pressure on the North by endorsing South Koreas desire to increase economic cooperation with its neighbour. One back door could be giving a blessing to inter-Korean trade, and exemptions on certain types of trade between the North and South, which helps the inter-Korean process, and also looks like sanctions relief from the US, he said. And so you get this kind of symbolic thing that the North Koreans are looking for, and that would be a reflection of reality and also make progress in the relationship. Although analysts are widely sceptical that Pyongyang can ever be convinced to entirely give up its nuclear weapons, interim measures to limit the growth of its arsenal would reduce the risk of accidental detonation and nuclear proliferation. If you could slow plutonium production and tritium production, that could really change the composition of the future force, and its a meaningful objective, Narang said. The question is, At what price? Jackson from the Woodrow Wilson International Centre cautioned that even a modest breakthrough could be too much to expect from the next Trump-Kim summit. North Korea has been crystal clear its not denuclearising without something dramatic from the US, and even then theres no indication North Korea would actually follow through, he said. There are also some basic logistical issues to work out ahead of a summit; ideally they would coordinate joint statements or agree upon deliverables, and that would take multiple high-level visits. Of course they had multiple high-level visits ahead of the last summit and yet agreed on nothing, leading to confusion, misunderstandings, and false boasts in the wake of the summit. | https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2182566/us-about-lower-bar-north-korea-denuclearisation |
How can we keep good people? | Recruiting great talent takes a lot of time and effort, and so it should. You want the right person for the right job to move your business forward. But the bigger challenge is retaining that talent. Here are five tips to keeping good people. 1. Create a supportive environment where your employees feel like an asset Outside of salary and benefits, a key driver for many employees is to feel like they are secure in their job and that they are having an impact in their role. To encourage their desire for impactful work, ensure you seek their input and ideas. Feeling like they are making a contribution is a great way to keep your employees engaged and they might share innovative ideas with you that you had not considered. Make sure you know what motivates different personalities and give them regular battery charges, which is the best way to reignite people. In uncertain economic times, job security is a big driver to how an employee contributes in the workplace. If an employee is scared they might lose their job, they may start to look elsewhere meaning they keep their ideas to themselves and you lose great talent. 2. Provide opportunities to develop and learn Allow employees to set their own role-appropriate goals. Ensure they know that you can assist with learning and training if they wish to expand their skill set. Training an employee to learn relevant new skills is a positive for your business because it encourages involvement from staff and adds expertise to your business mix. Start with excellent communication skills training, as this is the A & O of a positive work environment. But learning doesnt always have to be in the form of paid, external training. Mentoring is a great way to create connections between employees and find new ways to do things. Invigorating your business with fresh perspectives from a mix of colleagues keeps employees engaged and can also uncover any challenges or problems before they get too big. 3. Create two-way channels of communication Ensure your business has easy access to channels for open and resourceful communication to avoid unproductive drama. Actively listen and take on board any feedback along with any opportunity to offer real-time praise and constructive criticism. Focus on direct one-to-one conversations and avoid top-down communications as these can become convoluted and misunderstood. It may help to provide spaces where employees can come together and solve issues without involving management. 4. Streamline your onboarding process HR industry studies show that around 20 percent of staff turnover occurs within the first 45 days of employment. Make it easy. Starting a new role is a challenging and anxious time employees want to put their best face forward and must take in a lot of information quickly. Streamline the process. A convoluted onboarding process creates stress, and poor initial training leaves the employee feeling unsure of their role and the requirements. Ensure employees can find information they need quickly and easily. Clearly communicate any documentation you need and make sure they know they can always come to you with questions. 5. Allow top talent to pursue side projects Employees have skills from all walks of life and there is a high likelihood that their role does not utilise all of their experience. It is important to recognise all the experience your employees have, whether it is directly relevant to the role or not. Allowing an employee to utilise knowledge, experience and skills they already have increases engagement. Additionally, even the best of employees will grow tired of the same tasks each day. There are also plenty who moan, thats not my job, while someone else would love to give it a shot. For the top talent, let them explore a side project outside of their job description. Secondment or even just a short project can actually be rejuvenating. Ultimately, a good culture, with clear communication channels, a supportive environment and access to training will assist to keep good talent. About Ilona Vass Ilona Vass is the Director and Founder of Dancing With the Dragons. Ilona is a licensed and certified practitioner of PCM and LOD systems, and results coach, and has a Certificate in Human Resources and Organisational Development. Dancing with the Dragons assists companies and their leadership teams to develop a passionate and supportive team, ensuring that company culture equals a profitable business. | http://australianwomenonline.com/how-can-we-keep-good-people/ |
How did Knickers the Giant Cow Become so Huge? | Knickers the giant cow has become a big story on the internet. The creature from Western Australia has captivated a lot of people all over the social media platforms. Knickers is believed to be weighing approximately 3,000 pounds. The gigantic mortal cow was discovered at a cattle farm near Perth. Well, it looks like you close to getting the answer you have been asking yourself. Many people have been questioning the size of this miraculous cow. It is quite fascinating maybe there is a new type of bovine superfood or the strongest animal steroids are now available. The owner of the gigantic cow could not provide a clear answer why Knickers is so huge. He doesnt even understand it also. Not comparing all the tallest buildings in Perth, Knickers can qualify as Australias biggest creature. The cow stands at six feet tall weighing 1.4 tonnes. This kind of weight is as rare to achieve as winning a real money sports betting online jackpot. Moreover, the reason why this cow is not facing the axe is that has become too big to kill. His size has become too big to process at an abattoir. Knickers have becomes too big for the machines and thats why it has been left to live happily ever after. The good thing about this cow is that it has become a leader in the kraal. It is now helping other smaller cattle. Showing them where to graze and not to graze. The giant cow has become another servant for Pearson at the cattle farm. His contribution is absolutely amazing and as he has become the head of the herd. Knickers cost his owner Pearson approximately $400 which be won at Australian or online casino South Africa. However, the cattle must not get ahead of itself, as the worlds gigantic cow is 6ft6 Chianina ox which is namely called Bellino. | http://australianwomenonline.com/how-did-knickers-the-giant-cow-become-so-huge/ |
Why should we give up EU produce? | I cannot tell if the letters you are publishing from Scott Andrews are meant to be amusing as I find it hard to believe these are genuine serious thoughts. They certainly put a smile on my face. The ludicrous idea that we all give up produce from within EU is a nonsense. Oh, those lovely French cheeses, French red wine, Spanish ham, Swedish cars etc. Why should I surrender these delights for Reese Mogg and his ilk (or a man with a poor quality pub chain whose now changing his mind and wants a referendum). I do hope its your wicked sense of humour, Mr Andrews, because its a real giggle. T Hudson | https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/your-say/why-should-we-give-up-eu-produce-1-9542330 |
Is it time for a federal data protection agency? | State and federal lawmakers have pushed for privacy laws after myriad online breaches and scandals. Now, saying the United States faces a crisis, advocacy groups are going a step further and calling for a new data protection agency. The U.S. needs a federal agency focused on privacy protection, compliance with data protection obligations, and emerging privacy challenges, an alliance of more than a dozen groups including Bay Area-based Color of Change, Center for Media Justice and Berkeley Media Studies group said Thursday. They said the agency, unlike the Federal Trade Commission, should have rule-making authority. The groups are proposing a framework that includes federal privacy rules to limit the collection of personal data, robust enforcement of those rules, limiting government access to personal data, calling for algorithmic transparency and more. Digital giants invade our private lives, spy on our families, and gather our most intimate facts for profit, the groups said in the proposal. Each innovation whether its talking home assistants, new social media tools or software for schools is designed to spy on families and children, said Josh Golin, executive director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, one of the groups in the alliance, in a statement. Sixteen groups launched the effort. They also include the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and Public Citizen. Survey says most wouldnt Government cant force people to unlock phones using facial recognition, fingerprints: federal judge AT&T says itll stop selling location data amid calls for a federal investigation AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile selling customers real-time locations: report The FTC is tasked with helping protect consumers and promoting competition. But it does not make rules it goes after companies facing complaints. In their framework, the groups accused the FTC of failing to enforce the orders it has established. For example, questions swirl around whether Facebook, fresh off the Cambridge Analytica and other privacy scandals, has violated the terms of a privacy settlement it reached with the FTC in 2011. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, is one lawmaker who has called for stricter oversight of companies such as Facebook. This framework provides valuable ideas to end the cycle of data misuse and exposure, Blumenthal said in a statement. Congress must act now to establish enforceable limits to stop the secretive and unaccountable exploitation of private information. I look forward taking these principles into account as I work to introduce bipartisan privacy legislation this year. | https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/17/is-it-time-for-a-federal-data-protection-agency/ |
Is It Time to Regulate Social Media Influencers? | Influencer marketing is $10 billion industry without many rules. Photo: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images In August, the YouTube beauty vlogger Marlena Stell uploaded a nine-minute video titled My truth regarding the beauty community to her channel, which currently has 1.4 million subscribers. Though she refuses to name names (I dont want, by any means, for this to be part of any of the drama, she says), the video is an attempt to shed light on the rapacious greed within the beauty influencer community. There are thousands of beauty influencers that want to make a name for themselves, Stell says at one point. They want to share their love of makeup. They want to do something theyre passionate about and support their livelihood by doing something they love. Some, unfortunately, are doing it because they want to be famous. They want to have a nice paycheck. They want to go on trips. They want to have the fame and not share the love within the beauty industry. She goes on to share the frustration she experienced working with beauty influencers to promote her own makeup brand, Makeup Geek. We havent been mentioned much, and part of the reason why is we havent been willing to pay influencers massive amounts of money. We dont have the big funds to do that We dont have $60,000 to pay someone to make one video. At one point, Stell hints that influencers have tried to extort her. Ive been told that if I dont pay this amount for a video, theyre either going to talk bad about Makeup Geek, or theyre not going to talk about it at all. Though Stells refusal to name names makes it difficult to determine what sparked her video, its posting happened to coincide with a controversy that was, at that point, exploding throughout the beauty influencer industry. Manny Gutierrez, a beauty vlogger with close to 5 million YouTube subscribers, had been accused of being paid to start a feud with a startup eyelashes company, possibly with the idea that said feud would lead to more sales of the product. Both he and the lashes company denied that such collusion had taken place, but the fallout from the accusations was immense, with those involved claiming to be the recipients of death threats, blackmail, and all sorts of online invective. This is far from the only controversy to erupt from the world of influencer marketing recently. Currently a multi-billion dollar industry, influencer marketing is a neologism used to describe whenever a popular online figure is paid to promote a product or service within their social media feed. Spend any time on Instagram or YouTube, and chances are youll encounter these stylish, photogenic influencers who hawk clothes, makeup, and nutritional supplements, often with a #sponsored hashtag placed somewhere prominently within the posts description. The industry has grown rapidly in recent years and is projected to generate as much as $10 billion by 2020. As more and more brands have waded into the market, demand for influencers has gone up. In 2016 an endorsement from a top-level influencer would generally cost about $5,000 to $10,000, Wireds Paris Martineau reported. Now, brands are expected to pay well over $100,000 for the same placement. With so much money flooding into a largely unregulated, still-developing market, all sorts of ethical lapses are bound to ensue, and indeed they have. Earlier this year, for instance, several famous YouTubers began sharing heart-wrenching confessionals of their struggles with depression and burnout. In one of the most gripping examples of this type of video, the YouTuber Elle Mills screams at the camera, This is all I ever wanted. So why the fuck am I so fucking unhappy? These videos were regarded as an inflection point for the YouTube community, with dozens of think pieces sprouting up about YouTube burnout and the burden of chasing online fame. But the tide of community goodwill shifted after many noticed that several of these YouTubers ended their videos by promoting BetterHelp, an app that, for a price, connected you with a professional therapist with whom you could chat virtually about your mental health issues. Users reported shoddy service from the app and filed dozens of complaints with the Better Business Bureau. Soon, these famous YouTubers who had shared their raw, personal stories were accused of cynically exploiting the topic of mental health to line their own pockets. YouTube stars like Philip DeFranco paused their sponsorship collaborations with the app in response. At least there was some measure of accountability in that instance. But as the influencer market grows, fraud is becoming more rampant, and its increasingly difficult to discern when influencers are engaging in above-board, ethical publishing, and when theyre taking questionable shortcuts that dupe both the brands that pay them and the social media followers theyre meant to influence. Last year, The New York Times published an exhaustive investigation into the prevalence of social media bots, particularly those purchased by wannabe influencers and celebrities who want to inflate their importance online. Over a period of years, a company called Devumi sold about 200 million Twitter followers to at least 39,000 customers, including famous athletes, chefs, and reality TV stars. In some cases, these customers then turned to brands and touted their inflated following when selling sponsored posts. The Times article points to two young siblings, Arabella and Jaadin Daho, who earn a combined $100,000 a year as influencers, working with brands such as Amazon, Disney, Louis Vuitton and Nintendo. Both were shown to have employed the services of Devumi to purchase bot followers. Brands have become increasingly aware that theyre the target of such fraud, and an entire cottage industry has sprouted up to help them keep the influencers they work with honest. A platform called Sylo, for instance, can hook up to an influencers social media account and analyze its followers for signs of bot activity, assigning it a score that determines its percentage of bot followers. Its not uncommon for brands to require in their contracts that influencers be subjected to this type of analysis before an engagement begins. Some of the major tech platforms have stepped in and attempted to regulate influencer marketing within their own ecosystems. Both Facebook and YouTube rolled out disclosure guidelines that allow you to denote a post as containing branded, paid-for content. Recently, Instagram announced it was cracking down on apps commonly used by influencers that generate automated likes, comments, and follows on other users accounts. Instagram warned users who continued to use these apps that they may see their Instagram experience impacted. Theres also the consumer angle to consider. Its becoming increasingly difficult for the average social media user to determine when a post showcasing a particular fashion item or other product is organic or sponsored. BuzzFeed reporter Katie Notopoulos runs a regular column in which she tries to discern whether celebrity social media posts are ads. One thing thats clear is that even those of us who are pretty savvy about this kind of stuff are often truly confused about celebrity Instagram posts, she wrote. To make matters even more confusing, wannabe influencers are now regularly uploading posts that are designed to look like they were paid for, even though they werent. Thats according to The Atlantics Taylor Lorenz, who reported recently that these aspiring Instagram stars are employing a fake-it-til-you-make it strategy, with the idea that the only way to attract sponsorship money is to pretend like youre already swimming in it. People pretend to have brand deals to seem cool, one such practitioner told Lorenz. Its a thing, like, I got this for free while all you losers are paying. You may be asking yourself at this point what the government has done to step in and curb this abuse. For the past year weve watched as Congress has hauled in tech executive after tech executive to force them to answer for the malevolent practices carried out by their users. But while these executives were grilled on topics that included data collection, influence from foreign actors, and alleged bias against conservative voices, virtually none of the discussion touched on influencer marketing. What talk there was about automated bots was focused on the Russian variety, not those meant to inflate the influence of celebrity chefs and athletes. Thats left most of the industry regulation to federal agencies, particularly the Federal Trade Commission. Stretching back to the late 2000s the FTC has been issuing guidance on how sponsored content should be disclosed online. Generally, the rule is that if theres any sort of relationship, paid or otherwise, between a social media poster and brand that isnt immediately obvious to the average user, then that relationship should be disclosed. Last year, the FTC participated in a Twitter chat in which the agency revealed that the disclosure tools that platforms like Facebook have put in place are not sufficient. Legal actions have been scarce, and when the FTC has gone after a bad actor, its usually a brand thats failed to issue firm disclosure guidelines to paid influencers. For instance, the FTC went after Warner Bros for hiring famous YouTubers to promote one of its games without disclosing that they had been paid. It also reached a settlement with Lord & Taylor for doing the same with fashion bloggers. In instances when it has targeted actual influencers, the FTC has mostly issued warning letters demanding they clean up their act. One of the most prominent legal actions against influencers came this year when the Securities and Exchange Commission announced a settlement with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and DJ Khaled for failing to disclose payments they received for promoting investments in Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). The two paid a combined $700,000 in penalties, but the SEC was likely relying on their celebrity status (or, dare I say it, influence) to ensure that its guidelines against such shady behavior received widespread coverage. But these punitive actions only represent a tiny portion of the ethical infractions, illegal and otherwise, that are carried out within the influencer marketing world every day. With the rise of nano and micro influencers social media personalities who are able to sell promoted posts despite only having a few thousand followers this world has become too fractious for any single government agency to monitor effectively. Of course, many would have once said the same about Facebook and Twitters ability to ward off foreign interference in U.S. elections, but the increased media scrutiny and political pressure forced these platforms to invest millions of dollars and hire thousands of new employees to combat such activity and increase ad transparency. What may be awaiting the influencer marketing industry is a Cambridge Analytica moment, a form of fraud so calamitous that industry groups and tech platforms are shamed into adopting more drastic measures to police bad behavior. In the near term, however, we have a divided Congress and an administration that isnt exactly pro regulation. What well likely see is increased scrutiny and coordination among industry players. The major tech platforms and ad agencies have already teamed up to develop a number of new tools to combat the $8.2 billion ad fraud problem, and these same companies are starting to take influencer fraud more seriously. Already were seeing major brands like Kelloggs tighten up their policies for how they engage with influencers, changing the metrics by which campaigns are judged so theyre less likely to be gamed. Unilever, one of the worlds largest advertising buyers, announced last year that it would no longer work with any influencer that purchased followers. Of course, not every brand has the resources of a Fortune 100 company to manage its marketing, so the industry is still awaiting more scalable solutions. For now, well just have to settle for the creeping cynicism that nothing we see on Instagram is truly authentic. As one wannabe influencer told The Atlantics Taylor Lorenz to justify the fact she was misleading her social media followers, They just assume everything is sponsored when it really isnt. | http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/is-it-time-to-regulate-social-media-influencers.html?utm_source=flipboard.com&utm_medium=social_acct&utm_campaign=feed-part |
