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Can Solid Consumables Drive Illumina's (ILMN) Q4 Earnings?
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Illumina, Inc. ILMN is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results, after the market closes on Jan 29. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 21.6%, the average trailing four-quarter beat being 27.3%. Let's see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Key Catalysts Over the last few quarters, Illuminas product revenues have been gaining traction from rising demand for sequencing consumables and instruments plus the microarray range. In the last reported quarter, the company saw strong consumables growth across its sequencing portfolio with an uptick in all throughput categories. Despite the ongoing customers transition from HiSeq consumables to NovaSeq, the company is expected to gain from this high throughput family in the fourth quarter as well. Illumina, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Illumina, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Illumina, Inc. Quote Within consumables, the NovaSeq platform witnesses steady growth on the back of a strong S4 flow cell,representing the largest revenue contributor across the entire high throughput family of flow cells. Management is bullish about experiencing impressive demand across the NovaSeq portfolio that also includes the S2 and S1 flow cells. From the mid throughput consumables, NextSeq is expected to perform well with many customers adopting the system as their primary workhorse for NIPT (Non Invasive Prenatal Test) and oncology applications. The low throughput family is also projected to show an improved performance with pull-through for both MiSeq and MiniSeq within the respective ranges. Within Sequencing Systems, the last reported quarter witnessed highest revenue contribution from NovaSeq with stable ASP trends. The company believes that the NovaSeq upgrade cycle will span multiple years. Management is accordingly continuing to target 330-350 NovaSeq shipments for the full year. This should get reflected in the fourth quarter itself. Evidently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Product revenues is pegged at $715 million, depicting an increase of 15.1% from the year-ago quarter. Total Services and other revenues, which include genotyping and sequencing services, instrument maintenance contracts and revenues from oncology agreements, have been improving. This upside is driven by sturdy genotyping services, courtesy of sequencing instrument maintenance contracts and solid consumer demand. In this area, the company envisions consistent development, banking on multiple progresses that should enable genomics to carry on with the advancement from research to the clinic and over time, the standard-of-care. In this regard, the company joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center during the second half of 2018 to identify genomic biomarkers, which predict response to immunotherapy using whole exome and whole genome sequencing. Additionally, Illumina collaborated with BMS on tumor mutational burden. Moreover, the company is thriving on NIPT adoption, backed by a constant uptake of VeriSeq NIPT Solution, which includes CE-IVD marked library prep and analysis software. Countries like the Netherlands and Denmark have already started covering this test followed by England and France. The company continues to see positive reimbursement trends in Europe as well. While the Netherlands program is in preliminary stages of its ramp, it is expected to more than double VeriSeq sales in 2018. The worldwide upbeat reimbursement trend is anticipated to boost Illuminas fourth-quarter top line as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Service and other revenues stands at $148 million, representing a rise of 24.4% from the year-earlier quarter. Overall, fourth-quarter total revenues are projected to be $863.1 million, indicating 10.9% growth from the prior-year period. What Our Model Suggests
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https://news.yahoo.com/solid-consumables-drive-illuminas-ilmn-150303698.html
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Why are so many of Stockholm's escalators broken?
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The escalator at Stockholm City was full of people when it started going backwards. Fortunately no-one was seriously hurt, but SL, the company in charge of public transport in the capital, closed all the escalators at Stockholm City and Stockholm Odenplan while an investigation was carried out. The stations were shut entirely for several weeks after the incident, and the escalators have only been repaired gradually. Over the autumn, some escalators have already been turned back on after being fitted with new parts and these have been tested daily, but several remain closed off. Now the investigation, carried out by inspection company Dekra, has concluded that the construction of the escalators wasn't sufficiently robust to cope with heavy use. All of the affected escalators are now set to be repaired by the manufacturer, Otis. This will include installing an endurance brake in 65 places, and fixing the connection between the gearbox and motor on 25 escalators. The work should be finished in May. SL has apologized to customers for the delay in having all its escalators up and running again. "What has taken most time is the manufacturing of the new parts, which then need to be checked, installed, inspected and the escalator must carry out test runs before it can be reopened," Caroline Ottosson, head of traffic management, said in a statement.
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https://www.thelocal.se/20190124/why-are-so-many-of-stockholms-escalators-broken
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What kind of band plays a gig at 8am?
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By 8am, the queue outside the 100 Club snakes alongside the shuttered shop-fronts on Londons Oxford Street and around the corner to nearby Berners Street. Every few minutes, an intrigued passer-by will approach an individual in the line and ask whats going on. Savages are playing comes the response, one invariably met with a smile and a nod and a look of benign bewilderment. This isnt, it should be noted, a standard Savages gig. Next month, the in-demand London four-piece will kick off a world tour incorporating stops at Londons 3,000 capacity Roundhouse, New Yorks Irving Plaza and San Franciscos legendary Fillmore theatre before hitting the festival circuit with appearances at Coachella, Primavera, Roskilde and Mexico Citys Vive Latino weekender, alongside the likes of The Prodigy and Baroness. This morning, they will be playing to just 350 fans, each of whom has purchased a copy of their new Adore Life album from Soho institution Sister Ray Records in order to gain admittance to this special, sold-out, one-off breakfast performance. The question of how the quartets music intense, confrontational, perpetually challenging will translate to a morning assembly is an intriguing one. But if theres something delightfully incongruous about the sight of a smiling Jehnny Beth strolling onto the low stage of this storied subterranean sweatbox nursing a mug of coffee and greeting the expectant audience with a chirpy Morning everyone!, the 45 minutes which follows is emphatic proof that Savages fierce, unflinching art loses none of its impact or authority when removed from its natural nocturnal habitat. Wikipedias description of Savages as a post-punk revival rock band is harshly reductive. While both 2013s Silence Yourself and the newly released Adore Life unquestionably owe a debt to the likes of Joy Division, PiL, Killing Joke, the Birthday Party and Siouxsie and the Banshees, in a live setting the quartets songs are too electric, too raw, too imbued with fury and lust and heart and yearning to be dismissed as mere pastiche. This is music as a weapon, as a reclamation of that which truly matters, as an unstoppable doki doki rush of new day dawning optimism. In the newest manifesto on their website Savages write about evolution and metamorphosis, about recognising potential, about opening-out and never, ever dying, about living in the now. And when Gemma Thompson starts spraying shards of atonal, buckling, brutally distorted guitar over the viciously unrelenting locked-down grooves constructed by Ayse Hassan and Fay Milton on the likes of T.I.W.Y.G. or Husbands, Savages sound as thrillingly alive and vital as any band on the circuit. Often portrayed as austere and aloof a characterisation almost certainly rooted in the music industrys confusion when confronted with artists who refuse to conform to its playbook this morning Jehnny Beth is charm, wit and grace personified. Musing on the fact that a slightly delayed stage time may lead to audience members clocking in late for work, the singer notes Everyone whos here now is the coolest person in the office. I was at the Savages gig Shes a compelling, captivating performer, whether lunging with the mic like an elfin Henry Rollins (a vocal supporter of the group, whose narration of Phyllis Roses poem Jazz Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in Her Time accompanied an early promo teaser for Adore Life) on The Answer or holding the hushed room spellbound with the torch-song emotion of set closer Adore, perhaps Savages most likely crossover hit-in-waiting. But, for all her star quality, the overwhelming impression of the bands time on stage here is just what a close, unbreakable unit Savages are, as tightly bonded as the clenched fist held aloft for Adore Lifes stark artwork. That Adore Life will likely debut in the UK Top 10 this Friday is a welcome reminder that theres still a place for provocative, passionate, wilfully obdurate musicians at the forefront of the music scene. Back in 2013, when Savages previewed the Silence Yourself album with the release of Shut Up, Jehnny Beth refused to allow her record company to trim the tracks promo video of its powerful spoken word intro, declaring If the goal is to reach a wider audience, then lets reach them as we are, not as they want us to be, a statement which cuts to the core of everything this fiercely individualistic band do. This electrifying jolt of a gig is unlikely to usher in a new trend for sunrise rock gigs, but its a neat reminder that there are still bands taking on their world on their own terms. Thanks for coming, I hope it was worth the pain, says Beth in closing: the applause which follows might just be the loudest sound anyone here will hear today.
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https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/what-kind-of-band-plays-a-gig-at-8am
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Will Penske (PAG) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
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It is worth considering Penske Automotive (PAG), which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry. This auto dealership chain has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 6.36%. For the most recent quarter, Penske was expected to post earnings of $1.38 per share, but it reported $1.40 per share instead, representing a surprise of 1.45%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.42 per share, while it actually produced $1.58 per share, a surprise of 11.27%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Penske. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Penske currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.15%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 7, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
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https://news.yahoo.com/penske-pag-beat-estimates-again-151003447.html
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How much do Ring camera storage plans cost?
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Best answer: A Ring Protect Basic plan costs just $3 per month per device and provides you with 60 days of video history. The Protect Plus plan covers all of your Ring cameras for $10 and extends your warranty on each product. Breaking down Ring Protect plans Ring's Video Doorbells and Security Cams work well on their own, but while you can receive motion alerts with a free Ring account, you won't be able to actually record and save those events without a paid subscription. To get the most out of your cameras, you'll want to consider a Ring Protect subscription. If you only have a couple of Ring cameras, Ring Protect Basic offers plenty. If you have less than four Ring cameras, you'll probably be best suited with the Ring Protect Basic plan, which costs $3 per month per device (or $30 per device with an annual purchase). With it, you'll be able to store 60 days of video history at a time, allowing you to save and share motion clips. There's no contract required with a Ring Protect plan, so you can switch back to a free account at any time. For households with several Ring cameras or a Ring Alarm, the Protect Plus plan may be a better option. It's pricier at $10 a month, but it covers all Ring devices in a single home if you use Ring products at more than one address, you'll need to pay for multiple plans. Like the Basic plan, Ring Protect Plus gives you 60 days of video history, but it also extends the warranty on each of your Ring products for as long as you have a subscription. In addition, you get professional monitoring for Ring's Alarm security system and a 10 percent discount on all Ring products purchased directly from Ring's site.
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https://www.androidcentral.com/how-much-do-ring-camera-storage-plans-cost?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+androidcentral+%28Android+Central%29
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Do frog croaks hold the key to creating the perfect IoT network?
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Internet of Things (IoT) research firm Berg Insight recently released figures indicating the installed base of wireless IoT devices in industrial automation reached 21.3 million in 2018. That number could be 50.3 million connections by 2023, the company says. Its a lot of new industrial wireless nodes coming, and potentially a lot of data packet collisions if the new networks arent thought out for handling a snowballing scale. Copying frogs is the answer, say researchers at Osaka University in Japan. They say theyve discovered that the calling patterns of male Japanese tree frogs dont overlap, and thus replicate how one would ideally like to see a network function no packets crashing. The leaping amphibians collectively orchestrate their croaking and silences. Neighboring frogs avoided temporal overlap, which allows a clear path for individual voices to be heard, Daichi Kominami of Osaka University says on the schools website. In this same way, neighboring nodes in a sensor network need to alternate the timings of data transmission, so the data packets don't collide. In other words, despite sounding like a relentless cacophony to the average person, the frogs, in fact, are ripe for mathematical modelling for a communications system. Frog croak patterns The researchers captured three frogs and placed them in individual cages. They then observed the interaction frogs communicate information through sound. The group found that through a kind of alternate call-timing-like orchestration, in the short term, information was passed clearly. But in the long term, the frogs sometimes chose to all croak in unison, or all rest its hard work being a frog. They found the frogs both avoided overlapping croaks and collectively switched between calling and silence, the researchers explain. It was a clear audible pattern, including rest breaks for all. The scientific group then mathematically modeled their findings, which they intend to use for designing autonomous disbursed communication systems of the kind we are likely to see more of in industrial IoT. Such systems must cleverly regulate give and take, activity and rest, the researchers say. The rest part is to reduce network power consumption for possibly widely disbursed environmental sensors. Animals exhibit various types of collective behavior in the form of swarms, the group writes in their paper published in Royal Society Open Science. Ants forage for food by cooperating with other individuals, [and] birds and fish form a flexible flocking as a result of [sensory] interactions. Ive written previously about how decentralized, randomly distributed ad hoc IoT nodes might self-discover their size by copying ant colony behavior ants in the wild bump into fellow ants and create random sampling models of how many other ants are around, a bit like what one sees in marketing study statistics. Various theoretical studies show that swarm intelligence can solve real-world problems, especially in the fields of information and communication technologies, the Osaka academics write. In another parallel: calling for a mate, mainly.
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https://www.networkworld.com/article/3335998/lan-wan/do-frog-croaks-hold-the-key-to-creating-the-perfect-iot-network.html
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Who backs Venezuela's two presidents?
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A SUMMARY OF THE SUPPORT FOR VENEZUELA'S RIVAL LEADERS, NICOLAS MADURO AND JUAN GUAIDO: MADURO * Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino reaffirmed his support in a tweet, saying Venezuela's armed forces disavowed any self-proclaimed president. * The Supreme Court, stacked with Maduro loyalists, has remained solidly behind the socialist leader, ruling earlier this week that all actions taken by the congress - led by Guaido - are null and void. * Russia called Maduro the country's legitimate president and accused the US of trying to usurp power in Venezuela, warning Washington against military intervention. * President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey stood by Maduro. * China voiced support for Maduro, saying it opposed outside interference in Venezuela. * State oil company PDVSA, which accounts for most of Venezuela's export earnings, stood by Maduro. * A few left-leaning governments in the region, including Cuba and Bolivia, continue to back Maduro. Mexico said it will follow a policy of non-intervention. * A diehard core of "Chavistas" in Venezuela, including armed gangs in poor urban areas, remain core to late leader Hugo Chavez's exhortation to support Maduro come what may. GUAIDO * The US recognised Guaido shortly after he proclaimed himself president, saying it would use its "economic and diplomatic power" to restore democracy in Venezuela. * Numerous right-leaning Latin American governments, including Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, also recognised Guaido. * The EU's executive called for new elections but declined to explicitly recognise Guaido as president. An EU statement urged authorities to respect his "civil rights, freedom and safety" and allow Venezuelans to freely determine their future. * Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told Guaido in a phone call he supported the legitimacy of the Venezuelan parliament and called for free elections. * French President Emmanuel Macron saluted the courage of Venezuelans marching for freedom and called Maduro's 2018 election victory illegal. * A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said Maduro's election was neither free nor fair, and expressed support for Guaido as national assembly head. * The German government said Venezuela's parliament had "a special role" to play in securing Venezuela's "free future". * There are some signs that support for the opposition is expanding beyond its traditional middle- and upper-class areas. Several protests against Maduro have broken out in working-class neighbourhoods and slums this week. * Some low-ranking military officers have expressed discontent with the government.
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https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/who-backs-venezuelas-two-presidents/news-story/0b909dafd3c0a7a575d5a8da6029c407
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Is een bezoek aan de sauna gezonder in de winter?
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De maanden september tot en met maart zijn traditioneel gezien de populairste maanden om naar de sauna te gaan. Wie de Lonely Planet over Finland openslaat, leest dat de Finnen in de winter niets liever doen dan in een sauna stilletjes luisteren naar het knisperen van hete kolen. Vervolgens duiken ze een ijswak in of rollen ze door de sneeuw om af te koelen. Het resultaat: een kerngezonde Fin. "Dat kan heel goed werken", zegt opgieter Dylan Beemer, die tijdens het wereldkampioenschap opgieten op de vierde plaats eindigde. Zijn taak als opgieter is om met etherische olin verrijkt water en ijs op de hete saunakachel te schenken, waardoor er stoom ontstaat en de gevoelstemperatuur in de sauna stijgt. "Met een groot warm-koudverschil prikkel je de huid. Die wordt dan heel rood en dat is goed voor de doorbloeding", zegt Beemer. "Maar vergeet niet dat mensen in Scandinavische landen dat gewend zijn. Wij niet." Merendeel saunabezoekers gaat af en toe Nederland telt naar schatting zo'n tweehonderd wellnessresorts en sauna's en daarnaast nog 2.300 bedrijven zie zich in de kern niet op wellness richten maar wel saunavoorzieningen hebben, zoals hotels, fitnesscentra en vakantieparken. Volgens het Nationaal Saunabezoekers Onderzoek is 60 procent van de Nederlandse saunabezoekers een light user. Dat wil zeggen dat zij maximaal twaalf keer per jaar naar de sauna gaan. Slechts 6 procent van de in totaal 1,8 miljoen Nederlanders die in 2016 een sauna bezochten, deden dat veertig keer of vaker. Een andere trend is dat bezoekers niet alleen meer in de winter naar de sauna gaan, maar dat de bezoekersaantallen over het hele jaar constant blijven, zegt Frank Veldwachter van Thermen Soesterberg. Voor incidentele saunabezoekers geldt dat zij het opwarmen en afkoelen rustig moeten opbouwen. Wie gelijk een plons neemt in het koude buitenbad in temperaturen van rond het vriespunt, heeft kans op een verhoogde hartslag en in het ergste geval op een koudeshock. Beter is om het lichaam geleidelijk te laten afkoelen, bijvoorbeeld door trede voor trede het dompelbad in te lopen. Rustig afkoelen "Je moet niet meteen een ijskoud bommetje maken", zegt Beemer. "Als het koud is, moet je lichaam veel rustiger afkoelen dan wanneer het warm is." Hij raadt aan om in de winter evenveel tijd te nemen om af te koelen als het kostte om in de saunacabine op te warmen, bijvoorbeeld door buiten op blote voeten over de tegels te lopen. In de sauna verhoogt de lichaamstemperatuur van de normale 37 graden Celsius naar zo'n 39 graden. Volgens een onderzoek van de universiteitskliniek Charit in Berlijn ervaart het lichaam dit als koorts en maakt het daardoor extra afweerstoffen aan om ziekteverwekkers op te ruimen. "Je immuunsysteem krijgt als het ware een opdonder", zegt Beemer. Of het nou winter of zomer is, een saunabezoekje is volgens Beemer altijd goed voor je. Maar in de zomer kun je door het kleinere temperatuurverschil met de buitenlucht makkelijker meteen in het zwembad springen, terwijl je in de winter meer tijd moet nemen om je lichaam terug te brengen naar zijn normale temperatuur.
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https://www.nu.nl/uit/5702810/is-een-bezoek-aan-de-sauna-gezonder-in-de-winter.html
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What is the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown?
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Patriots and Rams fans are counting the days until February 3rd and the arrival of Super Bowl LIII, but the rest of the leagues stars are in Orlando this week for the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl game will kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, but a few superstars from each conference will be competing in a Skills Showdown that will air Thursday night. Were here to help. The 2019 Pro Bowl Skills Showdown will air at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and Disney XD. You can stream the show via WatchESPN. Each conference has a roster featuring 10 players and two coaches. The rosters for the #ProBowlSkills Showdown are set! See the games biggest stars in action. Pro Bowlers will compete in a series of five different events, ending with an AFC vs. NFC dodgeball game. Via NFL.com: 40 Yard Splash: A new challenge that puts teamwork to the test as players participate in a football-inspired take on a fire bucket brigade. Players race to fill up a dunk tank and attempt to hit the target with a football, dropping an opposing team member into the tank. Gridiron Gauntlet: Five players from each team will participate in a head-to-head relay race designed to showcase strength, speed, and agility. Competitions include a fumble scramble through an inflatable path, among others. Best Hands: Two WR-QB duos from each conference will compete in a timed relay race to catch a series of passes at a sequence of downfield targets as quickly as possible. Designated targets require a specific style of catch diving, one-handed, over the shoulder, etc. which must be executed before the receiver can move on to the next target. Precision Passing: Each conferences two quarterbacks and one captain-appointed non-quarterback will battle it out in a one-minute accuracy competition, as they attempt to hit as many targets as possible. Pro Bowl Dodgeball: In the grand finale, Pro Bowlers will compete in a classic game of dodgeball, with every member of each team participating. In a best of three series, the team with the last person on the court wins.
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https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/01/pro-bowl-skills-showdown-start-time
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Is there a right end of the noose?
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The argument goes, those who commit acts of violence should pay for their crimes. However, almost all people on death row are poor. A significant number are mentally disabled. And about 40% of death row inmates are African American Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like. Close Email This Story Send email to this address Enter Your Name Add a comment here Verification Send Email Cancel There is a difference between doing what is easy, and what is right. It is easy to submit to revenge. It is easy to seek out retribution over upholding the ethics of justice. The death penalty is a comfort Americans use to patch over dysfunctions of society they are most ashamed by. Ending is better than mending. The debate will once again stir in the death penalty appeal for convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzokhar Tsarnaev. Tsarnaev, 25, is one of the two convicted bombers of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Nineteen at the time of the attack, he, along with his older brother Tamerlan, used homemade pressure-cooker bombs to kill three people and wound more than 260 others. They also fatally shot a police officer while on the run from authorities. Tamerlan was killed while trying to evade capture. While capital punishment has been abolished in Massachusetts since 1984, federal crimes committed in the state are still subject to the death penalty. Tsarnaevs lawyers argued he was under the influence of his radicalized older brother. They also argued by a lower-court judge refusing to move the case outside of Boston, the citys traumatized public deprived Tsarnaev of a fair and impartial trial. The history of the death penalty in America is one of bias, discrimination and arbitrary sentencing. Upholding the Constitution has become subservient to the authoritarian justice sought by an emotional publics ulterior motives. Capital punishment is currently legal in 30 states (not including Illinois), although 13 of those states have abandoned the practice. The American Civil Liberties Union has long been fighting for nation-wide abolition of the death penalty. They have publicly stated, Capital punishment is an intolerable denial of civil liberties and is inconsistent with the fundamental values of our democratic system. They believe capital punishment deceives the public of a false governmental protection and fails as a deterrent against violent crime and homicide. Adherents arguing those who commit crimes should pay for what theyve done, fail to see the extreme arbitrary discrimination in sentencing. The ACLU highlights almost all those on death row are poor. A significant number are mentally disabled. And about 40% of death row inmates are African American. Historic discrimination in executions brought capital punishment before the Supreme Court in 1972. Research from lawyer Donald Partington showed from 1908-1963, of the 41 people executed for rape and 13 for attempted rape, all were black even though 56% of those convicted were white. Furman v. Georgia (1972) ruled capital punishment was being applied unconstitutionally in a discriminating fashion towards minorities and temporarily abolished the death penalty. After states amended their death penalty statues, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the legality of capital punishment in Gregg v. Georgia (1976). Since 1976, 7,800 have been sentenced to death with 1,400 executed. 148 defendants were exonerated in their case before execution. Capital punishment sentences have always been at the mercy of the judges explicit or subconscious biases and discriminations. The same impurities of morality have impeded even-handed jury decisions. In 2018, of the 25 nationwide executions, 13 were in Texas. All the seven people Texas sentenced to death in 2018 were people of color. Lack of uniformity and a subjection to capricious judgments have dominated nation-wide sentencing. A 2001 study from the Univ. of North Carolina found in North Carolina, the odds of receiving a death sentence were 3.5 times higher among defendants whose victims were white. Race, gender, social class, and location of the crime supersede the federal constitution when dictating sentencing. Three-quarters of those sentenced to death were poor enough to only be provided a legal-aid lawyer. Of the 1,400 executed since 1976, Texas has executed 548, Virginia 113, and Oklahoma 112 people. The supportive states argue capital punishment serves as a deterrent against violent crime. However, states without capital punishment have lower crime rates, and those with it average 50% higher homicide rates. Deterrence works on the presumption of rational criminals acting upon premeditation. However, many violent crimes are instead committed upon impulse. Capital punishment has become less about actual deterrence and more about those is power appeasing the masses to protect their monopoly on authority. The ruling-class uses the guise of security and false-justice to protect its own privileged position in society. While most Western-democracies have abolished or abandoned the practice of capital punishment, Americas continuance has placed it alongside regimes in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and North Korea. Exercising authoritarian control over an individual preserves the status-quo maintaining the social hierarchy. It is natural to want vengeance. However, our Constitution holds us to a higher reasoning. Fear amongst the public not only impinges upon the civil rights of defendants, but corrodes the publics own constitutional protections. Emotion cannot compromise the objective truths provided by the Constitution. Nowhere does it dictate homicide forfeits your inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Nor does it say murder permits the public to take these rights from another American citizen. Upholding the death sentence against Tsarnaev would violate the constitutional ban against cruel and unusual punishment provided by the Eighth Amendment. The horrors of his crime do not excuse the lapse of our judicial ethics. Discriminatory sentencing violates the due process of law and equal protection provided by the Fourteenth Amendment. By arbitrarily forsaking the rule of law to appease a demand for justice, the United States forfeits their mandate to help end human rights violations and abuses of authority across the globe. By sentencing Tsarnaev to death, we normalize violence and banalize acts of brutality in society. There is an inherent hypocrisy of states in the name of justice committing the heinous act of taking anothers life. The rule of law cannot become circumstantial. Amnesty International calls the death penalty a, symptom of a culture of violence, not a solution to it. Amnesty believes capital punishment violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948. 106 nations have abolished the death penalty, with another 142 nations abolishing it in practice. 25 people were executed in America in 2018, continuing a downward trend from a peak of 98 executed in 1999. 40 more people were sentenced to death row compared to 315 in 1996. There are currently 2,817 people on death row. Objectors point to the average wait time offenders experience of 10 years before execution as being an example of cruel and unusual punishment. Because the judicial system will always be imperfect and vulnerable to bias, innocent lives have been executed before exoneration. In 2018, Vincente Figueroa was exonerated in California after 26 years on death row, and Clemente Aguirre in Florida was released from prison after 12 years on death row. Lengthy trials and appeals contribute to substantial costs for capital punishment cases in comparison to life-long imprisonment. In a state review, Kansas concluded capital cases are 70% more expensive than non-death cases, including the costs of lifetime incarceration. Death penalty cases in North Carolina total $2.16 million more per case than life imprisonment. In Florida, costs total $51 million a year above what it would cost to punish all murderers with life in prison. If states wanted to deter crime, they should expropriate those funds to education and social programs for the states poorest and highest crime neighborhoods. Retribution has been prioritized above reforming maligned dysfunctions of society. Ethics have become sacrificed under the false predicate family and friends of the victim will feel closure as the result of the killers death. South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has stated, To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, it is not justice. Hatred and revenge do not fill the bereaved with solace. More violence cannot mollify the burden of a loved one being taken from you. Revenge is a disease spreading from person to person. Nowhere is justice had by taking anothers life. Families and friends of the 2017 Charleston church shooting have shown only forgiveness will help with release. Nowhere does the law state who is unworthy of rehabilitation and who is unjust of forgiveness. In opposition to the death penalty given to Dylann Roof, 21, for killing nine churchgoers, family members of the victims appealed for mercy. You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you. And (may God) have mercy on your soul, said the daughter of victim Ethel Lance. Their actions of forgiveness were not enough to appease the jurys demand for vengeance. Roof was sentenced to death by lethal injection. When the needle pierces his vein, the world will not be made any safer, the families will not feel any closure, and society will once again turn a blind-eye to a barbaric act of unconstitutional injustice.
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https://codcourier.org/10656/opinion/is-there-a-right-end-of-the-noose/
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What Time Will Korean Zombie Series Kingdom Get Released on Netflix?
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Netflixs Korean Original Series Kingdom is going to be a genre-bender for the record books. Set during the Joseon era, the show will mix zombie-style elements with traditional production design and historical elements. Dubbed as a zombie mystery-thriller by its director Kim Seong-hun (Tunnel), the undead in this series will be plague victims. When you can start diving into the show will depend on what country youre watching from. Heres what time Kingdom will drop on Netflix this Friday, January 25. Release Times in the U.S. (January 25) 12:01 a.m. Pacific 1:01 a.m. Mountain 2:01 a.m. Central 3:01 a.m. Eastern 10:01 p.m. Honolulu (January 24) 11:01 p.m. Alaska (January 24) Release Times Outside of the U.S. (January 25) 5:01 p.m. Queensland 6:01 p.m. Eastern Daylight AU 5:31 p.m. South Australia 4:31 p.m. Northern Territory 3:01 p.m. Western Australia 8:01 p.m. New Zealand 7:01 a.m. GMT 9:01 a.m. Central European Time 4:01 p.m. Japan/South Korea 2:01 p.m. Indochina Time 11:01 a.m. Gulf Standard Time 3:01 p.m. China/Philippines/Malaysia 10:01 a.m. Eastern Europe Summer Time Despite its plaguing premise, Kingdom should appeal to fans of the zombie genre, but Seong-hun is definitely cognizant of the details this niche fandom pays attention to. Whether these plague victims ran or moved slowlywhich is a trait that could be very important to zombie fanaticsis really only so important in terms of narrative significance. For example, I really thought about how, if they ran, whether such a dynamic athleticism could be utilized to crank up the horror factor, Kim told The Hollywood Reporter. The show takes place in 15th century Korea as an ambitious minister vies to take over the throne. He keeps the ailing king alive with a mysterious medicine that simultaneously turns him into an undead monster that happens to feed on human flesh. Meanwhile, the crown prince Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) tries to figure it all out, but its a self-serving missionhe wants to avoid a death sentence and maintain his position as heir. So far, critical takes are extremely positive. Unlike your typical Korean drama that tends to play it safe for the local censors, Kingdom is brutal with its decapitations and violence. Heads fly whenever a noble is offended, scholars are tortured with burning irons and zombie wounds are scary real. I was squirming in my seat, but I couldnt take my eyes away from the wonderful cinematography, wrote CNETs Aloysius Low. Netflix series Kingdom is another slick zombie thriller from Asia https://t.co/uIyV76pcZz pic.twitter.com/2aymnVVPsS CNET (@CNET) January 23, 2019 Screenrants Tony Schaab tweeted: Just finished watching the first episode of #Kingdom in advance of its release on Friday, courtesy of @Netflix. #SpoilerFree review coming tomorrow but suffice it to say: this 6-episode #AltHistory #zombie #horror series from Korea should be on the #MustWatch list for genre fans. Just finished watching the first episode of #Kingdom in advance of its release on Friday, courtesy of @Netflix. #SpoilerFree review coming tomorrow but suffice it to say: this 6-episode #AltHistory #zombie #horror series from Korea should be on the #MustWatch list for genre fans. Kingdom will sport a six-episode first season and will star an actress already in the Netflix family: Sense8s Bae Doona. Along with Doona and Ji-Hoon, Ryu Seung-Ryong, Kim Sangho, Heo Joon-Ho, and Jeon Seok-Ho will also appear. Netflix seems to have some serious confidence in its latest series; theyve already renewed the big-budget series for a second season. Production for future episodes begins next month, says Collider. Check out the trailer for Kingdom below.
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https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/kingdom-zombie-release-on-netflix/
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What is wrong with Birmingham buses?
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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 The number of people using the bus to get around Birmingham is in free fall, with MILLIONS fewer bus rides than 10 years ago. Fears around reliability, cost, safety and anti-social behaviour are thought to be partly responsible for the decline - but now city chiefs want to find out exactly what is putting people off. They have launched a short survey asking people to tell them about their travel choices to help identify the key concerns. The findings will be used to help lobby for more change and improvements. Latest data shows the number getting the bus into Birmingham during the rush hours of 7.30am-9.30am has dramatically fallen. Around 30,000 people used the bus to get to work or school ten years ago - now that figure is below 23,000. (Image: Birmingham Mail) Across the West Midlands, bus use has plummeted from 318 million journeys in 2009 to fewer than 260 million journeys a year, according to the 2017 passenger trends survey by Transport for West Midlands. The city council's transport chief Coun Waseem Zaffar said more needs to be done to get people back into the habit of using the bus, particularly ahead of the pending introduction of the Clean Air Zone in the city centre, which aims to put people off driving inside the ring road through congestion charges. Ensuring the bus network is reliable and safe, and operates when and where people need it, will be vital to the success of the scheme. Coun Zaffar, cabinet member for transport and the environment, said: "Congestion in Birmingham and the high levels of air pollution are a massive challenge for our city. "We want to get people out of their cars and onto public transport. The city is too reliant on cars. We have to improve public transport, and improve buses so this survey will help us work out how we can get people out of their cars and onto buses." Coun Zaffar ran a preliminary online poll on his Twitter account which suggested 'reliability' was the main issue of concern among 416 residents who responded. While the city council has significant responsibilities around transport, control of buses lies with the West Midlands Combined Authority's Transport for West Midlands (TfWM). The findings of the survey will be used to inform West Midlands mayor Andy Street and his team about the specific concerns of Brummies, and help drive further improvements. Transport for West Midlands recently announced measures aiming to ease congestion and improve bus transport. These have included: * Trial of the city's first fully electric bus, by bus operator National Express West Midlands, with a view to introducing regular electric buses in 2020. * A new bus priority lane to tackle congestion on the approach into Birmingham city centre from Harborne - part of an 8m package of highways improvement designed to speed up bus journey times. * New bylaws banning anti-social acts from buses, including smoking and vaping, being intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, vandalising property, obstructing passengers, playing loud music and threatening or offensive behaviour. * A 10m investment in bus fleet by National Express West Midlands Take part in the survey here. You can find out about your local bus routes and timetables on the Transport for West Midlands website here.
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/what-wrong-birmingham-buses-your-15724936
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Who Is The Bee on The Masked Singer?
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Where to Stream: The Masked Singer More Options This week The Masked Singer saw The Poodle leave, but it left behind at least one major mystery. Adapted from the South Korean mega-hit, Foxs The Masked Singer has a straightforward premise. A group of 12 celebrities all in head-to-toe masks have to sing-battle against one another. Every week that match ups loser has to take off their mask, and along the way the judges and viewers have to guess who each celebrity may be. Its a crazy show that somehow seems to make less sense and become more enjoyable with time. Its fourth week saw The Masked Singers second group of six battle once again and ended with comedian Margaret Cho going home. Everything We Know About The Bee on The Masked Singer So far weve seen The Bee two separate times, and she has yet to let us down when it comes to intriguing clues and epic performances. When The Bee took on Sias Chandelier in Episode 2, we learned that she was an old school star. This clearly-trained singer sang in the 1950s. She also said that even though shes flown to soaring heights shes better known for being an Empress. In her second appearance, The Bee teased that we should definitely know who she is. In a video that featured peaches and honey, she said she has a recognizable voice. And though she may not know whats current, shes now singing the music of today. The Bee belted out a rendition of Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars before dropping one more clue. Heres Who the Judges Think The Bee Is on The Masked Singer After her first performance, the judges were in agreement that this insect was a trained singer. Robin Thicke went with Diana Ross, while Jenny McCarthy guessed Lil Kim. But Nicole Scherzinger was the only one to get the performers main decade right, with her guess of Dionne Warwick. In her second appearance, Scherzinger stuck with either Warwick or Patti LaBelle as her guess. But Thicke and McCarthy saw the light: they guessed Gladys Knight. Oh, and Ken Jeong thinks The Bee is a Supreme Court justice, which is creative, if nothing else. The Bee Might Be This one is probably going to be the Empress of Soul herself, Gladys Knight. The singer and songwriter has won seven Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, so Yeah. Those are some pretty impressive heights. She was famous in the 60s and 70s, which would explain why shes not musically of this time. Knight even has a legal past. In 2016 she filed a lawsuit against her son about her restaurant Gladys Knights Signature Chicken & Waffles. In Atlanta, Georgia a state known for peaches. Our Queen Bee is almost absolutely the Empress of Soul. Where to stream The Masked Singer
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https://decider.com/2019/01/24/the-masked-singer-bee-gladys-knight/
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Can Focals Prescription Specs Actually Make Smart Glasses Cool?
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Norths new Focals are not your robots smart glasses; they do all of the above and more. Focals ($999 USD/$1,299 CAD) differ from the failed likes of Google Glass and other consumer smart glasses in that they actually look like regular prescription glasses. Vuzix has a similar approach with its Vuzix Blade smart glasses, but Id argue those look more like 90s-style sunglasses. Even more impressively, the graphics displayed on Focals are only visible to the wearer (unlike with Vuzix Blade), so no one would even know youre wearing smart glasses. You also have to get fitted for Focals, which means two mandatory trips to either North's Brooklyn or Toronto location. Focals can replace your normal glasses with prescriptions of -4 to +2SPH and 0 to -2CYL, but youll have to know your prescription because North doesnt offer eye exams. Shoppers can choose between classic or round styles and black, tortoise or gray fade colors. If you have 20/20 vision (Im very jealous), you can also use the glasses with no prescription. Focals - Classic Focals Round Focals - Classic Focals Round Besides looking good, Focals offer the ability to navigate apps by syncing with Android and iOS devices. With the spectacles, you can read and respond to texts with pre-written responses (including emojis) or voice activation, see directions, the weather, your calendar and appointments and even operate Amazon Alexa or call an Uber. North says Focals can talk to Alexa regardless of your location, and Alexa answers via the display or a small speaker/microphone by the glasses right arm. Focals come from North, the wearables company formerly known as Thalmic Labs. Thalmic launched in 2012 and has raised over $140 million in funding, including from big-name backers like Amazon Alexa Fun and Intel Capital. Its only product before today was the Myo motion-activated armband. This month, the firm announced the end of Myo. Under its new North branding, the company has its eyes set on smart glasses. Here are Focals' current features: Messages: Read texts and respond via smart replies, emojis or voice activation Turn-by-turn directions Calendar with pop-up reminders Amazon Alexa: Access Alexa from any location through Focals' microphone. See responses in augmented reality (AR) or via voice. Call an Uber Controlling Focals With the Loop Ring Another thing thatll make you look twice at Focals is the fact that you never have to touch them to navigate the tech. Wearers navigate Focals with Loop, a thick ring with a tiny joystick in the middle that moves up, down, left, right and in to work the UI. In my short time with the Loop, I didnt get the controls down pat, but the navigation is pretty simple once you get the hang of it. More importantly, Loop fit comfortably on my finger and is not uncomfortably large. The Focals also have a teeny, tiny speaker by the right arm that makes a small clicking noise when you move the Loops joystick, if you desire. I found this comforting, especially if youre new to smart glasses, because its a confirmation that Focals are receiving your commands. The Loop itself looks inoffensive. Its available in all black or white with copper. I didnt get to see the latter in person, but Id still prefer it over the black, which looks more plastic and cheap than a ring Id typically buy for daily wear. Focals: Eyes On I went through the initial Focals fitting process in Norths new store in Brooklyn, N.Y. To ensure my Focals would fit perfectly, North needed a face scan. Because of my lavish locks, I had to tie up my hair before my scan. Luckily, North has headbands on deck for use (and yes, theyre for keeps). I sat on a stool (with a hip wooden design, might I add) and looked into a screen split into two sections: one had fake virtual glasses for me to align my eyes into, and the other had one small space for me to line up my right ear. Once I was ready, the optician hit a button on a computer behind me, and all I had to do was stare at a small white dot for about 10 seconds for the scan to complete. My first scan was a bit off, most likely because of my aforementioned wild locks. But there was no need to fear; North had a plastic band they fit around the back of my head that had sensors to help the computer more easily see my ears. Afterwards, the computer in the booth had a freaky 3D image of my face; seeing it was an experience in itself. Following the scan, I tried on different Loop rings to find the right fit. Next, shoppers pick out their design and style, and eventually return to the store to try on the specs. Opticians will make sure the glasses fit perfectly (adjusting nose pads and such) and that you can clearly see in AR. Once North ensured the glasses fit and that I could see the AR properly, I took the Focals for a test look. The first thing I noticed was how simple yet colorful the text and images were. Clean lines led to less distracting text, while vivid, polychromatic icons (and some text) kept things fun and darn right adorable. From cute blue calendars, small sun or cloud icons for the weather, subtly colored dumbbells or muscles for workout appointments or gradient check symbols and text bubbles, much of the UI had subtle colors or even a gradient effect. Focals show you more than boring black-and-white words; you can still enjoy the multi-colored fun you get with a smartphone. Any images I saw automatically disappeared on their own after a few seconds. I could bring up the home screen, which features the time and date, at any time by pressing the Loops joystick in. All AR displayed on the glasses was pretty small; the goal is for it to not to be overly distracting, but they were also as small as they can get without making me inclined to squint. And as promised, when I was using the Focals tech, no one could see the graphics and text besides me. Images are only visible in the right eye. A Little Heat After about five minutes working through the Focals functions, I noticed they were warm by my right ear. I was told that this was because I was using the glasses AR for a long duration. They expect people would typically use the AR for just seconds at a time. However, this doesnt bode well for using the smart glasses for navigation or having back-and-forth text conversations. And I dont know how the glasses wouldve fared if I kept pushing it longer. No AR-ing and Driving! Norths vision is to offer tech that lets you stay connected but doesnt distract you from the real world. As such, its recommended you do not use the Focals AR while driving. Despite Focals efforts, I personally found the images and text distracting. Blame it on my love of pretty colors, my susceptibility to distractions, or my fascination with tech, but whenever something was projected onto my Focals, that was definitely the only thing I was focused on. If youre a skeptic, you probably wondering how Focals can succeed where other smart glasses havent. North CEO and co-founder Stephen Lake told me North looked to differentiate by focusing on the glasses looks first and building the tech around that, instead of the other way around. We spent most of the last four-and-a-half, five years making all the ingredients needed to actually make the product possible in an amazing form factor, Lake told Toms Hardware. Instead of implanting a small screen into a pair of glasses, North equipped Focals frames with a tiny projector that reflects small rays of light out of the glasses sides and onto a barely visible holographic element inside the prescription lens. That holographic piece makes those rays of light reflect back onto the eyes. Youre not looking at a display here. Youre not trying to focus on something. Youre just looking at the world, and were adding light to the world around you, Lake explained. Focals follow through on offering discreet AR no one will know youre using. And with their traditional-yet-fashionable styles, they compete well with regular prescription frames. Credit: NorthHowever, I am worried about the battery life. Focals charge in their included case (pictured above) and last up to 18 hours, but we all know batteries can have shorter life spans than manufacturers claim, especially if you use it a lot. And with that heat I felt after a few minutes of continuous use, I know that battery is putting in work. Having yet another device to remember to charge daily doesnt thrill me. On the other hand, should the battery die, youd still have a functioning pair of glasses. However, if you bought Focals, you assumedly want more than that. The other limitation is the ring. You cant control any of the Focals features without the Loop, which also needs to be charged, although its battery life is up to three days. Still, the Loop can be inhibiting if you dont like jewelry or the ring's style or might just forget to put it on sometimes. Finally, $999 USD/$1,299 CAD is a lot to pay for a pair of glasses, especially since that doesnt include an eye exam. For that much money, Id prefer the convenience of getting an eye test and glasses fitting through one location and purchase. You also can't get the glasses with progressive lenses, which leaves out consumers with more complex prescriptions. And you have to be able to get to North's Brooklyn or Toronto stores in order to buy Focals. Still, North did a big thing by bringing style and mainstream taste to the smart glasses field. Im excited to see what other partnerships the company is able to accrue for even more functionality between the specs and popular apps (Uber and Alexa are great starts). If youve ever dreamed of trying out smart glasses but feared social backlash or looking like a nerdy, self-important robot, your time is now. With Focals, no one will know that youve dived eye-first into AR. We still cant help people calling you Four Eyes though. Focals are available for pre-order today for $999 USD/$1,299 CAD. The price includes Focals, a fitting, Loop, a charging case for both pieces and clip-on sunglass lenses. To get your eyes on Focals, make an appointment at their Brooklyn or Toronto location through the North website. Stores open in early November, and first units will ship by the end of 2018.
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https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/north-focals-prescription-smart-glasses,5866.html
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Can the SDLP and Fianna Fil avoid the curse of history?
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Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Fianna Fil's leader Michel Martin (left) and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood outline the partnership in Belfast on Thursday "Don't underplay this," an SDLP insider implored me as I arrived for the launch of the party's new arrangement with Fianna Fil. "It's an unprecedented partnership between two parties on this island." "Are you sure?" I countered. "What about the time the Ulster Unionists got together with the Conservatives?" "I said on this island," the insider responded. A fair point, geographically. But politically I find it hard to think of this partnership without turning my mind to other recent examples. In these days of the DUP-Conservative confidence and supply agreement, who remembers UCUNF (possibly politics' most unfortunate sounding acronym?) That was the brain child of, amongst others, David Cameron and Reg Empey. A 'gradual process' It was meant to deliver the charismatic Tory leader a few extra vital seats in his bid to remove Gordon Brown, whilst re-invigorating the Ulster Unionists in their quest to claw back lost ground. In the end the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists New Force failed to take their primary target of South Antrim in the 2010 general election. When the dust settled, the only tangible result of their partnership was the loss of the Ulster Unionists' most senior female representative, Lady Sylvia Hermon. Always close to New Labour, the North Down MP quit her party, holding on to her constituency as an independent. SDLP strategists say they have learned from the failed UCUNF experiment. Instead of throwing the kitchen sink at one election, the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Fianna Fil's Michel Martin envisage a far more gradual process. The two parties will try to develop common approaches on social and economic issues, Brexit and Irish unity. Perhaps this gradual approach is wise. But from the perspective of nationalist voters in May's local elections it might seem underwhelming. The SDLP will maintain they have a unique all-island partnership, but they are up against a disciplined centralised 32 county force in Sinn Fin. One ominous echo of the UCUNF debacle is the evident alienation of a high profile female politician. The South Belfast MLA Claire Hanna was notable by her absence at the launch of the two parties' partnership. But she had already made clear to The Belfast Telegraph that she doesn't believe the arrangement brings any added value to the SDLP. UUP left adrift by Conservatives For the anoraks, there is much to ponder. But the overall impression is that it isn't any easier now than it has ever been for the parties who led the field back in 1998 to recover their relevance. Image copyright David Young/PA Image caption Last October Fianna Fil headquarters disciplined two members who announced Sorcha McAnespy would stand as a candidate in council elections in Omagh In 2010 the Ulster Unionists looked to the Conservatives as a life raft, but they were left adrift. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the SDLP partnered up with Mike Nesbitt's Ulster Unionists. The poor performance of the big two parties in government appeared to provide them with an opportunity for a breakthrough. However the strategy ran into trouble when the leaders were questioned over whether their supporters should transfer their votes to fellow unionists and nationalists or vote on a cross-community basis. Two years ago it was "Vote Colum and get Mike". Now it's "Vote Colum and get a partnership with Michel". Maybe it will prove to be as "historic" as both leaders claimed at their launch in central Belfast. But on the basis of recent precedents, I remain sceptical.
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-46986981
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What's Next For Privacy Policy?
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Privacy, and specifically the future planks of an organizations privacy policy, may be the most significant wild card marketers now face. The uncertainties and the absence of a codified policy roadmap make planning difficult. Whatever transitions need to be implemented to evolve privacy are obscure. For the perspective of The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based global non-profit digital rights group, I asked director of grassroots advocacy Shahid Buttar to share his insights on where privacy policy should be headed. Shahid Buttar: The right of any user to opt-in to data collection about her behavior online is near the top of the list. Its reflected in corporate data privacy regulations proposed from Washington to Sacramento and is the single most important principle to consider in terms of empowering users. Another proverbial elephant in the room is the co-optation of data in corporate hands by national security authorities, whose warrantless monitoring of millions of Americans poses a profound threat to freedom of expression. Buttar: One discrete area where the interests of consumers and marketers converge is with respect to notification of data breaches. Consumers benefit from knowing when their data has been compromised, especially to the extent they receive guidance to, for instance, update their passwords and cease using any credentials that may have been exposed. Marketers also benefit from robust disclosure, which (despite the disappointing role of bearing bad news) can prevent their users and platforms from enduring ongoing vulnerabilities. We favor state-based regulations to enshrine user privacy standards and compel respect from corporate marketers. Proposals in Congress are generally premature, especially to the extent they might limit or pre-empt innovation in the states. Talbot: There is clearly no shortage of privacy abuse. There is a shortage of government intervention and legislative oversight. Buttar: Again, the single most pressing issue here is the right of consumers to demand that platforms seek their informed consent before collecting information about their behavior. Data privacy regulations proposed in Congress, and those which have been passed into law in California and Vermont, recognize and require new respect for this long-abused right. That said, Id challenge the premise that there is a shortage of government intervention, since unfortunately, there has been entirely too much in the form of warrantless surveillance unhinged from the individual basis for suspicion required to justify state scrutiny under our Constitution. Indeed, corporate data collection threatens user privacy. So does the co-optation of the Internet as a tool for global surveillance by authorities who continue to hide their actions behind a wall of executive secrecy despite global controversy. Congress must reform our nations dysfunctional classification system, which allows officials to hide embarrassing facts and evade meaningful civilian oversight. Buttar: Were I in such a position, the marketing team would be among my audiences, but Id be more focused on reiterating limits to our investors and engineering teams. In particular, Id reiterate some of the same commitments that EFF has long made to our users: to abstain from tracking their behavior online or responses to emails, to respect their autonomy and choice, and to deliver information that empowers users, rather than preying on them. I would also be eager to focus my hypothetical organization on business models that address users as customers, rather than treating them as resources from which to extract data. Similarly, that commitment must extend well beyond marketing executives in order to be meaningful.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultalbot/2019/01/24/whats-next-for-privacy-policy/
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Should the Detroit Red Wings Bring Back Pavel Datsyuk?
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A return to the NHL is not out of the question, according to Datsyuks agent Dan Milstein. In his third season with SKA St. Petersburg, Datsyuk has recorded 34 points through 44 games. His contract expires at the end of the season and Milstein noted in a recent interview that Datsyuk wants to keep going. Milstein also shared that a return to the Red Wings could work, but its ultimately Datsyuks decision on where he continues his career. The soft-handed center will be 41 once the 2019-20 NHL season kicks off. First and foremost, Datsyuk will need to decide where hell want to play next season another season in the KHL or a return to North America. If he chooses the latter, Milstein noted that there will be plenty of suitors, so a return to the Red Wings is not exactly a given. Prior to leaving for Russia, Datsyuk shared that being closer to his family played a huge role in his decision during a conversation with Mitch Albom: Its not an easy decision. It did not happen yesterday. I talk with my daughter all the time. I see how she misses me, how she misses my adviceI want to come back and be closer. From this perspective, a return to the NHL seems unlikely. He certainly loved his time in Detroit and may want to right a wrong (his contract debacle), despite the Red Wings not appearing to be a contender anymore. Coming back to help the organization in its darkest hour would be an honorable thing to do. Even when Datsyuk left the Red Wings in 2016, he was already remorseful about the issues that soon followed: I feel very bad about it. Looking back, I wish I had done a year-by-year contract, not a three-year contract. I stayed (last year) in respect for Ilitch family. I dont want to leave team in disaster. But if I have to do over again, I would sign a different deal. I didnt realize it at the time. Datsyuks Cost & Fit With the Red Wings If Datsyuk were to return to the NHL, he could still command a decent salary. While Ilya Kovalchuks $6.25 million AAV with the Los Angeles Kings is a little high, it does provide a starting point. Considering Datsyuk and Kovalchuks age differences and production in the KHL, the former could reasonably get a one-year, $4-to-5 million deal on the open market a steep price to pay for someone likely manning the third-line center role. For better or for worse, the Red Wings have the cap space to bring back Datsyuk at this rate and could plug him into their third line. As far as production goes, it wouldnt be unreasonable to expect 35-to-40 points from the former NHL All-Star. Emmanuel Perrys NHLe model converts Datsyuks KHL output to 47, 58, and 47 points during an 82-game NHL season across his past three KHL seasons, respectively. But that also brings up another concern: his durability. Whether in the KHL or NHL, Datsyuk hasnt played a full season since the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season. Expecting him to play in all 82 games would be absurd. Related The Grind Line: Red Wings Midseason Prospect Rankings & Analysis Final Word Red Wings fans may not like to hear it, but a veteran presence is needed on a young team. Henrik Zetterberg is gone. Niklas Kronwall, Thomas Vanek and Gustav Nyquist could be out the door soon as well. Bringing back Datsyuk would insert an NHL legend into Detroits locker room and give the team a resource to lean on as they grow into a contender. He has been through everything hes won two Stanley Cups, experienced crushing defeats and found a way to change his game to keep up with the NHLs pace of play, much like Igor Larionov did when Datsyuk first entered the league. Dont forget Datsyuk has also produced at international tournaments against the worlds best since leaving the NHL. Hes been a point-per-game player for Russia (or Olympic Athletes of Russia) in 33 international contests since 2016. He can still bring it. He are possible forward lines with pending free agents taken into account: LW C RW Anthony Mantha Dylan Larkin Tyler Bertuzzi Andreas Athanasiou Frans Nielsen Darren Helm Michael Rasmussen Pavel Datsyuk Filip Zadina Justin Abdelkader Luke Glendening Evgeny Svechnikov Jacob de la Rose Christoffer Ehn If the price was right and Datsyuk wanted to come back to the Red Wings, I would be all for it. His experience and leadership would certainly help the rebuild. Share your thoughts below.
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https://thehockeywriters.com/detroit-red-wings-datsyuk-return-fit-roster/
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Will Senate show progress if votes to reopen government fall short?
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The Senate is taking a new approach to ending the partial government shutdown by actually taking votes. But competing bills appear likely to fail Thursday, caught in a poisonous Washington impasse. Either measure would reopen federal agencies and pay 800,000 federal workers who are days from missing yet another paycheck. Republicans would couple ending the 34-day shutdown with $5.7 billion for President Donald Trumps border wall and revamping immigration laws. Democrats would reopen agency doors for three weeks while bargainers seek a budget accord. Twin defeats might spur the two sides into a more serious effort to strike a compromise. Almost every proposal needs 60 votes to advance in the Senate, which is under 53-47 Republican control. Its hard to imagine 60 votes developing for either one, said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. With the impacts of the shutdown becoming increasingly painful, however, lawmakers on both sides were trumpeting their willingness to compromise in the battle over border security and immigration issues such as protection against deportation for so-called Dreamer immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. Its clear what the president wants. Its clear what we want. If you have a negotiation, both parties are going to put on the table what they want, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. By definition a successful negotiation gets to a place where both sides feel they got something, right? But starting negotiations is a tripping point. Democrats insist on opening the government first rather than reward Trumps tactics, while Republicans warn that immediately reopening the government would give Democrats too much leverage in any talks. No shutdown. No hostages, said Rep. Ruben Gallegos, D-Ariz. You get nothing in return until to release the hostages. The partial shutdown began just before Christmas after Trump indicated that he wouldnt sign a stopgap spending bill backed by top Republicans like Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who shepherded a bill funding the government up to Feb. 8 through the Senate. The House passed a plan with wall funding as one of the last gasps of the eight-year GOP majority. On Thursday, almost five weeks later, House Democrats continued work on a package that would ignore Trumps demand for $5.7 billion for a wall with Mexico and would instead pay for other ideas aimed at protecting the border. Details of Democrats border security plan and its cost remained a work in progress. Party leaders said it would include money for scanning devices and other technological tools for improving security at ports of entry and along the boundary, plus funds for more border agents and immigration judges. If his $5.7 billion is about border security, then we see ourselves fulfilling that request, only doing it with what I like to call using a smart wall, said No. 3 House Democratic leader Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released Wednesday was the latest indicator that the shutdown is hurting Trump with the general public. While his approval among Republicans remains strong, just 34 percent of Americans like his performance as president and 6 in 10 assign a great deal of responsibility to him for the shutdown, around double the share blaming Democrats. The Senate GOP bill would temporarily shield from deportation 700,000 Dreamers, protections Trump has tried terminating. Hes also offered temporary protections for people who fled violence or natural disasters in several countries another program the president has curtailed. With Democrats eager to show theyre trying to end the impasse, the House used mostly party-line votes Wednesday to approve one measure reopening government agencies through February. By a similar tally, the chamber voted to finance most shuttered agencies through September. Growing numbers of House Democrats say the party should show where it stands on border security. Right now its a vacuum and the president is offering fake plans to stop drug smuggling, said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. Offering a Democratic alternative helps the possibility of beginning a real negotiation, he said. ___ AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and writers Laurie Kellman and Matthew Daly contributed to this report. _______________________________________________________ Copyright 2019 Capitol Hill Blue Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Google Like this: Like Loading...
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https://www.capitolhillblue.com/node/76305
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Does Virginia high school basketball need a shot clock?
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Buy Photo Stuarts Draft's Jo'el Howard shoots as Riverheads' Zack Adams guards during a game played in Greenville on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader) STAUNTON - Last week, with the Lee High girls basketball team holding the ball and a 43-41 lead over Wilson Memorial in the fourth quarter, the Lee team took more than a minute and a half before taking a shot. It wasn't stall ball, but rather a deliberate approach by a team that had a late lead and was down one of its best players. In that instance, it was probably a pretty good strategy by the team. Still, that didn't stop a Wilson Memorial fan from shouting, "That's why we need a shot clock." The interesting thing is, Lee's coach, Josh McElheny, agrees with that fan. "More than anything I would," McElheny said when asked if he'd like to see a shot clock added to basketball in Virginia. "It would help the flow of the girls game tremendously. It would eliminate teams holding the ball with four-point leads for five minutes of the fourth quarter. It would reward teams who play good defense, and it would force coaches to teach the game of basketball more." Currently, only eight states California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Washington have shot clocks for high school basketball. Wisconsin adopted a shot clock in June 2017, only to reverse the decision six months later. Wilson Memorial's Madison Flint guards during a game played in Staunton on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader, AP) The Virginia High School League doesn't appear close to joining that group. Mike McCall, the communications director for the VHSL, said the governing body for public high schools in the state has had no substantive talks about adding a shot clock, nor has anything been proposed from membership. "As you know, VHSL staff does not propose anything, it all comes from membership," McCall said. "Its up to them to discuss, make proposals, and then vote on them." This past March, USA Basketball and the National Basketball Association announced a set of rules and standards that both organizations felt would enhance the development and playing experience for youth basketball. Among those recommendations was a 24-second shot clock for high school players, which may be even a little radical for those states currently using shot clocks. All eight use either a 30- or 35-second clock. It appears most fans, players and coaches although certainly not all agree with adding a shot clock. An unofficial Twitter poll showed 81 percent of the 399 votes cast favored a shot clock in Virginia high school basketball. Feel free to respond with reasons why or why not. Patrick Hite (@Patrick_Hite) January 15, 2019 Joe Deck, a local broadcaster who calls games for ESPN 1240 in Staunton and co-hosts the YACSports Podcast, has been a longtime proponent of adding a shot clock to the high school game. "I just feel like it makes the game more exciting," Deck said. "Nobody wants to see teams start to play four corners in a game, really at any point, but especially when it's not late in the fourth quarter." Deck has covered basketball for many years, and not only in Virginia. He's also done games in Maryland, a state that has used a 30-second shot clock in girls basketball for many years and just recently adopted using a 35-second shot clock in the boys game. "It works really well there," Deck said. "The basketball games are very exciting. In Virginia I've called some games, and I won't name any schools out of respect for those coaches and programs, but I've seen some teams play four corners and it really slows down the pace of the game. It makes the game, from my standpoint, harder to call, but as a fan of the game it makes it harder to watch." The Virginia Prep League, a conference of seven private schools stretching from Charlottesville to Norfolk, will start using a shot clock next season. Charlottesville's St. Anne's-Belfield (STAB) is a member of the Prep League. Damin Altizer, the boys basketball coach at STAB is excited for the change. The big misconception about adding a shot clock, according to Altizer, is that preparing players for college basketball is the only benefit. "In my opinion, it benefits kids regardless of whether you have post-high school aspirations or not," Altizer said. "Primarily because it's going to increase the number of possessions per game for a lot of teams. Which means a lot of opportunities for individual players to make plays, the ball to be in players' hands." Obviously, cost is an issue. And, until teams start looking at shot clocks and what's involved in adding them to a gym, the exact cost of clocks isn't available. Buy Photo Stuarts Draft's Jared Rosen makes a run for the basket with the ball during a game played in Stuarts Draft on Friday, January 4, 2019. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader) Ren O'Ferrall, the director of athletics at Richmond's St. Christopher's, also a member of the Prep League, estimated that adding a shot clock to his gym would cost $5,000. "I know it can be done cheaper depending on equipment used and mounting options, but when all is said and done, I am planning on approximately 5K," he said. Greg Troxell, the director of operations and maintenance for Augusta County Schools, is a former athletic director and basketball coach. If the VHSL ever adds a shot clock, he said Augusta County would find a way to make it work. He remembers when the 3-point line was added to the game and all the gyms had to be painted. "That money was found just like it will be if this happens," he said. "I have not priced what a shot clock system cost and I know whatever it is, that is times five schools. If this happens we will make it work." Troxell hopes that if the VHSL ever does vote in a shot clock, they wouldn't require it for several years after the vote. That time would give Augusta County a chance to build it into its budget. Steve Hartley, the athletic director at Stuarts Draft High School, brings up another cost in addition to the one-time addition of the equipment. Hartley said an additional person would need to be found to run the clock. That person, unless someone volunteers, would have to be paid, plus room would have to be made at an already crowded scorer's table. Alex Inman is a basketball official. He tweeted, in response to the poll, that he worries about the exact thing Hartley brings up. "Not all have a good table crew as-is," he wrote. I shudder at the thought of sub-V shot clock problems." As a ref, Im fine with it; just tell me the rules to use and we will call the game. But I worry about some schools finding good shot clock operators; not all have a good table crew as-is. I shudder at the thought of sub-V shot clock problems. Alex Inman (@alexinman) January 15, 2019 Jeremy Hartman, the boys coach at Wilson Memorial, started talking to me this summer about the need for a shot clock in the game. He's coached both the boys and girls games for a long time and says the time has come to make this addition. He said most teams play a fast-enough style now that they're able to get shots off within 30 seconds. So he doesn't think it would be a drastic change to the game, although he sees ways it would improve the game. Buy Photo Wilson Memorial coach Jeremy Hartman would love to see a shot clock added to high school basketball in Virginia. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader) "From a strategic standpoint, it would be a great addition for coaches that like to pressure because you could force a team to use nearly 12 seconds to get the ball into the half court and then try to run something with the remaining 18 seconds," Hartman said. "It plays into your hands. It would make people have to grow, adapt and change as coaches which makes it better for the game." And Hartman does think it would help those who do eventually play college basketball, where a shot clock is used. Former Wilson Memorial player Cheridan Hatfield is a freshman at Randolph Macon. She loves the faster play in college, a style that's at least partly because of the shot clock. She likes that teams can't hold the ball at the end of a game. "You have to be able to run your offense and play competitive defense to have the outcome you want," Hatfield said. Wilson Memorial sophomore Madison Flint would like to one day follow in Hatfield's shoes and play at the college level. Having a shot clock in high school would help. "It would certainly prepare those players who are interested in playing in the college level to be ready for that type of play," she said. Not that every player or coach is in favor of a shot clock. "I think it is good for teams to know how to control the tempo of the game depending on if they are winning or losing a game," Buffalo Gap junior Weston Smith said. "The shot clock would take away that side of high school basketball." Buy Photo Buffalo Gaps Weston Smith passes around Robert E. Lees Darrion Simms during the first half of their Shenandoah District boys basketball game on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, at Paul Hatcher Gym in Staunton, Va. (Photo: Tom Jacobs/The News Leader) Robin Dotson, coach of the defending Class 2 girls state champion Central-Wise, isn't a fan of the shot clock either. "It's probably coming," he wrote in response to the Twitter poll, "but I see no need for it. The skill level for all involved, players, officials, coaches, clock operators is not sufficient." While Dotson thinks it's coming, Hartman isn't so sure. "School administrators may argue against the addition due to costs," he said. "There will also be training that would need to take place for officials and score table operators. Taking those things into consideration, I highly doubt Virginia ever adopts the shot clock."
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https://www.newsleader.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/01/24/basketball-shot-clock-virginia-high-school/2644373002/
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What is the planetary diet?
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A: The planetary diet, or the flexitarian diet, doesnt mean youll have to get rid of all the meat and dairy in your life. If we were just minimizing greenhouse gases wed say everyone be vegan, researcher Walter Willet said. But according to him, a vegan diet wasnt necessarily the healthiest option. For meat-lovers, though, this will still mean making significant adjustments and relying on nuts and legumes for protein instead. Essentially, Willet said, global consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes will have to double, and consumption of foods such as red meat and sugar will have to be reduced by more than 50 percent. A diet rich in plant-based foods and with fewer animal source foods confers both improved health and environmental benefits.
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https://www.courant.com/consumer/hc-ls-planetary-diet-20190127-20190124-tdvg25bouvgbvjk4i4dsbhjbyu-story.html
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Why do people like Lindsey Graham come to Congress?
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But stay focused on this: Anyone in Graham-speak, ANYONE who at any time favors declaring an emergency, or who does not denounce the mere suggestion thereof, thereby abandons constitutional government. Yes, such a declaration would be technically legal. Congress has put on every president's desk this (to adopt Justice Robert Jackson's language in his dissent from the Supreme Court's 1944 Korematsu decision affirming the constitutionality of interning Japanese-Americans) "loaded weapon, ready for the hand of any authority that can bring forward a plausible claim of an urgent need." Or an implausible one. However, an anti-constitutional principle would be affirmed. The principle is: Any president can declare an emergency and "repurpose" funds whenever any of his policy preferences that he deems unusually important are actively denied or just ignored by the legislative branch.
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https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-george-will-lindsey-graham-0124-20190124-4s3h3dyivrhh5mimtocxh6nd64-story.html
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How did Germany forget to build things well?
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Have we forgotten how to build? It is the sort of despairing rhetorical question one might expect to see in the headlines of an Italian newspaper, or perhaps even in the British press during one of its periodic bouts of national self-flagellation. But not in Germany, a proud nation of engineers and technical experts that now sometimes feels as though it is coming apart at the seams. Germany is standing on the brink of a transport collapse, Oliver Luksic, an MP and infrastructure expert for the liberal Free Democrat party, said. Every summer there are massive flight delays. The expansion of airports isnt working anywhere and there is a shortage of pilots. The punctuality of the railways is horrendous . . . The condition of tens of thousands
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-did-germany-forget-to-build-things-well-snxjk9stp
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Why are elites branding brutal dictatorships like Venezuela and Zimbabwe as victims of 'populism'?
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I was under the impression that the problem with Zimbabwe was that for nearly 40 years it was run by a Marxist thug who brutally oppressed his people, and that when he was finally deposed it was taken over by one of his former associates who really isnt much better. The human catastrophe of Venezuela, on the other hand, seemed to be to be a product of a socialist president who hadnt the faintest idea of how economies worked and his malignant, hand-picked successor. But it seems I am at fault. What is wrong in both those countries is pretty much the same as is wrong in Brexit Britain, and it's all down to that catch-all of the moment: populism. According to letter in the South African newspaper...
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/01/24/has-become-fashionable-brand-brutal-dictatorships-like-venezuela/
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Can we trust companies to solve the problems they cause?
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Large companies have a huge impact on the communities they call home. In the case of organizations like Microsoft and Amazon, housing prices have skyrocketed in their wake. Other companies, like BP and Shell, are largely responsible for much of the world's carbon emissions. Some say these large corporations have a responsibility to fix the problems they've caused, but others feel it's too late for any action to reverse these wrongs. PERSPECTIVES Microsoft recently announced that it would be investing $500 million to help reverse the housing affordability crisis in Seattle. Forbes' Samantha Sharf reports: The efforts are focused on adding to the area's housing stock, so half that amount will be used to provide builders with low-interest loans to construct low-income housing. Another $225 million in lending will subsidize the preservation and construction of middle-income residences. And the remainder will take the form of a philanthropic grant to fight homelessness. With companies as large as Microsoft and Amazon, having two HQ locations in the same city can have a major impact on a city's economy. In Seattle, Microsoft and Amazon's growth has translated to higher demand for housing, causing prices to go up and pushing long-time residents further out of the city. These companies need to invest outside of their own walls in order to truly repair the damage they've done to their communities, which is exactly what Microsoft is doing. More organizations should model its example. Microsoft just announced $500 million for affordable housing in Seattle and not restricted to their own employees but also including municipal employees, teachers, etc. Great leadership. Will other Big tech companies follow. They should, particularly in the Bay Area -- Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) January 17, 2019 But some feel that Microsoft's efforts are coming too late-there are some consequences that simply can't be fixed after decades of neglect. Plus, Microsoft's motives are a bit murkier than they appear on the surface. The Guardian's Shaun Scott reports: But when you look the Microsoft gift horse in the mouth, certain cavities are visible. For instance, $475m of the funds are not, as is widely assumed, donations. We should thank Microsoft for the aid and wish it the best of luck turning a profit on its foray into philanthropy. But a cash-strapped public in desperate need of relief shouldn't allow software companies to have the final word. According to Scott, the public sector does better when it comes to providing basic services like affordable housing. The mere fact that Microsoft's intentions are questionable already derails what good it might do for the community. The moment a company recognizes its residual impact is one to be celebrated. Microsoft's decision to fight the affordable housing crisis is much better than continuing to exist silently within it. Other companies, like Levi-Strauss, are acknowledging their impact and taking action because of it. For Levi, this comes down to conserving water while producing jeans. According to its website: In an era of increasing water scarcity, we recognize that water is an essential raw material for agriculture and many industries besides apparel. We must decouple the growth of our business and our water needs if we want to continue leading into the future. Efforts like these are essential to growing the economy while not ruining the planet or our communities. Companies must act in line with Microsoft and Levi if they want to thrive in the coming decades. Although these efforts should be commended, some of the problems caused by large corporations are simply too powerful to reverse. According to The Guardian's Tess Riley and the Carbon Majors Report, only 100 companies have been the source of more than 70 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions since 1988: ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron are identified as among the highest emitting investor-owned companies since 1988. If fossil fuels continue to be extracted at the same rate over the next 28 years as they were between 1988 and 2017, says the report, global average temperatures would be on course to rise by 4C by the end of the century. This is likely to have catastrophic consequences including substantial species extinction and global food scarcity risks. Catastrophic consequences might also mean deadly weather events, famine, and a huge economic downturn. These types of problems cannot be fixed by mere donations-loans or otherwise. They can only be changed by overhauling our current system and replacing it with new practices, which is not something that many existing companies are likely to propose. 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.
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https://www.nj.com/trending/2019/01/can_we_trust_companies_to_solv.html
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Is La La Anthony Upset Over Carmelo Leaving NYC After Getting Back Together?
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After they got back together, Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Chicago Bulls! Read on for EXCLUSIVE details on how wife La La feels! With the news that basketball player Carmelo Anthony, 34, was traded to play for the Chicago Bulls (and wants to end up at the Los Angeles Lakers eventually! ), hell have to leave New York City and Power actress wife La La,39, just after theyve announced that theyre back together, while previously saying they were separating in April 2017. Making a long-distance relationship thrive is definitely work, and people might be wondering if La La has harbored any ill will toward Melo for leaving so quickly and if shell leave NYC behind herself. Carmelo is all about La La and making her happy and he knows how much New York means to her, so hes not putting any kind of pressure on her to move, a friend of La Las told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. La La is the one that will make that call, and so far she is planing to stay in New York no matter where Carmelo ends up getting traded. They are back together and very happy but La Las first priority is her son [Kiyan, 11] and she feels that the best thing for him is to stay in New York. Hes settled here and its where hes always known and her family is here in New York so I dont see her moving. She will travel to be with Carmelo and support him but as far as moving away its just not likely going to happen. Anyway, expecting La La to follow Melo, considering that they just got back together, may seem like too much to ask! Her whole life, and her sons life, is in New York, and Melo travels so much for his career anyway. Theyll find a way to make it work especially since our source said that theyre stronger now as a couple. As hard as it was to go through the separation, La La feels like it was a blessing because she and Carmelo came out of it closer and more in love than theyve ever been, the source said. La La was ready to walk away, but Carmelo put in the work to get her to stay. Another source told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that shes hoping for sunny California, and she may eventually move there, depending on her son! She would live with [Carmelo] as much as possible in LA, and would relocate but it is all determined on Kiyan, the source said. Kiyan is old enough to have made tons of friends and is comfortable in school. So moving away during school might be a little rough. When school ends each year, she would be more prone to be with Carmelo and Kiyan in LA. She would be happy to make it work for the whole family. Its important to her to be a mom and a wife and is confident that if Carmelo goes to LA that all will be well. Clearly, La La has been supportive of her husbands career and he has done the same for her! Theyre prioritizing each other and their son, and we hope that it works out for them! HollywoodLife has reached out to La Las rep for comment.
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https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/01/24/carmelo-anthony-leaves-la-la/
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How exactly did a Dragon Ball movie become a box-office hit in 2019?