Should Toronto Maple Leafs' Fans Be Booing Jake Gardiner? | It all started last season when the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Maple Leafs fell apart when it counted and so too did Jake Gardiner, who had a horrendous game. The frustration that fans had towards Gardiner was seemingly building until it boiled over in their 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. On a power play with about five minutes left in the second period, Gardiner was pursuing a loose puck back into the Toronto end with Carl Soderberg close behind. Gardiner whiffed on clearing the puck and was out-muscled by Soderberg who then scored to give the Avalanche a 3-2 lead. Then, later in the game, fans booed Gardiner when he touched the puck. Jake Gardiner didnt see another shift for the final 5:31 of the second period after misplay on the Avs third goal. Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) January 15, 2019 Fans booing their own player went over as well as youd expect from this fanbase. From fans proclaiming that real fans would never boo to fans harassing Gardiners social media and the media cyclone whipping up endless articles, including this one, regarding the booing. Fans Frustrated With Maple Leafs Effort There has been a change in the Maple Leafs recently and not for the better. Many point to William Nylanders return to the lineup and how hes disrupted the teams rhythm, which is fair given that Mike Babcock inserted a top-six winger back into the lineup who wasnt in full form. But even with Nylanders struggles, the thing that keeps coming up in my mind is the 4-0 loss to the New York Islanders. That was a game the team needed to win for John Tavares as it was his first game facing his former team, but they gave an embarrassing performance with zero effort coming from anyone besides Tavares. From that game to the Colorado game, the Maple Leafs went 2-5 through seven games. Effort is hard to quantify unlike other stats in hockey, but when the Maple Leafs are playing to their potential, they are easily one of the deadliest teams in the NHL. So when they seem to be sleepwalking through games and just coasting on their skill, it becomes frustrating to watch as we all know they can do so much better. Losing against Boston on Saturday once again brought up all those memories of their playoff series and with it was Gardiners unraveling in Game 7. So when he had a very obvious defensive gaff against Colorado, it opened the floodgates. With memories of his playoff gaffs in mind, he became the obvious focus for every fan and their frustration with how this team is playing. Gardiner has always been a polarizing player. Hes a great puck-moving defenseman who just came off a 52-point season and in every metric makes the Maple Leafs a better team. In his own end, he struggles, but the same could be said for a few other offensive defensemen around the league. Mitch Marner on Jake Gardiner being booed by #Leafs fans: Thats disappointing. People dont give him enough credit. That guy does everything for this team. Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) January 15, 2019 But the real problem comes from his lapses in judgement. Every once in a while Gardiner will make a boneheaded mistake at the worst possible moment that ends up costing the Maple Leafs a goal and, unfortunately, this is nothing new. So when he failed to control the puck and was outworked by Soderberg, it was obvious that it was Gardiners fault, which led to him being booed. And honestly, he deserved to be booed. He continually makes poorly-timed mistakes and its always on full display for every fan to see. At the same time, he shouldnt have been the only one booed as the rest of the team deserved the same response from fans with how theyve played and the lack of effort theyve shown. Luckily, Frederik Andersen prevented that from costing the Leafs a goal. The Maple Leafs werent as lucky when Nazem Kadri was easily stripped of the puck by Mikko Rantanen who then turned around and scored. For fans, Gardiner has become the poster boy for everything going wrong for the Maple Leafs. Its easy to hate on him when he makes those blatant and costly mistakes. Most would rather rant about him than notice that theres a lot more to be worried about with this team. In the 17 games since Nylander returned to the lineup: Auston Matthews has just five goals, Kadri has one and Patrick Marleau has four points. Then theres Nylander who has just three points in 17 games which, regardless of analytics, is simply not good enough. Right now theres a lot of blame to go around and, despite Gardiner looking like the obvious problem, hes the least of the Maple Leafs worries. With the fallout of Gardiner being booed, the concept of what a true or real fan does was endlessly brought up. Whether or not people thought that Gardiner is underappreciated or needed to be shipped off, there was plenty of condemnation of fans booing their own players. This idea that true fans dont boo is simply silly and just a way of gatekeeping the fanbase. There are no requirements beyond liking the team to be a fan nor is there a checklist of things one must experience before being given the badge of true fan. There are fans who saw the last time the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup and then there are fans who just came on board with the arrival of Matthews. Whether you paint your face and cheer till you cant speak or just relax and watch the game at home makes no difference to who is more of a fan of the Maple Leafs. And sure there are those fans who take their anger out on a players social media, which is just disgusting, but they are still fans, as terrible as they are. Every fanbase has a group of fans that make the rest look bad. Nobody complains or makes a big fuss when opposing players are booed and its not like the Maple Leafs are the first team to be booed by their fans. All of those things are fans expressing their frustration and anger with the team. It shouldnt be a shock that fans booed Gardiner with how he played and how unimpressive the team around him has been in this recent stretch. Being booed should be a wake-up call for Gardiner and the Maple Leafs that they need to be better. That, or they need to use the event as motivation to play well and stick it to those fans who booed. | https://thehockeywriters.com/should-maple-leafs-fans-be-booing-gardiner/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHockeyWriters+%28The+Hockey+Writers%29 |
Could bone broth boost heart health? | Recently, bone broth has enjoyed a boost in popularity. To add to its new-found fame, a recent study concludes that it could have benefits for heart health, too. Bone broth is a soup containing brewed bones and connective tissue. Slowly cooking the bones in vinegar releases some of the nutrients that a person might otherwise discard with the rest of the carcass. According to some quarters, drinking bone broth carries a multitude of benefits. From reducing inflammation to improving sleep, bone broth can seemingly do no wrong. Although some are hailing bone broths as "the new coffee," there is little evidence to support its benefits. It is true that bone broth delivers nutrients, including amino acids and minerals, but not in any higher quantities than might be found in many other foods. Bone broth contains collagen, leading some supporters to claim that bone broth improves skin health and joint function. However, collagen that we consume never reaches the skin or joints because it is broken down into amino acids by the digestive system. The authors of the most recent study into bone broth published their findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. They focused on the amino acids and peptides that the bone and connective tissue produce as they break down. Bone broth and cardiovascular health In particular, the researchers were interested in how cooked bones might release proteins which, during digestion, are broken down further into smaller chains of amino acids, referred to as peptides. Once broken down in this way, peptides can have very different properties from the original proteins. The scientists, led by Leticia Mora, wanted to understand whether Spanish dry-cured ham bones could be a source of heart-beneficial peptides. To investigate, they simulated both cooking and human digestion. Once they had the final product, they tested the resulting peptides to see if they might block particular enzymes known to be involved in heart disease. The enzymes of interest included angiotensin 1-converting enzyme (ACE-1), endothelin-converting enzyme, dipeptidyl peptidase-4, and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase. All of the enzymes above regulate aspects of the cardiovascular system. ACE-1 inhibitors, for instance, are used to treat high blood pressure and inflammation-based heart disease. If scientists could source these peptides from foods, this might be beneficial for people who have an elevated risk of developing these conditions. According to the authors, "their inhibition can result in the reduction of high blood pressure and alleviation of disorders, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory diseases." Potential heart benefits The scientists found that peptides predominantly derived from hemoglobin and collagen could block the enzymes related to heart disease, even after cooking and digestion. Additionally, they measured the presence of other peptides; many of these were chains of just two or three amino acids, making them more likely to be able to travel through the intestinal wall and be active in the body. The authors conclude: "These results suggest that dry-cured ham bones [used in] stews and broths could have a positive impact on cardiovascular health and a possible reduction of high blood pressure for consumers." However, as the authors note, measuring these peptides under artificial conditions is not the same as assessing their impact on living organisms. Scientists will need to do much more work before they can confirm the heart benefits of bone broth. Understanding the chemistry of foods is only one small step toward realizing their impact on health. These findings might further boost bone broth's popularity, but the trend will probably be over before conclusive evidence rolls in. | https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324191.php |
What is Sudoku jazz? | A daily dose of Andrew Cyrille can make you a better music listener. (The Washington Post Illustration/The Washington Post IllustrationA daily dose of Andrew Cyrille can make you a better music listener.) Pop music critic Today, my job is to get you into Sudoku jazz. Sudoku jazz is something I just made up. It isnt a style of playing, its a style of listening and it entered my life in mid-November after I bought a copy of Lebroba, a new album by the great jazz drummer Andrew Cyrille. Made with some help from the guitarist Bill Frisell and the trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, its a recording of largely improvised, occasionally unmetered tunes, played elegantly and unpredictably. Ive listened to it nearly every day for the past two months. Yes and no. Yes, Lebroba is amazing in that it refuses to let me grow tired of it, but no, it isnt amazing in the sweeping, startling, bravura-stroked ways that usually shout amazing! Instead, this music feels minimal and manageable, but still a little mysterious not unlike the Sudoku puzzle that gets printed in your newspaper each day. Heres what I mean: I know what to expect from Lebroba (drums, guitar, trumpet), just as I know what to expect from a Sudoku (digits on a grid), but I have no idea how my experience with either will unfold. Not exactly. Thats Sudoku jazz. Its a ritual listening experience that feels unsurprising and unpredictable. And for anyone who still finds jazz to be impenetrable, forbidding or worse, maybe this is a good way in. In his 2016 book, A Listeners Guide to Free Improvisation, the music writer John Corbett helpfully reminds us that improvised music is not a mystery cult, esoteric language, or secret handshake. It needs no decoder ring. Nor does improvised jazz need to blow our squishy little minds every time we encounter it. Epiphanies can be tiny, tidy things. Sometimes, the big ones gather slowly, in flecks. For whatever reason, Ive had my most enriching Sudoku jazz experiences with contemporary musicians who improvise in relatively clean, relatively legible language. To me, these players sound as if they can hear a secret order in the chaos of the world. I love following the tenor saxophonist Mark Turner as he steps from note to note on his recent duet albums with the pianist Ethan Iverson (Temporary Kings) and the guitarist Mikkel Ploug (Faroe). I love just about everything that happens beneath the fingertips of pianists Kris Davis and Craig Taborn and I especially loved hearing them side-by-side on their 2018 collaboration, Octopus. I love Cyrilles Lebroba, too. I hope not. When Leonard Cohen said that he wrote songs for his fans to listen to while they washed their dishes, he wasnt being self-deprecating. Cohen knew that doing the dishes is heavy stuff. Its a routine reconciliation between the past and the future, an elemental act of closure and renewal that involves water, air and time. Just as splashing around in the dishwater can feel both shallow and deep, I think Sudoku jazz can feel both small and vast. Its a way of getting into improvised music, but more so, its a way of staying in a little ritual that might better prepare us for the big unknown, or at least help us get from today to tomorrow. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-is-sudoku-jazz/2019/01/17/ad58e514-198d-11e9-88fe-f9f77a3bcb6c_story.html |
What's the Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis? | The real estate market has been booming for the last few years. While this is good news for some particularly wealthy real estate investors and homeowners with stable income-earning opportunities it's made it even more challenging for impoverished and low-income families to find housing. The real estate boom has essentially poured gasoline onto what was already a glaring problem. with the affordable housing crisis getting worse, millions are wondering if there are any viable solutions around the corner. The National Low Income Housing Coalition publishes regular reports on the shortage of affordable housing and how it's impacting renters and prospective homeowners. In recent years, the data have been discouraging. As one report reveals, "[t]he U.S. has a shortage of 7.2 million rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income renters, whose income is at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income. Only 35 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households." Research from other independent groups and coalitions reveals similar results. According to the Monroe Group: There isn't a single county in the United States that can fill 100 percent of its low-income population's needs for safe and affordable housing. More than 11 million Americans pay more than half of their salaries on rent. The number of renters in this category has ballooned by 30 percent over the past five years. To afford a basic two-bedroom apartment in the U.S., renters need to earn an average of $20.30 per hour. Considering that minimum wage is just $7.25 per hour, a renter would need to work 112 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom rental. Clearly, something is broken. Though promises have been made on both sides of the party line, little has been done to solve the issue. Whichever party is out of office likes to pin the blame on the party that's in office. The roles then reverse when a new party seizes control. Recently, President Donald Trump has caught a lot of flak for his decision to cut funding to some of the affordable housing programs. While there's no doubt he's slashed some of the resources, most conservatives agree with the decision. President Trump isn't anti-affordable housing he's merely against publicly funded affordable housing (at least to the degree that those on the left prefer). Four Possible Solutions Trying to publicly fund affordable housing solutions through taxpayer money hasn't worked over the past couple of decades. It's time for a fresh approach, and the current administration has an opportunity to encourage, facilitate, and even mandate new strategies. Having said that, let's explore some possible solutions: Encourage Investments in Old Buildings Everyone wants to talk about lowering rents on existing structures or building new affordable housing. Take a look around any city or metro area, and there are boarded up buildings, vacant apartments, or old government buildings that are no longer in use. Finding ways to use these spaces and up-fit them into affordable housing units is far more cost-effective. Some municipalities around the country are already looking into this including a few in the D.C. area. "[One] report suggests more re-imagining of library spaces, fire stations and schools," The Washington Post notes. "In Alexandria, 64 units were created at an old fire station near Potomac Yard; Arlington is considering land near the East Falls Church Metro station." These revitalization projects will have to make sense to proceed. A half-hearted approach could actually do more harm than good. But in some cities, successful projects like these may alleviate a lot of the pressure. Normalize Tiny Living Solutions There seems to be an expectation that everyone deserves a spacious place to live. But in cities that are becoming overcrowded, there simply isn't enough space to provide large apartments and homes for everyone. Normalizing tiny living solutions could go a long way toward maximizing space and creating cost-effective housing. When presented with the option, most renters would prefer a well designed tiny house with premium features to a cheaply built home with some extra square footage. Local housing boards can encourage tiny living development by funding builders and relaxing zoning restrictions. Create Tax Incentives for Employers Employers can often help employees out with housing. Mandating assistance will never work, but incentives could. State governments would do well to consider incentive programs where employers are rewarded with tax benefits and credits for covering a portion of their employees' rents or mortgages. This would alleviate some of the financial burden from corporations, while giving employees a chance to live in affordable housing that's within a reasonable proximity to their place of work. Use Funds Responsibly Public housing handouts do little to encourage individuals to escape their situation and move toward home ownership. In fact, many low-income individuals work hard to stay within a certain income bracket so they can continue to receive free housing. In this sense, these programs discourage people from moving up. The solution could be to use public housing funds more strategically so that low-income families receive the help they need while simultaneously being prepared for financial independence down the road. Some cities, like Cleveland, have already begun to do this. "A new six-unit housing development called the Glencove (the building once housed a tavern by the same name) offers artist housing with a slight twist," Patrick Sisson writes for Curbed. "Residents earn bonus equity every month they pay rent, up to $10,000 over the course of 10 years, which can then be used to pay for a down payment on a studio or home. It's a pilot artist-ownership model that pushes renters toward more permanent housing." Similar programs could be successful in other cities. Incentives like these encourage renters to look beyond today and plan for the future (while getting some much needed assistance). There's plenty of room for like-minded programs to be reviewed. A program like this may flop out of the gate, or it could thrive. The more pilot projects there are, the better. Working Together to Find an Answer We can all agree that affordable housing is a good thing. You won't meet many Americans who are against safe and modest living conditions for everyone. The problem is that both of the major parties in this country disagree on how. As is normally the case when issues like these arise, party leaders from both sides of the aisle will need to make some concessions, give up some ground, and push through their pride to work together on a solution that's practical for the American people. In the divisive political arena we're currently operating in, this frankly doesn't look likely. But all it takes is setting egos aside, and progress can be made. | https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/01/whats_the_solution_to_the_affordable_housing_crisis.html |
Can we explain the supernatural? | Review: Glass (M) Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Anya Taylor-Joy Unbreakable is a cult classic that shows the vision of M. Night Shyamalan by considering the impact of comic books and superheroes on our modern culture. Despite the films promising box office results, the studio chose not to do a sequel because they did not see the future in the world of comic books in 2000. The director of The Sixth Sense and Signs would go on to have a career of extreme highs and lows and one that was written off by many until his connection with Blumhouse Productions. This champion of the quality, but low-budget films gave Shyamalan a fresh start to his career with The Visit and eventually, Split. It was with the latter film that the world was reintroduced to David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson). Built on the strong performance of James McAvoy as the multiple-personalities of Kevin Wendell Crumb, the potential for a sequel was inevitable after the film went onto success in 2016. Fans of both movies and the remnant who have remained faithful to the writer/director have been buzzing since the announcement that he would be allowed to continue building the world that Glass built. Following on after the conclusion of Split, David Dunn and his son, Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark), have been doling out their own form of vigilante justice on the streets of Philadelphia. While they manage their own home security agency, one of the targets becomes the elusive mass murderer called The Beast. The Beast escaped from the local zoo after taking some young girls hostage and eventually killing most of them, except for the sole survivor, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy). Staying consistent with his methodology of abducting young women, Kevin Wendell Crumb who contains twenty-four different personalities finally comes in contact with David Dunn. Their ensuing battle leads to their surprising capture by Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), a psychologist who has been tracking them and desires to cure these men of their delusions of super-human skill sets. While in the special facility designed to limit their abilities, these foes come to realise that the psychiatric hospital not only is a prison for them, but it also houses Mr. Glass. As a steadfast devotee of Unbreakable, the potential this world held and then to be given the twist at the end of Split as a long-suffering gift from M. Night Shyamalan, Glass offers closure to this decade long love affair with this film. The first two acts provide the solace of the psychological thriller that is synonymous with the director of The Village and then it seems to be coupled nicely with the origin tale of the superhero genre. Making Bruce Willis the poster boy for all middle-aged men who still think they could be superhuman, but then the final act occurs. The formula was working well with the unnerving dialogue of Dr. Staple, the stellar performance of McAvoy and even with the suspense of Elijah Prices mental state, but then the film went through an identity crisis. Shyamalan seems to be looking ahead to his trademark twists at the conclusion and loses the plot in the grand stand-off, which will send the horde of critics into overdrive with vitriol and announcements of his unworthiness. Which is unfortunate, because the majority was a brilliant antithesis to the superhero genre and offers room for a future realm of heroes that are not limited to the canon of Marvel or DC. For the Unbreakable faithful, stay clear of the doomsayers who hope to hammer the nails into Shyamalans career and just go see this movie. No. There are some outstanding elements to this film and it does offer a welcomed alternative to the arduous buildup of the MCU and DCEU. Looking Deeper What was great about this film was the discussion on explaining the supernatural. It was like going through a course in apologetics for superheroes. Dr. Staple was trying to explain away the superhuman abilities of these individuals through logic and science. Yet, her arguments could not give an explanation to their incredible gifts and they eventually fell in on top of themselves. This was best articulated by Mr. Glass when he states that her hypothesis could not fully answer the questions of the supernatural in the end. This is the same when it comes to considerations of God. Much of the Bible is logical, practical and accessible without belief, but ultimately people need to see that some things cannot be explained by science or logic. Some things in life go beyond our imaginations and our abilities, but this should not be something that is feared as much as embraced. The challenge is looking for the answers to the unexplainable and supernatural. A great place to start is the Bible. Give it a try, it might surprise you with the answers. Glass is in cinemas January 17. Russell Matthews works for City Bible Forum Sydney and is a film blogger | https://www.insights.uca.org.au/reviews/can-we-explain-the-supernatural |
Is Secret Hitler Disrespectful? | I take my play very seriously. That may sound like a nonsense statement, an oxymoron or perhaps a self-justification but hear me out. For me, games are more than an opportunity to socialise with friends. I admit though I do enjoy games, and the opportunity to game with friends either at a table, through a console or computer brings me enjoyment, I want to make a case that there can be more to playing a game than the surface social engagement. I have been thinking about this for some years now but was provoked by an article shared with me by a friend this morning about a game that I have played. Set in 1930s Germany, Secret Hitler simulates the political environment that gave rise to fascism leading to the Second World War. On this side of history, it is easy for us to assume that the Nazis were obviously evil. For us the symbols of the Third Reich take on a sinister dark tone that alarms us and stands as a warning against fascism. Secret Hitler is produced by Breaking Games and distributed by Black Box Games. It is a social deduction game for up to 10 players in which each player seeks to find and stop the hidden fascists seeking to subtly raise their ideology. The experience of playing this game allows the players to explore this world of political ideology and engage with this era. We live in an age of film and fiction that repeatedly paint a picture for us that goodies wear white hats and baddies wear black. If only the world were so simple and the theme music that surrounds us in our daily lives would change to indicate that evil was nearby, and we should be on our guard. Where film allows us to stand outside and view scenarios as a disembodied spectator a well-crafted game allows us to enter into the scenario with personal agency and make choices. As a game runs it course, we can see the consequences of our choices play out providing opportunities to reflect on those choices and the outcomes they create. The philosopher George Santayana is quoted and paraphrased as saying, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. If there are portions of history that cannot be explored or discussed, the experience of them can be forgotten or worse still romanticised. It is important to create opportunities for people in this day to explore the consequences of historical decisions as close to first hand as possible. As a time traveller the easiest solution to this would be to climb aboard my time machine and check it out but alas that option is not available to me just yet! I would suggest then that playing games then are the best asset in entering the experience of many historical and possible future events, allowing opportunities for exploring the decisions that lead to outcomes. This has the added benefit of not having any real-world consequences beyond learning. I am certainly aware that there is a time and a place for everything and would never want to cause distress by playing such a game in the company of people for whom this is a sensitive issue. I will endeavour to provide future blogs on methods of appropriate briefing and debriefing for such intentional play. As children our play is a formative experience that enables us to explore issues too complex for us to digest. Surely as adults we must continue this kind of play and reflect on its benefits to as growing people who are lifelong learners. This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared here. Rev. Will Nicholas is Minister of the Word at St Davids Uniting Church in Newtown, Victoria | https://www.insights.uca.org.au/features/is-secret-hitler-disrespectful |
Are Winter Rentals a Good Investment? | Vacation rental properties can be a solid investment, depending on the location. To help potential buyers decide where to invest, Vacasa, a vacation rental property management company, crunched data on about a half-million rental properties in popular winter destinations in the United States. The top 10 most profitable locations listed below are ranked by capitalization rate, or cap rate, a metric used to determine the profitability of rental properties. Cap rate is calculated by comparing a homes sale price to what is left of the annual rental revenue after expenses are met. For example, if a home sold for $100,000 and there was $1,000 left at the end of the year after expenses, the cap rate would be 1 percent. The more money in your pocket at the end of the year, the higher the cap rate. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/realestate/are-winter-rentals-a-good-investment.html |
Who is Aakash Anand? | BSP Supremo Mayawati Thursday announced that she will make her nephew Akash Anand join the BSP movement and give him a chance to learn the ropes. The 28-year-old Aakash has been in the limelight for being seen with Mayawati at recent political events. He was last seen at the 63rd birthday celebration of Mayawati. Advertising Mayawatis brother Anand and Aakash were introduced to BSP party workers in September 2017. The introduction that came at a time when Anand was already being projected as Mayawatis heir was taken as the launch of Akashs political career. Before that, in May 2017, Akash had accompanied Mayawati during a visit to Saharanpur after Thakur-Dalit clash A few leaders from BSP remember that when Mayawati had introduced Akash to them, she had said that this is Akash, he has completed his MBA from London and now will look after the party works. Akash is the eldest of Anands three children. Other than Akash, Anand has two daughters. Akash was introduced in the party two years ago, soon after his return from London in 2017, and hasnt been given any official responsibility in the party so far. He, however, accompanies Behanji when she goes to Delhi and comes back to Lucknow, informed sources, adding that Akash has become the most trusted one for Mayawati in the family for last more than 10 years. Advertising Sources also said, Akash completed his schooling from Delhi and later pursued MBA from London. He has been with Mayawati Since he came back to India in 2017. | https://indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-is-aakash-anand-bsp-mayawati-nephew-5543554/ |
Whats the secret to cutting water costs by 28%? | A new report from provider of water flow solutions provider TALIS suggests water companies across the world could increase cost and energy efficiencies by coating the inside of their pipe networks with impervious, inert and strong enamel. It claims this would help ensure water purity, prevent contamination, reduce wear and tear and cut energy consumption. The company calls for water companies around the world to follow the lead of those in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which collectively represent 67% of the worlds market for enamel coated components. Herve Dumont, Product Strategy Director at Talis, said: These countries rely heavily on enamelling and other specialist coatings to increase the durability, cost efficiency and quality of their water networks, as well as ensuring the purity of their drinking water. As a result, these water companies are gaining a number of significant advantages not least of which is one-tenth of the failure rate within crucial components. | https://www.energylivenews.com/2019/01/17/whats-the-secret-to-cutting-water-costs-by-28/ |
Can the Patriots finally slow Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill? | Tyreek Hill has torched the New England Patriots in their previous two meetings. The Kansas City Chiefs receiver has 130-plus receiving yards and 1-plus receiving TD in each of his two career games against the Patriots. Week 1, 2017: 7 receptions, 133 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD Week 6, 2018: 7 receptions, 142 receiving yards, 3 receiving TD Hill has averaged the most receiving YPG (137.5) against the Patriots of any opponent since 1970. The speedy wideout has a 75-yard receiving TD in each of his two games against the Patriots. His eight career 75-plus yard TDs is tied for the most in NFL in the last 10 seasons (DeSean Jackson), and his 16 50-plus yard TDs in the last five seasons are the most in the NFL over that span (four more than Jackson). The Patriots know Hill's speed kills. They've seen it first-hand. "You've just got to do your best," defensive back Devin McCourty said Wednesday. "You can turn on the plays throughout the whole season over and over again. Everyone knows he's fast. It's on the scouting report, it's on the film but he's still able to make plays, he's still able to run by guys. It's awareness, it's knowing where he's at, it's trying to get the film study to understand what he's doing when he's at different places. But I think in their offense they do a great job of he's at number one, he's at two, he's at three, he's in the backfield, he's going on speed-motion so it's very difficult the way they use him. But it's a team effort. It's not going to be one guy that you just say go cover him. It's going to be a team effort of just trying to know where he's at and gang-tackle him and get as many guys to him." As the Boston Herald's Kevin Duffy points out, the Pats have gotten burned by Hill mostly when caught in zone coverage. New England was at its best slowing Hill in man coverage with a safety shaded over the top. With the emergence of rookie corner J.C. Jackson as a reliable weapon on defense, the Patriots employ better options to stick in man versus Hill in Sunday's rematch. No team adjusts as well as Bill Belichick to cover up weaknesses, especially in a rematch. While slowing down Hill will be vital, the coach knows he's not the only weapon Andy Reid and the Chiefs possess. "Yeah, well, that's what every team's dealt with all year with them," said of facing the combo of Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. "So, that's what it comes down to -- figuring that out, trying to balance it, between rush and coverage and how you want to cover, and there's plenty of other good players out there, too. So, you just have to decide how you want to handle it. [Chris] Conley, [Sammy] Watkins -- you know, you don't want to be light on those guys, either. So, they have a great offense, they have a great set of players, and again, Andy does a great job of putting the defense in compromising positions where you have to make choices, and the quarterback makes choices based on that. They're hard to stop. That's why they lead the league in points, lead the league in yards, lead the league in scoring, lead the league in everything. They're really good." | http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001011246/article/can-the-patriots-finally-slow-chiefs-wr-tyreek-hill |
Are US millennials giving wine the cold shoulder? | Millennials in the US are not diving into the wine world as quickly as predicted, suggests a new report, raising concern that this generation won't compensate for retiring baby boomers. In Brief Millennials not engaging with wine as anticipated but there is time for a shift, says Silicon Valley Bank report Premium wine sales still set to grow by between four and eight percent in the US in 2019 California vineyard price rises set to flatten with expected fall-off in takeover deals Full Story Wine sales momentum in the US has shown signs of slowing as more baby boomers reach retirement age and millennials are slower-than-expected to pick up the baton, according to the latest state of the industry report from the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in California. Millennials, who currently have a median age of 30, account for an estimated 17% of wine consumption in the US and are still expected to become the biggest wine-consuming group in the country by 2027. But, this generation has so far not engaged with wine as much as hoped, SVB said. The unfortunate reality is that while millennials have a better appreciation of wine compared with other cohorts at a similar age, their appreciation has not been reflected in fine wine consumption, said Rob McMillan, founder of the SVBs wine division, in the report. Commenting on the reasons for this, McMillan, who is also an SVB executive vice president, said in the report, [millennials] lack financial capacity, currently prefer premium spirits and craft beers, and have been slow getting into careers. Cannabis demand skews to younger males today, and that is also likely playing a role in the cohorts delayed appreciation for wine. However, he stressed that there was still time for a shift in momentum. With the median age at 30, this generation still has time to find its footing. But for today, their retail silence, particularly for discretionary and luxury goods, is deafening, McMillan said. Health concerns also played a role, the report said. Yet, the report added that the industry could do more to engage millennials with better marketing messages. For now, the so-called Generation X that sits between boomers and millennials, and is smaller in overall size than both of those, is set to become the biggest wine consuming group in the US by 2022, the report forecasts. Premium wine sales in the US were still expected to grow by between four and eight percent in 2019, after growing by an estimated 5.2% in 2018, said SVB. That still puts US wine market momentum ahead of several other markets, including the UK. But SVB warned that premiumisation is nearing its apex as a trend and that sales momentum in several premium price segments was slowing, based on Nielsen data. Price increases would likely be minimal in 2019, partly due to an expected surplus of wine; a feature that may please wine lovers in the short-term. As an industry, were transitioning to a period of flat-to-negative volume growth, low sales growth and a modest surplus of grapes, which will put pressure on prices, the report said. SVB classes a premium wine as $10 or above at retail, per bottle. This category commands 54% of the US wine market by value and around 30% of market volume, it said. SVB estimated that Nielsen figures covered around two thirds of the off-trade [retail] wine market. It acknowledged that Nielsen data did not include direct-to-consumer sales or some big players, such as Costco. Some separate research studies have suggested that the millennial generation has shown greater interest in the so-called experience economy rather than in simply purchasing at retail. | https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/us-millennials-wine-sales-407708/ |