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A lot of people whose business it is to predict box-office returns were left bewildered this week by a movie whose success was unpredictable. Dragon Ball Super: Broly, a feature-length Japanese anime, was released across North America last Wednesday in more than 1200 cinemas. Its distributor, a subsidiary of Sony that specializes in importing cartoons from Asia, provided little in the way of conventional advertising, and marketed the theatrical engagement as a show of courtesy to eager fans of the long-running Dragon Ball TV series. In Canada, Dragon Ball Super Broly opened at Cineplex, where it has been relegated to its Event Cinema vertical, alongside Andre Rieu Live in Concert and La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera. By the end of the weekend, it had finished fourth at the domestic box office and earned $20 million. Nobody understands it. I saw Dragon Ball Super: Broly on Sunday evening at a big multiplex in downtown Toronto. I would have seen it on Friday, or on Saturday, but every screening at a reasonable hour was sold out well in advance. As it was, when I finally did get in, I barely found a seat. The auditorium hummed with an enthusiasm more akin to the atmosphere of a football game than a movie. The crowd talked amongst themselves as if silence werent the etiquette, making excited remarks about the action as it unfolded. After every joke or reference, they laughed uproariously, and when characters transformed or reached new summits of superhuman power, as happens at regular intervals throughout the film, they burst into exuberant applause. It was bizarre and indescribably delightful. At most movies, the audience comprises a range of responsive states, fluctuating between degrees of intrigue and indifference: nobody knows until the lights dim whether theyll be enraptured or bored stiff. But the audience at Dragon Ball Super had an unusually clear idea of what they were in for. The energy in the room was like a rock concert, as devotees gather to hear their favourite hits performed. Interestingly, and contrary to the conclusions of industry analysts mystified by its unforeseen commercial success, Dragon Ball Super isnt some seemingly esoteric curio with surprise mainstream appeal, in the way that, say, My Big Fat Greek Wedding defied forecasts to capture the mass market. Dragon Ball Super really is as esoteric as it seems. It appeals to an extremely specific market of passionate, dedicated fans there simply happen to be more of them than anybody realized, with money to spend. This demands an explanation. It doesnt come easy. Dragon Ball Super: Broly is the 20th film in the Dragon Ball franchise. It is based on a Japanese comic book, or manga, created by an illustrator and writer named Akira Toriyama and serialized in Shonen Jump magazine for more than a decade starting in 1984. In the mid-80s, the manga was adapted as an anime for television in Japan, which was dubbed in English and broadcast on the Cartoon Network in America (and on YTV in Canada) a decade later, starting in 1995. It bred a sequel, Dragon Ball Z, which become enormously popular when it aired in the west. An inexhaustible supply of video games, action figures and home video box sets gave the show continued relevance in the imagination of adolescents long after it went off air. The sequel series ran in the U.S. and Canada until early 2003, by which time it had secured its position as the best-known anime abroad beside bona fide crossover Pokmon. It remained dormant for another 10 years, then reemerged with Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, a theatrical feature that heralded a sort of renaissance for the franchise, inspiring a new series under the title Dragon Ball Super, a direct movie sequel called Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, and a triple-A video game, Dragon Ball FighterZ, that was one of the most acclaimed of last year. Dragon Ball is having a moment, in other words 35 years after it was introduced. As a recent essay in Wired explains, the new film is a culmination of years of slow building and at least a year of popular resurgence. No less compellingly, it may be the best piece of Dragon Ball animation ever produced. I can confirm this bold declaration. I feel qualified to do so because between the fall of 1999 and the winter of 2001, when I was 13 and 14, I spent so many hours watching Dragon Ball Z that, had I used the time to study languages instead, I would today be fluent in French, German, Arabic and Mandarin. As it stands, I didnt even learn Japanese, as I watched the show dubbed in English rather than with subtitles. Im not sure what it was about Dragon Ball that so endlessly fascinated me. One was hard-pressed to ignore its shortcomings, frequently cited: glacial pace, repetitive structure, ludicrous action. Most episodes consisted of nothing more than two truculent adversaries staring each other down for 30 minutes, slowly building to a battle. Sometimes people would fight. Mainly they would stand around and glower. Either way, Id sit there transfixed, thirsty for more. In its original comic-book incarnation, Toriyamas Dragon Ball was a light-hearted farce about a boy with a tail like a monkey. This boy, Goku, was on a quest to find the seven mystical Dragon Balls, which, when assembled, could summon the genie-like dragon Shenlong, who would reward the finder with a wish. By the time of Dragon Ball Z, the child hero was an adult with children of his own, and his adventures tended more toward the serious life-or-death struggles and clashes of good and evil, the kind of earth-shaking bouts that routinely fill out Marvel movies. But even as the content got darker and the tone more severe, childish beginnings meant Dragon Balls reputation as a program for kids stuck, a misconception that, oddly enough, has extended the life of the show. The same boys who loved Dragon Ball at age 10 often still do now at 25. This lasting personal affection is responsible for its endurance as a fixture of popular culture for more than 30 years. And it accounts for the incredible triumph of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which arrives prime to exploit the affection of all those who once did, or still do, adore this cherished franchise of their eternal youth. When, midway through the film, the churlish Saiyan prince Vegeta spars with the mysterious and powerful newcomer Broly, I could feel my critical faculties relieving themselves. The choreography was delirious, the animation beautiful; virtually everything happening, I acknowledged reluctantly, would be incomprehensible to anyone not intimately versed in the lore. Dragon Ball Super: Broly is not a movie for the average moviegoer. Yet it had me thrilled, cheering along with the rest of my gawky, wistful, weirdo audience.
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https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/how-exactly-did-a-dragon-ball-movie-become-a-box-office-hit-in-2019
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Did Camilla Parker Bowles borrow Meghan Markles purse?
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Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Even the Duchess of Cornwall is feeling the Meghan Markle Effect. Camilla Parker Bowles, 71, visited the Malmesbury Residents Association in London on Wednesday carrying a very familiar-looking handbag. The duchess was there to visit with local schoolchildren and residents, wearing a form-fitting forest green dress and matching jacket. She bundled up in a black capelet and leather gloves, finishing off the look with a DeMellier Mini Venice bag ($395), the very same purse the Duchess of Sussex was carrying earlier this month. On January 18, the pregnant royal paid a visit Cardiff Castle in Wales, pairing her DeMellier bag with a black Stella McCartney coat, black jeans and $825 Tabitha Simmons velvet Kiki ankle boots.
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https://pagesix.com/2019/01/24/did-camilla-parker-bowles-borrow-meghan-markles-purse/
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Do the Haslams know what theyre doing?
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Getty Images The lengthy and detailed article from Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com regarding several years of Dawg Pound dysfunction may do nearly as much to dampen the current over-the-top enthusiasm in Cleveland as if theyd re-hired Hue Jackson to coach the team. Wickersham paints a troubling portrait of an owner who, while apparently well-intentioned, pits employees against each other through an incessant habit of gathering information. Its a habit that often prompts employees to complain about other employees, fueling the many changes that Haslam has made over the years, often without warning and without explanation. More than six years after Jimmy Haslam bought the team, hes still figuring out how to own the team. And his wife, co-owner Dee Haslam, who has emerged in recent years as a more prominent figure in the operation of the franchise, reportedly has admitted (repeatedly) that she and her husband remain clueless when it comes to running a football team. We just dont know what we are doing, Dee Haslam has repeatedly said on multiple occasions, according to multiple unnamed sources who spoke to Wickersham. If wed known how hard it would be, we never would have bought the team. (The team denied that Dee Haslam ever said this.) Billionaires become tempted by the trappings of billionaire life, and buying an NFL team is a non-braggy way to let everyone know youre a billionaire. Its not about showing off; its about making a good investment. And it is a good investment, if the goal is to make money. If the goal is to become beloved or well-known or whatever, its a crapshoot. For every Bob Kraft theres a Dan Snyder, and the zero-sum nature of the NFL ensures that good teams will be mirrored by bad teams. That each and every franchise that is well run will be balanced by a team that isnt. Which once again reminds me of one of the most insightful quotes Ive ever heard: The only thing better than being rich and famous is being rich.
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https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/01/24/do-the-haslams-know-what-theyre-doing/
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Which players attended the first day of National Team tryouts?
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As per this image, 38 players answered the invitation on the first day of the National Team tryouts. However, not all of them participated in the drills and scrimmages. We break down the list of aspirants based on the team they are trying out for. Returning National Team players Most of those who represented the country during the 2018 Asian Games and AVC Cup for Women were there. Alyssa Valdez and team captain Aby Marano joined the scrimmages that were facilitated by coaches Shaq delos Santos, Kung Fu Reyes, and Brian Esquivel. Also present at the Arellano University School of Law Gymnasium are Mika Reyes, Mylene Paat, Majoy Baron, Dawn Macandili, Denden Lazaro, and Risa Sato. Jema Galanza also went through the try-out but she is being geared for the Under-23 roster. Senior National Team players on the sidelines Kim Kianna Dy and Kim Fajardo of the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers were in attendance but did not play because of the respective injuries. Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Ces Molina of the Petron Blaze Spikers were also sidelined due to the same reason. Cha Cruz-Behag was there but did not join the scrimmages. New aspirants for the senior womens volleyball team New attendees include Jerrili Malabanan of the FEU Lady Tamaraws, Jannine Navarro of the Cignal HD Spikers, Ria Meneses of the Generika Ayala Lifesavers, Remy Palma of the Petron Blaze Spikers, and Kalei Mau of the Cocolife Asset Managers. Attendees for the Under-23 tryouts It seems like a pool for an Under-19 team can be pulled out from the Under-23 aspirants. But until the coaching staff or LVPI officials decide to create another team, they will remain at the training pool for the U23. Aside from Galanza, included in the list are liberos Kath Arado, Kyla Atienza, and Buding Duremdes. UAAP girls volleyball is also represented by UAAP Season 81 Finals MVP Justine Jazareno of De La Salle Zobel and Seasons Best Libero Bernadett Pepito of UST. Wing spikers are also aplenty with USTs Eya Laure, UEs Mary Ann Mendrez and Judith Abil, and the De La Salle Zobel duo of Season 81 MVP Angel Anne Canino and 2nd Best Outside Spiker Alleiah Malaluan. The U23 pool wont have a shortage of middle blockers with Celine Domingo, UAAP Season 81 girls volleyball 2nd Best Middle Blocker Alexis Ciara Miner, and FEU-Dilimans Lyann De Guzman. Middle blockers Imee Hernandez and Janna Torres from UST juniors as well as Camille Victoria also joined the aspirants. Meanwhile, there were only two setters in the Under-23 pool: FEUs Angel Cayuna and UST High Schools Tanya Narciso. The second day of tryouts is slated on January 25 at the same venue.
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https://volleyverse.com/phi/list-of-players-first-day-national-team-tryouts-2019/
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Is Jen delaying Justin nuptials because of Brad and Angelina?
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By Kat Giantis Last week, Jennifer Aniston's rep scoffed when we asked whether she'd postponed her wedding to Justin Theroux, ostensibly due to her busy schedule and because they couldn't decide whether to have a blowout bash (her choice) or a more intimate ceremony (his preference). Now, Us Weekly has weighed in on the delayed "I do" whispers, and it's dragged Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie along for good measure. Even though none of the betrothed parties has announced when they plan to walk down the aisle, the mag says Aniston, 44, has put her nuptials to Theroux, 41, on the back burner "to avoid any perceived overlap with her ex's big day this summer." Explains a source, "She does not want her day associated with them." Thing is, no matter when the members of this Bermuda tabloid triangle get hitched, comparisons will be drawn. Jen should be prepared for point-by-point breakdowns of how her vow-swap stacks up not just to Brad and Angelina's sure-to-be kid-inclusive celebration, but how it differs from her million-dollar wedding to Pitt in 2000. Still, the Us insider claims Aniston even contemplated moving up her plans to become Mrs. Theroux when she learned of the Jolie-Pitt's wedding date, but her intended talked her out of it because he "got weirded out by all the rushing." Now, the whole until-death-do-they-part thing has allegedly been put on hold. "Nothing has happened on that front in a month," says the spy, with another adding, "She has been cranky from this stress. Justin's never seen her like this." But the actress looked perfectly relaxed on Tuesday night as she came out to support her pal Mandy Ingber at the launch of her new book, "Yogalosophy." As she often does, Jen opted for a little black dress, and while she had her usual healthy golden glow, her frock raised eyebrows. The front was far roomier than strictly necessary for fashion, which is sure to have armchair obstetricians speculating. Click on to see Aniston's rumor-launching, tent-like couture
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https://www.wonderwall.com/celebrity/couples/gossip-is-jen-delaying-justin-nuptials-because-of-brad-and-angelina-24711.gallery
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What caused pieces of Superdome ceiling to fall during NFC Championship?
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Long forgotten after the non-call that impacted the New Orleans Saints' NFC Championship loss Sunday was something unique that occurred in the first quarter. When linebacker Demario Davis intercepted a pass that helped the Saints to a 13-0 lead, the crowd reaction created a vibration so strong that small pieces of debris came loose from the ceiling above a ground-level walkway. Stadium workers quickly cleared the walkway, and nothing more fell from the ceiling. A closer look at part of the Superdome ceiling that fell during the first quarter. #Saints fans are loud. pic.twitter.com/3vnGHgaKPw Julie Boudwin (@Julie_Boudwin) January 20, 2019 On Wednesday (Jan. 23), Doug Thornton, the executive vice president of stadiums and arenas for SMG, offered an explanation for what happened. What people were experiencing was the movement in the stadium, he said. Any tall building, if you look at the Empire State Building or any tall building, youll see when the winds blow, theres probably a 6 or 8 inch sway, which might surprise some people. Anytime you have a big building like this, which might be six or eight stories tall, theres going to be a little play in the steel and the concrete. In this case, the boisterous crowd reaction created a vibration through the Dome strong enough for pieces of a fiberboard inside an expansion joint to break loose, he said. The fiberboard was being used as filler to prevent leakage between the two large concrete sections of the Dome. An expansion joint is the gap of space between large pieces of concrete. That gap allows for thermal expansion in the concrete without causing distortion. It wasnt like the ceiling is falling, Thornton said. Thornton has worked at the Dome for 22 years. He said the noise level at the time of that interception was louder than hed ever heard louder than when Steve Gleason blocked a punt in the first post-Katrina game at the Dome in 2006 and when Garrett Hartley kicked the field goal that clinched a Super Bowl berth in 2010. Ill have to be honest with you, he said. Ive been here 22 years and Ive never seen it. Weve had damage and destruction from rowdy fans who will punch holes in walls and throw beer cans, throw trashcans upside down, put dents in doors. Things like that. Ive never heard it that loud before. And Ive never seen it with the vibration where the space filler would fall out." Doug Thornton has been through it all inside the Superdome, but this was different
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https://www.nola.com/saints/2019/01/what-caused-pieces-of-superdome-ceiling-to-fall-during-nfc-championship.html
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Who the hell is Azealia Banks and whats her gripe with Ireland?
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Oops, shes done it again. Having taken a breather from taunting the entire population of Ireland at the start of the week, to make time to play her show in Dublin on Tuesday, the New York rapper Azealia Banks is back at the day job of spraying vitriol across the internet. Dont you have a famine to go die in? she most recently wrote to one follower. You lot are a bunch of prideful inbred leprechauns... She can sing, she can rap and, as anyone who attended this weeks sensational Academy date will attest, she radiates the searing charisma that is the hallmark of a true pop star Despite what her intensely loyal fans might say, Banks is nobodys idea of a household name. The first many in Ireland will have heard of her was when the story of her Aer Lingus altercation ripped across social media on Monday she called cabin crew on her flight from London to Dublin f**king ugly Irish women, and then left the plane before it took off. Had her career gone a little differently, Banks could have been the next Beyonc. She can sing, she can rap and, as anyone who attended this weeks sensational Academy date will attest, she radiates the searing charisma that is the hallmark of a true pop star. She began to be talked about in late 2011, on the strength of her single 212. The track was a high-kicking, solar-plexus-punching rap track with not-safe-for-work lyrics. Frantic, uncompromising and thrillingly catchy, it seemed to herald the arrival of a new force in pop. Bankss ascent felt all but preordained. She was signed to XL Recordings, the label behind the rise of Adele, FKA Twigs and MIA. It was a perfect meeting of minds. XL valued artistic independence but also knew how to flog music to the masses. She had the media in her pocket, too. Hot Press quickly interviewed her, NME slapped her on its cover before she had put out an album a big deal even as late as 2012 and she featured prominently on the BBCs Sound Of list, the broadcasters annual barometer of up-and-coming talent. Alas, then the wheels came off, as she fell out with XLs boss, Richard Russell. Banks didnt hold back about their differences. Richard was cool, but as soon as I didnt want to use his beats it got real sour, she said. He wound up calling me amateur and shit, and the XL interns started talking shit about me. It just got real f**king funny. I was, like, I didnt come here for a date. I came here to cut some f**king records. She has never really regained her momentum. Her debut (and so far only) album, Broke with Expensive Taste, didnt see daylight until November 2014, a lifetime after that initial hype. By then music had changed and artists such as Taylor Swift were mastering the art of forging intimate relationships with their fans via social media. Banks could never attune herself to this cuddly paradigm and continued to use the internet to kick dirt in the faces of her perceived detractors. She would go on to feud with deep breath Lady Gaga, Iggy Azalea, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Rita Ora and Kendrick Lamar, among others. Even Amanda Brunker came in for a pummelling. Wow, how ignorant, Banks exclaimed in 2012, after the Dublin socialite tweeted lyrics to 212 and added that she wasnt black enough to tease the rest of the song. In 2015 the rapper risked alienating her many gay fans by getting into a fight with a fellow passenger as they got off a Delta Air Lines flight, in the course of which she called a Delta employee a f**king f**k. Banks would subsequently file a police report accusing the actor Russell Crowe of calling her a n****r and is involved in an ongoing spat with the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and his musician girlfriend, Grimes, the details of which would fill more pages than the final three Harry Potter books. So perhaps Irelands women including the Rose of Tralee, Kirsten Mate Maher, with whom Banks also clashed online this week can consider themselves in esteemed company. It was telling that, on stage at the Academy, Banks was a picture of restraint and professional cool. Even though she left the sell-out audience waiting until 9.35pm before she arrived on stage, and then performed for a little over an hour, every second under the spotlight was a masterclass in concision from Banks who, in addition to her skills as a rhymer, is blessed with roof-raising vocals. She graciously threw free T-shirts into the crowd, at one point called a halt to ensure all was well with uberfans up front, and said sorry sort of for the ugly slur, dedicating her track Liquorice to all the beautiful Irish women. It was difficult to reconcile this smiling, at-ease Banks with the Instagram insult-flinger. Many people are understandably irked at Banks. In the end the real loser may be the rapper herself. Her gig this Sunday at the 1,500-capacity Electric Brixton, in London, has yet to sell out. Tickets are also still available for the Ritz Academy, in Manchester, which holds 2,600. Whether Banks is creating a fuss only to raise her profile is impossible for outsiders to say, but this is a tour that could clearly do with a boost.
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https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/who-the-hell-is-azealia-banks-and-what-s-her-gripe-with-ireland-1.3769599?localLinksEnabled=false
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What's in the Offing for ServiceNow (NOW) in Q4 Earnings?
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ServiceNow, Inc. NOW is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. Notably, the company has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and came in line in the remaining one, recording average positive surprise of 19.7%. In the third quarter, non-GAAP earnings of 68 cents per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8 cents. Further, the figure soared 78.9% from the year-ago quarter. Moreover, revenues advanced 36.7% year over year to $673.1 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $659.4 million. We believe robust adoption witnessed by companys expanding range of application based products by government agencies, big private and public companies will drive top-line growth in the to-be-reported quarter. Guidance & Estimates For fourth-quarter 2018, management anticipates non-GAAP subscription revenues in the range of $664 million to $669 million, representing year-over-year growth of 33-34%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $717.3 million, translating to year-over-year growth of 31.3%. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 64 cents per share, implying a surge of 82.9% from the year-ago quarter. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Factors Likely to Influence Q4 Results Expanding Customer Base & Deal Wins: Key Catalysts ServiceNows enterprise customer base exceeded 5,000 at the end of the third quarter. Further, the companys total number of customers contributing more than $1 million to the business reached 614 in the third quarter. The figure increased 37% on a year-over-year basis. Moreover, ServiceNow witnessed significant growth in its customer base which contributes above $10 million. There were 11 such customers including four Fed agencies. Notably, the figure was three times more than that of the prior-year quarter. Additionally, ServiceNows platform and tools are gaining rapid traction among the Global 2000 ("G2K") companies. Per the last reported quarter, the company added 20 new G2K companies. Further, it closed 36 contracts in the third quarter with an annualized contract value (ACV) of more than a million. Moreover, ServiceNow is also exploring new end-markets beyond G2K. New deal wins in particular from federal, state and local governments is a positive. In fact, in the third quarter, the company witnessed strong momentum across the government sector with U.S. government accounting for majority of its deals, including four Fed agencies. The growing influence of its ServiceNow Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) offering is also a positive. Further, the companys recent notable alliances with IBM IBM, Accenture and NTT Communications are anticipated to aid it in expanding digital transformation initiatives. Other Notable Factors ServiceNows acquisition of FriendlyData, in a bid to add natural language query (NLQ) technology capabilities to its platform, remains a notable development in the quarter under review. Notably, NLQ technology enables non-technical users to pose questions in simple English and obtain direct answers in real time. NLQ tech will be integrated with Now Platform and assist users to leverage Performance Analytics dashboards. Recently, the company entered into a partnership with Microsoft MSFT in a bid to offer ServiceNow digital workflows via Azure Government Cloud. It is aimed to facilitate the U.S. Federal customers with digital transformation by deploying ServiceNows technology via the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. The aforementioned factors are expected to garner new deals, consequently bolstering customer base. However, the company faces stiff competition from the likes of Oracle and Salesforce.com in the non-ITSM market, compelling it to increase spending on sales and marketing, which is likely to limit margin expansion. What Our Model Says According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has a good chance of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) are best avoided. ServiceNow, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
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https://news.yahoo.com/whats-offing-servicenow-now-q4-164504012.html
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Will GPU Product Introduction Benefit AMD's Q4 Earnings?
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Advanced Micro Devices Inc AMD is set to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 29. Notably, AMD has a positive record of earnings surprises in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 24.7%. In the last reported quarter, earnings of 13 cents per share were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate but jumped 44.4% year over year. Revenues increased 4.4% year over year to $1.65 billion but lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.71 billion. IP-related revenues were $86 million, including revenues related to THATIC joint venture. Strong computing and graphics segment revenues drove year-over-year growth. Estimates & Guidance For fourth-quarter 2018, AMD expects revenues to be roughly $1.45 billion (+/-$50 million), up 8% on a year-over-year basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter revenues is currently pegged at $1.44 billion, reflecting year-over-year decline of almost 2.7%. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings is currently pegged at 9 cents, displaying year-over-year growth of almost 12.5%. Management expects client compute business, which faces seasonality in the fourth quarter, to perform better, due to strong adoption of new products. The company anticipates the server business to grow on solid adoption of EPYC products by cloud service providers. Moreover, graphics business is expected to grow sequentially, on the back of product portfolio strength that includes new datacenter GPU products. However, semi-custom is projected to decline sequentially in the to-be-reported quarter. Notably, AMDs stock has returned 59.6% year over year, against the industrys decline of 1.8%. Lets see, how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Product Rollouts: Key Catalyst in Q4 AMDs portfolio strength is a key catalyst. The company recently unveiled its new Radeon RX 590 graphics card. Notably, AMD also presented its new Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition. This updated version will feature the WattMan technology and be based on the AMD Radeon Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). This card is ideal for gamers who require superior graphic performance and high-quality visual experiences. Going forward, AMD launched the much-awaited next generation 7-nanometer (nm) Radeon Vega GPU, AMD Radeon VII. These launches are likely to provide AMD an edge against the likes of NVIDIA NVDA and Intel. With these cards, AMD is foraying into the high-end graphics card market. Consequently, AMDs revenues are poised to benefit significantly if the latest GPU can cater to the rising demand of the users. Moreover, robust sales of GPU, driven by increasing adoption of AI techniques and machine learning tools in industries like gaming, automotive and blockchain, present significant growth opportunity. Moreover, strong adoption of EPYC server processors is another catalyst. The companys partnerships with major game developers like Ubisoft, Capcom and Rebellion to optimize their next generation of games on Radeon graphics is also a major growth driver. However, intensifying competition in the traditional pc market and GPU segment, and customer concentration are the major headwinds. What the Zacks Model Unveils According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has a good chance of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. The Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) are best avoided.
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https://news.yahoo.com/gpu-product-introduction-benefit-amds-164104676.html
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Will Lower Prices Hurt U.S. Steel's (X) Earnings in Q4?
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United States Steel Corporation X is scheduled to come up with its fourth-quarter 2018 results after the bell on Jan 30. The steel giant saw higher profits in the third quarter, driven by a significant increase in earnings in its Flat-Rolled unit and higher steel prices. It logged net earnings of $291 million or $1.62 per share in the quarter, up roughly 98% from $147 million or 83 cents a year ago. Adjusted earnings of $1.79 a share were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Revenues rose roughly 15% year over year to $3,729 million in the third quarter, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,706.1 million. U.S. Steel has outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, delivering a positive average earnings surprise of 12.3%. Shares of U.S. Steel are down around 49% over a year, underperforming the industrys decline of roughly 31%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Watch For U.S. Steel, in its third-quarter call, noted that it expects adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter at roughly $575 million. The company also cut its adjusted EBITDA guidance for 2018 to $1.8 billion from its earlier view of around $1.85-$1.90 billion. The company envisions results in the Flat-rolled unit to continue to improve on the back of higher shipments and reduced maintenance and outage costs, partly masked by lower average realized prices. For the Tubular unit, U.S. Steel sees results to improve mainly due to higher shipments, partly offset by lower average realized prices. However, it expects results in the European segment to decline due to inventory revaluation adjustments associated with volatility in raw material prices. The company is seeing unfavorable impact of higher iron ore and coal costs in this unit. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues for U.S. Steel for the fourth quarter is $3,752 million, reflecting an expected increase of roughly 19.8% on a year over year basis. U.S. Steel is seeing strong market conditions with stable end-user steel consumption. It remains focused on improving its cost structure and operations on a sustainable basis through its Carnegie Way initiative that includes actions such as manufacturing process/logistics improvements and savings on SG&A costs. As part of the Carnegie Way initiative, the company is implementing an asset revitalization plan aimed at improving its profitability and competitiveness. Carnegie Way actions are expected to deliver meaningful benefits. U.S. Steel is also expected to benefit from higher expected steel shipments in the December quarter. Shipments for the Flat-Rolled segment are projected to see a 5.3% increase on a sequential comparison basis as the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth quarter is pegged at 2,800,000 tons. For the Tubular segment, shipments for the fourth quarter are expected to rise 3.3% sequentially , as the Zacks Consensus Estimate is 190,000 tons. Higher steel prices supported the performance of the companys Flat-Rolled unit in the third quarter. However, lower expected realized prices are likely to hurt margins of the segment in the fourth quarter. U.S. Steel, in its third-quarter call, said that it is witnessing lower customer order rates due to falling spot and index prices. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for average realized price for the Flat-Rolled unit for the fourth quarter is pegged at $826 per net ton, which represents an expected 3.8% decline from the sequentially prior quarter. Steel prices weakened during the fourth quarter on concerns over a slowdown in steel demand in China, the worlds top consumer, amid a cooling Chinese economy. Signs of weakness across the countrys major steel end-use markets construction and automotive have clouded steel demand outlook. In fact, after rallying to multi-year highs on the back of Trump administrations imposition of 25% tariffs on imported steel, U.S. steel prices have now fallen back to the levels seen prior to the tariff announcement in March 2018. Lower prices are also likely to weigh on the performance of the companys Tubular segment. Average realized price for the Tubular segment is expected to decline around 0.9% sequentially as the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth quarter is $1,587 per net ton. What the Zacks Model Says Our proven model does not show that U.S. Steel is likely to beat estimates this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here, as you will see below: Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for U.S. Steel is -4.05%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is currently pegged at $1.81 while the Zacks Consensus Estimate stands at $1.89. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Zacks Rank: U.S. Steel currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) or #5 going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.
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https://news.yahoo.com/lower-prices-hurt-u-steels-163804530.html
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Is Cara Therapeutics a Buy?
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The morbid reality of the opioid epidemic is all around us. About 30,000 people die in the U.S. each year from overdoses involving opioids; that's 82 people a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The crisis has pushed drug makers to search for abuse-tolerant pain treatments. These are often drugs that selectively target specific opioid receptors in the central nervous system that aren't likely to cause dependence, which is an all too common side effect of opioids like morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone that primarily target the mu-opioid receptor, known as the gateway to addiction. A hand placing blocks with medical icons on them in a triangular tower. More Image source: Getty Images. Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CARA) is developing a single asset belonging to a novel class of drugs called kappa opioid receptor agonists. In addition to bearing the "abuse-tolerant" label, the drug candidate has avoided other common side effects associated with traditional opioids, such as nausea, sedation, and respiratory depression. The little pharma company has impressed Wall Street in recent years but still trades at a market cap of only $600 million. The therapeutic approach Cara Therapeutics is developing its CR845 drug in five different indications. However, each clinical trial is evaluating the drug candidate's potential to selectively target kappa-opioid receptors as a way to treat either pain or pruritus, a technical term for itching. Investors are most excited about the drug candidate's potential in chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP), a severe form of itching some dialysis patients suffer from. It may seem like a niche area, but an estimated 270,000 Americans suffer from the condition. Analysts think the drug candidate, branded as Korsuva in this indication, could generate over $500 million per year in peak sales. The market opportunity, coupled with solid midstage trial results, allowed Cara Therapeutics to de-risk the drug candidate's development and potential commercialization by inking a deal in May 2018 with Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (VFMCRP), a joint venture between Vifor Pharma Group and the largest dialysis provider in the U.S. Fresenius Medical Care. In other words, it's a great partner for Korsuva. Cara Therapeutics collected $70 million in upfront payments from this endeavor. It also stands to receive royalties on all sales and up to $470 million in additional milestone payments. And that's just for an injectable formulation of Korsuva. The small-cap company owns the rights to all other uses of CR845. That includes an oral formulation of Korsuva for CKD-aP and chronic liver disease-associated pruritus, in addition to intravenous and oral formulations of CR845 for post-operative pain and chronic pain, respectively. By the numbers As a development-stage company with all its value wrapped up in its lone pipeline asset, Cara doesn't have much to report in terms of revenue or income. However, investors can consider the company's cash position and cash burn. The $600 million company finished September 2018 with $206 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. That was bolstered by $92 million in net proceeds from a stock offering in July 2018.
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https://news.yahoo.com/cara-therapeutics-buy-170840440.html
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How Should Jews React to the Belgian Ban on Shechitah?
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Recently the Belgian government banned the practice of shechitah (Jewish ritual slaughter). Jewish Veg, formerly Jewish Vegetarians of North America, of which I am president emeritus, is against all slaughter, but we object when shechitah is signaled out for criticism or is banned. Shechitah was designed to minimize pain, but even if it is carried out perfectly, the many months during which animals are mistreated on factory farms should be considered. People who think that other methods of slaughter are more humane should read the book Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry by Gail Eisnitz. It documents the many problems at slaughterhouses where animals are stunned prior to slaughter, with many of the workers becoming sadistic and cruel under the horrible conditions of their daily efforts. There is a familiar admonition that states that when one is given a lemon they should make lemonade, meaning make the best of what appears to be a negative situation. I believe this can happen in the case of the Belgian ban on shechitah. While meat-eaters will understandably have a negative reaction to the ban, if it leads some Jews to shift to a vegetarian or vegan diet, there could be many benefits: There would be a reduction in the widespread heart disease, several types of cancer and other diseases afflicting many Jews and others. There would be a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. While the world is increasingly threatened by climate change, a 2006 U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report, Livestocks Long Shadow, indicated that animal-based agriculture emits more greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents) than is emitted by the cars and all other means of transportation worldwide combined. There would be a reduction in environmental problems, including deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, loss of biological diversity and desertification. Resources would be used more efficiently. In an increasingly thirsty and energy-dependent world, a person on an animal-based diet requires up to 14 times as much water (mainly for irrigating feed crops) and 10 times as much energy as a person on a vegan (only plants) diet. There would be a reduction in the number of animals who suffer greatly from cruel treatment on factory farms. There would potentially be a reduction in the number of hungry people. At a time when food prices are skyrocketing, an estimated 20 million people are dying annually worldwide from hunger and its effects, and almost a billion of the worlds people are chronically hungry, since 70 percent of the grain produced in the United States and 40 percent produced worldwide are fed to farmed animal. What makes that even more shameful is that the corn, soy and oats that are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates are converted into animal products that are devoid of these nutrients, but high in cholesterol and saturated fat that are so harmful to health. It should also be considered that plant-based diets are most consistent with Jewish teachings on preserving human health, treating animals with compassion, protecting the environment, conserving natural resources and helping hungry people. Also, such diets are consistent with conditions during the two ideal times pictured in the Jewish tradition: the Garden of Eden (based on Genesis 1:29) and the messianic period, based on Isaiahs vision of a peaceable kingdom (Isaiah 11:6-9). The shechitah ban must be opposed, but it is hoped that rabbis and other Jewish leaders will help increase awareness of the many benefits of vegetarianism and of Jewish teachings that point to it as the ideal Jewish diet. This would help revitalize Judaism by showing the relevance of its eternal teachings to current realities, bring many idealistic Jews back to Judaism, and help shift our precious, but imperiled, planet onto a sustainable path.
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https://jewishtimes.com/89224/how-should-jews-react-to-the-belgian-ban-on-shechitah/opinion/
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Where are the best fish and chips in the UK?
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Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Forget the Oscars, the biggest award of the season has already been decided. The UK's best fish and chips have been revealed and a 20-year-old shop in Devon won first plaice. Krispies Fish and Chips in Exmouth were named as the winner of this year's title at the National Fish and Chip Awards and praised for their "passion" for the dish. The restaurant "consistently excelled" over the eight-month judging period, which included multiple mystery shop visits and a final presentation to a panel of industry experts, organised by Seafish. The title, which has seen previous winners double their takeover in the months following the announcement, is judged on a business's sustainability credentials, menu innovation, its ability to cater for special dietary requirements and customer service - as well as the quality of the product. Mr Barnes said: "Krispies has come so far since we opened 20 years ago, and we can honestly say it is a dream come true to win this award. "But we didn't do this alone, we are so proud of our team and what they have achieved. We want to thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their hard work and faith in us." 'Warmest congratulations' Captain's Fish and Chips in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire took second place and Low's Traditional Fish and Chips in Aberdeen was named the third best outlet. Seafish chief executive Marcus Coleman said: "Krispies have beaten the best fish and chip shops in the business to win this prestigious award and we'd like to offer our warmest congratulations to them for what is a truly superb effort. "Their final presentation to the judging panel was truly first class, with their passion for fish and chips evident throughout."
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https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/best-fish-chips-uk-2465856
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Which brands do consumers trust most?
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The CPG, health and food products that are being recognized in BrandSpark's annual Most Trusted Awards. Product quality and trust remain key factors in Canadians purchase decisions, things that helped a number of brands get recognized in the sixth edition of BrandSparks Most Trusted Awards. Winners in each category were determined based on the results of a survey of 17,000 Canadians during BrandSparks annual Canadian Shopper Study. In a release accompanying this years winners, Robert Levy, president of BrandSpark, said it is important for marketers to reinforce both the trust and value their brands represent. He cited research results showing that two-thirds of shoppers focus more on quality than quantity when choosing products and seven in 10 shoppers will try a new product if it is from a brand they trust; however, only half say they are loyal to name brands, while roughly four in 10 regularly choose more costly premium brands. The full list can be found on BrandSparks website, but below weve included the winners in some of the most competitive and on-trend categories. Health & Beauty Adult Vitamin: Jamieson Anti-aging Skin Care: Olay Cough Syrup: Benylin Lip Colour: Revlon Mens Shaving: Gillette Womens Shaving: Gillette Venus Micellar Water: Garnier Protein Powder: Vega Sunscreen: Coppertone Mens Hair Colour: Just For Men Womens Hair Colour: LOreal Paris Food Bacon: Maple Leaf Water: Nestle PureLife Bread: Dempsters Butter: Lactantia Cheese: Kraft Chocolate: Lindt Fresh Packaged Meat: Maple Leaf Hot Dogs: Schneiders Sausages: Johnsonville Instant Coffee: Nescafe Milk (Ontario): Neilson Milk (Quebec): Quebon Milk (Western): Dairyland Pasta: Catelli Vegan Food: Yves Veggie Cuisine Household Bathroom Tissue: Kirkland Dishwasher Detergent: Cascade Fabric Softener: Downy Laundry Detergent: Tide Laundry Stain Remover (tie): OxyClean, Shout, Resolve Earlier this week, Readers Digest and Ipsos released their own list of most-trusted brands, based on a survey of 4,000 Canadians.
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http://strategyonline.ca/2019/01/24/which-brands-do-consumers-trust-most/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=which-brands-do-consumers-trust-most
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Who is the referee for Chelsea vs Tottenham in the Carabao Cup?
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Referee Martin Atkinson will be taking control of tonights game (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Chelsea host Tottenham tonight in the second-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie. Thierry Henry responds to rumours Monaco are set to sack him Spurs currently lead the fixture 1-0 but there is still 90 minutes to be played between the two sides. The winning team will face Manchester City in the final, which will be held at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 24 February. Pep Guardiolas team secured their place in the final by beating League One side Burton 10-0 on aggregate. Chelsea will be without new signing Gonzalo Higuain who was confirmed by the club last night. Martin Atkinson will be the referee for todays fixture and he will be joined by assistant referees Stephen Child and Lee Betts, as well as fourth official Stuart Atwell. Advertisement Advertisement VAR will also be in place for the match with Andre Marriner and Peter Kirkup taking control. Martin Atkinson has worked as a referee in the Premier League since 2003 after being promoted from his assistant referee position that he started in 2000. The 47 year-old has been FIFA listed since 2006 and he has taken charge of a number of big fixtures. Martin Atkinson Premier League 2018/19 stats Matches officiated 18 Yellow Cards 56 Second yellow cards 0 Straight red cards 1 Penalties given 5 Some of his biggest matches include the 2011 FA Cup final between Manchester City and Stoke, as well as the 2014 League Cup final between Manchester City and Sunderland. Atkinson has also been a referee for various Euro and World Cup qualifying matches ad group matches. In 2010 he was the fourth official when Howard Webb was the referee for the 2010 Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Martin has overlooked 18 Premier League games this season and he has so far only given out one red card. He also refereed the Premier League fixture between Spurs and Chelsea back in November, which saw Mauricio Pochettinos side walk away as 3-1 winners. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video How to watch the match Advertisement Advertisement Todays fixture will kick-off at Stamford Bridge at 19.45 on Thursday 24 January. Live coverage of the match will be shown on Sky Sports Football from 19.00. Subscribers can also stream the match on Sky Go, watch on the Sky Sports app, or non-subscribers can buy a Now TV Sky Sports day, week or month pass. This year the semi-final ties will not be decided by away goals if the two teams are still level at the end of the second game. Instead the match will go straight to penalties at full-time of the second leg if the scores remain level on aggregate. The Carabao Cup regulations for this season state if the aggregate score is level at the end of the second game no extra time shall be played and the tie shall be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark. The Premier League announced in November that it has agreed in principle to introduce VAR from the 2019-2020 season. The technology is already being used in FA Cup and Carabao Cup fixtures and non-live testing has been underway throughout this season. A formal request has now been made to the International Football Association Board and FIFA which should see Video Assistant Referees officially introduced to the Premier League later this year. MORE: Harry Kane should leave normal club Tottenham to win things, says Zlatan Ibrahimovic MORE: Liverpool make surprise late move for Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/24/who-is-the-referee-for-chelsea-vs-tottenham-in-the-carabao-cup-8378530/
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Was Stranger Things season 3 release date teased to us throughout season 2?