Is Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp right to not buy anyone in the January transfer window? | Get Liverpool FC updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Deal or No Deal. Stick or Twist. Remain or Leave. For Liverpool the January transfer window is a little like Brexit ... but with much, much higher stakes! Jurgen Klopp has made it clear he has no significant plans to spend in the January transfer window. We asked two of our writers 'Is Klopp right not to splash the cash in January?' YES (says James Pearce) (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Jurgen Klopp believes he already possesses a squad well equipped to clinch the Premier League title and I think he's right. You can always spend more money and buy more players, but I can fully understand why he's not planning on splashing the cash in the January transfer window. The spirit, unity and camaraderie in the dressing room has helped to take the Reds four points clear at the top. Klopp made it clear last month that he would only dip into the market if something crazy happened in terms of injuries and suspensions. The manager had to reassess after the loss of centre-backs Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren, but he ultimately decided that trying to sign a short-term fix of sufficient quality simply wasn't realistic. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now Liverpool have already weathered that particular storm with Matip back available and Lovren and Gomez well advanced in their rehab. Trent Alexander-Arnold is facing a couple of weeks out due to a ligament problem but the Reds have decent options at right-back. The idea that Klopp blundered by sending Nathaniel Clyne on loan to Bournemouth is ridiculous. For a start, Clyne was desperate to leave and the manager doesn't make a habit of keeping players against their will. James Milner can do a job at right-back in the short-term and he would have started ahead of Clyne anyway. Fabinho has played there for Brazil. (Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) The lack of cover for Andy Robertson is a minor concern but replacing Alberto Moreno can wait until the summer. In midfield, Klopp is well covered and he's got Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on course to return at the end of February. The manager also expects Adam Lallana to prove his fitness and play a greater role during the run-in. Of course Liverpool are reliant on the front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino staying fit. But Xherdan Shaqiri, Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi can step up, while teenage talent Rhian Brewster is also on the comeback trail. Liverpool have an experienced deputy for No.1 Alisson Becker in Simon Mignolet, who will stay put until the summer. 0+ VOTES SO FAR Yes. If it aint broke don't fix it No. One signing could make crucial difference Klopp knows what he's doing. The money is there and if he really thought there was a gap that needed to be plugged he would backed to the hilt by the owners. In January 2017 he ignored the clamour to sign a winger when Mane departed to the African Cup of Nations and Liverpool went on to clinch Champions League qualification. Twelve months ago he opted not to replace Barcelona-bound Philippe Coutinho and silenced the doubters by masterminding a top-four finish and a run to the Champions League final. Liverpool can kick on again in similar fashion. NO (says David Prentice) (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) A Ronny or a Rodney. I've witnessed what a mid-season swoop can do in a title race to Liverpool and Manchester City. And the fall-out can last a lifetime. Liverpool got it right in 1990 when Ronny Rosenthal was recruited on-loan from Standard Liege for the last seven matches of the season. A hat-trick on his debut at Charlton took Liverpool three points clear at the top. A further four goals in six followed as the Reds won the top division title for the last time. (Image: Getty Images) Manchester City got it horribly wrong when Rodney Marsh was recruited in March 1972 with City four points clear at the top. They finished fourth and in his 2001 autobiography Marsh admitted: "Right, no beating about the bush, I have to hold my hands up - I cost Manchester City the 1972 league championship." Thirty-years later it was still being talked about. No-one is suggesting Klopp needs a big-money Ronny or Rodney-type swoop. But they do need cover in some key areas. And not moving in the transfer market could cost Liverpool the best chance they have had of achieving their Holy Grail for a long time. A new face brings just a fraction more from the players whose position may be threatened by the newboy. A new boy brings just a little extra competitiveness on the training pitch. And a new signing offers protection from unforeseen injuries. Liverpool are fighting for glory on two fronts. Just as they were last season when injuries to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joe Gomez, Adam Lallana and Emre Can left Liverpool running out of experienced bodies as the season reached its business end. Liverpool are already short of square peg in square hole options at right-back, are a midfield injury away from engine room issues and are fortunate that Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have been largely untroubled by injury all season. It's a complicated dynamic and there is always the fear of signing a Rodney. But snapping up a Ronny can be a masterstroke which can last a lifetime. More Reds tales | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-boss-jurgen-klopp-right-15692358 |
Was weisst du ber die Russland-Affre? | Teste dein Wissen ber den Endlos-Krimi. Seit zwei Jahren hlt die Russland-Affre die USA und die Welt in Atem. Vor lauter Bumen sehen wir den Wald nicht mehr. Teste dein Wissen ber Robert Mueller, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn & Co. und prfe, ob du fr den zu erwartenden Endspurt gerstet bist. 1. Sonderermittler Robert Mueller ist ein hochangesehener Mann. 2. 3. George Papadopoulos war aussenpolitischer Berater in Trumps Wahlkampf-Team. 4. Michael Flynn war Trumps Sicherheitsberater. Er hat sich schuldig bekannt, das FBI angelogen zu haben. 5. Das sogenannte Steele-Dossier auch bekannt als Pipi-Tape wurde von einem gewissen Christopher Steele verfasst. 6. Roy Cohn ist eine zwielichtige Figur. 7. Michael Cohen war ber zehn Jahre lang Trumps persnlicher Anwalt. 8. 9. Roger Stone ist eine weitere zentrale und zwielichtige Figur in der Russland-Affre. 10. 11. 12. Video: srf Abonniere unseren Newsletter | https://www.watson.ch/wirtschaft/international/528179277-was-weisst-du-ueber-die-russland-affaere |
Why do I feel pains after I climax? | Dear Sarah, Anytime I have sex I feel pains after I orgasm. Dear anonymous, Because the human body is full of mysteries, sometimes orgasms actually do hurt. The official name for this pain is dysorgasmia, which again, means youre having pain either during or after your orgasm. For women who experience pain after they orgasm, the cramping usually happens right away and can cause pain for a few hours after sex. You can feel the pain or the cramping anywhere in your vagina, and/or in your lower abdomen or back. But in some cases, an underlying gynecological condition can also trigger that pain or cramping after sex, like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Pain during sex isnt just something you should deal with. For starters, this is a serious barrier to your pleasure. And then theres the fact that you could have an underlying condition that needs treatment. If you dont have any underlying conditions like PID or endometriosis, your doctor may recommend that you try using a hot pad on your pelvic region and taking some OTC anti-inflammatory medication to help with the pain. But again, dont sit on this and assume that youre doomed to suffer through crampy orgasms for the rest of your life. Make sure to see your doctor for treatment. | https://www.pulse.ng/hotpulse/why-do-i-feel-pains-after-i-climax/gwcvd5c |
Will Sunday's major winter storm miss our region? | NEW BEDFORD -- Two weather systems marching across the country will start to get noticed in our region as early as this evening with some predicted light snow showers. The first system is considered a lightweight by meteorologists at the National Weather Service. It should pass over the SouthCoast tonight and tomorrow morning with little fanfare. However, the second storm (named Harper by The Weather Channel) means business. This mammoth storm is not carrying a simple backpack of weather goodies, but has packed its full luggage set of rain, ice, snow and wind. Harper is currently pounding California with flooding rains and the Sierra Nevada mountains with blizzard conditions. The system is not expected to weaken as it muscles through the middle of the country and sets its GPS for the Northeast. Our region will be under a Winter Storm Watch beginning Saturday, says the National Weather Service. The watch covers all of New England -- except the SouthCoast, Cape and the Islands. The closest cities and towns named in the watch are Providence, Taunton and Brockton. If the track doesn't change, it means Harper is expected to go north of us and the brunt of this major storm will miss our region. Northern parts of New England could see up to 20 inches of snow, though. So to recap: some light snow showers starting tonight and into Friday morning. Sunday looks to be a rain/ice mix as temps drop as the day goes on. And the major bummer: the clouds will likely hang in on Sunday night and we won't be able to see the Super Blood Wolf Moon total lunar eclipse. | https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20190117/will-sundays-major-winter-storm-miss-our-region |
Can the Tennessee-built XT6 be part of Cadillac's re-invention? | DETROIT For many Americans, Cadillac is an adjective used to describe something luxurious. Despite Cadillac's aura of refinement, the General Motors premium brand has been losing customers for the last several years and now it's embarking on yet another turnaround plan. The latest roadmap calls for scrapping struggling cars, investing in electric vehicles, introducing new body styles, redoing ads and moving the brands headquarters. Part of that re-invention includes the XT6, a seven-seat SUV unveiled at the Detroit auto show this week. The new three-row Cadillac crossover will be built at the Spring Hill, Tenn., manufacturing plant and GM is investing nearly $300 million to accommodate the XT6. It's expected to be available this spring. More: Tennessee gains auto sector momentum as industry faces global headwinds The SUV targets large families. The auto critic for the Detroit News called the XT6 the "stylish little brother" of the bulky Escalade. A 2020 Cadillac XT6 Sport sits on display during the 2019 North American International Auto Show held at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. (Via OlyDrop) (Photo: RYAN GARZA, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY Network) The XT6 comes as the automaker discontinues two sedans, the Cadillac ATS and CTS, hoping to capitalize on a preference for SUVs over cars in todays luxury market. Cadillac must remake its image in the eyes of shoppers who arent even considering the brand right now despite better-than-ever products, analysts say. Measured in total U.S. sales, the brand lags luxury rivals Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Tesla and Acura, according to Kelley Blue Book. Cadillac sold 154,702 vehicles in the U.S. in 2018, trailing luxury leader Mercedes' 354,144 and just ahead of Nissan luxury brand Infiniti's 149,280. Cadillac sales slump Cadillac began to end a quarter-century drought in appeal around the turn of the 21st Century, Carlisle said. Vehicles like the ATS and CTS won acclaim from critics in the last decade. But it hasn't paid off in the form of U.S. momentum. In China, the brand has flourished, leading Cadillac to its best global sales ever in 2018. But in the U.S., sales fell about 15 percent from 2013 to 2018 despite a 10-percent increase in overall industry sales. GM CEO Mary Barra ousted Carlisles predecessor, Johan de Nysschen, in April after his turnaround plan didnt generate enough results during his four-year tenure. The de Nysschen plan included moving Cadillac from metro Detroit to New York City, marketing Cadillacs to urban coastal customers, and adopting a letters-and-numbers naming strategy used in German luxury brands. The problem is Cadillac doesnt need to be a German luxury brand. It needs to be an American luxury brand, said Rebecca Lindland, an auto analyst at Portico Analytics. They have great products in the showroom, but the marketing was completely unrelatable and failed to break through. For example, she said, advertising images of Cadillacs in New York City's tony Greenwich Village were out of step with the brand's core customers. After replacing de Nysschen, Carlisle pivoted quickly to move the brand back to metro Detroit to be closer to engineers and decision-makers, and to begin overhauling the marketing strategy. Cadillac must find ways to appeal to people who have false impressions of who we are and people who dont know us at all, including millennials, Carlisle said. The brand has the features of industry-leading luxury vehicles, but many people don't know it, he said. Cadillac will focus on new technology and new models that fill gaps in the lineup, he said. It will deliver a remade or new vehicle every six months through 2021. That includes the XT6, which is smaller than the hulking Escalade SUV but larger than the XT5. It will also include a redesigned Escalade at some point soon, GM President Mark Reuss hinted last week. Gov.-elect Bill Lee and Gov. Bill Haslam pose next to the Cadillac XT6 Sunday at the Detroit Auto Show. The SUV will be produced at the Spring Hill, Tenn., plant. (Photo: Jed DeKalb - State of Tennessee) They need more SUVs," said Stephanie Brinley, auto analyst at IHS Markit. "Theyre adding the right products, but theyre adding them a few years too late in the sense that several other automakers have already done that. The future Next up: Cadillac will become GMs lead electric vehicle brand, Barra told investors last week. Its too early to tell how that plan will shape up. But Carlisle said its likely to involve advanced self-driving capability in vehicles available for sale at dealerships, not ride-sharing networks. That continues a trend of GM debuting its most advanced technology in Cadillacs. GM picked Cadillac for its recent introduction of automated highway driving technology called Super Cruise, which has impressed critics with its high-tech functionality and safety features. Enthusiast site Autoblog named Super Cruise its 2019 Technology of the Year. The system steers, brakes and accelerates on its own in highway driving, and keeps a camera trained on the driver's eyes to alert them if they become sleepy while relying on the autonomous technology. Luxury rival Lincoln, which is owned by Ford, has already revived the Lincoln Aviator SUV, for example. And Lincoln has gained ground on Cadillac in the sales race. Past vehicles waiting to be dusted off could include the Cadillac Eldorado or the Cadillac Fleetwood. Carlisle said hes very open-minded about resurrecting the brands historical names. But I think weve got to be really good custodians of where we apply those names, he said. You dont want to just throw them out there. But he hinted that past could be prologue. Special cars or engines should have special names, he said. The question, however, is whether Cadillac itself remains special to car buyers. Tennessean staff contributed to this report. Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/cars/2019/01/17/cadillac-xt-6-suv-crossover-tennessee-general-motors/2601643002/ | https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/cars/2019/01/17/cadillac-xt-6-suv-crossover-tennessee-general-motors/2601643002/ |
Why is the government cooling on nuclear? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The previous power station at Wylfa was closed in 2015 There was a time - not so long ago - that government ministers talked enthusiastically about a new nuclear age. A fleet of brand new reactors producing reliable, low carbon electricity for decades to come. Not only that, but the government wouldn't be taking any of the risks associated with financing and building them. Hinkley, Moorside, Wylfa, Oldbury, Bradwell and Sizewell were identified as the sites for the most significant national wave of new nuclear power construction anywhere in the world. Of those six, only one is under construction, three have been abandoned, and two face an uphill battle to get the green light. Under those circumstances, you might think the government would be embarrassed that its energy policy was in disarray. But it's not. The collapse of the Wylfa and Oldbury projects today (following the abandonment of Moorside) is evidence of some new economic realities that have seen government enthusiasm for new nuclear fade. High price The first and most obvious is the cost of building the darn things. At 20bn Hinkley Point is the most expensive UK construction project to date - HS2 will beat it. The good news is that the UK government isn't paying a penny of it. The bad news is that the electricity it will one day produce will be expensive. EDF, the French contractor that's paying for its construction, could only raise the money to do it by extracting a guarantee from the UK government that it would receive more than double the current going rate - for 35 years. That's one way to finance it. Let EDF raise the money and take the risk but ultimately foist the cost onto future generations of energy customers. One of the reasons Hinkley is so expensive is that EDF needed to go out and borrow huge sums for a risky project at interest rates of over 9%. In fact, of the total 20bn bill for Hinkley, well over half of it was the cost of raising the money over the lifetime of the project. Image copyright Getty Images There are cheaper ways to finance a project like this. The government can borrow money much more cheaply than anyone else. Right now it could get a 20bn 10-year loan at 1.3% and use that money to build the thing itself. There are financial and political problems with that. First, it adds to the public debt - which successive recent governments have been keen to reduce. Second, if there are massive cost overruns (and that is almost a rule with nuclear projects), the government foots the spiralling bill, taking commensurate political flak. That is not comfortable territory for a Conservative government. Doing the sums There is a another way. Pay-as-you-go. Rather than lumber future generations with more expensive energy, get current consumers to pay a little extra on their bills (amount decided by the regulator) during the construction. This removes the need for massive borrowing and means you don't have to offer a juicy price guarantee to the contractor at the end as a reward for taking the operational and financial risk. This is the model the government now prefers and is testing on the Thames Tideway project. If Sizewell and Bradwell are ever built - this is how they will be financed. I say "if" because the truth is, the sums for new nuclear have been made very tough by the sharp falls in the cost of renewables. In 2015, the cost of offshore wind was over 140 per megawatt hour. That makes Hinkley Point look cheap at 92.50. The price of offshore wind is now 57.50. But hang on, says the nuclear industry. The wind doesn't always blow. When it doesn't, you will have to fire up gas or even coal stations to fill the gaps in the depths of winter. You are jeopardising our chances of meeting CO2 emissions targets and threatening security of energy supply. The government accepts some of this, and that is why Business Secretary Greg Clark said today that he is still open to new nuclear projects. But the government's preferred direction is towards smaller reactors of the type being developed by Rolls Royce, in which the government will contribute research backing, in the hope it becomes a major new export industry. Future calculations The UK government is not alone in cooling on big nuclear. One of the reasons that Wylfa, Oldbury and Moorside collapsed was because the Japanese government could not get sufficiently behind the Hitachi and Toshiba projects. After the Fukushima disaster, backing nuclear power - particularly foreign nuclear power - is a pretty tough sell back home. Whatever it does, the government doesn't feel the need to do anything very quickly. The National Infrastructure Commission has said it doesn't need to make a decision for several years yet, and the National Grid says spare energy capacity is increasing rather than decreasing. Government sources say the resilience of the system to last year's "Beast from the East" also reassured officials. All this makes life difficult for EDF, which wants to build the follow-up to Hinkley Point at Sizewell. They will argue strenuously that only by adding a second, do you realise the economies of scale. Same design + same process + same skilled workforce + different funding model = quicker and cheaper project. Also, the more you rely on wind, the more exposed you are to its intermittence. The only way to make sure you have a secure, low carbon, reliable "base load" is to double-down on nuclear. That argument may yet still work but it is now much, much harder to win. | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46906245 |