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Season three is still months away but the hype is real (Picture: Netflix) Stranger Things is definitely good at dropping Easter eggs and subtle hints to things throughout the show, but now its being claimed that they told us season threes release date without us even realising. The new season of the show is coming to Netflix on 4 July, aka Independence Day in the United States, and the poster has the group standing in front of fireworks as they overlook their small town of Hawkins, Indiana. But one Redditor has noticed, throughout their latest watch of the second season while they wait patiently for a third, that there may have been a clue weve all missed until now. Joyce and Wills dance couldve held the key to the next series set date (Picture: Netflix) Ahead of the school dance, the Byers are in their happy place with Jonathan shooting a home movie of Jonathan dancing with their mum, Joyce. Advertisement Advertisement Going to the point of view of the camera, a blink-and-youll-miss-it moment shows a timestamp of 7:04pm, which could well mean July 4, as America dates from month to day. But well take anything at this point seeing as the show is taking ages to make its return. Thankfully, theyve started making small releases to bring up the hype for the upcoming episodes- and let us tell you know, we are definitely hyped. More: Netflix The Umbrella Academy are here to slay as Ellen Page stars in exclusive first trailer Riverdale, Jane The Virgin, The Lost Boys and Nancy Drew all get spin-offs Netflix issues warning not to watch Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes alone With a large chunk of the season being based around Starcourt shopping mall in the 80s (where Steve is working in an ice-cream parlour), and will run for eight episodes. Weve already been teased with the names of each episode as well including one named The Battle Of Starcourt, which means something is going to go down. Stranger Things season three launches 4 July on Netflix. 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. Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Ozark star Skylar Gaertner tried out for the lead in Stranger Things and now everything seems Upside Down MORE: Stranger Things producer set to reboot classic true crime series Unsolved Mysteries
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/24/stranger-things-season-3-release-date-teased-us-throughout-season-2-8387545/
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Who was Ted Bundy and when is Conversations With A Killer released on Netflix?
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Ted Bundy gained notoriety for his shocking crimes (Picture: Bettmann) Netflixs latest serial killer documentary is reportedly so disturbing that the streaming giant has even issued warnings not to watch it along. Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes features hours of unheard audio from the notorious murderer, taking a seriously in-depth look at his crimes and methodologies. Bundy full name Theodore Robert Bundy was born on November 24 1946 in Burlington, Vermont was one of the most notorious serial killers in US history. He confessed to brutally killing 36 women and young girls throughout the 1970s, although many detectives believe the figure could have been much higher. Many struggled to match the confessed crimes with Bundys persona, who was, at the time, outside the traditional view of serial killers being charismatic and good-looking to much of the world. Advertisement Advertisement On the surface he appeared normal, successfully pursuing a law degree and also having relationships with women. Zac Efron is playing Bundy in a new film debuting at Sundance (Picture: Instagram) He first came to police attention in 1975, but they did not have enough evidence to arrest him, although he was later charged with kidnapping, found guilty and jailed for up to 15 years in Utah. He escaped in 1977 and headed for Florida, where the killings continued claiming several more victims before he was finally apprehended in 1978. After standing trial in Miami in 1979 he was sentenced to death, and then received another death sentence the following year for the rape and murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach. He was executed by electric chair in Florida on January 24 1989 aged 42. The tapes, which feature in this four-part documentary series, this new four-part series, were made while Bundy was on Death Row in 1980. The recordings were made by jouanrlist Simon Michaud and investigative reporter Hugh Aynesworth, and consist of over 100 hours worth of audio. A snippet was previously heard in the trailer, where Bundy is heard saying: I mean Im not an animal, Im not crazy. And I dont have a split personality. The Netflix series is a cataloguing and deep dive into the cradle to grave of Ted Bundy, really dissecting his crimes and methodologies, director Joe Berlinger teased to Refinery29. for those of us with a PhD in true crime podcasts, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes is now streaming maybe don't watch it alone x Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 24, 2019 He taps into our most primal fear: That you dont know, and cant trust, the person sleeping next to you. Advertisement Advertisement People want to think those who do evil are easily identifiable. Bundy tells us that those who do evil are those who often people we know and trust the most. As well as the documentary Berlinger has also directed a movie about Bundy, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Vile and Evil, which stars Zac Efron as the killer and which premieres at Sundance on January 26. Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes is streaming now on Netflix UK. 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.
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/24/ted-bundy-conversations-killer-released-netflix-8386856/
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When is Suits season eight back on Netflix?
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Katherine Heigl is among Suits newest stars (Picture: USA Network) Suits fans have been given the news theyve been dreading that the series will be coming to an end for good after its ninth series. Yup, the legal drama will be packing up its briefcase for good following one final ten-part season with viewing figures having dropped since Meghan Markle left to become the Duchess of Sussex. Weve still got a little way to go though, as the second half of season eight has just kicked off in the US. Well this news might make your Suits-less future a little less brighter as the remainder of series eight has begun streaming on Netflix right now. The first episode which aired in the US last night entitled Rocky 8 dropped on Netflix UK this morning. The other instalments will follow weekly on Thursdays, after they have aired on the USA Network on Wednesday night. Advertisement Advertisement News of the shows end came as the second half of the eighth series kicked off. Meghan Markles departure as Rachel Zane has affected viewing figures (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Series creator Aaron Korsh confirmed the end of the series in a statement, in which he thanked producers USA Network, as well as cast, crew and his family. I look forward to enraging and hopefully sometimes delighting you with the final episodes, he added. Suits has played an instrumental role in our networks DNA for nearly a decade, added Chris McCumber, President of USA Network and SYFY. I and everyone at USA Network sincerely thank Aaron Korsh, our partners at UCP and the entire Suits family for their tremendous creativity, devotion and support.
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/24/suits-season-eight-back-netflix-8385924/
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Could hacking the immune system cure allergies?
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More than 150 million Europeans suffer from allergies and this number is on the rise due to triggers such as growing pollution. By 2025, one in every two people in the EU could be affected by allergies, according to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Allergies are most commonly treated by taking lifelong medication, such as antihistamines, that relieve symptoms like red eyes and a runny nose. However, about 5-10% of sufferers use another type of treatment called immunotherapy, where the immune system is desensitised to specific allergens, which can eventually cure allergies. The process can be quite cumbersome though. Although drops or tablets can sometimes be administered under the tongue, frequent visits to the doctor for shots are more typical. Patients start with a low dose of the allergen which is gradually increased over several years. It requires quite a lot from that patient, so thats probably one of the reasons that it isnt the most popular treatment, said Dr Ronald van Ree from Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands. If you do injection immunotherapy you have to do it for at least three years. Furthermore, some patients can have side effects such as skin reactions or may not choose the treatment since the cost isnt covered by public healthcare in all countries. Dr van Ree and his colleagues aim to make immunotherapy more effective and faster, while reducing the secondary effects that can occur during treatment. Birch pollen They are doing this through a project called BM4SIT where they are focussing on birch pollen allergy, triggered by a specific pollen protein allergen. In lab experiments and animal tests they have already lowered the occurrence of side effects. We have modified this molecule slightly in such a way that it doesnt give the side effects anymore as easily as the original molecule, said Dr van Ree. The team is now testing the tweaked allergen in patients in Denmark. They are also looking at adding vitamin D3 to the treatment, which has been shown to have a protective effect against allergies. We hope that the addition of vitamin D3 will change the speed by which the effect is reached so that it will be reached quicker and that we will need less injections, he said. Now, the researchers are conducting a study with patients in Amsterdam to compare the effect of an existing birch pollen treatment when administered alone and when vitamin D3 is injected alongside it. If the trials are successful, theyd like to bring together the vitamin and altered birch pollen molecule to test their combined effect. While the team began with birch pollen because it involves a single protein, they hope the principle can be extended to treat other allergies. Cat allergies, for example, also involve one molecule. For grass pollen and house dust mite allergies, where several molecules are responsible, each one would have to be redesigned. Asthma The approach could have big payoffs. If the current study goes well, Dr van Ree plans to next focus on treating house dust mite allergy the most common allergy globally. This allergy is more severe than other forms since it affects the lungs, rather than the eyes, nose or skin and can also trigger allergic asthma. Henk Vitor, the CEO of biotech company DC4U Technologies in Amsterdam, said that if scientists could find a way to use immunotherapy to treat asthma it would bring something completely new to the table. Immunotherapy is almost never effective for asthmatic symptoms, he said. To that end, Vitor and his team have developed a technique that could make immunotherapy more effective for asthma. Immunotherapy is almost never effective for asthmatic symptoms. Henk Vitor, CEO, DC4U Technologies Existing immunotherapy uses the raw extract of an allergen dissolved in liquid which is then injected into a patient. But Vitor and his team have been experimenting in the lab by adding sugars to specific parts of allergens used in the treatment which bind to receptors on immune system cells. The allergen-sugar combination re-educates the immune system so that an allergen no longer induces an allergic reaction. We think our technology can really provide a cure for patients with allergies, Vitor said. He believes the innovation should improve immunotherapy for a wide range of allergies, including house dust mite and peanut, and dramatically decrease the duration of the treatment from about three to five years to three to five months. We think that with only two or three shots, just like vaccines for infectious diseases, we can really shorten the experience and make it very effective, said Vitor. The team explored how to bring their innovation to the market through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to co-develop new treatments as part of the GAIT project. They are currently negotiating with several companies that have existing immunotherapy products and have already struck a deal with one company whose product they have modified using their method. We are already trying to get more evidence that our technology works, said Vitor. He and his colleagues are currently following up with lab experiments on cells and in animals to develop a proof of concept. If they are successful, they will continue with clinical trials. The incidence of allergies is rapidly increasing so I think that innovation in this field is urgently needed to prevent an epidemic in allergies and asthma, said Vitor. The research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media. Originally published on Horizon
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https://horizon.scienceblog.com/649/could-hacking-the-immune-system-cure-allergies/
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Could Influencer-Led Fakery Lead To The Demise Of Influencer Marketing For Businesses?
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The relationship between businesses and their influencers has always been interesting for a wide variety of reasons. In the past, businesses have paid large sums to influencers in the hope that they may promote their brands to large audiences. These influencers have ranged from actors to Instagram or Youtube stars, but they all have a common ability - they are able to reach a brands target audience via a simple Instagram story or Youtube post. An example of a business using an influencer could be that of BECCA Cosmetics. The famous makeup brand teamed up with Chrissy Teigen, a model and the wife of John Legend, to promote a new makeup palette. The announcement was made via Chrissys Instagram page and it had around 5 million views - quite an amazing figure. We see, therefore, the power of influencer marketing because it can allow you to appeal to a large audience in a simple and effective manner. The world of influencer marketing, however, could be changing. It has recently been reported, however, that influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals which could completely change the world of influencer marketing. The reason that influencers may have started faking brand deals (and buying fake followers) is due to the feeling that it is often quite difficult to score a major deal with a major company. The feeling is that companies are looking for people who have good promotional skills and who have a good track record when it comes to promoting goods and a significant following. If you are new into the industry this may be a hard thing to do therefore one might think that the only way to raise your credibility, is to fake it. To the general public, of course this method of gaining publicity may portray influencers in a negative light; more interestingly, it may be having a negative effect on the way in which businesses and influencers interact. These interactions may be particularly important for business owners and entrepreneurs, because they may be able to gain customers in a cost-free way. Well, with influencers advertising fake brand deals, they are essentially advertising a product for free. Now, in the past this may have been crazy because it seemed that all influencers got paid large sums for their advertising work. It must be remembered, however, that influencers must start with lower profile deals so that they can build their credibility up and receive bigger deals. All the influencer would need to do is publicise and review a product and in return they gain status, popularity and more followers. Such a concept seems to be beneficial for both parties because both the brand and influencer are getting their desired publicity. What is more, the brand is not having to spend money and in return they are helping to build the portfolio of an aspiring influencer. This method of influencer marketing is completely different to what we have seen in the past, because it has been commonly believed that businesses needed high profile celebrity influencers to grow. The likes of Odell Beckham Jr or Nick Young have done a great job for Nike and Adidas (respectively) and have been the necessary promoters that the brands have needed. It seems, however, that the relationships between influencers and business owners are becoming much more balanced, there are non-celebrity influencers who have a vast and dedicated following and need to find a synergy with a brand. It is, essentially, becoming a more symbiotic relationship, whereby each party needs one another in order to grow and become more popular. That said, I dont think pretending to deliver brand sponsored content is the right way to do it. I firmly believe that the influencers need to work on their personal brand and content to showcase who they are, what they do, what they stand for and the types of brands they could represent. I have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world on campaigns and the best way to build relationships with brands is to understand your WHY, your WHAT and your WHO. Your why is what you want to represent , your what is your areas of influence or expertise and your who is the demographic of the people you influence or want to influence. As the saying goes you have to stand for something or you fall for nothing, in an influencer marketing scenario this means you have to find synergy with the right brands, which are authentic to who you are. The world of influencer marketing has changed and continues to change but we can use this change for the good of SMEs. The discovery of influencers promoting fake brand deals has opened up opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs to contact influencers about the idea of free brand deals. It is, all things being considered, not unlikely for influencers to say yes because they seem to have realised the importance of building their influencer portfolios. Whether this change will be a good or bad thing is debatable; but two things are clear influencers and brands need each other to grow and influencers need to look at building their personal brand to make them investment/sponsorship ready. The conclusion, stop the fakery - instead work with new or smaller brands, build synergy, build a loyal following and build a future as a real influencer.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/biancamillercole/2019/01/24/could-influencer-lead-fakery-lead-to-the-demise-of-influencer-marketing-for-businesses/
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Will Huntsville OK stunningly beautiful amphitheater?
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The preliminary design concepts can sweep you away, a Greek-style amphitheater built in a wooded area on the southern edge of the MidCity development project near Redstone Arsenal that conjures thoughts of warm summer evenings soaking in the atmosphere of your favorite bands concert. And without the drive to Nashville or Atlanta. But as the Huntsville city council prepares to vote Thursday night on the first step of approving what will ultimately be a $35-40 million project, Mayor Tommy Battle spoke to the significance of the endeavor as a sort of closing argument at a Wednesday night work session that lasted nearly four hours. Its crucial at this time because workforce development is our biggest issue out there, Battle told the council near the end of the meeting devoted solely to the MidCity project the under-construction development on University Drive at the site of the former Madison Square Mall and the planned location of the amphitheater. This works straight into workforce development that brings in your critical thinking people, brings in the people to fill the jobs we have already brought in here. This is part of the strategy that puts us where we are today the seventh-top city in the United States. That doesnt come by accident. It comes because we have had a strategy and a plan and we have moved through it. It is the tide that lifts all boats. And thats the important thing weve all got to remember. It seems likely that a majority of the council will vote Thursday night to approve a $4 million contract for architectural services to design the 8,500-seat venue. But the council has hardly given the project a rubberstamp approval. Battle first introduced the plan last month and after almost an hour of questions from council members, the vote was postponed until tonight. The council peppered Battles staff with almost another hours worth of questions at the work session. To give the project its best shot to earn approval, there were also tentative conceptual renderings revealed as well as an animated flyover video that the council did not see at the December meeting along with detailed presentations from members of Battles administration. During public comments at the work session, the council also heard from 31 members of the Huntsville community who overwhelmingly voiced support for the amphitheater. If you want this city to be cool and be perceived to be cool, this is what you have to do, one speaker told the council. Superficial as that might sound, Battle and members of his staff made the point that an amphitheater is a significant quality of life improvement for Huntsville and responds to calls from residents for decades, as City Administrator John Hamilton told the council. Several speakers said that while future engineers are earning their degrees at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, they dont want to stay in the Rocket City in part because amenities such as the amphitheater dont exist in Huntsville. We have made promises to employers like Facebook and Toyota Mazda and Aerojet (Rocketdyne) and all these others. If we are going to recruit the workers its going to take to keep those promises, this is the kind of project it will take, councilwoman Jennie Robinson said. Indeed, Huntsville has scored one economic development victory after another with new industry moving to town and grabbing headlines because of the thousands of jobs that will be created. The duty has now fallen to the Huntsville area, though, to develop a workforce to fill those jobs. And Battle argued that the amphitheater is a major incentive for that workforce to seek out Huntsville. Council members focused their questions primarily on money, asking if the well was going to eventually run dry and if the money requested for the amphitheater was the best allocation. Hamilton pointed to more than 50 other projects ongoing across the city or on the near horizon and said that the funds for the amphitheater would not be taken from those other projects. Its those other projects that councilwoman Frances Akridge asked about as well, seeking reassurances that the amphitheater wouldnt raid the funding of other projects. This wont compromise any other city projects, Hamilton said. A preliminary concept rendering of a proposed amphitheater in Huntsville. City of Huntsville image Shane Davis, the citys director of urban and economic development, compared the sprawling MidCity site to roughly the same size as Huntsvilles downtown which has long been a focus during Battles tenure, resulting in a revitalization. But those investments are greater than what the city is seeking at MidCity, Davis said. While the amphitheater would be funded with taxpayer money, the MidCity development is largely a commercial project except for about $14 million in infrastructure provided by the city. That investment in downtown far exceeds to date what were putting into MidCity, he said. Theyre both important. Im not saying we have misspent in downtown. Its one of the best investments weve made and continue to make. As for the amphitheater itself described by Akridge as stunningly beautiful -- Hamilton said the city took influences from venues all over the world in putting together an early design. The facility would be completely enclosed as if a small stadium and be built in a wooded area on the south end of the MidCity development. That wooded area, Hamilton said, would allow for a unique setting for the amphitheater surrounded by mature trees. Battle described it as a world-class amphitheater. Now all it needs is city council approval.
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https://www.al.com/news/2019/01/will-huntsville-ok-stunningly-beautiful-amphitheater.html
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Could Seahawks face Heisman winner Kyler Murray twice a year?
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The NFC West has been one of footballs more interesting divisions these past few years and this upcoming season doesnt look to be any different. The Arizona Cardinals now have a new head coach Kliff Kingsbury and hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Although Arizona selected quarterback Josh Rosen at No. 10 overall last year, Kingsbury could potentially make waves by selecting another quarterback in April, current Heisman trophy winner Kyler Murray from Oklahoma. Drafting another quarterback in the first round in back-to-back years would certainly be unprecedented but there is reason to believe the thought has crossed Kingsburys mind. In October 2018, Kliff Kingsbury said he would take Kyler Murray as the first pick of the NFL draft if he could. There's a San Francisco Chronicle report that he's expected to declare and Kingsbury's @AZCardinals are first on the clock pic.twitter.com/ERF1lFz5qg ESPN (@espn) January 10, 2019 On paper, this seems like a potentially explosive combination. Last year with the Sooners, Murray completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,361 yards, 42 touchdowns against seven interceptions while adding an additional 1,001 yards on the ground and 12 rushing touchdowns. Behind Murray, Oklahoma won its fourth straight Big XII title, earned a 12-2 record, and made the College Football Playoff for a second straight year. While Kingsburys Texas Tech teams typically underachieved, his offenses were always among the best in the country. Having a player like Murray who has excelled in Big XII style offenses could possibly transform the Cardinals into an offensive powerhouse. If this happens, the NFC West will become all the more difficult for the Seahawks to navigate. With both games against Arizona this season coming down to last-second field goal attempts, a drastically improved Cardinals squad could become an imposing threat. Due to his athleticism, accuracy, height and his baseball background, Murray is constantly being compared to Seattles own Russell Wilson. If Murray really does live up to the Heisman hype and ends up in Arizona, the Seahawks might be playing a younger version of Wilson twice a year. Related Seahawks will face wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in 2019
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https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/24/could-seahawks-face-heisman-winner-kyler-murray-twice-a-year/
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Are we sliding into civil strife?
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THE events of the past few weeks indicate that Zimbabwes national risk remains high and that neither the coup of November 2017 nor the July 2018 elections have provided a lasting solution to our national political and economic crisis. Rashweat Mukundu The key factors towards this stasis that we find ourselves in are a crisis of legitimacy and a crisis of expectations from citizens, wearied by years of misrule under former president Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF. While Mugabe is off the scene, the legacy of his years in power is what is still obtaining. This is in the form of the continuation of what others now call Mugabeism, that is Zanu PF maintaining Mugabes style of governance, style of leadership and structures both in the government and party and security sectors. While Mugabe is no longer Zanu PF and Zimbabwes leader, the new leadership in Zanu PF has in practice maintained his legacy even as they speak a different language in public. Zanu PFs failure to reform and introspect has constrained the partys ability to realistically think of politics and governance outside what the ruling elites know. And what they know is what was taught and practised by Mugabe. President Emmerson Mnagangwa had an opportunity to institute broad-based reforms twice, that is in 2017 when he came back from brief exile to take over from Mugabe and post the July 2018 election. This would have reset Zimbabwe on a new path. It is important to note that broad-based reforms are not synonymous with Zimbabwe is open for business sloganeering; it is putting an end to systems and structures that have bred this malaise and that includes the state-and-party confluence, an end to undemocratic laws, abuse of the security sector for political ends, and an end to election cheating, corruption among other issues. Business cannot work nor can capital flow into Zimbabwe when we have such primitive modes of governance. The definition of success within the ruling elite must go beyond the self to embrace the national. Mnangagwa had the opportunity to rise above the politics of self-serving power to set Zimbabwe on a new economic and political trajectory by pronouncing a broad-based agenda of economic, social and political reforms that reached out to all political, civil and business sectors. Zanu PFs blundering is now coming to haunt the party. Change was not defined beyond parochial political interests. The state, as Dr Ibbo Mandaza often says, has become the biggest source of access to economic means and political power is simply a tool for rent seeking, influence peddling, deal making, nepotism and corruption. Zanu PF appears to have failed to introspect both after the November 2017 coup as well as the July 2018 election. The party remained consumed and narrowly focussed on power and not the people of Zimbabwe. The resultant continued slide of the economy, heightening the potential for civil strife, clearly shows that Zanu PF has failed to hold the line from the time Mugabe departed. If anything, the nation is now worse off economically and socially. There is an underestimation by the elite of the challenges and rot that Zimbabwe must deal with post-Mugabe. And this underestimation is exposed by the approaches of the political elite, which are flimsily articulated at most. Equally, there is an underestimation by the same elite of the will of the people to hold leaders to account and demand a better life, and this underestimation is demonstrated by threats of further repression. The root of this is Zanu PFs thinking that it has the sole prerogative to define a vision for Zimbabwe without the rest. This is on the basis of liberation war narrative and that Zanu PF toppled Mugabe through the military and, of course, that the party won the 2018 elections. It is this belief in its imperial power that informs statements by the Deputy Cabinet Secretary George Charamba that government will change the constitution. In his thinking, the supreme law of the land is granting too many freedoms, fuelling the protests. He says, quite ominously, that the beatings and killings of civilians by the police and the military are just but a foretaste of what is to come. Tellingly, Charamba rejects democracy for an authoritarian regime and a closed society, maybe a wish for North Korea. But what the likes of Charamba missed is that in November 2017 the military, which has a stranglehold on Zimbabwes politics, allowed citizens a taste of freedom. That extended to the huge voter turnout, especially among the youths. Again, most unlikely. The problem with the hawks that surround the President is that they are not fully aware that they are playing their last card, they have nothing else left in their hands. This card is the abuse of the military to resolve what are patently civilian and political matters at the centre is the cost of living and the disputed July 2018 elections. The question that the Zanu PF and government thinkers must battle with is whether a heavy-handed approach will resolve these matters, and whether they reformed enough to reset Zimbabwe on the path of development. On top of Zimbabwes challenges, which Zanu PF must acknowledge and address, is a demographics timebomb in the number of unemployed youths running into millions, who are desperate and hopeless. Many of our urban communities have been overrun by drug abuse and illicit alcohol. This issue has not received the requisite attention from the authorities. The resultant looting and violence over the past weeks is equally a foretaste of things to come if Zimbabwe maintains an economic genocide on its young people. Essentially, by warning of more violence and repression, Zanu PF is betraying a sinister plot to pile more misery on the millions of desperate youths. It is also important to note that civil strife in Africa is increasingly changing from ideological differences mostly between the leftists and right-wing groups often sponsored by the West for their global political hegemonic designs. Increasingly, civil strife in Africa is over socio-economic dichotomies with the millions of young people dissatisfied with their conditions of life. This has nothing to do with too much freedom, and it is not a social media problem but a governance problem. Hawks surrounding Mnangagwa are not being strategic as the August 1 2018 violence has not deterred the latest violence. And even the deaths of 12 more people, hundreds shot and injured and hundreds more arrested will neither resolve nor bring peace to Zimbabwe. What will bring peace is an acceptance that Zimbabwes socio-political crisis is deeper than winning a disputed election and legitimacy bestowed by the courts. Zimbabwe is a broken society that needs a statesman to lead it towards genuine and sincere reforms. For this reason, the leadership in the ruling party must rise above petty politics of power. Zanu PF can only act on genuine reforms when it removes the imperial thinking that the party is entitled to rule forever. This thinking limits innovation within the party, as shown by the tendency to resort to repression and coercion to keep power rather than seek the consent of the governed and focus on delivery. It was a mistake under Mugabe and remains a mistake under Mnangagwa to politicise and abuse the security sector for political ends. History tells that it does not end well for those who rely on brawn to keep power. Worse for Zanu PF, this is their last card. Rather than cower citizens, repression of this magnitude only emboldens the repressed and exposes the security sector to ridicule and disrespect by citizens. Last year, the army killed six, this time around 12, the number will increase next time further isolating Zimbabwe and further deepening social and political divisions. Contrary to some fears within Zanu PF, what Zimbabweans want is a focus on delivery and harmonised political environment in which economic prosperity spreads to all. We are not only divided politically, but the economic divisions are more acute. Those linked to the ruling party in one way or the other occupy top echelons of society. Zanu PF may have won the July 2018 Constitutional Court case, but it has not won the hearts and minds of nearly half the voting population that voted for the MDC Alliance. It is this gap that needs to be closed, not by violence but by dialogue. If Zanu PF does not introspect and reform and continues its attacks on organised political and civil movements, it will have no one to negotiate with but marauding youths. In that regard, a strategy anchored on violence and repression will likely lead towards full-scale civil strife and an end to Zimbabwe as we know it now. For the love of our country and peace, let leaders rise above petty politics. The court jesters that surround our leaders need to be controlled and to sober up. Mukundu is a Zimbabwean journalist and can be contacted on twitter @rashweatm or email on [email protected].
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https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2019/01/24/are-we-sliding-into-civil-strife/
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How many current Chargers are the best at their position in team history?
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There was some conversation going on the other day regarding each franchise in the NFL and the best players on each team at each position. That got us thinking about the Chargers. Playing in different eras makes it difficult to compare, but lets start with quarterbacks. Philip Rivers is the best quarterback in franchise history. Again, eras are different, but its tough to compare stats and come away thinking Dan Fouts>Rivers. Rivers has played 31 more games and has thrown 64 fewer interceptions than Fouts. Phils QB rating his 15 points higher. Rivers also has an ANY/A a full yard more than Fouts. Rivers is a more efficient QB. So the rookies came up. Derwin James and Michael Badgley for their respected positions. Lets have a little respect for the Rodney Harrisons and Nate Kaedings of the organization. Lets also see if these rookies are going to be able to sustain their success. You can go a bunch of directions here. That is sure to make some people mad. Not saying that I agree, just up for discussion. You can have this chat with a handful of positions.
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https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/24/how-many-current-chargers-are-the-best-at-their-position-in-team-history/
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How will Brexit affect travel to the U.K.?
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Industry experts say staying informed is the best way to Brexit-proof your trip to Britain. (iStock) Columnist Teri-Lee Lawler-Baack is a little nervous after the British Parliaments recent vote on Brexit, which set the stage for a potentially chaotic no deal departure from the European Union on March 29. Shes not the only one. Im holding my breath, says Lawler-Baack, a retired investment adviser from Vacaville, Calif. Shes headed to Berkshire and the Isle of Wight this summer, and like many travelers with plans to visit the United Kingdom, she doesnt know what to expect. Will there be long lines for immigration in both directions? she wonders. Will Brexit even happen? Nearly 4 million Americans visited Britain in 2017, the last year for which numbers are available, according to VisitBritain, the U.K.s tourism-marketing organization. Thats an increase of 13 percent from the previous year and the highest number in 19 years. Although most visitors arrive and depart by air, just over 1 in 10 leave through the Channel Tunnel to explore the rest of Europe. Given the contentious exit negotiations, its no surprise that official sources of information have been quiet on the Brexit issue. The U.S. State Department, usually a reliable source of information for travelers, doesnt mention Brexit on its information site for American travelers or its most recent travel advisory, dated Dec. 17. However, British authorities have published several helpful guides for inbound travelers, including a roundup of the expected changes post-Brexit. Most, if not all, of the worries are unfounded, experts say. There is no change in travel relations between the U.S. and the U.K., says Ninan Chacko, CEO of Travel Leaders Group, a travel agency chain based in New York. But if youre used to booking your reservations yourself, this may be the year to work with a travel adviser. Professional agents keep close tabs on entry and exit requirements, exchange rates and travel safety, and a competent travel expert can warn you if the situation changes or in the unlikely event that you need to rebook your trip. Staying informed is the best way to Brexit-proof your trip to Britain, says Simon Hudson, director of the Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development at the University of South Carolina. Be flexible, he says. Arm yourself with knowledge about Brexits key issues. Passports and entry requirements: They remain the same, no matter what happens. Your U.S. passport must be valid for the duration of your stay, and you should have at least six months of remaining validity if youre continuing your journey to another country. Britain also requires at least one blank passport page. You dont need a visa for stays of less than 90 days. Security: Officials say there should be no difference in aviation-security screening, even with a no-deal Brexit. The U.K. will continue to apply robust aviation security. However, an E.U. proposal to avoid extra security screening of passengers from Britain for flight transfers appears to be up in the air after the no-deal Brexit vote. Airline passenger rights: Currently, passengers to and from Britain are protected under E.U. regulations. EC 261 requires airlines to pay compensation in the event of delays or cancellations. Come March 29, it would be up to the British government to impose its own regulations, and its unclear what they might or might not require. Travel to and from the E.U. : Hard Brexit or not, travel from Britain to the E.U. should be mostly unaffected, according to officials. Like airline passengers, travelers by ferry, motor coach and rail will fall under U.K. law, when it comes to consumer protection. Channel Tunnel customers will continue to use the existing complaints procedure after the deadline. Cruise passengers should see no change. Currency: This is, perhaps, the biggest unknown. The British pound is trading around $1.30, a level that has remained relatively consistent since the countrys 2016 E.U. membership referendum. If the political chaos intensifies, it could push the pound closer to parity, which would give American travelers a pricing advantage when booking hotels and tours in the U.K. Your shopping, dining and overall travel could become meaningfully more or less expensive, says Greg Geronemus, co-CEO of smarTours, a guided tour company that takes travelers to England and Ireland. Officials hope a weakened pound will lure more Americans across the pond. The U.K.s hotels, shops and visitor attractions are also offering great value for visitors from the U.S., so it really is a great time to book a trip right now, says VisitBritains director, Patricia Yates. She says advance bookings are strong, reflecting a belief that Britain is a great deal. From January to June 2019, bookings from the United States to Britain are up 31 percent, compared with the same period last year, according to ForwardKeys, a travel analytics company. Even with all the confusion and uncertainty, most travelers Ive talked with say theyre sticking with their plans. Lawler-Baack, who was visiting Britain in 2014 when Scotland voted to remain in the U.K., and who also happened to be in Europe during the Brexit vote, says this is a historic opportunity. Im definitely not canceling, she says. It will be my fifteenth trip to Britain and its always worth it. Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Email him at [email protected].
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travelers-bound-for-britain-face-new-brexit-uncertainty/2019/01/24/8f9a3ae8-1b70-11e9-9ebf-c5fed1b7a081_story.html
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Will ex-Trump lawyer Cohen comply with Senate subpoena?
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WASHINGTON (AP) A Senate committee has subpoenaed President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, a day after Cohen postponed his public testimony to a House committee. Word of the subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee comes from one of Cohens lawyers, Lanny Davis. Davis statement doesnt say whether Cohen will comply with the subpoena. That committee generally has held its Russia-related hearings in private. Cohen delayed his Feb. 7 appearance before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on the advice of his defense team because Cohen is still cooperating in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Davis also said Cohen has received threats against his family. Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump business proposal in Moscow. Hes set to begin a three-year prison sentence in March.
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https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/senate-committee-subpoenas-ex-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all
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Can Seton Hall basketball end 25-year drought at Villanova?
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CLOSE Raw atmosphere scenes from Rutgers-Seton Hall basketball Jerry Carino, @njhoopshaven The skid dates back to 1994. TV analyst Steve Lappas, who was Villanova's coach at the time, discusses that game -- and the one on Fox Sunday. A quarter-century has passed, but Steve Lappas remembers the loss. Good coaches always do. It was his second season at Villanova, and the Wildcats were pushing for an NCAA Tournament berth in late February of 1994 when a struggling Seton Hall team came to the Main Line. Noon game on a Saturday, and were hyped up, but that Friday night I get a call from the dean of students that two of our guys ended up arrested, Lappas said. Two point guards and great kids, Alvin Williams and Jon Haynes. It shouldnt have even come to that it was kids stuff and they end up getting arrested. So Lappas and two Villanova administrators went to Radnor Township's police headquarters. Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Paschall (4) slam dunks against the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at Wells Fargo Center in 2018. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports) The guys refused to let them out; it was ridiculous, he said. They finally let them out at 8 in the morning. Even though theyd be available, I cant play two guys that got out of jail at 8 in the morning for a noon game. I had to suspend them. Lappas was left with a walk-on at point guard. He moved his star shooting guard, Kerry Kittles, over to run the offense. It didnt work. Seton Hall point guard Bryan Caver scored 21 points and the Pirates won 70-59. They went on to make the NCAA Tournament, and the Wildcats ended up in the NIT (which they won). We were tremendous at home, always, so for us to score 59 at home, it was very unusual, Lappas said. P.J. (Carlesimo) was a great coach, they guarded us, so thats the story. For the Hall, the story was only beginning. The Pirates havent won at Villanova since, a skid that has reached 0-16, and most of the games have been runaways. Its the longest one-way drought in the Big East and one of the longest among major-conference rivals in the country (Clemson is 0-59 all-time at North Carolina). Seton Hall Pirates guard Myles Cale (22) dribbles as Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Paschall (4) defends in 2018. (Photo: Vincent Carchietta, Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports) Lappas, who is a top college basketball analyst for CBS Sports Network, finds the drought hard to believe. Its amazing, when you play somebody for that long, he said. Its not like youre in awe of the place. Plus you have a good program in Seton Hall. That tells you how good of home court the Pavilion is. RELATED: Bryan Caver recalls 1994 win at Nova RELATED:Hall's Willard blasts "absurd" Big East schedule Last year, for the first time, Villanova hosted the Pirates at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. That was out of necessity because the Pavilion was being renovated. On Sunday theyre back at Wells Fargo (2:30 p.m., Fox) a tip of the cap to a program that has given Villanova fits in Newark and at Madison Square Garden in recent years. Villanova (15-4 overall, 6-0 Big East) comes in red-hot, with seven straight wins and a No. 18 national ranking. Seton Hall (12-7, 3-4) has lost three in a row. In this years Big East, in which home teams are just 18-15 so far, things can change in a hurry. Breaking down the matchup Stepping back and looking at the big picture, Lappas said hes impressed with how Hall coach Kevin Willard got a virtually new team competing well enough to beat the likes of Kentucky and Maryland. Nobody expected that, Lappas said. Maybe they were performing a little bit ahead of schedule, but theyre a dangerous team, and theyre going to get better. The best days of this team are still ahead of them. Seton Hall Pirates guard Myles Powell (13) is called for an offensive foul against Villanova Wildcats guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center in 2018. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports) Lappas called Pirates guard Myles Powell a first-team All-Big East player who is a tremendous shooter but can put it on the floor and get where he wants to go. He praised the versatility of sophomores Myles Cale (the kid is going to be a great player) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (he can pass and he can step out). The key, Lappas said, is making life difficult for Nova stars Phil Booth and Eric Paschall. Its simple, but its hard, Lappas said. Youve got to faceguard Phil Booth and not let him touch it. The team goes how those two guys go, and theyve been unbelievable. In league games, Booth is averaging 21.3 points and shooting 47 percent from 3-point range. Paschall is averaging 20.5 points and 8.0 boards while shooting .400 from deep and .931 from the free-throw line (hes 27 of 29). The difference between last years Villanova team and this years is last year they had six (explosive) guys so you couldnt focus in on anyone, Lappas said. This team has two guys you can focus in on. Those tasks likely will fall to Quincy McKnight (on Booth) and Mamukelasvhili (on Paschall). Seton Hall's rim protector, junior center Ro Gill, is making his way back from a sprained ankle and practiced for the first time Wednesday. After last weekend's loss to DePaul, Willard said his players had to "recharge emotionally" on their bye week. Its a little bit of a work in progress," Willard said Thursday. "When you have some success and all of a sudden your kids have a couple of downs, it takes time to build them back up. Weve had two days of practice this week and I like the effort theyre giving, the focus theyre giving. Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright watches action against the Creighton Bluejays in the second half at CHI Health Center Omaha. (Photo: Steven Branscombe, Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports) 'Very surprising' Villanova coach Jay Wright opened Thursdays Big East basketball teleconference by praising the rivalry. Seton Hall is always difficult opponent for us, he said. Over the years their defensive toughness has always been a challenge for us. Weve had some great games with them in the Big East Tournament and the regular season. Villanova people know that. Everybody is fired up for them to come to town. When a reporter told Wright that the Hall hasnt won at Villanova in 25 years, he couldnt believe it. He asked for the number again to make sure he didnt mis-hear it. Thats very surprising, he said. Its not something that impacts this game. Its more what game youre coming off of, and what teams you have this year. Those things matter more. Be he added a few moments later, Wow, I wish I didnt know that. Seton Hall coach P.J. Carlesimo (far left) and forward Arturas Karnishovas (second from left) led the Pirates the last time they won at Villanova, in 1994. (Photo: Seton Hall Athletics) Memory lane Heres what was happening in the culture on Feb. 26, 1994, when Seton Hall last won at Villanova. In the news: A day earlier, Nancy Kerrigan earned the silver medal in figure skating in one of the most-watched Olympic performances ever. Her saga with rival Tonya Harding whose husband had hired a good to break Kerrigans leg dominated headlines for three months that winter. In the movies: February of 1994 was a good month at the big screen with "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," "Reality Bites" and "Blue Chips." On the radio: The Sign by Ace of Base was rocketing to the top of the Billboard chart, where it would spend most of March. On campus: That semester, Seton Hall students gained access to email. Here are the Pirates results at Villanova since 1994: Dec. 5, 1994: 98-75 Feb. 14, 1996: 79-67 Jan. 2, 1997: 88-67 Dec. 2, 1997: 72-57 Feb. 26, 2000: 87-74 Feb. 28, 2001: 74-55 March 2, 2005: 79-58 Jan. 17, 2006: 73-64 Feb. 9, 2008: 72-70 Feb. 2, 2010: 81-71 Jan. 18, 2012: 84-76 Feb. 7, 2014: 70-53 Feb. 16, 2015: 80-54 Jan. 6, 2016: 72-63 Jan. 16, 2017: 76-46 Feb. 4, 2018: 92-76 Staff writer Jerry Carino: [email protected]
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https://www.app.com/story/sports/college/2019/01/24/seton-hall-villanova-basketball/2666943002/
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Did Khashoggi Really Die?
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I have not been convinced about the claims coming from Turkey and from the Washington Post and others regarding the allegations of a gruesome murder of intelligence asset, Jamal Khashoggi, in October, 2018. There are too many anomalies as it was portrayed by various statements from Turkey President Erdogan, and echoed by a chorus of the Western mainstream media. Recent research suggests that perhaps Khashoggi was never in that Saudi Consulate in Istanbul that day, and in fact may still be quite alive and in hiding. If so, it suggests a far larger story behind the affair. Lets consider the following. The best way to outline this is to go back to the events around the surprise arrest and detention of numerous Saudi high-ranking persons in late 2017, by Prince Mohammed bin Salman or MBS as he is known. On November 4, 2017 MBS announced via state TV that numerous leading Saudis including one of the wealthiest, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, had been arrested on charges of corruption, and were being detained in the Riyadh Ritz Carlton hotel. Prince Alwaleed is clearly the critical person. The son-in-law of President Trump had reportedly made a non-publicized visit to Riyadh for private talks with MBS just days before the mass arrests. A report in the UK Mail newspaper in 2018 claimed that Jared Kushner, representing the President, had informed MBS of a rival Saudi Royals plot to eliminate the Crown Prince. Prince Alwaleed was reported to be at the center of the plotters. After three months imprisonment, Alwaleed was released from detention on 27 January 2018, following a reported financial settlement. In March 2018 he dropped out from Forbes Worlds Billionaires list. Before his arrest Alwaleed was the largest shareholder in Citibank, a major owner of Twitter, once partner of Bill Gates in Gates Foundation vaccine programs, and generous donor to select Democrats such as Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation. According to media reports, Hillary campaign aide Huma Abedins brother, Hassan Abedin, Muslim Brotherhood member, worked with Bin Talal on a project called Spreading Islam to the West. Bin Talal and other Saudi sources donated as much as $25 million to the Clinton Foundation as she was preparing her Presidential bid. The Prince was also an open foe of Donald Trump. Jamal Khashoggi was no ordinary journalist. He actually worked for Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. In an interview in the Gulf Times in November last year Alwaleed stated, Jamal wasnt only my friend. He was working with me. Actually, his last job in Saudi Arabia was with me Jamal was, or is, nephew of CIA-linked asset, the recently deceased Adnan Khashoggi, a nefarious arms dealer involved in the CIA-Saudi BCCI bank and Iran-Contra. Nephew Jamal also worked for the then-Saudi Ambassador in Washington, Prince Bandar, someone so close to the Bush family that George W. nicknamed him Bandar Bush. In short, Khashoggi was part of Saudi circles close to the Bush-Clinton group. When King Abdullah decided to skip over Alwaleeds father, Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, dubbed The Red Prince for his reformist views, in his succession, a move that led to Salman, father of MBS, as successor, Alwaleed was on the outs in the Saudi power calculus of King Salman and Crown Prince MBS. The Saudi government as well as the Brookings Institution confirm that Khashoggi had been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood was banned from Saudi Arabia in 2011 following the Obama-Hillary Clinton Arab Spring, when the Saudi monarch, King Abdullah, and those around him realized that the royal house itself was a potential target for brotherhood regime change, as in Egypt and Tunisia. The Obama Administration, as I detail in Manifest Destiny, working with the CIA, planned a drastic series of regime changes across the Islamic world to install Muslim Brotherhood regimes friendly with the CIA and the Obama administration. Key members of the Obama Administration, including Secretary of State Hillary Clintons special assistant, Huma Abedin, had deep ties to the Saudi part of the Muslim Brotherhood where Abedins mother lives. Her mother, Saleha Abedin an academic in Saudi Arabia where Huma grew up according to a report on Al Jazeera and other Arab media, is a prominent member of the womens organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Humas brother is also reported linked to the organization. Notably, the late John McCain, whose ties to leading members of ISIS and Al Qaeda is public record, tried to discredit fellow Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann for pointing to Abedins Muslim Brotherhood ties. This is the faction within Saudi Arabia that Khashoggi was tied to. As President, Trumps first foreign trip was to meet MBS and the Saudi King, a trip sharply criticized by Democrat Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Once a Trump Presidency moved to rebuild the frayed relations that had developed between Obama and the Saudi monarchy under King Abdullah and later King Salman, father of Crown Prince MBS, the faction around pro-Obama Prince Bin Talal Alwaleed was out of favor, to put it mildly, especially after Hillary Clinton lost. In June 2017 Alwaleeds former employee, Jamal Khashoggi, fled into self-imposed exile in the US where he had studied earlier, after the government banned his twitter account in Saudi. Once MBS acted to arrest Alwaleed and numerous others, the future of the money flows between Alwaleed to not only Hillary Clinton, the Clinton Foundation and to other Democrats he had supported with Saudi millions, was in jeopardy. While it is difficult to confirm, a BBC Turkish journalist in Istanbul reportedly told an arab language paper after the alleged gruesome murder and dismemberment of Khashoggi that, in fact, Jamal Khashoggi was alive and well, somewhere in hiding. It is a fact that former CIA head and now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, along with then-Defense Secretary James Mattis, gave a briefing to the US Senate in which they told the senators that there was no evidence to suggest MBS was behind this alleged crime. They added that they couldnt even confirm a crime had happened! Only CIA head Gina Haspel, former CIA London station chief, disputed their claims. The Erdogan claims that the body was chopped up and then dissolved in acid for disposal without trace harkens back to the account of the Navy Seal disposal of the dead body allegedly of Osama bin Laden, which the Obama Administration claimed they dumped at sea according to Muslim tradition. Conveniently in both cases there was no body to forensically confirm. Indeed the allegations to world media around the Khashoggi affair were tightly controlled by Turkeys President Erdogan who repeatedly promised then failed to reveal, what he said were secret Turkish intelligence tapes of the alleged murder. Erdogan is reported very close to the Muslim Brotherhood if not a hidden member, one reason for his close support of Qatar after MBS and the Saudi king declared economic sanctions on Qatar for support of terrorism, in fact Qatari support of the Muslim Brotherhood. Here we are dealing with shifting political alliances with huge consequences potentially for US and world politics given the enormous size of the Saudi financial resources. Its also bizarre that Khashoggi allegedly agreed to go to a Saudi Consulate in Turkey and to supposedly get divorce papers. Further, his reported fiance, Hatice Cengiz, seems to be equally mysterious, with some asking whether she in fact is an agent of Turkish intelligence used to discredit Saudi Arabia. The claims of Erdogan of the assassination of Jamal by a Saudi team were buttressed by a mysterious Khaled Saffuri, who told Yahoo News reporter, Michael Isikoff, that Khashoggi became a bitter foe of MBS for his articles in the media criticizing the arrests of Prince Bin Talal and others. Research reveals that Saffuri, media source on the Khashoggi alleged murder, also has had close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood front organization, American Muslim Council, and to Qatar, host to the exiled Brotherhood for years. Qatari support for the Muslim Brotherhood was a factor in the break between MBS and Qatar two years ago. Saffuri is also the protg of al-Qaeda fundraiser Abdurahman Alamoudi, reportedly also an influential Muslim Brotherhood supporter who before 2004 met with both G.W. Bush and Hillary Clinton. Alamoudi is currently in US federal prison since 2004 for his role as bagman for a Libyan/Al-Qaeda assassination plot to assassinate then-Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. In brief, the prime sources on the Khashoggi murder are few and hardly without bias. At this point it is difficult to go beyond speculation. Clear is that Jamal Khashoggi is missing from public view since early October. But until the Turkish government or someone else presents serious forensic evidence, habeas corpus, that indeed shows Alwaleeds former employee, Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by a Saudi assassination team, let alone by one commanded by Crown Prince bin Salman, the situation warrants more serious examination. It is curious that the same liberal media such as Jeff Bezos Washington Post that attacks MBS for the alleged murder of their reporter, Khashoggi, fails to criticize previous Saudi executions or even subsequent ones. To stage a fake execution of Khashoggi to discredit and even possibly topple MBS might possibly have appeared to Alwaleed and his CIA friends in Washington to be a clever way of restoring their power and financial influence. If so, it seems to have failed. F. William Engdahl is strategic risk consultant and lecturer, he holds a degree in politics from Princeton University and is a best-selling author on oil and geopolitics, exclusively for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook.
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https://journal-neo.org/2019/01/23/did-khashoggi-really-die/
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What is really preventing Atmos from making critical pipeline safety upgrades right away?
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The regulatory and legislative wheels are in motion for Atmos Energy to more quickly upgrade its aging, dangerous natural gas distribution pipelines in North Texas. Speed is important because after a natural gas explosion in a home that killed a girl last year, Atmos found a worrying number of leaks in North Dallas. Dallas Rep. Rafael Anchia has filed legislation to require natural gas utilities to upgrade lines made of older materials by the end of next year. Thats faster than Atmos plan to replace such pipelines by the end of 2021. But if you live in a neighborhood with natural gas leaks, all of this is taking far too long to play out, as residents cant tell which spot is most likely to explode next. A cynic might say thats the way things often go in corporate America when the needs of customers conflict with the interests of shareholders. To that we say, but Atmos is a regulated monopoly, and those goals are supposed to align. Atmos, as with all natural gas utilities, is required to maintain its network of distribution pipelines to meet safety standards, as regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission. When the network needs upgrading to meet those standards, Atmos is required to make those investments, and the company is entitled to recoup the cost plus a profit margin by raising customer rates. This involves what used to be a long, onerous process of filing a rate case every few years and waiting for the money to finally roll in via customer bill payments. But Atmos persuaded the Railroad Commission a few years ago to implement an accelerated rate hike approval process, and the time between investment and payback has contracted. All of that means that Atmos can upgrade the aging lines and expect customers to pay for the cost of those upgrades plus a profit. In fact, capital investment is a key profit mechanism for regulated companies. We have two theories. 1. The scope of the needed upgrades in North Texas is so large that it is difficult to muster the workforce to do the entire job simultaneously and immediately. Replacing a pipeline involves digging up streets, alleys and private property and working with various crews and contractors to replace the line, fill in the hole, and replace the concrete or landscaping. This can be hugely disruptive to residents. Atmos said via email on Friday: Factors that may influence the rate of acceleration include the availability of materials; trained and qualified employees to design, coordinate, and inspect this level of construction activity; contractors to fill material for street repairs; increase demand of line-locate contractors due to increasing activity; inclement weather and city resources to support this pace of replacement. In consideration of these factors and regulatory requirements, we are continuing forward with pipeline replacement as quickly and safely as possible. 2. The Atmos board has boosted its dividend regularly, handing out large amounts of its profit to shareholders. Last year, the board increased the dividend 8.2 percent, amounting to a total cash payout of around $215 million. And in 2018 Atmos also boosted capital investment to $1.5 billion for the entire company, which includes regulated utility operations outside of Texas and a non-regulated pipeline company. Shareholders might forgo a little dividend in the short term but still reap the benefits when customers begin paying for the upgrades. Atmos answer via email is that the company relies on investors and creditors to finance a portion of its capital investments. As an investor-owned utility, we can only attract these additional resources if we are financially healthy. This means we must maintain manageable debt balances, grow earnings and increase dividends. Atmos last week filed with the city of Dallas for a rate hike of $10.1 million, which is in line with prior annual rate increases. If the company invests more, it would be entitled to raise rates to compensate. We have no problem with Atmos recouping from customers a fair rate of return on safety upgrades. We would urge Atmos and its shareholders as they meet in a few weeks to seriously consider whether making more investment money available for safety upgrades could shorten the amount of time that some customers live on top of a leaking time bomb. Send a letter to the editor, and you just might get published.
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https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2019/01/24/really-preventing-atmos-making-critical-pipeline-safety-upgrades-right-away
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Did CBI Raid the Wrong Wing at Videocon Group While Probing Alleged Loan Fraud Case?
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Has the CBI, which Thursday registered a criminal case against Videocon group along with ICICI Bank's ex-chief Chanda Kochhar and her husband for alleged irregularities in sanctioning Rs 1,875 crore loans to the now crippled group, raided the wrong premises?Going by the address of Videocon Industries as given in the FIR, the actual CBI raid should have taken place in the 17th floor office on the B-Wing of the sprawling Mittal Court complex in the tony Nariman Point area of the city. But CBI sleuths have carried out the day-long raids in the 17th floor office in the C-Wing of the same complex where other Videocon Group industries are housed!To be fair, it has been found that both the wings are inter-connected, though. What is more ironical is that the nameplate of Videocon Industries, the prime accused in the FIR, is written in Marathi with a sketch pen, while the other group companies have proper nameplates in metal frames.The name Videocon Industries is pasted with a packaging tape from inside the door, which can be seen only if the door is opened!Earlier in the day, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked the Dhoots of the Videocon group along with Chanda Kochhar, the former CEO and MD of ICICI Bank and her husband Deepak, for alleged irregularities in sanctioning six loans worth Rs 1,875 crore to the now crippled Videocon Group and other group entities.In the FIR, Videocon Industries is mentioned as located on the 17th floor of the B-Wing of the Mittal Court complex, while group entities like Videocon Industries, Videocon International Electronics and four other entities are located on the 17th floor of the C-Wing of the same building.The other companies on the 17th floor of the C-Wing include Videocon Games, Chhattisgarh Power Ventures, Prosperous Energy, and VOVL. Interestingly all these companies are not mentioned in the FIR filed by the CBI. It could also not be established immediately whether these companies are indeed Videocon group entities.The FIR names Videocon International Electronics, Videocon Industries, VN Dhoot, the group managing director; Chanda Kochhar, Deepak Kochhar, the head of Nupower Renewables and the company Nupower Renewables, Supreme Energy, Other unknown private persons and Unknown public servants.When PTI visited the premises in the evening, we could see CBI sleuths who flew down from New Delhi for the raid, busying themselves in searching the offices located in the C-Wing. Since most reporters were not aware of the exit from other C-Wing, all waited for CBI officials at B-Wing only.When some journalists tried to enter the office from the B-Wing, they found it locked from inside, even though all the action was going on in the C-Wing.A few staffers of the group were also present inside the office. When asked one of them told PTI that he is an employee but has not been paid for the past four months.Another man said he works in the pantry and claimed to know nothing about the raids.Yet another person, found seated at the reception in the C-Wing office along with a few others, said the raid is on across the Mumbai and Aurangabad offices of the group. *Rental / capacity fee of Rs.130/- as charged by cable / DTH operator may apply. **GST extra.
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https://www.news18.com/news/india/did-cbi-raid-the-wrong-wing-at-videocon-group-while-probing-alleged-loan-fraud-case-2012889.html
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How should parents teach their kids about racism?
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As images of teens seemingly mocking protesters and giving apparent Nazi salutes go viral, parents can help ensure children understand sensitive issues Its now common to come across a headline about videos or photos of teens that goes viral and strikes a nerve. Teenagers posing with Nazi salutes, painting on blackface and, most recently with the students from Covington Catholic high school, seemingly mocking Native American protesters. What may initially be seen as a joke between friends suddenly delivers hurt, frustration and backlash from thousands on social media. Many come to the teens defense, saying that kids will be kids; as adolescents, they have and will always do some stupid things. Until 10 minutes ago, it was broadly agreed in our culture that kids are allowed to do some dumb things because theyre kids, said Kyle Smith for the National Review in response to the backlash against the students from Covington Catholic high school. But experts in youth and teenage behavior say this behavior isnt inevitable. There are ways parents and teachers can help ensure a child has the maturity and understanding to think about sensitive issues such as race before they behave inappropriately. We could raise a future of anti-racist youth if we wanted to, said Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America and professor of philosophy and religion at Drake University. Thats the work we have to be doing in a very proactive, every single day kind of way to reduce the incidents that are happening in the first place. Sign up for the US morning briefing Parents, specifically white parents, can develop tools needed to raise children who are sensitive to race, Harvey said. For example, teaching children that race doesnt matter can be counterproductive to achieving equality. If youre living in a society where people are not being treated equally that position ends up enabling racism to thrive, Harvey said. For example, if a five-year-old child never sees an African American doctor, they will assume African Americans cant be doctors unless their parents have discussed structural racism with them, Harvey said. Thats just how kids brains work. Evan Apfelbaum, an associate professor at Boston Universitys Questrom School of Business focused on social psychology and diversity, agreed that its good to start teaching children about race when theyre young. Having these tough, uncomfortable conversation at home in advance, in a structured setting, is one way to help prepare kids for facing these types of complex things in the real world, he said. Parents can use such viral videos that demonstrate inappropriate behavior as an opportunity to have a conversation with their children about racism, Apfelbaum added. When things go viral, theres an opportunity for learning, he said. If kids are going to be talking about it why not frame it in a structured discussion where you can actually get at feelings and get at peoples concerns and help [your children] think through multiple sides of a situation. Salome Thomas-El, head of school at Thomas Edison charter school in Wilmington, Delaware, agrees that parents and teachers can use viral videos as learning tools, but they should be wary of the other things their children may come across on social media. Something he and many educators struggle with is limiting the negative influences that can come from online, he said. We have to be aware of whats going on in the online community and how it impacts what will happen in school, Thomas-El said. Prevention is much more powerful than intervention. Students at his own school go through internet safety training, Thomas-El said, where they learn the full consequence of a viral video. Children need to understand once you post a video, and it goes viral, you cant take it back, he said. Its also important for teachers, parents and teenagers themselves to understand how a teenagers developing brain can shape their behavior, said Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychology at the University of California Los Angeles medical school. The remodeling of the teenage brain into an adult brain entails four core changes: emotional sparks, social engagement, novelty-seeking and creative exploration what Siegel calls Essence. The four changes represent an uptick in passion, drive to be a part of a group and a desire for new experiences that is normal for teenagers. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on how theyre fostered, Siegel said. The development also heightens what psychologists call in-group, out-group distinction, or the tendency to lump oneself in social groups, he added. When a person feels like their in-group is threatened by an out-group people part of a group they dont identify with theres a chance they will dehumanize the out-group. Adolescents are equally prone to having this in-group-out-group distinction as adults are, Siegel said. Essence exacerbates the distinction, and thats what can be seen in the viral videos, he added. In these videos, theres evidence of emotion they dont know how to control, collaboration where they give up morality to gain membership, novelty-seeking which drives them to do things that are really dangerous and following ideals as they push against things that have them not think logically, Siegel said. Read more Helping teenagers learn about things like in-group, out-group phenomena and how their changing brains affect it will give them the ability to be mindful of their behavior. When you let an adolescent know theyre in charge of how their brain is going to develop in these important dozen years of life, thats totally different from saying: Adolescents, this is whats going on with you and do this, Siegel said. Its kind of empowering from the inside out. If a child ends up behaving badly, experts agree that it could be a moment of self-reflection, but parents and teachers need to hold themselves accountable for the behavior as well. Kids respond to positive reinforcement and modeling behavior, Apfelbaum said. Parents should focus on showing kids the right way to respond and how to show respect and tolerance of differences.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/24/racism-parents-teach-children
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Which is the best browser for OS X?
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We put six browsers through six tests to see which one is king of the internet for the Mac Most app genres have what's become almost a default option that is Microsoft Word for word processing, Adobe Photoshop for high-end image editing, and so on. When apps are preinstalled, their position is even more secure, as with Apple's web browser, Safari. This group test investigates that. We examine five of Safari's fiercest rivals, from cross-platform big-hitters Firefox and Opera to Mac-only efforts Camino, iCab and OmniWeb. Gone are the days when website compatibility was a major factor in considering which browser to use. Today, it's all about speed and features. Every browser is aiming to become the fastest and most responsive as online sites and applications become increasingly complex and demanding under the hood; and each one is playing its own little game of one-upmanship, offering new features to entice users to ditch a rival. Our main concern in this group test is to discover which application is the most robust, usable web browser for general surfing, with features that make your online life easier, rather than baffling with complexity. We'll look at ease of use, accessing content, bookmarking and Mac integration. Also, all tests will be done with the browser in its default setup many browsers can be improved via plugins, but we're interested in how strong the foundation is.
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https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/software/applications/which-is-the-best-browser-for-os-x-664535
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Will ex-Pres. Trump lawyer Cohen comply with Senate subpoena?
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A Senate committee has subpoenaed President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, a day after Cohen postponed his public testimony to a House committee. Word of the subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee comes from one of Cohen's lawyers, Lanny Davis. Davis' statement doesn't say whether Cohen will comply with the subpoena. That committee generally has held its Russia-related hearings in private. Cohen delayed his Feb. 7 appearance before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on the advice of his defense team because Cohen is still cooperating in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Davis also said Cohen has received threats against his family. Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump business proposal in Moscow. He's set to begin a three-year prison sentence in March.
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https://www.kwqc.com/content/news/Will-ex-Trump-lawyer-Cohen-comply-with-Senate-subpoena-504814431.html
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Can Tulare's $9M loan save Tulare hospital from extinction?
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A flyer was posted at Evolutions Fitness and Wellness Center in Tulare notifying members of its suspended services. (Photo: Danielle A Martin) In a move to protect the Tulare hospital from financial ruin, district board members took a step toward selling Evolutions Fitness Center in exchange for millions in taxpayer money. On Wednesday, Tulare city administrators agreed on possible terms for a $9.4 million line of credit to go toward the public hospital district. However, the possibility of a loan to save the hospital came with a few stipulations. Todd Wynkoop, an attorney representing Tulare hospital district, recommended the board move forward with drafting a loan agreement. The five-year term loan comes with a 6 percent interest rate. Interest-only payments would be made to the city for the first 36 months. In the months that followed, the district would pay principal and interest. An additional $50,000 origination fee would also be paid to the city. The district's assets, including Evolutions, is security on the loan. Wynkoop said the city's goal is to have the loan paid off as soon as possible, but no timeline was given. In discussions with Tulare administrators and city council members, there was a push to commit to the marketing of Evolutions valued at $10.5 million. Evolutions is considered a dual asset and can be sold individually as a business and as a building. Currently, board members are discussing the possible sale of the property, not the business. There are roughly 5,500 members at the gym. In 2018, Evolutions brought in roughly $223,000 to the district. "Obviously, we aren't interested in a fire sale," said Board President Kevin Northcraft. "There's an interest that we at least pursue that option to see if it's viable." The sale of both the business and the building that houses the gym has been discussed numerous times since the hospital board filed for bankruptcy more than a year ago. As the district continues to pay off creditors, they still lack the cash needed to remain solvent. If the district is unable to pay creditors, they will be forced out of bankruptcy court. The possibility of a low-interest loan from the city was a "needed break" for the district, said board member Xavier Avila. Board members voted unanimously to draft a loan agreement. Board members then moved to solidify its decision to consider the sale of the Evolutions building. "We can't rule out selling Evolutions," Avila said. "Whenever you can sell an asset and pay debt down, you're always ahead." Also on the agenda was an agreement between the district and Craig Smith & Associates to list the property for sale. This time, the vote was more contentious. Board member Stephen Harrell has spoken out against the sale of the gym several times. Wednesday's discussion was no different. "The loan isn't contingent on having a listing agreement," he said. "It's not going to make a difference to hold off for a month." The public also voiced concerns about moving forward with the listing. "If this goes public, this way, the value of Evolutions is going to decrease considerably," said Paul Atlas. "... I just want to make sure we don't lose the people in the building." Derek Jackson sits on a committee that oversees the gym. He, too, was concerned with what a listing would mean to gym members and staff. "(Evolutions) has been there for a very, very long time," he said. "Please consider the gym as a jewel." Board members voted 3-1 to approve the listing agreement, Harrell was the lone no vote. Tulare administrators requested loan documents be finalized by Friday in order for the item to be added to the Feb. 5 city council agenda. If approved, the line of credit would be available by Feb. 8, Wynkoop said. More: Hearing into former Tulare hospital administrator delayed, again More: Those who helped turn TRMC around now criticize the board, transparency Read or Share this story: https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2019/01/24/can-tulares-9-m-loan-save-tulare-hospital-extinction/2661431002/
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https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2019/01/24/can-tulares-9-m-loan-save-tulare-hospital-extinction/2661431002/
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Is the Current Cardinals Bullpen Good Enough?
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Clearly, its a little early to ask this question. We dont yet know who will stink come March, who will get hurt, and ultimately who will make up the opening day bullpen. However, we do know the current pool of pitchers that will be used to build that bullpen. Many fans think that the Cardinals still need to add another veteran reliever, in particular from the right-side. I say, not so fast. While much of the cast is returning from a bad 2018 bullpen, I firmly believe that injuries and misuse were the root of most of those problems. And so, with that in mind, I am of the opinion that the Cardinals actually do have the personnel in-house to build a top tier bullpen. Lets just get started. Projections What lead me to this topic was the recent release of the 2019 ZiPS projections for the Cardinals, which can be found here. You can read the article for full details, but for the purpose of this post, Ill get straight to the bullpen. Dan Szymborski projected the Cardinals 7-man bullpen (with zWAR) as follows: Andrew Miller 1.3 Jordan Hicks 0.8 John Brebbia 0.8 Dakota Hudson 0.6 (1.3 w/ starter workload, adjusted for relief) Luke Gregerson 0.5 Brett Cecil 0.1 Dominic Leone 0.1 TOTAL zWAR: 4.2 Now, the ZiPS have only been released for 11 teams, so far. So the picture isnt complete, but among those 11, the 4.2 would rank 6th. Its neither good, not awful. Where I See Things Differently What I notice is that this bullpen is built based on either contract status or 2018 usage. It is a fair representation in those regards, but I disagree with its make-up. Issue number 1 is Luke Gregerson. John Mozeliak expressed concern with an imperfect offseason for Luke and the chances of him being a contributing factor seem low at this point. His contract forces you to include him on projected rosters, but it isnt totally realistic. I, personally, would toss him out and insert Alex Reyes. My next issue is with the inclusion of Dakota Hudson. While I think he has a bright future, I really think he is best served returning to Memphis as a starting pitcher, at least to begin the year. His 2.63 ERA out of the bullpen last season is incredibly deceiving. His FIP was 3.86 and his xFIP was 4.76, pointing towards a lot of good luck. My gripe is that the biggest problem with the 2018 bullpen was a lack of strikeout punch (20.8 K% ranked 25th in baseball) and far too many walks (10.9 BB% ranked 28th). Hudson epitomizes this issue. 267 pitchers tossed 27 innings or more in relief last year. Hudson ranked 241st in K% (16.1) and 261st in BB% (15.3). Alot of guys on the 40-man roster have nothing left to prove at AAA. Hudson is not among those players. There is clearly still development that needs to happen. So I would replace Hudson with my favorite pitcher on the roster, Giovanny Gallegos. Gallegos was acquired along with Chasen Shreve and could be the true prize in the trade. For whatever reason the Cardinals waited until the last minute to promote Gallegos, and he appeared in just 2 games. I have been beating his drum for quite some time, and Ill spare you a repeat of how good his numbers are. You can read a full detailing of that in this post from September. Apparently Im not alone, as ZiPS loved Gallegos as well. Projecting him for 60 IP, it put him at a 3.02 ERA, 1.1 WAR, 29.8 K%, and a 6.9 BB%. He was the 2nd best projected reliever behind Andrew Miller, yet he didnt crack the 7-man group. He is also a complete reversal from the profile of Hudson, making him a perfect remedy for what ailed the bullpen in 2018. Finally, the lefties. Cecils contract puts him in the ZiPS bullpen. However, comments from the team point towards a make-or-break spring training and I believe they are willing to cut ties should his struggles continue. Chasen Shreve is the fallback. ZiPS put Shreve at a 0.3 zWAR. Im going to use these two interchangeably and assign a 0.3 WAR projection to the 2nd LH regardless of who it is. If its Shreve, there you go. If Cecil pitches well enough to beat out Shreve, then its not a great leap to assume he would match that projection as well. Heck, in a lackluster 2017, Cecil posted a 1.1 fWAR. The Bullpen i would deploy Right to it, here is the primary bullpen I would like to see in 2019, with projections: Andrew Miller 1.3 Giovanny Gallegos 1.1 Jordan Hicks 0.8 John Brebbia 0.8 Alex Reyes 0.8 (projected workload is that of a RP) Cecil/Shreve 0.3 Dominic Leone 0.1 TOTAL WAR: 5.2 That WAR total would climb to 3rd among the 11 teams with published ZiPS projections. A mark that high would have ranked 7th in baseball last year. For reference, Cardinals relievers in 2018 COMBINED for a 0.5 fWAR. This bullpen has 5 relievers tabbed for 0.8 WAR or better. Last season, only 3 bullpens (Yankees, Astros and Padres) had that many relievers pitch that well. Now, the individual projections are not out of line, but nothing ever goes as planned with relievers, so this number is likely too high. Still, I like that the additions of Gallegos and Reyes bring in two career MLB K%s north of 25% that simply werent there last year. That would give them 5/7 at that level, for sure, with K% >25. Then there is the potential for Hicks to find that level. Finally, Shreve has a career K% of 26% and even 2017-Cecil had a 23.8 mark. Im rambling. The inclusions of Reyes and Gallegos and career numbers of others show clear potential for a high strikeout bullpen. Andrew Miller even at his subpar 2018 level dramatically improves their left side. Someone out of Cecil, Shreve, Webb, and Layne is bound to represent a competent MLB lefty for the 2nd spot. They cannot get worse than last year (literally, they were the worst). A healthy Leone who had a 1.5 fWAR in 2017 and largely the same peripherals when healthy last year could prove to be a major x-factor. The projections seem to be selling him short. This version of the bullpen could be very, very good. Loose ends There are a few decisions that would need to be made to get to this optimal bullpen. I already mentioned Gregerson and, possibly, Cecil. The next two decisions would be on John Gant and Mike Mayers, both of whom are out of options. Considering that the Cardinals will likely carry 8 relievers, there is room for 1 of them with my bullpen, but not both. If they want to include Hudson or any other young pitcher (Ponce, Gomber, Helsley, Cabrera) then both would need to be moved. Those decisions can be made after health and performance in spring make them unnecessary. These things tend to work themselves out. However, I wanted to make mention of them because their situation to provide resistance to getting the best relievers on the MLB roster. Ive talked about this before. wrap-up As I said at the open, I dont think adding another veteran reliever is a good idea. 1) Its another guaranteed contract that forces really good pitchers like Brebbia and Gallegos to be optioned out because they are the only ones with that flexibility. 2) I just dont think its necessary. Outside of a stud like Craig Kimbrel, finding a reliever on the market that will be better than Gallegos isnt going to be easy and simply isnt worth it. We are dealing in potential right now. They have the potential for a great bullpen with the current pool. Even beyond my preferred group, there is plenty of MLB-ready depth that will be forced to AAA. It should, potentially, still be good even if 1 or 2 guys get hurt. Potentially. Reality could paint a different picture. For that, theres always the trade deadline. But Im cautiously optimistic on this bullpen. Its just a matter of putting the right pitchers on the roster. If they do that, then the current bullpen is certainly good enough. Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter for more Cards talk: Follow @hes_verygood Or Follow the Bird Law Podcast: Follow @birdlawpod
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http://www.sportsmedia101.com/mlb/st-louis-cardinals/2019/01/is-the-current-cardinals-bullpen-good-enough
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Who Is The Hottie With Celine Dion At Paris Fashion Week?
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The Canadian songstress has been spotted out and about in Paris enjoying the festivities surrounding Paris Fashion Week with a good-looking fella on her arm and its none other than Spanish dancer, Pepe Munoz. Pepe, 34, seems to be inseparable from the My Heart Will Go On singer, 50, and they have been spotted all over the City of Lights spending time together. The duo most recently stepped out on Thursday together, arm in arm as they exited the Givenchy show. Celine was all smiles during the outing and looked uber chic in a burgundy leather blazer and tight black pants. On Wednesday, Celine looked hot to trot with Pepe by her side at the Ronald Van Der Kemps Spring/Summer Fashion Show. She rocked a grey trouser suit with a plunging neckline and shoulder pads with her golden hair pulled back in a sleek bun. She also added some chunky gold bangles for added drama but perhaps the best accessory was her arm candy. Pepe exchanged looks and laughs with Celine throughout the show. The duo also hit the Valentino show and rocked color-coordinated tan ensembles. And even were all smiles as they sat front row at the Alexandre Vauthier show on Tuesday. While Celine has never confirmed a romance with Pepe and even shot down dating rumors back in 2018 the two seem to be thick as thieves. Pepe has escorted Celine to Paris Fashion week in the past. The duo became friends after he became one of her backup dancers. In January 2018, Pepe, who hails from Malaga, Spain, said that he and Celine find the romance rumors amusing. These rumors really amused us. And we still laugh about them. I can count on her when I need to talk, and I am ready to listen to her, too,' Pepe told Gala magazine. Celine was previously married to Rene Angelil until his tragic passing in 2016. The duo shared three children. Whether or not Celine is officially moving on we can all agree that its nice to have some arm candy!
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https://www.accessonline.com/articles/who-is-the-hottie-with-celine-dion-at-paris-fashion-week
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Was ist am heutigen Machtkampf anders als 2014 und 2017?