Is Dr Pepper the Soft Drink of Texas? | The state bird of Texas is the mockingbird. The state tree, pecan. Some would say that Lone Star Beer is the state brew of Texas, if you can stomach it. And now, Dr. Pepper wants to be your state soft drink. The company, which is now Keurig Dr Pepper, is launching a campaign to make it official. With a petition at change.org and the social media hashtag #DrPepperLovesTX, it may very well happen. Continue Reading Texans love being Peppers. It's not unusual to see a good ole boy or gal toting around a 32-ounce styrofoam cup of the sweet stuff and refilling it throughout the day. Its fans are addicted. There are people who drink it like water and cannot imagine a day without their DP. I know some of these people. I am related to some of these people. I rarely drink sodas myself, which is why I was surprised to discover that Dr Pepper's closest competitor, Mr PiBB had long ago become PiBB Xtra, a drink that bills itself as a spicy, cherry soda. It originally began as Dr PiBB, but that didn't fly for long as it was too similar to the Pepper. It was one of a number of legal disputes over the years between Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper. While PiBB has its own loyal imbibers, Texans have always been firmly on the Pepper side. In fact, we all know that person whose special potluck dish is Dr Pepper Poke Cake. And plenty of pork butts have been covered in DP for a sweet sauce that builds in a slow cooker like molasses. Some people even drink it hot, poured over a lemon slice, a trend that was started by Dr Pepper in the 1960s to market the soft drink for cold weather. Dr Pepper was first concocted in a pharmacy in Waco in 1885, making it the oldest major soft drink in the United States. It made its national debut at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. And while Waco is where you'll find the Dr Pepper Museum, Roanoke, Virginia touts itself as the Dr Pepper Capital of the World. Its ties to Dr Pepper are due to a possible urban legend regarding Dr. Charles T. Pepper, who some say is the soda's namesake. That could create some controversy when it comes to making the beverage of 23 flavors the official state soft drink of Texas. Get ready to rumble, Roanoke. Dr Pepper was bottled in Dublin, Texas for more than 120 twenty years by Dublin Bottling Works until 2012 when it parted ways with Dr Pepper. Dublin Bottling Works soon began manufacturing its own cane sugar-flavored sodas, including one similar to Dr Pepper, called Dublin Original. Although it had 24 flavors compared to DP's 23, it was determined to be too close to the Dr Pepper brand and was nixed according to an agreement between Dublin Bottling Works and Dr Pepper Snapple, according to The Dallas Morning News. In July 2018, Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple merged and formed Keurig Dr Pepper. It trades publicly as KDP. Image courtesy of Dr Pepper The new campaign to make it the official soft drink of Texas follows other various marketing moments like the " Be a Pepper" jingle with actor David Naughton, best known for the film An American Werewolf in London singing " Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?" with a crowd of happy, dancing Peppers behind him. There was also Gene Simmons of KISS hawking DP Cherry with the tagline, "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor ". Derek Dubrowski, Vice-president of Brand Marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper said, " Dr Pepper is Texas born and bred and like any Texan, has only the deepest pride and appreciation for its home state." That pride will be evident in the 15 unique labels that will debut on the 20- ounce bottles, to be sold only in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco and Houston. The labels are inspired by Texas landscapes and landmarks and KDP is hoping rabid Peppers will try to collect them all. So, if you're a serious Pepper and you would like to do your part to designate Dr Pepper the official soft drink of Texas, you can sign the petition at change.org and use your social media to spread the word. Unless your a Coke drinker. Then, you'll have to start your own campaign. | https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/dr-pepper-wants-to-make-it-official-11121346 |
Will Solid Premiums Push Up Travelers (TRV) in Q4 Earnings? | The Travelers Companies, Inc. TRV is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 22 before the market opens. In the last reported quarter, the company came up with a positive earnings surprise of 14.41%. Lets see, how things are shaping up for this announcement. The property and casualty (P&C) insurer is likely to report premium growth, driven by an improved pricing environment, high levels of retention, a positive renewal premium change as well as substantial growth across its businesses. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for premiums in fourth-quarter 2018 is pegged at $6.9 billion, up 7.6% from the year-ago quarters consensus mark. When it comes to Personal Insurance business, the probable uptick in premiums came on the back of a continued successful execution in Agency Auto and growth in Agency Homeowners. Further, the insurers Business Insurance segment is anticipated to deliver a more than modest performance, primarily fueled by higher earned premium volume and a lower tax rate. Travelers commercial businesses are projected to perform well in the yet-to-be-reported quarter on the back of better pricing, prudent strategy execution as well as market stability. Riding on rising interest rates, the company might have experienced solid investment results in the fourth quarter. Higher private equity returns as well as average level of fixed maturity investments have likely driven investment income. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the insurer estimates the metric to increase in the $60-$65 million range compared with the band recorded in the same period of 2017. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the metric is pegged at $654 million, representing an 8.8% increase on a year-over-year basis. On the back of higher premiums and investment income, the company is likely to witness top-line growth in the quarter to be reported. Also, a consistently successful execution of marketplace strategies coupled with strong production results might have led to this probable upside. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is currently pegged at $7.7 billion, reflecting a year-over-year rise of 4.1%. Further, a lower tax incidence and steady share buybacks are likely to have boosted the P&C insurers bottom line in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter is expected to bear the brunt of Hurricane Michael (occurring in October) and California wildfires (in November). With the P&C insurer's presence in California, the company is estimated to incur a certain level of catastrophe loss in the yet-to-be-reported quarter. Exposure to catastrophe loss might induce volatility and hamper the companys overall performance. However, with the reinsurance coverage in place, Travelers anticipates to mitigate the losses suffered in the aforementioned time period. Nonetheless, underwriting results are projected to benefit from higher levels of earned premium. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the combined ratio in the Insurance segment during the fourth quarter is pegged at 96%, flat from the prior-year quarters figure. However, a higher debt-level causing a probable escalation in interest expenses can put pressure on the margin expansion. What Our Quantitative Model States Our proven model does not conclusively show that Travelers is likely to beat on earnings this to-be-reported period. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. But that is not the case here as you will see below. Earnings ESP: Travelers has an Earnings ESP of -4.61%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at $2.16, lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.26. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. The Travelers Companies, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise The Travelers Companies, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | The Travelers Companies, Inc. Quote | https://news.yahoo.com/solid-premiums-push-travelers-trv-144002510.html |
Could a solution for soaring prescription drug prices come in 2019? | CLOSE The Food and Drug Administration posted information on its website listing the blood pressure medications recalled for containing carcinogens. Heres what to watch out for. USA TODAY Sara Skipper has struggled for 10 years to ensure that she has enough insulin to manage her diabetes. The 23-year-old east side woman has insurance, but her out-of-pocket expense still forces her to ration what she can afford. She also snags samples from her doctor. And when all else fails, she turns to her younger sister, who is also diabetic but has Medicaid. Her sister will siphon some of her own supply to help out Skipper. When Skipper was diagnosed 18 years ago, she and her parents did not have to forego other living expenses to cover the cost of insulin. But the price of the drug has soared in the past two decades, from about $30 for a vial to 10 times that amount. As many as one in four people on insulin report they have had to ration their medicine, a study in a recent issue of JAMA Internal Medicine found. Insulin is just one glaring example of a drug that in recent years has seen an exorbitant increase in price. While the Trump Administration and Congressional lawmakers search for answers, so too are lawmakers at the state level, including in Indiana. Diabetes supplies belonging to Jessica Price, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus as a child sit on her kitchen table in Indianapolis. (Photo: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar) This is probably going to be one of the hottest political issues in 2019 and 2020, said Antonio Ciaccia, co-founder of 46 Brooklyn, a drug pricing and data analytics company based in Ohio. Lawmakers take action on prescription drug prices Last week Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Rep. Ro Khanna introduced the Prescription Drug Price Relief Act of 2019. The legislation puts the onus on the federal government to make sure drug prices in the United States are not higher than the median price in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan. Read more: Yelp for hospitals: This website shows you operation costs in Kentucky In addition, Sanders proposed legislation to allow patients and pharmacists to import safe, affordable medicine from Canada and elsewhere. The Trump Administration has said it wants to reform the rebate system but so far has taken no definitive steps toward doing so. In Indiana, two lawmakers have proposals for ways to get the state involved, though at this point they are recommending the state start by studying the problem. Thats enough for Skipper, who last month added her name to a Change.org petition with more than 500 signatures from people calling upon the Indiana House Public Health Committee to act. As long as we can get some type of motion, thats great for me. If they can just take a look at itand see how many people are affected, Skipper said. Once they gather all that information, they will be moved to see that a change needs to be made as soon as possible. Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, first heard from constituents about the problem a few years ago. Many noted that needle exchange programs existed to protect people who inject drugs illegally but people with diabetes had little such recourse. Why are we helping people get syringes and were not doing anything for people with diabetes, they asked her. Last year, she proposed a similar bill to study the issue of drug transparency pricing, but it was not heard. This year, she is trying again with HB 1029. Its such a complicated issue right now, she said. We just want it studied. More headlines: 5 things to know about Louisville's new airport name: Muhammad Ali Her colleague Rep. Chris Chyung, D-Dyer, also is calling for a study, but he wants a more focused approach. HB 1228, which he authored, asks the Indiana State Department of Health to explore the feasibility of importing prescription drugs from Canada, where drug prices can be 20 to 30 percent of the cost in the United States. Last spring Vermont became the first state to pass a bill that would allow residents there to buy drugs from their neighbor to the north. The Green Mountain State is still working on the details on how to implement such a program. Chyung, who is starting his first year in the Indiana legislature and has a father who has diabetes, said the idea has enough promise to warrant a study here. Im not ready to propose something this gigantic out of the gate, he said. I just want to get the conversation started. Why drugs cost less in Canada In some areas of the country, the conversation about importing drugs from Canada is well underway. Seattle endocrinologist Irl B. Hirsch estimates that about a fifth of his patients with diabetes make regular trips to Canada to buy insulin. Canada and many other countries have not seen drug prices rise as steeply as they have in the United States. In those other countries, unlike in the United States, the governments negotiate with drug companies over the price of drugs, Hirsch said. Here in the United States, a complicated system involving a middle man known as a pharmacy benefit manager also has contributed to the escalation in prices, experts say. The PBMs, which started as claims processors to streamline the purchase of pharmaceuticals, now play a critical role in determining the price of drugs, Ciaccia said. Pharmacy benefit managers often represent large numbers of patients and negotiate discount prices with drug companies through rebates. In addition, they receive a small percentage of each prescription filled, almost like a processing fee. As the rebate practice grew more common, pharmaceutical companies started raising the list price of drugs to compensate. People who have high-deductible plans, which require them to spend more out of pocket before the plan will cover medical costs, often feel the brunt of the increase. You may like: Where federal workers can eat for free in Kentuckiana during shutdown The use of pharmacy benefit managers "started off innocently enough until the PBMs started pocketing too many of those rebates and drug companies started artificially raising their prices, Ciaccia said. Now you have this warped incentive where PBMs profit off of high drug prices. In a step toward remedying the situation, last August the state of Ohio announced it would no longer use a pharmacy benefit manager to fill prescriptions for residents of that state on Medicaid. That move, however, only saves money for the state. People with private health insurance will likely see no benefit. Eli Lilly points to the use of rebates Eli Lilly and Co., one of the largest producers of insulin as well as many other drugs, also is taking steps to address the problem. Dave Ricks, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, addressed the problem in a recent blog post. While the post did not discuss the possibility of the drug company lowering prices, it touted a new website created to increase transparency about the confusing world of drug pricing. The website kicks off with information about a medicine for Type II diabetes but next month will have information on all of Lilly's medicines advertised on television and eventually for every drug the company makes. In his post, Ricks also takes aim at the practice of rebates, which he said are particularly detrimental for those with high-deductible insurance plans. Nearly half of everyone with private insurance are insured through such plans. They are twice as likely as those who have an insurance co-pay to abandon a prescription at the pharmacist when they hear the price. "High-deductible health plans typically dont pass on to patients the billions of dollars in rebates pharmaceutical companies pay those plans each year," Ricks said. "We think health plans should share pharmaceutical rebates with patients." Lilly and other drugmakers are part of a coalition urging the government to allow high-deductible health plans to exempt medicines that treat chronic disease from their deductibles, Ricks said. More: Bevin's new Medicaid plan same as the last one, opponents say in lawsuit Until that or another changes happens, however, Skipper and others who share her predicament will be left strategizing for ways to cover their drug costs. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was five, Skipper first started having trouble with drug costs during college. Not only did she ration her drugs, she limited how much she was eating to decrease the amount of insulin she needed. Now that she has insurance, her insulin still comes to $1,000 a month and she continues to ration. This summer Skipper was briefly hospitalized when her blood sugar soared out of control. She does not understand why her drug, which does not cost a lot to make, has become an out-of-reach expense for her. Hirsch, who sees patients in the same position as Skipper every day, agrees that something needs to be done and soon. He said he knows of at least four people who have died in recent years solely because they did not have enough insulin. Its a system that has gone completely out of control. This is a cancer, and I dont see anyone trying to fix it, said Hirsch, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. People are literally dying, and there doesnt seem to be the outrage that there should be. Call IndyStar staff reporter Shari Rudavsky at (317) 444-6354. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter: @srudavsky. Read or Share this story: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2019/01/17/prescription-drug-prices-quickly-becoming-one-hottest-political-issues-2019/2602461002/ | https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2019/01/17/prescription-drug-prices-quickly-becoming-one-hottest-political-issues-2019/2602461002/ |
Can state government make a dent in Californias housing crisis? | One of the central issues looming before Californias new governor, Gavin Newsom, is the states acute housing affordability crisis. As he unveiled his first budget blueprint this month, days into the job, Newsom spoke at length about the depth of the problem and how he aimed to attack it, from new state investments in affordable housing to better local planning. In his speech, Newsom hit a notably different tone than that of his predecessor, former Gov. Jerry Brown, who in an exit interview with NPR last month questioned the limits of the states ability to make housing more affordable. We talk with Ben Metcalf a Brown appointee who leads the California Department of Housing and Community Development about that marked contrast in perspectives and what state government can and cant do about Californias housing woes. Q: Everyone knew Gavin Newsom would place more of a focus on housing and homelessness than Jerry Brown, but we didnt know the specifics. He put a lot on the table, and he did it not just with the drop of a budget but also with his own personal remarks at the press conference. What was exciting was that he laid out a very large proposal while saying this isnt just a piece of paper, this is about what I want to do to deliver on my campaign promises and to make California great. Q: I doubt the average Californian knows much about your department. A: The thing that we get the most attention for is the investments were making to allow new affordable housing to get built. Were giving grants to cities to help them create down payment assistance programs for first-time homeowners and working in rural California to help fund farmworker housing. But I would also say that theres a lot of other stuff were working on every day. We have staff working on making sure that all of Californias mobile home parks are safe places to live. We are making sure the states building code is energy-efficient and green. So its a kitchen sink of a housing agency. A: There are a few things that worry me a lot. One is definitely that California is now number one in the nation for poverty rates. When the U.S. Census Bureau counts in cost of living, a larger percentage of our residents are living in poverty than in any other state in the union. And so there are a lot of working families 1.7 million families that are low income, paying more than half their income in housing costs, and not getting any assistance from anybody on housing. Every single one of those families is just one missed paycheck or broken car away from becoming homeless. Its perpetuating a pattern of poverty too. Its becoming harder and harder for folks to move up into the middle class. The other thing is that theres a huge exodus of folks leaving California right now. Californias population is growing, but were seeing this huge sorting thats happening as Californias becoming somewhat less diverse and less accommodating to folks who are at the bottom end of the spectrum. You also see that within California. You see this huge trajectory of folks leaving the Bay Area and going to the Central Valley because they cant afford it. So youre losing that diversity that made California such an innovative and wonderful place to start businesses and raise families. A: Folks ask me this question a lot, and my general answer is its really complicated to solve Californias housing challenges. Its a thicket of different regulatory issues and all intertwined with the things the government doesnt really control that much, like the cost of materials and the shortage of construction labor. But the two reference points that I often go back to to give folks hope is that it wasnt always like this in California. If you go back a few decades, to the 50s and 60s or 70s, when our population was much smaller, we were building north of 200,000 homes a year, about double what weve been building the last couple of decades, so there is historic precedent for it. And if you look outside California to places like Austin or other prosperous metro areas, and even some coastal ones like Seattle, you see rates of construction that are close to double what were building. So clearly you can do it. You need to figure out how to untangle some of the policy decisions that have been created over the decades that make it harder to build. We need to continue to invest in housing through subsidies, but we also need to make it easier to build. Q: Newsom also called on California businesses, particularly in Silicon Valley, to help pay for workforce housing. A: Look, if nothing else, the business leadership in Silicon Valley has been recognizing that their need is to get human talent, and one of the biggest barriers to bringing in new human talent has been the cost of living and specifically the cost of housing. And so weve definitely seen over the last few years the involvement of certain folks within the tech industry who have written large checks on housing-related campaigns, both locally and statewide. Weve seen the chambers of commerce and business councils getting much more active and rolling their sleeves up on policy work in a way I cant imagine them doing five, seven years ago. I see Gov. Newsoms challenge to those businesses as continuing to encourage them to go in that direction. Im pleased to see the governor making those connections and trying to get the businesses to get more involved in all of this. Q: In his exit interview with NPR last month, Gov. Brown was asked if he regretted not having done more to create affordable housing. He responded that housing prices were fueled by forces far more powerful than state government. It sounded like he was saying this problem is too big and too expensive for the state to make much of a difference. A: I think that we can do great work as a state, and we still have to have a bit of tempered expectations. There is a huge lag between when we change state law and when it manages to work its way through the system of implementation and construction and actual people finding homes. That lag is often a problem because housing markets can be cyclical, and so we can find ourselves making a bunch of changes and then hitting a recession and some of the affordability issues go away through that recession. I think we have to be honest with ourselves in terms of the impact we can have. But I will say strongly we can have an impact. Gov. Brown is nothing if not a pragmatic truth-teller, but at the same time, clearly this governor is willing to put his shoulder on the grindstone here and really push, and with that push we will see the trend line changing. A: That analysis has not been done. But I think what (Newsom) has said is 3.5 million is the goal, and we are going to try and throw quite a bit at this problem from a lot of different angles. The budget proposal he put out Thursday is a good first step, and I think it signals to mayors to builders to capital investors that California is going to be looking to really do something different over the next few years. And so that power of the pulpit will be part of the solution as well. A: I have put my hat in the ring. I have said I believe deeply in the work weve been doing, and Id be excited to have the opportunity to continue to see it forward. (Newsom) has now made a number of selections within the governors office and at cabinet level, and I expect over the next few weeks well get to a place where hes able to make appointments at the department director level, so we will see. Ben Metcalf Age: 42 Hometown: Oakland. Education: Bachelors degree from Amherst College and a masters degree in public policy and urban planning from the Harvard Kennedy School. Career: Metcalf was appointed director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development about three years ago. Before that, he worked in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and with BRIDGE Housing Corporation, a nonprofit developer based in San Francisco. He serves on numerous state housing boards and was founding chairman of Californias Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. Family: Married to Melissa Garcia. They have two children, Lelia and Teo. Five things about Ben Metcalf | https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/17/can-state-government-make-a-dent-in-californias-housing-crisis/ |
What is Cash Flow and Why is it Important for Small Business? | Think of cash flow as the blood running through the arteries of your small business. You use it to do those important things that keeps everything moving like buying stock, covering expenses and paying staff. Small Business Trends contacted several experts to get a complete overview of what cash flow is and why its so important to your enterprise. Basically, this is one of the best bellwethers for your small business. It shows the money that your small business has in the pot after paying out all the different debts and draws on your money. Cash flow gives you a good idea if youre in a position to expand. Stefanie Ricchio, a CPA/CGA, Author and Professor, further defined cash flow and some of the economic rough patches that make paying attention to it so critical. Cash Flow or what is commonly referred to as Working Capital is the heart of any business, she writes. Without it a business cannot survive. Many small business owners make the mistake of spending without consideration for the future. She also notes that cash management is even more important when you consider how tight the banks are with small business loans and other money vehicles that can be used when cash runs short. Additionally, smaller businesses run the risk of losing employees, suppliers and facing interest and penalties as a result of poor cash management, she writes adding that staying current on cash needs means balancing some of the other aspects of your business like tax payments, accounts receivable and inventory. Thats the best way to understand how much money you need in the system for each period. This must then be compared to the estimated cash receipts for the same period to determine whether or not the cash flow will be sufficient. Think of it as a balancing act of sorts. Of course, most small business owners want to know how to improve their cash flow and keep their business healthy. Theres a few good suggestions including leasing rather than buying equipment and even real estate. This is one of the best ways to make sure that youve got money for day-to-day operations because leasing allows you to pay in smaller chunks which boosts your cash flow. If your customers pay in cash you can bypass this step. Otherwise its a good idea to do credit checks on all the clients who want credit to purchase your goods and services. Every small business hankers to make that extra sale, but late payments always take a dent out of your cash flow in the end. Charlie Whyman is a Business Development Strategist and Marketing Trainer. She also says that asking for a down payment or a deposit on certain kinds of capital purchases is a good idea. That way you are not fronting the cost yourself. She also says that small businesses need to include all the necessary tax payments in their cash flows. She also suggests bookkeeping remain simple. You can easily manage your cash flow using an excel spreadsheet, you dont need fancy software to do it unless you have a lot of cash coming in and going out of the business, she writes. The more control over the numbers in your business, the better you will be set up for growth. | https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/01/what-is-cash-flow-small-business.html |
Will populists unite to blight the EU? | The director of a group set up to support populist parties in the upcoming EU elections has told DW their politics are not damaging the social fabric and that their movement is a "worldwide club." Mischael Modrikamen, who is working with Donald Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon as the director of their group, "The Movement," denied that populists were damaging society by stirring up anger and polarizing political debate. "The biggest damage has been created by the elites or the so-called elites to the ordinary guy for the last 20 or 30 years," Modrikamen told host Tim Sebastian on DW's top political interview program Conflict Zone. "We are bringing damages to the elites, to the establishment as it is today," said the Belgian lawyer and politician. Globalist project How Modrikamens group plans to turn this damage into electoral success is vague "wherever it would be permissible and possible and wherever there would be a demand, we would be helping," he says on their aims but Bannon has made clear he sees Brussels as the next battleground, calling it the "beating heart of the globalist project." "This doesn't mean that we want to bring down totally the EU. We want it at least to be reformed. If it can't be reformed it has to be indeed abandoned," Modrikamen told Tim Sebastian. "As far as it was technicalities and so on, nobody really cared. We were happy to live within this EU framework," said Modrikamen. "But the moment that they decide who should get in and get out of Europe That in Warsaw or in Budapest they should accept migrants, you know, Muslim migrants, without being checked and so on, that they don't want, then they become real imperialists. So they are shooting themselves in the foot." Recruitment drive In September, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the anti-immigrant League party, Matteo Salvini, joined The Movement as a founder member. "He showed, like Trump did, that whenever you are in power you can change things. Everybody said, 'we can't stop the migrants getting in' and so on, and Salvini said, 'we are blocking the harbors. Nobody will get in anymore.' It's action and that's why he's an icon," said Modrikamen. But The Movement has so far been unsuccessful in recruiting other high-profile figures. In August 2018, the group was rebuffed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, whose co-leader Alexander Gauland said, "We are not America," and that the interests of Europe's anti-establishment parties were "quite divergent." Steve Bannon was spurned by AfD co-leader Alexander Gauland but Modrikamen says it is a matter of time before there is an official meeting with the party Modrikamen told Conflict Zone this information was out of date and there had been many meetings between his group and the AfD since then: "It's a question of time before they will come officially to the meeting." Czech President Milos Zeman, a supporter of Donald Trump, also rejected The Movement's advances, which Modrikamen said was down to a clash of interests, not vision: "It focused immediately on a totally different issue from Europe and sovereignism and populism The meeting focused on the relation with China. And you know that Bannon and America are fighting hard Chinese imperialism, while some countries like the Czech Republic are being, or willing to be, a port of entry for China in Europe." And with Donald Trump as the putative leader of the populist movement, Sebastian confronted Modrikamen over the US president's contested public statements. "I don't think that he [Trump] is a liar. I think he's a big disruptor," said Modrikamen, though he admitted that Trump exaggerated "from time to time." He denied, however, that he himself was not interested in the truth. "I am very interested in truth, but I can tell you as a lawyer I know how things can be presented. You know there is this saying that only lawyers and painters can turn black into white. So, in politics it happens too and with the press it happens too." | https://www.dw.com/en/will-populists-unite-to-blight-the-eu/a-47125122 |
Did life on land arrive far earlier than thought? | EarthSky lunar calendars are cool! They make great gifts. Order now. Going fast! A new analysis of fossils from Earths oldest soil suggests that multicellular, land-dwelling organisms possibly emerged much earlier than thought. The study, published in the January 2019 issue of the journal Sedimentary Geology, looked at fossils previously considered to be ocean organisms. These fossils were found in sediments in South Australia that date to between 542 million to 635 million years ago during a geological period known as the Ediacaran. Greg Retallack, fossil collections director at the University of Oregons Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is the study lead author. He said in a statement: These Ediacaran organisms are one of the enduring mysteries of the fossil record. They are notoriously difficult to classify, but conventional wisdom has long held that they were marine organisms. But new research based on a geochemical and microscopic re-examination of the thin, silty-to-sandy layers of sediments where the fossils were found suggests otherwise. The sediments known as interflag sandstone laminae reveal telltale marks of ancient wind erosion, the researchers say, phenomena more closely associated with modern river banks than with oceans or seas. These thin, alternating layers, which are light in color and rich in fine grain sizes, appear similar to sheets of white paper between books bound in brown and red, Retallack noted. Such wind-drifted layers are widespread on river levees and sandbars today. The emergence of multicellular life on land dates to about 565 million years ago, although there is debate on whether Ediacaran fossils of that age originated from organisms in the sea or on land, Retallack said. If the sediments themselves were deposited on dry land, it would follow that the organisms fossilized there were land dwellers, said Retallack. The organisms that left the fossils, he said, would have been from multicellular organisms visible with the naked eye. Such life would have preceded the emergence of green plant vegetation, which is believed to have started between 470 million and 583 million years ago. While the Ediacaran organisms remain enigmatic when it comes to biological classification, the new study offers some important clues. Retallack said: The investigation points to a terrestrial habitat for some of these organisms, and combined with growing evidence from studies of fossil soils and biological soil crust features, it suggests that they may have been land creatures such as lichens. The researchers also re-examined well-known interflag sandstone laminae at four southern Indiana locations, which date to the Pennsylvanian period (roughly 323.2 to 298.9 million years ago), and a central Colorado site from the Eocene epoch (56 to 33.9 million years ago). Examination of these locations and of modern rivers showed the same sedimentary processes seen in Ediacaran rocks of South Australia and Africa. Bottom line: Multicellular land-dwelling organisms possibly emerged much earlier than thought, according to a new analysis of fossils from Earths oldest soil. Source: Interflag sandstone laminae, a novel sedimentary structure, with implications for Ediacaran paleoenvironments Via University of Oregon | https://earthsky.org/earth/life-on-land-arrive-far-earlier-than-thought |
How much is Meghans bracelet from Princess Dianas private collection worth? | Last night Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended a star studded event in London. Meghan wore a stunning Roland Mouret dress, which costs 3,500. The Duchess of Sussex is six months pregnant and showed off a big baby bump. One of her accessories attracted the attention of the press due to its provenance. Meghan Markle wants to take rescue dog home but not before baby Meghan Markle news: Prince Harrys wife wears Princess Diana bracelet with this huge sum Meghan wore a gold bangle with two large sapphires with the dress. The piece previously belonged to Princess Diana, the late mother of her husband. Deborah Papas, Gemologist Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4s Posh Pawn, told Express.co.uk: The striking flexible torque bangle has a spiral flat appearance in 18ct yellow gold with a cabochon deep blue sapphire at each end set to give a smooth finish. Twinkling diamonds can be spied next to the large blue gems. | https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/style/1073692/meghan-markle-news-latest-princess-diana-jewellery-bracelet |