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Massendemonstrationen gegen den Prsidenten, Gewalt aufseiten der Ordnungskrfte und bei Teilen der Opposition, Aufruhr, Tote, Chaos. Die Hoffnung auf einen Umsturz, auf ein Ende des sogenannten Chavismus das gab es in Venezuela im Februar 2014 und im April 2017. Und doch ist der einstige Busfahrer und Gewerkschaftsfhrer Nicols Maduro, den Hugo Chvez kurz vor seinem Tod im Jahre 2013 zum Nachfolger erkoren hatte, noch immer an der Macht. Gestern sind in der venezolanischen Hauptstadt Caracas wieder Hunderttausende auf die Strasse gegangen, um gegen Maduros Regierung zu demonstrieren eine Regierung, die durch ihre wahnwitzige Wirtschaftspolitik im erdlreichsten Land der Welt eine humanitre Katastrophe verschuldet hat, wie sie in der jngeren Geschichte Lateinamerikas ihresgleichen sucht. Maduro ist verantwortlich fr Hunger und Verzweiflung, er ist schuld am Tod von Kleinkindern, die in den Spitlern mangels Medikamenten sterben. Er hat in seiner unfassbaren konomischen Ignoranz vergangenes Jahr eine Inflationsrate von ber einer Million Prozent und einen hunderttausendfachen Exodus verzweifelter Menschen in die Nachbarlnder verursacht. Dieser Mann, darin waren sich die Demonstranten einig, muss weg. Inmitten einer jubelnden Menge hat sich Juan Guaid, der 35-jhrige Prsident der Nationalversammlung, zum Interimsprsidenten ernannt. Wer das Land in Zukunft regiert, soll das Volk in Neuwahlen bestimmen, die Guaid in Krze abhalten will. Der wichtigste Unterschied zu den oppositionellen Massenbewegungen der vergangenen Jahre liegt in der Reaktion der internationalen Gemeinschaft. Zuvor hatten zwar zahlreiche Lnder und internationale Organisationen Maduro fr Menschenrechtsverletzungen und antidemokratische Machenschaften kritisiert, aber sie waren nie so weit gegangen, ihm die Legitimitt als Staatschef abzusprechen. Heute tun sie genau dies. Besonders deutlich ist der Umschwung innerhalb Lateinamerikas, weil in mehreren zuvor links regierten Lndern (Brasilien, Argentinien, Chile, Peru) konservative Politiker an die Macht gekommen sind. Die USA, Kanada, die Organisation Amerikanischer Staaten sowie zahlreiche andere Lnder haben sich von Maduro abgewandt, whrend die Entscheidung der EU noch aussteht. Das einzige gewichtige lateinamerikanische Land, das Maduro nach wie vor als Prsidenten anerkennt, ist Mexiko. Auch die Trkei, Russland und China stehen weiterhin an seiner Seite. Rebellierende Soldaten sollen nicht bestraft werden Ein zweiter bedeutender Unterschied zu den frheren Massendemonstrationen liegt in der Figur von Juan Guaid. Dass den Vorsitzenden der Nationalversammlung noch vor wenigen Wochen selbst in Venezuela nur wenige kannten, erweist sich als grosser Vorteil. Andere Oppositionspolitiker (Leopoldo Lpez, Henrique Capriles, Freddy Guevara, Antonio Ledezma) haben sich im Kampf gegen die Regierung und vor allem in internen Zerwrfnissen der notorisch zerstrittenen Opposition aufgerieben, sie wurden verhaftet oder mussten ins Exil fliehen. Ihnen allen gegenber hat Guaid den Vorzug des Unbekannten. Es ist ihm gelungen, Hoffnungen zu wecken, Illusionen zu schren, der darbenden Oppositionsbewegung wieder Lebenskraft zu verleihen. Der 35-Jhrige hat in der politischen Landschaft Lateinamerikas eingeschlagen wie ein Meteor. Allerdings haben Meteore die Eigenschaft, zu verglhen. Ob dies auch Guaid widerfahren wird, ist im Moment nicht abzuschtzen. Anders als bei frheren Protestbewegungen ist die Haltung der Opposition gegenber dem Militr. 2014 und 2017 hatte sie die Uniformierten vergeblich gebeten, Einstze gegen die Demonstranten zu verweigern. Jetzt fordert sie die Armeeangehrigen auf, sich der Regierung aktiv zu widersetzen. Ausserdem hat die Nationalversammlung als gegenwrtig einzig demokratisch legitimierte venezolanische Institution ein Gesetz verabschiedet, wonach rebellierende Soldaten amnestiert werden. Guaid hat sich zwar zum Prsidenten ernannt, und er kann dabei auf die mehrheitliche Untersttzung der internationalen Gemeinschaft zhlen aber wirklich Prsident ist er erst dann, wenn ihm die staatlichen Institutionen gehorchen. Das ist vorlufig nicht der Fall. Ob Guaid den Machtkampf gegen Maduro gewinnt und wie versprochen Neuwahlen einberufen kann, drfte von zwei Faktoren abhngen: dem Verhalten der USA und des venezolanischen Militrs. Nachdem sich Guaid zum Interimsprsidenten ausgerufen hatte, dauerte es nur einige Minuten, bis Donald Trump ihn anerkannte. Natrlich hat Maduro dies propagandistisch ausgeschlachtet, und wahrscheinlich hat er damit bei seinen Anhngern Erfolg. Allerdings sind laut Umfragen 80 Prozent der Bevlkerung gegen den sozialistischen Prsidenten. Ja, diesmal ist vieles anders. Aber ob Maduro strzt, lsst sich im Moment nicht abschtzen. Ob sich die Venezolanerinnen und Venezolaner angesichts ihrer verzweifelten wirtschaftlichen Lage von den blichen antiimperialistischen Parolen noch beeindrucken lassen, ist fraglich. Dies umso mehr, als sich nicht bloss die USA gegen Maduro stellen. Gefhrlich ist, dass Maduro nach Guaids Anerkennung durch den US-Prsidenten das amerikanische Botschaftspersonal ausgewiesen hat und sich dieses weigert, der Anordnung nachzukommen. Denn aus Sicht der Amerikaner ist ja Guaid der legitime Prsident. Eine der beiden Seiten droht in diesem Machtkampf das Gesicht zu verlieren: Falls Trump das Personal doch noch abzieht, anerkennt er faktisch Maduros Befehlsgewalt weiterhin an. Andernfalls muss Maduro durchgreifen, um einen Autorittsverlust vor den eigenen Anhngern zu vermeiden. Die Verhaftung oder die zwangsweise Ausschaffung der Botschaftsangehrigen knnte die Lage sehr schnell eskalieren lassen, bis hin zu einer amerikanischen Militrintervention. Die Auswirkungen dieses Szenarios auf Venezuela und das brige Lateinamerika sind vllig unkalkulierbar. Armeefhrung in Drogenhandel verstrickt Eine weniger dramatische, aber gleichwohl einschneidende Eskalation des Konflikts wre ein amerikanisches Wirtschaftsembargo gegen Venezuela. Seine durchschlagende Wirksamkeit beruhte darauf, dass die Einnahmen des venezolanischen Staates fast vollstndig vom Erdl abhngen. Und dass die USA der wichtigste Abnehmer des Rohstoffs sind. Ein weiteres Szenario ist eine Revolte der Armee oder zumindest von Teilen der Armee. Allerdings hat die Fhrung des Militrs den sozialistischen Prsidenten stets gesttzt, und bisher deutet alles darauf hin, dass sie dies auch jetzt wieder tut. Vor allem amerikanischen Ermittlern zufolge ist Venezuelas Armeefhrung gemeinsam mit der Regierung in den internationalen Drogenhandel verstrickt. Sofern dies zutrifft, haben die Militrs ein grosses Interesse daran, dass Maduro an der Macht bleibt. Es deutet vieles darauf hin, dass die Ereignisse der nchsten Stunden und Tage von der Reaktion der Uniformierten abhngen. Dabei sind mehrere Szenarien mglich, von einem schnellen Sturz Maduros bis hin zu einem Brgerkrieg sei es, weil das Regime mit massiver militrischer Gewalt gegen Demonstranten vorgeht, sei es, weil sich regierungstreue und rebellierende Truppenteile gegenseitig zu bekmpfen beginnen. Es ist auch denkbar, dass der Aufstand auch diesmal wieder abflaut, dass Guaids Proklamation schon in wenigen Tagen anmutet wie die Verrcktheit eines venezolanischen Don Quijote. Und dass er im Gefngnis endet wie so viele andere Oppositionelle vor ihm. Ja, diesmal ist vieles anders. Aber ob Maduro strzt, lsst sich im Moment nicht abschtzen. Sicher ist, dass die Chancen auf ein Ende seiner Herrschaft noch nie so gross waren wie gerade jetzt. Und dass sein Sturz das Beste wre, fr Venezuela und ganz Lateinamerika. (Redaktion Tamedia)
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https://bazonline.ch/ausland/amerika/Wie-stehen-Guaids-Chancen/story/12734373
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Which Digital Assistant Has the Best Morning Routines?
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Photo: Andres Urena (Unsplash) Wake Up Week This week, we're looking at what it really means to have the "perfect" morning, whether you start your day like a Soylent-chugging Silicon Valley CEO, or by rolling out of bed and straight out the door. Rise and shine. Waking up to an alarm clock, even your smartphone, almost feels like an ancient practice at this point. If youve bought into the smart speaker crazemainly, one of the Google or Amazon speakers, or Apples wood-staining HomePodthen you have so many more options for getting yourself ready for the day than the annoying braaap-braaaap-braaaaap of an alarm. I love a thorough morning routine, especially a digital one, because Im usually too tired or absentminded to take on a daily to-do list in the early hours. Thankfully, Google Assistant/Alexa/Siri is all too happy to help. But each assistant gives you different options for automating your morning routine. Heres what Ive learned after sharing many cups of coffee with all three (in no particular order): Google Assistant / Home How to plan morning routines You access Routines for your Google smart speaker by pulling up the Google Home app for iOS or Android and tapping the purple Routines icon, and then Manage Routines. Google gives you a bunch of ready-made routines you can use, but the heck with that, because its easy to customize your owna lot more fun, too. Advertisement Triggers you can use Your routines can run via a voice command, which you input yourselfanything you want. You can also assign multiple words or phrases to serve as a trigger, in case you like mixing it up (or, like me, are prone to forgetting trigger phrases). Additionally, you can also have routines run at set times and days, and you can select a specific speaker for them to use (if you have more than one). Screenshot: David Murphy Advertisement Actions you can launch One of the neatest things about Googles implementation of routines is that you can trigger any action that youd otherwise say to your speaker (or Google Assistant, on your smartphone). There are plenty to pick fromand I highly doubt you, or anyone, has memorized the big onesbut you can also get a little silly with what your Google speaker says to, er, itself. If you need a little help with some ideas, the Home app can also give you popular actions to pick from, including standard options like turning connected smart items on and off, setting temperatures or lighting scenes, giving you your commute time, yelling out events on your calendar, or broadcasting to your speakers that youre on the way home (to the delight of your roommates, no doubt). You can even have your Google speaker say anything you want it to sayyes, anythingwhen you launch a certain routine. Wake up damnit is a popular one around my room. Although you can create your own trigger to have your speaker play a podcast or your favorite wake-up jams, theres also an Add media section in the Home apps routine-builder that makes it easy to pick news entities, audiobooks, and even soothing sleep sounds to listen to. (Youll have to type in your favorite albums, playlists, radio stations, or podcasts if you want your Google speaker to blast any of those.) Advertisement Screenshot: David Murphy Amazon Alexa / Echo How to plan morning routines You access Routines for your Amazon Echo speaker in the Alexa app for iOS or Android. Tap on the three-lines icon in the upper-left corner to open up the apps sidebar, and then tap on Routines to get started. Advertisement Screenshot: David Murphy Triggers you can use Like Google, Amazons Alexa app can also launch triggers when you say any word or phrase you wantor at a particular time on whatever day or days you want. You can also have connected devices trigger routines. (My digital door lock doesnt work, sadly, but I can have a routine trigger when my Echo Plus notes that the temperature of the room its sitting in has gone past a set degree.) Finally, you can set up geofencing to trigger routines, whether youre arriving at or leaving an area. Advertisement Screenshot: David Murphy Actions you can launch Unlike Google, you cant super-customize your routines via Alexano typing in commands you want your smart speaker to trigger, if you have a creative idea of how you want it to perform a particular action (or silly response). Instead, youll be picking entrees from Alexas menu: Alexa can say pre-populated or custom sayings, tell you whats on your calendar, change its volume, play music, read the news, and control your connected smart home devices (to name a few activities). Advertisement I especially like the Wait activity buried at the very bottom of the Alexa apps list. It sounds so simple on paperjust wait, Alexabut its an incredibly useful way to add delays to your actions. Its great if you want to kick your smart lights on in the morning, but you want to give yourself a little time to acclimate before your smart speaker blasts you with your daily to-do list. Or, for that matter, suppose you want to create a custom Nap routine that turns your favorite song on after a [insert your typical nap time here] delay. For routines like these, wait is great. If you really want to get wild, consider integrating Alexa with services like IFTTT or Stringify. Thats especially true if you want to control devices that the Alexa app might not support by default, like your cloud-connected network-attached storage box. At least, Ive found it incredibly useful to be able to tell my Echo to send my NAS to sleep mode, rather than fiddling around to enable sleep mode within its accompanying app. (Both sites also work with Google Assistant, so youll be able to yell at Googles speakers to trigger custom actions, too.) Advertisement Apples Siri / Home How to plan morning routines You have two options. You can either create automations via Apples Home app, or you can create Siri Shortcuts (in iOS 12 or later) to trigger a wide range of activities. Unless you have a bunch of HomeKit-friendly devices (and a HomePod, Apple TV, or an iPad youre using as a HomeKit hub), youll probably want to go the shortcut route. Also, Shortcuts can be a lot more comprehensive than automations. Advertisement Screenshot: David Murphy Triggers you can use If youre going the automation route, you can trigger HomeKit devices to perform an action based on a statuswhen you flick the switch on a HomeKit light, for exampleas well as a time or a location. If youre setting up Shortcuts, you can tap on the shortcut button you create as a widget, within the share sheet, or on your Home screen. You can also hook it up to Siri and launch it with a word or phrase. Advertisement Screenshot: David Murphy Actions you can launch Ill concentrate on Siri Shortcuts for this one, since its probably obvious what actions you can trigger in a HomeKit devicelights can go on and off, or jump to a scene; thermostats can set a specific temperature; smart switches can activate or deactivate; et cetera. If you want to combine these hardware-themed actions with actions based on various data points, like having your HomePod speaker read you the news or hearing Siri tell you whats coming up on your calendar, youll need to go the Shortcuts route. Advertisement As weve previously covered, Siri Shortcuts let you do an incredible amount of things across your devices. Mostly, youll be limited by your creativity and coding chops. You probably wont actually be doing much programming, if any, but youll definitely need to do some legwork to figure out how to accomplish whatever it is youre trying to do. Or, to put it another way, creating a daily routine is a pain in the butt. While this is an extreme example of a Siri Shortcuts morning routine, and I love how comprehensive it is, download it and install it to your iPhone to see just how much logic is required to create a thorough morning routine. Even if you wanted a shortcut that does a fraction of what that mega-routine can do, like a fairly standard morning briefing, get ready to spend some time figuring this one out (or modifying existing shortcuts you find online). Thats the blessing and curse of Siri Shortcuts: you can do almost anything, but youre going to have to do a lot more heavy lifting (and head-scratching) than with a more traditional assistant or smart speaker app. I dont have a HomePod, so I cant verify this myself, but it seems that its not currently possible to stream music to an AirPlay device via a Siri Shortcut. In other words, youll only be able to wake up with a soothing song coming out of your iPhone or iPad (as part of your daily routine shortcut), which seems silly.
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https://lifehacker.com/which-digital-assistant-has-the-best-morning-routines-1832013605
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Why are we paying people to sue the government?
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By Josh Dehaas When a Muslim woman decided to challenge the Harper governments policy forbidding face-coverings during the oath of citizenship, a feminist non-profit group called Womens Legal Action Fund (LEAF) sought to intervene on her behalf. When the Harper government cut extended health-care benefits like drugs and dental to refugee claimants, LEAF argued that the change had a discriminatory effect upon refugee women. When homelessness advocates claimed that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was being violated unless the government implemented policies to eliminate homelessness and inadequate housing, LEAF supported the fight against lawmakers. This week, LEAF is in court fighting a group of Christian doctors who oppose a policy by their regulator requiring them to refer patients who seek abortions or euthanasia. Theres nothing wrong with groups of citizens pooling their money to intervene in court cases. Thats healthy in a democracy. But these kinds of activist legal groups shouldnt be getting taxpayer funding. Yet thats whats happening under the Trudeau government. The new Department of Women and Gender Equality (formerly Status of Women Canada) just awarded LEAF $880,000 to develop a new five-year plan for strategic litigation. The project will undertake a needs assessment with feminist groups and other key stakeholders to identify intersectional gender equality issues that can be effectively addressed through feminist strategic litigation. Its a big boost to their budget. The Liberals have also restored funding to the Court Challenges Program that will hand out grants to groups who claim their human rights or minority language rights have been violated. The committee doling out the money is stacked with prominent left-wing advocates, including former LEAF director and Ottawa law professor Joanne St. Lewis, labour activist and McGill law professor Adelle Blackett, and University of Windsor francophone services proponent Emmanuelle Richez. Harper had scrapped the program, created in 1978 by Pierre Trudeau, as one of his first acts. John Baird, then president of the Treasury Board, argued that it didnt make sense for the government to pay people to fight its own laws in court. Indeed, it did not. University of Waterloo political scientist Emmett Macfarlane suggested at the recent Law and Freedom conference in Toronto that Canada has a growing culture of deference to courts, in which politicians would rather wait for judges to make law than work to build consensus on controversial issues. If so, then giving money to lawyers to sue the government is a backdoor way for Liberals to force the policy changes they want without the political risks. Assisted-death is a good example. It was popular with Canadians at large but many Catholics were opposed, which made it difficult for the Liberals to support legalization without risking seats in Quebec until a successful Charter challenge allowed the Liberals to say that the courts forced their hands. Politicians would rather wait for judges to make law than work to build consensus on controversial issues This type of funding may be particularly concerning to those with strong views on abortion. The Liberals wouldnt dare legislate a right to abortion but they do like to claim its a Charter right. Its easy to imagine someone seeking to firmly establish abortion as a Charter right through the Court Challenges Program or the newly bolstered LEAF. This type of funding should also concern those who support abortion. If the practice of funding activist legal groups becomes normalized, a future Conservative government could conceivably hand out grants to anti-abortion groups to do their bidding. Canadians shouldnt put up with this. If our politicians want social change, they should campaign on making those changes and introduce bills to make it happen. Funding activist groups risks becoming a backdoor way to have politicized lawyers doing their dirty work. Josh Dehaas is a Toronto-based writer.
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https://nationalpost.com/opinion/why-are-we-paying-people-to-sue-the-government
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Which Oscars Will Roma Actually Win?
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Well, that first step was a doozy, but Roma managed to pass the test of Oscar nomination morning with flying colors. With 10 nominations (to lead all movies, tied with The Favourite), Roma established itself as a major frontrunner for awards and obliterated pretty much the entire Netflix record book when it comes to the Oscars. And while Netflix is also boasting three nominations for their Coen brothers anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, theyll certainly be putting all of their considerable publicity heft behind Alfonso Cuarons film to take home the big prizes. Lets break it down: Best Sound Mixing Best Sound Editing First of all, its heartening that Roma was recognized in these categories that so often are the exclusive realm of big-budget action extravaganzas. Its good that voters were able to appreciate the way that, say, the crashing waves on the beach scene near the end were a cacophonous and threatening mix of sounds. But still, these awards are still heavily weighted towards the big blockbusters. Expect Best Picture nominee Black Panther to be a force in both of these categories for the echoing clang of all that vibranium. Though dont count out A Quiet Place in sound editing; when the sounds are that hard to come by, the ones we do hear matter much more. Best Production Design Again, props to the Academy for recognizing everything went into making that home feel specific and lived in, while the other locations especially that richie-rich vacation lodge with all the animal heads on the walls really popped with singular design elements. Still, it seems far more likely that the palaces of Wakanda or Hertfordshire will end up propelling Black Panther or The Favourite to the win. Best Cinematography This seems like the first best chance for Roma to take home a trophy. Certainly, the gorgeous black-and-white photography is the kind of thing that has been catnip to voters in this category for decades. That its Cuarons name itself on the ballot was seen as a possible hindrance for nomination no director whos done his own cinematography had ever been nominated in this category before, possibly because of wagon-circling by the cinematographers who vote on nominations but with the entire Academy voting on winners, it looks like Roma has the upper hand on Oscar #1. Best Original Screenplay Heres where things get interesting. Currently, Green Book is considered the frontrunner in this category, but that status is precarious. While a recent spate of bad publicity for screenwriters Nick Vallellonga (whose old tweets in support of Donald Trumps lie that Muslims were seen cheering the 9/11 attacks from New Jersey) and writer/director Peter Farrelly (whose history of flashing his penis for laughs on his movie sets also resurfaced) wasnt enough to prevent the nomination, a win could be another thing altogether. Theres also this: in the years since the Best Picture category was expended and thus a preferential voting system established the Best Director trophy has often gone to the most epic-scale technical achievement on the ballot (think Gravity or The Revenant or La La Land), while Best Picture has gone to the films with the most resonant story (12 Years a Slave; Spotlight; Moonlight) have been winning Best Picture. In all three of those cases, the smaller, more resonant film also won the Screenplay award. Something to watch out for, especially if Roma pulls out a win. Best Actress Best Supporting Actress While it was such a satisfying surprise to see Yalitza Aparicio show up in the Best Actress race, or most especially Marina de Tavira show up in Best Supporting Actress, the nomination is going to have to end up being the reward there. Best Actress is Glenn Closes to lose, for The Wife, and if she does, itll be to Lady Gaga. Meanwhile, Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) has been winning every precursor award she been up for this season. Best Foreign Language Film This is an uncommonly strong year for this category, with not only Roma leading the pack with 10 nominations, but co-nominees Cold War (Poland) and Never Look Away (Germany) scored 5 nominations between them. The directors of both these films have won in this category before: Cold Wars Pawel Pawlikowski most recently, for 2014s Ida, and Never Look Aways Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck in 2006 for The Lives of Others. That year, Von Donnersmarck beat a much more heavily favored and mainstream accepted film from Mexico, Guillermo Del Toros Pans Labyrinth. Food for thought. Also this: Theres a school of thought that says that Academy members wont vote to reward Roma twice, both here and in Best Picture, so if theyre going to vote for the Cuaron film in Best Picture, they might choose Cold War here. That kind of strategic vote-splitting seems difficult to pull off with an Academy this size, so I would expect Roma to pick up the trophy here. Best Director Best Picture For moths, as prognosticators assumed that the Netflix factor would put Roma out of the running for Best Picture, they assumed that Cuaron could very well pick up Best Director as a consolation prize. It would be the second time for Cuaron to win Director but lose Best Picture, after Gravity lost the top prize to 12 Years a Slave five years ago. Now, though, is there any reason to think Roma is not the Best Picture frontrunner. Its the nomination leader and much more emotionally accessible that co-leader The Favourite and doesnt have the baggage that a lot of its competition has Green Book is a polarizing movie that is not as much of a populist choice as its been made out to be, with only a middling box-office performance so far. Vice would be the lowest-rated critical performer of any Best Picture winner in recent memory Bohemian Rhapsody, if it had any chances at winning, just saw its hopes sink with the Bryan Singer article in The Atlantic A Star Is Born was snubbed in Best Director and doesnt seem likely to reap from the Argo sympathy bounce that came after Ben Afflecks Best Director snub, considering Bradley Cooper is still nominated in Best Actor Black Panther, after all that success, is still a big ol Marvel movie, and with very few exceptions, the Academy doesnt go for the biggest on the ballot. Which leaves Spike Lee and BlacKkKlansman, a movie that has never once seemed like a frontrunner, and yet its got all the ingredients. A great narrative for Spike Lee. A probable win in a screenplay category. And zero drawbacks. The fact that voters went beyond even expected nomination totals both actresses! makes me think the Netflix thing wont be a factor. And while a Spike Lee insurgence certainly sounds like a lot of fun, Im expecting Roma to triumph. Final Oscar Projection for Roma: 4 wins (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography) Where to stream Roma
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https://decider.com/2019/01/24/roma-2019-oscar-chances-to-win/
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Why Should Startups Use PR as a Strong Fundraising Tool?
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PR for a startup: insights on how to build a good media relationship January 24, 2019 3 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Well, for most entrepreneurs it's all about using media to spread the news about their fundraising, or just getting a word out there in the I too exist bandwagon. As one of the most undermined tools, PR is usually a tertiary preference in early-stage startups. Most of the focus would be on product development and using lead generation marketing for growing business. Small/early-stage startups can build up a solid media strategy in sync with their fundraising requirements. PR can be more than just a one-time activity that happens when you have some story to share. A few ways to build a strong PR strategy to support fundraising are: Align PR Strategies With Your Business Goals - PR activities can get you more than just a few news coverages. If you align it with your business goals, you would be able to execute PR that would go beyond your name on the newspaper. Prepare a strategy that will support your profit modes. These modes can vary from a successful business model, networking activities and seeking active partnerships to scale your business. Simultaneously, align ideas or campaigns with sales cycles and fundraising milestones. Focus on the key vertical that will help achieve your business objectives. Protip: Avoid product launches coinciding with fundraising announcements, as the news items would clash and coverage would get divided. Focus on your USPs - Having a unique voice for your product or service goes a long way in establishing identity and building a reputation. Publishing relevant stories that support your brands USP will make a difference and build a credible image. Branding and storytelling will indirectly play a vital role during fundraising. Tell stories about the issues you are addressing through your product or service. You can also talk about GMV values that are directly related to fundraising. Protip: Your message is the key, it is like pitching your product to a customer. Continuous press activities - Coming up with a story once awhile wont be of much use. Instead, focus on telling relevant stories and be open to sharing your opinions on the latest industry trends. A quote in an industry story, a feature on various profiling columns can go a long way in adding brand-recall value. You can make the most of PR with continuous efforts and not a one-off story. Protip: Not every interaction is a story opportunity, focus on sharing news relevant to the journalist. Thought leadership - Investors not only invest in ideas, but they also invest in the people who run them. Thought leadership becomes a vital means of letting the investors and peers in your sector know about your vision and your organization. Personal PR and Company PR is always linked. So, you are the brand you sell. Find the right columns to publish your opinions and use that as a means to engage within the industry. Protip: People want to hear and know opinions that will add value to the industry. Be on top of the news, take a stand as strongly as you wish to. All the four factors mentioned above, require work but reap rewards that speed up your journey from being a startup to an established business. Stay tuned for more insights on how to build a good media relationship and benefits of effective messaging.
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https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/326899
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Will Sonoma Countys sluggish housing market bounce back any time soon?
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Sonoma Countys housing market hit the skids in 2018, beginning a slowdown over the summer as buyers rebuffed fire-inflated home prices and ending the year with a thud. The big question looming now is whether there wlll be a prolonged decline or the market will bounce back later this year. The total value of the 4,400 single-family homes sold countywide last year was $3.65 billion, almost $60 million less than the $3.71 billion on 4,740 sales in 2017. That marked the first annual decline in the value of home sales here since 2011 when the county reported sales of $1.91 billion, according to The Press Democrat year-end housing report based on data compiled by Rick Laws of Compass real estate brokerage, formerly Pacific Union. Randy Waller, a real estate broker and owner of W Real Estate in Santa Rosa, said months of desperation that drove up home sales and prices after the October 2017 wildfires came to an end by midyear 2018. The countys median home price peaked at an all-time record of $700,000 in June, then started to decline before ending the year at a median price of $639,000 in December. That price was an uptick from the years lowest monthly median of $615,000 in November, but a drop of 5.1 percent from $673,500 in December 2017. We lost a beast of a percentage of housing stock, Waller said, referring to the 5,330 homes destroyed in Sonoma County by the fires. And we lost a higher percentage of higher-end housing stock. The local housing market already was experiencing price exhaustion before the 2017 blazes that forced sellers to ponder reducing the price tags on houses. Then the fires jolted the market, catapulting prices steadily upward on sharp demand for several months after the fires. The sluggish county housing sector mirrors the trend in other communities across the Bay Area, Laws said, although home sales in those cities and towns have been hurt by economic headwinds rather than fires. Laws said the shift in the local housing market that began at the end of last June was caused by buyers pushing back against sellers asking prices. He said it remains to be seen how much the Sonoma County market will be affected by the negative domestic and international economic factors already felt in other parts of the Bay Area and the state. Were going to have to watch that trend into next year to see how much of a trend it is, he said of the potential for outside economic forces such as interest rates, trade wars and stock market volatility to push the local housing market into a tailspin. Its time for the market to shift. Weve been seeing large appreciation in this economic recovery for a good number of years. Were not anticipating that were going to see that kind of appreciation. He predicted there would still be some appreciation in home prices in 2019, possibly 3 to 5 percent. Our best estimate is that things are going to go flat in 2020, Laws said. The housing outlook depends a great deal on whether the county can withstand global economic shocks. Theres Brexit, the trade wars, interest rates, which are steadily rising all this stuff puts the brakes on the (housing) market, Laws said. Theres a lot of things on the horizon that are causing people to close their checkbooks, if you will.
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https://www.petaluma360.com/news/9207461-181/will-sonoma-countys-sluggish-housing
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Whats The Median Age Of Sioux Falls Residents?
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When I meander, stroll and walk ( some say stumble ) around Sioux Falls, it seems to me that people are getting younger. No, it's not that I'm getting older, I'm still young and spry and vibrant...as long as I take my Ibuprofen and don't try any sudden moves. I'm part of what we proudly call the ' Baby Boomer ' generation. You know, the ones that the 'Greatest generation' had. There's a whole bunch of us, or at least there was. It seems fewer and fewer folks know who Matt and Kitty, Gilligan, Lucy and Rockford are. Insert 'sigh' here. Anyway, it turns out I wasn't seeing things when I noticed those wet-behind-the-ears kids in town. Turns out, according to southdakota-demographics dot com , the median age of a Sioux Falls resident ( I was going to say 'Sioux Falls-ite, but too cumbersome ) is 34.3 years. Ahem, well that age is a bit back in my rear view mirror of life. Let's see, when I was 34.3, I loved 'Cheers' and 'Night Court' and there was some new cartoon on the air. Something about Homer and Bart and...well, you get the idea. A peak at Rapid City says those kids have a median age of 37.1. Aberdeen 34.6, Mitchell 35.9, and Yankton 39.1. Brookings is the young whippersnapper of the bunch at 23.6. ). So, I'll do what I can to keep the median age up. Now if you would, pass the hot chocolate. The Andy Griffith Show is coming on METV. I just love that Barney Fife.
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http://ksoo.com/whats-the-median-age-of-sioux-falls-residents/
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Are Restaurants Getting Too Loud?
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Popular restaurants in many of the nation's biggest cities have a noise problem. Those beautiful, minimalist spaces that are so in vogue reflect sounds, making it hard to hear your dining companions. Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson talks with Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema (@tomsietsema) who's started including decibel levels in his restaurant reviews about the noise. Also, if you're thinking about visiting the Washington, D.C., area any time soon and are looking for a food recommendation, here's one from Sietsema. "If you're interested in the mid-Atlantic and you should be when you're here in Washington, D.C. a place that I really like is The Dabney," he says. "It's a charming, loud restaurant at 80 decibels, I have to say. But they really elevate the food, the ingredients from around the area and they do that with everything from the drinks to the bread service to desserts. And I think it's utterly charming, the service is great, and why not eat mid-Atlantic food when you're in the mid-Atlantic?"
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https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/01/24/restaurants-getting-too-loud?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr
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Why is Apple going to sleep?
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Apple recently made headlines by rolling out its Beddit sleep tracker a product that allows anyone to track the quality of their sleep without needing to wear it to bed or worry about turning it on every night, Matteo Franceschetti writes for Forbes. Because it isnt actually mundane: Sleep is the future of health. You see, wellness has three pillars: nutrition, exercise and sleep. Nutrition and exercise are already well-known, studied and attended to by all types of products and services. But the third pillar, sleep, is equally important and often overlooked, Franceschetti writes. The average American is getting just 6.8 hours per night, down more than an hour from over six decades ago. This deficit recently led The New York Times to call sleep improvement the simplest way to drastically improve your life. ' Apple knows that better sleep is more than just a trend, more than a market opportunity, Franceschetti writes. Sleep is already a huge business, and with a company like Apple getting involved, its certain to continue to grow. Sleep trackers alone are a $1.3 billion market and are projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% by 2028. Read more in the full article here.
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http://macdailynews.com/2019/01/24/why-is-apple-going-to-sleep/
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Is Wells Fargo Making Lemonade With RIA Plan?
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Text size The president of Wells Fargo Advisors, David Kowach, last month announced a novel divergence from the traditional wirehouse playbook: the opening of several RIA offices around the country. The move could mean Wells Fargo is finding opportunity amid its public-relations crises, posits Financial Advisor IQ. (Mark your calendar: The publication reports Wells plans to disclose more details of its RIA program on Jan. 29.) So far, Wells Fargos wirehouse rivals Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch havent shown interest in opening RIA channels, but neither firm has suffered the scandals Wells has. The problems started more than two years ago when Wells Fargo admitted it had created millions of retail bank accounts without customers permission. More recently, federal investigators have been probing sales practices in the wealth management business. The wirehouse has seen an exodus of about 1,000 advisors since the fake-account headlines broke. Wells Fargo has a franchise risk with all of their scandals, Danny Sarch, the president of Leitner Sarch Consultants, tells the publication. It seems like Wells Fargo is allowing their own advisors who are currently in the employee channel to open up their own RIA firm, the executive recruiter adds. This is just an extension of allowing their advisors to go independent with Wells Fargos independent broker-dealer channel. (Sarch notes Merrill and Morgan Stanley have no ready-made independent channels.) The scandals may not be the only catalyst for some Wells Fargo advisors to jump ship, however. Theres been a broad industry trend of brokers departing wirehouses in search of more independence and freedom from pressure to market proprietary products. Wells RIA offices could allow some advisors to satisfy those needs without leaving the company. --Ross Snel
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https://www.barrons.com/articles/is-wells-fargo-making-lemonade-with-ria-plan-51548351125
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Did RHOBH Star Lisa Rinna Just Throw More Shade At Lisa Vanderpump On Instagram?
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Read what she said about season four. Lisa Rinna appeared to throw some shade at Lisa Vanderpump with a series of recent Instagram posts regarding the fourth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Ahead of the premiere of Season 9, which is sure to explain why the cast is no longer on speaking terms with Vanderpump, Rinna shared a series of moments from Season 4 with her fans and followers online, many of which included allegations of manipulation. According to a report from All About the Real Housewives of January 23, Rinna shared videos online of herself reacting to the past drama of the show and at one point, she was seen commenting on the way in which Kyle Richards and Brandi Glanville called outLisa Vanderpump for being manipulative during the season. During The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 4, Vanderpump spoke about an allegation against Richards husband, Mauricio Umansky, that accused the realtor of cheating. She also reportedly enlisted Glanville to bring an article accusing him of such on a cast trip. The ladies then seemingly teamed up against Vanderpump after feeling she was using Glanville to get under Richards skin by bringing up the false rumors. In one of her social media videos, Rinna made a point to mention that while Vanderpump didnt want to speak about the husbands during the Season 4 reunion, she had no problem making them a hot topic on the show. For the past several months, rumors have been swirling in regard to what exactly went down between Lisa Vanderpump and her co-stars that led to their estrangement from one another. While fans will have to wait and see what went down until the new season premieres, there was a rumor that surfaced months ago in which Dorit Kemsley was accused of adopting a dog from Vanderpumps animal rescue center, Vanderpump Dogs, before the animal was later found at a shelter. However, after the rumor began swirling, Vanderpump spoke to TMZ and shut down the idea that it was Kemsley herself who abandoned the dog. She also insisted that she and Kemsley were friendly at the time. To see more of Lisa Rinna, Lisa Vanderpump, and their co-stars, dont miss the upcoming premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 9 on Tuesday, February 12 at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV.
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https://www.inquisitr.com/5264751/did-rhobh-star-lisa-rinna-just-throw-more-shade-at-lisa-vanderpump-on-instagram/
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Can White Sox still get excited about 2019 without Manny Machado?