What Is Plaguing The Cryptocurrency Market? | Despite current challenges in the crypto market, global interest in cryptocurrencies has continued to rise. At the last count, there were 2076 coins and tokens on the market. Coinbase has also reported that 70,000 to 100,000 new crypto trading accounts were being opened every day on their platform. This exciting rise has mainly been the result of the efforts of early proponents and builders of the blockchain technology who have strong convictions regarding their ideology. Idealists, liberalists, cypherpunks, and independent thinkers have been at the forefront of developing the technology and ensuring that people come to realize its potential. Additionally, the current cases of cryptocurrencies have continued to generate more interest in the technology. The most popular methods for making money on the crypto market such as mining, day trading, and ICO flipping, have already been exhausted. As a consequence, there are little to no new ways to pique the individuals interest in digital currencies. More importantly, people now have limited ways through which they can store and preserve their assets. In this regard, a comprehensive solution needs to be developed if the market is to grow and achieve wider acceptance. Another issue plaguing the market is risk diversification. Investors may lose interest in the market since it is easy to lose ones assets and investments. Currently, the most preferred method of diversification is having a portfolio of more than one digital currency. For instance, an individual can have both Bitcoin and Ethereum in their digital currency portfolio. However, since both currencies are interconnected, instability and volatility that have been common occurrences in the market recently and this will affect them both. Therefore, the diversification approach may not be suitable in the long term since it is now likely that both currencies (Bitcoin and Ethereum) can be affected at the same time. Investing in Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) is another approach that has been used by individuals to diversify risk and expect high returns. While there have been a number of ICO projects since 2017, now known as the Year of the ICOs, it is now estimated that 78% of them were a scam. Fraudulent ICOs have been on the rise since individuals are being promised a good return on investment. However, very few have succeeded in paying their investors money that has been promised. Therefore, while ICOs make it easy to earn money from digital currencies, current trends show that ultimately, most of them fail to deliver. Additionally, the return on investment in cryptocurrencies has been a matter of speculation rather than a deliberate strategy. This means that there is no guarantee or surety that the high returns would likely be achieved due to lack of regulation and insurance as is the case with traditional investments. On the negative side, the speculation could go a different way where decline, rather than growth, is anticipated. Growth which is tied to a deliberate strategy can guarantee a return on investment. Attempts to solve the problem of cryptocurrency volatility have been made through the creation of stablecoins. Stablecoins are designed to minimize price volatility by pegging their value on fiat currencies and exchange-traded commodities. However, the solution works only on the currency plane. As a result, other benefits such as having access to financial instruments and banking services cannot be enjoyed. Thousands of businesses across the world are accepting crypto payments for their services. There is absolutely nothing that you cannot buy with good old Bitcoin these days. All of the above-mentioned challenges along with high transaction fees, poor security, and non-availability of fiat gateways to on-ramp new customers hamper seamless trading in cryptocurrencies. The challenges of the crypto market may have inadvertently started a vicious circle. The problems will turn potential traders away along with their money (that could have brought liquidity). Unless a radical approach is developed, the problems will not only persist but will eventually worsen. This will clearly jeopardize crypto adoption in the long run. In a refreshing development, the Blockchain Exchange Alliance (BXA) has partnered with ONEROOT to develop a technology to create a network of decentralized exchanges (DEX) that share a single, large liquidity pool and order books within the BXA ecosystem. To begin with, Bithumb, Koreas largest, and the worlds preeminent, decentralized exchange is the controlling shareholder of the BXA and a member of its ecosystem. This includes its massive liquidity pool. BXA has acquired licenses in multiple jurisdictions around the world, including the United States, Australia, Peru, New Zealand, and Canada, to open DEX. We arent fighting fiat. We realize that the crypto movement has a lot to gain if it partners strategically with the fiat-powered system. And that is why we are creating multiple fiat-to-crypto exchanges with many currencies as the backbone of a global payment network, says Dr. Byung Gun Kim, global co-CEO of BXA. BXA is not just solving the biggest problem of crypto trading platforms globally but is also creating an integrated digital asset financial institution. We are creating technology that seeks to blur the lines between fiat and crypto, says Tony Sun, Chairman of the ONEROOT Foundation and BXA global co-CEO. ONEROOT is the blockchain technology service provider. BXA is the largest institutional shareholder of ONEROOT. Parting thoughts While cryptocurrency exchanges have sprung up left, right and center with no regard to the challenges already facing the larger players, it is time for a fundamental shift in thinking. Getting on the crypto bandwagon is one thing. But doing precious little to ease trading is another. It is time for exchanges to pool their resources and create a seamless entity that provides massive liquidity, cuts down on arbitrary pricing and provides top-notch security measures to protect traders assets. Only then can we expect more traders to enter the crypto scene thereby creating a substantial capital influx into the markets. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/geraldfenech/2019/01/17/what-is-plaguing-the-cryptocurrency-market/ |
Will The STB Resist The Urge To Re-Regulate The Railroads? | While the media likes to focus on the turmoil amidst the shutdown, work still gets done between Congress and the Executive Branch. One of the last acts in the Senate before the 115th Congress adjourned was to confirm two commissioners to the Surface Transportation Board (STB). The commission now has 3 of 5 members. Joining Chair Ann D. Begeman (R) are Patrick Fuchs (R), former senior counsel for the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees the agency and Martin Oberman (D), former Chicago rail system chairman and city alderman. Two slots remain, which could include recently renominated Republican Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority attorney Michelle Schultz, and Democrat Deb Miller, a Commissioner from 2014-2019 until her term fully expired. The STB is a little-known regulatory agency overseeing a rail shipping industry that drives $219.5billion annually to the US economy. It is charged with resolving railroad service disputes, reviewing railroad mergers, and regulating certain transportation rates. Like many regulatory agencies that were established without an exit strategy or sunset clause, the STB is grappling with how to be relevant in the information age when technology has made its purpose all but obsolete. Not having the agency at full strength has tabled the forced switching regulatory proposal, blunt force regulation that enables the federal government to control how third parties use privately owned freight networks, potentially rewarding politically favored shippers which otherwise would have to engage in bona fide negotiation for shipping rates. Similar to how the largest internet platform companies have used net neutrality to win free and reduced transit costs at the expense of consumers, Americas largest rail shippers have banded together to see whether they can squeeze price reductions and traffic controls from the railroads. As Lawrence J. Spiwak, president of the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Public Policy Studies, explains, it is merely backdoor rate regulation intended to evade existing statute regarding direct rate regulation. While the consumer benefits of deregulation of surface transportation have been repeatedly documented--todays shipping rates are about half of what they were 40 years ago when adjusted for inflation--regulators frequently seek to expand, not contract, by bringing new functions under their jurisdiction. The question now is whether the STB follows the path demanded by the voters in electing a President who promised to break the choke hold of regulation on the economy, or whether it finds a new constituency that can breathe life into an agency that should be decommissioned altogether. The STB is grounded a 19th century mindset in which the rail network performed a single service, and the authority regulated railroads, networks with the same technology. Today, however, railroad companies compete on a range of technologies, ship a plethora of products, and plow tens of billions annually into infrastructure to improve safety, sustainability, and service. Technologies such as positive train control will prevent accidents with sensing that automatically stops trains and precision railroading which offers greater efficiency through just-in-time and intelligent scheduling. While coal was once the primary commodity shipped by rail, carrying strict rate oversight due to its connection to electricity prices, the industry has remade itself in recent years, offsetting heavy losses at the hands of dwindling coal electrification with the movement of "intermodal" truck containers at the heart of the American ecommerce boom. Moreover, the market for shipping is global, forcing Americas railroads to compete not only with planes, drones, and ships, but international transport logistics providers which build bespoke transport solutions that select individual transport elements and repackage them as end to end service solutions. As such, the STB is regulating a single part of a growing global industry that tops $1 trillion as if it is 1999, not 2019. Nevertheless the 3-person STB will have to stake out a position on forced switching. At a recent industry event, former chief counsel for the agency and economist Raymond Atkins observed that rail rate regulation is increasingly untenable, particularly as the airlines and trucking have been deregulated for decades. The US re-regulating the railroads is not only out of step with changing technology, but other countries which no longer use price regulation for railroads. Congress needs to finish the job in started. The STB was established in 1996 as a modernization of the Interstate Commerce Commission from 1887. The STB's agenda should be about winding down the agency, not inventing a new purpose for its existence. As long as the STB is around, regulatory opportunists will use it to win favors rather than compete on the market. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/roslynlayton/2019/01/17/will-the-stb-resist-the-urge-to-re-regulate-the-railroads/ |
Is James Franco Getting Engaged to Girlfriend Isabel Pakzad? | Things are starting to heat up for James Franco and Isabel Pakzad. They are serious, a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly, noting theyve also spoken about getting engaged. This comes as no surprise, however, as a source previously told Us the actor, 40, and model, 26, are more in love than ever. Theyre going strong, the close pal said. They really enjoy hanging out with each other. And their friends see it too. Theyre very lovey-dovey, the pal added. They just act like a regular new couple with lots of PDA. Watch the video above for more on Franco and Pakzads engagement plans. And for even more on their relationship, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now! Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter to get breaking celebrity news, hot pics and more delivered straight to your inbox! Download the Us Weekly iPhone app now! | https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/james-franco-has-talked-engagement-with-isabel-pakzad/ |
Where does the expression 'deep state' come from? | Turkey and the deep state Boris Johnson said that if Brexit was blocked, the public would blame it on the deep state. The expression comes from the Turkish Derin Devlet coined to express the conspiracy of military, police, intelligence bodies and even organised criminals which many Turks believed were operating against their democratically elected government. It made its way into the English language in the 1990s when Kurdish separatists were threatening to declare independence. While there is little doubt that police and the military were involved in the underhand suppression of Kurdish insurgents, their efforts did not support the existence of a well-organised secret government. Rather the various agencies involved seemed to follow their own conflicting agendas a bit like the efforts to block, and indeed to enact, Brexit. All I need is the air that I breathe The government launched its new Clean Air Strategy. She has already overtaken 17 former prime ministers, including Anthony Eden and Sir Alec Douglas Home. If she lasts until 22 February she will overtake Spencer Perceval, who was assassinated in the House of Commons in May 1812. After that, her next target will be to overtake Gordon Brown, for which she will have to survive in office until 1 June. He will be 32 at the time of Wimbledon in July. In the era of open tennis, only four players have won a grand slam after their 32nd birthday. They were: Rafael Nadal (one title so far; still playing) Andreas Gimeno (won his only title, the 1972 French Open, aged 34) Roger Federer (three titles since he turned 32, but is still playing) Ken Rosewall (six titles while aged 32 or above) | https://www.spectator.co.uk/2019/01/where-does-the-expression-deep-state-come-from/ |
What Anti-Boycott-Israel Act? | After nearly 10 years working as a speech pathologist for the Pflugerville school district, Bahia Amawi was terminated for refusing to sign a new addendum to her annual contract renewal: She was asked to affirm that by signing she agreed to not boycott Israel during the contracts term. On its face, this is an odd squashing of ones First Amendment rights, felt more acutely by Amawi, a Palestinian-American with relatives living in the occupied West Bank. The anti-boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel oath was, according to Snopes, included in Amawis contract papers due to an Israel-specific state law enacted on May 2, 2017, by the Texas State Legislature and signed into law two days later by GOP Gov. Greg Abbott. The bill unanimously passed the lower House by a vote of 131-0 and then the Senate by a vote of 25-4. Palestinianlegal.org has a thorough background on and a reckoning of the constitutionality of the anti-BDS laws. Most pointedly, 26 states have some form of provision attempting to compel government contractors and others to swear off boycotting Israel. The list of states covers solid Republican territory such as Arkansas and Alabama, while gleeful potheads might be surprised to find Colorado and California among the Israel lovers. There is an ongoing bipartisan attempt from Washington to pass an Israel Anti-Boycott Act. As the government languishes in shutdown mode, federal workers are furloughed or working without pay. Meanwhile, senators far from busting their collective hump to reopen the country are focused on S.B.1. This is a Marco Rubio-sponsored effort to take pro-Israel protections national. While this is sure to delight the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the average person might prefer TSA agents receive a paycheck next Friday. Its there on every contract signed with any state government entity, with Abbott claiming, Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies. This is a non-sequitur but more importantly a flagrant thumbed nose to the First Amendment. Recently, the ACLU filed suit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, among others, citing the evident unconstitutionality of the law, This case is not about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the lawsuit states. This case is only about whether a government entity can dictate the political viewpoint of the contractors, including sole proprietors, with whom it does business. What is clear is that Texas, often first in the nation in self-embarrassment, is not alone in the bizarre pursuit of its citizens First Amendment rights in the name of appeasing a foreign nation with an appalling human rights record. At the time of this writing, the Fort Worth Weekly awaits Texas response to our Freedom of Information request. Our questions attempt to shed light on the states motivations for the pro-Israel legislation. | https://www.fwweekly.com/2019/01/16/what-anti-boycott-israel-act/ |
Is the LG Viewty a real iPhone rival? | The LG Viewty is very iPhone-esque, right down to the large touchscreen LCD We've just reviewed the LG Viewty - one of a very small number of phones that have been touted as realistic competitors to the Apple iPhone. The iPhone's distinctive looks are a major attention-grabber, but the Viewty is no shrinking violet itself. In fact, to quote our review, it's "one of the best-looking phones we've seen". Its 5-megapixel camera is one area where it comprehensively trumps the iPhone. Turn it on its side and it bears a remarkable resemblance to a compact camera, and has some excellent software to boot. The iPhone's undoubted trump card is its touchscreen, and the multi-touch functionality that goes with it. The Viewty's 3-inch LCD touchscreen isn't as advanced as Apple's technology, but it's not half bad. The big screen also makes the Viewty well suited to web browsing. That's probably a matter of personal opinion. The interface and the touchscreen lag behind Apple's smartphone, but the iPhone lacks 3G connectivity and only has a 2MP camera. Read the reviews of the LG KU990 Viewty and the Apple iPhone and decide for yourself. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-the-lg-viewty-a-real-iphone-rival-154675 |
Is Blue Apron Stock in the Beginning Stages of a Huge Turnaround? | For a long time, essentially everyone on Wall Street wrote off Blue Apron (NASDAQ: APRN ) stock as a dead duck with zero chance of turning around. APRN stock went public at $10 per share in June 2017. That was about as high as it ever got. Over the next 18 months, it turned into what one of the worst IPOs ever. By Christmas 2018, this was a 65-cent stock. Then the turnaround started. Macroeconomic sentiment improved. That helped things. But Blue Apron also announced a big meal-kit partnership with Weight Watchers (NYSE: WTW ), which management said would stabilize the customer base without the company having to spend big on marketing. Then, the company updated investors on fourth-quarter trends and that was a positive read. Management said that a new fulfillment center continues to drive operational efficiencies, while the Weight Watchers deal has seen higher-than-expected demand. It also reiterated that the company would be adjusted EBITDA profitable in Q1 and fiscal 2019. All those positive developments have created a surge in APRN stock. After bottoming at 65 cents before Christmas, APRN stock has nearly tripled in less than a month. Shares currently trade hands at around $1.50. I dont think so. There are reasons to be optimistic, and the recent near tripling in APRN stock does feel somewhat justified. But the long term fundamentals remain uncertain, and the pathway to sustainable profitability remains bleak. So, while APRN stock could be in the early stages of a huge turnaround, the odds of this stock getting back to $10 are very, very low. Reason for Optimism, but Still Too Many Question Marks There are certainly reasons to be optimistic about the current turnaround in APRN stock. At its core, the decline in APRN stock over the past 18 months has been driven by three headwinds: customer churn, big expenses and lack of a sustainable moat. To some extent, the recent partnership with Weight Watchers addresses all three of those headwinds. On the customer churn front, a partnership with Weight Watchers taps into the huge WW customer base and, thereby, gives Blue Apron a pipeline to stabilize customers. Meanwhile, that customer stabilization will come without additional marketing since its through the Weight Watchers pipeline, so the customer base has the potential to stabilize without operating expenses going up. Also, this partnership gives Blue Apron some semblance of a moat, as it establishes the company as a diet meal kit maker, which is a unique and differentiated value prop in the largely uniform meal kit space. Thus, management coming forth and saying that the Weight Watchers deal is progressing with high demand, and concurrently doubling down on profitability projections for 2019, is pretty important. The implication is that this company could be gradually turning into a small, profitable shell of its former self. But theres sill too many question marks to say that this transformation is actually what is happening. Top-line trends at Blue Apron hardly signal a turnaround in sight. Revenue declines have only deteriorated year-to-date from down 20% in Q1, to down 25% in Q2, to down 28% in Q3. Same is true for customer churn trends. As the company has stopped spending an arm and a leg on marketing, the customer base has consistently dropped by 20% or more each quarter this year. Plus, competition is only getting stiffer and, if the WW partnership doesnt pan out, the company could continue to lose customers at a rapid pace. Overall, while theres reason for optimism regarding APRN stock, theres also reason to question the legitimacy of recent strength in the stock. Until those questions have tangible answers, its probably best to avoid APRN stock. Profitability Lacks Visibility The biggest problem with APRN stock is that the companys pathway to profitability lacks visibility. Gross margins have been steadily improving all year long. Still, they are largely below 35%. Best case scenario, the company continues to drive operational efficiencies through the Linden fulfillment center, and gross margins rise to 40%. That still isnt high enough to drive profitability. Year to date, the companys opex rate is above 50%. Although the company is cutting back on marketing expenses, that is adversely impacting customer growth and revenues are dropping too. Thus, there hasnt been any room for opex leverage, nor will there be so long as the customer base continues to retreat. In order for Blue Apron to reach true profitability, a lot of things have to happen. First, the customer base has to stabilize and/or grow. Second, that has to lead to revenue stabilization and/or growth. Third, gross margins have to move towards 40% or higher. Fourth, the company has to keep gutting its marketing expenses, potentially to levels that arent even possible given current revenues. In other words, Blue Apron is still a lot of speculative twists and turns away from being truly profitable. Until that pathway attains visibility, APRN stock will likely remain depressed. Bottom Line on APRN Stock Recent strength in APRN stock is impressive and should not be ignored. Blue Aprons fundamentals are improving, and those improvements do breathe life into what was a dying company. But Blue Apron still has significant operational risks which threaten the long-term sustainability of the company, while the pathway to profitability remains unclear. All together, that means APRN stock wont head back towards $10 any time soon. As of this writing, Luke Lango was long WTW. | https://investorplace.com/2019/01/blue-apron-stock-huge-turnaround/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29 |
Should Delta Air Lines Stock Investors Expect Takeoff Or Turbulence? | This weeks earnings release by Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL ) was not much of a surprise. The company had issued an earnings warning on Jan. 3 cutting its unit revenue estimates down to about 3% from the prior estimate of 3.5%. There was a silver lining along with that warning: earnings would likely come in at the high end of October guidance. Still, DAL stock got hit hard when the results finally came. There was also a sell-off in Deltas airline peers, including in American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL ) and United Continental Holdings (NASDAQ: UAL ). Well, overall revenues rose by 5% to $10.74 billion and earnings were $1.02 billion, or $1.49 per share. When adjusting for one-time factors, the earnings came to $1.30 per share. As for the Street consensus, it was for $10.72 billion on the top line and $1.28 per share for profits. And unit revenue increased by about 3.2%. So, yes, on the news there was little impact on DAL stock. Yet, since mid-November, the shares have lost 15% of their value versus a 4.4% decline in the S&P 500 index. Delta Faces a Bumpy Ride Now going forward, there are likely to be more problems for DAL stock as the company is facing several headwinds. Note that the forecast for the current quarter is for earnings to range from 70 cents to 90 cents a share. Yet Wall Street had estimates for 74 cents a share. Oh, and Delta also announced that unit revenue would be flat to 2%. Part of this is due to a slowdown in the global economy, which is putting pressure on demand for travel. A stronger U.S. dollar isnt helping much, either. But curiously, the steep drop in oil prices may be another factor. Airlines may get too aggressive in lowering prices. Lets face it, the business is notorious for being hyper competitive and susceptible to price wars. Although, perhaps the biggest wild card for DAL stock is the partial shutdown of the federal government. On the earnings call, the companys CEO, Ed Bastian, said that this could cost the airline roughly $25 million per month. The shutdown will also mean a delay in the rollout of Deltas new Airbus A220 aircraft, since the FAA officials have been furloughed. Being a good corporate citizen, the CEO also noted that Delta is working closely with TSA on steps to minimize travel delays, including mobilizing Delta employees to perform non-essential aspects of the security process. We strongly encourage our elected officials to do their very best to resolve their differences and get our government fully opened as quickly as possible, he said. Bottom Line on DAL Stock Its true that DAL stock is fairly cheap right now. The forward price-to-earnings multiple is at a mere 7x. Whats more, the company has a decent dividend yield, at about 2.9%, and there continues to be strong cash flow. Last year, that came to about $6.9 billion. Wall Street is also upbeat on Delta Airlines stock, with the average price target at $67. This assumes about 37% potential upside from current levels. No doubt, this is all encouraging. But I still think there should be caution with DAL stock. Again, its far from clear how the shutdown will turn out and there may be more competitive pressures across the airline industry. In other words, DAL stock could stay cheap, at least for the near term. Tom Taulli is the author of High-Profit IPO Strategies, All About Commodities and All About Short Selling. Follow him on Twitter at @ttaulli. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. | https://investorplace.com/2019/01/should-delta-air-lines-stock-investors-expect-takeoff-or-turbulence/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29 |
Can Anything Stop Lululemon From Ruling the World? | Nothing much looks like it can stop Lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU ) now. In fact, business is going so well for the Vancouver-based athleisure brand that it upped its top- and bottom-line guidance January 14, prompting several analysts to raise their target price for LULU stock. Thats excellent news if youre a shareholder. Nike (NYSE: NKE ) recently introduced its line of yoga wear in an attempt to capture some of Lululemons action. ), its also providing free yoga workout regimens anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes through the companys Nike+ Training Club app. These new workouts are really powerful because they offer the chance to practice no matter what your goal is or where you are on your yoga journey, Nike Master Trainer and yogi Leah Kim said about the workouts. With the varying workout focus areas, lengths and poses, there is something for everyone from the beginner yogi looking to improve their practice to those who are more advanced. Ive covered LULU stock for a long time. The one constant from detractors has always been that Nike and Under Armour (NYSE: UAA ) would someday awaken to the fact that Lululemon is for real and put some effort into stealing some of its thunder. Not by a longshot. Yes, Nike is a much bigger company than Lululemon. In the last 12 months, Nike had $38 billion in revenue on a global basis, almost 13 times Lululemons. But Nike is very late to the yoga party. It cant even hold a candle to Athleta, Gaps (NYSE: GPS ) yoga-inspired brand, and that says all you need to know about the level of concern LULU CEO Calvin McDonald has for his much bigger rival. The reality is that Nike should have acted 2-3 years ago if it genuinely wanted to own this segment of the athleisure-apparel industry. Id say pretty darn big. Lululemon Has Barely Scratched the Surface If you follow Lululemon stock, you might be aware of the companys goal to hit $4 billion in revenue by the end of 2020. Given the companys latest guidance revision, Id say theres a good chance for the company to hit the self-imposed target before the end of next year. Two things stand out from its latest guidance. First, it was expecting Q4 2018 same-store sales to hit low double-digit growth in the best-case scenario, with overall revenue of $1.13 billion at the top end of its previous forecast. Now, it expects Q4 2018 same-store sales growth to possibly hit high double-digits with revenues as high as $1.15 billion. Thats $200 million in additional revenue. And remember, there are still two weeks left in the fiscal year and quarter. Its possible consumers could do more damage to their credit cards between now and then. Unlikely, but you never know. On the bottom line, which is what truly drives share prices, the company expects earnings per share of $1.72-$1.74, eight cents higher than the low-end of its previous guidance and seven cents higher on the top end. Cowen analyst John Kernan recently met with LULU CFO Patrick Guido and came away so impressed that he raised his price target by $3 to $188, providing 32% upside over the next 12 months. Considering the volatility of the markets over the final three months of 2018, it says a lot about Lululemons current competitiveness. In fact, business has been so strong that the company could raise its 2020 targets when it announces fourth-quarter earnings in March. More likely, it will come up with a new five-year target Id expect at least $6 billion and get to work to meet and exceed the new number. The Bottom Line on LULU Stock As McDonald said in the companys press release revising guidance, Lululemon had a very strong year. I expect it to have another strong year in 2019 and again in 2020. Investors continue to underestimate the companys desire to compete. Its important to remember that it continued to execute at a high level in 2018 despite the fact it didnt have a CEO for more than five months. That speaks to the dedication of the companys employees in the stores and at head office. The only thing that can stop Lululemon from ruling the world is a recession, and thats not likely until 2020. As apparel brands go, LULU is the one to own for the long haul. As of this writing Will Ashworth did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. | https://investorplace.com/2019/01/can-anything-stop-lululemon-from-ruling-the-world/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29 |
Does Alastair Cook still say ahm every other word now that hes a professional broadcaster? | Alastair Cook on Sky Sports We sat and watched a 30-second Alastair Cook interview so that you didnt have to. The most damning indictment of Britain as a country is that some people used to think Alastair Cook was well-spoken even though he is actually The. Worst. Public. Speaker. Ever. Throughout his captaincy, Cooks post-match interviews were 50 per cent English and 50 per cent a weird hybrid of um and ah of his own devising. Cook is a broadcaster now. An actual broadcaster. A man paid to talk. Hes doing some stuff for the BBC and it looks like hell be appearing on Sky too. As a rule of thumb, pretty much everyone who has ever played international cricket has something interesting to say about the sport. Were hoping that Cooks no exception and that all that relentless ahm-ing was just a symptom of him having to answer questions while simultaneously scrutinising them for potential traps. Today we got an early sighter of Cook in action in his new career in the form of a 30-second clip on Sky Sports in which he says that its hard to win away from home and not much else. We counted the ahms. There were four which is actually not that bad because, to be fair, we all have our, you know, verbal crutches that we, like, use to buy ourselves a smidgen of thinking time. The four break down as three in the first six seconds which is very bad and one at the very end. The middle bit was not very much at all like Alastair Cook talking and therefore sort of promising. | https://www.kingcricket.co.uk/does-alastair-cook-still-say-ahm-every-other-word-now-that-hes-a-professional-broadcaster/2019/01/17/ |
What will rise from Shakespeare theaters ashes? | A dog sniffs through the burned wreckage during the ongoing fire investigation at the Shakespeare Theater site in Stratford, Conn. on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. The theater was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning. less A dog sniffs through the burned wreckage during the ongoing fire investigation at the Shakespeare Theater site in Stratford, Conn. on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. The theater was destroyed by fire early Sunday ... more Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Brian A. 1 / 74 Back to Gallery STRATFORD The story of the Shakespeare theater could have inspired the Bard himself. From its grandiose beginnings and heyday as a destination for top acting and entertainment to its decades-long decline and spectacular annihilation, the theaters rise and fall mirrored the arc of so many tragic heroes whose tales once graced its stage. As investigators sift through the scorched rubble where the iconic building stood to find out exactly how it burned to the ground, residents and officials will begin deciding just what to do with the 14-acre waterfront property. The community needs to come together and we need to talk about all the options that wed like to see on the property, Mayor Laura Hoydick said. Its not about my vision, its about our vision. Restrictions put in place when the town acquired the property from the state in 2005 mandate that 20 percent of the site be preserved as open space and the entire property shall remain accessible to the general public for their enjoyment in perpetuity. So its not going to be sold to a condo developer, a fear expressed by some speakers during the public forum before a Town Council meeting Monday. The deed also says the town shall make reasonable efforts to utilize the premises for public entertainment purposes, including, but not limited to, continuing its historic use for theater purposes. Possible scenarios With the theater building now gone, that language could cover a number of possibilities perhaps something like the most recent development proposal, scuttled in 2016, that envisioned a hotel to generate revenue to support the theater. Or, with the massive theater now gone, an idea for a smaller amphitheater or experimental theater space might emerge. Or, if reasonable efforts to revive a theater arent feasible and they havent been for decades some other form of public recreation or entertainment might be. As the cash-strapped town decides what to do next, affordability will play a key role in the decision-making, Town Council Chairman Jim Connor said. It comes down to money, money, money and money, he said. If we were New Canaan or Westport, it might be a different ballgame. But were not. A gofundme page created by the Mighty Quinn Foundation, which oversees the Shakespeare Academy at Stratford that uses the grounds annually for performances, is seeking $25,000 to chip in toward rebuilding a theater. The mayor said an insurance policy on the building, officially assessed at $1.8 million, should also help. She said federal and state politicians, business owners, and philanthropists have also reached out. State Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, said the towns legislative delegation is hoping to garner support in Hartford for $5 million in state bond money for the property. Read Full Article | https://m.ctpost.com/local/article/What-will-rise-from-Shakespeare-theater-s-ashes-13539528.php |
Did Jose Mourinho get himself deliberately sacked by Manchester United FC? | The video will start in 8 Cancel Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Jose Mourinho deliberately got himself sacked as manager of Manchester United. That's the verdict of club legend Paul Scholes. The Portuguese coach was dismissed as first-team manager of United last month after an indifferent start to the 2018-19 season. Scholes was critical of Mourinho during his tenure at Old Trafford, and speaking nearly a month on from the managers exit, the former England international suggested Mourinho was keen to find an exit route report the MEN. I felt he (Mourinho) didnt want to be there, Scholes said to Norwegian TV station TV2. He engineered his move away perfectly in the end. His press conferences were embarrassing, so negative, it was obvious in the end the players didnt want to play for him. The right thing happened in the end. I was just being honest about the questions put to me and what I was seeing from the manager. He started complaining very early on in pre-season, saying the kids werent good enough, which I didnt like from the start. Scholes even managed to pinpoint the incident which first led him to believe Mourinho was looking for a way out of United, suggesting his fractured relationship with club captain Antonio Valencia proved something wasnt right. The United legend added: He fell out with Antonio Valencia who is the nicest man in the world. Its impossible to fall out with Antonio Valencia. That was a big sign for me that something wasnt quite right. | https://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jose-mourinho-himself-deliberately-sacked-15693565 |
How Can Marriage Be Good for Mental Health? | Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution? Funny as this old joke is, research keeps confirming that we should want to live in this particular institution. Marriage, it seems, Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution? Funny as this old joke is, research keeps confirming that we should want to live in this particular institution. Marriage, it seems, is one of t leading indicators of a happy and healthy life. There is a considerable body of evidence that having meaningful, close social relationships throughout adulthood, including through later life, is related to better physical health, including lower risk for cardiovascular disease and for overall mortality, says Dr. Susan W. Lehmann, clinical director of the division of geriatric psychiatry and neuropsychiatry and director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Day Hospital at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. A new University of CaliforniaBerkeley study adds more evidence that marriage is good for mental health. Researchers followed 87 married couples in their 40s or 60s who had been married at least 15 years. The couples came to a lab every three to five years for 13 years. They were videotaped while engaged in three conversations, each about 15 minutes long: First, discuss what had been going on in their lives for the past few years. Second, talk about an area of conflict in their marriage. Third, talk about something they enjoyed doing together. The couples were measured for physiological responses like heart rate and respiration. Later, trained coders analyzed the tapes for emotional responses such as anger, sadness and humor. These give us a pretty good snapshot of the nature of their relationship, says study senior author Robert Levenson, a UC Berkeley psychology professor. [Read: Is Conflict With Your Spouse Undermining Your Health?] The results show that, over the years, the sometimes testy and contentious interactions that appeared in the early conversations tended to mellow. The findings, published in the journal Emotion, demonstrate an increase in such positive behaviors as humor and affection and a decrease in negative behaviors such as defensiveness and criticism. Our findings shed light on one of the great paradoxes of late life, Levenson said in a release accompanying the study. Despite experiencing the loss of friends and family, older people in stable marriages are relatively happy and experience low rates of depression and anxiety. Marriage has been good for their mental health. Getting Long-Term Martial Satisfaction It has long been thought that emotions flatten or deteriorate in old age. The most common idea was that marriages burn out over time, Levenson says. People become emotionally sad, disengaged and live out their years in a less emotional way. That was the dominant idea. What we found was kind of surprising given that cultural wisdom about marriage. Actually, subjects became more emotionally positive and less negative over time. They did not burn out. [See: 7 Ways to Build Resilience for Crises and Everyday Life Challenges.] In general, there is a relationship between the quality of communication between spouses and marital satisfaction at all ages, Lehman says. Other studies have shown that when couples are not satisfied with their marriage, they are more likely to report and exhibit negative feelings, and this is true of both younger and older couples. At all ages, mutual respectful communication between partners is key in attaining marital satisfaction, as is being able to overlook small areas of conflict and to focus on increasing positive behaviors towards each other. This has beneficial effects in promoting a caring and sustaining relationship. Levenson points out that his research results are simply statistical and that variations exist within individual couples. He also adds the caveat that all the couples in the study were in established, long-term marriages. They had gotten over the speed bumps that cause marriages to break up in the early years, he says, such as the birth of a first child or financial struggles when young. That may be what were getting at here, he says. If you can get through that and hang in there, there comes a time when relationships, even if they are not the greatest, do develop increasing positivity. More Positive Bickering for Couples Levenson is reminded of a deli he went to as a kid on Long Island. This old married couple ran the deli, and it was like going to a Broadway show, he says with a laugh. Youd see them arguing all the time while eating your lunch. I think thats what happens the bickering has a familiarity and appreciation that grows over time. Its bickering in a more positive way. Other studies seem to confirm this idea. Lehman says a study from 2007 of middle-aged and older married couples found that, in satisfied marriages, spouses tend to see each others behavior in a more positive light. Other research has found that older couples report lower levels of disagreement about money, religion and children than younger couples. Older adults tend to experience fewer conflicts with close partners, and also tend to consider these conflicts in a less negative light than younger adults, she says. [See: What Only Your Partner Knows About Your Health.] Part of this comes from the act of aging itself. As people get older, they prioritize and maximize positive emotions and minimize negative emotions, Lehman says. With age, people tend to have better emotional regulation and tend to respond to conflicts by letting a difficult situation pass. Older adults are also better than younger adults in diffusing difficult interpersonal conflicts. These aspects of improved emotional regulation with age may underscore why individuals in long-term marriages have been reported to have higher levels of marital satisfaction, she says. All of which points to the conclusion that, yes, marriage really is a wonderful institution. originally appeared on usnews.com | https://wtop.com/news/2019/01/how-can-marriage-be-good-for-mental-health/ |
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