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Every day that passes without Manny Machado choosing the White Sox creates more anxiety on the South Side, an uneasy feeling that threatens to turn the superstars free-agent decision into a referendum on the Soxs offseason. Check a box: Yes or No. Thats the way this feels. Runaway expectations in Chicago cause me to lean toward no. Fair or not, it seems as if Sox general manager Rick Hahn risks losing either popularity or credibility if he cant close the deal. Machado could transform incremental progress into immediate success, a team unlikely to contend for the AL Central title but likely to flirt with .500. Machados absence would invite more irrelevance as the Sox wait a little longer for their most talented players to develop or overcome injuries. Rick Renteria refuses to frame it that way, of course, even if Hawk Harrelson would find it hard to exaggerate the impact Machado could have on the entire Sox organization. Renteria is the guy you want to sit next to on a plane experiencing turbulence, the indefatigable optimist still smiling after 195 losses the last two seasons. Its very easy for me to stay upbeat no matter what happens because I believe in the trek the organization is going and while were talking about adding somebody that might expedite that a bit, the way were headed with the players in the system is the positive news, the Sox manager told me. Absolutely. I think weve shared that. But by no means will I minimize what we have now in the organization and on the major-league level if that doesnt happen. The Sox have done as much as any team to ensure it does happen. Their future intrigued Machado and Bryce Harper, two 26-year-old stars entering their prime, enough to see the organizations pitch. In the case of Machado the player linked to the Sox more often than Harper the presentation came Dec. 17 at Guaranteed Rate Field from a contingent that included slugger Jose Abreu. Abreus involvement impressed Machado, sources say. READ MORE: Manny Machado's unsigned status puzzles White Sox manager Rick Renteria: 'You kind of scratch your head' We left (Machado) understanding where were at in terms of the depth of the organization and how we see him helping us if he were to be a member of the White Sox and how he could potentially impact us, Renteria said. Hes a tremendous young man whos obviously very gifted and brings a lot to the table. The presentation and conversation were top-notch, bar none. Improvement represents a low bar to clear for a Sox team that went 62-100 last year. But enthusiasm surrounds other so-called minor moves that included nabbing free-agent relievers Alex Colome and Kelvin Herrera, proven arms that will professionalize the back end of the bullpen. Trading for veteran right-hander Ivan Nova to stabilize a rotation longer on potential than production fits well with the plan. Photos from the White Sox community event on Jan. 23, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune) Acquiring first baseman Yonder Alonso and outfielder Jon Jay, both consummate clubhouse guys, carried value beyond their connections to Machado. Adding outfielder Joc Pederson from the Dodgers, if the teams are as close to a deal as reports suggest, would give the Sox a hitter who enjoyed a better season statistically than any of theirs did in 2018. Getting big seasons from infielders Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada who should move to second base and third base, respectively, if Machado arrives would offer hope to match the hype. Waiting for phenom Eloy Jimenez, who should occupy left field for the next decade starting in mid-April, will be worth it. I dont want to temper expectations for Eloy, Renteria said. I want them to remain because he deserves them, who he is and the quality of player he has a chance of becoming. Id be wasting my breath trying to curtail all of that. The more Renteria talks, the easier it becomes to see how he maintains the ideal temperament for a job this challenging. Money typically speaks the loudest to free agents, but Renteria welcomed the chance to see how far his voice would carry with two of baseballs biggest stars. I kind of imagined that was what it was like recruiting someone for college and it felt pretty cool, Renteria said. I think about it, these two young men who are in the prime of their careers, have now the ability to have many clubs interested in their services. Im happy to say the White Sox organization did a great job of putting us on the map and being able to put in a situation to be one of those clubs that could land them. Renteria paused, as if pondering the possibility of the Sox getting their Manny. Even if it doesnt happen, Renteria said, our guys did a great job of putting us in a situation nobody thought was possible. Until Machado ends the suspense, anything still is from delirium to despair. David Haugh is a special contributor to the Chicago Tribune and co-host of the "Mully and Haugh Show" weekdays from 5-9 a.m. on WSCR-AM-670. A lot of bustle about hustle: Rick Renteria says Manny Machado has 'lot of desire' Eloy Jimenez heads 6 White Sox prospects on Baseball Prospectus' Top 101 list White Sox prospects Nick Madrigal and Luis Robert among 20 spring training invites
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/ct-spt-white-sox-manny-machado-free-agency-20190124-story.html
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Will federal judge postpone Wilmington Trust execs' prison until appeals are finished?
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CLOSE Here are some of the top stories we're following for today. 1/24/19 Damian Giletto/The News Journal Wilmington Trust's criminally convicted former executives each face multiyear prison sentences and, likely, multiyear appeals processes. They want to remain free until the appeals are exhausted. Federal prosecutors want them to self report to prison next month. In the coming days, a Delaware judge will decide whether to grant requests for bail, pending appeals, from Wilmington Trust's former President Robert Harra Jr., former Chief Financial Officer David Gibson, former Chief Credit Officer William North and former Controller Kevyn Rakowski. Buy Photo Former Wilmington Trust President Robert Harra Jr. (second from left) arrives at the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building. (Photo: Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal) Last May, a jury of 11 women and one man found each banker guilty of more than a dozen criminal counts of bank fraud, conspiracy and making false statements. Prosecutors said the former executives conspired during the height of the Great Recession to scrub hundreds of millions of dollars worth of delinquent commercial real estate loans off of past-due reports. During trial last year, Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wolf said the bank's practice of "waiving" those delinquent loans started out as a "white lie." "Over time, (it) snowballs, and it turns from this little white lie into what is later described by defendant North in an email as 'the matured loans beast,'" she told jurors. A 'beast' that took down the bank Wilmington Trust's portfolio of souring loans to Delaware developers was not revealed to investors, stock analysts, or regulators even in 2010 when the bank raised $287 million by selling new shares, prosecutors said. Yet, just months later, the extent of the toxic loan portfolio became publicly known and, in 2011, M&T Bank purchased Wilmington Trust's name and assets at a fire sale price. The sale caused shareholders to lose billions of dollars and left hundreds of Delaware bank employees jobless. Buy Photo Wilmington Trust employees pose for a group photo in 1989. (Photo: SUCHAT PEDERSON/THE NEWS JOURNAL) Wilmington Trust banker involved in Bethany Beach development scam gets 21 months U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews last month sentenced Harra and Gibson to six years in prison. North received four and a half years, and Rakowski was given three years. A defense attorney during trial said "past due" is a "term of art" and not "objectively knowable." Andrews' interpretation will determine the four bankers' near-term fate. For the judge to grant bail, he will have to decide that the defendants' appeal could raise a new legal precedent and it would be one that favors the bankers. In court documents filed last week, the defense said the key question that could set precedent is about the ambiguity of the term "past due." They also said there was no clear evidence showing a conspiracy among their clients, nor any showing that the executives knew that "waiving" or "mass extending" bad loans off of reports to regulators was a crime. "The Government misconstrues the legal standard and misunderstands what the law does, and perhaps more significantly, does not require," attorneys for Harra stated. Two more Wilmington Trust officials get prison time Prior to the May convictions, the defense repeatedly pointed to a piece of "exculpatory evidence," written years before the bank's demise by the Office of Thrift Supervision, a federal regulator. The document included banking guidance that appeared to align with assertions that Wilmington Trusts souring loans were not, in fact, past due. It gave the example of a construction loan that had passed its due date but its outstanding principal remained unpaid. Bankers may not have to report it as "past due" if they continue to receive interest payments and the debt is in the process of being restructured, the guidance stated. An image of a court exhibit from prosecutors shows rules banks are to follow when disclosing whether their loans are past due. (Photo: U.S. Federal Court) After a witness read the banking guidance out loud to the jury, Andrews said they should consider it only so far as each of the defendants acted in good faith. In their filing last week, prosecutors said that twice the court has ruled that "the term 'past due' was not ambiguous." "This Court has essentially resolved that question through its consistent and unequivocal findings that Defendants proffered interpretation of 'past due' was 'illogical,'" U.S. Attorney David Weiss said in a court document. Contact Karl Baker at [email protected] or (302) 324-2329. Follow him on Twitter @kbaker6. Read or Share this story: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2019/01/24/federal-judge-postpone-wilmington-trust-execs-prison-until-appeals-finished/2608575002/
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https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2019/01/24/federal-judge-postpone-wilmington-trust-execs-prison-until-appeals-finished/2608575002/
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How can the political crisis in Venezuela be solved?
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Venezuela's political crisis has escalated dramatically in the last few days. After years of turmoil, Venezuela's political crisis has escalated dramatically over the last few days. The head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly Juan Guaido declared himself the interim president after the biggest protests against Nicolas Maduro in two years. The US, Canada and much of Latin America quickly threw their support behind Guaido. But President Maduro said he was not going anywhere, and ordered US diplomats to leave the country by Sunday. Presenter: Laura Kyle Guests: Paul Dobson - Journalist for Venezuela Analysis Leopoldo Martinez - Former Venezuelan congressman and president of The Center for Democracy and Development in the Americas. Christopher Sabatini - Executive Director of the Think Tank Global Americans and editor of Latin America Goes Global Source: Al Jazeera
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https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2019/01/political-crisis-venezuela-solved-190124185450918.html
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What would it cost to go to the NHL All-Star Game on Saturday?
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SAN JOSE Some tickets can still be had on the secondary market for the NHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition this weekend at SAP Center although fans will certainly have to dig deep into their pocketbooks if they want to be close to the action. Both events are sold out, but a few full strip tickets to both Fridays skills competition and Saturdays game were available on StubHub and other ticket resale websites as of early Thursday. They ranged in price from $335 (before fees) for a seat in the upper deck, to over $1,000 for one in the lower bowl. Original face values for a full strip ticket set by the NHL ranged from $650 for seats along the glass to $179 for the least expensive tickets in the upper bowl, a Sharks spokesman said. For complete Sharks coveragefollow us on Flipboard. Many more tickets on the secondary market are available just for the game, but they arent cheap, either. On StubHub, prices ranged from $178 (before fees) for an upper bowl seat behind one of the nets, 18 rows up, to one in the first row in one corner of the rink for a staggering $5,050. On SeatGeek, ticket prices were in roughly the same range, from $163 for an upper bowl ticket to two along the glass for $4,700 each. 7 super SF Bay Area things to do this weekend, NHL Fan Fair in San Jose: What fans need to know Takeaways: Sharks avert disaster with improbable comeback Sharks win a thriller on Hertls OT hat trick At last years NHLs All-Star Game in Tampa, Fla., the event was also sold out, but some resale tickets were listed for less than $200 each. The All-Star Game is one the NHLs signature events. As such, the league sets aside several tickets for its own constituents, leaving only so much inventory for Sharks to sell to season ticket holders. As the game gets closer, the NHL may release more seats to the Sharks to sell to season ticket holders. The Sharks players participating in the event are defensemen Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, and captain Joe Pavelski. The skills competition begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and the four-team, 3-on-3 tournament begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/24/what-would-it-cost-to-go-to-the-nhl-all-star-game-on-saturday/
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Could Texas A&M quarterback Nick Starkel reunite with Kevin Sumlin at Arizona?
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Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Nick Starkel (17) could be transferring. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports) The Arizona Wildcats' quarterback room could get more crowded. Nick Starkel, the backup at Texas A&M last season, announced this week that he intends to transfer. He could be eligible to play next season as a graduate transfer. Thank you Aggieland pic.twitter.com/7CRUy2YxkU Nicholas Starkel (@NickStarkel) January 23, 2019 Starkel has some links to the Arizona Wildcats coaching staff. He played for Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone with the Aggies when they coached in College Station. Starkel would have some competition at quarterback in Tucson. Khalil Tate is returning to Tucson and the Wildcats also have Rhett Rodriguez, Kevin Doyle and Jamarye Joiner on the roster, in addition to signee Grant Gunnell. Arizona has some competition for Starkel, according to MyAggieNation.com. The quarterback also has interest from Duke, Ohio State and SMU, the site reports. He has two years eligibility remaining. Starkel appeared in 12 games with the Aggies. He threw for 15 touchdowns and six interception and completed 138 of 227 passes for 1,962 yards at Texas A&M. He explained his transfer decision to MyAggieNation.com: I kind of knew my situation here was not the best situation for me if I was looking to play the final two years because Kellen and I have the same eligibility left, Starkel said. Texas A&M QB Nick Starkel will hit the transfer portal any minute now & will not participate in spring practice, he said. Will complete 120 hours before July & should be on new campus July 1. Said he's looking at Duke, Ohio State, SMU & Arizona (former HC Kevin Sumlin). . (@Travis_L_Brown) January 23, 2019 Tate will be a senior for the Wildcat next season. He passed for 2,530 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2018. Rodriguez will be a junior for Arizona, while Doyle and Joiner are redshirt freshmen. In October, Gunnell became the all-time passing yards and touchdowns leader in Texas prep history and finished his high school career at Houstons St. Pius X with 16,108 and 195, respectively. READ MORE
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/ua/2019/01/24/nick-starkel-transfer-arizona-ohio-state-smu-duke-options-qb/2667829002/
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Did Vanderbilt's Bryce Drew intentionally skip UT's Grant Williams in handshake line?
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CLOSE Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew's postgame press conference following an 88-83 overtime loss to No. 1 Tennessee. In a word: No. Or, at least, thats what Drew said on Thursday via text message. I would never not shake hands with someone. I thought I did and told every player and coach good game like I always do, Drew said. I was talking to Rick for a little, I remember, before going through the line. I would never do that. There is nothing there. Bryce Drew is sooooooooooooo mad he gives MVP Grant Williams the cold shoulder after Grant, showing great sportsmanship, waits to shake the opposing coaches hand pic.twitter.com/eXAKOP77Gb #1 Tennessee Williams (@TN_Williams) January 24, 2019 Drew said the same earlier Thursday to 104.5 The Zones Brent Dougherty, adding that Williams is a great kid. Williams waited, but no handshake As shown on the ESPN2 telecast, Drew and UT coach Rick Barnes embraced and spoke closely into each others ear on the Memorial Gym court immediately after the No. 1 Vols 88-83 overtime win. Williams, who had a career-high 43 points, approached the pair of coaches and waited with his right hand extended to greet Drew. Drew then pulled away from Barnes, turned his head and mostly bypassed Williams without a handshake. From the angle, its difficult to see if Drew tapped Williams on the side, as coaches and players often do in a handshake line, or if he noticed that the waiting player was Williams. Its open to interpretation, and fans of both teams weighed in heavily on Twitter not surprisingly with opposite perspectives. Handshake line came after controversial foul call The handshake, or lack thereof, was a topic because Williams was the recipient of a controversial flagrant foul called against Vanderbilts Clevon Brown, which resulted in a four-point possession and cut the Commodores lead from 76-70 to 76-74 with 1:20 remaining in regulation. I dont know but TN is doing this ... pic.twitter.com/UfSe6f0Gsx Morgan Wilhelm (@MorganWilhelm17) January 24, 2019 Fans on Twitter, again from opposite perspective, debated whether Williams flopped to draw the critical foul, which turned the game. It started the Vols late rally and overtime win. In the post-game press conference, Drew said, "We thought we deserved this game. We thought there were some things that happened, obviously, that were out of our control for us winning." When asked specifically about the flagrant foul, Drew opted not to comment. Kevin Stallings had a handshake incident in UT game This isnt the first time a Vanderbilt coach was asked about the handshake line after a UT game. However, it was quite a different scenario last time. In 2015, Vanderbilt beat UT in Knoxville, which followed with an on-court profanity-laced tirade by Commodores coach Kevin Stallings toward his own player, Wade Baldwin. Stallings was told by a Vols staff member that Baldwin was taunting UT player Armani Moore at the end of the game. Stallings yelled profanities at Baldwin while walking through the handshake line, which was picked up by ESPN cameras. Get the (expletive) up here. Whose face did he get in?" said Stallings, according to ESPN's transcript of the audio. "(Expletive) apologize. Mother (expletive) we dont do that. Ill (expletive) kill you. (Expletive) mouthing off. (Expletive) I told you a hundred times. Stallings later said Baldwins clapping at Moore was not quite as egregious as it felt like in that moment. Vanderbilt will play at UT on Feb. 19. Reach Adam Sparks at [email protected] and on Twitter @AdamSparks.
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https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2019/01/24/vanderbilt-bryce-drew-ut-vols-grant-williams-handshake/2668392002/
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Where Is 'A Star Is Born' Filmed?
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Further concert footage was shot at a selection of Los Angeles venues. For the show where Jackson first brings Ally onstage, filmed at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, and for another shoot at the citys more intimate Regent Theatre , the production repeated the trick of inviting Lady Gagas fans, while scenes were also performed as part of Gagas tour over two August nights at The Forum . The Grammy Awards were recreated at the events traditional home, the Shrine Auditorium, also in L.A. On a smaller scale but equally significant is the drag club where Jackson first sees Ally, performing "La Vie En Rose." This was set in another L.A. venue, The Virgil on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood, actually better known for its comedy nights. Not far away in the Glassell Park area is Super A Foods, the supermarket where the pair go to buy frozen peas and then sit in the parking lot in one of the films most memorable moments.
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https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/where-is-a-star-is-born-filmed
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Will Policy Makers Turn a Global Economic Slowdown Into a Crisis?
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The recent macroeconomic data of the leading economies point to a widespread slowdown. What is more concerning is not just a logical moderation in the path of growth, but the acceleration in the weakening of economies that were supposed to be stronger and healthier. It is even more concerning that this aggressive worsening of key leading indicators in China, the EU, and most emerging economies happens at the peak of the largest monetary and fiscal stimulus in decades. It is easy to blame this widespread weakening on political headlines, trade wars, and of course Trump, but it would be disingenuous to believe those are the real factors behind the negative economic surprise. The pace of global recoveries since 1975 has been slower and weaker, consistently, according to the OECD. Recoveries take longer and happen slower. At the same time, periods of crisis are less aggressive albeit more frequent than prior to 1975. Another interesting evidence of the crises and recoveries since 1975 is that almost all economies end the recession period with more debt than before. These factors are all concerning, but the evidence also shows that economic progress has continued regardless and that the main factors of wellbeing have improved dramatically. I had the opportunity of meeting Johan Norberg, author of Progress and we discussed all the positive elements we have seen in the past decades. In the same period, from 1975 to 2018, extreme poverty has been reduced to all-time lows. Hunger, poverty, illiteracy, child mortality all those terrible problems have been dramatically reduced to the lowest levels in history. That is the positive. However, recognizing the positive is important, but ignoring the risks is dangerous. Global debt has ballooned to all-time highs, more than three times the world GDP. For those elements of progress to continue improving, we must stop the race of perverse incentives created by the wrong analysis of the origin of crises and the solutions that are often proposed in mainstream economics and politics. I agree with Johan Norberg that the two main factors that have driven the phenomenal progress we have seen are free markets and openness. The freedom to innovate, experiment, create and share must come with the right incentives. For decades, governments and central banks have always identified the problems of the economy as demand problems, even if it was not the case. If there was a crisis or a recession, governments immediately believed that it must be due to lack of demand, and subsequently decide that the private sector is not willing or able to fulfill the real demand needs of the economy, even if there was no real evidence that companies or citizens were investing or consuming less than what they needed. The entire premise was that companies were not investing enough. Obviously by central planners who benefit from bubbles and overcapacity but never suffer the consequences. Governments and central banks never perceive risks of excess supply and even less predict a bubble. Because most central planners see debt, oversupply, and bubbles as small collateral damages of a greater good: recover growth at any cost. Behind the mistake in diagnosis is the obsession to maintain or grow Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at any cost. GDP is relatively easy to inflate. I always explain to my students that GDP is the only economic calculation in which you add what you spend with what you earn. GDP can be inflated through government spending and with higher debt-fueled expenditures. Debt is not a problem when it serves its purpose, which is to finance productive investment and allow the economy to grow, while efficiency, innovation, and technology allow us to be more productive and receive more and better goods and services at cheaper prices. It is a virtuous cycle. The virtuous cycle of credit turns into a vicious cycle of unproductive debt when we incentivize malinvestment and prevent technology substitution by implementing massive government stimuli and liquidity injections. (Courtesy S&P) Central banks justify their actions saying they do not cut rates, it is a market and private sector demand. Those same governments that feel the need to increase inflation, something that no consumer has demanded ever anywhere, do so because they benefit as the first recipients of newly created money and the only sector that truly benefits from inflation. Not even crony sectors fully benefit from inflation, the tax of the poor. Those suffer higher costs and import expenses. By always making the same diagnosis, mistakes are repeated and accumulated. No wonder the pace of recoveries is slower, weaker and more indebted. First, governments believe the problem is lack of demand and name themselves as the solution, using savers to finance it, via taxes and inflation. Massive white elephants, enormous infrastructure projects that generate a short-term boost to the spending side of GDP. Infrastructure is needed, of course, but the difference is when countries decide to use it as a subterfuge to disguise growth. Build anything at any cost. This leaves behind massive debt and a less dynamic, not stronger economy. governments believe the problem is lack of demand and name themselves as the solution, using savers to finance it, via taxes and inflation. Massive white elephants, enormous infrastructure projects that generate a short-term boost to the spending side of GDP. Infrastructure is needed, of course, but the difference is when countries decide to use it as a subterfuge to disguise growth. Build anything at any cost. This leaves behind massive debt and a less dynamic, not stronger economy. Second, demand-side policies perpetuate those sectors that are in process of obsolescence at the expense of savers, salaries and productive sectors. Governments will always subsidize and support the inefficient at the expense of the efficient because their objective is to maintain what they believe works and keeps jobs. It is not due to bad intentions or evil objectives, it is simply to perpetuate the past that they live off. demand-side policies perpetuate those sectors that are in process of obsolescence at the expense of savers, salaries and productive sectors. Governments will always subsidize and support the inefficient at the expense of the efficient because their objective is to maintain what they believe works and keeps jobs. It is not due to bad intentions or evil objectives, it is simply to perpetuate the past that they live off. Third, massive liquidity injections and low rates are exactly the equivalents of indirect subsidies to the inefficient. The earliest recipients and most benefitted from unconventional monetary policies will, by definition, be the most indebted and least productive. This is why productivity growth and money velocity stall during periods of government-led monetary and fiscal excess. massive liquidity injections and low rates are exactly the equivalents of indirect subsidies to the inefficient. The earliest recipients and most benefitted from unconventional monetary policies will, by definition, be the most indebted and least productive. This is why productivity growth and money velocity stall during periods of government-led monetary and fiscal excess. Fourth, the benefits of the short and long-term credit cycle are broken. Creative destruction is all but eliminated, malinvestment is promoted via unsustainably low rates and liquidity is absorbed by financial assets and unproductive sectors. Inflation does not rise as much as central planners want because technology and efficiency are unstoppable even if they try, and because overcapacity is perpetuated through constant re-financing. Massive liquidity and low rates make zombie companies soar. The percentage of companies that cannot pay interest expenses with operating profits balloons despite ultra-low rates and alleged growth-boosting plans. For decades, demand-side policies showed diminishing but not lethal results, but now the world has repeated the same policies so many times that there is simply exhaustion. Rates are unsustainably low, liquidity is excessive and there is no real fiscal space in governments that have all but consumed their ability to extract wealth from savers. The more we hear from governments that we need to spend more and save less, the weaker the response from economic agents. Governments and central banks create a crisis from a moderate and completely healthy slowdown by denying economic cycles and, even worse, presenting themselves as the ones that will revert them. The current global slowdown is not due to lack of stimuli, but the excess of them. When central planners decide to correct it, they create the seeds of the crisis. Malinvestment reaches unsustainable levels and bubbles burst, affecting all aspects of the real economy. There is no evidence that companies or citizens are investing or consuming less than they need, it only happens in the mind of those that expect excel-spreadsheet-style results from demand-side policies in the real economy. The global economy is close to recession, but a full-blown crisis is still unlikely. If central banks and governments present themselves, again, as the solution, they will create the next crisis.
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https://www.infowars.com/will-policy-makers-turn-a-global-economic-slowdown-into-a-crisis/
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Can I get a refurbished Ultimate Ears Wonderboom?
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Best answer: You can pick yourself up a refurbished Ultimate Ears Wonderboom on Amazon if you know where to look, of course. This will save you some cash on essentially the exact same thing as a brand new Ultimate Ears Wonderboom. Amazon has you covered Amazon is a terrific place to shop refurbished gear. You can save serious money when it comes to buying refurbished products, and while the color selection isn't always the best, that's a small price to pay Long story short, the Wonderboom speaker is a great tool, and buying it refurbished from Amazon is just smart shopping. There really isn't a huge difference in quality when it comes to buying a refurbished speaker, especially when you're buying it from the manufacturer of the original product. Refurbished might mean used, but when buying from the manufacturer, it usually refers to products that were shipped back and are still sellable. Usually, the manufacturer will inspect it and repair it first too, so you won't be missing out on quality. On a more environmentally-friendly note, refurbishing allows for electronics to be recycled and reused, limiting the amount of electronic waste and build up that's been such an issue in recent years. The price. You'll be spending considerably less on the speaker than you would on one that's brand new. Ultimate Ears speakers can get pricey for some, so you can get in on the action by going refurbished
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https://www.imore.com/can-i-get-refurbished-ultimate-ears-wonderboom?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheIphoneBlog+%28iMore%29
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Should Apple remove Google as default search?
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What about you get the idea. And that's fine. That's great. That's exactly what I want. I said from the beginning that all of this, all the columns I've done on privacy and security, were meant to be parts of the conversation. So, let's converse. Why not a service that respects search privacy, like DuckDuckGo. Apple might tell you it's because Google gives the best results and, ultimately, that's the tradeoff that matters to most of their users. Others will point to Google paying Apple, according to some reports, high single-dight, approaching low-double digit, billions-with-a-b dollars for default search engine placement. And, yeah, this one resonates. Apple does a lot to intermediate Google, including sending searches through Spotlight and Siri, where Google only gets Apple's data, not yours. But, if you type something into Safari, that's all you, naked on the internet. And so, if Apple really wants to completely lock down privacy on iOS and macOS, they'll need to plug that default leak in Safari one way or another. As much as it's tempting to just say Apple should default to DuckDuckGo instead, Google, warts and harvesting and biases and all, really does still provide the best results. So, my preference would be for this: The first time you launch Safari on a new Mac, iPhone, or iPad, it asks you what you want to use as your default search engine, with a randomized list of choices including Google, DuckDuckGo, and Bing. Then, people who care about privacy can choose DuckDuckGo and keep their personal search data personal. And people who don't care, or simply find the data-for-services deal worth it, can choose Google and just Google away. Apple also gets dinged for its willingness to follow Chinese law and host Chinese customer data in China on Chinese-owned servers. I've done a column on this already, but too long didn't read: China has a long history of civil and human rights violations, and localizing data could allow it to be used against locals. But, part of the pushback also smacks of ethnocentrism. Many governments and citizens of other countries feel just as concerned about their data being stored in the U.S. and potentially subject to Snowden-style abuse by agencies and entities in the U.S. I'm by no means false-ing any equivalencies here there is absolutely no comparison between the two governments and their track records. It's critical, however,l to understand that China doesn't trust U.S. tech companies with its citizens data any more than the U.S. trusts Huawei with American data, and we've all seen how that's been playing out recently. For Apple's part, the company insists that while the data has been moved to China in keeping with Chinese law, it's still encrypted and subject to the same privacy policies and key-storage protocols as data stored in the U.S. And that means, at least for now, Chinese customers still get to enjoy the benefits of backup and recovery for all their apps and media and the photos and videos of their kids and family, rather than being abandoned by Apple and left without that service. It's a tight rope walk and one without a net, absolutely, so if and when the Chinese government does anything to violate that data, we'll have to see how Apple handles it. Apple is 100% security first when it comes to real-time data. Everything you send from one iOS device to another, or from an iOS device to iCloud, is end-to-end encrypted, and not accessible to anyone but you and the person you're sending it to. That's fail secure. But, Apple has been criticized over how it handles backups. Those aren't encrypted, at least not in a way that absolutely keeps everyone out forever and always. If something goes wrong, Apple can help you recover that data. That's because it's fail safe. I've written a column explaining the differences between fail secure vs. fail safe before as well. Link in the description. Basically, for some people, having their nudie pics and sexts leak is the worst possible thing that can happen. For others, having their family photos and tax info lost is the worst thing that can happen. Apple originally erred on the side of security but people who lost data got upset. Now they're more in the middle, and privacy and security advocates are upset. There are rumors Apple has considered adding encryption to backups, which would increase security but also increase loss again. My personal preference for backups would be fail safe by default but fail secure as an option for people who care enough to go in and set it. That adds significant architectural complexity, but ultimately I think it's the best solution for everyone, in every geography, going forward. There have been some suggestions that Apple should, for example, make iMessage and FaceTime for Windows and Android because encrypted communications for everyone is the moral, ethical thing to do. Adding hundreds of millions, if not potentially billions of new users to Apple's iMessage servers would be the dictionary definition of non-trivial. That's especially true for Apple, which has been knocked for both its services and its cross-platform apps for over a decade. I'm also not sure that singling Apple and making them a target out is best for any of us. Better for everyone would be to apply loud, consistent pressure to every major messaging network until they all enable end-to-end encryption by default. That said, if Apple could figure out a viable business model, or if iMessage and FaceTime becomes more valuable as services than incentives, I'd hope Apple would flip that cross-platform switch before it's too late. See: BlackBerry, Messenger. An equal but opposite argument has been made that, rather than crossing platforms, Apple should shut them out. In other words, Apple should ban Facebook and Google from the App Store so that those companies can no longer use iOS as a platform to harvest and exploit user data from iPhone and iPad owners.
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https://www.imore.com/should-apple-remove-google-default-search?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheIphoneBlog+%28iMore%29
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Do I need Fitbit Flyer to listen to audio on Fitbit Charge 3?
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Best answer: The Fitbit Charge 3 doesn't work with music, podcasts, or any other audio product. Therefore, you can't use the Fitbit Flyer (or other wireless headphones) with the Fitbit Charge 3. If you want to use audio with a Fitbit product, we recommend the Fitbit Versa smartwatch instead. Fitbit's modern smartwatch The Fitbit Versa, released in 2018, is the company's best-looking product to date. The wearable device offers all of the fitness-based tools you'd come to expect from a Fitbit tracking device, plus smartwatch features including the ability to listen to music. The Fitbit Versa, unlike the Fitbit Charge 3, also offers native and third-party apps to enhance the experience further. Unfortunately, while the Fitbit Charge 3 is a smart fitness band with all the tracking features you can think of including automatic exercise recognition, smartphone notifications, sleep tracking, and more it doesn't support audio of any kind. With the Fitbit Versa you can download up to 300 songs plus sync Deezer playlists or Pandora stations. To listen to this music, use any Bluetooth headphones, including the Fitbit Flyer. Although you can use a Fitbit Versa with any set of Bluetooth wireless headphones to listen to your audio, you should consider purchasing the Fitbit Flyer Wireless Headphones. Offering a secure and comfortable fit, these headphones provide up to six hours of playtime between charges, plus a quick charge for one hour of playtime when the battery is low. The Flyer is compatible with devices that support Bluetooth 4.3, and it remembers up to eight paired devices. As a bonus, it automatically pairs to Fitbit Ionic for phone-free calls in any environment.
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https://www.imore.com/do-i-need-fitbit-flyer-listen-audio-fitbit-charge-3?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheIphoneBlog+%28iMore%29
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Who Was the Fabulous Mystery Man at Valentinos Couture Show?
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Yesterday, Valentino held its Spring 2019 Couture show in Paris. Designer Pierpaolo Piccioli sent out a colorful assortment of voluminous gowns, many of them adorned with pretty florals, that are just begging to be worn this awards season. On the runway, supermodel Naomi Campbell epically closed the show, marking a return to the Italian house after more than a decades absence. Seated in the front row, megawatt celebs such as Rami Malek and Cline Dion, who have been hitting the couture circuit hard, took it all in. And thats all dazzling and enchanting, surebut theres a bigger issue at hand. Shortly before the presentation started, a fabulous man hit the step-and-repeat in a black iridescent gown, and he undeniably stole the show. His identity remains a mystery. And those sleek square sunnies certainly dont help the cause. While over-the-top dressing is pretty much a prerequisite for attending Couture Week, this John Does dramatic gownmade in a filmy material with puffy sleeves and a full, floor-length skirtwas just undeniably fun and next-level. It didnt take itself too seriously. It made one think of the joie-de-vivre men dominating Hollywoods red carpets right now, such as Ezra Miller, Timothe Chalamet, or Cody Fern, all of whom have been a hot point of discussion at Vogue. Or, and hear me out on this: Perhaps hes a prince from some progressively cool, under-the-radar royal family. His look certainly reads as regal. He has to be someone with clout: Attending a couture show requires a certain pull, after all. Its a head-scratcher. But this morning, after much scouring and deep-diving on social media, the labels PR came to the rescue and confirmed a name: Frederick Robertson. Though who he is, or what he does, is still unknown, this is a sure fact: Hes 100 percent a breath of fresh air, especially in the world of VIP dressing. As my colleague Senior Vogue Fashion Writer Janelle Okwodu pointed out, I want this guy to become famous, if he isnt a famous person already, because red carpet season needs him. Agreed. Hes truly fashions biggest enigma of the moment. The world deserves to see more of him.
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https://www.vogue.com/article/valentino-spring-2019-couture-front-row-mystery-man-style
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Is Virginia going to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment?
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Twitter Facebook Google+ WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Email If the Equal Rights Amendment is ratified in Virginia, it would be the 38th state to do so and last one needed amend the United States Constitution, but there is still continued debate on if it has missed its deadline. Virginia Tech law and public policy expert Brandy Faulkner offers insight into the fresh debate over ERA. Faulkner on ERA As an amendment, the ERA is not at all specific. It simply declares that everyone will be entitled to equal rights under the law regardless of sex. Its basically an anti-discrimination amendment that could be interpreted in various ways depending on context. The courts would play a critical role in determining its meaning. Clearly we are still dealing with sex discrimination based on sex. Over the past decade, we have seen policy proposals to remove additional barriers to the participation of women as full citizens in society. For example, Congress passed the Ledbetter Act in 2009 to move us closer to equal pay for equal work. States have passed paternity leave acts, and of course were still having debates about reproductive rights and health care needs for women. Not only are those problems ongoing, but also the scope of sex inequality has expanded to discussions about gender inequality and myriad questions about sexual orientation. In many ways, those issues are now intertwined, and helps energize the movement for sex-based equality often.Still, some believe that states have made tremendous progress in this area since the ERA was first proposed, and hence we dont need a U.S. Constitutional amendment to ensure sex-based equality. Still, some believe that states have made tremendous progress in this area since the ERA was first proposed, and hence we dont need a U.S. Constitutional amendment to ensure sex-based equality.
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https://augustafreepress.com/is-virginia-going-to-ratify-the-equal-rights-amendment/
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Is Kellyanne Conway the White House Snitch?
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Photo: Alex Wong (Getty Images) Books on the White House are becoming the struggle rapper mixtapes from the 1990s or the podcasts of noweveryone has one. But if this newest book is even remotely true, then Kellyanne Conway is the number one leaker in President Donald Trumps White House. Which would be both troubling and amazing. Troubling only because Kellyanne Conway has been the one constant force in Trumps Buick Elektra-ass White House. Shes basically the Puff Daddy of the White House. Shes on all the songs and in all the videos. Shes also the go-to liar deployed to squash all the rumors that emerge from the White House. If she is the leaker, that would mean that shes feeding the information to the press and then coming on national television to shoot the rumor down, which, would make her extremely brilliant, because nothing says Im not the leaker like jumping up to combat the leak. Or maybe shes just an insane psychopath. If Kellyanne has been the leaker all this time then this might mean that shes secretly been doing the Lords work. According to biblical scripture, the lords best angel was named Kellyanne. (She was the one who cleaned up the mess from the choir scandal that got Lucifer kicked off the mens chorus.) Anyway, Ronald Kessler, the author of The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the Game, recently published a passage from the book in Vanity Fair. In the excerpt, Kessler explained that he discovered Conway was the leaker because she is too old to know how to use modern technology: Kessler explained that he discovered that Conway leaks more than a rusty faucet when she asked him to type a statement, writing: I had not brought my work laptop upstairs with me when she called, so Kellyanne pointed over to her personal MacBook sitting on the conference table on the other side of the room. Just use that and type something up for me, she said. I sat down and started slowly pecking out a statement. While working in the White House, I found that Id grown so accustomed to writing in Trumps voice that writing for other people had become somewhat harder than it normally would have been. I was already getting off to a slow start, but I was also getting distracted by the nonstop stream of iMessages popping up on the screen. At that point, personal phones had not yet been banned in the West Wing, so Kellyanne was sitting at her desk texting away. And since her iMessage account was tied to both her phone and her laptop, which she must not have even considered, I could inadvertently see every conversation she was having. Over the course of 20 minutes or so, she was having simultaneous conversations with no fewer than a half-dozen reporters, most of them from outlets the White House frequently trashed for publishing fake news. Journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Politico, and Bloomberg were all popping up on the screen. And these werent policy conversations, or attempts to fend off attacks on the president. As I sat there trying to type, she bashed Jared Kushner, Reince Priebus, Steve Bannon, and Sean Spicer, all by name. Advertisement But that isnt all, Kessler also told CNNs Jake Tapper that Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, are problems for Trump and he knows it. In his book, which was released Tuesday, Kessler writes: In the end, Jared and Ivanka would push the most disastrous and foolish decisions of Trumps presidency ... they had no understanding of the basic fundamentals of how government works, how a campaign works, how politics works. Most of all, they had no understanding of the political consequences of their actions, CNN reports. Kessler told Tapper that the pair pushed the firing of Comey, which was disastrous, and were instrumental in the hiring of Anthony Scaramucci, the White Houses former communications director, which Kessler called the most absurd hire in the history of the White House. Advertisement Kessler noted that while the president knows that his daughter and son-in-law are problems, hes stuck with them because theyre family and he isnt going to fire family.
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https://www.theroot.com/is-kellyanne-conway-the-white-house-snitch-1832017591
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What Can Capital One Tell Us About The Cycle?
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In 2019, for many financial institutions, net interest expense will outpace net interest income in nominal dollars, compressing net interest margins. For now, in nominal dollars, NII is expanding, but that is unlikely to be the case in 2019. Recently, Capital One Financial Corporation (COF) reported their Q4 earnings figures and the results widely missed consensus expectations, sending shares of COF down by more than 5% as of the market open the following day. COF reported adjusted EPS of $1.87 which was well short of the $2.39 consensus was expecting. Net interest income, which will be the focus of this brief note, was unchanged year over year, an increasing problem that many financial institutions are facing. I want to use COF as an example of the problems plaguing most financial institutions and also dig deeper to understand what the results out of COF can tell us about the economic cycle. At the start, I want to clarify that there is nothing systemically wrong with COF or the banking system in general and the trends I will discuss below are simply part of the business cycle rather than anything specifically wrong with any particular lender. The problem at the end of the economic cycle is the compression of net interest income. The results out of COF highlighted that perfectly and is partly responsible for the decline in the shares after the report. In the past, I wrote several notes on other banks and highlighted this problem of rising interest expense relative to interest income. Many investors just assume that rising interest rates are good for the financials but that is not always the case. If interest expense rises faster than interest income, net interest income can fall or slow materially and that is exactly what we are seeing out of many of the banks. As we will see below, the interest expense at COF is rising significantly faster than interest income, leading to zero growth in net interest income. While it is true that in nominal dollars, interest income is still outpacing interest expense, that is not likely to be the case in 2019. I wrote a note on Bank of America (BAC) in late December and in October of 2018 describing that in 2019 (reported after Q1), that banks will likely see interest expense rise faster than interest income. Most analysts are not forecasting a compression in net interest income although that is likely to materialize in 2019 as short-term interest rates remain elevated, deposits shrink from Quantitative Tightening (QT) and long-term interest rates start to drop. BAC: Banks Are Losing Their Advantage Due To Rising Rates - October 2018 I also covered this trend in a note on Wells Fargo (WFC) which you can find here. Looking at the income statement from COF shows this trend unfolding as we move into 2019 right on time. I thought interest expense would outpace interest income in 2019 and the Q4 results for 2018 show this likely to be the case. Total interest income for COF was up 7% year over year compared to an increase of 55% year over year for total interest expense. I also want to shift the attention to the box in red showing that deposit costs are rising 65% year over year. Rising rates can hurt financial institutions. Capital One Income Statement: Source: Company Filings In nominal dollars, interest income was up $444 million compared to an increase of $437 million for interest expense, a $7 million difference that is likely to vanish in 2019 due to the increased cost of funding in Q1 relative to Q4 as well as lower long-term interest rates and a flatter yield curve. As a result of this spike in interest expense (that will continue), net interest income was flat year over year and the net interest margin fell both quarter over quarter and year over year. Capital One NIM: Source: Company Filings Again, I want to stress that this is not something that should be construed as overly bearish or a systemic problem. There were parts of Capital One's earnings report that shows the consumer is still hanging on and that the risk defaults remains low as the credit quality slide below shows. Capital One Credit Quality: Source: Company Filings I highlight this point to show that at the end of the economic cycle, with rising short-term rates and falling long-term rates, banks are not the best investment as the basis of most lenders is to borrow short and lend long. If the cost of borrowing is rising rapidly, over 50% year over year in most cases and the benefit of rising rates is not felt on the long end of the curve, bank margins shrink. BAC, WFC and the other very large money center banks with more diversified businesses are better suited to handle a compression in net interest income but as you move to companies focused more exclusively on lending, these late cycle trends do not bode well for them. COF is one example of a lender that may experience a difficult time in the quarters ahead simply due to the interest rate dynamics associated with the business. For the financial companies that you may own, look at the difference in rising costs versus rising income from interest rates. In 2019, we are likely to see some lending institutions have interest expense rising in excess of interest income, not just in growth rate terms but also in nominal dollars. This is something that happens at the end of the cycle, causes a reduction in the growth of the shadow banking system and can ultimately slow economic growth. Capital One stock price sits 25% off the cycle high made in January of 2018 despite the large rally in the S&P 500 (SPY). My Full Asset Allocation For 2019 EPB Macro Research uses macroeconomic data to identify inflection points in the economy and provides two asset allocation models that are best suited for the current environment so that your portfolio is always protected from the next downturn. If you would like to see the complete asset allocation model with exact percentages, consider joining EPB Macro Research. There is no risk in trying EPB Macro Research for a free two weeks. Be prepared for the next major market move. Click Here To Start Your No-Risk Free Trial 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. Additional disclosure: I have an underweight position in SPY
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https://seekingalpha.com/article/4235281-can-capital-one-tell-us-cycle
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Can we shape the future together?
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Share: In the past three days, I have attended three seminars in my neighbourhood in Islamabad; one by Centre for Culture and Development with speakers from Iran, Sweden and Pakistan; one about Oxfams annual report, this time (as always) about the devastating inequality in the world; and the third one at ISSI where the United Nations General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Sepinoza Garces spoke about the role of the multilateral cooperation organisation. Further away, at the foot of the Swiss mountain in Davos, the impressive annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) goes on this week, and I will attend several sessions on my laptop, perhaps having a better seat than those who have paid more than my annual income to be in Davos physically. Besides, just now, it is cold enough in Islamabad, not to speak of in the Murree Hills above the city competing with the beauty of Davos. The keyword behind the meetings I have mentioned, and many more, since at WEF in Davos they have planned 333 meetings, plus informal ones and media talks, is cooperation, compromise and togetherness rather than competition, separateness and conflict. That is the only way ahead, they say at WEF in Davos, and they have said that for several years. This year the theme is: shaping the future together. They want us to be interdisciplinary, not sector-fixated; they want us to be multicultural, not allowing one culture or group to dominate; they want experts on the scene, but never let them decide alone unless they have discussed with others, and so on. WEF wants the whole world to discuss issues together. That includes governments and oppositions, private sector companies either they are huge, medium or small, civil society and interest organisations, campaigns and movements of different shades, and so on. WEF wants the youth from everywhere and of every persuasion and creed to have a special place in shaping the future. They are today more than sixty percent of the inhabitants of our globe, and in some years, they will become one hundred percent, to state the obvious. Well, then others who are younger will breathe down their necks. But in future the percentage of youth relative to the middle-aged and older will be smaller than today if trends continue, and if we believe the forecasts of the highly reputed Swedish physician and thinker Hans Rosling (1949-2017) and his son Ola and his wife Anna. In the book Factfulness, they claim convincingly that the world isnt as bad as we think, neither in population growth, climate change or poverty. Things have improved in recent decades. But we must still keep the eye on the ball because things dont improve by themselves and trends dont quite become reality automatically. Roslings statistics show that the poor have mainly lifted themselves up through their own efforts. Government policies, indeed in population, have some effect, but more important in that field is it that social betterment happens. Then people can sort out their own lives, including having fewer children. To develop a better world, do what Rosling and WEF in Davos advocate, we have to cooperate, locally, regionally and globally and cooperation means to discuss, agree and disagree, and eventually find solutions together, and it means to curb the old profit-makers selfish agendas. Well, they are inbuilt in the capitalist world order we live under; hence, there is need for quite a few changes there in a world with development but greater inequalities, requiring new laws and tighter regulations. There will certainly be need for diplomacy and compromise, but also much old-fashion labour union negotiations. I hope we still have some such unions; otherwise we need to train new ones. Remember, the workers fight for better salaries and work conditions even through strikes and militancy, not only pleasant negotiations is part of the cooperation that leads to an improved world for all. Today, even the owners of the means of production and capital, and their organisations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have realised that greater equality makes countries more stable and progressive. The IMF boss Christine Lagarde said that at WEF in Davos a few years ago. I hope she repeats it this year. She has realised that we cannot be in the pocket of the profit-makers; we need to put restrictions and control measures in place. That is also part of cooperation and of shaping the future together. Let me now turn to some recent Scandinavian examples of cooperation in politics. First, about Sweden, where they finally got a new cabinet approved last Monday 21 January 2019, after about four months of negotiations since the result of the parliamentary elections on 9 September 2018 led to a virtual draw between the traditional left-right blocks, with just one seat majority to the left. All parties in parliament refused to cooperate with the far-right party, the Swedish Democrats (SD). If they had cooperated with that quite extremist party, the several conservative parties would have had a clear majority. For some further details about the election results in Sweden, I refer to my column in this paper on 13 and 20 September 2018. It can be useful for us even in Pakistan to compare notes with Sweden, although the country is certainly also very different from Pakistan. It is an important point that in Sweden, they say and show that parties should cooperate, even across major divides, but also that there is a limit to whom to cooperate with; leaving out SD because of its New Nazi and racist origin; today, it still uses harsh words about immigrants. In Norway, Prime Minister Erna Solberg from the Conservative Party expanded her coalition government on Tuesday 22 January 2019. The new cabinet will be a majority cabinet, made up of four parties; the Conservatives (H), the Right-wing Conservatives (FrP), the Liberals (V) and the one that just joined, the Christian Peoples Party (KrF); the two latter are small parties but have a balance vote and can decide on the colour of the government. They all have to take and give in order to rule the land together. It is alright since this is how the parties now have decided to work based on the election results a year and a half ago. The newcomer in government, KrF, had a long debate about whether to join the Conservatives (H) rather than Labour (Ap). If they had voted for Ap, the current PM and cabinet would have been voted out of power. Not quit democratic, many would say, but these are the rules. My point is that the various political parties have to discuss with each other and compromise. That is healthy even in politics. Pakistan has a charismatic PTI leader and Prime Minister in Imran Khan. I hope the other political parties, the judiciary and military weigh their approaches and actions in the way they oppose the government and its struggle for Naya Pakistan. Of course, when the opposition is genuine and based on principles, it should also argue for alternatives in a constructive way. But it is also important that the opposition swallows a few camels when needed, and even support the government of the time. That is decent behaviour in politics, in love and hate, in private and public affairs. Indeed, it should be like that at Pakistans current, crucial juncture, turning a new leaf in the lands history. Lessons from the level-headed and pragmatic Scandinavians can be learnt. In future articles from the World Economic Forum in Davos, and about lessons from experiences in other countries, I shall give more space to the role of the private sector and civil society, as they, too, play key roles in deciding on how we can shape the future together given that the word together really should be used. We should also realise that the populist parties are unknown and unpredictable and can shatter politics, and also, that the globalisation in recent years have gone too far and has been tilted. I mentioned above at that above that the role of the labour unions and the leftist politics, is essential in shaping one common future for all be it in Pakistan, Sweden, Norway, or anywhere else on the globe. A few days ago, David Attenborough said to Prince William in a TV interview at WEF in Davos, when he was talking about climate change and more, that the key word is care. He stressed that we must all care for one another, not only ourselves. That is essential in order to shape a better future for all. The writer is a senior Norwegian social scientist with experience from university, diplomacy and development aid. [email protected]
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https://nation.com.pk/24-Jan-2019/can-we-shape-the-future-together
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How Worried Should Trump Be When Michael Cohen Testifies?
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Michael Cohen is going to testify before Congress whether he wants to or not. A day after President Trumps former attorney and fixer postponed plans to testify before Congress voluntarily on February 7th, the Senate Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena that will effectively force Cohen to testify next month. Though Cohen has cooperated with federal investigators, Congress is eager to learn what he knows about Trumps relationship with Russia during the 2016 campaign, which has become a focus of the medias attention in recent weeks as new information has come to light regarding the Trump Organizations negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, a project Cohen was overseeing. The subpoena from the Senate comes less than 24 hours after Cohen announced through his lawyer Lanny Davis that he would not be appearing before the House Oversight Committee on February 7th, citing threats from the president. Due to ongoing threats against his family from President Trump and Mr. Giuliani, as recently as this weekend, as well as Mr. Cohens continued cooperation with ongoing investigations, by advice of counsel, Mr. Cohens appearance will be postponed to a later date, wrote Davis in a statement. Davis elaborated during a Wednesday appearance on ABC, arguing that the House has an obligation [to pass] a resolution of censure when the president of the United States indisputably intimidates and obstructs justice to prevent a witness from testifying. He added that Trumps legal counsel, Rudy Giuliani, should be investigated for his role in intimidating Cohen. Lanny Davis, Michael Cohen's lawyer, accuses Rudy Giuliani of "witness tampering." Davis wants a resolution of censure by the House against Trump for obstruction of justice, calls for a criminal investigation of Rudy Giuliani. Via ABC pic.twitter.com/CxjzI4qSTv Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 24, 2019 Davis did not answer a call or text from Rolling Stone requesting comment regarding the Senate Intelligence Committees subpoena on Thursday. Since Cohen began cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Muellers office, Trump and Giuliani have on multiple occasions called for investigators to look into Cohens father-in-law, leading to accusations of witness tampering. The most upsetting thing about all of this is the fact that Mr. Cohen was intimidated, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) told the New York Times after Cohen postponed his testimony. And not only was he intimidated, but he believes his family also has been intimidated and threatened. As Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe points out on Twitter, its hard to argue that Trumps threats toward Cohen are not in violation of federal law. Trump seems to have violated U.S.C. 1512 (b): Whoever knowingly uses intimidation . . . with intent to (1) influence, delay, or prevent the testimony of any person in an official proceeding . . . shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) January 24, 2019 The president doesnt quite see it that way. I would say hes been threatened by the truth, Trump told reporters when asked about Cohens decision to postpone his testimony. Hes only been threatened by the truth. He doesnt want to do that probably for me or other of his clients. He has other clients also, I assume. He doesnt want to tell the truth for me or other of his clients. Though Trumps public threats alone may constitute witness tampering, its unclear if they are the sole reason Cohen is hesitant to testify. In a joint statement, Cummings and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) expressed concern over Cohens decision, regardless of whatever threats he may have received from the president. We understand that Mr. Cohens wife and other family members fear for their safety after these attacks, and we have repeatedly offered our assistance to work with law enforcement to enhance security measures for Mr. Cohen and his family, they wrote, adding that when our Committees began discussions with Mr. Cohens attorney, not appearing before Congress was never an option. On Sunday, Schiff said on CBSs Face the Nation that he was prepared subpoena Cohen, if necessary. The Senate Intelligence Committee beat him to it, but that doesnt mean Cohen wont also appear publicly before the House. In the meantime, Trump has continued to throw stones at the man he entrusted with his secrets for a decade. So interesting that bad lawyer Michael Cohen, who sadly will not be testifying before Congress, is using the lawyer of Crooked Hillary Clinton to represent him, the president tweeted on Thursday. Gee, how did that happen?
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https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/michael-cohen-testimony-783973/
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Will Ariana Grandes Ex Ricky Alvarez Join Her on Sweetener Tour?
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Ariana Grande is gearing up for her Sweetener world tour and her ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez might be coming along for the ride! The pop star, 25, sparked speculation that Alvarez, 26, may be joining her after she posted a series of new photos via Instagram on Tuesday, January 22, and tagged his photography account, @allthingsmean. Although Grande has since deleted the snapshots, they are still up on Alvarezs account. The dancer also shared similar pictures of the God Is a Woman songstress on his personal account. However, fans really started buzzing about Alvarez possibly hitting the road with Grande after he posted Instagram photos of himself at her 7 Rings music video release party on Tuesday with her art director, Alfredo Flores, and photographer Stefan Kohli. The Breathin singer sent fans into a frenzy after commenting, the best team. see yall on touuuur. Alvarez danced for Grande on her 2015 Honeymoon tour. They dated from July 2015 to July 2016, and she name-dropped him in her hit 2018 track Thank U, Next with the lyrics, Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh. The pair fueled reconciliation rumors in December 2018 after fans noticed that they have been spending a lot of time together in New York City. Alvarez even hung out on Grandes Thank U, Next music video shoot one month earlier. However, the Victorious alum addressed the buzz via her Instagram comments, telling fans, Were friends everyone take a big ol breather. A source later told Us Weekly that Grande trusts Alvarez and is happy to have him by her side. Grande went on to date Mac Miller from August 2016 to May 2018. She started seeing Pete Davidson weeks after the breakup and the duo got engaged in June, only to call it off in October, one month after Miller died from a drug overdose. The Side to Side singer announced the tracklist for her next album, Thank U, Next, on Tuesday. The follow-up to August 2018s Sweetener will drop on February 8. Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter to get breaking celebrity news, hot pics and more delivered straight to your inbox!
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https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/will-ariana-grandes-ex-ricky-alvarez-join-her-on-sweetener-tour/
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What Happens When Dozens Of Wave-Year Freshmen Join The House?
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It might be hard to tell at the moment, but there are freshmen Democrats in the House other than New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. While Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive women have become the face of the new class in Congress, a total of 64 newly elected Democrats joined Congress this month, each of them with their own platform and political leanings. Yet all of them won their seats in the same wave election that swung at least 40 House seats to the Democrats an election that has media wags wondering if the new Democratic representatives will cause headaches for the old guard. The data suggests probably not. American politics have been inundated by big waves before, and a close look at how those freshmen classes voted may shed light on how todays wave might affect the government. In 1994, for example, under the banner of Newt Gingrichs Contract with America, the GOP ushered in a so-called Republican Revolution, swinging Congress 54 seats to the right. In 2010, Republicans did it again, this time powered by the tea party; the GOP picked up 63 seats. But American politics are turbulent. In 2006 and 2008, it was the Democrats turn to surf they picked up 31 and 21 seats those years. While there is no widely accepted definition of a wave year, there seems to be some consensus that these four elections were waves, so thats where Im going to focus my analysis. After they were elected, all of these wave-riding freshman representatives actually had to go to work and cast votes. Votes are data, and data, in this case, turns into ideology scores. Specifically, we can use Nokken-Poole ideology scores to see whether wave-year freshmen voted demonstrably differently from their more veteran peers. (This method boils down actual congressional votes into a single dimension, meaning that bigger negative numbers represent more liberal positions and bigger positive numbers represent more conservative positions.) With a possible exception of Republicans elected in 2010, when the tea party was big, first-year representatives entering Congress in a wave year dont look all that different from any of the other representatives they tend to be distributed across the ideology score spectrum in about the same way as their longer-serving peers. That could be good news for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as she tries to keep her caucus in line. But its not just the wave-riding freshmen who arent that different from the veterans. Freshmen of all classes tend to vote similarly to or, if anything, slightly to the right of their party elders. These are the ideological distributions of all freshmen and all non-freshmen from 1994 through 2018. There is some weak evidence that those congresspeople who rode in on recent waves be they Democrats or Republicans shifted to the left over time. (For the universe of all congresspeople, there is some evidence that spending more time in Congress means a person takes, on average, a slightly more extreme ideological position.) The Republicans of the class of 1994, for example, became on average more moderate than their fellow congressmen, while the Democrats of the classes of 2006 and 2008 became on average more liberal. Practically speaking, however, these effects appear small, especially when each wave-year class is viewed as an aggregate. The single red and blue lines on the chart below represent the careers of each newly elected member of that years wave party, while the thick black lines show a smoothed trend for each class. The members of the wave classes thin out over time and, in some cases, shift their ideologies. There are a couple of notable outliers clearly visible above. In 1999, Rep. Michael Forbes, who had been a freshman in the Republican Revolution class, announced he was becoming a Democrat. And in 2009, Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith became a Republican while still a freshman hed been elected in a Democratic wave just over a year before. Theres an important caveat to all this: the Nokken-Poole scores are built only on how congresspeople vote. The scores dont tell us anything about what the congresspeople are voting on, or the ripple effects that freshmen may have on senior members by, for example, threatening to vote as a bloc, introducing legislation the House might not otherwise have considered, or using their public appearances to rile up segments of senior members electorates who might not normally contact their representatives. For instance, some pundits have argued that the tea party changed the very DNA of the GOP. (Congress has tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act many times since 2010, for example, which was one of the main planks of the tea party movement.) Others have argued that Gingrichs Republican Revolution is linked to the upheaval now taking place around the globe. Only time will tell what effects the recent and ongoing blue wave might have. Already, we can see how young left is trying to expand which ideas Democrats are willing to entertain including, perhaps, remaking the countrys very economic system. We dont yet have ideological measures for the freshmen swept into the House on 2018s wave, of course they havent participated in enough votes in D.C. But if todays freshmen stick around long enough to become senior statesmen, there are hints here that they may shift the House even further to the left. Cowabunga, dude.
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https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-happens-when-dozens-of-wave-year-freshmen-join-the-house/
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What happened when a gammon went to a gig with a snowflake?
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Layers are good, nods my daughter, Millie, as she looks me up and down. Layers are on-trend. After she explains what on-trend means, I confess that any stylishness is purely accidental: my attire is chosen for practical reasons, rather than aesthetics. She sighs and we trudge off into the night, a 16-year-old and her 49-year-old father embarking on a social experiment in which we aim to bridge the generation gap using the medium of music; gammon meets snowflake, with a pop soundtrack. For the first time in our lives, were going to gig together. And, as the tickets were a birthday gift from her to me, were going to see a young persons band called The 1975. For the uninitiated, The 1975...
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/life/happened-gammon-went-gig-snowflake/
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When will we see the black hole at the Milky Way's heart?
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In this century, astronomers have come to feel certain that our Milky Way galaxy like most galaxies observed in the distant universe has a supermassive black hole at its heart. They believe this black hole is as massive as 4 million of our suns. They call the black hole Sagittarius A* (aka Sgr A*, pronounced Sagittarius A-star). Since late 2017, some astronomers have been saying were less than a year away from seeing the first-ever direct image of it. They expected that image in 2018, but, it appears a foggy cloud of hot gas obscures the view, and has prevented astronomers from getting the sharp images theyd hoped for. Still, astronomers recent efforts aimed at our galaxys heart have provided insights. This week (January 21, 2019), they reported that, for the first time, they incorporated the ALMA telescope in northern Chile into a global network of radio telescopes to learn that the emission from Sgr A* comes from a smaller region than previously thought. The new work may indicate that a radio jet from Sgr A* is pointed almost directly toward us. Sara Issaoun led the research, which is published in the peer-reviewed Astrophysical Journal. She is part of an international team that calls itself the Event Horizon Telescope consortium, an international partnership of 13 institutes from 10 countries (Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, USA, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, Canada and China). Its the goal of this team to make the first-ever image of Sgr A*, although, as most of us understand, black holes are truly black. Theyre regions containing so much mass squeezed into so little space regions of such powerful gravity that no information or light or anything can escape, even if moving at the fastest speed known to exist in our universe, the speed of light. The answer is that astronomers with the Event Horizon Telescope arent aiming to capture the black nothingness of a black hole itself (thats not possible), but instead a black holes event horizon, the one-way membrane around a black hole that defines its boundary, through which light can enter, but never leave. They say they expect the image to reveal the shadow of Sgr A*s event horizon. Sara Issaoun has been testing several different computer models of supermassive black holes against the data obtained so far. She said its possible the data indicate: that the radio emission is produced in a disk of infalling gas rather than by a radio jet. However, that would make Sgr A* an exception compared to other radio emitting black holes. The alternative could be that the radio jet is pointing almost at us. Issaouns supervisor is Heino Falcke at Radboud University in The Netherlands. He said a jet from Sgr A* pointing directly toward Earth would be very unusual. After all, astronomers never like to assume Earth is in any special place in the universe. However, he also no longer rules out this configuration, saying: Maybe this is true after all, and we are looking at this beast from a very special vantage point. Sgr A* is best seen from Earths Southern Hemipshere. So the participation of ALMA in Chile was an important addition to this project, not only because ALMA is a relatively new, powerful and very sensitive telescope, but also because of its location. In addition to ALMA, 12 telescopes in North America and Europe also participated in the network. The astronomers said the resolution achieved that is, the sharpness of the image was twice as good as in previous observations at this frequency and: produced the first image of Sgr A* that is completely free of interstellar scattering (an effect caused by density irregularities in the ionized material along the line of sight between Sgr A* and the Earth). To remove the scattering and obtain the image, the team used a technique developed by Michael Johnson of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). He commented: Even though scattering blurs and distorts the image of Sgr A*, the incredible resolution of these observations allowed us to pin down the exact properties of the scattering. We could then remove most of the effects from scattering and begin to see what things look like near the black hole. The great news is that these observations show that scattering will not prevent the Event Horizon Telescope from seeing a black hole shadow if theres one to be seen. The video below from Vox.com came out over a year ago, and is excellent! Bottom line: An international consortium has been striving to obtain an image of the shadow of the event horizon of our Milky Ways central supermassive black hole, Sgr A*. They havent done it yet, but recent observations show that Sgr A* occupies a smaller region of space than previously thought and that a jet from this black hole might point toward Earth. View the Event Horizon Telescopes simulations page Visit Blackholecam.org Check it out! EarthSky moon calendar for 2019
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https://earthsky.org/space/imaging-black-hole-sgr-a-jet-pointing-toward-earth
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Whats the next step in mission to rescue Julen?
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The desperate search is still on to find Julen, the two year old boy who fell down a narrow 100-metre borehole in the Malaga village of Totaln on January 13. Hopes of reaching the young boy on Tuesday were dashed after rescuers were unable to fit in the casing meant to protect miners through the hole theyd dug parallel to the well where Julen is believed to be. Seeing that the casing was only wide enough to reach down 42 metres, the rescue team was left with no other choice but to pull it back out and start again. By Tuesday afternoon miners began by making the hole wider as well as straighter, as bends in the shaft had also made it difficult for the casing to be fed through to the area Julen is believed to have fallen to, between the 60 and 80-metre mark. Credit: Cadena Ser Almost there and only four metres to dig By late Wednesday morning the casing team reached the same 42-metre mark. By understanding the terrain better, they have since been able to make progress, although they have had to reshape the tunnel's walls again for those final 20 metres. It's now only a matter of hours before the 60-metre mark is reached and work can kick off on the horizontal tunnel. Once the final security checks are carried out on the six-metre casing cylinders joined together, the eight chosen miners will be able work with a pickaxe and their own hands on digging the final four metres that separate them from the 25-centimetre narrow well that Julen fell through. They will work in twos cramped and on their knees or lying down due to size restriction of the casing, taking shifts of 40 minutes. Photo: YouTube Without the steel tubing, the miners would be unprotected against all potential landslide and rock falls in an area thats already proven itself to be geologically unstable and where 40,000 tonnes of earth have been dug up in the last ten days. This particular job still entails risks for them however as theyll have to resort to traditional mining practices. Well have to fit or hold beams on the ceiling and sides of the hole and prop them up with wood, former battalion chief Santiago Sarez, whos helping with the rescue mission in Totaln, told El Mundo. This will hopefully prevent this uncased horizontal hole from collapsing before another protective casing can be fitted. This final dig should last no longer than 24 hours , says ngel Garca Vidal, coordinator of the rescue operation. In the event that the rescue team has made the wrong estimation about Julens whereabouts, the miners will have to dig upwards and widen the wells diameter, Surez explained. SEE ALSO: The images that tell the story of the search for missing Julen
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https://www.thelocal.es/20190123/whats-the-next-step-in-mission-to-rescue-julen
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Whats Next for the Renault-Nissan Alliance?
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Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, on their own, arent among the top handful of the worlds auto manufacturers. Together, in a unique alliance, however, they outmatch the sales of giant automakers like Volkswagen. But the happy confederation has been threatened since its leader, Carlos Ghosn, was arrested on suspicion of financial wrongdoing. Hes no longer in power, and sits in a Tokyo jail cell. Mr. Ghosn personified the alliance, drawing together disparate auto cultures by the force of his personality. A leadership vacuum has opened since Mr. Ghosns arrest. Without their longtime leader, Renault and Nissan have blamed each other for trying to tip the balance of power.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/24/business/renault-nissan-carlos-ghosn-alliance.html
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Would a Public Bank Work in Chicago?
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Amara Enyia, whos running for mayor, and Ameya Pawar, whos running for city treasurer, want to make Chicago more like North Dakota. One of Americas smallest, most conservative states may seem like a strange model for one of its biggest, most progressive cities. A hundred years ago, though, North Dakota was a pretty radical place. Its hard-pressed wheat farmers got tired of paying 12 percent interest to greedy bankers here in Chicago, so they voted to charter a state-run bank, which offered low-interest loans and sold foreclosed farms back to families who had lost them. The Bank of North Dakota, which has assets of $7 billion, is still the only publicly owned bank in the United States. Both Enyia and Pawar say a public bank could offer low-interest student loans, invest in local projects currently redlined by private bankers, and service the cannabis industry, which most federal banks are reluctant to do business with. A public bank would be capitalized by shifting the City of Chicagos deposits from the private banks where theyre currently held. As a not-for-profit institution, a public bank would lack the money-making motive that drives Bank of America or JP Morgan Chase, so it could offer loans at better rates. Pawar even sees it undercutting the federal government in the student loan racket. Sallie Mae, the federal student loan agency, charges between 6.125 percent and 12.5 for loans. Pawar considers that predatory. His idea: A public bank could refinance student loans at 5 percent, tying the rate to city residency. Such a deal wouldnt just motivate college grads to stay in Chicago, it would leave them with more money to spend at local businesses. Money spent on student loan interest, says Pawar, is money not available for you to buy a home, or for child care." The difference between repaying the feds and repaying the city could be hundreds of dollars a month. Thats hundreds of dollars that goes back into Chicagos economy. Not to mention, the city would collect interest on those loans. If Gov. JB Pritzker legalizes marijuana in Illinois, as hes proposed, a public bank could also handle that industrys assets. Marijuana is still considered an illegal substance nationally, so most federally chartered banks refuse to deal with even legal marijuana suppliers, forcing them to operate as cash-only businesses. A city-owned public bank would be chartered by the state of Illinois, providing an end-run around federal regulations. That money could finance affordable housing and capital for small businesses in communities ravaged by the War on Drugs, Pawar says. As executive director of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, Enyia knows how difficult it is for small businesses to secure loans, especially in underserved neighborhoods. A public bank would have a motivation to float those loans, since they would be investments in the citys economy. With a public bank, theres no incentive to make money; its all about making sure the city is fiscally sound, Enyia says. If were truly interested in expanding the small business sector, we have to be able to issue low-interest loans to entrepreneurs in the city. We have to assume that risk, because we know thats an investment on our end in having a more mature, robust business sector. Pawar sees a public bank financing affordable housing, which private banks are reluctant to touch. And Enyia sees a public bank financing the citys own infrastructure projects, which are now often paid for with bonds. You can fund those infrastructure projects at very low interest rates, and any interest thats generated is recirculated back into the bank, so youre recirculating it back into the citys coffers, she says. For one thing, the private banks dont like it. Private banks have a lot of money, and a lot of lobbyists. Lynn Frazier, the governor who established the Bank of North Dakota, was recalled in a campaign led by the states business interests. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, however, ran on a platform of getting his state into the banking business, and two members of San Franciscos Board of Supervisors are pushing for the idea. Establishing a public bank here would require a citywide referendum, which Pawar hopes to place on the 2020 ballot. The banks have nothing to fear, Pawar says. If you believe in capitalism, you believe in competition. The government is already in banking, he adds. We bailed all of them out a few years ago. Share
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http://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/January-2019/Would-a-Public-Bank-Work-in-Chicago/
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Are Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott Secretly Engaged?
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But forget all that, because what really matters is figuring out whether or not Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott secretly got married without bothering to tell anyone. The internet is currently ALIVE with theories about Travis and Kylie's relationship, but speculation about their marital status dates all the way back to March 2018. Mostly because that's how long Kylie's been trolling us. Here's a helpful guide to the many, many, m-a-n-y times she and Travis implied that they're already marriedand what all the clues mean. March 2, 2018 Ahhhh, March 2. The fated day Kylie shared one of the first photos of Stormi to Instagram, kicking off what I will henceforth call #SecretWeddingGate. And it's all thanks to one little gold band: Actually, lemme go ahead and zoom because that picture showed nothing: Instagram Naturally, fans freaked out because that sure looks like a wedding bandbut HAHAHAH, little did they know what else was coming. April 29, 2018 Behold, the day Kylie was spotted wandering the streets of Calabasas, this time with multiple diamond rings on ~that~ finger: BACKGRID Oh, and she hit social to post a video of said rings, just to make sure no one missed them: Cool cool cool. The people needed answers, and lol, nope, they didn't get them. October 15, 2018 Kylie, now fully trolling us all, posted footage of some random pile of pink petals Travis deposited in her hallway. Keya (@kshantile) December 4, 2018 Low key been thinking Kylie & Travis are engaged they better be! Zinhle Mqadi (@ZinhleMqadi1) December 3, 2018 I swearrrrrr Kylie & Travis got married on the sneak @KylieJenner @trvisXX (@iLiveFor_Court) December 3, 2018 January 6, 2019 Kylie posted yet another Instagram prominently featuring a massive diamond solitaire that looked unmistakably like an engagement ring: Like...KYLIE. January 17, 2019 Kim, Kourtney, and Khlo showed up on Watch What Happens Live and promptly were asked when Kylie and Travis are getting engaged. They proceeded to act incredibly awk. Naturally, everyone assumed they were covering up the truth, and this photo is all the evidence you need: Bravo January 23, 2019 Kylie decided to f*ck with everyone some more, posting a sexy Instagram with the caption "extrao a mi esposo." "I miss my husband," guys. THAT is what it means. IDK. Kylie and Travis are either married, engaged, the world's biggest trolls, or none of the above. On that note:
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https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a26023553/kylie-jenner-travis-scott-marriage-engagement-rumors/
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Will Scarborough Borough Council see sense and reject Whitby chippy plan?
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It has come to my attention that Whitby Council has passed this plan for the NatWest Bank. I ask myself. Think of the smell and outlook that will have besides our friendly seagulls looking for their lunch. It is going to be an eyesore to say the least. You are talking about 50 jobs, people are crying out for staff in town. The council are supposed to be looking out for the people of Whitby, in this case they are not, they are helping big chains to take food out of locals mouths. I hope Scarborough Council see the amount of uproar this has caused and unlike Whitby Town Council, object as it will do nothing but harm the town. RD Swales Helredale Gardens Whitby
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https://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/news/your-say/will-scarborough-borough-council-see-sense-and-reject-whitby-chippy-plan-1-9556207
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Can Newcastle United's generation of tomorrow emulate the FA Cup legends of yesteryear?
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Get Newcastle United 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 Where once Wor Jackie's cup runneth over in the days of great derring-do it's now a trophy of confusion for Rafa Benitez. In a season where more than ever Premier League survival is at genuine risk Newcastle have defied team selection to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup despite requiring an away replay to do so. Now Watford return to St James' Park with Rafa obviously reflecting on the irony of it. The last thing he wanted was to go to Blackburn a few days before a crucial PL survival match against Cardiff City yet despite resting a shoal of first-teamers he won but suffered no fewer than four injuries, ironically all to senior players. Now United must confront Watford at the beginning of a week which sees them facing the considerable PL challenge of champions Manchester City and Spurs. Another patchwork for sure. (Image: Newcastle United) This despite the fact that United would appear on paper at least to have a great opportunity of reaching the fifth round thus getting closer to Wembley with the Mags having already beaten Watford at SJP and drawn with them away. However Watford are actually much, much better than that - they played United off the park at times here - and they will believe on the law of averages this must be their day. Significantly the Hornets lose less away than home as do Newcastle. 0+ VOTES SO FAR NUFC win Draw Watford win Their owners have been as ruthless as Ashley when it comes to managers. The Pozzo family have got through six since 2012 - indeed the current incumbent Javi Gracia celebrated his first anniversary in the job this week which is quite an achievement. He's the only Watford boss in six and a half years to reach that milestone. Mind you, the signs are that Gracia is getting it right. Watford currently sit a heady seventh in the PL rankings despite dropping five points against Newcastle. There was a welcome lift for United last time out of course as Cardiff were put to the buck in no uncertain terms meaning the Mags had achieved the heady heights of scoring seven goals in two games after bullseyes had been as rare as discovering a sparkler amongst the pebbles on a beach. (Image: PA) United reached this stage of the Cup with strikes from two Geordies (Sean Longstaff and Callum Roberts) early on followed by extra time finishes from a couple of Spaniards (Joselu and Ayoze Perez). Play it again guys! Don't even pick him on the bench this time Rafa, you know you won't put him on. Longstaff we know can whereas Roberts, Jamie Sterry, and even Freddie Woodman would be watched closely upon a step up in class. The FA Cup is now a funny old competition where once it was the glamour and glitz centrepiece of a season. Wor Jackie, Bobby Mitchell, George Robledo, Joe Harvey, Jimmy Scoular, and Frank Brennan have gone down in history because of it.
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https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/can-newcastle-uniteds-generation-tomorrow-15725046
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Who is the mystery person leaving pixie dolls around Golcar to spread a smile?
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Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A mystery dollmaker has been spreading a little bit of magic around Golcar. The anonymous do-gooder has been up to some elf-ish mischief making and hiding pixie dolls around the village for residents to find and take home. And safe to say locals have started to believe in the magic of good deeds, with many describing the dolls as a "sweet gesture" and claiming they have been "brightening their day". Villagers became aware of the hidden dolls - who each have their own individual outfits and names - when people began posting in community Facebook group Golcar, Milnsbridge, Longwood, Cowlersley and Scape Area . One woman, who found one of the dolls at FieldHead surgery, said it helped cheer her mood after a doctor's trip for a chest infection. Sarah McGlynn said: "I found my little doll called Rosie Cheeks at FieldHead surgery. I was on my way in feeling very under the weather, and found out I have a chest infection, but finding Rosie definitely helped improve my mood. "I don't know who is doing this but I think it's lovely! We also had the angels at Christmas that were left in random places by the lovely people at the Providence Church. Golcar is a lovely place to live!" Rosie has now been adopted by Sarah's daughter Molly, who keeps a fairy garden in her bedroom. (Image: Sarah McGlynn/Facebook) Another villager who found a doll was Adrian Ambler, who was out walking his dogs yesterday afternoon (Weds) when he found his doll named Spud Gunn tucked under a stone in a wall on Clay Well. He said: "My fianc and I were aware of these dolls being found around the village and we didn't think we would be lucky, but we were. It's a mystery who's making them but they are exquisitely made with lovely detail." Lyndsay Howson and her son found one of the dolls in a bag of pebbles they came across walking to school. Lyndsay said: "When we looked there was a tiny little doll with a tag attached to it saying 'it's cold out here'. It brightened up our day - nobody knows who has done these but they are pretty cute and make you smile." Other areas the dolls have been found in include near the Post Office, library and near the Manor Road playing fields.
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https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/who-mystery-person-leaving-pixie-15726686
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